Salem College Top Questions

I would have told myself to stay focused on the future and to not get sidetracked by the moment. I would have choosen Salem College and I would have participated in several of the extracurracular offerings. I would have savored every moment of college life knowing that I was growing personally and professionally. I would have taken time to think about what I want out of life and the best route to take to make that a success instead to surviving from one day to the next. I would have valued education for myself the way that I value it for my son and daughter. It is usually easier to proceed to college immediately out of high school but for those of us who took a detour or two the most important lesson is to obtain our education at some stage in our lives enabling us to be all that we can be for ourselves, our children, our peers and our communities.

My advice to the students would be to write down all of the pros and cons of their choices. For example, if the student is use to a smaller classroom setting, it is best if they look for a college with that setting. Financial Aid is also a part of the choosing process. This is where the parents come into play. Students want to make sure the quality of the education that the school is offering, is worth the money. Money shouldn't be the reason why you cannot go to a college/university that you really love. Students want to also make sure that they are not going into a college environment that is all about parties. It is college and there will be parties anywhere you go. Just make the best choice for yourself and make sure the school and its environment make the student feel comfortable.

Make sure you know the university's personal and academic history. Make sure that whatever you decide to do has already been planned ahead of time so that selecting a major and classes will be a simple task. Work hard because all of your hard work does account for something.

Visit each campus more than once....and speak to students who are not "reps" of the college. The "reps" are only going to give you the details the college wants you to have. Speak to random students...this way you will have an overarching view of the student life.

Pick a school that will bring the most out of you and will that will challenge your mind at every turn. Pick a school that will also show you the true meaning of school spirit and will help you embrace it.

Do not allow your parents convince you to go to the college they choose.

To the students first searching out colleges: there is never a perfect college. Pick a college where you would be comfortable, in a big city or small town. You don't always have to follow the crowd and go where everyone else is going. Going off to a college alone is an adventure on its own. The college experience is called an experience because it is a time to discover new things about yourself, friends, life and world. Never settle for less, always strive for more. Be involved with as much as you want or enjoy, there are numerous organizations available to try or explore. Don't be afraid of not having the most ideal roommate situation. Alot of the time, it doesn't work out, but other times, your roommates end up being your best friends. Don't be afraid of changing, this is the time of your life that you can blossom into the person you can become. To the parents of new college students: It is fine to be sad to having a child leave for college. Just dont hinder their growth. Let them grow into adults and blossom into people you can be proud of.

Really look at the schools closely not just the academic world. Look at what the school offers off campus as well as on campus.

Just to make sure you research everything about the college you want to attend. Look at important things such as whether Freshmen can have a car, living conditions on campus, tuition, financial aid, learn about loans, and what you need to bring to school. And remember, you have to buy your books in college, they are very expensive.

just be yourself

Visit each college and plan ahead

When looking for the best possible college experience for yourself it is important to look at yourself and figure out who you are and who you want to be. The latter is the most important. If you know that, you'll know what size school that will be best for you, you'll know the best location for your college experience, you'll know the kind of notoriety you want your school to have. And it's also important to realize that you may not know who you want to be. In that case, it's best to look for a school that will foster many different ideas and career paths in you. Once you get there, it's important to get involved so you can make yourself a well-rounded, well-informed person. Get to know the professors and get involved in your campus life. If you have a hand in what's going on, you can help make it the best experience possible for you. Get to know the upperclassmen, but more importantly, make friends with people in your class. Make friends, make memories, make connections.

Visit the campuses, try to start saving early, and dont take too much out in loans.

Make sure you give yourself time to research all options and weigh every factor you can think of including financial aid, housing, location, accredidation, social life, academics, post graduate opportunitites, etc to make sure that the college you choose is indeed the right one for you. Talk to alumni and current students to get an idea of what you will see in order to avoid the often sugar coated admissions facts. I encourage you to visit as many as possible and sit in on classes, visit the dining hall, and just simulate yourself at the particular college or university as much as possible. Most importantly, think of what you really want to get out of this experience and really try to make sure that this college is right for YOU. It's easy to get caught up in where your friends are going, what your parents want, or even the popular schools but it's important not to lose sight of that fact that YOU are the one who has to spend the next couple of years of your life here and you want to be happy with your decision!

Use your best judgement, when your looking for a school make sure you look in to everything, every little detail. Make sure you tour the school and that is the right fit for you. When you get to school make sure you don't hide out in your room. Get out there and socialize with your fellow classmates, and get involved in anything you can.