Saginaw Valley State University Top Questions

It's easy to get caught up in things, whether it be social life or academics, but try to balance life. I promise it will be okay if you try your best. Leaving Mom and Dad will be hard at first but the abundance of friends you'll make and people you'll meet will take away that longing to be with people who love you. You'll learn a lot of others will need you in their life and they'll love you too. I can't believe how much progress you have made since High School and I'm so proud you're finally reaching your potentials and you're NOT SCARED. There are going to be people of different ethnities you'll meet and it'll be an excellent experience for you. Don't be scared and reach out to them, they are scared too. Live life and stop thinking ten years down the road, for goodness sakes you'll give yourself wrinkles. You can do it! The future is bright.

If I could go back to high school knowing what I know now I would have taken more AP classes or even taking college classes at local colleges. These would have better prepared me for college. My school did not have a lot of AP classes so I would have pused to have them add more classes. Also I would learn better study habits. In High school I did not have to study that hard to get good grades. When I made it to college I stuggled to learn study skills that really helped me achieve high grades. I would have liked to take more science classes since there is such a difference in each class. I would have liked to form study groups in high school so it would have made it easier when it came to studying in groups. I would have told myself to stay closer to home instead of deciding to go 300 miles away for my first semester of college. I am really close to my family and being this far away made it very hard.

Remember that these are possibly the best years of my life. The time in my life that I prepare for the REAL WORLD., but also experience this time to the fullest. The biggest advice would be to do whatever I could to apply for ever scholarship that I could and save every dollar I could because with housing , books and college there is never enough money! College is an investment in your future but it is very expensive. Having to take out student loans is not something that I wanted to do, however I had no choice. If I had to do it again I would explore every resource to get more financial help with my education, life is hard enough when you get out of college as it is, let alone being in debt from the start of our career.

To really do your research and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each school before choosing one. Once you are in school really work on time managament skills and don't overwhelm yourself, but still get involved enough to meet friends. Take everyday as a new experience.

To take more credits during the summer before my first year of college.

I would say not to let money or sports make the decision for you because I did that and now I am going through a lot to try and transfer.

Perhaps the most useful advice I received during my college application process was this - start early. My high school didn't put focus on college until the senior year, but by then, many of the available scholarships for the next year are already being given out, and it is a much more competitive acceptance process. My parents and I began the college search at the beginning of my junior year. We looked online at all of the local colleges, filtering out the options by tuition, majors of study, and available scholarships. By the end of my junior year, I had narrowed down the list to my top 3 or 4 choices, and took the ACT test for the first time. Before my senior year, I took campus tours and finally settled on my choice of university. While my classmates were doing all of their searching during senior year, I was already set and accepted, and had five or six scholarships. That left me time to enjoy what remained of my high school experience, and make plans for college. I feel I was better prepared for the lifestyle change and freedom that awaited me.

Take the time to comb over different campus's and cities. College is a wonderful adventure; these are going to be some of the most important and exciting year's in a student's life and when they find a college that fits them, make absolutely sure they hold on tight, and love every minute of it.

Go where you feel you are going to be comfortable, and make sure the decision is your choice. Don't let someone else choose for you. Also, put your classwork above all else; once it's done, there will be plenty of time for fun. Lastly, GET INVOLVED!!

Do not force you children to go to the University that you want them to, when chosing a univesity everyone is different and they need to feel at home and feel comfortable. It is a time consuming task to chose but it is well worth it to let them chose for themselves.

Look for the things you want in a school first go off wat do you want to do in life that most important

As an older student, my biggest piece of advice would be to really commit yourself to your studies. Do whatever it takes to finish on time and don't take those breaks that can easily turn into years away from the classroom! Never rule out the little local college either. It has provided me with such a great opportunity to attend a respected University without having to uproot my life and spend many times the amount of money for that degree. Never be afraid to be yourself and do what makes you happy and certainly do not worry about being an outsider. So many students will be surrounding you that you will surely be able to find others that share the same hobbies and interests as you do. I have no doubt in my mind that you will only get as much out of the experience as you allow yourself to receive. College will open up so many doors to your future, but only you can walk through them. So, what does your future hold?

The most important thing is to make sure that the school has what you are interested in studying. Check out all the majors and programs that they offer. It is also important to do an on-campus tour; to see the housing, meal plan, buildings, classrooms and housing that are located and given. Get involved with the school also!

Choosing the right college should not be based on their intended major/minor. I think college life and activities are what improves students lives on campus. When there are fun activities on campus and many people are participating in them, I believe that is the key to the college experience. College is not just about party and games but it does include learning.

The biggest thing is to start the process early and work often. The sooner you starting working towards your future the easier it will be once it is upon you. Start getting information in highschool for your top college choices and ask questions to find the one that is right for you. Once you do, you can get a better idea of what is required to get in to that particular school. Test scores and grades are always a very big importance so work hard on everything because it all makes a difference. Take the ACT test early and take it more than once. Studying for something like that can seem duanting, but it will only be beneficial in the end. Once you get in to the college, keep on top of things. Set up appointments with academic or financial aid advisors to plan your course at school. Once you're on the right path, stay on course and keep your goals in mind. Always looking for ways to improve and reach those goals will keep you focused and on the way to a successful future.

I would say that in order to find the right school one must visit campuses and get a feel for what the college is all about. Know which extracurricular activities you want to be involved in and see if the school offers them. I know that for me my sorority and being involved on campus has enriched my college experience and even though I live off campus now I still feel a close connection to campus. Also make sure you prepare yourself and know what you are getting into. Ask questions about financial aid, housing, and classes - there is no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to your education. Make sure that the college you choose also has several good programs that you are interested in because many students have to transfer because they change their major. Make sure that you are not just going to a school that has one program that you don't really know about and are not sure if it's the right path for you. Just choose carefully because the school you choose will help to determine your future and how successful you are.

Go visit the colleges more than once, preferably in the winter because most of the students time spent at college is in the winter.

Find the college that seems right for you. If you have any instinct that it't not than don't choose that school. Making the most out of your college experience depends on the person. Go out and try new things like meals cooked by different cultures and go watch some football games and tailgate. College is where you could find a best friend and a life long buddy. Just have fun and keep things simple.

Parents need to let their child decide where to go to college because if the experience is bad they will blame the parent. Plus, the student will probably be more likely to succeed if they are in the environment they wanted to be in. Students need to listen to their parents advice but in the end it is their life and their decision. Explore as many options as you want and take tours it is the best way to really understand the people and the college experience you will receive. Look for ways to get involved in the university from the start it will help you make friends faster and easier. This will also make you feel more comfortable because you will have people to go to if you need help. Plus, you may find people that have you have a lot in common with. If you are going to live on campus go in blind. This will help you meet new people and most people lose high school friendships in college because they notice all the differences. College helps you discover who you really are and who you aren't, you have to make many choices. Good Luck!!

Honestly, SVSU is the only school I was allowed to attend. My dad wouldn't let me go any further away from home so it was the only college I applied to for that reason. I fortunately got very lucky because this school ended up having an amazing Social Work program and it ended up being the best place I could have gone. My advice to parents and students about finding the right college is do reasearch. Even though I lucked out, not everyone will be so lucky. Reasearch the campuses you are interested in, visit the campus, try and get to know what could possibly be your new surroundings. To the parents, this is where your child will be for the next few years of their lives, don't limit that...help make it amazing!