University of California-Irvine Top Questions

When looking for a college, do not look for the best education. There is no such thing as 'the best education'. Look for a college that students will enjoy overall, socially, academically, etc. The smartest people are usually not the most successful in life. Those who are exposed to life, not just academically, are usually more successful. Those who have a strong social life, work while they're in college, and not think about academics 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time will have a better life. Nowadays, everyone is getting a degree and thus getting a job is more difficult. Going to the best school will not help students to get a better job, understanding life will.

Talk to as many people as you can about the school so you can try to get a good idea of where you fit. Stay over programs are very helpful to get a feel for the campus.

Do not choose a college based solely on prestige. Understand that a prestigious school may focus more on research or their graduate programs than their undergraduate programs. Take campus tours and campus representatives's words with a grain of salt - they are the most outspoken about their school spirit, not the most INDICATIVE of the true campus environment. Learn to depend on yourself - you will run into useless counselors, discouraging you from pursuing your goals. If you know for sure what you want to do, do not let anybody tell you otherwise.

Parents: Don't pick the college for your children, let them decide for themselves. After all, they'll be living and attending school there, not you. Also, realize that this is a time for your children to find themselves and become independent, so it doesn't help if you go into helicopter parent mode and drop by every weekend. Lastly, realize your children love you and even if they don't do what you say all the time, for the most part, they are still good kids. Students: Have fun, but study hard. These four years determine the rest of your life, what kind of job you'll have, and if you're so inclined, what kind of graduate school you will attend. At the same time, realize that there is a time to be serious and a time for fun. Make new friends, try something you've never done. These four years will also be the best of your lives. Finally, realize your parents love you and want the best for you, so give them a call once a week and tell them what's going on in your life.

GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FIRST....SAVE YOUR MONEY

I think that I would tell people to open their minds to the possibilities of something exciting. I also think that people should realize that they are spending four years some place, so they should probably feel somewhat good aboutit.

do your research. Visit the campus and talk to current and prospective students on there thoughts of the campus.

What I have to say is very simple. When picking a school, look for a few things; what is around the campus, what majors do they offer, and what does the campus give you to make new friends. Are there clubs, greek life, is there anything to make the time you are not studying worth your college experience. College is a time for growth, both intellectually as well as socially, you will blossom in to a new person. So have fun, relax, and enjoy your college experience.

I think parents need to respect the student's choice on where they want to go. I think they both need to work together and plan the student's future together. I also think the parents should let their students know of the vast number of options for students. For example, students can attend community college for two years and transfer to a major four-year university later. Parents should urge their students to take part in school activities and make the best of their college experience. Students need to be independent in college because this is the time for them to learn and grow. It is also a time to have many new experiences socially and academicially.

Don't drink, don't sleep, don't stop moving.

I would save as much money as possible for a child going to school. If you have a good job, its a negative for a student because then they are forced to find other ways to get money besides federal aid.

The best advice I would give to any student is to choose a school that really fits them. You really need to think about what it is you want from a school and what traits about a school peak your interest. While that does sound clich?, not many people tend to think about this. Most students think that going to a "top" school such as UC Berkeley gives you the best chance for success, and that is not true. I choose UCI for all the wrong reasons and while the school is great and helpful to their students, looking back I wish I had followed the advice that I'm writing right now. In most cases what school you graduate from doesn?t have any bearing on what you will do in the future. The school's name on your degree doesn't make your future; it's what you do at your college and what opportunities you take advantage of while attending. The best advice I can give to students is to think not only of "top" schools but also smaller schools that may be able to give you more opportunities.

I was never much of a dancer or a hip-hop enthusiast. In fact, many considered me to be the exact opposite. In High School, I was known as the Entertainment section editor of my school newspaper who wrote an entertainment industry commentary every issue (sometimes despised for our perceived elitism) and playing gigs with my hard rock band during the weekend when I am not too busy meeting story deadline. It wasn?t until college that I found dancing and added onto my already relatively successful academic career with a huge hobby. I began doing hip-hop choreography and eventually into the artform of hip-hop dancing named popping. It would be hard to contact me at nights after class because I would be trying to catch the next workshop taught by the most accomplished choreographers?all while maintaining an acceptable GPA. I do not consider myself a successful student because I balanced a school and a hobby. I consider myself a successful student because I found something in college that I couldn?t imagine living without?a true passion. Finding something you love in college is the one thing I would suggest and hope for every student.

Go to the university before hand and see if you can feel a part of the school. Also, live on the campus dorming for atleast your first year. Living in the dorms, rather than off campus apartments, makes adjusting to school much easier. When deciding what school to attend look into how many past people have graduated in the subject that your are planning on majoring in, this tells you how successful this major is for that school.

visit the schools of your choice before attending or accepting any offers. It might help you a lot especially when college coursework itself can be stressful.

Look for the college you think you would see yourself going to. If you pick colleges only based on their rankings or how well they play a sport, you're only looking at a small fraction of the diversity in the school. If money is an issue, make sure you find somewhere that's affordable, educational, and fun all at the same time. If you know what your career choice is going to be, stick with it and find a college that's willing to offer you that career! If you don't know yet, that's what college is for- to find what you truly want to do in life. Being happy and learning all you can possibly learn is what college is all about.