University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Questions

Students should attend a school where some of their friends are going so that they will be able to make a smoother transition to a postsecondary institution.

To find the right college, I would recommend that students visit the schools they are interested in and talk to current students. Try to set up a visit where they stay overnight with a current student so that they can get an idea of what classes are like, the dorms and cafeteria food, and the social aspect of the school. This will be very helpful and will give them the best idea of what that college is actually like because it's through the eyes of a current student. Doing tours aren't as helpful as the schools make them out to be because they only show the best parts of the campus. Also, I recommend going to extracurricular activities that the school puts on that a lot of students go to. This will give you a chance to talk to current students and see the type of activities that students are enjoying at this school. For example, go to a football game, a performance, or a rally at the school. These activities will give students an idea for the atmosphere of the school and whether or not they're interested in such an enviroment.

First of all, make sure that you visit the school. Sometimes it looks great on paper, but when you visit the school, you realize that it is not right for you. Also make sure that it has majors, activites, and clubs that you are interested in.

Do not discount the value of a school because you know several students who plan on matriculating there. Furthermore, do not make your college decision based solely on college ranking systems. BE ACTIVE! Hop on the internet and read blogs of current students, and email them with your questions and ask them about their experiences. College students by-and-large are friendly folk, and usually they like to talk about not only themselves (a favorite conversation point), but also the institution which they attend (the second favorite conversation point). Finally, as the old adage goes: "You can make a big school small but you cannot make a small school big." I initially wanted the small Liberal Arts College education, but have since been beyond pleased with class size at a large state university. Again, BE ACTIVE IN YOUR EDUCATION! Small, quality classes are your's for the finding, they just require the simple effort of...well, EFFORT!

I would remind both parents and students that comfort is a very important key into finding the right college. Parents should remember that how the student feels about a school is of utmost importance. Students should try to make their choice of school thinking of themselves, not of their parents and not of their friends. In regards to making the most of the college experience, students should remember to try to make the most of each day: attend lectures you think look interesting, join a club you think sounds crazy, introduce yourself to strangers, go to office hours and get to know your professors. Just as my dad always told me, "Work hard, play hard."

To the parents of a high school senior I would like to say, please let your child choose their own school. It seems to me that some of the most unhappy students I have met have no idea why they are at their school, let alone what they want to do after they get out. Choosing a college is a huge decision and it is the perfect time for teenagers to decide what type of person they are and want to be. As for the incoming freshman, I would say congrats on making it this far. Some people aren't even able to consider college and I don't think that is recognized enough by high school students. When it comes to looking for colleges I think it is important to look at many different types, small, big, private, state, near, far... even if you don't think you will like the campus, go in with an open mind because you may find yourself feeling at home in an unexpected place. For myself, I thought I wanted to escape the midwest and move east, but when it came down to it the burger eating, football loving UofM was home :).

If you are clueless about your major, a large university with many academic paths and extracurriculars may be ideal for exploring your interests. A big school can also be daunting. Mentors are a must. Create lasting bonds with an advisor or professor you like. Seek advice from upper-classmen; they are a goldmine of information?whether it?s concerning particular professor or class, the strength of an academic department, or where to get the best coffee on campus. If you know your major, look for schools that are strong in that department. Consider location, weather, distance, and, of course, cost. Visiting a school will give you crucial insight into its environment and culture. Remember: the name isn?t all that matters. ?Bumper sticker? schools like Harvard and Princeton, though highly distinguished, may not be the best fit for you. Choose a school that will challenge you and allow you to uncover your passions, not one that will make you feel inadequate. College is a time to discover who you are and how you can best impact the world. Managing your time well and building strong relationships--both professional and personal--are essential keys to happiness and success.

Making the most out of one's college experience is largely dependent on what a student chooses to do with it. I have come to learn that college is not just four years of studying and getting by to the next stage in life, but that it's an experience that changes you and helps to shape you in all aspects--not just academic--for the rest of your life. The most important thing about making a decision when going to college is if you have that gut-feeling that the school you choose will aid you in this process. Don't just base your decision on academics, but be cognizant of the community that you are inserting yourself into, because that will ultimately be one of the most important things that you will look back on and remember.

When I was finding the right college there were four main factors that influenced my decision. First would be to determine the colleges that provide the student's intended area of study. The distance from home and size of the school are two important factors for students to evaluate. Lastly, the student should look at what the schools have to offer for extracurricular activities and the surrounding area. These general guidelines to finding the right college assisted me in my decision to attend the University of Michigan; however making the most of a college experience is dependent upon different factors. In retrospect when looking back on my college experience, time management and my friends were the two most important factors. Time management is crucial for academics, both short and long term; managing assignments and exams every day allowed me to have time with my friends and avoid being overwhelmed academically. Since I knew my freshman year that I wanted to go abroad, I was able to manage my schedules each semester accordingly. Balancing friends and academics allowed me to be more successful and make the most of my college experience.

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Parents it is great to help your son or daughter research different colleges and universitie, but the choice should be your theirs to make. Support them with that choice and let them know you are there for them if they need you. This is their chance to move on with their life and make choice for themselves. Let them grow and discover themselve and their abilies.

