Western Michigan University Top Questions

First of all I would tell them to apply to several different places and to VISIT the colleges that accept them. It is critical to your happiness and sucess to be at a school that is a good fit for you. Secondly I would suggest to explore all finicial aide options possible, it's always nice to have as much help as you can get. Once you select a college, I would suggest that you know what your major is, but if you don't that's fine too. Just take a wide range of classes that may help you determine what you want out of life. Although I didn't completly enjoy living in the dorms, I strongly suggest that first-year students do because I met some very good friends via the dorms that are now some of my best friends. When applying for classes I suggest you ask around to get a better feel for what the course entails. And most importantly I suggest that you get involved with on-campus activities and take advantage of the events that are offered. That is a great way to meet new people and expand your horizons.

People always say that high school is the best time of your life, well I have to disagree and say that college is by far the BEST time of your life. College is the time to re-establish yourself in society, make life-long friends, and study what you want to do for the rest of your life. My advice to a high school student searching for their dream school is to first decide what you want out of your school. If you want to play sports, participate in drama, or become greek, whatever you want to do, you must know before you pick. You also have to talk to your parents about the budget, and how much financial aid you'll be needing, because college does cost an arm and a leg. So when you find your dream school and you get there, move into your dorm room, leave your door open so people can pop in and say hi. It works everytime. Definitely join a club that you are interested in so you can meet even MORE people. Also, go to every class, because it is very difficult to teach yourself! But most importantly, keep an open mind.

Start looking early. Around your sophomore year of high school so you can be prepared when you graduate.

I would give them advise on make sure you really look into a lot of different schools and see what one has the program and how good that program is at that school. Not all schools have the better program. Look into things very carefully when you decide on what one to pick as your final decision.

People often say that your college years are the best years of your life. You can prove them right if you take advantage of all that college has to offer. Enjoy your freedom. Take elective courses that interest you and are outside of your major. Play or watch varsity and intramural sports. Read the books, magazines and papers that students talk about most. Stay up late at night discussing controversial topics with friends. Attend special lectures, panels, speeches, plays and/or concerts. Ride a bike and walk around campus. A lot. Listen, play, sing and/or dance to music often. Study in a foreign country for a quarter or semester. Join a student group that is passionate about something. Go to professors' after-hours sessions to ask questions.

The advice I would give is for them to go on campus visits and make sure to ask questions. Also to get involved as much as you can!

I think that the best way to find the right college is to explore every career you think you may be interested in before you start applying for college. I really think its a good idea for high school seniors to job shadow as many occupations as they can, that way they have a better idea of what they want to go to school for. When students do start researching colleges they can look at what are the best schools for the career they have chosen. Once a student gets into college, I think the best way to make the most of your college experience is to always be true to yourself, and do what makes you happy. In college it's easy to get caught up in doing things just because everyone else is doing them. However, it's important to remember that whatever you do you should always put yourself first. I believe that as long as you're happy with the person you are and you stay true to yourself, your college experience will definitely be a memorable one.

When "finding the right college" it is certainly important to do the research. Find a University that offers the best program for your student. If the student is undecided on what direction they want to go with their college career, stick close to home. To get the most out of your students college experience I strongly suggest living in the dorms Freshman year. This allows for your student to meet a wide variety of new people, and to be within reach of all campus resources. This also limits the issues of driving and bad influences. Living on campus provides guidlines and limitations when a student is on their own for the first time. It is very important to have regular visits to the guidance counselors. Ask help when needed, thats what the services the university provides are there for. The most crucial advice is just go to class!!

Make sure you take a tour. Get the feeling of what it would be like to attend that school. Make sure you meet professors and if possible take a class or observe a class!

Know what you want out of your college experience. If it be socially, academically, and just run with it.

I would suggest that both parent and the student are active in their search for the right college. Make sure you do the research to find out what college is best for the students field of interest and also make sure its the best college for you financial sittuation. If the student is unsure of what they want to do, to attend a community college to help figure it out. And I would also suggest to use your colleges resources as much as possible to help further your knowledge of your field and to help you find jobs as you graduate.

Some advice I would give parents and students is really research what school is right for you. If you know what you want to do prior to going to college make sure you pick the right college to forfill the degree needed for that career. If you dont know what you want to do before going to college that is ok too, i would recommend going to a community college and while your there research colleges and careers and pick something that is right for you.

