Hendrix College Top Questions

Students really need to spend the night at the college they are most interested in. By doing this, they get a real feel for the campus without their parents around. They will know then if they are able to fit in. Sure it is important to look at the academics, as a pre-med/biology major I know this and understand this. But in order to suceed, you must fit in and love your school also. By spending the night, you will get to really see campus life. Also, if you are an athlete, look as the teammates that you are going to be playing with. They become your family whether you love them or not because of all the time you will spend with them. So try to get to know your teammates as best you can before you sign up!

To parents: Do not be to pushy about what you want in your childrens' school lives. It is their life and if they mess up they need to learn the consequences. If you stress want YOU want the child will be unhappy with their school life and will probably grow up unable to make their own decisions. To students: You do not need to have a definite passion in life when you first come to school. Let it grow and develop. Pick a school that seems to fit you for who you are.

The key to finding the right college is simple: be sure that you know what you want. Are you looking for a small school, a school with great diversity, a school with reknowned academics, a school with a good sports program, etc.? Only you can know what you're looking for in a school, and the best way to start narrowing down your choices is to go to different colleges' websites, or use a college search engine such as FastWeb or something of that nature to compare schools. These sites usually have criteria that you can check off in order to find the college you're looking for. And, if there are mulitple choices, try visiting those colleges. You can learn a lot by being on campus itself, interacting with students and faculty and being able to ask them questions. Many schools allow for interested students to sit in on classes and events, so take advantage of that opportunity if it's offered. Knowing the environment of the school can definitely tell you whether or not you will be happy there, which will indicate your level of success at the college. Don't sweat it, and have fun!

The best advice I can give to prospective students about finding the right college for them is to visit the colleges/universities that are of interest before making the final decision of attending one particular school. Going to experience a day -in -the- life of the typical student and observing first hand the student life of the campus speaks volumes from what any manual, brochure, reputation, or recruitment advisor can tell you. The next tidbit of advice I would give to students about making the most of the college experience is to GET ENVOLVED! This may sound cliche, but making connections with professors and networking with fellow classmates is a great chance to expose yourself to new and promising opportunities in the future. Also, have fun! College is about learning new lessons both inside and outside the classroom. Definitely do not inclose yourself inside of a bubble during this pivotal, yet exciting time in your life because the four years will pass by before you know it.

Many of my friends chose colleges based on location, or solely on their desired major when they really didn't know what they truly wanted. I have seen too many friends drop out of college because they were unhappy or too far from home. I would encourage parents and students to talk at length about what the student wants overall (put the major aside), visit the school more than once, and if playing a sport spend time with the coach. A school will let you know right away if it cares about you or if you're another number. Your school should welcome you and make you feel at home immediately. Just as with any other life change, if it doesn't feel right - it's not. Parents should also coach their students while in high school about the pitfalls of college; drinking, missing classes, abusing the privilege of freedom. Preparing a child for independence early can make the college adjustment so much easier.

I would encourage students to research schools that they are interested in, and not to let the parents do the research. A student's college experience can be life changing, and it is important for the student to be comfortable at the chosen campus. Also, I would warn students and parents not to let the cost of education deter the student from going to a number one choice school; eventhough my parents will be paying off both my and my brother's college education for quite some time, I would not trade what I learned and how much I grew as a person for a cheaper education. I would not be the confident, knowledgeable, "go-getter" that I am today without my college experience. To students, try sports teams, inturmural or varsity, so you will have the opportunity to meet many amazing people who share the same intersts as you. And don't stay closed up in your dorm room - there's a whole world to experience and the college year's are the perfect time to do it!

When selecting a college to attend students should first determine what they are looking for in a college. Be sure to talk with current students and tour the college. You will be spending four years in this place, it should be an enviroment that you will enjoy.

Visit your college choices!! I wouldn't have choosen my school without a school visit, and I absolutely love where I am! I don't want to be anywhere else.

travel before you go to college to get to know the differences in regional cultures and even more importantly visit the schools your interested in before applying. If you're looking at schools by a certain degree program act cautiously by also looking at their other programs your sort of interested in as you will likely change your mind about what to study.

At this day in age, you can always start over; however, the right college is eventually up to the student. He/She will just have that feeling like this is the one, and should be so excited that they don't want to finish high school, they want to jump straight into their new college. Financial Aid is so prominent, that you shouldn't let it hold you back from where you want to go. If you truly fit at the college, you will always be able to work out how you will get there.