Boston University Top Questions

Take advantage of the environment around you. I love living in a city and I picked the perfect balance between academia and urban culture (preprofessionalism). It suits me.

Go where it feels right, but also remember that monetary considerations are important.

Finding the right college is a journey. A prospective student and their family should take the time to visit schools and truly weigh different options. Attending college is the next big phase of a young person's life, so it is not a process that should be taken lightly. There are a lot of schools out there, so prospective students should research and determine the key components that they would like to see in their future college. Touring schools is important; it allows students to get a sense of the school's atmosphere, and tours also provide great insight on the overall mission of a school. The college experience can be exceptional, but students must always remember that their experience is a direct outcome of what they put into it. Though it may take time for a student to become adjusted to the college life, staying involved academically and extracirricularly will surely contribute to an extraordinary college experience.

First, I would visit each school you are applying to because you can get a sense of wether or not the school is right for you just by walking on campus. Second, I would make sure that the schools you are lookng at have a strong program in the major you want to persue. If you are undecided pick a big school, so you have many options to choose from. However, my real advice is that ultimately no matter where you go, every experience in your life is what you make of it. It really does not matter what school you pick if you are open and willing to make the best of your experience there. I chose a school pretty far away from my homeand I love it, but I realized that I love this school because I want ot love it. I could have gone anywhere and felt the same way. Make the best of whatever situation you are thrown into, have fun and be optomistic. Enjoy college while it lasts becaue you only get to do it once and it goes by rapicly, so take advantage of itamd your experience will be that much better.

The most important factor for finding the right college is to make sure that there is a balance of social activities and academic drive. It's extremely important to be happy with your colleagues, the extracurricular activities as well as your courses and your professors. Enviroment is also a big factor when it come to choosing the right school. The difference between city and rural school is paramount and it affects every facet of your social life which is important to a happy student. No parent should force a student to go to a specific school and conversely every student should try to understand the reasoning behind their parent's prefeerence of school.

Visit the college you are going to attend! Visiting more than once would be ideal if possible. Talk to students who are not tour guides to get a more realistic look at student life. Don't be afraid to look into colleges you have never heard of because they can offer great educations too. Consider colleges that offer majors in many different fields because you will probably end up changing your major at least once. Make the most of your college experience by going to class and participating! You will learn so much more through debate and conversation than just through sitting quietly in class. Don't be afraid to try new things, you'll discover interests you never knew you had.

Just find the right college based on financial circumstances, size, location, and other general factors.

Listen to friends and family who have gone through the college application process. Really bug them. I didn't do that because I was trying to be polite. But really, your future depends on what school you attend, so bug away. Ask about everything. Ask about the grading system the type of professors and everything. Some people will glaze over the bad aspects to promote a better image of their school. Know when to call their bluff. If they make a remark that is slightly negative, it is probably an issue you need to look at carefully.

I would suggest to students that when making the decision upon a college or university to attend, find one where you feel most comfort and at home. For me, Boston University filled my desire to be on an urban campus within a historical city. It's academic programs and prestigious alumni networks are impressive and will be helpful in the years to come. For parents of perspective students, allow your child to tour a variety of schools. This will give them the opportunity to discover what they do and do not want. Also, I would suggest an overnight stay. It allows the student to witness firsthand what the college or university is like.

First of all, do your research, campus size will play a BIG role!! Then, look at the curriculum, class sizes, faculty. But I think the academics will not differ greatly from college to college. The most important thing about going to College is your living experience outside the class. Why? Most of your time you will spend OUTSIDE the class, with friends in the city or town, in your dorm, library, gym and so on. You MUST visit the campus and get a feel for the actual experience. Please don't forget about the weather!! This will also play a big role. City/Suburban/Rural, all make a HUGE difference!