University of Portland Top Questions

Going to college is a momentous accomplishment for anyone. Such an important decision requires a lot of thought and soul-searching. I would say that the single most important factor in choosing a college is to know yourself. Know if you are happy with where you are in life, and know what you want to do. By choosing the right college you can change who you will become. It is my personal opinion that most people should leave their home town just so that they can experience a different part of the nation/world, and more importantly so that they can mature by finally having to make serious decisions for themselves. Unless you are one of the very few and fortunate you have no real idea of what you are going to be doing 20 years down the road, so give yourself the benefit of the doubt and take a wide variety of courses and extracirriculars and don't lock yourself into a particular major. Finally, college will set the stage for the rest of your life; take the time to get to know who you are and BE YOURSELF. That is what it all comes down to.

Parents help your children with the application and touring processes! it is an important decision where you are going to go to school, and I regret not having had more help with that process. Pick a college based on either the subject you want to study, the location, or the type of school. Don't pick a school because it is a big party school. It's just going to distract you from your studies. Remember that you are paying A LOT of money for this, and it's important that you get the most out of the experience that you can. Drinking and doing drugs is going to mess with your memory, let alone your overall health, and therefore make you do worse in your courses. Retaking a course is a bummer, not to mention extremely expensive! It should be avoided at all costs! Do your bests in all of your courses so that this doesn't happen to you. Overall, just have fun, get involved, be friendly, make friends, and study hard. Remember everyone around you is going through some of the same struggles as you, and it is important to connect!

Make sure you talk to people who are attending the college and make sure you apply to lots of different schools so you have lots of options.

Do not just pick a college for one reason and definitely do not let money be a primary issue. Get involved: either with student governemnt, clubs, intramural sports, on-campus jobs, or athletics. Enjoy and experience dorm life then persue cheaper options. Don't get carried away with a social life, school is still important. Take advantage of the availability of professors, they usually are very willing to help you succeed. Don't forget about your family, your previous friends because you will make new ones, and don't forget about your faith. Don't be afraid to try something new and don't be afraid to be yourself. If someone gives you a hard time, learn from it and move on becasue life is full of difficult people. Anyone who is not accepting of you is not worth your time. Remember, everything happens for a reason and everything works out in the end.

Visit the colleges you are looking at and talk to students on the campus. Make visits to offices on campus and see how available services are to you. Set up interviews with professors in the departments you are looking into and see what the career service center can offfer you. College is not only about what experience you will have will you are there, but about what you can gain once you leave. Relax, no matter where you go, it's what YOU make of the time you spend there. Good Luck!

I don't think you can ever choose a college correctly without visiting it first. I travelled a lot before I chose my college, and I still wasn't too sure that's where I would stay. To be honest, if you don't like the college, you can always transfer. This is not the end of the world and it happens to a lot of people.

Make sure you visit the college before you decide to go there. The feeling I got while on campus was 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the reason I went. If you feel like you belong there, you probably do. Also make sure they offer what you want to study. As a student-athlete, I am SO GLAD that I didn't choose a school based off my sport. Your sport can only take you so far... until you get injured or too old to play. Your degree is what you'll do for the rest of your life. There's a reason the "student" comes before "athlete" in "student-athlete." You are a student first.

try everything

To parents worried about finding the right college for their children: do not show your stress in front of your student. He or she has enough stress without you adding your own. To students worried about finding the right school: it will all work out. Pick the school with the most pros on your list and that feels right. If you get there and don't enjoy it, the credits you took that first term are not a waste. They will most likely transfer. Transfering is not bad! To parents about making the most of students' college experience: let them go. Be there as they need you but not overbearing. Checking in is okay once a week or so but let them call you. Realize that they are experiencing new things every day and learning how to live without your direction. To students about making the most of your college experience: get involved as soon as you feel comfortable! Notice I said, comfortable, not possible because you don't want to become committed to something you don't like. Remember: this will be one of the best times in your life, but not the only time in your life.

