University of California-Los Angeles Top Questions

Most schools in the top 50 are good schools, decide what you like outside of class first, then what you want to study when you're there, what you want to study changes, life outside of class stays the same more often than not.

Go to the campus and if you don't get the "I am home" feeling, then it is more than likely that this school is not right for you. Parents, don't push your kids to go to a place that they don't love. Students, don't always look at prestige or distance from your home. Also, let yourself become a part of the campus and don't be afraid to join the fun or reach out to fellow students to make friends. But don't lose sight of your goals and keep reminding yourself that you are running to win, to graduate and have a beautiful career ahead of you. Try new things, step out of your comfort zone and don't be afraid to live out loud. But remember, college DOES end in 4 years (average), so have all the fun you want, but keep in mind that you will have to face the real world and that time lost in college can not be made up later on.

Avoid preconceived ideas of schools and your own needs. Research, but don't overanalyze (unless you're very picky). Figure out what you want, but be flexible and open to changing views.

College is what you make of it and choosing the right school for you also depends on what you plan on doing while you're there. Before choosing a school I recommend writing down your academic and social interests. The next step is narrowing down schools via collegeboard.com. Then visit the campus and take a campus tour, but don't stop there. Afterwards walk around by yourself and talk to students. Sit down on campus and people watch. Then ask yourself, ?Can I see myself here?? Once in college, I recommend getting involved in extracurricular activities like joining a sorority/fraternity, joining a club, and taking advantage of school events like plays, concerts, and guest lectures. These are all activities that stimulate your social, cultural, and academic life and have personally helped me make the most out of my college experience. A thing to remember is that nothing in college is permanent and if you are unhappy with the college you are at then transfer. I transferred because I did not know what I was looking for in a college until I was actually there. My decision to transfer in combination with my campus involvement has positively affected me.

College helps shape individuals in finding out more about who they are, what they are capable of, and what they can do in their lives. Pick a college that will provide numerous resources and tools that will help students to not only succeed academically, but to build life experiences through a variety of clubs, organizations, events, and study abroad programs. Do not be afraid or intimidated in trying different things or pushing new ideas. Much of college experience is trying and learning while succeeding, and at times failing, but even in failing, one gains through that experience. Do not set limitations, but branch out in exploration of unconventional things with a wide perspective. One must grow a deep appreciation and passion for the school by making it their own by discovering all that the school offers, and using it to the fullest advantage. There will be many moments of laughter, tears, mistakes, successes, fun times, scary times, and all of these with a growth in intellect and maturing as a human is part of college; these must be embraced, and it is up to the student to take and build off of what has been laid out before them.

Finding the right college can be a complicated process, but the most important thing to remember in searching is to choose a school that has an enviroment that mostly fits your personality and beliefs. While a schools reputation is important, the social culture is also equally as important, and there is no way to find that out than to visit the colllege on a regular school day. Walk around on your own, talk to the students, observe the student groups, or perhaps take a nap under a shady tree. You will know if this is a place you can call "home", (at least for the next four years). The important thing to remember to make the most of the college experience is to make friends, utilize all the resources college offers, both academic and extracurricular, and remember that college is a time to grow, discover who you who you are and meet other people with same like minded interests. I think once you graduate, you realize that what prepared you for the most "real world" is not what you learn in the classroom, but what you learn from the real life experiences of going to a great college.

I would tell students and parents to really research all your options. If the student really wants to go to a certain college but their parents disagree, make sure the student will be able to assess the positives and outcomes the student will get from that college experience. It's important to take your parent's advice but the student needs to remember that this is their life and their choice to make it. There will always be many difficulties along the road, but just keep focused on your goals and you'll do fine. Also, make sure the student does as many scholarships as they can, because then you won't have to ever pay for your education. Education should be free but you just have to find the right connections and scholarships to lead you there.

When selecting a college to apply to make sure that you visit the campus. If you can, do this more than once and while a tour might be helpful, stop by the campus by yourself, take in the atmosphere, talk to students, and make sure you try to make at least one trip during exam season. After you have gotten beyond the first-time glamour of visiting a college campus, you will be better equipped with knowing where you want to attend and the school that will accomodate your social, intellectual, and scholastic level. Once you get into college, make sure you start your first day understanding that it will be much harder and more rigorous than high school, it is easier to get distracted, and grades are more important than ever. Hopefully as you begin to make your mark on the world, you will schedule some time for fun because the college experience, environment, and people combined make for a unique world and the wonderful exploratory stage in your life. Enjoy college, talk to professors, they are often nicer and less intimidating once you meet them, and be prepared to embark on a wonderful journey towards your development.

Find a college that is right for your children. Make sure that they enjoy everything about the campus including the location, faculty, people, classes offered, and reputation of the school.

I think that visiting a college before officially deciding to attend is a great idea. Since the next four years of your life will be spent at the college of your choice, it is important to get a feel of what it would be like to be a student at said college. It would be a good idea to sit in on lectures and ask other students what they think and how they like the school. Fresh from high school, students may want to leave home to out-of-state institutiions to get away from their parents but that may not necessarily be the wisest decision. It is important to be on your own but also important to realize that college is a transition into adulthood, a learning process for everyone involved. In college, I think students should try to do things for themselves more (i.e. laundry) and slowly learn to become more self-sufficient and parents need to learn to let go. It is also important to keep an open mind and to realize that it's okay to agree to disagree with other people's views.