Stony Brook University Top Questions

My advice for finding the right college would be to start researching colleges early and to do some deep thinking about what qualities are truly most important in a college. So many superficial factors like rankings, location, and cost are unfortuantely given too much weight in the decision of which college to attend. College guides that provide rankings on the academic and social environment of a college give a generalized overview relying on the opinions of people that may bear very little resemblance to your opinions. Get as much detailed information as you can so that you can decide based on your own judgment of a college, not someone else's. When it comes to making the most of the college experience, realize that this your opportunity to have some unique experiences that will be valuable in a future career as well as in your personal life. You may never again have so many opportunities to travel, become socially involved, or benefit from the knowledge of a collection of experts. Remember that there is more to college than the workload, but never get so distracted that you forget the primary goal of college is to learn.

I would tell parents it is very important to always be involved in your childs life. From the beginning of Middle school, involve them in many extracurricular activities and make their resume look good from the start. Junior year of High School start visiting colleges and see what would be good for your child. Speak to advisors and ask many questions! Once you and your child have selected a school you both will love, prepare your child for school, and always keep in touch!

I think that every stuent and parent gets a million different levels and forms of advice when it comes to choosing the right college. The most important thing to remember through the entire process is that this is YOUR life. Find a college whose student body reflects your interests, your likes and offers the variety of course work that you love. Don't pigeon hole yourself into a college that is known for pre law or pre med or anything like that - but choose one that has a diverse amount of majors and oppurtunities for you because one you get there you may realize that medical school or law school is the last thing in the world you want to do. Instead it's journalism and the school offers one class in that field. All in all I would remember that this is a period of discovering yourself and allow college to reflect that - embrace the change and the maturity that comes from living away from home.

When looking for a school, choose a school that is the right size for you. Not everyone likes a huge school. Make sure the school has enough options. Just because you want to be a computer engineer today does not mean you will want to in a year. Take advantage of every event and workshop the college has to offer. Get out there and really be a part of the school. You will meet so many great people and learn so much.

I had an amazing experience at Stony Brook. Make sure you find out information on ways you can participate in school activities, it will make your experience great. Take part in student government, play a club sport, don't limit yourself to sororities and fraternities there are plenty o things to do where you don't have to be hazed or belittled for an entire semester. make friends!

Do a lot of research, including actually visiting the campuses.

I would have to say that comfort is the most important part. If the prospective student likes some areas of the college, such as the campus, but does not like the overall feel then it is not a good fit. It is hard to find the right college now of days because there are so many, and lets face it, everybody wants to go to a well renound school. But in the end if you are not happy it will be a stressful and sad experience. I would start by figuring out what size college you would like to attend as well as what type of area you would like to be in. Then look at aspects like the size of classes, the food areas available and the extra curriculars. The things that you do outside of class help contribute to your overall enjoyment of the college experience. Mostly, just remember to see how comfortable the prospective student is with the campus; comfort is happiness!

How much you get out of your college experience depends how much you put in (hard work, money, enthusiasm, etc).

As a parent of two college students, and a student myself, I strongly suggest that new students make sure they spend time on the campus they are considering. It is very important to speak to random students on campus, not just the tour guides and selected faculty. We have found that schools are often quite different than they are portrayed. After all, they are trying to sell you their school. Sometimes the information you are given is just a pretty advertisement, not the real-life information. For example, some schools portray very active campus life, when in fact there is a large commuter population. The fact that many leave immediately after class and/or for the weekends does not support a tremendous social experience.

stay a weekend as a pre-frosh and get to know people to see if you will fit in. take corny campus tours but then actually go up to kids and be friendly and ask them why they like it here