Middlebury College Top Questions

When preparing for college, I would begin with one broad self-evaluative question: do I have a specific passion that I want to pursue with all my heart, or do I want to explore the potential opportunities that exist in my world. There is no right answer to this question, but it will dictate the way in which you choose your path. I would suggest deeply thinking about this question before moving forward with your college career, even if it means researching options on both sides of the spectrum. Another way to think about this dichotomy is: what do I want to get out of college? Some want to become a professional in a field, others simply crave the experience of learning how to learn. If you feel passionate about a profession or skill that you are already developing, consider looking into professional schools or colleges that offer hands-on, practical classes. If you are unsure of your focus and want to learn more about the possibilities that exist, look towards a more liberal arts based college in which you are able to take many classes in different subjects before focusing. BE TRUE TO YOURSELF, not a slave to expectations.

It's fun getting all of this freedom at once; one minute you have to raise your hand to go to the bathroom and the next you have the option to sleep in and miss class with basically no repercussions. However, just because you have the freedom to do whatever you want doesn't mean you can blow off school to have fun with your friends. But also remember that you should have some fun because these are supposed to be the best years of your life. You need to have a balance between school work and social time. And also remember to call your family every once in a while even if it's just to let them know that you're still alive.

These are the words I would say to my high school self, loudly and clearly: 1. Find what you are passionate about and have a natural affinity for and concentrate on that. You do not have to excel at everything. 2. Spend more time with your little sister. You never know when she may walk right out of your life. 3. Boys will find you sooner than you know (or want, perhaps). Stop looking for them. 4. Your dad is going to cry hard and long on his way home from dropping you off at college. You won't know this until four years after graduating from college. So tell him you will come home often. Go home more often. 5. You will never finish all the reading you are assigned in college. Stop trying. Learn to skim, focus on the important stuff, and then go have an adventure or take on a leadership role. 6. Stop labeling friends "best." Best is a relative word, and everything changes. 7. Seven is not lucky--it's just a number. Karma does not always play out the way you think it should. And spirituality has to be sought and worked for.

I've made some great friends and gotten to do a lot of fun activities.

Just fill out those applications. Send them all over the place. Tell every school that they're your first choice (don't let your honest tendencies take over in this particular case.) The more schools you apply to, the more you'll get in to, the more likely you'll be offered bigger and better scholarships. In a few years your family will be feeling intense financial stress, so take that into consideration when you make your decision. Before choosing, wait to hear back from the financial aid office at Santa Clara! They may cut you a sweet deal. Continue to work hard in highschool, but don't let everybody freaking out throw you off. There is no sense in worrying. Just do your thing. Work hard, and balance that with other activities that make you happy. Spend lots of time with your family. Before you know it, you'll be living away from home for most of the year. So get outside and go swimming with your brothers. Don't worry about when you get to college. Just be yourself. Be confident. Be comfortable. You're going to love it.

I would go back in time to teach myself about time management and course selections.

don't enter the hook up culture

"I cannot wait to go to college" my 17 year old self says, as she turns the corner to enter the kitchen. "Too true, but enjoy where you are at the moment" I wisely admonish. She squels, leaps back, stubs her toe and proceeds to hop around holding her toe in immense pain. "Who, what...?" she pants. "Lets sit outside for a moment" I suggest, taking her by the shoulders and leading her outside. After a few minutes of her curiously examining her future self, we both sit back and enjoy the African sun. "My only advice to you is, enjoy your life here while you can. I have amazing friends, great classes, and a gorgeous school, but you will miss home. The parents will move after your first semester, and after that final visit you may come back. So take a deep breath and experience all that Zambia has to offer. You will undoubtedly love college. The initial culture shock of the United States will have you begging for n'shima and relish, but you will adapt quickly and love Middlebury. But use your unique experiences to understand and help others. " She nods and I dissappear.

Start by asking yourself basic, key questions. Region/location of the campus will largely affect how happy you'll be there, and thus how engaged and enthusiastic you are about your academics and extra-curricular activities. Urban versus rural is an important question. Big or small? I attended a small liberal arts college in a rural environment. I was always comfortable in terms of safety, but I was challenged in the classroom. I couldn't hide in the back of a huge lecture hall. I loved it, but not everyone can find happiness through such an experience. After narrowing your search, consider the balance you want to strike between academics and extra-curricular/social endeavors. More academically rigourous schools undoubtedly tilt that balance, but they may better prepare you for post-collegiate plans, especially in terms of networking, alumni connections, etc. That said, I think the most important element of the search is gut feeling. Don't choose a school soley because of a name. That indescribable and powerful excitement you feel when considering a school is inevitably better than misery, or even apathy, at an Ivy, a major party school, a parent's alma mater, or anything in between.

Maybe this is just me speaking from a liberal arts background, but I think parents and students should be much less focused on a particular plan or path and allow themselves to consider the broader experience of college when deciding where to go or apply.