The advice that I would give a student is to truly follow your heart. Pick the school that is best for you - not what is best for your parents or anyone else. Granted, money does make a difference in where to go to school.... Yet, I think that even if a school is expensive but it is a right fit for you, in the long run paying off the loans in the future will be completely worth it. You'll have the job of your dreams! College is an important time in an individuals life so make sure the school you pick is the perfect fit. Make sure that the school has the programs you want and the class size meets your needs. Also, I strongly encourage visiting the campus beforehand, even sitting in on classes, or meeting with the administration to talk about the school. At college, you will make the friends that you will have for life and you will learn what sparks your interest. Make the most of your college experience because the four years goes by incredibly fast. Study hard, make friends, and you'll do wonderful. Your college is out there. Now go find it!

To parents: College is a time for acedemics as well as life lessons. Do not smother your students. Instead, trust them and just be supportive and they will show you how much you mean to them. To students: Do not overextend yourself. Make the most of you college experience; don't waste it creating moments you won't remember. Be open to new experiences. Who knows, you may find some unexpected passion. Acedemics are not everything. Personal development and wellbeing are just about as important.

Make sure that the college feels comfortable and exciting because you are going to spend a lot of time there. If you are interested in doing extracurricular activities, find out what is available and whether the school is adequate in that department. It is important for the student to be active in this decision because they are the ones that have to attend the school. The more comfortable the student is at the school, the better they will do in it. Happiness will bring accomplishment.

do not get overly worried about your decision and once you have made it, keep in mind it is not permanent. if you have a bad room mate- CHANGE. If you do not like the college you picked, have a back up plan. Do not be afraid to talk to professors and do not hesitate to point out mistakes that financial aid makes. Do not beleive everything your professors teach you, and do not beleive everything your friends beleive. DO not make friends to make other friends, and remember that you are not too cool to hang out with certain people. Get a job and volunteer, bike everywhere. Be willing to change your views from high school, but do not change everything without pondering that there may be some wisdom in what your parents taught you. Keep in contact with your friends and family, but make sure to make lots of new friends. Go on adventures and pray every day. Do not live life apathetically.

As I stated in this survey, University of Portland was not my first choice. However, when I look back and see that I wanted to go to the University of Arizona. an enormous state school that would not pay me very much personal attention, I realized that this was the greatest choice I have ever made. I'm sure I sacrificed some "epic" weekends, but I am sure the pay will be much greater in life. Likewise, I will be graduating in a 4 year period here. I am not sure that I could have done that without such great academic and economic strain. It has really been a gift to be a part of this community. Hopefully the degree and experience helps me to land a great job in the field I want.

College is a place to grow in a number of ways. Choosing the best college for you is one of the most important decisions of your life, so you want to find the best fit. Make sure to visit your top choice schools and see how you feel while walking around campus. Talk to attending students because they know what the school the best. You should stay overnight with a student and ask them every question you can think of.

College is a really important stage that will shape the person you become for the rest of your life. Focus on imagining what kind of person you want to be 10 years from now and let that guide you and help you select the kind of college you want to go to. I think that it is important to choose a college that reflects the kind of person you are, your values and your objectives in life, however it is not essential to get into your number one choice college. Many times in life you'll end up in an unexpected place or situation and you just have to learn how to make the best of it. That's also a great part of what college is about. It's not just about partying, but it's not just about studying either. It's about learing who you are, who you want to be, who you don't want to be, why you wanna be, where you're going , what you want. Seems pretty easy stuff but for many finding a real answer might be much harder than my ochem final tomorrow!

Try your best to find out what you want to do before you get to school.

Definitely tour the schools that you are interested in, including sitting in on a class or two that you will be taking if a student. Talk to the dean of the school that your major is in. (ie: School of Nursing, Arts and Science, etc) This will help you when you have potential problems or hang ups later on in your academic career.

