Ohio State University-Main Campus Top Questions

definitely go on college visits and stay the night at the university in question. This allows you to get a better idea of what its relly like to go there.

Be sure that the prospective student knows that this school will be enjoyable if they decide to change their major. Make sure the campus is visited more than once to get multiple perspectives regarding campus life. Also, possibly sit in on a class or two if possible to view what it would be like on a typical day to attend that college. During the college experience, making the most if it may be difficult. However, this can be further achieved by growing in a community of friends and just balancing a social life and academic life.

Listen to the child...reputation is based on some guy who goes to the college, not from the students...

Find the college that fits the best both academically and socially. During the week, its important to work hard in the classroom, but leave time open for other activities. Its hard for some students who have lived in a rural area to live on a large campus and vice versa. For most students, they plan to stay for the entire four years at the same college, so its important to choose the right one. It's also important to try to have at least one friend who you know well before you move on campus so you have somebody else to help with the process. You also might want to stay on campus for the first year to meet new people and make friends. Although the dorms can be overcrowded or a roommate be hard to deal with, in the end its a enjoyable experience and is a helpful way to adjust to a new environment. However, the most important part is stay focused in class and have fun outside of class.

My advice to parents and/or students trying to find the right school, is to focus on the career goals of the student. First, explore the occupations that are most interesting to the student, and look into the opportunities that various colleges or universities have to offer. In addition, research the financial aid options available to the student from each school of interest. This will help to narrow down the decision making process and ensure that the student will be moving toward their ultimate career goals throughout their college experience. After selecting a school, it is important for the student to make the most of their experience. One way to do this is to establish relationships with a diverse network of students, staff and community members through on-campus jobs and local volunteer groups. I would also suggest becoming involved in extra-curricular activities such as intramural sports and clubs of interest. Most of all, it is important for students to choose a school that will best prepare him/her for a successful career in their profession. The student?s college experience will depend on the relationships they establish, and the memories they make, which will last throughout their lifetime!

Every student should apply to the universities that interest them most. Often one or more of your chosen colleges won't accept you, so you want to make sure you have a backup. Also, when you do decide which college to go to, financial aid shouldn't be your biggest deciding factor. Just because one school is offering more money than another does not mean that it is the best school for you. And another point to remember: transfering schools or changing your major does not make you a failure. Most college students have no idea what they want to do with their lives when they enter college. Often, this doesn't change until the junior or senior year.

Live your life the way you it to be. College is the time to discover what you like and don't like and sitting back is not the way to discover that. Study, learn, and go out during your free time. This experience will never be here again and if you don't fly your kite the right way, it will crash and break and you will not have it to fly again.

- make sure that a freshman knows what kinds of classes they are getting into - make sure you don't skip classes! (this is vital) - take college seriously

Go on college visits to the campuses that interest you most, and even to a few that you are not so sure about. Also, maintain great work habits and grades before college and try to leave bad habits behind. The sooner you get the required work done, the sooner and more free time you will have afterwards. It is certainly less stressful that way. Anyone can go to college regardless of their situation. Make sure you start saving money before high school and plan ahead. Maintaining a job in high school that is near the college you are attending (if possible) is a great financial source because normally the employer will work around your school schedule, and you will establish ethics and discipline that will help you with school. Last, stay involved. You tend to be more focused and motivated when active in school activities and your community. School activities are a great way to meet people that are going through the same things and can easily relate to your situation. Activities offered at your school are usually convenient time wise as they do not want to interfere with your studies and outside life but still keep you involved.

Find a college whose size meets your needs and get involved in any way that you can in your school. This will give you an experience of a lifetime and help you to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. Try to decide on a major early in your college experience so that you do not take up time with classes that are not necessary to take for your major. Get paperwork in and scholarship applications in early and fill out as many as you can for every school you apply to even if you think there is no way you will end up going there. Talk to the people in the financial aid office and advisors to see if there are any other scholarships thath you may qualify for.

When looking at a college, look at many college. Always have a back up plan or second choice because your first isn't always the best choice once you arive at school. Also don't pick a major right away. Explore all the college has to offer and classes. Once going into college, you will find you will grow up and change as a person. If you don't allow this growth on your own time, you will waste more time later in your life. So enjoy your time in high school but still start looking at your future one year at a time.

