University of Oregon Top Questions

Visit the college before you decide!

Choose based on cost, reputation, and quallity of faculty. It is best to have a general idea of what you want to study before you apply.

Choosing a college is always a difficult experience. But for the parents, encourage yourself to understand that sometimes the "statistics" describing a school may not always be the best way to choose a school for your son or daughter. Be sure to do as many campus visits as possible. Let them go far from home, but not TOO far. I promise, they will be homesick within the first month and a half, so there is no need to pressure them to come home. To the students, college is NOT about partying. It is about self discovery, and obtaining a purpose for your being here on this planet. Some never learn this, and some learn all to quickly. But either way, enter this experience with an open mind, because you may come out a completely different person. Hopefully, it is for the better. =]

To find the right college you need to visit the campuses when there are people around. See the environment that fits you best. By looking around and asking questions about the school you can feel if it is right for you. Of course you need to take into account if the school has your desired major and best program for you.

Very simply put, college is an experience that must be enjoyed through a balance of academic focus, social activities, and community support. Without this balance, one will find that any college, regardless of its prowess, will bring forth a disheartening experience which lacks in preparation for the outside world.

I believe that both parents and students should keep in mind that no matter what college they attend, it is up to the student to make the best of it. Sometimes you get into the college of your dreams and it turns out not being exactly as you imagened. Sometimes, you get into the college that was your second choice and it becomes one of the best things to ever happen to you. Remember that the best part of being of a college is having the chance to make your dreams come true no matter what college you attended. Make lots of friends and memories. College is very important and you can't afford to waste it on parties and constant outside activities, but you are also allowed to enjoy yourself and not stress over every little thing. It's important to find a balance. If you can get balance in college, you're sure to be able to have balance in life. Work hard but don't let that ruin your life. Have fun but remember that you cannot mess up your acedemics. They are both equally important to the health of your life both in college and out.

College is the experience of a lifetime. Not only does it play an important role in shaping your future as the building blocks of your career, it will bring friends and relationships that may last the rest of your life. So take your time when deciding which college to attend, it is a big choice that requires a lot of thought. Many schools specialize in specific fields you may be interested in, this in one key way to help determine which school may be best for you. Visit the campus of the favorite choices and get a feel for the atmosphere of the school, the people, and the community around you. Keep in mind the need to balance work and play never forgetting academics should be first but do make time for some fun or relaxation. Look for the school which not only interests you the most, but gives you the greatest oppurtunity for success. Your college years may very well be the most enriching and fullfilling years of your life, it is what you make of it. It doesnt matter who or what your are when you start, its what you have become when you have finished.

Visit the campus and go to orientation/information tours.

First off, start early! Do not wait until your senior year to begin thinking about college. Compare all of your prospective colleges' pros and cons. Go out there and visit all of your possible choices! A college might look perfect on paper, but could feel completely wrong in person. It is all about how you feel when you go and visit the colleges. Go with your gut instinct with how you feel at each one. Try and see if you can actually picture yourself at each college. If a certain college does not seem just right, don't settle for it. Once you enroll in a college and start school, do not be afraid to meet people! This is a fresh start. Be outgoing. Be friendly. Join clubs. Make new friends and keep in touch with your friends from back home. Also, really stay on top of your schoolwork in your first term. It is sometimes difficult to stay focused in the excitement of a new setting and a new life, but the schoolwork is so much more difficult than highschool work and it is much too easy to fall behind.

Talk to a current student whose interests run along the same lines as yours and see how happy they are with the academics, social life and other aspects of the school that are important. Don't just talk to other applicants or admissions counselors. Getting real and relevant information is very, very important.

There are many things to consider when chosig the right college. Your mind might be filled with questions: Are the other students kind? Will college be difficult? Will my professors be reasonable? You will start forming a list of criteria that must be met in order to find the "right" college. However, it is important to keep an open mind and be flexible. Don't make your criteria too strict. Rather consider the overall vibe you get from the school. Once you have made your decision about your school, you might find that the college doesn't fit you "perfectly" and you will start second guessing your choice. Remeber, no school will ever be "perfect". Sometimes it is difficult to find your niche and get comfortable. College isn't meant to be easy, it's meant to make you grow as a person. Sometimes you will have to work harder than you expected to be happy and comfortable. Chosing the "right" school is always a good start to a great college experience, but ultimately your college experience is defined by you.

It doesn't matter where you go, it is you (or your student) that can create a wonderful college experience so long as the college you attend has the program necessary to satisfy your degree needs. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy your experience and strive to meet your goals. Each college is unique, but the student is in charge of shaping his or her own future. No matter where you end up, strive to accomplish all goals that you make and be as involved as you can.

