Point Park University Top Questions

Finding the right college can be an extremely difficult task. There is the uncertainty of a new place, new friends, and entering a new stage of adulthood. While the selection process can be overwhleming, the only thing that matters is to find a school that reflects personal values: values of what higher education means, values of what life is about, values of beauty and human potential. If a college is selected based on this criteria, reflecting one's personal beliefs, then that is the best anyone can do before actually experiencing the university itself. When that experience begins, however; it is the personal choices that one makes through the course of those two, four, etc. years that define the quality of education. The individual that recognized his/her values within the university must be the one that embraces those, and must work towards their wholeness. The individual must challenge himself when the professor does not. These challenges are not merely academic, but rather must be challenges of meeting new people, listening to different music, playing different games, and experiencing the unexperienced. Choosing the right college may be an important task, but even more so is challenging oneself to become complete.

Make sure that the school is in a location that is both exciting to live in as well as nondisruptive to learning. Your school should have an accuarate statistic of how many students to professors there are as well as the course that best helps you learn your desired major. Extra cirriculars should be a bigger variety because they can help with your resume if you want to appl for a job or even to a post graduate university.

Look at, and apply to a lot of schools. Talk to students who go there and are in the field you are persuing, give yourself options.

Consider all of your options. Many students change their mind about their future and almost no one is the same person at 22 that they are at 18. Be open-minded. Heed the advice of people around you and those who have been to college before. Take advantage of everything offered to you through your institution. Many student groups offer free social activies which are a great way to discover new interests and to further yourself as a human being as well as a student.

Make sure you feel like you belong in the school. Always visit the campus and feel the vibe of the environment. Don't just go somewhere because it's in state; you can get scholorships from other places. It's important to go to school for what you want to do and not for your parents because in the end if you're not studying something that interests you, it won't matter what college you're going to or what your campus looks like. Be open minded and don't get stuck in your dorm room. College is about finding who you are away from home and you can't make any discoveries if you confine yourself. Stay positive and don't forget why you're there when you have hard times. The people you meet in college are some of the best friends you will ever have.

You want to be sure that you choose the school that fits you. Look at the majors the school offers and then check the track records of their alumni. Once you determine it offers what you need, you'll want to look at location and student-teacher ratios. You will be enrolled there for at least four years, so you want to be sure you enjoy the environment. Check the dorms and outside living opportunities. If you can, talk to a current student to get an inside perspective. Once you decide the environment is right, you need to look at financial aid. Talk to the financial aid department and see what scholarships or grants they have available. Once you get your financial aid figured out, you are set! As for making the most out of the experience... college is what you make of it, especially here at Point Park. I give 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} you'll get 200{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} back. Put in the time, take advantage of outside of the classroom experiences, and ask, ask, ask. The professor's are here for you, they want you to succeed. They have been where you want to go and are willing to share... so ask!

College is about finding yourself and finding what you want to do with our life. I started teh college experience on a straight path, expecting to go straight to becomeing a professional dancer/performing artist. However, after my first year at PPU have I realized that it isn't quite the place for me. I have grown so much as a person and feel that my time at PPU wasn't a waste, but really an important step in my life that has let me grow into the person I am now, and I'm still ony at the beginning of my journey. When choosing a university, if you know that you have more than one interest, or have only a slight idea of what you want to do, make sure that you choose a university that offers you more than one option, and options that are up to your standards, not their's. Even if you are consintrating on one subject, be open to others. You never know what may come your way.

Finding the right college is definitely important, but I have learned that ultimately, you will end up where you are supposed to end up. A lot depends on what kind of person you are and what you're looking for in a school. There are many factors to consider- rural vs. urban, small vs. large population, private vs. state school, and many others. You must choose what works for you. Also, consider the success rate of graduates from that school and that program. You shouldn't just be going to college to get the degree. I even encourage taking some time off before you start to figure out exactly what you want to do and what college is best for you. Good luck!

I would say that need to visit all the colleges that you applied to and meet with students from the college to get a true feeling of the campus.

Find somewhere where your professors are as passionate as you are about your education.