Union University Top Questions

Take the time to notice the little things about the university as well as the campus environment. It is important to not only look at what the university can offer you, but consider what you can add to the university. This will help determine if the school is the best match for you. Observe the students and environment during a normal day as well as during a scheduled visit to see if there are any noticeable differences between the two. Remember that the school that you feel most comfortable at is most likely the school where you will thrive.

I would encourage every parent to send their child to a two year college first then transfer to a four year college. Many students flunk out of college because they are given to much freedom to fast. Also parents need to make better decisions on where to send there child. If its known for partying and flunking out, then the odds of their child doing that is very highly.

Find a college that is academic in focus, incorporates your faith, and allows for discussion of new ideas that challenge your worldview.

Parents, give your child the benefit of the doubt that they can make a smart choice in the school they wish to pursue. This is a time for students to let themselves blossom into who they will become in life. Also, be the most supportive part of their decisions and when neccessary, be the one who is first to say that their decision may not be the best and find an alternate solution.

Students--When you know, you know. Find some where with a place for you to plug-in to compus life. Parents--Support your students' decision; they have to live with the choice more then you do. You raised a(n) intelleget student(s) so let them make the choice and if it is wrong they can learn from their mistakes.

When making a choice for college, people tend to look at dorm situations, cafeteria, and activities, but what really matters in college is that you are in an environment that you will be comfortable in. Look at the type of student that makes up the student body. Find a school that has people, or groups of people, not necessarily like you, but that you would feel you could connect with on the levels of academia, intellect, politics, faith, and social life. The college experience is all about learning who you are and what you believe on your own, without the direct influence of family. To make the most out of this time, be sure to surround yourself with people who are different from you. It will teach you so much about culture and values, and help you figure out where you stand in the mix. It may even inspire you to choose a major or career path that you wouldn't have normally been attracted to. College is definitely about learning-just remember that you can learn from each and every situation you are presented with. Seek knowledge on every level!

Please think about how money it will really cost! it gets so so stressful for me.

Picking the right school can definitely be a difficult task and is a process that takes some time and research. I think first of all, you need to have some idea of what field of study you would like to do. This can make narrowing down a list of schools a bit easier. Make sure all the schools you are considering offer a degree in that field. Once you have narrowed down your list, the next step, and maybe one of the most important of all, is to schedule a visit to the campus of those schools. Experienceing the enviroment of the campus can be a huge factor in a student's decision. Visit the ddepartment of interest and meet the faculty and check out the class size. If you are going into a science field, it also handy to observe the labs you will be working in. Look at the condition of lab equipment. And then of course, money can definitely be an issue. Look at your list of schools and deicde if the expensive ones are worth taking out student loans. These are just a few key steps in the wonderful process of picking a college.

Begin on the internet. Research, research and more research. THEN visit as many as you can and randomly talk with students on campus that LOOK like you. See if you can sit in on a classroom. Try to NOT go on preview weekends as they let you see what they want you to see. On individual visits you will see more of a normal day. TALK with friends and family members to find students that have been at the campus for more then one year. Ask about REAL costs of the campus and see if you can get a budget or realistic idea of the true expenditures. None of the sites cover everything. Be realistic about living away from home. Can you do it? How often have you been out on your own? Does the school have the support environment for you if you're homesick, in trouble or need advice or is it so large you're just a number? You can never learn to much about the place you are choosing to spend the next four to five years of your life.

I would advise parents to allow their child to be the one to pick out their college. The more passionate a student is about their college and education, the more likely they will succeed. This does not mean that parents should be excluded from the college searching process. Be honest with your kids and have opinions. I would advise the students to go and visit the campuses, both on preview days and on regular days. Preview days are when a college puts their best foot forward, but on a regular day, you see the college as it is. Both views of the college are important in the process. When at college, make friends. These years will be some of your best years so far in life, but they will be hard too. Having friend there will make the good times better and the hard times endurable. These years are the years that you begin to figure yourself out. You learn to handle things on your own. You leave behind the years that you live with your family and visit your friends. In college, you live with your friends and visit family. Enjoy these years of growing, they are precious.