Towson University Top Questions

living on campus can be a nightmare just you have everything in order, and check the room to for damage

Instead of going on the campus tour, grab a campus map and wander around the campus for a few hours so you get the real version of the campus and not the "lets seduce the naive high school students" tour. If you're feeling up to it, maybe attend an on campus event or walk through a building or two and spy on a class. It's what I did, and how I decided that Towson was right for me.

tour the campus. have somewhat of an idea as to what career path you, as a student, would like to venture down.

Go visit a lot of colleges and universities and during the school week and you will be able to see what you like and do not like. You can see the type of students that attend the college and you will have a much better idea if you would enjoy that school or not.

Apply to and visit several colleges before deciding on one. Often, simply visiting a campus can be a powerful deciding factor as to whether or not one should attend a given school. Gather as much information about your possible college choices, and ask as many questions as possible while on campus tours. Apply for as many scholarships as possible, especially from companies and corporations, as well as local organizations, and scholarships available through your high school and college of choice. Fill out and update your FAFSA form as soon as you are able. Many colleges have a freshman orientation program. While at orientation, seek out other students in your same major, if you have selected one, as you are likely to have many classes with those same people. Complete general education classes as soon as possible, but do not get behind in taking classes for your major. Find out if any of your required classes are not offered every semester, and schedule those classes accordingly. Try not to fail any courses, especially those for your major. Many classes for majors are prerequisites for upper-division classes, and multiple attempts at prerequisites will slow down your progress significantly.

Every college offers tons of things to get involved in, but you yourself must make something of it. You're not going to make friends by staying in your dorm all day. Once you make friends don't be surprised if you witness binge drinking or marijuana use. The two have worked their way into the American college experience. Why? The current generation of youth has no respect for authority and a way to challenge authority figures is by breaking rules. Prepare your mind for critical thinking, you'll be asking yourself why things are the way they are.

The best advice I would give to students about finding the right college would be to visit the campus to take it all in, and don't be scared to make new choices. Try it out, if you don't like it, you are young enough to still make mistakes and can move on. For parents, I would say don't hold your kids back from being students and getting the most out of it. Financial aid will always be there and loans will always helo you for money, but time will not always be there. Take chances, have fun, and you will learn more and get more out of school if you really love where you are.

Make sure the college has several career options. Many times a student's first choice of a major is not what they end up wanted to do. Also, go to the school and sit in on classroom--see how the student feels inside!

I think that the most important thing about making the most of your college experience is to realize that it is going to be different from high school, and you have to go out of your comfort zone in order to have the best college experience possible. I think that choosing a school should start with your academic standards, and what major you want to pursue, and the type of social life you enjoy. Other than those choices I think that the school has little to do with your experience, and more to do with your flexibility and ability to make the most of situations.

The college experience is all about what the student makes of it. Use your time in college to meet new people, have new life experiences, and learn as much as you can. Make sure to talk to students on campus before making any decisions, as college tours and brochures are aimed at boosting enrollment and won't necessarily give equal representations of shortcomings. And choose your college based on an environment that you will feel comfortable in and be able to learn in while still being able to afford it.