I would advise parents to not push their child into where they want them to go, but to encourage them to find where they would fit best. Parents could help in this by offering unbiased statements to their child about things they think are important in finding a college, but more then that is to much. For the student I would suggest that they write a list about all the important things they think are important and then proceed to make a pro con list between schools in mind. I would highly recommend visting all schools in consideration. The environment that you put yourself in to learn your future skills is the most important to succeed in your studies. Also once there I would advise to always remember why you are attending school, for your studies. But also that making friendships at this time in your life are important, so don't put that on the back burner.

The best advice i can give to parents and students looking for the right college is to listen to your heart. If you are not completly in love with a school then you need to keep searching. I have had alot of friends who just go to a school because that is where there parents wanted them to go or because they are ranked the best in the field that they wanted to go into, but they were not happy where they were at and they performed not to the best of their ability. So the thing to remember when looking for a school is to find a place that you feel comfortable at and where u can feel safe, accepted, and happy. :) GOOD LUCK!

Save your money and study hard!

Make sure the college emphasizes what you want to study. Your childs housing experience can be a huge impact to his/her academics so be sure you make the right choice with roomates (whether its to have one, none or many)

When looking for a school the most important thing is visiting the school, and reasearching what the school has to offer. Once you find out if the schools you are looking at, have your major, then you can start looking at campuses. When you are looking at campuses look at the residence halls, things to do off campus, and how big the campus is itself. If walking 30 minutes to class doesn't interest you in the fall, you're not going to want to do it in the winter, so find out how big your campus is. Where different things are, the library, the cafeteria, the advising center, things you'll need in your first few weeks. Find out what types of activities you can get involved in within your school, campus activities board, DSK [a free taxi service for our campus], etc. Also the general feel of your campus when you visit, if theres just something you don't like about it, its not right for you. Consider how far it is from your hometown, and what kinds of transportation they offer. Western has free bussing ! :)

GO TO THE UNIVERSITY, I am not talking about just the standard group tour. It the student knows what they want to do, or has an idea, contact one of the advisors hopefully they will be more than willing to give a personal tour of the building, labs, and services. If not than at least a meeting, being close to my advisor, they love to see a new student that it into what they are going to be doing and can help them along the way through their college career. If the family is between a couple of schools, hopefully the personalities of the people they meet and what the campus provides seen on the tours will help make the decision; meeting people helped me a lot. Of course there are other factors; like if their high school friends are going, sports teams, and prestige of the school. In my experience I would say remember that friends can be made everywhere, true friends will stay in contact, people grow so much during college, and most importantly you are there for an education. This choice will change your life so follow your heart when making the decision!

I would just say you should not base such a heavy decision on reputation or pride. You should base it off of where you , as an individual is most likely to succeed. Now academic success is a clear reflection of how you perform in the classroom, but performing well in the classroom has to do with what your University offers. I knew Western Michigan had a great business program and I knew it would unlock doors for me to succeed both academically and socially. I saw that it gave me a chance not only do well academically, but I could become invovled in University easier than I could at other schools. Overall, this is a lesson for life. You have to go where you think you can make the largest impact on people and be the most successful in the classroom. It is all about finding that perfect balance.

Go on lots of tours to different Universitys until you find the right one

The size of a campus, location whether it is urban or rural, how career-oriented a university is: many various factors play a crucial role in deciding what university to ultimately choose. When I was applying to schools, I know I had a few questions lingering in my head. What school will place an emphasis in the major I want to go into? It is important to research a university to see if that school has the major/minor you are interested in. Also, find out if that specific department you are interested in has a positive reputation; after all, your future education is at stake. Another vital question that came about was was where is this school located? I wanted to go to school no farther than 3 hours away, and I wanted a school that had a downtown area. Surprisingly, these factors would play a huge role in the making of the college student I am today. On weekends, I?m able to take a train home to study and when I have a few hours to waste away, it?s great to take a bus downtown with friends to grab some grub.

Take all the time you need and make sure you research on the school and visit. Nothing is worse than feeling out of place or regretting the decision to go to that school. Know what you can handle and do not put too much pressure on yourself because you will get run down, stressed, and want to quit.

I chose close to home to help save money on expenses - it was a good idea.

My first advice would be to know what you like. Be true to one's self. If you don't have any idea what you want to do with your education, you're much less likely to find a school that fits you. Many schools have specialities and certain programs of very high caliber that should be looked into. And for those who don't know what they want to do, just go to a school that is comfortable for you. That's the real ticket; comfort. If you're a student who is unsecure in his or her environment, you're not likely to well no matter where you are. Go to your school of choice, visit, hang out in the surrounding city, and get to know the area. If it feels like a place you could call home for four years, thats your cue to attend. You will be living in a completely new city for four years; my best advice is to love your college town so that you have an enriching and productive environment in which to blossom as you make the most important transition in your adult life.

