Xavier University Top Questions

Be careful and think critically about which college you choose. Try to get your grades up, and study skills perfected, it will help in the long run. Look for as many scholarships as possible if you know your college is not fully paid for. Do not get stressed out, college is difficult, but you can make it!!!

My high school was not the toughest of schools and I could get by with just doing the bare minimum. I was lazy and did not apply myself. When college rolled around, I was really blown away with how much work I had to do and how many opportunities there were. I was so overwhelmed with homework because of my lazy procrastinating tendencies that I didn't get to enjoy all that was available. College is the last thing you do before you go into the real world and you need to acquire a lot of skills to be successful. These skills aren't just from doing homework 24/7. They are from meeting and interacting with new people, getting involved with extra-curricular activities, and acquiring as much knowledge as you can to be a well-rounded human being. I began to realize all of this my sophomore year, but if I could go back to high school and start there, I would get the most out of my college experience.

I would, above all else, urge myself to smile to strangers. A simple smile can have such a greater impact on your life than any number of hours studying, books read, or beverages illegally consumed. I believe that a college student spends his/her life doing three basic activities; sleeping, studying, and socializing. Studying is the easiest, sleeping is the hardest, and socializing is the most important. Your friends will teach you so much more about yourself and the world you live in than your Organic Chemistry textbook could ever hope to. The college student's desire for social activity dominates their mental space, and until that craving for peer interaction is adequately satiated, there is no prayer for good grades. You will simply procrastinate, attempting to fill the void with Facebook and Videogames. So, go out there, sit outside the student union when fall term starts and be friendly. Talk to new people, ask them how they're doing. See if they want to go to the dining hall with you. Ask them for help. Trust them. Smile.

I would definately tell myself to learn how to study. In high school I got away with A's and not studying. In college this in not the case. I would also have told myself to learn time management skills. They are very important when you don't have classes everyday and you have so many projects to do. I would also tell myself not to be afraid to ask for help. In high school when someone asked for help it was portrayed that they were stupid. That isnt the case. It is smart to ask, the professor know you are trying and that you care. I would tell myself to save more money. College is expensive and I wish I would have worked harder to save more money to help pay for college. Also, I would also tell myself to apply for more scholarships to help cut the cost of college. On a more social aspect, I would tell myself to get involved and to make new friends and not rely on friends from from high school. The more you get involved the happier you are and the more people you know which can help out with classes.

The advice I would give myself as a high school senior would be to try and be more involved around campus and to realize that college isn't like high school; that I would have to work harder. develop better study habits, and buckle down and do what I know i needed to do. I would also tell myself that college is not all about hard work, and that I need to take some time out for myself and relax so that I would break down under all the stress that I was faced with. My high school self would also need to know that there are many resources that can be utilized at school. So that if I feel as though I can't handle what I am faced with, there is always someone around that I can speak with to help me. My former self would also need to know that I can't stray away from my goals and that I can't let anything get in the way of me doing what I need to do to become a success.

This is my second college experience in search of a bachelor's degree and given the chance to speak to 1999 me, I would have encouraged myself to study what I was passionate about not just what felt was challenging enough to justify the cost. From the time that I was able to speak I knew that I was college bound; usually I was encouraged to be a professional and rarely was it mentioned to follow my bliss. Though it should be mentioned that I was never encouraged NOT to, the idea was that college would lead directly to a higher degree and ultimately a career. After 3 years studying biology I knew that I never wanted to be a doctor and I was determined to find out what it was that I did want from a college degree. I worked with Abercrombie & Fitch as well as Ralph Lauren and was able to see first hand what an art degree could do in a professional setting. I saw those that were designing clothing, logos, fonts, and even store interiors and props. I would tell my high school self all of this and let her know that art is the future.

You or your child's college years will be the best years of your life. In searching for the right college, you have to be willing to dig inside yourself and decide what it is your really want. I tend to tell my friends and family searching for colleges to focus on the flexibility of the curriculum and academics because you may enter with a totally different idea of what you want to do with your life than the one you leave with, therefore you want to make sure your school will mold you. Also, one wants to pick a college that will allow them to grow, to be involved, to be sculpted into a better person. Colleges cost so much money that you want to make sure you get an education that is worth every dollar you are spending.

In your search for the right college for you make sure you try to experience the actual life of a student. Avoid visiting schools when they are not in session and also during exams. Look at big schools and small school, private school and public schools, rural schools and urban schools, so that you can get the feel for what is really available. You are guaranteed to know when you find the right place because while not all your anxiety will cease the place you decide will at least feel like a place you belong and are welcomed.

It is really important to visit the colleges that you think you want to go to. Not only the scheduled campus visits, but if possible I recommend staying with someone that you know for a few days, that way you can really get the feel of the campus and activities. When you go on one of the scheduled campus visits it is bit of a false sense of what it is actually like living there, that is why I suggest going and staying for more than a day. Also, ask a lot of questions!! Never be afraid to ask a question about the school, because odds are someone is wondering the exact same thing. Lastly, you have to pick the place that just feels right. No one can tell you what feels comfortable except for you so just listen to yourself. If you are unsure, visit and re-visit the schools until you are sure. Once you have made a decision and are at your school, the best advice I can give is get involved. You meet a lot of people that way not to mention you have fun while doing it. Good luck to everyone!!

