University of Massachusetts-Lowell Top Questions

I would tell myself not to stress out about living with roommates, or sharing a bathroom. Remind myself that friends are easy to make and every one os in the same situation as I am, everyone is nervous and no one knows what to expect. I would tell myself to relax, have fun, get involved, meet new people, and do things I never would have tried in high school. You can be a whole new person of you want when you come to college, embrace the adventure and take full advantage of all that is offered.

If i could go back in time, I would tell myself that college is hard work. You need to devote a lot of time and energy to the work. I would also tell myself to get really good time management and take advantage of professors office hours. The library and coffee will be your best friends in college. It is hard work but it is worth the work.

College is a very big change for most teenage students. It marks the end of childhood, and the beginning of independence. Starting a college career can be a new, exciting, and sometimes daunting experience. There are seemingly endless questions that arise for both students and parents-all very important when considering what college to attend. It would be impossible to give the perfect advice on how to make it in the college world, but I can at least impart some of the most important things I have learned so far. The most important thing that must be considered is your FINANCIAL situation. Many students fail to comprehend just how expensive college can be, and worry more about he nice scenery, location, or social life associated with the school. But all students, ( especially those going in with undeclared majors ) should be careful on how much debt they accumulate for there undergraduate degree. College is a time to learn and grow, with the goal being to emerge a valuable, contributing member to society. So make sure, before you apply to an expensive school, you know what your goals are, and what you plan on getting out of your college experience.

My advice that I would give to both parents and students about finding the right college and making the most out of the college experience is to research, research, research!! First select the particular schools that are known for excellence in the field of study that the student is interested in pursuing, and once you have a list of those schools, the parent and student should thouroughly research in depth about what the school is all about and what it has to offer the student. Once this is completed the parent and student should make arrangements to visit the college campuses that intrigue the student the most. When visiting the campus you should take a campus tour, check out the dormotories and the cafeteria, talk to other students already attending the college, talk to professors, find out what extracurricular activities and clubs are available, and simply ask a million questions! Ask everything you would like to know about that college in order to compare it with the others you visit. Follow these steps and you are insuring that you have all the information to pick the right college and make the most out of your college experience. : )

I would encourage students and parents to research colleges and universities to find the best match academically as well as socially. I would also recommend that students look closer at state colleges and universities as the cost of attendance for higher education these days is soaring. Many state schools, such as mine, offer a fantastic curriculum and opportunities for the future.

With the current condition of the our economy I would first tell parents and students to take a good look at the other options that are out there. Trade, vocational schools, or community college may be a better fit for some peoples personalities and desires rather than attending a four-year university. Also the cost of these schools may fit their budgets because the cost of a university today is a big undertaking. If one does decide to attend a four -year college I would suggest looking at schools that offers a wide variety of majors and programs because more often than not you change your mind and become interested in other areas of study over the course of four years. I found myself changing my major twice, but I am now content with Political Science. Size, location, and the value of your money are always three key factos, it is important to choose wisely. Meet new people you may not have been friends with before. Get involved with activites on your campus and try something new. Keep an open mind to your new world and have fun but stay focused on your goals. Knowledge is power.

take your time. find a college close by that what your intersted in.

Do plenty of reasearch before you decide on a college. There are many factors that contribute to a good student/college pairing such as the surrounding environment (city/town/rural), type of programs offered, general campus ideology (conservative/liberal), campus gender (all female/all male/coed), local prospective employers, or even proximity to places of interest. By choosing a college wisely, you are preparing yourself for a successful college career.

Don't declare a major right away. Instead, start with your general education requirements, and choose electives that concern subjects you might wish to know more about. When I first began my college career I was convinced I wanted to get a dual degree in French and Spanish, and to make myself marketable, a minor in business management. I soon came to realize that the language program at my school was less than ideal and that I was no businessman, but the real reason I switched out of that major and into history was this job I got in Salem, Mass. giving tours of a Witch Museum. I fell into it by accident, but I have always been interested in history and I just needed a little time to figure out that's what I wanted to do. I plan to go on to grad school for journalism, and I've never regretted my choice.

Go for the shool that meets your need AND wants. Also don't be afraid of traveling a little ways from home because you will do so much better socially if home isnt two seconds away. Don't settle for a school because thats all youll think about the whole 4 years your there and it will effect you academically and socially and hurt your college experience which I think for me has been the most amazing/best learning experience of my life.

my advice would be no matter where the school is, take a tour, go and see it. as a campus tour guide i find it very importent to see the school first hand, during the school time most importently, to see what the university/college is really like. that swayed me and it will probably sway you too.

