William Paterson University of New Jersey Top Questions

College is just as much about social growth as academic growth. College is also what you make it. Its not about the school or the people persay but more about what you do.

My first piece of advice to students and parents would be not to think that the only way to get the college experience is for students to live at school. I have lived home for the entirety of my college years and have had a great experience so far. Your experience at college will depend on your personality and how much you look for accomplishing. Those experiences are there, it is just a matter of being open to them. My second piece of advice to students would be to enter college with a positive attitude and to be as friendly as possible! College is a great place to meet new people and truly find friends that you will keep for a life time. I have made many friends over the past two years simply by smiling and saying hello to the person sitting next to me. Always keep an open mind about the people and environment of your college and do not sell yourself short by keeping quiet throughout your college years. Weather you decide to live on campus or not, your college experience is what you make of it and can be as stimulating or calm as you like.

College is an institution the helps mature an individual to finding their way in life. It is a place to explore and develop a sense of one's self. Students should explore every possible gateway of opportunity because everyone should be indulging themselves with knowledge. The choice of college should include in a well diverse setting because we live in a world with individuals who are uniquely and culturally different. Students should have an opened mind to change and appreciate others for their differences. Students should always take advantage of the wonderful programs being offered at their institutions. People should be opened to meeting new people and learning from their experiences. Programs that include community service and traveling to different countries are amazing outlets to discovering one's self. Students should always want to strive for the best because with every struggle solved comes a new stage of enlightenment.

Explore all of your opportunities, utilize all of the resources given to you and don't rule anything out. One should be open-minded, open to new experiences and maintain focus toward acheiving your ultimate goal. College should be viewed as an adventure in finding "you" and discovering your God given potential.

Finding the right college must be done one step at a time. Make a list of what you enjoy: basketball, languages, partying. Now translate those into more collegiate terms: emphasis in sports, strong language department, a party school. From these college traits, you should compile a list of several colleges that fit most of your criteria. So far, we were only concerned with how the college fits with you. Now, we have to see how much you fit into that college. Does the college admit students in your GPA & SAT range? Will you be able to afford the tuition? Will your parents allow you live on campus? These questions are your limits. The college that fits the most of your criteria without interfering with any of your limits is the right college for you. Finding the right college but not making the most of it is like finding the perfect house to live in...and burning it down. Not pretty. Push yourself to the limits by studying hard and participating in campus activities. Pursue your interests but still keep an eye on new things. Most of all, have fun. Even Newton took time off to rest under the apple tree!

I would tell them to choose a college that has the major that they want to pursue, such as fine arts. in order to save money, as well as to avoid the daily hassles of traveling many distances back and forth, i would advise them to either choose a college that is very close to their home, or live on campus. I would also advise them to do things that can be great for their resume such as extracurricular activities, internships, doing volunteer work, and activities that deal with their major. They could take the oppurtunity to work with proffessionals by taking internships, which can further prepare them for their future carreer. They can also take the oppurtunity to take classes during the summer to finish college much sooner. To do well in classes, they could get academic tutoring. They can do research, as well as study, in the campus library. they can take big steps to avoiding bad grades. they can take that time in college to improve in their major by getting influenced by proffessionals in the field.

Speak with the techers

I would say to look around and make sure that you really want to go there. Check out every area of the college to make ure its right for you. You are going to apend the next four years there and you dont want to waste it.

Each student has a college that is specific to their needs. I think one of the most important steps in choosing a college is visiting the campuses. You get a true feel for a school when you visit the campus. Leave your options open and learn and research as many schools as possible. Make a list of priorities that you look for in a school and ask yourself questions. Do you want to live on campus or off campus? How far do you wish to be away from home? Some schools are known for specific majors which can attract you to those certain schools. After you make a list of your top five schools, appy early. The earlier you get your application in, the better. Apply for any scholarships and financial aid early also. College is the next step in life. Always remember to enjoy it!

find the college that fits you best, money should be a concern, but it shouldn't be the only thing factored into your decision. make sure of the opportunities that are available for after you graduate because that is what your ultimate goal is

