Abilene Christian University Top Questions

To all students going to college for the first time: when applying to college make sure you find a college that will fit ALL of your needs. Don't just settle on the first college you see, after applying to those colleges go to the school and take a tour as well as stay for a weekend to make sure that it is a school you are comfortable at. When you finally get to college always put your academics before your social life. If you get these two mixed up you will get behind on your studies and will end up having to cram the night before it's due. Above all have fun at college it is some of the best times you will experience so make it worth while.

Find a college that most reflects and compliments your morals and goals. Look for a school that will challenge you every step of the way rather than coddle you and make you lazy. The scarier a class or program may sound, the more you will benifit from it.

Ask the students and faculty what they really think about the university outside of a typical visitation. Make sure that people are able to say good AND bad things about the university. Otherwise you know that they are just trying to get you to buy into their marketing ploy instead of actually providing you a full and enriching college experience. The most important thing you can do while attending college is to find your niche. It may not be the first school that you attend. Find a place that has the resources to encourage you and drive you to succeed, whether that be teachers, difficulty in courses and/or other students. It is necessary to have a foundation to build on, and these are the best building materials.

College selection is the first part of shaping the rest of your life. Select a college that reflects the goals, morals and philosophy that will direct you in the direction that you want spend your life. College is not just about having fun and partying. It is provide you with the educational knowledge and charater enhancement to prepare you for your selected career.

A university offers a unique experience to a student. Depending on their personality and individual desires I think selecting a university is about being comfortable. For the parents, they need to be reassured that their student will be taken care of to an excellant extent. For a student, they need to have room to grow and expand themselves in a new and exciting way.

Definately start with the cost. You don't want to be stressing about paying for school when you're working hard to focus on your course work. If financial aid is your main resource do research on it and don't be afraid to ask. Financial aid counselors are there for you and can help you find and apply for a lot more than just your FAFSA, loans, and school scholarships.

Sometimes when looking for a college, people tend to focus on the wrong things. Although academics are extremely important, sometimes it's okay to go to a school that isn't well known for being the top academic school. If you don't get into the most famous school, it's still okay. There are so many school out there that have great programs, but they are often overlooked because they are too small. You can still receive a great education and get a great job if you go to a smaller, less known school.

Look for something cheap.

Go where you feel led to. Not where parents, advisors, and high school teachers tell you. If you go somewhere you don't want to go, you'll end up hating it, regardless of academic standing, social standing, and economic standing.

One of the most important things to consider is location. How far you want to be from home.The furher you are away from home, the harder it is to communicate with your family and it makes it more difficult for family members to provide help for you. My suggestion is that you pick a school that is between two or four hours from your home. This way you can conviently make trips between home and school. Another thing you should consider when considering a school is size. Think about the environment you want to be in. Large campuses allow plenty of opportunites to meet new people. However, students may not be able to reach staff members on a personal level or get the correct amount of individual assistance. I suggest going to a smaller school. You will feel more like your apart of a commuinty and you will have better communication with staff members. One more important thing to consider when searching for a school is tuition. Consider how much it will cost and how you will pay. There are many opportunites for students to get the money needed for college, so look around and form a plan.

The best advice I can give to students applying to college is to submit all your applications as soon as possible to a variety of Universities. Even if you?re not sure you want to attend that specific institution it?s still beneficial to have at least applied; you can always opt to not attend. Honestly it is less stressful to have as many options as possible early on, because at least you?ll know you?re going to college somewhere. My advice to parents is to not add extra stress to the soon to be undergrad student. Writing essays, fishing for recommendations, locating transcripts, and acing the ACT while still attempting to have somewhat of a memorable senior year is demanding and stressful. Remember your child wants to go to college and get out of the house as much as you want them to go as well, so be as supportive as possible. I think parents and students both have to remember that no matter what University or College you choose you?re going to find other students similar to yourself ready to learn and grow. Be open-minded; that?s when the most growth occurs.

