Virginia State University Top Questions

When looking to attend college it is important that you find a college that offers your major, has the type of social availability you are looking for, and offers a great education as well.

I thinkg that the student should have the last word. Picking a college is the 1st major choice you make as a young adult and it's one you will have to like with for the rest of your life. Now if things don't work out you can transfer but you want to school to be the right one the 1st time. College is not just school it is a place where many dreams come together and find their place in the world. College is a place where you find youself and you learn how the real world works.

make sure your heart is all the way in it.

The advice I wouold give parents is to just visit the colleges first, so that way you get extra information about the school. Apply for the school, still be connected to the school after applyin. Than once accepted visit the school again before orientation and get numbers from other new students as well as upperclasmen so that you already know a few people when you first arrive and throughtout the semester you contiue to meet more and more people. Another thing is get into what you can freshmen year and look up other clubs and organizations and once you hit your second year (sophmore year) than you'll join what you were into from your freshmen year. Getting involved with the school makes the college experience worth the money you pay for it...just don't get too carried away to the point where you lose focus on what you're there for.

I WOULD ADVISE STUDENTS AND PARENTS TO PICK A COLLEGE THAT HAS A CAMPUS AND THAT IS AFFORDABLE. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A COLLEGE CAMPUS EXPERIENCE, BUT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY IT

I woyuld tell parents and students to start looking early for scholarships and grants. I would also tell people to expore all types of colleges and start looking for the best school for you/your child no later than sophmore year of high school.

Visit the school before hand. Ask a lot of questions... write them down. You can never know too much about a school, after all it will be where you are living for months on end. It is best not to room with people that you do not know for your first year. It gives you a chance to make new friends and meet new people. The best advice, however, is to go out only when you want to go out. Even though all of your friends are going out does not mean that you should too. But always remember where you came from, remember your roots and the values that have been instilled in you from a young age. Be true to yourself.

In order to find the right college for a student, the student needs to know who he/she is personally. Also they need to know what they want out of life. Sececting a school has alot to do with a persons backround, lifestyle, and so far development. Being in college you want to be able to balance a social life with you work load and be able to succeed in both. When looking at different colleges and Universities, making sure the school of that college or university is fully accredited. Meaning that the degree you earn will mean something. Also making sure comfortibility is available is important. Chosing the right school is based on the student not the parent. Good advice to the student would be not to let their parent influence them to much to go to a school they truly do not want to attend. Good advis to a parent would be giving their child i wide varoty of school to attend and supporting them on their choice. Finances are a big deal when it comes to schools so always make sure money is available for the school you want to attend.

I would tell them to try and get a look at the housing avaliable and try talking to the students that go to that school and get their persective of the school. I would also tell them to try and get a feel for the teachers in the department that their child wants to go in to.

Go on as many college tours, both professional and personal, to get the ins and outs on the colleges of interest. Also, talk to students to get the inside scoop as well, dont make brash choices or settle for a college just because of everything associated with its name and reputation - do more research on a personal and find what works for you, as the student.. although sometimes there are just some things that you wont find out until you get there (in and at the school).

Make sure you go to the school to visit before you make your choice. Also make sure you are able to balance your schoolwork and fun in order to be successful in school

I would say don't judge a book by its cover.Visit many different colleges before you decide to choose one. Make sure the college is just right for your child not just for the parents, because the child is actually the one that is attending.

Students, make sure you choose a school for their value of education not parties . parties are everywhere. Value education before socialization.

Students who are looking at different colleges should make sure the SAT scores and GPA is high enough to attend one of the best colleges. Prom and other senior activities may cause you to be unfocused, but you would like to attend a school that is meant for you. When attending college, make sure you are academically focused. If you are having a tough time make sure to talk to the teacher and exchange numbers with colleagues to receive more help. Taking time out to meet with faculty shows that you are serious about the course and striving to do better. College is considered the best period of your life, attending parties are fun but make sure you keep your eye on the prize. Networking and having internships are necessary when you graduate. Jobs and Grad schools tend to look at your activities. Do not take the experience for granted because you are the one paying for it.

I would say to try and make sure you have some idea as to what you may want to do with your life, so you can choose the correct institution. Also to get the best experience, I would say be open minded to new things and meeting new people, and try to remember that everyone there are in the same situation you're in; away from home and familure things. Don't sweat it too much though, college is a blast.

I would inform parents and students to first do their research on that particular university and find what attracts individuals to that institution. Getting the background information on a university can aid in finding what opportunities a student will have when attending that university. Once an institution is agreed upon, finding a reasonable source of income should come next. In order for incoming students to become successful, they will need to spend more time studying then partying especially if they want to become a part of an organization. Students first year of college determines how disciplined they will be in the upcoming semesters. For parents, it is recommended to monitor your students first year college seeing as it?s their first time away from any form of discipline. Parents and students should have a working relationship when it comes to their future.

Research the college before you make your final decision. Once you've made your decision, visit the school a couple times to get an idea of what the social life around campus is like. Go to at least one sporting event and see how the alumni act towards the school. Are they supportive? Do they give back? If they do it shows the character of the school. If people are willing to continuously go back and give, the school must have made a positive impact on their life. After you are enrolled into the school and have gotten yourself settled in, be sure to take advantage of all the tutoring, mentoring, seminars, organizations, clubs, and extra curriculum activities. Don't be afraid to meet new people, because one thing I've learned is that it's not always what you know, but who you know.

