Brandeis University Top Questions

Choosing the "right" college is really a matter of perspective. The "right" college isn't necessarily the one with the best ratings or the most attractive campus, but is a place where you can see yourself being happy and comfortable. It may sound cliche, but college IS what you make of it: with a positive attitude and some initiative, you will make friends, become involved, do well in classes, find the resources you need, have person growth...everything you are probably most concerned about. Once you narrow it down in terms of your general academic interests and opportunities for campus involvement, the rest is just a matter of faith in the fact that with a positive outlook you will be just fine wherever you end up...and if not, you can always transfer!

Don't be afraid to take time off after highschool or between semesters at your university! I took over a year off and transfered schools and it was the best decision I ever made because I had enough time to think about what I really wanted and considered schools that weren't even on my radar during my senior year of high school. Also, being in college does not mean you have to delay your career goals during those four years. With dedication and a little help from your university, you can do both simultaneously.

Believe in yourself, and that wherever you go, you have made the right choice. I now have friends in colleges all over the world, and the one common sentiment I hear again and again is that it all worked out for the best. Do your research. Visit each school you are considering. If the school offers an interview, take it. Ask questions. But most importantly, keep in mind that wherever you end up, you are in the right place. Every school will offer you opportunities that other schools cannot offer. Every school will give you a chance to prove yourself, and every school will have a group of students that you can relate to and befriend. Once I realized this, my college search became much easier. I learned to trust myself. When you visit schools, talk to students. Sit down in one of the dining centers or cafes. Most students will be very nice and honest if you catch them off-guard, and ask them about their experiences at the school. Look around when you are on a campus. Can you see yourself walking those steps to class? If you can, you have found your first schoice.

Go with whatever feels natural. Pay attention to everything on the campus, how the campus makes you feel, the type of students you see walking around, your overall comfort and security level, and how readily you can see yourself living and learning in that environment. While statistics are important, there are many schools that share similar characteristics and while there are differences in reputation or architecture, the most compelling reason for going to a school will be the feeling that you remember leaving with. The better that the school can convince you that the atmosphere, the students, the campus, everything combined on the day you visit, the more you will want to go to the school. After all, most prospective students get a very narrow glimpse of what college life is like, so the more time you can spend at the school, the more accustomed you will be to the genuine feel of being a student there. Ultimately, your best way of measuring a school is your initial, concurrent, and delayed reaction of being a part of its community and environment for a small amount of time.

During the college search process many people feel the pressure to find that one right school. They go and visit 37 schools, apply to 21, get into 12, and then have to to decide between 12 excellent educational institutions. Remember this one thing, you will be happy at whatever school you choose. The key is choosing a college for logical reasons and not giving into to peer, parental, or societal pressure to go to that school with the ivy covered buildings. To make the msot of college you must carefully combine long term strategic planning and optimism with an approach centered on short term impulsive opportunity taking. Once you start, you only have 3 years and 10 months left to try learning about anything you want and develop your chances to become something great. Don't waste your time because the clock is already ticking. That being said, college is a time of immense opportunities which may not always side with your academic goals. Just remember what Mark Twain once said, "Never let your schooling get in the way of your education." You have 4 years in which to learn how to learn, so love every minute of it.

Make sure there is a close relationship between the faculty members and students at the school.

I think the hardest part about finding a college is trying to figure out who you are as a student, and as an individual. I picked my school because from the moment I set foot on campus I felt comfortable and the more I learned about the school the more I realized that the values of the institution are parallel to my own values and beliefs. Now in my second year of attending the school I have found likeminded people as friends, professors and administrators. Having similar believes and values with so many people have fostered incredible connections that I hope to keep for life. So I advise you to take your time and figure out who you are, and what your needs are in an institution. Do you want something large, or something intimate? Somewhere is the city or the suburbs? These are important but there is so much more to ask yourself. How do I feel about having bottled water on campus vs. tap? Do I want a school with small classes? So instead of spending hours searching for the right college, search for yourself then the right college will find you.

Definitely visit the school and try interacting with the students there to see what they are like.

