Loyola University Maryland Top Questions

Dear Alicia, Meet as many people as possible! Be yourself and stop worrying about what you think others are thinking, you are most likely overeacting. Don't spend time with people who leave you feeling drained and worthless. Reach out to everyone to find out where you fit. Secondly, stay involved! Join a club that you like and stick with it. Lastly, try to keep your life in balance. School work should be most important, that is why you're at college. Though it might feel like the end of the world if you can't go to the party on Friday, you will benefit more greatly than you can imagine in academics. Try to study atleast two days in advance for a test. If you don't understand something, talk to your professor. They will be more than willing to help. A lot of them turn out to be very interesting people who genuinely care about you. They have stood where you are! Most importantly, try to get out what you want from your school. Make the experience one you can look back proudly on. You only go to college once in your life!

Currently, I am a well adjusted happy sophmore in college because of the choices I made. But during the summer before I entered college I began to experience unlimited amounts of anxiety about everything. I even went so far as to talk myself into staying home with my parents so that I could feel safe, secure, and stress free. Sure, there were older college students who advised me about various things to look out for and experience in college, but some how I could not relate to what they were telling me. If I could relive those days again I would learn how to love and respect myself more. I let other people persuade me into applying for colleges that I knew in my heart I could never be happy attending. Knowing who you are and what you want to become is an integral part of that major decision on where you want to spend your next four years. Visit as many colleges as you can while classes are in session, eat in the cafeteria, workout in the gym, and stay over night. Advice from others is ok, but only your heart will make the decision for you.

Go to a place that is going to make you want to go to school every single day, whether it is for the classes or for the social life. Going to a school based solely on the financial aid is not what makes your college career good or bad. Sometimes having to pay more for a place that makes your day to day life more enjoyable is actually better than paying a little for no social life.

Work as hard as possible and don't slack off at all. Even if you think you don't have work to do one night there's always work you can getdone ahead of time. Join clubs as soon as possible and get involved as soon as possible to help make friends and connections. Talk to professors if you have any questions about anything concerning classwork, schoolwork, etc.

We as students sometimes feel pressure that we need to find the perfect school; that unless we fit into the college campus perfectly, our entire experience as undergraduate students will be ruined. After my freshman year, I can most certainly assure you - it's really more important that the school fits you as a person. If you exit college the same person you entered, you have missed out. College is a time not only for learning, but primarily for growing up, and the school you finally choose needs to allow you room to grow, to expand, to build yourself as a person and learn who you, the adult you, really is. My most important advice is to not search for the college that you absolutely-have-to-go-there-or-else-you-refuse-to-go-to-school-at-all. Look for the school where you think will mold to who you are, and never let it be the other way around. Parents? Don't worry. Your child is no longer - they are going to grow up. Make sure his or her school is a place that will let them.

I would have to say that go with what feels right. You should feel comfortable walking around campus, and be able to picture yourself there. Make sure you have some idea of what you may want to do, even if you have a couple options, and make sure the school has the appropriate programs, as well as the ability to switch programs if you choose to. Also realize that more and more often, students are going to graduate school, which can be much more expensive than college. So consider financial aid and scholarships to a school where you might be able to shine, compared to the school where you'd pay full price to be part of the crowd. As you begin college, realize that you have the potential to be anything you want to be. Know your dreams, and go after them.

Visit all types of schools. Get a tour guide. Pick it like an outfit, what you want to wear around and represent. Think of the changes you want to make to your life in your decision. Pick an area close enough and far enough.

Make sure to visit the school.

Go to a school that feels right for you. If it's a great school, but their science program isn't up to par and you want to go to medical school, then maybe go to a not so well renound school that focuses more on the science then on the humanities. Also, think about if you want a well rounded education, or if you'd be happier just studying in your own area. Finally, really think about the size of your school. Do you want small for small classes? Or do you want bigger for a more diverse social life and school spirit.

College is about what "feels right" to you. Education can be amazing anywhere; there will always be dedicated, knowlegable professors and academically challenging classes at almost any college or university. However, college is your home away from home. It becomes a part of your life that you will want to remember with a smile for the rest of it. So when you visit a college, take it all in, picture yourself there living, learning, and loving it. If you can't do that, it's probably not right for you. Make sure the feeling you get when you are experiencing the college for the first time is something you want to feel for four years. That's what is most important; to have the feeling that "yes, this is where I need to be."

