Princeton University Top Questions

The number one thing I would recommend to prospective students and parents is to visit the schools where you are thinking of spending the next four years of your life. Searching for the college can be a stressful process, but visiting schools and talking to students can help you more than any internet search. It doesn't matter how good a school looks on paper if you are going to be miserable there and don't feel like you fit in. As for making the most of your college experience, please take academics seriously. Remember, this is probably the reason your parents are sending you to school and paying money for you to go. Sports, music, and extracurriculars are important and provide a great opportunity to interact with fellow students, but academics should be your primary focus. Work hard and remember that professors (at least good ones) are always there to help you. Now, I am not saying to study 24/7 and never have any free time for friends. One of the most important things you'll learn in college is how to balance things and prioritize. Just remember that academics should be at the top of that list.

Flash forward to that inevitable car ride--the car ride mom has been dreading: your parents are pulling out of your new dorm's parking lot. Their arms are tired from hauling boxes up four flights of stairs. Their eyes are wet and their shoulders are slouched. Mom looks over at Dad, her head tilting and brow squinching--how does she feel? Does she feel safe leaving you, her baby, in this new, strange place? Does she have faith that this college is the right fit? And what about you, that son or daughter-- are you anxious? Excited to investigate extracurriculars, make new friends? Some fall day, the college search will be distant memory. Thinking about this moment-- when student is left alone and parent drives into the distance-- is a good way to better understand what the college search is all about: choosing a place to live, a place to learn, a place to be. Choose a college where both mom, dad, and student will be excited on move-in day, then live each day with that same excitement, making the most of your college experience by reminding yourself why you chose your college in the first place.

Do not let money affect your decision more than it needs too. Do not miss out on a great education because you think you can't afford it. Find the school you want to go to and do all you can to enter it. Seek advice from current college students and ask them about the application process.

Not everyone gets that "This is the place for me" feeling when they step onto a campus. Look at the people around you, think about whether you want to spend 4 years with these people. If there's doubt in your mind about your decision, you should probably reevaluate why you picked a school.

The most important thing to do when choosing the right college is to visit the campus. There are cases where geography makes this inconvenient, but this college will be your home for four (or so) years, and your happiness will largely be influenced by your life on campus outside of classes. See the school, get a feel for who the students are, what they do with their time, and what they're satisfied or dissatisfied about. Once you get to college, take some time to think about what you want to learn, both in your major and outside. People tell freshmen they have plenty of time to make decisions, but it goes by so fast that you should be thinking ahead. Also, make sure you make the most of the student groups on campus. You will likely never be in another community with so many interesting people your age who are likely to share so much in common with you as you are in college. Join a singing group, a dance group, intramural sports, debate team--whatever piques your interest. Make lots of friends to help you through your academic trials as well as to make lots of memories. Enjoy!

Go where you'll have the most fun.

Finding the right college isn't necessarily about academics, because you will change your mind on your major as you go along. The three most important things are housing, financial aid, and social life. As for making the best of your college experience, the best advice I can give is this: don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Worry about what YOU are doing. Everything else will fall into place.

I applied to twenty-five colleges. That meant twenty- five applications, twenty- five potential alma maters, and twenty-five potential rejections. Through my rather extreme experience, I want to assure you that you can make your own "dream school." Finding the "right" school can be a challenge. My advice is to look at college brochures, visit your top choices if you can, but do not be scared if you cannot seem to find your "perfect" school. Every institution has its virtues and flaws, and no single university is perfect, even if it may appear to be. Each college offers a distinct set of opportunities and challenges, and I feel that you create your own college experience. Take me for example. I had over twenty choices by the final stage of my process. How did I make my decision? I have a younger sister, and I knew that I needed to think about her education as well. Princeton University offered me a great financial aid package. So, I accepted, and I am so glad that I did. I have used the opportunities here to create my own "dream school." The truth is that you control the quality of your education.

The right college is the one which has the most opportunites and support structure for intellectual and artistic development. Look up the scholarship record of the professors, the size and specialization of the library and the guest speakers it tends to attract. The most important rule, though, is to be absolutely realistic about what college can do for you. If it means accumulating exorbitant amounts of debt, it's not worth it. College does not guarantee a higher paying job. Keep other options open. But if college is for you, don't let yourself be taken in by glitzy brochures. You choose the college; it does not choose you. Use the time wisely. This is not the time to laze around all day and party all night. It's the time to invest in your future.

Do not decide to attend a school just because it is well known or thought to be a "good" school. Consider what is best for you and follow that path.

There are many great colleges outside of the Ivy League, so there is no need to be caught up by getting into the colleges with the highest ranking. Look beyond grades. Look deeper into the things that truly interest you. Don't be afraid to experiment with different projects. If you want to initiate something, just do it. There is no need to wait. Always learn from other people, because EVERYONE has something worth learning. Feel extremely lucky to be able to learn, because not everyone has the privilege to do so. Lastly, have a good heart, because it is the most important element that will get you anywhere you want to go not your GPA.

While rankings are important indicators of the seriousness of academics and the quality of professors, within a certain range they tell you very little. Visit a school, and make sure you are comfortable with the social scene (i.e. talk to students and do what they do). It is important that you are comfortable with the people around you to get anything out of your education. Find a school that is strong in what you want to study. Overall, be happy, but don't be compacent.

Many students just "want to get away" from home, and are ready to go across the country "to be free." Most of my college friends who initially had that mindset have come to realize that one can be free and independent without having to go away very far. No matter the location, every college experience will allow students to learn independence - the students simply need to be driven to make it happen. College is what one makes it, and I have chosen to make the most of it by finding the perfect balance of academic, social, and extracurricular activities. Everyone should go to college to be challenged - academically and personally. Students should not fear a rigorous academic environment - they should feel stimulated by their classes and other activities. I believe that other members of the University are the determinants of one's experience. If one cannot connect with his classmates and professors, then perhaps that is not the right place for him. I have loved my two years in college because of the people I have met and because of the many ways they have positively influenced my life.

With all of the emphasis placed on attending the most prestegious college or university possible, it's important to remember not to chose a school only based on it's standing in newspapers and magazines. If, as a student, you visit a university and it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't the right choice. You will be spending some of the most fomative years of your young adult life at the school of your chosing, and while it's an option to transfer, it's best for developing a strong eductation and a stable social life to remain at the same university for the full term of your college education. When you tour a campus, see if you can attend a lecture, notice the bulletin boards scattered around campus, hang out at night to see the social scene, and try to get a feel for the town in which the college is situated. All of these things, while they might not be obvious from rankings in magazines, will necessarily play a large part in determining whether the personality of the school matches your personality. Do the necessary research, but don't be afraid to trust your gut instinct.

Don't underestimate financial aid at Ivy League schools. It is a common misnomer that they're too expensive--if you get accepted, the universities will make it affordable for your family.

Don't worry about what your friends are going to think or get into a competition about rankings of school. Find the place where you think you'll have a good time and still get work done.

Look for financial aid!!!

Visit the campus, speak to current students, and, if you're torn or uncertain, go with your gut. Omce there, attend as many events and classes as you can, because you'll regret it if you don't.

Let the kids do the research!

Most people I know went to the most academically rigorous school they got into, because it was the "best" school. If you're sure that that's what you want, go for it - but know that it means you're really going to have to work hard if you want to do well, because everyone else is going to be just as qualified as you are. Also: VISIT your schools. Go where you feel happy. Don't agonize about it, because, after all, isn't that what everyone wants - to be happy? If you're happy, you'll be more successful, make more friends, and get more out of your experience. Don't worry about what anyone else is going to say about your school.