Kristen
I would say to just listen to your heart when you are visiting colleges. Generally, if you instantly feel at home on a campus, then it is probably right for you. That's the way I felt at the University of Alabama, and I wouldn't have loved any other school as much as I did Bama.
Brian
Finding the right college can be more about following your gut then all of the research in the world. Definitely do your research and see what is best based on what you would like to do with your life. However, if you visit a school and do not feel like you will fit in, you might not. The right school will not only have the qualities you are looking for with your education, but will have the correct atmosphere to enable you to succeed. To make the most of your college experience, don't be afraid to get involved in on-campus organizations. Find common links with people and embrace them. The people you connect with in college will be your friends for the rest of your life. Another recommendation is to go to one of your school's sporting events with a fan. Even if you personally have never been to a game, the atmosphere may draw you in. Enjoy all of the new experiences college offers.
Ashlyn
Making the right college choice is a difficult process for High School students, but once you are on the right path your selection can be easy. My advice would be to start the process by taking the SAT and ACT test. After getting your results go to your High School counselor and discuss what area of education you would like to study in college. The high school counselors are great at helping students look for colleges or universities that may fit their style of learning. After that, make a list of schools you would like to visit and go to visit them. This is an excellent opportunity to see the campus. You can get a feel for the environment in which you will be learning in and a chance to meet some faculity memebers. If you can do a campus tour, you can get a lot of information about about the school. That is what convienced me to attend The University of Alabama. I found it to be a very friendly atmosphere. The knowledge for higher education was present and the faculty members that I met were very enthusiastic and happy to answer any questions we had about college selections.
Daniella
I would suggest that you look at all your options carefully and seriously weigh all the pros and cons. Education is very important and you want to find the best school for you. Also visiting and getting to know the campuses is very helpful.
Ninna
The advice I would give parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most out of the college experience would be to visit as many different colleges as possible. Talk with the students and professors at the colleges the student and family visit and throughout the visit notice the way the students interact with one another. How comfortable a student feels on a campus can be a big determining factor, as well as if the college offers the program that a student is wanting to enter. When it comes to making the most out of the college experience, remember to have fun and study. Making sure that the work is done before the fun helps relieve a lot of stress and makes college a lot more enjoyable. Meet new people and have study dates or just hang out. Some of the friends that are made in college will become life long friends.
Paige
Any student who has decided to attend college should evaluate his/her options thoroughly and in depth before making any kind of decision. Any stuent looking at colleges should know that the process of deciding on a college can and will be overwelming at times. However, making a list of both qualities one wants and does not want in a university, I believe, is the first step---deciding whethere one wants a big or small campus, rural or urban environment, public or private, and deciding in what geographical area the student would like to study in. After that comes investigating individual, specific, universities--it's especially important to have "visit days" at universities, beacuse it gives one the chance to sit in on classes, talk to students, and really get a "glimpse" at what life at a particular college would be like. During the application process, it is also very important to not only apply to the schools one is more interested in, but to also apply to a few "backup school" in case one does not get accepted to the schools of his/her choice. Overall, stay calm, focused, open, and never afraid to ask questions!
Tanjula
The advice I would give to students is that you shouldn't choose a college based on financial issues; just because a school offers you a scholarship, doesn't mean that it is the right school for you. You should choose a school that has a surrounding in which you will feel comfortable learning in, because if you are not comfortable then you might have to deal with things like depression and anxiety problems.
T'Chilandria
Make sure that you let the incoming college student make that decision as to what college they want to attend. not somewhere their parents or any other family memebers want them to go. Also when you have made ur decision it is vital that you prepare yourself ahead of time, to make it easier on yourself when you first go off to school.
Amber
To study, go to class, adnd don't be shy
Cody
If someone doesn't really know where they want to go to school, the best thing to do would be visit several campuses, meet some of the faculty and current students, ask questions, and just talk to people. After they've had some time to marinate on everything they've seen, read, and heard about the school, they can forget all of it. You can't base a life changing decision on someone else's experience or what you hear from other people. You have to go where you feel most comfortable and where your heart tells you to go. I visited other college campuses before visiting the University of Alabama and I liked a couple of them, but when I came here I felt at home and that's the best feeling you can have, because where ever you choose to go to school that will be your home for the next four years. When someone does decide on a school, they need to get involved in some kind of organization, whether it be an intramural team, a fraternity/sorority, or club.