As a current college student, the most important thing that I have learned since the beginning of my time here is that, above all, college is about learning and growing intellectually and academically. Although it goes without saying that there are significant social aspects that play a leading role in the college experience, college is ultimately about academic achievement and discovery. Surprisingly, this is something that is put on the back burner for many students who are in the application process. It is important to choose a school that can provide you with the classroom and research opportunities that will help you explore and accomplish your highest academic goals. While students should seek out an institution that meshes well with their lifestyle, it has been my experience that you will find likeminded people within whatever field you are passionate about. To make the most of your college experience, treat your arrival on campus as if you were being initiated into a foreign country with a new culture, language and community. College is not a continuation of high school. Treat it like the amazing opportunity that it is to focus on learning and growing as an individual.

Look at as many colleges and universities that you are able to. I would recommend to strongly look at schools starting at the beginning of your junior year so that you have plenty of time to look at a wide variety of schools. Go to big schools, small schools, public schools, private schools. The larger range of options that you lay out for yourself, I think the happier that you will be in the decision that you make. I kept my choices very small because I didn't want to make it the decision too difficult, and I regret that. Students, go to the place that feels right for you. It might not be where your boyfriend or best friend are going. You parents might not be totally satsified. But none of that matters. College is about you and where you think you want to be for four very important years of your life. Parents, you are important tools in the process. But make sure that you are guiding your children through the process and not influencing them to go somewhere they don't want to go. Let them chose their own path, and the place they want to be.

Make sure to visit college campuses and talk to current students!!!!!

If you are a high school student trying to find which colleges to apply to, I would recommend using one of the college match search websites, such as the Princeton Review. You can fiddle around with your answers, such as how diverse you want the school to be, if they have a strong greek life, etc. The website then gives you a list of colleges or universities which you can learn more about. It can be easy to simply follow the footsteps of older siblings, or go to the type of college all of your friends are going to. I would encourage everyone to look at schools outside of their home state, in cities you may have heard of or don't know anything about. College can be an opportunity to do something you always dreamed of or live in a city you've always been intrigued with. The most important thing I can say is to try to break out of your comfort zone and look up all types of schools, you might find a passion or an interest you never thought you had. This is your life, your experiences, and you get to make the choice.

When finding the right college I definately suggest going for a campus visit! I visited the University of Portland and immediately felt it was the right school for me. The financial aid process is very tricky and there is space for error so I suggest that if you are concerned with the financial situation, talk with the financial aid office; make sure you know the exact cost and how much you may have to take out in loans. Honestly, college is a very confusing time in a young adult's life. With figuring out who you are and what you want to do for the rest of your life, this time can get stressful. I suggest talking with friends, RAs, HDs, and other soures available to work through it. Also, whether or not you were active in high school, this is a time to start fresh. Look in to activities that the campus is offering and what is outside the campus. And remember, you get out what you put in! Go for it!

Ultimately, your college experience is going to be as good as you decided to make it. I truly believe that you can find the party atmosphere at almost any college if that's what you're looking for. Likewise, you can submerge yourself in academia and get a fantastic education, if you really dig deep. I believe that no matter the diversity of a school, you can still be yourself. It comes down to having confidence in who you are, knowing what you believe in, and working hard to get it. College will give you a degree, yes. However, I think the point is personal and cognitive development as well. It is a place where you decide who you are, what you stand for, and how you are going to live. It is a transition from high school to the real world that teaches you to keep your mind active, and hopefully, dynamically adaptive. No matter where you go, there will be fantastic opportunities, so it's your job to pick the school that seems to fit you best. Remember you will change in college, so it may not be the best fit after four years! But OH WELL!!

