University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

I would advice students and parents to visit the school prior to making decisions. They can visit the school during the weekend to see how the campus is during the weekend. This is needed to determine if the campus is a right fit for the student. I would also advice the student to visit during the weekday to visit a class in the student's field of interest. This will help determine if the classroom size is appropriate for the student's need. And finally, it will be very important for the student to keep in close contact with a student that's already enrolled in the campus to find out more information about the school that is not portrayed to the public.

Be careful and make sure you're prepared to work hard.

When choosing the right college or university it is important to ask, where do I see myself in 2 or 4 years. Based on the answer the question find a place that will help you achieve the answer to that question. Are there certain academic milestones that you need to reach? What kind of activities do you need to participate in order to reach your goals? How do you want to grow as a person. Another important aspect is comfort. As yourself will I or my child be comfotable in this enviroment? College should be challenging however success will only occur in a place where a student is comfortable. Lastly ask what you imagine a typical week in college to include. Once you know how you want your college life to be like finding the right college or university should come easily.

There is no ONE "bad" or "wrong" college for you. Tour the campus, consider your financial situation, but at the end of the day go with your gut and make the best of wherever you go. Life is about taking risks and chances, there will never be a perfect place, situation, or job, so it's all a learning experience-- and you can always transfer!

In order to find the right college, I think it is important for the prospective student to visit the campus and if possible to do an overnight stay to really experience what it would be like to live there. It is also important to look at the academic, extracurricular, and social activities at the school to see if they relate to the student. It is important to find the school that most relates to you and where you know you will be happy and find your niche. Talk to current students at the school to see what they think about the school and why they picked it.

Finding the right college is key. I suggest visiting numerous colleges or universities to get a feel of the school and environment. Make sure to talk to students to ask their opinions as well as professors in a field of your interest. Also explore the different options, extra-cirricular activities, academic support systems, and other ways to get involved both on and off campus. Start the college search process early and give yourself plenty of time. Find the place that feels like "home" and you could see yourself enjoying. Picture yourself in different places on campus and with different groups of people. Keep searching until you find that "perfect" fit for you because trust me, its out there!

When I was applying to colleges, I had no idea what I wanted, applying to a wide variety of schools and spending too much money on applications and sending scores. The college that I ended up choosing was actually my last choice going into the whole process. I completely fell in love with my campus at orientation and, in retrospect, I definitely made the right decision. Everyone was really friendly and helpful, and the campus atmosphere was upbeat with always something going on. Whatever you want to do, there is probably a club or group of students that shares the same interests. My advice to prospective students and parents is that you can't judge a school by it's admission pamphlet or website. To get a good grasp of what a college represents, you have to make sure to take the time to visit and get to know the school both academically and socially. Most of my friends fell in love with a particular school when they visited it, and I think that you can't base your decision on academics alone but by where you can see yourself being happy for the best four years of your life.

I would advise parents and students that the most important thing to consider when choosing a college is if you feel comfortable there. Most universities offer similar qualities of education, so more important than anything else is whether you will be happy at the college you choose. If you love your school, you will learn more and be more prepared for life after college than if you aren't happy. For this reason, my advice would be to spend time at your choices of schools and compare how comfortable you feel at each.

Decide whether or not it would be wise to go to a college in state or out of state. Out of state colleges are difficult because parents will not have easy access to their children if something happens or if they need something. Also, take advantage of the oppurtunities that your college gives you. It is a once in a lifetime experience and you won't be able to do most of the fun things once you graduate. Most important, it is easy to get distracted so stay on top of your school work as well.

When researching colleges you should consider location, class sizes and the college's reputation especially for your major. College can be very fun and very stressful. To make the most of your experience you need to be focus and disciplined. Avoid procrastination. Put academics first and the rest will follow. Be friendly. Talk to all different kinds of people and form relationships with your teachers and advisors. Join groups and participate in different activites that compliment and add to who you are. Be assured in you are and who you want to be. There are a lot of different distractions and personalities as long as you know what you stand for and why you should be fine. Have fun, do all your work and breathe. The better you do in your classes and with your life the more confident you will feel.