University at Buffalo Top Questions

For finding the right college: I find that visiting the school is probably the most helpful thing to do. To put yourself in that environment will help you get a better idea of if the school is the right place for you. Also, talking to friends and others who are attending. For making the most out of your college experience: Staying focused on your school work and studying a little bit everyday helps alleviate the burden of overwhelming projects and tests. It is easier to learn a little every day as opposed to everything the day before a test. Also, being involved in extra curricular activites gives you the oppurtunity to meet a lot of interesting people and have a good time without feeling that drinking and doing drugs is the only way to have fun. Broadening your horizons will give you a more fullfilling experience at college.

Find a friend, or an alumni of your high school that is attending the school you wish to enroll in. Nothing is better than a first hand perspective. I love telling new freshman about all of the opportunities UB has to offer them. As for making the most of your college experience-live on campus. It is so easy to meet people when you live in the dorms and have to share a bathroom. Your RA is there to help you get involved and they are RAs for a reason, they want to help you feel more at home. It is quite a selection process to become an RA-they are certainly more than qualified. When in doubt-find someone eating alone in the dining hall and sit down next to them-I did and made a life long friend. Be bold and outgoing and most importantly be yourself.

For students: know your personality, your likes/dislikes, your learning style....go to a school that you think might best fit you, not what you think has the better name tagged along with it or where your friends are going. I think most undergraduate programs will give you whatever education you put into it, but you need to be in an atmosphere where you're comfortable and that will foster learning. For parents, trust your children. It's ok not to know what you want to major/minor in, it's ok to switch quite a few times, it's ok to graduate in 4+ years...most people don't graduate with their Bachelor's in 4 years now days. Also, it's ok to switch colleges if the college your child has picked isn't the right fit...be flexible and understanding.

If your child wants to go to a certain school let them... Going away is the best way to grow independant and find your true self... Also, pay for their education.... Working full time and attending full time to be able to pay my tuition was very dificult and in a way prevented me to enjoy college like everyone else....

Many students are unsure of which post secondary school to attend to. They factor in the school's distance, reputation, affordability, convenience, and anything they feel important. Coming from a lower-middle class family, one of my first priorities was affordability. The school's reputation is what I had in mind second. Unfortunately, it was the farthest from home. I made friends and had fun during freshman year, but that social life ins't the same the following year. The difficulty of the courses doesn't compensate my satisfaction for my lack of social life either. Honestly, I miss my friends back home. If I could do it over, I would choose a university closer to home. Back then I felt one thing was more important, now I feel something else is more important. Most students won't really know what they like until they experience it. My advice is, let the incoming freshmans spend a few days in all of the campuses of their choice! Everyone should see which environment they feel most comfortable in before choosing a university, where they'll spend the next 4 or 5 years of their lives.

Find out what is truly important to the student and pick a college that best fits their lifestyle

consider weather! it is really important for the growth of your child and for them to become even more mature by letting them spread their wings and be free, don't make them stay close to home so you can keep a "closer eye" on them. My friends that didn't go away for college are still immature jackasses and i feel way to mature to hang out with them sometimes...most students that go away feel the same.

go for somwhere that gives you alot of opportunity.

As a graduating senior, my biggest piece of advice to students thinking about college is to really think about what their education can do for them, and not just follow the crowd. There are so many choices that we face as young adults and a higher education is one of the most critical and expensive ones that a person will make. It is by far a very valuable and important asset to someone's growth intellectually and socially and should not be taken lightly. College is a learning experience, inside and out of the classroom. It took me 3 years of art school to realize that I want to become a business owner, rather than a working artist like my peers are all striving for. Instead of doing a 180 degree turn, I'm using my knowledge of fine arts and my passion for entrepreneurship to make my degree work for me. Looking back, I wish I had done more to prepare myself for after graduation. It is a scary thing, especially in our current state of recession. Make the most of every opportunity and don't wait until tomorrow to prepare for your future!!!

Chose a college with a program you believe you want to go into, in an area you love that is also affordable. You dont want to be so in debt when you get out of school that you cant even enjoy your new career. Also chose a place that offers a lot of internships and shadowing experiences, that is how you will really get to know if your career choice is right for you so you dont waste your time and money going for the wrong major.