I would recommend visiting the schools. It's important for the parent to be comfortable with the environment their student(s) will be attending. More importantly, it's important for the student to get used to the campus, seeing as they will be the one spending their academic career there. Take advantage of the Financial Aid departments, they can give you a lot of useful information. Look into Orientation programs, even if they are not required, it is a good idea. You can learn a lot there, and make a lot of friends. As for making the most of your college experience, always remember that you are in college to get a degree. It is easy to fall into a social life, but go to your classes. Professors are there to teach and help you. Along the way you can find some amazing mentors and friends for life. There are usually opportunities for working on campus as well. The are residence jobs, as well as activites and clubs to take andvantage of. Enjoy your time in school, and put in your best efforts. When you get towards the end, you want to know you gave it your all.

Find a place that is going to make you feel comfortable. A place where you can grow as a person and to bring you to a bright furture.

Visit the campus, identify what you are looking for within a campus before you visit!

My advice to both parents and students would be to really look into what a college has to offer both academically and socially. I visited a few schools before I chose UML and I am very glad that I did. Some were too small, and some to far away. It is important to travel to schools and stay for a weekend to see how you feel about being far away from home. I think that it is important to know if in fact the school you want to attend has all of the courses and programs that you may be interested in and to do research on the rating of the schools you are interested in. UML is a very diverse school and that is one of the most interesting areas of it. I have met so many very interesting people and learned so much from them. I feel it is important to feel comfortable in your surroundings before you make that final decision. If you are happy with your choice and comfortable where you live you will find it much easier to succeed. Also be sure to discuss your needs with the school administration and resource staff.

Check theschool out first to really get a sense of its location and facilities

Choose a college that meets your budget, and that supports your potential major and any others you want. Choose quality, but don't break the bank trying to choose one. Private schools aren't necessacerily better because they cost more, nor are they better because they're private, there are plenty of excellent public schools with plenty of financial aid.

Your major is the biggest component for choosing the right school. The distance the school is from your home and your money situation are also huge factors in deciding where to go. Those are the main parts on choosing which colleges to apply to. So now it's deciding where to go based on if you will be happy there. The size and location of the school (city or small town), activities the school may have that you are interested in, and how you feel in a crowd when you go to visit the college (do you see yourself there?) can determine your happiness. College consists of emotional highs and lows so as long as you find a way to commit to your studies and keep yourself physically and mentally healthy, you will like the school no matter what. For example, I found a group of friends from classes to keep me motivated with school work and made lifelong friendships with my roommates who help me talk out my stressful situations. Basically, make a goal, create a plan to achieve that goal (academic, social, etc.) , then find the school where you can see your plan play out.

Don't get overwhelmed about choosing a school, the first year is about figuring out what you want to do and exploring different options... also if you do not have a firm idea on what you do want to do... don't waste a zillion dollars by going to some ritzy private school to figure it out... State schools are extremely cheaper and they definitely provide quality education. You can always go to Harvard for grad-school.

Dont ever judge a book by it's cover, although you may love a campus and hate another never make that the call on whether you attend a school or not. Talk to people and see how much they care about the campus and if it' a genuine place with great people. Make sure you look at the department in which you want to enroll in, make sure it has your major and talk to as many people as you can, it'll only help you make your decision easier when the time comes.

Make sure that you visit a lot of schools before you make your decision. Although you are given pictures of schools and are able to go online to take virtual tours, going to the college and talking with actual college students is a much more real experience. As far as making the most of your college experience. GET INVOLVED. So many people sit back and wait for college to come to them. In actuality, you need to seek out opportunities to engage yourself and make the most of your college experience.

Visit schools with your children, allow them to sleep over one night at the school and shadow other students. Observe the campus, eat lunch at the campus, and you will have a good feel for what is right.

Work hard in high school. A good preparation will take you far.

The advice I would give to parents and students about finding the right college is to apply to as many colleges as possible. Make sure you explore all your options along with every interest you might have. Part of college is finding out what you want to do, and finding out more about yourself in the process. Make the most out of your college experience by joining clubs and sports. If you played football, baseball, hockey or soccor in high school join the team in college. Its a great way make new friends, friends that can last a lifetime.

Make sure to visit the schools that your considering. Visiting the school and looking at the schools webpage could definately change your opinion of the school. Check out collegeboard.com it helped me out ALOT when I was in high school, looking for a college. To make the most out of your college experince try and get out sometimes, attend events that go around campus that way you'll meet people, and it's also away to pass time or to catch a break from studying. Eat in the dining hall sometimes, it may not always be the best food, but at the begininng of the year it usually the best time to go, its another way to meet people.