Choosing the right school requires understanding one?s own character. Will you feel lost in a freshman class size of 5000? Or perhaps a large crowd is where you will thrive. Though you want to study mathematics, perhaps you have a strong passion for skiing or mountain climbing. Or maybe you need a change of setting from cows and horses to streetlights and skyscrapers.. While a lot of these things may seem insignificant, remember: you will potentially be living in this setting for four years. You want to be in an environment that suits you as a whole. So think about your needs, your wants, your passions; prioritize them and investigate which school fits you best. If you can, visit the campus, take a tour, sit in on some classes, and ask current students whatever is on your mind. If all goes well, after a good visit your decision will already be made. To make the most of your college experience once you?ve made it in, just stay true to your ambitions. If you love your studies, explore them to their fullest. Meet people. Have fun, but study hard. Get involved, stay busy. You make it worthwhile!

It can be hard to find the right college, my best advice would be to visit the school and talk to students who currently go there, asking them to be as honest as possible. It would be best to visit durring a time when students are on campus so that you can really get a feel for things there. Consider all the options. Weigh the pros and cons such as the beneifits and drawbacks to having a small school, a large school, etc.. Think about your personality and where you might fit in. Who do you want to be? Who are you already? Find a place that is in conjunction with the ways that you view yourself, or the way you want to surround yourself and be shaped. And remember, no decision is absolutely final; if you aren't ultimately happy at the school you pick- transfer. The most important thing is hat you find somewhere where you can fit in and have fun, learn, grow, and challenge yourself. No one wants to be miserable for four years. Trust your instincts, if something about the school doesn't feel quite right, it might not be the best place for you.

Have a strong idea of what you would like to get out of college and find one that fits into those aspirations and goals. If you want to grow in character and as a person, it is wise to choose a college that is a little bit outside your comfort zone (i.e. if you've grown up in a certain denomination of Christianity, don't go to that denomination's college). Beyond that, your college experience is what you make it, so there really is not one right answer. If you want community, you'll find commiunity. If you desire a quality education, that is really up to you to make sure that it happens. If you want life long friends, you've got to take the initiative and put yourself out there, knowing that anything worth having does not come without some work.

When looking for a college, think about what is important to you. What kind of academic experience do you want? How available do you want professors to be? How big do you want your classes to be? How challenging should your classes be? Would you get involved in extracurriculars? Study Abroad? The party scene? Think about location. How far do you want to be from home? Do you want to be in a big city or a small town? One of the last things you should think about is sticker price. If the school gives out a substantial amount of financial aid, you could still attend an expensive school without racking up $100,000 in debt. Do your best to earn scholarship money and grants and the overall price for the school will go down. I think that my scholarship cut my overall tuition in half. Before choosing your school, do your research and see how well several colleges fit what's best for you. Visit some campuses. Look around the cities they're in. Choosing the right college can mean a lot for the next few years of your life.

Get into a college that will push you, and if it doesn't, make sure you push you. Take more classes than 15 credits, and try to study abroad either Freshman or Sophomore summer/year (and if you're a foreign language major do it in that country). Try ROTC freshman year, in the very least it'll pay for a year of school Free without payback terms. Go to parties and stuff, even just for the experience. Freshman year is the time where everyone is looking for friends, so get as many of them as you can (people form their groups and it's harder to get in later). Do things. Hike/Camp/Snowboard/Go to the coast... whatever. Get in internship Junior year summer. Applications should be in by December/January. Talk with professors to get contacts, and be specific in your cover letters about what you want to do/apply for. Apply for jobs no later than January of your senior year. Nurture your contacts so they don't mind speaking on your behalf later on. Get internships during the school year too. Exercise and learn a musical instrument (try guitar). Don't study in your room.

Do not underestimate schools that are not well known. Don't be set on a school just because it's well known make sure it has a good program for the degree you seek. Consider the convenience of attending the school not just the cost.

