The College of Wooster Top Questions

The easy part is narrowing down the schools that fit your academic desires. Look for lots of opportunities for extracurriculars, culture, travel or whatever interests you. The more difficult part is finding the right fit. You won't know if the school is the right fit until you get there, are enrolled, and are living the life as a student at that college. You may not even be sure after the first year since the first year is often a tough adjustment. Be sure to take advantage of what the school has to offer. You really have to explore. Make sure to find an academic advisor that is not only supportive, but gives good advice and points you in the right direction. Even if you end up somewhere that is not quite what you expected or is less than ideal, I truely believe you can make it work with great friends and by insisting on attaining your dreams.

Visit! Visit! Visit! The only way to know if a College is for you is to go there, and get the feel for it. Talk to as many students as you can, and not just the ones the Admissions people find for you. You want to get it from the horse's mouth. Identify the things you care about before you start looking, but don't close your mind to factors you might not have considered. The cost of a college is what you pay after scholarships, so get figures on average financial aid and take that into account. That said, you get what you pay for, so if you think you're getting a great education and you can afford it, it's worth the extra expense. Finally, as Loren Pope says in "Colleges that change lives" (an indispensible book, by the way), "Judging a College by the quality of the students it accepts is like judging a hospital by the health of the patients it admits. It's what goes on inside that really counts." (paraphrased)

First there are the basics: consider size, location, and how much it costs to attend. The size of the student population is an important factor to take into account - don't go to a large school if you know you'll be swamped and lost, and don't go to a small school if you'll be suffocated. However, beyond these obvious factors, the most important one to me was the religious affiliation of the school. IF, and only if, religion is an important part of a student's life, then it's a good idea to attend a school within the denomination. However, if religion is not important, this doesn't much matter.

I would look at as many schools as possible, because the one that fits could always be better than the last one. Start early and keep looking until the last minute. The student should apply to schools that they have heard of before and ones they feel they will do their best at. Parents should always be supportive of their childs decisions and offer advice and not criticism. Just remember to relax and have fun at school, it is not the end of the world if you dont get straight As

There are absolutely not enough questions you can ask of the tour guides, the administration, professors. Do more than settle on one school. Most schools offer more than one hour tours as well. Schools typically offer overnight stays for prospective students. I know it can be really daunting and nerve-wrecking as a high school student and parent to go on one of these, but it's absolutely imperative that the students do. You cannot really learn what college life is like unless you live in it for a while. Actual college students are interviewed and serve a post as prospective overnight hosts to your children, and you should capitalize on these opportunities, so that you won't have to talk about an expensive transfer midway into freshman or sophomore semester because "Billy/ Susie" are disastisfied with the lack of social life at College X. Something He/She could've discovered on an overnight trip.

In order to find the right school, beginning the search process early, but not too early is probably the most helpful tool. Parents are so excited about the search process, but students, honestly, are usually not. If they are pushed too hard to even visit, then the experience will not be as beneficial as it could be. Once you start narrowing down schools, it is important to not only look at the academics and social life, but also just the environment you are in. If you apply and get into a school in rural Ohio that is great academically, but you hate cows, it is going to be a rough 4 years. If you apply to a school in downtown Chicago, and can't stand traffic, it is going to be a rough 4 years. You can make it, but it would be hard! Once at school, take time to meet people. You will meet people you immediately click with, and some that you can't stand. It takes time, but developing relationships is one of the keys to making it through school. Find people with your own interests, they are all looking for friends too! Good Luck!

Find something you truely love doing and find a way to make a living out of it! Keep your options open and do your research. (Large/small school? City or rural? Financial aid? Career guidance? Location?) It's worth the work! And most of all, enjoy your experience!

Look to your high school experience to understand what is the right fit for your college education. For me, the social element was the most important to me because I wanted to feel at home once I left everything I had ever known. I went to a small magnet high school in the city, so I thought maybe the city atmosphere was ideal. I applied and was accepted by a state school in a city. However, it was not for me. I did not like the anonymity, and therefor I was not very connected to the people or campus. My sophomore year, I transfered to a small liberal arts school where I could recognize and have great relationships with very many people, and today, I could not be more happy. Think critically about all prospective schools, and give each a chance. But just know that if you don't like the school's atmosphere, it will be hard to be your best academically, to be the best version of yourself, and to focus on your bright future.

Look carefully and survey many options

Don't flip out about what school you go to. You'll get a great education and have fun where ever you go

In finding the right college, students and parents really need to look at sources that DO NOT come from the schools or your high school guidance office. As wonderful as these resources are, they are incredibly biased, even your guidance office. Independent organizations and publications are really far more helpful. This advice falls under campus tours as well. While they might give you a nice overview of the school, they are also selling the school. GET IMPARTIAL ADVICE. To make the most of your college experience, get to know your professors. These people are you most important resource and if you blow them off you are doing yourself and incredible disservice. Also, do as much as you can on campus. If you're a varsity athlete, your plate if probably full already. If you aren't, then join some clubs, do the paper, see what frats are on campus. You need to make the most of your college experience, not just your college education.

