Michigan State University Top Questions

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

Wendy

I would tell parents that it is their child's choice where they will attend college; it is important to remember that it is their child's future and thus should be their child's choice. I would reccommend to students that they make as many campus visits as possible! If you are going to be attending a school for any extended amount of time, you need to get a feel for the campus and see if it fits you!

Angela

The acceptance packet makes all the difference. Applications are long, and tedious, but when those letters of acceptance come in the mail, hold it in your hands. For me, when I got the packet with ?Congratulations! You?re a Spartan!? sprawled across the front, the excitement I felt holding that packet knowing I could be a part of that community overpowered all the other university letters I had gotten. Be sure to visit the university as well before committing anywhere. If you don?t feel at home on a campus, move on to the next one. There is always going to be an awkward stage where you miss home or you?re overwhelmed by college life, but so long as you are comfortable then you will pull through. College is scary, but know that it?s your time to shine. Put your best foot forward and know that you will sometimes stumble along the way, but it makes you a stronger person in the end.

Alexis

When selecting the right college there are a lot of things to keep in mind. Do you like big cities or small cities, large group of people or a small community. There is even the choice of all male or all female. Are you an outgoing person? You may want to look at the leisure activities that surround the school. Your major is the most important thing. Selecting a school that is real high on your career preference is a plus. Also how far away would you like to be from your hometown. Once you found the right college then you have to make the most of it. Joining a fraternity or sorrority would help you in the future and would be a good resume builder. There are also clubs or sports teams that you could join that best supports your personal interests.

Jake

To begin this process I would reccomend some form of intense introspection into why they desire to go to college (meditation, solo camping, journal writing, anything that focuses in on the mind with no outside influences). Then, depending on what arises the parents and students will be more clear as to wheather or not the student is even ready to go away to college. If they are not ready to leave home yet, their choices will be severly limited. If they decide that they are ready to leave home then I would focus in on why they want to go to college in the first. To learn? To make money? To meet people? Why not? There are very many answers to this question, all equally valid and most important. Keep asking the question why. Why. Why. After some sort of answer begins to evelove they will be in a much better posistion to answer the easier questions that lead to desired school choices. Questions like what size of school and what kind of academics will answer themselves. Visit as many of these schools as you can and feel how everything interacts with you. Then apply and dream.

Jin

First of all, find out what kind of person are you, then match your personality with the college. It is also very important for you to know your academic ability.

Joey

Go visit it. Nothing better than hands on.

Jessica

Selecting the right university is key. Look for a college where the people care about each other and there is a sense of community. This will assure that the student feels like he or she truly belongs there. It is easy to feel lost in a new place, but I suggest going and spending the night at a college and visiting it before making the decision. Once you decide and are accepted remember not to forget the reason you're at college, so study hard and remember that you're paying for this education. Yet, also plan on making friends for life. Take part in your school. Volunteer or become part of a group on campus. The most important part about the college experience is finding that perfect balance between coursework and social life, and sticking to it. Once you have mastered that it's all downhill.

Mickayla

I would recomend them to not just take into consideration the school classes and work , but also the enviornment and community surrounding the school. These factors help the student to stay motivated and positive enough to succeed well through the four years. Whether it is a good school or not, if the student is not happy or feel comfortable in the enviornment, they wont be able to reach their potential.

Krystal

I came from a very small town with roughly 2200 people. I graduated high school with 57 people. I thinking attending MSU was the best thing I could have done. All I can tell people looking for a college/university is to be sure to put yourself out there. Do not hold back at all. Just because a campus is huge do not let that scare you. Also, if you came from a big high school do not let a smaller school scare you away. It may be different from what you are used to, but we as humans need to learn to accept change. You never know how much you may like something until you give it a try. When I started at MSU my freshmen year I was in culture shock. My high school was small and predominently white, now my friends are more diverse than ever before and I love it! So, the best advice I can give to parents and/or students is please do not rule a college out because you are scared of the outcome. The best thing to do is visit the school and obtain all the information you can.

