Elmhurst College Top Questions

I was very focused in high school because I knew what I needed to do to get to college. I wouldn't do anything different. One thing I would say is not to be afraid to get involved.

College is an intimidating venture from being dependent upon others to being an independent individual. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to take that leap of faith into an unknown world and be confident that I am not the only ackward or apprehensive person partaking in this new experience. The transition between adulthood and childhood is not defined by the age you are or the year of school you are in, but how you handle the insecurities and the unknowns. I would stress most importantly that you are never too old to get and strive for an education, but it has great benefits to take the path at an earlier age. Being aware of your goals, strive to be the best, and never succumb to others' pressures and influences that could adversely affect your future.

In order for parents/students to find the right college they need to take their time. Be sure to visit many colleges to get a feel for the campus life. Also, I would recommend starting at a community college in order to take general education courses at a lower cost. This will also give the student the opportunity to learn about their interests which should help with selecting a major and area of concentration.

The advice that I would give to students about finding the right college would be to follow your heart. When choosing the right college, people are always hesitating due to cost and distance and other factors that hold them back. Following your heart to the right college is the best advice I can give. Finding the school that is best for your personality, comfort, and learning abilities is important. Being in the right environment is important because if you aren't comfortable where you are learning and trying to grow, you may never be able to reach your full potential. When it comes to the cost, distance and factors that lead away from your potential home, I believe it is important to push through and know that everything will work out for the best. I believe everything will work out because if the place you think you can call home is right, then fate will get you there so that you can learn, grow, and become the person you've always strove to be.

Finding the right college is all about how a person feels when they visit a school. Personally, I would suggest that parent and students visit different schools multiple times so they can figure out whether or not they will be able to fit in and adjust nicely to the surrounding enviornment. Once the students have picked the school and start to attend in the fall, I believe it is beneficial to just always be looking around and absorbing information from various places. Some of the best ways to get involved or to find different groups or activities it to look at the sidewalk because there are almost always chalk on the sidewalks with various events. Also, looking at bulletin boards are a great way to find out what is going on around campus. Lastly, always try to make friends. I always think that with a solid group of friends in college you will have numerous experiences that will be worth while and also that you will learn from. The friends you make in college usually become your friends for life.

Make sure you go to the college/university for a tour and take to the admissions officers and students equally. The admissions officers might have a reason to lie to you about things but the students don't have a reason to lie. If the students like the school, they will tell you why and if they don't like it they will also tell you that too.

It has been my experience that research and full disclosure of your goals and financial means is most important when deciding on a college or university. I am an active duty member of the US Navy, I decided to apply for a military program that would allow me to go to school full time to obtain a BA in nursing and further my Naval career. Through perseverance and hard work I was accepted, then came the hard part of choosing a school that met certain naval requirements. I thought I had a grasp on what was needed until I got the first bill and financial aid award. I struggled through the first year borrowing and worrying through each term. Although I have the goal and desire to achieve great academic success it is extremely stressful to deal with the glomming cloud of debt. My best advise to any potential college student would be to research all financial options available to you and go into this part of your life fully aware of the financial investment you are making into your future. Set realistic goals toward a career path that will benefit you in the long run.

Large schools have more options. Small schools have more one-on-one opportunities. Find a school that balances between education and extra curricular activities. Typical advice I don?t find to be the most important or helpful. The best advice a current student can give a prospective student about selecting the right school is to tell them; look for a school that allows your individuality to shine through. School and friend pressures will try to sway you to change some of your values and behaviors. But remember, the college experience is really all about finding out who you really are as a person. So much emphasis is placed on selecting a school that offers the best chance for you to succeed in the major you?ve selected. Well, the odds are you?ll change your major at least once during your college career. Four years of college will go by in a blink of an eye. Don?t be in such a hurry to get out. But don?t take that time for granted either. Enjoy school for what it can do for you; the real world can wait. Use the college you select as an opportunity to find yourself.

Pray that God leads you to where He wants you and that He will help make a way possible for you to be there. Don't let the cost of the school defer you from going to it. Look at the opportunities that each of the schools provide for you, not only your next 4 years, but for the next 40 years. If you pick a school on the price alone you could be jeopardizing your experience of college and your education. You have to like where you are in order to want to do well, and sometimes it turns out that where you are happy isn't always the cheapest option; however, it could be the best place for you to be successful in whatever it is that you desire to do after college.

Make sure that you look into what college choices you have and make sure that you are getting the max amount of financial aid. Also make sure that you go to orientation so that you can make some friends before school starts.