University of Nebraska at Omaha Top Questions

Go somewhere different from all of your friends

I would suggest that students should find a college that is not only right for them, but is also an affordable one. I did not get any scholarships and my parents made too much money for a lot of financial assistance, so I had to take out loans. I truly believe that it does not matter where you recieve your undergraduate degree at, just as long as you get one. So my advice is choose a college that is a right fit and affordable. I mean who wants to be paying off loans for the rest of their life.

Be sure to consider all of your options. Don't instantly go for the prettiest campus or the farest from where you went to high school. Be confident in your choice of college, no matter what other people say. Use all oppotunities to meet people, but don't let school work fall behind, it's why you're there in the first place. Most importantly, make the most of your time there.

Make sure you find a place that is friendly. Not just friendly students, but also friendly teachers. It is hard to learn from a teacher that you think hates you. And it is hard to relax when when you can't make any friends. To make the most of your college experience: don't just party every night, save it for the weekend and make sure that classes and studies come first. Partying for 4 years and not getting a degree will only destroy the rest of the years of your life. Stay focused, but don't over work yourself. Work hard at the beginning of each semester, that way you wont stress yourself out during finals. The people that try hard at the start have 2 major advantages: they learn the material (which makes the rest of the semester easier) , and they have a higher grade to start with (which means they wont have to try extra hard to pass). Don't skip classes, knowing you are not "required" to go to class sometimes makes it hard to go.. but it is worth it. Parents: make your students be accountable, make them pay for some stuff at least.

The most important part of picking out a college is just knowing yourself and what you want out of your college experience. Sure, you will grow and learn things about yourself in those few years, but your core personality will stay the same throughout your life. With that in mind, think about what your long-term goals are for college. Do you want to stay focused, get a high GPA, and go on to grad school? Or, do you want to put aside the grades and have four years of parties, friends, and stick with your bachelor's degree? Maybe you want a compromise of the two? If you are satisfied with your study and social habits now, chances are they won't change. Pick a college that is convenient and comfortable for YOUR lifestyle. That means you may have to take into consideration things like commute, parking, distance from your hometown, space on campus, class size, dormitory vs. off-campus living, availability/interest in the activities on campus, scholarship availability, and even how much you may have to work to pay for tuition and books. Pick the college that works at your pace and keeps your stress levels low!

To make the most of your collge experience, living on campus is definately your best option. You get to experience the social aspect as well as close classroom exposure and recreational events and activities. Research the colleges you are thinking of attending to find out about the size, activites and food available, and post-graduate career options.

GO TO CLASS!

I would suggest for parents to be encouraging to their children in choosing their careerpath and college. No matter the location of campus, financial aid and scholarships are always available to help in any costs. Encourge your children to take interesting classes to find out more about themselves and what they want to do for a living. For students, do not be afraid to branch out and meet new people on campus. You are going to be spending about four years going to school, so you should make the most of your time expanding your network and connections to people who are learning along with you. Try to get involved in at least one activity because this will introduce you to more opportunities and people that you may not have met otherwise. Go to class, no matter how tempting skipping may be, you are paying good money for an education, so soak up your knowledge. You have the power to make the most out of your college experience so do not be afraid of this opportunity.

Choosing where you want to go to college is an extremely personal -- and frequently stressful -- decision that teens and their families have to make. It's best to start looking at colleges in your Junior year of high school. In my opinion, it's best to choose a college depending on it's size, degrees offered, and also the city you would want to live in. As long as you work hard you can be very successful in your college experience. Also try and get involved in programs and clubs so that you can have some fun doing it.

Finding the right college is best done by asking someone who's been there. These people know the inside scoop - not just what the college wants to tell you! Websites like campusdiscovery.com that survey the students over the internet are the way to go. College isn't just about the classes you take. These are useful, but in college you really have to start to figure out what you want to do with your life and then make proactive attempts to get there. In elementary, middle school, and high school we were spoon fed information and expected to simply retain it. Fortunately, classes in college sometimes break out of that, but sometimes not. Once I got to college I realized it's a lot like high school, but with more advanced material. Realizing this, however, is what allows me to make college so much more productive. No longer do I have to wait for 'something more' out of my education. I realize I have to educate myself and use the resources available. Extra-curricular activities and clubs are one way to do this, as long as they pertain to what you want to get out of life.