The University of Texas at Austin Top Questions

Visit the college and follow your gut instinct. GO to a university that makes you comfortable and respects you as a person.

Make sure you do sufficient research before choosing a school; just because a particular school is rated highly, does not mean that it necessarily has a high rating program for the major that you're interested in. While I might suggest choosing a practical major as having a degree in something non-practical will virtually guarantee that you will not get a good job, that is up to the student to decide. The best advice I can give to students is to avoid drinking parties as much as possible, not only is it unhealthy and can get you in alot of trouble, but I have seen way too many students drop out of school because they spent too many nights out drinking when they should have been studying. That life-style may be suitable to liberal arts and business majors; however, for math, science, and engineering majors we tend to have much more work to do and that life-style will be the death of your GPA. A good policy is to study your ass off during the week and if you finish all your work have a few (or several) drinks on the weekend to unwind.

Look for simularities in the research interests of those who are teaching in the programs you are interested in as compared to what you are intersted in. That is how you can best determine which university is right for you. Don't be afraid to talk to your advisors, they can be extremely helpful! Get involved with student organizations! They are a great way to make friends and they look good on your resumes for jobs and grad school. Make sure you fully understand what finacial aid you will be recieving and what you will be responsible to pay. Get involved and ask questions. Look for research and internship programs, and don't forget to study abroad! There are so many resources availble to help you prepare for work in your field as well such as resume building and job faires. Don't pass up those oppertunities. Most importantly, remember, college isn't just about getting a degree. It's the learning, growing, and experinces along the way that is important. So get out there!

My advice is visit the campus, talk to students, try to meet other from the school you're interested in. Find out whether you like more of an urban or rural or city setting. Make sur eyou're going to be comfortable at the school you want to attend because I believe if you're not comfortable, it's going to be harder for you to focus on your studies, make friends nad have an overall good experience.

Choosing the right college to attend can be quite daunting. Many students, as well as parents, feel that they must attend a highly prestigious university. However, in the end, although the college you attend is important, it does not really matter in the end. All that really matters is that you are able to obtain an occupation that you really enjoy and love., and that you are satisfied with your life. Parents should be willing to allow their children make their own decisions and establish trust that they will make the right choices. And yet, parents should always be there if their children need them. Students should learn to organize their priorities but still be able to fully experience life at college. They should be able to dip their toes in all kinds of events and organizations at college. College is a time to expand one's horizons, for both the parents and the students.

I would advise that parents and/or students should look for a college that is the area they want to live, and that the area provides for activities to do in off time. I would also advise to look for a school that has a good academic standing and one that has a strong job placement program. I would also advise students to remember that college is their job and as such they have to work hard to keep their grades up, keeping a high GPA is very important and will help with recruitment and scholarship opportunities. It is smart to remember that although college life is to be fun it is also the foundation that you set in order to acheive your dreams, and you have to ensure that a good foundantion is set at this stage in life so that you can complete the rest of your goals to the best of your abilities.

I would apply to as many schools as you want even if you think its not a safe choice. Its never bad to seek new ideas and set goals and you would be surprised as to how many schools you think you wouldnt make it into and do.

The one advice that I would give to parents and college students is to find whatever you desire that most fit you. For parents, colleges have websites that show the academic record for the school and tuition all available online that can tell if the school is right for their sons/daughters. For the student, make sure you enjoy the environment of the school that you're going to. Check the class ratio size and how big the campus is. This will make your college experience much better than if you were to pick a random school and go to it, or of course, following your friends. Other than that, college is a wonderful experience and I hope that all of the new coming students will enjoy it as much as I have.

Before you go to college, make sure that it really is the right choice for you. I know that sounds like common sense but it is not that simple. Explore the city and make sure it is somewhere you see yourself living and being able to be happy. Be true to yourself and do not worry about what other people think. Most colleges have a diverse enough population that you will be able to find people that you get along with. Once you have finally made your decision and if it turns out it is not exactly what you want, do not be afraid to go somewhere else, but whatever you do, do not regret any of your decisiosn. If you do this, you will have the best four years of your life.

