University of California-Merced Top Questions

pick what is right for you, don't rely on rankings or newspapers

It's really up to the students to what campus suites their interests. Students should ask themselves whether they prefer small campuses or bigger campuses and whether they prefer the city life or a rural environment. In order to havbe a great time at college, students should get out of their comfort zones and meet new people. Students should get involved an attend campus events!

Find a place where you know you will have fun and be able to get a good education. Do not go to a school purely for social or educational reasons. You need a good balance of both.

The advice I would give parents and students would be to sit down and make a list of what they would like to see at the college. For example in my case my main concern was the class size and for it to be a UC and that is why I chose UC Merced. Once the list is made finding the right college is just a few searches away. The internet is a very helpful tool both parent and student can look at what some colleges offer and from there they can choose colleges they would like to visit. Visiting colleges is a very important step that way the student can see what the college life atmosphere feels which minimizes the shock or disappointment that most students feel when they arrive at the college they have enrolled because they only went on what they heard from other students or saw on the schools websites. To enjoy college the student should be envolved in a variety of clubs not only those focused in their education. At the end it is up to the student to choose what college will better prepare them for their career, though still have that college experience.

As a college student I am regretting not visting campuses and meeting college students in the campuses I had chosen to apply to. My vision of the "right" school was merely based on how academically challenging it was and how "big of a name" the school had. I did not bother to consider the environment and culture of each campus. Such aspects can may directly effect your focus and interests in your schoolwork. It is with that in mind that I advise all students who leave home to consider their environment at the campus they choose to attend. Choosing the right environment will raise ones interests and spirits about school therefore causing him, or her, to be bright and stimulated. This will easily transcend into the classroom and study hours resulting in a very rewarding college experience. In a way, your school is not only place for your classes and teachers but also a home that you will return to every Fall.

Make sure that the student feels comfortable with the campus they choose. Visiting the campus is a great way to find out but make sure you see the campus during the week where you can see how the students interact with each other, try to sit in on a class. Make sure that the school shares your ideas about what school should be like. If you expect students to be active in class and interested in their studies, find a campus where that is the general feeling of the school. If you are looking for an active social life and a strong Greek community, then do some research. But equally important, make sure that your school has the academic opportunities and programs that most interest you. You may not have decided on a major but make sure your school has the avenues of study, and offer, what you are interested in be it pre-law, pre-med, social sciences, or undergraduate research. Find a school that aligns with your path, because everyone is different. Once there branch out and get involved in a club that shares an interest, make friends, once you have friends you will never want to leave.

I think modern society places too much importance on prestige. Everyone wants to go to Harvard or Yale because other people will be impressed when they hear those names, but every school caters to different types of people. After college, you will have about the same education as anyone else who works in the same field as you, regardless what school you went to, but the environment and experiences during the college time frame are what affect the kind of person you are, which is what really matters and distinguishes you from anyone else. You will never learn much about the world by being surrounded by the same kinds of people your whole life, the kind of people you think that you should be around. Try something new, learn something about yourself that you never knew before, meet someone who has the best laugh that you've ever heard in your life.

What should really be the determining factor in choosing a school is they feel that they can see themselves being at that school and whether the school actually offers what they want. Someone really can't enjoy the college experience if they don't feel like they can make it at the school or if they don't feel like they are a part of the school. So when choosing a college there shouldn't be any doubt in mind or any embarassment when the student tells people where they attend school and why they chose that school. One of the best ways to go about this is to go visit the school and maybe even attend the over night stays that the school may offer. This really lets the student get a feel for where they could possibly be next year. College is about new experiences and doing this before choosing a school can potentially make or break a decision. So keeping an open mind with the future in sight choosing a school should all together be an enjoyable and exciting experience.

My advice for fiinding the right school is plain and simple: love the school you go to. Unless you're happy and proud to call your school a second home then you probably will spend less time succeeding in school and more time hating it. College is about growth. You do learn a lot and get a piece of paper that shows you've passed all your classes but college is really about growing as a person. For some its about strengthening your strengths and fixing your weaknesses, for others it's about finding themselves. Trying new things, and discovering their true identity. Why do you think colleges want students to be well rounded? Well rounded people grow and progress from college students to community leaders. College is a journey. It's about walking in as a label whether it be jock, geek, or emo and walking out knowing that you no longer need a label to identify who you are because you know who you are. College isnt the best four years of your life because of all the parties. It's the best four years of your life because you discover who you were always meant to be.

To parents, I say guide them and support them. Let them know what they can do, and allow them to chose. It is not your decision, it's theirs. Students, let your parents guide you, but it's your decision. Find something that makes you happy and comfortable. It's the same as choosing where you step. Step in the wrong place, and you'll slip or fall. Then, find something to be proud of, including yourself. There's nobody like you, and you can contribute something to this world. Be proud of that, in the very least. You may be shoved to the bottom of the heap yet again as a freshman, but you're not alone, and there's always a top to that heap. After that, go for it. Find things you enjoy, and know why you like them, and why you dislike things. Finding out who you are, and growing on that knowledge is what college is about. Work towards who you will become, but never forget who where you came from. Other than that, keep your eyes open. Opportunities come in strange packages, and come and go very quickly. Don't be afraid to try.