Roanoke College Top Questions

There is no set way or method to finding the right college. You can have gut feelings and visit, but until you have been for at least a semester, you really cannot accurately gauge your feelings towards an institution. Knowing basic things such as what size school, what amount of money you're willing to pay, and what kind of people you're looking to be around are helpful. As far as making the most of a college experience, that is totally in the hands of the student. At all schools there is partying. Some choose to kill their livers and lungs while others enrich their brains. Some do both. Even the most poorly rated schools have something to offer, you just need to know where to look to find it. Roanoke College's extremely poor advising has led me to be more independent in my choice making and decisions. It has also helped me to be more decisive. If I could describe college in one wod, it would be "variable." Some cliches such as "adventure" and "journey" do not fit. It's a very variable experience and its path is totally in your own hands.

Don't make a decision solely based on financial offerings. Go with the school that is the best fit for you, not the one that offers the most money!

I would suggest parents and students to do their research! Make sure you know what you are looking for in a school and that it has the major, activities, and opportunities you are interested in. When you narrow down your choices, be sure to visit the campus to really get a feel of what the college or university is like. You want to make sure you know what the school, faculty, and students are like and if it will be the right fit for you. If I didn't visit the college I am at right now when I was doing my college search, I would definitely be at the wrong school and I would have had to go through the hassle of transferring. You want to make sure you're happy because college is supposed to be the best years of your life!

Do whats best for you and get involved

Look at more than one place. Sit in on classes, talk with professors and financial aid. Make sure you apply for all the scholarships you're eligable for. Don't become set on one school; be flexible, especially if you aren't 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure what your major will be. Choose a school that has more than one major you like, just incase you're like me and decide to switch once you find it the department isn't what you thought it would be. Make sure any classes listed in the catalog that you want to take are being offered and that the professor hasn't retired or something.

visit the school and if it feels like home you will know

going to the best school isn't the goal. it's finding a place that really fits with the indiviudal's needs.

PIck a college where you feel comfortable and welcome. This is going to be home for about 4 years so you want to be in a place that feels that way. Decide what is important for you and what you want to get out of the school, then pick the school that will be able to deliver that for you.

Make sure you are picking a school that has a high rate of placing graduates in jobs. Try to find a school that will help you toward your career goal, many colleges let you major in whatever you wish and then there is no hope for employment afterward with your degree. Be careful!

Small schools have great communities, and let you make a lot of lifelong friends. Go somewhere warm and live it up!

Visit, visit, visit! You won't know how the campus and the school will really feel until you go see it for yourself. But try to avoid the official tours if possible, they tend to sugar coat things. Talk to the professors and current students, look at reviews online, and strongly consider cost. It doesn't seem that important now, but once you have graduated it will be VERY important. Also check out professor websites and see what they're publishing. Make sure they are contributing to their field - that way they're certain to contribute to your education!

Visit as many schools as possible.

The biggest step in determining where you will fit in best, after you find a school in a region you want to study and that offers subjects you want to major in, is visiting the school. Attend an open house, get a feel for the current students on campus and the faculty. Interpersonal style is an important element of feeling comfortable in your environment. Feeling comfortable where you are going to attend college for 2 to 4 years is important in determining how much you take away from your school and the education/experiences provided there. I find it hard to imagine that one could take a positive stance on his or her academics in the face of negative interactions with peers and professors.

Go take a tour and if it feels right, make that choice

Pick the one that's right for YOU, not your friends.

I learned a lot from my college experiences. Out of everything I learned, one of the most important things I figured out was college is what you make of it. It does not matter where you end up but more importantly it is the journey you make for yourself. In order for you to truly be happy at your college, it is important that you have an active roll on campus. I did not go to my first choice school or even my second choice but, I am glad I came to my college because it forced me to want more. By demanding more from my college, I was able to have a greater impact there. When choosing a college, it is imporant to reflect on what is important to you and your goals in life. This might be a hard objective to deturmine so early in your life. Try to find the answers to those questions and then choose a school that can help you get where you want to be. Please remember that college is not the be all and end all and there are still many more opportunities to accomplish your dreams.

Make sure to visit the campus before choosing and go into it with an open mind. Make sure you are open to new things and meeting new people. Don't let money be the difference of where you go to school (if you can).

Students should be able to step onto a college campus and know that it is where they belong. It is very important for students to get involved in extracurricular activities, from on-campus organizations to off-campus activities or community service. That is the best way to build a strong peer group. Even if a school does not offer financial aid, monetary issues should never hinder a student's opportunity to attend an institution; there are thousands of dollars of scholarship money that is unclaimed every year. It is acceptable to enter an institution without knowing what career path to take, because college is a time to find your niche.

Make sure that you have a second, third, fourth, etc. choice of college. You do not want to depend on that one college and when the time comes when you do not get accepted to that college, then you are out of luck. Make sure you have everything in order and everything is "peachy" (for the lack of a better word). Make sure the student takes the SATs early, that way if they don't like their score, they can have enough time to retake the test. File for financial aid; even if you think you are not going to get any, do it any way. Make sure you do file late December early January; the longer you wait the less money you may possibly get. When leaving for college, make sure you have a list of things to bring. Check the school's website; sometimes they have a list of items you may need to bring, to help you out. Also, when deciding what college to go to, the school website is handy. You can find out about the different majors and minors.

Remember that this is a huge commitment. Find the college that is perfect for you and dont settle for anything less. If money is an issue, stick to colleges that you can afford (unless they are truly worth the money). Dont make your decision just based on a visit, do a lot of research if you are interested in a school.