Visit every school that you're interested in. It's extremely important that the campus is right for you. Pick a school that has a great, accredited program for you. Find out what there is to do both on campus and in the community. Once you're in college, find something to get involved in. Extra-curriculars are a great way to make friends and meet people while doing something that you love, and they could even help with job applications. First year experience programs are great for making the transition from high school to college easier. Stay in the dorms for at least a year, freshman dorms in particular. You'll be surrounded by people going through the same things you are, campus is right at your fingertips if you need to go study or get help from a professor, and you might make the best friends you'll ever have. Don't be afraid to ask questions, and don't be afraid if you discover you've chosen the wrong major or you won't graduate in time. Talk to people, see an advisor, or even go to a counseling center. Most importantly, have fun!

Picking the right school for you can be extremely hard. I would tell them to take their time and choice wisely. Pick a place where you are comfortable with the evironment so that when the climate chnages your not geting sick when you need to be sutdying finals or something major. I would stick to places in your budget range because you dont want to graduate with alot of debt already on your side.

I would tell parents and/or students to consider a school that offers flexibility in their choice of major and will expose them to new ideas and people. I changed my major during my time in school as a result of my experiences there and the people that I met. My perspectives on life have changed as I have met new people with different worldviews and experiences than mine. I think that students tend to feel that they know everything that they want as they are coming out of high school and sometimes might restrict there opportunities based on what they think they know. Keeping an open mind is very important as I have found that most everything I thought I knew about myself coming out of high school turned out to be wrong. Going to a school that excelled in several academic areas and is populated by a diverse group of students and staff helped me find myself as a person and in turn, find out what I truly want to do with my life. New college students should always be willing to try new things, and it is important to find a school that promotes this.

Don't screw around, do it right the first time.

Do research on the colleges you want to attend in adavnce, compare prices, courses, and learning enviorments of college campuses. Also take into consideration what extra benefits each college has to offer such as scholorships, daycare, tutoring, and counseling etc.

I would suggest picking the best place for you. One that is going to offer you comfort and this going to offer you the best education.

Just remember it's not about what friends are gonna be there or who has the best sports team. The most important thing is that the campus you choose has the major you are looking for and that you like the area and buildings. College is as great of experience as you make it, no matter what you need to have a positive attitude. You will meet some of the greatest people in college and there is just so many opportuinites that you just can't miss!

Use college not only as a time to grow academically, but to experiment with the real world. Find a college with flexible schedules so that you can work (even just part-time) and still have time for a social life. Pick a school that matches your interests; if you like big cities and the cultural experience, pick a school located in a big city or one with a large campus. If you like saving the environment, find a smaller school, one that sits outside of town. When the campus and students are cohesive with your personal interests, both personally and academically, you'll find ways to grow easily.

Don't be afraid to be yourself and enjoy new activities

To make the most of your college experience try new things. Branch out from your safety zone and you will meet many interesting people and form lifelong relationships.

Make sure you look into everything. Know the Fininacal aid of that school. and make sure it is a place where your child will be happy for they will be at that school for 4+ years.

The advice I would give students about finding the right college is research, research, research. I know this may seem like a daunting task in the final moments of ones high school career, but this added leg-work will have considerable payoff if executed properly. After all, college is a privlage as well as an opportunity to explore the world through educational pursuits. Consider your financial situation, take this into account when deciding on a college and be an avid advocate of your own finances. Visit colleges you are considering, take organized tours, and maybe mingle with some of the current students on campus; pick their brains about what they think and feel about their own college. Lastly, when making the most of the college experience, try not to over-do the drinking. I know to some this may sound silly, but like i stated earlier, college is an opportunity and a chance you will want to remember. Socialize with others and find your niche; talk with your professors and get to know them, they could be your greatest asset some day. When finding the right college, research will go a long way.

Go and visit the schools you're thinking about. The pamphlets and articles they send you can only show you so much, you really need to visit the campus to figure out of its right for you. As for making the most of your college experience, I say be open to things you may have never tried before. Its a great way to make friends, ust be friendly and they'll come to you.

i would suggest starting at an inexpencive college and taking a variety of classes, to see what you really enjoy doing. most students change their major at least once. the more exposure you get to different subjects the better you will be able to see where your strength and enjoyments are. when you are ready to move on the a 4 year colege or a larger college. pick one that has a good program for your interests, but dont forget to take the environment into concideration. Does the school offer the activites you want. are jobs available. are there plenty of opportunities to make friends. the happier you are the more productive you will be and you will get more out of your school experience.

