Spring Arbor University Top Questions

I would tell the student and their parents to start looking at colleges early! Do not wait until your senior year; start thinking about what type of college you are interested in your sophomore year. My next advice is to be proactive. Get out there and visit any college that you are considering. It does not cost anything, so this will help you get a feel for that school. Along with physically going to the school, communication and thoughts about the school should be discussed by you and your parents. As for making the most out of college, my thoughts are to do as much as you can! Now is the time to do what you have always dreamt of. After college is over your freedom is going to be limited by your working situation, family, and other responsibilities that go along with growing up. Another key element to making the most of your college experience is to invest your time into the people surrounding you. College friendships are so much different than any other kind. Of course focus your time and efforts on your academics, but it is also important to create relationships that will last a lifetime!

Take a lot of trips- really have a peace about where you are going before you jump in.

Advice that I would give to parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience would be to know what they want to gain from their college experience based on a few major things including housing, security, religious affiliations and/or churches nearby, and of course the programs that they are hoping to be majoring and/or minoring in. For me, the biggest factor that played in my choice was the location and the financial aid available to me. The Christian background also played a major part in my decision as well as the major and minor that I chose, because I personally knew the faculty because my mother works as the secretary in that department. Because of these reasons, I knew what I was getting into not only because of personal experience, but because of researching into all aspects of SAU so that I knew as much as needed. One suggestion I have found beneficial would be to plan a campus visit and possibly an overnight stay to experience everything that you can.

Standing on the threshold of adult-hood, high school seniors need their parents to guide them to a school that fits. High schools push their students to find a college that accommodates them academically and matches their skills. However, it is the job of parents and students to identify their goals for college. For instance, what do the students want to accomplish during their stay? Will the school challenge them to grow as responsible human beings? Will the campus broaden their cultural understanding? Is the student?s personality taken into account? Factors such as school philosophy, population, and environment should be studied and compared to the student's natural predisposition. A shy, intense chemistry student cannot prosper easily in a mass-populated party school, regardless of the good chemistry program. It is very important that the school suits the student?s personality and objectives. Furthermore, it is the student?s job, after finding the school, to make the most of his college experience -- which means the student must pursue his goals relentlessly. A student should always remember that he is paying to achieve these goals. Get the most out of college: choose the right school, work hard, and have fun.

Advice to parents: Please do not dictate where you think your child should go. Yes you are wise and have so much to offer your child in this process. You as a parent are obligated to help facilitate their search. My biggest fear was that my parents would TELL me that I could not go somewhere because it as too far, please do not limit your child to a school that is close to home just because you are not ready for them to leave. Advice for students: Find a place where your heart feels at peace. Do not just choose a school because that is where your friends are. It may be the right place for them and wrong for you. When choosing a school really look at their rules. If there are rules you disagree with or believe that you cannot follow don?t attend, it will ruin your college experience in the long run. When it comes to making the most of your experience, you need to try everything, become as involved as you can, get to know your professors, and find lifetime friends. Those things will make the most out of your college experience.

Make the decision that is the best for the students needs.

In order to find the right college and make the most of the college experience you need to take the time to invest yourself into learning about the university or college that you may attend, then the one you are attending. Before you choose a college you need to visit and consider your future plans when you are deciding. You should choose a college that will get you where you want to be when you graduate, then invest yourself into how you spend your time when you go to that college. Take time to meet new people and experience other ways of life, but also learn what you believe and who you are as an individual. You need to learn to manage your time to get the most out of college, it is not only the extreme of studying verses the extreme of socializing. There is a balance that goes along with college, and the sooner you invest yourself into learning about the college and find the balance of your time you will definitely see the benefits and will also get the most out of the college experience.

Have your child attend their local community college first. He/she can take care of the normal pre-requisites before settling on a major course of study, without spending a lot of money. Ideally, your student should be required to work and provide some of the money for college. If he/she does invest personal money in their own education, they will feel more emotionally invested in their own success, and will work harder.

I highly recommend visiting the campuses that you are most interested in. However, visit them more than once. In order to get a good idea of how the campus works in low stress and high stress times, visit once during exam time and once when classes are regular. It is a good idea to talk to the students also. Many students, if they are not in a hurry, will be glad to tell you a few things about the school that your admissions rep might not.

To any student who feels lost about going away to college, follow your heart. Don't worry about how much it costs to go there. My advice to you is to visit the campus and when you step out of the car: close your eyes, take a deep breath and truly think, could I spend the next four years of my life here? While on your visit if you feel an overwhelming "yes" in your heart than that is the place to be. College is such a huge part of your life. Choose a place that is going to make you feel fufilled in all areas of your life: spiritually, physically, emotionally, and academically. Because the place where you go will have an everlasting effect on you for the rest of your life, it is where you could meet your future spouse, your friends, and create a name for yourself.