Babson College Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Kevin

Transitioning to college is a time where what you once knew and grew familiar with is gone, replaced with an institution that is now home for the foreseeable future. Everyone says college is the best time of your life. But sitting there, graduation just off in the distance, all you can feel is a growing knot of fear. What if I don't fit in? What if I struggle academically? I'm not going to tell you that it's simple. It's not. You are going to have to work harder and make important decisions about your future. While fear of this change is natural, it won't help you. Fear will only limit you as new opportunities present themselves. From clubs to internships, classes to friends, college will be ripe for new experiences and adventures. Make the decision right now, I mean right now, to journey beyond. Take a class you think could be interesting, join that club, and engage with students who offer a myriad of life experiences. Don't cave to that fear by wondering 'what if'; rather accumulate a plethora of experiences along your once in a lifetime journey. Also the winning lottery numbers are [...]

Judy

Take the SAT one more time, if all else fails, take the damn TOEFL, don't let your pride get in the way (it is not only for FOBs, fresh off the boat people) because SAT scores are actually very important in getting into a good college. Select prefer not to answer for ethnicity. Listen to Ms.Tsoutsis and apply to one Ivy League college. Do not apply to so many useless colleges that you will never even consider. You are NOT a business person, trust me. No matter what mom says about accountants making a lot of money, do NOT listen to her. Accounting is not for you, neither is finance. Go to a college that gives you a lot more choices in terms of majors because you know you are an indecisive women and should not be limited to business. Buy a kindle, it will help you save a lot of textbooks, a pretty good investment. :)

Le Jun

I was offered a full scholarship to come to Babson (Posse Scholarship); however, I also got a likely letter from UPenn Wharton at the same time; and since I was QuestBridge Scholar, I could receive full scholarship if, and only if, I could get into UPenn. As a result, I turn down the Posse Scholarship. Yet, unfortunately, I got put into the waitlist for UPenn lately. With depressive, I took few days off to visit both schools, and found out that Babson would be a much better fit school for me. So I turned down the waitlist offer for UPenn. If I have the chance to go back in time, I will change my decision, and come to Banbson as a Posse Scholar. However, although I couldn’t change the fact that I already turned down the scholarship, but the experience here is truly the most fortunate choice for me.

Keith

While choosing a career path and college to fit your own personality can be tough, I believe that there are commonalities at all institutions. Attending college provides life lessons that are valuable to growing your personality and creating your identity as a person. Social aspects of college are relatively constant for every student , and they have the ability to mold people as they move forward in their lives. Living on your own helps us all to gain maturity and develop our own independence. Academics at college are the appearant reason that most people attend an institution, yet to me that is of secondary importance to the life lessons and social experiences students gain. These experiences teach us how to live our lives without having someone looking over our shoulders at all times. So while students at a business school may be learning how to be an accountant, or students at a liberal arts college may be studying biology, these topics are irrelevant to the development of every student during their time on campus. I personally have learned more about mayself as a person than though may classes, and that in itself is worth the investment of a college education.

Felix

Attending college has been an utter struggle due to a new environment and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I am originally from Dallas, Texas and I relocated to Boston, Massachusetts. These two atmospheres are completely different, and because of this I have met different people from all over the world. I have made great friendships with students from Brazil, Spain, Mexico, and Switzerland. The material that is taught in my college courses is valuable, but I believe that these lifelong friendships prove to be extremely valuable. The learning of different cultures and the understanding of unique customs is very intriguing. I have met students of all social classes, from the very bottom of the lower class to the dominant top five percent who run their countries. College is a learning center in which information thrives, and I have definitely benefited from this new atmosphere. The tuition rate is very high at Babson College, but I would say that it is worth every penny. The experience itself is a statement in one’s career, and it has shaped me as a student pursuing a business major.

Joaquin

I have got a new mental map of why I am interested in my life, particullarly with the experiences that I have been an active student. The oportunities that the school gave two me are very important in my life beacause not only help me those days, also help in the future when I am trying to start a new life on my own.

Amanda

Looking back, my only regret as a college student is not being as knowledgeable as I am now when it comes to college life in general. If I could go back in time I would advise myself to learn how to manage my time as soon as possible. Your first year in college can be immensely hectic when trying to balance and get accustom to a new social life, an intense work load, and extra-curricular activities. Acquiring great time management skills earlier on will keep you from falling behind in your classes. This leads me to my most pertinent word of advice which is to stay organized. Make sure that you stay on top of assignments and readings, since it may take more effort and time than you can provide to catch up. Last but not least, plan out all of your short-term goals, anything from acquiring a leadership position to a desirable gpa, and map out the necessary steps you would take in order to get there. Too often people make goals when it is too late for them to take the steps to accomplish it. These words of advice would assure a more successful college career.

