Drew University Top Questions

I would tell the students to be sure of what they are looking to gain from their college experience before looking at schools and choosing where they will go to college. There are more than enough colleges to choose from, so there is no need to go to college and be unhappy with the institution you chose. You want your college experience to be rewarding and enjoyable, but it is up to you to determine what is rewarding and enjoyable for yourself. For parents, I would tell them that their child is the one that should make the choices that will determine the rest of their life, because the child is living that life, not the parent. I fully support a parents' assistance in choosing a school, but not because it is where they feel their child should go, but because it is the best fit financially, geographically, and they feel that their child will be happy and be able to grow and thrive at that institution.

Three things immediately come to mind: Make sure the area surrounding the school has as much to offer as the school itself. A lot of schools may look good on paper but it can often be the social dynamics among students that can make or break a college experience. Don't shy away from asking students at any college their personal opinions on subjects that are important to you.

i encourage you to visit a variety of diverse schools to get a true idea of where you'd feel most at home. Please don't limit your options to what is familiar to you, this is a time to expand you horizons and experience new things. Once settled in on campus, make en effort to get involved in clubs and organizations as well as the social scene. Extracurriculars really enhance your college experience and provide a positive feeling of self worth.

Use your resources available to you. If your high school offers college-seeking counseling, take advantage of it as much as you can. The internet has opened an incredibly powerful tool for just this sort of life process-research as many school as you can, and don't set limitations for yourself off the bat. Make a list of all of the schools that interest you and then begin going through your list to determine which ones are realistically feasible for you based on their guidlines for acceptance. Also try making a list of all of the things you want from a school, going from most necessary to least necessary. Match that up to your list of schools and when you have at least five top schools to look at, begin making visits and appointments to speak to admissions counselors. Research, research, research!!!

Theres nothing much to tell the parents and the students except be careful of your decision. Don't rush on your action but be patient because you might regret it. However, there's always another way out. Students need to choose a college they feel comfortable with and proud of it.

Go to the school before you comitt. Do an overnight stay, maybe even attend some class. Look around the internet, see what people have to say about the college. Check out all your options, look at a bunch of schools. Once you pick a school, get involved in clubs, sports, any extracurriculars that you enjoy or think you might enjoy. College can be a wonderful experience, but you have to take advantage of it.

Make sure the college you looking for has good academics, make sure you can get a good job after graduations, and they have the major you want and how it correspond or cross over with their breathe requirements...

Use collegeboard.com

I think that allowing the prospective students to visit the college on their own (BY THEMSELVES) on a surprise visit, not on a open house, not on an over night because that is when the school will be on its best behavior. also go to a basketball game or something that is happening that night to see if you really want to be surrounded by "those" people. Alone is the best because that is what you will be when you actually go to school and it is better to pratice independence rather than have it thrust upon you because that is where some people fail...the pressure can get to anyone but as the saying goes "Practice makes perfect" and it is possible to practice freedom, individuality, and responsibility before you go. GOOD LUCK on your hunt (because that is exactly what it is ^_^)

Visit the campus, if possible, and talk to some of the current upperclassmen to get a realistic perspective and overview of the plusses and minuses of the school you are considering.

To make the most of your college years, try to pick a school you'll be happy at with a location, culture, and class size that you'll like. It's better to pick a school you'll be happy at than a school that looks better on a resume. If you don't like your school, it'll be harder to be happy, healthy, and successful while you're there. College is about education and preparing for the future, but it's also about learning who you are and meeting the people you're likely to be friends with for the rest of your life. All of those things are easier when you're happy with your school. So be yourself at college interviews. If you misrepresent yourself and that's what gets you in, there's a bigger chance that the school isn't a good fit for you. If you're honest about yourself and you don't get in, it's not so much that the school doesn't want you as it is that you might not have been happy there, anyway.

Remember college is a time to discover yourself through learning more about the world around you. Make sure you take courses outside of your major or minor that peak your interest, they willgive you new insights to carry into your major and will end up teaching you a great deal about yourself. The same goes for extra-curriculars and your social life. Just because you are a varsity athlete doesn't mean you shouldn't stop by the University's acapella concert and vice versa. Some of the best times you will have will happen when you choose to do the unexpected. Above all, take a foreign language and if you can study abroad. Think about it, no matter what career path you choose you are automatically a more competitive candidate if you can speak two languages! Work hard, strive for good grades, find that balance between academics and your social life, and sit back and enjoy the ride because these four years are going to be great!

