Temple University Top Questions

I would say, try and get involved and explore your area and try out different courses. You can never be sure about everything you may like.

Money is very important in making a decision of which college to attend. The amount of financial aid you are awarded, how much tuition costs, and how much you are able to pay out of pocket or through a loan is crucial to take into account when making this important decision. If a student is not able to afford their tuition, they'll have to get a part time job and somehow balance it with schoolwork, and this is a very delicate process. It is something that not many people ever learn to do, and often negatively affects how well people do in school. Also, it is important to think about what kind of an environment you want to be in. Temple is an urban school, and therefore it is very different than most other universities and is a completely different experience. This will affect not only your experience on campus, but also what off-campus housing is available and how your social life outside of campus will be.

Make friends with upperclassmen, and get to know each teacher you have by talking with them personally during office hours or other convenient (out of class) time.

My advice to parents and/or students trying to find the right colege is understanding exactly what you want out of your college education. For example, I knew that I wanted to be in an urban environment, close to home, and financial aide was also a huge deciding factor. Once you are able to narrow down these factors try to find schools that come close to these requirements you expect. Also, as for making the most of your college experience, don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone - it is the best possible way to learn anything in life; with that being said, join an interesting club, study abroad for a semester and definitely try to complete an internship before graduating. No matter what profession you want to pursue try to get an internship or work related to that field, it will make your decision of entering that profession so much easier; not only wil you know whether or not it is for you, but then you'll also have experience if you do decided to follow that path. Also, once at school don't be afraid to develop relationships with the faculty, they're great resources and help.

Go on as many campus tours as possible, but take everything the tour guide says with a grain of salt. Base your opinion of the school on the way the campus makes you feel. Stand in the middle of campus during a class change and see if you notice anyone you could imagine yourself being friends with based on the way the carry themselves. Smaller schools tend to attract the same kind of people from year to year, so if you only see "dirty hippies" walking around and you're more of the frat/sorority type, you might want to reevaluate that school. Less than half of the college experience occurs within the classroom. Go to class and do the work, but realize it's about more than that. Check out any club or group that even slightly interests you. If you end up hating it, now you know. Take at least one random class that has nothing to do with your major; it will make you a far more interesting person. The way to make the most of your college experience is to simply experience everything you possibly can.

To parents, let your child decide an support them no matter what their decision. I have seen too many kids whose parents forced them to go to a school or into a program that they had no interest in. If they don't want it they won't succeed, and if they tell you that don't try to bully them into making the decision you want by withholding money. And most importantly be supportive, college is expensive, and its hard to concentrate and get good grades when you're worried about having money to buy food. Students, so what you love. Study what makes you happy. Don't obsess about tomoro, but make sure you'll be prepared for it. Study, go to class, and focus on school, but don't forget to have fun. If your school is in a city, explore the city, enjoy the experience. And don't explore like a tourist, go to the small out of the way places that you will never find anywhere else. That way when you graduate you will take not only the knowledge you gained but the experiences you had.

Always make sure to visit your school before confirming, so to make sure that the campus satisifies your need and desires as a student. Check and see if their programs match what you are looking for or had in mind, and check into their financial aid and job opportunities. Once you have chose a school look into their extracurricular activities and find one's that work for you. The more you're involved the more easily it is to meet people and make connections. In your classes try to interact with the other students because later they could be helpful when studying and such.

Visit a lot and make sure what you want most out of the school....that being academics, social life, sports or location. All of these things can greatly impact your time at college. Make sure to always be on top of work, but don't forget time for fun.

Don't stress yourself out too much, college is not all it's cracked up to be, and you don't have to go to college to be successful. However, work hard, study for your SATS, and pick a school where you feel most comfortable at.

Take your time and look for a school that is both the right size and fits your budget.

To write out and plan the student's interests and figure out what the student seeks.

When looking for the right college and making the most of the college experience, look at the college like a package. Research the physical environment of the campus and the area surrounding the campus. You aren't just going to school, you are starting to live your life independently. Talk to students who are currently enrolled, and take a campus tour. The right college has the proper balance of learning and socializing. School isn't satisfying if this balance is absent. Check out what kind of academic, and social clubs the school may have. Picking the right school isn't about what your next door neighbor thinks about the school, or the legacy of a particular school, but it is about being comfortable, content and happy in your learning environment. It is about building friendships, making business contacts and making a name for yourself in this big world. You change when you go to college, so look at the school and ask yourself, "No matter how much my views, my style, etc. may change, will this school be accepting of those changes?" If the answer is yes, you have the perfect school to enjoy your college experience.

Look at all your options. Visit as many schools as you can and just be open to anything.

