John
Make sure you visit schools and meet students and talk to them about their personal experiences. Once you are at school, join a sport, fraternity, sorority, club, or any other social activity. These activities are a key way to make friends and meet new people. Learn how to budget your time and how to study.
Philip
Analyze your priorities as a student and find a college that fits those priorities.
Preeya
It is very important to visit the University you want to go to. If possible, stay overnight. A university may look one way in a pamplet or after a guided tour. The best way to know if it is right for you is to experience it first hand. Check out some classes, stay at a dorm and go out with college students to get a good idea of that university's "college experience."
Lacey
Make sure you look into the types of classes and the different majors and minors as well as the courses required for their completion. Ask around on the campus. don't just ask the tour guides about college on your tour there, askany student you see and get the real scoop.
Keaton
Make sure to find out information about campus life and the academic options offered at different universities. There are a lot of great colleges out there, but not every college is the perfect fit, so I think it is important to be informed about the decision you make. Also make sure to look into the financial aid of a university if that is something necessary for you. Try to talk to a few students on the campus when you visit to get a first hand account of what current students lives are like at their university. Also, try to take into account the area of the college or university, because the environment where you live can have a big effect on you. Those are some suggestions that I think would be important when choosing a college to attend.
Elizabeth
You can make the best of any college experience by finding the right friends. Take advantage of professors and take the time to learn something.
Jessica
When choosing a school I would suggest that students reach for a school where they can test themselves not only academically but culturally. As humans it is our duty to learn and share with one another in our journeys and one way to ensure we are learning from each other is to test ourselves daily. I chose Hopkins because it was completely different from any other school that I had ever attended, there was much more diversity and opportunities for me to grow as a person. So I would like to remind every student that only 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of learning happens in the classroom the other 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} is up to the individual. Choose a school where you can make a difference in your life and in the life of someone else however you see fit.
Conor
Talk to students at the school. Don't be afraid to just walk up to someone and ask them about the school. Most schools have one reputation, but the truth is much more multifaceted. Don't just listen to the school's little speech when you visit. The best thing to do is to visit the school, sit in on a class, and get to meet some of the students in a social setting. When you do choose which school you want to go to, in the end most of the schools that accepted you will have programs that you can get excited about (otherwise you probably shouldn't have applied there). The most important thing is to choose a school where you will feel comfortable and be able to have fun. College is an amazing and unique experience; obviously you'll have to work hard wherever you go, so its important to go somewhere that will let you blow off steam when you're not working. In terms of cost, understand your limitations, and do consider saving money for graduate school. Student loans can be extremely burdensome for some, especially if you want to pursue a passion.
ilana
talk to a lot of current students, both like you and unlike you. look at all aspects to find which are important to you.
Joshua
In today's age, it seems applying to and choosing colleges can be the most daunting task in the world for a graduating high school student. There are many different types of colleges one could apply to, each with different pros and cons. Although these features must be taken into account, the most important thing a college applicant can do is to imagine themselves living life at their schools of interest.
This is very different from analyzing a school's basic statistics and average SAT scores. Once you've narrowed down a "Top Colleges" list of your own, it is fair to assume that the majority of them will offer similar academic and extracurricular experiences. To really figure out which school is best for you, imagine waking up each day at that school.
Being able to get through daily life with a level head is ultimately what will make you comfortable in college. Think about how comfortable you are with the location, what living in the different housing options would be like, what activities you would pursue and what social environment you most prefer.
Most importantly, see the schools as new homes, not as items on a College Ranking list!