DePaul University Top Questions

I would tell parents to start early when looking for a school for their children. The school should be well rounded to fit the childs academic ability with room for group, have support services such as tutoring with good hours, computer labs with long hours and open everyday, spiritual and psychological support, public transportation easily accessible, a good selection of classes, teachers that are experts in the field they teach, teachers that are helpful and understanding, good extracurriular activies that are safe and fun, but most importantly a place that feels like home. Your child should be comfortable in his/her surroundings.

A college education is probably the most important investment you'll ever make in your life. College will mold you from your high school days into the adult world. Choose wisely, but do not let money be the main deciding factor. If you are a responsible student, you will meet extraordinary people and become involved in life-altering experiences; apply yourself and do everything you can to maximize your options. Whatever you do most importantly of all, do not let yourself become susceptible to living in a state of amnesia - be alive!

Parents: Don't try to push your kid towards one particular school; Remember, this are teenagers. It will likely just make solidify their desire for another. Students: VISIT! Visit, visit, visit. You cannot get a true feel for the atmosphere of a college campus or community unless you go there. You may think you want a rural college town, only to go there and realize you actually want Urban. Apply to a variety of schools. No matter how deadset on a particular "type" you might be, it can, and very likley will, change.

Finding the right college is a hard discussion. I would say that doing your research, speaking to current or graduate students, making trips to different colleges, finding out about tuitions and financial aid and also speaking to college advisor would be the top steps to making the most of you college experience.

Students need to make sure when they set foot on that campus that it "clicks". They should have that feeling that they will be at "home" and feel extremely comfortable. You also should take into account what kind of environment you want to be in -- large university town, campus amidst another location, class size, diversity, etc... I would encourage students to get as involved as possible -- and I don't mean just in clubs, but going out into the "world" and use your schools to your advantage. Find jobs that pertain to your area of interest, make connections with your professors so that they can help you network, take classes that will help you gain experience, and put forth your best effort. It will help you out in the long run and make your experience more rewarding. Finally, make friends!! Social activity is one of the most important parts of school. Don't be afraid to interact with different kinds of people and to get out and try new things. AFter all, these people could be your friends for life.

Visit every campus that you find yourself interested in from a first glance. This includes both academic opportunities as well as overall beauty and social life. Once you step foot onto the campus that will stand as a stepping stone to your future, you will know that is the place for you. Everything will stand out. You will go home that night and have dreams of your future. You will tell all your friends and family of the wonder campus. In order to make the most out of your personal college experience you have to feel comftorable. Once you are at the university do not submit yourself to your past lifestyle. Get out there, try something new, and make lifelong friends. Get involved, it is not the place to waste your time just doing school work and playing video games in your dorm room. This college will be behind your name on your resume for the rest of your life. Make the most of it and take every opportunity you can to get involved. In addition work as hard as you can. These 4 years of your life will determine your future. Work hard and make the best of it.

Do your research. Narrow your college list down to 6 or 7 schools and really try and picture yourself at each college. Look not only at the school as a whole, but the details of each. Look into school organizations, groups, campus housing, certain classes, and anything else that may interest you. Take into consideration how far this school is from home depending if you would like to be far and close from home. If they offer it, possibly stay the night at the school and see if it feels natural. Decide whether or not you benefit from large classes or small classes. To make the most of your college experience, go into college keeping an open mind. You are bound to interact with people completely different from yourself and having an open mind will allow you to take the most from these interactions. Force yourself to go outside of your comfort zone and try new things. Have no regrets, but make sure you always keep your sights on what is really important.

Begin by selecting certain areas that are important to you (i.e. location, major, size). For each school, look at all the aspects that make up the university. Make sure the school you choose matches your requirements and expectations. Also, do not rule out shcools that seem different to you. I think it's very important to be challenged in college. It is a once in a lifetime experience and should be somthing that has the power to bring you out of your comfort zone. In the long run, being exposed to new people, places, and situations will only make you a stronger, more aware individual.

College is a time to truly develop who you are and shape the future you desire. It is a time of when opportunities arise to either better or worsen you - the choice is absolutely in your hands and your hands alone. College also gives partial independance and freedom, in introduction to what could lie beyond school.

