University of Oregon Top Questions

The best way to decide which college to attend is to research. There are books compiled with descriptions of the atmosphere of each college; read them! Go to each colleges' website. Visit each school. Talk to students who attend or have attended the college. After reading, discussing, and experiencing you will being to feel a magnetic pull towards one school. Sometimes a couple schools will stand out and the difficulty of choosing between those schools begins. As said before, research more. Remember to consider: the size of the school, size of classes, extra curricular activites, financial reasons, distance of the school from home, and whether the school is located in a city or country. Although it seems difficult to choose, there is no such thing as the wrong school. There may be one that fits you better than another, but no school is wrong. At any school you attend new friends will be made, an education will be provided, and a sense of independence will form.

Most students want to go to college to continue their education. Though college isn't just continuing ones education, it is also getting ready young adults to find what they want to do for the rest of their lives. The best thing for a prospective student to look for is what they want to do for a living and from that, find a good college that would help them achieve that goal. An advice my high school advisor told me, was not to worry about the price of the school, but how well the school was for me. Even though the prices seem high, there are many ways to pay for it like loans, scholarships, and grants. The best thing is to apply to as many scholarships that you possibly can enter. Another things is that college should also be a fun place, so find time to go out and have fun with new friends and also get to know your professors since they are there to help and teach you. They are trying to pass their knowledge onward. Parents should keep their mind open to accept and support what their child would like to do for their living.

What I would tell a student trying to find the right college for them is to try and visit the colleges they are interested in attending. Try to visit campuses when school is in session, it gives you a better feel for the school's environment. I also suggest trying to think of the five most important things when it comes to what you want in your college experince. Once you have a clear idea of what you want it is easy to find a school that matches you. To have a great college experience i think it is very important to meet as many people as possible. Freshman year you schould live in the dorms . Also, getting involved on campus is a great way to feel apart of and connected to your school. Try to use up all your school has to offer you. Attend events, utilize the library and computer labs, it will make you more satisfied with your whole school experience. And lastly plunge into school with a positive attitude, be willing to grow and learn academically and socially. College is the best time in your life to open your mind to the new. Embrace it.

Let your child decide where she/he feels most comfortable, dont let statistics or bias' get in the way. Never use money as an issue. There are so many scholarships available that a student should never narrow down his/her college selection because of money. If you, the student, visit a college campus and can honestly say, "I feel at home here" then you may enroll in that college.

One word of advice to parents: understand that it is your daughter/son's choice not yours. Support them. As for students, make a list of what you really want and go take a tour of that campus. As other students as well as your tour leader, and if you have a chance break away from the tour and do some exploring of your own. Check out how everything feels to you and don't make the decision to please anyone but yourself. Once you're in college know that it is what you make out of it, and that if you end up hating the college you chose, there's a good chance you can transfer. Most of all, have fun and don't skip too many lecture classes.

If the shoe doesn't fit, try again. Picking a college isn't the end of the world. You can always change.

Make sure to not settle on just one choice. There are so very many options out there for you; don't be afraid to apply to a school that you may think you might not get into because you never know what will happen. Remember school is your number one priority, do not get wrapped up in what everyone else may be doing. Whenever I feel like blowing off homework or skipping class I remind myself that I am paying for this education that I'm receiving; I'm learning the tools I will need in order to be the most successful person I can be in the world. Yes, college is supposed to be fun, but it is also preparing you for a career, hopefully one you will have the opportunity to choose if you stay motivated. Make sure to stick to what you know best, yourself, and don't let money change your opinion about what you want to do or where you want to go. You have the rest of your LIFE to pay back the loans you may incur by attending the school if your dreams. It's worth it!

The best advice I could give parents and students about finding the right college is looking at more than the student population, the dorm room space, the men to women ratio, or the average class size. Everything about college needs to be taken with a grain of salt because there is no such thing as the perfect college. A student must make the college perfect for their specific needs. My college is criticized for its small residence hall space and average class size. However, I found many positives to the University of Oregon. For example, because of its large population we are offered endless course opportunities. I have never had a boring or unwanted class. Also, there are so many campus sponsored activities that it is hard to keep track of which one is going on when. Professors are almost always available when you need them and they encourage you to contact them if help is needed. Students and parents should look deeper into college facts and not be afraid to ask questions that are left unanswered because it could make the difference between choosing the right college and the not-so-right college.