University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Top Questions

If possible, parents should visit the college with the student when available tours are given during their senior year of high school. Students should have a first-hand experience with the college setting so that school is perfect for the individual.

The first step to finding the right college is to write down the most important things that you want in a college - do you want a big school or a small school? Also, visit colleges during the summer - as many as you can - that interest you. Apply to schools even if they seem too expensive or too hard to get into, you can't predict how much financial aid you will recieve. Visiting the campuses beforehand is important. You want to know what the school has to offer. I applied to 7 schools my senior year of high school. I ended up choosing Pitt because it was still close to home, yet far enough to be away, the offered the most financial aid to help pay for the tuition costs, it has a nice, big campus in the city, and there are plenty of things to do on or off-campus. It ended being a great choice, I love it!

Visit the campus. Before I visited Pitt's campus it was my third choice and a nearby college was my first choice. Then I visited them both within two days of eachother. My first college's tour and overnight stay made me dislike the school so much that I didn't care if I got accepted or not, I'd never go there. I visited Pitt's campus and immediately loved it! It was so alive and the people were so nice. It helped that the campus food was way better there too. As far as making the most of the college experience? Go out - explore! My first two days I was terribly alone because I didn't go out and explore. Once I did that, I made friends quickly and started having the time of my life. Get involved in campus clubs and meet as many people as you can.

I would tell them not to just apply to the schools that all of the student's friends are going to, but to actually look for themselves and visit as many different campuses that you can.

Visit as many schools as you can and try to make lists of pros and cons for each school you may be interested in. This can really help narrow down the schools you want to attend and make the final decision much easier

Look at several colleges and don't make your decision until you spend a couple days on campus while school is in session. Walk around the dorms and visit areas like libraries computer labs and academic advisors offices. Also definitly sit in on a class or two!!!!!!!!!

Finding and choosing the right college is perhaps the most important decision a student will make during their high school career. It is imperative that this process begins early in a student's high school career and that the entire family is involved in the discussion. Keep in mind, the "right college" will change from person to person, so it is very crucial not to choose a school based on your friends' choices. The best way to choose the school that is right for you is to make a list of characteristics you want in a school including the size, location, distance from home, public or private, cost, surrounding area, etc. After the list is comprised, talk with a college counselor at high school in order to get a list of possible schools. Visit them and apply to the ones you like the most. When you receive your acceptance letter, your search still isn't over. An important option to remember is that if you decide you don't like the school you choose, you can always transfer after your first semester. The most important thing is to remember to study and put the most into your academics!!

Stay in a dorm your first year. Dont try and go and get a lease your first year because you still wont be sure on how to handle your finaices. My suggestion would be yto get your feet wet in a dorm the first meet some new people and then the next year if you feel your ready then get your own apt but the dorm is part of the experience.

Don't over think things. There are so many colleges out there that it's impossible to get to know each and every one. If a student visits and feels at home, then it's a great match. just make sure you have researched the available areas of study, and that thres plenty of room for you to plan and switch majors, even if you're undecided. The best way to find a great college is by really engaging with students there, both as a prospective student and as an undergraduate. Once you're there, find people you can relate to, who you can spend time with both in and out of classes.

When you've been accepted to several schools and can't decide which to choose, think about where each campus is set. If you're a city person, then a college with its campus set in an urban area is probably your best bet. But if you're more of a country person, then one whose campus is in a rural setting would be a better fit for you. Now, make sure the college you have chosen has the major/program that you want to go into, and that you will be able to afford it. As far as making the most of the college experience, I think adjusting quickly to college life is important. Get involved with clubs, sports, volunteering, etc. early and often, and you'll become more comfortable and forge friendships that will last a lifetime. Once classes start becoming difficult, be sure to set aside time from your social life to read and study. Work with friends on homework and projects (if you're allowed) and study with them too. Don't be afraid to seek out your professors to ask them for help. They'll be more than happy to talk to you and help.

Reasurch is crutial. While setting standards and criteria is helpful to narrow down a list of colleges, the best one might not look anything as one might expect. Keep an open mind. Tours and open houses give only a snapshot of what a place is like. To get a better picture make a list of daily activities and attempt to do them. Go to a burger joint, catch a buss, buy toothpaste and yogurt, study, play a game at a computer center. Or better yet, get a class schedule from a random student and follow them to a class or two. Best school experience does not depend on any one thing.

