SUNY Cortland Top Questions

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what I now know about college life and making the transition, I will tell myself to learn better study and paper writing skills. The way you have to do research, write, cite and study in high school is no where near what it is like in college. I had no idea what APA format was when I reached college let alone how to properly cite something. I also would tell myself to learn how to conduct proper research and the difference between scholarly and non-scholarly journals . I spent my undergratuate years pratically living in the academic support center receiving help with the above mentioned skills These skills are very important in your success in college, If I had known that back then I feel I would have had better adademic success.

Have fun in college and make friends. They are going to help you make the transition to a new life. You may start to realize that you lose track of some of your friends from high school but if you make the attempt to keep in touch with them, they will keep in touch with you. College is about new experiences and you are going to enjoy those experiences with new people as long as you let them in. Most importantly, don't go to school to be an engineer. You are going to realize that going to college to make a lot of money in the future isn't what you want to do. Besides if you go to an engineering college you might join the Marine Corps like I did. You have always wanted to be a teacher so do it and stop worrying about how much money you are going to make. And last but not least, Meaghan is likely to become your fiance if you can forgive her her mistakes. Have fun and be happy, these will be the best years of your life so far.

The most important thing is to actually visit the college(s) that you are interested. By doing so a student will be able to narrow their choices of schools. The most important factor other than how the school's program is for the student's chosen major is if this student sees themself living at this university. They need to see themselves be comfortable in this environment or else it will not be a great four year experience for them.

To find the right college, you honestly much visit each one, and know what you are looking for. Make a list before going to visit the schools. Such as: do you want big or little classes? Do you want to be in a city or more country based? Are you willing to spend a lot of money or just the minimum? there are alot of questions to be thought about before entering college. To make the most of your college experience go out and meet people. Meeting people will make college more fun and more worthwhile. i didnt go out and meet people right away because i was nervous, i did awful my first semester. Now that i know more people and have made so many new friends i cant wait to go back!

Get involved in your school and appreciate the wonderful opportunity you are being given.

The best advice I can give to parents and students is to pick the college that has what they want. I know that it sounds like common sense, but I cannot begin to describe how many people I know who pick colleges based simply on the name. Many people choose a college because it is where their parents want them to go. That needs to stop, period. A student is not going to want to be forced into a school picked by their parents because it wont be what they wanted. Parents need to remember it is their kids who are attending, not them. Also, do not attend a school simply to play a varsity sport. Playing sports is great, but make sure the school you are looking at has your major before declaring. Apply to as many scholarships as possible. Without scholarships you will find yourself in a huge money crunch, just as I am now, and it is not fun. Get to know your professors early. There are a lot of students in the classes, so the professors don't know most of their students. Make a positive impact and introduce yourself to all of your professors.

Do not pick a college simply for the look of it. Look into all of the programs and dont just talk to the tour guide. The tour guides tend to bend the truth a bit. Try talking to someone who has attended there and you know they will be truthful.

I would strongly reccomend doing overnight visits at the college because it gives you more of a feel of what really goes on as opposed to just a campus tour. Also make sure that they have what major you are looking for and that the faculty in that department are people you can see yourself enjoying working with. At SUNY Cortland there are plenty of oppourtunites to work with these wonderful people and even help them with their research projects. Also these are the people that help you if you ever have problems so if they aren't a right fit there is a good chance you won't be 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} pleased with your decision. Lastly make sure that it is in an area that you like. If you hate the snow don't go somewhere cold and vise versa or you will be miserable for 4 months of the school year.

Selecting a college to attend is a major decision, which requires a great amount of research and thought. For a high school student who is unfamiliar with the college lifestyle this task may be quite difficult and stressful. As a college student, who has been through this process I like to consider myself experienced in this area. The most useful and important advice I have gathered throughout my experience is that you should not base your decision on a college's reputation or name. Although a school may be very highly regarded for overall academics, it may not be as highly regarded for a certain field in which you wish to study or for extracurricular activities. Be sure to consider all factors or there is a great possibility that you will not be happy with your decision. Also, make sure that is YOUR decision and not anyone else?s. Of course your parent?s thoughts and concerns do matter, but you are the one that will be growing and developing there during the most important years of your life. With effort and time the process of selecting the right college to attend can be an enjoyable and successful experience.

