San Diego State University Top Questions

Always come to a school with an open mind. The right college is the one in which you can put one foot on the campus and see yourself becoming inmerse in their culture. while wearing their letters A college is meant to stimulate your mind, increase your social understanding and motivate you into becoming a better individual. Every campus has their bad things, some are better at hiding it than others, but as long as inside your heart you know your school is the right place to be, then you can overcome any difficulty or issue you have.

The advice I would give parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience would evolve around the idea of fun. Not to be off base, seeing that college is of important but one must keep in mind that after college, you're working the rest of your life for cash, with a degree, so everything must be taken seriously. In college, you must find a place that the student feels comfortable in. The parents and teenager should go to the college and check it out day time and night time to "get a feel" for it. The student must be able to grow in this environment also, so a list of organizations and opportunities (such as fraterities and sororities) should be considered. Most of all, the ability to pay for this "dream" school should be taken in to much account--while away from the parents, the student must be able to manage his/her money decently. The last type of advice I'd obviously give is to be safe, know the tricks around the school (short cuts to classes) and the student should have no problem fitting right in with everyone.

Go and visit. There really is no other way to get a feel of the school then to go and walk around on campus. Maybe if you know someone go and checkout the dorms and maybe go to a class with them.

You should definitely visit the campus and make sure the environment is right for you. Check to see if the school is good for your major and the people are nice and friendly.

Research! Look at all the available college/university options that you are qualified to attend. Don't miss out on going to your perfect school simply because you didn't want to take the time and effort to find out about ALL schools in the area in which you want to live, visit those schools, and talk to people who are attending the university. Find the school that is going to be well-rounded in the sense of what you are looking for in a school. Don't settle on a university because it simply offers your major. Look at the location, class sizes, school setting, etc. Do your research!

I would tell the parents especially to warn their children about the type of school they choose. I am 36 years old and got to a "party school." Binge drinking and drug use are a normal part of life on my campus. Although I feel college is an important time to experience new things and discover who you are, the choices you make in college can impact the rest of your life. It is both a waste of a parent's money and a waste of a college student's time to go through four years of college and in the end have nothing to show for it.

My advice would be not to get discourage when realizing how expensive it really is. I know my faith and need to become someone my parents could finally be able to say," how it all has been worth it," has not stopped me from realizing my goals. I am a full time student and i work, i have no social life, i manage a household, but i need to do what i can to accomplish what i came to SDSU to do. All i can say is that if you do have an opportunity for higher education, do not let anyone or anything stand inyour way. My first year at SDSU i met an elderly women, who not only carried her books to class everyday, but her oxygen tank as well. During finals that semester she spoke up and replied, to young man who was complaining about all the studying required for that exam,"If i can ride the trolley every day, carry 3 books and my tank, worry about being able to breath one more day and still pass this class so can you." So allow yourself to pick and choose according to your goals and not anything else.

Visit as many colleges as you can and try to find out where you fit in best. It isn't always the college that is close to home or the one your friends go to. Lots of people come to college with High School friends and make other friends along the way so that should never be a deciding factor. Look for chools that are where you want to live when you get older, most companies that recruit at my school are local.

Make sure you visit the campus during a time when school is in session so you can get a feel of what the campus is like when the school is open. Also make sure that you have the amenities that you require close to the school such as a gym, grocery store, bank, etc. Talk to students at the school and ask them what a typical weekend entails.

I would say that for highschool juniors, to apply at several different schools. Your first choice may not always be the best choice for you financially or academically. You want to give your self options. If you only apply at 2 or 3 schools like I did, you may be dissapointed when your 1st or 2nd choice does not accept you. Luckily for me, I was accepted to SDSU which was my 1st choice. I would also recommend looking into each schools financial aid programs. Once you get accepted to a school and make your decision as to where you want to go, ALWAYS apply for financial aid. I have friends that never applied for financial aid because they thought they wouldn't qualify, then they found out that they would have qualified all along. The worst that can happen is that you file for financial aid and your turned down completely. You never though, you may qualify for very little or may be surprised and qualify for alot. You dont know untill you apply and every little bit of financial aid helps.

Make sure you visit each school that you have in mind. The atmosphere makes all the difference when you are attending the school and living there day in and day out. If you can't be proud and happy when you walk on your campus, then it's not worth it. You are spending 4 years of your life at this place, make sure you know what is going on at your school, what kind of activities would interest you, etc. You are the only one that can make your experience the way you want it.

