Harvard University Top Questions

Decide what it is that you want to get out of your college experience and choose accordingly. If you're sure of your intended major and the career path that you want to pursue, then pick a college for its program based around that subject. If it's important for you to explore fields, play sports, join a sorrority, etc. also pick around what specific environment(s) you'll feel most at home in. Of course, balancing other factors like the types of social events and the students that attend is important. If your "average" student at a college in question does not have interests that match up to your academic or social interests, you should likely keep looking. Visit a school, both before and after you've gotten in, to determine if it is really a place you could see yourself living in and enjoying for four years. Remember when picking a schoolthat it should adapt to your interests and persona, not that you should adapt to its.

Of course, the selection of a college or university is not one to be taken lightly. A lot of thought goes into it on both the parent and student's side. But I remain not completely convinced that a "right college" exists. Most students at one school would have been equally happy at one of many other schools. So I think regarding the college search process, my advice to applicants would be to apply everywhere that you could conceivably see yourself going in the end. Then, leave it up to the colleges to decide. Once you have your acceptance letters, then worry about the decision. Chances are, if you have a good attitude, you'll be fine. Making the most of the college experience is a hard thing for many people to do. My advice can be summed up in two words: CHILL OUT. College is not about grades, and it's not about who does the most activities. More than high school, it's about the relationships you have with others and learning how to eventually function in the real world. The one thing that can most easily ruin a college experience is stress. So relax. Be happy. =]

I would recommend looking at the whole package - the feeling of the campus, academics, how many students are involved on campus, etc. One of the most important aspects of my experience was the strong community feeling that was acheived through student groups and on campus house life in particular. I am now a graduate student at a state school where most undergraduates live off campus. Seeing the other side of the spectrum really makes me value the fact that I went to a college where the vast majority of students lived on campus. Rather than college just being classes and homework, it was a life experience involving not only high level academics, but also collaboration and socialization with other students from a diverse range of backgrounds. When picking a college, it is also important to look at things which might be of interest to you in your junior or senior year that you may not have thought about yet, such as opportunities to join research labs. My experiences in a physics research position set me up well for graduate school, something that didn't consider when I chose schools and might not have happened at a small liberal arts school.

From my experience and observation, almost all students end up loving the university which they attend - keeping this in mind while applying for schools will help reduce the stress greatly. When looking for colleges, be realistic, have back-up options, and find universities that have programs and students that will be engaging for you. Before you apply, ask yourself WHY you want to attend college, WHY you value what you value, this will help you express these feelings in your essays and interviews (it's what the colleges want to see). While college is obviously a place to get a good education, it is also a place to make connections that you could use for the rest of your life. Wherever you end up, meet as many people as you can, get involved in as many organizations you can, and take classes that you find engaging and interesting as those are the courses you will succeed in the most. Aim high, strive to succeed, believe in yourself, make friends, and make time for yourself.

Choosing the right college is something that is very personalized to each student. It's great to aim for a college like Harvard, but like any school, Harvard does not suit every individual's needs and preferences. The best question to ask yourself is, will I be happy here, and will I be able to maximize the opportunities given to me? Will classes be so hard that I am left struggling and studying every minute of the day, or are they going to be so easy that I find myself bored all the time? Choose a college that will allow you to explore new subjects, and discuss your thoughts with people who might disagree with you, and choose a college that will allow you to give back to your community in terms of volunteer options and career options during and after graduation. Above all, ask yourself if, ten years later, you will look back and consider yourself a better person for going to this college, whether it be the education you received, or the friends you made.

College is not only a time to develop your career path, but it's also a time for personal growth. It's a place where you learn about who you are outside your family, friends, and hometown. This can be an exciting and confusing time. Choose a place that you feel comfortable and can see yourself being happy. When you are happy, it's easier to focus on your studies and really engage with your classmates and resources available to your school. Of course, money, location, and major is always important to consider. Just remember, it's not just about a name brand school that counts, but rather, a place that will help nurture you to achieve your highest potential. Finally, to make the most of your college experience, continually ask yourself what it is you want to learn more about about. This can be in the classroom or with extracurricular activities. Then, seek those people out. At college, there are an infinite number of ways to learn about anything you are curious about, and people to support you in that process. Remember, you are in the driver's seat now and your reality is sincerely your creation.

For everyone it is an individual experience, and the choice is the student's not the parents to make.

Walk through the campus and close your eyes. Can you imagine yourself here? Can you imagine yourself walking through this courtyard every day, taking classes in that building, sleeping in the dorm you visited earlier? There are hundreds of great campuses in this country, but that doesn't mean every one of them is the right fit for every person. Knowing the right pick for you is like knowing what kind of muffin you want for breakfast. Both pistachio and blueberry are equally delicious but you can visualize the one that will make you happiest based on your individual style and taste. At first, you can narrow down your choices by objective measures. If you know you want to take Arabic, you can eliminate the schools without it. Or if you play rugby, you can knock of schools without a team. But when it comes to making that final decision, imagining the day to day process of going to class, spending time with friends, and just living your life is what will bring you to the choice that will not only provide you with a great education but will make you the happiest.

I would advise students to really take notice of the feeling they felt on their first visit onto the college's campus. Your gut instinct can tell you more than you intially believe. Students should ask questions that are otherwise unobvious, but would impact their daily life greatly. How clean are bathrooms kept? How noisey do the dorms get? Is the area safe at night and within walking distances of certain necessities? I would also suggest talking to students actually attending the school rather than just administrators and parents. They are the ones experiencing first hand the college experience that you can expect once you arrive there as a student. Furthermore, I would suggest finding the right balance for the student between academics (demands, classes offered) and social life (diversity of people, activities offered). If the student's prefrence for the balance of those two factors are in line with that of the rest of the campus, than I'm sure it will be a perfect fit. Lastly, I would advise giving yourself time to get used to such a major change. Growing up is a transition and college can be a fun part of that process.

The best thing that an individual can do for herself in selecting the right college is to figure out her own inclinations. In addition to burying herself in piles of Princeton Review guides and stacks of school mailing materials, she must engage in enough soul-searching to know exactly **what** aspects of a school are most important for her. The athletic teams? The riverside location? The history department? Bigger isn't always better, and prestige isn't everything to everyone. That said, probably even more important than choosing the "right" school is simply knowing and using the resources of the school in which one ends up. In college and in life beyond the ivory tower, you can't always choose the situations into which you're thrown, and it's the people who revel in their coursework at a small-town night school, who I feel, ultimately lead more meaningful lives than those who skip four classes a week at an Ivy League meatgrinder after choosing to enter just because they got in. It's a matter of perspective, and THEN action--because without the right attitude, you're just going through the motions, and then what's the point?