University at Buffalo Top Questions

The best thing you could possibly do when deciding on a major would be to find out what sort of career you want, see if it's obtainable and has an acceptable earning potential, and then choose the major you would need for that career. The worst thing is to choose a mjor you just think you'd be interested in, and not be able to use your degree when you graduate. Plus, don't choose a college that has an outrageous tuition. Once you graduate, nobody cares what college you went to, just that you have a degree. Besides, someone who went to a state school has just as much knowledge and experience as someone who went to a private university, only they aren't in debt for the rest of their lives. Its the same education, why pay 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} more for it?!?!

Dont just look at one school and keep your options open to anything. The right University will come around to you sooner or later.

It is important to find a college which fits not only your educational needs, but also your pesonality. It can be a very difficult process to find a school that is the right fit for you, but doing so will make your educational and social experiences throughout college much more rewarding and beneficial. It is important to gather all possible information about every aspect of potential schools. Consider what academic programs are available, what class sizes are like, who makes up the student population, and what extracurricular opportunities are available. Make sure that you are choosing a college which will allow you to get the most out of your experience. Once you're in school, seek out every opportunity available and make sure you take advantage of all that is offered at your school. By doing so, you will not only enrich your own life and college experience, but you will also meet friends with similar passions and pave the way to later success in your chosen career. College can be a wonderful time to explore yourself and career possibilites as well as make connections and memories which last a lifetime.

no response.

Visit the school first and see if the environment is right for you.

Visit and meet students. Preferably real students, not the guides. Stay over night if you can to get the full experience.

I would tell parents to make sure that their child is choosing a college that will allow them to pursue their dreams and make them into a reality instead of choosing a college based soley on obtaining a degree.

Look into the school, and don't control the decision.

The fame is not the most essential thing. Look for a school that will maximize your potential and inspire you greatly.

I would tell students going into college that the experience is nothing like high school and to be open to meeting everyone and anyone. Nobody cares about what your social status was in high school so it is a great opportunity for a fresh new start to make new life long friends. I strongly urge any student going to college to join a club or group of some sort in order to form a close social network. This really helped me make the adjustment form home to college. I am of the play hard work hard philosophy, and it definitley holds true in college. Do not sluff off your first couple semesters because it makes it extremely difficult to re-build your GPA for the remainding 3 years. Take every social opportunity you can to meet new people but always put your school work first. It doesn't really matter what you major in during undergrad as long as you get some kind of education. I believe that most undergraduate majors fall under the liberal arts field anyway, so I would advise students to not stress too much about what they major in.

For finding the right college: I find that visiting the school is probably the most helpful thing to do. To put yourself in that environment will help you get a better idea of if the school is the right place for you. Also, talking to friends and others who are attending. For making the most out of your college experience: Staying focused on your school work and studying a little bit everyday helps alleviate the burden of overwhelming projects and tests. It is easier to learn a little every day as opposed to everything the day before a test. Also, being involved in extra curricular activites gives you the oppurtunity to meet a lot of interesting people and have a good time without feeling that drinking and doing drugs is the only way to have fun. Broadening your horizons will give you a more fullfilling experience at college.

Find a friend, or an alumni of your high school that is attending the school you wish to enroll in. Nothing is better than a first hand perspective. I love telling new freshman about all of the opportunities UB has to offer them. As for making the most of your college experience-live on campus. It is so easy to meet people when you live in the dorms and have to share a bathroom. Your RA is there to help you get involved and they are RAs for a reason, they want to help you feel more at home. It is quite a selection process to become an RA-they are certainly more than qualified. When in doubt-find someone eating alone in the dining hall and sit down next to them-I did and made a life long friend. Be bold and outgoing and most importantly be yourself.

For students: know your personality, your likes/dislikes, your learning style....go to a school that you think might best fit you, not what you think has the better name tagged along with it or where your friends are going. I think most undergraduate programs will give you whatever education you put into it, but you need to be in an atmosphere where you're comfortable and that will foster learning. For parents, trust your children. It's ok not to know what you want to major/minor in, it's ok to switch quite a few times, it's ok to graduate in 4+ years...most people don't graduate with their Bachelor's in 4 years now days. Also, it's ok to switch colleges if the college your child has picked isn't the right fit...be flexible and understanding.

If your child wants to go to a certain school let them... Going away is the best way to grow independant and find your true self... Also, pay for their education.... Working full time and attending full time to be able to pay my tuition was very dificult and in a way prevented me to enjoy college like everyone else....

