Oklahoma Christian University Top Questions

The most important thing to do in high school is not perform well in sports, to get a 4.0 GPA, or to sit at the most popular lunch table; high school was designed to prepare you for real world. One of the best things to get from high school is how and what to study. In college, people don't care who you dated in high school or how full your letter jacket is with awards; college is concerned with the big issues in life: what you are going to do for the rest of your life, who you are going to be for the rest of your life. It's all about the future and how prepared you are to dream big and accomplish your dreams. Put aside your anxieties and worries of how people see you, what people think of you, and what you are going to do on Friday night and prepare for your future--take challenging classes, fail a test because you don't know how to study, do your homework without your friends and parents, and learn from your mistakes. The key to success in college is preparation in high school!

Dear Madison, It's the year 2009 and you're a sophomore at Oklahoma Christian University. I know right now you are stressing out about where to go to school and what to major in, but i'm here to tell you that everything works out! It's going to be a little hard to leave your Mom and brother back home, but you will thrive in your new environment! At OC you have so many wonderful friends that will last a lifetime and your roommate is one of your very best friends. Not to mention you are majoring in something that you absolutely love! The food in the cafeteria is not always the best but you'll learn to laugh about it. The Christian atmosphere here is so uplifting and you are going to learn so much about what God has planned for you. So don't worry about anything because God is going to take care of it, and you will love where you are and who you have become! Sincerely, Your Future Self

If you just have a general idea of what you want to do with your life, go with that. You have plenty of time to figure out where you want to specialize.

Seeing myself back in high school would make me laugh now. I was so excited for college and oblivious to all of the responsibility and pressure by the "fun" that college life had to offer. Don't get me wrong, college is a blast but it is so much more than that. In high school, I was not prepared for complete freedom that I would have in comparison to living at home with my parents. If I could give advice to myself as a high school senior I would shake myself and say, "Katrina, freedom is fun but don't go crazy!". For the first few months of my freshman year in college I probably averaged four hours of sleep a night; such a mistake. I breezed through high school even with taking advanced and honors classes so I assumed that I would just as easily breeze through college. I would tell that ignorant high school senior to set priorities before her classes even start. Once you let yourself choose fun over doing school work it is hard to go back and reorganize priorities. Overall, I would give myself this advice: work before play will keep the parents away!

Go in with a completely open mind and get ready to have the time of your life!! College will be one of the best experiences of your entire life!! Don't go in expecting a mediocre experience! You will make friends and memories that will last for the rest of your life. Be involved in everything you can, but don't overwhelm yourself. ALWAYS stay on top of school work! It's always good to be one step ahead of the next assignment that's due. You won't regret it. Trust me. Get ready to transition from kid to adult. For real. These years will teach you more than you've ever been taught before. You won't just learn things for your career and from study abroad programs, you'll learn relationship lessons that will teach you important things for the future. While it's a transition from being a kid to adulthood it's also your last real chance to be a kid and be crazy before you hit the real world, so have fun with that! It's an amazing, wonderful journey so live it up!

You are going to want to be a theater teacher, even though you promised yourself that you would never major in theater. Take this into account when you choose a college, and look for a college with a good theater program. However, make sure to choose a small school because that is what you are going to be most comfortable with.

i would tell myself to go directly to Oklahoma Chrisitan and not transfer thier.

I would say to find a school that you can enjoy attending while getting a quality education. Don't start with who is going to give you the most money or who is the cheapest. Figure out which school is your dream school and make it happen. Some may be out of reach, but I believe most are attainable. Consider every detail, most importantly what you will have by graduating from that school.

