Michigan State University Top Questions

If I were able to go back in time and give myself advice for college life and making the transition, I would have a lot to say. I would tell myself to remember that I am going to college to become educated and to focus on my studies. Do not let friends and partying become too distracting but don't forget to have fun. Be involved in clubs and activities that interest you and take advantage of the wonderful oppurtunities your school has to offer. Get a job or an internship. Be friendly, outgoing and accepting of others. Be yourself and make friends with good people who contribute wellness and happiness to your life. Become independent, make the right decisions and learn from your mistakes. Explore your campus and think outside the box. New experiences can be very rewarding, but do not forget where you came from. Stay close to your family and your religion. They will always be there for you in the end.

College is very different than high school and can be overwhelming. Get to know your professors and classmates right away so you can set-up a good academic foundation and not stress out about classes. Also, get to know people on your floor and talk to them about their academic plans. You're all in college together so you know that each of you has a lot of things going through your mind about the future. Communication is one of the best ways to learn and get through tough situations. Talking to your peers and teachers gives you a first-hand insight of what to expect as you go through college and what lies ahead after. Use all your resources wisely, including on-campus services such as the Career Center, Learning Centers, Advising Offices, Library, etc. Also, be open to new people and experiences: you'll make friends and memories here that will last a life-time. Don?t let a moment slip away. Go out and explore campus when you?re done with studying and have free time. Be bold in your undertakings, be efficient with your time, be proud of your accomplishments, and be happy with your decisions.

Really there is only one thing. "Don't coast throught your senior year, you will still be fine but it will make things much easier to push hard through the end of high school."

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college life, I would make sure to tell myself not to stress about where to go and what to pick as my major. The summer before college, everything just fell into place. I found the major I wanted to pursue and the colleges best fit to get me where I wanted to go. Sure, moving away from home may seem emotionally draining, but it is well worth it for the experience and knowledge of receiving a top grade education for a reasonable price. Especially when you initially dread being able to pay for college, and then find out financial aid has you more than covered.

I would study harder because you really have to pay more attention. There is no homework, mostly exams, in college. If you do not read and don't pay attention in class then your grades will slip. If you do bad on one test, it really affects your grade for the whole class.

I'd start with, "There's no reason to freak out." Yes, it's a big change, but it all shows you what kind of person you are. You get to do things and make choices on your own, good or bad, and learn a lot from them. A big worry of mine was that I was going to lose my friends from high school; it was the exact opposite. You really find out who your true friends are, and I got a lot closer with mine! I would remind myself that I took all those AP courses in high school for a reason - for preparation for college. Those classes really relied more on the student to get themselves prepared and my college classes work the same way, so AP was a good way to go. It also would have been nice to know that the people I was going to meet would be so awesome. All in all, it's about discovery. You get thrown into the college environment and have to fend for yourself without mom and dad telling you what to do; sometimes it's great, and sometimes it's not, but it's a lesson learned.

I wish I could say that if I went back to talk to the high school version of myself I would say something poetic or enlightening as advice, but really the best advice I could give would be simple? learn to do you. It?s easy to get swept up in the hype that surrounds college, the parties, the tailgates, the constant ability to avoid doing actual school work, it?s easy to forget why your there in the first place. I learned early that you have to do you first and everything else second. Going to class has to trump sleeping in, writing a paper comes before going out, and remembering that your goals and aspirations will take you farther than any party ever will is key. Once you figure out what is important to you everything else will slowly fall into place. Sometimes it may seem like your missing out, but in the long run, missing the ?big event? of the year to study for a final may lead to a big adventure down the road. Learn to do you and everything else will fall into place? figuratively speaking? it is college after all.

Hey Greg, I know that the college application process was one of the most stressful times that you have ever been through. You were so confused and unmotivated, and you felt totally alone. Your grades and schoolwork suffered because of all the uncertainty. You felt like you had to make a decision about your future right away before you applied anywhere. Unfortunately, you had no idea that this was not the case at all. Since coming to school and taking some classes, I have a much better idea about what exactly interests me, for a potential career in the future. This newfound assuredness has also helped other areas of my life. I've gained a lot of confidence, both in my schoolwork and in my social life. While my priorities could use a little bit of fine-tuning, I have begun to surround myself with people who will help me become a better individual. My friends share my best-interest, and only want to see me do well. So I guess the most important thing to know is that all the extra stress you put on yourself only leads to more stress. Take it easy, and you'll be fine...