Many students are unsure of which post secondary school to attend to. They factor in the school's distance, reputation, affordability, convenience, and anything they feel important. Coming from a lower-middle class family, one of my first priorities was affordability. The school's reputation is what I had in mind second. Unfortunately, it was the farthest from home. I made friends and had fun during freshman year, but that social life ins't the same the following year. The difficulty of the courses doesn't compensate my satisfaction for my lack of social life either. Honestly, I miss my friends back home. If I could do it over, I would choose a university closer to home. Back then I felt one thing was more important, now I feel something else is more important. Most students won't really know what they like until they experience it. My advice is, let the incoming freshmans spend a few days in all of the campuses of their choice! Everyone should see which environment they feel most comfortable in before choosing a university, where they'll spend the next 4 or 5 years of their lives.

Find out what is truly important to the student and pick a college that best fits their lifestyle

consider weather! it is really important for the growth of your child and for them to become even more mature by letting them spread their wings and be free, don't make them stay close to home so you can keep a "closer eye" on them. My friends that didn't go away for college are still immature jackasses and i feel way to mature to hang out with them sometimes...most students that go away feel the same.

go for somwhere that gives you alot of opportunity.

As a graduating senior, my biggest piece of advice to students thinking about college is to really think about what their education can do for them, and not just follow the crowd. There are so many choices that we face as young adults and a higher education is one of the most critical and expensive ones that a person will make. It is by far a very valuable and important asset to someone's growth intellectually and socially and should not be taken lightly. College is a learning experience, inside and out of the classroom. It took me 3 years of art school to realize that I want to become a business owner, rather than a working artist like my peers are all striving for. Instead of doing a 180 degree turn, I'm using my knowledge of fine arts and my passion for entrepreneurship to make my degree work for me. Looking back, I wish I had done more to prepare myself for after graduation. It is a scary thing, especially in our current state of recession. Make the most of every opportunity and don't wait until tomorrow to prepare for your future!!!

Chose a college with a program you believe you want to go into, in an area you love that is also affordable. You dont want to be so in debt when you get out of school that you cant even enjoy your new career. Also chose a place that offers a lot of internships and shadowing experiences, that is how you will really get to know if your career choice is right for you so you dont waste your time and money going for the wrong major.

Start early and get the most for your money

The advice I would give to either parents or students is that you really have to have at least an idea of what you want to do in school before you go, otherwise; take a break before you start. Time spent in the real world between high school and college can be very benefitial in finding out who you are and what you want to accomplish in life. It gives you the chance to figure out what activities or areas interest you and can help mold your future. You can obtain a job and save up some money before going into school financially unprepared. Also, if you take time off before school, it allows you to mature. Whenever you decide to enroll in school you will no doubt have matured. You begin college taking your class work, home work, and commitments more seriously. You discover just what an education means for you. Taking time off before I began college is the best thing I could've done for myself, and I believe it is a very important thing for all young adults to experience. To get a taste of the real world, and then to make your way to college.

The best advice I would give to parents is to know how to help your child fill out the correct finacial paperwork. If they dont know then they should help their child find other ways to make sure that everything is filled out correctly. The advice I would give students is to know how far away they really want to go from home.

Visit the school.

The truth is that you can never tell how you will like a school before you actually attend it for a semester. However, there are some basic elemets that can narrow your search. Size. How many people there are not only attending the school but living on campus I would say has the largest impact and the social and academic environment. If you like being semi-anonomous in a sea of bodies in the hallway with huge parties on the weekends at clubs, than a larger, urban campus is probably for you. If you like a more subtle and intimate crowd there are many colleges with under 2,000 students. Decide between a university and a college. Colleges tend to be much more committed to the success of their undergrads than universities. Universities divert much of the undergrad tuition funds to research, but often have greater resources and more prestigious professors. The most important thing a new student needs to do to make the most of their college experience is to get involved early. Try to know more people than just those on your residence hall, because after four years you probably will not talk to most of them.

Start the process by looking within yourself and deciding what your interests really are. From there think of possible career choices. There are so many distractions in the college choice experience. Expectations about knowing a career choice, choosing the right college, etc, etc. I was fortunate because my parents told me to start by dreaming. Once you know your interests which included acedemic interests as well as living choices, start visiting college campuses that could fulfill those needs. In addition, take some risks and look beyond your initial requirements and think of less than ideal choices for alternative choices that may be workable. Financial considerations always have a a part in college choice and need to be looked at prior to the application process, especially since application fees can pile up. Start researching colleges, scholarships and finacial aide as a junior in high school. Work as a team with your parents and colleges to figure out finances, everyone's finacial situation is different. And last but not least, have fun, it's an important decision. The goal is the endpoint but the journey can also be fun!

