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lzfan715

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I'm about to be a junior in high school and am therefore beginning to look at colleges. My plan is to major in Modern American History and to also get a secondary education degree. I hope to get a doctorate so I can teach college and not high school. I already have a school in Connecticut in mind. Other then that I really have no idea as to what to look for in a school, and that's just what I think I want to do in life.

I know that there are some teachers on here, so do you enjoy teaching? What are your likes/dislikes?

During college or if you are in college what are some things you wished you would have found out about the school before attending? Are you close to home or far away and do you like that or dislike it?

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My daughter is also a junior, and is exploring this too. :)

Financial aid is high on our list; it costs a lot more to go out of state than in state, and private colleges are a lot more expensive. There are also more students competing for financial aid right now. My daughter's top 2 choices are in state, public schools; both are very competitive (one more so than the other).

It's a good idea to research the programs you are interested in at the schools you are interested in to see who has the better/more respected program. Their admissions offices will hopefully have some statistics you can use to consider.

It's also great if you can do an on campus visit; including a class visit and if possible, talking with some current students.

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Depending on your financial situation, it may be best to choose a community college. You can get your associates (basically your first 2 years of college) and transfer to a regular college and save a TON of money. After all expenses, my 2 years of community college will cost about $9,000. I'm looking to save about $10,000 compared to 2 years of regular college and at least start my junior year without being in debt from having to take out college loans.

I'm planning on being a teacher too. My plan is more or less to gain a degree in my field (geology/paleontology) and then do my masters in teaching, which I have been recommended to do by several teachers and educators I've talked too.

Not everyone's experience is the same in college, but perhaps mine can help you out.

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Virginia- First of all, best of luck to your daughter. Financial aid is a big thing for me too. While I see both of my parents frequently, my mom is actually the custodial parent and money will be tight during college. I have discovered that if you apply at two school and they both offer financial aid she said contact both schools and say what the other is offering. Some school is will give more money if they want a student bad enough.

Zosodude- Were I live community college is not an option. I have already looked into to it and none of them offer Modeern American History. Most of the community colleges around here are cosmetology/agriculture sorts of school. Are you planning to stay around your hometown after you transfer or are you planing to travel farther away?

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Zosodude- Were I live community college is not an option. I have already looked into to it and none of them offer Modeern American History. Most of the community colleges around here are cosmetology/agriculture sorts of school. Are you planning to stay around your hometown after you transfer or are you planing to travel farther away?

That's too bad. I guess I'm spoiled to have a top rated community college in MCC (Monroe Community College). I am living at home (since on-campus housing is almost 3x tuition!). New York offers some very good state schools, so chances are I'll be going a a state school that is somewhat far from where I live. If you are familiar with NY geography, I live near Rochester which is south and in center of the border with Lake Ontario. The closest college I'm looking at is approx. 2 1/2 hours from home. but chances are, I'll go to a school closer to the Adirondacks, which would be about 5-6 hours away by car or train.

I think it's important to be near home for some level of comfort, but you need to be independent and not have to worry about your parents driving up for a surprise visit. For me, the comfort level is staying inside NY's borders, but I'll be sure to give myself some distance from my parents as well.

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Were I live community college is not an option. I have already looked into to it and none of them offer Modeern American History

That should have no bearing on your decision at this point. Your first two years are spent fulfilling general ed. classes. If anyone decides to attend a Community College, the most important thing to do is have a four year College in mind in advance. This will guarantee that any classes you take will transfer with full credit. Most 4 year colleges will not transfer a letter grade from a community college. As long as you acheive a "C" or better, only the credit will transfer.

In short, always let the counselor/advisor from your 4 year college of choice guide your class-taking decisions. If you do that, going to a community college can be just as rewarding and much cheaper than a university, without having any bearing on the end result.

