California State University-Stanislaus Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Sarah

Apply to several different schools in severl different areas. Gain the experience of getting out of where you come from.

Nkauj

Try try your hardest to finish. Find what you want to want to do and go for it. Get advice from a counselor be serious and once your set. Touch the ground and start running trying your best because it is very very hard to get what it is you want nowadays with many others wanting it as well.

Robert

Parents, don't be afraid to let your kids go away. Most of us tend to come back. Guys (and gals), its not as easy as you might think in college. Keep your head on straight, stay focused, and you'll do great. That doesn't mean don't have fun, but remember why you are there in the first place. If there was one thing I could change about my college experience so far, it would be all the time I wasted goofing off and not doing well in my classes because I "thought" I had other things I would rather be doing.

Maria

Make sure it fits your personality. If you like the city and you go to a small town, the campus will seem boring. Also the programs they offer to students. Being able to attend a school that has the major and the program you like makes your college experience run smooth.

Karen

College is one of the most important parts a person will do in his or her lifetime. Finding the right college is just as important. You want to find a college that is right for you as a student and whatever career you choose. Make sure there are programs in the field you want to go into and that the staff is helpful and reliable. Advisory is very important to start out well at a college, especially for freshmens. Finally, be sure you feel comfortable at the school and it fits you and your lifestyle.

Tia

Do. Not. Worry. Worrying about what college you get into isn't going to help. Heck, going to a school that isn't a big industry leader is not going to hurt your chances for moving up in your field later. So find a college that is in a city that you think you'd like to live in. Find out if small towns...or big cities...or suburbs are more your style. Learn as much as you can about the area and visit the campus a few times to get a feel for the people to see if you'll feel right there. Meet a few of the professors that teach in your prospective major and see if you really want to work with them. If you don't? Then maybe it's time to look somewhere else. Your major professors you'll have over and over again, and if you don't fit well with them, it will make your time more difficult. But really? The important thing is to relax and visit many campuses and get a good feel for what is out there. Leave the worrying for finals time!

Hagar

When I was a senior in High School, I never saw myself attending college. I believed that my family didn't have the sufficient money for me to attend college, even though, ever since I was a little girl, my parents have always encoureged me to keep achieving in school. As senior year came to an end, one of my proffesors asked me to meet him in his office to chat, I was surprised to learn that he called me in to help me out in filling out my FAFSA and some school applications. I was so greatful that I spoked to my mother about it and she was very, extremely, excited as well. My mother believed in me to choose the best schools that would only better myself. I was accepted to Sacramento State and CSU Stanislaus, I compared both schools and ended up choosing CSU Stanislaus because it was in a small town and because of all the programs it had to offer. The advise I would give to both students and parents is that there is a lot of money out there to help you achieve your education. Don't let money keep you behind from striving.

Rebecca

Finding the right college is like finding the right person to date. You must live close, because long distance relationships rarely succeed. Know your college well before committing. Find compatible core values. Don't put up with somewhere that brings out your bad habits or makes you feel ignored. Find someplace you can stand to wake up next to every morning. Looks aren't everything, but a decent looking place to study makes life more pleasant. In order to make the most of your college experience, see an advisor often! Don't schedule your class schedule around your work schedule. Think of what makes your soul come alive, what you could do for free for the rest of your life. Try and find it in your course schedule. If you can't, take an "intro" class to all the basics and see which course best achieves that dream. Above all, get to know your professors. Their lifetimes of experience and wisdom at our disposal are what we pay for. It is not until many years later we realize the true value of this rare resource. Sit in the front row, ask questions, and listen with more than just your ears.

Francise

There are a lot of options of schools out there and one of them is the one best for you. Your options can be narrow down to what expectations do you have of a school. Scholarships is the first think should be in mind to think about. Apply for all the scholarships available to you and apply FAFSA for grant money if applicable to you. Financial worry is always in mind because of the cost. Secondly, pick a school that will have the major you are looking for and how is their racking on their teachings. Some schools are different teaching from the other. Hard work is one of the crucial experience you will have in college in order to achieve your goal to graduate and succeed. Enjoy college as a one life time experience and treasure the moment . You will struggle, but it will be worth your while as you walk that path to graduate and be proud of yourself as you recieve that diploma that you have been waiting for. Find the right school for you by searching and getting informations from the schools that you are planning to apply. Good Luck.

Ashlee

My college experience has taught me the truth behind the commonly used cliche that something is what you make of it. During my senior year of high school, I fell head over heels in love with a college that was far out of my family's price range. Despite my resistance, I spent my first year of college as an angry student with little interest at my fourth choice school. Two years and one transfer to a different college later, I visited that same campus I had loathed for two long semesters. As I retraced the paths I used to walk, I realized how much I had missed out on. I hadn't noticed the rich sense of history incorporated into the buildings or the upbeat attitude and pride of the students. I had an epiphany as I sat and watched high school seniors follow tour guides with excitement; the experience of college is exactly what you put into it. The perfect college or semester will only exist if you create it and refuse to accept anything less than amazing. College is more than tuition and homework- it's a pivotal chapter in your life story.

Lchheng

finding the right college takes time. Do research and visit the school before hand. Also knowing what you want to major in helps to determine what school is of your most interest. To make the most out of college is to meet new people and be opened minded about things.

Shady

Find a place that the student will really like and can see himself/ herself living there for years. get in a prestigous school if they can because it makes all the difference psychologically and down the road for grad school.

Nahreen

explore your options, such as what you can afford, living enviroment, or what major you are heading for.

Linda

Know what you wnat to major in and research the school. Visit the school before and see and talk to professors at the school fo rfurther questions. To make the most out of the college experience is to meet new people and learn new things, but to always to remember to study!

Vicky

It's best to start looking for somewhere the student would be most comfortable. If the student's not comfortable, then it'll be hard to keep your mind on your school work. But you also want to look into school's that will help you do what you want to do later in life.

Josi

VISIT THE CAMPUS. And speak to alumni who only recently graduated. Figure out what generally you want to learn quickly because some majors are impacted.

Erin

Screw the school tours, they tell you what you want to hear. I mean, don't screw them. Go on the tour, hear the stats, listen to the schpiel..... Then get up and walk around the campus, go sit in on classes, go talk to students! One thing that is invaluable on a college campus is the fact that most students aren't afraid to share their opinion about the place that they pay so much money to attend!!! Ask about parties, about housing, about crime, parking, classes, blah blah blah....Whatever matters to you, ask about it, otherwise you may end up regretting your decision!