University of Portland Top Questions

To parents: College is a time for acedemics as well as life lessons. Do not smother your students. Instead, trust them and just be supportive and they will show you how much you mean to them. To students: Do not overextend yourself. Make the most of you college experience; don't waste it creating moments you won't remember. Be open to new experiences. Who knows, you may find some unexpected passion. Acedemics are not everything. Personal development and wellbeing are just about as important.

Make sure that the college feels comfortable and exciting because you are going to spend a lot of time there. If you are interested in doing extracurricular activities, find out what is available and whether the school is adequate in that department. It is important for the student to be active in this decision because they are the ones that have to attend the school. The more comfortable the student is at the school, the better they will do in it. Happiness will bring accomplishment.

do not get overly worried about your decision and once you have made it, keep in mind it is not permanent. if you have a bad room mate- CHANGE. If you do not like the college you picked, have a back up plan. Do not be afraid to talk to professors and do not hesitate to point out mistakes that financial aid makes. Do not beleive everything your professors teach you, and do not beleive everything your friends beleive. DO not make friends to make other friends, and remember that you are not too cool to hang out with certain people. Get a job and volunteer, bike everywhere. Be willing to change your views from high school, but do not change everything without pondering that there may be some wisdom in what your parents taught you. Keep in contact with your friends and family, but make sure to make lots of new friends. Go on adventures and pray every day. Do not live life apathetically.

As I stated in this survey, University of Portland was not my first choice. However, when I look back and see that I wanted to go to the University of Arizona. an enormous state school that would not pay me very much personal attention, I realized that this was the greatest choice I have ever made. I'm sure I sacrificed some "epic" weekends, but I am sure the pay will be much greater in life. Likewise, I will be graduating in a 4 year period here. I am not sure that I could have done that without such great academic and economic strain. It has really been a gift to be a part of this community. Hopefully the degree and experience helps me to land a great job in the field I want.

College is a place to grow in a number of ways. Choosing the best college for you is one of the most important decisions of your life, so you want to find the best fit. Make sure to visit your top choice schools and see how you feel while walking around campus. Talk to attending students because they know what the school the best. You should stay overnight with a student and ask them every question you can think of.

College is a really important stage that will shape the person you become for the rest of your life. Focus on imagining what kind of person you want to be 10 years from now and let that guide you and help you select the kind of college you want to go to. I think that it is important to choose a college that reflects the kind of person you are, your values and your objectives in life, however it is not essential to get into your number one choice college. Many times in life you'll end up in an unexpected place or situation and you just have to learn how to make the best of it. That's also a great part of what college is about. It's not just about partying, but it's not just about studying either. It's about learing who you are, who you want to be, who you don't want to be, why you wanna be, where you're going , what you want. Seems pretty easy stuff but for many finding a real answer might be much harder than my ochem final tomorrow!

Try your best to find out what you want to do before you get to school.

Definitely tour the schools that you are interested in, including sitting in on a class or two that you will be taking if a student. Talk to the dean of the school that your major is in. (ie: School of Nursing, Arts and Science, etc) This will help you when you have potential problems or hang ups later on in your academic career.

As a current college student, the most important thing that I have learned since the beginning of my time here is that, above all, college is about learning and growing intellectually and academically. Although it goes without saying that there are significant social aspects that play a leading role in the college experience, college is ultimately about academic achievement and discovery. Surprisingly, this is something that is put on the back burner for many students who are in the application process. It is important to choose a school that can provide you with the classroom and research opportunities that will help you explore and accomplish your highest academic goals. While students should seek out an institution that meshes well with their lifestyle, it has been my experience that you will find likeminded people within whatever field you are passionate about. To make the most of your college experience, treat your arrival on campus as if you were being initiated into a foreign country with a new culture, language and community. College is not a continuation of high school. Treat it like the amazing opportunity that it is to focus on learning and growing as an individual.

Look at as many colleges and universities that you are able to. I would recommend to strongly look at schools starting at the beginning of your junior year so that you have plenty of time to look at a wide variety of schools. Go to big schools, small schools, public schools, private schools. The larger range of options that you lay out for yourself, I think the happier that you will be in the decision that you make. I kept my choices very small because I didn't want to make it the decision too difficult, and I regret that. Students, go to the place that feels right for you. It might not be where your boyfriend or best friend are going. You parents might not be totally satsified. But none of that matters. College is about you and where you think you want to be for four very important years of your life. Parents, you are important tools in the process. But make sure that you are guiding your children through the process and not influencing them to go somewhere they don't want to go. Let them chose their own path, and the place they want to be.