University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Top Questions

My advice to students who are looking for the right college would be to make the most out of whatever decisions you end up making. Many highschoolers fear that there is only one "right" answer when it comes to choosing a college; the truth is, you could be happy at a number of the schools that you apply to if you are determined and keep an optimistic attitude. Although it is of course important to keep in mind many important factors: the academic compatibility of the school with your desired major and career choices, financial aid, location, and others, it is up to you to have the attitude necessary to learn the most and enjoy your college experience as much as possible.

Take into account everything when choosing college, including financial aid, area, etc.

Base the decision upon which school offers the best program for your desired career path. That is the only thing that matters. Once you're there, get involved. Joining Greek organizations or other student groups is a great way to be active on campus and leave with lasting memories.

I think it is essential when choosing a college, that you feel completely comfortable safe while on campus. It is very important to be at a college that makes you happy, because in the end, all colleges are quite similar. I grew up in a small, poor town. My graduating class only consisted of fifty-nine students. WHen I graduated, I knew I wanted a completely new experiene. I chose University of PIttsburgh because it offered me a chance to get away from home to try new things, and also to pursue my passion for a career in nursing. My best advice is to not allow unfortunate circumstances to stand in your way. Not only did I come from an economically disadvantated region, but both of my parents died while I was growing up. My hope in God helped me to realize that I needed to turn my circumstances around and to somehow find the good in them. My obstacles have given me more drive and passion to succeed.

Make sure it has a high ranking in your field of study. Explore the website to see what other things it offers. I personally looked at career placement, tutoring service, and work study. Also, look at how many people apply and how many people are accepted. The more people a university denies, normally means it is in high demand and can't take all the students, which means its a good school because it can be picky.

Follow your instincts. You need to choose what college you think will provide the best experience. Available degrees and tuition costs may play a role in your decision, but aside from limiting factors like that, you need a school that makes you comfortable. Visit campuses of different sizes and settings to help you decide what feels right to you. If you don't like the small student population or the urban or rural setting of a school, you probably won't be comfortable there regardless of what you like about it. Once you get to the school you choose, get involved. Join a team, club, fraternity/sorority, or even a study group. If you are in a dorm, leave your door open so people on your floor can stop in and say hi; I met a lot of my floormates that way and we are still good friends. Making friends and connections is what makes college fun and interesting. It's also a great way to get familiar with campus and the people, views, and values you live with. You will have opportunities and relationships that will last for years. Be yourself and you'll meet some amazing people.

I would tell incoming college students to really explore a variety of different courses. I would advise them to not base their college search upon the major they think that they are interested in. I only chose to look at schools that offered programs in Pharmacy, and, ofcourse, I no longer wish to persue Pharmacy, but I'm stuck at this school. Look at a wide variety of schools, and consider places that make it easy to combine programs if you have many interests.

The advice I would give is to know what you want in a school and research, research, research. What helped me narrow my search down to a few schools was the collegeboard.com college search. Once I did that I started researching those schools that matched my criteria. I went to their websites, and read articles on them. Once I applied and received my acceptance letters, I visited the schools that accepted me. A college visit can really close the deal for some people, which is why it's so important. Once you do find that right school, it's important that you enjoy your time there. For most people, college was the best part of their lives, simply because it's the time in your life where your on your own with no responsibilities except to do well in school and it only occurs once, which is why you have to make the most of it. Once it's over, it's over and you can't go back, so you have to enjoy it while it lasts.

Do not go to a school because of a friend. Selecting a school is a very personal responsibility that should be taken with the utmost care. Find what is important to you and choose a college that best matches your needs. For example, if whether is important to you then obviously you will go somewhere warmer. If you are interested in a specific field of study, find a school that provides the best programs while still fulfilling other wants such as: social life, campus size, location, etc. I can't stress enough how important it is to make this decision on your own. No matter how much your dad wants you to attend his alma matter, or your girlfriend wants you to attend the same school as her, remove yourself and make this decision on your own; you won't regret it.

The best advice I could give to any person looking for their perfect school is not to look based on money. My mother always told me that I was not to worry about money-- once I would have that education/degree, no one could take that away from me. Knowledge and awareness is EVERYTHING. First, one should question their ideal location for schooling- the city? the country? the suburbs? It is important to feel comfortable there- visit the area, stay the night if you can. Talk with the advisers. Are they friendly? Does it feel "right?" Do you feel safe? Secondly, I suggest that it has a variety of classes you can take as an undergrad. Within your major, you may want to expand your knowledge on other subjects. Also, get involved! Extracuricular activities are important to meeting new people and being a part of the school, speaking your voice! However, academics come first overall -- do not rush or do too much. If you feel overwhelmed, slow down, stop and ask for help. Also, as a first-year student, take advantage of the dorm life! It's an experience in itself; you'll learn a lot about yourself and others!

