Point Park University Top Questions

I would tell myself to fill out more scholarship information or try to figure out a way to get a full scholarship because college is expensive. I would have told myself that getting out of my home city would cost a lot more and that if I did go to a college in my home city I would have saved a lot more money.

I would have done more stuff to prepare for my major. I just sort of thought that once I got here, I would learn. But I started out way behind everyone else. So plan ahead is the only change I would have made

I would tell myself that I am going to a great school full of teachers who have experience doing what I want to do with my life and I am going to meet a wonderful group of friends. Both of these groups of people are very willing to help me. So it is important to study hard, take it seriously, and use my resources to their full extent.

I would tell myself to not expect the stereotypical college setting when entering college. Every university is different and you should go to college with a clear mind and a clean slate. Do not take any assumptions with you and do not take to the heart the conversations that others have concerning their college settings. Every person feels a different away about college so you should not listen to others when trying to prepare for the transition into college. Think positive when looking towards the experience, as it truly is some of the most enjoyable years of your life. Look forward to meeting new friends and learning new ideas. Also, try your best to be organized at college and do not let your social life take you away from the work that needs to be done. Likewise, do not allow schoolwork to completely rule your life. Find a good balance between work and fun, as this will allow you to feel accomplished. Look forward to college and be prepared to grow and find yourself as an individual.

Apply for scholarships and be a big part of your community and school! I applied for some but not many and since I was always so busy with dance I did not get to take part as much as I would have liked to. School is extremely expensive and if you can find any way to cut down the costs do it so that you don't get out of school with so much debt!

Let high school die. Sure, that mindset can transfer to college for a while, but not for long and certainly not in the real world, so let it go now. Don't wear your emotions on your sleeve. No one cares, and it's not attractive at all. Don't lie to yourself that you still follow the religious upbring of your parents when you don't. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to those things, and you should never be afraid to have your own opinions. Also, go ahead and start lining up a co-signer and references for loans early on. The loan companies like to take their sweet time, and you'll need to nag them a lot, so start that stuff asap. Waiting until August is a REALLY bad decision.

Don't stop looking into all your options just because you've found a decent one, try to get to know people from your school before you get there, and don't expect college to be like the movies.

Stop trying to make people happy. In order to make people happy I made friends I didn't need and enemies I shouldn't have. School is about you getting what you need out of it and not about pleasing people. If you try to make people happy all the time you will be miserable, tired, and your grades will drop. While in school nothing is as important as keeping your grades up.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would emphasize the importance of applying for scholarships and looking at colleges early. It's important to find a college that you will love so that you don't have to transfer later on. I would also tell myself how important it is to keep working hard, because senior grades still count towards your final G.P.A. and go on your transcript. I would make sure I knew that everything would be okay, and to have confidence because if I can do anything if I put my mind to it.

My advice would be to make sure to visit a school either before or after you have been accepted! A school can look better or worse on paper and it's important to see it first hand! In my personal experience I would sit on each campus and try to picture mysekf amongst the passing students. It made all the difference.

Regarding finding the right college, I suggest paying close attention to the surroundings on a college visit-not just the financial and academic information. Do the students there look overly stressed or worried? Do the professors look professional and organized? What is there to do around campus--this includes shopping, eating, banking, and entertainment venues. What sort of buildings are located near campus? Do they look safe? Can you really imagine yourself spending four years of your life in the environment around you? After you've made your decision, to make the most out of your experience I believe you should attend any orientation or get-together the college organizes. Don't hang out with only your roommate; the first couple weeks of school are about getting to know everyone. When classes start, participate, even if no one else is. When you need an extension or extra help, professors will be moer likely to give it to you if they can put a face/voice to your name. Don't let go of your moral standards. Even if that is difficult, you will end up feeling better about yourelf and you will be respected.

Follow your heart!!!1

i would say to make a list of what the studnt is and is not looking for and make sure they pick the school that best fits there needs. i also reccomend that the student nd parent visit the school before they decide to attend. not all colleges look exactly lik they do on their brochures. also check out the program(s) the student wants to get into and see how popular it is, and decide what they like or dont like about it. i weould alos reccomend that the student check out the finicial aid offerd and also the graduation and return rate of fromer students.

