Christian Brothers University Top Questions

I have found that the most important thing to me about college as I was applying and now that I am in are different. During my application process, I looked at location, friends attending, and specific degrees offered--at the time, mechanical engineering. Now, I have found that the most important things are class sizes, professor availability, and variety of degrees offered--because I changed my major shortly after starting college. When looking for a school, be sure to pick an all-around winner, not just one that fits one or two of your wants. start making friends and getting involved early!! Get engaged with sports, fraternities, clubs--anything to associate you with people around campus. As the years progress, you will realize how important friends are at school. College can be a difficult time. Many young adults face bouts of depression, loneliness, and feelings of low self-worth in college. Who better to have with you during your difficult hours than your close college buddies? And, the more people you know, the easier it is to get study help on any subjuct.

As far as finding the right college is concerned, it's simply about knowing yourself. You have to ask yourself if you're looking for a large, active campus, or a small personal one, a strong science school, or a well known liberal arts school. Knowing what you want out of college is a huge part of making the right choice, and tours are ALWAYS worthwhile. Once you've made your decision, making the most of your experience is often dependent on how involved you allow yourself to become and how willing you are to step outside your comfort zone and try new things. College is what you make of it, it can be a series of long, lonely nights in an engineering lab, or a fast-paced thrill ride that keeps you in suspense until the end, and finding a healthy balance is essential.

I would advise future college students and their parents to find a school that you feel you will do best at. I would also advise them to live on campus to get the full college experience.

Students are bombarded with mass mailing from colleges across the country for months - sometimes years. While glossy photography and statistics are nice, don't let the college or university with the best marketing team to win you over. College is about finding and establishing your place in this world through education and community, and it is doubtful that any postcard or pamphlet can portray such things with any depth. Instead of basing your choice on photography that was undoubtedly taken on the most beautiful day of the year, visit that school on the rainiest, bleakest day you can. Such days often present the most honest portrayal of the campus and community. After all, no matter where you go to school , it won't always be sunshine and roses! If you don't like the university on a day to day basis, it's not for you. You may be surprised to find that some schools that don't look good on paper are actually a great find. Don't place too much emphasis on statistics like mean SAT/ACT scores. Give schools a chance, or you may miss out on a diamond in the rough that is just your size.

Go to the school and visit, you can read all the brouches in the world and look at the website with all the nice pretty pictures, but unless you don't go and see it you have no idea what the school and people are really lke.

In choosing your school, pick what you believe is right for you, not what someone else might think is best for you. It is your education and will go a long way in determining what you may or may not do with the rest of your life. Find a school that interests you on an academic, social, and comfort level. Being comfortable and enjoying your time there will be almost as important as the education itself, because your experience will help shape you as a person. Once you find that school, get involved there. Attend school events such as sports games, parties, volunteer opportunities and anything else where other students are enjoying themselves. The people that you meet during your time there could end up being your best friends for life. As for academics, do not be afraid to ask questions. Find a school that has programs that interest you, and when you find it, get help from other students or the professor if needed, and take pride in your grades. College is a great opportunity, and you should do all you can to take advantage of it.

The most important thing is to spend at least a few days at the campus to see if that is the learning environment and the campus that they feel will most suit their child. Also take a lot of trips to all of the schools on your list because that is the best way to understand more about the school

The right college experience is very hard to find. There are many things to look for when trying to find the right college. As a counselor for freshmen who come to Christian Brothers University the biggest advice I give to the freshmen touring and entering is," Do not follow a significant other to college," this is not good because if ya'll break up it will just ruin the whole college experience. One mistake I made in college was not getting involved my freshman year except in a fraternity. Now starting my senior year I realize how important it is to be involved and to live on campus. Another main issue I tell many students is go to the library as much as you can and I get the same response back, "Are you serious," and many students tell me thank you towards the end of the semester. So I believe not only is on campus, but off campus involvement is very important.