Taylor University Top Questions

Just relax and enjoy high school. Although the work is important in preparing for college, the stress that students are under in pushing themselves so hard is countreproductive to their preparation. The social aspects of college are in some ways just as important as the academics and I could have developed this aspect of my life better in high school.

The first thing I would relay is don't dread the process. All those applications, whether online or paper-form, need to be considered carefully. I would also tell myself to trust my parents and learn from their mistakes as well as their accomplishments. The reason I ended up at Taylor was my dad; he literally dragged me here when I had my heart set on another college in Michigan. Next, I would tell myself to enjoy the campus visits and pay attention to student interaction with the staff and with eachother. If the attitudes of people on the campus, even just the few that you meet, don't mesh well with your beliefs or even your personality, think hard before seriously considering living there for the next four years of your life. Also, though it might have annoyed me at the time, the more campus visits the better. It was easier for me to make a sure decision when I literally had about 10 other college visits to compare with it. Last of all, I would tell myself trust my gut. When I get that feeling, that pull on my heartstring and hear "this is home", GO FOR IT!

Meg, you are a little overconfident right now. You've been accepted to college, and are anticipating that these next 4 years will be the best of your life. You're assuming that you'll get along with your roommate, focus on school, meet a quality guy to date, stop making mistakes, etc. I'd like to tell you right now that this picture you have in your mind is wrong. You and your roommate will not get along, you will be distracted, lonely and worried often, it will be years before you date the guy you are looking for, and you will continue making mistakes. I'm not telling you this to instill 'fear' - I'm telling you this so you can expect failure. Expect disappointment. Expect darkness. College is not all sunshine and daisys; it will be wavy and you're going to have to learn to stand up against the waves. That's how we grow. Be open to that growth and be open to the joy that comes amid trials and heartache. Have confidence that these things all happen for a reason, and try not to waste time worrying about your failures. Accept, learn, and cherish.

Prepare for a roller coaster. College will not only be the best times of your life, but sometimes will be your worst. Remember your inner strength and have an open enough mind to learn from your experiences. And don't worry so much!

I would love to advise my high school self in two specific areas: 1) relationships with females, and 2) reading. First, high school seems like such a blur at this point and it seems that none of the friendships or relationships with females during that time have had any posative effects on me. I definitely wasted my time building meaningless relationships that I knew were not going anywhere beneficial. Now that I am in college, I have many relationships with females, and one in particular, that are spurring me on towards love and good deeds. I should have learned to build those meaningful relationships while in high school. Second, I have nurtured a genuine love for reading and digging deeper in the learning process. However, I have found that I had so much more time to do so in high school, whereas now my time is squelched in learning the surface material. If I had read more during high school, I would have covered a lot of the material that I aspire to learn with the time I was alotted, resulting in more time for deeper learning now. If only I could go back and advise myself in these areas...

I would tell her to focus more and learn the material more throughly. Don't be afraid to ask people for help. College is a change and you won't come out that same way you came in, and that is okay. You should be open to the change.

Make suare you feel like you would fit in at the college. It is very important to be able to connect with other students and have a great group of friends to rely on.

Throughout high schoo, there is always so much to do. Once you've taken your ACT's or SAT's, high school seems to speed up without you even knowing it. My best advice would be not to wait, and start looking at colleges early. Learn everything you possibly can about them, and maybe try an over-night stay or a campus tour. The more you know about the school is really going to help you out in the end. Really take a look at what interests you the most and maybe even make a chart. Write down all the things you need to have in your University, and things that are negotionable. When it comes to your education and how you spend the rest of your life, there isn't a price you can put on it. Make the next four years the start to your life.

College should not just be about finding a school that will give you the best education, although that is important. I have discovered that college, more than anything, is a place where I have the freedom and safety to discover who I am and what my purpose in life is. So far, I have spent my life preparing to discover who I truely am. My parents have contributed to this, and I am extremely grateful for everything they have done for me. The best thing a student can do is go to college and discover who they are and what they are meant to do. Parents, the best thing you can do is to let them. It's a time of trial and error, and while it might be the most frustrating time in life, it is also the most rewarding. College is not something that should be taken lightly. Not to be cliche, but it is a life-changing decision. I don't think that rewards can come without risks, and heading off to college is a risk that may give you the biggest reward of your life.

Look at a lot of different colleges and what they have to offer. See if you can talk to students currently at the school and in your proposed degree program to see what they think of the school. Once you get to college get involved. People who are involved tend to make friends faster and get adjusted to being in college sooner. Don't spend all your time studying and doing homework, make sure you leave time for a social life. Live in the dorms. There are so many great experiences you won't have if you don't live on campus. Be yourself, don't make yourself someone you're not to make friends, it'll only make it harder to fit in.

