George Fox University Top Questions

Begin making plans for financial aid and possible paths of study as soon as possible. You may not know right away what you want to study, but beginning to narrow that field down and take the necessary steps to make those goals become a reality is crucial to succeeding in a college setting. You are literally paying to attend each class, so the more you know about your own interests and aspirations, the less shuffling between majors and less money you'll waste, and the more fun you'll have as you'll be persuing somehting that you actually want to do. Look for jobs during school that have a similar makeup to your future career choice; this will open up opportunities for you when you are applying for internships or looking for careers after school. I would remind them to take their period in school very seriously, and take time to build quality relationships and enrich their worldview and beliefs.

I would tell myself not to stress out too much about picking a major right away. When I started as a freshman in college, I had declared a major right away, but I soon found out that there was more that I was not aware of, and I added a second major my second year in college. Once you get here, you start to find out where you really belong. High school doesn't matter that much in the long run.

Dear me, Don't freak out, college is not going to kill you. It will be challenging and fun at the same time. Do your work and put in the effort but don't stress about it. Always take some time to just chill out, meet new people and compare different lives. Learning your schoolwork is almost as important as learning from your friends and classmates because you need both to be successful at college and ultimately at life. Work hard, have fun, enjoy the ride!

While you are about to step into the strange world of college life, don't be afraid. Everything will seem new at first, but you will figure things out in no time! Remember that you are going to college for a reason, so stay focused on your goal. Yet, have some good, quality fun. You will meet so many incredible people that you will begin to wonder how you ever survived so long without them. Oh, and be warned, college is a lot harder than high school!!! No worries though, it is possible to achieve the grade that you desire, but don't cheat yourself from obtaining the highest grade possible. Don't sell yourself short from an opportunity of a lifetime. If you ever think that you can't do it, just remember that you made it this far and that there is no turning back. Rule #1: Don't procrastinate! Life if much harder if you do. Rule #2: Enjoy where you are at because few people have the opportunity to go to college. Embrace learning and life, and if you fail, its only because you refused to continue to do what you felt called to do.

How about this one? It has the major I want. This one is a small town, or should I go with the big city university. There are so many things to consider when it comes to finding choosing the college or university that will be the start of "the real world" as you know it. The main thing to keep in mind about it all is, does this fit me? There are so many great schools with outstanding reputations but if it doesn't fir you, then all its credentials are of no value. It's important to find the one just for you. Things to consider are as follows: private vs. public, and if private than secular vs. religious, small college vs large college, majors that are offered, travel opportunities and acedemics. When looking at a school make a list of what you want first so you can measue them up by your "wish list" Once you find the perfect school, apply and hope for the best.

When looking for the right college of the the first things to look at is to check the list of majors and minors available. Even if you have no idea what you want to do, make sure it has a few options that you may be interested in. There is no point going to a college that offers nothing you want acedemically. If you can, set up a meeting with the head of that department to see what his point of view on teaching are. Do you agree or disagree? Another thing to look for is class sizes. If you are an auditory learner, big class sizes are not a big deal. If you are a kinestetic learner, like most people are, then a school with small classes would be more ideal for you. I would also suggest visiting the school and staying in the area for a day or two. The town life often gives a glimpse at what campus life will be like. A school's town could make or break a school decision.

Well first of all parents make sure the school has a good academic reputation after all you do want to get your moneys worth but I would just say to a student make sure it's a place were you feel welcomed and comfortable being yourself. For me personaly I choose a place where hardly anyone form my highschool was going that way I could just start over and be who I wanted to be and not have to worry about being judged for my past actions. Ultimately I would say make sure it a place you want to be and you are there because you want to be there, not because everyone in your family went there, or because it's one of the top schools in the nation, or because all your friends are going there. Pick one because it were you feel like you can be yourself and, or maybe because you think its a place that you want to just start over, don't worry about friends you make new ones very fast I promise.

