Rhodes College Top Questions

If I had the chance I would advise myself to not be so shy when I start college and to take a wider variety of classes to make choosing my major easier. I'm pretty introverted; I had a great opprotunity to connect with students at my current college while I was in high school, but I rarely connected with people the way I would have liked to. I'm also terrible at decision making. Since freshment year I was toggling between majors: art, economics, art and economics double major, business, history, film studies, business with a minor in Chinese, art with a minor in Chinese. Now I'm an environemtal studies major (weird, right?)

Don't put things off until later. Seriously. You'll regret it.

If I could give my high school senior self advice, I would tell her not to sweat the small stuff. I spent so much of my high school career worrying about stupid things like popularity and sports and boys that I let the important things fall behind. I would tell her "people don't give you nearly as much thought as you think they do." Constantly worrying about what everyone else thinks of you can wear you down emotionally and physically. Life becomes extremely stressful and looking back now I realize how silly I was for worrying about things that don't really matter. I would tell the high school me that in a year I would have the best friends I could ever want and they love me because of my brain and personality and don't care if I'm wearing the latest fashions or dating the cutest boys. In high school it's easy to get caught up in the petty everyday things. In doing this we just make life harder and lose sight of the things and people who really matter.

I would tell myself to start at a West Georgia Technical College to save money for the future college I plan to transfer to. I would also tell myself to start the scholarship search earlier, rather than waiting until I’m close to transferring. Lastly, to study more and get more involved in sports, clubs, and other organizations.

I would tell myself to consider meduim size schools in addition to the smaller schools I applied to. That is the one major regret I have about going to Rhodes--it was a great school, but it was small. I think it is important to consider that you grow into a school, and it's possible to outgrow it. That's what happened for me. I wouldn't necessarily choose a different school, but I would have at least given myself other options as far as size.

Life- no boundaries, fresh out of the box, grade A life. That's the only way to encompass everything that I've gotten out of college- all of the victories, experiences, and memories right alongside the dissapointments, bad days, and sturggles. When I came to college, my life not only opened a new chapter, but it hit me in the face. My life began when I came here. I learned how to live on my own, learned what made me happy, and even learned how to learn. It almost seems as though everything thus far had been leading up to this one milestone. And once I got here, it was up to me what to make of it. So I embraced it! The wonderful oppurtunities, relationships, and wisdom have been innumerable. It has helped define who I am and who I want to be. Without college, I would feel unfulfilled, because it is the beginning of everything. And now that I've gotten to this milestone I have realized it's not getting through here that's important but instead it's the journey I take.

I was an immigrant from Hong Kong four years ago. My previous educational experience in Hong Kong had been dispiriting; therefore, I came to the United States hoping for a better educational environment for me to discover my gifted talents and career goals. The US did not disappoint me. When I was in high school, my teachers gave confidence for me on believing my capability. They helped me find out whom I really want to be. I want to enter the justice system to help people in the country and fight against crimes and unfairness.Therefore, when I joined Howard Community College, without any hesitation, I chose Criminal Justice as my major. Two years had gone quickly, and from HCC, I was able to deepen my knowledge on the U.S. justice system. It gave me a chance to understand how the system works and its limitation. I have found out that the poors and the minorities still face much unfairness in the legal system. It is, by then, I realize that I must continue my education in order to improve the justice system. Afterall, the Law is the ultimate weapon for us to persue justice, right?

Even though my college experience has only been for one year so far, I have still been able to manage to find many things that I have become valuable to me because of this past year. For my past year I have had to learned to adopted to my many different type of schedules that I would have to make on a daily basis. This has taught me excellent time management in ways of planning accordingly for schedule advents and also being able to manage my time for many of the unexpected events that comes my way from a day to day basis. The biggest valuable experience that I believe I have received from this past year is the way that college has let me realized that it is time to move on for me. I believe that it is a reality check for myself to realize that you will only get out of life for what you put into it. Another thing that i have learned is that no one else will do it for you anymore its time to grow up, move on, and make your life for yourself. Theses are just some experiences college has taught me.

Coming to Rhodes has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. The school itself is breathtakingly beautiful; the Gothic architecture earns it frequent comparisons to Hogwarts. The campus is filled with highly driven individuals who truly care about their academic experience. However, Rhodes does not seem to be as competitive as some schools, and tends to have a more laid back atmosphere. Rhodes has been an incredible experience so far. In my time here I have already been given opportunities that I would not have gotten at any other institution that will truly change my life entirely.

