Ohio Northern University Top Questions

I think the best advice I could give to myself if I could go back would be to stay focused. It can be really tough getting started because of all the changes that are made in such a short amount of time, but the transition is much easier when you keep your goal in sight. The more I let my focus stray from what I really wanted to do, the more off track I got. Now I constantly remind myself of why I am really here and what I want to do with my life. I only do what will help me reach this goal. Also, relax and lighten up. If you take yourself too seriously, your world will just come crashing down around you and you will be stuck spending your precious time picking up the peices instead of really living.

College is going to be one of the best experiences of your life so far. Take advantage of every moment of it. It feels a little like summer camp in the beginning. Mom drops you off and you are shuttled from one activity to another during orientation, but then you realize, I am grown up. I don't have to go to any of this. I don't even have to go to class if I do not want to. Go to class. During your first two years you will just want to get through classes with good grades, but actually learn the material! When in your life will you have excessive amounts of time to learn about things you are actually interested in? However, don't become two caught up in academics, realize that a lot of learning is experiencing! Finally, you know how you always want to get away from home (which is why we chose a school 800 miles away)? You will miss it. Understand that as we mature mom will seem wiser and you'll want to talk to her more often, but really she's always been this way. Most importantly soak up every minute.

I would evaluate myself more deeply and make sure I know what I want in my future. I would try to find out what it is that will make me happy, and what my prioities are. Then I would work more in high school to get myself ready. I would become more independent in high school, and would prepare myself more financially, and emotionally. I would evaluate myself and if I was ready to live far away from home, and if I am looking for more social life, or like the quiet, personal atmosphere. I would find out if it is important for me to be able to speak individually with my professors, or if I can deal with TA's only. I would mostly make sure I knew myself as weell as possible, and know what was most inportant to me, and how to take care of myself, and look out for my own needs.Then, I would evaluate if the coolege I am considering is able to meet those needs, and fit my personality. I know I made the right choice for me!!

The most important thing about attending college is to choose a major you are interested in. Don't be scared to choose a major that's not 'practical' because if you choose something you don't enjoy you'll always wonder 'what if?' and you're grades will suffer due to it. The biggest difference between college and high school is the freedom that comes with living on your own. As long as you follow you're own instincts and don't do things because its what everyone else is doing or because its what you think you should do you'll be fine.

The advise I would give myself would be to: first of all, pay more attention in my Chemistry class and second of all, to let go of those who are tying me down. I feel that if I would have been able to fully dedicate myself to college from the first quarter I was here, I would have gotten involved in all the activities I particpate in sooner. By doing this, I wouldn't be so sad about missing out on a lot of things when I was a freshman. Thirdly, I would tell myself to save all the money I made working, because I could really use it now for tuition and books.

Have fun, and be a little more social. Check out sorority life.

All students come from different backgrounds. Some come from small schools/neighborhoods, and some come from large schools/neighborhoods. Some of them want to stay with what they're used to, and some want to go to the exact opposite extreme. Parents and students need to figure out what they student wants for college. Some colleges/universities are geared for "small town atmospheres" and others are the big D-I schools that have all the programs and activities. Another obvious factor is the student's major. A lot of univesities and colleges will have a certain area that they specialize in, whether it be engineering, pharmacy, law, etc. The student needs to pick a college that caters to the area that they are interested in. As far as making the most of the college experience, the best advice is to get involved. Getting involved accomplishes many things. First of all, the student will stay busier, which actually helps with time management skills. Also, it helps them find a group that leads to lasting friendships. It also broadens their education to outside the classroom. The previously mentioned factors for choosing a college also helps make the most of the college experience.

Make sure they have what you're looking for and then some.

The only advice I can give is that you check out as many colleges as you possibly can that offer the education you want. Education comes first, so focus on that, but if extra curricular activities are important to you then find the school that's right for you that offers both.

Visit, spend the night, know what ur biggest priorities are and look for them

Finding the right college for you is sort of like dating: you need to get to know the college before you make any huge commitment, and if something just feels incredibly "right", it probably is. Make as many college visits as you can - if possible, stay with a current student for a while to get the feel of the school. Never promise yourself you're going to go to one school and then completely dismiss the others. In my personal experience, I had my heart set on going to a different school - I had planned on it since 9th grade. When I didn't get into the program I wanted there, I was devastated. However, after a year at ONU, I'm thanking God that I ended up here, especially because my friend who went to my "dream school" is finding out that it's not as amazing as I thought it was. Try schools on. See if you fit into them. Remember: ultimately, YOU decide your college experience, no matter what school you go to.

