Carroll College Top Questions

I would say to myself, "stop trying to prepare yourself for the endeavor in which you about to embark because you can not prepare that which you know nothing about, instead, brace yourself for what lies ahead." That sums up my transition to college. I did everything I could possibly think of to prepare for college but I didn't know what I was getting into. It would have saved me a lot of time and hair to simply "go with the flow" and know that other high school seniors are just like me and that somehow everything will work itself out and all will be well in my life.

No matter where you look to attend school after high school, make sure it's right for you. In right, I don't mean what your parents think, where your brothers and sisters have gone, or where your friends are going. Visit the school and find out what it feels like. Once you have met faculty and staff, students, and campus visitors; once you have attended campus events, friendly gatherings, and staff-prospective student meetings; once you have breathed the air on campus and felt an indescribable sensation; only then can you know where you should go to school. Once you go to that school, making the most of it only requires you to feel those feelings again. Do what you want to do, take breaks in the monotany, and experience life as you gain in-class experience as well as external influences. Breath that campus air in again and know that you are in the place you wanted to go, the place that brings you peace, and the place that allows you to gain the best college experience ever.

Look for a place you want to live. Most students dont realize when they are picking a school that they will be living there for 4 years, it will become your new home! So like the weather, the scenery stc

Know who you are before you choose a college. If you're from a big city, realize that it may be hard to convert to rural living. If you've lived in Calfornia, moving to Colorado where they experience negative temperatures may be impossible. Small schools have their positives, but you lose the diversity that you're supposed to experience in college. Take any opportunity you can to study abroad. I wish I had. Drink, party, make friends. Your grades are important, but at the end of the day, no one will know that you wore a gold cord around your neck at graduation, but you will always have your friends. Don't be self-righteous. There's always someone smarter than you. Give up your old life. This is new, and you have to make new memories.

The most important reasons to pick a college you and your child will be happy with are the specializations in possible majors, faith opportunities, and the size of the school. If you child has an idea of the major they want then it is important to look at extra education that the school offers in those fields, such as internship opportunities or research projects. College is also a time where the student learns a lot about his or herself in terms of being responsible for their own choices, but many people forget that a faith life can also be developed in college. Find a school that is open to the faiths you would like to explore and has a large support group for faith communities. Check and see if a college has a ministry office that offers information on different religious groups for college aged students. The other way to look for schools is to decide if you want to be just an ID number to the administration or if you want your professors to know your name. If you want to get lost in a crowd, then apply to a big school. Otherwise, small schools will learn your name.

To Students: Find a school that seems right to you, and don't be afraid to change majors or even schools. Most people only go to college once, so you should try new things, make sure you experience as much of the world as you can, make some new friends, and have fun. To Parents: Find the right balance of staying involved in your child's life. Don't smother them, and make sure they are independent so that they're ready for the real world after school. Also, don't detach entirely, make sure you keep in touch and send letters and packages as much as possible.

Pick a school that has educational, religious (if applicable), and personal values and beliefs as similar to your own as possible. Also pick a place where you can participate in activites that you enjoy. I recommend that if you are able to, visit the campus and talk with a few of the current students and faculty. On making the most of the college experience--your education is very important, but your well-being and happiness is equally important... study and work hard, but play harder. You will wreak the benefits of the college experience if you do these things.

Look for some place that is comfortable for you. Don't be afraid to pick a small college away from town even though it isn't where all of your high school friends went.

The best advice I would give to both parent and students would be to take their time researching colleges in order to figure out which one best fits the student. You really need to figure out what you like in terms of class size, extra curricular activities, city size, etc. Without spending an adequate amount of time becoming knowledgable about possible colleges you may choose the one that doesn't fit you the best. It is easier to put in time and effort of finding the best college now, instead of figuring it out during school and having to transfer later. It is also important to make sure that both the parents and the student are involved in the process. Both have opinions and knowledge that could help find the best possible choice for that student. While it may sound tedious and boring, once you find the right school, those college years will be some of the best years of your life and will introduce to you new ways of thinking and new experiences that you never thought possible.

Think by yourself (this is to the student) - find what feels right regardless of where your friends are going or what is popular. Do what you are passionate about. Stay away from romantic relationships for at least the first month or two.