Ball State University Top Questions

Have an open mind.

My advice for parents and students trying to find the right college, and making the most of the experiece there, would be to search thourghly for financial aid and scholarships. Make a top five list of the colleges you would like to attend, based on what would be best for you and your major. Campus visit is a must! Get a feel for the campus and dorm life. Estimate the cost of each school (You dont want to go there for a year and love it, then not afford to go back the next). Start getting used to bugeting and saving, or else you are going to be broke! Get a campus job. learn how to do laundry and cook microwavable food because your going to be eating alot of it! Work on being your self, then some of the friends you make are going to be friends for life! DON'T MISS CLASS!! The more you go, the better you do. Get involved! It's a great way to meet new people and make a difference. Be open minded, and not discriminatory, learn about different cultures. Most importantly BE SAFE, just because everyone drinks doesnt mean you have to!

The best advice I can give is to go with the college that you, the student, want. Yes, you do need to look at the cost of the college, but there are plenty of scholarship programs and other forms of financial assistance out there so don't make that your first thing to look at. To make most of your college experience, go to your freshman floor meetings and talk and study with people of your same major.. you will most likely be going through all the same classes and struggles. Also if you do know older people at your college, hang out with them and they can show you other things about your college. And parents, if your child is interested in a college that you feel iffy about, go visit, exlpore all options and ask questions, the college tour guides will be happy to answer them. Also, send your child packages or cards, they will appreciate it a lot.

The best way for anyone to find the right college for themselves is for one to first ask themselves what is they want to gain from their college experience. I think for a parent it is best for them to consider both what they want for their child and what their child wants for themselves. College is expensive and if parents don't think on both sides then they could end up wasting their money. When you have decided on a college even if it isn't your first choice go into the school with an open mind. Look forward to meeting new people and having new experiences. College truly is what you make of it so it is up to the student to decide that they are going to make the best of their college experience.

I think the best advice I could give would be to look at college with an open mind and make sure to take tours of every single college you are applying to. And on those tours make sure you do have an open mind and a positive attitude about being there because that will make your time on campus that much more enjoyable. I also think that getting involved and meeting as many people as you can will help you adjust to the college setting as quickly as possible. The best advice I could give anyone is to just keep your door open when you are in your room so that anyone walking in the hallways can just pop their head in and say hi; it is the best way to meet people.

I would advise students and their parents/gardians to try and get information on as many colleges as they can, even the ones they thought they would never consider because one doesn't know what he/she knows what to expect about such a school. I would advise both students and their parents/gardians to go on many college visits to get a feel for campus life before they make such a life-changing decision. I would advise them to talk to professors and advisors in the field they are considering or may consider if they are undecided to decide if that field of study is best at that particular university/college or at another. To make the most of the college experience, I would tell the student to make friends with students on their dorm floors or around the area they live. I would advise them to play intramural sports if they don't want to play varsity sports. I would also advise them to join clubs in their field of study or in the areas they are interested. I would also advise students to be themselves and not someone they are not.

Some advice that i would give to those about find the best college, is look around at them. Im not saying just go to campus visits, those are helpful. But if you know someone that goes there, spend a weekend with them. That will give you the best experience of the college. As well dont be afraid to talk to the professors at the college to get a feel for what they would be like. And maybe even go talk to the president of the college, at Ball State, our president said that she would go to lunch if you got a group of 3-4 people together and asked her if she would go to lunch. And yes she really has held up her end of the deal. And the students really love to have such an option. And as for making the most of college, dont waste your days. Before you know it, your first two years are gone in a flash. And even though there may be some hard times. Dont dwell on them, get involved and have fun. And dont forget to take pictures! Its a great way to remember all the fun times, and such.

Visit the campus! You're going to be spending at least the next four years in college, and you should feel comfortable and happy in the place you choose. Check out nearby restaurants, shops, clubs, and other places. Also, don't wait to get involved in campus clubs or activities. Freshman year is crucial in developing friendships, and clubs are a great way to meet people that share some of your interests.