My biggest piece of advice from experience is to talk to an upper-classman about a typical day in his/her life. This can give many pieces of information in a short time span. First, one can learn about the time demands that the school places on a person, as well as how much time can be devoted to a social life. Second, one can learn the stress level involved with taking classes at that school. Lastly, one can discover information about recreational life on campus and how many varieties of extra-curricular activities exist on campus. Other than talking to an upper-classman, I recommend taking an entire day to visit the campus. Definitely take the time to sit in on a class if possible, but also take the time to walk across campus, just to approximate how much time and effort it involves doing so. But most importantly, one can experience the vibe and atmosphere that engulfs a campus community. This, I believe, is the most important factor in choosing a school because if the atmosphere itself is uncomfortable, one can never enjoy himself while attending the school, especially if he'll be there for four years.

Be sure you know the atmosphere of the college. Tour it to see if you like it. Perhaps, go visit during an actual school day to see what it's like on regular class days. Notice things like student density, aesthetics of the campus, and clubs available. Of course, going to college is about the schooling, so be sure that it is academically up to your standards.

It is important to know what you want out of school. For example, do you want a party atmosphere or a or a strictly education cut throat one. Know what size of school you are most comfortable with by visiting several different size schools. Lastly, choose a school that is financialy right for you.

When visiting a college, go with what feels right. If you feelings of doubt of fitting in or liking the environment that the school offers, don't ignore them. Even if the school has been recognized for having the 'best' program for what you want to do, if you don't enjoy the atmosphere, you won't have a good experience.

Definitely visit the campus, sit in on some classes, and compare the specific programs you're interested in!

I was told during my transfer student orientation that I, being a transfer student, would have the hardest time adjusting to the university. It turns out that this is true. I chose to become a liberal, city-going longhorn surrounded by the busy streets of Austin, the multiplying population of homeless people, and the most unlikely personalities from every different walk of life. Regret is never a comforting feeling to have in the back of your mind, but it seems to keep growing. I decided to go to the University of Texas in Austin because I felt it was best for my education and future profession. However, now I realize their is more to making a decision (for whether a four-year stay or longer) on which college to go to than just these two aspects. Choose a college which, of course, suits your area of study, but also has the right school and social environment for your liking. It is more important for you to feel as though you belong and can feel comfortable in the college environment. UT may (or may not) be of any benefit towards my future than a regular four-year college. I thought so.

Have fun, be studious, and follow your heart to what you want to do in college.

The first thing to look at is how it ranks in the academic area you will be concentrating in, and consider how the college ranks in other majors/departments because you might change you academic path. Don't be intimidated by schools with large student populations. Many large schools have ways of making you become part of a close knit community. Also, it is necessary to visit the college before you make your decision. Visit the shops, restaurants, and other venues surrounding campus. This is where you will be spending all of your time when you aren't on campus. Make an effort to talk to random students you run into on your campus visit. If you have questions, then they're the ones who will give you the honest answers. Once you've made your decision and are at college remember to go for it, whatever 'it' may be. Now you are on your own and have to look out for yourself and your future. If you want to take Portuguese, then do it. If you want to try the new sushi place down the street, then do it. Explore and observe because that is how we learn!

The college search is an important decision in a person's life however, it is one of many big decisions that effect your life. With this in mind it is important to realize that college can act as a stepping stone towards more ambitious and long term life goals that you may want to pursue. Throughout high school it is important to begin deciding what you like, not what you want to be. Stay focussed in high school and instead of doing 10 different extra-curricular activities do 2 or 3 that show committment and hopefully some merit (awards, leadership, etc.) Also the SAT and ACT are becoming increasingly irrelevant however, they are still a large factor in college decisions so as of now devote time and effort into doing your best on them. The most important thing I can advise students is this, make a ongoing goal that you as a student become an individual and liberal (

Must balance your studies and your social life, youwill not be happy with out either, and you will not do well without both. You'll get depressed if study to much and never go out, but you will also get upset when you fail a class becuase you were to busy learning what drinks mix together. Also get out of your convert box, try new things even just once, give them a whirl you'll never know what you like until you try. Parents do not hoover over your children, leave them be to figure out how to deal with things by themselves so they can stnad on their own two feet.

First, I would encourage parents not to put too many restrictions on their kids but instead allow them to experience college life. LIving in the dorms is great, and although you may feel community baths are dirty, they are the best option. Also, preparing for college by taking dual credit classes will really help you not only get a feel for college grading, but will provide leeway if one chooses to switch majors because switching majors can put you a semester or two behind, depending on when you switch. I would like to encourage students to get involved, make friends, be out going, and live life. This is your time to shine, so live it to the fullest. Don't be too concerned with impressing people, but work on finding yourself by deciding who you want to be. Be open minded and willing to try new things, but also know your own standards and stick to them.