Rhodes College Top Questions

Go with your gut instinct. Don't let anyone else make the decision for you. If they persit remind them it is not their life to lead and you need to make your own choices. Life your life to the fullest extent.

While it may seem overwhelming at times, the key to finding the right college is, in my opinion, quite simple: a visit. Though not any ordinary visit with the stereotypical "quick tour" of the campus; I'm referring to a visit in which a prospective student stays overnight for a day or two with a current student from the college. This way, a person is best able to get the "full experience" of the college and invision themselves spending the next four years of his/her life there. Obviously, this concept opens the door to a unique way to peer into a college; one with which a magazine article, online resource, or survey question will always pail in comparison. In retrospect, as a commuter student to a small liberal arts college, the one thing that I have envied most of my fellow peers was their availability and access to extracurricular activites on campus. Over the years, I've become more active with volunteering, intramural sports, and fraternity life - all of which have made me enjoy my college experience more and more. For this reason, I have been a strong advocate of extracurricular activities on campus, especially to my fellow commuters.

Don't just think about what you want at the time of applying -- look farther down the road and make sure you pick a place you will be happy with in the future as well.

When it comes to finding the right college, my strongest advice would be to start early! Research as much as you can and rather than focus on the prestige of an institution, focus on what it has to offer you. Be honest with yourself about not only what you want from a school but what you need from a school--variety of majors, proximity to home, social atmosphere, and city location are just a few major deal breakers. Visit as many school as you can; it really helps you get a better feel for the place and can help you envision yourself there--or realize it's not a great fit. Once you've chosen a school, embrace the next step in your life. The summer before you arrive on campus, utilize social networking sites like Facebook to get to know your new classmates; it's a great and easy way to break the ice. Once the semester starts, embrace new challenges and ideas. College can be a time for immense growth. Be prepared to push yourself.

Visit the college and talk to the students there. Don't stress out, college really is what you make of it.

First, one of the best ways to find the college that is the right fit for you would be to visit several colleges that are different--but all of which appeal to you--and stay the night with a current student of that college. This way you are able to see the college, not through a visitor's perspective, but through the students' eyes. You should start this visiting experience early so you will not feel rushed to make a decision immediately but, instead, you can weigh your options. Also, think about what size city you are interested in because location really matters. Do not choose a college based solely on the beauty of it but rather the atmosphere and general personality of the students. After you choose a college and end up there, sometimes you think that it is not the right one for you. Instead of transfering ten times try to wait it out and get involved in a variety of activities. Oftentimes you find that you just feel a little scared because of this giant step, but if you do something to stay active you will find that you enjoy your college experience a lot more.

Make sure you visit the school before deciding on it. Seeing the college in person can make a tough decision much easier.

College is a personal decision. Listen to what the people who know you want, but know that the decision of what college you attend is ultimately yours. College is your personal opportunity to get the skills you need to make a difference in this world and enjoy yourself while you are doing it. Always aim high and dedicate yourself to the choices you make, but learn how to have fun. Academics isn't everything, but neither is a social life. Learn to be yourself. Try out who you want to be before you debut it to the world after college. This time is a time for you to figure out who you are, what you want, and why you want it. Make the most out of every day...besides, you're paying for it. Your future is in your hands, so buckle down and take charge. Dont forget to make friends, stay true to your values, and try a whole bunch of new things. You will be happy you did. This is your investment in yourself and one of the most important ones you can make, so congratulations on taking this step!

Do your research; talk to students and faculty, look at a place before deciding.

Go where it feels right. Don't settle because it's close to home or because you've heard it's easy.