Amber
Know what your looking for in a school and stick to it or else you'll end up at a school you don't like. Always stay involved or attend events.
Natalie
The most important aspect was to pay attention to what you felt when you first saw the camus. Both my brother and myself chose the University that spoke to us with the feeling of "home" and community. We can all learn anywhere - it's where you feel welcome and inspired that will make you be successful! Take your time, visit and feel the place - if it speaks to you - listen!
Carol
I advise them to most importantly visit the campus to get a feel of walking around the campus as well as the environment. And while in college do your best in school to insure you are getting a healthly amount of education. And also just get involved with something that interest you in order to meet people who can potentially impact you or just in order to do something constructive. Do take advantage of all the help your college offers with your future career as well.
Krystal
Visit the school and talk to the students, sit in on a class if you can. Make sure you really are happy with your choice and realize sacrifices will be made sometimes.
Tena
My advice for finding a college would be to follow your heart and do what feels right. Once you're there, take advantage of the many gifted professionals in your field and then completely emerse yourself in your studies in order to gain all that higher education has to offer.
Cheryl
Find a school that you can fall in love with, pick somewhere that will challenge you intellectually, inspire you emotionally, and incourage you to succeed. The right size, location, and social life all matter. Above all be open to different possibilities because they can make all the difference. No matter what make sure you are happy and excited about your final desision, if you are not transition will be much more of a struggle .
Aileen
As for the parents, I would say what's important is to allow your child to pick the school they are most passionate about and not worry about things like money, housing, area, etc. Also, there are a lot of ways to receive money for school, but the key is to start early - create a fund, push your child to apply for scholarships starting their junior year of high school, and research federal grants and loans.
To students, I think the most important thing to do is to seize opportunities during high school that will positively affect you in college. Take AP courses, get good grades, do well on standardized tests, play sports, and join clubs - pretty much, do as much as you can. When you get to college then, you won't have to worry as much about finishing in a certain amount of time or those pesky core classes. In college the greatest thing to do is to get involved and meet people. Networking is the key to success. People you meet in college can help you to start your career, and joining clubs in college is an easy way to network. Lastly, do everything in moderation.
Rebecca
First, be sure to visit any college campus that you are interested in attending. Talk to professors and other students at the university to get a feel for the kind of atmosphere the college has. It is very important to gauge how helpful professors and university staff will be during your years there. But consider things that you did or did not like about your high school (like size) and then compare those to the colleges you're interested in. You also need to keep your future in mind, like what you want to study and what you may like to do upon your undergraduate completion because depending upon the university, one may be able to assist you better than others.
Joi
The advice that I would give parents and students about finding the right college would be don't go with the most popular go with the one that suits you the best. There are many aspects to choosing the college that is right for you. The size of the campus and the ratio of students to a professor is an important quality to look at. If you would be comfortable in a more close knit environment then a smaller college is for you rather than a larget one. Choose somewhere where the weather is what you like. Academics in any school is important, but being comfortable at that school is also something that is important to your well-being. Make sure you pick a school where you can be happy. Being unhappy will not help you thrive in any situation so pick the school that suits you and your personality.
Melissa
I would suggest to go through the universities catalog and contact the admissions office and ask alot of questions. Do research on the standard of the academics and the dorm and social life. If you could get to visit or even contact friends that have or still attending that college , that would be a big plus. Remember choose a college that will represent who you are , what you will become , and how you will you turn out to be a good future citizen of the world.
As a personal advice , look into the weather and the organization/clubs they offer.
Moreover, the class size and the services such as career , financial , and last but not least the student body.
Stephanie
To the parents and / or students looking for the right college, i advise you first of all to make a decision only after knowing every little thing there is to know about the schools you are thinking of. Therefore, i strongly advise you to start the college search as early as possible and also to make a priority to visit the campus. Furthermore, so as to make the most of the college experience, i advise the students to be open minded for college is a lot different then what they are used to. Consequently, by being open to the new, there will be less confusion and distress when living the college life.
Rebecca
As a graduating senior who has seen 4 years fly by at the blink of an eye, I would say try your hardest academically, make true, life-long friends, enjoy any free time to its extent, help others who need it, and be thankful for today... for tomorrow may never come. College is the BEST 4 years of your life... or 5 if your major requires it. Get involved on your campus community, and don't take for granted what its worth. You as a student leader in an organization will most definitley act as a role model to a younger student, and you may not even be aware of it. Do well academically, from the beginning of the semester until the very end. Keep on top of your work, and you wont be running aorund at the end, worrying. Form relationships that truly mean something special, these will be the people who help you out when you need it. And don't be afraid to ask for help, not everyonecan do everything by themselves, and no one will look down on you for asking for help. Most importantly... enjoy your time, it only happens once!