Make sure this place will fit the type of person you are, don't attend because it is where your parents want you to go, do it for yourself

Balance what the curriculum, the commuting, cost of attendance and living, and major will impact professional career and social life.

The best advise is to start early and take time to visit campuses. When you arrive on campus you sort of have to step out of your comfort zone and reach out to form new friendships. Stay in contact with parents and family for support and take advantage of what the college has to offer, both academically and socially. Don't box yourself in, remain flexible but still remember the reason you are there. I think kids get caught up in "becoming a couple" and that can be overwhelming an keep you from enjoying the college experience as a learning tool.

When parents and/or students are selecting a college, parents should guide their child, but the final decision should be the student's. Visit and tour the campus, speaking to current students as well as the student guides. Try to visit a small, a medium, and a large university, assessing the atmosphere of each. Be aware that some colleges are commuter campuses, and if you are from out of town, the weekends could be lonely. It is extremely important to get information on financial help and scholarships available through the individual college/university. Do your research on issues that are important to you. Some schools offer better programs for athletes, theater, or specific majors than others. The more information you can gather on the types of colleges/universities available and the specific ones you might be interested in, the more prepared you will be to make an informed decision as to the best match of a school that will suit your needs.

Don't lie to the college guidance counselor and be as brutally honest as possible. When it comes to college you have to understand yourself and your parents.

Make sure their child visits each campus more than once. You can't see or learn enough with only one experience. Over night stays are the best if that is available. It's important that as a student you fill comfortable inside the classroom, the study areas, or hang outs with friends. The whole college experience is to inspire you so make sure that you pick what you think is best! If you change your mind after a year and think the school doesn't suit you like you had hoped, it's perfectly fine to go to another. In fact, many people switch schools and still continue their education while being able to be happy.

Finding the right school for you can be very difficult. When trying to decide try to consider all aspects of what would make you happy. Think of location, class sizes, the colleges strengths and connections in the field that you want, and unfortunately affordability. Make all efforts to get as much aid as you can when you find the school that you believe you can be comfortable with. Once you get there it is all about the experiences you have. Study hard and be open to new ideas of how you view the world. Get to know those around you since they can help you embrace your new home and build friendships of people who care about the same things you do. Your environment can be an extended classroom as well. Never feel limited, but seize every opportunity you get. Stay focused and committed and you will begin to shape the life you have worked your whole life to acheive and will most likely influence others along the way.

Honestly, after the obstacles i have faced both finacial, accademically and economically, i will advice parents/students to start off at a community college (if finance is and issue) gather your decision on a major, transfer to a University that you can either afford without struggles and overload on loans, or a school that can offer enough schlorships. In the meanwhile, protect your credit. YES credit. Without an excellent or fair credit line/score, it is going to be very difficult to qualify for student loans, or any loan at that. For students, it is fair to protect your credit early to give assistance to your family in tuition for goals they sacrifice for your future. At the age of college, learn self discipline in every way. Concentrate, apply for all options, stay focused and save for both loan repayment or neccessities needed while in school....which will be excessive for that brighter future WE ALL want to attain. GOOD LUCK....BE SMART....RESEARCH everything. Make yourself proud plus your supporters. BE

While going to a student's dream school sounds great, if the school is unwilling to offer financial awards, go to somewhere that will. School is school, a student will be able to meet friends, and recieve a top education for far less stress in the upcomming future as soon as those loans start to pile up. Allow the student to have a stress free school year, unburdened by financial issues. Also, school is school, and the first two years are rather general, so think about what the student wants to really do before diving into such a financial commitment.

Attend tours and talk to as many students as possible about what campus life is about. You cant find out everything about a school from its web site. You need to meet the people who are actually experiencing what takes place on campus.

Be your self, have fun!

My advice for parents would be allow your son/daughter to make the decisioin. Most parents try to pursuade thier children towards one school for whatever reasons. This does not help! When a students makes a choice of where they want to study; they muct be confident in thier abilities to perform at this school. They must not choose because they want to do what their family wishes. This brings up the point I made earlier, students need a desire to learn. Learning should be fun and interactive. There is no right or wrong college for a student. If the student tries hard enough, and wants to learn; it will not matter what school they are at. No matter who you are or where you come from, college will be an experience. To make the most of the experience, you must be open to new ideas. The best way to have fun and to learn is by doing something new. New, new is interesting becuase humans are such creatures of habit. People either like or dislike new. The way to descover who you are and where your going is by that one simple word, NEW!

