Ohio State University-Main Campus Top Questions

parents should look at everything thats good about the college and what it offers.

I would advise parents and students to recognize the value of in-state education. I always dreamed that I would attend school out-of-state and far away from home. However, through my search for the perfect school, I found that my there were many benefits to staying in-state. For example, lower tuition costs, no travel expenses, famialiarity, etc. I found many schools in my state that met the same criteria of schools I liked from out-of state. Therefore, when it came time to make a decision, I had to ask myself "what is the best experience I can get for my money?" I realized that the only reason I wanted to go to school out-of-state was to try something new. The fact is: college is completely new and different from High School no matter how far or close to home you are. You should consider the value of what you are paying for with an out-of state school because ultimately, a collge degree is a huge investment and you should try to get the best value.

I would strongly advise for students to have an idea of what they want to major in when they start their Freshmen year. That way you can start out taking classes toward your major instead of not having any idea what to take. Even though their is an Exploration Program at most colleges, I don't think it is really successful in helping students decide on a major. I would advise for future college students to look at their college's list of majors and programs and pick one that you feel passionate about or the classes sound interesting. I feel that will help in making the most of your college experience.

Make sure to look for your interests. Don't base your decision on someone else's dreams or ideals. You are your own person and it is absolutely necessary that this is always kept in mind. Look into your prospective major, the professors, course work, success rate and possible jobs. Also look into campus activities that may interest you. Whether it's a fraternity/sorority, volunteer work or intramural sports, there is bound to be something that cathes your eye. Finally I would say, there are thousands of colleges and universities in this country, there is bound to be one that is a perfect fit for you as long as you're willing to put the effort in to look.

No matter what school you go to, join something. And do something you are interested in. You will make lifelong friends that way. And the school will always feel like home.

Stay focused on school work and always make the most of opportunities to network and get help if it is needed.

I would recommend to all students to take the act and sat seriously. I would also recommend to parents and students to apply for all scholarships and grants possible. I would also encourage parents and students to find out as much information as possible about money available for school.

Look for a school that has the right equipment and knowledge to help you grow into the person you dream of being. Find a school that has students with a passion for learning and teachers with a passion for enabling students to be all that they can be with information and resources so that you are surrounded by a positive and hardworking atmostphere. Choose a city/town where work study, internships, and possible future career opportunities are plentiful. Look for a school where scholarship is within reach and where housing is affordable. Check on whether or not the campus is walkable or requires a car or bus for transportation. Find out whether the school has sports or extracurricular activities that interest you so that you are well-rounded and do not become to overwhelmed with school work. Get involved!! Join clubs, participate in activities outside of class that pertain to your major and that are just fun and exciting to you. These will help you not only enjoy your experience, but also to network and really understand your field of work while opening up doors for opportunities in college and afterwards.

Find a college you like. Don't make a decsion based off of what your parents want or where you friends are going. Listen to yourself. Also, don't worry about the cost so much there are many scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial aid that are avavliable; if not before you attend the college while you are there. Before you make any choices visit the college first. If you have to visit more than once. In addition, once you start college, make the best of your experience. Join new clubs or sports teams there are endless possibilites and somethings for every interest. Also, if you live in a dorm keep your door open, meet new people, they can potenially end up being life long friends. Explore your options, they are endless.

To the parents of kids looking for colleges, I would say to support your kids in what ever school they choose and encourge them to apply to more than one that strongly relates to their field of study. Also go on tours of schools with them and ask all the questions that they are probably afraid to ask, about potential roomates or drinking policies. It will be beneficial for both you and your student. It can also provide ease if this is your first child going to away to school. To the kids, I would say, research all the potential colleges that you might want to go to and make sure it's the right fit. If you strongly think you might want to certian school, go on tours, talk to students there already, who are already in your potential field of study. That can be very helpful when deciding if a school/major is right for you.

Have Fun, and work hard.

