Brandeis University Top Questions

If I got the chance, the only thing I would tell my high-school-senior self is: have fun. I?ve always worked very hard as a student. I knew that in college I would continue to push myself academically and creatively, and Brandeis is a great place for that. But in my senior year, I realized the importance of stepping outside of the college bubble once in a while. Especially in times of great stress, in the middle of finals or tech week for a play, I really need to pause and look at the big picture. The truth is, I?m only in college for four years; I?m only young once. Yes, I get a lot out of studying and participating in clubs?but it?s important to leave some free time for yourself. At Brandeis everyone is so passionate about getting things done, and we?re all hard-wired by the admissions process to cram all our time with productivity. But life doesn?t have to be like that. Sleep, good food, vegging out?there are all worthwhile! Relax, for God?s sake. Work hard and play hard?it?s a delicate but crucial balance.

Figure out what you want and go for it. Try a lot of different things and don't hold back. Make new friends but try to keep in touch with high school friends too.

I would tell myself to not worry about anything petty. Life is really what you make of it and if you get involved with anything too dramatic, life will be difficult. I would tell myself not to sweat the small stuff and learn how to go with the flow, to be open minded and be yourself. I think that college is definitely a time of learning, but not all learning happens in the classroom. College teaches you social skills that last a lifetime. It is a great time to figure out the type of people you are compatible with and those that you aren't so you have the skillset to surround yourself with people that bring out the best in you, while you help to bring out the best in them.

Finding the right colleges would be tough so I suggest that students and parents should visit the school to get first impressions. For the best college experience, dorm, dorm, dorm! There is nothing better than making long lasting friendship and finding the right group to hang with and study!

In the process of finding the right college, I believe starting research early and college visits are most helpful. The earlier you start researching colleges, the sooner you will know which ones to apply to, giving you ample time to complete the application and increasing your chances of getting in. As for deciding on a college, a visit is most helpful. You don't know how you're going to respond to a college until you're there. As for making the most of your college experience once you're there, I advise you not to be shy. The first few weeks may be awkward, but once you find the group of people you click best with you can start having fun. Once people have already established groups of friends, it is hard to find your group.

When looking at colleges you must ALWAYS observe the people who make up the campus. The cafeteria food will always be cafeteria food, but the people are what actually create your college experience (consider seeing a bad movie with great friends versus seeing a great movie with so-so friends). While college-hunting you should have conversations with people, ask students about their biggest pet peeve about the school, and look around for lots of smiling. This is a key factor for finding a good atmosphere. When at college, no one is going to lead you to your destiny. As cheesy as this may sound, college is your first taste of life as a grown-up. Don't let anything phase you and don't be scared of anything. You can customize your life. You can start from scratch. It is liberating and scary at the same time, but of course you should always look to the positives. Keep your material possessions to a minimum and your social and spiritual possessions to a maximum. And the #1 rule for college: If you haven't tried something before, and this means everything except hard drugs, you have to try it now.

The truth is, no matter where one chooses to attend college, there is only so much that the university can do to make the experience enjoyable. A subsitantial part of any college experience is finding one's self, learning how to make the best of specific situations, and facing obstacles on one's own. One must be prepared to enter college with a genuine and sincere willingness to work hard and maintain success, in which ever definition of success one may have (sports, academics, socially, etc.). When times get tough, one must learn how to cope and push through. When choosing a college one should ask themself, "Which insititution will provide me with the tools to make me (for lack of better word) smarter? Which insitution will teach me more about history, science, math, and literature?" While in college however, the student should ask him/herself, "Now what can I do as an individual to enable myself to graduate from here wiser?" College provides the opportunities, but it is up to the individual to take advantage of those opportunities and then apply those experiences to real life. Getting accepted and choosing the right college is only the first step.

