Southern Methodist University Top Questions

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Make sure to get involved on campus. If you can stay on campus for the first year, try to, because you end up making a lot of friends that will be there your entire four years. Have fun, and try to get an internship in a field you might be interested in. You get to see what it is like to work in that area, it offers nice networking opportunities, and there is a good chance that you will have a job there after graduation (if graduation is close enough).

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Make sure that you realize that it is not only the academics you should look at when your child applies for college, but the possible stereotypes that the school might represent.

Visit the campus and ask questions. Get an idea of what the student body is like, and make sure your credit is good!

Most importantly, visit the university or college that you would like to attend. Seeing the environment will definitely help make decisions about where to attend. Also, talk with anyone you may know who attends or attended the university you are considering. Maybe a family member or friend... this will help with getting some background information on the academic and social life at that specific campus. Make sure that the university or college you are considering has the specific program or field of study that you would like to pursue. When I came to SMU as a freshman I was not quite sure as to which major or minor I wanted to persue, but I quickly found out what was offered and what wasn't, and this limited some of my choices..such as becoming a teacher straight out of undergraduate college. SMU doesn't have a program that is specifically designed for those persuing education. Also, if you are in need of financial aid or scholarship, do some research and find out which schools could help you and your family the most.; the only reason I am able to attend SMU is because of the financial aid they provide.

I would say to make sure you pick a school with your field of interest and that has a good reputation, but most importantly pick the school that feels like home to you. When you visit campus, pay attention to how the students interact with ech other and how they treat you. You want to make sure you know what you're getting into and feel comfortable and excited about moving there. This will be your home for the next four years and while you are there to get a good education, the people you meet and the times you share with them are what really makes this time in your life special, so you want an atmosphere that fits you. I still walk around campus thinking "Wow, I go here" all the time because it is physically beautiful (which makes more of a difference than one might think) and because I know that SMU is where I am supposed to be and I love evry minute of it, even when I am stressed about my tough classes. Basically, pick the school that best fits you, not what your parents or friends think fits you.

If at all possible, visit the campuses. A visit will make it very obvious, especially if you make sure to do it at a time when classes are going on, not during summer or a holiday. And be social. If you hide in your dorm and study every day, you won't make friends and you'll miss out on huge number sof experiences.

Visit the college campus, talk to the advisors, students, and any alumni that you can. Read blogs about the school and the programs because those are usually a little more factual than any information you may get on a campus tour. Don't be afraid to ask questions because college is a huge investment not just financially but also in time and commitment so you want to make sure your making the right choice.

Don't accept speaking with your high school advisors & college staff/teachers as good enough to mold your choice of school; those are both typically excellent routes to go with but much more pertaining to how well you'll do at a certain school is your mental and social health; if the place makes you lose your mind or leaves you wanting to drop out, it won't matter how well known the school is or if the football team is hot or not. The best route to find out if a school is right for you or not is to find a student at the school who is somewhat like you, someone who may share your interests, culture, religion, lifestyle, etc; and ask them how they like it, and if they would've chosen to go here again if they had another choice of which college they attended.

To maximize the college experience, one needs to fully embrace the social atmosphere and try to meet as many people as possible. That would include being part of societies, professional (or if you wish social) fraternities, widening one's horizons with unusual perspectives or electives, and fully engrossing themselves in the university they are a part of. One must take into account if they would like to be a number or known to a lot of people as a person in determining the size of their university, and accordingly the size of their classes. Additionally before applying to a university make sure you know what happens on campus, whether or not you want a city or countryside atmosphere, whether or not you are interested in the schools sports and extracurricular activities, the expertise in your chosen field for a major and the opportunites that institution present on completing a major and venturing into a career in the world. Most importantly before a big decision such as one's college, make sure that you have read as much as possible on the institution, both positive and negative to get a balanced view on which to make judgement.

I think that parents and students should select a school that best fits the students personality and interests. I also think it is very important for parents to be involved with their student while he/she is away at college. At my school I have noticed that many parents drop their students off and then dont keep in touch. The result is a student who can lose focus on studies and become more involved in the social life rather than school. Although social life is important I think that a student should value their education just as much. Students should select a college campus that has a variety of social and educational benefits like a gym, clubs and organizations, student centers, learning centers, etc. To fully enjoy the college experience students should be comfortable with their classwork and schedule and try to not put too much on their plate. It can become overwhelming to participate in too many extracurricular activities at once. I think that if parents and students both invest the time to explore different colleges they can decide on a campus that best fits the student in all aspects of their life.

First of all, don't be hung up on your first choice or what you have heard. apply to a healthy amount of schools that interest you, some that are reach, some that are safety and some that seem to be a fit. If you can, make sure you visit all the ones you get into, instead of just your first choice, you might be very suprised. Do go for reputation or where you parents went, or what looks the best on paper. go to the place that feels the best, you will know it when it happens.

College is about cultivating and building upon the education parents, teachers, mentors and the students themselves have worked over seventeen years to accomplish. Parents and students should look for a college with learning and development objectives that parallel the track that students are already on. There is a reason one school seems to just "feel" right when a student takes their first tour of campus. A university's goal is to produce students that are more than prepared for whatever endeavors the students choose to embark upon after graduation. When researching universities examine what has worked well in the past. For example, a student who felt at home in a small high school may want to continue on to a small, private university. Rather, a student who felt uncomfortable in a small high school would want to look into a medium or large university. Once a student finds the university they feel comfortable with, it is up to them to make the most of the experience they are about to have. Campus involvement is crucial. A student who is not involved will feel alone may become overwhelmed by their school work, especially if they were very active in high school.

Visit the campus to find the place that you feel best suits you. You will know which school is right after you have visited. Once there, get involved! Focus on school but make time to make close friends and involve yourself in extracurricular activities.

Begin by deciding what is most important to you: is it the campus, the curriculum, the kind of jobs alumni have after graduating, the financial aid available? Choose what sutis you, and definitely don't go by just reputation or where your friends are going. Open your mind before going to college; you're going to meet a lot of different people anywhere you go, and you need to be able to cooperate and learn from them. Take advantage of every opportunity to do something new and maybe a little absurd. Know that the work is not like high school at all. Make friends with every professor; it will be worth it in the long and short run. Question everything with respect. And most important of all, enter with a good attitude. If you go in thinking something is going to be bad or too hard, it will be for certain. Have fun!

Go visit the college first

A right college school feel like your second home. To make the most of your college experience be prepare, don't slack off, stay focus, do something different, and have fun.

Make sure the school has plenty of choices for a major that interests the student. Also research what people say about the people at the school and make sure you would be able to fit into the community. Enjoying what you are studying and who you are with are two of the most important things.

My college application and selection process was unique in that I only applied to one school, early decision mind you, got in, and filled out my housing form as soon as I possibly could. I grew up in the city my college was in, so most people speculated that I never really got to branch out or research my possibilities. Which is exactly what I would give as advice about finding the right college: research. Explore schools that truly cater to your interests. If you love theater, find a school with an amazing program. If you want to be in Forbes, find out how the Princeton Review ranks US business schools. Whatever your passion might be, there really is a school for you. Use your school couselors and university contacts to help you decide if you are picking the school that is the best match for you. Once you find a few options, put your heart into each application as if it was the only one. And be happy with your final selection because you will know that you've done your homework. And as for getting the most out of your college experience, I will say this: Enjoy everything.