Simmons College Top Questions

The best advice I could ever give a student is to never limit themselves. In college you have endless opportunities to explore and learn and by censoring your learning you would be cutting yourself short. Step into forbidden territory, and challenge yourself. Explore deeper into your comfort zones. Reach out to new concepts with an open mind. To get the most out of your college experience you have let your mind flow without limits and follow the paths that intrigue you. To be able to find the right college, you must find a college with a cornucopia of opportunity. Classes, professors, jobs and friends will be constantly influencing your thoughts about your career, and you want a school that allows you flexibility, and offers you the chance to follow your passions. Whether you are already passionate about a subject or may develop a passion at college it is important to always do what you love and love what you do.

To me, the single most important thing about finding the right college would be to consider how comfortable one would feel there. What would be the point of attending the most respected college or university, if when you get there you feel akward and out of place? I believe that there are many ways to make the most of the college experience : 1) living on campus for at least one whole year to really get a feel for the school and to make friends, 2) Actively participating in events or activities of interest, and 3) Not to get too caught up in school work, make time for yourself and time for your friends to just relax and have fun while you are still young.

I would say to students: Go with the school that you really love, no matter what your friends say about it. That's where you'll be happiest. Don't stress about roomates or being the "perfect college student". Everything will fall into place on its own. That said, don't be lax about keeping track of everything you have to do. Having a calendar to keep track of all your assignments and engagements is a lifesaver, if you use it. Overall, have fun, and don't be afraid to get involved!

Tour a lot of different schools. It is the only way to really learn what you like and don't like from a school. Pamphlets and brouchers only show the good qualities about a school, and don't always show what the school is actually like. Touring lets you learn what the students, faculty, student life , buildings, etc. are like.

The most important thing when selecting a college is to sit down and make a list of what you want to get out of college, and then find a school that matches you. There are so many schools out there and they all specialize in different things. The perfect school for you does exist, you just have to look for it! Good luck!

I would advise parents to use their instincts and be as supportive as possible. Follow your dreams and aspirations and don't just chase money. Find a major that is going to make the student happy. Balance studying with socialization and keep your head up high.

Go where you think you're going to be able to focus academically. If that means moving away from your friends and the beach, then do just that. It's only four years, come back to for graduate work when you're ready to balance a social life and academics.

College is a period of time when an individual is expected to focus themselves on the education required to succeed in life. It is otherwise known as "the best years of your life." Therefore, the pressure pressed upon a student and his/her parents when choosing the right one can be heavy. The following questions need to be considers: "How far do you want to go?", "How big of a school do you want to attend?". and a recently very important one, "Do we have the money for you to attend this school?" I feel that it is absolutely necessary to make a list of the colleges or universities the student is interested in, research them, write down the pros and cons of each one, and DEFINITELY, most importantly, go visit the ones most compatible with the student's and parents' interests. When my parents dragged me to Simmons College 2 years ago, I told them there was no way I, Meaghan DeChristopher, was ever going to attend an all girls school. However, as soon as I saw Fenway Park, smelled the bustling atmosphere of Boston, and stepped foot on that campus, I knew it was the school for me.

Don't always go for "name brand" or "ivy league " schools, Simmons College has an awesome faculty, campus, and you won't regret it! :)

Half of the battle is finding the perfect location. You may want a prestigious school, but if it's in the middle of nowhere and you're not used to solitude, your unhappiness will outweigh your academia. Same goes for a school in a big city, when you're used to rolling hills. Your surroundings matter more than most people are willing to admit. The right college should also offer many majors and tracks you may be interested in. If you only see one or two you like, and you try them out and decide you don't enjoy them, you're out of choices by your second semester. Try and sit in on classes, if you can. Seeing the professors in action will give you the ultimate picture of how the college is run.