San Francisco State University Top Questions

Each college has a very differnt social and learning environment. The best way to choose a school is to narrow down your choices and when it comes time to visit those schools visit the classes and interact with the student body. Getting to know the campus life and teaching experiences that each school has to offer can have a profound effect on each persons decision. Schools may have prestigious reputations but if it is not the right social and learning environment it can make college a horrible experience. Attending a lecture and getting to know the students can give each person insight into the expereince a school can offer. Once a a person has found a school they like they have to find the right balance of social and learning experiences. If a new or continuing student spends all of their time studying they can easily find their lives will be very stressful. Though the point of college is an education, an equally important aspect of college are the social skills and relationships forged. Having a good balance between a social life and studying will make for a less stressful learning environment and create relationships that last a lifetime.

Cost of attendence is not the only thing to look at. Look into the professors affiliated with your subject of study, where they work, where they went to school, what have they published. Look into alumni and see where they are now. Is the school research based or community based. Does the library subscribe to numerous peer review journals. Is the campus currently or will it be under construction when you attend. More than cost and degree offered determine the quality of education and experience.

Take the time to do the research. This is where you are going to be for the next 4-5 years and will pave the way for the rest of your life.

Make sure you really feel right at the campus, visit it often and talk to others because it's the place you/your child will be spending the next 4 years, transferring is a hassle. Also, it's good to make at least two friends in each class, not just for notes when you miss class but just to build your network and have more friends you can hang out with.

College time, in my opinion, is time to explore. I believe students need to open up to new experiences and "fall in love" with the subjects they are being taught. It is important to challenge yourself, as a student, to be involved in community activities and participate in social life on campus. As a parent of a 8 year old, I would like my son to enjoy the environment of higher education when it's time for him to go to college. He motivates me to be a good student, to do the best I can; and I hope that my efforts, in return, shall motivate him to work hard at being the best he could be. It is our job, as parents, to help our children to see the benefits of knowledge and education. It is our job as students to explore and to use the knowledge we receive for benefits of others and our own.

Start early and keep your options open. It's become ridiculously competative to get into schools, and public schools especially are suffering from budget cuts. Plan accordingly.

Each college campus is very different and carries its own personality. To find the one that fits you, you must do your research. This includes visiting the campus and comparing it to other schools you are interested in. Also, it is important to talk to other people you know who attend the school you are interested in. To make the most of your college experience I would encourage extra caricular activities. The more you are involved on campus the more people you'll meet, which result in more life long memories.

Don't choose a school based on other people's opinions everyone's experience is different.

To parents seeking to find the right colleges as well as college experiences for their children, I would say that they should consider some factors before enrolling their children into colleges. They should consider the behavoir of their children, the academic performances of their children, extracurricular activities available to students, academic resources available to students, and attitudes of the professors and students in the colleges. Parents that are raising up badly behaved and academically poor children may choose to balance the choice of their children's colleges with the behavior/perfomance of their children. A good advice for these parents will be for them to choose colleges that are less focused on social life, but more focused on academics, and counseling bad behaviour through campus activities. The most important criterial for students or parents looking for the right colleges and college experiences is the attitude of the professors. Some professors are so demanding academically and stressful to students. These professors make topics that are easy to be very difficult to understand, thus this can creates situations whereby students are in chaos and most students could hardly get involeved in campus activites as a result.

Find the college that has low enrollment, diverse classes, and is known for its academic and career training.