University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

Do not hire a college counsler to help you pick out schools, they do not help. Mine never suggested Maryland based off what I told him I wanted in a school. I transferred.

Look around for financial aid if your child is paying for school themselves and encourage them to go to an instate school

I wish someone would have told me to relax. It is such a stressful time, and it is important to stay calm. I am a first generation college student, so applying to college was a different and difficult process for my parents and me. I believe it is important to pick a college for yourself, not for your parents or your friends. Students should think about what they want to study, and look at schools that offer that program. If students are undecided, like I was, they should research schools they could see themselves at, schools that make them comfortable. It is also so important to visit schools before you decide you want to go there because visits can drastically change your mind. Students and parents should also consider the considerable costs of college, and remember that there are always scholarships, grants, and loans available. Once students get to college they should have fun, but remember that they are there to learn. Also, take advantage of every possible resource the campus offers. College is a wonderful experience and you really learn so much about yourself, and hopefully others as well. Lastly, students should enjoy college because it is life changing.

Parents, mentoring your prospective college student goes beyond ensuring their paperwork for admission is turned in a timely fashion and that they get rides to classes everyday. Although now your child is an adult they have more to focus on beyond the popularity issues of high school and making grades just to satisfy advancement to the next stage of life. Ensuring your child commits to an institution where they will be advanced in both intellectual interest and social development is pinnacle to allowing your child to meet the intensive role of the workforce after graduation; civic engagement and leadership opportunities breed the most success out of these labor candidates post-graduation. The "right" college for your child goes beyond the provisions of a quality education; padding the gaps with outside activities will keep the enviroment fun and allow your child to observe the transitions they need to undertake while progressing to the next stage of life. Students, heed the advice of your upper-classmates and get involved in all you can. Although all these sources may only give you advice, it is on your accord that you at least engage their rheteroic fairly to be a success in the future.

Going from High School to College is a big change, and the environment has to be just right for you. With College Park, it is a very large campus with 35,000 students attending, and there are about 400-500 people in many of the classes. With smaller schools, there are about 25-30 people in your classes. If your a person that can just read, and memorize, then a big school may be for you, but if your a student to engage in the material and need to ask questions to understand fully, then a smaller school might be your best choice. Don't pick your college just because of the sports teams, because you'll be studying more often than going to them. Judge it by the professors and the environment.

I would say that picking a college is something that needs a lot of thought. Visit a college that you think you would be comfortable at. Students should feel at home, Parents should feel comfortable that their kids can handle themselves. Nothing is worse then a worrying parent suffocating a student in his freshman year. Everyone needs to adjust. If it doesnt work out, then get out. Dont prolong something not meant to be and waste time and money. Not everyone is cut out for a paticular university or college. We all need time to find our own niche.

Find a school for your child that has a great academic background as well as alot of school spirit.

Picking the right college? Go with your instincts. Remember that you can make a big school as small as you want to, but you can't make a small school bigger. Consider how far away you'll be from home, and how you feel about that. Do you want to be with people you know, or do you want to start over? How about landscape? Urbanization, proximity to water, weather, seasonality; all things to think about. Just make sure you consider all aspects and weigh them accordingly. Make a pros and cons chart if you have to; it can't hurt. When it comes to making the most of the college experience, that's totally up to you. You choose who you want to befriend, if you want to go out, whether or not you get involved with Greek life and how much you study. The best advice I can give: Make friends with the right people. Don't keep people around "just because"; college is a big place and you don't have to see anyone you don't want to. Make sure you balance study time and social time, and enjoy yourself. College is fun; live it up.

I think that finding the right college is a process; a school can be right in theory, but actualy being able to go there and experience campus life is the one true way to figure out if a school is right for you. Don't be afraid to transfer. If something doesn't feel right with the school you are at, or if you just think you need a change of scenery, go to a different one; test the waters because you are not obligated to stay in one place your entire academic career. Make the most out of your college experience by going out and meeting people. A part of being away at school is socializing; I've learned from experience that a friend can really help with the pretty tough transition from high school to college.

