Bentley University Top Questions

Commuting to school is much different than living at a college or university: living on campus, on your own, amongst friends (or perhaps not) is so important in terms of really getting the full college experience and truly growing through those exceptional 4 years. Truly dedicating yourself to getting the most of your school (i.e. participating in extracurriculars, getting to know your professors, taking advantage of cultural activities, attending lectures or presentations put on by the school, forming a relationship with academic and career services, studying abroad, etc.) helps in truly getting your money's worth and the utmost out of college. Moreover, it is ok to attend your not top choice (i.e. go to a school close to home, or to a school that is less prestigious for monetary reasons) as long as you truly put your all into the experience, you will get a huge amount out of it. From a business student's perspective: high risk, very high reward. College is once in a lifetime; the support of your family and courage of your own will help you have a wonderful time: learning a great amount, playing just as hard. Enjoy and good luck!

Whatever college you decide on, you need to make sure that you will feel comfortable and there are opportunities that appeal to the student.

Bentley's awesome.

College should be about a lot more than getting drunk and spending four years being wild just because adulthood is around the corner. Decide what you're truly looking for, beyond solely the academic aspect. Being at a school with a strong department in a field you are looking for is important, but it won't provide an enjoyable and healthy environment if other aspects of college are not aligned with your values and needs. Keep in mind your political and social opinions and research to be sure a college you are interested in truly has an environment that will not feel hostile to you. Realize your values and don't sacrifice them; it's ok to abstain from drinking and it's ok to be celebate if that is how you want to live. If your environment pressures you against such behavior, then that's not a place you should spend your college experience at. Make sure your college provides ways for students to make friends without having to join a fraternity or sorority. Don't misunderstand colleges that boast of professors with experience in their fields. Somethimes this is simply because they couldn't last in their field.

None

Choosing the right college can be difficult and frustrating, but there are a few things to keep in mind while choosing best one. An overlooked indicator is the first impression of the school and the comfort level you get after visiting. Sometimes first impressions can be the most important because after looking at numerous colleges, they seem to all be the same. Try to observe the students who are on campus and see if you can match them and their style; think "would i be comfortable here? Could I see myself here?" In order to get the most out of the college experience, I would say get involved, but don't overload yourself initally until you can determine how much you can handle. If you do this initally, you may regret it and end up disliking the school.

Come

Make sure you find a school with the right balance of academics and social options. the best academic school isnt neccessarily the best school to go to.

Please visit the school and walk around campus for the whole day. Don't just take a tour and leave. Ask questions to students rather than the tour guide.

When I looked for a college, I searched for a place that I could live without my parents for four years and feel proud attending the college. Going into college searching, the student really needs to know him or herself, like what they are interested in, how they prefer to live, what kind of people do you feel comfortbale around etc. Once I could figure out where I would fit comfortable, I tried to figure out what colleges would best suit my needs. Can I get everything that I want there, will I be able to make friends, and so on. In the end I wanted to go to a school that I would be proud of. If you don't like what the school stands for, you are going to lose the motivation to be educated there. Honestly you can get the feeling you want to attend the school after going through the school's website or visiting the college. Somtimes it;s an instant feeling or oyu won't be able to forget the school but it always feels right.

Tyler McChristian

The advice I would give to parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience is to visit the campus during the fall or spring semesters to get a feel for the campus environment. If possible students should try to participate in an overnight trip so students can sit in on classes and get a feel for the social environment as well. To make the most of the college experience students should participate in as many functions as possible that appear interesting because many friends can be made and organizations are a great way to discover more about oneself, along with providing a difference from others when applying for jobs. For parents to make the most out of the college experience they should allow their children to make their own decisions about the college since they will be spending the next several years there, but when the deciding process begins they should try to remain neutral so students can discover the most appropriate school for them. During the college experience parents should try to let students live on their own and not be so "worried" about their children.

I think its important to focus on two things. First, make sure your child is following the major he/she really wants and find schools that will best suite this major. Second, make sure you will be happy at your school. Look at the enviroment. Do you like big schools or small school or whether you want to be near a major city or not.

In order to find the right college do a full examination of yourself. Even if you are unsure of who you are completely, figure out your key interests and run with that. Many schools specialize in certain fields that could lead you on the path to an awesome future. Also always visit colleges your are interested in more than once. anything on the first day may have been a fluke (never jump to conclusions based on one visit) and even you could have been in a certain mood that may have impacted your feelings. In addition, never settle for less, never think you aren't a strong enough candidate because you may surprise yourself and get into your dream school. Lasty, never forget that college is a very important four years but it isn't the only four years of your life. Think beyond the scope of college and think about how this school may impact your future beyond. Think about alumni networks, employment rates, industries the school promotes. All of these thigs matter in the long run.

Look at a variety of schools so that you get an idea of the differences between schools, and you can get more of an idea of what you're looking for. Pay attention to the way the students look, to see if they look like people you would be friends with. Also always make sure to network and keep in touch with people you meet at the schools, it could help your chances of getting in.

