University of the Pacific Top Questions

It is absolutely necessary to visit all of the schools you are considering. You may have one institution in mind based on photos and effective wording on their website, but upon visiting you may do a complete 180 in your decision making. Visiting allows you to check out the surrounding areas, consider the drive to important or fun places of adventure, and really see the campus for yourself, both the good and the not-so-good parts. Once you get to the amazing new college you've picked, it is crucial that you get involved with something. This is the time to figure out for yourself what you believe in and what you want to fight for, either in your own life, in your community, or on a global scale. College students are empowered by school support, available resources, and by the students around them who are in support of their ideals. Play some intermural sports for fun, join a professional or social greek organization, and find a club or hobby that you will stick with. Get busy with activities, make special efforts to be around people, and get your schoolwork done beforehand!

There are many things to take into account before enrolling in a given college. Much emphasis is put on selecting a major prior to attending, but if an entering freshman honestly doesn?t know what they want to major in, entering with an undeclared major is not a horrible thing. Most students tend to change their major along the way, and being forced into picking a major that doesn't intrest you often makes you dislike that field even more because you must take classes you aren?t interested in. Plus entering college with an undeclared major allows one to explore different fields that they hadn?t previously considered. I am not undermining choosing a major if a student knows what they want to do, but speaking from experience, being forced to choose a major doesn?t really help the student grow. Once enrolled in a college, the key to getting the most out of the time spent there is getting involved. Whether it is by playing intramural sports, volunteering, joining an on campus group, or even joining a fraternity or sorority, you will make friends that will last a lifetime, and gain experiences to compliment the education received

College offers as much as you make of it. Even if you don't get your first choice, your second can offer just as much. You take from the programs what you choose. Do the work, become interested and explore topics on your own. Be flexible about your major. Things may catch your interest you never knew existed. Leave your dorm room door open when you're home. It's a great way to meet your floor mates. Join clubs and volunteer groups. Make friends outside your major. College is about learning things in the classroom and out. Enjoy it!

Knowing what you want to major in will help a lot. If your unsure at the time, don't go to an expensive school. Go to a cheaper school first, then when you know what you want to do, research for the best school to do it.

When choosing a college it is important to weigh many criteria. Obviously money is sometimes a factor, but remember that some schools provide substantial financial aid. Students should also feel comfortable on campus, if you don't like large crowds you should consider a smaller school. If you know what you want to major in, look for a school with a strong program, and good reputation in that area. To make the most of your college experience, be prepared to be open minded. You should be able to use this skill in and outside of the classroom. Don't stress too much, you need time to relax or you'll never get through. Have fun, you only have four years(on average) to be a college student. You have the rest of your life to be an adult.

Do research not just on school, but the city it is located in.

It is important to decide if you can be away from home or if you need to visit every weekend. It is lso very critical to be sure you understand your college town is where you or your student will be living most of the year. It is important to aknowlege that college is a level up from high school and if you find that you are having a difficult time with your first classes, hang in there. Let yourself adjust to the volume and intesity, dont give up. Lastly it is very important to take a ballanced corse load, this includes courses out side of your main desired major. Often it is the classes out of your major in which you learn the most about yourself as a person. To be the best student be sure you spend time on yourself, not only studying. College is all about ballance and growth. Enjoy your experience!

Make sure you visit each campus multiple times, i have many friends that always dreamed of going to duke or stanford since they started thinking about college. Well, they got in went there and hated it and not are going to CC's back at home figuiring out their lives. Just because one school has a better reputation than another doesnt mean it is the right choice

Visit the school, find out the school's philanthropy, and talk to the students that attend there. It is important to know what type of learning environment fits you best. Although it might seems like a big factor do not pick a school just for the name or prestige make sure it suites you. Even if the school you pick is not in the most interesting areas there are always tons of things to do on campus (and it gives you a reason to take road trips). Whatever school you pick make the most of the experience by being involved whether it is getting a job, joining a professional or social fraternity or sorority, joining clubs on campus, taking a leadership role, and/or volunteering. No matter the school you pick, once you have the right mind set, any school could be the right fit, just make sure to work hard where ever you go.

College is a time for you to learn about what you want to be. On the other hand, how you will get there is also important. Making mistakes can be hard; especially if you have never been far away from home. The place you choose will be a new home, and with that, your new family. The friends I made not only taught me more about people in general but also taught me more about myself. They were my new family and was there for me when I made mistakes. The best school for me was finding a school with people who I could call my family. Those were people I could trust my life with. You are the company you keep. The people you associate with can lead you to success or failure. In the end, it is your choice. Choose with your heart not to the credentials of the school.

Everyone should consider where they will fit in socially because it is your friends who will help you define who you are, but you always want to consider your future. Think about what eventually you may want to do. Right now you may not want to go to law school but one day it may be possible and you should keep that in mind. The most important thing is the future.

