Western Carolina University Top Questions

I would tell students and parents to research the school of the studen'ts choice well. Also look at the surrounding communities of the school... It's not good when you come to a school and then leave after the first semester because there isn't anything to do or you haven't made any friends. I would also tell students to get involved. Join a club, play sports, go to events that are offered on campus. Don't be afraid to meet new people because they are just like you. They are shy and want to meet others also but not meeting other people will cause you to be lonely and want to go home. I have learned through living at a small school that it isn't all about what there is to do but the friends you have. If you have good friends your experience will be better.

visit! if possible, find out of the school has a program where you can spend a few days on campus and interact with the students. If you plan on being involved in clubs, look at what is offered or who hard it is to get one started. Do the interests of the majority of students match yours? are you an ourdoors person-if so you'll fit in at a very nature-oriented school. Know what there is to do off campus if you like to do things off campus

Just make sure you are in a location that you are happy with. If you are a very family based person stay close. The enviroment is what I have noticed to make or break a college students career.

just make sure that you find a college suitable for you and that has your best interest in mind

Make sure that your kids go into college after high school. It gets so much harder the longer that you wait. Often times the older students feel out of place because everyone around them is so much younger. Make sure that you choose a college that is best for you. If you need a lot of distractions, move to a big city. If the big city would get you in trouble don't got there. Move to a college that is in a small town.

I'd say, " Don't stress about it too much. Even if you don't get into your first choice, you still will have a great experiance at whatever college you end up going to. Don't party too much, but at the same time, don't shut yourself away from the campus activities. Oh and living on campus or close is better then living at home, in my opinon. Living on campus lets you interact with people and being away from home give yous the freedom to start figuring out who you yourself are, out from under the parent's protective wings!"

Trust that your students knows where they want to go. They know that is good for them.

Finding the right college should ultimately be the decision of the student. This experience is for the student, not the parent; it is the student's turn to become an adult, to find themselves and if they are not comfortable at the school they will never accomplish that goal. For me knowing that I learned best in small classes led me to look at school's with smaller class sizes. I personally found it easiest to go to a school 1 hour from my home - close enough for an emergency but far enough away to become my own person and be independent. Parents, overall just remember this is not the time to live your dreams through your child's life - it's their time to become their own person, let them make the decision!

Always look over your options and start as early as you can with applying so you have enough time to change your descision if you want, and be able to take care of financial aid if you need it. Always visit the college to get the feel of the place and see if its needs suit yours. Parents be supportive and let the student take their career choice into their own hands, because ultimately that's what will make them happier. And most important, have fun with college, it is the best time of your life and will teach you to be more independent than High School ever will.

Its a good wholesome school thats in a small town, its college life without the stress and temptations

Parents and future students should place the most empahsis on finding a place where they can be happy and function academically, and less emphasis on the name or reputation of the school. It doesn't matter how great the football team is or how exciting the nightlife is, that doesn't make the school the best place for you. If you can not manage your time, then you need a school that is less distracting or smaller. This is important because you have to do your work, after all that is what you are there to do. If you fail to do your work, you will be stressed and completely miserable. Also make sure you are fully aware of all the resources available at each school that applys to what you intend to study. Take the time to eat at some of the places on campus and see if you like the food, because there is nothing worse than eating food you hate for four years. Lastly, talk to the students at the school when you visit, especially the upperclassmen, they will give you more reliable answers than orientation counselors or staff.

Visiting the campus is essential. Sometimes a personal tour can make all the difference if you're between two or more schools. I visited WCU and loved it. At that moment I was looking at UNC-Greensboro but the visit made me choose Western. Also, once you get to college, please do not just sit in your room. Go out and meet people! You'll be there for 4 whole years (most likely) so live it up!

There is a national trend for students to find out as much as possible about colleges of interest on social utilities such as Facebook, MySpace, and Youtube however, I would higly encourage parents and potential students to do a little let work - visit the campus, go to orientations, and get a real feel of what the campus and programs are like. Do a little personal investigation while you are on a campus you are considering talk to teachers about their work in the classroom and find out what students think of their programs. To make the most of your experience try new things - everything that you have ever wondered about give it a shot, join clubs, work in leadership, and do an internship it will help prepare you to work in your chosen field.