Learn as much as you can about how you learn and what you like before you go to college. Think about if you like to learn in a lecture style or interactive environment. During your first year make sure to take classes that will challenge you and expose you to the different major and minor programs offered at your school. Once you are at college make sure to fight for what you deserve, often colleges forget that you, the student, are the one paying 50k+ to attend the school, don't be afraid to remind them.

The advice I could give other students or parents about looking for a college is actually visiting the college for a tour. Within minutes of beginning a tour, I was able to tell which schools were a fit for me and which ones I wouldn't want to go to. Deciding which schools to apply to is the easy part, but actually picking one to go to is more difficult. My most important piece of advice would be to go to your first choice school. Never settle for something that you think is second best. I think that cost should not be a factor in deciding where to go to school. College may be the most important four years of a person's life, and I truely believe that it is important that they spend those years at the school they want to go to the most. Even if it means paying extra money or traveling a little further, it is important to follow your heart and do what will make you the most happy. By going to their first choice school, I feel that a student will be happier and more successful academically, socially, and professionally.

Figure out what student body size best suits you. Then look at the location and style of the campus, there is a big difference between city and rural schools. Find out what school best fits you. Some are more business oriented and others are more liberal arts. See what fits you the best. Look over everything that a school has to offer, from classes to housing to career services. In the end go with your gut and choose the school you truly like. Don't force yourself to like a school because you will only end up being unhappy with it in the end. Relax and just try to get as much information about the schools as possible so you can make a truly informed decision. Once you are at the school, get involved with as many activities as possible. They are a great way to meet people and gain experiences. If you don't like an activity, you can always stop doing it, but you don't want to regret letting college pass you by without joining any clubs. Also take advantage of services that your school offers, they are there to help you and can be very beneficial.

When looking for the right college, take into account location and fields of study. You need to be comfortable with your school. Visualize yourself there and visit. Often times, you will know the moment you step onto campus whether this is the place for you. Don't settle - look around becuase you will find the right place. The best piece of advice I can give about making the most of your college experience is to get involved with anything that interests you and get involved early. Start your freshmen year. Do something even if your friend or roommate isn't becuase that is where you will meet new and interesting people that share your passions. Getting involved will help you grow as a person and build your character. You want to be able to look back on your experience at college and know that you didn't waste it sitting in your dorm room playing video games. Just put yourself out there and make the most of it because you will not have this oppurtunity again.

While a college education is not required for success and happiness, it certainly makes these two elusive aspirations significantly more attainable. The selection of where you one will receive his or her higher level education is of profound consequences. The people who they meet, the classes they take, and the culture they absorbed will shape their identity for the rest of their natural lives. The cost of college makes this once in lifetime opportunity. Making the most of college comes secondary to the selection of the school itself. One must simply keep an open eye, ear and mind throughout the entire process to realize the full potential of their chosen university. If they have the mental aptitude and social ability they will achieve expectations set in the school selection process. The school selection process is comprised from a marinade of steps. Students should enter a university with a desire to obtain a job skill. One that will benefit the economy and leave the potential graduate with a financially and emotionally self sustaining life. Other important factors include choosing a ethnically, politically, culturally, socially and financially diverse place of study because without these the student will simply not evolve intellectually.

To make the perfect college choice, know that it should come from the heart. When you first visit colleges, be conscious of what you like and dislike. Is the campus too big? Too small? Any social life? Great reputation? Affordable? Picture yourself going to a certain school for four years. Does this picture scream out "this could be a reality"? Also keep in mind that college opens up new doors, new people, new frontiers. It's scary at first, but you will never find a better place to make life-long friends and enjoy the freedom college brings with it. Take advantage of everything the school has to offer. Clubs and sports teams are an awesome way to get involved. Once you're in college, chances are you won't want to leave, so make sure your pick is a great one!

I would tell them to visit the school and talk to people and try to get their honest feedback. Also, during your college years, get involved and try to meet people from diverse backgrounds. Join organizations and learn from them!

Make sure you look at a lot of different colleges--big ones, small ones, commuter ones, live-in ones. Don't rule anything out because it could be the school of your dreams. I feared that Bentley would be too small but it turned out to fit perfectly and I'm so happy there.

Be thorough. When I first applied to schools I was extremely naive about the whole process. I convinced myself that it didn't matter where I went, that I could make anything work. That's simply not the case. Where you go to school is your home for more than half the year, and although it may not be so bad at first, eventually it takes its toll on you. If you are unhappy somewhere it will catch up with you. Most importantly you have to visit each school, and I strongly recommend if they have a "sleep over" night that you take advantage of the opportunity. It gives you a hands on experience for what campus life is really like. As well as gives you the chance to really pick a current student's brain. That's another thing, ask questions, as many as possible. If you think it's a dumb question, ask anyway. The only way to find these things out is by doing so.