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That's too bad. I guess I'm spoiled to have a top rated community college in MCC (Monroe Community College). I am living at home (since on-campus housing is almost 3x tuition!). New York offers some very good state schools, so chances are I'll be going a a state school that is somewhat far from where I live. If you are familiar with NY geography, I live near Rochester which is south and in center of the border with Lake Ontario. The closest college I'm looking at is approx. 2 1/2 hours from home. but chances are, I'll go to a school closer to the Adirondacks, which would be about 5-6 hours away by car or train.

I think it's important to be near home for some level of comfort, but you need to be independent and not have to worry about your parents driving up for a surprise visit. For me, the comfort level is staying inside NY's borders, but I'll be sure to give myself some distance from my parents as well.

The school I'm closest to is University of Illinois but I really don't wnat to go in state and they offere American History, but not Modern American History. I'm looking at a school that is approx. 14 hours away from home. I have always been very independent, and I do have family about 20 minutes away from the school. I'm just worried about how much I'm going to miss my parents and if I will be too out of my comfort zone.

Most 4 year colleges will not transfer a letter grade from a community college. As long as you acheive a "C" or better, only the credit will transfer.

I didn't know that, thanks for telling me.

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Virginia also offers the guaranteed admission program. Students who transfer from a VCCS community college and meet certain eligibility requirements are guaranteed admission to certain universities/colleges. (You can google "Virginia VCCS guaranteed admission"; it looks like each participating University has a separate agreement; but the bigger schools, UVa, Virginia Tech, JMU, VCU, William and Mary ... are participating).

Very best wishes to you!! :)

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Hi lzfan715 :)

As a mother of two college students, I feel that I am somewhat of an expert on this subject.

It is from a parent's perspective, and I know you are wanting to hear from current college students, too. So I asked my oldest son, who will be a college senior in the fall, your questions.

Here are our tips to you:

1. Do well on your ACT and SAT's. No matter what the college reps tell you about it, it is their number one criteria for awarding scholarships (money which you do not have to pay back). You can take the tests more than once, and some colleges will take your best section scores as opposed to your best session scores to give you the best overall scores. Also, the colleges use these scores to put you into their honors programs, which have alot of advantages (especially at Ohio State where my boys are in the honors program there). Take a prep class. It will help you know what to expect so you won't be so nervous when you take the actual tests.

2. Visit alot of schools so you can get the feel of each campus. Talk to alot of students there. Ask them what they like about their school. Ask them why they chose to go there. Then narrow it down to a few schools, and stay overnight in their dorms. Most schools have a program to allow perspective students to stay in a dorm with a host student. Go to class with your host. Meet the professors who are teaching classes in your major. Go with your gut feeling about the school.

3. Make sure that the school offers the major that you are interested in. This goes without saying and it sounds like you have already scouted this out. But I know a few students who went to a college and didn't even know that the school didn't offer their major. Also, find out the reputation of the school in respect to your major.

4. Don't count on schools upping their financial aid package just to get you to go there. They get offended if you try to play one school off another by telling them that the other school offered better financial aid. The number of applicants to colleges has risen dramatically in the past few years and the colleges can pick and choose who they want. Sometimes they will take a student who doesn't need financial aid over one who does. Times are tough economically at all colleges, particularly at state schools. But private schools have seen their endowments shrink due to the poor stock market in the past year and they don't have as much money to spend on financial aid, either. So I would say that trying to bargain with them just to get you to go there is an unwise move.

5. Most elite, selective colleges are tough to get into. They have a preference for legacy students, one's whos parents went to the school. Once they accept the legacies, they then look for someone who is unique and who will add diversity to their student body, so that they can pad their statistics. You need to be more than just a straight A student who is the captain of the football team who went to New Orleans to build houses for Hurricane Katrina victims who got a 33/36 on the ACT test. This is not good enough. Make yourself special if you want to go to one of these schools.

6. Enjoy your senior year in high school, but don't slack off with your school work.

7. Check out the school's offerings of extracurricular activities. You actually spend a small amount of your time in class. The extracurriculars are what make college enjoyable. Make sure the school offers what you are interested in. (Ohio State, the largest university in the US, has anything and everything that you could want to do, as well as great sports teams, lol). College is more than just going to class and studying.

