University of Colorado Boulder Top Questions

I have found college to be all about making positive transitions as gracefully as possible, and always keeping in mind the kind of person you want to be. In high school there always seemed to be pressures to make the grade and fit in, but college is about directing yourself for your own goals and discovering all the different choices and life paths around you. If I could talk to my high school self I would remind myself that life is a series of transitions and that it's empowering to make the best gutsy choices you can. I would tell myself that I must take full responsibility for all of my choices, and to keep one eye on my future occasionally while keeping the other fully concentrated on the present. Perhaps most importantly, I wouldn't beat myself up for the things I didn't achieve but I'd encourage myself to refocus and to strive fearlessly for whatever's next, always with the best in mind.

When searching for the right college for you a good place to start is finding what the prospective student wants to study. However it is likely, as a new student, you will change majors. A school with more possibilities is always preferable. Look at the cost of tuition and what your payment options will be. But don?t let cost keep you from applying. It?s easier to get money at a later date then it is to belay application to a university. Try to visit the university, If you don?t feel right on the campus, than it?s probably not the place for you. I?d also advise against procrastination. Get application for schools, scholarships, grants, loans etc. finished before the deadline. It will make your life easier and less stressful. Finally, once you are accepted look into extracurricular activities such as club/varsity/intercollegiate sports, clubs, special interest groups etc. Getting involved in your school and community is a great opportunity to meet new people and expand your resume at the same time. There is a world of opportunities outside your comfort zone. You never know what you can be interested in until you?re in college.

Being from San Diego I grew up by the beach in a big city. Everyone from my high school was too in love with California to leave and only even looked at going to a few select schools. Don't get me wrong, I loved where i grew up and couldn't feel more blessed but choosing to go to Colorado for school was one of the greatest decisions I've ever made. College is a chance to spend four years somewhere new while meeting new people and experiencing new things. If you choose to follow the lead of all your high school classmates you will never know what your missing. I went from a life on the beach to a life in the mountains. I lived in snow, experienced changing of seasons, life in a college town and became a much more well rounded person. The best advice I can offer is to break away from the pressure of your friends and try something new. College is the best time in your life to do so and once your done, you'll feel like you know so much more about the world and can conquer anything.

Make sure you visit the campus, before you set your heart on one. If you are just completing undergrad work, an in-state school might be the best for your student. There are pleanty of good resources for basic undergrad work. Make sure you love the environment that you are in, and that there is easy access to everything you love!

To parents: when your son or daughter is trying to find the right college, remember that this is their future and not yours. Let them go far form home if they want to go far ? encouraging distance will help them grow as an individual. Let them study what they want to study. Be supportive without being overprotective. To future college students: take in every moment as you can and seize every opportunity that comes your way. Use classes, professors, and your own effort to learn as much as you can as well as you can. This is your chance to develop into the person you want to be. Most of all, follow your gut about minor and major college decisions.

To parents: As much as you want your kids close to home, you have to let them have the freedom to pick their own college and/or live way from your house. If you don't you kid will only resent you and find some way to do it with or with your consent. To students: Choose a college you like based on classes. The reputation dosen't matter. For instance: Princton may be the best at law, but their are plenty of smaller universities that are actually better.

The advice I would give students on choosing the right college for them is to choose whatever college is best for them. Do not go to a college because the boyfriend is going there or best friend. Colleges are completely welcoming and friendly with so many new faces around the campus. They need to go to a college that will succeed in fulfilling their needs. They need to consider the class sizes and the classes itself. They need to make sure they will be able to receive the best learning experience where ever they go because their education comes first. After they considered those options, they should look into different organizations that they may be interested in and the living arrangements. Of course they want to consider costs, but remember, if they find a school that interests them and they believe they will learn best here, there are many options to afford that college. When in college, be determined and study hard. They are paying a lot of money for this education and they do not want to waste the money, but have fun too. They should enjoy themselves and make friends but be safe and make responsible choices.

Finding the right college doesn't always happen in the student's first year. Sometimes you have to experience something for a while to really pinpoint what you want for your college experience. One year at the wrong school showed me everything I wanted in my college experience and I was able to transfer to a school that fit me perfectly. Even though I chose the wrong school at first, I would never change it because my freshman year was still an invaluable experience. You can be at the wrong college and still have a great time as long as you're open to trying new things. If you enter college with an open mind, any college can provide you with an unforgettable experience both in and out of the classroom. The biggest thing about picking a college is figuring out what you like to do most in your spare time because that is one of the most crucial parts of making friends and participating on campus. And make sure to know what class sizes you prefer because that will make a big difference in your learning environment. As long as you go in wholeheartedly, you won't be disappointed.

Don't do what your friends are doing, just find the right fit for you. Go into college with an open mind and let yourself get involved in things that you wouldn't normally do

My best advice to parents and students searching for the right college is to consider three extremely important things. Number one, consider what type of college you want to be a part of. If you want a bigger campus with more students or a smaller based campus more focused on one on one classroom learning. Also take into consideration if you want to be more socially or academically involved in college as well. I think it's extremely important to determine what experiences you want to get out of college before choosing your college. Number two make sure you look at where you are living! In my opinion dorms are an extremely important experience your Freshman year and I think it's very important for you to look at your options as far as housing selections go. Where you live makes a huge difference on your overall experience. Number three is the most important, figure out what you want your major to be. It's tough to know at first, but as long as you at least have an idea of what you would want to do for a career, it will make selecting a college a smoother process.