University of Colorado Boulder Top Questions

Find a college that has a strong success rate in the field you are trying to go for. If you do not know what you want to do yet, pick a large school that excels in many fields

Do what feels natural. Take campus tours and talk to attending students and see what they do for fun and how they feel about the campus. Just looking at a brochure or a website is not going to cut it. Once you have made your choice, live it up. I only have 1 more year left and college is just flying by. Join clubs, attend the plays, go the the sporting events and play intramural sports. I have found so many new life long friends while doing this. Enjoy college!!

To pick the right college I would make sure to visit the school first. There is a cerain feeling one gets when they are on different campuses. Also I would learn about the city and state the school is in. What activities and resources are available outside of school. I believe balance is key in every aspect of life and finding a blanace in college is crutial to having a successful time for two or four years. To make the most of your college expirence I would say to find a balance that fits you. Having an academic, financial, physical, mental and spiritual balance is key to loving the world and having it love you back. If a school can help you find that balance then persue your education, social and academic life there and I am sure you will be successful.

STUDY

If I were to give a prospective student advice about entering college I would suggest that they take the application process serious. Do your research, and pick a school that feels right to you, don't go somewhere just because your friends are. Be open to new experiences and get involved some way or another. Most importantly, take school seriously. It is extremely important to do well in school and to attend class regularly. In college, you learn the skills necessary to lead a successful life, if you're out partying every night you miss out on vulable lessons. Of course, have fun, but not until it's Friday night.

My advise to parents and students about finding and choosing the right college would be to really visit the campus, not only to get a feeling of the size, the administration and students, but just to see if it fits with you personally. Make sure that what the university offers is what you WANT out of your education, because it is YOUR education and you should demand nothing less than the best resources for your academic study. Remember that you are going to college, and not just out to party, so make sure that you choose your university based on academic structure and not party atmosphere (because if you party too much you won't be staying long anyway!) Choosing a college is all about making a responsible choice, and I really feel that students should be given the opportunity to choose their school (despite what mom and dad want!) because it is a part of growing up and understanding the significance of our choices. When the student is given the opportunity to choose their school and lifestyle they gain far more knowledge than just obtaining a college degree alone: they learn how to be their own person.

Go to a college that closely mirrors the high school you attended. Familiarity with your environment can help a lot academically and socially. Going from being a big fish in a small pond to a massive university was and is really tough for me, and I wish that it was much smaller in almost every way.

Be sure to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Don't expect your college to do all the work for you, though. You must reach out to local business and people in your desired field for interships and/or volunteer opportunities. Although you are there to learn and to better yourself with a college degree, it is also important to remember to have fun along the way and never to shut yoruself out from fun experiences and friends.

It's important to find a school that not only fits your academic needs, but one that offers an environment in which you can live happily and productively. This means something different for everybody. Choose a school that is beautiful, is located somewhere exciting to you, offers sufficient opportunity for recreation or is in a great spot to find educational jobs. If you're a drinker, you might not want to go someplace that will really encourage that, (like CU). If you love to ski, you need to be decently close to the moutains. Academics are obviously the first thing you look at when selecting a college, but it's also important to go to school in a place where you can make a full life for yourself. School alone jis not enough; If you live somewhere that makes you happy, chances are you'll feel a lot better about hitting the books when you really need to.

Don't automatically rule out a school before you have visited it and really given it a chance. Try and keep an open mind throughout the entire process. Get involved in your school when you get there!