University of Alabama at Birmingham Top Questions

If possible, talk to students and professors at your perspective school. That is the best way to get a clear picture of what the school is really about. Enjoy your time in college, but remember that the most important thing to get out of your college experience is a good education.

I would tell parents and students look at a school that is academically focused and that has a good program for whatever you are interested in. Do not choose a school based on their football team.

I would suggest searching for schools relating to particular fields of interest. If the student is interested in psychology, like me, then look for schools with a strong background in a medical field, or even a background in education. If you are unsure of what you are interested in, I would say that you should attend a community or local college where the student can fulfill general electives for any major while paying less. When a desired field is selected, the student can then choose the right university. To make the most of your college experience, the first and most important thing is to remember that you are in college! It is not a four year party, it is school. I love to have fun but do not forget why you are there. The second thing is to uphold your morals. College is very influential, sometimes in a negative way. The decisions you make now may affect the rest of your life. Do not make decisions based on friends or the idea that "everyone's doing it." A new environment can be intimidating; a new student should get involved slowly and enjoy the many opportunities that college has to offer!

DON'T GO TO UAB. THAT IS ALL. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE. <3

Do your research and don't believe everything the campus tour guide says about the school. They are paid to lie.

Make sure that where ever you decide to go it is somewhere where you think you will actually be happy. Somewhere where you feel that you can grow as a person and intellectually. Also, somewhere that is affordable for you or your parents price range. Also, always investigate their financial aid process and their schoalrship process. Have a major already decided once you figure out school you want to attend, it will make things a lot easier. Try not to let the party sences overtake you and remove your attention from what you go to college for. Make sure that your values are strong enough for you to make it through the daily life of a college student. Lastly, at the end of the day make sure you enjoyed college and learned needed skills. Make sure you can look back and smile and wish you could do it over again.

The most important thing is to find a college that best suits you. Although money should be a factor, it should never be the first factor. Explore the clubs, academics, and housing throughly. Always make a pro and con list for each college and make sure that there are going to be people there like you. Colleges like to say that there is always going to be a variety of people there and that students can always find friends just like them. They are wrong, many colleges do not have a big variety and if they do, it's usually extremely hard to find someone just like you. Try to relate yourself to something the college has - a club, organization, whatever, so you will know that there will be a place for you to fit in and enjoy your college experience.

Choose a school that fits the type of surroundings you would like and will give you the best possible degree for your major. A great school isn't necessarily an expensive school. Learn to deal with setbacks because they will happen. The more determined you are the more likely you are to deal with these setbacks and still achieve academically. There is more to college than just books, so be sure to meet people and have fun. Make connections that can help you later in life. A lot of times it still is about who you know. Internships and co-operative learning is a great way to get job experience, and if you already have to work like I did, a good way to work your way through school. If you do plan on joining any organization, make sure it is beneficial and actually suits you. The organizations you affiliate with will be used to represent you as a person and vice versa. Just remember that as long as you keep trying you will get there eventually.

research and compare and don't be afraid of distance because distance makes a greater person out of the student and even the parent(s).

Visit colleges and find the one that fits you. Do not go because your friends go or your parents went there. Also go to a school that specializes in your major. It may be a little hard to do the work but the degree will be well worth your hard work. Do not look at one thing from a school such as greek life or football teams and let that decide either.Also check the surrounding areas for attractions because no one wants to go to a school that is not entertaining. Talk to people on social networking sites that attend the school to gain a better understanding of what goes on there. Finally, remember this college is what you make it. If you go expecting it to be boring it will. Be active and make friends through social organizations but remember your main purpose is to graduate.

n/a

look around

To find the right college, a parent and child must act as a team. The child will have to find a college whose atmosphere and environment are fitting to them and will help them not only prepare them for their life careers but also help them to mature and grow as an individual. The parent will have to act as a guide because they truly know their children better than the children know themselves, though most kids of my generation will try to argue that. Most parents have already traveled down the college road, some being amongst the first of many to even step foot inside a collegiate building or classroom. They were the ones who helped pave the college journey for myself and others of my generation. Parents can tailor-fit their children's college choices, helping to narrow down their choices based on things such as distance, cost of attendance, special major fields, etc. Both must be involved in this process, from researching prospective schools to the application process to the move-in day.