I would advise parents/students to visit their college in mind and make sure they feel 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} comfortable on the grounds. I would also advise that they thoroughly get informed on the schools program and job placements and what additional ways they can get financial aid, if it is needed. If it is possible I would maybe speak to a teacher or two that the student will be seeing in the future to get a feel for what the classroom is like and whether or not the student feels they can really learn from this person and are willing to learn at the institution. Lastly, I would advise the student to take a look at the current student body and make sure they feel comfortable and accepted by them. All the previous factors are extremely important when deciding and college, but being comfortable with and enjoying your time there are just as important. Make the best of your years; stay involved!

Parents, because I'm a parent the best advice that I can give you is, partner with your child and plan. I am a single mother of two who dropped out of college to take care of my two children, because I had no family support. Now that my kids are a little older and I'm returning, never give up on success. It will never, ever give up on you. You have to be committed to the challenge, and faithful to the plan. I can only imagine how successful I could have been with a family support plan and a little faith. You can so it! Consider each other business partners. It's an investment on the rest of your lives. Have fun and enjoy it, ...it only happens once. Make the most of it..

I find that it was incredibly helpful to be able to see all of the schools that I was applying for. That way, I can figure more what would be a good fit. College isn't only the place you will be going to school, it will be your home, and it is important to feel comfortable living there. I also think that it's very important to try and meet with a current student from the school, because they will give you the truth...not what the president of the school would say, because of course he wants you to go there. Meet one on one with a student and find out everything...don't be afraid to pick their brain away. Other then tht, just don't feel ushed! It's an important decision, and you don't want to stress yourself out too much!

Go to the school do your research. Students stay an overnight, and maybe talk to someone you know who attends the school to show you around.

I would tell them to not let their child come home as often as they wanted. A lot of students go home frequently on the weekends and avoid making friends, and this is not good. I would recommend visiting a lot of schools, getting a lot of tours, and asking a lot of questions. Perhaps sitting in on a class or meeting with who their academic advisor will be ahead of time. I don't think parents should be too involved with the process, since their child is now an adult and needs to make their own decisions, and deal with the consequences of these decisions. College is a lot about growing up, and I think the students should deal with their own problems.

To Parents and Students: I would suggest finding a student who goes to the prospective school who is majoring in the incoming student's intended field of study. Ask them to be candid about what they think about the school. Also, definitely make sure you can afford it. Even if it's your child's first pick, don't tell them it is ok for them to attend if you know there is no way you will be able to afford all four or potentially five years. Be responsible. I also believe that it is important to let the student do it on their own. This is the time they need to grow up. If they mess up, let them. They need to learn from their mistakes. It wil only make them stronger. And one last bit of advice, Good Luck!

Live your dream, never lose sight of your goals.

Finding the right college can be an extremely difficult task. There is the uncertainty of a new place, new friends, and entering a new stage of adulthood. While the selection process can be overwhleming, the only thing that matters is to find a school that reflects personal values: values of what higher education means, values of what life is about, values of beauty and human potential. If a college is selected based on this criteria, reflecting one's personal beliefs, then that is the best anyone can do before actually experiencing the university itself. When that experience begins, however; it is the personal choices that one makes through the course of those two, four, etc. years that define the quality of education. The individual that recognized his/her values within the university must be the one that embraces those, and must work towards their wholeness. The individual must challenge himself when the professor does not. These challenges are not merely academic, but rather must be challenges of meeting new people, listening to different music, playing different games, and experiencing the unexperienced. Choosing the right college may be an important task, but even more so is challenging oneself to become complete.

Make sure that the school is in a location that is both exciting to live in as well as nondisruptive to learning. Your school should have an accuarate statistic of how many students to professors there are as well as the course that best helps you learn your desired major. Extra cirriculars should be a bigger variety because they can help with your resume if you want to appl for a job or even to a post graduate university.

Look at, and apply to a lot of schools. Talk to students who go there and are in the field you are persuing, give yourself options.

Consider all of your options. Many students change their mind about their future and almost no one is the same person at 22 that they are at 18. Be open-minded. Heed the advice of people around you and those who have been to college before. Take advantage of everything offered to you through your institution. Many student groups offer free social activies which are a great way to discover new interests and to further yourself as a human being as well as a student.