When looking for a college make sure it has an emphasis on the major that you are applying for, otherwise you will have a harder time because all off the school finances and new equipment go towards the students who are in the promoted majors. Make friends with the students in your classes, because they usually are going through the same problems you are.

Choosing the right college for you: 1. Decide what you (the student) is looking for at a university. For example, size of the campus, student and faculty ratio, diversity of students and faculty, location, etc. 2. Can you afford it? If not, does the school provide enough financial aid? 3. Visit the schools and talk to current students to learn more about that specific university. More specifically, ask them the pros and cons of being a student. Also, ask professors if and why they love teaching at that university to get a better idea of what kind of environment that university has for you. Making the most of your college experience: 1. Join student organizations. This will help find your passion and life long friends. 2. Talk to professors. Attend their office hours to figure out your future and to gain as much experience as you can at your university. This is later useful for letters of recommendation. 3. Enjoy it! Make life long friends and be engaged at your university! Remember that you are paying for your education. Give and receive as much as you can. Have fun while you are on this once in a lifetime journey.

I would tell prospective students to choose the college that is going to best prepare them for their career. The college experience is what you make of it and is often the same in many different places. What really matters is your education and getting the degree so that you can be successful after college. However, don't pick a college because everyone thinks it is prestigous. Do your own research and visit as many campuses as possible and see where you feel comfortable. Check out the dorms, classes and library especially because that is where you will be spending most of your time; and then ask yourself: can you picture yourself spending the next 4 years here? One more word of advice. Don't rush it! I am in an acclerated career path that would of required only 2 years of undergraduate before iIwent on to graduate school, but i decided to add a year. Take your time and enjoy these years of your life because they only come once. College is as much about maturing and evolving as it is about education and that is something that cannot be rushed, it can only come with time.

From all I have been told by my parents, it?s a difficult time to allow your child to be out on their own, but from my own experience having my parents still support me financially while making life decisions away from them was the most liberating experience of college. I attribute my independence to my parents allowing and encouraging me to try new things, getting involved in campus activities, trying different jobs, and being forced to do things on my own. The right college is about knowing some basics; big or small classes, type of environment one is comfortable living in, does it offer possible programs of interest, and are there opportunities for networking. Making the most of the college experience depends on the individual, but I strongly suggest living in dorms that is where I made my friends that form my core social circle, and be outgoing, no matter how unnatural it feels. College for most, is a fresh start, to become a new person and have new experiences. The best part is that there is a whole class of people who are going through the same life transition. Set the fears aside and enjoy the ride!

When you tour campuses you will know the right one because it will feel right! You will read the mission statement of the University and after talking with the people in the department you are interested in, you'll be so excited you cant wait to start working on projects with those people. Find a campus that?s close to things you enjoy doing besides school. For me it was being within a quick driving distance of the city to catch the nightlife or a ball game or the ability to hit up the slopes in a couple short hours. I also suggest looking into the campus recreation department and find out what other members of the student body do with their free time. Intramural sports and campus recreation are a huge part of the entire college experience. The final suggestion would be make sure you can find affordable housing with people you can trust, and with adequate study space as you'll be spending plenty of time doing that. Good Luck!

Give yourself adequate time to apply for scholarships and grants that may be available. Know how much it will cost you for your entire education well in advance. Keep a portfolio of reference letters essays, etc, so that you are not duplicating work that you have already done when it comes to applying for schools and financial aid. Find a mentor at the school you want to attend that can advise you of everything that is available at the school. Take a tour and sit in on some classes. Talk to staff and students and spend time on the campus just observing.

Don't think too hard about a college--- just go with your gut feeling... I had a wonderful experience at my undergradrate university, but I feel that I would have had a great time and just as fine of an academic experience had I chosen to attend a different school. The experience and education is what you make of it.

Campus tours are important, visit your prospective school, tour the classes and housing. If money is an issue, look for schools that offer financial aid, and private Universities, as they tend to offer more financial aid. Private Universities also tend to have smaller classes, smaller campuses and the students and faculty are closer. Talk to people in your classes and make friends, go to university events, as thats where you're going to meet people. Make sure to have fun, but don't neglect your school work! thats the whole reason you're going there!

Planning ahead, visiting the campus (if possible), and shadowing students with the same anticipated major would be great ways to help in the college selection process. If one already has a major in mind, do some research about the school to see the reputation of that department and talk to professors and current students to get insight. Contact the admissions office to get more information about financial aid and other experience enrichment programs the school offers. Keep all options open until a finalizing decision for college. To make the most out of the college experience, plan out courses year by year with the student's advisor since that would help keep the student on track. Don't be shy to talk to student mentors or advisors to get advice. When entering college, remember to bring in good work ethics, study habits and motivation since the transition from high school to college can feel weird but just be sure to stay on track and don't get distracted or lazy. Put together a reasonable academic schedule and set aside some time for rest and relaxation so one doesn't get burned out while staying on top of lecture and reading material.