As cliche as it may sound, college is like life, it is what you make of it. I dont think that at 18 anyone knows what they truly want to do with the rest of their lives. My advise is to go to a decent, mid-sized, diverse university and enroll as undecided. In doing so you will take several general classes as a freshman and met people from different ethnicities that can teach you things you cant learn in the classroom. Taking general classes can give you a feel for what it is you want to get out of your education at your school. I strongly advise that full-time students DO NOT work full-time. You should only work part time, and only if you have to. Your college years are years that are supposed to be the best of your life, dont rush through them, join sports and campus activities. This is a time to be a sponge and absorb all that you can. In the years after your education you will be greatful for having experienced what some only wish they could have.

Don't pick the school that your child goes to, help steer them in the right path when picking a school. The school kind of has to fit their personality and intrigue them.

find a school that meets all your needs

My advise to parents would be to make sure that the college offers what your child needs to pursue their goals. Be match the school with the program your child whats to acheive in. Also, be sure that the setting and environment of the school is complimentary to your childs personality. Most importantly, keep asking questions regarding how they are enjoying their experience. Don't dwell on the prying type questions, but focus on questions regarding their sense of well being. Most importantly, be sure to make yourself available to them at all times and be sure they know they have your support.

I would definately tell them that you can be easily distracted but you have to concentrate to stay on track. You need to definately organize your agenda to make sure you have enough time to finish everything that needs to get done. It may seem overwhelming but take one step at a time and you will do fine. Take advantage of everything the campus offers you including extra help and tutoring. Talk to your teachers if you are having trouble keeping up with the class and don't be afraid to voice your opinion.

The advice that I would give to parents and students is to research the college that you are interested in attending. Also, compare the different schools that you are interested in and figure out which college best fits the student and the student's intended major. Something else that is helpful, is to visit the school and take a campus tour to see if you like the campus, how big or small it is etc. In making the most out of your college experience you should definitely join any clubs and/or activities. However, some of us commute and work therefore we cannot really afford to stay at campus and socialize. However, what I suggest to do is to talk to people in your class and around campus and you might develop a nice friendship with those people. Talking to people around campus and making new friends every semester can help you when you are a freshman and need help with things and finding place. College is a great experience and although it may be very stressful at times one has to learn how to have a good time and work hard--having a balance is the key!

Find a college that would best prepare you for your future.

When exploring colleges, start early. I started my sophomore/junior year in high school, even though I did not know what I wanted to do. This allowed me to look at all the aspects that a school had to offer. Consider everything that a school has to offer, such as internship opportunities, campus culture, campus diversity, on and off campus housing, and the environment/culture that surrounds the school. One thing that I think should not be a top reason for NOT attending a certain school is money and financial aid because you could miss out on not only a great education, but a great opportunity to make new friends. As for making the most of the college experience, live on campus for at least your first year, no matter how close to the school you live. This gives you a feel for living on your own, also allows you to meet new people and experience life on campus outside of the classroom. The best piece of advice that was given to me that really helped ease the transition between high school and college: study hard, but make sure you have just as much fun!

Having the experience of finding the "right" college for myself, I would advise the students to seriously consider what major they are interested in pursuing for the rest of their lives. It's something that they will need to devote their time to it in order to generate feedback from the hard work that was put in. I have to say William Paterson University is not my first choice; however, I committed myself to doing well in school and I am satisfied with the education that I received out of it. Academic work is important, but as most people know, extracurricular activities are also a key to success since it's a great way for people to socialize. To make the most of the college experience, socializing is definitely the way to do it. Whether the students are on-campus or off-campus, they can always socialize with others to generate a good networking environment. I can say 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of people having a ?good? networking environment will lead to success toward their future career.

I would tell them to make sure that the school they pick has a campus pleasing to the student. If the student dislikes the campus, his acedemic experience and social experience might suffer. If a college is too large for a student, he might be overwhelmed and lost in the shuffle. In order to make the most of the college experience, I encourage firstly being involved in the college community. By joining a club or sports team, students have a chance to meet new people who hold similar interests.