I would say that students should use resources available to them at their high schools in order to find the right college for them. For parents, I would reccommend encouraging your children to use these resources, but also take an active role in making sure your child can find the right school for them by scheduling campus visits to schools that you think would be beneficial for them to see. For example, to find the right school size for your child, visit multiple different sized schools so that they can get a feel for what each "size" will entail. Once you find the right school, I would encourage both parents and students to actively participate in as much as you can while you are at school because this is the best way for incoming freshmen to meet new friends and get out of the dorm rooms to meet other people besides your roommate. However, make sure you are not trying to get so involved in extracurricular activities and clubs that you completely abandon the whole reason you are there-- your education. Always, always put your education first!

The advice that I would give parents and students abou finding the right college is to really choose a school that fits your career choice. Some colleges say they offer your major and have the best core curriculum there, but when you actually attend it, you hate the way they teach you. College should be the best experience of your life. Financial problems shouldn't hinder you. If you really want a certain college, they would help you get the money you need, and not send you for the run around. Go to fastweb.com, myspace.com, and facebook. Ask current students that attend the colleges you have in mind and ask them questions about it. How's the campus? Are the classes challenging? Is it diverse? Can I afford it without taking serious loans out? The sky is the limit. Use every resource you can. And remember, when all else fails, pray. God will lead you in the right direction. Good luck!

When finding the right college for your child, I would consider finding a college that suits your child's needs. For me, I wanted a school that was big but then I realized that I appreciated the environment of my high school--small and with individualized teaching. One must also consider the location of the school. Even though parents want to give their child the experience of being alone. sometimes closer is best. My parents took this into consideration when finding a college that was right for me. Also take into consideration the field that your child would like to major in. Although my major waas not provided in my current college, I still have a dream of returning to this field. I wanted to be an architect but I didn't mind doing business at Xavier University. It had one of the top business schools in the nation. So, I chose Xavier because it had everything I ever wanted and in the end, I never regretted my selection. Choosing a school that fits all of the criteria or nearly all your criteria will make your child happier and the parent less worried for their son or daughter.

The most important part of selecting a college is being able to see yourself living there. Can you picture yourself living the dorms? Do you see yourself studying in the library and eating in the cafeteria? What will you do in your spare time around campus? If you cannot see yourself living and enjoying life at that school, it may not be the one for you. Although picking a school with a good academic program is very important, you have to also keep in mind that wherever you pick to go to school, that is where you will live for the next four years. Also, picking a school with superior extra-curricular activities is important too because when you begin to form your resume, employers will not only be looking at what your GPA was (which hopefully will be excellent!) but also what did you do with your time in college? Did you volunteer? Were you involved with student government? All of these things help you become a well rounded person. Combine that with an outstanding education, and you will truly be prepared for the next phase of life when college comes to an end.

When it comes to choosing which college is the right one, there are many factors for students and their parents to consider. But ultimately, I think that students should choose the school that feels right for them. The student should visit each potential school, and ask his or her self: "Can I see myself spending the next four years of my life here? Does it feel like I belong here? Does this seem like a place where I can figure out who I really am and what I want to do with my life?" When the answer to these questions is "yes", you have found the right college. In regards to "making the most of the college experience", my advice is simple: do something worthwhile every day. Bring up a good point during a class discussion. Tell your friends a good joke and laugh with them. Enjoy a good book on the campus green space when it's nice out. You don't have to do something incredible, but I promise you, if you get at least one little worthwhile thing out of each day, when you graduate, you'll consider your college years to be time well spent.

I would advise parents and/or students to pay attention to three critical things when choosing a college. (1) The size of the school, (2) the reputation of the school in regards to your major and (3) make sure the school is able to provide many resources. For example tutoring serivices, library services/databases for research and career & job placements.. It's important the school of your choice is well balanced in order to provide a safe, social and exciting atmosphere. Being able to have this experience will only enhance yourself or your child to becoming a well balanced and productive citizen.

I feel as though there is too much pressure on students to find THE perfect school. Not to sound like a broken record, but whatever you put into your college experience is what you are going to get out of it. Xavier is not the perfect school for me because of its ranked basketball team or its unique academic programs. Instead, Xavier is perfect for me because I have taken risks and put myself out there. I have gotten involved in various clubs and organizations and I have worked hard to excel in the classroom. As you may have noticed, these things that make it the perfect school for me are things that can be accomplished at any college or university in the country. I feel as though students need to understand that as long as they find an environment where they can picture themselves excelling and living up to their full potential, any school can be THEIR perfect school.

I think that it is important to choose the school that fits your individual needs

Go on several college visits, take a guided tour and also explore the campus on your own. Pick a place that you feel most comfortable at. When you get to college, get involved in something as soon as you can, otherwise you will feel left out.

The advice I would give to parents and students trying to find the right college is to narrow down what you are looking for in a school and the programs offered to the students based on your career choice. My biggest mistake was also not visiting all the school I applied to. School visits do not show you exactly what life will be like at the University, however it gives the student an idea of the environment and feel of the atmosphere which is very important. And to make the most of your college experience, just learn that it takes time to adjust. Making good friends does not always happen in the first month, but is a process. Also, adjusting to the new workload and stress levels take time but it will get easier, i promise!

In order to find the right college, you should visit multiple schools to get the right feel for which college fits you best. It is best to choose the school where you feel most comfortable and welcome, as college will become your home away from home for the next four years. It is also important to select a school that offers the major that you are looking for, since the main point of attending college is finding a major that you can use as a tool to build a successful career. Once you choose the college that is best for you, it is important to get involved around campus. Joining clubs, volunteering, and attending campus-sponsered events and athletic functions will keep you from losing your sanity when it comes to school work. On that note, it is also important to keep up with your studies. The more successful you are in the classroom, the more knowledge you will gain to be successful in the future. It is extremely important to know how to balance academics with social life. Finally, be true to yourself. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to become the best person you can be.