Virginia Commonwealth University Top Questions

Let's be honest, I could give the same advice as everyone is going to give...go on tours, visit an unnecessary amount of schools and take all the advice you can get from your friends. I'm not going to give you any of that advice, though. What I am going to tell you is listen to your gut. That sounds cliche, but it's true. If you had any inkling of an idea of where you wanted to go to school your sophomore or junior year, you were probably right. Now, what to do when you arrive at that school is another story. To really make the most of your college experience, I would tell you to just have fun. That, yet again, is also a cliche piece of advice, yet I truly believe it to be true. Go to parties, stay up all night at least once, even if you have to make those crucial 7-11 runs at three in the morning. Take a day trip to the river, or beach with your friends and a cooler. It's all part of the experience, and it's one you'll never forget.

First and foremost, I would suggest parents and students to visit all the universities that they are interested in. Whether the life style, or the surrounding area, or the programs that the school offers, every upcoming college student should at least come and spend a day there to experience the real life at the campus. On the day visiting the university, parents and students can ask as many questions as they want from the students who currently go there. Make sure that parents and students have written down everything they want to ask in case if they forget to. Again, do not hesitate to ask any student about the school. However if financial problem is the most important to the students, then students have to compare and choose whoever offers the most money to cover all the college expenses among all the accepted universities. Once students choose to attend the university, they have be responsible for their tuition fee, so if the students have money difficulties then do not choose to go the school they like but cannot afford to pay and waste time for transferring.

The advice that I would give to a parent would be to choose the college that offers the most money. College is a big transistion from high school and if possible let your child talk to someone that has been to college. Maybe before their senior year let them stay on a college campus to get a feel for what it is like. School never gets easier it's only to going to get harder as you get closer to being out in the real world. College is going to be the best time in your life. Make friends that are trying to go the same place that you are going. The friends that want to succed in life and make something of themselves. Focus more on your education and not your social life. Your social life can sometimes take your focs away from the prize and don't let it happen. The best college I would say is whatever you can afford.

I believe the most important part of decidng what school you want to attend, is to make sure you visit the school on a Friday. I say this because, you can experience the most important part, the classroom experience, and also the social experience. When I say the social experience, I do not mean the parties (yet), I mean seeing some of the people you will be interacting with on a daily basis. You can do this by eating a meal at the main cafeteria, which allows you to taste the food you will be eating (for at least freshman year), and also the types of people who attend that school (and seeing them in a relaxed food setting is best). It may be apprehensive at first but before you know it, you wil be wondering where your first year went.

Find a good group of friends, and balance you work and play time well.

No matter how many hours you can spend sitting and flipping through pamphlets or websites on a certain school, nothing can compare to actually going out and visiting colleges. In order to find the school of your dreams you have to be able to visualize yourself living there. Most students attend college for at least two years or more; therefore if your not comfortable enough to simply visit a school, chances are you won't like living there for four years either. The most important thing to remember is that college should be a reflection of you as the student. With tuition costs rising more and more each year, it would be absurd for your parents to shovel out so much money for something your just not that passionate about. As much as we would like to say, "pick the school with the best academic standings," it all comes down to what YOU want and who YOU want to be. VCU is not listed as one of the greatest schools in the nation, however I as a student and as a person have never felt more complete and sure about myself since I've been here. Remeber: Passion is knowledge.

The best advice I can give about finding the right college is find a college that fits you! When you walk on to a college campus you should just know that that college is the one you are destined to go to. Also, even if a college has a huge population of students it is easy to become a number but it is just as easy to stand out and find your way. To make the most of the college experience I would say focus on academics first and social life second. It may be the most 4 years of your life, but if after those 4 years you have no where to go you may regret it. It is easy to have a social life and still do well, you just have to know when you must focus on work and when you can play. Overall, have fun but don't slack!

It is important to have a clear view of what you want to major in. Though not everyone knows what they want to study right away, if so, then you should look at the areas aroung the college and see if you would feel at home there. The most important thing to remember is that college is a life experiance and it will be where you will grow as a person so you should pick what feels right.

I would tell students find the school that is right for you, not for your friends or parents but for you. The school should have what majors you are looking for and what interests you. You should try and keep you work load to a moderate level your freshman year. Overwhelming yourself your first year is not a good idea transitioning to college is a different experience then anything you have done before. It is a great experience, but different. Always remeber to have fun, college is for learning but also to make friends and have fun.

