University of California-Davis Top Questions

My advice to fellow students in order to find the right college is to research each college thoroughly and in advance. You are going to spend a significant amount of money and time in your school of choice so it better be the right one. For example you should like the campus and infrastructure of the school, feeling confortable while you walk around your school can give you a positive mind-set and energise you for the classes that will come during the day. Once in school, get to meet your classmates and your teachers. Fellow students cannot only become your friends at school but they can be very helpfull in your future career, and teachers are usually experts at their subjects who have great advice and connections in the professional world, their word counts. Lastly, you should have a post-graduation focus and attitude from the biginning. Remember that your time in the school is only a preparation for the real live, and in order to get a good job you need to have experiece. Use the career resources of the school, especially internships as these can connect you to relevant people in the job market. Good luck!

Try everything.

Aside from choosing a school with the major of interest, future students should look at what the college has to offer and the campus environment. Choosing a party school when the student wants to concentrate on academics will not help the student much. During college, students should find internships though the campus since they are easy to get and since they offer hands on experience in many different fields. Most of the time, professors will gladly teach you what the student what they need to know so little background knowledge is needed. This is a great opportunity for student?s to find their real interest in work, not to mention that it looks great on transcripts, resumes and graduate school. For fun, students should take part in clubs or intramural sports. It?s a great way to meet many people and make friends, and is usually always fun to participate in.

Find an institution whose strengths are your goals. This gives you the maximum number of opportunities within your chosen field. Know what you want out of college. The average number of major changes is 2, and the average number of academic years is 5. Taking time off to realize your goals before college is a smart solution to spending another $20,000+ per extra year. Take advantage of GE's - they allow you to take easy-A classes that expose you to new topics. Mixing major courses with GE's every quarter helps diversify and simplify your courseload. Plan way, way ahead, especially if you want to travel. Upper division courses may be quarter specific, and graduate schools often require classes in addition to you major. Plan your courseload ahead of time - going quarter by quarter can mean additional years, or taking unwanted classes to graduate on-time. Last but not least stick in there! Lower division classes are sometimes much harder than upper division classes because they are "weeder" classes, specifically designed to extract all but the best. Yes, they really are that bad, but keep going - your goals are worth fighting for.

College is a very important step in a young adult's life. For the first time, they will away from the friends that they had made, the home that they had lived in, and they will have many new responsibilities and choices given to them. Choosing a college was very nonchalant for me personally, but I saw many friends agonize over what school would fit them most and whether they can afford it or not. There are many things to consider when choosing college. Do you want to be close to home? Do you want to attend a private school? What type of major are you interested it? Do you want to go to a specialized college? Do you even want to go to college at all? It's very easy to be overwhelmed. The best thing to do is to have the student and the parent(s) talk about what college would fit them according to these questions and more. College is supposed to be as fun as it is studious. Don't be overwhelmed. And it's okay to fail. Strength comes from failing and rising above that.

take tours, and ask questions

If there is anything I could people about choosing the right college and making the most about the experience, it would be to not choose the school that is the most furthest away from your home or is known for having the most parties at it. Every school has its parties and all of them give you your freedom that you have been looking for no matter how close. The most important thing is that they have and offer the classes and extracurricular activities that you know you will be interested after high school. These are the things that will lead to a more fullfilling college experience. Another thing would be to take advantage of these things. Remember, no matter how you are paying for your tuition and fees, you are still paying them in the end. So to not take advantage of your school's programs is just ridiculous.

I think the best way to pick the right school is asking around. You should pick a school which is good for your major, your financial. Never try to pick a school because of their "popularity", or "fame". you'll be regret about it. Besides, try to find their rankings online. there's a lot of sources online. You should talk to counsler and tell them what you like because counsler know the best. It's helpful. if you have chance, you should go to the campus you have in mind, so you can have a basic idea about life on and off campus.the more you ask people, the better choice you make!

Let students make the decision, and really think about what you love and what you want to do with yourself and for your society in the future. What do you want to be represented by and what do you want to do to represent yourself? Do not be afraid to challenge, and find a place that allows the unorthodox.

UCD is awesome join us!

Researching about the college environment for each college you are considering to apply to is a definite must. Depending on what you feel is important for your learning enviroment, as well as where you would feel comfortable living, is incredibly important. If you are unhappy with your living situation (if say your school is more of a "party school" while you are more of a quiet stay-at-home person, or vice versa) your grades will suffer. The most important thing is to be happy. If you're unhappy, why should you attend the particular college? Some students choose to pick the college that is most competative or academically recognized as being "the best", but if the lifestyle provided there does not fit with your personality it's not worth it. The main point: find one that interests you from your definition of "fun", not necessarily just from the academic viewpoint (yet of course, this should also be taken into consideration). Also, don't be afraid of taking risks and experimenting with new people or beliefs because thats part of the fun and learning experience! If you're unsure of whether to participate or not, always go with your gut.

Make sure your child understands that the college they will attend is where they will make their home for the next couple of years. The students should feel safe and comfortable in the environment, as well as surrounding themselves with people who are equally passionate about their field of study and social life in general.

go to the highest rated college you get into

Finding the right college is not as simple as reading a book or talking to a counselor. Even if a college seems perfect on paper, it may not be right for you. The only way to know for sure is to visit the school, walk around, and talk to the people there. Does the atmosphere feel friendly? Do people accept you for who you are? If you don't feel excited and welcomed, then the school may not be right for you, no matter how prestigious it seems. There are plenty of schools that offer great oportunities and career paths, but the most important thing is to feel that you truly fit into the environment created by the college and your peers. If you don't feel happy as you walk around on the campus, how can you possibly succeed there? After you do the research by going online and reading books, get out there and try to experience what it's like to really be a student at that college. If it feels right, then it probably is right; at least, that's how it worked for me!

Listen to your gut. You know what you want, try to tune out the pressure. A school is what you make of it

Have your high school graduate visit the campus without you. Have them visit friends they know for a weekend. Emersing yourself into a campus for a weekend is a great way to see how comfortable you are with the type of people that you will go to school with. Once you get in, get involved. Getting involved in something will make college much more rewarding.

Make sure to visit the campus during operational hours to get a feel of the campus life.

My advice to parents and students when searching for the right college is this: find the school that's perfect for you...then worry about the money. The four (or so) years that you spend at college will be some of the most interesting, terrifying, challenging, exciting, and fruitful years of your life. You'll make friends for life, establish contacts with experts in certain fields, and grow into your own individual identity. Do not rob yourself of the opportunity to experience these things simply because you feel you cannot afford to do so. Fight for what is best for you.

Finding the right college is definitely one of the most important decisions you'll ever make, but it should be something to look forward to. The location is important, would you rather stay close to home or go out of state? The choice depends on personal preference but living a little distance away from home may prove to be beneficial because stepping out of your bubble promotes growth and the broadening of horizons. Also, choose a school that has a major you're interested in along with classes that you'd like to take. It's okay if you're not sure what to major in just yet, you have plenty of time, so just take a variety of courses in different subjects and see what peaks your interest the most. Getting involved in clubs, organizations, sports, sororities/fraternities, internships etc. are beneficial academically as well as socially. Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity that should definitely be taken advantage of and is an experience that stays with you for a lifetime. College is what you make of it so learn all you can, take advantage of all the resources and opportunities available, have tons of fun, and good luck!

Help your child chose the school that's right for them.