Bucknell University Top Questions

The main piece of advice I would give parents and students about finding the right college would be to figure out what you want out of college before you ever compile a list of possible schools. Write down the main things you see when you picture your dream school such as region, weather, urban/rural, amount of students, atmosphere etc. Now that you have your list of qualities you are looking for in a school, do some research and find schools that meet all or most of your needs. Now you can begin to rank the schools on your list based on your academic qualifications and their requirements. This method will be the best way to make sure you are happy with the place you pick rather than being miserable because you chose a school for its big name and not because you belonged there. The single most important piece of advice about making the most out of college is to come to orientation with a clear head. Don't arrive thinking about who you want to be friends with or what fraternity you want to pledge. Come in to school completely open minded and just go with the flow.

Students: Do not take a back seat in the application process. You must take the initiative in this situation, do not let the opinions of others decide your course of action, it is far too important to leave up to others. Visit schools, talk to the current students, sit in on a class, stay overnight, gather as much information as possible before making any decisions. Once you are there, do not relegate yourself to a small group of friends, become involved, meet more people, talk to your professors and classmates. Do not push a major immediately, take a few classes and see what you're interested in at that point. Most importantly, college is much more than only grades, its a time to explore every facet of life as you grow as a person, do not become so wrapped up in one facet of college life that you miss out on the others. Parents: Allow your child to take the lead in this process. You have to remember it is their choice, not yours. Be supportive and helpful whenever possible, but don't try to force anything on them. It's not about you.

Go with your gut and have fun