Don't be afraid of the unknown: college is liberating and mind-altering! It is not like anything you've ever experienced before - it will feel like a step into real life and into a newfound independence. In everything I do, I'll be responsible for the consequences - parents aren't there to stop you or bail you out. It'll teach me to think before I act, as well as take risks that maybe I wouldn't ordinarily. Do what I've always wanted to try - maybe being a radio host on campus radio, or studying in places I've only dreamed of, like Russia. Be open to all the different people I'll meet - they each have a perspective that reflects a different part of this great country and the world. Remember - I'll be as interesting to them as they are to me. My professors are people too - they're ready to help me succeed and I get to mine their fantastic brains for 4 years! And stick to my own internal honor code. If I do it right, college will be the best time of my life - I'll soar to the limits of my imagination!

Making friends is great. You are not going to have a problem with that. But don't be afraid to make even more friends than you initially will. Breaking out of that bubble will eliminate the high school feel of attending a small campus. By intertwining yourself with more eclectic groups of people around campus, you will make yourself happier and improve your networking skills for the future. It is vital to learn these types of skills early. A degree is very important for the future, but so is knowing the right people. By combining your education and people skills, you are almost guaranteed to be sucessful in your life. I'm not suggesting you go out and get crazy every weekend at parties, but just make sure you aren't closing yourself off to people who could potentially determine your future. Take this advice seriously, and your will go far.

I would tell myself to not get in the mindset that college is easy. It is not what everyone assume. Getting into college is not the end, yet the beginning. You must work hard and attend as many, if not all, classes as possible. Don't start your college adventure off bad, do all work and never procrastinate because it will bite you in the butt later. Do not give in to pressure of partying every night because it is not good for your health and more than likely your grades will suffer as well. It is possible to have fun and do well in classes; however, you must manage you time and make wise decisions. Nonetheless, don't stress too much because college is suppose to be fun considering afterwards you must get a job and officially become an adult!

Be careful to make your own decisions, for your own reasons, and only when you're ready. Don't be swayed by other people's ideas or actions. However, try to keep an open mind and be accepting of other people.

Before you run off to college understand that change is a constant and natural occurrence. Change should happen naturally, on its own terms, in its own time. In four years you wont be the same person you are now, and as of right now you don?t know where you'll be in four years. So In anticipation to the open ended future ahead, keep an open mind. Don?t try to push yourself in any particular direction. Don?t make early commitments. Don?t limit your social scene to your comfort zone, because as you change so will this zone. Don?t try too hard to find a fit, let the fit find you. Transitions in life should be welcomed without expectation so that all oppurtunities can be considered. You dont want to miss out on any for the future you. Dont join that fraternity. It will attempt to define your on campus character, but i promise you that not even eight months from now it might not be such an accurate description of who you really want to be.

I have been incredibly happy with my college decision, and I was definitely fortunate enough to have a mother who understood the true value of education, how vitally important the college experience is to a driven student. The main reason many of my high school friends remain unhappy with their college choices is in part due to the rising costs in institutions of higher learning. Essentially, they made the financially safe choice, instead of their ideal choice. Although this works for some people, I would urge against that. As corny as this may sound, I would advise parents to let their children follow their dreams, and allow them to make the college choice that would provide the most meaningful and engaging four years of their lives. I believe that my time at Rhodes has made me understand how important learning is to me and how much I want to utilize this knowledge to not only allow me to survive in adulthood, but to thrive in it. Drowning a student in an unsuitable environment may be economically advisable, but it might ultimately deprive that person out of an incredible self-learning experience.

Visiting websites and looking at brochures are good ways to narrow down your list of potential colleges, but nothing can compare to visiting your favorite schools in person. When you set foot on the school that is right for you, you will feel right at home. Visiting a college will tell you much more about what it is really like than simply reading the information published by that school. Look at the students; if they are happy at their school, it will show. It is also wise to visit a college before you even apply to it. College visits demonstrate that you have a real interest in attending that school and a note of your visit will be made on your application. The interest you showed could make the difference between your application being accepted or denied. Once you are accepted to a school you have already visited, you will be more prepared to make your final decision on which school to attend. Then, the only thing left to do is to enjoy every minute of it. Going to the right school for you will allow you to be comfortable and happy, even in a totally new environment.

Spend the time visiting and researching each school extensively. Don't rely on one visit and work of mouth.

Finding the right coolege is crucial in the quality of life that you or your child will expereince in the next four years. Choose somewhere that can really help you reach your career goals. Try not to concentrate so much on the social atmosphere of any place, because almost any school can provide you with excellent social activities. When considering different schools, attend classes if possible and meet with the professors. Be prepared to do plenty of research into lots of different schools in order to choose the right college.

I would say look for a school that requires or encourages outside service and volunteering. I wouldn't ahve done it if my school didn't encourage it, but I am so glad I did as far as scholarships fo and because of what I learned from doing them. Also ask about how good your school is at hooking students up with internships and careers once school is over. Also it helps to think about where you want to end up after school and try and go to college in that area because chances are thats where you will be making the best connections while at school.

Really consider what the prospective student values most -- whether it be academics, student diversity, or professor interaction. I also think location of the school is incredibely important. I wish I would've chosen a larger college as well.