CUNY Hunter College Top Questions

I would tell them to look into the location of the college and the size because not everybody enjoys the same type of school. Next I would tell them to look at the resources the college provides in term of tutoring, academic advisement and much more. But most of all, I would advise them to talk to random students in the school and ask them about their thoughts on the school. Those students will be able to give them advices and informations that you don't get in a school catalog.

Go according to what offers you the most choices of what to study, and where you would feel the happiest living.

College is a great way to learn about what you are interested in. It is more important to enter college just wanting to be stimulated and introduced to new ideas , ways of thinking, cultures, etc. You don't have to know what your life's plan or goals are yet. If you enter college like that, you will always enjoy it, no matter what school you end up in. This is also why I never say a school is good, it is good for different individuals, and you will learn that on your own.

Finding a right college means you need to have an idea of what you want to do and accomplish later on in life however, you may be unsure. When you get to college you can take a variety of courses and decide what better suits you whether its Business, Medicine, Law... To have a great college experience is to have a balance between your social life as well as private such as studying. You have to study really hard but don't overwork yourself and take some breaks during the semester for socializing with family and friends. They really give you the boost you need to succeed. Take part in various activities, such as attending club meetings, playing a sport, internships, research with professors (very exciting and valuable) and really enjoy the college life.

Visiting the school is the most important thing you can do. You can never really know what fits you until you experience it for yourself. Also, never rule out transfering. Don't settle if you can have something better.

Parents and students should consider the whole package. Instead of focusing just on the reputation of the school, or the academic courses the school offers for their students, they should consider location, financial aid, professors, community, and resources. Sometimes great things come in small packages so its a matter of sacrifice and priorities. Consider what is more important, parties or academics; location or size, financial aid or support community for students. Food/meal plans are also important because if there's few selections, you have nothing to eat by the second year there...nutrition = energy = good grades = happy students.

Visit, and if you're thinking about going there seriously, visit again. Think about cost, location, what type of degree you can get from the school versus what you might like to study. And most importantly -- don't stress out about it.

Ask as many questions as possible: Form a list

First things first, know your schools! It's one thing to visit, its a whole different ball game when your there full time. Once satisfied with your school environment, make sure your happy with the surrounding area. If given the chance, chat it up with the faculty as they will for the most part determine the ease of your transition (try to see how edgy they are... an overworked and annoyed faculty fortells of future dilemmas). If you would like to join a team, do so your freshman year, much easier to get on a team that way (cannot stress this enough). Be careful with your new crew, they could make you or break you. Finally, BE FINANCIALLY PREPARED! With universities these days...anything goes, especially with the current state of our economy, a lot of unforseen expenses arrise when the schools "need money" (that includes, rising tuition, shorter deadlines, and less financial aid.) With all this in mind... have a blast, because it could be your last chance to find out who YOU really are and what YOU can really bring to the table, no matter what table appears.

Parents, please don't try to push your kids toward your own wishes and dreams. Think about what your kids would like to be instead. Their choices may not make much sense to you, but the decision is theirs in the end, they would have to live with it, so please give them room to think and decide for themselves what and how their future would start. Students: Take advice from your parents and elders, but think hard about what is being said before maing your decision based on these said advices. Think about what you've dreamed about becoming when you were 10, think about what makes you happy, and about what elements of life are most important to you before making that big decision of where to spend the next few years of your life. Go with your instincts, don't let anything hold you back from what you want. And try o have fun in the meantime.

I think that students and parents should try to truthfully assess what the student wants and needs in a school as far as campus size, urban vs. rural, the professors available, areas of interest and financial aid available. As far as making the most of the experience, it's up to the student to decide how much social interaction he or she wants and needs as opposed to study time and research space.

Students: Simply put, college is a learning experience, so take risks and follow your heart. Just dont waste that freedom following other people. Follow your heart to find your inner independent adult. Parents: Keep your child well informed about what to expect in college and what they are responsible for obtaining upon their graduation.

Make sure the college has everything you need first and talk to the students who go there to find out what its really like living on campus

It is important, if not necessary, as a prospective college student to ask yourselves what you WANT in a college degree, not only why you feel you may NEED it. College, however you imagine it, or however it is portrayed to you prior to enrollment, will live up to that expectation. If you focus your attention on what you want out of your experiences, you will discover your perfect university. I do not believe my friends knew what they wanted for themselves in a college, and allowed their parents to force them towards a school or major they did not know they would hate. Now there is much resentment among my friends (many of whom have dropped out) and their parents. As prospective students, you will waste less time, money and stress by self-reflecting on personal goals. As parents, this is a crucial period in which to be generous with your time and advice, while being wary of taking on too much decision-making. Allowing your soon-to-be college students the thinking space to make their own choices is imperative to their success. "Whether you think you can, or think you cannot, you are probably right." ? Henry Ford

Don't pressure your child to go to school in an environment they are not comfortable with and are not eager to engage in. Each person deals with school academically and socially in different ways and one has to be sensitive to these concerns. For all you prospective students, it is important to visit your campus before you enter it, to sit in on a class and listen to the interaction between the professor and the students and to assess the quality and general atmosphere of the school community. Make sure to assess your school not solely in terms of academic setting but also the types of opportunities that can stem from your time at your college. This can include the availiability of professors who are experts in their fields, as well as resources for finding stimulating jobs and internships so that when you graduate you stand out in both the academic and work field. If you need financial aid, make sure to really invesigate what options the school has for financial aid and other merit scholarships. Also, look into other websites such as "fastweb" to better understand your options for scholarships.

Always go on your gut feeling. Choosing a school based on its name isn't always the right decesion for you. Talk to students honestly and ask questions. Be responsible about studying and completing work for classes, because chances are that you or your family are paying for them, so make the best of it. College is a very individual experience. What one may love another may hate, so never trust anyone's opinion completely when it comes to professors or classes. If you're going to party, save it for the weekends. Try and have a social life or at least do something other than homework once in a while, even if you are under a heavy academic load. Having periodic social time or relaxation does wonders to keep you sane.

Develope a balance between your spiritual, intellectual, physical and social life. Too little or too much of either is unhealthy to the body and mind.

I believe that it is very important that you research the colleges. Also visit them, because everything that you see on paper does not add up to the overall picture. Upon entering college a student must have [at least] some sort of idea of what career they would like to pursue in the future. Overall, college is a wonderful institution to gain both intelluctual and diverse experiences.

In this day and age, your undergraduate school is not what really matters. Save your money and go to a good state or public college and work hard. Spend your money on graduate programs because that is all that businesses and firms care about. Also, do not just take the "safe path." College is about figuring out who you are and what you really enjoy doing, not about getting a job or passing classes so you can move on to something else. Take your time and try as many different courses of study that you can. In the end, you should do what makes you happy, not what makes your parents and peers happy. Learn for yourself and keep an open mind. And for the parents, encourage your children to seek out the unfamiliar because the worst thing a parent can do is facilitate a student's own self-perpetuated cloistering.