Don't bank on applying to the one college of your choice and getting into the degree program you want. It typically cost absolutly nothing to visit different colleges and going on campus tours. Do this. Setup dates and go visit the colleges you are even considering attending. This will help you once you actually start to apply for schools. Look in to your degree program, the building you will spend most of your time in, and ask yourself if you can see yourself there for however long your degree program is. Once your at your new school, be open to making new friends, and trying new things. Don't be that person that sits in their dorm room with their door closed not willing to meet new people. Those that you live with/around will be your closest friends. Don't hesitate to make new friends, and attend mixers that your university may offer.

Making a college decision is never an easy process, but it's not supposed to be! This school, in all of its entirety is where you will literally be living for the next four years. Its a place of new academic standards, friendships, and experiences. Some of the most helpful steps you can make in this process are to take campus visits and tours to delve deeper than just what you have read about the school. Often times there are little things that stick out in your mind as something that is either familiar or something that you find you would not have a hard time adjusting to. As an athlete I had to also make the crutial and unique decision of picking the team I wanted to join. An overnight visit isn't for everyone, but if you are open to the idea it is a great way to experience what the school is like after visiting hours. I know it helped me realize that I could see myself as a future teammate with the girls that I stayed with. Another one of the most important things you can do is to not be afraid to ASK QUESTIONS!

I would tell parents to support their children no matter what field they plan on studying in. Acceptance is key to a healthy relationship with a college student. To students, I would say when picking a college, remember that you will be living there (for the average college student) for four years. If you can picture yourself living and thriving at a certain college, big or small, then go with that one. It is where you will be the happiest and have no regrets when picking between colleges. Also, balance your social and acedemic lives; both are equally important.

Selecting a college can be compared to planting a tree. In order to have the healthiest plant (or best college experience), everything about where the tree is planted, what it needs, and how it, in turn, will benefit you must be well thought-out. Students should start the entire process by identifying their strengths and weaknesses, as well as what type of environment would amplify and improve these, respectfully. Parents should also inform the student of what the family needs- is it inconvenient for the student to live on the opposite side of the country, or is it seen as a dive into independence? The process of growing a tree does not stop once the tree is planted, though. Students should stay involved with activities around their school. Parents should allow students some independence, but support and encouragement are sometimes necessary to fuel student motivation. The key to the best college experience is to just keep growing.

Visit. I worked as a telecounselor this year calling prospective students and I always encouraged them to visit. Not only to visit ONU but also to visit any other schools they were looking at. The more you're able to visit, the better a feel you get for each school and also of how each school compares to the next. ONU is in the middle of nowhere and very small, so if that's something that people didn't realize before they visited, it will impact their opinion of the school (good or bad). It is also the most friendly and personal school I visited, which had a great deal to do with my choice. Do an overnight visit if they are offered to get a feel of the college life and don't be afraid to ask current students ANYTHING. They'll tell you what it's really like, even what the party scene is like.

Making a major decision is a strange kind of phenomenon. You swish the idea around in your head for such a long time and you weigh everything so carefully so that you never regret what you have chosen. And then, in the end, the decision usually comes down to which scrap of paper you pull out of a bowl. However, I feel that choosing a college that is best for you requires a different method of decision making: You must follow what your body tells you and trust your own conscience. If you are still alive and thriving at 20, then your body and your heart have not led you too far astray. More importantly, do not turn down an opportunity because of the price tags associated with it- in all honesty, we can no more afford 20,000 dollars a year than we can 40,000. However, considering that you are forking out your life?s savings, I insist that you take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself and meet every person who crosses your path. You only have 80 or so years on this planet. Four years of one lifetime is far too much to throw away.

I suggest that students and parents begin the college process well in advance. Its very important to consider location, academic achievements, and job placement following graduation. Many students have a false vision of college life based on such popular films as "Animal House". However, this is not the case at accredited universities and its the responisiblity of both parents and students to evaluate what is most important to them long-term. I also believe that student-to-faculty ratio should be considered and diversity. The college experience is different for each individual. Your success and/or failure is in your hands!

I believe that finding the right school is based on the work ethic of each individual student. In order to choose the college right for you, one must decide if they need to focus on their work in order to do well, are up for a challenge or want to just slide by. I would say a university, such as Ohio Northern has gives the individual a challenge that creates you to think outside of the box, and do your own research to fully comprehend something that may have been discussed in class. There is really a lot of outside work that is typically done, so that the indivudual can succeed. As for other public schools, I have not attended, but I believe that the universities contain material that would allow one to just pass by without much excess research, although each public school varies. The decission should really be up to the student because, whether the parents like it ornot, the student will only try as much as they want to.

Look for somewhere not only where you can have a lot of fun but can also grow academically. You want some place that you can see being your home away from home.