University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

You have to really know what size of a school you want to go to. Even if a school is nationally recognized as a academically superior, if it doesn't fit your needs it will still not be your optimum school.

Dont just go to any college! When making your decision make sure you go to the college first so that you can get a feel for it yourself. Dont just go off what other people say or what your parents want. If you want to have the best college experience make sure you get your grades so when you go out you can enjoy it more and you wont feel depressed!

Pick the college that your first instinct tells you too. There will be many things that you think are very important to stress over but in the long run all the classes and all the housing situations will settle themselves. The most important thing is to feel comfortable at the school that you are at. The best advice is to not sweat the small stuff because learning how to take care of your own academics, finances, and social life is what makes the college experience so great. Growing up requires a person to take big risks, and then capalizing on those risks when they pay off. Making yourself sucessful and getting the most out of your college experience means letting go a little and opening up to the world that is out there for you to enjoy!

Pick a place that fits you. Do not just go somewhere where your friends go. Be your own person.

Know what you want from your school before you begin your search, specifically what size school suits you

It's ok if you don't know what you want. Visiting the schools you are interested in helps a lot in figuring out which one you feel comfortable with. Going to a school or even looking at pictures can give you a feel for the campus, and feeling welcome and at home is the most important thing. After that, it is good to see if there is the right kind of study area you want to enroll in. If you don't know, then it's good to think about campuses that have a lot of options for undecided students or ones who want to change majors at some point. Also, applying to top rated school is great, but keeping backups is a good idea. So, looking for the right kind of academics for you is always important in choosing a school, but it is just as important to be able to picture yourself living and having fun and being happy on the campus and with the other students you'll be sharing your college years with. It's fun to go searching and finally choose a school that is your best choice, so stay calm and good luck!

The best way for parents and students to find the right college is to research. By going on college visits, campus tours, and orientation days one can really get a good feel for what the college has to offer. Researching the college's website can provide loads of information from majors all the way to extracurriculars or housing. By writing down the the pros and cons of each school one is interested it, it easy to see which school is the best choice. A student will get the most out of his or her college experience by getting involved on campus. While this can be overwhelming in the beginning, it will pay vast dividends in the end. The point of going to college to start a career path. There are so many organizations on campus that can really help one with that process by providing the tools and resources that can be carried all through life. Quite simply, a student will get out of college what he or she puts in to it. Through preparation, college will provide the opportunities for anyone to be successful.

I would encourage students to spend 24 hours with a college student, known or unknown, in order to feel what it is like to be a college student, through a college student's life. Seeing the college campus through the eyes of a tour guide only leaves the potential student with a biased point -of-view. Ask real students in your major what they think about their program at that college. Strive for the real answers, not the typical tour guide answers. When a student arrives at college, take opportunities as they come to you and look for interesting opportunities to engage in. College is all about exploring things outside your comfort zone, in terms of meeting new people, getting involved in extracurriculars, attending social or cultural events, and overcoming fears. Always be open to trying new things because you'll never know if you're missing out on a new favorite hobby or new favorite person. Live the college experience by getting to know the world around you. You have four fast years so make every day count.

Finding the right college is crucial in furthering your education. Students shouldn't attend a college because they're expected to or because that's where their parents want them to go. Parents should be supportive and open to college options. While at school, students shouldn't cut their parents out of their lives. They should call home once or twice a week, at least. Visiting home when the opportunity arises is great! You get a home cooked meal, your own bed to sleep in, and moms to wait on you! Who would pass that up. If a student lives at home, their parents should be considerate of the fact that their kids are in college and adults and have lives in college.

If you are unsure about what you want to study, look at schools that are strong in many different fields (like the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign). Also, look at everything the school has to offer: academics, extracurriculars, research, etc.

Know what aspects are important to you, whether you want a big or small university, have an idea of what your focus will be, be open to new experiences, push yourself, work hard, study, and have fun.