Don't focus on the school name. Focus on the attributes you want in a school beacause college isn't all about studies. If you choose only based on academics, you may end up disappointed with your overall experience. Once you are there, don't be lazy. Take advantage of opportunities and school events. Go to sports games, speakers, join clubs, and meet people, because once you graduate, those are the memories that you will remember most. If you have to complete core classes, take something new and interesting, not the easiest class because it may end up being something you really enjoy. Even the things you may hate at the time you will end up missing, so enjoy everything and live in the moment.

HONR100 section 0131 teaches incoming freshmen all of the things they have learned in their first semester at UMD

Financing a college degree is costly, but forgoing the experience is costlier. The right college can open up the right door to the right opportunity for you. There are online research databases that compare universities. They detail the size, the environment, the programs, the expenses, and the student body, all elements that may matter and should be considered. But nothing replaces a visit and many conversations with current students and faculty once you narrow down your top choices. The number one factor in making the most out of the college experience is the attitude of the student. Enter with an open mind for new ideas, an open heart for new friends, and an open wallet for all of the opportunities that are going to cost money. Budget for those unforeseen additional costs like studying abroad and excursions into the city so that money isn?t the obstacle. When you finally start school ? try everything. Take every class that strikes interest, join every club that appeals to you, and meet every single person who crosses your path. An education may begin in the classroom, but it certainly does not end there.

Make sure you look into every aspect of the school in question. College visits are a good idea, but they hardly show you what life is really like on campus. Find financial and academic resources to help get acquianted with and prepared for college life. Don't stress too much about declaring a major; wait until you find your passion, that way you're sure to succeed.

Visiting the schools will tell you very little except what it looks like. If you really want to know if a school is good for you you have to ask people who go there. Preferably this person should be someone you know well, who knows and understands your needs. Also price should be a determining factor, don't go bancrupt on your undergrad, that's what graduate school is for! Good luck!

The most important advice I would give anyone who is begining their college experience as a parent or student is to visit many schools. Do not just visit or apply to one. Atleast have 6 definite choices that differ in campus life, campus layout, distance from home, and maybe a little difference in their major curriculum. By doing so it ensures you are not committing prematurely before you have the chance to experience other options. Also try to visit the school more than once. As a student possibly schedule an overnite stay during the actual school year so you have the chance to experine and see how the school runs during a regurlar day and night.Instead of only participating in a structured over veiw by administration.

Find the school that you want to go to and will be most comfortable at. Don't go to school for your parents, or friends, or anyone else. It is an important decision that you need to make on your own terms. It is important to go somewhere where you will be happy, because if you are not happy then you simply will not succeed. If you are pleased with where you are, then good grades, friends, and everything will come easy. When you find that school make sure you take advanage of your opportunities. You have four years of college, and it is a time you need to cherish. Be involved- join clubs and organizations. Any one person you meet can lead you to that dream internship, which can lead you to that dream job and so on, but if you never talk to that person then you'll never know.

Talk to students at the schools in the major you choose. The difference in experience between sciences and art can be monumental.

Pondering upon the thoughts of how to advice parents and/or students about finding the right college as well as making the most of the college experience, I stumbled on the words of, "Set your personal location that you believe will launch you to your inevitable destination." Using those words, one can say to parents or students that the location of the college you want to attend will not only help you develop the necessary studying habitats ,a part of a recipe for success, but it will help you easily assimilate into your child's comfort zone. And with that noted in mind, living on campus to enhance the student's learning experience can serve to amuse their personal hobbies as well. In addition, aside from location, academics and associated programs play a vital role in preparing students for their bright prospective futures and one must be frank and forward in asking the questions that highlight the importance of the programs that will advance them in their fields or majors. Furthermore, cost as it is, the trailing fever for students and parents, especially their pockets, must be considered as well as working hard to complete scholarship applications.

My only advice is to tour as many colleges as possible! I toured between 25-30 colleges before my senior year so I had a good idea of what was out there. Taking student-led campus tours gave me the opportunity to get the feel of the college while talking face-to-face with actual students who could give more insightful answers to my college life questions. These tours helped me to determine if I preferred a more rural or urban campus, a large or small student population, or a public or privite institution. It never hurts to know exactly what your options are!