Picking a college is about finding a place where you feel comfortable. Honestly, it should feel like home. I know for me, I was worried about making the wrong decision and all I can remember is my dad telling me, "Honey, if you don't like it you can always transfer." I could breathe a little easier, knowing full well that my parents weren't thinking the way I was. They encouraged me to go to a place that was going to stretch me academically, spiritually, and physically. Going to George Fox University, I have found all those things and more. Every year I am astounded by the people, professors, and experiences I have. Without a doubt in my mind, I can say that education is more than just learning and sitting in class, it's about growing into your own skin and knowing there are people to support you along the way.

The best advice I could give to parents and/pr students about finding the right college is to set your goals before you begin your educational search. Too often students want to attend the same school as their friends, only to find out that college now, somewhat, resembles their high-school years. There is too much socializing, time spent away from studying, and often the student or his/or her friends end of dropping about because they weren?t focused on their goals. Look for a college that suits you, not your friends, or even your parent?s goals. Find out what you truly want to do, and then look for schools that match your requirements. Look for things such as the availability of programs, class size, national awards, sports, and extra curricular activities. Go visit the school, talk to current students, find out about their job placement skills. Check out the dorms ? you will be surprised how small they are! Of course, in the end, money is always a factor, but don?t let that detract you from finding the perfect school for you.

Fill our lots of scholarship forms and get involved on campus

First, don't overlook anything: attend college fairs, send for information on colleges that interest you, and ask questions. Don't just ask your high school buddies where they think you should go -- ask teachers, or your advisor, and keep an open dialogue with the schools that interest you. A college may look nice on paper, but the location may not suit you in reality, so visit the campus of the school or schools that you're interested in or have applied to. To get the most out of your college experience, make goals. If you want to excel in academics, set aside some study time and find a quiet place to get things done. Don't forget to balance study time with friends and/or extracurricular activities, like clubs. It's important to have fun, but college is meant to teach and prepare you for a career -- hopefully one that you will enjoy. Two of the very most important things about college that most people forget are getting enough sleep and eating right. Nothing can replace either for long, and your grades and attitude will probably reflect a lack thereof.

Find a college that seems to fit your personality. Take into account the cost, but don't let that deter you from applying to a college. Often the financial aid packages will cover the bulk of the cost and the most expensive schools are not always the most expensive when the financial aid packages come in. The most important thing is that you feel you fit in at the college you're at and that it provides you with the opportunities you need to grow as a person. When you finally get into college, make sure that you do study and keep your grades up. However, don't get too buried in the books. College is a unique place; you will probably never again be surrounded by so many smart and talented individuals. Look for opportunities to explore your interests outside of the classroom. Form friendships with people who have the same interests and goals and try to help each other out. Collegiate soil is rich and open to new ideas. There is a reason many of the most successful ideas come from college kids.

Make sure you visit different campuses. The experiance you feel there is the most important. Don't become too stressed about picking and choosing. Constantly work on scholarships!

Pick the school that feels right.

Visit the Campus. It makes all the difference.

I would tell the students to choose the school that gives them the most of what they are looking for weather that's sports or acedemics. I would tell parents to pray about it and make sure their child is told the correct things and make sure they understand every college is going to try and sell their school. You can't always trust them. Also I would encourage the student to spend the night with a current freshman and see what it is truly like to be a college student.

awesome school

That college is the basework of the development process that young people go through. A good college sets the student up for success in the world after school. It is also important that the school fits the true personality of the student as he or she will feel more comfortable to plug into the social and academic campus life. A great school will have a great staff and faculty to back it up. These are the people that will help guide your student through college and into the world. So picking the staff and faculty is just as important as picking the school. Every student who feels invested in will in return invest more in their college experience.

Make sure parents and students do their own independent research on the schools you apply to before you decide upon one. Try to find people who have attended or are attending the school to talk to to get their impression. I would strongly suggest visiting the school and meeting some of the professors you may have, maybe even sit in on a class, to get an idea of what to expect. Remember to keep an open mind while in school, and that if you are deeply unsatisfied that you can always go somewhere else! Make the most of your experience and take advantage of every opportunity the school offers, and have fun!

