Thread: Ask us about college/university

Wow, some very useful info on here. Thanks everyone!

@Ame -

When I was at freshman orientation, I met the dean of the college of arts and sciences and he directed me to the foreign language dept. and I was able to pick up a part-time position as an office assistant.

I never even considered having a job like that. Definitely something I will look into once I get there.

Which school(s) are you thinking of attending?

I'm still in the 11th grade so I don't start appyling until next year, but I have a [rather long] list of colleges I'm considering. I'll name the top 5 - Virginia tech, Uni of Virginia, College of William and Mary, James Madison Uni, and Virginia Commonwealth uni. All in Va since I don't really want to pay out-of-state tuition. I'm definitely planning to live on-campus, though.


Another question. Financial stuff, how many of you guys have a job? Is there an amount of money you'd recommend saving up before starting college?

Originally Posted by Xox

Another question. Financial stuff, how many of you guys have a job? Is there an amount of money you'd recommend saving up before starting college?

I had a part-time job working only about 10-15 hours per week, depending on my schedule. A lot of work-study or on-campus jobs are very flexible and can work around your schedule, but it just depends on where you apply.

As far as saving up for college, it just depends on how much you plan to spend. Do you plan on drinking a lot of coffee or partying or shopping or going out to dinner? Will you have a car where you have to pay for gas? It's really up to you. As long as you have the semester/trimester/year paid covered, the amount to save up should just be how much you intend to spend on yourself and/or your friends.

As far as books go, though, the school I went to mentioned on our bookstore's website which books were going to be needed for each class. They also gave their new and used prices and it's not a bad idea to compare them to amazon.com or the like. If you order online, make sure (if applicable) that you get the right version of the book if it's for science, math, history, psychology, etc. If you're taking a literature class, well, those books are usually pretty easy to come by and you can go ahead and order them online. Books are heavy, though, so the shipping is a bit more than usual. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes not. Also, when you finish your freshman year, depending on when you sign up for classes, you can see if there's anyone who's just taken a class you want to get into and ask if you can borrow or buy their book. It's especially nice if you're talking a $70-$150+ book.

Originally Posted by Xox

Another question. Financial stuff, how many of you guys have a job? Is there an amount of money you'd recommend saving up before starting college?

Books are bloody expensive. If you don't have rich folks then you'll need a job. I recommend working on campus for the simple reason that they'll cut you breaks for class, work around your schedule, and are required to make work optional during finals week.