Chapman University Top Questions

Eat your veggies and go to all our classes !

Do what you love, because that is what you truly do best. Free yourself to have new experiences. Learn, explore. Try new things out of your comfort zone; don?t always s be too busy for them. It?s hard and you might brush the idea aside, but try it, don?t let fear keep you from realizing your full potential. Change can be better than you concieve. You don?t have to always do everything by the book, life really is rendered in all colors, not just black and white, but in realizing this don?t water down your beliefs until you lose your identity. Sculpt yourself into the person you want to be, not what might make other?s happy; yet consider their critiques to make educated decisions. All of this sounds clich?, but these are all revelations I have made through real experiences. The lessons were hard and sometimes cruel, but I have become profoundly better because of them. So go somewhere new. No matter if your experiences are bad or good, at the end of the day, at the very least, you've discovered a new way to create a story.

As a high school senior, I would've liked to spend more time learning how to manage time. There is a lot of freetime in college and being an active part of the community is somthing I always wished I had more experience about. I would've liked to spend more time on learning to communicate with others and helping my college make a difference. I would have gained so much more if I had lived my senior year the way I wanted, and not trying to do what "college wanted". It is important to realize that everything on your college application should be something that is really meaningful to you because colleges will accept you if they think it is the right fit. Try not to make yourself the "perfect candidate", but instead try to be as normal as possible in filling out your college application because chances are, if the college doesn't accept you, you're probably looking at a college that is not the right fit.

Visit colleges before you decide to go there. Make sure you know what you are getting into, the numbers definately lie. the diveristy rate on paper is much higher here that it actually is on campus. The university is very expensive and they are planning to increase tuition every year, stongly consider spending so much money and getting in debt and making sure its worth it.

Think about how far you are away from home and resources. When you visit the school, look at what the other people look like. Do you look like them? Will you feel bad about yourself if you do not look like them? Think about how much money you will be able to spend and the amount of students recieving financial aid. If you attend a school where tuition is high and not a large percent of students recieve financial aid, then the school is going to be comprised of many well to do people and it might be hard to fit into that demographic if you are not in it already.

For students, Go with your gut instinct. If someone from College A makes it sound really seductive, but there is a certin inexplicable vibe you get walking around the campus of College B that you just can't shake, listen to it. You've been creating an idea of your personal comfort zone and honing your instincts for 18+ years, subconsciously some part of you knows how and in which environments your mind and soul may be best cultivated. Begin school with an open mind and don't resign yourself to any clique from the get-go; the more people you make yourself open to from the start, the more easily you'll find yourself in an ultimate circle of friends that you have no qualms about. At orientation it's perfectly fine to greet people left and right, nobody else knows anyone either and it will be a huge breath of fresh air to start their day/week/year off feeling as though they need not have any reservations. It also happens to be the easiest time of your life to go around greeting people with abandon. And parents, give your honest advice, but trust your child's instincts.

Do not be sure, be outgoing, do not be afraid to make friends remember that most everyone does not know anyone else. make the most of college and take advantage of all opportunities

First off, it's OK if you don't get into whatever your top choice is. I had my heart set on one school. I knew it was the right school for me and I couldn't see myself fitting in anywhere else. No I can say I'm really glad I didn't get in, because if I had I would have gone and I don't think I would have been happy there. As much as I didn't believe it when everyone said it to me it's true: Maybe it wasn't meant to be. That's not to say you can't make the wrong decision... don't go to a school just for the parties. Everyone I know that did that ended up unhappy and either dropped out of applied for transfer.

Student: look for a school that can be the bridge that leads you to your dreams; look for a place where you could feel comfortable being yourself, and where you can be motivated to become a better person; look for safe and comfortable living that will not interfere with your goal, but, instead, assist you. Be as involved as possible (as long as it does not interfere with the academic requirements of your major): it will help your career, and will enhance your college experience (loneliness is never a good feeling). Parent: look for a school that is within your financial reach; look for a safe place (where you can sleep at night, knowing that your child is there); be a good judge and make sure your child knows what he wants out of the school he/ she is interested in (but give him/ her the opportunity to decided what's best). Make sure you are comfortable with the distance you will have to travel to see your child.

When trying to find the right college, the academic rigor and course selection are important, but it is the involvement with extracurricular organizations at school in which students can make the most out of their college experiences. Keep meeting people, being a part of events and clubs, and college will be a blast regardless of how big or small your dorm room or campus is.