University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

Trying to decide what college to go to and figuring out what "you want to be when you grow up" is especially difficult for high school seniors. No one really knows what they are going to want to do with the rest of their life at 17 or 18, so it is important for parents to be supportive...take their student to college orientations, let them look out-of-state schools despite the costs. College is expensive no matter where you go, so both parents and students should research loans, scholarships and grants to help pay for college. Start early! Fill out your FASFA early and go through applications together, finding the funds to pay for college is a competative, complicated process. Applying and choosing colleges my senior year of high school was stressful and miserable. I fought with my parents and felt like I was supposed to know how to do everything on my own. I ended up settling for a school that I wasn't sure I really wanted to attend and I was miserable there for the first year. Starting early, being organized and having support is key. Finding a college should be fun and exciting.

Visit as many colleges as possible. Attend a college that supports YOUR ideas and fits YOUR personality. Be open minded to everyone and everything. Students and parents shouldn't overanalyze everything but always be intuitive.

Take your time, picking a school. Look into all types of financing options. Let the student choose what they want to major in.

We are so lucky to live in a country that offers us so many outstanding educational opportunities. Sure, some of these institutes specialize in specific areas of academia but they all offer an outstanding educational opportunity. When I was looking at schools, I read every informational packet available. While this helped, it was not the main deciding factor. The most helpful aspect for me was visiting and experiencing the college for myself. Every school looks good on paper and will offer you a great education, however finding the right college means finding an environment that works for you. Finding this fit is pretty difficult if you do not get to experience that environment yourself. The same can be said for making the most of your college experience. Every school offers countless activities and opportunities for you to experience. It is up to the individual to take advantage of these offerings and find those activities that he or she wants to participate in. And if your school does not offer an activity you want you will most likely be able to make it yourself. College is a great time because you learn about your future career as well as yourself.

Life is meaningless without passion. If we are passionate about the things we strive for, all of the hardships and struggles become secondary to the things we love. Students, before starting on your first application take time to really dig deep within yourself and discover your passion in life. Whether it be business, science, or creating masterpieces of art; you will never be truly happy unless your passion is apart of your academic experience or life after college. Seek out schools that care about you as a future leader and not as a number. Seek out schools that will support your passion in life. Parents, it is up to you to support your child with their choices. Rest assured that you have done your job in raising your child to be the best he or she can be. Have faith in their abilities and trust their values. In life every sunrise is a new opportunity to change and follow your dreams. Remeber to love every second of the college experience because we arent promised tomorrow.

How can I speak about the glories of college without concentrating on the cliches I heard as a prospective college student? I would advise a high school student to explore different types of schools. It is the only way to know whether you would enjoy the resources of a large school or the close kint community of a smaller one. If at all possible be open-minded when choosing a school. I wish that I had actively looked at every other school that I applied to. I could quote Tom Petty and tell prospective students to enjoy the perks of the college social life and the memories that will undoubtedly be made but I feel that that advice is not completely accurate. While I could praise the perks of any Greek system, I think it would be better to generalize that statement and simply say get involved. I cannot stress the importance of actually LIVING while you're in college. The best way to do that is to gain new experiences, meet new people and take advantage of everything your school has to offer. And since my parents are paying for me to learn...GO TO CLASS!!

When it comes to selecting the right college or university, the student is the key. Your interests will play a big part in where you will be comfortbale learning and growing as a person. You will be picking a home away from home, so the people that you surround yourself with at college will play a giant role in how much you like where you choose. So, make a visit to the colleges of your choice and get a good feel for the kind of people you will be around on a daily basis. When you find the right place you will know. You will feel comfortable staying there and you will fit in with no trouble at all. Make sure you have picked a good schedule of classes for your first semester that you will enjoy taking to make the transition easier. There's nothing worse than taking a really hard and boring schedule in your first semester to get you started on the wrong foot. Also, make sure you have a good amount of extra curricular activities lined up. They really help you to solidfy your schedule and help you manage your time wisely. Good Luck!

In order to find the right college, I believe its more about the environment of the school than anything else. If you want to make the most of your college experience you need to be in an enviroment in which you can find people who care more about getting to know others and getting through the hardships as a team rather than on their own. In some schools, when there is a lot of competition, everyone is on their own and it makes it very hard for some to succeed because they do not have the support and help of others. Although some students find themselves doing better on their own with more competition, therefore when chosing a school I believe this is the most important factor to take into consideration and help you succeed in your college career.

dont be soo involved in your kids lives....let them live a little.

Be yourself.