It is important for students to be comfortable at the college they choose. It is also important to pick a college that offers the courses you need to graduate as often as possible so you do not end up staying too long just to get your degree. Do not pick a school because it is cheaper to attend pick the school that suits you and your career goal. Pick a school that makes you want to wake up and come to class not go and hangout with friends are sleep in. Look hard for the right school, choose wisely and always ask lots of questions until you are satisfied with the answers.

To think about how serious you are about your major, because if your still partially undecided then you should pick a school with multiple majors that youre interested in. And that cost is always an issue, this is a big decision and you shouldnt go to the most expensive school just because you were accepted, you should think about what each school has to offer you aside from their big name.

Step 1: Figure out EXACTLY what career you wish to persue. Step 2: Repeat Step 1. Step 3: Go to a Community College for 1/2 years to clear out pointless general education courses. Step 4: Go to the college of your choice (hopefully). Step 5: Enjoy it. Step 6: Repeat Step 5. Step 7: Do the required courses for the major you chose in Steps 1/2 as well as persuing a minor/double major in other things.

Definitely visit the campus and if possible, be able to live on campus or around campus to see if the student like the enviroment. Try to see if the student can sit in one or two of the lectures/classes to see how professors teach and if the student is comfortable with the teaching style. Make sure the campus and teaching style is right for the student and not the other way around because that way, the student will be able to learn and gain more in the next few years. Go to the libraries to see what resources are available for the student. Read school publications/newspapers and talk to other students on campus to what activities are available and ask about safety issues.

To the parents: Let your kids choose the school they feel more comfortable at. Chances are that they will do better somewhere they feel they could fit in. Don't stress too much about location and/or finances, there are many ways to have those these covered. For child's happiness is more important. To the students: Try to find where ever it is that you think is comfortable for you. Don't worry about parties or sororities or fraternities, or any of those things. If you like the campus, you will like the school regardless of the extracurricular. Your GPA is the one thing that you will have to worry about for your entire college career. Do not let that slip away. After you keep that on check, do a study abroad semester, sponsor a student for an overnight visit, join all the organizations humanly possible. Have as much of a life, and as much fun as possible, just don't forget about your academics.

First of all, and most importantly of all, BE AWEAR OF WHAT YOU WANT! According to what you want, you can select the right college with the satisfying feild which matches the one in your mind. If you have a clear mind of it, you will not feel that you are completely at sea, instead, you have a guide light for yourself to sail. Don't worry if you are not clear with what you want at the moment you are choosing a college. There must be something in the bottom of your mind. You just need to admit it sometimes. If you really have no clue of what you want, don't freak out. Here comes to my last advice. Sit down, calm down, and do the comparison. Make a table of comparison in different aspects of some colleges, compare the fields of academy, costs, finacial support, career sussess after graduation, and whatever that you may concern. I believe you can find the college that you want in this way. GOOD LUCK!

Carefully consider what you value in a University. Whether it be your major, social activities, price or location, you need to be in tune with what it is you want from your school. Visit your options! Get a feel for what it is like. The biggest mistake you can make is base your decision off of a "feeling" or just simply reading about it. Categorize what you most strongly desire from your school and ensure that your decision is the right one. Your happiness will be the key to your academic success. A wrong school choice can seriously affect your GPA. Contact a variety ofpeople to get a first hand account of what the schools are like. Information is vital! Do not downplay the importance of this decision because it affects the next four years of your life (or more!). Carefully weigh what you desire and your school choice will be more clear than you would expect. Good luck!

Make sure to go to many colleges, even ones that you dont know if you would be interested in. Just go and see them, keep an open mind. Because later you might wish you had done so if you didnt.

Have some sense of direction when applying to different schools. Go visit various colleges, talk to current students and try to look at several options before deciding.

must visit a school before attending and find out about academics.

In general- Parents- Support your kid throughout this process and through college. No matter what your kid says, the support of a parent matches no other. Call and listen to your kid. Don't judge. Student- Always stay close to your parents. You can rebel all you want, but when it comes down to it, your parent will always be the ones that are there for you. Even if they are angry. And HAVE FUN!! You get one chance to be a young college student, Do it well (academically) and Party well as well!!