When looking for the right college, I advise not to get caught up with names and reputations. While many schools are renowned for their prestige, one must still consider whether or not the school is the right fit. I never would have imagined that I would end up at a state school, but it turned out to be the best decision I've ever made. My second piece of advice is to get involved on your campus. This applies to both students and parents. Students should join clubs that promotes good stewardship in the community. It's great because you get to meet and work with people from the area and other students. You would be surprised how any connections you make can help you in the future. It's also a way to take a much needed, but productive, break from schoolwork. Parents can get involved by supporting their student. I always feel a sense of joy when my parents are wearing my school colors at a home game. Something as simple as that can make a student feel like they've made the right choice.

just go with your heart. thats the best thing you could ever listen to.

Network!

Visit the schools, check out the courses and activities, talk to students that already go to the school. Make sure there are many major options in case the student decides to switch and see if there are a lot of off campus jobs.

Visit the campus and walk around on your own. After visiting alot of colleges all at once, tours can start to make everything look the same. Try to find out the school's culture, instead of basing decisions off tour guide information. And always take money into consideration, don't pick the school with free cable if it means going into debt for life.

I don't believe that you find the right college; I believe that you make it the right college.

Advice that I would give to parents or students about finding the right college would be; don't hold back. Go for what you want, and find a school that will suite your needs. Don't be pressured into going somewhere where someone else wants you to go, you should attend a college which you see is best for yourself. This is the first step in making the most of your college experience. Once in college, make sure you have a healthy balance between social life and academic life, and make sure you spend time doing the important things instead of becoming caught up in unimportant distractions. I would say, follow your heart and enjoy the ride.

Get the full experience. Live on campus and participate in club or sport activities. Never be afraid to take advice, from anyone.

If you or your son/daughter is not absolutely, one hundred percent sure about what program he or she wants to go into, then don't bother spending the extra money on a private school or institution. Go to a state school and let the student feel his or her way around the academic field first, and then decide on a major later. Many students I know have spent a lot of time and money working toward a degree that they later find is not their top choice. Also, when touring campuses, go with your gut. If you or your son/daughter feel at home on a certain campus, take that into consideration; your school of choice will become your new home, so why not pick the place where you feel most at home?

The best advise i would give to parents and students is to apply to about 6-7 schools, different from each other. Some that you know you have a very good chance to get accepted, something that you thing you might get accepted and some that you dont think you can get accepted. Also keep in mind the size of the school, location, class size, etc... Try to narrow it down to two or three. At this point you have to keep in mind how much financial aid you are getting from each school because it does play a big role at the end. You might end up choosing the one that is willing to give the best financial package or if that is not a big factor you can choose , the one that fits all your expectations. In my case, i had no idea what I wanted to do in school and i got accepted to a few schools of my choice, however I didn't get any finacial aid from the schools. I went to a state school to figure out what i wanted to do & in the proccess switch to another school once i figure it out.

Start looking EARLY. Be sure to factor in price (that's what made the final decision for me). Start in the FALL semester, and follow the basic curriculum layout. I started Spring Semester and missed out on ALL of the entering-freshman scholarships, and a LOT of Financial Aid for the first couple semesters. I'm not going to be able to graduate with most of the people I've made friends with because I'm a semester behind them all and class availability is going to make me a full year behind them by the time they graduate. Try to decide what major you want within your first year of college. The School itself lets you bounce around as you please, but only in the first year are all the courses the same for nearly all of the majors. After that, if you change majors, you may nearly have to start over again with all new prerequisites for all new courses, so take a GOOD look at what's ahead, and try your best to stick with your choice. Try to figure out what you REALLY want to do when you get OUT, and follow the closest path.

Start early. Have an idea of what you would like to do for a career. Then narrow down your search from there.

Ask people who go to the school, and visit the school yourself.

In order to find the right college you need to have an understanding of who you are, and what atmosphere will provide you with the most growth for your money. First decide on what size, how far you are willing to be from home, and which school will fit your budget, but also give you a satisfactory education. Once you pick which school to attend, there are a few things that will make the most out of your of your college experience. The number one thing to do is to get out of your comfort zone. Don't be afraid to try new things or to listen to ideas that are foreign to you, this is what college is all about. You will learn so much out of the classroom by the experiences you choose to participate in and from the people that you encounter. Also make sure that you are involved, join a club, sport, or activity that interests you, this is where you will make friends of a lifetime. And last but not least make sure you get your coursework done, and that you are taking the correct classes to graduate on time.