Roxanne
The one piece of advice I would give to parents and/or students would be to just go with your gut instinct. When applying for school, there are so many choices and decisions floating around that one's personal preferences can become lost in the mix. Take time to just think about where you really want to be, regardless of everyone but yourself. Whether you sit in your room for hours lsitening to music or go for a walk, there will be that moment when you make the choice in your heart. It is your future and you want to start it out right. And, no matter what, you always have chances to change (transferring). College is a huge part of growing up and it is one of those things that you do not want to regret or look back on and wish you had done differently. If I were to do it all again, I would not change a thing. We all have plenty of time to grow up and college plays a giant role in that. By going with your gut, you are bound to start off on the right foot.
Alison
It has to feel right to you. If you aren't comfortable in the environment than it isn't for you. When i first went to my school i knew right away that I wanted to go there. In order to make the most out of your college experience you have to try and get all you can out of being there. It's only worth while if you enjoy it, and get something out of it. It will only be worthwhile if it means something to you. I know that my experience thus far has meant something to me because the memories that I have made here will be with me forever. The people that I have met and the experiences we have had together will never leave me.
Garrett
Carefully select a college that fits your high school personalit y. I strongly suggest students to look for a school far away from their home town so that they can become a successful dependent mature individual.
Robbin
I would advise students and parents to be sure the college of interest fits the needs of the student. I didn't feel comfortable being in a large classroom with hundreds of students so the University of Tampa was perfect for me. The classes are very small and the professors know each student as an individual, which helps make each student feel they are important. The professors should be readily available to the students for any problems they might have, including personal issues that might influence the student's academic abilities. The academic and financial aid advisors should be available to help the students with any issues related to their areas of expertise. It is very important for students to have guidance in choosing their major/minor and what classes they need to fulfill their goals as well as having the assistance to be able to pay tuition. I also feel that adequate study areas are of great importance; a well stocked library, and enough computers for every student to be able to utilizewhen needed. There should be opportunities for employment as well as places to go and relax after a long week of studying.
Abigail
The most important aspect in regards to chosing a college that is right for you is a visit to the campus. Every college looks great on the website, but you can't accurately judge it until you spend some time around the students and faculty. In order to make the most of the college experience, new students generally benefit from living in a university provided dorm. After being around so many people all the time you begin to make friends. I believe it is also beneficial to learn to live with another student. Students always get emails from different organizations on campus and their tendency is to just discard them without even reading them. If you go out there and get yourself involved in anything that interests you, chances are you will have a good experience simply by meeting people that are interested in the same things you are. My biggest piece of advice has to be to take advantage of what your college has to offer you, no matter what aspect of college it may be.
Tonya
My advice to give to parents and/or students about finding the right college would be to look at their hometowns. Is your hometown small or big, is it rural or in a big city, and are the people community oriented or independent individuals? These answers should be considered when picking the right college. I know students like to experience new things when going away to school but it helps to attend a college that reminds them of their hometown. It helps to cope with home sickness. I would also advise parents and students to check out the ratings of schools they have an interest in, especially safety and security ratings. A safe school allows for students and parents to relax which in return allows students to perform at their best. No parent wants to feel anxiety for how safe their child is and no student wants to feel unsafe when out on their own for the first time. When students attend the right school, their college experience becomes more than just classes and papers. It becomes their life for the next four years. Prospective students get involved and try new things, but never put extra-curricular activities before school.
Alexandra
When finding the right college it is important to think about how many people you want to meet and how big of a variety of people you want at the school. If you want to meet a ton of different types of people and have more options of who to be friends with than you should choose a bigger school. Also, you have to keep in mind if you want to live in a city or suburb. In a city you are going to have less house parties, and more chances of getting in trouble for underage drinking. In a suburban school there will be more parties to go to on campus, that you will not need a fake id to attend. You will also spend less money because drinking in the city at bars adds up. I would also consider the quality of the dorm life and if you can have a car as a freshman. If you need to work to make your own spenidng money and you can't have a car it can get difficult.
Estela
The most important thing about choosinf the right college is how comfortable the student feel on campus. The campus visits before he or she gets into the school are imperative in choosing the right university. When I went to The University of Tampa i fell in love with the campus and now I'm a very happy and proud student. Also, knowing that the field the student wants to pursue is available and competitive at the school is very important. As for myself music was the most important thin. Needless to say I loved the music faculty and proffesors here. I say these two things from personal experience and great results!