SUNY Oneonta Top Questions

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself not to panic as much as had. I had put off finding a college as long as I could, and tried my best to avoid the subject all together. As most students heading to college, and away from home for the first time, I was nervous. But by the end of my first day in Oneonta all my fears went away. I realized that all of the freshman were in the same boat I was; they were looking to make friends and coping with being on their own for the first time. I was able to make friends quickly and Oneonta became a second home to me. Even today, as I am ending my first summer home from college I cannot wait until school starts up again, and when I was a senior in high school I would never had imagined I would feel that way.

Advice that I would give to parents is to allow your child to explore as many colleges as they can or desire. Take your child on college visits when they are a junior in high school, this will allow for enough time to look at schools and decide which one's they liked compared to other schools they have already seen. Parents, be excited about this process! Let your child know that this is a very drastic and exciting change in their life and show them your excitement as well! If parents show their child that they are worrying too much, then the child may feel different about going to school. Advice that I would give to students would be to explore all your options: academic, sports, exta activities. Look for a school that has an excellent program for the major of your choice. RESEARCH! Decide what it is that you need to make your college experience great. Don't be afraid to try new things and explore what your campus has to offer. Make academics your top priority, but also make new friends, interact with professors, get involved in SOMETHING on campus and just have fun!

Don't make a decision about where to go until you've visited the campuses. You'll know when you step onto the campus you're supposed to be at. There's a feeling you get. You'll know it. Believe me. A school may look amazing on paper and the website but just not feel right when you get there. Be sure to visit! Once you've found the right school and you're there, get involved in as many things as you can. Keep busy. You'll make more friends this way and have more fun. Put yourself out there, no matter what you were like in high school. This is your chance to start over if you want to. A lot of schools have a fair that showcases all of the clubs and organizations. You can meet people from the clubs and organizations and find out which ones you might like to join. Make sure to go to this if your school has one. It's really helpful in finding your niche. And, of course, study hard. Work hard, play hard. You're paying to go there, so make it money well spent.

the right college has to be a college where the son or daughter of those parents feel most comfortable going too. they should feel good with their surrounding envirornment, they should feel welcomed and secure, and they should always keep in mind that the college they are looking at is the beginning to a good professional furture they would like to proceed in one day. Also, parents, if paying for their childs college, should not only let their child go to a school where they feel most comfortable but aslo a school that will fit into their budget. personally i pay for all of my own bills and come from a hard working family with little money. But, yet again i can't complain seeing i dont have it the worst. You dont want to waste money on a school your child doesnt want to be at or put yourself into finacial debt you dont have to be in. always search for scholarships because there are plenty of them out there, and lastely, enjoy college as best you can without flunking because its the best time of your life!!! Be respectful and curteous to others as well.

Choose a school that feels right and makes you feel comfortable. It will be your hoime for the next few years and you need to feel that it is the right fit for you. Make sure to learn all you can about the school and campus before making your decision.

I think that the one thing I would do over in my college search would be to make more physical visits to the school and have the opportunity to talk to real student at the college and not necessarily the people who volunteer for the orientation programs. I?m my experience the orientation programs were run by students who made me second-guess my decision. They were mostly not as outgoing and social as I am and I was worried about that. Other than that nothing, I love my school.

I believe that the best piece of advice for finding the right college and enjoying the college experience is to remain open-minded throughout the entire process. I feel that it is important that parents and students step out of their comfort zones and look into different options and choices. You should apply to and visit a variety of different schools that are located in different areas. While you are visiting the schools, make sure that you ask plenty of questions about all aspects of the school, including the academic programs, financial aid, and housing. In addition, you should try to speak with some of the students that are already on campus, as they can offer a more realistic view of the school. When it comes time to select a school, make sure that it is truly the school that appeals to you most. If you can remain open-minded throughout your college experience, you will truly build relationships and gain knowledge that will remain with you for the rest of you life.

