University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

I would spend more time meeting the faculty before making a decision to attend the school in question. The faculty make-or-break your entire stay, especially if you come into college already set on a major. It's all for nothing if you don't have the tools to better your skills - your mentors and teachers.

My advice to any prospective student is to contact a former or present attendee(s) of the school, preferably in your intended major, to provide all of the information about the school that you will not find on paper. An informed student will help you avoid any problems that students generally confront throuhtout their life at college. Furthermore, they can help the student identify some fun and interesting activities, clubs, and courses on campus to create a healthy balance in the student's social and academic agenda. This person can easily become a best asset by continually lending advice during the student's college stay. Additionally, this contact will have or has already graduated and will have gained experience in the career world granting the student an invaluable contact in the job market as well.

I think that you should look for a college that is right for your interest. Find a college with a good academic standing and make sure that the program you are interested in fits what you want to do. I was lucky that UCSB had so many choices and that it was in my hometown and that they wanted me. I transferred there from the City College and was pleased with how easy it was for me to adjust.

Follow your heart ^_^

If you really want the inside scoop on any college, spend time there - take tours and ask guides questions of course, but also spend some time walking around the campus without guidance: sit in on classes if you can, ask questions of students that aren't part of the tour. Make use of online college searches, which should allow you to select certain characteristics that are important to you. Narrow schools down to what you're looking for in a major: how much breadth of education do you want - do you want a straight path toward learning how to build a jet engine, or do you want to explore other possible education paths with introductory-to-intermediate courses outside your major? At the end of the day, the experience you'll have at college is what you make it.

Know who you are. Only then will you be able to choose what type of university would best suit you.

whatever school you decide on, you can make the most of it.

I would say pick a school that you can realistically succeed at and also have fun at. If you get into UCLA and you we're lazy in high school, you'll be lazy in college, too, so don't waste your money. Don't worry so much about the school's reputation.

my advice for students is to choose the college that offers their major or something that they feel would interest them if they are undecided. Do Not choose a college only because your boyfriend/girlfriend or friends are going there. You will make friends no matter where you are. And it's true what they say, "You learn who your true friends are in college". Choose a school that you can see yourself at. Also, study hard and get invloved with school activites. it's a great way to make friends. my advice for parents is to not stress out so much or call their children like 10 times a day. a little independence will allow their children to make mistakes but more importantly to learn from them. Also, look into the financial aid the school offers and most importantly, ATTEND parents weekends and send care packages. it shows the children that you care enough of them to not let them starve and gives them a break from dining common food.

The right college is not about gpa's, accolades, etc. It is about finding a place for growth. So don't let your kid take the easy road. Push for the hardened path. They will be better people because of it.

Tour the schools and tour the community that the students live in. Talk to students about the classes, the environment, and what there is to do for fun. For parents, let your student wander around on their own for awhile, socializing and getting a feel of what it will be like to live there among their peers. Look into the extracurriculars, sports teams, and clubs that your student is interested in and meet with some of the members. Also, make sure it's what they want, not what you (the parents) want them to want.

An unavoidable effect of leaving home and attending college is that you yourself become irrevocably changed. I am not attending my first, or even second or third choice of university. However, the person I have become as a result of attending UCSB is the person that I have to move forward in life as, and in this regard I have no regrets. People attend school for all kinds of career, social, or a host of other reasons. For whatever reason you choose a school, just be open to your own development there and you'll maybe even grow up someday.

What I have found most helpful in deciding the right college has been to visit the campus alone and explore on my own. I visit the libraries, the dining areas, and even the surrounding neighborhoods to decide if it is a place that I can see myself being comfortable in. Online research is helpful in narrowing down choices, but nothing has helped more than actually being there and getting a "feel" for the campus. In order to make the most out of my college experience, I chose an academic major that I was interested in and made friends with others in that major. This made studying easier and more likely to get accomplished. Also, seek the help of the teaching assistants and teachers, they have always been eager to help. Once you find a college that fits it is like finding a new home away from home. The friends that you make become a part of your new family.

Go wherever you want to go, no matter the price. There will always be ways to help pay for it, whether it be aid or loans. THe college experience is amazing, and a huge part of life. It is where true lifelong friendships, and business contacts form. College is expensive, but worth every penny.

I would tell both the parents and the students that they need to pick a school which makes them feel comfortable. Also a school that has the major that they are planning on going into. It would be a great idea as well to look at the extracurricular activities to see if any, are suited for them. Being involved in extracurriculars makes you feel more involved and also you make new friends in areas where you have interest as well. It also looks great on resumes! Basically, become involved, it rewards the student with a great college experience and can give the parent some security in knowing that their child probably is not getting into as much trouble as they usually would be getting into if they were not with organized groups.

see all of the campuses before you choose. where you live really impacts your college career and what you're able to do with it. don't be afraid of trying out for a sport you've never done before. you'll meet some of your best friends and maybe find something you really enjoy. be prepared for the partying that happens. don't deny it, but don't let it rule your life either. and just try to have fun, that's what college is about

It is important to get out and make friends when you get to college. It will help the adjustment to college and you will get out of college. Be open minded when deciding where to go. We all have our first choices but there are also very nice colleges out there. Just because you do not get into your your first choice life is not over. Learn to make the best out ofyour college experience where ever you go. Be excited, learn, get out, and have fun. College is a great experience. get out and have fun. But dont forget about your studies. Put as much into your studies as you do your social life. Don't forget thats why your are there in the first place.

