Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Make sure your child has the right focus in life and in academics. Do not let them wander through college aimlessly wasting their time and money by partying all the time. Penn State can chew up and spit out kids like it is nothing, I have seen it happen all to often. Future student need to take their careers seriously and graduate in as little time as possible. Come to PSU because it is the best school in the country. LET'S GO STATE

When you first get to college you will have a lot more freedom and social opportunities than you did at home. Have fun, but don't get carried away. If you have a test, study for the test and party a different night. You have your entire college experience ahead of you, so make the most of it.

Pick a school based in personal fit, not price or status.

Go and visit the university and talk to people about what field you would like to major in. Make sure you'll be happy at the campus because you will be there for 4 years. Look up schools on the internet and compair your favorite ones. Use sites such as petersons.com as a search engine for schools.

Remember that there is a lot more to college than just classes. Ask someone questions about the school that is not an administrator or a tourguide. Keep in mind that you may like the snow or rain at home, but in college you have to walk everywhere, so it's not as much fun. Try something new, but don't go so far outside your comfort zone that your mom has to pick you up the second week of school. Go to a school that is strong in your academic interests, but remember that it is 99.999999999{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} likely that you will switch majors to a completely different field... pick a well rounded school. Go to a school with a lot of spirit. Go to a forward thinking school, so you can get in on that action. Big schools end up seeming small, and remember that big schools often equal big names, like alumni, speakers and performers. Lastly, keep in mind that you will want to visit home and your friends outside of breaks. And when you get to school, keep all the doors open, literally and figuratively!

Do not rely on your friends. they are not going to be there for you when you go to your first class, first test or when you graduate. You have to worry about yourself first. College is a learning experience. You grow to figure out who you are and what you are capable of doing. ONLY YOU CAN JUDGE YOURSELF.

Let your kid/kids make most of the decisions. Do not forget, this is their life not yours. Make sure they look at good academic schools that also are willing and able to help them with anything they need. I would also go with a school with a big alumni. The more alumni, the better chance your kid will have finding a job. Many graduates like to stick together, in terms of hiring other workers from the same college. Also look at Penn State it is a great school with amazing staff, faculty and students.

Look into your college choices very carefully. Make sure you decide that the college you would like to attend has everything you are looking for such as majors and activities that you will be interested in joinging and participating in. Visiting the college of choice is a must and talk with students and faculty while you are there at your visit.

You get what you give when it comes to your college experience. If you go to college with the intention of having fun and learning, then you will. Do not be afraid, there is something for everyone.

I would tell students to really make an effor to visit each campus, and to get in touch with actual students on the campus to get a small sample of what campus life is really like. Also, make use of the campus websites to get student testimonials, and the numbers of school counselors that can answer any questions you may have about the campus. It is also very important to make a list of the things you need in a college experience to make it successful in your mind. Take this list to each information session and make sure you address all of the things you have decided are important to you as an individual. It is very important to get a feel for the true atmosphere of the college to see if it fits the lifestyle you are accustomed to living, and campus life will be condusive to your learning style.

The general factors in choosing a college include academics and college atmosphere. Do research about student activities available and find those relevant to you. In terms of academics, if you have a general idea of what kind of careers you are pursuing, pick a few majors that you may take and check online where the college of that major stands amongst other schools. Visiting the campuses you're considering is extremely important. When visiting, take into account the social atmosphere as well as environment in general. Make sure you can see yourself as a student at the campus before choosing to attend it.

Come to Penn State.

Have your children look at as many schools as possible. Talk to students who go there, who remind you of your child. Everyone has different personalities, and some personalities do not fit in certain environments.

Follow your heart, not money or friends.

Look for a school that fits your personality, one school that you will feel comforted and safe in. But also pick a school that challenges your thought and personal opinions.

If they like home, find somthing close to home or with friends from home. If they don't like home, let them explore colleges far from home.

Find the best overall place and make your decision based on distance, money, interests, and campus location and quality of living there. Above all, do what you love doing, and make the best of wherever you go to school.

Make sure that you know what type of environment you want to be in, whether it be rural or urban. This is very important to how much you will enjoy college. Also make sure you know what types of transportation are available to you when you have to go home for breaks. Think about types of clubs you want to join, and also think about the diversity of the campus you want to attend, and how much this means to you.

If you are socially backward make sure you attend a school where its required to live in the dorms your first year and have social activites you would enjoy. Also research the majors you are potentially looking into and see your colleges rankings on those majors because transfering is hard, not all credits are transferrable and many times its very difficult to find a new social circle. Try to get into the introductory courses for your potentional majors your first year so you can make sure it is something you are truly interested in. Join organizations related to your major if possible, most of these only week a few times a month and score huge points with employers. Don't take classes that are difficult your first semester, its better to wait till your second semester. By waiting you can hear stories about teaching styles of professors and how they grade and allows to you time to adjust to college. Don't take on too much work if you take 18 credits your first semester and do poorly it can take many semesters to bring your GPA back up, its better to take 12 credits and get an excellent GPA.

To parents I would offer the following advice: Let you children decide where they want to attend. Don't push them into a situation that could potentially end with them unhappy. It's their life, they will find the right fit for themselves. Encourage them to do their best but never push too hard for academic success at the expense of happiness. Be there when the fail and when they succeed. Love them and let them know it. Show them support. To students: Never turn down a possibility. Explore your options and visit all of the schools on your lists. Apply everywhere you want to attend. The worst they can do is tell you no. As for making the most of the experience; never give up on yourselves. You're doing this for you not your parents or anyone else. Follow your dreams and do what is right for you. Never turn down an opportunity to learn new things and expand your knowledge. You never know it might just be the one course that you never thought you'd take turns out to be your true calling.