When it comes to picking a college that is right for you, don't settle for absolute comfort. College is a time to grow up and change. Don't be afraid to travel away from home. It is almost always worth it. It's easier to move closer once farther, than to move farther after staying closer to home. Try to have an idea of what field you want to study and consider schools that have a good reputation for that field of study. As far as making the most of your time at the school you have chosen: It is all about BALANCE. You won't be able to party all night and STILL expect to make decent grades. You won't have any fun if you don't socialize at all, either. So if you can learn how to manage your time and make time for both friends and schoolwork, you will be happier than most. It takes a while to get the hang of, but you can get the hang of it. Also, make time to serve others or get involved with volunteering. Doing something for someone else makes for a more satisfied life.

To find the right college for yourself or loved one i would follow your heart! If you are not sure where that is leading make sure you are open to all possibilities and that you take a lot of campus tours. I woulr try to visit the weekend campus events or just pop in whenever you can to get a feel for the school and campus enviornment!

Choosing a college to attend is one of the most important choices a young adult makes about his or her future. Parents and students should work closely together in choosing the college or university that is right for the student. When looking at different schools, parents and students should consider the values of the school and if it is in line with their own values. This can be important, especially for those who want to attend a school that is in line with their religious values. The school also needs to have a program for the student's degree that is accredited and well known. The school itself needs to be inviting to students. The professors should be concerned not only about how students are doing academically but personally in their daily lives. They should be challenging the students not only academically but in their lives and in applying what they are learning. On campus, students should find ways to be active, in their own department, and in extra-curricular activities. Having a variety of experiences is one of the best ways to make the most of the college experience. Be willing to challenge yourself and to go for it!

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If I could give any advice to a student looking for the "right" college and making the most of the college experience, I would have to tell them to remember that the goal of college is not to have a great time partying and meeting people, but to prepare them for the future and to create a broad base knowledge to shape them into a good community citizen. When choosing a school, I do not think that a huge mistake can really be made if the student is really concerned with their future career. The price, social atmosphere, and education should all be considered, but if the student is really focused on completed their higher education and aquiring a career upon graduation, then the actual University they attend should not be able to interfere. Make friends, slowly acquire and practice good citizen skills. Most colleges have a party-social life which is expected to be a part of every student's experience-do not let it get the best of you.

When looking for the right college, i would say be prepared. that doesn't necessarily mean start early. Parents, talk to your student. if they do not know what they want to do, don't pressure them into picking a school. That usually only leads to unhappy students, and unnecessary college bills. You CAN take Gen Eds at any community college for a better price while deciding what you want out of your full college experience. Students, DONT RUSH YOURSELF. if you dont know what you want to do, thats ok!!! Find a school and a program you really like, dont settle for a substandard program. Once you decide you are ready, dont let your parents pick for you! its your education, not theirs. Parents, listen to your student, they are nervous, and they want you to be proud, but they want to be treated as an adult, because thats what they are now. Once you find the right fit, get involved. even if you're scared, talk to your professors about things other than class, see what your student government is doing for you. go to sporting events, become friends with the staff. HAVE FUN...and do work too.

The most important factor when choosing a college is finding a place that you fit in. If you are an activist for recycling or something else, it is important to go to a college where you will find other activists. You should find a college where you are likely to find peers with similar interests and values, or you will not have an enjoyable or productive college experience. If you are athletically inclined, you must find a college with a strong athletics program. If you enjoy the theater, you should find a college that produces several theatrical productions a semester. You should find a college that will provide you opportunities to develop activities you enjoy, and a college that will help you enjoy the field you are studying to enter. The professors should care enough to help you find a major and career that you will not become bored with five years after graduating. The professors should show you ways that your specific major/career can improve the world and the lifestyles of people in the world. You should find a college with a teaching and housing staff who will guide you and care about you.

Learn to manage your time. It is easy to get caught up in socializing, or even studying away your time. Once you understand that school work and socializing are both needed in a balance, you will be better off.

