Admissions Expertise Any tips on getting the most out of campus tours and info sessions? Take advantage of your campus visit by talking to current students. The tour guide and the info sessions will give you the basic information. Students can help you get a feel for the campus and the student body itself. Ask them about what campus is like on the weekends, is it easy to find an internships, and are the professors truly accessible to the students. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. Are guidebooks, relatives, and rankings useful in choosing a school? Guidebooks, relatives and rankings are all valuable components in the decision process. But college visits will help you decide whether or not the campus is a good fit. Talking to current students and even professors are other components in your decision. Relying solely on one or two things can cause you to have a distorted view of the college and keep you from being realistic about what they can offer you. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. Does class size matter? Small class sizes mean more attention from the professor and more connection with your fellow classmates. If you're the type of learner that requires a more intimate setting and interaction, class size will matter to you. If you're the type of learner that is self-motivated and can study on your own, the size of the class will most likely have little affect on your grade or your learning outcomes. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. How do you deal with overbearing parents during the college process? Sit down and have "a talk" with your parents and let them know that while you do need their help, you want to "drive the car" during the process. Ask them to help you with organization and advice, but explain to them that you are trying to become an independent and responsible adult. Tell them that colleges expect YOU to "own" the process and you want them to see that you are capable of just that. Thank them for their help and support and assure them that you can handle this important task on your own. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. Tuition aside, what benefits and drawbacks exist by going to school in-state vs. out-of-state? Statistics show that most students stay within 50 miles of home when going to college. Being close to home can be a benefit or a draw back. On the one hand, it allows the student to travel home often. On the other hand, it discourages independence and could keep the student dependent on their parents. Consider carefully the decision to remain in-state, especially when discounting other private colleges that might offer better aid packages to students out of their area. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. When should parents begin saving for college? The sooner the better. But if you haven't done so and your student is approaching high school, you should start finding ways to stuff some money aside every month. Encourage your student to work during summer breaks but don't put the money in their name because that money will be used to decrease your aid substantially. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. What are some convenient, well-paying jobs for students who need to work while in college? In today’s competitive job market, you must prepare for your future after graduation. The good news is that campus career centers are concerned about this goal as well. The even better news is that there are paid internships available to prepare you for your future career. If you need a job to help pay for bills, ask the career center to help you locate paid internships related to your major. By using this strategy, you will kill two birds with one stone: snag a decent paying job and use your job experience to build your resume and your network. 873 Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. What can I do with a major in the arts if I don't get full-time work as a performer /artist ? Consider interning or shadowing someone in the industry to get some experience and make some contacts. It would be a great networking opportunity. Since many internships are unpaid, think about working in any creative capacity such as part of the backstage crew or the communications/PR departments. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. Has social media impacted the way colleges communicate with students? Colleges are now able to connect more personally with students using social media and students are able to communicate in the same way. Colleges have recognized the value of this type of marketing and have begun to reach out to students and parents using the tools available in social media: Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, Some colleges have even begun to text messages to students about the applications and acceptances. It's a whole new college world out there. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. How can parents help students with the college search and application process? The hardest part of parenting a teen is coaching them to do things themselves and attain increased levels of independence. As far as the college process goes, you have three roles as a parent. I call them the 3 C’s. Chart the course by helping them plan for the future. Catalog the journey by keeping track of the details. Cheer them on by encouraging them to study hard, volunteer and get involved in extracurricular activities. Be a coach, not a taskmaster, by following the three C’s: Chart, Catalog and Cheer. Your teen will be happy, well-rounded and prepared for college. 162 Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. How many schools should I apply to? Most students apply to between 7 to 10 colleges. Make sure that your applications fall into 3 categories: your reach schools (colleges that might be a reach but POSSIBLE); your match schools (colleges that you would be right in line with the average student accepted); your safety schools (colleges where your qualifications are measurably above the average applicant). Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. See More Questions Close