Sarah

To sum up the best advice I have been given in three words is GO TO CLASS. Choosing a college is an important decision, parents, but allow the student to make their own mark on the world and let them choose the right college that fits them. I am happy to say that I cherish every memory I have of my first year at Michigan State, yes even the bad ones. Furthermore, I students if your listening become involved in clubs and do not be afraid to speak your opinion and be yourself. Most of all, just enjoy the moments with new friends because time goes by way too fast and never be afraid to laugh at yourself.

joe

To the parents I advice you to be patient and trust the choice your child is making for their education. Don't force them to do what you think is best. It is better to learn lives lessons on their own. For students, listen to the advice of your parents and teachers and consider the information they are providing to you. Carefully choose your friends and if you are considering a joint ventor with them discuss it with your parents or someone who may have been through a similar situation for their advice. And finally, remember your roots. If they were bad, you have a choice to change your future. If they were good, let them grow and flourish.

Jeron

Figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life, and really think about if college is for your child. There are many other options other than spending so much time and money on universities. There are trade schools, community colleges, and jobs which only require high school diplomas. Also, make sure that every avenue is taken in paying for college before you apply for any loans. Those loans come with interest and may takes decades to pay back.

Meghan

Make lots of visits, you will know when you find the right one. Compare costs and check out post-graduation employment rates. Work as much as you can during vacations. Don't go where your high school friends go-- you will make more friends and get involved in new activities. Take your parents' advice and network,network, network.

Elizabeth

Visit the college campus. Make sure you are comfortable with the size, and talk to some people on campus. Some people prefer to their peers to be friendly and highly conversive, others may prefer to be left alone. Make sure you fit in with the general public. Look at class size. If you don't do well in large classes then you might want to try a college that don't have large lecture halls. Parents should help guide their students but remember that it is ultimately their student's life and happiness. Let the student decide.

kiara

The advice I would give is you should pick a college that is right for you. A big university is not for everyone, maybe a community college is best for you. When looking for the right college to attend you should check out the majors the have to offer to make sure it fits with your intended major. You want to go to a school that is invovlved and has many services that will assist you academically. If your interested in going to a big college such as an university in my opinion you will have the time of your lofe. Living in the dorms you have the chance to meet new people and you also have easy access to job opportunities within the resident halls. Also with its big lecture hall classes you have the chance to meet a variety of students who are just as nervous and excited as you. If you decide to go to a community college you will have just as much fun and also. Community colleges in my opinion will keep you more focused mainly because the classes are not as big and you can have more one on one time with the professor.

Troimen

I would tell them to visit the campus and talk to people who have lived there for awhile to see if it is the type of atmosphere that the student wants to live in. I would also advise them to look at what classes and extracurricular activities are offered and to see if any of those are of interest to the student.

John

Have your student visit the campus and spend the night in a dorm with a current student to try to get "a feel" for the place. Make sure the college has the courses you are interested in. Spend the first year in the dorm so you will meet new friends. Get involved in clubs or an intramural sport.

Quentin

I would tell parents that Michigan State is an extremely big school and it has a wide variety of people and groups for any student in any field, seeking a crowd. The professors are really about their business and it is their personal goal to get each and every student through their course. There is a very effective transportation system that gets students to and from class promptly during the day. The bus passes are 40 - 50 dollars per semester and the use of them is unlimited. Campus housing is excellent. The community bathrooms are sanitized daily and faculty and staff are very friendly. The first step to making new friends at school starts with meeting your new roommate. The individual rooms are not the biggest, but they provide enough room for each student to live comfortably. There is a wide variety of food also. All freshman have a meal plan and can eat in any of the many cafeterias on campus. I would advise all incoming students to get engaged in some type of activity because it is very easy to gain unwanted weight if you are a student who just eats and goes to class.