Selecting the right college is not an easy task. Some students spend years deciding which school is the right fit for them. The best advice I would say is make sure the college or university you are looking into contains extracurriculars you would enjoy being part of. The average student has many hours of downtime, but the successful students are the ones who use this downtime to be part of groups, clubs, and other experiences. School and class can teach you only so much, but the lessons learned and experiences in many of the extracurriculars maybe some of best memories and teachers to some students. Everyone should be involved and that is why college is so great. College offers hundreds if not thousands of opportunities for their students. That is what makes college so special. College really expands ideas and experiences of each student. In my opinion, finding the right college is nothing more then finding the right extracurriculars. The worst thing one can do is not be involved, so find a place you are challenged not only in the class room, but in other aspects of your life aswell.

Choosing a college is without a doubt a very daunting task. There are countless options and hundreds of variables that go with each school. I would advise parents and students to sit down together and compile a list of what is important to you. This list may contain things like distance from home, size of school, majors offered, price, appearance of campus, extrcurriculars offered, etc. Once you feel comfortable with the list that you have made, take the schools that you are interested and grade them against eachother based in the qualifications you find most important. The scores will show you where your choices line up. When all else fails, follow your gut feeling. That is what I did and college has been the greatest experience of my life. I have made memories that I will never forget, friendships that will last forever, and in two years I will leave campus with a degree from a world renound university that will open up doors anywhere my life may take me. Best of luck!

Parents and students should be careful in choosing a college to establish to the greatest degree possible that the student and the college are going to be an optimal match. Prospective students must first evaluate what their priorities are regarding their ideal college. They should spend a great deal of time online investigating possible colleges and discovering which colleges might best meet their needs. Then, parents and prospective students should visit the schools which seem to be the best fit. Being on the campus, visiting the classes and speaking with advisors can give one an excellent sense of whether or not the university "feels right." One key in the entire search process, though, is to start the search early to make choosing the perfect college as stress free as possible. Once students enter the college of their choice, they need to make the most of their experiences by becoming involved in university groups, clubs, athletics, or anything else which interests them. They should also make the most of academic opportunities by studying hard. Students need to make wise choices always, keeping their future goals in mind, while pursuing their dreams with a positive attitude.

In the end, you must go where you think that you will have the most success. College is hard to pay for, but there is a way to make things work, so don't hold your child back because of money. Encourage them to explore every possibility. To make the most of your college experence you should make sure to study, but also leave time for things that you are truely passionate about.

In order to maximize ones college experience, they must choose a college that can offer them a plethora of activities and opportunities. In doing so, they provide themselves with the chance to discover who they really are in terms of preferences, goals and beliefs by having an open mind and trying new things. This translates into the student's ability to pursue a career that they know they will be comfortable with and, of course, enjoy. With that being said, money should never be a primary factor in determining which school a student attends. There is not a price that can be placed on the experiences, knowledge and skills one gains through higher education and the exposure to a diverse population of students and faculty. These are all tools that will surely enable a student to be successful in life.

When choosing where I was goingto attend college in the fall, I choose the school I thought I deserved and had worked hard for throughout my educational career. However, my mind was set so much on one school that I failed to acknowledge other factors. As soon as I started college, the importance of these factors surfaced and took its burdenous toll on me. The worries these factors brought affected my grades and took up every nook and crap available in my mind. Therefore, my advice to students would be to consider all factors that comply with attending college. When choosing a college, you should consider the cost and how you will go about paying for it, as well if your family has the means to do so. My advice would be that regardless of the school you choose, you will nonetheless recieve a degree. A student who graduates last in his class from Harvard Medical School still becomes a Doctor. The important thing is to finish school, give your best in doing so and be proud of where your hardwork gets you. A degree is a degree, it is where your drive and dreams take that is important.

Choose a college that is managable for you. It's better to have academic success at a lesser known school than to do poorly at a prestigious college or university. Also, look into the resources that the school has to offer you. After all, if you pay alot of money to attend college, you need to be sure that you can get the most out of it. In addition, examine the political spectrum at the schools you are considering, as it plays a large role in what views professors are expressing. Above all, choose a college where you know that you will fit in, and that offers activities and clubs or groups that appeal to you.

The advice that I would give to students and their parents is to follow your heart. If you see yourself being on a campus for four years and being happy than that is probably the right school for you. Michigan was always where I wanted to be. I came to visit campus and the feelings confirmed what I had thought. I knew as soon as I stepped on campus that I would be here for four years. Another piece of advice I would give i to make sure you know what you want to get out of the college experiment, whether it be a good time or challenging academics. Each school offers many different opportunities. The opportunities that you are looking for are very important to consider when looking at the college that you want to attend. The last piece of advice I have is to look at where this collee could take you in the future. The future is why you attend college. That means you need to consider this extensively before making a decision on the school that you attend.

I have never been a big football fan. But I do like the camaraderie and spirit which complement the sport. I chose to attend the University of Michigan because I felt as though I had missed out on a quintessential high-school experience: football. My high school did not have a football team. It was too small to field such a squad. Thus, Homecoming featured a soccer game. I thouht about college as a mulligan: whatever I liked or disliked about high school I preserved or changed. I wanted a football team and school unity. I found both at the University of Michigan. I am happy with my choice. I have had a great experience. All in all, find out what you want in a college (other than academics). Learning is so much easier when you enjoy attending your school.