University of Pennsylvania Top Questions

"College Knowledge" Benjamin Franklin, founder of our nation's first university, the University of Pennsylvania, once said that "an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." All students going through the college search process should take his advice when it comes to researching their options, for the most important thing in determining which college is "right" for you is obtaining college knowledge that goes beyond the plain facts and figures. Often, this will require a visit to the campus in order to really get a first-hand feel for the campus, student and academic life. Ultimately, there will always be comparable alternatives to any institution, and it's the in-person experience that truly sets apart a particular college from the others. Once accepted, knowledge is also the key to making the most of one's college experience. Get to know your peers, professors, and campus environment. But don't just make Facebook friends, make lifetime friends. Don't just sit in the back of large lectures, sit at Starbucks with lively lecturers. Don't just walk through campus nonchalantly, but explore and the environment in which your university resides - rural, urban or otherwise. Knowledge is power after all.

"Finding the right college" is one of the most exciting and difficult decisions in a teen's life. Going to college really means that you are growing up, and beginning to live the rest of your life, which makes picking the right college all the more important. What really guided me in my own decision was visiting the campus. I first visited UPenn in the fall, and I was completely blown away. The grass was a beautiful green, and the leaves were a radiant orange. I had no idea that such a rural place existed in such an urbam city. Thus, I was sold on attending the school soley based on appearance. It was not until I shadowed a friend that I realized the school's true beauty. As I sat in a classroom, I witnessed the powerful minds of students and faculty in action, and that's how I really knew Penn was the "right college" for me. You see, it is the people that make a college what it is, without them it's just another building. Finding the "right college" is like finding a home away from home, and what's a home without friends and family.

Just relax and apply to colleges that fit you the best, don't try to mold yourself to the school. If you do that, things would work out.

While a student's decision in choosing a college is very important, what is more important is what the student does with his or her college experience. All aspects of the college has to be looked into while the students and paretns are making a decision, which includes the academic courses available, the resources provided by the university, the social life and campus environment and of course the financial aid availabilities. All of these factors will allow the student to explore and figure out what they are really passionate about in life and to help the students to follow their dreams. I would definitely recommend visiting campuses in person and talk to the students who are walking around. Some specific advices I would dish out for students once they are in college are to find a good circle of friends who will become your network of support, talk to professors and upper classmen for their advice, attend on campus events, do volunteer work, subscribe to many club activities email updates and attend every class. Follow these advices and you will have a great college experience even if you are not sure you chose the right college.

Visit and choose a school based on fit, not prestige

Finding the best college is a daunting task, but ultimately just trust your instincts. Every school has benefits and problems, and many of them will not be apparent until you visit, so don't worry too much about minor details. One big thing that students need to remember about college is simple-GPA is not everything. Studying hard and doing well at any school is vital. Otherwise, there is no point in attending a school. However, you cannot forget that after graduation, much will be expected of them. There is much more to college than impressing your future employer with a 3.8 or higher grade point average. College is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that cannot be fully described with pen and paper, or on a computer. You will need to get out and explore everything that their school and their surroundings offer. Make an effort to discover not only how to write a Nestorian Order essay or find the optimal batch size of a product, but to find out what life has to offer. Search and strive for who you want to become, not just what people expect of you. Have the best time of your life.

Go with the college where you get that special feeling when you step foot on the campus, the school that you cannot wait to hear back from, and the school where you can only dream of going. Do not be afraid to take risks when picking the right school. Pushing yourself, going outside of your comfort zone, and becoming an independent person is key to college success. When you feel intimidated or challenged, prove to yourself you are capable, because chances are you can do it and it will help you in the long run. Parents, do not let scholarships or financial aids influence your child's decision, because they could be missing out on absolutely incredible and life-changing opportunities at a more prestigious school. Students, once enrolled, become as active and involved in the school community as possible because that is where you can find your identity and your home away from home. Also, it is through these activities that you will meet your closest friends, and your networking on campus will dramatically increase. Also, utitlize everything the university has to offer and explore your options. Finally, never surrendur or give up- you will get through it!

Find a school where you can be challenged academically and socially. Find a school that will allow your personality to flourish along with your mind. You get out what you put in, so don't hold anything back and don't have any regrets.

For one, don't be afraid to step outside of the mold. Just because your parent or your older sibling or your student went to a specific college doesn't mean it's right for you. Think about what you really want, and if you don't know, choose somewhere that gives you a lot of options. Also, consider taking a gap year, especially if you put a lot into your high school academics. High school can be tough, and you don't want to feel burnt out coming into college. Third, STUDY ABROAD! I've never heard a single person regret it, but the ones who don't go wish that they had. If you are in some program or working for a degree that doesn't allow for going abroad, go in the summer! Finally, make and use connections. Go to professor's office hours, e-mail a guest speaker who realyl impressed you, etc. Making someone's acquaintence can open lots of doors, which really helps you make the most of your college experience.

Go to Penn

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.