University of Miami Top Questions

I believe that you should apply to a lot of colleges and visit just as many. Talk to other students who have attended the colleges and if possible do a weekend visit to the school that you want to attend. Also, I think parents should attend orientations and family weekends whenever possible. When parents feel involved they tend to enjoy the school experience as much as the students. My parents have attended all of my family weekends and attended football games which make them feel like they are part of my college experience. We are all now major CANES fans.

Do what you love!! That is the best advise I could ever give anyone. My family wanted me to go to school for business or something they felt was financially stable since my parents worked multiple jobs their entire lives. For the longest I listened to everyone telling me to do this that, all the while I wanted to do something else. So I applied to and was accepted to Columbia University for business, but once I sat down with myself about my future I realized I would not be happy doing something that someone else wanted me to do. I want to act and direct films and I had been doing that since I was able to pick up a camera. It is a passion for me and I would do it even if it was unpaid. Despite what other's tell you, they just don't know you as well as you do. But make sure you find who you are as soon as possible before someone else finds you. Don't be an emply cockpit of a plane waiting for someone else to fly you cause if they don't know how you operate then.....BOOM!!!

Join a frat or sorority.

There is no "right" college; if you embrace college, whether it was your first or eighth choice, you will be happy. The best way of finding what colleges fit you best is taking a trip, visiting many colleges. Start by finding schools that have your academic interests. Then, look for school characteristics. If you are not certain about characteristics of the school you want, visit schools with different characteristics. For example, if you are not sure about school size, visit large, medium, and small schools; let your judgement determine which school you are looking for. For parents, let your child decide the school. You may be paying tuition, but they are spending their next four years there. In terms of making the most from college, do as many productive activities as possible. Study/do extracurricular activities instead of playing video games/watching television, or if you do, do so with friends instead of alone; make it a social activity. If something is not productive to academics, extracurriculars, health, or social life, do not do it. The bottom line is to have fun, though. College can be the best four years of your life if you choose to make it so.

My advice would be to go visit the school before attending. Ask about available groups and organizations that may interest you to know what's available; ask current students what the average coursework and professor is like. Be prepared to meet a lot of different kind of people and relax; don't let college overwhelm you. Have fun and try new things but don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable.

Research--spend the night on campus, talk to students, talk to faculty, develop personal relationships.

My best advice for the parents or even students who are looking for the right college is to do some research before choosing a school. Most universities are known for excelling in particular areas, like education, music, etc. Therefore, if the student is interested in studying a special subject, research on schools that specialize on that subject. However, if the student is undecided, another good way on choosing a school is by its geographical setting. If you live in a cold area and want to switch to a warmer area, find a school in the warmer states like Florida or California. Want to wake up with a beautiful mountain view? Search for colleges in North Carolina, etc. My last advice is to look for schools that fit your budget, or prepare to apply for loans and scholarships. With today's economy, it is very difficult to find cheap schools, which may risk the educational level that you will receive; but if you think you cannot afford the school, go to the financial aid office at that school, and look for payment plans and other alternatives that each school offers for those students that cannot afford that specific college.

Try not to rule out schools too early. I applied to my school on a whim and looked closer when I recieved a scholarship and this school turned out to be the perfect fit. But, I would never have considered this school if I hadn't applied randomly. Also for the students, don't let what you think you want stop you from exploring other schools that are not in your "ideal" category. I ended up on the other side of the country from where I though I wanted to be and it was the best desicion of my life. Be open to the possibilities, don't over stretch or over stress yourself, try to have fun and remeber that many times with college, it's not about the final product but the journey you take and the experience you gain.

Money is not an issue in achieving your dreams, its all about the attitude and the direction you want to go in life.

VISIT. It is good to see exactly where you be studying and living. Go onto online forums for candid opinions about past and current students' experiences at that school.