Go where you feel you will be academically successful...

Make sure that your decision is what you really want. You will never be happy unless it is really where you wish to be. :)

Listen to your gut. You will know which school is right for you. Always remember that if you do choose a school and feel uncomfortable with your decision after a time, you can transfer. The best thing to do is to write out a list of things that you DO want in a university and things that you know you DON'T want--use that as your guide. You will not make the wrong decision if you follow your truth. LISTEN to yourself though, it is important to let go of other people's expectations and pressures. Visit the schools that you are interested in and most importantly, keep an open mind.

visit and stay over at the school. talk to kids there and make sure you understand how much school work they get on average as well as what the social life is like. Investigate thoroughly it is a large, life-altering decision.

I have realized that I might have made a different choice of school if I had done overnights at my top choices. My advice: stay over for a night or two, which can be arranged through the admissions office! You will get a real feel for who the students are, what the social scene is like, and how the food is. No matter what, stick out school for a couple months, as I guarantee it gets better freshman year.

First decided close you want to be to home. Then go through at least three college books and make a list of 10 reaches, 10 middles, and 10 safeties. Then narrow it down to 3 of each (by going online, talking to current students, reading about the majors and minors you are interested in) and visit your 6 middles and reaches. Then apply to those 9. Its easier then it looks.

The first thing parents and students should remember is that there is no ONE right school. Different schools have different selling points. It's important to consider what matters most when looking for a college and ranking your priorities. It's not worth getting your heart set on one school, but if you do and don't get in, remember that college is new chapter in your life. There is no way to predict how it will shape you or what you will find. Of course, there's always the option to transfer if you're really unhappy, but be open to new experiences even if they seem daunting. Odds are you'll make friends if you put yourself out there and discover that you never want to leave! Take courses and join clubs that broaden your horizons; you'd be amazed at the hidden passions that will be unearthed. Explore and take time to really learn, not just ace tests and papers. Above all else, don't forget home, but don't be afraid of change either.

I think parents should take financial aid into consideration and how important the school is. They need to know what their priorities are. Today, undergrad is thought to be necessary and is a part of a system that promotes longer time in school. However, when attending a liberal arts school, and spending around 160,000, only to go to graduate schol to obtain a profession it seems somewhat unfair. I think they should consider whether a school is worth paying tha tmuch money if they are not receiving financial aid.

Not everyone walks onto a college campus and is hit with the feeling that "this is it," and even those who are so lucky do not always get in or face other obstacles along the way. For some, finances play the most important role, while for others it may be closeness to home, majors/minors available, or even the size of the dormrooms. Having found a school where I feel at home, the greatest advice I can give is to take a deep breath and think clearly. Don't rule out a school simply because you saw it on a rainy day, and don't force yourself to love one because your friends want to be "OMG only 30 min away next year!" Look at the flaws in addition to what you like about a college, because there will be both no matter where you go! If you are honest about what is important to you and do not pressure yourself into feeling a certain way (that goes for parents too!), then you will choose the place that is right for you. Once you get there, work hard, have fun, and, again, take a deep breath and think clearly!

Go visit before you accept it.

don't believe the BS tour guides and pamphlets feed you. Go to a class, meet with professors who teach topics that interest, read the school newspaper (and the joke newspaper/magazine where applicable). Be PROACTIVE. A good school will not find you, you have to find it.

I would recommend that people bear in mind that one does not shop for a college; a college shops for you. I would recommend not falling in love with one place, and being brutally realistic about both your abilities and those of your competitors. When choosing where to go between those that accept you, it would be most wise to find a balance between the most reputable school and the amount of financial aid they give you. The industries dirty secret is that undergraduate school does not give you a career boost: its graduate school. Thus it makes no sense to pay $50,000 for an education you could have gotten for $40,000 or lower. To be realistic about your priorities and chances takes a lot of pressure off, allowing you to go into a college with an open mind and to make the most of wherever you go. Students should realize that they will most likely fall in love with the school they go to despite any initial disappointment. Most importantly, bear in mind that these will only be "the best years of your life," if you're willing to make them so.