Webster University Top Questions

Dear students and parents, Finding the right place to attend college is a difficult task indeed. Sometimes your choice doesn't live up to your expectations, sometimes you've simply made the wrong choice. There's a lot of pressure to find that one perfect place to spend the next two to seven years to get that degree and I'm going to be honest and say: There is never one perfect place. There are right fits and wrong fits, so concentrate on finding the place that fits you more than the place that seems picture perfect. You, the student, will know the right place when you find it. Do, however, listen to input from outside sources. Others will see things you miss, and those things might be important. Trust yourself when making the final choice; hope for financial aid and good interest rates on your loans. Once there, do not try to be Superman (Superwoman) when it comes to school work or your social life. You have physical limits, respect them. Being healthy in body and mind is the best way to enjoy your college experience. And scheduling afternoon classes, that's a fantastic way to enjoy it too.

This is a small liberal arts school. Just big enough to have the "big campus feel" but still small enough to get to know your teachers and classmates personally. You won't be another number but you will not have people search you down if you don't do your work. Academically it's not supposed to be verry easy, but it is possible to get verry good grades anyway. Read your text books and show up for class and you'll be fine.

While searching for the right college, I believe it's important to remember why you are going and what you want to get out of your experience. Keep your mind open to a variety of colleges, travel to them if you have the chance. Even better, sit in on a class that's part of the major you are interested in. If it's an option, do an overnight with current students. Basically, the more you understand the schools you're looking at, the more comfortable your decision will be. Then it's time to make the most of your decision. The first year it's important to get to know as many people as possible, and over time your social networking will pay off. Become part of the student body, try to get involved in campus activities. Get to know your professors outside of the classroom. As for academic studies, I follow a simple rule: do what you love, and love what you do.

Finding the right college starts with making sure your choice includes your major, but remember that the classroom is such a small part of your education. Visiting the campus is a great way to get a feel for the lifestyle there before you commit to being a student there. Just because a college looks good online or in brochures does not mean it is the right fit for you. Once you are in college, be holisitic about your experience. Do well in your classes but also make time to explore the local culture both inside and outside campus. Make new friends, go to on-campus activities. Don't go partying all the time. There are greater things to learn than how much beer you can hold before you puke. Take these four years to learn new things about other places and people but also to learn about yourself. College is a great time to transition from who you were to the person you want to become. It's your time and only you can make the most out of it. Enjoy.

I would say make sure you do the degree that interests you the most, but don't ignore real life needs for a career such as internships or job placement. Don't be afraid to take chances for those opportunites you may never get later.

Make sure you feel comfortable there and that they offer you what u want in terms of an education and what you may want to do in life.

When choosing a college think about what is important to you and your learning style. Would you rather work one-on-one or fade to the back of a crowd and just observe? Does the reputation of the school / students reflect the things you believe in (i.e. environmental awareness, political activists, the arts or sciences)? Finances are another important aspect to consider, but shouldn't be a deal breaker. Making the most of your college experience is important, first and foremost, Learn from Everything. Learning what not to do is just as important as learning what you should do. Don't be afraid to try new things / experiences, but also be confident enough not to bend to peer-pressure. Make friends but don't be held back by them. Take some classes just for fun, take others to challenge yourself. Have at least one all night study session, but don't forget that grades, while important, aren't the end of the world. The most fulfilling things you can do are done because you choose to do them, not because you feel obligated to do them. Keep an open mind, and use your brain, its what gets you there

Absolutely look at the afforability of the schools you want to go to. Research financial aid and scholarships. Also, schools are basically the same, but you have to make sure the campus fits your personality. Go to the campus and get a feel for it. Finally, do not be scared to go to a community college. It will help you decide what your major will be and what direction academically you see your life going. After this, then you can go to a 4 year college or university and have that "college experience." Get your general studies out of the way...it will be cheaper!

The advice that I give is to stay true to yourself and believe in yourself. Do not try to live this fairytale that has everyone in it helping you and saying that its okay for you to still be a child because in reality you are an adult. Also, do not let anyone steer you away from being what you want to become, because they do not know your blessing.

Talk to a lot of students before you decide where you are going. See if they thought they got a good value for the education they recieved. It sucks your senior year when you feel like you wasted four (or more) years of your money

There is plenty of advice that I would give students and parents about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience. Get good grades in highschool and take academically challening classes so that you will get into the school that you want and this will also help you prepare for college classes. Be involved in extracuricular activities such as newspaper, a sport, volunteer group, and so on so that you can gain experience and also make great friends that share the same passions with you. Be open to new ideas to maximize your college experience. College is new to most of the people that are there and everyone is different. Try new things also because many people become more open when they enter college and do not "live" in the same clique that they did as when they were in high school.

Look at many places and visit the campus. Don't go somewhere just because your friends are. Give each place a chance, but also go with your instinct. Also, you can't put a price on education and the expierence so make it happen if it's what you want.

The best advice I could give would be to pick a college you could see yourself at for at least four years and to pick a major you love not a major that makes the most money. If you pick a major you love you won't regret going to work everyday but if you pick a major just for the money you won't be happy. Always follow your instincts. They will get you by.

College is all about the experience. Yes, the first priority of going to college is to learn . But locking yourself up in your dorm room and studying all day is not going to get you through. The goal in college is to put yourself out there, become involved and make friends. If you were smart or popular in high school, so what? Nobody cares where you come from, who your parents are, or how big your house is. In college we see each other based on each other's personalities and interests., not level of societal status. This is a time to grow up, to become an independent and intelligent individual. It's a time to redefine your comfort zone; if you keep up your personal bubble, you're only protecting yourself from experiences that you would be talking about for decades after you've graduated. This is when you'll make friends who will last a lifetime and gain connections necessary for you to become successful. Embrace the opportunities that come your way. Search for self-improvement. Get involved and make friends. All the while, keep up your grades. All of these combined will create the ultimate college experience.

Parents and students who are college shopping have a lot to consider. There?s the financial aid tango ? can you afford the school? ? and the career decisions ? does Junior want to be an artist or an astronaut? But aside from these obvious dilemmas is a very important aspect of the college hunt that is often overlooked: the campus. Is it huge or tiny, attractive or dumpy, metropolitan or rural? How close is it to home? What is the university?s political angle? How many students enroll? What is the average class size? These are all important factors in preparing for a successful, and even enjoyable, college experience. After all, what good is it that Junior plans to attend the best college for his field of study if, once he gets there, he?s really just another number to his professors or he feels unsafe walking across campus or, heaven forbid, he changes his major? Choosing a college that not only fits within your budget, but also makes the student feel at home is the best course of action. Students who find the college that fits their personality are already well on their way to a fruitful college experience.

Go with what they are comfortable with. Don't go to a school for just one reason, make sure they like a lot of things at the school.