Do your research! Go and visit the campus and get a feel for it. Figure out what types of things are important to you in a school and research accordingly.

In order to find the right college it is not always just about what is best for you. Instead, in my case I visited the different schools. It wasn't until I visited wooster that I realized that wooster is what I needed, and what clicked with me. I already felt as though I was a member of the community when I stayed overnight, and it seemed as though everybody else was very happy where they were physically, but also just in life while going to school in wooster. In order to make the most of your college experience, I think it is extremely important to open your eyes and heart to everyone and everything around campus. You should try as many things as possible, because it is the first and last time in your life you will probably have as many chances. Make as many friends as you can, because that just allows you to enjoy yourself more. Also, experience everything you would normally or in the past ignore. All of these things were what made my first year as enjoyable as possible, but also why I am still greatly enjoying myself.

I would definitely suggest going to visit the college and talk with random students about what they think about the school. I find that many people are pretty open about their likes and dislikes, and I believe that it gives a great insight to what the school is really like. Also, look at class size and and ask about the relationships between students and professors. In order to make the best of your college experience, don't party every weekend, don't go shopping every weekend, and don't just stay in your dorm room being a hermit. Take advantage of the programs that the college provides! You will meet so many new people and learn so many new things. Also, I would highly suggest studying abroad. It not only is fun and exciting, but it gives you a new perspective about another part of the world. (It also looks great on resumes!) Overall, college is just a place to be yourself. Don't worry about what other people do. You will find your niche, and have a great group of friends that will last a lifetime.

Pick the place that feels like home - that makes you the most at ease. Then, when you go there, enjoy it as much as you can: Four years go by way too fast and it's easy to take it for granted.

Look for the small things that intrigue you, whether it is the way people interact, certain assets of the academic programs available, or the effect clubs and groups have on campus. The small features enhance the larger picture that will lead to your career, yet push you slightly out of your comfort zone in many respects when learning and dealing with new situations that will arise in life. It is important to visit the school of interest, because the feel of campus and the atmosphere that actually exists is portrayed differently through a brochure in the mail than the reality of it. Go out on a limb to meet new people and immerse yourself in different cultures and backgrounds to expand your knowledge about the world outside of the classroom. Take some classes you would not normally choose to expose yourself to new ways of thinking, different styles of teaching, and learning about a subject that could potentially drive your future down another path of interest. The effort you put in will be the success you get out: not only in academics but in life.

I made my final decision about my college selection after my overnight visit. I was allowed to attend a classroom lecture in my intended major and was placed with a student that had similar interests. My host and I met with a diverse group of students for an informal discussion about the campus. They were very honest about the strengths and weaknesses of the college. I appreciated their honesty and candor. No institution of learning is perfect. The trick is finding the one that is a perfect match for you. The college that allows you the freedom for self discovery and self expression. That overnight experience showed me the underlying pulse of the College of Wooster and its student body. I knew after that overnight visit that this was the school that was the best fit for me. My advice to parents is to allow their student to have the majority of input in the college selection process. They ultimately are the ones that will know if it is the right fit for them.

I think that it is most important to search for a school based on the fit for the individual student, the opportunities that are available, and the success and social development that are achieved through an education from the school. These things are not reflected in many popular publications such as U.S. News and World Report and can be found in many places that are not in the 'top 20.'

The best advice I was ever given was when you find the right college or university, you will know because you will feel like you're one with it and it will feel like home to you. If you feel uncomfortable or out of place, then the college or university is probably not right for you. This advice has held true for almost everyone I have ever talked to you. The college experience is a great experience because the college world has so much to offer such as making new friends from all around the world, going out to research in various fields, to study abroad in various countries, to share those priceless moments that you create with your friends, and most importantly, to go and study what you love to do that you will spend the rest of your life doing! I recommend that you stay on campus because if not, you will miss out on a lot of memories and experiences. Lastly, the college experience is about discovering who you are and where you want go in life!

My advice would be as follows: Don't choose a college under a loved one or friend's influence; it never works the way you think it will. Instead, choose a college based on your academic preferences; you are there to learn! Find a major that you love and enjoy your classes. Do dress and for class and go to class everday; it shows repect for your professors (in which they'll return to you). Try your hardest from day one; you'll regret it otherwise. Get out there and make friends in your dorm or classes, but don't forget your family; they'll be there for you no matter what. Remember to take part in on-campus and even some off-campus activities; it'll make your experience more enjoyable. Don't be afraid to party a bit, but don't make it your ultimate college goal! Do not give up your personal beliefs or morals to make friends; they're not worth it and you'll respect yourself more for it. Finally, enjoy ever minute of it; four years may seem like a long time, but they sure do fly!