The advice I would give to parents and students when attempting to choose the right college for their child and/or themselves is to identify their interests and what they want to achieve by graduating from college. This will enable them to have a focus when they are scouting schools and not get caught up in what school looks the best or seem to be the most prestigious. Once you know what your looking for in a school, getting to know what the student body is like is key. While many colleges are very diverse, you want to know the overall impression and reputation students from the college tend to have on the surrounding community and other colleges. Once you have found a college that seems to appeal to your field of study and appears to have a student body that you feel you can be a part of and be happy with, I believe you will have found the right school for you and/or your child.

Parents should visit several campuses with their children to get a feel for what the campus life will be like. Students need to take into consideration the population of the school, how impacted the major they want to enroll in is, the costs including lodging, tuition and transportation, and the location in comparison to their hometown in order to best be prepared. Upon enrolling and entering a university, the student should know the campus well and what services it offers and put them to use. Students should make their own master plan that maps out each class they need to take each semester or trimester in order to graduate on time. It's important for students should have a social life, but not overdo it, as it does interfere with academics, and the reason for going to college, is to go to college.

Make sure you go to the campus. Figure out what you want to major in and research the teachers in the specific department because a teacher can really make or break your class experience. And don't just go somewhere because of the party scene, educations should come first!

My advice to new students would be to enjoy the experience and the opportunity to be a part of the University. It is crucial to stay focused because their are many opportunities for distraction. Get to know the school and the resources that are available. Utilize the library and study rooms for study groups. Ask the libraian for help; get to know how to use the online research catalogs. Stay on top of your Financial Aid and make sure to apply to the FAFSA and other Scholarships. Whether or not your class is in a huge auditorium, introduce yourself to the instructor--stand out from the rest! Sit in front of the class where there is less distractions and to show your instructor you are there to learn. And lastly, ALWAYS GO TO CLASS PREPARED!!

Know what you are doing and how you want ot go about doing it with classes and class load, do not slack or you will be in school for longer than you think, like intrest rates, they just just keep adding up. Talk to your kids nd given them encouragement, its hard to find on many camouses and make sue you let them know that drugs and drinking are not what they need to do. College life is brutal and those who survive are strong but the path is corupt and twisted. Love you children and let them know it. Dont spoil them but keep them happy and family stess to a minimum, school puts enough on them as it is. Make sure they eat healthy not just dorm food. tell them to do their laundry every week not every semester, (my roomate )

First, if I would suggest one thing to students (advice I didn't follow myself), it would be to make sure you know what you want before investing large amounts of money into a school. I highly recommend attending junior college for $20/unit while doing your undergraduate GE classes. Then, when you find direction for what major you want, transfer as a junior and finish the last two years. I believe this is the most financially sound method of approaching school. When selecting a school, look for their strengths - find out how high it is rated in your specific interest. This will help you develop status when applying for careers following graduation. Finally, don't let social reputations of the school deter you. Know that your social life at a school is what you make of it and there are plenty of opportunities at a "party" school to be an academic. There are plenty of opportunities at an "academic" school to be involved. Work hard, study and relax just the right amount, and DO finish school.

I would say support your student because as a freshman is really hard to make a decision so parents be there for them, make sure that they are happy with their decision and ready to start a new college life. Students, good look, college is hard but ir is worthy.

Since i was the first person to go to college in my family it was a very different, strange, new, and exciting experience. Parents should look with their child at many different colleges in many different locations to see what they might like the most. also, dont just pick a college by the website, make campus visits and actually see what its like in person. really do your research because choosing the right college is a big deal. i didnt get to live in dorms and i think i really missed out on that experience. make sure you are involved on campus, not necessarily a frat or sorority, but a club or just go to the on campus events. its a good way to make friends and not feel so lonely and out of the loop.

The one thing I would tell parents and students about finding the right college and make most of the college experience is to actually do research. First of you have to be able to handle a giant move anywhere. But the end result is how much research you put into finding the right college that you would enjoy. Finging out what clubs they offer, the total enrollment of school and the amount of teachers there are. To make the experiecne a great one is to actually get invloved with extra criclicular activites to which you enjoy. Join a frat or a club, take classes that you enjoy as an elective hang out at campus. Especially making that first friend of your first day could acutally make or break you experience.