Purdue University-Main Campus Top Questions

Choosing the right college is a major decision for any student, probably one of the biggest decisions that student will make up that point in his/her life. The amount of pressure to find "the right one" is higher than it needs to be. Finding a good school should be fun. My advice is this; First of all, talk to a high school counselor about your interests and possible career choices, and what schools would best prepare you for your future. You should never have your mind set on a specific college before you talk to your counselor, because there's a good chance they will want you to consider one that you've never even thought about. Second, paying for college these days can be near impossible. Make sure you understand everything about financial aid, such as loans, scholarships, and what you and your parents are capable of paying. This could mean the difference between an out of state school, private school, or public school. Talk to a financial advisor about your situation. Lastly, you will want to visit any college you are seriously thinking about. Know what life is like for an average student there.

I would tell parent and prospective students to make sure the campus feels like home. When you visit a college and you can view yourself living there for the years it will take you to get your degree, it is probably the right one for you. As well make sure there is large social scene for you to take advatage of, and not just the usual Fraternities and Sororities. I know college is not all about parties and socializing, but classes can be very rough sometimes and students need to balance their lives between academics and social events. Next I would advise the college of your choice having a good employment and internship office for placement after your degree is fulfilled. Smaller colleges may not have the resources to have this type of office. The last thing I will reccomend is to get to know your professors. They are an excellent tool for networking and getting yourself ahead of the rest of the students. You will have a much greater chance of getting the career you choose. Plus lots of them are just fun and interesting people to talk to .

Find a college that takes pride in their programs and not to be afraid to make new friends and try new things.

Visit, visit, and vist. Once you tour the campus and talk one on one with advisors and students you will get the feeling if it is right for you. I believe that will determine your success both academically and socially. Put academics first, you can't slide buy but arrange your time in a way that your social lfe is important too. It is important to balnce the two.

The advice I would give parents would be to encougage the child in wherever they want to go. Be open minded and start early on finding scholarships and other applications. For students I would tell them to not limit themsevles to the norm. College is about finding out who you are and what you want to do with your life. Also, apply to as many scholarship as you can. You never know what can happen!

When searching for a college make sure to visit the campus several times and interact with the students as much as possible. This will give you a feel for the campus enviorment. Attend their open houses. If at all possible meet a couple of teachers from the field that you are planning on going into. Look at a college for what it has to offer academically and socially. Find out if they have programs in place that help the student adjust to campus life. If at all possible pick a college which is recognize in the commercial/industrial world as being a leader in placement in the field that the student plans to major in.

Visit the schools ahead of time and pick the one that has the best program for your interested major.

If you want to be somewhat close to home, go somewhere that is between 1 and 3 hours away. Make sure the college has a major or majors that interest you. Go somewhere that has a good sports program, attending sporting events is an excellent extra-curricular activity.

Students thinking of moving far from home should really take into consideration all the implications;being ready to not see one's family or friends for a semester or a whole year. Furthermore, there is the challenge to adapt to a new environment and have to start a social life over again. Having to do all tehse things while starting college can be very challenging. The most important factor i would say in chosing a school is the relevance to one's interests. Most other factors will not be as relevant because one knows that they are advancing in their life, that they are attending that specific college for a purpose.

Never let money get in the way of what you want. If you have to take out loans, do it. It's worth it to have a good education and an experience of a lifetime. Take advantage of all that college has to offer. There are SO many people from SO many backgrounds. Join a club you never thought you would, or maybe never even heard of and learn something new. You never know how the smallest thing could change your life, so go for it! Life is too short and you deserve to have the time of your life. Every professor has your best interest at heart, so talk to them and ask questions. They would love to see you and love to know that you care about your schoolwork. Don't be afraid to change majors. Who cares if you're in school for an extra year if you are doing what is right for you. Last but not least, make lasting friendships. Seek out the friends you thought you'd never find. They are there if you just look. The diploma is what will get you the job, but the friendships are what will keep you sane.

