Samford University Top Questions

Take time to look around. Visit all the schools and then make your decision. Don't rush into any place.

Search around.

Find ten people who go to the college, currently, and ask them all of the questions from this survey. That should give any parent/student an excellent idea of what a college is REALLY like.

There are a multitude of factros to consider when researching college options. The thing to remember is that you need to find the place that's right for YOU - not the place your parents want to send you or the school all of your friends are applying to. In fact, it may be more beneficial to aim for a school outside the normal spectrum of choices for your area. In this way, you'll be able to branch out, explore your individuality, and make friends outside of the ones you've known for years. Sometimes, sticking with things that are familiar can cripple students, so that they never reach their full potential, personally or academically. This principle will carry you throughout college, as well. It applies to trying new activites, studying new subjects... anything outside your normal range of experience. So even though it can be scary, the best advice I can offer is to be open-minded: Don't settle for what everyone else is doing. Look into new things. You might just find the perfect fit.

The most important factor in selecting a college is the fit between the student and the institution. The only way to find out if you will enjoy living at the school is to visit it and to really explore the campus while you are there. Ask students questions, read the campus newspaper and message boards, visit a class and talk to the professor, hang out in common areas, do anything that will give you a clue as to what "normal" students do and if you want to be a part of that. Once you get to college, don't be afraid to try new things. Try everything, but find a few things to really pour yourself into and to which you will be excited to dedicate your time and effort. College is undoubtedly a shaping experience, but you get to choose how it shapes you and in what direction you grow.

Finding the right college is a very important decision because most likely, that is where you will be spending the next four years of your life and mold into an adult of today's society. It's a tough decision but once you find the place where you feel right at home everything else will follow. There are several things you can do to make sure you have found the right place. First of all, I would definitely visit the campus. Looking at pictures and reading about it just simply is not enough anymore. Take a campus wide tour, sit in some classes, and walk around common areas such as the cafeteria and the library where you will probably be spending alot of your time. Secondly, I think it is very important to talk with students that already attend that university and ask them questions. I would especially try to talk to students in the same field you want to be a part of once you are there since every department is unique. With first hand experience and conversations with current students, I'm confident that you will be on the right path in choosing the right school for you!

My best advice would be to honestly do your research. Find out what is most important to you, whether it be off-campus life, social activites, sports, specific classes or learning styles, and small or big classes. Truly discover what suits you or your child and can also fit within your budget. The best way to get the most out of your college life is to really know what you are in for and what you can get involved in, as well as how best to succeed.

Choose the school where you think you will be happiest, no matter what. Then pick the major that will both interest and challenge you, regardless of what you think you plans are for after college; they will change. Once you have your bachelor's degree, you can do anything; the options are limitless.

I think that the most important aspect of a school is the academic reputation. Students should make sure that the school has a good, strong reputation because the main reason students go to college should be to get a degree in order to get a good job in the future. An important consideration for choosing the right school is the distance from home. Being too close to home is not good because it allows the student to go home too often and does not force them to get involved and be independent. Getting a degree and getting involved on campus are essential to making the most of a college experience.

Take a road trip and visit any college you are even the least bit interested in. While there, ask current students any questions you may have. As for making the most of your college experience, there is one word that comes to mind: involvement. Find an organization that matches your hobbies or personality. You can branch out and learn something new. There is something for everyone! If your college does not have something you are intersted in, start up a new organization or club. As Mark Twain says, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." It is far too easy to just pass through college on cruise control. Get involved, be heard, and make a difference in your community and in the world.

The best advice that I could give for parents and students about finding the right college is to really look. Don't just go to the college right next door or to the college you always thought you would attend since you were 4. There are SO many amazing schools out there that you probably have NEVER even heard of, that could potentially be a perfect fit for you. Explore...go to different campuses and don't let money be an extreme factor in choosing where you are going to spend the next four years. College is a time unlike any other--and those four years shape you into the person you are going to be for the rest of your life, so you want to go to a university that illuminates the person you want to become, a university that adheres to your personality, and a university that you can call home.