My advice to parents and students would be to find a college that makes you feel at home. I believe it to be very important to feel comfortable with the college or university that you choose. Once you feel comfortable and at home then you are more likely to venture out and get the most out of your college experience. If the campus is unfriendly and makes you feel uncomfortable then a student is less likely to try the activities the university offers and make new friends. It very important to feel secure and confident especially when you are way from home and out of your element making your own decision so if a college campus can give you the security and confidence that you need then it is the best choice for you. Find a college that makes you feel like family and you belong there; you will never regret it.

I would just say to visit more than one campus, and visit it more than one time. Once you are on the campus it comes to you which on you want to be at. There is this feeling that comes in you saying that the campus is right for you! Make sure you check into colleges with a good program of the field of stufy you are going into, and check all of the extra-curricular activities as well! Make sure you can get invovled on the campus! Campus life is the best expierence of your life and make the most out of it! Good Luck!!

Choose a well-rounded school in your price range. You do not want to graduate with so much debt that you cannot afford a life.

The best advice that I could give to parents and students is to visit the college for themselves. I visited four other in-state colleges and eight out-of-state colleges before I made my final decision of Ball State University. Another thing I would say to parents and students is to visit the actual facilities and learn about the curriculum within the students major. My major is art education. As an art student I am constantly in the studios of the school. I may have liked other schools for their campuses, but I hated the facilities provided for art, which made my decision of which university to attend easier. I also found the Teachers College at Ball State to have the best curriculum for me. The last piece of advice I have is to talk to students that are a bit more non-partisan the administrators. They will tell the truth about how a school works and what they deal with when handling financial aid and speaking to professors.

The best advice I can give is to make as many campus visits as possible. It doesn't matter how good the school's reputation is, or how many of your friends are going there-If you don't like the campus atmosphere, you might as well not even go. Originally, my first choice school was Purdue University. But, there was just something about the campus that didn't sit right with me. Then I went to Ball State. The vibe I got from campus was great, and somehow I felt more comfortable than I had at any other campus. To make the most out of the college experience, you have to be open to new things. You can't just hang out with the same people from high school doing the same things and expect to have a good time. Try new things, meet new people, go new places. You never know when you'll learn something new! And DON'T GO HOME every weekend! It sounds boring to stay on campus, but you make a lot of new friends and get a lot more done that way.

I was a seventh-grader when I was told that I had all the time I needed to decide what I want to be. Then, I blinked and I was a senior. The fact is time flies by too quickly and it is never too early to begin thinking about your career. Knowing what you want to do with your professional life affects all other aspects of your life as well. This starts with what college you attend. Students should research things they most look for in a college and parents should do the same, then compare notes. Students and parents will look for different things that are important to and affect both for years to come. First, the student should think of a few careers they are considering pursuing and what colleges are best for each particular field. Then, students and parents should get together to discuss the pros and cons of each college and how to pay for expenses. Open and understanding communciation between students and their parents is one of the most crucial steps in finding the right college. College visits are also a must while deciding what kind of experinece you'll want to remember forever.

LOOK AROUND! There are so many different colleges if you just take the time and visit places you will find the right school for you. It's just one of thoes things when you explore the campus you just know and feel that it fits you.

First off, I would strongly suggest that potential students and parets should go visit the college in person and visit a lot of them, coming into it open minded. As for making the most of your college experience, just open up and be friendly. All you really have to be is yourself, with how many people there are at schools, there are tons of people that are just like you so there's no need to change yourself. Just get involved, it will help you to make more friends with the same interests as you. Most of all just have fun and do the best you can do!