Courtney

For students and parents trying to find the right college, you should really visit each and every school you apply to. Get a feel for the enviornment, size, and people. Talking to students who already go there can give you a real insite into what you will find out if you go to college there. Also it is important to see what kind of social activities are offered, and if those fit with your personality. Once you have chose your college, I think you have to be open minded and really set out to be involved in anything and everything you are interested in. Being open minded will help you to meet knew people, and expand your knowledge beyond the classroom. Still always remember that you are going to college to graduate with a degree, so stay focused on your school work, and manage your time so that you can do well in school and enjoy everything new that will be around you. Oh and never be scared to ask for help, everyone needs it at some point!

Cody

Make sure you know what you want. It;s easy to get the inside scoop about a school, just ask someone who goes there. What you really need to define is what you want out of a college. Some people think they want to party every night and then drag themsleves to class during the day. Others think they would rather keep it conservative and go to school to learn. Whatever your style don't go to a college that doesn't reflect it. A person at school for hardcore academics will get annoyed when their friends want to party every night. On a similar note a party animal will get bored easily at a small religious school. So do some soul searching, find out what you really want in a college before making that final decesion, it will be one of the most important of your life.

William

Explore and visit as many college campus' with your children to see what interests them. Start early and see what suits the parents and their children.

Brian

Your first idea of a college can be very tainted by many things: where you grew up, where your parents went, where your parents work, where your friends are going. You need to actively discover what it is YOU want to do. That is the only way that you will find the school that is right for you. Figure out who you are, and picking a college is much easier.

Abby

I believe that finding the right college is a very important aspect into ones future. My first advice would be doing some research as to what you prefer in a school, examples are large schools/small school, close to home/far away, whether the school has the activities you like to do around or not, and most importantly does the school have good programs for major you choose. Once the student and parent figure this out they can then plan on visiting schools, a nice tour can give better examples of what the school is like both socially and aceidemically. The visits should be done during school so that everyone can see how busy campus's are and how easily/hard it is for one to move around. Once the visits are complete,students should then work on there applications as soon as possible and send them in on time! The sooner the better, I believe that is is best to get them done right before senior year of high school starts so that the student wont have to be swamped with school work and applications. Once accepted into a school pick the best one that fits your life style.

Santos

In terms of choosing the right college, it is beneficial to spend as much time at the ones being considered as possible. Many people choose to go to college because that is what they have been encouraged to do. If you feel you are not ready, or that you are unsure about what you want to do, then remeber you do not have to go right now. Community colleges are great, and much less expensive, for taking some time to figure out what you want to do while still getting an education. Every college has something to offer: academically, socially, athletically, etc. It is more about what you can get for yourself from the college, rather than what it can give you. Therefore, the most important thing is to learn how to be independent. If you set goals for yourself and go after them with conviction, you will be rewarded.

Joe

When you are selecting a college you must take many things into account. The most important thing I believe you must plan for is the unexpected. I came to MSU thinking I was going to be in Political Science. Needless to say I am no longer a Polictical Science student and that was because I planed for the unexpected. I went to a university with a large population of people that were open and willing to give their opinions and a large number of majors to choose from. Because of this I was able to find what was right for me in terms of acidemics and have a ton of friends who specialize in all sorts of acidemic fields. I was also able to meet people from all over the country and the world. My advice would be as much as you believe you have the rest of your life planed out, you don't. Always anticipate change and be willing to concider making it. Prepare to network with a ton of people. You never know who you will meet or what that possible friend ship may bring in the future.

Michael

Do you what you want to do with your life, not what someone else wants of you.

Lorraine

First decide what it is that you want to accomplish by going to college. What type of degree do you want? Are you going there for a sport? Will you move on to graduate school? If you are undecided make sure you choose a college that has a good program to help you decide what you want to do. Then decided what kind of school you would like to go to. Are you more interested in a large campus, small campus? Do you want to go out of state or in state? Next, once you choose the right college for you make sure you get involved with your school. Join clubs, get involved with the community, or join a sports team. These are only a few ways to have fun and meet new people. Also make sure you pick classes that relate to your major, that you are interested in, and don't fall behind in your school work. It's important to study hard and do well in your classes but also make room for some time to relax and have a good time!