I hope that this helps you. And if we come up with anything else, I will post later.

Good luck! Now is a good time to get started visiting schools. We visited alot, beginning in the summer before my oldest son's junior year in high school. (The only one that we visited that they didn't apply to was The University of Michigan! :lol: )

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Buck Eye that you so much for the information. It will definatly help in the next two years.

I didn't know that colleges would do that with a host student and I think it's a good way to get to know the school. My mom is planing on taking me to the school I want to go to but with the way everyone is talking I think I'm going to visit other schools just to make sure.

I have been to University of Illinois before and talked to students there. It is a very nice school, but it just isn't the right fit for me for reasons other than how close to home it is. I'm going to talk to my mom and see if she would be willing to take a week or so and travel around touring schools. I really want to make the right desicion.

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Buck Eye that you so much for the information. It will definatly help in the next two years.

I didn't know that colleges would do that with a host student and I think it's a good way to get to know the school. My mom is planing on taking me to the school I want to go to but with the way everyone is talking I think I'm going to visit other schools just to make sure.

I have been to University of Illinois before and talked to students there. It is a very nice school, but it just isn't the right fit for me for reasons other than how close to home it is. I'm going to talk to my mom and see if she would be willing to take a week or so and travel around touring schools. I really want to make the right desicion.

You wll know when you find the right school. Like I said, trust your heart. If it doesn't "feel" right to you, you will know. And when you find the right one, you will know.

My boys had been to Ohio State many times while growing up, for football, basketball, hockey games, as well as reunions that my husband and I had there. We always assumed that they would go to Ohio State since we went there. But they did look at alot of schools, just to make sure. The oldest one applied to five schools and the younger one applied to eight schools. But they both choose Ohio State and they say they have no regrets as they really love it and can't imagine going anywhere else. It could have saved us alot of time and money visiting and applying to all those schools, but they had to be sure that Ohio State was the one for them.

Another point that I have observed. The scholarships that private colleges offer to good students seem to be an amount that make them the same cost as going to a public school. So it makes them affordable for most people. So don't shy away from a school that you like just because of the cost. They do try to make it affordable for you to attend.

And we live relatively close to Ohio State. But my sons still lived in the dorms and will live in apartments next year. This allows them to have the full college experience. So even if you go to a school that is near by, you can still live in the dorm. My sons didn't come home too often. This past spring quarter they only came home one weekend. But we still visited them and took them out to dinner, or brought them things that they forgot at home, etc... They liked not being too far away from home. So you might want to give that a consideration.

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I have really considered attending school close to home but I don't think it's right for me. I know this sounds dramatic, but I have collected a lot of painful memories here and I really want to go somewhere that I can start fresh.

Over the course of an hour I ahve collected contact information for six schools that offer the major I want and many minor programs that nterest me. I haven't decided on a minor just yet, there is so much stuff I'd love to learn about. I have also sifted through many schools that didn't offer what I want and it was easy to rule many of them out.

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I have really considered attending school close to home but I don't think it's right for me. I know this sounds dramatic, but I have collected a lot of painful memories here and I really want to go somewhere that I can start fresh.

Over the course of an hour I ahve collected contact information for six schools that offer the major I want and many minor programs that nterest me. I haven't decided on a minor just yet, there is so much stuff I'd love to learn about. I have also sifted through many schools that didn't offer what I want and it was easy to rule many of them out.

You have made a great start. :)

You can schedule your visits to the schools on their web sites. That's how we scheduled all of ours. Very convenient. On your visit they will have a student show you around campus and talk to you, along with the admissions counselors who will give you a presentation. There are usually other high school students there at the same time whom you can get information from about the schools that they have visited, too. A very worthwhile thing to do.

