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.