Always visit the schools you are applying to before deciding on one. Try to have a good idea of what you want to do before you go away to college; you will end up spending a lot of extra money and years at school if you jump into a major you're unsure of just because you're being pressured to go to college right after high school ends. Everyone at school with you the first year is experiencing the same freedom and new social scene as you are so don't be a recluse. Never skip class.

When deciding which college to choose, first take into account the opportunities available at the campus. The more the better! Then, factor in your financial needs. If the school is way out of budget, chances are that there is an equal academic school out there for less money. If you still have multiple schools to choose from, then go visit. All of them. And, try to stayin the dorms or with a student. Campus has a much different feel when experienced with other students, compared to just walking around with your parents. When I was deciding where to attend college, I was very set on going to a small, Christian school, mostly because I had visited there. Then, a few months later, I visited the University of Illinois, a much bigger state school and fell in love. Visiting the school opens your eyes to what it feels like to walk between classes, sample the dorm food, sleep in the noisy dorms, stay up late and enjoy the different experiences that college has to offer. Once you've visited, listen to your heart, if you fall in love with the school, then you're probably supposed to go there!

Do not leave out any options, make sure you put yourself or your kids in a situation where he or she can choose from a variety of schools. If the money is there, a good education is worth the price, it is an investment. If the money is not there, don't rule out anything yet, search for scholarships, grants and other forms of aid. The price of a good education may seem high, but the reward is always higher. And students, do not take it for granted.

To find the right college you should visit and sit in on a class or just observe the people around you. Try and spend a night with a person who will show you exactly what it is like to go there, not a glorified version of it. Also, to make the most of your college experience join a lot of different clubs and stick with the ones that you actually enjoy. Also, try to get a lot of different types of clubs like academic, social, service, athletics. Also, any type of leadership position is good.

Visit as many as you can while in high school. Find friends/family who currently attend a college you wish to go and ask to follow them for a day, I did this and it was an amazing time, no body said no because they thought it would be fun to do it.

Pick a college that best suits your academic needs. If you want to be a great lawyer then go to a school that will have the best chance at getting you into a great law school. Do not base desicions on "diversity" or "social life." There will be plenty of people for you to have a social life, with or without the college's help. The goal of going to college is to graduate and be prepared to take on a job in the field that you have studied, not drink yourself into a stupor, so worrying about the social life of a college is not the greatest idea in the world.

To students: follow your heart, don't be forced into attending a school you do not wish to attend. It is necessary to focus on activities that you think you may or may not interest you in the future. It is of great importance to visit the campus, ask tour guides or students around campus why they like it so much to help you guage if you will also like it. Once you make your decision, try to think of ways to get involved on campus, make new friends, and do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone sometimes and try new things.

Definitely make sure you visit the colleges you want to apply for before you decide to go there. You'll get a feeling for what college will suit you best. I definitely knew that U of I was the place for me as soon as I stepped on campus. Do your research. Make sure that the university will cater to your needs and is the best school for your education. Be open minded about different colleges and activites. You never know what you might enojy if you don't try it once. Get involved on campus. You will meet a lot of new people and those may turn into life long relationships. Do not give into peer pressure. There are a lot of temptations in the college life and it is ok to say no to certain things. Learn how to manage your time efficiently. Being able to allocate time for schoolwork and still be able to have a social life is very important and will help in the future. All in all, Have Fun! These are some of the best years of your life and you will never get that back. :)

There are all sorts of factors in making a decision, but the biggest thing that you should think about is if you can see yourself at the university you're thinking about. Can you picture yourself in a classroom here? Do you see yourself walking/biking down these sidewalks? If you have a major in mind, does the curriculum excite you or drive you away? If you can't, then maybe you should reconsider your choice. As for making the most of your college experience, you know what's important to you, what excites you. There are all sorts of things to do on campus... but it's up to you to find it. It doesn't have to be all about the coursework if you don't want it to be. My advice? Clubs generally have a day that they can advertise for themselves, and you should definitely go to that and sign up for the mailing lists (and get free stuff!). Try everything that interests you at least once before deciding on maybe two or three things that fit you best.