University of Notre Dame Top Questions

Try to make the best informed decision, and definitely visit the college and talk to students before making a choice. You will learn about yourself and others regardless of where you go, and a lot of it is what you make of it. Try to go places that will open doors for you, and choose a place that will challenge you in more ways than one. Parents, don't be scared of having your child go away for college. It is a huge learning experience in and outside of the classroom.

In finding and choosing the right college, students need to step back and consider the overall package for each school they are considering. It may be tempting to automatically choose the "highest ranked" school that accepts you, but that doesn't necessarily make it the right school for you. Consider all of the factors and apply them. Try to make trips to various types of campuses if you're not sure what you want; don't be afraid to ask questions when you're there. Parents need to make sure that they are helpful, but not pushy. Don't try to force your child to apply to a school she doesn't want to apply to. The student needs to be the person to make the final decisions about schools. Once there, students need to make sure that they understand the academic environment of their new school. It is also important to try new things that you've always wanted to. Many schools have a wide variety of offerings- don't be afraid to try something new! You'll meet new (and most likely interesting) people and maybe even make lots of new friends all over campus in different niches.

A campus visit is very important, especially an overnight stay. Visit at the worst time of the year (ex. visit in the winter in snowy climates) If you like the campus at its worst, you will LOVE it at its best! Always ask about credit transfers from AP classes and SAT II scores, as well as how many courses the school requires you to take and whether they will conflict with your intended major. Ask about social circles, how students usually make friends. Ask current students about any problems they have had and what they consider the worst thing about the school, and then think about how important that is to you personally. To make the most of your experiences, consider courses or activities outside your major that might interest you. For instance, a liberal arts student might enjoy the business club, or a science student might enjoy a drawing class. Time management is key, but it is better to be involved in activities you enjoy than to devote all your time to scoolwork. The happier and more engaged you are, the better you will do!

I think it makes a great difference when choosing a school if you do so based on paper as ooposed to with a visit having been made. That's how I fell in love with Notre Dame. I was originally not going to apply there but I visited the campus and I fell in love with it, the people, and the school. I knew it was for me from the feeling I got just being there and I applied early decision as soon as I got home. I would have seriously regretted attending any other school and I knocked off 4 schools I had been planning to apply to after visiting their campuses and classrooms and unfortunately being disappointed by what I saw and learned while at these schools. Notre Dame was the best choice for me and I would never have even applied if I hadn't had the privilege of experiencing te school before commiting elsewhere.

It's extremely important to discover what you (the student) want. The student should be in contact with an advisor at their high school to determine what kind of college or university is best, but the student should not allow the advisor to select certain schools for them. Remember, you'll be at this place for the next four years of your life. You want to make sure that you know you can do well, know you can fit in, and know you'll be able to make a difference there. Most students get a certain feeling about a particular school. If you get that feeling about any school you visit, try your hardest to get in there. Find out and do everything that is necessary to get accepted to that college. If you love a college at first sight, then it is probably the one for you. Overall, it's just important to choose for yourself, not for your family. Find a university you love, go there, and become loved by the university and everyone there.

To find the right college, you should pay a visit to your top few choices. If one is a really good fit, you may be able to feel the aura of it simply by being on campus for a day. Of course on a tour you should pay attention to the buildings and facilities to some extent, but more importantly, notice the students you see . . . do they act like you hoped? do they seem happy? This will tell you if it is a good fit. To make the most of your college experience, you just have to be yourself. Through high school you have found out who you are, who your friends are, and what you like to do. When you enter college, keep this in mind; stick to your roots, but also don't be afraid to try new things. Join a club that sounds weird, watch a movie with your new dorm mates, take a class just for kicks. I think you'll be surprised how much more you will learn about yourself, and how much fun you will have. If it doesn't work out, you can always fall back on those things you know about yourself.

