Northwest Missouri State University Top Questions

When you're looking for a college, don't find the college and see if it has what you want. Make a list, and then look at each individual college. Compare them and see which college meets the most off of your list. Make sure there's a variety of things on your list. Cost, the quality of education, quality of living arrangements, students, and surroundings are all important, but so are convenience and fun. What's the use of going to the best school with the best numbers and the highest tuition if you don't enjoy it. Make sure you pick a college that you can be proud to be a part of and wear the colors proudly. Once you're on the campus of your choosing, don't stop looking at it. If you're not happy, don't let yourself get stuck there. Give yourself other options. And then, of course, work hard in class. Use the help that the campus provides. It's there for a reason. Join a few groups, but make sure it's something that interests you. Don't make a dedication to something you're going to grow to hate.

The advice I would give students about finding the right college is to find a college where you feel most at home. The environment of the college should be friendly and welcoming. It should fit your personality with the campus size and style. In order to make the most of your college experience, you need to expand your friend network. You can spend your whole college years immersing yourself in your schoolwork, sequestered away in your room. However, after you have graduated, you will not have the long lasting friendships that college is good at forging. Get out, get involved, and don't be afraid to meet new people!

I would say - go with your gut. Even if your student hasn't decided on what they want their major to be... go with that college that seems more like what you and they are looking for. Don't be shy. Try new things... cause after you graduate, It's a whole different world. :)

I would advise for students and Parents to search for colleges that really allows you/or your child to flourish. Go out and see the different university at the tours and contact if possible students from that college. One other thing you could do is go find out where the teachers went to for college to get a perspective from them. This would give you an Idea wether you would be confortable coming to the univerity/college. I would of course advise you to do some research online about the college. I believe that looking at the university by th strengths of program is good. However I believe people put to much emphasis on it as they choose the school. If you do not feel comfortable about going to the university you more then likely will struggle and not work as easily in classes. The school websites would be biased to you going there so then you would have to search sources that aren't biased. My Best Advisement is to pick a college/university that you are comfortable with going to classes, activities, and living at.

Parents don't worry, let your kids make their own decisions. Students be smart focus on the schooling more than the social aspect.

I would advise the students to seek out the university that has a broad range of majors to choose from, because statistically they will switch at least once. I would also advise them to decide if they really want a "party" college, or if they are going for an education, and base part of their decision on that.

Stay open minded. College has a lot to offer as long as you take full advantage of what is around you.

When you are deciding on a college it is important to put your best interest first. Don't choose a school just because thats where all of your friends are going. This decision has a huge impact on your future. Its not like high school. College is expensive and you should put every consideration to thought. You should choose a school that is affordable and is the most suitable for the major you are considering. Once your in college, you should most importantly focus on academics, but still get involved even if its just a little bit. Its not necessary to get involved right away, just gradually do a few activities so you can also enjoy yourself while in college. Most importantly, academics should always come first, but having a little fun every once in awhile will help ease the stress of school.

If it feels like a good fit when you first tour the campus, then you know that you have found the university for you!

Take your time and find the school that has what you are looking for. Tour the school and more times then not you will feel more comfortable on one campus then another. Make sure you really want to go there before you decide to go to a certain college. Get involved make lots of friends and have fun, but make sure you study and do good in your classes hard work makes fun/free time more fun.

The first semester is the hardest--just wait it out. It may be hard being away from home, or seem to expensive, or too much work, but just wait it out--it will get better! And even if you don't think going Greek (sorority/fraternity) is right for you, try it anyway--even if you choose not to become Greek or become Greek and quit later, you'll still meet a lot of amazing people that may end up being lifelong friends. Also take advantage of on-campus housing your freshman year, and leave your door open for the first few weeks--you'll meet a lot of people you wouldn't meet otherwise.

I would tell them to look for the right feel for their children. The schools needs to have a major they will be interstead in, also the right kind of atmosphere. Meaning the right kind of people, laid back, or really fast moving people, with the right kind of feeling, so people who are study freaks, or people who like to have more parites, or somewhere in between. Also they need to have the right kind of classes, like choir, or band. After all of that make sure you can see your child there, can you see them walking around the campus fitting in, and being part of the college life. If you can see that, and your young college student can too, then you have yourself a good college, no matter D1, D2, or even community.

Finding the right college is a big descion, and I think that the best way to decide is to write out all the pros and cons and take into account everything, from living enviroment, weather, the town the college is in, and the career placement rates. And making the most out of the college experience would be getting involved in anything, the student senate, greek life, attending the games, and meeting people within your major. Get to know upperclassmen so you can learn about classes you have to take and the teacher that you should take them with! And just enjoy, I am not saying it is going to be the best for years of your life but it is the time you can make mistakes, learn from then, succeed, and find out who you really out and what you can achieve!

Go to a school based on what you think about it. Dont choose a school because your friends are going to go there because chances are you are going to make a lot of new friends. Choose a place that you feel comfortable and at home and you think you will be given a chance to get a good education.

"When searching for the right college for you remember to always look at all aspects of the school, such as the academic involvement from professors, student-teacher class ratio, school activities offered, surroundings, classes offered, cost, and location. Students that make the right choices are more likely to succeed than the students that make the wrong ones."

In my opinion, college is more than just a series of programs and classes designed to earn a degree. So much of what is learned in college has nothing to do with class work. There is a very deep personal evolution that takes place during the college years, perhaps even more so than in high school. Thus, finding the right college means a little more than looking for one with a multitude of degress or a sterling reputation. A good college needs to serve as a true home away from home in which one feels comfortable to grow and explore their potential. The allure of a good college is not how fancy the buildings are or how expensive the equipment in the classes is. Rather, it's the feeling of belonging, of acceptance and encouragment that should spark an interest. For myself, this inviting sense was almost palpable at Northwest and I believe it is because of this enviornment that I have both the confidence and the drive to succeed in the real world. In the end, discovering the right college is like falling in love: it may be unexplainable, but once it happens you know it.