Make sure to research all schools you are interested in, and maybe some that you aren't too sure about. Also, don't become interested and apply to a school just because friends are--make sure it's the right fit. And even if you end up at your "dream school" and end up hating it, don't be afraid or worried to transfer. It's not worth it to try and stick it out for four years if you are miserable. It's better to make sure you are happy and are where you want and need to be. Selecting the right college is important for many reasons: you'll make friendships that last a lifetime, you're there for four years, and mostly, it's because you want to be there. Get involved in as many things as you can, it's a great way to meet new people and to discover what is available to you. Try as many new things as you can, this is the one time in life where you can explore and travel without the full responsibilities of a job and bills. Whatever you chose, make sure it's right for you.

Visit as many schools as possible, and stay overnight with a student. Don't judge the school totally on that visit though, and make sure you know more about it than what someone tells you, so you can decide for yourself.

Make sure to visit the college campuses you are considering. While you're there, try to talk to students that currently attend the school. This is a great way to get an accurate idea of what attending that specific college is really like. Try to talk to a variety of students at the school so you can get a vast array of opinions. During the visit, attempt to visualize yourself actually attending the school, and while doing this, ask yourself, do I see myself being happy here? Be sure to be honest with yourself. Another great way to learn about what the school is really like is to sit in on a class. Maybe colleges encourage this and the Admissions Office at the school can usually help set up this opportunity for you. Once you start attending a college, I think the best way to make the most of your college experience is to be open-minded, try new things, have a good time, but at the same time, remember why you are there and do all that you can to get the most out of the academic experience.

Finding the right college is definitely about your own personality; if you want to go to class and get your work done unbothered, a bigger school may be right. If you are more into quiet weekends and making a few very close friends, a small school may be best. Definitely visit a campus, and spend the night! It is the only way to truly experience what campus is like, and you can get a glimpse of the types of people that go there, the quality of the food (which is extremely important when you eat there every day, for all meals), and the quality of the school's social scene. You can ask the important questions, such as the best hangout spots near campus, the quality of classes, the difficulty of classes, and the weekend and nightlife scene.

Know what kind of setting you want, if you want to have your teachers know you by name--then a smaller school would be best, if you want a greek system and to party--go to a state school.

It's important to consider what your goals are for your college experience, whether you want to focus on becoming a rounded individual, get excellent grades, explore new cities, accelerate your future careeer, or if you want to learn languages and travel abroad. It's all out there and there is no wrong answer, but it's important to not get too caught up in the process of applying and filling out paperwork, especially when there is an big emphasis among students about name-brand schools. What's right for one student may not be the right college for your best friend, so work with your family to make a balanced and realistic decision. Promise yourself to not loose sight of your goals, and remember that college should be one of the greatest experiences of your life!

Recognize that when you select a school, you are signing up to be a member not just of the campus community, but also of the greater community to which your school belongs. Understanding this will help you, I feel, to be more of an individual and less just a student at whatever college. Should you choose a school based on the quality of academics? Yes. Should you choose a school based on activities and extracurriculars you might want to be involved in? Absolutely. But, you should also choose a school based on how much you anticipate you'll like LIVING there. Because, ieven if you do well academically, if you're unhappy with your surroundings, you will ultimately be unable to succeed.

As trivial as your college choice may seem at first glance in the grand scheme of life, it does profoundly effect your future in ways that you would never imagine initially. I believe that when deciding on a college you should honestly ask three things of yourself. First, how far do you want to be from home? Though this may sound unimportant I have found by experience that it is really key to your college success. Second,will the school provide the best degree in your field of interest that is within the geographic area you have decided on? And finally, you should visit the campuses for yourself and ask yourself, do I like this school as a community, its students as friends and classmates, and its professors as mentors? If you can answer these questions I believe that you will be well on your way to finding a college that you will enjoy and get the most out of during your short time as a college student. No matter where you decide to go, and no matter how many times you may wonder why you ever started college, I can guarantee you that you will never regret it.

Do not choose a college based on where your friends go, because your social network broadens so much in college that you will make many new friends while still being able to stay in contact with high school friends.

Find the right fit for you.

