University of Virginia-Main Campus Top Questions

I would tell parents to let their kids decide which college is best for them. One of the best things my parents ever did for me was be extremely hands off in my college decision. Of course they drove me to campus visits and toured schools with me, and of course I talked to them about what colleges I was considering, but their voices and opinions never overpowered mine. I appreciated this immensely. Because they weren't constantly hovering over my shoulder and steering my decisions, I think colleges got a great idea of who I am in my applications. Speaking of applications, the best advice I can give to a student looking at colleges is to work hard on the applications! Yes, GPA and extra-curriculars matter, but this application packet is what the admissions office can actually SEE. They can hold it in their hands and read about who you are, so it's important to make your essays special. You can never start writing and revising too early, and be sure to be innovative, humorous, and thought provoking. The paragraph you are currently reading, for instance, would be far too generic for a college essay. Good luck!

Take time to search, go visit, and talk to students who are like you. Don't just talk to tour guide (who are biased), but talk to real students. Sit in on a class if you can. Know what you are getting into before you go.

Finding the right place for you can be difficult. I feel like the best way to know is just a feeling you get when you are on campus for the first time visiting. If you are getting excited about school and thinking of all the different activities you can see yourself doing at that place, then you've found the right college for you. School must make you excited to be there and anxious to move into dorms and meet people.

Consider what is most important to YOU, and then pray that God will show you where you belong. Sometimes the best place for you to attend is not what you would expect.

To find the right college, you need to look at the entire picture. The quality of the professors, diversity of classes & majors, size of the classes, and how well you like the campus are areas where everyone focuses, and rightly so. They are important, but don't forget so many other things that will be important as you go through your college years. Size of the athletic program, the careers office, internship opportunities, how scheduling works, study abroad opportunities, job placement after you graduate, proximity of on- and off-grounds housing, prevalence of fraternities/sororities, school spirit, there are hundreds of things that could be vital or meaningless to different individuals. Visit the campus, stop students walking to class and ask "what do you love about your school? what could they be doing better?". To make the most of your college experience, just get out there and do things. Volunteer, play sports, join clubs, there are thousands of things to do, and you will probably enjoy all of them to some degree. The people that seem to have the most fun are the people that involved in so many things that sleep is a luxury.

Find a place you enjoy for all aspects of the school. Academics should be the main priority, yet social life, athletics, and other variables should play a large role in where you go, for they will all impact your life there at one point or another.

Take your time visitng each campus, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Parents - let your son or daughter plan an overnight trip to one of his or her top schools to see what it is really like, because a one-hour tour is hardly enough to make a decision. Talk to current students who go to that particular college or university and see what they really think. If you have any idea what you would like to major in, do some research and figure out which schools you were accepted to have the best program for what you want to do. Other important things to consider: The cost of off-campus housing, the amount and extent of extra-cirricular activities, volunteer opportunities, if your school has a ROTC program or not, the financial aid and scholarship options your school offers, study abroad programs, and what kinds of undergraduate research opportunities are offered. Lastly, I would highly recommend sitting in on a big lecture class in a subject you are interested in to get a feel for what academics at that school are really like.

In order to find the most fitting college, a student and his family must visit the university and surrounding city for a weekend to soak in each unique atmosphere before making their decision. It would also help to have a mild idea of their carreer orientation in order to see what areas each university excels in before making the tough choice. In order to make the most of their college experience, i would recommend experimenting with various clubs and organizations available on campus as well as social opportunities such as greek event. Doing so will also enable the student to broaden his social affiliations and participate in a diverse community which is key for a university to prosper.

To make the most out of your college experience, don't listen to advices that encourages you to "explore" yourself during college. If you can, you should definitely get that done before college so you could make every semester count. In UVA, for example, students are extremely competitive and one slip could mean a big detriment to your college career and worse off even your future job. Keep in mind that once you have a solid and organized goal in your mind, it will be much easier to pursue a successful college career. In the end, college is not as rosy as what people makes it sound. You will have lots of fun, but what comes down in the end is really only your grades.

Keep your options open. College really changes you and you might end up choosing a field that you never expected you would be interested in. Don't stress too much about grades, but do your best in everything. Explore, and take advantage of opportunities offered because they might not come again.

