Bryant University Top Questions

Finding the right college means finding a place in which you are comfortable in and can really see yourself in for all four years. The right college for you means a place where you can be yourself but still learn and grow. College is all about your future and the responsibilities you will need to face. It is also a place to find life long friends, a place to join extra curriculars, and a place to finally become that grownup. Everyone needs to evaluate whether or not they could live away from home, their financial state, their aspirations, and their preferences. It is not easy, but so rewarding in the long run. College goes by very fast, so my advice would be to take advantage of time and resources, and just to enjoy oneself. Become a part of your community, study hard, have fun, and just live your life in your dream college. "Carpe Diem" every day!

Sometimes financial aid is the only right choice when selecting a college. College is a great experience and should be living it up to the fullest because in just a short time, you'll be having a career.

The first peice of advice I would give is to relax. College is a big step and is very frightening to think about. The one thing I would like to say to parents is to step back a bit. This is your child's decision, not yours. They should pick the school they feel most comfortable with and can see themselves going there. Let them decide which schools they want to visit and which they do not. Students: Visit as many colleges as you can. These visits can either make or break the deal for you. When you visit a school, ask many questions, but ask yourself one : Can I see myself living here? This was the most important question I seemed to face when I was deciding on colleges. If you can't see yourself walking to class or living in the schools dorms, you will never feel comfortable there. Lastly, think about yourselves. Don't try to make anyone happy when deciding on which college you wish to attend. Decide on the one you like most and you will be happy for the next four years.

save your money. go to a state school for two years and excel and then transfer up ! college is only what you make of it. I wouldnt worry about what everyone else is doing but rather concentrate on your future. Dont get too caught up in drugs and acohol becauase in the long run it will not get you to where you want to be. Focus my friend, the world is yours for the taking.

Don't discount a school based on what you've heard/what you think you want. I grew up thinking I'd go to UConn, that it was the perfect place for me and that I'd continue the family tradition. I went on a tour there and realized the size was going to be a problem. I realized I didn't want to be somewhere that stuck me in a lecture hall to teach myself. I went to Bryant's open house -even though I was pretty sure I didn't want to go there - and I fell in love. Never count someplace out that you haven't seen or experienced

I would highly recommend that students do research into what type of college they want to attend. Whether it be a liberal arts school or a school thats focused more on business or science. The second most important step to take would definatley be to visit the campuses of the schools you choose. You should also look into their resident life department to see if you could spend a day with a student to get a feel for the life on campus. For the parents to feel comfortable with their investment in college they also need to do research into the opportunities that a school can offer their child. The financial aid benefits and career assistance are two of the biggest factors they should focus on. Also, if they like, they should take a look at the housing on campus to see if it is worth the investment. Finally, both student and parent need to sit down and write a list of pros and cons for each school to make sure they can narrow down an appropriate list. If both parent and student can agree on most of these levels I've mentioned it will be easy to choose.

I would advise parents and prospective college students to carefully analyze the school's focus and objectives. I would look at the campus setting, the alumni network as well as the academic reputation. I would look at the prospective students goals and what they would like to accomplish both in school and after school. Parents and students also need to look at the students performance in high school in order to determine which schools they may be able to be accepted to. I would encourage students to be heavily involved in extra curricular activities during their college experience. I would also encourage students to take full advantage of the colleges resources and internship opportunities. Stay well connected to your college and make the experience a memorable one.

Make sure you can see yourself living in the dorms all year round. Don't make a desision based on where your boyfriend/girlfriend is going to school.

I would advise students to spend an overnight on a campus and to definitely take college tours. These kinds of actual interactions on the campus really lets you know if it is the right fit for you or not. Also, I would ask a lot of questons and definitely suggest, if on the brink, going to multiple orientations during the summer before entering college to see what each school is like (that is if the other school orientations are not for students who have already paid to go there; Bryant allows students to go to Orientation as long as they were accepted, I think).

College is about gaining an experience and the only way to do that is to test the waters. Do not settle on a school because of expectations or reputation. Explore the school, the students, and the faculty. See if this school makes you proud or if you are unsure.