When finding the right college try your best to attend open houses at all the colleges your child shows interest in, this way you both can get a feel for the campuses and their communities. Try not to pressure your child into going to the college you want them to go to, nor the Major you want them to go for. Encourage them to apply early and for more than one college. Its important to your childs educational motivation, social life, and self-esteem to be where they want to be, and studying what they want. The college years are the most important years in someones life. Their experiences and growth through the college years shape them as a person and can direct their route in life. Be their still as a parent with advice and concern but also be supportive of your childs decisions. Moving away from home can be both an extremely exciting and terryifying experience all at once; you need to assure your child that you will be okay at home without them, but that they will be missed and you will always be just a phone call away should they need support. Congratulations and goodluck!

Visit the college before making a decision on whether to attend. Once at college, get involved in numerous extra-cirricular activities.

A very wise man once said to me, "Always choose people over things." In life it is almost always the people around us from which we derive our lives' meaning. When choosing a college and attempting to get the most out of a college experience one should look to the people at that college. In choosing a college, one should look to the qualities of the faculty and administration of the college. Good people will make for good teachers who can provide the best learning experiences and learning environment, and good administration will help everything flow smoothly and easily. When at school, one should be friendly with and get to know ones neighbors and do social things with them. One should pursue clubs that seem interesting, and explore campus events. What one learns in the classroom will undoubtly be very influencial one one's life, but what will be far more memorable and far more life changing are the experiences that one will have with other people, so one should be open to all the opprotunities during a college experience to meet and interact with people and friends.

my mom didnt want me to go to college.

Go look at all schools before enrolling and try to spend a weekend with a current student to really see what the school is like.

Make sure there is a balance of education and fun.

When parents and/or students begin looking for a college to attend it is important to look into thoroughly what is offered at the college for the academic major of interest. Make sure that you not only feel confident that you will be able to study in the environment, but that you will also feel comfortable living in the area of the college.

Finding the right college for a person is a daunting, but possible task. Applicants should consider all the factors on what they want out of their college experience. Going to a college near home is completely different than living in a dorm or in your own apartment. I know that if I stayed home, my college experince would have been totally different. When deciding on the college I knew that I wanted to be a part of a "college town" since I grew up in New York City. Do you want a small town or a city? What is popular to do on the weekends? Social networks like facebook is a great advantage applicants have today to access this information. Professor review websites is another good site to see feedback from students. And of course just search, or should i say "google" popular programs offered, pictures of the campus, school population, types of transportation available and shopping available. Overall, the most important thing to do is to gather your thoughts on where you would want to spend the next 4 years of your life and all of you usual activities available. And always remember, be realistic and true to yourself.

Go with your gut

I would definitely recommend researching every possible school. It's important to research, visit campuses, and ask questions in order to find a compatable match between the prospecting student and college. Once a campus has been selected, it will be inportant to go beyond your comfort zone and socialize. Try new things, while at the same time maintaining your own personal beliefs and standards. Get involved in what makes you happy, whether it be sports, volunteering, music, arts, etc. Take this time at college to make friends, make connections, and succeed. If you do your best, then you will make the whole experience worthwhile.

Participate in as many after school activities as you can. Join clubs and just enjoy yourself. Submerge yourself in the full atmosphere in order to get a full experience.

I would say that it is important to look for schools that have a good program for the major that a student wants to study but not to make that your number one priority because most college students change their major at least two times before they graduate. Finding the right school is hard but following your heart is the way to go, when you feel like you've found the school you want to go to, then you probably have. Don't just go to a school because your friends are going there or your siginificant other, find a school that seems to suit you and the things that interest you. Sometimes you don't find it the first time but going to any school in an experience where you'll learn something you'll never forget so just remember to think of it as a learning experience.

The number one thing is to make sure you visit the college before handing in your final answer to attend. You have to know if you want a big University, or a small college. Get involved in clubs that reach out to your interests. You make a lot of friends that way. Social interactions are equally important as maintaining a good GPA.

