Johns Hopkins University Top Questions

Enjoy every second of it.

The first thing any high school student should do is pick an area that he is interested in. The student should ask himself what his strong qualities are and make a list of colleges that fit those standards. He should then pursue more information regarding these colleges by going to his career center, researching the university online, or even visiting the campus itself. The student should think about what the pros and cons are for each college, and weigh out which university will be most beneficial. These things will help guide the student towards the path that is specific only to him. There will be a myriad of things to explore in college. The only way to find exactly how the student fits into college life is to surrender to all new opportunities. He will be most successful if he understands that there are no closed doors to stand in the way of pursuing any future. It is completely normal to open a few doors and realize the one opened is not the right path. Failure should not be discouraging, but should inspire the student to continue to try and find his niche. Self realization is a life long process.

Many high school students see college as an opportunity to move far away from home and the communities they grew up in. However, after being in college for a year, I have learned that being close to home was possibly the best decision I've ever made. I still live on campus and can enjoy the 'college life,' but know that if I want to sleep in my bed I'm just a short drive away. And believe it or not, a majority of my friends that have left the state to attend college returned home within the year and transferred. Students- you might not believe it or realize it, but home is truly where the heart is. As for both students and parents I recommend looking at all options when selecting colleges, from the types of meal plans to available housing, security and activites. While the school's popularity is highly ranked in a students mind, it often distracts from the things they should be looking for-size, comfort, and flexibilty. Afterall, if you're not so close to home, then your college will become your new home and you want to make the best situation possible.

The most important thing to keep in mind when entering into the college experience is to keep an open and fresh mind. As a student, you have so much in front of you that if you let your prejudices get in the way then you will be missing out on a great deal. Also, don't do yourself the disfavor of confining yourself to just academics; explore a little bit. At the same time you should still be prudent and pursue academics with zeal as it is easy to underestimate the commitment required at first.

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Allow for a visit of more than just one day! Stay near campus and walk around and talk to as many people as you can. Also, walk around the surrounding part of town/city. Find out everything you can about what students do for fun! If there are sports games or concerts going on while you are there, attend them! This is the best way to feal like you acctually go there! If you don't feel like you fit in within those couple days, you may not.

Try to visit and meet with people thyat attend the school before you go - networking and seeing how you would fit the environment before you get there will give you a huge advantage. Stay on top of classes, but don't let them consume you; also, don't be afraid to ask for help studying or going over what you learned in class, because many of the professors and your classmates are more than willing to help. Find things you love to do. Pick a major that fits what you're interested in, and talk to an advisor about how you can make it fit with any future plans you might have. Also find a club or activity you love - it will help you make friends, and give you a break form academics every once in a while; for me, joining a sorority was the best thing I could have ever done, because I really have found a second family, a home away from home. Parents should be supportive and encouraging, but not overbearing; let your child decide how often to call or what classes to take. College is about making decisions and mistakes to find out who you are.

It's impossible to make the best college choice for you without really getting to know the school, campus, and student body. I visited my school at least 4 times before I decided to apply early decision. I read college manuals, talked with students and other potential applicants, visited their website hundreds of times, went on a tour, sat in on information sessions, walked around campus myself; I literally did everything I could think of to get the best perspective I could. And it worked! I found a school with a wide range of extra curricular activities, both familiar and new, that interested me that also had an academic caliber to challenge me to become the best student I could. However its important to explore the city the campus is located in, its important to not get lost in the campus bubble while in college, or simply just be too far away from home. So make sure you look at the school in its entirety before making your decision.