Advise to parents/students - Do your research! Deciding on a four year college is one of the first jumps into adulthood, so make sure that you feel as anxious as you do prepared to make the leap when the time comes. Research schools based on location, size, athletics, recreation, the city closest by, and anything else that seems unique of important to you. Once a list is in place, consolidate by grouping the schools and taking notes. Visiting schools certainly enhances the experience and makes for memorable travels as well as a cultured time for the whole family to enjoy! Everyone's priorities are as different as their current and ultimate goals, so become intuitive in your expectations. Be aware that nothing is perfect, but that's what makes each school so different. Remember that academics creates a skeletal schedule to college life. Keep sight of on campus organizations and the active town around. Learning the structure of social networks and finding places for sheer FUN, is a magical thing about the college bubble. Free the destination part, we're simply creating the journey.

I believe that the best way to determine the right school for your student would be to go and visit the campus. Wherever you go you need to make sure that you are in an environment which you enjoy and can be happy in despite the stress of school. Making sure you are happy is the best determinate to whether you will succeed at a certain school.

Students, you need to relax and ease into things. It is not a good idea to overload with more than 16 units the first quarter. Students should also take advantage of Spring Insight and get info on any clubs or groups that seem even slightly interesting. That is where I found the Pep Band that I love playing and hanging out with. You will see many people overdoing the parties at the beginning of the year. Do not be one of them! Also, for those of you who don't drink or party, it is very easy to avoid those who do and find other things to do. I would know as I don't drink and go to few parties. For you parents, work out a plan for calling and talking with your child beforehand. I know many of you will really be missing your kids, but do not hold them so close you push them away. Your child will be much happier and more willing to talk if they know when you will be calling. Oh, and one final important thing. Do not just show up at their dorm, let them know when you will be visiting.

Be sure to visit the college campus and the surrounding area of the college you are considering, one may never know what kind of town/city one may be moving into. Also, be very sure about the life you expect to have while you are attending the school because, for example, if you do not like to party much and the school's social life revolves around that, you may not fit in or make as many friends as desired. Think about the majors given at the college along with the one you have already chosen, since in case you decide to change majors, you may not have to change schools in order to change majors, especially when you enjoy the campus already.

I think that every college has different qualities about it that make it amazing. I've only attended one college and I couldn't be happier with my choice, although had I chosen a different route its possible I would love that school just as much as UCSB. So my advice for choosing a school is ask yourself what you're really looking for in a school and go find it. If you want to live on the beach, apply to schools on the beach. If you're looking for a hardcore cirriculum, apply to a school with a hardcore cirriculum. In the long run, I think that you leave college a completely different person than who you were when you started, so any school can be the right school if you want it to be.

When students think about what college to attend they should base their decision on their own priorities and preferences. Nerver choose a school simply because your friends are plan to attend, or because you know someone who already goes there. College is about growing up and learning things on your own, you will miss out if you have someone to hold you back. Therefore you should not be afraid to leave your hometown or state. Travel as much as you possibly can. Sure, you might encounter some financial problems, you are not alone most college students feel as if they need more money. If needed get a part time job on campus, not only are they flexible with hours but it will give you the chance to meet new people. Also, always keep in mind why you are there, sure social lives are impotant but your school work should be your number one priorty always. Going away to college is an experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. Don't be afraid or underestimate yourself, you are as good as everyone there, which is why you were excepted. So enjoy every second of your college years.

Select a school that you want to go to, not just because people such as your parents of family members want you to go to.

College can be a once in a lifetime experience where students expand their knowledge about people and the world, discover hidden passions and learn something new about themselves. Choosing a college is a discernment process, during which students should spend time on various college campuses to get a feel for the environment in which they may spend their next 4 years. Happiness in one's environment is key to a student's academic, athletic, social and overall success in college. Parents should listen to their children when discussing colleges and not push them in any one direction. The institution that a student chooses should reflect their personality, academic and extracurricular interests and locale. Incoming students should enter into their academic experience with an open mind. Open-mindedness and an appreciation for diversity, the opportunity to participate in unusual classes taught by idiosyncratic professors, and the breadth of knowledge that can be acquired with a little effort positively impacted my freshman year. I realize that having a set plan for life is not the best plan when you're 18 years old and sometimes it is best to take a faith leap outside of your ?box?. You just might learn something.

Finding the perfect college can be extremely difficult and frustrating. The smartest thing I did while searching for the perfect school was visit the campuses I was considering. Doing so enabled me to look beyond the flowery descriptions found in advertisements at how the campus and those I would potentially share it with affected me emotionally in addition to the intellectual stimulation promised in pamphlets. The old adage of realestate rings especially true when considering the right college or university: location is everything. If you are unhappy with the environment in which you live, study, socialize and (occasionally) sleep you will suffer emotionally and academically and inevitably want to transfer or feel you resent your college experience. Prospective students and parents should keep in mind that not everything on paper is as great as it sounds and the only way to truly get a feel for a school is to visit it yourself.