Lehigh University Top Questions

Do a lot of research not only on the school, but on the specific department you are majoring in. Figure out how much of the school's budget goes to funding that program and if there are any professors whose research is aligned with your interests for potential research opportunities.

I truly believe that the student knows what's best. There's a feeling you get when you step on to the campus you belong on that no one else can feel. I would say to trust your instincts and know what it is you want, why you want it, and how to get it. Don't be afraid to go somewhere different or to break away from friends and family tradition. College is the most important 4 years of your life and it should really be a decision taken seriously.

Select a school based on reputation and how your "feel" for it when you visit, NOT whether it's a party school, or lame, etc... And once you begin, BE OPEN MINDED. My sister has transfered between three schools because she thought her college experience was going to be exactly like mine right off the bat. I absolutely loved my experience, but that may not be typical, and it may only come with time. So, PLEASE give the school you choose a chance. Go in opened minded, and it'll work out.

I think the best way to describe the power you have over your happiness and success at school is to describe my own experience. I chose my college because of the remarkable pride and support almuni and upperclassmen showed towards it. Surely if all of these people loved this school I would too, right? WRONG. I wanted out first semester, but something inside me ached to find that magic. I needed to find my niche so I joined any and every club that seemed remotely interesting. Countless meetings and resignations later, I'd found my happy place. It took some effort on my part but what I earned was a family and a home. I can't imagine being anywhere else. There is no right or wrong answer when you are a choosing college; what's important is what you make of your experience. Obviously, there are a few extraneous cases (I know kids who were driven out of schools by loud picketing or early morning protests). Generally speaking, no matter what school you go to you'll have some of the most memorable moments of your life and some of the toughest; this is the nature of the beast.

If a student isn't happy at their college, that student won't be successful at that college. Don't focus solely on the prestige of a college because that alone won't make a student happy. Concentrate on the type of people, type of campus, type of classes, and type of extracurricular and social activities that college has. There's no point in making a home at a place you hate for four years.

follow your heart and enjoy every minute of it.

Definately look beyond just the classes offered. Talking to students is the best way. It is always interesting to ask people what they don't like about their school, because that is not something they may readily offer

I never realized that my AP courses could make it possible for me to skip classes in college, I thought they just looked good. You have so much more flexiblity with your credits in college if you are able to skip a few basic requirements by doing well on AP exams. And as soon as you get to college, yes make friends and party and socialize and join things, but also search out the career center and find steps you will have to take to get a job or go to grad school so you know if there are any requirements you need to fulfill. I realized too late things that I should have done. Even if you have no idea what to do, take a workstudy job in an influencial office on campus (like the leadership office or in career services) so you can get ideas. GET AN INTERNSHIP early on so you can realize if what you want is right for you or to try out something. Also, it will give you networking opportunities for getting a job in the future or for recommendations.

If the prospective student is looking strictly for academics, stop right there. When one is looking for a college to suit their needs, remember to look at the social aspect as well as where it is located, i.e., near a city, in the suburbs, in the country, etc. Don't, don't, don't only look for the academic nature of the school.

When a parent steps on to a college campus, he or she should reserve comments unless asked by the student. A parent can envision going to that institution and how it would feel but let the student make his or her decisions first. A parent's input is valuable but more so when the student asks for it. That being said, once the visit is over, the parent should encourage the student to think about his or her values and who he or she envisions his/herself to become. Can that student see the university as an enironment condusive to becoming that person? Going along with that, I think that a student should trust his or her gut feeling. In the end, I believe that many people are so different from who they are from high school to college that they make a slightly wrong decision. Still, any one can find what they want on a college campus, regardless of what they went there for in the first place. That is the beauty of university- that you can actually chape your college campus- because, I've seen it, you can. College is a metamorphosis.