Many schools offer fast track programs that prepare you for a career in your chosen profession. From my experience I would want to encourage both students and parents to take a look at all the options a school has to offer. Your freshman year should be a chance to take a little of everything so you get a chance to see options outside of one department or another. Besides a major, there are many concentrations and minors in things that may interest a student and provide beneficial after graduation. Early on students may not connect with their assigned advisors and they need to know that there are many other people out there to help them. I would encourage any student to meet with general academic advisors as well as their assigned major. Other than classes I would want students to be aware of the number of activities and clubs offered by the school, it cannever hurt to drop in on a meeting. Don't worry fashion majors can be in the environmental club and if you are an economics major why not try out for the spring play? It's ok to be scared but end proudly at graduation.

Do what feels right for you. You have to learn and live there for 4 years or more, make sure you are where you want to be! Live every day to the fullest!

The biggest problem I found with the parents and student relationship is the different view for the students life plan. For instance, I wanted attend school for interior design, however, my parents didn't like this and forced me to choose another major. I chose mass communications, later adding a second major of Computer Art. The lesson I learned after three years in college is that when it comes to the parents life plan and the students plan, it does not have to be one or the other. It's called a duel major. If I had known about this, I would have chosen a school with interior design and communications. Overall, my advice about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience is for the parents to listen to their kids and actually hear the reasons of what their soon-to-be college student wants for their life. The parents can then voice their concerns but compromise. If the student isn't confident in their decision and has no passion for what they are doing, their college experience will be tainted. Listen and find the right college pertaining to the passion of the student.

Visit the school on a rainy day, because it rains more often than not at Oneonta. Also, avoid the FYE program if you can, it's not as great for socializing as most people think it is. The freshman-only dorms are a great way to meet people, so keep your door open!

go to a liberal arts college that fits your personality and style. don't be afraid to join groups and do what you want.

My advice would be to always keep your options open and aim high in whatever you aspire to do. Visit all the schools that you are interested in going to and make sure the environment on each campus is one that you are satisfied with. College is a place where you can find out so much about yourself and become whatever you want to be. You don't need to have your life planned out right away. College is about learning what makes you happy. You may come into school as an art major and switch to accounting. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as you are comfortable and happy with your decisions. If money is an issue, always make sure to explore all of the universities financial aid programs. Schools may seem expensive, but that doesn't have to stop you from going to the school of your dreams. Above all, college is not only a place to come out of with a degree in physics. It is a place to come out of wth amazing memories, life-long friends, and an outlook on life to stay positive and do your best in whatever you do.

Find a college that you think you will fit in to. Make sure you go on visits and meet the students. You will know automatically whether the college you are looking at is the right fit for you

The main advise I can give to any prospective student or parent is to visit the college! Even if at first you only walk around and check out the surroundings of the campus, you just have to have the right feel for the campus and the enironment around it. It's best to go to the college open houses and take a tour of the academic buildings and listen to what the tour guide has to say about the campus life at their school. Its also good to watch the current students and see how happy they are, how energetic and if they seem pleased to be there. If you have a major picked out it's a good idea to talk to a few of the professors and see how friendly and helpful they may be. I think the first impression is most important so if you come to see a school and you just get that good vibe and the people around you seem relatively happy, you should keep looking into the college and talk to current students and see how they feel becuase it may be the ticket to the best college experience you will have.

Parents and students should understand that finding the right college is a long process and can be both fun and stressful. However, it's important to stay organized and relaxed. While college searching, first make a list of all the colleges within the region of the United States where you wish to attend classes. Then narrow those schools by tuition costs and majors offered. You should also consider the size of the school, the community life, the food, and the condition of the dorms and academic facilities. It would be an excellent idea to visit as many of the schools that you plan on applying to because being in the environment will allow you to see if you can picture yourself living there. Then, before you know it, it's time to start your first year at a college or university. In order to make the most out of your college experience, you must get involved! It is the best way to meet new people and to find out what is going on at your college. Remember, college is a place to experiment and try new things. Everyone is there for the same reasons. Have fun and work hard!

The most important thing to consider is that you can fit in at any college campus. There are people like your or people that you would want to be friends with on any campus. In fact, the people that I know who have transfered have only done so because they changed their major or wanted to be close to home. First, pick the farthest distance that you could stand to be away from home. Don't pick any school outside of that radius. Second, find the major that you want to pursue and make sure that it is offered at the college that you are looking at. If you are going in undeclared, find a school that has a majors that could possibly interest you. Finally, if you are interested in specific clubs or sports, make sure that those are offered at the college you are looking at. Fitting in at a college will not be a problem anywhere!