You should visit as many colleges as you can and pick the one that best suits you. Pick a college that has clubs and intramural sports that you can join so that you can get a variety of activities under your belt. If you are a person who does not like to interact socially with people you don't know, go to a college with some friends or people you know so you aren't a loner while at school.

In the long and tedious struggle for that perfect college that offers exactly what one needs, prospective students realize something; that there is no perfect college out there. There will always be something they don't offer or the location is not ideal and so on. In my own quest for the college that would have everything that I dreamed, I realized this fact rather quick. SUNY Buffalo was not my first choice by any means. There was to many people I knew that went there and it was far to close to home then I had originally liked. I ended up at Buffalo simply because I was offered a scholarship to help with financial aid. Prospective students: look for the college that has the most of what you want, and overlook the cons. You will find that the more you are involved in your school, you find more things to love about it. Today, I can't imagine going anywhere but Buffalo; there is just to many aspects of my school that I love; buildings, traditions and the people. Where ever you end up, don't complain, simply make the most of it and enjoy it while it lasts.

If there is one thing that I can stress, is don?t stress if you decide to change your major. College is the time to experience new things. I switched my major form Communications (a art) to Nutrition (a sciences), it is a little more work, but it is most likely what you will be doing until you retire, so you better enjoy it. Also remember if your friends are doing something you don?t like and pressures you into doing, they are really not your friends. College is fun of new people to meet, there are plenty of people who would love to be your friend, always remember you can find new ones. Joining Varsity or Club sports, or a club your first semester is a great way to meet new people and you will find the more groups of friends you have, the more you can grow and learn. Don?t fall behind on school work, trust me, you will regret it! Don?t wait to do it all at once. There are so many resources available, take advantages of tutors, TA?s, professors, and your friends, it will all be worth it in the end.

First do your research before you commit to a school. The school you pick should have the major you want, which will lead to a career field which you would like to be a part of. The social aspects of college will find you, so do not worry if you are left in a rural area. One must also remember that the next four years will determine the rest of your life, so what's a few dull years? Also, if things truly do not work out there is always the option to transfer. Students often forget that there is an option to transfer.

This advices I would like to give parents or students are pick your major as soon as possible , estimate your expense, choose your course carefully and if is possible leave off-campus. I am a transferd student. I had wasted some of my time in my previous college before I transfered. All the course I take in my previous doesnt transfer to my current attending college. If you really don't know you major, then take some course that will fullfill gerneral education requirement. Those courses are more likely to transfer to any college. IF you don't have to transfer to another college, then please don't. Because the more you transfer, the long it you will extend your graduate date. If your family can't support with the expensive tuituion in the college you choose, please think carefully to make your decision. Only choose the course you need to graduate, your time and money is limted. According to my exprience is better to leave off-campus. If you leave with someone who have opposite life style as you, this you only lower your GPA.

Take a look at all the schools you can to discover the different aspects of their environment, both social and educational; really be sure you are comfortable there. If you don't get into your first choice school, or really aren't sure where to go, its alright; chances are, it'll work out either way and you'll find what you really want in your school. Make sure to go to class and do the work, it sounds silly, but sometimes students realize their freedom and take it a little too far. If you have a roommate, get to know them, it'll probably be awkward at first but it'll make things more comfortable later on. Also, if you have an issue with the person you're living with, communicate to them what the problem is, they may not even realize what they are doing is bothersome. Take advantage of everything your school has to offer; this includes the library, councling services, and tutoring. Join clubs and attend events put on by the school, you never know who you can meet and how much fun you'll actually have. In general, get involved, work hard and play hard!

I would definately make sure that you visit all schools that you are interested in and make appointments to meet with the head of the department you want to study in and any other staff members that my be important to your major.

Visit colleges on a typical school day, not during a break or weekend. Meet as many people as you can and find out about as many opportunities as possible freshman year. STUDY ABROAD!!

I would encourage students to have in mind atleast 3 to 4 future job fields they can visualize themselves pursueing when they graduate from the school of thier choosing. The students parents should be supportive and stay connected through the students college experience.

do not go in with a major

Visit several times during different times of the year on your own to get a real feel of the atmosphere.

Don't worry about figuring out a major, or a career path, I still am unsure.

I think that the right college is dependent on your academic and social compatability. A student must be able to balance their school work and their social life. The college experience consists of being able to have your independence while absorbing in everything from the environment.