Kari
Makesure you take a campus visit when school is in session so you get a feel of day to day life, and if at all possible have a student show you around the dorms and different areas of campus. Don't be affraid to ask questions, or look around. Sit in on a class to get a feel for the different teaching styles offered at the university. Be yourselfe, and finally get involved it will help you make friends that will last a life time.
Anja
Look for a place that feels right. If they're helpful at the college that's always a good sign that they'll be helpful later on. Physically visit the colleges you're considering and take a student led tour.
Nadine
I say go for what you really want if you are a student. What your parents want is a totally different thing, if you pick the school of your choice you are most likely to feel at home and like you belong. For parents, let your kids grow up to the responsible, independent women/men they want and deserve to be. Dont be scared to see them go, they will always bounce back. lol
Albina
Finding the right college is an extremely important and stressful decision that teenagers and their parents have to make, because this decision revolves around the student?s level of education and therefore their career in the future.
As the search for a college begins the primary focus should be on deciding on the major the teen wants to pursue his/her studies on and start searching for colleges based on the major, because you would want to attend a college that offers the best education on the desired major. After getting a list of colleges that satisfy the major criteria start developing another list of criteria like: how far from home would the student be willing to go, the financial packages offered, overall cost, diversity of the student body, housing options, size of the school, and other criteria that might be important to the student or the family. A lot of research and visits to different colleges should be done to make sure the right decision is being made.
As the students start their college career they should be proficient at balancing their academic work and social interactions in order to make the most out of their college experience.
Sylvia
Look at the environment and evaluate it to see if it's condusive to your lifestyle. If you are staunchly opposed to drinking and prefer to spend your weekends doing quiet activities like reading or watching a movie by yourself or a friend, then you probably won't want to attend a school that's well-known for binge drinking and 24 hour partying. Also, evaluate what what you want to do when you're out of school. For example, I am pre-pharmacy and one of the main reasons I chose to go to UF is because they have a very good pharmacy school.
Yanel
Ask students who go there.
Elizabeth
?College will be the best four years of your life!? No one should ever be expected to cite this phrase it?s so common. College is a time of liberally sheltered self-discovery; absolute freedom tempered by personal responsibility as well as the laws of the land. College is where we figure out who we are and who we wish to become. It?s where we learn moderation: How many credits are too many? How many work hours are too many? How much partying is too much? Am I spending too many hours with my boyfriend? How much time do I have to dedicate to my extra-curricular activities? Am I getting enough sleep? Am I leading a healthy lifestyle? Am I spending too much money? Will doing this make me late for church? Am I letting my faith fall by the wayside? College students have so much to learn about life and themselves, more than half of which does not take place in a classroom. For your child to get the most out of their college experience, you as a parent must trust that you have done the best job of raising a healthy, focused, independent, responsible, engaged citizen.
Dale
Find the right college and make the most of your college experience, you all said it best. Study hard, have fun, graduate. The end.
ANTONY
It is a great idea for both parents and students to explore college options together. Be unbiased to alma maters and allow for your child to base his/her decision on what seems to be the best option. It is of great importance that visits are arranged to these institutions and make use of the resources they offer to further explore the college.
Esdenka
Go visit the campus and see if the enviornment fits you and if you can see if you can see yourself studying there for the next 4years or how ever long it takes to complete your degree. As well know all the programs they offer to better help you into college. Talk to students that go that college already and ask them what they like and dislike about the school so you can get an inside look. And enjoy your college experience because it goes by quickly. Learn to manage your time waisely with school work and extra-curricular activities.