Sam Houston State University Top Questions

There are three crucial parts in choosing a college and making the most of it: Live on campus. The friendships developed are inimitable. It made college feel like an experience and not just another year of school. It allots students the opportunity to develop as an individual. The independence is frightening at first, but ultimately it teaches responsibility, discipline, and time management so live on campus! Evaluate your personality in comparison to the town?s aura/ distance. Coming from Houston?s wide array of restaurants and great diversity to the conservative, small town of Huntsville made the transition more difficult and less enjoyable. Also, being fairly nostalgic and away from home made the security of having family close crucial. Several people have dropped out of college to return home because the depression of being away. Choose the college strictly on your standards. When I began college I knew two things: biology major and family must be near. I had always planned on going to UH because it was everything I needed; however, since my criterion was broad, I followed my best friend. I realize that if I had pursued my plan, I would appreciate college to its full extent.

Become involved and interested. Remeber that students expect an amount of responsibility.

Find out what your kid wants in college, whether it be academics, fun or the atmosphere and take several different visits to different colleges so your child doesnt get sucked into picking one college because it is all they know. If your student want to join an organization on campus i.e. fraternities sororities do research on them before you say no. Whatever the organization is they want to join there is a reason behind it and it will greatly impact their college experience.

I encourage your child to become active in the school. It is an amazing experience if you give yourself a chance. I was in the band my first year and enjoyed the bond between the drumline and I've made life long friends in the process. I, not at all a girlie girl and most refered to as a tomboy, joined a beautiful sorority and love the social and community experiences it has offered me. Not all sororities are for preppy girls, and not all the fraternaties are for stereotypical on this campus. In advice for finding the right college, I recommend visiting campuses. I traveled to San Antonio and Ohio and other cities touring campuses, and when you find one that just feels right to you, and after you've explored your posibilities in what you'd like to accomplish in that school, go to orientation. Orientation gives you an idea of the student community as well as the staff interactions with the students. For example, after going to so many campuses, Sam Houston spoke out to me. It is a beautiful campus and at orientation, the students were comfortable with the staff. Perfect. :)

Make sure when selecting a college that the community is a good match for their student. The type of community that a student fits into best should be a large consideration when selecting the school that best fits each student. For me this was a factor that I didn't take into consideration when attending college for the first time, and as a result I had a hard time making friends. So I would suggest that you allow your student to interact not only with the university but also spend some time in the area to really get a feel for what it is really like to live and be a part of the university and local community.

It is important to remember when picking an institution of higher learning that you are not simply looking for a school with a good turn-out rate, but a place into which you can allow yourself to become interwoven in the very fabric that makes it up. JFK said, ?Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.? These words also apply to the colleges we go to. They continually inspire us not to be a mere student at our schools, but to effect positive change. Furthermore, they help us to remember that devotion to the alma mater is crucial to a happy education there. Most importantly, remember that the student doesn?t pick the school, the school picks the student. It is imperative that the student go where they feel they can be most comfortable and relaxed, and yet still focused. This will afford the student the opportunity to grow as a student and a person into a member of society he or she can be proud of.

To make the most of your college experience, start planning financially a few years before. I had to worry about money the entire way through and it puts a damper on what is going on in your life. I also suggest getting a part time job to cover your extracirricular activities so you don't have to take away from money that pays the bills. Try and find a job that is similar to what you what to do with your career so when you graduate you have the experience needed to get the job you're looking for. And do it the summer before you go away because once you get there the jobs disappear fast. Also try and keep a steady job because looking for one while trying to balance you classes is no fun and not only do your grades suffer, but it puts you at more stress than neccessary.

If you are looking for a down to earth, small college, this is the place to go.

In my personal opinion, I do not feel like it is all that important where you go to school. Find a place where you are a good fit, will be happy and can excel in your classes. The most important part of college is just the simple fact that you went. Have your fun, but keep your priorities centered and do what is most important first.

Find a college that suits your individual child's needs. Listen to them and where they want to go, it is most important if they like the school that they attend for the next 4 years. Take your student to a variety of colleges and let them see the differences among campuses.