Students need to find the college which speaks to them. Visit schools. Virtual tours aren't the same as the one in person. Feel the schools out. Find one which supports your intended major and can further your education and perhaps your career. Make sure you sit in on a class and try the food. Also, check out the student housing. Do everything for yourself- the applications, the essays, the scholarships, the phone calls, the research. Parents should guide their child's college search, but not make the decision. They are not the ones attending school. Encourage the student to apply for scholarships and keep positive.

Be happy with the area in which it is located; being bored and not happy allows for negative thoughts to arise along with home sickness. Don't be so hasty in choosing a major, this is a big decision to make at such a young age. Most schools don't require you to declare a major until your second year, so dabble in a few different areas until you find the area that is most interesting to you. It is easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing, social wise, so be sure that you know what you want your college experience to be. Parties can be, and are fun, but always be careful, make smart decisions and try not to get caught up in a "mob mentality," where you may end up doing something that you normally wouldn't do.

Population of the college is crucial towards a valuable learning experience. The living arrangements and conditions is also a very important factor when considering attending a college/university away from home. To the student, you should try to get the most out of your college experience by being active in social activities around campus but do remember to be responsible. Just because you are living on your own with no parents for probably the first time should not lead you to make some stupid decisions that you know you would never normally make. Enjoy this experience because these four years will be well remembered for many years to come. It will all soon be just a memory so enjoy it and have fun!

It's up to you to make the most of your college experience. Join clubs and organizations. Take leadership roles. Socialize with people you may not have socialized with in high school. College is all about opening up to new experiences, and college is about the only place where you have the time, accessibility, and socialized culture to do this. My main regret, even though I was busy all the time, is not doing more.

The most imporatant thing is to make sure the college is right for the student. Just because the parents like it, or it is well-known, or conveniently located, doesn't mean that it is the correct school for the student. One of the hardest things for most parents is to let their child make their own decision. Parents should give their opinions on each of the schools being considered, but should not impose their views on their child. Part of going to college is growing up. Students become more of an adult while at school. Responsibility is in their hands, not their parents. Advice for students would be to make sure it has options for you. Make sure you are interested in more than one major there. Sit in on a class and check out the dorms you will live in and the cafeterias which you will frequent. There is more to college than just classes and grades. The atmosphere and campus life is important. Be sure it suits you. I visited a bunch of colleges and one just felt right. I still attend that school. Don't be afraid of the future. Take a stand for it.

There are a few things to keep in mind: Changing your major is ok, discovering new things about yourself is ok, doing something crazy to your hair in a dorm bathroom is ok. College is a time to explore and to have fun...just make sure you get your work in on time.

Go to the schools and research the town/city the school is in -- it is so important that you like/tolerate the town in which you'll be living. And see how the students walk around campus - do they walk with excitment, or are they're shoulders slupped and wearing sweats. Makes a difference. Oh, and go to school WHERE YOU WANT -- even if it's cross-country. Let nothing stop your dreams.

Visit! That is the best thing you can do. While you're visiting, ask everyday students (not the tour guides) questions about how they feel about the school. They wil most likely be honest. Then, choose away!

I am not that interested in getting the scholarship and I need to get back to my schoolwork :) But I did like the survey

My advice to parents and students looking for college is simple. Attend a school where the student and parents feels comfortable. Although the cost of tuition and the distance from home is important, don't let those two factors throw out the possibility to go to a wonderful school. Be daring; check out a school which may be a little farther away, but the student can be successful and meet new people. My advice for both the student and the parents would be to attend an informational tour, spend time on campus: eat in a dining hall, look in on a class in the student's major, and stay the night at an overnight program. These activities would help make the student feel that he or she has made the right choice and can make friends and be happy. The parents can be at ease that their child is in a good place, will make friends, eat healthily, learn, be safe, and most importantly, be happy.