Marshall University Top Questions

Listen to your kid - they know what they want the most. Follow your heart - it will lead you to a great school where you will be comfortable enough to succeed.

The best advice I can give to any student wishing to make the most out of their college experience is to make sure to go out and have a good time. Do the things that you enjoy, yet always make sure that academics come first. Homework and studying should all be the number one priority but a student should always have enough time to hang out with friends or go out and have a good time. Be active and just be yourself and you will find plenty friends. The right college may be hard to find but make sure to do plenty of research. Make sure the school has a major that interests you and make sure to visit the school both officially and unofficially. Tours of the campus are great but nothing will let you know what the school is really like until you go to campus on a school day and just walk around. Talk to some of the teachers you may have and make sure the school fits you right and you don't feel awkward and out of place. With these steps, a student should be able to find a good home in college.

The advice I would give to students would be to pick a place where you feel comfortable, but also somewhere you can feel a challenge to make yourself better. Take time to talk to your professors during office hours. This comes in handy when you don't understand something or need help. If they know you a little better, they know you're serious about getting your work done right and not looking for an easy way out of a hard assignment. This seems silly, but attend all classes. It's very hard to catch up if you fall behind. The last piece of advice I have is get involved, with greek life, student government, sports, or clubs. The more involved you are, the more campus starts to feel like home. The advice I would give to parents is to support their children. College is hard enough without worrying about impressing your parents. There is an enormous amount of stress with classes, so try to be supportive and not too judgemental. Parents should also get involved and know what their child is doing at school, and plan at least one visit to check out campus.

The overarching task during the four years (or more) of college is being able to adjust to your new surroundings and tasks as a student, whether they be academic, career-oriented, financial, or otherwise. Choosing a school whose setting and student population are suitable for your tastes certainly helps, but these are merely two of many variables that will determine the outcome of your college career. Likewise, choosing a school which has programs in your prospective field of study is unquestionably important, but bear in mind how common it is for a student to change his/her major. Remember that college is what you make of it. If you go to college with absolutely no career goals, then you will obtain very little from going to college. However, if you chose a school with an even a general idea of what you want to obtain from your education, then you are more likely to adapt when changes present themselves and therefore complete college. Do not be preoccupied with minute details of different colleges, but instead use your general career or education goal(s) to determine what college will be best suited to help you obtain those ambitions.

First and foremost future students and their parents need to visit the schools they're interested in going to. They also need to look at what is offered at the school in question. See if the school offers not only what you think you want to major in but also if it offers your back up majors. You also need to ask current students and see how they feel about they school. See if they like it there, see what the social activities are, that kind of thing. See if the school matches what you want out of your college experience. You should also pay attention to the school's ability to help you pay for school. This last thing is also very important, keep your options open. Make sure you apply to several schools and pick from the ones that accept you. Don't base your choice on where your friends are going either, because you make so many new friends at college that you won't be lonely. Go to school, have fun, study, and remember college is the best time in your life.

Really do your research and talk to older students in your chosen major.

To find the right college I think students and parents need to visit several colleges and see what each on has to offer and what the community is like around the college. Maybe even stay in the community for a day or two. Get on facebook and seek out people who attend that college, ask them about it, their opinion, about their experience, and whether or not they would chose to go there again. To make the most of your college experience I truely believe that you have to get involved. My first semester of college I commuted from home and all I did was attend class, and drive home to study. I didn't enjoy college at all, so I made change. I joined a sorority as well as a few organizations on campus. Now I absolutely love college and feel so involved. I actually feel as though I am apart of my school. It makes you so much more proud to be a student there if you actually know what is going on on campus. Good luck with your college experience.

just go somewhere that is right for you and only you, dont take other peoples advice for what "you" need. do what you want. you know what you like and or need more than anyone else.

I think you have to go and tour the colleges that you are interested in. It has to be the right fit for you. If you are going to be away from home for the first time for months at a time, the place have to make you feel at home and warm and comfortable. My Mom and I toured 5 different campuses. One that we drove to, we didn't even get out of the car. As soon as I drove up, it just didn't feel right. I think this is an important step. If you already feel homesick as soon as you get there....you may not end up staying. I fell like Marshall remeinded me of my home town. Trees lining the sidewalks. Grassy parks. Old buildings. It just made me feel at home!

My advice for parents and students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience include the following: First pray. Ask God to help you with every step you take. Second plan. Start taking ACT/SAT prep classes, starting in the 11th grade, to prepare for the ACT/SAT test. Taking the ACT or SAT is crirtical in getting into college. The higher your ACT or SAT score, the better chance you'll have at getting into a good college. Third make sure you have financial aid. Either work, save money, or fill out scholarshaips starting in the 10th grade. Once you have done the above steps figure out what you want to study by brainstorming or writing down what interest you then research by looking up colleges with those programs. Next apply for schools that are within you financial barriers. Going to school out of state is not always the best thing to do. Once in college make the most of it by being social and getting envolved in organizations both student and academic. Always ask questions, that is the best way of being informed. Last but not least, step outside your box.