Small, safe, and in my comfort zone was my first choice in colleges. Big, loud, diverse, and in a city was where I ended up and I could not be happier with my alma mater. Stretch yourself to places you never thought you would go because college is your first real opportunity to explore and difine yourself. College is so much more than a classroom. I learned more from being away from home, learning to live with roommates, studying abroad, and filing my own FASFA forms then I did from my 8:10 AM Calculus class. Academics are definitely important, but be open to the possibilities of your environment and the challenges of not ony your teachers, but your fellow students. Get a job at the little cafe, audition for the musical, travel to London or Rome, take a class on hip hop or Asian religions (my two favorite courses), take on a second major. If it feels like a stretch then embrace it and apply early.

Make sure you feel comfortable on campus.

go away from your hometown

I'd suggest that all students visit the colleges they are interested in and do research on what activities and majors they support. The colleges these students are interested in should support the intended majors of the students as well as a large variety of other majors that they may be interested in. Not only that, if a student is active in a sport or activity that they enjoy, they should doing it in college, especially if this sport or activity is available in the college. In my opinion, the college of choice should give students a good "feel." It should not overwhelm students or make students regret choosing it. In order to get the correct opinion of the college, the students should try to schedule an overnight stay at the college of choice, preferably with a current student of that college, and explore the campus. If the college feels like the right choice to the student, as well as support their choice of major and extracurricular activity, then that is where they should go.

When you and your family visits the school, the student needs to think to themselves, "Can I see myself living and enjoying my time here?" If you can than this is the enviroment you want to attend college in. Students should remember this is an experience for themselves, not for their friends, not for their parents, for themselves.

I would advise parent(s) and student(s) to first sit down and discuss with one another the important and necessary needs of the student. This includes the location of the college and programs that the college has to offer. It would be best for the parent(s) and student(s) to write down and outline, in detail, what the student expects from the college and what the student is most interested in gaining from the college. Since the student will be the one attending the college, it is best for the student to feel comfortable and confident in their choice and decision in the college they decide to attend. Moreover, college is an exciting learning experience and investment that should be carefully and thoroughly thought through.

The first thing to know about choosing a college is that you need to visit the campus on more than one occasion to know that it feels comfortable. Most campuses look great during the Summer because there is a lot of prospective student traffic, and the University has on its Sunday best. My best advice for parents is to keep their sons and daughters on track with what is important to them as students and not what is important to you as parents. The students are the ones who need to live and work on campus. Once you are attending classes and getting into the real grind of college life, there is one thing you must remember for a successful life as a student. You must learn how to relax. Find an activity that you enjoy (it should be safe and responsible too of course!) Use that activity to wind down after a long day of focusing on school. Learning to juggle time between work and play may take a few semesters, but with this balance comes confidence and efficiency. The role of parents is mainly one of support. Packages of food are a great gift around midterms week!

For Parents: In helping your child decide on a college that will suit his/her taste please keep in mind that pressure from you only makes the process worse. Allow students to have an open mind and open heart in terms of choosing a university. Cost, distance, student population, safety are some factors that need to be discussed to make a healthy choice to decide the placement of your teenager for the next 4 plus years, but nothing is permanent. Please be highly informed on the financial aide process, because one wrong signature on either end will be frightenly costly for you or your student. Remember that at one point you didn't know what was best for yourself, so allow your future college student to make mistakes too. They've got to fall down to get back up, just like you did! For Students: PLEASE be responsible with your Financial Aid information, YOU and only YOU will have to pay back the federal loans you take out. Drinking, as depicted in so many lame college movies, is not the only passtime available during your college years. Diversity=Extereme Fun and Amazing Experiences. All nighters will be your best friend!

The most important thing for any prospective student is to pick a school where you will be happy. No matter how good of an education you may receive, college will be a horrible experience when you spend 4+ years at a school that you don't enjoy. This may include finding a school that conforms to your vision of a campus, student body, campus life, etc. Ignoring these factors may result in choosing a school that you may regret, and eventually transferring out of. Another important feature to consider is the value of the education that you receive compared to the cost of going there. Going to school can be expensive, so when picking the right one you must consider the quality in terms of the cost. Once you have chosen the perfect school, the best way to get the most out of it is getting involved. Whether it be a major related organization or intramural sports, participation in activities outside of the classroom are excellent ways to maximize your experience while you are there. In some cases extra-curricular activities can be beneficial even after you graduate. They can be the deciding factor that helps you get that job.

Students should always make sure they have some kind of direction around the area of their new campus. Especially in an urban setting, it can be very unsafe to venture off into bad neighborhoods. Don't party too much, because it's just a waste of your money. It perfectly normal and healthy to have fun and get the whole college experience, just don't over do and try to keep it to only 2 or 3 days a week so you still have plently of time for your classwork.

The biggest advice that I could give to either a student or a parent is to ask questions. If you don't ask questions how are people supposed to know that you need help. Ask lots of questions.

