Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

The choice should be yours (the student), and no one else's. Financially, there will most likely be assistance, so try not to base your final decision on dollars and cents. Live in a haystack but have the grades, scores, and wit of a genius? Apply to YOUR dream school, and don't hold anything back. Or, if you're not sure what your future holds, then do research. Don't rely on just word of mouth. I didn't know whether I wanted to be the next small business owner or a teacher or a banker, so I applied and attended a university that was so well-rounded; I found my niche within a year or two, and it was perfect. Keep it classy, and make it your own.

Listen up, high school juniors. It's time to start thinking about colleges if you haven't already. Public or private? Big or small? Those are the first two points that should be addressed. Private schools with religious affiliation are nice, but public schools often have religious groups to join, too. Small schools have that "home-y" atmosphere, but in reality a big school can be made as small as you want by sitting in the front of lecture halls and scheduling smaller classes. Don't be afraid to go on lots of tours of both types of schools if possible--find the best fit for you. Once you're accepted, find your niche to make the most of it! Do you love art? Conserving the environment? Harry Potter? Join a club or organization. Getting involved with all that your school has to offer is the best way to make friends who share common interests and values and to get the most out of your college experience. Don't be afraid to try new things. Make friends with people from all different backgrounds--you'll learn a lot from each other. Most of all, have fun and be safe!

There are a lot of things to consider when selecting a college. The main points that haunt every prospective student include cost and housing. However, one must consider beyond these two points to the larger picture. Although the college experience should consist of hard-working, academic endeavours, there is a necessity for a social life. One cannot simply wallow away forever in the dark corner of a library, buried beneath mathematic books and various works of literature. Select a college based on what feels right to you. Before you even apply to the college, visit it. Take a walk around the campus. Get a feel for the air around you, the environment. Ask yourself one serious question: Do I feel comfortable here? That is, perhaps, the most important component of the college experience. Beyong learning, beyond preparing for your future, you must look to the enjoyability of your surrounding area. Of course, strive for academic achievement, but don't smother yourself by it. College is a defining point in your life; a point that should be memorable.

Parents need to understand that the best school for their child is the one that fits the best academically and socially. Money should be a point of consideration but not a major obstacle. The best education for one's child can be achieved through hard work. Fit is important for one's child, and anyone who has the determination can succeed anywhere.

Listen to your kids. Let them find something that fits them. Don't assume that a college is bad because you hear of some criminal incidents. Don't assume that a college is good because it's a private, well-esteemed college. Let you child find what fits them and help them ask about things they might not think about like safety, recreation, social clubs, etc.

Visit a lot of colleges and find what fits best for you and what you want to do.

Make sure the college has everything necessary for a successful college career and be sure money and time management are a large priority.

Buy rainboots. It may sound absurd, but if you'd really like to make the most of collegiate life, especially if you're doing so at Penn State, please heed this advice. At first glance, these words warrant skepticism -- but my rubber-soled knee-highs, in fact, were much more than fashion. Mid-may campus tours and admissions brochures alike will fool you into believing that of your life as a co-ed will always be that dreamy. Indeed, only two of the nine months you'll spend there will look like that. The other seven will be full of heaping snow, slushy puddles, and very dreary rainshowers. You'll learn quickly enough that staying in bed is far more enticing than the cold, damp feet and salt-stained jeans that you'll get trudging to class. You'll be slipping under the covers -- and before long, your GPA will be slipping too. The real lesson here is to make going to class as easy as possible for yourself. You'll be finding reasons not to go, and it will quickly catch up to you. And besides, undergraduate is not meant to be experienced with damp socks. Please buy rainboots.

College education is a holistic experience; both academic and social. It is designed to provide an individual with formal skills that will help him undertake a career while broadening his social perspective by exposing him to people with diverse backgrounds through his interaction with his lecturers and fellow students. The lessons learnt through living in close proximity to people of diverse cultures and personalities are unwritten, but are an invaluable preparation for the working world. In selecting a college he must first study the university prospectus to see whether the degree programs offered cater for his career of preference. Sometimes identifying a single degree program will be sufficient and other times it may require a combination of parts of two or more programs. Secondly the student must consider the acclaim of the faculty that he would be enrolled under as each faculty carries different national weighting. These are an indication of the quality of instruction he would receive. Thirdly an athlete may be willing to make adjustments to, or overide the first two choices above to accomodate an interest or desire to excel at a particular sport.

Even though money matters, its more about the experience you leave with, and a career is awesome, but nothing can take you as far as the life lessons you learn. I have a little trouble keeping up with tuition and my rent and bills, but in the end when I have a successful career and all of these great memories to look back on, a little bit of debt is well worth it. I am making great friends and experiencing things even my friends from home are jealous of. I think the top things to consider when picking out a university would be the cost and opportunities, but also what kind of experience the school will give you. It's important that you come out as proud as you can be and not just satisfied. As for making the most out of a college experience... pick Penn State, everything else will be taken care of once you get there.