Boston University Top Questions

If you visit schools, talk to students that aren't tour guides ? they're always willing to answer questions and you'll get a less biased view. Ask them the questions you're concerned about: size, size of classes, attitudes in student body, etc. You'll get an honest answer. With BU, a lot of people are concerned about the size. The honest answer is if you don't want to actively look for a way to fit in, it can be hard to find. But once you find it, your options are endless ? you'll see that within a group, everyone knows everyone and suddenly a school of almost 20,000 feels tiny. Don't apply to schools just because you like the cachet; there are a lot of great schools that are underrated because they don't have the history or the endowment, and they often feel they have something to prove.

The journey begins with touring different types of schools. It seems so obvious, but make sure that you don't pigeon hole yourself by repeatedly touring the same type of school. Categorize the schools that you are interested in. Three overwhelming factors that determine how a school feels are size, location and student body. You can get a feel for a school's academics by looking in a college guide book. Determine how large a school you are interested in attending, what type of environment you feel comfortable in and what type of people you want to be around. Once you figure out where you want to be, you want to make sure that you are getting the most out of what is offered. Take care of your work first. You will quickly realize that it's a lot easier to be happy at school if you take pride in your academic performance. You paid good money to learn. You will meet so many people. Resist the temptation of vieing for other's affection. Remain a strong, independent individual and people will want to befriend you. Discovering your true identity is one of the greatest aspects of going to school.

Make sure you the school is similar to the environment you grew up in. Large schools can cause depression if you grew up in a small town in the suburbs

Students should visit a variety of campuses. Try to visit city bound campus and country campus. Though it may be one of the last thoughts when looking for a school for most students, I feel the weather should be a major determining factor. If you are not a winter person you should avoid the north. If you love to ski, the north may be just the place for you. If you need to always have something going on, or at least the opportunity to do something, a city campus is for you.

Pick a university that has a diversity of majors. There is a good chance you will change your mind once you take a class or two.

Choosing the right college is all about knowing who you are as a person. Especially at Boston University, you can be whoever you want. There are so many programs available, and there is no pressure to be anybody that you aren't. Nobody will ever make fun of you for the choices you make, because there is such a diverse student body and diverse personal tastes. No matter what, the best thing that anyone can do in college is to find friends that are like them. Once you are able to find people who enjoy the same activities as you and have similar values and goals to yours, you will be comfortable and will enjoy just being who you are.

The college search can be full of emotions, disagreements, and excitement. It's easy for a family or student to become overwhelmed, but keep in mind that happiness lies at many colleges. Although, some colleges you visit or look up will just "click" with you. By visiting campuses, you can feel the atmosphere and surroundings of the school, and once in a while the feeling you get when you're walking down the sidewalk or quad of that campus feels right--like you belong. Apply to the schools that feel right even if the collge might be an admittance reach. What can you lose? Then narrow down your choices to the colleges that you can afford, see yourself at, and gain the utmost knowledge in. Take advantage of your chosen school by viewing their webpage and lists of activities. Plan ahead of time what you want to be involved in so that when you arrive at school on move-in day, you have some type of extracurricular activity to look forward to. Outside of class whether it be at club meetings, school functions, sports events, concerts, or at lunch is the best place to meet your future friends. Get involved!

I would advise to really consider the money. I found that I placed more value on the experience and opportunities, but the money problems have caught up to me. Budgeting is an issue that applicants should not ignore. I would also advise to consider the job placement opportunities and internship oppurtunities available. My experiences in the city put my resume far above those of my peers in rural colleges. However, cities are only for those who love them; some people on my campus are not really city people and usually end up transferring after having invested quite a bit of time and money.

Students: start narrowing down at least a general field of interest as early as possible. Health care? Business? Communications? This way, you don't waste time switching from major to major. Also, try to get as much EXPERIENCE as possible in that interest. Moreso than being a member of your high school's "Italian club", colleges would rather see you volunteer at a hospital if you are, for example, interested in health care. When choosing colleges, LOCATION should be first priority and THEN academic quality. If you're at Yale but HATE suburban Connecticut, then you're going to be miserable. Likewise, if you went to Columbia just for its acadmic standings but hate city life, then you should have picked a "worse" school someone you would have actually enjoyed.

Visit the places you apply, walk around, and see what feels right. You should decide based on where you can see yourself spending four years learning and growing as a person. Once you're in, get involved on campus. Any activity will do as long as you're excited about it. Have fun!

Research and make sure you are going to major in something you are interested in.

When choosin a college it is important to realize that this will be your home away from home for about four years. Once on campus it's important to get involved as much as possible. You will have so much more fun if you explore new things and find great friends in the process. Also, it is very important to get good grades as soon as possible. College will more than likely be tougher than your high school, so you should keep up with your work ethic and remained focus. Time management is key. You can do all you want to do and more, if you plan and manage correctly. Don't forget to maintain relationships with your friends and family back home. You'll need them when times get tough, and who doesn't love a nice care package once in a while? Above all, have fun and remain true to yourself.

When considering the right college an important aspect is the opportunity to switch majors since hardly anyone really knows what they want to do until they test out the waters. A large and diverse university like BU with great specialty programs in many fields such as business, physical therapy and athletic training offers a chance for a student to switch if they need, and go into another great program of their liking with ease. The environment around the university is hugely important and Boston offers endless activities. The opportunity for jobs and internships is one of the most important aspects of a college connection and BU has amazing connections to companies and facilities throughout Boston in all fields of study. Getting experiential learning is key to deciding what one wants to pursue as a career, and it will set one up very well for the future as they graduate and move on into the real world with real connections to streamline their life into the working life, or fulfill their dreams of higher education as they easily get into a top graduate school coming out of an amazing undergraduate program.

Make sure that you thoroughly research and visit the school. It is a good idea to talk to alumni and/or current students in order to get feedback about the school. I also recommend taking quizzes that match you with universities such as the "counselor-o-matic" available on www.princetonreview.com, which can be a helpful resource to people unsure about which school to apply to.

An student warns freshmen about the undeclared major.

A sophomore tells us what he wishes he knew about the engineering program.

A student describes the things he wish he knew before going to BU.

I would advise parents and students to realize that BU is a unique school in it's size, and to know that there is a different type of atmosphere at a city school than a school any where else.

Make sure you like all the aspects of the school, and visit the campus before you decide to go there.

Make sure you can afford it! In this economy, getting student loans will be even more difficult than before. Plan your finances so post-graduation, you will be less stressed out than your peers when the time comes to pay your loans back. You will feel that your education was alot more worth it without thousands of dollars in debt weighing you down. Don't let others decide which college would fit you best. I was always told that I would only do well in a small school since I had a quiet nature about me. Instead I went to a huge school in the city and it made me a more confident person. College is the time to branch out, to develp who you are as a person. Remember high school? Everyone grew up in the same place with similar experiences. You were labelled as "that type of person" in high school. Don't try to choose a college that is an extension of high school. Be open minded; there are so many different types of people to meet, activities to participate in...really these four years only come around once. Enjoy every second. And of course study!