Hamilton College Top Questions

I can't believe you pulled this on me on the last question. Unbelievabe.

I was fortunate enough to find an excellent job on a year off between high school and college. I worked as a nurse's aide for a wonderful hospital, and I learned what I wanted out of a career and my adult life. With this focus I am able to get the most out of college life and have many contacts willing to help me along the way.

visit the school and see how it feels to be on campus

overnight visits are the most important part of finding the right match. If you don't like the people, you won't like the school.

Go with your gut

Think about the whole experience not just social life or accedemics.

The best advice I could give to parents and students about choosing the right college is to get a head start. After your Junior year in high school over the summer visit as many campuses and meet as many admissions officers as possible. INTERVIEW INTERVIEW INTERVIEW! I can not stress that point enough! An interview is one of the most important parts of the admissions process. It enables the admissions officers to put a smile and a face to an application. Admissions officers do not just want to READ what you have to say, they want to hear it, to interact on an person to person basis to grasp a sense of your personality. There are ALOT of different colleges in the country to attend. Such as Liberal Arts schools, Universities, and Trade Schools. ASK QUESTIONS! It is important for the parents and students to gain a full understanding about life at each institution. You are not being stingy and annoying by asking questions, remember if you attend that institution you will be paying them! So get out there, do research, and put a face to your application!

I always tell a prospective student looking at colleges to narrow the field down to their top three and sign up for overnight visits. This will give the "prospie" a real feel for each campus without the sugarcoated brochures and guided tours. My overnight experiences actually changed my first-choice college pick. Make sure to sit in on a few classes as well as hang out with your host at night to get a sense of the learning environment as well as the social scene!

Visit first!

visit the schools

I'm actually a tourguide and therefore spend a great deal of time talking to parents and students about colleges, and I honestly believe most people are looking at details that don't much matter. The truth is that once you find a college at the academic level you are pursuing, all the colleges are very similar: if you are looking at small liberal arts colleges, for example, they're all going to have a challenging curriculum and great programs. The most important thing you can do is find a place that feels right and where you know you can be happy for the next four years. If a campus seems miserable when you visit, it probably is, and you probably don't want to be there. If you have time, do an overnight so you can actually meet students. Its definitely worth the extra effort- you are going to be there for four years!

Really check out the school before you commit to going. But it is not the place, it is what you do when you are there and mark you leave behind once you graduate.

Although the location of a college is important, the main thing students should identify is what type of learner they are. Do they benefit more from interactive classrooms? Will they need professors with accessible office hours and flexibility in regards to students' different learning capabilities and needs? Although large schools may seem more exciting, it is not conducive to all learning styles. Conversely, if a student has a certain career track in mind, look for schools in which the location offers many hands-on opportunities to gain experience.

Trust your instincts - they're usually right.

Find the college that fits. I applied to Hamilton on a whim and when I got in, I looked at it further. On the internet it seemed great and once I visited, I was thrilled, but it wasn't that way for all colleges though. There was one college I won't name that just made me feel uncomfortable. Also, look for paid visits. Several schools will give a small travel stipend to accepted students. For example, one school paid for airfare, rental car, and hotel room for both my mother and I while I was there. Good luck!

It's probably the cheesiest piece of advice in existance...but it's the truth. Sometimes, picking a college is just like trying on a new pair of sneakers. One pair'll just fit better than any other, and you can't give any viable reason why. That school may have just had a friendlier stray cat roaming about or it's fitness center may have just smelled better. But, one things for sure, whatever that reason may be...when you're visiting colleges, keep your eyes peeled, because you never know what it'll be.

I advise that the student visit the college and stay for a weekend, if they can. It is a good way to get a feel for the campus and the people there. You can audit a class, go to different events, talk to students and faculty. Also make sure that you choose the right college based on what you may want to do and who you want to surround yourself with. You don't want to choose a college where you will miss home or be sad most of the time.

As the oldest child in my family, my parents were understandably nervous about sending me off into the collegiate world. Their solution was 'The Great College Search'. Beginning my junior year, every family vacation was built around looking at schools. Coming from a large high school, I thought I wanted a similar setting- some type of large university. After seeing a few of these, I realized a small school would better suit my needs and interests. I wouldn't have realized this without going to physically see these schools; talking to students and professors was an incredibly important part of my search process. I am forever grateful to my parents for taking the time to visit schools with me. Their willingness to discuss pros and cons of each school was crucial to the decision I made. Once I enrolled at Hamilton College, I got involved in a variety of activites. I fully encourage students to participate in anything and everything their school offers. Whether it's a sports team, a club, or a volunteering opportunity, activities are a great way to meet people and feel like part of a community. You only have four years- make the most of them!

I would say to parents: LET YOUR CHILD PICK WHAT SCHOOL HE OR SHE WANTS TO GO TO. Save yourselves the aggrivation and disappointment when your child decides to transfer from a school that you "suggested" would be the best choice for him/her! You only get one freshman year, and the prospective student should get to pick where he or she feels that they would do the best academically and have the best time socially. My big mistake was letting my father have too much influence in selecting which schools I applied to and what school I ultimately chose to attend. Now, I am unhappy where I am and have no one to blame but myself for not standing up for what I wanted out of my college experience. Let the student choose where he wants to study!

I would highly suggest starting early and making a list of all the possibilities. Research them and determine which ones are feasable to visit. Also, consult guidance counselors and teachers opinions towards the institutions you have interest in and see if they think that you will fit and succeed in the given school's environment. But once again, I can't emphasize enough, start early and visit often. The more times you visit, the better you will develop a feel of the school, and not just a facade that can be put on by tour guides. Also, don't be afraid to seek out coaches and professors to talk to. From my experience searching through liberal arts schools, both are usually willing and excited to meet with potential students. This is one more way to get a feel for the school. Those are both good options, but the best is still talking to students. They will be honest and give you the best descriptions of what classes, social life, and the actual school is like.