Nina

If I had the opportunity to go back in time and give myself advice regarding college life, I would tell myself that the absolute most important consideration for college selection is finding a college where I can be happy. It seems so simple, yet most high school seniors do not even consider their emotional wellbeing when choosing a college. Although rankings, facilities, professors etc are all important factors, none of them matter if you are miserable. It is easy to get tricked into believing that you should go to the best college that you get accepted to, but you need to be realistic. If you have trouble separating from your parents you should consider going to a school close to home, if you love the city try to avoid schools in rural areas. Choosing a school solely based on its academic qualifications will make it impossible to adjust and therefore impossible to thrive. It is better to go to a good school where you can be happy and succeed, than to go to an Ivy League school and count the seconds until graduation, because ultimately happiness is the key to success.

Lee

The thing I wish I knew before coming to Babson was just that I should really get out there and get going. The first two weeks at Babson were miserable for me, but that was because I spent almost all of my time in my dorm room. In those first two weeks people made the friends they would have for at least the next few months if not the rest of their lives. I couldn't understand why it was that I was not having fun like everyone else around me was. Then I joined the theater organization and suddenly everything was exactly as I hoped it would be. I was going out all the time and hanging out with friends and never felt like I was alone. All it took was to get out of my room and go make some friends. My advice to my younger self is simple, get out of your room and make friends.

Lauren

Do not ever expect opportunities to fall into your lap. Finding the right college is an opportunity, but the most important part takes place once you arrive on campus. As a new student, work hard to make every unfamiliar face one you can recognize as an acquaintance, dormmate, teammate, classmate, or peer. Make connections-- networking is one of the most important parts of college. Meet business people, ask for business cards, give out your email, follow up with people whose company you enjoyed. Take some time out of the day to have lunch with your professor. Approach the professors and faculty who work in the obscure offices-- gems of knowledge come from those people. Do something that benefits others, not just yourself. Serve the community- do not expect it to just serve you. Take all of these opportunities, but at the same time, make your own! Start a club, send an email to the entire undergraduate class, start a club sports team, coordinate service projects with local area schools, apply for a program that you have been told you will not get into. Take risks, make friends, and remember college is what you make it, but essentially its an OPPORTUNITY.

Nicholas

If I could go back in time and give myself advice about college life and making a transition to college life, I would choose not to do so. I believe that not knowing much about the environment that I was going into made everything much more exciting and I am much more successful here because of it. I already knew that College was going to be harder than high school, and I was prepping myself for 4 hard years of academics and minimal partying. I chose Babson because I knew it was going to pay off afterwards, although it is not known as a very social school. I was thrilled when I moved in freshman year and had the best first week of my life. I met more people, had more fun, and did more things than I have ever had previously in my life. Then classes started and I worked extremely hard, harder than I actually had to, which made me transition to school and become more successful both socially and academically than most of my peers. A combination of my low expectations for social life and my over-expectations for academics made transistioning to college easy.

Darcy

Do an overnight trip! This allows you to learn alot more about the campus, classes, and students.

Daniel

Make sure you choose the right size school for yourself.

Daniel

Be open to new things!

Elias

Find a college that suits your interests, you outlook on life and don't focus to much on social life, because students that picked the same interests will follow suit and it will pay off after graduation. Broader subjects sphere might be better for students who are self driven, while focused colleges are better for those who have trouble staying on task.

Jaclyn

Go with the school first, not a sports program

Joanna

Follow your instincts and do not be afraid to try something scary.

George

College is an extremely important part of life, and it's not entirely about the academics or how it sets you up for a future career. Jobs are out there if and if you're motivated enough you will have access to the resources you need to set yourself up, no matter where you go. College just makes it easier. What is more important are the people you meet there and the time you have to figure out what you want. College is like buying four years to figure out what you're doing with your life before you have to actually start doing it. Find a campus that you like, that you feel comfrotable in, and that gives you the freedom to explore what you find interesting. Also, the friends you make in college are far more likely to stick with you for the rest of your life. In short, college is the beginning of adult life, choose it based on the values you want to live by.

Ricardo

Consider your long term goals and desires. If you are looking, or at least hope to, go to graduate school I would have personally gone to a "bigger" name school. Regardless, you get a very practical education.

Luke

With the college decision imperative to the students future, it is important to make the right choice. If you choose to attend a school that focuses on something (Babson for example is strictly business) make sure it focuses on what you want to do. If you are unsure what you want to do a more liberal arts education may be the best option.

Whitaker

Make sure that you attend the school that feels right to you. Attending any institution because you are pressured to do so will not be in your best interest. The only way to truely succeed and have a fulfilling undergraduate experience is if you want to be there.

