Vanderbilt University Top Questions

I would say, truly take a dynamic approach to your college search. Utilize as many resources from visits, alumni, current students and even gain perspectives from those who attend a school that is similar to that or those you are applying too. Take the time to understand the social environment of the school as well as inquire about socio-economic status of most students who attend. Also, ask about different programs they may offer while you are still in high school to they help give you an edge. Consider speaking with potential academic advisor's while making your decision to attend. In the end, be sure to gain perspectives outside those who are in the admissions office. In doing so, you can increase your chances of finding the best fit for educational endeavor.

Do your research and visit the schools you're interested in. If possible plan an overnight stay in a freshmen dorm room so that you can see what it's like to live on campus from a student's perspective. Get involved! There isn't a better way to get the most out of your experience than to join a club that centers around something you're interested in - or join a club you're curious about and gain a new interest!

The first thing to consider when choosing a school is the academic programs the school offers. Where a high school senior might not know exactly what field they wish to major they should have some idea if they are more interested in technical fields such as engineering or mathematics or if arts such as music or theatre intrest them more. After considering the academic programs the shcool's social environment should be considered. The parents and students should think about what social environment the student is most happy in and choose a school with a similat atmosphere. The best advice after picking a school is trusting you and your parents instincts that the school is a great fit for you and approach the opportunity with an open mind. The best piece of advice I could give a new college student is to not choose a school based on proximety to a high school girlfirend/boyfriend or other high school friends. Go into college cherrishing those relationships you have made but excited about the opportunity to further your education and establish new relationships with those who share your goals and dreams.

Definitely aim for a school that will expand your social and educational horizons. Look for the school that will allow you to grow in ways you believe will benefit your future self.

My first piece of advice would be to relax and have a bit of fun in the college search process. We all know that the process can be quite stressful, so doing things like taking breaks on college visits to do siteseeing in the surrounding community can enrich the experience and relieve stress. While your decision about where to go to college is extremely important, it is important to keep it in perspective. Your choice of a college is only the first step - more important is what you do once you get there. I am confident that I would have been extremely happy at each of the five schools to which I was accepted, because the decisions that one makes after the initial choice of a college are what will really decide the rest of your life. So make the most of your time in college by keeping a balance. Studying is critical, but remember to do other things - get to know your professors on a personal level by visiting office hours and attending optional activities, make lifelong friends, and get involved with campus organizations by running for student government or joining a club. Enjoy it - college only happens once!

I stressed out a lot about choosing 'the right college'. In the end, the stress isn't worth it. There are a lot of really great schools out there. Pick one that will challenge you and grow you, one that has a wide variety of academic strengths in case you decide to switch majors. Look into the weather in the area, becuase you will spend a lot of time outside walking from class to class. Know that in picking a college, you a picking a lot more than just a school, you are choosing a community. So visit the schools and choose one where you could see yourself joining the community. College is all about experiance and exploration, don't be worried if you go into it having no idea what you want to get out of it. It is supposed to be an adventure. Set achievable goals for yourself and try new things. See who you want to become and really invest yourself in something besides academics, whether a youth group or a sorority or a sports club, really invest in a good community and find people who will support you in your academic endevors.

Visit, get to know students, ask them. best case, you are already good friends with a student, they'll give you a good description.

College is where most of you will find yourself and learn a lot about your own personality as well as your beliefs. It really is where your character and your world view will be shaped, which will ulimately impact the contribution you make to society. So, when choosing college's look at every aspect that matters to you personally. Visit the campus, take time to sit in through classes that you know you are interested in, for example Biology or Neuroscience and talk to current students about the college itself; they are usually the most honest with you. Also, during the application process draft, re-draft and re-draft again your Common App essay. Everyone who is applying to your college of choice, will probably have the same grades, about the same ECA's, etc, so what sets you apart from the rest is that essay. Make sure it represents who you are as a person and contains nothing that is already in your application itself. It is the only chance Admissions gets to see you as a person - so show them who you are and how you can make a positive contribution to your school of choice. Good luck!

