Ohio University-Main Campus Top Questions

Keep an open mind and don't exclude any college choices until you have done research and found out the facts.

Plan way ahead! My parents just kind of winged it, especially with the financial aid and loan crisis now plaguing our country makeing it so extremely difficult to get any kind of money! And go far away from your home state! It's so worth it! In my opinion it builds a person's character and really makes one self-reliant.

If you do not know what your major is going into college, pick a school with a variety of choices to major in! Also, for a school that bases when you pick your classes based on credits, try to take as many credit hours your freshman year.

To parents, I would say that getting an education is extremely important and necessary, and as such, it is paramount that parents help their kids get into college and help them get through college, no matter what their financial situation may be. I would suggest to students that they try not to limit themselves with friends and activities because college has so much to offer academically, culturally, and socially. College is a great time to explore new opportunities and on college campuses, many activities can be free or relatively inexpensive. I would also tell students that they do not have to go to college for the sole purpose of finding a job because thinking that way can put a huge amount of pressure on students and will not help them succeed or enjoy being in college.

The best advise is to do your research! Find out what school is going to fit best for you and your program of study. Look up school's websites and see what the atmosphere is like by looking at the demographics and the things to do around the area. Also do several campus visits. Take trips to see your three or four final schools. Visit them all and pay close attention to all of the details. Ask yourself, is this the type of school I want to go to?

My advice to students searching for the right college is to not stress over the process! If you find a couple of colleges that you feel good about and might be a fit; chances are any of them could work. I don't think there is any one college you are meant to go to, I think there are lot and it just depends what you make of your experience! You make the most of your college experience by trying new activities, making new friends, and getting involved in the things that interest you. While your studies are most important it's also important to realize that college is meant to make you grow as a person! For instance maybe you used to like painting but not enough to make a career out of it, keep it as a hobby because in college you can have a lot of those (many of which are free)! Join clubs and organizations; they are fun and they look great on grad school applications. College is new, scary, exciting, and it will definately put you out of your comfort zone sometimes. Best of all, it allows you to learn a lot about yourself.

let the student decide....but think smart as far as cost is concerned

To find the right college make sure you go to a school that is offering the major that you want to graduate with. A lot of people choose a school to party at or because of the sports and forget that the most important thing is that you graduate with a degree in what you want to do. To make the most out of your college experience get involved in some campus activities, not so much that you can not complete all your work but enough to have fun, remember your at collge for your education but you can also have fun.

When I was searching for the right college for me, I looked at all the wrong things. I searched for a college that people would be impressed if I attended and one that seemed "cooler" than the others. Needless to say, the first college I attended, didn't quite work out for me. I ended up transfering to the school I knew I should have picked first. I fit at this college like white on rice because it fit me. When looking at schools, it is important to choose a school for yourself, not anyone else. Evaluate what is really important to you, whether that is athletics, drama, or a specific field of study, and go from there. Your college experience is only as great as you make it. Once you decide on a college that fits you, dig in, deep. Find out what they offer through organizations and groups and get involved. Throw yourself into something you love or maybe something you have always wanted to try. College is a time to develop and grow as a person and the best way to do that is to learn as much as possible in any way possible.

Find a college/program that has a strong program for what you want to study and where you believe you would be able to succeed. From there, ask yourself if this is a place where you would be able to say, "I'm a proud alumni of..." There is nothing worse than working toward your degree at a place where you are not happy (with everything!), so do your research and put some major thought into where you want to go. Visit campus, talk to admissions, talk to students, read up on all the ratings books, all that good stuff and you'll find the right place for you that serves as a stepping stone of where you want to go upon graduation.