Yes, deciding where you go to college will impact the rest of your life BUT you will end up where you need to be. Everywhere you go you learn something that you will need later in life even if it doesn't seem to be important at the time. Please understand that attending your second or third choice school is not the end of the world, it may be exactly where you need to be. Whether you attend an ivy league university or a community college, YOU decide what you will get out of school. You are in control of your life and your future and you decide what you make of it. In the long term, the seemingly trivial, daily choices that you make shape your life more than seemingly larger decisions such as where you attend college. Be brave enough to be yourself and the rest will fall into place.

College is one of the most incredible times of your life and I would never ever trade the past 3 years of my life for anything. This time is a time for learning, not just the books but about yourself, about who you are and why you are here. For parents it is so important to let your child find their own "story". You have spent the past 18 years raising your child and now it is their time to shine. If you give them the chance, and you have raised them well they will make you the proudest parent ever. Students, don't sit in your room, get out there, get involved, make the best of every single moment in college. Don't forget everything that you touch touches eternity, and everything that touches you affects your life in one way of another. Now is the time, get out there, smile, study, and learn everything you can.

List out the criteria you desire in a school as well as the limitations that apply to you. Apply this list to schools that may interest you. Schools that are within your limitations and that match up with your preset criteria deserve an application, visit, and further investigation. Be sure not to put all your hopes into one school however. Pick the top three schools from your list to better your odds against circumstances and rejection. A strong start in college is often the difference between a consistently high GPA and a consistently low one. Your GPA is impressionable during the first semesters of college due your lack of completed classes. The first few semesters are opportunities to solidify a high GPA. Not only will you get in the habit of receiving good grades but you will also provide yourself for a strong foundation to maintaining a higher GPA. As the classes become harder, you will have more leeway in the grades you receive. Review events, clubs, organizations, and groups at your college. Give those that interest you a try. Always keep yourself balanced with academics and social life but never forget your main reason for going to college.

Find out what you like. If i you like the big city, then go there for school. If you like rural areas go there. Academics are important so find out about accredation and academics on the campus. But also remember that you are going to be living at college, even if your not living on campus it is where you will be spending a lot of your time. So it is important to find out what the area that the school is in offers. Are there fun activities that you are interested in to do on campus as well as off campus within a thirty minute drive? Class size is important. If you need individualized teaching, go to a smaller school that offers small class sizes. Some people don't mind sitting in a room of 200 people learning. But if thats not for you investigate average class size. Making the most of the colleg experience i believe is living on campus. It is easy to make friends fast when you dont know anyone but you live right down the hall from 30 other people. Its one of the best ways to have a social life.

Take a look at it for yourself, spend some time here before making a decision

Seek and ask the advice of average students, not honor students!

Look at every college that may interest your child or student and weigh out the options before deciding.

The most important things for parents and students to know for finding the right college, is simple. Look for a college that has the things you like and are interested in. Find somewhere that has your major or career interest. Decide if you want to go to a large school or small school, and where it is located, in the city or small town. Parents and students need to visit the colleges on open houses to see if the campus is something that they would like and adapt to well. Students need to find a school that has actives that they like to do, and right learning community. They need to figure out how big the classes are and how many students in classes.

When searching for a school I really think it is best to follow your heart. Don't assume that because you've been a fan of the school and wanted to go there since you were 2 that you will love it, because most times you won't. It is so important that you visit schools and take the time to really get to know the campus and everything around it. One of the best things to do is to visit the campus with a tour and without it, because you can explore on your own and really see what the college has to offer. As for making the most of the college experience, I say, "enjoy it." As a senior I feel that it has gone by so fast and I wish I had more time. Join clubs, go to class, do intramurals, make great friends, but most of all have fun doing it. You're only in college once, and it is one of the best times of your life.