Make sure it's a place that they really love and whose culture they fit. Go to school for education, not to party.

Work as hard as you need to in order to bring yourself to the place to want to be in life.

Be open minded about your selections, schools with the most variety in student body and courses offered are often the ones you can get the most out of. Visit the campus beforehand and talk with students who attend.

Going through the process of selecting an appropriate college is difficult and time consuming. I believe it is extremley important to find the best college for the student. Your entire college experience will effect the rest of your life; including the education your recieve, job opportunities, the people you will meet, and the expereinces you will have. Pick colleges that are in your state if you are worried about budget. I chose an out of state college and although this is definitley the place I want and need to be, I know that I may have to transfer back to my state because of my financial situation. As you complete your list of schools, use the internet. It is a fantastic resource to get so many questions answered and to see pictures of this campus. It is a great way to find out information without having to visit the campus a bunch of times. After you have a good list make sure you get the chance to get a campus tour. This will show you what the people are like, what the surrounding community is like, if this school has the academics you want, and if this truly fits you.

Make sure that you go and tour the campus to learn more about it; many campuses offer many different things to students, and it is smart to know what these things are. Students and parents should research the school just to get to know it better. They should also find out how much it will cost to go there so they know whether or not they can afford it or if they need to take out a loan. University of Oregon is a large school with many students and sometimes it can be overwhelming to students. Classes are much harder than they are in high school, therefore students need to focus on school first, and then fun activities afterwards. I would suggest taking a PE class or something like that because they are very fun, and can take a load off of homework; it is a good break from school. College is a great experience, and i believe every person should experience it. You will have some of your greatest memories in college, and college is a place where you will make life long friends, so make the most of it, but remember to go with the right mindset.

When making the decision, everything seems like life-or-death. What's most important is to take a step back, breathe, and put it into perspective. You've probably read about the schools you're interested in, visited, and have a general idea of what you're looking for. What's important is to think about all those things, and try to wrack in your brain which school you felt most comfortable at. When you stepped onto campus, did it feel good? Were you struck by the campus or felt like it was lacking something? When it comes down to it, it's not going to be about the GPA or SAT score. It's going to be about the type of people and environment you'll be surrounding yourself in. It's not even about the rankings of different colleges. It's going to be about having fun, learning, and enjoying yourself in college! So don't worry so much. Relax. Trust your instincts, and forget about the numbers, statistics, and worries.

Finding the right college is a very complex question, and you really have to know what you want out of your college experience in order to answer it. For me my focus was to meet as many people as possible, go to as many parties as I could, and date as many girls as I could. However, I have found that all that is fun and great, but what is more important is what you learned and take away from your college carrier, not only from your classrooms, but from just being on your own in this crazy chapter of life called college. The things I have learned from my roommates and friends, as well as just the town of Eugene has shaped and molded me into the person I am today. With that being said you have to look around at the people that are walking around the campus of the school you are thinking of applying at, then ask your self, do I want to be like them? If no then ceep looking because if you don't fit into a school socially, and or want to be like your peers, then you will now leave college satisfied.

Go to a junior/community college first and get all of youre bone-head 101 classes done, then find a place with weather and a campus you like, and go for it. Have fun, be safe, dont forget what you went to college to do, GO TO CLASS!

When choosing a college to attend, look for a campus that makes you comfortable to be on and that has enough of a town/city to entertain you. Think about if you prefer cities or towns and choose a college that is in the place you prefer. Think past living in the dorms and see if you can see yourself happy there in the long run. Decide whether the college has what you want intellectually and if you don't know what you want to major in, figure out if the university has a diverse selection of degrees.

Advice I would give to parents or students about finding the right college would be to really think about what you love and what you are most interested in as a parent for your child and as the child. You don't want to make a mistake like that even for the simple reason of insufficient funds. If you discover your interests and your strengths perhaps find a college that fits best with you and what you want. In order to even attempt to make the most of the college experience, you should first try to choose a college and atmosphere that you want for yourself. Whether it be more based on arts and letters or in sciences and math, I urge to really identify what your hobbies are, what activities you enjoy, what kind of people you mend with, and the goals you have for yourself. There is nothing more that can cause regrets than to know that you could have had something better; that you could have really listened to your heart.

I don't ahve any.

For parents I would say really get involved with your child when they are going through the process of college applications, because it is very stressful to do that on your own. I would also reccomend to students to definitely live int he dorms their freshman year! The dorms were the best part of my freshman year, you meet so many new people that you would have never met otherwise! I would also reccomend taking ful advantage of dorm food, because once its gone, you miss it like crazy. Also, take advantage of academic advisors, they can ALWAYS help you figure out what classes you need to take and when, it makes your life a lot easier and a lot less stressful. My final word of advice to parents is, no matter how much your son or daughter tells you they won't want you to call them when they're in college, they will, so call and check in often it's nice to hear from home.