When you find the school for you, make sure the size is something you are comfortable with and the people are easy to live with.

FOR ANYONE WHO IS APPLYING OR THINKING ABOUT ATTENDING COLLEGE...I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME TO THINK ARE YOU DOING THIS FOR "YOU" AND FOR WHAT "YOU" WANT FOR YOUR FUTURE. BECAUSE MANY OF MY FRIENDS ARE STRESSING ABOUT FINISHING COLLEGE TO MAKE THEIR PARENTS PROUD, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT COLLEGE AND HIGHER LEARNING SCHOOLS ARE ABOUT. I REMEMBER TELLING MY MOM AFTER MY FIRST YEAR OF SCHOOL, 'THIS ISN'T FOR YOU, THIS IS TO HELP ME TO GET TO MY DREAM.'....THAT HAS BEEN THE THING THATS BEEN KEEPING ME MOTIVATED WHEN I WANTED TO GIVE UP.... MY DREAM IS MY MOTIVATION FOR SCHOOL AS WELL AS MY THIRST FOR MORE KNOWLEDGE......DO IT BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT, NOT BECAUSE THEY SAID YOU HAD TOO.....LIFE IS TO SHORT, NOT TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS AND THATS WHAT I'M DOING NOW.

In finding the best school for you there are many characteristics to view; finances, rating of the school, distance from home, setting and weather and overall size of the classes. It is important to find a balance in what you want and what is realistic. What I urge students to do is to embody the term ambition. Display drive and liberalism, despite the many obstacles that you may face on a daily basis, it will allow you to appreciate life and all it has to offer. Take every mistake as a learning experience and have no regrets. To be successful one must be humble and in turn realize that mistakes form wisdom and wisdom allows for a better decision to be made in the future. In addition, learn that to be a good college student one has to be open and willing to try new and different things. It is alright to have fear, but you can not let fear paralyze you. Let fear be a catalyst, let fear push you to try harder in your endeavors in school. In essence, it is your strength and decision making that will determine how you make the most of college.

Allow the student to choose the college of his / her choice. So many times our parent want to pick and choose and really do mean well but it is more beneficial to allow us to become independent young adults and choose where we would like to get our education. Students, have fun but stay focus so that you can get the best education possible. When choosing think about how far or close you will be from home and is that what you really want to do. Be very careful in choosing your roommate, if you have that choice. Sit back and think before to apply what you would like yo receive your degree in and look @ the pay for that job and be sure if that is waht you really want to do. Thanks Katina Richardson

For parents, it is so very important to encourage your child to make the best decision for THEM in this matter. Let them know that they have your full support and that you have faith that they will choose the college or university that is best for their future. Students, start early! Trust me, the earlier the better. Some schools will accept students early, which allows you to get prepared for the transition. Think it through! Think about majors, the employment rate for those majors and whether they are in demand! Think about the cost of the university because although you may receive aid during your first year, in some cases you may end up paying some of the cost during sophomore, junior, or senior years. Arrange a visit! And not just any visit! Talk to people who attend the school, live in the area, professors and other people who dont get paid to tell you good things about the school. By doing this you will get a thorough understanding of exactly what the school has to offer. And finally, engage! Get involved in social and academic activities that will help you get the most out of your college experience.

Students pick the school that is right for you. Some parents can be very pushy about what school their child attends but, it very important that the students pick the school where they can spend the next four years of the lives. Also make sure that you pick your major BEFORE leaving high school. In the long run that can save a family thousands of dollars. To high school students make sure ( if you can ) take dual enrollment or AP classes. That can save your families pockets as well.

decide what is important you in a school and then research what school fits with what you feel is important

Research, research and more research. Don't attend a school for the social life, find a college that will best match your furture goals when looking for a career. The parties will be there every week but graduation comes once in the four years. Make you walk across tha stage on time.... remember time is money.

Take a campus tour and not during homecoming or orientation in order to get more of a every day feel of the campus. Speak with professors and look into the goals, objectives and perspectives of the college or university and its staff.

The advice that I would give to anyone who is looking to attend college or to a parent of a college bound student, would be to make sure that you research several different schools. Try to find a school that has the major that you are looking for, or if you don't know what you want to major in, try to look for a school that has majors that you might be interested in. Choosing a school takes time and should be done carfully. If you end up in a situation where you're not happpy with the school of your choice, its okay to transfer. As far as making the most of you college experience, I would advise that you always put your studies first but that you leave a little room for your social life. Join campus clubs and get involved in activites around campus so you have the chance to meet new people. Finding comfort around campus by being apart of a club/organization and making new friends will make it easier being away from home.

Students should choose the school that best siuts them. They should visit as many camouses as they can before making their decision. Campus environment is just as important as the academics at a school. If a student is not comfortable in the social environment of a campus, they could become stress and fail academically.

Visit it and know what your getting yourself in to. Try and find the college/university that give you the kinda college exsperience your looking for.

Make the smartest and safest decision in life and enjoy your college experience as much as possible while constantly focusing on your education and careers.

find a college you can afford and that you have put though into attending. dont let the cost of attending college stop you from doing what is right.