University at Buffalo Top Questions

Like many freshmen, I entered college confused and unsure of what I was doing with my life. I was annoyed with the prospect of accumulating massive debt for a piece of paper stating I am educated. To add to my frustration, I felt my true passion, art, was a frivolous waste of time in the academic sense and would only dig me into a deep, financial hole. Despite my hesitations, I started attending the University at Buffalo. After a year of toiling aimlessly in dark, desolate art studios, I had a revelation. Education, like life, is what you make out of it. You can?t expect to get anything good out of your education if you are not completely passionate about what your studying. The most important thing is to follow your dreams. If you base your education on how to make the largest profit, you will always look back and wonder what your life would be like if you had done what you truely desired.

Finding the right college varies among everyone. Some people are more comfortable in a smaller school, while others will not get as overwhelmed by a larger college. Choosing a large university, or a college located somewhere such as NYC, you must be prepared to be open-minded. These are the types of colleges where you can get the most college experience.; meeting new people and learning about different cultures. To me, a smaller school seems like it will be similar to what I experienced in High School. It also depends on your financial situation. You should research about the major you wish to study to see which school offers the best program for a decent amount of money. For example, I was looking for a physical therapy program and was comparing University at Buffalo and NYU. Both programs are equally good, but UB is more affordable. The only way to achieve the full college experience is by living on campus. I met amazing people, and I learned a lot about myself. I was forced to live on my own. I learned to cook, laundry, and clean. These are things I would have never done if I stayed home for school.

I would say that if you are unsure of what to major in, select a school with lots of choices. My school, the University at Buffalo, offers a wide variety of majors compared to other schools. This way, when you figure out what to do with your life, your school would most likely have the major you are interested in. Also, dorming is an excellent way to meet new people and create friendships. I would suggest going to a college where it is ethnically diverse. Before I entered college, I was only surrounded by Asians and Hispanics. My four years of college has exposed me to so many other races and I have learned so much from them.

Words of advice I can give to the parents of future college student, as well as the students themselves would be to find a campus that just "electrifies you". You'll know when you get that feeling, something will just feel right. If the school is farther away from home than you would like, don't be afraid at all; something is telling you that you are in the right place. Just relax, and make the most of the time you spend there; it will go by fast, appreciate every second. Another important, fact i guess you could say, "No matter what, never give up". There are always people around who are willing to help you, even if it doesn't seem like it. If you ask for help, it will be given, I promise. Don't be afraid to venture off into an unknown world, it will all be worth it in the end. Just 'close your eyes, and take what may be one of the hardest steps of your life. Trust me, I promise it will be worth it in the end.

Pick the college that you feel most comfortable at and offers your interest in academics

In order to find the right college I think it would be best for the parent and the student to sit down and make a list of the qualities they want in a college. Such as how much they want to pay, how large they want the class size to be and what major they are thinking of pursuing. They should also take the time to visit the colleges they are interested in to see how comfortable and enjoyable the campuses are. In order to make the most out a student college experience I believe the student should get involved with any clubs or orginizations that appeal to them. It always helps to meet new people that can help you through out your time in college.

To those students and parents with questions about which college is right and the "college experience," to both I say take a chance. there are plenty of books and websites to tell you all about the colleges out there, and when you decide to apply, take the chance and apply to the big ones, or the ones out of state, even if you can not afford it. Opportunities present themselves in so many ways. From experience- i'm from california and i applied to a School in New York. I knew I couldnt afford it, but i wanted to see if I could get in. I did, with a scholarship. And my parents flew out there with me to get me settled and it was the best decision ever. When you take the chance and chooses a school, it is the best feeling. As for making the best of the experience, again take a chance. join that club, go to that social event, talk to you professors, and say hi to the student next to you. the opportunities at colege are endless, but you have to be willing to greet them.Embrace the experience ,dont be afraid to take chances.

Take your time deciding on the size of the school, what your major is, and total cost. State schools are great because of the cost and because of the acedemics they offer. always work hard, but know how to relax and have a good time also. The stress is inevitable, although it is managable. Overall go to class and do your work, but don't forget to have fun college only happens once.

I would advise students to really sit down and consider what they want in their schooling. If you want to pick a hard major it is important to consider what kind of atmosphere you are entering. Maybe a school that is known for partying is not right for you if you like partying because you are paying all that money to learn, not get drunk. Not only is social life a poor factor to take into consideration, it is also ignorant. There will be parties regardless of where u attend. Also, it is important to think about a back up plan. If you hate your major what else does the university have to offer you? Most importantly you must balance your social life along with the school work. It is a terrible feeling to begin your senior year and not be happy with where you are at and know there is only so much you can do to influence your GPA. There are not many employers who care about how much fun you had. I would advise parents to support your childerns decisions, but remember that they are not really mature yet and still need your advice.

I would advise starting at a community college.

when finding the right college, academic performance of the school might be the most important part, but the environment also plays a big role.

It all depends on what each student wants. From experience, one shoudl find a college he/she really likes and enjoys being it. It saves time of choosing the wrong college and having to transfer. Transfering results in a lower financial aid package, wasted credits, and adaptation. It is important that parents don't put too much pressure on their children. there are enough pressure and responsibility that students face being in college and from classes. Parents who expect mroe fromt their children would possibly lead them to symptoms of depression. Students should learn and have fun in college, and parents should let them learn this way.

Be prepared. Tour the campus and be aware of how big UB is. Many people come here and don't realize the magnitude of the campus.

I recomend a diverse, larger univeristy or college just for the interaction and cultural experiences.

Visit colleges first, but also do research on-line about it, you can never tell just by a visit, they make everything seem warm and fuzzy for prospective students and especially parents.

Visit the school! It's like shopping for a new home!

Dont wish it away.

My largest piece of advice is be social and network. This relates to both finding a college and making the most of the experience. When finding a school, talk to people, get advice from anyone willing to offer it, get opinions, talk to current students and facuilty. Sure you can browse schools online and do research about the size of a school and whatnot, but talking to many people will give you a much better idea as to where you fit in, belong, and will enjoy. As far as making the most of your college experience, the same applies, get to know your professors, find interest groups, experiment with new clubs and hobbies, and explore new ways to study.

Learn as much as you can about the college you want to go to. And find out what the tuition is going to.

Go to a university or college that has a main focus on students. I go to a very large university where my professor's are the best in their field (in my case mathematics) but they don't really care about the students they are teaching as much as the research their conducting. My classes are filled with notes without discussion in lecture halls of at least 50 people and in entry level courses expect 300 people. Expect if you go to a large university to depend on yourself and the book to be your guide through classes. I would suggest to stop at the book store to see the prices of textbooks and eat on campus to see what is avalible. You should also look at the living and learning facilities on campus. Also look into the avalible group activities on campus.