I would highly stress the importance of on campus visits. Visiting a school, attending classes, and interacting with professors and students can you give a wealth of information essential. Also research the majors that the schools offer and make sure that they have the major (s) that you're interested in. Check out their study abroad programs and extra curricular activities like clubs and sports programs. Make sure that the campus setting (rural, suburban, etc.) is one that you could see yourself living in. I think that the way the admissions staff interacts and communicates with you is very important. Are they friendly, helpful, and genuine? Or do they treat you like a number and are difficult to communicate with? Refering to making the most of your college experience, I would encourage you to get involved with school activities. Join clubs and attend social events. Get to know your classmates and don't stress to much about grades. Of course, grades are important, but I believe that the most valuable aspect of your college education happens outside the classroom. College is about getting to know yourself, so get out of your comfort zone and figure out who you are.

Above and beyond everything my advice is to visit as many campuses as possible. I had no idea where I wanted to go for a long time. It was only through my visits I came to a decision. On paper a lot of schools can look the same, but it doesn't mean it will fit you. Every school will tell you they are great, but nto every school will be great for you. Figure out where your most comfortable fit will be.

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Get out there and view the schools you are interested in. There is no way to really tell how you feel about them until you are there. Pictures may be worth a thousand words but in this case, seeing is believing. While you are there ask students how they feel about the school, they already attend it so they will have the inside information. Also talk with professors in the field you are interested in. You're going to potentially be seeing a lot of them in the next 4 years so its nice to see what you are getting into(plus, it may really come in handy when you just didn't have time to turn in that paper!) One last piece of advice, trust your gut. If it just "feels right" than it probably is!

Visit the campus and see what feeling you get from the people on campus. Some campuses are more friendly than others. Some give off differnt vibes. There are school for each person and in order to find a school that you are going to enjoy, go visit them. Be sure to sit in on some classes in the major that you are interested in. Eat in the cafeteria, you will want to know what you are getting yourself into with the food, are you going to be gaining the freshman 15 or loosing 15 pounds due to the quality of the food? Its also a good idea to stay the night with a student who is attending that university. It will give you a feel for the atmosphere of the living situations and more of what the current students are like. Good luck in your search!

Visit and tour the colleges. Meet as much people form the colleges as possible.

When you know what you want to do with your life, seek a college that will facilitate that in the best way. Seek an atmosphere that will promote learning and expands your experience. If you don't know what you want to do, find the school that has the options and the resources to find what you're interested in. In the end all we take from college is our experience and hopefully that sweet college degree.

Make sure that you have at least a fairly good feeling about the school. Visit the campus if you can, talk to some of the students and get their take on what they think about it.

Don't be afraid to visit colleges. It can be a little expensive if you go out-of-state, but college is a crucial season in a person's life. It's important to remember that changing your mind is alright; you are allowed to switch from place to place, but you can find purpose anywhere you go. Choose a school that emphasizes the kind of lifestyle you are looking for. An academically rigorous university is not the best place to hang out and not attend classes. There are going to be challenges anywhere you do decide to go; the purpose of college is to stretch you, and picking a school that has different values or emphases than you will do that. Embrace the challenges, accept that you have many choices, but realize that you can find your niche anywhere. Choosing a college, like everything else in life, is about your attitude. You will get out of it whatever you put in.

I think that one needs to realize right off the bat that your college experience isn't going to be perfect. There are going to be a lot of times where you wondered if you made the right choice or not; sometimes things get rough and you wonder what it would be like at another campus. However I think that if you research the schools that you want to go to and go and visit them you have a high probability of finding the "right" college. The best thing a person can do is to visit the school. When you visit the schools eat in the cafeteria, spend a night in the dorm, and ask the student on campus what they think of their school to get a better understanding of what you want and what you do not want. Once you know what you like in a college you can better evaluate your top choices and then slowly narrow them down based on your criteria. Once you decide on which college you go to, just remember no matter what happens, you are going to have the time of your life!

