Southwestern University Top Questions

I think the most important thing is to know what you want, which is difficult, because often it is hard to know. What helped me was visiting the campus and talking to staff, faculty, and students. I find faculty and students will be the most honest with you about their experience. Also, do your research. Know what you would be willing to live with, like a really small student body if you want small classes. Explore the surrounding areas and always ask a lot of questions!

Many colleges can be the right one and it's primarily up to you to make the most of it. Prestige can be illusory. The best way to really judge the quality of a school is by looking close-up a its faculty. If you tour the college, ask to meet a professor. They should at least have time to say hi.

Be honest with yourself about what kind of college experience you're looking for. Do you want to personally know your professors? Do you want to sit in large lecture classes? Are you looking for a very competetive environment or would you prefer a school that has a really active social scene? If you can answer these questions you'll be able to really narrow which schools might be right for you. Also consider whether you want to go home a lot on the weekends-- this might determine how far from home you decide to go. Whatever you decide, realize that you can always transfer schools if you're unhappy with what you've initially chosen. But before you make any kind of decision to transfer make sure you're giving it your best shot. The first semester is inevitably hard and it will be an adjustment. Everyone is in the same boat though and most schools do their best to help you adapt to your new environment.

go to an overnight visit and ask lots of questions.

To parents and students looking for advice on finding the right match and making the most of the entire college experience, I would say: research until your eyes roll into the back of your head, ask questions until people are sick of it, and visit as many campuses as possible. Don't hesitate to go to school far away from home- I often think that I would have been much happier had I left Texas and gone somewhere more liberal and diverse. Students- make note of what you are looking for in a school, what you hope to get out of it, the kind of milieu that gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling. Then pick the school you feel best represents that. Heck, go with your gut and take some chances.

I feel it is very important to visit the campus of the prospective college that you wish to attend. I believe that the school has to feel right for you. Can you see yourself spending the four best years of your life there? If not then reconsider your choice. Also do not let athletics decide or limit your college search. Athletics is often important for prospective students, but like the NCAA comercials say, "The majority of these athletes will be going pro in something other than sports." Pick a school that will allow you to truly find yourself, and find what it is that you are passionate about. Do not pick a school because your friends go there, college is about having new experiences and sometimes it can be uncomfortable. Without adversity growth is not possible, and that is what college is about. Personal growth and getting prepared to live your live, wherever it may take you.

Find a campus where you know you'll get the most out of the experience personally. It's not important how good the sports teams are or whether it's considered ivy league. The most important thing about a college is finding a place where you're comfortable with your surroundings and the people on campus. Parents, encourage your kids to take a wide variety of classes their first year so they can decide what they're interested in pursuing. Students, subject in college is never taught the same way it was in high school, so take at least one class from a field you weren't into in high school just to see how things have changed.

Choosing the right college is about knowing what makes you happy. If continuing a family legacy is what makes you happy; if attending the same school as your friends is what makes you happy; if taking the plunge by yourself is what makes you happy; if being in a small school or a large school in-state or out of state is what makes you happy, then that's what you should do. If the fit is wrong, it can take away from what should be your chance to discover who you're meant to be. You should take advatange of opportunities that are presented to you. Temptation to relax and slack off after high school can easily strike when parents are no longer watching your every move, but college is preparation for the future, and the things you learn are the foundations for what you will be making of your life when you graduate. Everything you learn is meant to enrich you, even if it doesn't seem like it when you're writing the ten-page paper. Don't forget to ask for help when you need it; life in an out of school can use support.

When you walk onto a campus the first thing to do is breath in deep. If you don't like the way it smells, leave. You need to be in a space where you can breathe in and it isn't a chore. After that test, go on the tours, ask all the questions, and then stick around for awhile. Walk into random buildings on your own, approach people to see how they respond. Make it a point to seek out potential interest groups and see how they might respond to you. Schedule to sit in on a class in the subject you feel passionate about- pay attention to the way students interact with their professor and the other way around. Talk to the financial aid office, the business office and any other offices the student may have to approach throughout the year. Make money the last reason why you choose a school. Money exists and is attainable wherever you may go, but the right education makes all the difference. Enough cookie fortune comments, pursue several universities and allow their acceptances or rejections to help you choose from those places the student enjoyed the most.

Find a perfect fit for you, not for your best friend, not for your highschool sweetheart, but for you. Don't believe people who tell you that you can have small classes at a large campus or large parties at a small campus (without getting caught). If they tell you that professors at large schools really care about you, or that professors at small schools will let you get away with skipping, not doing work, etc. they have an experience that is an exception to the rule, and are lying to you. Apply thinking that wherever you end up is where you will stay, don't consider transfering as an option when applying (unless transfering within a school system to the main campus). Apply to dream schools and be willing to be suprised by how not "ideal" college ends up being. It is people who come in expecting to have a specific experience that are let down the most. People who come in with an open mind end up loving it. Also be willing change who you think you will be when you're in high school, it will ease your cognitive dissonance in the end.