Start early and get the most for your money

The advice I would give to either parents or students is that you really have to have at least an idea of what you want to do in school before you go, otherwise; take a break before you start. Time spent in the real world between high school and college can be very benefitial in finding out who you are and what you want to accomplish in life. It gives you the chance to figure out what activities or areas interest you and can help mold your future. You can obtain a job and save up some money before going into school financially unprepared. Also, if you take time off before school, it allows you to mature. Whenever you decide to enroll in school you will no doubt have matured. You begin college taking your class work, home work, and commitments more seriously. You discover just what an education means for you. Taking time off before I began college is the best thing I could've done for myself, and I believe it is a very important thing for all young adults to experience. To get a taste of the real world, and then to make your way to college.

The best advice I would give to parents is to know how to help your child fill out the correct finacial paperwork. If they dont know then they should help their child find other ways to make sure that everything is filled out correctly. The advice I would give students is to know how far away they really want to go from home.

Visit the school.

The truth is that you can never tell how you will like a school before you actually attend it for a semester. However, there are some basic elemets that can narrow your search. Size. How many people there are not only attending the school but living on campus I would say has the largest impact and the social and academic environment. If you like being semi-anonomous in a sea of bodies in the hallway with huge parties on the weekends at clubs, than a larger, urban campus is probably for you. If you like a more subtle and intimate crowd there are many colleges with under 2,000 students. Decide between a university and a college. Colleges tend to be much more committed to the success of their undergrads than universities. Universities divert much of the undergrad tuition funds to research, but often have greater resources and more prestigious professors. The most important thing a new student needs to do to make the most of their college experience is to get involved early. Try to know more people than just those on your residence hall, because after four years you probably will not talk to most of them.

Start the process by looking within yourself and deciding what your interests really are. From there think of possible career choices. There are so many distractions in the college choice experience. Expectations about knowing a career choice, choosing the right college, etc, etc. I was fortunate because my parents told me to start by dreaming. Once you know your interests which included acedemic interests as well as living choices, start visiting college campuses that could fulfill those needs. In addition, take some risks and look beyond your initial requirements and think of less than ideal choices for alternative choices that may be workable. Financial considerations always have a a part in college choice and need to be looked at prior to the application process, especially since application fees can pile up. Start researching colleges, scholarships and finacial aide as a junior in high school. Work as a team with your parents and colleges to figure out finances, everyone's finacial situation is different. And last but not least, have fun, it's an important decision. The goal is the endpoint but the journey can also be fun!

It is important for students to be comfortable at the college they choose. It is also important to pick a college that offers the courses you need to graduate as often as possible so you do not end up staying too long just to get your degree. Do not pick a school because it is cheaper to attend pick the school that suits you and your career goal. Pick a school that makes you want to wake up and come to class not go and hangout with friends are sleep in. Look hard for the right school, choose wisely and always ask lots of questions until you are satisfied with the answers.

To think about how serious you are about your major, because if your still partially undecided then you should pick a school with multiple majors that youre interested in. And that cost is always an issue, this is a big decision and you shouldnt go to the most expensive school just because you were accepted, you should think about what each school has to offer you aside from their big name.

Step 1: Figure out EXACTLY what career you wish to persue. Step 2: Repeat Step 1. Step 3: Go to a Community College for 1/2 years to clear out pointless general education courses. Step 4: Go to the college of your choice (hopefully). Step 5: Enjoy it. Step 6: Repeat Step 5. Step 7: Do the required courses for the major you chose in Steps 1/2 as well as persuing a minor/double major in other things.

Definitely visit the campus and if possible, be able to live on campus or around campus to see if the student like the enviroment. Try to see if the student can sit in one or two of the lectures/classes to see how professors teach and if the student is comfortable with the teaching style. Make sure the campus and teaching style is right for the student and not the other way around because that way, the student will be able to learn and gain more in the next few years. Go to the libraries to see what resources are available for the student. Read school publications/newspapers and talk to other students on campus to what activities are available and ask about safety issues.