It's great to find out what kind of career you would like to have after college so that you can focus on what will benefit you the most. Most people do not know this though, so it is best to take a variety of different classes to see what you are most interested in. If you know what kind of career you want, then find a college that specializes in that area. If you don't know, then find a college that fits your personality. City or suburbs, large or small, competitive or not, art oriented or science oriented, close to home or far from home. No matter what you are looking for, there is a college out there that has it all.

Figure out what type of area you'l like to be in, if you'd prefer large or big classes, etc; and the best way to get a fee l for school is to go and visit any school you're remotely interested in. If you can't see yourself at that school, it just isn't for you. Don't deny gut feelings. Utilize the resources that the tour guides talk about. Ask as many questions as possible, and try all sorts of new things. College is a time where you really learn who you are; especially under stressful situations. Begin working hard from the very beginning. Building relationships with professors (who will be more willing to help you if you do) and fellow students (who, as your friends, will make your time at school much more enjoyable) to ensure a balance between the social aspect of school, and the very important academic aspect of school.

The one thing that I found most important in going to college was not going directly out of high school. At that time, though I was a driven student, I realized that I didn't exactly know what I wanted out of the college experience. I took about six years off in which I was able to live, work, travel, and generally experience the fulleness of life and its options, after which I had a much clearer idea of what I wanted from college as well as how important it is for me to now be there. In returning to school I see many of my younger fellow classmates who are only there because they were expected to be there, they don't know what they want and don't take the work or themselves as seriously as they might if they had taken time to really get to know themselves and the world first. My younger siblings who did go straight to college have all found this to be the case, and I would highly recommend that prospective college students take at least a year off first to clarify their intentions for going.

Take your time and apply to a lot of places.

Publicly-funded schools are the best education for the money. Private schools cost way more than they're worth. Any college is about what the student puts into it!

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I believe that any student applying for college should pursue a major in something that they enjoy doing. Now, I realize that my own desires have changed over the past few years. Thus, I might not even pursue a career in my field of study. Though, I enjoyed every minute at my school. It is also important to choose a school based upon its environment. I like the city, so I wanted to attend a school in a city. I like the range of opportunites that the city offers. For example: my school takes advantage of the art scene in Pittsburgh by providing cheap tickets or free tickets to local shows.

Parents and students looking to find the right college should take into account what the students' personality and work ethic is, in addition to the financial situation of the parents. For instance, a student who just wants to get 'away' from their parents by attending a college halfway across the country is not a credible reason to attend that school if the student can't handle the schoolwork and/or the parents can barely afford the cost. The best way to make the most out of the college experience is finding a school that matches the desires and motivations of the student, where the student feels comfortable, while being challenged academically. The best college experience is pushing yourself to try new things and learn new things, and with the right college, the college experience can be fulfilled.

Choosing the right college is a stressful decision for both parents and prospective students. However, it is imperative that the college-bound student gets the final word. The parents are not going to have to endure the peers and professors that the studnets will encounter daily, nor will they have to LIVE the entire experience. Thus, my advice to the students: visit the college. Stay overnight, or a few nights, if you can. Visit when the school is in session so that you can see the daily grindings of the university and observe the countenances of the current students: do they look happy? Stressed? Depressed? Content? Read the school's daily paper, where you'll find advertisements for activities going on on campus. Have a meal at the dining facilities - can you imagine eating this food every day? Go to the student center or the hub of student activity (every campus has one), and see what students are doing: studying, chatting? Ask students about the party scene, especially on weekends. Most importantly, close your eyes and take a breath, thinking of everything you've seen, and consider..."Do I see myself here for the next four years?" Open.

Choosing the right college is about more than just academics. Make sure you choose somewhere that you can see yourself living for the next four, maybe more, years of your life. Academics are the first thing you look at, but remember to think about other things like sports, big city or little city, big school or little school, clubs and other activities offered. You can find similar academics at many schools, but when you consider all the other things like location, price, and the things I listed above it helps you to see specifically what kind of school you are looking for. I knew I wanted to stay in PA, but I also knew I wanted to escape my small town. I love the city, the sports, the social life, restaurants, clubs, shopping, and everything else the University of Pittsburgh has to offer.