Finding the right college begins with assesing your goals, both academically and socially. During the process of choosing the college, it is important to concentrate on the best fit for you without worrying where your peers will be attending. It is crucial to spend as much time as possible on the school's campus before accepting enrollment so that you can be assured from the start that you will be comfortable and the "fit" is just right. On the other hand, sometimes all of the planning and attention to your wants and desires can change because it is a long process between applying, visiting, and enrolling. If the outcome of your choice is not what was expected, give yourself time to acclimate to all new situations but know that it is okay to go to plan b. Taking advantage of all the school has to offer such as activities, clubs, and sports, will enhance your experience at the school. In forming a bond between both your peers and professors, the likelihood of you liking the school will be greater. Always look at the positives, have fun, and enjoy the ride.

They should keep their options open and they should not be afraid to look at expensive schools because they do offer financial aid.

Plan college future based on the most bang for your buck. Do research about in state and out of state scholarships and grants before making a final decision. Look into schools that in an area you want to live in so there is plenty to explore outside of school and there is potential to get a job in the area you graduated from. Apply for ALOT of scholarships early!

A piece of advise is follow your intuition. I think that is the best tool in finding where you will fit in both socially and economically. If your first impression of a school is not what you like, then it is probably not the best environment for you. Making friends is a little tough at first, but getting involved in school activities can open you up to people at school. I would try to be as close to campus as I could. If the commute is long, then the time spent on campus is less and the opportunity to meet people is lessened. If you heart feels right at whatever college you visit and you can go for it, do it!

I would have to say that any school will more than likely fit your son or daughter, depending on what they make the situation. The amount of activities, internships, and friendliness that are shown are fully paid back. If you don't go to a great school, I would recommend trying as many out of school activities as possible. The possibilities are endless, and you should try for as many schools as possible. Make sure you explore many different classes so you find the right degree for you, but what you do with that degree is up to you.

I would tell potential college students and their parents not to look at the cost of the school first off. What is most important is that the student is going to be happy at that college or university, and that the student is going to get the most out of their time spent there. College is a time not only for educational learning experiences, but also learning about oneself. It is definitely important to visit a school that a student may be interested in, because a school may look good on paper, but it is important to visit and make sure that one can see themselves there. The most important thing to remember, I think, is that this college or university a student picks is going to be come his or her new home. It is important to love it there, and feel like he or she is getting the most out of their college experience both in growing in him or herself and preparing for the future and what it may hold.

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Consider the opportunities the surrounding city can offer your child

Research is the best way to go along finding the best school for yourself or your son/daughter. One of the best things is to know what program you would like to be in and then find the best university in that program. That university can be nationally, internationally, regionally, or even locally. Sit down with each other and figure out what would be the best solution to your future career, as well as communicate with each other while making the decision.

Plan ahead and make sure you can afford the college.

Make sure you are picking the right school for you. Look at it academically and also socially when making that final decision. This will stick with you for the rest of your life and will determine how you spend your future. Make college the best experience ever!

The most important thing in finding the right college is to know what you are looking for and know the type of people you are going to be around.

One needs to explore as many options, so that they are able to choose a school that best suits them. Parents need to encourage their child to explore their options and evaluate whats important. Once they have chosen their top picks, students must find out as much information on the school as possible in order to see what the school is all about and to better identify things that they may want to pursue. Also, visiting and inquiring about the school regarding any questions they may have. Once they choose and attend, students must keep their minds open to new things and interact with others, becoming involved in their classes and school as a whole to make the best out of the experience. They must allow themselves to open up and build relationships as well so that they may last throughout their lives. In this manner they will have support and motivation.

My biggest piece of advice would be to make sure that you spend at least one year in the dorms. I wasn't able to and it has dramatically and adversely affected my experience at school. The dorms are where you first make all of your connections. It's where you meet your friends, got to parties, learn about different aspects of life, and where you can make some important networking relationships. Not being in the dorms has been the worst mistake of my college experience. I don't feel like I have grown as much as some of my friends at school who stayed in the dorms. I feel like I have missed out on one of the fundamentals of college. My other piece of advice would be to make sure that you get involved in at least one club or activity. It could mean the difference between the best and the worst four years of your life.