The first thing to keep in mind is finding a college that has the major you want to pursue and has good job placement after college. It is important to keep your social life in mind, also, because college is and should be much more than just an education. Say you enjoy sports and you want football games to be a part of your college memory, then you don't want to apply to a school with a nonexsistent football program. If you like the arts, then try finding a school that has student performances or a program allowing free or cheap admittance to musicals or ballets. Since college is the place to earn a degree, knowing what resources your college has for the students is extremely important. You should definitely check out the computer labs, libraries, tutoring programs, opportunities for research, and other ways the school can offer assistance. Definitely tour the school before enrolling! When walking around the campus for the first time, you should have a gut feeling if it is the right place for you and if you see yourself fitting in. Trust that feeling!!

One of my friends gives tours, so we often discuss the topic of "If we had known this..." I think the most important thing to recognize when going on tours is that it is an advertisement to get you to go to the school; therefore, the truth is often stretched. I would suggest that if you are really interested in the school then ask to do an overnight stay with one of the students to get a really understanding for what the school is like and what other students (other than tour guides) think. One aspect that I really would I have liked to have known before attending is the class size. With a school so large that offers many classes the student to faculty ratio is slightly skewed. I would suggest thinking about what you consider your ideal learning environment and then ask people on campus while walking around (students are very helpful in answering questions honestly). To make the most of a college experience I would highly suggest going to an activities fair and see what is availible to students. Also, do your own research about what is in the area (i.e. companies, hospitals, non-profits, etc.).

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Don't hesitate to ask questions, and shop around. There are so many options and sometimes the ones that seem most appealing at the time may not be the best choice for you in the long run. Also, really expect alot from the administration at the school, especially the financial aid department. If they seem like they are going to drag their feet, or that they don't really know what they are talking about, then you should probably run the other way. Leave no option unexplored!

Before choosing a college to attend, visit it! Make sure you sit in on classes and talk to students. You won't be able to get the real idea of the school if you don't act like a student that already attends.

The most important thing about the college selection process, beyond all other factors, is how well the school fits what you are looking to get out of a college education. There are so many factors to consider, but in the end college really is all about what YOU personally make out of it. Education is first and foremost a business and major universities can provide quality education and high prestige, but relationships with faculty are harder to forge. Being honest with oneself and truly knowing what you personally aim to gain from a college education and then finding a school that will match those expectations academically, socially, and in every other realm is the most important part of the decision. Every campus has a life of its own and has unique benefits to offer its students as well as problems that students at the institution face, and it is important to understand these unique qualities and how they will fit one's personal vision of their own envisioned college experience.

Picking the right college is all about you as a student. It should not matter what your parents or your friends think, because it is going to be you who will spend four (or possibly more) years there. Go with your instincts, and don't say you do not like something unless you try it out. Visit a big school, even if you think it isn't for you. You'll never know until you try. Pick the school where you can see yourself having the best experience. Have an open mind. Choose a school for the academics, of course, but do not neglect the social atmosphere. Books are not the only way to learn. Granted, college will be the hardest four years of your life. But it will also be the best four years you could ever imagine.

When looking for the right college I believe it's important to visit every school that you are considering and if possible stay over night with a student and sit in on a class. Also, if possible visit the school twice a year. Once in the winter months and once in the spring or fall. Schools can be very different in the winter than fall or spring. If you don't like snow or rain make sure you don't go to a school where it snows 4 out of the 8 months you are there. Once you pick your school and start join every group possible from the start and be open to new people and experiences. The best part about college is meeting new people and discovering things that you never new about yourself. Take chances and never hold back. Four years will fly by and you don't want to look back and think "If only I would of done this or that?" So have fun and enjoy the best years of your life!

I would find a school that offers great academic opportunties and choices that way you are not secluded and the sky is the limit. Also, partying is fun but it should not be a prime reason why you choose a school, you can have fun many other ways and meet alot of diverse people. Thats what i think the college experience is about meeting the most amazing people, learning and being academically challenged.