My advice for an upcoming student and parent, would be lay down some guidelines in which both parties are looking for. You might want to mention the basics: location, distance, environment, public or private, sports, co-ed, and major. As for students, do not take for granted if your parents are willing to be invovled in your school choice. Take advantage of all opportunities communicating with your parents, you will need them and they will need to know (somethings). One mistake new students often make, is the choice they make for a school. Make a wise choice for your future because that is where it will reflect. As for parents, stay open minded and advice as many college visits as possible. Be an advisor, give them as much information as possible, help them see the big picture they would like for THEIR future. Most importantly, find information together, that way both of you will know the same thing and help each other understand

The transition from high-school to college life begins much sooner than you think. It starts at home when the student begins to embrace that from now on their decisions influence everything that they do, with real consequences. The best thing a parent and a student can do is take the burden of paying for college seriously, and develop accountability for the tasks ahead.

Go somewhere so you can discover yourself. It's good to have family, but it's really good to know who you are individually. College is a great place to find more so what you enjoy and what you are good at. No matter which college you end up at, you have the opportunities to define yourself. You not only learn academically, but you really begin to learn about yourself. Take advantage of the options presented to you.

Find the one where you can academically achieve and make great friends and have fun

When picking a college do your research. Make sure the college is who they say they are. Make sure that the college offers a financial aid package that best suits you. Make sure that the college is everything you want it to be and if it is'nt that is will strive to suit your needs.

I could tell you the redundant, yet true advice I heard a million times about going to school: pick one that has a good program for what you want to study, get involved, and meet as many people as you can. These words of wisdom are great, but there are a few that I think are even more important, at least they was for me. When selecting a college, make sure you know as much as you can about it. Know what to expect: you are already embracing on an adventure, might as well be as well-educated as you can. Find a place/group/club that you not only fit in, but are accepted and needed. Especially for the students who go to school out-of-state, this place could be your home-away-from-home. Finally, go with the flow. Realize that you're in a weird place in your life (like a metaphorical waiting rooom). You are there with others, use them as resources. Do not fight what others have learned in their time. Don't try to figure everything out or do everything for yourself. And of course, love yourself and the person you are becoming.

Make sure that it is what you want, that the college has the degree program that you want. Make sure that if you get homesick easily that it's not too far from home, but just the right distance. That one has read reviews about the school and the reviews match up to when you go visit the school. A college visit is a must because it gives you a chance ot see the campus and maybe even get to sit in on a class. Once you do get into a college, it is very important to get involved in organizations because that is how you meet people and make new friends. The best thing to do, would be to join a Fraternity/Soritary because that is where you find friends for life.

My personal advice for anyone seeking to find the right college for their son/daughter or for themselves is to go out and actually see the campus, talk to the students on campus, and see what they have to say about the schools you are planning on applying to. For me personally I wanted to find a school that had a great balance with the social side of campus, but had a great program for me academically. I am hoping to attend dental school in two years, and I would never have applied to my school had it not had great programs for preparing students to apply to dental school. Applying to college is all about finding a balance between the things that are most important to you. This is what life is going to be like so you may as well start practicing finding a balance now. When you make it to college, enjoy yourself. Remember that you are going for an education first and foremost, but do your best to make friendships that are going to last a lifetime. After college it is back out to the world and your job so enjoy the time you have.

look at every option you have before you choose right off the spot.

The most important thing is to know what you want of out of your individual college epxerience. Not necessarily what exact major, but whether you want a big or small school, private or public, liberal or conservative. Do you want to be in a sorority/ fraternity? Do you want to take a car? Do you want to play sports? These are things to think about while doing researching on the internet. Narrow it down to one or two absolute favorites, and three or four other choices you like. Look for all your prerequesites, then see what each campus offers that is unique. Then start visiting. I definitely recommend taking advantage of whatever "college days" your high school gives you and visiting (at least) your top three schools. Then when it comes time, sent in your applications. Once you get to college, I recommend two things. First- get involved. Join a club, play intramurals, start a study group for your hardest class. Second, don't go visit home every weekend and don't have your parents come visit you. College is all about growing up, and you can't do that if you are constantly surrounded by your parents. Good Luck!