Look for a college that meets your needs. So often do we look for the best academic programs, but overlook the fact that you (or your child) will be making a home there for the next four years. Find a location that you find beautiful, and make sure the faculty are going to treat you with respect. Find a school that will encourage your academic studies, and not dismiss them.

Take it seriously and know whats important to you and whats not. Be sure you know what you want and need and apply to the school that comes the closest even if it seems out of your range financially. It is surprising once you start chipping away at it, how quickly the tuition gets covered. I'd also recommend looking at a minimum of four schools and visiting each one of them. The on campus visit tells you a lot about the students and faculty that you can't find out any other way. I'd also recommend getting involved in as much as you can from the start. Volunteering is a great way to meet people. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I have a severe learning disability and was intimidated about attending "college." I was surprised how much help is available and how accomodating my professors are if I just sit down a talk to them ahead of time. I'd say you shouldn't worry if you are nervous or even a bit fearful - that's a good thing because you can almost gaurantee that everyone is. Be authentic and transparent and hang in there.

Don't feel like you have to find the "perfect fit" school, because chances are there will be things you love and things you don't like so much. However, that's part of the growing experience. I once heard that there are 3 ideal things in college: good grades, sleep, and a social life, and that you can only pick 2. I've since discovered that this is usually true. College needs to be about balance, but also pursuing the things you really enjoy doing. Do care about your grades, because that's what you're paying money for, but don't forget about your friends either, because they really do make your experience more positive. Get involved; even if it's a pain at first, you may get to meet people and have experiences that you otherwise wouldn't have. Get to know your professors and ask for help if you need it, because it will make things much less stressful in the long run. And of course, avoid all-nighters if you can; they can be good bonding experiences, but it's not worth catching mono over!

Start Early, and Visit Campuses. The earlier you start the easier it will be for you. Some schools have deadlines for housing appications, and some will charge you for late registration. Starting early also allows you to do campus visits, some even have weekend stays. By visiting a campus you can get a feel for the community and what your potential experience could be like, don't necessarliy take everything for face value though, the food service at my schools was notorius for bringing out the best food when we had campus visits, or weekend stays.

As far as finding the right college, do not decide on a college by what the website says. Make sure you visit every college you are seriously considering. Also I would say that it is very important that you spend a significant amount of time at the college in question. See if the schools offer a preview of the school where you can stay the night in the dorms and experience some of the campus life with the students. Make sure to ask lots of questions of the students since they are the ones that go to school there. As for making the most of the college experience, it depends on what you want out of the college experience. If you want to get down to business and get your degree, then do that. If you want to party hard and make lifelong friends, then that is your road. All things considered, the one thing that you must do is live on campus if possible. You will miss out on so much if you don't live among your classmates and experience life with them. Campus life is a truly great experience and cannot be missed.

I would advise parents and students to really get to know the college they are applying to. Talk with advisors about classes, find out just how much financial aid you will be able to receive, visit the campus a few times, and just get generally familiar with the college. I think it's important to know a lot about a school before you go there. Make sure the programs you want are not only offered at your school, but alsoe see if they are good programs. One of the reasons I chose my school was because their program for my major was exceptional and they hook up jobs for people in my field right after graduation. Having a job almost guaranteed when I graduated was a huge boost. So, it's important to really understand what your school is going to offer you. You are the one who is paying money to go here. They get applicants all the time, so your application is just one among many. Get as much out of a school as you can. Make it about you and you will find a school that gives you what you want.

Think about what yhou want otu of your college experience. It is a good place to discover alot of facts about your self but it is good to have an idea before so you don't get half way threw and figure out that you have screwed everything up. also don't listen to your parents, they have there own dreams and ideas firgure out your own.

Choose based on what is important to you because you only get one chance.

Pick a place you want to live and a university with the majors you are considering but don't get too hung up on knowing exactly what you want to study. Most people I know changed majors at least once. Just pick a place with alot of choices you like.