Go to community college first. Figure out what interests you really have, then go to a university.

Be honest with yourself. That is a characteristic that will serve you well through your entire life, and definitely will help you as you journey through your college experience. Do what you think is right, and by all means, do not try to do what you think other people want you to do - be it staying close to home, or attending the cheapest university. In almost all cases, trying to please others will leave you feeling disappointed in your decisions.

It's really important to at least have an idea about what you want to do with your life. It's easy to change majors, not colleges. Think about the area that the school is in too. In a large city, there are many options for social activities; in a farm town there aren't as many. Don't go to a college based on it's party reputation. If you plan to go to college to drink, save yourself a lot of money: buy some beer and stay at home. College is what you make of it.

Make sure that the students know what they want and dont' let their parents just tel them where to go. Everyone has a different perpective, a certain vision for college life, and you want to make sure you get the best education in your field while still doing what you want. And have an open mind.

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I believe that choosing the right college is all about knowing what is important to you and following that passion, wheither it be a specific major, volunteer opportunities, location, or even cost. Determine what factor matters most to you and explore all of those options until you think you know what the right school might be. Apply to your second favorites as well but go with what draws you in. Once you get there, get involved, have fun, do new things but don't focus all of your time and energy on studying and working. People who do this run themselves down and miss out on opportunies to grow as a person as well as a student. If you still feel overwhelmed or loney after the first year don't be afriad to explore other options at other schools.

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If I could go back in time and begin my college search again, I think I would have tried to visit more schools. I only visited three, and while I now love DePaul and feel that I definately belong here, I went through a period my freshman year where I questioned if I had missed out on going to some different school simply because I didn't check it out. Luckily for me, while accompanying my younger sister on her college search, I realized that DePaul was a great fit for me. I would also apply to ALL the schools you want to go to, even if you think you can't get in. It never hurts to give something a shot. To new students, all I can say is that your social life is what you make it. Get involved in something you like to meet people with similar interests! Make the effort to study with people in your classes! You can't make new friends if you don't put yourself out there.

I would tell students and parents to make sure that they research all schools before choosing a final school to attend. You should make sure that this is the right school for yourself or your child. Explore as many scholarships and grants that you can because you will need the extra money for other things that you would rarely think about in college.

Visit and talk to students about what they're lifes are like on campus. Don't take what the university or tour guides have to say. Speak with real students.

I would advise them to visit the college and make sure they take whatever tours and orientations are offered by the college. There is a lot of information that you don't find out through catalogs. It requires you to be there on campus and get a feel for where it is, the culture of the students. Visit a classroom, observe the student/teacher interaction. Eat on campus. This will give you a better idea of how it is to attend. Visit a few of them and then decide which makes you feel more comfortable. You can usually tell those party schools from the more academic ones with a visit. Take a couple days at each one so you get a better idea. Visit during the week, not on weekends. This will give you a real feel for the college on an average day.

I think the most important aspect of college life is to have a good work, life, and school balance. Creating the work ethic and responsibility to do well in school to prepare oneself for life outside of school is essential. Another aspect of enjoying the college experience is having a social interaction with other students on campus. Therefore, getting involved in the activites the school has to offer is important, especially if the student does not live on campus. As far as choosing a school, parents and students should evaluate: campus environment, cost, and most importantly students should evaluate what they expect to get out of the school. (i.e. reputable school to help get a job after graduation, programs the school as to offer, etc.)

It is important to remember what you want out of your life. Don't ever let anyone decide that for you. Follow the path you think is right for yourself. Look for a college that can satisfy all your interests so you can dip into each and find out which best suits you.

Visit a lot of colleges. You will know your college when you've found it. You will feel at home, accepted, and welcomed. You will feel empowered. Parents, don't make the decisions for your kids...they are not pawns to be moved around a board so that you can live vicariously. That said, DO stay involved in your child's life while they are away at school - EVERYONE gets home sick!

Students who have not worked a job or have not really have to be responsible for theirselves for at least one bill like a cell phone may not be ready to go away for school they may take advantage of the freedom and may miss some school work.