Being a first generation American, born to Greek native parents, I was urged since young age to make the most out of life. On my first day of college, this advice held nonetheless true. Before departing to go home, my dad told me to study and work hard, but to always cherish each moment of my college career. Having these words in mind, I embarked on the most amazing experience of my life, my college years, and tried to make the most of every interaction that came my way. College was absolutely wonderful to me. Brandeis' strong academic background, ranked 30th best college in the country, coupled with the amazing credentials that our professors had, made my time at Brandeis very well-worth it. I do not regret anything that I've done in my life or in my college career, for I believe that every stumbling block that comes along the way is an opportunity to learn from. There have been times where even among the worst of failures, there was ALWAYS a silver lining. Words to live by!

I have gone throught the process of picking the right school twice in my life now-when I had to choose a prep school and when I had to pick the college I wanted to attend. It strangely happened that during both decisions, I chose the schools that I had not visited as opposed to the ones that I did visit. This was because I visited the schools that I had always desired to attend since I was in elementary school. However, a lot of things change between then and college. Hence, when picking the right school, it is important to throw all past conceptions behind. The schools, believe it or not, pick individuals for specific reasons despite the large amount of applicants they recieve. Therefore, once admitted, even if it is not the first choice of a student and he applied to it only as a "safety school," should give it a thought, a chance. During the consideration, the biggest question should be about the student's desired size of the school. This lays out everything about colleges: size of classrooms, diversity, parties, role of Greek life, sports, and availability for assistance. Size allows students to predict everything.

College is what you make it. Make sure wherever you go has the basic elements you value, and then it is really up to you to take it from there. Remember to cherish the classroom experience itself just as much as what happens outside, because that is what will be absent from your later life.

Location, location, locatin!!

The motto for orientation my freshman year, was there are no wrong turns. I thought about this statement over the course of the four years that I attended Brandeis University and it has held true. No matter what decision I made it always seemed to be the right one for me. I picked both of my majors on a whim, I did things I was interested in such as creative writing. And I made sure that I had time to have a social life, and a job and still be able to get my work done. My word of advice would be balance. It is one of the best times of your life, so don't spend it in the library. Get out there and learn from experience! Make sure to take care of yourself as well because that is always the most important. There is no decision that you make that cannot be reversed, just like the motto "No Wrong Turns". And I graduated with a core group of friends, great fellowship and job and with many connections to a great university that I go back to every chance I get.

Think carefully about what you are looking for in a college. The size and diversity of the student body are both important factors to consider. Decide if you would rather be at a school with many students who are just like you or in a school whose population runs across a wide spectrum. Think about whether you are interested in having a multitude of extra-curricular activities to choose from and get involved in or if you would rather let other people plan everything for you. Make sure you are comfortable with the school's climate - some universities are located in places where it always rains or never snows. This may seem trivial but you will be spending four years there so you want to be comfortable. Once you have figured out many of the things you want in a school, go visit and spend time at each of your top choices. Meet lots of people and listen to what they have to say about their classes, activities, and the social scene on campus. If possible, sit in on some lectures or try to get an idea of what the professors are like in your department of interest. Good luck!

Take the time to figure out what five or ten of your top priorities are, and closely examine colleges to see if they're able to deliver. It's silly to look at only academic components of a school, or only the social life, and so forth. It's crucial to consider whether or not your personality fits with the overall vibe of the school. If at all possible, visit the campus and schedule an interview! Remember that your decision to accept admission is just as crucial as a university's decision to accept you.

To take all aspects of the school into consideration - location, academics, size of school , types of students, majors offered. To think about their high school experience and think about what they did and did not like and then try to find a school that will be thesame or different in those ways. Try to get involved as much as you would like and remember that the people you meet are a big part of your experience so be open to different types of people and then settle with those who you feel most comfortable with and who will be there for you.

Visit the school before making a decision, do as much research as you possibly can, and not simply through the colleges' marketing or tour guides, but looking at internet forums, facebook groups, and other social networking resources.

One must take time to visit the institution before making a decision to attend it. There is no way of knowing the quality of life-style, academics, social-life, and needs provided by the institution without visiting the institution. I have seen many students regreting their attending of Brandeis University because they did not take the time to visit, and the social-life on campus among the students was not they expected.