I would advise students to really take a look at the people on campus when they visit. Although it seems superficial, appearances are often what they seem on the college campus. If you do not think you would feel comfotable among the people you see on campus, I would advise that you keep looking until you find one that seems right. Also, sometimes a campus just "feels" right. Don't doubt this feeling, sometimes you just know that this is the place you're meant to be. I think it is important to ask students questions that seem important to you like social life, classes, and financial aid. Both students and parents should consider all financial aid options including scholarships and loans before deciding on a college. If you can avoid debt after college or at least minimize it, this is a key factor. Most of all, I recommend that students choose a place that could feel like home because the reality is, their choice is going to be their home for the next four years and they should feel comfotable in their new home.

If you really enjoyed your high school experience, try to find a school that reminds you of your high school classmates in a geographical area that reminds you of home. Be sure to visit both small and big campuses as well as urban and non urban so you get a good grasp at what both look like. Make sure the college has classes you're interested in!

Visit the school and find a school that makes you most comfortable.

When you are picking a school there is more to oit that just the basic facts. Scholarship money, Social Scene, Academics, Food, Housing and all the rest are only a part of the picture. I would recomend that every student visit the campus and spend a few days shadowing students to both in and out of classes to find out if this is how they want to spend the next four years of their lives. Your gut instinct will tell you a lot. Get away from your tour guide, or at least get them off the script and find out what really goes on, what are the students talking about, what do they do on weekends, how many are really involved in the student government or volunteering. These things will always give you a better guage than anything on paper, and you'll thank yourself for taking the time and making the effort, because picking a school that fits you, really can make all the difference in whether you succeed and how much fun getting that success will be.

My college experience is unique because I transferred after my sophomore year. My first school was a big state school (read: party school). The school I transferred to was a small liberal arts college with a well-respected reputation, especially locally. When looking for a school, the advice that I would give to a prospective student would be: -pick a school where you think you'll have fun! You're away from your parents, and trust me, you won't be studying 24-7. -pick a school where your degree will mean something. Remember, you actually have to get a job or go to grad school after this. Lastly, I would encourage students who aren't happy at their current school to give it a year. After that, if you're still not happy, TRANSFER! College is supposed to be the best 4 years (or more!) of your life, so make sure you live it up. And take pictures!

this college works for many goals

first impressions are huge during a college search. try to visit all the colleges you apply to and see if you like the campus while at the school. Also if you goto a smaller school, there is a greater chance that there will be smaller classes, meaning the teachers care if you miss a class or aren't prepared. Always be prepared for class and make sure you do all the reading before class it makes class 1000xs easier

Be true to yourself if you're the student, and trust your child if you're the parent. Tour as many schools as possible and apply to a variety of places. After you've been accepted, tour places again. You'll know which one feels right. First semester make a genuine effort to just relax and have fun. College is about discovering who you are, not about trying to impress other people. Focus on what YOU are getting out of this awesome experience; good friends and experiences will follow. Call your parents at least once a week. Try something new, but stay connected to something you loved during high school. Most importantly, you're learning all the time--from the classroom to the laundry room. Pay attention. Get out of your comfort zone. Discover, ultimately, who you want to be because nowhere else is it more possible than in college.

Be sure to find a school that is fun and can help you with financial aid.

I would tell students that looking at the social aspects of a school is just as important as looking at academics. The social aspect is something that is hard to look-up on a website, or in the Princeton Review, but it is the one factor that I think determines a student's happiness at school, and whether or not he/she will transfer. I would tell students that it's not the biggest decision of your life, and yes college is fun, but it dosen't have to be the best four years of your life, no one needs that much pressure. I don't know if there's one "right" college, sometimes you have to find good options and go with them, I've found it's better to strive for success not perfection. In order to make the most of the college experience, I would recomend studying abroad for a semester or a full year, because that's when I learned the most. And I would recomend not holding anything back and seeking out what you want to do and be a part of immediately when you step on campus freshman year.