What Is the BEST university to attend???

Question

ok..in my previous question i was nervous b/c i am getting ready for college..........but i am still looking for the best university...and suggestions???

Answer 1

There is no one "Best" university. Some are good at producing engineers, others doctors, others accountants. One might have the number one ranked program for a given major, but still turn out a bunch of mediocre graduates because the students themselves don't work or study all that hard.

You'd be better off to figure out what field you want to work in, then start looking for schools that have a good program for that major, then check to see which ones are close to home. Start getting information in your sophomore or junior year of high school about the school, the campus, the costs, the financial aid available, and anything else that interests you. Contact the school, and ask about tours of campus. Search for financial aid estimators and information websites. Take the ACT and SAT tests. I'm told that if you contact the ACT people, you can get copies of the old tests that you can use for practice. Find other practice material for these tests, too - check your local bookstore as a starting place. Don't forget that you can take the tests more than once if you don't like the score you get for the first time. Ask if the first one is free, or what the fee is if you take it multiple times.

Finally, don't forget the best resource you have for choosing a school, and that's your high school's guidance counselors. This is a big part of their job - to help you figure out what the next step is in your life. Good luck!!

Answer 2

I agree with kittenpie. She put it very well! There is no one best school overall as each individual is different. Over 50% of college freshman and sophomores are in community colleges to save money and to explore their options more. High school guidance counselors, as one other poster put it, are supposed to help with this decision. Unfortunately, the reality is they do not always have the time to do so with all the additional things they are asked to do thanks to NCLB. Some still do but more often they give you information and set you on your way to find out for yourself. A big key that everyone agrees on is indeed what your future goals are. Where the one poster seems to be relying on the often cited and pretty faulty opinions of US News and World Report (although it is pretty good and institutions use it as a measuring bar too), the truth really is not that simple. First, you have to look at the school, do you feel comfortable there, are you happy there, can you see yourself in this place for 4 to 6 years (the average is closer to 6 now)? Second, you need to decide if you need a large, research university such as Harvard, Michigan, Stanford, UCLA, etc. or if a small liberal arts school would serve you better (or perhaps a small regional university). The choices are daunting and private college advisers make a crap load of money doing the same work students can do themselves.
Follow your dreams but be realistic. Every good adviser will tell you to visit your top 5 to 10 choices and ask a ton of questions. Do not just go on the tour, walk around yourself. Talk to students. Request to sit in on a class (if the school refuses I would run away FAST!...or you can go to a class at the very beginning and just tell the professor you are considering the school and want to sit in. Just about every professor will let you do so!). If you know what you want to be when you graduate check out the faculty in that field. Request to meet with one of the faculty and/or a graduate student (if they have any). Ask them a ton of questions. Remember, college/university is an INVESTMENT do not go into it blindly. I received my undergraduate degrees from Northwest Missouri State University (Psychology) and the University of Nebraska at Kearney (Social Science Education). I am doing my graduate work in Education at the University of Kansas (at least the Masters...maybe the PhD too!) which is an upward moving, large, research university (ranked 24th by US News in Education).

keep in mind, just because Harvard is the BEST at a lot of programs does not mean it is the BEST for you! You may go to Harvard and get all C's and that would not be as good as you going to your local state university and getting all A's.

Good luck, email me if you wish to discuss it more...

Answer 3

The best college/university to attend is whatever is the best one for YOU! There is no one school that is best for everybody, and there are tons of different schools out there to choose from. So how can you figure out what schools would be good for you? You should consider:

- What do you want to study? Are there certain schools that are especially strong in that area?
- Is location important to you? Do you want to stay close to home? Move far away? Is it important that you qualify for in-state tuition?
- What size school are you looking for? A large university? A small liberal-arts school? Something in-between?
- How are your grades in high school? How are your SAT/ACT scores? Are you going to be applying to very selective schools?
- Consider attending a community/junior college for 2 years, and then transferring to a 4-year school. Costs can be much cheaper that way, and the quality of the education can be just as good.
- Talk to your teachers, your friends, your guidance counselor. Talk to friends/family who are in college or have recently graduated. They'll be able to tell you about different schools from a student's perspective.
- Do some on-campus visits! The best way to get a feel for a school is to spend some time there. Sit in on a few classes, hang out in the student union, eat in the dining hall, talk to current students. Do an overnight visit if you can. (Especially if you're visiting multiple schools, take notes and/or pictures to help you remember your impressions of the schools.)

Remember that here is no one "best" school. There are lots and lots of different schools to choose from, some of which are going to be a better fit for you than others. There are probably plenty of schools where you would be perfectly happy and get a great education. Don't feel like you have to find the "perfect" school! Also, keep in mind that whatever you choose isn't set in stone! If you make your choice and discover that you're miserable, you can always transfer. Good luck, and have fun!

Answer 4

That depends entirely on your major. What do you want to do? Law? Harvard. Engineering? M.I.T. Oceanography? the Scripps Institute. Mathematics? Cambridge, UK.

It makes a difference!

Answer 5

In Maharashtra, India, it's Pune and Bombay university

Answer 6

Depends on the country your in, the subject, etc etc