My advice, give the school your attending the best chance even if it isnt the one your originally wanted to go to. Get Involved and youll see a whole new side to the campus. And parents remember most college students do drink and attend parties but the most important thing is to remember to juggle your school work as well because after all if your grades drop you might just be asked to leave and then you lose the best of both worlds. !

This is a desicion the will effect the rest of your life. Try not to get caught up in money or exspenses. The right place will be worth the extra bit of money and time no matter what. Also, make sure the social activities available are things you are interested in. You do not want the only activity you are doing to be work. Also, be friendly with everyone, it is much easier to make friends this way!

find a college that helps the student to become what they want to be. picking the wrong school can be a costly mistake. take time and figure out what the student may want to do with their life and pick a college from there

Go on unoffical tours to meet and intereact with current students not just tour guides and school staff

Dont pick your first choice all the time

To find the right college you need to really evaluate what you want out of it. You have to think about the size, the closeness to home, if you know people that are going there, what kind of activities you want to be involved in, how much it costs, and what degrees they offer. You also need to visit many campuses and go with your gut. To make the most out of your college experience you need to get involved and not be shy or avoid taking chances. People are so much more open and accepting, and being shy will just mean you seclude yourself. Also, prioritize and get your work done so you can have fun whenever you want.

The advice I would give to parents and or/students about finding the right college would be to visit all campuses you apply to, pay attention during tours, ask many questions of current students and try to envision yourself there. If you simply can't see yourself there, It's not for you. The advice I would give to make the most of the experience is to get involved in anything that interests, get out of your shell, makes lots of friends and always focus on your academics! That is why you are there in the first place!

To parents, do not try to make your child's decison for them. It is their life and future and they should be making thier own decision about where they want to be instead of where you think they should be. You can give them an idea of what you think about thier choices but remember it is ultimately your child's decision. To students, your first semester at college is daunting and scary, I won't lie. I am an extroverted person who could not wait to go to college and leave home but I was the most homesick freshman I knew. I wanted to transfer and everything but now, I am so glad I didn't act on those feelings because I love my college and the experiences and friends I've made don't compare to anything else. It'll be tough, but stick through it.

I find a lot of students and parents choose a school based athletics. It isn't about that. What matters is the academics behind the athlete because when your four years are over, it won't be about how many touchdowns or points you scored. What you need is a career and if you spent most of your college years focusing on athletic events instead of your academics, you will not get the career or your choice and in the end, you won't have anything to show for it. I think parents and potential students should look at the athletic program of a school as a bonus after you have decided the academic part of the school is for you.

Visit as many colleges as possible and don't be close minded about state schools. It's all the same piece of paper when you get out.

Each college has things about it that leave it with a good reputation and a bad reputation. Students should visit the campus and meet some current students attending the school. It is hard to judge a school based strictly on statistics, "hear say," or pictures. I would also suggest doing research on the support that the school gives to the students while finding a job, or the job rate after graduation. I would recomend students to be involved in as many club organizations or teams as they can. Huge amounts of college networking take place during extra school related activities. A student will meet many people they would normally not assocate with when being involved in clubs and organizations. Make friends, connect with faculty, and get involved.

Let students make their own choice about where they woulkd like to go to school and as parents support their decision. This is a time when young adults learn to make their own choices.

You have to visit the schools you want to attend. It my sound great on paper but could be completely different when you go to visit. Once in school, join a club or sport. You can make great friends there that will last a lifetime.

definitely go to tours and ask tons of questions. child should pick the schoolthat suits them.

attend open house, visit the school when school is in session

Follow your heart and instincts. If a college you're looking at doesn't feel right at first, it's not the right one. The first impression is always the most accurate. Talk to students enrolled there because they will tell you the truths that you won't hear from faculty or staff. Get involved with intramural sports if you're not on a school sports team. Meet the people on the floor of your dorm; you will probably meet friends you'll have for the rest of your time in college and maybe your life. Always put academics first because there will always be time to have a social life if you budget your time efficiently.

I would tell parents and/or students to carefully visit each campus they are interested in. Meeting with professors of the prospective student's department is a good idea to familiarize themselves with their new teachers and see how engaging and motivated their teachers are. Students should talk to alumni or current students at that school to see what they think, what they like about the school and what they don't like. I would also take a close look at the town the college is in; there are many weekends during the school year and it is important to find a place where each student can participate in activities that are not college-related that help them deal with stress and pressure that is often felt in college. If involved in any sports/clubs, I would make sure to meet the people in charge to make sure they share ideas and point of views. Finally, I think that parents and/or students should visit each campus they are interested in and spend a day or two around campus; if the student feels comfortable and excited to live in that community, then they have found their home away from home.