I would say go visit the colleges of your choice and interact with some of the students. You never know if you like a college unless you visit it's campus and conversate with it's students!

This is an opportunity of a lifetime to start over and be the true person you are, to find the people, the true friends who will always be there for you. Do exactly what your dreams have always led you to do and let nothing, NOTHING stop you. While this may be a time to create yourself, don't forget that socializing will only take you so far, but it is the things you learn, both from classes as well as from the life experiences you will go through that will take you on your journey. Every decision you make steers your path and takes you where you choose it to lead you. So get out there and let nothing hold you back from making the life you've always dreamed of!

First, be honest and let the student speak about what they want out of college before the parents step in. Then, sit down with your family and work out distance, cost, and possible majors. After you go through those processes you should have a list of colleges in mind or at least a good search criteria to begin looking at colleges. The most important thing you can do is visit the college and talk to a variety of students there to see what their opinion of the school is, especially those in your intended major. These small interviews will give you more information on the school then any book or website. Always keep an open mind and don't cross off schools just because you're friends don't like them or you think the size is wrong. Big schools have a way of becoming small when you get involved and make new friends. Each school has something unique to offer and its up to you to choose which suites you the best.

Find a university where your child feels they can be happy, make friends, and fit in well. If your child is happy then they will earn great grades and in result enjoy the college experience to the fullest.

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When I looked at colleges, I looked for those that appealed to the major I wanted, those that were financially in my range or at least accepted financial aid and scholarships (because those were about all I had), and those that were close to home so that I could focus on classes instead of having to worry about money. I would recommend looking at what you really want when looking at colleges. Is it close or far from home? Does it offer anything I'm even remotely interested in? If you don't know, ask them, and they will tell you. If you don't know what your interests are, you might look at bigger schools, just because they offer so much, and there are so many options and clubs and activities that you'd be hard-pressed not to find something for you. To get the most out of your college, some might say you should live on campus, but I commute, and I think if you want to experience something, you have to go for it, no moping about not meeting friends. If you want it, you need to put yourself out there and be true to you.

Look for strong academic programs all around, in addition to your initial area of interest. Evaluate career/research opportunities available on/through the campus. Look for campuses on the rise, and for students that match your caliber. Make sure the university has a stong sense of community, no matter what way it acheives this (i.e. varsity athletics, variety of clubs and organizations, volunteer opportunities, or the arts). Always best if you can have it all-and thats what I find to be the case at large research universities heading towards the top that are also maintain great traditions and loyal alumni. All of this is hard to perceive during organized college visits. It is best to visit someone that you know currently attending that university and stay overnight with them in an informal manner. Sophomore's are probably the best students to visit with, as they know more about campus and its offerings, but can still relate to the college hunt. Finally, when directly comparing schools that have a different caliber of students overall, consider available honors or major or graduate school-gateway programs for which you may qualify, and the special opportunities and advantages it may exclusively offer.

Explore all your options. There are plenty of schools out there that are perfectly suited to your academic needs and wants. So when choosing a school you need to be positive that that particular school is a perfect fit, in all ways, for you. Don't just check in to academics and job opportunities, students should also look into overall atmosphere, extracurricular activities, and all the other ways that a particular school can help you in your educational endeavors. In order to make the most of your college experience you need to get out of the dorm and away from your studies or a while. Join clubs, make friends, explore the campus, college is not just about doing your school work, it is about learning. And sometimes you can learn more from the experience than you ever could inside a classroom.

Advice I would give to both parents and students about finding the right college would first to start saving money when the student is at a young age. And also to stress this to the student to save for college as he/she gets older. This way the child will not be held back at choosing a college due to his/her lack of funds. Secondly, I would say to start looking at colleges as a freshman in high school, this way you can start to eliminate those colleges ahead of time. If the student has good grades, I would encourage students to do post-secondary. This is where a high school student attends college and gets college credits. This would save the family money and to provide a college experience as a junior or senior in high school. The student can also choose if that is the right college for him/her to continue to attend. Finding the right college takes time and I wish I would have planned more college visits. Visits take time, but it is all worth visiting a college, talking to potential professors, and getting to talk to other students and listening to their advice.