University of Oregon Top Questions

What should every freshman at University of Oregon know before they start?

Akemi

There are many things to consider when chosig the right college. Your mind might be filled with questions: Are the other students kind? Will college be difficult? Will my professors be reasonable? You will start forming a list of criteria that must be met in order to find the "right" college. However, it is important to keep an open mind and be flexible. Don't make your criteria too strict. Rather consider the overall vibe you get from the school. Once you have made your decision about your school, you might find that the college doesn't fit you "perfectly" and you will start second guessing your choice. Remeber, no school will ever be "perfect". Sometimes it is difficult to find your niche and get comfortable. College isn't meant to be easy, it's meant to make you grow as a person. Sometimes you will have to work harder than you expected to be happy and comfortable. Chosing the "right" school is always a good start to a great college experience, but ultimately your college experience is defined by you.

Megan

It doesn't matter where you go, it is you (or your student) that can create a wonderful college experience so long as the college you attend has the program necessary to satisfy your degree needs. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy your experience and strive to meet your goals. Each college is unique, but the student is in charge of shaping his or her own future. No matter where you end up, strive to accomplish all goals that you make and be as involved as you can.

Cara

Make sure it's a place that they really love and whose culture they fit. Go to school for education, not to party.

Katherine

Work as hard as you need to in order to bring yourself to the place to want to be in life.

cassidy

Be open minded about your selections, schools with the most variety in student body and courses offered are often the ones you can get the most out of. Visit the campus beforehand and talk with students who attend.

Kathryn

Going through the process of selecting an appropriate college is difficult and time consuming. I believe it is extremley important to find the best college for the student. Your entire college experience will effect the rest of your life; including the education your recieve, job opportunities, the people you will meet, and the expereinces you will have. Pick colleges that are in your state if you are worried about budget. I chose an out of state college and although this is definitley the place I want and need to be, I know that I may have to transfer back to my state because of my financial situation. As you complete your list of schools, use the internet. It is a fantastic resource to get so many questions answered and to see pictures of this campus. It is a great way to find out information without having to visit the campus a bunch of times. After you have a good list make sure you get the chance to get a campus tour. This will show you what the people are like, what the surrounding community is like, if this school has the academics you want, and if this truly fits you.

Stacie

Make sure that you go and tour the campus to learn more about it; many campuses offer many different things to students, and it is smart to know what these things are. Students and parents should research the school just to get to know it better. They should also find out how much it will cost to go there so they know whether or not they can afford it or if they need to take out a loan. University of Oregon is a large school with many students and sometimes it can be overwhelming to students. Classes are much harder than they are in high school, therefore students need to focus on school first, and then fun activities afterwards. I would suggest taking a PE class or something like that because they are very fun, and can take a load off of homework; it is a good break from school. College is a great experience, and i believe every person should experience it. You will have some of your greatest memories in college, and college is a place where you will make life long friends, so make the most of it, but remember to go with the right mindset.

Mizuki

When making the decision, everything seems like life-or-death. What's most important is to take a step back, breathe, and put it into perspective. You've probably read about the schools you're interested in, visited, and have a general idea of what you're looking for. What's important is to think about all those things, and try to wrack in your brain which school you felt most comfortable at. When you stepped onto campus, did it feel good? Were you struck by the campus or felt like it was lacking something? When it comes down to it, it's not going to be about the GPA or SAT score. It's going to be about the type of people and environment you'll be surrounding yourself in. It's not even about the rankings of different colleges. It's going to be about having fun, learning, and enjoying yourself in college! So don't worry so much. Relax. Trust your instincts, and forget about the numbers, statistics, and worries.

Beau

Finding the right college is a very complex question, and you really have to know what you want out of your college experience in order to answer it. For me my focus was to meet as many people as possible, go to as many parties as I could, and date as many girls as I could. However, I have found that all that is fun and great, but what is more important is what you learned and take away from your college carrier, not only from your classrooms, but from just being on your own in this crazy chapter of life called college. The things I have learned from my roommates and friends, as well as just the town of Eugene has shaped and molded me into the person I am today. With that being said you have to look around at the people that are walking around the campus of the school you are thinking of applying at, then ask your self, do I want to be like them? If no then ceep looking because if you don't fit into a school socially, and or want to be like your peers, then you will now leave college satisfied.

Elan

Go to a junior/community college first and get all of youre bone-head 101 classes done, then find a place with weather and a campus you like, and go for it. Have fun, be safe, dont forget what you went to college to do, GO TO CLASS!

Mara

When choosing a college to attend, look for a campus that makes you comfortable to be on and that has enough of a town/city to entertain you. Think about if you prefer cities or towns and choose a college that is in the place you prefer. Think past living in the dorms and see if you can see yourself happy there in the long run. Decide whether the college has what you want intellectually and if you don't know what you want to major in, figure out if the university has a diverse selection of degrees.

Meghan

Advice I would give to parents or students about finding the right college would be to really think about what you love and what you are most interested in as a parent for your child and as the child. You don't want to make a mistake like that even for the simple reason of insufficient funds. If you discover your interests and your strengths perhaps find a college that fits best with you and what you want. In order to even attempt to make the most of the college experience, you should first try to choose a college and atmosphere that you want for yourself. Whether it be more based on arts and letters or in sciences and math, I urge to really identify what your hobbies are, what activities you enjoy, what kind of people you mend with, and the goals you have for yourself. There is nothing more that can cause regrets than to know that you could have had something better; that you could have really listened to your heart.

Rebecca

I don't ahve any.

Holly

For parents I would say really get involved with your child when they are going through the process of college applications, because it is very stressful to do that on your own. I would also reccomend to students to definitely live int he dorms their freshman year! The dorms were the best part of my freshman year, you meet so many new people that you would have never met otherwise! I would also reccomend taking ful advantage of dorm food, because once its gone, you miss it like crazy. Also, take advantage of academic advisors, they can ALWAYS help you figure out what classes you need to take and when, it makes your life a lot easier and a lot less stressful. My final word of advice to parents is, no matter how much your son or daughter tells you they won't want you to call them when they're in college, they will, so call and check in often it's nice to hear from home.

Jeffrey

Pick the college or university you have no doubts about. Whether is academically, athletically, socially, make sure you have no doubts about the college or university. Make sure you happy with your decision, and a huge factor can be your ablity to afford your education. Times are very tough, so make sure you choose a college/university that is affordable.

Ann

Make sure they have what you want to study!

Cristina

Get involved in campus activities! Take a variey of courses to figure out what you really like!

Megan

Don't pay for it. Let them work hard for their education and see this time of their life and these experiences as a commodity. It's easier to squander these years when they aren't a personal investment. And -- more than anything, let them grow up. That is, after all, what college is about, right? Getting the chance to grow up, not lean on other people? I watched so many of my friends, who would never have to worry about student loans, drink, party and procrastinate their way through college.

gilbert

Make sure the student takes their time to figure out what direction they want to take their future. So many young men and women enter college not knowing what they want to do with ther lives. Not everyone has a "calling" coming out of high school. It takes time for most to filter through the different career areas trying to decide which one would be best suitable. I would advise the student to not be afraid to make use of college counselors career service offices. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there in different clubs and social groups. Everyone is in the same boat when you enter college so grab the opportunity as it comes and make the most of your youth.

Maret

I used to be an academic snob who looked down on state colleges. This was absolutely stupid. I had an amazing intellectual, academic, social, and professional experience at a state school and was able to accomplish more in less time and with less money than attending an expensive liberal arts or ivy leauge school. Of course, not all my peers were as academically oriented as I was, but there is definately something to be said for being the "big fish" in a "small pond."