Apply to affordable schools as well as dream schools. Also, don't skip out on the FAFSA from, regardless of your income

To find the right college, you need to look at the quality of professors. The professors will make or break you so try to find out if they research along with there teaching. Also, look at the statistics for the school. Find the school that is best for your major, no matter what the cost because professional jobs look for where you attended. To make the most of the college experience, you need to put yourself out there. You never know who you are going to meet and where, so join as many clubs as you can and step out of your shell. If you see someone sitting alone at lunch, sit with them. Make friends with your roommates and invite them to dinner or coffee to study. Make sure you get involved with research with a professor. They have the knowledge and they can accelerate any dreams you may have by giving you the "know-how." Also, attend different events. There are plenty of sporting events, or community service events that are a lot of fun and it gives you the opportunity to meet new people and get a feel for the university.

The most important part of selecting the right school is to closely review the academic program. Do not worry, you do not have to know exactly what you want to do in life. Some students know exactly what they want to do, many will change their minds. I would suggest to choose a college that has a broad spectrum of fields that may interest you. Also think of your personal learning style. Many colleges, although large, offer smaller class sizes depending on major and level of course work. Colleges that will help find internships are a must for future work opportunities. Real hands on work experience is essential. The social atmosphere is another important aspect of choosing the right college. Visiting the college is a must. I would suggest doing so in a personal setting. The university guided tours will teach some history and main things about the college, but actually living it is very different. Look into programs that offer prospective students to stay with current students. Do not forget to keep your options open. Apply to several schools if possible. Lastly, do not be deterred by a school with a reputation for rigorous coursework.

When you go to different campuses, look at the activity and how the students interact. For example, if everyone seems up beat and running around and active, and that's what you're looking for, it's a good sign. The other students are what make or break your college experience! Once you've started college, ask around to other students and look online for different clubs and activities that interest you. The most rewarding parts of college are when you are trying new things with groups of people who have similar interests, or when you find people who can teach you new things in a field you are already familar with. In this way you will have a fulfilling college experience, will meet many people, and will walk away a more well rounded person. Never stop asking questions, and force yourself to step outside of your comfort zone every once in a while. You'll be surprised the kinds of people you can meet and things you can accomplish!

I would tell parents and students to apply for as many scholarships as possible if not get recruited to play a sport in college. Also, know what you want to major in and ask for/look at the type of classes you would have to take for that degree. Also, don't sign up for so many classes just so that you finish in four years, sign up for the amount of classes that you can handle to make "A's." It's that important for life after college. It's also important to find the right resources for support in academics and social life. Definitely, go visit the college before you apply for it and check out what the campus and the people on it are really like.

The most important aspect of looking for the right college is looking for a college that you could call home. In truth, that college will be the student's home for the next four or more years. So the applicant must ask himself or herself these questions: am I looking to have a large or small family to grow with? Do I want to be close to my professors or be lost in the crowd? Am I looking for a peaceful home or one filled with excitement, partying, and a whirlwind social life? While the academic standards and financial limitations should be considered, it is most important for a student to find a college that fits his or her personality, for one may come out of Harvard with a degree in law but may also have been miserable and look back at college as a burden in life. College should be a fun and comfortable transition for a young adult into the real world. Therefore, a student should choose a college that he or she believes will be the most engaging and enjoyable home he or she will have the pleasure of living in.

I dont want to fill this out.

My advice to students about finding the right college is to go the open house for the college. You have to make sure you research the college of your choice to see if they give you enought financial aid,the cost of housing, what social events they have for students, and their extra cirricular activities.. Also the most important thing to research is if the college has the major that you are interested in and where is the department ,that you are interested in, ranked among other schools. You should find out what programs they have for students who are struggling academically. You should make a friend with someone who already attends the college of your choice so you can ask them questions about the college. You just have to make sure that you do your homework about the college you want to attend so that you can go into a great learning enviroment and be as comfortable as possible.

Be SURE to visit the school and shadow students first. Keep in mind that students knowingly describing their experiences to prospective students tend to idealize it, so make sure you get a sense of how the school really is.

Make a list of goals that you want to accomplish by the end of the college (they don't have to be career specific or major specific). Something like I want to have the most options of majors so I can try something new or I love sociology and want to learn more about it. They should be somewhat vague and open-ended. Then make a list of things that have led you to success thus far. Examples of this include I work best when I have someone to bounce idease off of, or I work best working in groups. Make sure that your college will accomodate both of these lists as fully as possible. I wish I had done this.