Santa Clara University Top Questions

Originally I went into the college process with only two schools that I was willing to go to. Now I am at what I would have considered a "backup-school" and am extremely happy. Don't let yourself get backed into a decision you may regret, because college is an important factor of life. I followed my heart (although my father wasn't happy about me going so far away) and now both of us are satisfied with my choice. Look to where you will not only be academically challenged but where you will be happy growing and becoming an adult. As I look back on the past year and a half, I realized my most joyous times have come when I put all of my might into an experience and was open to new things. Through this since of freedom I have been able to find at school, my life has become peaceful yet exciting at the same time. I cannot wait to use what I have learned in a real work experience, but I will be honest and admit I do not look forward to the day I graduate and I have to leave my wonderful campus

A word of advice for parents and/or students reading this is, do not pick a college based off of where your friends are going, if it is a "party school", or if your parents went there. Really take the time to visit schools and make sure you enjoy above all else the atmosphere of the university. Remember, this will be your home for the next four years. Secondly, make sure you know what you like (i.e. class size, number of students attending your school, social scene). You want your college to fit you like the perfect pair of jeans. Going to a school based on "the college life" or "the party" will not get you anywhere. College is meant to be a gateway to your future, not a place for binge drinking. Trust me, you will find a party anywhere you end up going, but just make sure you choose the college you want to attend for the right reasons.

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The college seeking process has started and the advice available to students and parents will be flowing.What I have learned is: "Do not be discouraged" and "It only takes one". The former I deduced after being rejected from over nine schools, and the latter, an old math teacher told me. My math teacher was right, I only needed to be accepted to one school, and though that was the only school that accepted me, I have never looked back. It is the one place I know I have been able to make a difference and will continue to grow. After starting there, I realized that the location was perfect, I needed small classes, and that the degrees offered were what I was looking for. Each individual who applies to college deserves a chance at higher education. There are a myriad of reasons why the top schools reject a majority of the students who apply, but statistics do not account for the individual. Whatever school accepts you, whatever school rejects you, do not get discouraged. It only takes one institution of higher education to enjoy and take advantage of the next four years of your life.

After narrowing the number of colleges down as much as you can, I suggest visiting the school. It may sound tacky, but the minute I stepped onto Santa Clara's gorgeous campus, I knew that I wanted to go there. It is wonderful and necessary that the college has rigorous academics, but make sure that the college is located in a place you'd want to live for at least four years. Classes only take up so much of your time, the rest is spent wandering the campus and figuring out what to do with yourself during your spare time. The campus setting can literally make or break a college experience.

To be patient during the process. I visited several campuses and was interested in attending another college until I stepped onto the campus at Santa Clara University, I knew right away it was the college for me. My advice is to be patient and if you think you know what college you want to attend, be open to visiting your options...don't limit your choices; in doing so you may discover a better fit for yourself. The better the fit the greater the success.

You can be happy anywhere. College is fun. It's all about the kind of weather you want to be around and how big of a school you want to go to. Don't stress too much because college is what you make it. Good people and good fun is at every campus.

College is a time of growth and discovery. You will learn a lot academically, but you will learn even more about yourself. Do not let money be the overriding concern when it comes to college choices. What should matter is where the student feels most comfortable. The student?s college will be home for the next four years. The student should feel comfortable, but the experience should not be a continuation of high school. You need to push yourself academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. No one can make the decision for you; it is yours and yours alone. Going to college is for you; you go because you want to go, to learn, to experience, and to live. College is what you make of it and as the saying goes ?You get out what you put in.?

Pick A school only if you fit in the demographic.

My father always taught me to pick my friends, so i can have control of where I am headed. College has been a matter of making decisions that benefit you, including who you select as your friends, what you declare as your major, or even what hobbies you discover and make your own. I would simply advice to pick a college based on the opinions of college students who attend it and can give you a real rundown on the social life that they have. Sometimes college pamphlets and online websites will only allow you to inquire so much. Pick your resources of information, and you will have a stronger grasp in knowledge on what college campus is truly right for you!