University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Top Questions

Finding the right college for you is something that may be easier than you think. In my experience of applying to college I found that visiting the campuses was the best way to gauge my feelings about the campus and to gain more concrete information about the university in a tangible way. Campus tours provide great insight into the academic, social, and athletic atmospheres at the school. My favorite parts of campus vists were that I actually got to experience the campus for myself, see how people interacted, and most importantly what the students were like. Overall, no matter what the reputation of the school, I was most interested to see what everyone was like, how they dressed, how the interacted, etc because those were the people I was going to have class with, eat with, hang out with, and go to games with. But above all, visits were helpful because I had the opportunity to see if I could see myself there and invision how I would mesh with the students and the overall scheme of the university. Choosing a university is a very personal decision, and I think college visits is a great way to make this choice.

Tips for finding the right college... BE OPEN-MINDED! Visit or research as many colleges as you can!! Remember that paying more for college doesn't always mean a better education. (But if you're set on an expensive school, there are many scholarships and financial aid awards out there!) Write down all of your interests -- majors, on-campus organizations, volunteer efforts, jobs -- and see which schools are strong in these areas. Talk to recent alumni about their experience at the school. Tips for making the most of your college experience... BE OPEN-MINDED! Remember that classes will be demanding, but it's worth it in the end. Get involved! Helping others/your school and having fun -- you're not going to find a much better combination. Take time for yourself to de-stress every once in awhile. Utilize your college's resources -- the library, counselors, professors' office hours, online support, etc. They WANT you to ask for help if you need it, I promise.

In order to find the right college, you have to go there. You have to get on campus and meet the students. You have to sit in on a class and see if the professor's personalities fit your learning style. You have to find out what activities students are involved in and figure out what you'd like to do there. Every school has either good or bad cafeteria food, either nice or falling apart dorms, either alcoholic or non-alcoholic parties, either a major in economics or in English. You could be content with a degree from any of them. But in order to make the most of your college experience, you have to find a school where you will make friends and memories. Make friends so that you can be active in the life of your school and community. And make memories because when you are with people you love doing the activities that you enjoy, you are living life to the fullest.

Find your practical interests and go with the nearest, best value school that excels in or has that major.

Take a visit and see what the school is really about. Read the school's daily newspaper and do your research and ask questions. Once your choose your school and start classes, get involved. You meet so many people where you can pick and choose what group you fit in well with and from there create great memories.

Finding the right college really involves looking at each college's opportunities to really get involved in the surrounding community and the world at large. Visiting the school and talking to a lot of students will really aid in creating a well-rounded view of the school, which goes a long way into selecting the right school for each student. Making the most of the college experience is another matter. Getting involved in the campus community is obviously the first step. Branching out from within your dorm the rest of the campus, and the surrounding community will go a long way into helping create a positive college experience. Get involved in clubs and go to events with your friends! Most importantly, I have found that bonding with your floormates has been the most rewarding and community building part of my college experience. Without the strong friendships I have built I believe that my college experience would have suffered immensely!

The college you and your son/daugther pick should feel right, especially to the student. Visiting the campus is extremely important. Visit all campuses the student might be considering, whether he or she really wants to go or is even just slightly thinking about it. Ask MANY questions when taking tours and speaking to other current students. You should be 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} convinced that you see yourself in that campus, that you WANT to be there, and that you feel you would belong. Also, don't close yourself up, or limit your child, just because it is your "dream" school or you would love your kid to go there. Be open to many different perspectives and many different options and encourage yourself/your child to apply to many different schools. Once getting in, don't forget your family and friends and do not lose sight of what you really came to college for... school work. Find what you really enjoy doing and get involved. Be open and prepared to meet new people, have new experiences, and live a new life.

Go with what feels right to you, don't listen too much to your head. If you feel at home somewhere, go there, you won't regret it, regardless of the financial aspects.

Figure out what is most important to you in terms of campus life, and what you want to accomplish at school. Then visit the schools and learn as much as you can from online resources and people attending the school.

College is about learning where your passion in life is. Students should invest in many different classes and be willing to change their ideas about their majors, talking with professors about potential jobs and internships. The more curious a student, the more successful. However, college isn't just about succeeding academically. College is the first time students can think completely on their own, making up their mind about big issues including faith, politics, friends, etc. I would argue that college teaches more about social interactions than anything. Students should not let academics rule their lives as learning how to be a good friend, a good listener, a person involved in the community is more beneficial to the heart and mind than anything. Yes, enjoy the academics. Find your passion whether it be medicine, law, or theatre, but don't forget to rest and enjoy the time in college you're given.