First, know what you are looking for. Find a college that has excelent programs in fields that you are interested in (I.E. Business, Biology, English, etc). Then after you have made a list of a few choices come up with your own criteria, such as location, student to teacher ratios and other related criteria. If you are planning on going beyond undergraduate degrees and obtaining a masters or Ph.D then don't forget to check out acceptance rates to graduate schools from your list of universities and colleges. Also, don't forget about financial aid and services. Find a college that provides these services and has plenty of opportunities for scholarships and loans. As part of your research don't forget to visit these colleges, and when you do visit ask as many questions as you can. There is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to your education and your investment of time and money. The main idea of finding a college is finding one that suits your specific personal and educaton needs and will allow you to grow and gain knowledge that will help you for the rest of your life.

Choose a school that is the best fit for you. Don't choose a school just because it is where your parents went or where your friends are going. Get involved. Find a group that has similar interests as you and get out and do stuff.

There are a number of criteria that need to be used to determine what college will fit your needs the best. First, and most importantly, you need to pick a college that will make you feel the most comfortable at becuase you don't want to spend the most important years of your life completely miserable. Another important factor to consider is the specific program at the university and its reputation as well as the value of your education because companies consider the prestige of your degree from your college.

Finding the right college is probably not as hard as you think it is. I completely overanalyzed the situation and was very upset when I found out that I wouldn't have enough funds to go to my number one school. The school I ended up attending was probably where I was supposed to be in the first place, but I just didn't know it. My point is, you will probably be happy anywhere you go as long as you persistently seek out people you can connect with once you get there. Seek out the good that the school has to offer and stop looking at its weaknesses. If you simply cannot shake a certain weakness, and it is a valid concern backed by others, get together with people and try to change it for the better. You'll be surprised at what you can do for your school, especially with the help of professors and other faculty members.

Let the child make their decisions weather good or bad a college and an education is theirs not yours. Be supportive no matter what even if that means an out of state college (like me, grew up in MA went to school in TX) and be supportive of their choice of study.

Visit each college campus that your child is looking into because each campus is different and right when they step on campus they will know which one they belong to. Also pray about it because the Lord will put you were you belong. "for I know the plans I have for you says the Lord plans for good and not for evil to give you a hope and a future" Phil.29:11

Visit every school that you think you might be interested in attending. Remember, the best school is not always the most costly. Also, you do not need to follow your high school friends. Go where you want to go. Be brave, and go out on a limb. Remember, if after the first semester you do not like the school, you can always transfer. It is not going to hurt you to attend somewhere that you do not know anybody. It will be a great life experience. Have fun in college, but you need to make good grades. Seek out help before it is too late. Also, get involved on campus. Go to the football games. Join a club. Remember, sometimes it is a good idea to follow the campus rules. They are there for a reason. Don't go to college to get an MRS degree. It is not worth your time or your money to worry about such things. It will happen when it will happen. Also, call your partents. They do love and miss you. Seek out those other students who might need a friend. Never wish the time away, you will want it back!

I believe that the person that is attending the school should be there because they want to be there. I admit, while in college you will have a moment of doubt but you need to figure out what YOU want and don't let any other negative factors get in your way. When you are looking at a college make sure that you feel comfortable within that environment because if you don't then those two or four years while you're there will only make you miserable. It's all about comfort because with out that then your academics will surely slip.

Find a school that has a mission statement that you support and clicks with your heart. Talk to students whom you do not know at the school and it will help you understand what the school is really like. See how friendly professors are to you when you visit the university. See if professors know the names of students.

Parents should encourage their kids to first choose a degree that interests them. By choosing a college that matches interests, a student will have a great college experience and have fun learning. The atmostphere of the college should also be one that offers many clubs that would fit the needs of everyone. It is really important to get involved in on-campus clubs. Clubs are great ways to meet new people with similar interests and also collect new views of their areas of interests. The only focus during college should be focused on school. Some students choose to follow where half of their high school goes but all that really helps is procrastinating because students will start to lose their focus on what's important. Choosing a college that is in a city that likes to party is not a wise choice, even though it may appeal to some. In the end, a student really benefits from choosing a college that fits educational interest and personalities.

