Fairfield University Top Questions

Give your children time and experience to make the right decision.

Go with your gut feeling, choose what makes you feel most comfortable!

There are so many questions and furstrations parents and students expereince during the process of finding the right college. These are four very special years, so make them count. Make sure that all the needs you have listed are adressed in that school you are looking at. Your school of choice should be a place that wishes to cultivate every area of your life, in order to inspire future leaders. Think about, wither you want your school that is spirtually affilated or not. Think about sports , cultural and political devleopment at that school. Also consider the diversity of its student and faculty population.Don't forget internship and study abroas opputunites.Although it may seem odd, definitley consider what kind of fun things you can do off campus. Your requirements shouldn't only depend on finances and academics, make sure that a potential school adresses, CURA PERSONALIS. The Jesuits, believe it is their responsibility to educate the WHOLE PERSON. At my school, I belive that I and will continue to be educated in all areas of my life. SO SHOULD YOU !

I would say that you need to consider everything: the location, the tuition, the clubs and activies it offers, the size, and the areas of study it has. You are going to be living there for gour years of you life so you need to make sure that it is somewhere where you feel comfortable. If you like big schools with a lot of school spirit and Alumni support than go to a Big Division 1 schoo like Michigan or Penn State, but if you looking for something smaller, and more presonal you are going ot need something like Fairfield or Loyola. Also, once you pick your college GET INVOLVED. Every school is going to have a million things to do, you just need to find out whats right for you, do you like club sports, the school paper, theater, or are you into making your campus go green? if you find a clu b or activity you like chances are you will make friends, and be doing something you love

Dear Parents, As your child is looking for the right college for them, keep in mind that they are still trying to figure out who they are themselves. Do not assume as parents that you know your child because his or her views may change within the next hour. While still in high school encourage your child to get involved in new activities to help them discover who they are and what they would like to be surrounded with. Also, do not fall into a diversity trap. If your child is of an ethnically diverse background do not chose a school based on how well the child will fit in, this could limit your child's growth in personality and exposure to the real world. When chosing a school make sure it is as academically diverse as your child. If your child has no idea what they want to do with their life do not pressure them to go to a law school because you want them to be a lawyer. Let your child decide their own career path and keep in mind that it takes time!

Choose the college that feels right for you. Don't take into consideration anyone else's feelings, because ultimately you're the one who has to live there for four years. And even if you can't explain to anyone why you like it, but it feels right to you, it's okay. When I stepped on to campus for the first time it just felt like homeand it felt like it was the place I was supposed to be. I could see myself living there and becoming a part of the community, and choosing that college was the best decision I made. When you get to college, I think the most important part is to put yourself out there. I am a generally shy person and it was a big stretch for me to go to club meetings on my own or introduce myself to new people. But the truth is, college is what you make it. You get what you give, and by really stepping out of my comfort zone I was able to experience some amazing things.

Start early! That is honestly the best advice I can give. Sometimes you never really know what you want or what you are looking for until you are there. It's hard but in the end its good because you just have to make the best out of any situation you are in. Also, parents should really help their kids in everything, whether its college planning, the right school, but especially with financial aid because that is one fo teh toughtest parts of the college experience. Getting through the whole money situation. But in the end, the best thing a parent can do is support the child in everything. All decisions, all actions, just support because at first it is tough, very tough but the child needs the parents help to get through everything.

Make sure to visit the campus and talk to students to make sure its the right fit. Visit more than once if possible to try to meet with teachers involved with desired major. Get involved. Goals are great-

The only thing i could possibly say is, find the school that you think will make you most happy. If the school makes you smile, then thats the school that you should go to. Don't worry about cost, distance, or maybe the fact that you're worried if your school is not a party school. The amount of happiness you will have is worth going in debt, or being homesick for the first month. And when you do find that college, make sure you make the most out of it. The worst thing you could do is be in your dream college and sit around in your room alone. Go out, make friends, party, join a group, study, do something, anything. Down-time is the most destructive force in college, and it can ruin anybody's experience. Make the most of your time, but learn a balance of socializing and studying. When you master this, you will have four years of great memories, lifelong friends, a great career, and a fulfilling life.

I think that it is very important to have an honest, open mind when it comes to selecting the right college for you. When I applied to schools I chose mainly ones that were big names and had great reputations, but were not really for me. It is easy to apply to schools with a high status, but in the end I realized that these schools were not right for me. In the end I chose the school that I felt most comfortable at. It was also important to me that my parents felt comfortable with me being there as well. Many people have told me that the best way to get the most out of your college experience is to get involved with activites and sports on campus. I found this to be true for many people, but it is not for everybody. I personally attribute my great college experience so far to the friends that I have made. It is so worthwhile to find friends that you really love being with and will stay in touch with for many years after school. It is important to take into consideration what will make you happiest in the end.