Case Western Reserve University Top Questions

Step off of the tours and wander the university yourself get a feel for the atmosphere. Maybe even come up to random students and ask them specific questions for what their experience on campus is like that way you get the unscripted scoop the tours can't provide you with.

If you are making your decision based on money, ask yourself this question: Is the experience I (or my child) can expect to have at this college worth the money? For me, money was the deciding factor in choosing my college, and that was a mistake. Seriously consider putting youself (or your child) in a controlled amount of debt in order to give yourself (or your child) the college experience which will suit best. If there is a college which seems significantly more attractive than the others, but you are questioning your decision based on finances, go there lest you regret it for the rest of your life.

College is the experience that is most likely to have the strongest impact on the rest of your life, so the choice of the right college should be approached with clear goals and an informed mind. One must realize that college is more than just education: It is also a time of great personal growth and self-realization. Besides a degree, you are likely to leave college with exposure to conflicts and opposing viewpoints, emotional changes, and unsavory temptations. You are also likely to leave with great new friendships, a job, or a spouse. The most important thing to do is to choose a college that agrees with your personality enough to maximize the benefits while still exposing you to a sampling of the negative aspects so as to come out of college not only more intelligent, but also better prepared to confront the challenges and struggles of the real world. As an admissions employee, I would encourage active participation by the whole family in the choice of schools and the support of the choice afterward, both emotionally and financially, to make the best of the experience. As with most things, you will get back only what you put in.

Adjusting to college is difficult, but choosing the university is key. Visit the college for an overnight stay to get a glimpse of life on campus. Students who host prospective students do not normally give the student the full experience of campus-life, simply because the hosts want to give the prospective students the best possible impression of the university. Every university has its downsides. There are dangerous things that you should never do on any campus, like walking outside alone late at night. Get involved with campus activities, usually colleges offer many clubs similar to those from your high school, and even some clubs you may never have heard of before like capoeira. College is definitely the time to learn about yourself. You will learn many new things and have some difficult experiences while you adjust to the college life. You will learn a lot outside of the classroom when handling awkward roommate situations, making new friends and finding your way around campus. Just remember that everyone in your class is in the same boat as you are, so go out there and meet as many people as possible!

I would suggest that you shop around and find a school that will let you persue more than one interest, because it's really unfair of the world to expect us to know what to do with our lives at 17. You need to find a campus that's the right fit for you. And make some time to find yourself- sometimes it's so easy to get so buried in your work that you forget about yourself.

Choose a place that is financially feasible and also educationally desirable. You can always make fun and create your own fun. College is about education.

If you want to go to college to party, don't go to an expensive private school. If you want to go to college to learn, it's worth the money. Look at curriculums for your chosen major, or potential ones if you're not sure. If you don't know which one you'll choose, make sure they are flexible enough to allow you to switch! More than anything else, really, get to know the area and community around your school, because chances are it has as much to offer as the college itself.

Go to the campus and stay overnight to get the feel

Parents and students should definitely try to find a place that would foster both academic and personal growth. If the student isn't learning from other people or experiencing new things, then academics is all that is left. That's unfortunate, because life isn't based on getting good grades. It's being able to adapt, grow, change, and learn. Also, it's important to have fun in college too. There definitely needs to be a balance between school and having a social life, but really living out your college years, however the student chooses and defines this to be, is very important. This is the time to be young and live! Also, take your time. Try not to feel pressured into making a decision right away. Also, parents, try not to influence your child's choice of major/career. I know that you love your child and that you want him/her to be successful, but that may mean he/she will choose a different path in life. I just wanted to let you know that, if they learn from it, and they are happy, then it's okay. Let them live, learn, and love.

Wherever you go, there wil probably be a good selection of majors. Don't get caught up in analyzing statistics. Make sure you visit the different colleges that you're thinking about, and ask yourself if you could see yourself spending the next four years of your life there. You should pick a college where you feel that you fit in, somewhere that has its own unique sense of culture, somewhere that has activities you could get involved in and fun things to do on the weekends. Picking a college is more than picking a school, it's picking a place to live. Choose wisely. If you want to make the most of your college experience, you should make sure to get out of your room once in a while. Join a club, go Greek, find leadership positions. You'll have much more fun than if you just concentrated on your academics, and these organizations will all be things that will look good on your resume to show that you have people skills as well as knowledge in your area of study.