Southern Methodist University Top Questions

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

Albert

It's all about research and what is it that you and your child are looking to get out of the college education. Classes are important to look at. Even campus life is important because it actually plays an important role in a students participation in class. Well, for me it does. College is so far I've learned so much about myself and it's because of the school that I chose, that I know what I want out of life...

Amanda

Always visit your college and make sure you will be happy there. Without happiness more than likely the student will not succeed in receiving good grades or making good friends. The student should always choose to go where they desire and hopefully can afford. Most people learn quickly that college is anything but cheap and that is the difficulty that I am having to live with now. Choose what is best for you.

Caroline

Do your research. Whether it is visiting a colleges website, or taking the time to see the school with your own eyes, researching a college is key is selecting the right place for the student. It is important to remember that this institution will be your home for possibly four years, and you want to make it the best experience possible. By both the parents and future student researching the schools, you will be able to prepare better for choosing the right college and making a transition there.

Charles

Best advice, visit during the semester and stay with a student. This will really help you get to know the school and the attitudes of the people already in attendance. Also, go to a party on or around campus to see if you would fit in socially. If you go to that frat party and feel extremely uncomfortabe and want to leave, you probably would'nt enjoy the school for four years. To get the most out of your college experience, you should get involved on campus. Join a Greek organization or try out for the dance team or jazz ensemble. Get out there and experience college, you only get to do it once. Last bit of good advice, go to school where you like the weather. Don't go to a school in the Northeast if you hate being cold. If you've lived on or around water your whole life, you might hate it going to school in a desert climate. The area of the school you attend should be one of the top 5 considerations you make, cost being another. Enjoy your college years, try new things, and have fun!

Jennifer

I think going to visit the campus makes a huge difference. A lot of colleges have programs where you can stay overnight with a student. I think they really show a side to the school that you cannot get just by looking at it online, taking a campus tour, and talking to alumni. You really need to see what it is like to be a student, and it is more than just the classroom. Getting involved on campus is important in getting the most out of your college experiece, but what I think is even more important is just getting yourself out there in any way, regardless of campus involvement or extracurriculars of any kind. Meeting people and making friends for life really give you a college experience to remember, and it is the people you will remember 30 years down the line, not some random anthropology club meeting. Live life to the fullest and never miss an opportunity!

andrew

what do you like most about your high school, and then apply that to colleges.

Mark

I think you should consider schools that arent typically attended by people you know. You should also look more at the programs and offers the school makes you instead of how the school ranks against other schools. Also, if you do not get into the school you wanted, make the most of whatever school you go to. You are going to have a great time and get an excellent education at whatever school you choose.

Min

Good luck!

Kathryn

Look closely at your options

Katie

Go somewhere that excites you and a place that you feel like you can see yourself at.

Calvin

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Shawna

Make sure to get involved on campus. If you can stay on campus for the first year, try to, because you end up making a lot of friends that will be there your entire four years. Have fun, and try to get an internship in a field you might be interested in. You get to see what it is like to work in that area, it offers nice networking opportunities, and there is a good chance that you will have a job there after graduation (if graduation is close enough).

Nik

Nothing

Russell

Make sure that you realize that it is not only the academics you should look at when your child applies for college, but the possible stereotypes that the school might represent.

Brittny

Visit the campus and ask questions. Get an idea of what the student body is like, and make sure your credit is good!

Rita

Most importantly, visit the university or college that you would like to attend. Seeing the environment will definitely help make decisions about where to attend. Also, talk with anyone you may know who attends or attended the university you are considering. Maybe a family member or friend... this will help with getting some background information on the academic and social life at that specific campus. Make sure that the university or college you are considering has the specific program or field of study that you would like to pursue. When I came to SMU as a freshman I was not quite sure as to which major or minor I wanted to persue, but I quickly found out what was offered and what wasn't, and this limited some of my choices..such as becoming a teacher straight out of undergraduate college. SMU doesn't have a program that is specifically designed for those persuing education. Also, if you are in need of financial aid or scholarship, do some research and find out which schools could help you and your family the most.; the only reason I am able to attend SMU is because of the financial aid they provide.