Prospective students should know themselves - the kind of academic, intellectual, social, and political environment they want to be in - when making this crucial decision. The more you know about yourself, the better informed your choice of college will be.

Visit the campus of any school you are planning on attending and spends some time getting there. If possible prospective students should sit-in on a few classes and tours to be certain the college choice is well informed because for the next four years the campus is your home.

One of the major things to consider when choosing a college is to start early. There are plenty of schools out there, many of which would be a good fit for you. Start looking early and narrow down your choices over a few months. Only apply to schools you really want to attend and have a good chance of getting into. Make sure you focus your attention on your applications to the schools you most want to attend, and don't allow yourself to get distracted by applying to too many schools. Finally, visit the schools you applied to and try to rank the colleges by how much you like them.

Picking a college isn't easy. There are more than 3,000 four-year colleges in the United States and nearly 4,000 two-year schools, and we can honestly say from experience that most parents and students aren't even aware of a fraction of them. We often hear students mention Spelman or Harvard or their state university or the college their brother, uncle, or mother went to?but when we ask them for specific reasons why they're interested in those colleges, we often get blank stares. But picking the right college is more than just choosing among the few colleges that you already know about, or limiting your sights to the colleges in your local area. The right college for you is the college that gives you the academic and social experience you want and that prepares you for the career you're seeking or opens you up to career choices you hadn't even thought about. And let's not forget: the right college is also the college that will accept you and whose tuition fits your ability to pay. But to pick the right school, you have to start early.

Don't be detered from a bad campus tour. When visiting the school schedule meeting with professors, coaches, etc. Also, please get involved when you arrive on campus. And really dont be affraid to be who you are.

Do not get distracted with a lot of the minute detials that are advertised about schools. Pick a school based on two things, the academic character of the school and the type of people that go there. Location, number of clubs etc. are details that do not make or break a college expirience. Be confident that your personality will fit with your classmates. Additiionally, if you go into freshman year with an open mind, you will succeed.

Pick a college that best suites your kid, not you. Don't put too much pressure on them, they will have as much as it is making friends and keeping up with the school work. Be supportive of them in everything they do and NEVER say I told you so. Encouragement is everything. Tell them to get involved in random school activities. You can never have too many friends. Vanderbilt is awesome, but they F*ck you financially!!! peace out

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Don't get too stressed about the entire process. Visit as many schools as you can but know in the end that wherver you end up, your college experience is what you make it. If you are able tobe yourself and find people with similar interests then you'll have a great time. Also take advantage of opportunities that seem interesting to you that you may have avoided in high school, you may never have a chnace to try things like this again. For me personally, as someone who is very shy, I wish I had been more willing to open up earlier in my college career. As a freshman I was very nervous but you have to realize that everyone feels the same way. However, most importantly don't get behind in your school work. It can be very hard to recover and the reality is that a low G.P.A can prevent you from doing alot of things in college, and after college.

Look for a college that will help you grow academically as well as socially so that you are a well rounded individual. College is a time to grow and find out who you are as a person - so take advantage of it. Make sure that it teaches leadership, community conciousness, and most importantly academic excellence. It should advance you by community service, academic preminence, and lastly perpetual kinship. If the school that you seek will propel you career, enhance your social skills, and keep you happy all at the same time - then go for it. You only got one life to live, if you live it well - thats all you need!

Make sure that you start off the decision process with campus visits, preferably when school is in session. If you are considering a school that is out of state, make sure that you pay attention to how long it takes to get there - are there direct flights, more than one a day, things like that. You can never put too much emphasis on what just feels right for the student - after narrowing my choices down to two outstanding universitites, I ended up choosing one that was ranked much lower than the the other, just because I knew that I fit in better there. Make sure that the school that you choose has the major that you want, or enough breadth and depth so that you can choose something later. Once you have enrolled, make sure that you get involved and do everything that you have always wanted to do. College only lasts for four short years, and now I know why they always refer to college as the best time of your life. Go on a roadtrip to an away game. Start a new club. Get to know your professors. Live fully, and remember to laugh.

Make sure to spend plenty of time on campus with actual students.