First things first, relax. You're about to start on one of the greatest adventures of your life. As long as you make the perfect choice about which college is right for you, right? Choosing a college can be overwhelming. However, if anything can keep panic at bay, it is this piece of advice: not knowing is ok. It sounds counterintuitive, but it's true. Certainly, you should do your research, and do it thoroughly, but no matter how early you start--and you should start early--there will always be something that you aren't sure about. It never fails, you will discover at least one surprising fact after you've finished lugging all of your worldly possessions up the stairs behind you. Strangely enough, knowing this can take a great weight off of your shoulders, because it means that most colleges aren't so different after all. The truth is that enjoying your time in college depends less on choosing the right meal plan and more on your attitude, no matter where you decide to go. If you remember nothing else after the car door slams for the last time, remember this. Choose to live the adventure.

If you want to go to college, do your homework. Ask tough questions. Don't settle. But be sure you want to go to college. It's not the right place for some people wo could thrive in other environments. Decide what is best for you and then make it happen.

Learn as much as you can about the views of the students, their weekly activities, extracuricular activities and course load. Visit many campuses and be very observative and try and picture yourself on that campus. Understand what it is you want to get out of college before you select a school to attend. Once you find out everything you want to know about a school decide if you think you can commit to that same school for your entire undergraduate degree, then see what they offer after graduation and see if that is still consistant with your current planned path. If you are unsure of what you want to do or how you will respond to actually attending that school step out of your comfort zone and talk to on campus people that aren't paid by the school and find out what people really think about their school and how they interact with the campus.

The best advice I could give to those deciding on a college is to find an institution that fits not only who you are, but is able to push you toward the person you strive to become.

The quest for the right college is terrifying, but very neccessary. Some may already know that they are destined to go somewhere, or it has been predetermined by a family line. Some may have no clue, and this is where it is neccessary to go to the college during the time where it would be most busiest and get a thourough tour. Choose somewhere that would be reasonable driving time, or flying time. It would be wise to choose a school that has an emphasis in the sport you like to play or the major you are going for, as well as a the way the dorm feels when you enter to the time you leave. The freshman year is crucial, because that's when all of the life-long relationships will be made, as well as knowing if that is the right college for you. During the weekends, stay there and get involved with the school. Most schools have alot going on during the weekends, and if a student goes away on the weekends he/she will miss out on everything. Take advantage of everything that the school has, yes, even a weekend mission trip.

I don't really believe there is a "right" school for everyone -- I believe college is what you make of it. Yes, there will be academic and social cultures that suit you better than others, but ultimately, each student is responsible for their experience. My best advice would be to ask all your questions -- the more informed you are, the better decision you'll be able to make. After that, own your decision. Be confident in your choice, don't be afraid to continue asking questions as they come up , be positive. Go into college with expectations of how it will be, and then be flexible and willing to change your expectations as new opportunities arise. Look for things you might never have thought you'd be interested in and be prepared to broaden your worldview. Get to know upperclassmen and ask their opinions on how to get involved. Most of all: do your best. Grow. Grow emotionally, socially, academically, physically, spiritually. Make the most of college by making a concerted effort to better yourself in every way.

I believe it is a good idea to visit a few different different places. Ask the Lord to show you where you need to go and what college is right for you. When you get there jump in and really try to get connected and don't just hang on the fringes. Find a close-knit community. Stay out of the party scene. It gets old real fast. Think about how your decisions will effect you in the long run. Work hard and find time to rest. Do your best in all that you do and don't just get by in school. You are paying too much to not give it your all. Seek to become all that you can and don't settle for any less.