I would say that they should talk to their teachers in high school and the college counselors if available. Be open to new places and always apply to a variety of schools. Have an open mind when you get to college. Try new things and things which you might not think you would like. You never know what you might find. Make sure to always talk with your professors and always show up for class.

Finding the right college has nothing to do with how highly a particular school is ranked. More importantly, a college must reflect the student's values and interests, making that school an appropriate fit for that student. Too often, all of the focus in selecting a college is placed on academics, rather than the overall experience that school will provide. Once a student does choose a school that they feel will suit them, they should jump in with both feet. College is the time to try new things, get involved, learn about yourself and the world beyond yourself.

Think about what kind of atmosphere you want. Do you want a big school with nationally-televised sporting events? Do you want a small school where all of the professors know you and invite you over for dinner? Do you want to live in a big city or somewhere more rural? As for making the most of the college experience, just enjoy it while you can! It goes by so fast. Push yourself to try new things, make new friends, have new experiences. Learning is important, but you can learn a lot of life lessons in college as well. Join a club for something you've never done before, meet diverse people, have fun, put yourself out there. Just remember to spend some time studying as well!

I would say look for a well-rounded college. There are many attributes to a good college and some attributes better fit certain people. When I was looking at colleges I first looked at academics and whether or not the school offered good career placements and career fairs. Also, investigate whether the school offers other academic events that will broaden your scope of the world like forums, debates, and lectures. Second, i looked at the student life. I think this is very important. I looked at a school who offered more of a small community atmosphere with many extracurricular activities but not activities cornered around fraternities or sororities. I wanted a community who would push me spiritually, academically, physically & mentally, and this is what I mean when I say "well-rounded" university. Third, concerning cost, my parents always told me to never look at the tuition if it was a school i wanted to attend. There is a lot of money out there that is at our fingertips to use for scholarships, and we must do our research to find them. Also, my parents always told me that school loans are okay. They are a great investment.

When you're finding your college, make sure that you can actually picture yourself living there and making friends there; definately go there for yourself. You (the student) have to want to go there; you can't go there because your parents really want you to. A lot of my friends transfered because their parent made them go to a college. When you're at college, try to experience everything and have fun. Make your own decisions as to whether you like the activities. Try and do things that you've never done before. You don't have to do everything that all the other students like if you don't enjoy it. Find something that you love and hang on to it, and of course make friends that will support you no matter what. Keep in contact with a few people from your high school (not everyone will keep in touch, and the ones that do will be few but true friends). Just be yourself.

Just like people, colleges are each unique and have something something special to offer. At the same time, there is no perfect college for a student. No matter where you go, your college experience will be entirely what you make it. Because of this, the key is not to find a school that offers the most opportunities, but to find a school that offers the kind of opportunities that you would be interested in getting involved in while there. One of the best approaches to looking for the right school is to purchase a book with testimonials from students about the different facets of campus life. They are the ones who attend the school, so who better to listen to? Another key piece of advice when applying to colleges: relax. Don't stress about the hundreds of schools you haven't read up on yet. Chances are if you have a solid list of colleges that sound promising, the others won't present anything you haven't already explored in your narrowing-down process. Applying to college is an exciting and scary time for everyone, and if you have an open mind, the right college will find you.

For those students that are trying to find the right college I think it is very important to find have campus vists and attended a class if possible. Different academic institutions have different ways of teaching and you have to make sure that you find the one that is appropriet for you. Also don't limit yourself, you don't have to go were ever your friends are going and staying close to home may be nice but you may be best fit to seceed else where.

Make sure you wnat to spend 4 years of academic life there! College is about getting a job- however- it is also about making friends and growing on your own. I would advise all students to vist their schools and talk to students attending, make sure you will be able to balance a well rounded soucial life with your academic focuses in mind. Parents, let your kids find the school for them and be open minded when your son or daughter tells you they want to goto your colleges rival university... whats right for you may not be for them!