Pick the college or university you have no doubts about. Whether is academically, athletically, socially, make sure you have no doubts about the college or university. Make sure you happy with your decision, and a huge factor can be your ablity to afford your education. Times are very tough, so make sure you choose a college/university that is affordable.

Make sure they have what you want to study!

Get involved in campus activities! Take a variey of courses to figure out what you really like!

Don't pay for it. Let them work hard for their education and see this time of their life and these experiences as a commodity. It's easier to squander these years when they aren't a personal investment. And -- more than anything, let them grow up. That is, after all, what college is about, right? Getting the chance to grow up, not lean on other people? I watched so many of my friends, who would never have to worry about student loans, drink, party and procrastinate their way through college.

Make sure the student takes their time to figure out what direction they want to take their future. So many young men and women enter college not knowing what they want to do with ther lives. Not everyone has a "calling" coming out of high school. It takes time for most to filter through the different career areas trying to decide which one would be best suitable. I would advise the student to not be afraid to make use of college counselors career service offices. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there in different clubs and social groups. Everyone is in the same boat when you enter college so grab the opportunity as it comes and make the most of your youth.

I used to be an academic snob who looked down on state colleges. This was absolutely stupid. I had an amazing intellectual, academic, social, and professional experience at a state school and was able to accomplish more in less time and with less money than attending an expensive liberal arts or ivy leauge school. Of course, not all my peers were as academically oriented as I was, but there is definately something to be said for being the "big fish" in a "small pond."

I would say that you need to do research and make the actual physical visit to the school not just look at the school website. Know the important things from the school you want to have an experience with. Study abroad, greek life, what the schools strong majors are etc.

Make sure the students are able to visit the school, so they can get a feel for the school!

I think that it is important to visit the colleges you are applying to to make sure that you enjoy the atmosphere of the campus. I would also encourage students to spend their first year in the dorms to establish new friendships as well as being on-campus for the various activities. I chose not to stay in the dorms my freshman year because they were so expensive and I stayed in town to go to college. I think it would have helped me to create new frienships and get me involved in the college life style.

Pick a college that you are going to feel comfortable at. Diversity is important, but there are going to be very few schools that are truly as diverse as they claim. Finding a college with people that are like minded is important. For example, I made the mistake of going to a politically charged school when talking about politics in public settings makes me uncomfortable. Try to find a good, well rounded school instead of a great specialized school. Unless you are one of very few people, your major will change. It is easier, and more beneficial to you, to be able to switch from one great department to another great department. Again, this was one I learned through experience. I started as a music student but changed to math, and it was just luck (and a well rounded school) that both departments were excellent. When you get to college, try different activities. This is the only time in your life where experimentation with classes and hobbies will be encouraged. Take advantage of that, because you never know if that new rock climbing class will change your world. And if it doesn't? You wasted nothing in trying.

First off I think that visiting your campus choises is very important, that way you have a feeling of if you fit in and click witht the school/ campus. To me that is what won me over I felt like I belonged. Another important thing to do is make sure the colleges you are looking into offer a wide variety of majors and programs you are interested in, just incase you decide to change majors and you really don't want to transfer. The best thing I did my freshman year was living in the dorms. I wouldn't have done it any other way becasue it was a much easier transition. I was able to meet tons of people, and the majority of them were freshman also and dealing with the same things I was, such as being homesick. I didn't have to worry about making food or cleaning the bathrooms and such it was a easier that way becasue I was able to focus more on homework and getting enough sleep. Time management was the hardest thing I had to learn, study first play later, the most important advice I recieved and try to not skip classes.

Choose one that has the majors you are interested in, one that you would feel comfortable in, one that has clubs and sports you like, one that has the right saze that you feel comfortable in, one that is either close or far from family, one that you want not where your friends are going, and one that you can see yourself having a good time at. Have fun, go to class, get your work done, hang out with friends. College is the only time where your only responisbilies are to get good grades and have fun. Your job is to find who you are and who you want to be.

Make sure you are in a place that supports your needs- your ability to interact with nature- find the people and resources that fit you and your style- make sure you dont end up insulated and isolated in a place that doesn't suit you. Pay attention to the surroundings and general atmosphere on campus before you start to rank the programs.

Pick a college with an atmosphere that makes you happy!

Tour multiple campuses. Which one FEELS right? Make sure to tour the surrounding city, too. Make sure there is available housing and job locations. For me, I toured a couple schools and the one I chose was the one with the right city for me, and the right vibe on campus. You will be there everyday for years, so make sure you are comfortable and really, REALLY like it before picking it.