Make sure you feel like you belong in the school. Always visit the campus and feel the vibe of the environment. Don't just go somewhere because it's in state; you can get scholorships from other places. It's important to go to school for what you want to do and not for your parents because in the end if you're not studying something that interests you, it won't matter what college you're going to or what your campus looks like. Be open minded and don't get stuck in your dorm room. College is about finding who you are away from home and you can't make any discoveries if you confine yourself. Stay positive and don't forget why you're there when you have hard times. The people you meet in college are some of the best friends you will ever have.

You want to be sure that you choose the school that fits you. Look at the majors the school offers and then check the track records of their alumni. Once you determine it offers what you need, you'll want to look at location and student-teacher ratios. You will be enrolled there for at least four years, so you want to be sure you enjoy the environment. Check the dorms and outside living opportunities. If you can, talk to a current student to get an inside perspective. Once you decide the environment is right, you need to look at financial aid. Talk to the financial aid department and see what scholarships or grants they have available. Once you get your financial aid figured out, you are set! As for making the most out of the experience... college is what you make of it, especially here at Point Park. I give 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} you'll get 200{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} back. Put in the time, take advantage of outside of the classroom experiences, and ask, ask, ask. The professor's are here for you, they want you to succeed. They have been where you want to go and are willing to share... so ask!

College is about finding yourself and finding what you want to do with our life. I started teh college experience on a straight path, expecting to go straight to becomeing a professional dancer/performing artist. However, after my first year at PPU have I realized that it isn't quite the place for me. I have grown so much as a person and feel that my time at PPU wasn't a waste, but really an important step in my life that has let me grow into the person I am now, and I'm still ony at the beginning of my journey. When choosing a university, if you know that you have more than one interest, or have only a slight idea of what you want to do, make sure that you choose a university that offers you more than one option, and options that are up to your standards, not their's. Even if you are consintrating on one subject, be open to others. You never know what may come your way.

Finding the right college is definitely important, but I have learned that ultimately, you will end up where you are supposed to end up. A lot depends on what kind of person you are and what you're looking for in a school. There are many factors to consider- rural vs. urban, small vs. large population, private vs. state school, and many others. You must choose what works for you. Also, consider the success rate of graduates from that school and that program. You shouldn't just be going to college to get the degree. I even encourage taking some time off before you start to figure out exactly what you want to do and what college is best for you. Good luck!

I would say that need to visit all the colleges that you applied to and meet with students from the college to get a true feeling of the campus.

Find somewhere where your professors are as passionate as you are about your education.

To the students, make sure you look at the college and talk to the students. You want to make sure you like the campus and faculty. To the parents, make sure your kid likes the school. He needs to enjoy him/herself.

Visit the college on an average day, not over a break, holiday, or vacation. This is how I descovered that Point Park is such a down to earth school as opposed to the New York school I looked at previously. You can better understand the vibe of the school which I think is the most important thing about succeeding at a school, feeling comfortable in your own environment!

Finding the right college college is something at the same time easy and difficult. I am explaining myself in the following way. The first thing to know about yourself is what kind of college will fit to me. That answer may be one of the followig. I can afford private school, I con ot afford private school, I am a person interrested in small class learning, or I am looking for a big and college. Once you aware about what you want you can make the right choice. The next important step is to go online and explore colleges cumpus on location you desire. You will compare what they offert that matched what are you looking for. This is the best advice for every one looking for the right college.

I would tell students that they should definitely start applying early. They need to go look at the school before they choose to go there, and if they can, possibly sit in on a class. I think that they should apply to about 8 schools and make sure that they try to educate themselves as much as they possibly can about each school. Although, I really don't believe that you could see what your life will be like until you actually start college there, but you need to know as much as you can. Students should make the most of their college experience by getting involved in their school of choice in as many ways as they possibly can. Do not be afraid to try new things, that is what makes the experience exciting! And make sure you keep in touch with the people you want to, because you are the only person who decides to be 'bffs'.

The advice I would give to students trying to find the right college for them is to pick the place where you feel most comfortable and that suits your personality the most. If you pick a school just because it's big and prestigious, that doesn't mean you will be happy there. Sometimes a smaller school, even if it's less well-known, will suit you better and more than make up for the fact that people may have never even heard of it. When you're content with your school and its overall environment, it is much easier to enjoy your college career there and make the most of it.

