Brad
The student needs to be confortable with the school they are attending. I came to this school because I love the outdoors and was looking for a school that taught Engineering. MSU was an obvious choice, being that it is very class and outdoors oriented. The best thing for a student to do, is to get a grasp at what they might want to study. Find the schools that provide a good education in that field, and visit them. When they find the school that just feels right, then they have found the best school that they can attend. Parents need to be attentive and supportive of their children, and attempt to help in anyway possible, but when push comes to shove, the student should make the decision about which school to go to. It is their future.
Joshua
To find the right college and make the most of the college experience, go somewhere where the environment fits what you enjoy and are comfortable in. Talk to professors and get a feel for their teaching style, and the mood of the school before making your decision. During school, get involved as much as possible with student life because that is the easiest way to meet people and make friends.
Phil
It is imperative to search the internet for your schools that you might be interested in and then go an visit those schools and the towns they are located in. It is very important that you like the town that the University you want to go to is located in. I saw several schools that I thought were better than the one I ended up going to, but they were located in really desolate or impoverished areas with little in the way of activities or stores.
Katherine
The college has to work for you. Go visit the colleges that you are interested in. Attend some classes if you get the chance. You may be suprised when you actually go and visit the campus and you may change your mind. Also look into total costs for each school and compare your options to get the best deal.
Jesse
Get your financial aid done early.
April
When I first began looking at schools to attend, I was caught up in prestige and finding a small school that was perfect for me. Once I actually got into it, though, I realized that there were no small colleges perfect for me. A bigger school provides a lot more choices and allows for flexability in academic pathways. For a student who knows exactly what they want to study, a smaller school may be more appropriate, but a nice medium-sized school gives multiple opportunities combined with the choice of class size. As for the prestige, a college experience is what one makes it. Montana State doesn't come with a lot of accolade, but I feel like I can push myself just as hard as I want to and learn what I want to learn without being forced into it. To make the most of a college experience, it is important to just put ones self out on a limb and get into whatever seems the most interesting, be it research, community service, or skiing, the student always makes the decision as to what is important.
Jon
Don't be too concerened what you want to do with the rest of your life, it is ok to attend college and still have no idea what you want to do. It is ok to not know what you want to do. Make sure you choose a college thats right for you, not your parents. Make sure you choose a major thats right for you, not your parents. Friends you make in college will become lifelong friends.
Kris
College has been the best time of my life thus far. Getting a good education is obviously the primary reason to go to college, but enjoying the experience the entire time is also crucial. Find a college which offers activities you enjoy in an enviroment that feels comfortable and natural. In college, the social life one encounters is probably richer and more fun than it will be at any other point in life, and it's important to take full advantage of it. There is no universal solution for finding the right college, it is just something that you know and inherently feel is right. Don't let yourself be pressured into choosing a campus that doesn't interest you, because it would be a shame to waste what could potentially be the best years of your life. Keep your brain on academics and your heart on happiness and let the chips fall where they may.
Brittni
Academics is the most important part of college obviously, but be sure to factor in everything else as well. Without having such a supportive campus and group of girls (my team) around me I would not have been successful. It is important that in addition to academics you find a campus and surrounding community that interests you. I picked Montana State because of the volleyball and academic opportunities, but really fell in love with it because of the wonderful outdoor opportunities in nearby national forests and national parks. The academics taught me everything I know and prepared me for life, but the hiking, backpacking and fishing kept me sane throughout the process.