My biggest piece of advice is simple: Don't pick a college based on that fact that you already "know" what you want to do. Take "plan B" into consideration. Most kids have an idea of what they want to do, or a dream job, and most of the time college is the road to that job. That's great, but most kids change their mind about what they want to do once they get there. If you're stuck in a college that only really focuses on one type of career and it turns out that you want to be something else, you're (for lack of a better term) screwed! Set yourself up to have the freedom to change your mind and still come out with a degree that employers recognize. If it turns out that you kept your original plans then you didn't hurt yourself, but you could if you get stuck in the aforementioned situation.

Go and check out the college and see if it is the best for you. Check out the statistics and demographics to make sure you won't be an outcast. You make school fun so it is up to you to go out and become social because events won't come looking for you. Also learning a foreign language is a great medium for communication between different people.

Size, location, diversity, and programs offered.

I would say the best advice to give would be to choose a university that fits your personality. And with that if you choose the right one will help you make the best of your college experience. Make friends, join clubs, get involved with your school as much as you want.

Don't wait until the last minute for things. That is a terrible idea.

To the student: Go to the school you want. Do not go somewhere because your family did, you like the football team or you think the institution?s name will give you a step up in competition. Choose a school where you feel physically, emotionally, mentally and academically comfortable. Visit every campus you seriously consider so you can get a true feeling for the setting. While visiting, interact with the institution?s students and faculty. They are the best tool for receiving information about the university. The institution you choose will nurture you for the next four or more years. You will feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed if you are not honest in making your decision. Do not allow admissions to distract you. Stick with figuring out where you will achieve the most success. As a result, you will flourish academically and enjoy the overall college experience. Students who do not have to compensate for or cover subpar grades enjoy the social aspects of college more. The most important piece of advice - be honest with yourself during the college hunt. To the parent(s): Listen to your child. Remember, they will live the four years not you.

College is everything that a person needs to experience in life. When students decide to go to a particular college, it?s choosing his/her specific path in life. Yes in many cases, students may go one direction and choose another later on in like, but outside that education box, there is something else that shapes and molds the students into who they can be in the future. In order to choose the right college for someone can be hard, but also simple. First I would like to recommend thinking about his/her dream. What they want to be or what they want to accomplish in life. This is one big chapter that they are going to write about. When they have found the perfect view or a possibility idea, and then choose the college that best represents their interest. All University or college would have something close but I believe there would be that one specific college will shine. Making the best experience in college is to achieve more then you have to and to do your best. Professors, education, friends, whatever you come across, just give your best and your all. So you won?t have any regrets.

The perennial pursuit of finding, surviving, and thriving in a college can be accomplished easily keeping in mind a simple age-old aphorism: Know thyself. Leaving the nest for college can cause anxiety for both parents and students, but one can truly relish the college experience for what its worth with planning and preparation. Before deciding on the right college or university, prospective students and their parents need to ascertain their preferences for a higher education. The size, location, environment, and programs offered at different institutions should all come into play when making such an important decision. While finances can be instrumental in making the final decision, scholarships and loans cannot be discounted. After acceptances have come in and finances been taken into account, even if a student does not end up at his or her first choice for college, the potential for an amazing experience is still there. One cannot sell him or herself short. Students should follow what already interests them, making sure to explore foreign coursework and extracurricular activities also. Most importantly, balance and restraint should be present in the aspiring student's life; balance between work, fun, and time for oneself. The ride is worth it.

You need to analyze yourself & your reasons for going to college prior to starting your search. Why, really, are you going? What are your abilities & strengths? What are your weaknesses? What do you want out of life ? something tangible or intangible? Are you socially self-sufficient or do you need warm, familial support? Talk with your family, friends & high-school counselors as you ask these questions. The people who know you best can help you the most with these important issues. Your college does not have to be bigger than your high school. college is a time to explore, and a smaller community is more conducive to internal exploration. It is not the number of people, but the people themselves and the kind of community in which you will learn that really matters. You will likely find that success in life has less to do with the choice of college than with the experiences and opportunities encountered while in college, coupled with personal qualities and traits. Employers and graduate schools are looking for outstanding skills and experience, not college pedigrees.College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Finding a good fit requires time/thoughtfulness.

Choosing the best college for you might seem very tedious but once you've found the right college, you'll be very pleased with your decision. Everyone wants to feel comfortable and have friends, and that?s exactly what you should look for when scouting for colleges. Making college everything you want it to be is totally up to the student. You can be a party animal or a study bug, which ever makes you happy, go for it. But we must always remember, the choices we make in college will definitely affect us in the future?so be careful and make wise decisions.

Have fun, do you best and make the most of it