Kari
Get involved in anything that catches your interest! It will make even the biggest school seem small enough to be comfortable, and a small school will be full of fellow students who you call friends in no time at all. From someone who was quiet and not involved in high school, that change to being involved in my school and community in college has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only will you make your resume look so much better, but you'll make lifelong friends and memories, and learn amazing time management skills! College is the perfect opportunity to find yourself as a young adult. Keeping everything in moderation and perspective, you're setting yourself up for the best years of your life!
Alexander
Find a school that will allow the student to find his passion while attending. Work is never "work" if you love what you are doing. Be employed or volunteer in a study related job while attending school, so that the student can relate book learning to the real world. By working in a study related job, the student will graduate with experience, and be employable. Personally signing for student loans encourages the ownership of grades and provides motivation to finish the degree. To make the most of the college experience, surround yourself with other students who are "going somewhere". It rubs off. Schedule some fun time in there too.
Sara
Make sure you check out as many colleges as possible before making your final decision.
Stephanie
Make sure you visit and apply to more than one school. The university I attend is the only one I applied to because I was sure this was where I wanted to go, but I sometimes wonder if I missed out on something better somewhere else. When you do start college, explore every extracurricular option you have. Visit every fraternity/sorority house, go to at least one meeting for any club you can, and meet new people while you are doing it. Meeting new people and trying new things are the most important parts of your college experience. You may find something that you love that you never thought of doing before. Also, take classes that you enjoy, not just ones that you need to graduate. Instead of trying to fill an elective credit with the eastiest class, take a class that will benefit you maybe not towards your major but as a person, like history or art. The most important thing to remember though, is that you are there to LEARN! Yes, many people party their way through college, but those that do the work benefit so much more from the experience.
Kim
Visit schools and talk to current students. Sit in on a class if possible to see what works best for you.
Holly
apply to as many colleges as possible and see which will provide the most for your education.
Alex
Pick a degree you want, find schools with that degree, do a little research (tuition, notoriety, campus life), then go with your gut reaction.
April
First and very important start looking at colleges early and find ones that are a good fit for you. There are literaly hundreds of schools out there so there are plenty to choose from but not all of them are good for you. The next and probably more important thing to do afterwords is visit the schools. This maybe hard if you are choosing a school out of state but that is what made me decided which school I wanted to go. Try to sit in a class or visit the labs or the different parts of the school you are interested. Talk to students currently going there and get there perspective on the school because that maybe even the most useful information you get seeing as they will have gone through the same experiences you are. I was working at a recruitment event and one of the parents started to ask me questions about the school and my degree and told me outright that what I told the was much more useful than the presentation that was being given. So start early, visit schools and talk to students!
Brice
It is highly advisable to visit a college one is considering for a couple of days and also to interview with random students around campus about their experiences and if they themselves would recommend the school. Sometimes interviewing with professors can be a good indicator of the experience one will receive. Also many colleges do offer camps and activities for prospective students which is something that should be taken advantage of, since not only will you get to meet students and see more of the school, but also meet indivuals who may attend as well.
William
Don't rush into college. You can still go to college when you are 19 or 20. Do a lot of soul searching into what you really want to do with your life. Never settle for anything less until you are happy. Make sure you are aware of the potential college atmosphere. If you want to date, don't go to a college with 85{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} guys if you are a guy. Participate in college activities, even if it's just for the free food. Remember to learn and have fun.