Visit, and visit schools you wouldn't originally think of.

Intitution, your gut, and excitiment I feel would best help in deciding which college is best for someone. There is this certain spark that I feel hits someone when they know they have found a place that is just calling out to them to go. It's an amazing feeling to find a university that right when you get there you are like," whoa, this is where I totally belong". Never try to second guess yourself and don't go somewhere because this person from your high school is going or because your parent went there, so they think that you will too. Just imagine when you go from dreaming about living on campus to actually waking up and being there, that feeling too is one of the best you probably will ever have. When you actually get here is when the real fun stuff happens and all of it will be soaked up at certain times, but my advice is to be like Spongebob Squarepants and become a sponge and soak up the college experience.

Students- College brings freedom, but with that, as cliche as it sounds, responsibility. Even though your parents are usually right about how you should manage your life, remember that they don't know what your college experience will be like (even if they went to the same college), so they can't make all your decisions for you. Think about what you want to experience in the present and future, and base your college decision off of that. Still, keep in mind it is okay to explore other subjects, because you never know what you'll end up developing a passion for. Oh, and don't be nervous about starting college. There is no reason for that. Parents- The college experience is not only about learning academic things, but also about experiencing an eclectic array of new people and situations, which will help your son or daughter become a more well-rounded and cultured individual. Really, all you need to remind your kids to do when going to college is to think ahead and make pragmatic decisions. They can take it from there.

Eat poo.

When it comes to picking a university some of the most important things are the community atmoshpere (Do people know eachother or are they complete strangers?), a qualified faculty, and a strong program of the field that you want to pursue. Certainly, money does put some weight on the decision of where you want to go, but it is important to remember that education is worth going into debt for. Also, look for many scholarship opportunites as this shows a strong support of alumni that are happy with the degree they received from that university.

First of all, make sure you are aware of how the financial aid system works. If you are financially stable enough to pay for your tuition outright, good for you! But if not, make sure you know the ins-and-outs of grants, loans, cost of attendance, etc. This is, in my experience, the single-most stressful part of being in college - you need to know how much it's going to cost, how you can pay for it, and that your money is going to get to you on time. Also, analyze your housing options. Talk to students who have stayed in apartments, dorms, or shared houses in the area. Their reviews may be valuable in evaluating prices and your desired level of privacy/social life. Once you're comfortable in your school, it's useful to develop rapport with your professors. Most of them have connections and experience beyond their everyday jobs and really care about your well-being, and you may be able to work for them as a TA (this is a great experience!). Also, tutoring is a great way to volunteer, since it helps you as much as the person you're teaching.

Always visit the campus before choosing an university. Have an idea of why you want to go there besides friends are going or it's a party school. It's best to choose a campus similar, but not exactly, like your hometown. This way it's a bit easier to adjust.

If you are unsure of what you want your major to be, choose a school that emphasizes its great advising. As if school weren't stressful enough, it is even worse when you find out you are taking classes you don't know or the ones you do need are full or not offered. If you are sure about your major, it is easy to find a school that specializes in your chosen field. Take into consideration your budget and the location of the school; once you do these things, you can't really choose wrong. Every college is going to have its ups and down. Also, once you are there, don't expect to just absord the knowledge. You really need to know the material and how to apply to be a step a head of your peers. Study first, go out later.

you should choose a school that you want due to all categories including: academics, diversity, social activities, athletic activities and many more. Dont choose the school that you want to go to just because its the same school that your friends from high school are going to. It should be completely up to you and maybe some of it should involve your parents but if you choose the right school you will know by the end of your first semester whether or not it is for you.

Be sure to look at plenty of schools before you choose one. Look at the atmosphere, go on a campus tour, look in some of the buildings, and talk to other students on campus to see what their opinions are of the school. Finally, pick one that think suits you and your parents the best! Always look at cost compared to benifit and I surely recommend looking at instate schools because there are many good schools and it is much cheaper to go to school instate vs. outstate. That way you don't rack up as much student debt that needs to be paid off in this deteriorating economy.

Make sure you can see yourself being a part of the campus you visit as a prospective student. Do not hold anything back; be yourself, have fun and be a strong student.

Live in the Dorm once, then live alone. Then live with people. Take a gym class. Go to a club that you've never heard of. Go to school hosted plays.