To make the most of the college experience, you must me honest with yourself. Ask the questions am I willing to study effectivly and not become affected by outside variables.? Remember, college is totally different from high. school. Though you did not need to study for your test in high school, college is totally different. Professors expect you to truly understand a specific topic and put it your own word. Memorization is not a key factor, understanding is.

Make sure it is what the student wants not what other people push the student to do.

The most crucial aspect of finding a college home is finding a place in which you can be successful in every aspect of your life. Although college is the time specified to further professional and academic aspirations, a balance between academics and other interests must be maintained. Otherwise, you will not perform at your highest level and may be disappointed in the outcome of your college career. For this reason, it is important to look for a college or university that fosters activities, opportunities, and values that you enjoy as well as one that offers the academic settings and opportunities that you desire. Once you have found an institution to call home, you will be thrown beyond the brochures and the guided tours into the real world of your new school. It can be tough, but at this point attitude really is everything. You must choose to be involved and proactive.; you may have to step out of your comfort zone. In the end, college is designed to foster more than just your academic succes; but you have to be an active participant in that process.

If you plan on living on campus freshmen year it will be great. If you plan on living at home freshmen year be ready because you will have to connect youself to campus, because there is no support from Samford to help you do so.

The best advice I can give about finding the right college is to visit your prospective colleges. The school pamphlets and brochures cannot give you the real feel of the campus. Spend time getting to know the school, and watching how everyday students act. Ultimately, make sure the school has sufficient ways for you to complete and get the most out of your desired major. To make the most of your college experience, make sure you get to know your roommate. Try to stay on campus for the first three weekends, because that is the time where many of your friendships will be made. Having an on-campus job is a smart way to make some extra spending money. Also, try to get involved in some way on campus whether it be Greek life, SGA, or other organizations. Of course, the most important thing is to remember to make the time to study and complete your courses. Using this advice will not guarantee a perfect college experience, but these suggestions have helped me get the most out my college experience.

Pick where you feel comfortable and choose what you want to do.

The advice I would give to parents and students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience is to apply to many colleges. Apply for financial aid as early as possible for the best results. Take into consideration that at eighteen years old you probably won't know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Try not to overload yourself as much as possible. Make sure you rest and stay hydrated. College can be worse than a job sometimes because you go to classes all day, but most of the time it doesn't end there. Normally you will go home and do homework most of the night. If you absolutely have to work at an outside job be sure to not work too many hours. Going to college full time is very time consuming. Stay focused and try to always keep graduation day in the back of your mind, and realize everyday is one day closer to walking across that stage.

I would advise students to visit many different colleges and spend the night with a student on campus at each one. Also, it is a very good idea for potential students to sit in on classes at school they are interested in. All of this will help potential students understand what the atmosphere at the schools they are thinking of attending is really like. Also, visitng many diverse campuses will be helpful in finding a place where they feel they can really fit in. To make the most of their college experience, students should be willing to be open and friendly with everyone around them. Homesickeness is very common at first (I would know), but what helps to get through this time is getting out of the dorm and being involved on campus and in the community. Also, try to live on campus as much as possible, for this is where the strongest relationships are usually formed. Living on campus also helps to make students feel more involved in their college community.

It's their experience. Eventually you have to let go and decide where you/they will be happiest. Forget the U.S. News Rankings - they don't matter. Yes you want to get a great education, but look at the small details and focus on the crowd that goes there. These are the people you are going to be literally living with. You can't avoid them. Are you going to get along with them and the environment from which they are from culturally, racially, geographically, socially, economically? Do you like where the school is? Do you like the buildings and the culture of the school? Stay overnight and visit some classes and see if the tour and school match up with what the tour is selling - seriously!!! That's so important! Don't be afraid to ask questions of the older students - they will be nice to you and answer questions (remember they're been there too). Get involved but find a balance. Go to class! If your tutition is $10,000 a year, missing one class costs you about $66. (Based on meeting 10 times a week over 15 weeks taking 4 classes) Relax and Breathe!