Choosing the right college for a high school graduate is very difficult. I really looked into Point Park when i was looking and even took a year off before attending college to make sure that i really wanted to go there and persue dancing as my career choice and major. Parents can express their concerns about the universities but the decision should really be up to the student. i suggest really looking into scholarship programs because paying for college is unbelievably difficult. to narrow down the schools you are interested i suggest making a list and visiting all of the schools that really get you excited. do not make your decision based on where your friends are going or how close it is to home. even though it is difficult i suggest going to school away from home. it really gives you the opportunity to become an adult and take responsibility for your own actions and the way you want to live your life.

In terms of finding the right college, don't just look at the obvious. With as many schools that specialize in everything nowadays, take the time to really find a location that fits your personality, a school that fits your vibe, and don't forget a degree you think you will actually enjoy learning about. I've found that making a huge move is not as scary as it seems. In my move from Austin, Texas to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania I found a city similar culturally to where I came from, but also a young and hip scene to grow up in. In terms of the college experience. Please, just don't take yourself too seriously. It is so important to have humility, because college is about learning and growing both intellectually and as a human being. I've found that I actually learn more when I can let go of the small put-downs and little upsets. I guess, just take life with a grain of salt.

Know your field of interest College is not a social experience Do not evaluate your school based on the size of your dorm room

Look at the size, reputation, and location of your prospective school.

The best advice is to look what feels right. What is for the student. Don't pick something that a family memeber attended, or what you think is right. Research a list of schools. It might not even be in your state. As a student, DO NOT look for the "party life" or the fun. This is a serious time in your life. You may dislike putting full effort into school, but you can have more fun afterwards. Meet friends in your field. Friendship will be the most important thing other than the degree you can get from college. Depending on your major, the friends will be vital in your future. Become a part of everything that interests you. Groups that could be formed, with your interests. If none exist, create your own. Branch out, dont hold back. This is a very important time in your life. This shapes how the rest of it will go. Make it good, make it count, now.

The best advice I can give is to visit the schools you are looking at. I looked at several schools and really had my heart set on one, until I visited it and I just didn't feel like I fit in there. College is much more about finding the right fit for you, visiting and leaving the school and being able to say , "yeah I can see myself, eating, living, studying, BEING here," it's a whole lot more about the experience you will have than what it looks like on paper. If you are going to pay a fortune, which no matter what, you end up paying a lot for school unless you get a full ride, you want to be spending your money on a place that you are going to fit well with, and enjoy yourself, because the learning will happen and often it happens outiside the classroom.

The most important thing when it comes to deciding upon a college or university is the college visit. A student must physically go to the campus to decide whether or not it feels right. If a person is uncomfortable with their campus in any way, it can make it difficult to study, make friends, and just exist. It is also very hard making an adjustment to a new school if a student decides that the first choice isn't for them. Within the first year, you make everlasting friendships and set the stage for the rest of your academic career, and doing all that over again is very stressful. College should be a time of growth and change and excitement. The stress that comes with picking a college should be channelled into school work, not into surviving on a campus that isn't right for your specific needs.

My advice to parents and students in regards to finding the right college is look at a lot of schools, and visit them as well as meeting professors.

I think the best advice I could give students or parents, is to take the time to find the college that is right for you. I personally have been to three different colleges, each with its own pros and cons. Now that I am at my current college I am very happy, because it fits what I need and expect from a college. I receive personal attention from my professors as well as other faculty. And the class sizes are small, which for me are inductive to a good learning environment. This is what is best for me, but not everyone. So, the most important thing is to decide what is most important to you. Is it size of classes, extracurricular activities offered, living situations, Greek life, or professional acceptance? In my opinion I believe I receive a better education in a smaller classroom, where everyone knows my name, instead of my student number. But, again this is not for everyone, some students like the larger classes. Regardless of the type of class setting or campus life you prefer, to make the most out of it, do as much as possible and have fun doing it without losing yourself.

Research, research, research! I had a difficult time trying to find a college that would suit my needs as a non-traditional adult student. Aside from the distance of my commute, Point Park has been an excellent choice. It fits my schedule as far as being able to maintain full-time status and maintaining my family, home and work. I have learned how to carefully balance every moment of every day to fit it all in! I have become a master at time management. Each student has to assess their needs and wants into a list so they may choose the college that fits them best. Each college has their own set of pros and cons which must be weighed in making a decision. Starting your search early is best so you can investigate thoroughly without being rushed into any decisions. Taking the time to research your schools will save you a headache in the end, you will be well informed of what you are getting yourself into from the very start.