Branden
The advice that I would give to parents and/or students is based on three factors.
1. Find out whether you are comfortable in a large city setting, or would rather go to a small town college.
2. If you have any idea what you want to do with the rest of your life, try to go to a school that specializes in your specific major or profession.
3. Make sure the maskot is something you would want to root for. At Olivet College, you say "Go Comets!" That's not very intimidating.
Olivia
When looking for the perfect school, you need to go and visit the school. I found my perfect school when I visited it. It just felt right. It had everything I was looking for, not just a good football team or an active party life. Find a school where youre comfortable. Some people prefer large schools, I personally will always choose a smaller one because of the small class sizes and the personalized attention you can get from your professors. Being on a first name basis with my professors has helped me to be successful in my academic life and in my extra curriculars. When you go to a large school, the teachers don't care if you pass or fail. Again, it's all about personal preference and how you feel there.
Travis
Go check out a small university, a big university, a small college, private college, and a big college, and then decide where you think you would like it best. College is where you will be spending a portion of your life that you will never forget. So make the right choice by looking around, and deciding what is best for your own personality and lifestyle.
Amy
Make sure that you look at numerous college's before you pick the one you want to go to. Also, see if you can stay over night on campus so you know it is somewhere you really want to be. Make sure that you feel safe.
Jim
Try different things in life so you can discover what you enjoy and are good at. and have opportunities to develop your skills and abilities to build competence and confidence. College can help you to explore this as well so look for one that will allow you to explore. It can help to check out resources online and at your high shool counseling office to help you figure out what kind of career you would find satisfying. Take advantage of every opportunity you can to learn stuff.
James
Go on as many visits as possible so your son\daughter can get a feel for what school suites them the best
Anthony
They need to do a lot of visitations to the schools that they are thinking about attending. Ask a ton of questions to be sure that you are getting what you want. make a list and write down the pros and cons of each school you attend, and also what you want out of a college. Be sure to find out weather or not credits will transfer to and from that college incase you don't want to stay there. when you get to the college, be sure to talk to everyone so that you have a good group of people you hang out with, go to a lot of the social events and get involved a lot. no matter what happens, if you like it initally or not, remember that there is always the optoin to transfer, because there is no guarantee you're going to be able to tolerate the school you're at for four years.
Margaret
Be sure to check out a few different schools. Be sure you make the decision for the right reasons and try to steer away from the typical freshman 'wants' such as partying, malls, fast food, restaurants, etc. The education you will receive and the support from a college and other students will be more beneficial, uplifting, and fun than anything else!!!
Ryan
Depending on what you are planning on going to college for, i.e; sports, location, or a certain major, look and ask about the atmosphere on campus, look at the student to prof. ratio, ask the current students about the social life. All of these things are some times more important thean the reason you want to go to a certain college in the first place. How comfortable you and your student are about attending this college is greatly influenced by what goes on outside of the classroom.
Rich
Make sure that you have done your homework on the college before you have sent in your final paperwork. Many schools try to portray a certain image then when you actually get there, you see that the school is not the same as the recruiter had described it. In the end, you want a college that wants you not just your money.