Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Top Questions

Don't chose to go to a college based on what your parents/ friends want, go for you!

College is all about balance. You need to balance your schoolwork, social life, and in some cases jobs. Making sure to stay organized and prepared will help with the college experience. It is very easy to become overwhelmed and stressed but keeping a balance between the important things in your life really helps a lot.

I think my advice would be to stay open. Do not choose the first college you visit simply because you like the way it looks. Get active in the process and ask questions, visit a dormitory, ask to see the eating establishments. Remember students you will be investing years of your life in this school! Parents, let your children be the explorers, and you be the capitain. Give your student advise, but let them make their own discoveries! To both: talk it out, your likes, your dislikes. Eventually you will find the right choice!

Even though times are tough in this economic crisis but your childs education needs to come first.

The best advice when choosing a University is to follow your heart. A lot of influence comes from a lot of sources when choosing a University. Your parents and friends will influence where you go and so will the location of the University but if you know the school isn't for you, don't go there. Also, don't be influenced to choose a school just because your friends from high school are going there. I came up to Slippery Rock with my best friend from high school and we dormed together Freshman year and it wasn't that great of an experience. Honestly, it's better to room with a new person so that you can get new experiences and make a new friend. Overall, just make sure that you study hard for all your classes because it is nothing like high school. If you fail one test, you may only have one other test left for the rest of the semester, it is very demanding. Just do your best and follow your heart and you will succeed.

Visit the campus and check out a course schedule to make sure it would be a good school for your major. Also, ask people who attend(ed) the school what they think about it.

I honestly would tell them to start as early as possible because you want to pick the school that is right for you as a parent and child. Some schools are just party schools and others are completely dull. Truthfully, the school should be a little of both because the most important thing is your education but its also good to release some steam and do other activites once the weekend comes. When I first came to Slippery Rock I didn't know anybody and was really scared but after awhile it grows on you and you meet tons of friends and you become apart of the university and don't feel like an outsider. Most kids quit when they face adversity but if you stare it down and keep working hard and trying your best it all works out in the end.

To the parents I would have to say, trust your child. They are making their first real life decision. Once they have made their decistion talk to them and fully make sure this is where they want to go. Help them look at many scgools close to home and even, the dreaded, out of state! Look over all the brosures and of course the financial information, understand it completely. Go over pros and cons about each school, just so your student knows exactly what is going on. If they seem like they don't care because this is where they want to go, they'll appreciate it in the long run. Some information for the student...go with your heart! If you're thinking about going with a friend, make sure that friend is in it for the long run. Also, make sure you talk to any prof. or advisor you can before you make your choice. Communication is the most important life line that you have. Think of all the great things that you like about the school, but also calculate the not-so-good-stuff that you find out about the school. Even try some peer reveiws.

I think you need to really take into consideration the student's wants and needs. If they want to look at a school farther than you expected them to look at, then let them. College is a great experience and I think everyone should look as many places as possible to find the right location for them.

Really do the research and don't be afraid to ask questions. People enjoying helpping and answering questions about there school, so just don't be afraid. Sit in the classrooms, to get a feel for the learnig style, you spend most of the time in the classrooms, so sitting in there and finding out how comfortable you are, is really important. Talk to students currently attending, because they know most about the school and the enviroment.