San Diego State University Top Questions

Research and visiting colleges is a good way to narrow down choices but you will never truly know if a school is right untill you excperince. A new student should take a week or even a weekend to visit and explore the school on their own with out a parent. Once you found the right school getting involved in clubs, sports, greek life, or even a part time job can be a great way to make friends and the transition easier .

Choosing the right college is a very important decision, and often the first real big decision people make. After my first year at college, I feel that I would be able to give parents and students very helpful advice. Once the student has chosen the school in the area they like with the major(s) they want to pursue they need to make the most of their years they will spend there. I would recommend that the student make new friends, even if they have old friends who also attend their college. People change in college and you cannot know if you and your friends will still be close. I would also advise, especially to the people who never had to study in high school, it's a lot more difficult! Studying is essential in college. Another thing I would suggest is taking a class that sounds interesting just because they want to learn about it. It actually makes going to class and learning fun. The last thing I would tell a prospective college student is to call their mom at least once each week. They worry, and they like to know you're okay, and working hard.

If you are searching for the right college for your child or yourself, make sure you know what field of study you want to go into, and research the schools that have a high rate of students graduating from that school, as well as the time it takes those students to obtain a job after completing graduation, in that major. And if you are unsure of what field of study you would like to go into i would suggest starting at a jr. college like i did until you know what you want your college degree in

Visit the campus, so you know if you like the environment. It?s something you'll have to look at every day, and if you're not happy with it, you'll never REALLY like your college experience. Go to orientation. I missed it, but my friends who went were set up with a plan to graduate, and all graduated on time. I took classes I thought would be fun, and were in the right direction towards graduation. Now all I can think of is getting out! If you can handle something on the side, like a sport, or a job, do it. Not only will it keep you from getting lazy, which is one of the biggest killers of college careers, but if its a job it'll provide you with an income, and if you pick a sport, you'll most likely be in shape and have a group of people you can hangout with and grow strong with together...not to mention they give priority to athletes for picking classes, as well as provide extra academic help.

I dropped out of high school because I was hanging out with the wrong crowd. Luckilly I had a supportive familiy who encouraged me to go back to school. I finally made the right choice and went back to school and I am now a Registered Nurse. I can tell parents that it is important to make sure your children know how important school is and let them make the right decision. It is important for kids to know how important school is only this way will they give all of their effort in completing college. As far as choosing one it definately deppends on the major. I applied to the school that had very good academic program for nursing. I did not look at the social life or any of the other factors that could nbe important for some students.

College is an important decision that will affect the rest of your life. It is not just the education that is important when selecting a school, but the environment, life-lessons, and friends that you will meet along and encounter along the way. Parents, do not pressure your kids to go to your alma malter. Let them come to you about questions or concerns they might have when choosing which colleges to attend to or apply. It is a hard enough decision to make without having the adding pressure of a parent lurching over your shoulder. Don't let your child live in your shadow, or live vicariously through them. It is their time to venture out on their own and make their own decisions, learn their own lessons, and make their own mistakes. In the end, choose the school that makes YOU happy and you alone. Find a place that you can find everything you want whether it be studying aboard, sports, internships, student goverment, greek life, or work experience. So take the time to research the right school for you and apply to places that suit your needs and wants.

GO TO THE EVENTS!

Don't worry so much if you don't get your first choice school. You will end up at the place that is right for you. Just make sure you get involved and don't focus on the fact that the school was not your favorite.

Get involved on campus right away- don't waste time waiting for people to approach you.

The most important advice I can give you is to go to the campus during the day when school is in session and see how you feel about it. Then ask random people as they're walking by how they feel about the school. You can get an awesome feel for the general sway of the student body just by watching andl istening to the real students. Are they smiling? Is their lots of friends walking together? Are their on campus activities going on during the day? Is it lively and exciting or dead and serious? You have to ask yourself what kind of school you want first off. Are you outgoing enough to go to a large school where there are a lot of opportunities to get involved, but you have to make the first step? Can you handle not being number 1 in the class anymore? Do you want more people than you could ever meet in four years? What's important to you? Sports teams? On campus involvement? Great teachers? Fun atmosphere? Meal plans? In the end it's all up to you. But you also have to remember IT'S ALL WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT.