University of Pennsylvania Top Questions

Factor in your learning style, if you do better in smaller classes, you'll do better at a school where professors have time to give individualized attention or are more available outside of class. Going to an Ivy League school you pay for the name and alumni network but education-wise with the immense competition, it may be better to go to a less competitive but good school and be the best there rather than average at an Ivy League.

The college admissions process today is arbitrary and exhausting for students and, as such, it easy to forget what an extraordinary academic opportunity going to college is. Once admitted, students find themselves in a marketing tour de force; accepted-student visting days and brochures vie for each student's tuition. They show you young men and women with throngs of diverse friends, biology students who are also composing arias, and they invite you to become part of their seemingly elite club; they invite you to take on their lifestyle of extra-extracurriculars and high GPAs they've vowed never to look at until graduation. Although this sounds cynical, the fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter. In fact, finding the right college is about stepping on campus with your family, not a tour group, and understanding whether you can or cannot visualize yourself studying in the library, grabbing a latte at the local coffee shop between class, and bumping into friends on college green. Having fun in college is nonnegotiable so look to find a niche where you can buck the brochures and make your own mark.

Keep your mind open! Don't let an your college expectations taint the way you experience it. Unhappy students think too much before orientation even begins. They create a fantasy about how their lives will be, how they'll spend their time and what kind of people they'll meet. But if you have so many expectations, you're setting yourself up for disappointment--it's extremely unlikely that your life will match your fantasy. Instead of thinking about college in the abstract, you should take time to get to know a few of your options, and let them try to win you over. Go on as many visits as possible, but don't use them simply as fact finding missions. See if you feel comfortable on campus, and talk to any students you see. If they're not friendly and willing to talk to you, that says more about the true nature of the place than any statistics or brochures do. When you finally get to school, take advantage of everything it has to offer, however limited the options might be, even if you're planning to transfer. You'll be much happier if you do.

I think it is extremely important for high school students to spend time talking to current students at the schools they apply to, and staying overnight in a dorm if possible. It is very difficult to get an idea of college life from a brochure, and students should do their best to get truthful and accurate impressions from current students at the colleges they are applying to. Once in college, students should take advantage of what they have, regardless of whether it's exactly what they imagined. They should ALWAYS go to professors' office hours and attempt to form relationships with them, as this opens many doors and opportunities for learning and for life advice. They should attempt to get involved with campus activities--it's a great way to make friends, and college is about more than just academics. College is about growing as a pserson, and in order to do that, students should make sure that they do things that stretch their abilities and ideas about the world. Take that Gender Studies class. Join the tennis club. Learn from the people around you, and you will grow and benefit from college.

-Visit the college before making a choice -Diversify in your college applications -Find a school which offers what you think you want to study -Find a school that offers flexibility

I would tell parents and students that finding the right college depends on this: Do you see yourself happy, comfortable, and accepted at this institution? If so, that is the most important thing. Even though society, the media, and even our parents convince us that the most important thing about college is academics, it isn't (although academics are quite important). A student needs to attend a college that he or she falls in love with. It needs to embrace him or her with open arms. The first time that I stepped on to Penn's campus, I fell in love with it. I knew it was the right fit not only because of its physical beauty, but also because the students seemed excited to be there. They recognized their genuine fortune to be able to attend a school that genuinely cares about its students because of its emphaisis on academics as well as social life. What other school subsidizes Spring Fling-- so that Ludacris, Gym Class Heroes, and Ok Go! to perform that weekend? In order to make the most of your four years, get involved in on-campus groups. Lose yourself in the city to learn about yourself.

Do your research, but follow your gut.

As cheesy as it sounds, every college I visited definitely had a distinct feel to it, and I found that the most important factor was deciding whether it felt like a good fit for me. So students, ask yourselves: Would I feel at home here? Do I get a good feeling about the campus, the people I've met, and the classes I've sat in on? To that end, I think the best way to make a decision is to spend as much time as possible on a college campus, because it's too hard to tell on paper. Definitely take advantage of the pre-frosh weekends many schools offer and have the admissions office pair you with a student who has similar interests to yours. I guarantee that at the end of spending a full weekend on campus, you'll come away with a positive or a negative feeling about the school. And one more word of advice. Most people I know have loved the college that they went to - even if it wasn't there first choice or where they thought they'd end up. So keep an open mind, go gather information and trust your instincts!

I would definitely suggest spending a night or a weekend at the schools you are considering in order to get a real feel for what living on campus will be like. Really try to place yourself in that environment for the next four years and assess whether or not you would be happy. While academics are important, your social life is equally important and a pretigious degree won't mean anything if you leave college unhappy, without friends, without social skills, and without having had a good time. College is the time of your life!

Know your children. The big names may not be what is good for them. Do not push too hard but do not be complacent. Push them to do their best and make your satisfaction and pride something they want to earn and cherish. Let them choose what they want, chances are, they know a heck of a lot more than you give them credit for.