Bowdoin College Top Questions

If I could go back to talk to my high school senior self I would tell myself to take a year off before going off to college. College is so much harder than high school, and with the grades I had back then, unlike now, I could have been accepted to most programs that I applied to. I would have advised my high school self that through the gap year you would learn more about yourself and others than ever. I could have figuered out that I wanted to become a physical therapist and thus looked for a school that had a program to go directly to getting my doctorate in PT which I did not know existed. I aso didn't have any role models to guide me through the college process, and by traveling I could have met people that would have given me real tips, not superficial ones, in what to except of college. I love the school I am in at the moment, but I wish I could have expanded my experiences before deciding.

Don't be afraid and don't worry so much. Everything always works out in the end, even papers when they seem like they won't get finished at two o'clock in the morning the night before they're due (although that has only happened once!). I would tell myself to be courageous and to be a "yes-man," or rather "yes-woman" in my case. So many of the opportunities that present themselves to you in college will only present themselves once, and you'll never again be in a place that is as mentally scintillating and where the people are as actively enthusiatic about everything in the world as college is, or a place where there are as many "free" opportunites as there are at college. Don't let opportunites slip away from you. Go to the guest lectures; go to the poetry jams; go to the concerts; go and have coffee with a professor; go to your fellow peers' preformances, and whatever you do, make SURE you go to every acapella concert that you can. As far as you know for certain, you only have one chance to live, make sure you truly live it.

I would tell myself as a high school senior that college is the place where you grow up. It is four wonderful years of being pushed further than you ever thought was possible. High school was pretty easy for me. I did well academically and had really great friends and supportive parents. When I got accepted to Bowdoin I knew it was going to be challenging, but I had no idea what that meant. Between the time you graduate from high school and the time you graduate from college you become an adult. People expect more from you, and you better give it to them or you’re going to fall behind. The way you deal with people changes: roommates and friends, professors, parents, employers. The things that are asked of you are completely different than the things you dealt with in high school. In a way I’m glad I didn’t know that in high school because I’m not sure I would have been so excited about college if I had. But that was a really important lesson to learn and I’m glad I was able to leave college feeling like I had grown up.

Sure, choosing a college is important, and preparing for college by taking rigorous courses in high school is important. But don't let the college selection process freak you out too much. Chances are, you will end up picking the college that fits you best, but don't be second guessing your decisions each step of the way. The real truth is that is matters less where you are going to college than what you are doing there. As long as you are committed to learning and creating opportunities that further your development as a student and as a human being, you are on the right track. Wherever you are, you are in control of how you handle whatever comes your way. Keep a positve mindset and focus on maintaining balance of academic, work, social, and financial aspects of attending college. Take advantages of new opportunities and enrich your life with new experiences.

As much as I wanted it to be there, there was no soundtrack playing in the background of my days and I did not have an omniscient voice intermittently narrating my actions and thoughts. I lived in the real world, not a movie, which is something I seemed to forget a lot of the time in high school. Throughout most of my high school career, I mistakenly thought there was a real meaning and look to the word ?normal?. Now, I do not want to turn this into a sentimental rant missing only the quiet violin in the background. What I do want to do, though, is urge my high school self to realize that only I have to power to make myself feel good about who I am. Be proud of the A?s, flaunt that curly, frizzy mess called hair (I mean, models tease their hair, right?), and sing those show tunes loud and clear. The key to success is not only knowing yourself, but also accepting yourself. I love pop music but, the advice I would give myself would be to make high school ten times less dramatic as those songs make life out to be.

There is no one right way to adjust to college. Part of college is discovering who you are, and growing as a person. I would not claim that college made me a different person, but it did make me more of myself. The only advice I could offer is to approach college with an open mind. While sometimes having solid plans to follow can add a sense of security, the new opportunities available in college require a willingness to try new things and a push to go beyond what was offered in high school. Try classes that you have never heard of before. Maybe that theory of knowledge class or the study of biodiversity will spark your interest, and turn out to be your undiscovered passion. Experimentation is a way of finding what is right for you and what is not. There is no need to stress about the transition to college. Have fun, remember to study, and do not limit yourself. College exists to help you find your potential, and right now, there is no limit.

Do not go to college to find yourself, go to college to become a better version of yourself. There are so many influences in a new environment that it's tempting to want to become someone you're not. Do not change to suit anyone but yourself. Don't change for a boy, or your roommate, or the crowd because at the end of the day you are the person who has to live with yourself. Shine unabashedly and don't appologize if your values deviate from those around you. All the right people will be drawn to you for who you truly are and not for a facade. With that said step out of your box and comfort zone. Take risks, try new things, you will not be punished in fact you just might find a new passion. Do not forget who you are, admissions wanted you for a reason- there is a role on campus that only you can fill so just BE YOURSELF and amazing adventures will fall into place.

Listen to your instincts and your heart. Other people can give you advice, but you need to choose what's best for you and what fits you. It may not be the college your parents went to or the one you've thought you wanted to go to your whole life, but when it's the right one, you'll know. Get out there and really explore schools. Actually stepping foot on a campus is one of most important things you can do. A school that didn't look great on paper can turn out to be your first choice simply based on this indescribable feeling that you'll get when you go there. Be open to everything and most important of all, don't stress. As much as it may not seem like it at times, everything WILL work out. You'll get in somewhere and even if it isn't the right place, you'll be in college having the time of your life. Good luck!

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To find the right college, students must put their own aspirations for the future above all else. Students must disregard pressure from parents and others to go to certain schools and pick where they feel most comfortable. When deciding on a school, I thought it was very helpful to actually visit the school and stay overnight with a student. When you stay there on your own you get a feel for what it is like to be a student there and can see if it is a place you can see yourself living for four years. I think getting involved is the best way to make the most of the college experience. This year I tried new clubs and sports that I never imagined I would try. I left my comfort zone, took risks, and tried new activities that I was nervous to try, such as diving. It is also important to utilize the resources on campus, such as professor's office hours and study groups. To make the most of the college experience, students need to learn how to balance academics and extracurriculars and just have fun meeting new people and forming new friendships.