Washington University in St Louis Top Questions

When looking at colleges a student needs to consider five aspects of the college and university. Does the school fit your academic needs? Does the school fit your athletic needs? Does it fit your financial situation? Your social scene? And does it fit your environmental needs meaning do you like the surrounding city, neighborhoods, etc? For each individual those five components will be ordered differently seeing that people have different priorities when it comes to selecting the right school. One person might put their financial situation over their social needs. Other might look for a school that is very compatable with their academic requirements. Once you find a school that fits those five areas to your liking, you can be very confident that you have found a good match.

Make sure you look for a college that is the right fit for you- you should feel excited and proud to be attending the school that you get into. Once you start college, waste no time exploring your interests. Take classes that sound interesting, talk to professors in your field, and join clubs that sound like fun.

It's important to go with your gut feeling. Visit the school and stay with students to get a feel for whether or not you would fit in there. Don't worry too much about the price of the education, as most universities are willing to find a way to keep you there and the friendships and learning that can take place are much more valuable. Find a place that honors who YOU are and get involved in everything that interests you, as that is the best way to feel like you belong.

The most important part of the college search process is for the student to do their own research about the many schools available. Don't be too selective at first; it's important to took into a wide variety of schools. Secondly, make sure you visit the schools you are thinking of applying to. Ask yourself if you can picture yourself on campus, if you would be able to live in the dorms (air-conditioned?), if the climate is suited to your lifestyle, etc. These questions may seem petty, but they can have a huge impact on your college experience. As for making the most of your college experience, get involved! However, don't feel the need to start right away. Focus on meeting people and working hard in classes at the beginning of freshman year. Once you have a strong base, go out and try something new. Join an club sport team, a religious group, or volunteer somewhere. Also, make sure you take advantage of the area surrounding the college. Don't get stuck in "the bubble," go out and explore! Take advantage of any opporunity that comes your way and have as many new experiences as you can.

While going through the college process I was faced with a lot of pressure to go to a college with a name people would recognize. Try to remember that the name does not matter. What does matter is finding a school that is right for you, and once you get there no one will care if it is Yale or Evergreen College. There is also a lot of pressure to go to the best college you can get into. However, it is good to keep in mind that your GPA and work ethic in high school is a sign of how you will fare in college. If you do not think you can handle one of the Ivy League schools, then do not apply there. Labels and names really do not matter! Try to get a feel for the student body and academics on campus before going there. The university community can make or break your college experience, so look for a school where you think you could find your niche.

You go to college because you want to learn. You do this in order to become a better person, a more informed citizen, a more productive member of society. This sounds obvious and yet many prospective students and parents seem to have lost sight of it. How beautiful the campus, how renowned the faculty, how prestigious the name , how it ranks up to other schools according to a magazine spread, in all reality, have very little to do with education. All these do is bump the price-tag up considerably. And a higher price-tag does not mean a better education, no matter what U.S. News & World Report tells you. What should you really look for? Excellent teachers. They are the only necessity. Ask to sit in on a few classes. Look for teachers you trust and admire, people you would feel comfortable handing your open mind to and saying, "Here-- shape this." You'll find some of the finest colleges are relatively unknown (and relatively affordable as well). They are the new generation of educational pioneers setting out to regain the founding principles which our most prestigious schools have lost sight of: wisdom through knowledge, knowledge through Truth.

I think the most important thing is to find someplace where you can really feel at home.

take your time in picking a school. and make sure you visit!

Prioretise the attributes you are looking for--different colleges are best for different people. If you know what you want to study, of course go somewhere that has a strong program in that field. If you are less certain, make sure to choose somewhere that is more well rounded. Remember that you will change tremendously as a student--the changes may be personal, academic, and social. Choose a college that will allow you to mature, grow, and explore the things that interest you inside and outside of the classroom. And above all, relax. Yes, choosing a college is important--it is well worth the effort to take time to research the places you are considering and evaluate them based on your interests-- but most people would be happy with many different colleges.

In order to find the right college, you should have an idea of what you want your college experience to be like. Do you want to be in a city or a collegetown? Do you want to have challenging classes or do you want to be able to get away with not doing too much work? Do you want to be able to take lots of different kinds of classes or are you okay with sticking to a core-ciriculumn? Do you want to spend weekends at the football games? Will you feel comfortable going to class in your pajamas? These are some basic things you should consider, but its also really important to remember that more than likely you will be happy whereever you end up, and you will find your niche. Make the most of your time at school by remembering why you're there: to learn, grow, and have fun. Try and do some of the reading before class. Go in and listen to that controversial lecturer on campus. Have drunken philosophical debates in the hallway of your freshman dorm at 2am. Perhaps most importantly, be yourself and know yourself- afterall its all about you.