Bryn Mawr College Top Questions

even if there are drawbacks choose the school that fulfills the element that is most important to your happiness (i.e. if you will be miserable without a substantial social life, choose a school that has a better social life than academic reputation or if you will be unhappy without a degree from a school with a substantial academic reputation, choose a school that holds academics above social satisfaction, etc.)

I would absolutely advise parents to let their child engage actively in the search process. Pushing your student is going to do nothing except make them feel pressured to seriously consider schools that they may not want to attend, either to please their parent or to spite them. Allow the student to seriously consider those programs and future careers that are of interest to them; whether a parent approves or disapproves of a student's academic and life choices will not matter once that student is at an institution. There is always a chance that the student will become interested in something else, as so often occurs, or that their interests during the college search process ring true and they find themselves in a promising academic program or career in a discipline that they care about.

Find a school that is socially comfortable for you. You can be an English or Chemistry major anywhere. Grad school is when that becomes most important. For your undergraduate career find somewhere where you know you will make friends and has clubs that appeal to you. A large part of you education is not just in the class room when you're an undergrad.

The most important aspect of the college search is visiting the campus and getting a feel for the campus's environment; a school could look great on paper, but when you visit it, it just does not feel right for you. To make the most of the college experience always be open to new things, whether it's a class in a department that is totally different from your major or a club or activity that you have never tried before, or something else. You never know you just might find a new passion.

Choose the place that feels right to you. I must have taken classes regularly at 4 different colleges throughout my undergrad experience, I saw how each college brought out some parts of me and hid others. In the grand scheme of things, going to the "right" college is not that important, but it does affect how you will change. Although I would have been equally well-educated at any of the four college I attended (UPenn, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, Haverford) my personality and character would have been different. This is something to take into consideration. Are these students the kind of person I aspire to be? As for making the most of the college experience...just remember that it is YOUR experience, and you always, always have options. Very few things are set in stone. If you are unhappy with something, as long as you can figure out what you want, you will be able to find a way to get it. Be positive and open and brave, and never give up. And never forget to have fun. "It's only life, afterall. "

Research and VISIT your top 5 colleges! Planning is key- go when students will be there. Walk around campus after the tour to get a feel for the place. Ask yourself, "Is this the environment for me? Do I fit in with a lot of the people here? Does this feel right?" Many times it takes a while to sink in whether a place is right or not. Give yourself time and don't forget to give an interview! An interview can be the one thing that tips the balance in your favor.

make sure to have an overnight first to garner the true campus experience befor choosing a school it helps you gain a real feel of the social aspects of campus you cant excel as aperson unless your happy with who you are and your surroundings/friends

It's important to find a college where you just feel inherently comfortable. A great education is important, but there are many different schools at which one can learn and accomplish great things. But the part of college that will really make the difference is how you feel about your school, and how you feel about yourself while you're there. If you are constantly worried, upset by your peers, your social situation, or anything else, however small it may be, it will distract you from making the most of your academic and cultural education. so when looking at colleges, it's most important to feel comfortable and have the things that are important to you. The college experience itself is up to you. As the student you are no longer held by the tight standards and requirements you had in high school. Feel free to build your own schedule, take the classes that interest you, get as involved as you want with your activities, and take ownership of your time. College is a wonderful experience, and one that teaches lessons both inside and outside of the classroom, but you have to make it your own.

Visit the schools you are applying to! You will never know if a school is right for you if you just base your decisions on what you read in books. The moment you step onto a campus you will feel whether or not it is the right place for you--no article or rating can give you that sense of belonging that you may find at a school you never expected to like. So visit a lot of schools! You need to visit way more schools than you're interesting in applying to because you need to figure out what you like. You need to figure out how it feels to be on a campus you DON'T like as well as how it feels to be on one in which you fit perfectly. Taking the time to visit as many schools as possible is the most important part of the application process that I can think of, remember: no matter what Princeton Review or CollegeBoard or Campus Discovery tells you about a college, YOU are the one who has to be there for four years. YOU need to find the right fit.

find somewhere you'll be happy