If I were to give a parent or student advice about finding the right college for them I would tell them to follow their heart. I would also tell them they should visit the school on game days, academic days, go to classrooms, and pay attention to the way people interact with each other. When you are on campus and people smile at you without even knowing your name it makes you feel welcome and at home. The size of the campus is also an issue. I like that Purdue's campus is small and the buildings are close together. I would also tell them to talk to someone who has been here a few years and can tell them of their experiences. I know I have met some amazing people and I have met my best friends here at Purdue. I have also had some amazing teachers and I will never forget them. There is something special in each school and all you need to do is look for it and you will find the perfect school for you. The best decision however would be to BOILER UP!

Finding the right college can be hard, but if you look around, and really research each college that you're interested in, the decision should be easily made. To make the most of your college experience, always enjoy yourself. Do what you want to do with your life. We all know that we need an education to be eligible for a good career. You should definitely enjoy yourself why you are getting your education. Students must remember though, the education should come first. Leave the socializing for after your homework is done. If you work hard and set goals, you'll succeed easily.

The only way for you to find out if a college is the right fit for you, is to go visit and see for yourself. The only way you will know is if you experience the campus first-hand. Take a walk around the block, and visit a few classes or buildings. Your instincts will be able to tell you if that is the right college for you. Don't let other people influence your decision because you are the only that will be attending that University for at least a good 4 years. College is supposed to be the best years of you lives and where you will meet life-long friends. Follow your heart and you will make the right decision for yourself.

The advice i would give to students about choosing the right school is make sure you put your education and type of school in the top priority. I've seen way to many of my highschool friends choose schools based on where their friends/boyfriends were going. Its going to be a new and exciting experience if you look at is as a step foward.

They say don't pick your school for the weather, but I feel it is a big part of your experience at that school. You want to go someplace you can focus, but college is a time of growth and new experiences. If you hate snow and are someplace where most of the time you're at school there's snow on the ground you aren't going to enjoy yourself or be able to study efficiently to get every pennys worth. The exception to this rule is that you shouldn't pick a school's climate just to goof off. If you're going to do that plan accordingly. Try out a 2 year community college first and transfer to another school later. It costs less, many credits transfer, and you can experience your new freedom without wasting too much money in case you forget you're there for school. Otherwise look at the schools' programs. Make sure they have at least 2 that you like, because many freshman change their major and you don't want to be stuck at a school paying a lot of money to not get the education you want.

The most important criteria a student should think about when selecting his/her college of choice would be to not only find a college that has the major he/she wants to study, but also that the college has extracurricular activities that they can get involved in. When a new student arrives at the college of their choice they may feel overwhelmed by the large atmosphere or the amount of ciaos during the first few weeks of classes. This is the best time to get involved in those extracurricular activities of interest. The faster a new student gets involved, the faster he/she will begin to meet other new or current students. The campus will gradually become smaller (in their mind) and feel more like the appropriate home away from home.

Personally look for a larger school, a University that has various colleges of study in case you find you don't want to continue in your major after your first year. Also, look for the location of the school and the surroundings. If you don't like living in a city then stay away from those kinds of schools etc. Also, visit the campus; you can't really get a good feel for a school unless you walk around for at least a few hours. Finally, look at the cost, and think about how much a name is really worth, every state has at least one and usually a few quailty schools and the in-state tuition is a lot less than out of state.

If you do not know what you want to major in right away, choose a school that has a lot of options. Find out what is important to you and do some research. For example, if you are interested in social events, cultural events, athletics, etc. make sure you take those into consideration.

Don't attend a university because you think it is what your parents want you to do, and don't base your choice on how many of your friends are planning to attend the same university. Spend a day with a student who is currently studying the major you are interested in before deciding to attend to experience how the classes and academic atmosphere are. Don't always hang around people you knew before college when you get there, and be honest in your opinions. Do what you want to do, not what you believe others want you to do, and don't decide what to study based on how much money you could make from it. Study what interests you, even if it's not what you are best at, then you won't become bored with it and be disappointed with your choice.

Go to a school that has good academics and a good football/basketball team.