I think that you should choose a school based on what you want to put into it as well as what you'll get out of it. If you want to be involved in a lot of clubs and have a lot of opportunities to help the community, choose a school that will help you with that. I don't think a school should be decided just because it's the least expensive. You should go to the school that interests you, and worry about the financial stuff later. There's financial aid and loans to help you with that. When it comes to making the most of your college experience, don't stay shut in your room. Get out of your dorm, visit other dorms, meet new people. Also get involved in as much as you can. College is short and the best way to love your college is to get involved, even if that means attending a sport event or two.

When a person searches for the best college for them they must consider a few things: location, community, and academics. Make sure that the location is something you can deal well with. It is not good to be stuck in a big city when you dislike large communities. Community in a school is very important. In college you need to be able to know you fit in and have your area. You also need to be able to find good friends and a friendly campus. The community of a school can make or break the college experience. Academics are also vastly important. You want to find a school that will challenge you but not overwhelm you. The point of college is to learn, but also not to kill yourself in the process. Another thing to consider is balance. Social life, work, and academics need to be in balance. Pick a place where you feel you can do this. The best way to find out about a lot of this is through a campus visit. Try to visit during a semester when students are in class. Stay overnight if possible and try to stay with someone in your intended major.

The academics of a school are very important- we all know that. I would challenge students and parents to look at a school's social setting and environment. A college student learns what he or she needs to in order to advance a career in the classroom (about 15 hours each week), but learns what it takes to grow as a person outside of it. People are such important learning tools. People give hope, encouragement, and examples. After 2-and-a-half years away from home, I have built significantly upon the values instilled within me by my parents, due to experiences I have had at my school. Get involved at school, but don't get overwhelmed- find a good balance that helps you get involved in other people's lives, but make sure to give yourself enough time to be on your own. If you go 100-mph all the time, you give yourself no time to reflect upon your experiences, and therefore deprive yourself of a healthy growing experience while at school.

As you are looking for a college that suits you, make sure you think about things you'd like to get out of your college experience. Whether its spiritual growth, challenging academics, study abroad programs, etc, keep that in mind while you're touring. Ask questions! And most of all, find what feels comfortable. When I chose my college, I knew as I was touring, that I could see myself going to this school. And I have never regreted my choice.

A lot of colleges offer similar things. You will, most likely, get a good education from whatever school you attend, but there are countless schools to choose from, and many of these schools would be a poor choice simply because you just don't fit in with the rest of the students. Lets face it, most kids do not have the slightest clue what they want to do with their lives or what they they would chose in which to major. Finding a school with a comfortable enviroment where you can figure out what you want to do, what you should major in, and where you can learn and make lifelong relationships is what is important. Spend a night in one of the dorms of a potential school if you can, because this will really give you an idea of what the life of a student is like. If you feel at home, attend some classes the next day, and if not, go to another school and try again. The right school will find you eventually, just have a little faith.

Search for a university that will provide you with a quality education, opportunities for growth, and an atmosphere that will support you in success. If you are able to find ways to finance your schooling, private and small universities are able to provided these things more so than public universities where there is more of an influence on parties and socialization. Ask yourself what is most important to you and seek out those qualities.

I would say that you need to look into yourself and find the strengths that you have. Also discover the best way that you learn. Then look for colleges that support those. I know I had to learn a new way to learn when I went to my college. I love my school, and I would suggest that instead of just looking at the buildings, you look to the people and the teachers, because in the end, it is only a building. The people are who you will be interacting with, and it helps if you enjoy their friendship or teachings skills.

When looking for a college, the most crucial deciding factor is that the values of the school should match the values of the family and individual looking for a college. Also, nothing substitutes for a campus visit: being able to interact with both faculty and current students is a unique experience that cannot be attained on-line or in a brochure. Never be afraid to ask questions, both to teachers and students. Students can give the inside perspective of the campus that even some professors may not be able to. A wide range of schools should be looked at to give variety and differences of perspective. When a college has been chosen, the student needs to live up to his or her values as best as possible to create a meaningful experience for that student. If getting a job after college is most important, then the student should make this his or her focus. If getting accepted to graduate school is most important, then that should be the top focus. It all comes down to prioitizing. When the student has his or her priorities in place, then the college experience will be most meaningful.

Go with your gut. When on visits, if something feels right, it probably is.

I would say that to find the right college you should go to a place where the people are most like you whether it be how driven you are, what activites you are interested in, or your religion. If you find a college where most people have the same view and outlook on life as you it will be easier to fit in and you will be more likely to make friends and actually like your professors.