By reflecting on my college experience thus far, there are several pieces of advice that I would give students. First, it is important to visit the school. A great deal can be understood about a school by taking a simple trip down to the campus and interacting with current students. This allows for students to see if they truly enjoy being there and are getting the type of education that they want. In finding the right college, it is also important to see if they offer classes that will be of interest to you. As a biology major, there are several classes that I could take such as anatomy, however, the offering of courses such as Cancer Biology and Hormones and Behavior have greatly enhanced my education. In making the most of the college experience, get involved with anything and everything that you are interested in. So many great experiences and friendships are made as a result of being involved in different activities that you have an interest in. However, be within reason, as to how many activities you can handle along with school work. You want to be able to have fun, but still be responsible.

You definately need to look into your own likes and dislikes about the environment you want to be in because different students prefer different things, consider what kind of area you want to live in, the weather that is there, and availability to access things that you like to do. It is important to consider if you want to go to a big school or a small school and to consider your religion and how active you want to be a part of it. What I listed I think are the most important things to look into when finding the right college that will make your overall experience the best.

Mahatma Ghandi once said, "There is more to life than increasing its speed." this quote is very important in the way parents/students should approach their college experience. Too often people are concerned with getting things done just to get them done, this however is not the right way to go about living your life. College is far more than lectures in the classroom and hours and hours of homework. People should make their college decisions not just on the academic aspect of it (while that is probably the most important part) you also have to take into account the type of people that attend the school and the demographic that the school is in. If you love to be outdoors and hiking mountains in your freetime, a city school may not be for you. my biggest point of advice I can give, is that you just have to be ready to adapt, no school is going to be perfect. You have to take the highs and the lows as they fall and deal with it accordingly, that really is what the college experience is all about.

When it comes to selecting a college, a student should have an idea of the field of study they plan to enter or even one they are interested in. They should then, along with their parents or spouse, spend time researching colleges that offer these services along with other amenities that interest them. They should also consider the area and lifestyle students live on and off campus. To make the most out of your college experience I would tell anyone, to relax. College is an amazing time, where you get a wonderful education and meet amazing people. They should really focus on how to manage their time. By doing this, students will be able to spend an adequate amount of time for their studies as well as maintain their social life. They should join a school group (EX. Student association), where they can meet new people who are focused in their studies but also spend time devoted to the community and our environment. This creates a great balance for stress because you are getting your school work done with good grades as well as keeping time for you and your social life.

I would take a tour of the college to see if it is what I want. I would ask the advisors and instructors plenty of questions. If they did not have the major I am interested in I would not choose the school. For example, one school had Human resources Bachelor degree but I wanted Social Work so I did not choose that school.

Before applying, parents and students should visit a variety of colleges to get a feel for what the campuses are like. They should talk to current students and faculty to determine whether or not they like the school?s philosophy and environment. Then they should apply to the colleges they like the best, but not only pick one school. The school that the student liked most may not accept them, so it is good to have some backup schools. I would encourage living on campus, if they can afford it, because it allows for the student to integrate more fully into the campus community. There are a lot of events and pieces of campus life that are more easily experienced if a student lives on campus. Living on campus also allows them easier access to campus resources, like faculty office hours, tutoring help, and study groups. You get out of it what you put in. If students take responsibility for their education, put in the work and effort it takes to do well, they will get a lot out of the classes and homework to help prepare them for future careers. A social life is possible, it just takes prioritizing.

Know which activities you like to do. See if the school offers them. Each student is paying for school not only with their money, but with their time. Even if you have a full ride to a school, if they don't have a program or clubs that you might want to participate in, you might not be wasting your money, but you are definately wasting your time. College is the time to define yourself and have fun in the pursuit. That could mean moving to another state or a new city, trying new activities, or learning about other people and their view points. No great discovery was ever found without curiosity and the nerve to break free from the comfortable. Your potential is no different. You are already curious about your future. Now go, take the steps toward it and find it.