New York University Top Questions

Visit the university, talk to students and professors if at all possible. Friends that have attended or are attending a university that you are interested in can be a valuable resource. Find a school that conforms to your personality and at the same time provides the level of academic rigor that you most desire.

Parents of students need to remember that choosing a school is like choosing a partner. You need a school that will make your student feel happy, comfortable, and involved enough to not come home every weekend. Students need to remember that of the schools you look at, you need to find the one that fits ALL your criteria for your definition of a good school. If the school you're looking at doesn't meet just one of that criteria, keep looking, there is a perfect school for you, I promise. Also, don't stress about landing at the right school, you can always transfer if you've found you made a mistake, most of your credits will transfer with you. The best piece of advice, get comfortable with the college academic situation. Challenge yourself in high school so you won't be caught by surprise in college. Most of my friends who have struggled academically fell behind because they thought they could breeze through classes like they did in high school. If you work hard now, you will have to work less later.

It is important to have an idea of what the student is looking for out of college. If it is a chance to live a little and have some fun before jumping into work and careers, that is an important factor. He or she may do poorly if they go to a very academically oriented school with heavy focus on coursework. Vice versa applies as well. If a student is looking to get a great education but finds that everyone slacks off and enjoys partying, he or she may be stressed and unhappy. Finding a school with prestige in the field the student wishes to someday work in is also important. Having a sense of school spirit is a feeling of belonging that every student deserves to have. Otherwise he or she may find the experience at college to be lacking. Financial woes are important as well. Make sure that the school of choice is within the family's budget. If the student expects to take out loans, he or she should be prepared to pay them back once school is over. All these factors are probably the most important in deciding a student's school of choice.

First of all, find out the child's strength and interests. Consider the personality and preferance in the environment. Always visit the school and if possible, audit some classes and talk to the students before enrolling.

Visiting colleges is one of the best ways to get a feel for whether or not you want to make that school your home for the next four years. Try to talk to current students as well. Find out what they like best about the school and what they like least. First and foremost though, I'd say go with your gut. Choose the school that will make you, the student, most happy and successful.

Grades aren't everything. Sure they are important, but they are not always the biggest factors when it comes to finding a job, or getting into the right college.

It was five years before I received my acceptance letter to NYU that I first visited the campus. I knew then that NYU was the only option for me. New York City was its campus. What more could I ask for? Every college is different, and choosing the right college can be stressful and daunting. If you look at it like falling in love, my advice is: don't think about it too much. There won't be a certain instant where you set foot on campus and just know it's right for you. That's why I started my search early. NYU was always in the back of my mind as I visited other campuses. When I received my acceptance letter, I saw it as a proposal. That is the moment you will know. It is a simple yes or no. Don't think - because if you have to weigh the pros and cons, that's logic, not love. At some point before receiving the acceptance letter, your heart will make its own decision, and it will let you know later when you are either ecstatic, or are waiting for the other letters to decide.

The advice that I would give parents is to begin preparing for their child's education in advance. I think that it would be wiser to send their children to junior college when they are attaining their liberal arts general classes. Most people do not know what they want to do or they are unsure of what they want to study in the beginning stages of higher education. I changed my major about five or six times before finally deciding on what I wanted to do. Once their child makes a decision then it would it beneficial for the child to furthur their education in a good four year . While the student is in school they should make the most of their college experience by utilizing all the available programs that can help them advance and network.

Take as much time as you need to decide what you want out of college. Work, travel, take time off. I know so many students who spent thousands of dollars on a certain kind of education, only to change their minds halfway through and decide that they wanted something else instead. When you're choosing a college, think very closely about what it is that you want out of the years that you will spend there. Choose your school primarily for concrete, specific reasons rather than vague, emotional ones. Beware of vast generalizations (i.e. "everyone is unfriendly," "no one is religious") and remember that everyone's college experience is very different, and depends largely on your program, your activities, and the people with whom you chose to surround yourself. Location, prestige, and campus vibe are important, but overrated. Don't take the glossy brochures too seriously, be aware of college marketing techniques and strategies. The most important thing is to find a place that is best suited to your personal, intellectual and career goals, with the resources to help you fulfill them. If you find that, the rest (social life, subjective experience, etc.) should take care of itself.

You shouldn't necessarily pick the school that looks the most "fun." Pick the school that will best prepare you for life after college. This doesn't just pertain to career prep, but also to preparation for the real world. If you pick a school that is all parties and reading in a vacuum, you might have fun and you might learn. You will not, however, learn to apply any lessons to real-world situations. Also, pick a school that you can reasonably afford. The leading cause of depression at my school is the size of the average student's debt. In a private school, it is often hard to see where all the money is going. However, if a school is right for you, don't let money stand in the way. If you sacrifice your true desire for money, you may regret it the rest of your life.