University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Top Questions

My best advice to students searching for the right college (because, financial decisions aside, it should be the student's choice) is to visit campuses and meet some of the students there. They are truly the best resource for honest, accurate information, and most of them are happy to answer questions about their school. I also think that students (and especially their parents) tend to take the college search a bit too seriously. Calm down, chill out, enjoy your last year of highschool, put in some applications to schools that appeal to you, enjoy wherever you end up. The college experience is whatever you make of it.

Pick your friends like you pick your fruit...and study closely the one whom you let borrow your boots.

Really research what you want out of a school and make sure the ones you're applying to offer those things! Find a place that you can balance social and school life. They're both so important! Your first month of school, do NOT go home. Cut the cord, parents and children.

There are no perfect schools, only possibilities. When it comes to choosing a school, it's important to visit, talk with current students, do all the research you can, but you can only know so much. It's inevitably a gamble. And you only get so much choice--they're also considering you--not to mention the problems you may run into with cost of attendance. The most important thing, then, is not to find THE school but to find several that can be a good fit, offering you the options you need. And once you get there, try not to look back too much. Embrace the decision you've made and do all you can to put yourself out there. Ask questions in class and join listservs for dozens of student organizations and organize get-togethers on the hall of your dorm. Explore what all you can learn, what all you can do, who all you can be. And most of all, remember the emphasis college life puts on community. Make the kinds of friends you'll want to keep for life, and stay open to new friendships throughout college. They'll laugh, cry, study, and dream with you.

When searching for the right college, students of course need to consider what school would provide them with the best education and future career opportunities, but they should also take into account the environment in which they would be the most successful. School size, distance from home, diversity, etc. all should be taken into account because these factors will strongly impact the education students will receive. Also, parents and students shouldn't disregard the cost of the colleges they are considering. If an expensive school will require the student to take out large loans, they need to consider the impact it will have on their future to have loans to pay back. In general, a student needs to find the best balance between level of education, school environment and best value.

Tour, tour, tour! Visit prospective schools beforehand; it is an invaluable way to learn about the culture of the school and visualize yourself there as a student. Dropping in at a school - especially when classes are in session - can lead to a dream-school discovery or help to avoid making the wrong choice. Once at school, do not be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone - some of the most unforgettable experiences will be those that started spontaneously, whether it's a club or group you join on a whim or a wild night out that earns lifetime friends. Your school will have tons of resources for you - use them.

Before applying make a list of expectations you have for college. What academics are you interested in; Do you want an active campus, or a quiet campus; are you into school sports or intrameral sports; Consider what you want as a student and make sure the schools you apply to meet this criteria. When it comes down to deciding between a couple of different schools, and one is less expensive, pick the less expensive one. Then while you are in school you will not have to be as concerned about financial aid, and you can use the money you saved on tuition to do other opportunities, like retreats with student organizations or study abroad. Get involved in the first few weeks of school, with student organizations, and settle on two or three. If you try to do everything your campus offers you will not have time to truely be dedicated to anything. The first few weeks are the times where you can meet new friends that can last the rest of college, so get out there and be active. Have a well balanced schedule, and prioritize. There is a time to study and a time to have fun.

Make an educated decision--don't just pick a college because most of your friends are attending or because it seems prestigous. Make sure it's the right place for you. You're going to be spending four very important years of your life there, so make sure the environment at your college or university can meet all of your needs.

I would recommend that students follow their passion. They should choose a college that feels right to them. This would include one with a strong program in which they are interested, one that will afford them growth in various areas of their lives and one that will allow them to develop skills that will help them give back to the world. In choosing any school, each student need to access and consider how will the university/school help them to develop into the best possible citizen , not only to the school community or local community, but to the world community.

Decide what kind of college best suits the student. Do you want a large or small campus as well as large or small classrooms. Stay ahead of financial aid and scholarship filings. Remembering those dates are hard to keep up with. Staying in touch with your child/student is also very important. There are many times that we feel so lonesome and lost and we need that one true person who will love us through it regardless of what we've done, said, or are.