Swarthmore College Top Questions

Talk to real students and not just tour guides, and don't pick a school just because it gives you alot of money. Those packages are really deceptive.

When considering schools, don't worry overly much about the numbers and statistics associated with them. Especially in the upper tier of colleges (all of which have excellent academics), these differences are insignificant; no one cares if your school was 4th or 5th in Chemistry after you graduate. Instead, concentrate on finding a school that has the kind of people and the kind of atmosphere you'd like to be a part of. Visit the schools, and visit some classes if you have the chance. Talk to some students and see if they are the kind of people you'd like to be with for the next four years. Chances are, you'll find one or two schools where you feel at home almost immediately; where the people are welcoming and friendly and where you feel like you fit right in with your peers. Those are the schools you are going to want to consider, because those are the places where you'll make the truest friends and have the greatest experiences - both of which will be with you for the rest of your life.

After nearly a year and a half at my present college, I've realized that there are two questions that the student needs to ask his or herself before selecting colleges. Those questions are, "What do I want to study?" and "Do I know what my true interests are?" If you know what you want to study, then pick the schools with the best programs in your field of interest, and then narrow down the schools realistically, considering your gpa, SAT scores, size preference, location, etc. Skip to the next question if you can't answer the first. If you know what your true interests are, then pick a school based on those interests. If you are like the hundreds of thousands of students who can't answer either question, don't panic. In order to make the most of your college experience, you need to select the school which will give you the most space and flexibility to find yourself, and that is going to depend on the kind of environment in which you best thrive. Speak to students at schools and gauge the range of modes of existence and lifestyles those students have. Can you see yourself there?

Make sure that you think long and hard about your final decision. Also, make sure that you visit the school at least once during a time that is not explicitly for prospective students (when the campus is 'normal'). When considering the best place for you, do not convince yourself that something that is really important to you is actually not that important. Don't tell yourself that you can live without [blank] for four years, because for years is longer than you think, and the college experience will ultimately be more stressful than you expect. Make sure you give yourself a chance to find your passion. If changing your major will require you to graduate a year late, than compensate with your experience and extracurriculars, because ultimately your major may not be as important as your experience.

visit the school and don't focus too much on rankings

Parents, allow your students to look at all schools and explore financial aid options. Many great schools have wonderful financial aid programs. I was able to attend Swarthmore for less than 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of its regular cost. Students, make sure you do your research about what you want and how schools match up with that. Also, if possible visit schools when students are there and attend the admitted students weekend.

Rank what is most important to you, the qualities of the schools, not the schools themselves. Then rank each college within that quality, and generally it is made clear what you want!

It is extremely important to know yourself and what YOU want, not what other people tell you is best. Because ultimately, what other people think has no effect on the mini-roadtrips you will take, the sports games you will go to where you will try to decide whether to paint your chest in your school colors and freeze in November. Given the right environment, people bloom in college. Think about size. Do you like knowing everyone on campus or being able to be anonymous? Visit unofficially so you can see how it feels there and whether you would be comfortable there. On a more practical note, do consider money. Debt may not seem like that big of a deal to you now, but it builds up quickly, and can lead to college being less enjoyable. Sometimes it is worth it to go somewhere cheaper, or with more financial aid (though some seemingly expensive schools can give amazing financial aid). And when you get there, don't be so rigid about what you want out of the experience that you miss opportunities to experiment. Some of the most rewarding classes are unexpected, as are some of the most interesting friendships.

VISIT THE COLLEGE. Nothing is more important than stepping onto the college's campus, talking to current students, and imagining how it would feel to spend 4 years of your life in that environment. I read dozens of articles, statistics, reviews, about one college in particular, and I was absolutely determined to go there without even visiting. But from the very minute I stepped foot on campus, all my expectations were shattered. The feel just wasn't right. By visiting colleges first, you can also learn much about yourself--things no guidebook could ever tell you. Visit the college. Period.

When I stepped onto Swarthmore's campus I knew immediately that it was the right school for me. The people were interesting and people that I wanted to spend the next 4 years of my life with. I think you need to really think about what you want and then go look at schools. A school will "click."

I chose Swarthmore after many campus visits and overnight stays at a host of different institutions. This, for me, was the best way to go about the college selection process because it allowed me to find my "fit" in the most organic, natural way possible. Given how prominently one's 'college experience' figures into the grand arch that is one's life, the veritable existential crisis one goes through when choosing a school cannot be understated. Under such circumstances it is hard to "follow your heart" or "go with your instincts," especially when it seems that statistics are screaming the obvious superiority of school X over schools A,B, and C. With all that said, though, I think that finding one's fit is the best way to go. Discovering and choosing a school that really speaks to you, strikes a chord with you, or just has a "je ne sais quoi" appeal to it, and then going with that inclination, paves the way for a college experience in which you are engaged daily, and in a substantive way--not just by the classroom experience, but by the much more important stuff that goes on outside the classroom as well.

Visiting the college is super important. I reccomend spending the night and sitting in on classes. By visiting you can get a good sense of the atmosphere on campus and how you would fit into that atmosphere. Remember that college isn't only about carrer prep but also about finding out who you are and what would make you happy in terms of a carrer and a life style. You are not going to be the same when you come to school as you are when you graduate, you won't even be the same after your first semester, so be sure to find some place that you will be happy despite these changes.

Look around a lot. Try different kinds of schools, even if you think you know what you want, and do overnight visits. While you're on the visit, see what people do with their time, what they're interested in, how they feel about their school. Don't go somewhere because it's where your parents want you to go, or because you have friends already going there; go somewhere where you like the people, where you think you'll fit in. Don't compromise on academics if that's what's important to you, but then again, don't go based solely on reputation about academics, either -- you may well get a better academic experience at a small, less well-known school than at a "brand-name" school. Look at the course book, sit in on classes. Even if you're absolutely sure you want to do a certain major or kind of major, pick a school where you won't be stuck interacting only with people doing the same thing: exposure to people with different interests is key. In the end, trust your gut -- it's ultimately about finding a place that feels right to you.

The advice that I would give to parents worrying about how their children do in choosing a college and, maybe even more so, how they handle their new life once they're there, is the same as I'd give to the students themselves, which is to say that these things have a way of working out. There's no such thing as a perfect fit, and while it's understandable to worry, people have a way of making their way wherever they go, especially those who have the initiative to be going to college in the first place. There will always be problems with any school, so as long as you can commit to a decision and go into it without too much trepidation, there's likely little to fear. Of course, for parents this means staying out of the decision as much as possible - guidance is all well and good, but this is a decision that children need to make for themselves in order to make it. Conversely, for students, know that your parents have been around longer than you, and that some things they say might just help in your decision.

Please think about the fact that the school you attend will take your money and your time for the next four years. Anything that makes you the least bit uncomfortable during a visit, will make you hate your school after 4 years.