University of Idaho Top Questions

Go where you can afford to, do your best, that's all you can do at the end of the day.

Go somewhere where you feel accepted, needed and valued. Talk with professors and try to avoid places where you will just be another face. Go somewhere were you can begin not only your education but also feel out career choices. Go somewhere you are appreciated because it makes the whole experience far more enjoyable.

I would say to go outside of your comfort zone because you get out of college what you put into it. It can be a really intimidating and vulnerable thing, but you'll regret a lot less about your time in college if you put yourself out there and experience as much as you can. There are so many opportunies and interesting things to experience that you wouldn't normally try, but you'll probably enjoy a lot of them if you put yourslef out there and be open to trying new things.

Its a good school for engineering and business majors and if your kids like greek life

I would say that size and location are two of the most important factors that go into deciding a college to go to. If someone is used to or prefers a smaller, closer-knit environment, then they could easily get overwhelmed by a large and busy university. On the opposite side, someone from a more urban area that enjoys that kind of area, could easily get bored in a smaller, rural area school. Another important thing to take into consideration is that there are a lot of liberal colleges that have one pretty strong general liberal opinion, and someone who is on the conservative side would want to try to avoid a college like that and someone with a more liberal point of view would definitely want to look at those schools. Any of these factors can greatly help choose the right college to go to.

Go take a look at the campuses you are considering. Think about the size of school, the student/faculty ratio, and the setting (urban, rural, etc). Think of which place you would feel best. Check the school's quality of the program you are interested in. Apply to multiple schools and see which one offers better financial aid if that's important to you.

I would advise people to first figure out what they want to accomplish at the college. If they know what degree they are seeking then finding a college with a good program within their area of interest is a good starting point. If a person wants to learn to become independent and make a lot of friends then finding a school with a variety of activities would be smart. Community colleges and small colleges are a good option for a student who has struggled in school and could use more one on one time with a teacher. Visiting college campuses is also important to see if it is a place that a person would like to live. There are usually different locations for dorms throughout campuses and looking at greek houses is also something important to do. A college should be a place to learn efficiently, make friends, become independent and simply have a good time and enjoy life. There are always fun things to do on campus with fellow classmates so that should never be a problem.

I would tell students to apply to as many schools as possible and then choose which school to attend based on your gut instinct. Instead of choosing schools with a good party scene or schools that have good sports teams, choose a school based on what there is academically. Chances are that these schools will still have the party scenes and sports teams so it won't be like you are missing out on that part of the college experience.

When selecting a college, choose the place that best fits your desires as a student. Don't go to a school just for its reputation, your education is what you make of it. Sometimes a big school is right and other time you can enjoy many more opportunities only available through a smaller university. No matter what, visit the campus and see how it feels. If you feel comfortable but still challenged, its the right place to be. Consider finances and find a school that will give you the scholarships you deserve (or more). Remember to critically analyze the dorms. I advise any new freshman to live at least a semester on campus. Even if you don't enjoy the close quarters or the food, you will interact with a wide variety of people who will be in classes and organizations with you for the rest of college. It is extremely useful and fun to have friends in a variety of academic subjects and interests. The dorms provide this like nowhere else can. Remember that whatever university you choose you can always change your mind, so go ahead and try somewhere new, you'll be glad you did.

The advice my parents told me was to find a college that I could further pursue my dreams/goals. It did not matter what the price was, my education meant more to them than money could buy. One should not be so scared when looking at prices of colleges, there are so many scholarships and grants that are offered for students; all they have to do is put forth the effort to apply. Depending on the student vs. parents situation, it will obviously ultimately effect the outcome where they end up at. All families are different, so do what feels right for you. Some people like to be closer to home while others might love a new adventure in a new city. Coming from experience; my first year of college I knew absolutly no one, but because most all campus's have orientations and group functions I was able to meet some life long friends. So do not let the cost of college get you down, if you have a dream and you know what you want, STAY POSITIVE and keep wishing and someday it will come true!