Parent/student before you make a quick decision you should spend as much time as possible observing the environment of your school(s) of interest, even if the choice is a couple of years away; because this will be the institution where the most of your money and/or time will be spent. The graduate will ultimately be the product of his/her environment.

I would say that there is a school out there that best fits who you or your child is as a person. Write down some of the major things that you feel you should receive with your education, such as dorms, great off-campus shopping/food centers, or size of the college. If you want to be in a more urban area then look for colleges that are located in such areas. After finding the college of your choice, don't be afraid to "jump in" because this is where your life-long friends are made. College should be a place where you find who you are; therefore, you will more than likely mess up. Just remember that life is not perfect even though you think a "B" is not great, you will make it; it only makes you work harder. On the other hand, don't take grades/school so seriously that you miss out on the fun times with the girls/guys. Yes, Friday night at the bar was fun and crazy, but its time to get back to reality on Monday. Just remember those four years are not that long and are gone before you know it.

Don't pick a college just because it is the easiest choice. It may be cheaper and easier than a private liberal arts college, but in terms of the quality of your education, you get what you pay for. Also, if you were meant for a small private school, then going to a large state school just SUCKS.

It isn't something to be taken lightly. Start talking about it as early as possible, no later than Sophomore year of high school. Parents be open minded, students trust your parents. They've been around the block more than once, and usually know what they're talking about, whether they went to school or not. Do your research!!! Find what best works for you, and go for it 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}!

Don't let the academic advisors overload you with to many classes in a semester. They tend to just think of what you need to get your degree and not what it is humanly possible to actually do in one semester. Figure things out for yourself.

I would tell the individual to follow their heart and trust it because once they have done so they will feel relieved. I would also tell the parents not to pressure the student where they want them to go, and I would add that they support their son/daughter in whatever decision they make. Lastly I would tell the individual to focus on the school's academic and long standing success.

My advice would be to absolutely make sure in the research stage that you have enough time to decide on the appropriate college. Most students won't really know where they'll be most comfortable environmentally, so definitely tour the school, check out the setting that the student will live in. It can be really constricting to find yourself somewhere that's totally alien and uncomfortable and that will roll over into the student's ability to make logical decisions. The student must find out the most about the school that he can before deciding. It can all be really overwhelming to make a decision like this but it is of great importance. This will help the student at least know the surroundings well enough that he will not be totally confused and awe-struck his first semester. The more relaxed and at ease that the student is going in, (matched to good professor's challenging the students at the school) the better his chances of success.

the advice that I would give to students is that do not hold back during your college years. It is vital to reach out and see what is out there. Do not enter college thinking that you want to be a doctor, lawyer etc, but instead come with an open mind and see everything that you can because it is only that way that you can decide what it is that you really want and what it is that you can contribute most to for the rest of your life.

find the right college

Bring your kids to colleges early. Spend the day with them at your local school to give them an idea of what is around them. When the time comes to pick a school and visit, they have something to compare it to. If you've never seen a freshman dorm before then any dorm room is good. If you dont know what to look for, how can you pick the right school for you?

Study hard but remeber to have fun. Exercise it reduces stress and helps you stay fit and healthy. Go to some on campus events like movies and homecoming stuff. Join some clubs and volunteer. Visit your advisor every semester. Try to get into a freshman honor society. Maintain whatever GPA you need to keep your scholarship you'll be grateful not to pay out of pocket or with student loans.

I would advise both parents and students to research a large selection of schools, then narrow them down based on the student's affinities. In the end, the choice of school should ultimately be up to the student because they will be the one living there for four years or more. If the student is not happy in an institution they will begin to exhibit self destructive behaviors. It may be minor such as attending too many parties and avoiding studying, or more extreme such as developing alcoholism, drug dependencies, and depression. When the student is content in their environment, they will truly perform to the best of their potential.

Keep your options wide open from the beginning because it can be very easy to change your mind on the spot. Find the one unversity that takes care of ALL your needs and not just some of them. Also maximize your potential for federal student loans and scholarships because it's never too late to start applying and building up your finances in order to cover all your college expenses. The last thing you want to worry about is going into debt on top of attending college. Lastly, keep your stress to a minimum. Attend the college that will fulfill not only your academic needs, but also your social and mental needs because if you cannot have fun and get along with the other students at a university, you could become depressed and therefore struggle with your grades and potentially cause yourself to get dropped from the school.