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Your about to be in junior high school and are already looking at career paths and colleges...what? I mean god bless you!, but i think you are already on the right path and thats good that you ask for advice. cheers, cause so many struggle in the whole search for success, i know i certainly have.

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Thanks for the positive thoughts, middlezep.

Yep, I don't like the idea of my future just happening. I want to have certain aspects plan. I have always loved history, hence my planned career path.

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Thanks for the positive thoughts, middlezep.

Yep, I don't like the idea of my future just happening. I want to have certain aspects plan. I have always loved history, hence my planned career path.

Thats awesome -lz715. i know what you mean, nobody wants their future unplanned....but as they say about plans, sometimes they take turns. just be prepared for all the unknowns, which you won't be prepared for, but you seem like a strong young woman who can deal with that. keep your honest mind and strong heart.

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I have really considered attending school close to home but I don't think it's right for me. I know this sounds dramatic, but I have collected a lot of painful memories here and I really want to go somewhere that I can start fresh.

Over the course of an hour I ahve collected contact information for six schools that offer the major I want and many minor programs that nterest me. I haven't decided on a minor just yet, there is so much stuff I'd love to learn about. I have also sifted through many schools that didn't offer what I want and it was easy to rule many of them out.

I would take a hard look at the social environment in the various options available to you. Chances are that you will miss your family and get homesick, so having college mates who are supportive makes a huge difference. It is those individuals who have your best interests at heart that matter most in life. You are more likely to excel at college when you are in a positive social environment.

One idea would be to see if your favorite choice has ample opportunities for parents to visit their children while they are taking their courses.

Look for colleges that have support services for people like you and have staff available to coach you through the rough spots. Take a hard look at the other students and ask yourself if they look happy. Take another look and see what you have in common with them. Common bonds are important at college.

Look for a student body that has strong character and ethics, no history of hazing and that behaves consistently in an above board manner. Be honest with yourself when you encounter those who are less than that.

Most of all, pay attention to those who best empower you to reach your goals in life, career and personal, who enhance your ability to become your best self.

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You wll know when you find the right school. Like I said, trust your heart. If it doesn't "feel" right to you, you will know. And when you find the right one, you will know.

My boys had been to Ohio State many times while growing up, for football, basketball, hockey games, as well as reunions that my husband and I had there. We always assumed that they would go to Ohio State since we went there. But they did look at alot of schools, just to make sure. The oldest one applied to five schools and the younger one applied to eight schools. But they both choose Ohio State and they say they have no regrets as they really love it and can't imagine going anywhere else. It could have saved us alot of time and money visiting and applying to all those schools, but they had to be sure that Ohio State was the one for them.

Another point that I have observed. The scholarships that private colleges offer to good students seem to be an amount that make them the same cost as going to a public school. So it makes them affordable for most people. So don't shy away from a school that you like just because of the cost. They do try to make it affordable for you to attend.

And we live relatively close to Ohio State. But my sons still lived in the dorms and will live in apartments next year. This allows them to have the full college experience. So even if you go to a school that is near by, you can still live in the dorm. My sons didn't come home too often. This past spring quarter they only came home one weekend. But we still visited them and took them out to dinner, or brought them things that they forgot at home, etc... They liked not being too far away from home. So you might want to give that a consideration.

This is all so true and excellent advice :) Look beyond FAFSA too; research the privately funded scholarships too that are unique to your university; they are not necessarily administered by the Financial Aid office.

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I'm in a progam called Upward Bound adn they will help me take care of the financial side. They can help me find all sorts of financial help, and they also help with the FASFA. I called a bunch of schools today, but I didn't realize it was Saturday so I have to try again on Monday.

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During college or if you are in college what are some things you wished you would have found out about the school before attending?

I attend university in a completely difference country, so there's probably not much advice I could share. But one thing is probably the same everywhere. Don't get too enthusiastic about the major subject or the reputation of your future teachers until you'll get more information concerning things like the effectivity of individual university organs or the level of bureaucracy. Sometimes, these details can spoil the whole thing.

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