San Diego State University Top Questions

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.