I honestly think that the best way to find the right college for you is to simply go and visit the college for yourself. I know this sounds fairly obvious, but it really does work. You'll want to visit the colleges when classes are in session and when students are on campus. By visiting a college during a semester or quarter, you can get the "feel" of the college just by walking around and talking with the students on campus. You can tell whether the atmosphere is relaxed, competitive, uptight, etc. Before picking which colleges you would like to visit, you should research the different colleges. Find out what academic majors they offer, which scholarship and other financial aid opportunities are available, what different extracurricular activites are available outside of the classroom, and what life is like off-campus. If a student is not quite sure what he/she wants to major in, a big university is a good choice, because big universities offer many options and different majors in a broad range of fields. A smaller, more specialized school might be a better fit for a student who knows exactly in what field they want to major.

It's okay to make mistakes, you may not always find the college that's right for you on the first try. What's important to remember is your long term goals and what tools you will develop/use along the way to attaining them. Never give up on what you want.

The best advice I could give is to make sure the school you pick is finacially sound with what you can afford. It is more than important that you take this into consideration because loans can get very daunting. I have had personal experience with dealing with my decision of where I wanted to go to school, and the financial burden it has put on my family and myself. I would have to say, more that the "fit" of the right school, look at price tags.

Make sure that you are checking out many different colleges, small and big to see where you fit. Finding the college that you fit into is extremely important in how you work and feel in your classes and meeting your new friends. College is what you make it, use the tool of education wisely and do not let off campus' activities be your main appeal to a school because that is not even the tip of the iceberg. Fill out as many scholarship opportunities that you can and start saving for college on your own in high school. As someone who pays for their own education by working two jobs and still going to full-time school, I wish I did more to try and ease my financial burden. Your friends and the school you choose helps shape your future so make sure you are happy where you are. Do not settle for a place, find the right place. You have the opportunity to be great, so strive for your greatness.

Don't judge a college on price, location, or size, pick it from what you see, the things that you hear, and how you feel after you visit.

In order to find the right college, so not stick with what you know and what you are comfortable with. I thought I wanted/needed a small school because that is all I knew growing up in a very small town. I ended up transfering to the largest populated campus in the nation, The Ohio State University. I expanded my horizons and found my niche in such a large campus. It was much easier to grow up and disover yourself when you are emmersed into a totally new culture and environment. It forces you look on the inside and decide for yourself the things that are important and how to take responsibility for yourself. The best adivce would be to visit colleges and find things that interest you. My adivce in finding a college would be to look beyond what you feel comfotable with. See beyond your limits, and go farther.

I suggest doing a lot of research. Look at where the student grew up. If it was in a small town, would he be comfortable at a big college (vice versa is also important!)? If it was close to family, would she be comfortable moving far away from home? Most students do not know what they want to major in when they graduate high school (or, if they think they do, they often change their minds). Therefore, I do not recommend choosing a college based on one program. Once a school is chosen, I recommend living on campus if possible. It will help with getting to know people. Also, get involved in programs. If the student was in choir in high school, look into choir at college. Join intramural sports if interested. Joing the Philosophy club, Pre-Med club, or Pizza club. Just get involved! Also, make sure to spend enough time studying. If a GPA starts low, it's very hard to bring it up later. Take a light course load the first term and evaluate if more classes can be taken later. Do not travel home whenever possible but stay and enjoy college. It only lasts so long.

Encourage your students no matter what and help them with finding their best options.

First of all, decide what type of school you are looking for. Different schools apply to different people. Different schools offer different programs. Decide first whether you are looking for a big, small, or average sized school. Some people are scared of going to a school that is too big. Then decide whether you want to stay close to home or get as far away as possible. Be careful though, I know many people who thought they wanted to get as far away from home as possible only to find they were too far and couldn't handle it and wanted to come back closer to home. However, there are some people I know who like the distance as well. After this, decide what you might want to go to school to learn to do. Different colleges have better programs for certain professions. The last and sometimes most important decision is the amount it costs to go to each college. Money is a big issue with most people and can ultimately decide which colleges you can or cannot go to. You need to look at in state versus out of state tuition and the type of financial aid available.