Don't have a first choice - have a group - you shouldn't be too set of one school - more than one might work for you.

FOR STUDENTS: Visiting a college is the best way to assess how it fits one's needs. The guidebooks and statistics are nice, but the "feeling" of being on campus is more telling than anything else. In addition, don't take the advice of two or three students as authoritative. Different students at a school will have different viewpoints, and one student will not be representative of campus' student body. Also, if you know for sure what field you plan to go into, sit in that department's classes. See if it feels right. Talk to those professors. They are knowledgable and will speak honestly about how they feel about their repective departments. Do not go to a college because a friend will be attending. The people you associate with upon graduation will most likely not be the same people that you hung out with during Freshman year. FOR PARENTS: Despite what they say, many students are not sure of what they want. Make your your prospective student visits a variety of colleges, of all types, until they can get a feel for what type of school seems best.

The most important part about selecting a college is visiting the school without a parent and staying overnight for at least two nights-- one on a weekend, and one during the week. By shadowing a student through a typical day of classes and then through the night activities, a potential student can get a feeling for several crucial factors of campus life: what the classes are like, how professors and students interact, what the typical workload is, dorm living, campus accessibility, and social factors. Also, it is important to have an idea of the path of study-- for example, I applied to Brandeis as an Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Major, but then decided to switch to Music and Education majors instead, and those programs are not as strong at Brandeis as at other schools. It is also important to note that if one plans to attend graduate school, the institution of undergraduate education should match the academic stature of the graduate university. Overall, a student needs to be happy socially at their college, because it will be impossible to succeed academically if one is not satisfied socially.

All colleges, from community colleges up to the ivy leagues, have similar levels of academics. The difference in schools is the amount of students who have a strong desire to learn, but the amount one learns depends on the effort put into learning, regardless of location. Finding the right college is all about finding a place you can live at for four years. Extra-curriculars, living options, and location should be the primary factors in deciding if you like a college. Price and caliber can then determine whether you should apply or attend a particular school. The student should be the one deciding if he/she likes the school, and the parents should only limit choices based on expenses. Making the most of the college experience depends on the desire to learn and taking advantage of the variety of opportunities available. Self-motivation will help you receive a richer education. Getting involved in extra-curriculars not only looks good on a resume, but helps to avoid an excess in free time with too much studying. The main trick to enjoying college is balancing learning with fun and getting as many good experiences as possible.

Under the current economic conditions, I would reccomend practicality in terms of cost-benefit, and future job security. Liberal colleges provide excellent educations, however, the expense and frustration of a small demanding school may turn higher education into a dead end. To gain a good understanding of a school, I suggest visiting during the middle of a semester in order to best evaluate the conditions of normalcy. Try to understand the region, mentality, learning styles, and major distribution to create a college atmosphere and then ask yourself: Can I survive in this atmosphere? How do people here compare to those from home? Will I be able to go somewhere if I need to escape? And finally, never underestimate the importance of food.

I would advise students to spend at least overnight at every college they want to attend and really try to get the feel of the student body/campus life just to see if you vibe with it; it's important to trust your instict. I would truly advise parents to help their child develop skills that will help balance an academic and social life; as important as it might be to maintain high academic standards in highschool in order to get into college, if your child isn't exposed or at least aware of social and recreational events that involve drinking and other drug use that they probably will be exposed to, they won't know how to handle it.

Scholarships mean more than I originally thought. The "best" school is not defined by test scores or magazine ratings, but by the one that fits your interests and personality. Get to know at least one member of faculty or staff each semester and you'll have a wide range of contacts and references by the time you graduate. They can also be very interesting people!

Know what you want out of your college experience before you decide where to apply or where to go. Don't worry about what your parents think or your friends think...this is a once in a lifetime experience. If you want to study and learn and have involved professors, look for the appropriate school. If you want a party school with a great basketball team, look for that. Don't limit yourself to one major...you just might change your mind. And remember that there is a big difference between living somewhere and visiting somewhere. If you can visit, visit. If not, be sure to talk to students anyway and be certain that the lifestyle you live will be accepted where you're going.

