Vanderbilt University Top Questions

My number one piece of advice is to visit the schools. Rankings and reviews online are a great starting point, they alow you to compare schools and help to narrow your interests, but visiting the school help you to understand the school completely. Ask a lot of questions when visiting these schools, and most of all try to sit in a class that interests you. Just remember when you are accepted into a school, the college is now competing for YOU!

College is about finding yourself. If I were to give advice in hindsight, I would tell others to look for a college that allows the most flexibility and that is well-rounded. You are not going to have the same intrests going into college that you will have coming out of college. LIkewise, your interests and goals in will change from year to year. Therefore it's important to choose a school that allows for flexibility and experimentation throughout you academic career. Schools that are only good in one area (like a really big medical research school, or a school that only has a really good english program) may be attactive to you when you are applying if those strengths are specific to your interests. However if you go to a one-faceted school chances are that sooner or later you'll change your mind and find different interests and your school won't be able to accomodate this. In fact, the human mind changes until we're in our mid-20s; scientifically, you WILL change. Therefore, choose a well-rounded school and you're setting yourself up for a nourishing college experience.

The "college experience" means something different to everyone. The first step in choosing the right college is defining what you want out of the "college experience". Factors to consider may include, but are certainly not limited to the strength of academics, location, size, Greek life, and athletics. However, the final decision may defy logic. It will likely come down to the vibe the student feels when visiting the campus or that alumnus who cared more about answering the student's questions during the interview than asking their own. That's ok, though, because life isn't about the numbers or hard facts and neither is college. The education is only a small piece of the college experience. College is about finding yourself. It's about the journey that is growing up and becoming your own person. In order to make the most of the experience, you must be willing to open your eyes and fully immerse yourself in the world. This means studying until dawn, exploring religion, rooting for the team, stepping out of your comfort zone, celebrating and even doing your own laundry. These are four short years of your life; you don't want to miss a second.

Make sure the students choices for a college are broad because there is no guarantee that one will be accepted. Go on college visits to see if the student likes the environment. The student should decide if he/she likes certain attributes of a college such as whether or not it's going to be placed in a urban area or if the school is big or small. Don't worry so much about costs, financial aid will help make college affordable. Many colleges have programs that let high school students visit the college for a weekend to get a grasp of the college experience. It's always good to try to get involved in those. Decide what you want to do in life, what you want to major in and chose colleges based on that major. A student wants the best education available to fufill his or her dreams. College is very important, but remember, it's not all work and no play for four years.

I would advise prospective students to choose a college based on where they feel the most comfortable. I made a decision based on money, and I ended up transferring after two years to a school that was more expensive but was also where I felt more at home. While money is relevant, student loans are not the end of the world and your well-being is more important. To make the most out of your college experience, it is importnant to be willing to try new things and get involved. The freshman who signs up for 20 clubs and ends up commiting to three of them will be better off than the freshman who chooses to play Rock Band every evening. It is tempting to be lazy becasue of the new freedom, but it is necessary to continue to pursue your passions. Also, be sure to do things that are new, like attend a cultural event that you are unfamiliar with or join the greek system.

When visiting schools, talk to students who don't work for the admissions office in order to get an idea of what the school is really like. Read the books such as College Prowler that give you the students' perspectives, things that rankings can't tell you, like how much kids from different backgrounds interact, what the food's like, how much kids party, etc. These are very important aspects that will affect you that often get ignored during the college search process.

I would advise parents and/or students to not only look at the prestige of the particular school they want to attend but also what will best fit their learning needs and ability. Just because a school is a top 20 university and you did very well in high school, doesn't mean the school is necessarily right for you. You must go into what ever school you choose with the right mindset; you must be foucsed , driven, and let nothing distract you. Many freshman enter college with that high school senior year mentality or even high school mentality of how they used to do work and how they used to study, but you cant bring that to college. It's a whole different world. All I can say is make sure you use your time wisely. You may have the time to do extra things socially with friends, but make sure you have the right balance between your academic/work life and your social life. If not you could start off in the wrong direction, and although it is possible to come back from it, it is very hard. Take it from someone who knows.

Consider every aspect you can think of.

Pick the college that you feel the best about; don't let anyone else tell you where to go. DON'T pick a college based on their reputation; go somewhere that you feel comfortable.

You should look into every aspect you care: school reputation, financial aid package, location, city size, average class size, dining, housing, environment, etc.