Be prepared to be somewhere unlike any other.

There are a number of things to consider when selecting the right college for you. Some might include: Distance: how far is too far? Life happens, and you might have to go home a lot. Size: do you want everyone to know who you are, do you want to blend in with the crowd, or do you want to be somewhere in the middle? Extracurricular activities: what do you like to do for fun, and are these things possible at the school you are considering? Majors: think of a few majors you might want to look into. Does the school have them? The most important aspect to remember, parents, is that this is a time for your student to grow and learn about life, but most importantly, learn about themselves. Parents, be present in your students' lives if your presence is welcomed, but keep in mind this is the student's time to really grow. Oh, and students: make sure you visit the campus before enrolling! Ask current students what they like/dislike about the school! Keep in mind, you can always transfer to another school if the first choice is not the right fit for you. Good luck!

No matter how unsure of yourself you are just apply to as many schools anyways and who knows they just might think you will fit in. Also remeber to tuer the schools befor you decide to inroll.

I know the college search can seem overwhelming, but there is a college for everybody. Don't be hesitent to apply to a state school...they may lack prestige, but they are inexpensive and a good way to meet lots of different people. It's always a good idea to book a tour. I highly reccommend it. They may now have virtual tours on college websites, but that isn't as close as getting a real feel of campus. At first, getting to college can seem overwhelming. There will be so many things you want to do, and only a relatively short amount of time to do them. My advice would be to check out the clubs and organizations that fit your interests, get to know people in your classes, and take part in any freshman welcoming classes or activities that are offered.

Find somewhere that the student wants to go. Don't go somewhere just because you got accepted even though it wasn't one of your first choices! Do what you want to do, and you will succeed.

Fingure out where your basic interests lie, science or liberal arts? Then take into account your financial situation and what you will be able to afford, as well as look into the kinds of lifestyles at your schools of interest, find the one that best matches your situation, but don't necessarily let that discredit the school you really want. It doesn't always help to go to the same school as your friends, college is an opportunity to branch out and meet all sorts of new people. It might not happen overnight, but it does happen and these friendships are some of the strongest you will ever have. Oh, and go to an academic advisor, make your appointments way ahead of time just in case. That way, you are garuenteed help and a well balanced class schedule.

Go where you feel comfortable. It's important for students to know who they are, know their limits and their comfortability in new and unfamiliar places. Some students are very close to their family and need their guidance, and others are more independent. Know yourself and listen to your instincts regardless of what anyone else tells you. You know if you're the type of person who needs smaller classes or if you're the type who loves the big city. Match your lifestyle with the college you choose. Explore once you get there! Don't fret so much about your major or your life plan. Take time to explore courses in other areas, join groups, clubs and organizations. College isn't just about textbooks and getting a high paying job; it's about an experience and making connections that will last you a lifetime.

Go to a campus that you are intrested in and try to get away from the normal tour and ask a stident what he or she enjoys about the school and why they went there.

When considering a school, ask current students what the college life at the school is like. Also, be sure to check out the campus and the surrounding areas -- it's important to make sure that you are a good fit for the school. In terms of making the most of the college experience, the key is balance -- make sure to focus on your academics, but at the same time don't let that be the only thing you do! Have fun, learn a lot, and make friends!

I encourage students and parents to visit the campuses of different schools that are of interest. Being on campus and experiencing different events as well as everyday life can really make a difference in finding the college with the best fit. To students specifically, I would encourage each of you to make the decision for yourself--don't let anyone else pick the college that you will have to live with for the next four years. Choose the one that fits you best, because you want to go there. To parents, once your child has chosen a college, invest yourself in it; buy clothing and window stickers to support of your child's decision (as well as verbally support it). Once again to the students, get involved with anything that interests you once you're there. You never know what you'll learn outside the classroom. I'd say a majority of the learning that prepares you for "real life" actually happens in other settings (work, extra-curricular activities, etc). Take advantage of all the variety of experiences you have available in college, because there aren't many other places you'll get to have that at your finger tips.

In our time of economic and social revolt it's important to stay focused. Study hard and make the right friends; the sorts that will help you later in life. Social networking is the future. Make sure your school helps you network with other successful people. This will help you compete for jobs later and surround you with supportive people that will help you through difficult times. That being said, make sure you have at least some amount of fun. After all, fun can be a learning experience too. At the end of your four years you should be able to look back and say, "Well, that was hard at times, but those times were the best. The times when my friends would come over and help me study until 2 am and then party with me after the test. The times when my professors really helped and proved why American Universities are still some of the best in the world. Now I'm ready for the world, and my experiences are coming with me always at my side helping me when I'm in need." Remember, the world of the future is multilangual, so take your langauge classes seriously!