Temple University Top Questions

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

Kelly

Finding the right college is important, but it's not as important as the experience that you have at whatever college or university that you choose. When looking for the right college you want to take into consideration your preferences such as whether you would rather go to a large university or a smaller college. You have to take into account whether you prefer to be in a city or a more rural or suburban area. Regardless of what college you choose the most crucial thing to do when you arrive to your respective place of post secondary education, study hard, get involved, and have fun. Remember that college IS exciting and new and take advantage of the social opportunities that it offers. Remember to stay focused though. Your education is of utmost importance and you want to get the most of what you're paying thousands of dollars for. Remember that the academic lessons are just as important as the life lessons that you learn in college, so don't take anything for granted. Open your heart and your mind and you will have to best experience of your life. Good luck and enjoy every moment of the ride.

Melissa

Look into campus life, the location of the school, and academics

Antoinette

Make sure you find out all of the deatils about a school, so you don't make the wrong decision.

soltan

prepare yourself in order not to fall into misguidance

Maria

College decisions can be challenging to make especially if parents and students are not financially prepared. As a number one advice I can give to them would be to explore and look for options such as school location, college tuition per semester and programs of interest. This first step would give them a very good idea of what they really want and what to expect from any of the campuses in search. It is very important if they start finding a school early even before high school graduation and that way gain some time to submit the application for the new school. College tuition is very significant and is one of the most important factors at the time of choosing a school since it means money that many of us and many parents do not have . Even though this is a very stressing situation, there are many other options that can help. For example grants, scholarships, etc. Programs of interest are also a main point to look for since some schools do not offer every program they may be interested in. By taking these main points into consideration , they can have a really nice and enjoyable experience while in college.

Rohan

The advise that I would give parents and students about finding the right college is that while searching, there is no "right college". Do not judge a book by it's cover postively or negatively as I did. I was not happy with my decision to attend Temple University at first because I felt as though I was settling and deserved to attend an Ivy League University. I underestimated Temple University and I was wrong. I have been attending Temple University since August 2005 and I would not trade the eductaion, experiences, friends, or even the bad times for anything in this world. The right college, is where the student makes it the right college. Meaning go to college to learn and may a future for yourself despite if the college was you first choice or your safety. Be social, get involved, make a name for yourself, but remeber why you are attending college. Make the best of it because for many of us, these are the best years of our lives. Do not get hung up on the little things because by the time you realize that it is the right college, it might be too late.

Giorvahny

Students: visit, visit, visit!!! It is crucial to visit your potential colleges. Remember, you are going to be spending the majority of your time at this place so you want to make sure you can picture yourself being completely comfortable doing so. Also, don't be too nervous! Be friendly, get out there, introduce yourself, and have fun! As nerve racking as it may be for you to enter a whole new environment, remember that there are so many others feeling the exact same way. You're all in the same boat so don?t be afraid to rock it! Parents: this is one of the most exciting but also one of the scariest times in your child's life. Be supportive and help in every way possible but remember, it is he or she who will be attending the school, not you! Guide them with your ever-reliable parental advice but keep in mind that this is their choice and be confident that no matter what they will make you proud.

Elizabeth

If you know what career you want to pursue after college, the most important part of your selection is the quality of the program that will prepare you the most for that furture career. Yes, it is important to have fun and be in an atmosphere where you can enjoy your social life, but college is different than high school. You are paying to learn something valuable, something you enjoy. Dont look at college as a menial "do-as-little-as-possible-to-get-your-degree-and-get-out" stepping stone to a money making career, because you'll miss the whole exprience. My major is jazz vocal performance. I will graduate with a Bachelors degree in music. I picked Temple because it had a fantastic jazz program, which yielded the best education to help me become the best musician I could. I have no stability in my future. My degree will not get me a job anywhere. However, the education and performance exprience I get with Temple is more valuable to me than any degree. I enjoy going to class and doing something I love. Only with this mindset can you get the most out of your college experience.

Anthony

To find the right college you need to try something different. If you are in a big city go to a college in a small rural area and vice versa. College should be about exploring oppurtunities and experiencing culture, learning as much as you can. You will be more adaptable and flexible in career choices if you have many different outlooks and can diversify a portfolio. If you live in a small town your entire live and your job transfers you into a city, you won't survive. If you test yourself while you are young with alternate experiences you can truly become and do anything you want. The college experience goes beyond the books and the student involvement in organizations, but also the culture you live, so try something different.

Sarah

The advice I would give to parents/students would first be making sure that you know what you want to do and what kind of school you want to attend. Make sure that the school you choose fits you. Think about the activities that they have there, their programs, the campus, and the social life at the school. It is very important that you also find a school that fits your financial needs because you don't want to be in debt the rest of your life paying back loans for your education. Take time to really get to know people that you go to school with. There is so much you can learn from the students, staff, and the teachers and I feel it is very important to do that. You can really learn a lot by paying attention in class and applying it to your life. There are so many activities and things to learn in college, make the best of it by being involved and coming out of your shell. Do things you have never done before, make friends, learn, and enjoy it!!!

Trey

I think the most important thing to consider when picking a college is whether or not the student is comfortable there, both with the surrounding area and students. While academics is also important, I have witnessed many friends have a terrible experience at college because they chose academics first. After these two things are considered, students should consider things like sports and other extracurricular activities.