Make sure you do your research on all the schools you are looking into. Look at the certain program you are wanting to go into and look at the financial support. If you are a parent, encourage you child to go away for college. You may not want to see them leave but it is the best way to help them get out into the real world. For the students, consider going to a school away from home. You don't have to go out of state, just try somewhere at least an hour and a half to two hours away. You will never get the full college experience by staying home or going to a school close to home. The best way to have the full college experience is to just get away! You may be home sick at first but it will get better!!

Don't get buckled down in one college right off the bat. Explore your options, you have lots of them. Visit the colleges. And look for a college where you, as a student, are not going to be seen as just a number or a name on a seating chart. College is so much easier when you have professors that care about their students and make an effort to get to know them and help them out.

have fun

I only applied to one university, Abilene Christian University, and after being offered a full-tuition scholarship I decided to enroll. My university is small and isolated and not the university I dreamed of going to. I considered transfering after my freshman year, but decided that losing the scholarship wasn't worth it. My biggest advice to students is to apply to as many universities as you financially can afford. Having options is the key to being satisfied with your final decision. However, don't be afraid to settle for a "lesser" choice if means more financial aid. College is a wonderful and your experience depends on yours attitude, not yor location. I settled for a university that wasn't my ideal choice, but after getting to know people and getting involved, I realized that I can live a fulfilling life just as well here as I could anywhere else.

Selecting a college or university to attend is all about what fits you and your educational needs. It is easy to let friends and family influence the choice of where to attend school, but the experience will be more meaningful if you really push yourself by selecting a university outside your comfort zone and that will challenge you in a positive way. Get away from the known, and venture into a new experience that will be fun and exciting because most of us only have four years to have a true college experience before entering the world of M-F, 8-5.

Don't ppush your kids to go where you went or do what you do, let them choose its their life.

I know that for me I loved being able to take my time. I would strongly suggest beginning your college search early, (Jr. year), so you will not be rushed into a hasty decision. Be sure you are looking for a college that meets your social and academic standards. If possible I would try to have an idea about what you want to do in life, I know that made narrowing down my choices much easier. Try to narrow the list down to about 5 colleges and I would also suggest visist a dorm to se of you would really be comfortable living there for a year. Another piece of advice would be to ask questions and talk to your admissions councelor they are paid to help you so dont be shy. Finally be sure to visit your top 3-4 so you get a feel for what living there may feel like, because for me when I set foot on campus at ACU I knew I was home.

Visit campuses that have the things that you or your student is interested in and compare notes on the social and academic atmosphere of each campus so that you have a better idea of which one you want. Take as many courses as you can at a community college for dual credit during high school as long as they will transfer to the college of your choice. By doing that you have the freedom to take the smallest amount of semester hours at the University that will make you a full time student which is good for you acadmically and financially. Financially because you don't have to pay the more expensive University price for more hours, and academically because you can pace yourself and you wont be behind. Once you're in college don't be afraid to go out and meet people and participate in student activities and make friends. Take advantage of all the freebies and cheepies that the University or community offers. Get involved in some things but don't get so involved that you can't study. Attend every class on time, do your homework, ask advice from your professors and fellow classmates. Have Fun!

Let your children choose where to go parents. Students never be afraid to try anything that you are passionate about especially if it becomes your calling in life.

I've always felt that education is more than just a classroom experience. Rather, it is an ongoing opportunity to embark on an adventure, a lifetime of learning. Often, I think our society creates a false illusion of monotony and boredom when it comes to college. The defintion of education does not speak of blackboards, textbooks, and bell schedules. On the contrary, it offers glimpses into a different kind of life; A life full of fulfillment and success, which empowers one to dare to dream beyond what society deems attainable. In short, college is not even about education, it is about an experience. One must take all facets of a given college into account when making a decision. It is so important to seize opportunities to form relationships, as well as to get involved. Find a college that offers a strong program in your given major, as well as strong extracurricular activities that you are interested in. It is important to appreciate multiple aspects of a college, not just academics or social activities. Most importantly, visit the campus. Find a place where you feel at home and accepted. That is so vital.

I would just tell them to do there reserch in what school there looking for, and study hard because college is expensive so you won't let your money go to waist.