Elon University Top Questions

The most important advice I would give to myself as a high school senior is to own the college search and application process. What I mean by that is: don't let your mom or dad do the searching and work for you! Everytime I visited schools it was my mom and dad asking the questions, not me. I really wish I could have involved myself more in the process and investigated colleges myself. Of course, I appreciate their help, but I was the one who was going to live and work at this place for 4 years! So, my advice, take initiative, and be a part of this process. In the end, you'll be happy you did.

If I could go back in time and tell myself about college I would tell myself that I need to keep going. That I should take advantage of all the opportunities that I could find and to go straight into a Master's program. That I would enjoy college very much but to make sure that I focused on myself and school work so that I didn't limit myself in what I did. I would tell myself that I would enjoy college very much and that it would be one of the best things that I ever did.

I would say to myself not to worry so much. In high school, I was so nervous to go to college mostly because I had such a great high school experience. The Orientation Leaders did such a great job of making the trastion into college so much easier and enjoyable for me and because of them I am now an Orientation Leader myself! So don't sweat it, everything will work out the way it should.

If I could give my high school self advice about the college transition, I would say that I was in for the ride of my life. I would not be able to imagine the opportunities that I would be presented with, the people I would meet, and the knowledge I would acquire. I would tell myself to take advantage of anything and everything that will better me as a person, make me worldlier and prepare me for my future. I would advise myself not to fear new things, but to jump into them and soak up every ounce of experience and enjoyment I could possibly get from them. I would say not to doubt myself when I felt challenged, but to use it as an opportunity to learn more than I ever could have imagined, and to be thankful that I have the privilege of attending a school that cares enough to challenge their students not only academically, but challenges them to be better citizens and ultimately better people. Overall, I would say that I should follow my heart, do what I love, love every moment I am given, and in return, I will have the world at my feet.

Hey there. You know how you've become completely set on being an English major, and don't think anything else in the world will ever interest you the way English does? Don't hold too firmly to that belief. There are so many things to explore in college that you've never been exposed to before, so many different majors/minors, interest groups, and other organizations. Take those blinders off your face -- don't even think about going through your whole college career with those things. There's a lot to see here, and you won't want to miss it all just because you won't let yourself see it. That tunnel vision you've established may get you to your pre-set goal (graduation as an English major, namely), but it will block out things that may enrich your college experience. Really pay attention in those general requirement classes you'll have to take. You may think they're throw-away classes at first, just some classes you have to take whether you want to or not, but there is valuable information and experience to be gained from them. Please don't let that fact escape you.

I would definitely recommend visiting as many colleges as possible: large ones, small ones, ones located in large cities, ones located in the country, etc. Getting a feel for what kind of environment you find comfortable is extremely important. College is an extremely important time in one's life, so researching schools and scheduling campus visits are vital. In order to make the most of your college experience, make sure you work hard and concentrate on your academics, but don't forget to go out, have fun, and get involved in campus activities and volunteer efforts within the community. College is an amazing opportunity to experience many new things like studying abroad, participating in internship opportunites, and much more. College offers many resources to experience these things that you should definitely take advantage of, because you might never get such a great chance!!

I would tell the parents and the students to continuously consider where the student would be most happy living, allowing them to fully grow intellectually and personally.

I would say most specifically to the students is that while searching they should suspend judgement until they have seen everything a school has to offer. The college I choose was one I had written out because I did not think that it matched me; however, once i got there I began to warm up to it. Also, partake in events like Fellowship and Scholarship application weekends where you can get the best feel for the social environment at a school. It's not enough just to take a campus tour at a school. Ask a student to give you a behind the scenes tour. Go the extra mile to really get a feel for the college.

When first considering schools, the best thing to do is to actually visit the campuses. Visiting the schools is the only way to know for sure where you will feel at home for the duration of your college education. Once you've picked a school, it is important to branch out. Whether you stayed in-state or went across the country, making new friends is the best part of the college experience. By making new friends, I discovered clubs and organizations on campus that I eventually joined and made even more new friends. Finding and attending the right college feels like finding a second home. The people I've met and the experiences I've have through clubs, classes, and volunteering have made my time in school the best times I've ever had.

to the students, i owuld say that they should get out there and meet as many new people as possible in the beginning, your closest friends will stick, and to the parents, i would say that you need to understand that this is a big step for the kids, but you have to give them some space to let them make their own mistakes