Study a lot in high school, even if doesn't seem worth it. Any college you land at will be great, just be open and try to find who you are instead of trying to be something else.

When I was applying to college, I thought that the most important aspect of school would be to play soccer. Granted, i was applying to prestigious schools like Brandeis University, Vassar College and NYU, so academics were obviously just as important. My list of colleges actually included 15 schools, and this left me plenty of room to make my best decision. Once acceptance letters came back, my criteria shifted slightly because finanicial aid became more important. Even though I no longer play soccer at Brandeis, I am still happy with my final decision. My advice to parents and students would be to choose the best "package deal". It is so important to visit a school and stay with a current college student because it allows a student to get a real "feel" for the school's environment. When I came to Brandeis, the liberal atmosphere and academic challenges seemed to be a perfect fit for me. Because I stopped playing soccer, I was able to study abroad in Italy for an entire academic year (not to mention become fluent in a language). Overall, it is not important which schools reject you because other, comparable schools may offer you better opportunities.

Take your time to look around and actually hear what the students at each school has to say. Don't pick something too out of reach.

The advise I would give to a student about finding the right college would be go visit, and get lost. Wander around and see how you feel being lost. Do you feel confortable walking up to people and asking for help? If you do talk to people are they nice, friendly, helpful? Do you feel like you could be a student here? As for making the best of college, make sure to find friends who can help balance the academics. Take the time to get involved in activities campus or the area provides. Try not to stress too much about work, but also remember early on that you need to do your best.

The best advice I can give to students about finding the right college is to visit the college and get to know the students. While there is a certain lure to the brand-names of colleges, you must remember that you will be spending four years of your life in this place, so it really has to be a place that you can both thrive and feel at home. Making connections with students and faculty before you attend the school will be a major help to you. For most students, this is the first time living away from home, so having people that are familiar and safe to you at the college will ease your transition by supporting you and enabling you to concentrate better on your new social and academic life. Do not just look at the academic prestige of the school, also look at how the social, political, artistic, religious, and cultural venues and views fit into your framework, as these things are also be a main part of college life.

Choosing the "right" college is really a matter of perspective. The "right" college isn't necessarily the one with the best ratings or the most attractive campus, but is a place where you can see yourself being happy and comfortable. It may sound cliche, but college IS what you make of it: with a positive attitude and some initiative, you will make friends, become involved, do well in classes, find the resources you need, have person growth...everything you are probably most concerned about. Once you narrow it down in terms of your general academic interests and opportunities for campus involvement, the rest is just a matter of faith in the fact that with a positive outlook you will be just fine wherever you end up...and if not, you can always transfer!

Don't be afraid to take time off after highschool or between semesters at your university! I took over a year off and transfered schools and it was the best decision I ever made because I had enough time to think about what I really wanted and considered schools that weren't even on my radar during my senior year of high school. Also, being in college does not mean you have to delay your career goals during those four years. With dedication and a little help from your university, you can do both simultaneously.

Believe in yourself, and that wherever you go, you have made the right choice. I now have friends in colleges all over the world, and the one common sentiment I hear again and again is that it all worked out for the best. Do your research. Visit each school you are considering. If the school offers an interview, take it. Ask questions. But most importantly, keep in mind that wherever you end up, you are in the right place. Every school will offer you opportunities that other schools cannot offer. Every school will give you a chance to prove yourself, and every school will have a group of students that you can relate to and befriend. Once I realized this, my college search became much easier. I learned to trust myself. When you visit schools, talk to students. Sit down in one of the dining centers or cafes. Most students will be very nice and honest if you catch them off-guard, and ask them about their experiences at the school. Look around when you are on a campus. Can you see yourself walking those steps to class? If you can, you have found your first schoice.