Don't just focus on the cost. Try and have an idea of what you want to do in life and then find a school that has something you enjoy and goes along with what you want to do. Also look for a campus that makes you feel comfortable and like you're at home

Visiting the college helped me out a lot. When I visited Ball State University I really got the feeling the people there wanted me to be there. I visited Indiana University and knew almost right away that it was not the place for me. I felt I would be another number on that campus and I was not really cared about by faculty and staff. At Ball State University even the custodial staff seems to care very much about the students on and off campus. I believe it is little things like that that really help to make the college experience great. I believe Ball State University is a great place for me to further my education and I would not want to be anywhere else.

I would advise students to have an open mind about where they apply to school, and look for schools with many different majors. Most students end up changing their major at least twice, but in my case I changed it 5 times! Students need to explore their interests, and try new things that they normally wouldn't. Life is full of surprises, and I encourage students to be open to the unexpected. This is how stuents make the most of the college experience, and the only way in which they will truly grow. Afterall, life does not have a guidebook in which everyone knows exactly what they need to do and when. Students must explore life, and enjoy the surprises along the way.

Don't judge a college based on one thing. Make sure you are taking all aspects into account. Always visit the college and get a tour of some buldings before selecting one. If the student cannot see themselves living there, there is no reason to attend. Once you choose a college, join at least one group or program. There are people everywhere who will help you adjust, and answer your questions. Don't say no to anything during your first few weeks, unless you KNOW it's something you don't want to do. You never know when you'll meet your future best friends. Go to class and do your homework. It is school after all, and flunking out is a very difficult thing to recover from. HAVE FUN!

Go to the school and take a tour. The student will know what school is best for them after seeing a variety of campuses.

I would advice parents and or students to look into every college they know of. Many colleges have different specializations that are not known until you would look into them. I would also advise to visit many colleges until you find the right one for you. I visited about 5 colleges until I decided that Ball State was the right size and academic difficulty for me. I can not stress enough that people need to visit a college. I was thinking about going to IU but until I visited there I truely had no idea what it was really like. Once I visited and meet some people there I new it was not the right fit for me. The last thing I need to say is that this is a huge decision to make and parents need to be very involved in this decision. Look into the dynamics of the school, like the activities and the classes, and exxpecially the student reviews. These tools will help anyone to make their final decisions about college. Have fun looking and finally deciding, becuase college is one of the best times in a students life.

Learn as much about the schools because you will spend a lot of time at that place. This school is the start of you life and career. Don't go to a school because all of your friends are going. You will make new and more friends and have a bigger network because of it. I have found that if you go and do something because everyone else is doing it, you might regret it later. Don't be a follower, be a leader. Carve you path yourself, don't have others do it. It will make your experience much better and you will grow more if you do for yourself.

I think you should look at colleges starting your junior year of high school to decide where and what type of school you think would fit you best. Once you find a school that suits you and you are getting ready for your freshman year, my advice would be to pack less than you think you should, most of the time you don't even use half of the stuff you take. Once in your dorm room, keep your door open, that way you are opening yourself up to others and make new friends. Also, get involved with anything you can, it's a good way to meet tons of people and also a good way to network later on in life. College will be the best years of your life if you plan from the start and enjoy every minute of it.

The advice I would give to parents and/or students is to make sure the first thing you consider is being comfortable. Money should not be the first thing because there are tons of scholarships and financial aid to go around to anyone who will put themselves to the test of college. Once a student is at college, my advice is make the best of it because it is only a small part of your whole life. Studies are the most important thing to focus on though because if you work hard you can play hard. The main point is to have fun and work hard to make your life easier as you get older. There are temptations and it is safe to say that you will give in to some of them, but as long as you keep your studies and goals right up just in front of fun, you will succeed with flyin colors.

Make sure that you visit any campus that you're thinking about attending. Ask students questions about the school that it is important for YOU to know the answer to. If you know what you're going to school for, look into the program, talk to professors, and ask students how they feel about the program itself. If you don't know what you want to do when you 'grow up' make an appointment with an advisor to talk about the availability of an exploratory program. All in all, just make sure the school works for your personality and goals, not anybody elses.