University of Southern California Top Questions

Make sure you can happily live in the enviornment, so visiting the college is very important. Also, knowing the academic rigor of your school is very important.

Chose a school that will allow your kids to find out who they are as people, become responsible adults, and learn to make a living off of what they love doing.

Apply to a variety of schools and then, once you are accepted to a few, go visit and make the decision from there.

It is a great school just too expensive. Students graduated here are almost guarantee a job, but just too much money while in school.

Most studetns applying to college have heard that they will get a feeling that they belong when they visit the right school for them. I don't think that this is the case for most students. There isn't one perfect school for every person, but rather, some schools are a better fit than others. I believe that one makes his/her college experience what he/she wants it to be. Because of this I think that many factors should be considered when choosing a school. Social invrionment, clubs, extracurricular activites, facilities, location, size, and price are equally as important as academics and reputation in determining if the school fits a prospective student's needs. Students seem to be too focused on attending their dream school that they froget that the degree is not the only thing one gets from a university. One's involvement, grades, contributions, and experiences count more in finding a job or going to graduate school than a name on a degree. With some effort I believe that any student can turn a school with the right fit into their "dream" school by how he/she takes advantage of the opportunites available to him/her.

Really consider what you actually want in a university. If your a small-town kid, a big-city school like USC might not actually be for you, even though it might seem exciting at first. In addition, a lot of people find that they do get very homesick if they are far away from school. Choosing a school close to home, or at least not completely across the country, might be a wise choice, especially if you do not have the means to travel home often. Many students find that later in their college career, sometimes just after the novelty of freshman year is over, that they really do miss their family and would rather be closer to home. Lastly, its totally OK if you do not know what you want to major in or what you want to be involved in. You WILL find your niche, just do things and study subjects that interest you. After all, thats what college is all about--finding out things and continuously learning about yourself and the world.

Do the research and do not be afraid to explore your options and go with your gut instinct, even if it means defying family traditional wishes because in the end it is YOUR university experience as a student- not theirs.

Follow your gut instinct - the vibe you get when visiting a campus is the best indicator of whether you will enjoy your time as an undergraduate there. When I first visited USC, I just loved the enthusiasm, spirit, and involvement of the students. Even though USC didn't quite fit the critera I thought I was looking for in a university, I just somehow felt it was the right place for me. Now that I'm a junior, I'm 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure I made the right decision. Every time I walk across campus I'm just so happy...I would urge other students to similarly visit each of their schools and chose the place that just feels right.

There are two pieces of advice that I would recommend for finding the right college: 1. Search for schools that have a major you are passionate about 2. Visit the school. You will know it's the one because it will "feel" right I am a first generation college student, and this was one of the hardest decisions of my life. I had nobody close to ask for advice. I was so confused that I considered taking a year off to create a plan. I decided that was silly and that I needed to jump into this headfirst. I started to think where I would want to be in the future. I've always been an entrepreneur, so I decided to pursue business. I was debating between USC, UCSB, and UCI (UCLA and Berkeley rejected me!). I was crushed UCLA didn't accept me, but looking back I'm so thankful because I wouldn't have the confidence and pride USC has given to me. From the moment I heard the Marshall dean speak, I knew I was in the right place. I even got chills! I belong somewhere now; I'm a trojan!

make sure that it is somewhere you are really excited about going to. figure out what kinds of activities the city has to offer.

The best advice I could give would be to look at what the student finds important and make sure that the university has a similar assessment. For example, if the student thinks it's important to give back to the community, you should make sure that the university has demonstrated that giving back to the community is a priority for them as well; this would be shown in things like the existence of a volunteer center on campus, lots of organizations with a service focus, etc. Also, be aware that no matter how much research you do, when you actually get to the university there are going to be surprises. There are some things you simply cannot know until you start attending.

It is very important that you not only visit the university which you are considering to attend, but you must spend an extensive amount of time there. (At least a week or so). Not only should you visit the campus, but also the surrounding areas, since much of students time is spent near their campus. I would advice you look into local papers as far as local crime rates, and check out on and off housing BEFORE you deside to attend. Furthermore, I would sit in some classes. Not only classes in your proposed major, but also general education classes as well. All of this will help you get a better feel for the environment that you will be in for FOUR years, and it is important that you are comfortable in it! Once you're there, simply try your best and not only do your best in class but get out and socialize. College is where you make friends for life, and the experience isn't as fulfilling without some good buds. (But keep a good balance between fun and studies too!)

Find the one that suits your personality

Visit the college before you decide, and become familiar with as much as you can concerning the college life.

Finding the right college takes so much effort. You have to factor in location, TUITION, student population, faculty, etc. Make sure you visit the schools, although pictures tell a thousand words they can you give a false representation of the school. In addition, get to know the student population, you could love the campus, but the students could possible the deciding factor in why you choose/not choose to attend a college. Consider, the type of school they are (religious, semester, quarter) schools even the little things matter such as class availability and size. What the curriculum consist of, it ALL matters. To make the most of the college experience you have to adapt well and make friends. Don't stress yourself out to the point where you feel that you made the wrong choice, everyone gets stressed out at college you are not the only one. Just plan out your schedule and study hard. In addition, join clubs, start a new one, take advantage of internships and other resources. Explore outside of the campus, maybe even get involved in the community and do volunteer work. College is the best time of your life, take advantage of it.

I think people try to find the one, but the honest truth is that most people will happy at more than one college. The experience is whatever you make it. Talking to my friends after I graduated, I realized that we all had entirely different experiences even though we attended the same university. Some of us were involved in service on campus, or residential life. Others chose to party or study most the time. There is no right answer and there is no perfect experience. Just realize that four years go by really quickly so plan accordingly. I think parents also need to realize that college is not just about academics. While that should be a student's priority, students learn and experience signficantly more outside of the classroom than they learn in it. College is about discovering who you are and learning to live on your own. Many students will make bad decisions and do things their parents may not approve of, but there is no better environment to make those mistakes than an educational one. Leaving college I feel much better prepared to adjust to living on my own outside of the university environment.

visit the college before accepting!!!!

i think the most important thing to do is research the schools that have strong programs in the field you are interested in. Don't choose a school based on their football team or greek life. Once you find matches academically, then look at the extras that the schools have to offer. Once you get in, make sure to get out there and get involved. Making friends to help you through the experience will make it that much better. You're there for 4 years, so make the best out of it and learn everything you can. It can only help you later on in life.

Honestly listen to what your kids want for themselves, not what you would have for them. Make separate lists, one from you with what you want your child to experience from your college days, and one for them of things they consider really important. Talk about the two and then decide from there. Also, it helps to go to a school with a lot of different strong programs, so that if your child wants to change majors, he doesn't have to transfer schools as well.

When choosing the right school, I truly believe that you need to visit the campus. I was lucky enough to visit USC's campus twice before I enrolled. One time I was even able to stay with a student. It was great because I shadowed her around campus and saw what it would really be like if I attended the school. As silly as it sounds, you will know when you're on campus if the school is right for you or not. I visited other schools and they just didn't give me the right vibe. Also, its great if you can talk to an alumni or current student. Before I applied, I interviewed with the school, and was able to ask the interviewer all about is favorite and least favorite things about the school. As far as making the most out of your college experience, my advice is to get involved. I was in a lot of organizations in high school, but I really found my passions in college. There are so many events going on, on campus, its a shame to waste them. Also explore the city your school is in, its great to expand your culture.