Advice that I would give to parents and students beginning to research potential college choices would be to analyze and take note of the you or your child's interests. It could range from needing the resources that will aid them in becoming an active participant of learning about their culture, as well as wanting to educate others, down to their need for extra teacher student interaction. It is important for both students and parents to realize that visiting a school and taking the campus tour doesn't provide you with the reality that students attending this school face on a daily basis. I think it's important to speak to the students on that campus, but not just one or two students, many. Speak to as many students of different ethnic and racial backgrounds, majors, club affiliations and staff positions. It is likely that honesty will come from those who aren't being paid to tell you what you want to hear. The students are the core of a college; they hold all the answers you need to know about making your college experience an enjoyable learning experience.

My advice would be to be very open minded and willing to change to a new place. Cortland is a really great school but it has its ups and downs. Also, make sure you know what you want to do because as a SUNY College, sometimes credits do not count and tranfering stuff over is difficult sometimes and it may delay the graduating process. Also, with tuition going up, it might not be the best place to go to if you are looking into saving money. Once again, its part of the SUNY system so expect the same things any other suny school will have. This place is full of athletics stuff so its thats something that you are intrested in then you should come here. If you want to be a teacher then come here too because this is the place for you. This school has a great relationship with many entities and even though its small, it might just get you the connection that you need to get that job. Its really great and even though at first i wasn't a fan, it really grew on me and now as a junior i love it even more.

Have Fun

I would tell parents and prospective students to go visit the colleges they are interested in. Another recommendation would be to visit when there is not a tour planned so you could see how the campus really is. Try and explore the town around the campus and look at all different Statistics including crime rates, academic rates, transfer rates. All these factors can help make your decision a bit simpler. Also, if you know what major you are interested in try setting up an interview with some faculty so you can get to know your future professors and develop a relationship. Once a college is selected, the biggest piece of advice to is to get involved on campus. To get the best experience from college, you need to get involved. Stay out of trouble you attend college to get an education, not a record. Keep parents updated and call them frequently they are your biggest support and they like to know what is going on. Do your best work that is all anyone should strive for.

I would definatly think about the envoronment that you see youself in first. If you don't like snow, don't go to a college where it snows most of the time. You will find yourself depressed and miserable. If you are a big city person, don't go to a little school in upstate New York. As soon as I stepped onto the SUNY Cortland Campus while visiting schools, I knew that this was definatly the school for me. It was just a feeling that I had. I loved the campus, the students, and the whole spirit of the school. I do not think its the campus for you if you don't find yourself in love with the the first time you see it. I met many transfer students who hated the entire transfer process. I would do a lot of research and visiting before you choose your school. Otherwise you may find yourself in a bit of a perdicament. Don'tworry about meeting new friends as a freshman, Its not like high school where you have a little click. You can be and hang out with whomever you wish!

If you know what you want to study, the most important thing is finding the best program offered out there. But you also have to find a school that you think you can fit into. You don't want to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of everything, but you don't want to be bored on the weekends. You need to choose something that you think will work for you. And to maximize your experience, you need to be willing to get out there, meet new people, try new things. But don't forget to learn how to balance all the fun and the social stuff with the academics.

You are never too early to start shopping around for what college will be the best fit for you or your child. Sometimes it's best to go to a school completely opposite of how you grew up. If you are from a small town, maybe a big college is the place where you can start experiencing what the world has to offer. If you are from a big city, maybe a small college is where you can slow down and put things in perspective. When it really comes down to it, you have to choose for yourself only. The next 4+ years of your life will revolve around your school so make sure you know exactly that this one or that one is the perfect fit for you.

In my experience the best advice when looking for a college is to really figure out who you are and what you are looking for in a school before you even begin the search. Many students go into the college hunt with no idea of what they are looking for. This results in students getting to their final choice school and deciding that it is ot for them. There is nothing wrong with making a few mistakes in your college hunt, but wouldn't you rather find a good fit the first time around? I know that for me I was looking for a medium sized school that offered my unique major. Once I found one I stuck with it and this was really the best thing I think I ever could have done. Before you even get to your school begin to look up some activities or clubs that might be available to you. The best thing you could do during your first few awkward days is get involved in some activities and take the chance to get to know your new roommate. After all, you are going to be spending an awful lot of time with them!