High school seems to run by their own democracy. Students follow rules and regulations that appear contradictory to those outside of class. A common misconception of attending college is gaining the ultimate freedom by escaping home life. Do not take advantage of the new experience, but do enjoy and learn from it. Education can be enjoyed, not just a painstaking process. Initial reluctance holds many students back from either attending college or choosing the right college. You cannot expect everything to fall into place the moment you step foot on campus. Give yourself a chance to grow, expand, meet new people, and realize that a college education is an incredible priviledge. By no means should anyone feel that higher education is not fit for them, whether they believe their grades are inadequate, or have doubts due to social life. Orientation helps you weave into a new lifestyle., so you can find your social and academic niche. Parents and students alike must not be fooled by city and party life surrounding a campus. You should be focused on where you or your child will settle comfortably. When you are comfortable with your surroundings your mind is free to expand and grow.

Go with your gut. It's hard to transfer once you get into a school, so make sure you like your school. Don't think about the money at first, because there are always ways to get the money (financial aid, scholarships, etc). Also, pick a school with your major. It's hard to find something you love and want to do with the rest of your life, so if you have an idea already, run wih it. It'll definitely help in the end.

To find the right college you have to have an idea of what you want. Not necessarily about what you want ot do but how you want to live. You are going to a place where your going to live for four years. If you don't like it then don't go there because you'll hate it. Parents should gave most of the choosing power to students, but they need to consider costs. They shouldn't over spend and they absoulutely should not go bankrupt over college. Education from any school is always about the effort that the students are willing to put in. that being said don't rule out solely on the basis of cost. Start looking into all forms of financial aid and start looking now. There are some really great oppertunities for free money out there and the early bird gets the worm. Most importantly find a place that everyone can be comfortable with so that the college transition and subsequent experience can be enjoyed by both the students and the parents. And Good Luck.

The best advise that I would give parents and upcoming college freshmen would be to strive to gain entry to the best school possible. I would also advise the student not to base his or her decision on factors such as party life or dorm size but rather the accedemic reputation of each institution. Finally and most importantly, i would advise the student to keep up with their work wile getting involved with as many programs as possible in order to meet people and network themselves as individuals.

The advice I would give parents would be to let there son/daughter pick the school. The parents need to just support there son/daughter to what school they want to go to. Parents still can set the bounderys but the students should pick the school. For the students I would advice them to come up with there major befor heading off to school that way they know what to focus on and can get the right classes. Also I would tell the student looking at colleges to pick the school that has some activitys that they would like to get involved in that way they can get involved around the campus and build relationships/freiends ships. This would be the advice I would give a student or parent lookin in to schools.

Make sure to look into whichever city your child is attending because some cities are extremely dangerous!

Advice that I would give to parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience would be, research! Research the schools in your prospects, and find out as much as you can. In doing so, you will be able to more precisely match your interests and personality with the school you will attend. Be sure that you like the school size, setting, courses, professors, credentials, and more. Also, be sure that your school is affordable for you. Ask some current students what it is like to attend that certain university, because they know best what is in store for you. Ask them how they like the school, and if it is fulfilling their educational needs. My final word of advice would be to go for what you want. Don't let peer pressure or the pressure to attend an elite college distract you from choosing the school that you want to attend. It's your life, and the college you choose has a lot to do with setting your future paths.

What I feel is most important in the college decision process is determining what kind of learning environment the student is most comfortable in, and then matching the school to fit that description. My own experience was that I first went to a very large university (over 25,000 students,) and felt like I wasn't getting the attention I needed from the faculty. I then looked at a much smaller college, and decided that it wouldn't give me the right balance between assistance and self-motivation. When I found UMass Lowell, that balance was there, and it has made a difference in the quality of my work effort, and therefore in my academic achievement. I believe that a thoughtful dialogue between parent and student can make the college decision process easier and increase the student's chances of long-term success in college.

I would recommend that they first consider a variety of schools and compare their differnt options. Once they figure out where they want to go, they can then figure out financially how they will pay for the college. This is a crucial part of the college experience. One of the most common problems is money. I strongly recommend that students begin applying for scholarships as soon as possible, even if they are still in high school. It is possible to go to college without paying if they get enough scholarship assistance. This will set them up for a great future, a future where the students won't have to start off their post-college careers paying back lots of loans.

For parents, it is important to support your childrens' decisions no matter what major or school they choose. Without the support of their parents student find it difficult to continue their education. For students, it is very important to do something you enjoy because classes do get very difficult and without dedication and determination it is nearly impossible to find the will to carry on. Study hard, but make time for fun also balance between the two is key. When choosing the right college, financial aid, atmosphere and academic programs are the most important.

Take your time, look at every college you may be interested in. And don't fear the application process, apply even if you aren't sure because you should never have any regrets about not applying or have any "what-if's" in your mind. Talk to everyone, you never know who could become your friend. And if you want to live there do it! It's the best part of the college experience. College is an amazing experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything.