The University of Texas at Austin Top Questions

When picking a school, visit the colleges you're serisouly considering attending. The vibe a prospective student gets from the campus can have a huge impact on their decision. If you can, try to stay the night in the dorms with a current student to really get a feel for the social life and the kind of people that go to that school. You may discover your dream school is incredibly snobby or that you can't surivie the New England cold for a weekend, much less a whole semester. To make the most of your college experience, don't be afraid to try new things; push your comfort zone a little. Go to the party where you only know one or two people, or sign up for the study abroad semester in Spain. It's often the things that weren't part of your normal routine that are the most memorable.

Shop around--sometimes you can find an unknown school/university that will give you the same great education and will be more affordable. If a university tells you that they will give you financial aid to come there, find out EXACTLY what they mean. Don't be afraid to tell them you need money. Does that aid include loans that you will have to pay back or not? Realize that most financial aid packages come with loans. Visit many colleges before you decide--you never know how going to a college campus may change your mind. Work the hardest that you can--have a social life, but not to the detriment of getting good grades. This is your opportunity to learn what you can. Participate in many things besides academics. Do well in high school, so you can get into the college of your choice. Get as much education as you can when you're young--often, if you drop out or don't continue past your bachelor's, you never go back. Love every minute of life and know that you can make a difference in whatever you do--if you work hard enough.

My advice for students finding the right college is to start looking for different options your Junior year of high school so that by the time your Senior year rolls around you know where you want to apply. My parents made me pick out at least five different colleges that I was interested in my Junior year so that throughout the year we could visit each college and get a tour. I highly recommend visiting the college! Visiting the college gives you a feel of what that school is really like other than what you see on the internet. When I visited some colleges that I thought I would love, I realized that the college just wasn't for me, but I would have never known that if I hadn't visited it. Senior year, I would apply as early as possible. Waiting til the last minute could be very stressful. To make the most of your college experience, I would definitely get involved on campus whether it's with a sorority/fraternity or just a club. However, you must be able to balance your school work on top of it.

I would tell students to get a degree in something they like, even if they don't want to work in that field, because it's better just to enjoy college and many people work in fields unrelated to their degrees.

Try to be as involved as possible. Meet your professors and go to all available study sessions and office hours. You will learn more, meet people, and get to know your professors. If possible, try to stay on campus during the full day regardless of your course schedule. This will allow you to be more connected to the school and will also force some study time. Join clubs during your first year so you can develop a strong connection to a smaller group.

Make sure you visit the college and talk to students who attend the college before choosing to attend. Don't worry about financial aid or tuition when choosing to attend college. You should pick the best fit for you. It won't be hard to take out student loans and repay them after graduation if you're working at a job you love. Live on campus your freshman year. It's the best way to meet people and get involved and develop good study habits. If you're struggling in a class, get help early! Don't wait until the third round of midterms to finally ask the professor how you can do better. Also, don't be intimidated by the professor. Go to office hours at introduce yourself and get to know them. They wil be a great resource and will have good advice about how to suceed. Don't cram for exams! Stay on top of the material and reading from the start and it won't be that bad. Also, don't forget to have fun!

Follow your heart and gut instinct.

The most important thing is first figuring out how many students go to the college and if that is alright with the student/s attending. Big colleges can have the same sense of community and one on one interaction as small ones, it just depends on the professor and the TA's. Also parents shouldn't nag their kids. College is stressful enough as it is and adding on the twists and turns of everyday life can make adjusting difficult at any point. Finally make sure the college you choose has a lot of resources to help with your classes, figuring out yor major, and finding a job. People spend so much time figuring out what they want to do without help and that tends to keep them from graduating in 4 years.

Talk to everyone you can about that particular college: counselors, current and former students, neighbors, etc. Read books on the school, but most importantly, visit that particular campus when school is in session. Having students there really helps you get a better feel for what the campus' vibe is like versus going in the summer or during another break when nobody is there. On that same note, when you're visiting, pay attention to how you feel when you're there: what kind of a vibe or intuition you get, and most importantly, ask yourself if you could see yourself being a student there for 4 or more years and being happy. That's really what it comes down to above all the other impressive stats and the school's reputation.

I would tell students to have an idea of what they want to major in and go to the college that they would feel most comfortable at, not the one that mommy and daddy says they have to go to. If you are not truly happy where you're at, it makes it a lot harder to do well. I would also tell the students and parents to save every penny they can. Sure you can get loans and apply for scholarships, but nothing is promised to them. Have a back up plan for any financial situations. Last, but not least, I would encourage campus visits. Get a feel for the places you're interested in before you make an actual decision.