As one of my high school teachers told me, "you can only do college once, so make a decision you won't regret." Don't make your decision for the wrong reasons. While it is wise to be practical and not overextend yourself in terms of cost, proximity to family, or academics, don't settle either. Think of the things that will last such as academic programs rather than activities you are only mildly interested in. Also, pick broad categories when selecting a type of school. Pick a region, a size range, different types of locations, and find one that balances between your preferences. Additionally, it is important to have at least one quality on which you will not compromise to help you narrow things down if you are unsure. As far as your time in college, get involved in classes, activities, clubs, and anything else that interests you. College is an opportunity to try things out and get a feel for what you like outside of the smaller environment you had in high school. The time goes by quickly, so don't tell yourself 'there's always next year" or you will miss out on some very neat opportunities.

When looking for a college, trust your gut instinct. Go to a place that makes you feel comfortable and inspired. Be open to the ideas and outlooks of others - students, professors, and staff members. Be patient with yourself, and take the time you need to explore what it is that is your passion - whether in the arts, academic work, or scientific research. Once you find that, pursue it with everything you can because college is one of the best places to do that. Don't miss out on the opportunity to discover what it is that you excel in, to question and form your opinions and ideas, and to form deep friendships with others. Most importantly, absorb everything you can during your college years. Have deep conversations with friends and professors, reflect on the things that are most important, and be open to the unexpected!

Parents, the best advice I can give is to let your child find his/her own path. Whether it is what college to go to, what major to pick, or what career path to follow- Take a chance and trust... This is the time you have the world at your feet. Whatever you do, don't let life pass you by. Take charge and do something great!

1. Pick schools that fit your interests of study and student life. Schools that have your desired majors. Schools that fit your personality and offer the kind of extracurricular activities you would enjoy. 2. Visit these schools and note both their positive and negative characteristics regarding many factors. These can include, class size, religious affiliation, contentment of students, academic credibility, academic ranking, alumni network, and characteristics of the campus. 3. After hearing what schools you got into. Choose the school that you feel will teach you the most about life in general and will mold you into the adult you would like to be. Don't choose a school solely based on its general academic ranking or specific rankin in your desired field of study. l You will most likely change your major and there are many other things to be learned other than academics. Don't go to school due to it being where your girl/boyfriend and majority of friends are going. Choose the school that will prepare you the best in all facets of life to become a the productive adult worker you want to be.

College is an exciting adventure, yet it can be an extremely daunting process choosing a home for the next four years. Personally, I was extremely anxious about the entire process. Usually there is a list parents and students need to run through: expenses, size, location, academic and social opportunities. It may seem like choosing a college involves answering a series of questions and finding a result. These questions are important to answer, however I truly believe when making this monumental decision it involves trusting your gut. The right college will allow you to flourish academically and socially. A series of statistics about a school cannot tell you this- only your heart can. This is why visiting a school is a crucial part of making a decision. On campus, a student can envision themselves living and studying in a new environment. They get a taste of the student body and the scenery. If it feels like it's right when you visit, then it won't take long to feel like home. Once you have arrived at school remember to live everyday to it's fullest, and believe in yourself.

Know that college will require hard work and sacrifices. Once that is established, the student should reflect upon his interests and research the schools that offer opportunities to continue participation in them. It is important to consider a school?s distance from home, cost, size, location, and general atmosphere. That atmosphere is hard to describe, but if a student has the opportunity to visit a school, he may feel as though he would fit in well there and can picture himself attending. The student should also be aware of the majors offered, and, if he does not know what he wants to do, then maybe he should attend a school that gives him options. Taking one step at a time helps to diminish the stress of choosing a college. Wherever a student goes, he can make the most of his experience by actively participating in various groups or even by striking up conversation with classmates and professors. The more interested he is in learning about others, the more interested they will be in him. The good news is that no college decision is permanent. If, after time, the student just doesn?t feel right, there are still so many opportunities.