The advice I would give to parents about finding the right college for their child is that the decision should be made by the child alone. Although parental advice and suggestions are helpful, choosing a college is a decision that should ultimately be made by the child. The advice I would give to students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience is that students should try to go on over-nights and sit in on classes while researching schools. This way, students will be able to experience life and classes at the school first hand before making the decision to attend. Also, students should remember that while choosing a college is an important decision, transferring is always an option if they become uphappy with their choice. I attended Muhlenberg College as a freshman and I was unhappy there, so I decided to transfer to Drew University. I love the school I attend now. Choosing a college and adjusting to the life there is all a part of the experience, and there is nothing wrong with changing your mind (and major!) during the process.

The best advice I could give would be to make sure that the choice you make is the school that's best for YOU - not what makes your parents happiest, is easiest on the wallet, or is where your friends or signficant other will be going to school. In the end, your happiness and your future is more important then any other factor. You have to go to school there for four years, not your mom or dad; loans can and will be repaid, eventually, and a quality educatioin is worth any price; your friends, and your boyfriend or girlfriend, will not disappear because of distance if they truly care about you. Think long and hard about your decision, and follow your heart.

The most important thing when choosing your college is to visit as many schools as you can, and choose the school which really feels like home to you. I chose Drew because of the beautiful forested campus, close community, and academic focus. These qualities reminded me of what I value in my own life: close relationships, hard work, and a relaxing atmosphere. Don't choose a college just because your friends go there or it has a big brand name: choose the college that speaks to you personally. The best way to make the most of your college experience is to find one or two activities that you love, and stick with them all the way through. Make yourself a leader on campus in whatever your favorite club or sport is, and surround yourself with friends who have the same values. Not only is this a resume builder, because you're showing that you can maintain commitment to an activity, but you'll also have a lot more fun concentrating on what's important to you.

choose the college that feels right

Finding the right college means finding the place where can put your best foot forward in achieving your goals and setting up your future. I believe college is where you truly find yourself and figure out what it is that you want out of life. In order to do so, you must find the right college for you where the school, the environment, the professors, and fellow students help shape you into a well rounded student ready to conquer the world. After applying to schools that fit you, you have to decide where it is you are going to attend if accepted to multiple schools. In my opinion the best way to do so, is to visit the campus and try to find current students there, talk to them, see what their interests are and how they like the school. You can really find out a lot and get true opinions by talking to other students. Once attending college, you really need to make the most of it by getting involved in activities and clubs. Most importantly you should get to know your professors and trust me you will get a lot more out of your classes and you education.

When I stepped onto my campus for move in day, i knew that I had chosen the right school, but it took a lot of research to find it. It's important to look at a variety of schools to decide what kind of school you want - whether it's large or small, public or private, rural or urban. Once you narrow it down, the best way to find the right college is just to spend time on the campus. When you discover a college where you feel comfortable on the campus as well as challenged in the classroom, then you have found the right fit. In your first year at school, go to a bunch of different clubs' meetings, and then you can find what you are really interested in and stick with those activities. You should never find yourself sitting alone in your room (unless you're doing homework of course); there are always programs oncampus to keep yourself occupied, and if not, just find someone else and talk to them. This is the time in your life when you should be expanding your horizons and discovering who you are and how you fit into this world.

Make sure you research the college try to ask around if anyone you know goes there to get a personal view about the college. I would suggest visting the college and even spending a night there to get a full experience of the college.

My advice to students would be to not rely on your parents taking care of everything for you. Students need to think about that kind of things they want to study, where they want to live and what lifestyle is going to be comfortable with them when looking into colleges. Parents should definitley look into tuition, financial aid and loan opportunities but inlcude their child in this so they know that this education isn't cheap. I would also warn a lot of incoming freshman who are going to be living away from the ri fmailies for the first time to remember who they are and not compromise their ideals when they are in a new environment with new choices just because their parents aren't around, but at the same time, they should try new things and try to meet different types of people to see what they will learn.