Kyle

I would have to say that you must always have an open mind when choosing the right college. Choose a college that plays to your personality and I feel in that regard you will get the most out of it. Play to your strengths at the college of your choice and you will succeed wherever you go. Don't feel pressured into going somewhere you don't want to. Just because mom and dad went somewhere doesn't always mean that you should. Make the best choice for you and you alone. One word of advice in maximizing your college experience...participation. Whether it is in class or in a social setting. Get involved. See a movie, go out with your friends, join student groups, play intramural sports. The more involvement you have at your school, the more rewarding the experience will be.

Keith

I would suggest to go to a college where you think you would enjoy the environment. Also, the school should be well known for the field that you are going into.

Alexandr

You should concentrate on picking a school that not only offers your desired major, but also a place that will give you enough space to grow into who you want to be during the next four years of your life socially and academically. College is the best time of your life; choose your school wisely.

James

To find the right college and make the most out of your college experience, go with what feels right. Don't force yourself to go to some top name university in some program you're not that interested in, just do what feels like the best decision. And don't be afraid to change your mind.

pietro

it's just the hoops. get jumping.

Michelle

For future students, my advice is trust your gut feeling. You'll know which college is the one for you only by visiting colleges. My advice for parents is to encourage campus visits and support which ever choice your child makes for selecting a college.

Kayla

Visit and stay with someone in dorms

Ryan

When you arrive here at Michigan State try to make friends with people, it's the best way to network for help with classes and to create/maintain a social life. Go to class, study hard and get good grades so you won't be forced to do the major shuffle, though MSU does have "weeding out" classes that can rid a starting class of 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of it's new entries which is a great deterrent. Get a set path for studies and try to meet expectations toward your goal. Apply for financial aid early and keep in good contact with your professors, it'll help them remember you down the line because you're more than likely to see a professor that teaches classes in your major from 100 level to 400 and beyond. Stay away from riots and parties that look like they can cost you your life/education!!!! You must be open to new ideas about culture, sexual orientation, and gender as there are a lot of international students, GLBT people, and ladies respectively and we have had problems with sexual assualts :(. Lastly, be true to yourself and try to establish your own identity, no drugs please!

Lewis

Go Green

Ashley

Look for the college that fits your interests best and that is where you will be happiest!

Jacqueline

Before choosing which college to attend, one should definitely visit the campus. Try to take in as much as you can about the campus. Check out it's dining halls, classrooms and dorms. Ask students that you meet on campus what they like and dislike about the school. It's very simple to have a great college experience. Just go in with a good attitude and you should be able to make the very best of it. You make your own experiences, so join a club, play an IM sport, go to concerts and check out parties. College is a time to learn and grow, but don't forget to have some fun along the way too!

Angela

With every college there will be a down side but what the college has to offer is always more important than the few problems it has. Before choosing a college see what it has to offer, even if you dont know what you want to do. If you are undecided then the best choice would be to choose a college that offers many different great programs. Smaller and privite colleges tend to offer a lot less so those would be best for students who know for sure their career path. I still suggest big univerities though.

Ashley

Find a college that has a program that you really want to do and stick to your decision if you think that's what you really want to do. If you're undecided, you don't have to go to an expensive college right off. If there's a college close by that you could take a few classes of your interest, do that; you can always tranfer later when you've found a major or program you want to pursue. When you get to college, don't bow to peer pressure. If you have pressure to do anything you don't want to do, you are hanging out with the wrong people. With the diversity of a college campus, not just in race but ideas and opinions, there's no reason not to find people that you can feel safe and share interests with. Finding the right peer group makes the college experiance. Make sure to find people that have similiar opinions and share the same drive for success that you do.