Katelyn
Visit as many as possible. List three thrings you want from a university, the town it is in, and the distance you are willing to travel and fine the colleges that meet those requirements. Talk with friends that go to those universities and get their opinion. Remember it is the student who will go there for 4 years, not their parents.
Adrienne
Finding the right college requires a deep understanding of yourself. If you are outgoing and love to socialize, attend a college that promotes that, for instance a large state university. If you are a quiet soul, like me, then you need a more intimate setting with smaller student/teacher ratio, like a private university. Don't discount a college based on the cost, yes it may be more expensive, but if it suites the students personality and goals, the cost is worth it.
Ultimately, let the student determine the college. Oftentimes the parents drive their child into attending their academic dream university instead of listening to the person who will be attending the school. When the student is making the decision where to attend, and the parents support that decision, in my opinion, they are more likely to stay focused and graduate.
Finally, get connected. Join an organization, volunteer, or find other ways to meet people and make friends. In high school we think our friendships will last forever, and sometimes that is true. More often, our lifelong friendships begin at college. These friendships are lasting and endure because they understand the struggles of college life.
Marie
Apply for scholarships! Don't let money be the factor to hold you back from a great education. There are opportunities to make everything work. Also, the student should go where they want to, not where others want them to. My Best Advice is to be open-minded always while still knowing what you believe in. Don't let anyone tell you you cannot do something. The possibilities are limitless when you take control of your life!
(That sounds like a bunch of cliches all put together, but I believe it!)
Tara
visit many colleges and ask the students there how they feel about the school! stay for a couple days and get the feel for it because you will be spending alot of time here so you best be liking it! Apply to lots of schools to keep your options open too! Don't get too over involved in college and make the most of opportunities to build relationships and have fun...but don't go looking for fun in the wrong places! Have pride in your school ! Study hard but don't let it consume to !
Hailey
Know what you want to study prior to makig your final decision on which school you would like to attend. Make sure you have a way to acquire the funds needed in order to attend the school and go on a tour of the school. If you go on a tour, you can get a feel of the campus and the type of people you could be learning with.
Casee
I would tell parents to listend to what their children want in a school and be open to all possibilities whether they be public or private. To students I would say listen to your heart. It sounds sappy but if your heart is calling you to be at a school, then find a way to be there and be happy. Also, I would say to just be as outgoing as possible. You make a lot of your friends in the first semester when everyone is curious and active in the community. Just get out ther and meet everyone!
Clayton
It's never good to choose a college based on tradition or how much you will be payed upon graduating. Pick a school that you would like to live and learn in for at least four years. If you don't enjoy the school, your time in college will be miserable and less effective.
Erica
I think for parents, the best advice is to allow your college bound student to have a say in what college(s) might be right for them. This gives them a chance to find what college could give them the greatest experience. Parents also need to encourage their children to look for financial aid and scholarships that can take care of their finacial needs if needed. Most importantly no matter if your child is ready for college or not help them pursue what they feel in the end is the right path for them. I have seen so many students entereing into fields that they feel their parents will find exceptable and most of the time they don't do as well as expected in college.
For students, take the time to look at the possibilites that colleges have to offer. Every aspect from classroom settings, internships, faculty and staff are all important in finiding the college life you feel is right for you. It's also important to grab up all the financial aid and scholarships you can while still in highschool and apply for all the colleges you can, even the ones you think may not except you.
Pilar
make sure to visit and do a tour.
Lauren
Before picking the college that you or your son/daughter goes to be sure to fully research and visit a multitude of colleges. While a college might sound good on paper, once you visit it, it could have a whole new look and feel than you were expecting. Also, try and visit on a school day so you can see the different types of people that go there and get more of a feel of the school. Also a good thing to do would be to try and talk to current or past students that went their because they will be able to tell you more about the school than statistics can. Try and ask questions that you can?t find out on paper like what is there to do on weekends, how are your classrooms like, how are your classes like, just remember to ask a lot of questions so you can get the most information to make your decision.