I advise students and parents to try and visit the campuses of the colleges and univerisities they are interested in. They should go to the campuses welcome center and bring questions to ask a school representative. Take a tour of the campus, including the cafeteria, computer labs, dorm buildings, and etc. If a student is commuting to campus find out schedules to accompany the subway and buses. It would also be beneficial to ask a few current students about their feelings and experience about the school they are interested in. My last bit of advice is to research about activities on campus and see if they offer something you are interested in that can help you adjust to college life and meet new people.

If I could make one suggestion it would be not go to somewhere completely familiar to you, I don't mean to go very far away because I myself could not do that but to go somewhere different. In that, I mean to go somewhere with a diverse population where you can meet all different types of people and expand your horizons. Before college it can be very hard to do this and I think this is the best time to start. For parents, one thing I can say is to let your children make their decision. They may find that it was the wrong one in a year or so but it is a mistake they have to realize for themselves or they may forever wonder, "What if?". Although I say that, it is a very important decision so don't go somewhere because your friends are but because you want to go there. Make visits and ask questions whenever you can because you can't really see a school for what it is unless you experience it! And Good luck especially to all parents and students!

Searching for the right college can be a daunting experience: a large university, a plethora of students, an overwhelming numbers of majors--all determining the "rest of your life." How is one to figure out how to succeed, and be happy doing it? The answer lies in analyzing the school in question within the context of yourself. Each school has strengths and weaknesses for the individual student. A small school may provide a personalized education, but might not have the resources for a less-popular career; a large school might have those resources, but not the ability to cultivate the necessary skills. Similarly, each student must take an honest look at themselves--their strengths and weaknesses--and figure out whether they can be happy succeeding at a large/small school. The easiest way to figure this out is to study what has sustained you in high school: was it small, interpersonal experiences, or the diversity of activities and students that inspired you best? Answering this question is essential in figuring out which college fits you best. Regardless of where you go, remember there will always be a transition period. But no matter what happens, always trust yourself to succeed...

The best advice I would give to parents and or students would be doing research about the college throughly and finding out class size, aid, and activities, and of course the place you maybe sleeping at night.

In finding the right college, one must look at size, distance from home, housing, financial aid, and the percentage of students who receive jobs when they graduate. Most students forget to look at the graduation percent of universities. Some other factors may be the race percentage, if its in a big city or not, the class size, transportation around the surrounding places. Another huge factor is the major you would like to graduate with. Is there a huge dedicated program dedicated to it? The professors in that program, do they come highly recommended. If I had to do the college process over again, I would've taken the time to discuss this with my parents and myself because sometimes the stress of the college process leads some students to rush. But don't. Essentially, this is the next 4 years of your life. Make them great, not rushed.

Find the college that best fits your needs and wants.

Choosing a college is one of the most difficult experiences, you want to be sure that you're going to the right school, you have a specific major in mind, and you want to enjoy your college years. However, do not be discouraged if you find yourself in a different mindset when you're there. It's a hard transition; and if you want to change your major or transfer to another school, it does not mean you have failed or anything of that sort. It means you changed your mind, and that's ok. There are a great deal of Temple students who have transferred here (including me) after being at other schools. THis is a great learning experience. Most students find that Temple should have been the first choice for them all along, it just wasn't prestigious as the other schools they were accepted by. College will be such an exciting and fun experience, just don't let the other things bother you too much - you'll have enough work to keep you busy for four years.

Don't procrastinate and really know your options. Visit and learn as much as possible about plenty of schools before making your choice. Always keep your mind and options open!

Let them make their own mistakes.

If the student wants to experience and learn about 21st Century multi-ethnicity America, Temple is recommended.

Always be sure to visit the college AT LEAST once. This makes a big difference. Try to ask current students their opinion. Don't forget that while college is fun and a great experience, it costs a lot of money! So WORK first, party second. Believe me, it will make the partying that much sweeter :) . You don't want to be in college longer than you have to because it just means more money and less opportunity to get a good job. Try to graduate early with summer classes or AP classes in high school, it will give you an opportunity to get jobs in your field before the people in your class and other classes around the country graduate! If you're trying to work and go to school, don't kill yourself with lots of classes or lots of really hard classes all at once. Make an academic plan of all the classes you will and want to take at your college and try to balance hard classes with easy ones, especially if you're working. Working part-time is a good idea. Internships are a great idea too since they usually lead to your career.