Seek around. Overall you need to make sure that you can visit the school. Finding your fit is not in the brouchers that you get in the mail, but rather spending some time, preferably overnight, on the campus. And parents, during that time, let your kid do their own thing. Let them experience the college for what it will be like, without you. Ultimately, you, the student, are in college for you, not your parents. You need to be in a major that leads you into a career that you want to do, not what your parents push you into. They may pressure you with financial support, but if they truly care about your desires, they will let you blaze your own trail. It's your life. Follow your heart. Don't let anybody tell you what path you have to take.

Go visit the college and go with what feels right, it usually is.

Take the time to look around and go where you feel most at home. Look at the little things around campus because the little things matter when you are always there, talk to as many students as possilbe to get their opinions.

Finding the right college is all about feeling like you belong. Research the type of school you think you want to attend and apply to a variety of places before deciding on one. Also, before making a final decision, visit the campus and talk to students and faculty about the school and the college life on that particular campus. Finding the right college for you is kind of like finding a spouse. You can't rush into a relationship and when you find the right one, you just know it is the right fit. Every aspect should be considered from housing to education, food to activities offered, and campus size and location. I got lucky. I only applied to two colleges and was accepted to both but upon visiting the first one I realized that I did not want to go there because there was excessive partying. The second school I visited was radically different. Teachers are involved with students and even have them over for dinner from time to time. The entire University is founded on the principles of serving others and being good citizens.

It is important to find a school that is the right size for you. Some need the huge state school while some find the smaller colleges a better fit. I personally believe that a private school education is worth the money. You ahve smaller class sizes where you actually get to know the professor and in my opinion get more out of the class. Private schools, especially religious affiliated ones provide a great community to be a part of. Do your research ahead of time and make sure they have the major you want and how long the program is. A school with a good variety of majors is great in case you change you mind and switch majors once you have already started.

Look at the community, if you enjoy that you will most likely enjoy the college.

The price of private universities can be daunting, but there is help out there. For certain careers, like nursing, your future employer will pay your remaining debt when you finish school. Do all the research on your financial options before you rule out a great school because it is too expensive.

I think it is important to find a place that you could see yourself making friends for a lifetime. Academics are important too, so both of these qualities should be considered when looking at a college. A very important part about the college experience is living on campus, if you can afford it do it, especially your freshman year. This helps the student transition from being in high school and just attending class, to really being part of a community. My floor mates from my freshman year are all still my closest friends, and I am so thankful I chose to live on campus because of it. My parents live 10 minutes from campus so I could have easily made the wrong decision. When you look for a college, look for a place that looks like it could be your home for the next four years or more.

Finding a campus that your student likes is more important than finding the college that is the best. If a student feels comfortable in his enviroment then he or she will not want to leave, in order words they will work harder. Send your student to a college that is well known, but they don't like will make it harder for the student to take his studies seriously

Go and see! Meet the people. If they have a preview weekend, I would very strongly recommend attending. Or even better, stay in one of the dorms overnight with a friend, or someone you may know who goes to the college. Go on a weeknight if you can, in order to get a real "taste" of what an average day will feel like, (Many schools tend to doll themselves up when they know preview students are coming). And after all of this, if you still feel lost, as obvious as this sounds, really spend the time to think about how each school made you feel. How do you feel that school will effect YOU? The way you look at the world, and who you ultimately grow up to be? Think about it. Pray about it. Meditate on it. Whatever you need to do. And whichever one ultimately makes you feel excited to live and learn, is the one that is probably right for you.

find somewhere that makes your individual happy. satisfied. hungry. challenged. be wary of falling into the mold too easily. try to do all of your own planning. financally. professionally. personally. try to be original. accepting of new values. foriegn beliefs. know people always have motives. even Jesus. soak it all in :)

My best advice for finding the right school, is really know yourself and what you want to get out of college. Visit as many campuses as you can, and not just ones you think you can afford, or that are close to your home, get out and really see where you fit. Being on the right campus can really make your college experience. Also, give yourself permission to dream big, don't settle for the state school because that is where everyone else is going, be adventurous, go somewhere different then all your friends are. And most of all, take your time, this decision should not be made overnight.