Make sure that you find a school that is well-suited for you child. Don't force them into a place they don't want to go. If they go to a college they don't like, their grades will suffer, and the whole semester they will be thinking about the other school that they SHOULD have attended instead. Save the trouble of sending them off to the school that YOU want them to go to and give them so independance. There is nothing worse than a parent who can't let their child go. You try to keep them close, but you end up pushing them away. They will come back, don't worry :-)

Choose a college that makes you feel good about yourself . Where you can meet true friends and establish life long bonds. Where you can learn and be involved and are not judged. Have fun, but don't throw away your education or money. Be sensible and commited. Help others and work with others, you never know what good will become of your actions. Try to look for a college that offers what you want and will help you get the education you need to reach your career goals. Also look for a college where your not just a number but member of their community and family!

Find a college that will encourage you to be involved, because college is more than studying and books.

The best advice that I have is to visit the schools you are thinking you want to go to while the students are in school. It will give you a good sense of what campus life will be like on a normal day and will allow you to see if the school is a good fit for you. I would also say it is a good idea to have many different options of schools. Things come up that you have not prepared for that might hinder you going to the only school you applied to and then you are out of luck. And you might visit your "dream school" and realize it is not for you, but if it is the only school you applied to then again you are out of luck.

When finding the right college for you the most important thing to make that decision is to go to the school and check it out. When visiting a school it is important to see student on their normal behavior. Visiting on days that are allotted for visitor can be great to have some fun experience but I recommend coming on a normal week and seeing the university for what it is the majority of the time. When checking out universities make sure to have questions about thing that you are interested in and see if they are available. Finding things that interest you to get involved with are a great way to get to meet new people and make the transition to college easier. Lastly to make the most of your college experience I recommend always keeping your door open, getting to know your neighbors, and others outside your room and always take lots of pictures because the time will past quickly and there will be many great memories you will want to remember.

Put schoolwork first and make sure that you keep searching for financial aide oppurtunities. Don't worry about the fun, it'll just happen if you don't isolate yourself, purposely.

In a world obsessed with getting into the industry and making money as fast as possible, quality and diversity often get sacrificed in education. Taking the time to thoroughly learn the material, develop problem solving tactics and challenge individual character is put on the sideline, making the focus be explicitely monetary. Like get rich quick schemes, there are some schools that choose to crank out the most students in the shortest time regardless of their preparation or ability. These people will not be ready to face the challenges of a competetive global economy. Instead students should focus on working dilligently to understand their chosen field, to pursue excellence. This may come at the sacrifice of more time in school and larger student loans. However, bosses notice the employees who do the job right the first time, who are trustworthy and responsible. Because excellent employees can accomplish the tasks before them well, they will be those chosen for the important projects. Diversifying education prepares students for a wider variety of situations. Students who have had a wider exposure to information can exercise greater creativity in developing solutions to job related problems. Therefore they can compete more effectively in the global economy.

Don't go to a scheduled visit time with numerous activities going on. Go on a private tour where you can really see the campus and ask questions on a one on one basis. This will allow you to see the campus at it's really quality and atmosphere. During the planned visits it is highly likely that you are witnessing what the campus is not like at all. Check out the cafeteria and eat there. See if you like it and are willing to eat there for the next couple of years. Sit in on a class and see what it will be like so you are able to prepare yourself for what is to come.

I would tell them to make sure that they visit the school before they decide to come here.

College is supposed to be fun so make sure you have some fun its not all studying and trying to be perfect. Dont be afraid of failure cause you wont be perfect in everything you do.

To any parent, just as I am, I would first advise them to know how much they, the parent are willing to put into their child's education. My parents only invested $1500 in to five years of school. Of cousrse I'm not considered the typical college student; married at 21, with child at 22, and husband deployed while finishing my senior year at 23. I would advise the student second to know for a fact that this college is where they want to grow and explore who they really are outside of being under their parents wing. Last I would advise both parent and child to research all the schools around them, finding out the accrediation and what majors the offer and the diversity of the school. As a young African American women from rural Mississippi, I had a culture shock when I went to college. I was always the only "black girl" in any of my classes. I learn to deal and did what I had to do to get a private college education which was something I nor my parents ever thought would happen.