Matthew

Visit every college before making a final decision, there is nothing worse than making an uninformed decision, especially about something as important as a college education. Also ask as many questions about the college/university you can accademic, social, etc... college is alot more than just books and studying no matter waht people tell you.

Ben

The best piece of advice I have for parents and students who are trying to find the right college is to visit the schools of interest. No statistic, information booklet, or pictures can amount to a college visit. First of all, going to a college gives you an idea of what it's like to make the trip. While visiting, it's good to take a tour of the school, but possibly an even better idea is to sit in on a class or two. That way you can get an idea of what an average class is like, including the interaction between students and professors. Feeling comfortable at school may be the single most important part of a successful college experience. It is obvious that doing your research is necessary to find what schools could be best for you, but visiting your schools of interest is the best way to single out the best school for you.

Kayla

If you're bright and determined, you'll succeed anywhere. Price is important; you don't want to spend 12 years paying off 4.

chade

I would tell students to choose the schools that they like and that they can afford. College is becomming extremely expensive and choosing a good school has become a difficult task.

Andrew

I would tell your kids to be open to new things but stick to their morals. It isn't easy making the switch from highschool to college. It's a lot different. The professors are going to have your back like the teachers did in college. You are on your own now so rise to the occasion.

Monica

Visit the school if you are truely interested in it. Seeing the area and getting the experiance of the school made the biggest in deciding for me!

Amanda

N/A

Chelsea

I would suggest that you find the best college for the major you want to study. I would also suggest on finding a school that gives good financial aid and has a good advising staff. When you need help at school you can really only rely on your advisor and if you don't have a good advisor your going to really struggle through school.

kia

location, location, location is essential!!

Brendan

College is a time when a student really finds out who they are. I suggest that parents and students sit down and discuss what the students interests are and what the student might want to do. I also suggest that it is ultimately the students decision and that parents should support what their son or daughter wants to do. To get the most out of your college experience do things that interest you and don't be afraid to try new things. Have fun.

Michele

Listen to your kids. Sometimes they do know what's best for them. It's hard to let your kids go, but just remember they will come around at some point. Even if your kids don't call or only call for money, you're still the most important thing to them even if they don't show it.

Brandi

While going to a college that is fitting for you acedemically is important, there are also many other factors to consider. Do you know anyone else who is going there? How much does it cost? Is it well known for the field I am choosing to study in? What are the people on campus like? What sizes are the classes? If its away from home, will you be comfortable with not seeing your family for an extended period of time, and maybe not spend holidays with them? What is the community like around the school? What recreational places are there around the school? Are there job opportunities? IS there reliable, safe transportation? IS the school safe? These are all things I thought about when I was choosing a school. They may be hard to answer unless you are actually in these situations, but for me, I knew that I couldn't be away from my family, which is one of the major reasons I chose Temple. Think about these questions, and any you might have of your own very carefully before sending out mass applications.

Danielle

You cannot set yourself up for failure. You cannot burden yourself with petty "What If" questions but actually make something for yourself. You should always follow what you think is the best option for you and nobody else can tell you otherwise. Academics are very important but you must also have a social life to function well in this society. You need charisma and can work well with people because you will be in the work force with strangers with different personalities and a different world view of your own. College will teach you not to be so myopic in your viewpoint of the world. It will teach you to expand your thought about people and ideas and hopefully adapt new ideas for your own lifestyle.

Brittany

My advice to parents and other students looking for the right college would be to do ALOT of research. Many students do not research schools well and only visit once. It is important to talk to students that attend the school and to research the academic programs the school offers. A student can never find the perfect school because it does not exist, but you can find a school that fufills most of your needs. You want to research the majors the school offers, job oppurtunities from those majors, social life, and overall campus feel. When I was looking for the right school, I veiwed many surveys and real statements made by students from that school. These statements and survey results definitely influenced my decision.

Rannita

Choose the place that most make you feel as if you are at home, because college will be a second home.

Kerice

Visit the college campus a couple of times, do not rely only on what is told i during college tours because te tour guide can only really tell you about the good parts of the school. If you are really interested in a school, take the actually students you might seen walking around. Make school compete for you, if necessary. As the saying goes do not put all your apples into one basket... have back up options in case your primary school does not work out. Also make lots of friends ( diverse group) because something you might get bored or homesick and need that friend to make the experience more enjoyable.

Michalina

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Nicholas

I think that students should keep all of there options open. Look into private and public schools, out-of-state and state schools. You never know what you like unless you visit various kinds of schools. Also, to make the best of school, get involved in clubs or athletics because it's a great way to make friends and network.

Yandama

In finding the right college, students need to first know their likes or dislikes. Knowing this will narrow down the choices of what college might be suitable for them. After, students need to go on campus visits to feel the atmosphere and possibly interact with people to find out how they might fit in such environment. To make the most of the college experience, students need to be actively involved and join social organizations or clubs that are involved with the campus as a whole. This will enable them to meet new people and make more friends faster. Also, students need to set priorities the moment they walk on campus to reduce being overly stressed. Students should have these phrases at the back of their minds: "education is the root to success," "the sky is the limit," and "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

Reava

Look for a college that would spark your interest and you cant imagine not being at that school. It will make you always want to come back and not regret the choice that you hae intially made.

Davida

Temple isa great school.