Union College-Schenectady Top Questions

Applying to college and picking the right one is a lot like buying fruit at the grocery store. You're suddenly face-to-face with apples, bananas and peaches. When you're presented with a list of colleges you have much the same selection, big state schools, small liberal arts college and ivy league universities, for example Picking from that selection is the easiest?most people tend to know what they like. Once you've decided you want to buy a peach, however, the process gets difficult. You can weed out the ones that don't look just right, but they all seem pretty similar in the end. That's when you have to dive in and feel it out for yourself. Just like a ripe peach in your hand, the right college may just feel 'right'? but only if you give it a chance. Visiting classes, dorms, dining halls and students is key to getting a feel for the school. After a weekend visit it's pretty clear whether or not a school would be a match. Once you've applied and decided, have no regrets, you're going to college! Live it and love it.

Follow your instincts. Go to the school and walk around the campus, stop and talk to students, faculty and staff, see what they have to say about the school. Don't just listen to their words but watch their eyes and listen to the tone in which they talk about the school. Make sure they're serious and really like it. Figure out if you could fit in there, make friends with these people, make sure you can envision yourself sitting in those classrooms listening to teachers. Stay for an overnight and ask questions. Once you pick a school and go, make the best of it. Get involved, but not over your head. Do what you love, try what you might, enjoy yourself. This is a time period where you can do anything with your life, define who you are and love it.

Visiting is the best way to find the right college. When you are able to see how the students interact it helps in making your decision. Getting the right feel for a school is the best indicator and if you feel comfortable and can see youself at a specific school succeeding then it is a right fit for you. Also to parents, unless there is a financial issue, let the student decide where he or she would like to be. Yes, being a 3rd generation is nice but your child must be happy where he or she is in order to do well and succeed. To student pick a place where you feel you will have fun and fit in. Also participate in as many orientation activities as possible, you will be a ton of new students who are in the saem situation as you are. It makes the first day so much easier.

While touring colleges, it is important that parents allow their children to experience the environment of each school without pressure to choose a certain location. For a student to feel at home on their campus and enjoy their experience, the student needs to choose the school that best fits them. Often, a student will know just from walking around the campus whether or not they can feel at home there. Also, the student needs to understand that they need to find the school that offers the best all-around experience for them: they cannot look just for schools that are inexpensive, have good academics, or offer certain sports or extra-curricular activites. The best choice is a school that has a campus that feels like home while being affordable for the family and offering excellent academic opportunities and a good social life and extra-curricular activities. The college search process can be a scary time, but it can also be exciting; students and their families should make the most of it and enjoy it, while still making an effort to make the right decision.

I would tell them to actually go to the college, and ask students how they feel, rather than listening to faculty. The students will give you the honest answers as to whether the school is right for your son/daughter.

I would tell parents to make sure to visit every school and have their kids do an overnight to see how they really like it. Also, size is something to take into consideration because it effects everyone socially and academically. For example, a small school allows individual attention from professors but the social life gets old. Distance from home and the accessibility of the college town such as pharmacies and stores are important and practical as well. Also, find out what majors certain schools are known for.