Cody
Find the school that best suits your needs and best fits the way you learn. Also a school where you get along with the teachers.
Carrie
When it comes to choosing the right college it is important to check out the campus first hand and talk to the people that are there. Must students will share the good and the bad aspects of their campus so you get a good whole picture of what the college is like. While at college there are three important things to do to make the most of it, make friends, get active, and go to class. Friends are great support group for everything, from dealing with classes, having fun, and distressing. Being active on and around campus is great for building you're resume and gaining experience, but also great for finding friends and feeling good about yourself. Most important go to class. To many people forget the importance of maintaining grades that they end up failing out, and that is the worst thing that can happen. It also takes away from the fun of the college experience if you have to worry about class work that you missed.
Stephanie
To the parents the financial aid is the hardest part but after that its smooth sailing, also help your kids for the first couple of years finacially before cutting them loose to fend for themselves. When picking the right college make sure its somewhere you want to be because you will be spending a lot of your time there, be sure tol look at the students there and your surroundings. When in college don't stay in your room the whole time either it is important to make new friends and experience new things, i believe it will help you grow as a student and a person
Liz
On your college visits, make sure you talk to real students, not just your tour guide! Look at how resources are divided between departments to see how the school really values each area of majors. Making the most of college is just that, something to be made, it doesn't happen on its own. It takes time to find your best friends, so keep a very open mind and try everything that comes your way. Keep your door open, get to know your neighbors, and talk to your classmates. Having a sense of humor will get you through any situation. Its ok to change your mind later, no matter what you said before. Spend your time and money wisely -- that is, this is your one chance to have a little fun! Be responsible. Know that you will change, probably a lot. So will everyone else. When in doubt, crisis, or confrontation, act confident and mature, even if all you want to do is hide under the covers with a cookie and a stuffed animal. Laugh. Persue your desires, no matter what others think. Don't let anyone stop you, this is your life.
Sky
My advice would be to take your time, and figure-out exactly what each student will want from their collegate experience. There are so many different kinds of colleges and universities, but a variety does not mean better or worse. The difference is a necessity, and you need to find the one for you. Just because you hear of someone not succeeding at a school does not mean it's a poor school, just that it wasn't right for them. If you know you want to learn, but have trouble motivating yourself, choose a bigger school with difficult, structured classes. If you know that you have a passion for learning and like to make things happen for yourself, choose a school like mine, where the course load is managable, the resources avaliable on-campus are incredible, and the faculty are more than happy to meet outside of class to discuss material in their feild of expertise, but not necessarily course related; I am thus provided with both the time and tools to learn exactly what I want to.
To discover what you need out of a school beforehand challenging, but it's worth the time and energy.
Kaitlyn
Make sure you look into the types of classes that you would like. If you are unsure about what you want to major in then go to a school that has many different major selections. If you do know the major you want then go to a school with a great program in it.
Marie
To find the right college the student needs to know what exactly they want out of school and what kind of person they are. If the student goes a college that is compatible with their academic, social, and extracurricular goals then they are already making a great choice for themselves. The parents need to support their childs choice in school and get to know the school as much as they can. If the parent can support their child then both will have a good experience throughout the college experience. To make the most of the college experience the student should join extracurriculars the they enjoy, not just ones that will look good on a resume. This way the student is guarenteed to have fun and hopefully do something good for the community and school. The main thing to really getting the most out of college is to relax. Don't stress too much and learn to balance fun and academics. If the student can balance those two things then they are guarenteed to have a great college experience.
Angela
To visit the campus
Jillian
The advice that I give to parents and students about finding the right college fit is to truly be sure to visit many different types of schools in different locations. Be sure to go on student given tours at schools, sit in on a few classes, shadow a student from your potential major, and be sure to stay the night in the area and walk around the town or the city. Really try to get a feel for how it would be to live, learn, and have fun at that school. Most often your first impression of the campus, the vibe you get even just stepping out of the car, is crucial in your decision making.
Advice I give about making the most about college experience is to rely on time management. It is important to fit in activities around class schedules and to remember that school always comes first. Attending classes is crucial, you show your professors that you care about learning and that you respect them. Involvement in extracuricular activities is a great way to make friends and expand your knowledge. Taking leadership roles gives you confidence and great preparation for future work experience.
Marie
To find the right college you really need to know how big of a school your looking for. You also want to experience as much of what each school you will apply to has to offer to you as a student and as a person. Tour the campus, ask a lot of questions; this is what needs to be done in order to make the best college choice. If you pick the best school for you then you are almost guarenteed a great college experience. The school you attend will have everything you are looking for.