Wilkes University Top Questions

When you're looking at colleges, try to imagine yourself there. Stay overnight. Understand that you're going to be living at this place for years. Take notice of the other kinds of people that are on that campus. Remember, once you're at college, to balance your time. There's a time for academics and studying and learning, but there's also a time to socialize. College is wonderfully fun, and I think it's extremely important to give yourself time to be social. Not only because it's fun, but because it gives you time to relax. College can get stressful. Plus, you're going to want to have friends that can support you during your years at college, especially the first year when you're bound to get at least a little homesick. Privacy is a very important part of college life. When you live in such close contact with so many people, there will be nosy people who try to get in your business. The best thing to do is to respect others space and try to find a place where you can have some alone time.

Finding the right college can be difficult for any parent or student. The right college is always dependent on the student?s character and the parents comfort level. A student who likes athletics would go to a school with a good athletics program, or if a student those not like larger classrooms than the student would go to a smaller school. Likewise, if a student is afraid he or she would not be able feel relevant in a larger school than they should pick a smaller school. A parent should help a child pick a college based on their comfort level with the school. If the parent does not feel like the student is not getting the attention, protection, or supervision necessary than the college isn?t right for the student. For a student to fully utilize their college experience they should become part of the college environment. The student needs to participate in as many activities as possible get to the now the campus community and the community outside of the campus. As a student knows more people he or she gains more connections with administrators. Personally, I believe that is a benefit to going to a smaller school.

ask the students that attend the college about it, dont just look at panflits/ websites go and visit and see everything that the school has to offer

Each student has to find a school that fits them. If you visit the school and you don't LOVE it - keep looking! Every school out there is different and each one has something special about it. The trick is finding that special something that makes you think "you know what? I see myself here." And definitely don't be afraid to try something new. Moving to a new town, making new friends and seeing all the exciting things that schools in our country have to offer - they're all wonderful reasons to go to college. Sure, you're there to learn more about your chosen major, but you're also there to learn about yourself. It's a great time to grow and discover new things about you and the world surrounding you. College is a place to help you follow your dreams - don't ever lose sight of that. Have fun, take in all the education and use the resources provided to you to help you become the person you want yourself to be.

Take more than one trip to a school to see all the aspects behind it. Do alot of research before making your decision, and even find students who go there to get a true opinion from the students aspects.

My advice to parents is to let your child make their own decisons about where they will go to college. If you are at a school only because it is where your parents wanted you to go, you will not feel comfortable and put forth your best effort. Also, being away at college forces you to mature and not rely fully on your parents. If parents are too involved in the college decison making and experience, they may prevent thier child from growing up. My adive for students is to choose a school that best fits you. Do not go to a school because that is where you friend, boyfriend or girlfriend is going. Your college is where you will spend the best years of your life if it is somewhere where you feel comfortable and where you truly want to be.

The best advice is to visit the campus before you decide to go there and try to set up an overnight visit. Spending time with students who live on campus can give one a great feeling of how the atmosphere changes from morning to evening. The transition to busy mornings to laid back afternoons can really change ones opinion about their first impressions or how the campus sounds on paper. Meet with an academic advisor and spend some time to find out course offerings and see where/how alumni of the desired degree program are in the field. Although many highschool graduates don't know exactly what they want to do (and I was certainly one of them) it is a great idea to speak to an advisor as they can give great insight into their field of expertice and other related fields. They also know some secrets about other departments which may draw interest to other fields.

Pick a school that you will be happy with academic wise .

I would tell the parents and students to have a plan, because a college education is costly, but in the same respect rewarding. Although, I would tell the students to decide what college is best for them depending on there area of concentration not just because there friends are going to the same school. However, if they are undecided I would go to a community college for a year or two and take some classes to figure it out. It is not my choice to make for anyone, but in order to make the most of your experience you should be working towards your degree in something that you want to do. Also, a student needs to know how to balance there student and personal life well. Take what you can from the college experience, because it will give you a glimpse of what it is like in the real world. Lastly, it is your education make the most of it and most importantly good luck!

My advice would be to take tuition costs into conisderation. You will have to pay off those loans sooner than you know it. Also, visit lots of campuses, you'll never know which type you'll like best until you see all different types. I liked the fact that I lived far enough away that I couldn't communte, but close enough to home so I could come home whenever I wanted. Do an internship early. I waited until senior year and by then its too late to see if you'd like a career such as the one your interning at!