College years can be the best years of your life if you play it smart, and finding the right college to pursue education requires a little research. Ideally, it would be wise to visit the campus and observe the students, location of the school and facilities like classrooms, computer labs, and the library. Ask around, most students will gladly tell you what their life is like there, how they like the school, and what they do for fun. To make most of the college experience you should definitely have a goal in mind. Your goal should be to get a degree and land the job of your dreams, but being in college will also open your eyes and help you find out who you are and what you want in life. Definitely take advantage of all the resources available to you, you deserve all the best that college can offer. Join the fun - there are many groups, sports, clubs and plenty of activities that will enrich your experience . You will end up with many good friends who share your interests, and new doors will open that you never knew existed. Good luck with the search! :)

I think everyone should visit the campus. That plays a big role and if you can talk to a couselor about what classes you might be taking and try to sit in some of them so you can see how they are.

Visit! Visit! Visit!

When choosing a college pick the most comfortable place you possibly can. When first going away to college it is extremely difficult to feel like you belong. Not in the social aspect but with faculty. Look for teachers and faculty that are extremely helpful and make you feel wanted. Here at temple when you walk into an office of any administration almost every secretary is like what do you want now. It is very uncomfortable and makes me not want to take care of important issues that may be such as financial aid, or class scheduling. I dread it every semester because of the hospitality. Also try to find out about professors demeaners. Most professors are so busy with their research and other important things that they make limited office hours and when you get to those office hourse more times than not they will cut you short, or send you to a tutor. Being comfortable on a campus is in my mind 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the battle in school.

For students, do it for yourself no one else. For parents as much as you don't want to see your children go or maybe think they can't do it let them experience the real world in their own time. Baby steps may be necessary community college than a big universty but take your time there is no rush. Enjoy college it really was the best time in my life so far.

Make sure that the schools you are applying to have the major you are interested in, that they are accredited within the state for said major, and that if the school has satellie campuses that you will be able to complete the requirements for your major on the campus of your choosing.

First, figure out who has the best program for what you want to do. Next decide on the type of environment you want to be in, exmple large or small school, diverse, predominantly white or black, things of that nature. After that the student must then figure out if they want to stay in-state or go away, keep in mind in state is a lot cheaper than out of state. Do a lot of reasearch on schools that you think you might be interested in; find out about credentials, school rules, campus life, environment, housing, meal plans. Some schools dont offer housing after freshman year and at some school s you are not allowed to have cars your freshman year. So taking this into consideration you must find a school that meets and fits your needs. The last piece of advise I can give for finding a college that is right for you is NEVER follow your friends. What's good for your friends is not necessarily good for you.

Make sure you visit each school and have a list of thing you want out of college life when you visit so you know if the college is right for you.

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Visit, visit, visit! A college that looks good on paper is not necessarily for you. Also, take advantage of everything the school has to offer. Chances are there's soooo much!

I recomend state schools and staying closer to home. From my experience more of my peers who went away for college ran into problems, compared with people who stayed close to home or commuted.

My advice to parents would be to allow their children to have a voice in the selection process. It is their ultimate decision and they need to be comfortable in the choice. Once in college, allow your child(ren) to make their own choices and make their own mistakes and do not judge them. Be there to support them and offer your guidance, but do not try and make decisions for them. My advice for students would be to be aggressive when applying for colleges. Do it early and apply to as many schools as you want. Choose the college that makes you feel the most comfortable and is a place where you feel you can grow and succeed. Base your decision on your own instincts and feelings and not on others opinions. Once in college dont limit yourself. Adventure out into the world with no prejudgements and experience every aspect of college for yourself. Finally enjoy these next 2 to 4 years, but also remember you're there for an education so dont forget to STUDY! P.S~ Don't forget to call your parents sometimes and keep in touch with your family and friends while you're away.

The best advice I could give parents and prospective college students is to never settle. Do not just apply to one school, visit as many as possible, and talk to current students. The moment you walk on to the campus that is right for you, you will know it in your heart. It might be the location, academics, activities, or even something as silly as the cafeteria, but something will click, and once it does, don't settle for anything less than that school. Even if it means working hard at a community school or satellite school before being admitted to the school of your dreams. Once there, be outgoing, its a new beginning, you can be anyone you want to be. Join a club, intermural sport, sorority/fraternity, or band, try something new and stick to it. Enjoy the time you have gaining knowledge and making life long friends, before you know it, you will be just another adult in the "real world".

Making the right college decision should be soley on the quality of education and cost. There are other things such as campus safety, distance from home and class sizes that are probable to play an important role also, but it definatly should not be the deciding factor. Students and parents looking for the right college should make sure that they are mentally prepared to remain focused on work because in the end you want to graduate with an education and not just a degree. That is not to say stay confined to your room at every given second of the day, but your priorities need to be set be set on schoolwork first and play later. Finally, another very important factor when making your decision on where to go is making the choice for you, and not for your family, friends or significant other.

I would advise parents and/or students to do some research on the surrounding area of the university. It was a plus for me to be able to have fun outside of the university. An area that is culturally unique and diverse will change your life immensely. And as far as making the most of the college experience my answer is simple, get involved! You will discover yourself if you are apart of organizations and movements that you believe in.