As a college freshman, I am no expert on college. Is anyone really? But I did mange to pick the perfect college for me. I love my college! I fit here. I knew from the first time I stepped on campus that UNCG was the place for me.
I am sure if you are getting ready to head off to college everyone you know is asking you where are you going to college? They are probably asking you want you want study too, but that is a post for another day. If they aren't asking you where you are going or what you are going to study, they are certainly giving you advice on how to pick the right college for you. Many times I felt so overwhelmed by all of the advice coming at me and whether or not it was accurate. Like I said before I am not expert, but somehow I did manage to pick the right school for me, so if I can pass any advice to those still trying to figure it out I want to help as much as I can.
1) The first piece of advice I have is probably the most important. Choose your school for you. You may have pressures to follow in your parents foot steps to a certain school or all your friends are going to one school. You will be the happiest if you put what you want in a college first. You have the best chance of success if you feel like you belong at the school. If you don't pick the school you go to for yourself then you will probably feel lost and overwhelmed. Even if you think others will be disappointed if you don't the school they want, they are going to be proud of you no matter what and you will do the best if you choose for you.
2) Trusts your gut. This sounds so simple, but is so essential for picking the right college. I remember so many people telling me you just know what feels whats right. I thought all these people were crazy, but as it turns out they are right. You just feel it. You know when you know.
3) Tour as many schools as you can. This kind of goes with the advice above. Go to all of the schools you are thinking about going to and then some you aren't. You never know if you are going to like a school until you walk around the campus. You may hate a school you thought would be your first choice and love a school that wasn't even on your radar. Ask yourself do I see myself here? Will your personality match the vibe of the school? Try your best to get a feel of the school.
4) Do research into the schools you are looking at. Look for anything you might not know about the school, like whether you have to live in a certain dorm your first year or if there is a program that you may want to be apart of. Make sure you like the area around the school. Look at the average professor rating on ratemyprofessor.com. Try to know what you are getting yourself, won't know ever I promise, but try to prepare yourself.
5) Don't worry if your path to higher education doesn't match those around you or society's exceptions. This was a big thing for me because I did not follow the average path. It is easy to compare my path to others and feel like I am missing out, but I am not missing out my life is just different. Unlike most freshmen in college I do not live in a dorm. I go home once a week to have dinner with my mom. I own a dog and am never away from my apartment for more then five hours. This is okay. I am happy and I am still working towards my degree. The main thing to take away from all this is don't worry if things don't look like they do in the movies, as long you are happy.
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