Bentley University Top Questions

Steps toward picking the "perfect college": 1. Make a list of the "ideal" school (everything that your perfect college would have, including dorm size, gender ratios, class sizes, course offerings, degrees, number of counselors, financial aid awards, which friends would be attending, absolutely everything). 2. Rank how important each criterion is to you (for example, if you're going to go to the same school as your best friend no matter what, this exercise is meaningless; if the school needs to have the degree you're interested in for you to select it, then it gets a higher ranking). 3. For each of the schools you're considering, write "yes" or "no" if the school has each criteria. Every school gets its own page. Write the name of the school on the BACK of the piece of paper. Your decision is not biased by any branding or preconceptions; your decision should be based on the facts, not on what the name of the school has led you to believe about it. 4. For each "yes", put the ranking number next to it. 5. Add up the numbers. 6. The school with the highest total should be the best fit.

I give tours at Bentley University, and the one thing I always say is to go to the University that you will feel at home at and think you will succeed. You are spending four years of your life there and you don't want to be unhappy.

It's important to put yourself out there during your first year of college. Do things you would never dreamed of doing - take risks and chances and make yourself uncomfortable. That is the only way that you will truly find yourself and find out what makes you happy. Don't hole yourself up in your dorm room. Even if its scary to go out and make new friends, do it, you won't regret it. When you look back at college you are not going to remember the classes you took or the grades you got. You are going to remember the friends you made and the moments you experienced.

find the best school that fits you. You will feel it.

Get involved and be social. Don't stay with boyfriends from high school because it won't work out and will just cause problems in the relationship when you want to go out with your new friends and enjoy college when you have someone at home holding you back.

I would say to make sure you visit the colleges before you apply. It is very important to get a feel both for the campus and for the surrounding area. its where you are going to live, so you really need to make the most of it and make sure that you really love it. You will be there for too long to just make light of the area.

The biggest piece of advice that I could give students about finding the right college is to follow your gut feeling. It may sound cliche, but when I stepped onto my campus for my visit, it just seemed right. I knew that I was in the right place. As a student, you should know what you want in a college or at least have a general idea. If not, to try make a list of the thing you want in your future school, from size, to location, etc. To make the most of your college experience I recommend getting involved as soon as possible. Try a new sport when you get on campus. Introduce yourself to everyone on your floor. Even if you are shy, make the effort to go out and meet some new people. Thats why you went to college in the first place.

The advice I would give parents and/or students about finding the right College is first and foremost is find a school that is the right fit for you. Alot of times students pick ther schools for the wrong reasons. They may want to go where their friends are going or just know a school by its reputation. The first thing that sould be considered is does the school offer your interests regarding what you may want to study. Is it the right size? Many students need a small to medium size school with less ditractions. Also, do they have the right support systems in place if needed. Lastly, I would take a look at sports and extra crricular activities, these are somewhat important but academics are most important. Also, a scheduled visit with another student who really knows the campus from a students perspective would be very helpful.

The best advice I could offer, is to embrace the whole college experience. It doesn't have to be quite as stressful as some people make it. It can be a life altering decision, but a college choice does not mean you are married to it forever. You can try it for a year, then transfer if not satisfied or happy with that choice. Once you are convinced it is the right choice, then get involved with activities. That is an automatic friend-maker which enriches the college experience and can alleviate some anxiety and perhaps being homesick. These are the best years ,and a lifetime of friendships and memories will be made. Just try to embrace it all.

Finding the right college is a time consuming and tedious task. You know you've found the right school for you, when you walk onto campus and you feel right at home. This can take many visits to different campuses, and countless hours of research, but it is definitely worth the time and energy when you've found, "the one". Don't force an attitude towards any particular school. You have to feel it out yourself; this means that even if your parents love the school, and you don't-- it's not the school for you. Be patient, and look for the attributes you want in your school, as it will be your home for four years. College is a learning experience about yourself, and is where you flourish as an individual. You want to look back at your experience in college and remember all of the amazing times you have had, and not have regrets. Your college can jumpstart your career, and you learn so much when you're there. Make the most of it, choose the one that best suits your needs, and the one you look forward going back to each fall semester.