Colby-Sawyer College Top Questions

The advice that I would like to give to parents and students about finding the right college, is to first sit down and write out a list of things you may be looking for a college to have. As you start to visit colleges or go to college fairs bring that check list, and ask questions to see if that college has everything you are looking for. If that college has maybe 4 out of the 5 things you are looking for, well maybe thats a good choice, but if that college only has 2 out of the 5, well maybe thats not the right college for you. In order to make the most out of a college experience,you have to let yourself have fun, and open up, but never forget the reason you're there, and that reason should be to get a good education. Let yourself open up to new things, don't be afraid of who you are, and if you don't know who you are, then let that be a mission as well, to find out who you are and get a good education. I say the best of luck, its fun and enjoyable!

College selection is a very important process that needs to be taken seriously because once you choose a college, you want to be able to stay there for the next two or four years. I know a friend that has constantly been transferring because she didn't like it where she was, and she is just pushing her degree farther and farther away. I think that really finding a place that fits most if not all of your personal wants and needs will be the best way to start your college selection process. Look to see if its the right size, location, cost, majors, sports, extra curriculars, student-teacher ratio. There are many factors to consider when making your decisions, but if you can find all the good qualities in your school, you will know you like it. Finally, when you get to college, make sure that you know how to balance your work and play. You definitely need to work hard, but you do not want to be too overwhelmed, so you have to take time for yourself and do some extra curricular activites or just relax. Just remember to work hard, have fun, and believe in yourself.

The advice I would give parents is to help guide their child in the right direction. A parent should also not judge whether or not their child goes to the college due to the tuition. There are ways to pay off school. So, tution is something that should not affect the child's choice. As for the student the advice I would give is to really look around. The more options you have with all different types of colleges really helps you narrow it down. If you have 4 schools in mind that are all the same, that descision will be more difficult. Also, students should really think about is this the right school for me? Colby-Sawyer was a great choice for me because it is small, and the location is peaceful, no city distractions here!

When visiting colleges, it is important to stay true to yourselfs. When you begin looking at schools, I would reccommend looking at the size of the school, the type of students who attend, the student to teacher ratio, the clubs offered, the schools enviroment, and outside activites the campus offers. Also when observing schools, go with your gut feeling. Whether your gut feeling is positive or negative, it is important to stay true to your original instinct. After visiting the schools you were interested in, I would make a list of pro's and con's on each of the schools. From the list of pro's and con's, I would than advice you to narrow down your college list. Once you feel comfortable with your list of schools, I would begin to apply as soon as possible. As far as my advice for parents, I would reccommend being fully supportive of their child's college decision. Children want their parents to be supportive of their career goals as well as their every decision. College is one of the most important aspects of life.

When looking at colleges it is easiest to first narrow down a region of the world where you want to go, decide if you would like to go to a small school, or a large school, and then start looking at schools that offer possible majors that you would like to go into. When I was first applying to schools I had my heart set on one, and then I visited after my acceptance, learned a little more, and my first choice changes. This is huge. You MUST visit the schools that you apply to. Do it before, or after you apply, and ask anything that you want to. If you can, talk to students who are not involved with your tour, and don't go on an open house day because then you will get a true feel for the school. Try the food before you arrive. Food is a necessity to life, and if you don't like the food offered then you are going to be in a world of hurt when that is all that is available to you, making your own food wastes money becuase you already have a food plan. Have fun; Good luck!

I would tell students to go with their gut instinct when choosing a college. If an atmosphere 'feels' right in the deepest part of you, then chances are your experience in that institute will be a positive one. I'm a strong believe in "what's meant to be will happen," and if you let life happen in a natural manner, things will either work out in your favor or, if everything falls apart throughout your time there, you will learn a lesson from the experience which will, whether you initally realize it or not, make you a stronger person. Although I didn't particularly like the college at first (my instinct as a senior in high school was to find the most outrageous experience possible through college), something inside of me told me that it 'fit' me; I listened to this gut feeling when choosing between this college and 5 others, and although my experience has been both positive and negative, I know that I learned about myself through the challenges I have faced. I would tell parents to listen to your teenager, trust their judgement, and guide them along without making the decision for them.

The most important thing is visiting the school. You will never know if the school is the right fit unless you actually go there and get a sense of what type of community you are going to be living in. Sometimes a school can seem perfect online and you love their programs, but once you visit you realize that there is a vibe there that just isn't right for you. Finding the right college is like getting into a relationship--you need to know the other person and connect with them. Trust me, you'll know when you've found the right place. Once you get there, get involved! Join anything that sounds interesting. Once you go to a couple of meetings or practices you'll know if it's something you want to continue, but there's no harm in trying something out to see if you like it. People who are afraid to take the risk and just sit in their rooms don't have any fun and don't get the most out of their college experience. It's also the best way to make friends!

Finding the right college involves letting the student decide. Explore all of your options and follow your gut when making your choice. While some colleges may offer more financial assistance, others may offer opportunities and experiences that might not be as obvious as a sum of money. Also listen to the people you meet at the campus and really appreciate the tour and visting days for all they are worth (they will tell you more about the campus than a brochure ever will). Also enjoy this process because for most it only happens once. While it may be stressful and frightening it is important to remember that an entire Freshman class is experiencing the same feelings at this student and it is important to interact because this will be one of your homes for the next four years. So overall make the best of this experience, have no regrets, be open and flexible to change, but maintain your individualism, because on graduation day you will see that you have become a better person because of this experience.

I would advise both parents and students to go and check out each of the campuses that the student wants to apply too. Ask a series of questions to each of the colleges, and compare the results at the end of the day. I would also adivse the parents to sit down and chat with the student about drinking, and drugs because these things go on a lot on campus, and the student should be aware.

I would say to look at all options for schools and take your time when choosing. Make the most of your college life because it flies by!!!!