Kelly

I would say to make sure you pick a school with your field of interest and that has a good reputation, but most importantly pick the school that feels like home to you. When you visit campus, pay attention to how the students interact with ech other and how they treat you. You want to make sure you know what you're getting into and feel comfortable and excited about moving there. This will be your home for the next four years and while you are there to get a good education, the people you meet and the times you share with them are what really makes this time in your life special, so you want an atmosphere that fits you. I still walk around campus thinking "Wow, I go here" all the time because it is physically beautiful (which makes more of a difference than one might think) and because I know that SMU is where I am supposed to be and I love evry minute of it, even when I am stressed about my tough classes. Basically, pick the school that best fits you, not what your parents or friends think fits you.

Mary

If at all possible, visit the campuses. A visit will make it very obvious, especially if you make sure to do it at a time when classes are going on, not during summer or a holiday. And be social. If you hide in your dorm and study every day, you won't make friends and you'll miss out on huge number sof experiences.

Mary

Visit the college campus, talk to the advisors, students, and any alumni that you can. Read blogs about the school and the programs because those are usually a little more factual than any information you may get on a campus tour. Don't be afraid to ask questions because college is a huge investment not just financially but also in time and commitment so you want to make sure your making the right choice.

Daniel

Don't accept speaking with your high school advisors & college staff/teachers as good enough to mold your choice of school; those are both typically excellent routes to go with but much more pertaining to how well you'll do at a certain school is your mental and social health; if the place makes you lose your mind or leaves you wanting to drop out, it won't matter how well known the school is or if the football team is hot or not. The best route to find out if a school is right for you or not is to find a student at the school who is somewhat like you, someone who may share your interests, culture, religion, lifestyle, etc; and ask them how they like it, and if they would've chosen to go here again if they had another choice of which college they attended.

Andrew

To maximize the college experience, one needs to fully embrace the social atmosphere and try to meet as many people as possible. That would include being part of societies, professional (or if you wish social) fraternities, widening one's horizons with unusual perspectives or electives, and fully engrossing themselves in the university they are a part of. One must take into account if they would like to be a number or known to a lot of people as a person in determining the size of their university, and accordingly the size of their classes. Additionally before applying to a university make sure you know what happens on campus, whether or not you want a city or countryside atmosphere, whether or not you are interested in the schools sports and extracurricular activities, the expertise in your chosen field for a major and the opportunites that institution present on completing a major and venturing into a career in the world. Most importantly before a big decision such as one's college, make sure that you have read as much as possible on the institution, both positive and negative to get a balanced view on which to make judgement.

Marilyn

I think that parents and students should select a school that best fits the students personality and interests. I also think it is very important for parents to be involved with their student while he/she is away at college. At my school I have noticed that many parents drop their students off and then dont keep in touch. The result is a student who can lose focus on studies and become more involved in the social life rather than school. Although social life is important I think that a student should value their education just as much. Students should select a college campus that has a variety of social and educational benefits like a gym, clubs and organizations, student centers, learning centers, etc. To fully enjoy the college experience students should be comfortable with their classwork and schedule and try to not put too much on their plate. It can become overwhelming to participate in too many extracurricular activities at once. I think that if parents and students both invest the time to explore different colleges they can decide on a campus that best fits the student in all aspects of their life.

andre

First of all, don't be hung up on your first choice or what you have heard. apply to a healthy amount of schools that interest you, some that are reach, some that are safety and some that seem to be a fit. If you can, make sure you visit all the ones you get into, instead of just your first choice, you might be very suprised. Do go for reputation or where you parents went, or what looks the best on paper. go to the place that feels the best, you will know it when it happens.

Stefanie

College is about cultivating and building upon the education parents, teachers, mentors and the students themselves have worked over seventeen years to accomplish. Parents and students should look for a college with learning and development objectives that parallel the track that students are already on. There is a reason one school seems to just "feel" right when a student takes their first tour of campus. A university's goal is to produce students that are more than prepared for whatever endeavors the students choose to embark upon after graduation. When researching universities examine what has worked well in the past. For example, a student who felt at home in a small high school may want to continue on to a small, private university. Rather, a student who felt uncomfortable in a small high school would want to look into a medium or large university. Once a student finds the university they feel comfortable with, it is up to them to make the most of the experience they are about to have. Campus involvement is crucial. A student who is not involved will feel alone may become overwhelmed by their school work, especially if they were very active in high school.

Ryan

Visit the campus to find the place that you feel best suits you. You will know which school is right after you have visited. Once there, get involved! Focus on school but make time to make close friends and involve yourself in extracurricular activities.