Estefania

really find a place that suits what you want to study. other than that location is also very important. where you are and how the ambiance is will affect your attitude about the school. that is why it is always a good idea to visit them before you go. and take advantage of all the things your university has to offer. be active and go to all the events even if they dont give you credit for class or boost your gpa. you learn a lot from listening to other people.

Benjamin

When you are looking for the right college, make sure you visit the school and LOOK AT THE STUDENTS. There is no way a student is going to be happy or successful in a given college unless they somewhat fit in with the students there. If you are walking around the school, there might be nice bulildings and a great curriculum, but who cares about architecture if you are miserable. From experience, the kids who do the best in class are the ones who have a healthy balance of activities outside the classroom which keep them happy and not always stressing over work. Another way find the right college is to buy a book. There are tons of books out there that give you the low-down on every school in the US. Don't listen to gossip about schools because it is usually prejudice; the books have facts. Finally, to make the most of your college experience, just be yourself. At college you meet so many different kinds of people that you have never been exposed to. Learn from them and become your own person. Your parents have prepared you as much as possible, now its up to you.

Myles

Ignore what your parents want you to do, and find something that interests you. I was a business major for my own reasons and nobody else's, and that's probably why I enjoyed it, stuck with it, and excelled at it. It's better to be great at someting that you enjoy than decent at something that you're not committed to, regardless of any discrepency in pay scale.

Alex

After visiting it should "feel" right, regardless of intectual analysis.

Viktor

Follow your feeling. Law of attraction works.

Erin

I would suggest to visit the campus, and to see parts that the basic tour doesn't give you. Visit where you will be spending most of your time - in the pool, dorms, or the campus center. And notice how you feel when you get on campus. Do you feel like a visitor? or a part of the community? One school may give you more money, but do you really feel yourself here?

Jake

Attention students, The college search process is in your hands, not your parents. The key to finding the right college and making the most out of your college expirience is having a clear understanding of what your a looking to get out of college in the first place. In order to answer this question, you must be able to identify your interests in life and simply know what makes you happy. As soon as you have recognized these aspects of your life, you will then be able to better narrow down the huge list that your college counselor has printed out for you. It is important to not simply look at the average SAT scores of the colleges that you are looking at, but also to try and understand what is unique about each college that you want to apply to. The factors that distinguish one college from another are the ones that will have the greatest impact on your college expirience. Remember to take time to really try and get to know the atmosphere and environment of each school that you visit and try to decide if you would be happy in that environment.

Jeffrey

Go with the gut feeling

Victoria

Visit the schools first and talk to the students about everyday living.

Rebecca

I would tell them they should think about who they want to be and what they value in life and base where they got to school off of that and not just what you want to do when you grow up.

Matthew

I would say visit as many schools as possible, because even if you dont like the school you can acknowledge what you didn't like and cross it off your list. Also, ask yourself "Can I see myself enjoying this place for 4 years?" I would also recomend going with a good friend from home because it will be easier to meet people and it will be an easier transition.

Tom

none

Ryeon

Choose a school that fits with your personality type and career goals, do not let money affect your decision.

Nina

Transferring from a liberal arts school to a business college gives me a lot of insight on schools. You have to do what will make you happy, so pick the school that you think you fit in with (socially as well as academically). Also, money might make the difference in deciding your schools, as it did for me, so be opened minded if it's not your first choice. You will be happy as long as they teach what you want, the faculty is good, and you make friends that have similar goals. If you're motivated, you need a school with people who want to get somewhere in life and have the mindset to do so. To make the most of college, GET INVOLVED. You meet so many people with similar interests through organizations and clubs. Also, on-campus jobs can be great, they?re convenient and they help you get to know a lot of the administration, making the college feel more like home. If you?re on an athletic team or in Greek life be sure it doesn't consume your social life, branch out and make many friends in different circles, this can keep things interesting.

Connor

Get out of your comfort zone. Don't base your decision on where your friends are going, or where home is. Visit the school, and go with your heart.

Erik

Do your research early and visit the schools. Speak with current students other than tour guides and read reveiws with a critical eye. Do not base you choices off where your friends are going or attempt to stay close to your girlfriend/boyfriend. Do not room with your friends. You can make more friends and still have your old friends. When going, go with an open mind. It is not going to be like the movies but you can still find some fun . Participate in everything at least once. There will be many new and strange things you will have never seen before. Try them all. Take classes with a grain of salt and know that your education is both in and out of class. How well can you network with the people around you? Are you developing leadership and project management skills through your activities? Are you learning more about yourself and others. How well do you study, get work done? How good is your time management? These kinds of questions you will have to find the answers to and work with. The balance between social and academic life is the key to a happy college career. Good Luck!