To find the right college you need to visit the campus on more than one occasion and you should make sure they have your desired major. In order to make the most of your college experience you must step outside of your comfort zone. Open yourself up to people, you create some great bonds.

The first thing that I looked for in finding the right college was whether or not they had the major I wanted. From there, I looked at the variety of classes I could take in order to complete my degree. Michigan State University has a very extensive Zoology degree program. They offer different concentrations, and have a lot of internships available. After searching for the major, I would see what types of extra-circular activities are provided by the school. Here at MSU they offer hockey, swimming, soccer, baseball, gymnastics, etc. Finally, check to see if the school has a job center to help you find a part-time job. This helps out since most of the employers will work around your school schedule.

I would tell students to consider their options carefully, but don't look back or regret once you've made your college decision. Every school has tons of awesome opportunities, and no matter where you end up, college is what you make it. You can be as involved or as uninvolved as you want. Seek career opportunities, internships, interesting courses, and resume-building activities wherever you end up, and you definitely won't regret it. Take your classes seriously, because they're going to cost you a lot of money, but use your spare time to get involved and make friends! Meet with your advisors more than you think you need to; they can help you a lot. Do your homework even when the professor doesn't collect it. Just get as much as possible out of this time in your life, because you might never have so many opportunities and the freedom to take them again.

Finding the right college is about knowing yourself. For me, it wasn't just about the name of a college. MSU offered awesome courses in the field I was interested in and was close to home. Some of my friends from high school went there as well, but it was so big I knew I would meet new people and get to experience a culturally rich and academically sound college experience. When looking for the right college, you need to look at all the aspects the college has to offer. And don't be ashamed if your first choice is not the right choice, plenty of people change their mind after the first year. I love my college, and I know I made the right choice. Go Green!

I honestly think it is possible to find a home at any college. I would say that if you don't quite know what you want to do with your life yet (have an undecided major), go with a large school with lots of degree options because it makes it WAY easier to switch majors if you decide to do so. As for the college experience, the key is time management. The social part of college is just as important (possibly more important, in my case, as I was very shy in high school but not anymore) as the academic part. Try to participate in as much as you can; go to class, get a job for a few hours a week, join a club, make new friends and spend time with them. The combination of all of this is what made my first year of college the best year of my life.

Find a college that fits you for you, not because someone else says that it is great. Visit beforehand , stay in the dorms, eat the food, and go to classes if you can. Talk to the people you see--are they friendly? Would you see yourself becoming friends with anyone? Do they like their school? This is where you will be living for four or more years and these are the kind of people you will meet--make sure that it is the place for you and that you will enjoy yourself! Once you have made your choice and have moved in, get involved--through your dorm, your classes, and extracurricular activities! Leave your door open when you are in your room, this is a great way to meet new people on your floor. Sit with new people in the cafeteria if you do not know anyone. Participate in your classes--take notes, ask questions, meet the people around you and get their email--this is great if you miss class and need notes or the homework. Get involved on campus through clubs and take advantage of the activities set-up by the university. Finally, just be yourself!

Visit the campus of the school you are attending more than once so you can really get a sense of what it means to be a student there and if you feel like you would "fit in" there. Also, I would tell freshmen to really make an effort to make friends/ get involved in something. There is a lot of free time at college and if you are not involved in a job, club, etc. you will be bored most of the time.

Be open to new opportunities and try different things. You never know what you might like until you actually try it. Make the best of your college experience by taking advantage of opportunies. Be sure to maintain grades by having good time manangement skills.

make sure you don't choose your first one. get campus tours and make sure you like it before going there.

If you know what field you/your child is going to pursue, find a college that places emphasis on that program. If not, try to immerse yourself in the activities of nearby colleges and just try to figure out which one feels most like home; feeling at ease is the most important thing as you try to figure out who you are, and if you don't know what to pursue, it's a necessity to make a well thought out decision.

I would first say look at your finanical situation and see what is feesible there. I would then look at what the student is personally looking for in that college. If they are more extroverted then a bigger college, and vice versa. Probably the most important thing about the school you are going to is if they offer the program you are planning on entering, and how well are they known for that program. The reason you go to college is to get a degree so if possible you want to attend the college with the best notoriety for your course of study.

Make sure that you are able to focus. Dont go to a school for fun or just because all of your friends are going there.And make sure yoy plan ahead!