Maryn

Begin by deciding what is most important to you: is it the campus, the curriculum, the kind of jobs alumni have after graduating, the financial aid available? Choose what sutis you, and definitely don't go by just reputation or where your friends are going. Open your mind before going to college; you're going to meet a lot of different people anywhere you go, and you need to be able to cooperate and learn from them. Take advantage of every opportunity to do something new and maybe a little absurd. Know that the work is not like high school at all. Make friends with every professor; it will be worth it in the long and short run. Question everything with respect. And most important of all, enter with a good attitude. If you go in thinking something is going to be bad or too hard, it will be for certain. Have fun!

saren

Go visit the college first

Sharon

A right college school feel like your second home. To make the most of your college experience be prepare, don't slack off, stay focus, do something different, and have fun.

Erin

Make sure the school has plenty of choices for a major that interests the student. Also research what people say about the people at the school and make sure you would be able to fit into the community. Enjoying what you are studying and who you are with are two of the most important things.

Stephanie

My college application and selection process was unique in that I only applied to one school, early decision mind you, got in, and filled out my housing form as soon as I possibly could. I grew up in the city my college was in, so most people speculated that I never really got to branch out or research my possibilities. Which is exactly what I would give as advice about finding the right college: research. Explore schools that truly cater to your interests. If you love theater, find a school with an amazing program. If you want to be in Forbes, find out how the Princeton Review ranks US business schools. Whatever your passion might be, there really is a school for you. Use your school couselors and university contacts to help you decide if you are picking the school that is the best match for you. Once you find a few options, put your heart into each application as if it was the only one. And be happy with your final selection because you will know that you've done your homework. And as for getting the most out of your college experience, I will say this: Enjoy everything.

Mollie

I will always remember the feeling I had when I first walked on the campus of SMU. It was an overwhelming joy and I new this is where I needed to spend my next four years. As high school students search for the perfect school for them, they need to feel comfortable the instant they walk onto the campus. Parents should give guidance, but not influence their students in one way or another. The school will feel right, and first impressions and feelings rarely lead you in the wrong direction.

Rosharra

With the stiff requirements and growing costs of obtaining a college education, it is an honor and privilege to be considered and accepted into an insitution of higher learning. Altho' most college costs will be assumed by the parents, it is important that the choice of college is really suited to the 'student'. It is not necessary to select an Ivy League school, but a reputable school will more than likely ease the employment search in the long run. Please, please visit the campous of choice and include at least three choices in the list. Orientation is critical and will not only expose students and parents to the 'real' life on campus, but lend itself to developing lasting relationships . Keep all receipts, stay in touch with enrollment services, financial aid and seek assistance when needed, no mater how small the issue may appear to be, before it festers into a major sore spot. Communicate with professors when ever possible and stay healthy mentally, physically and spiritually.,

P.J.

Do a lot of research ahead of time and take into account more than just academic reputation. Consider the culture you are looking for in a school, and talk to students at those schools to find the best fit.

Helen

My advice for parents and students about finding the right college is to first find out where you want to live. If its a big school with 35000 to 50000 students or a small university of 10000 students and if they want to go to a private or public school. I suggest to go on as many college visits as possible and try to find students that are enrolled in that unviersity and ask them some questions. Although it is likely for you to change your major several times its good to look at schools that offer the best programs for what you plan on doing later in life and what you want to study. Take in factor location, size of school and size of student, weather, and the staff and student ratio, class size, and the programs that each school offers and most of all the cost of the school and the amount of aid they offer. Remember to have a plan when you start college and meet with several counslors and advisors to help you decide what you want to do because you want to take the right courses towards your interest of study.

Turner

Make alot of close friends but don't neglect your studies.

Christina

Visit! Talk to students!

Shannon

Choose a major that is right for you, not what your parents want. STUDY ABROAD! Being a student is the cheapest way to see the world, and you'll have a great experience.

Brandon

I encourage students to step out of their comfort zone when choosing a college. Choosing a school that drives you and fosters ambition is a must. Make sure a thorough tour of the school, not just of the dorms, is undertaken. Student's should not be hesistant to choose a college thats much different than home. A little culture shock and change builds character. It will also force a student to become independent and responsible. Also, I would suggest that students become involved on campus from the start of their college career. This will help them be better connected throughout school and better prepared for an internship. Lastly, never be afraid to challenge yourself. College is full of distractions and one must keep focus and keep school a priority-- the priority.