Apply everywhere! All colleges will give you an education so don't be afraid to branch out and try for places you've never heard about.

The process of selelcting and attending a college can be downright overwhelming, especially for families new to the process. I remember being extremely anxious myself, and I would have loved to have heard advice from someone who had been there before me. The advice I can give is simple and applies throughout the college process: involved yourself and follow you heart. Be an advocate for yourself and do your homework abotu colleges, and visit the ones your interested in attending. The same goes for making the most out of your college experience once you arrive. Seriously investigate clubs or activities that interest you, and try them out. My second piece of advice comes in after you have looked at everything logically. Actually place yourself at the college you are looking at choosing and follow your emotions. You'll know if you feel comfortable on the campus or in the club or group. Even if something looks good on paper, it does not mean you will experience that emotional connection. The best way to make the most of your college and your experience ultimately is to look with your head and listen with your heart.

Be open to anything! There are so many opportunites and experiences available in college. Visit all the colleges you apply to; often the right college will just click when you get the right one. College is best experience you can ever have, and there are so many activities to engage in, whether in social life, extracurriculars, or volunteering. Bonding with professors is essential for success as well, and making friends who share your interests but are also diverse in ideas as well as backgrounds is easy! Study hard, but don't forget to live.

Make sure the schools you look at reach out to all your child(ren)'s needs. Make sure it is academically challenging without overwhleming them. Make sure there are activities and clubs they can get involved with. Make sure there are career and tutoring centers where they can take advantage of the resources offered by the University or College. Make sure they can balance their school work and being involved on campus, because both are vital to having an enriching experience in college and help them be more openminded about the future after college. Life isn't about working yourself to the bone with no fun and its not about having so much fun your are wreckless; college should help you find the medium between the two and teach you the responsibility you will need to know that will follow you after you graduate.

Find a school where you know you will be happy; it's the most important ingredient to success. If you're not happy, you won't perform at your best. Make sure the college you pick has extracirriculars that appeal to you, and a student body that you feel like you can fit in with. At the same time, don't pick a school based soley on one thing, like playing for the soccer team. Go to a school with a major you want, activities you like, and students similar to you.

To the student - Make sure you are going to school because you want to be there. Know that your education is truely what you want and know why you want it. Do not register for school simply because it is what is expected of you, and you 'want' a higher education. Wanting it without knowing why is not enough. Explore your world and yourself, find out who you are and what YOU want. Once you have done that find the schools that offer the degree you want. Then pick a school in an area that you find intreging; a place that you are going to enjoy studying outside, inside, on campus and off. A campus and the surrounding area should offer activities that will engage your heart as well as your mind. Also, find a campus with a wide variety of culture and diversity in the student body. You can learn something from everyone you just have to listen; the more diversity the more there is to learn.

Look at all your choices. It's going to be about you, not your family or friends. When you get there get involved as much as you can and if you get the opportunity to live on campus do it. It is the best way to fit in and make the most out of the college experience. If you can't try and branch out from yourself. You don't have to be the same person you were in high school. Feel free to open up and get to know people, becuase the reality is they are in the same position and are just as scared as you are. Don't shelter yourself out and try and be a little more outgoing. It will pay off in the end. Also try and get to know your professors and connect with them, once you hit the junior/senior years it will help you to know the accredited professors who can help you witht he first job. Be yourself and you will find out things about yourself in college you have never known. Most importantly time manage the social/academic life, because both as important.

Make sure to visit the campus during the regular school year! Familiarize yourself with the size of the campus and classes. Also, read reviews and ratings on-line and don't forget to check the tuition price. And apply for financial aid early!!!

Check out the campus first.

My advice would be to make sure you know what it is that you want to do if you plan on attending a university. If you're undecided go to community college. Its cheaper and you have more time to explore and decide what it is that you want to do. As far as a University dont let your parents decide for you. Take there advice and listen to them they are wiser than you, but you also dont want to be in a college that isnt for you or that you dont like. Choosing a college is a big decision. Make sure you visit some of the colleges before you enroll. When you get to college stay focused and use all the resources that are available to you. Especially if your in a big school make sure you use all of those resources because it is hard to get one on one time with the teacher.