Go with whatever feels natural. Pay attention to everything on the campus, how the campus makes you feel, the type of students you see walking around, your overall comfort and security level, and how readily you can see yourself living and learning in that environment. While statistics are important, there are many schools that share similar characteristics and while there are differences in reputation or architecture, the most compelling reason for going to a school will be the feeling that you remember leaving with. The better that the school can convince you that the atmosphere, the students, the campus, everything combined on the day you visit, the more you will want to go to the school. After all, most prospective students get a very narrow glimpse of what college life is like, so the more time you can spend at the school, the more accustomed you will be to the genuine feel of being a student there. Ultimately, your best way of measuring a school is your initial, concurrent, and delayed reaction of being a part of its community and environment for a small amount of time.

During the college search process many people feel the pressure to find that one right school. They go and visit 37 schools, apply to 21, get into 12, and then have to to decide between 12 excellent educational institutions. Remember this one thing, you will be happy at whatever school you choose. The key is choosing a college for logical reasons and not giving into to peer, parental, or societal pressure to go to that school with the ivy covered buildings. To make the msot of college you must carefully combine long term strategic planning and optimism with an approach centered on short term impulsive opportunity taking. Once you start, you only have 3 years and 10 months left to try learning about anything you want and develop your chances to become something great. Don't waste your time because the clock is already ticking. That being said, college is a time of immense opportunities which may not always side with your academic goals. Just remember what Mark Twain once said, "Never let your schooling get in the way of your education." You have 4 years in which to learn how to learn, so love every minute of it.

Make sure there is a close relationship between the faculty members and students at the school.

I think the hardest part about finding a college is trying to figure out who you are as a student, and as an individual. I picked my school because from the moment I set foot on campus I felt comfortable and the more I learned about the school the more I realized that the values of the institution are parallel to my own values and beliefs. Now in my second year of attending the school I have found likeminded people as friends, professors and administrators. Having similar believes and values with so many people have fostered incredible connections that I hope to keep for life. So I advise you to take your time and figure out who you are, and what your needs are in an institution. Do you want something large, or something intimate? Somewhere is the city or the suburbs? These are important but there is so much more to ask yourself. How do I feel about having bottled water on campus vs. tap? Do I want a school with small classes? So instead of spending hours searching for the right college, search for yourself then the right college will find you.

Definitely visit the school and try interacting with the students there to see what they are like.

Go where you feel you will be academically successful...

Make sure that your decision is what you really want. You will never be happy unless it is really where you wish to be. :)

Listen to your gut. You will know which school is right for you. Always remember that if you do choose a school and feel uncomfortable with your decision after a time, you can transfer. The best thing to do is to write out a list of things that you DO want in a university and things that you know you DON'T want--use that as your guide. You will not make the wrong decision if you follow your truth. LISTEN to yourself though, it is important to let go of other people's expectations and pressures. Visit the schools that you are interested in and most importantly, keep an open mind.

visit and stay over at the school. talk to kids there and make sure you understand how much school work they get on average as well as what the social life is like. Investigate thoroughly it is a large, life-altering decision.

I have realized that I might have made a different choice of school if I had done overnights at my top choices. My advice: stay over for a night or two, which can be arranged through the admissions office! You will get a real feel for who the students are, what the social scene is like, and how the food is. No matter what, stick out school for a couple months, as I guarantee it gets better freshman year.

First decided close you want to be to home. Then go through at least three college books and make a list of 10 reaches, 10 middles, and 10 safeties. Then narrow it down to 3 of each (by going online, talking to current students, reading about the majors and minors you are interested in) and visit your 6 middles and reaches. Then apply to those 9. Its easier then it looks.

The first thing parents and students should remember is that there is no ONE right school. Different schools have different selling points. It's important to consider what matters most when looking for a college and ranking your priorities. It's not worth getting your heart set on one school, but if you do and don't get in, remember that college is new chapter in your life. There is no way to predict how it will shape you or what you will find. Of course, there's always the option to transfer if you're really unhappy, but be open to new experiences even if they seem daunting. Odds are you'll make friends if you put yourself out there and discover that you never want to leave! Take courses and join clubs that broaden your horizons; you'd be amazed at the hidden passions that will be unearthed. Explore and take time to really learn, not just ace tests and papers. Above all else, don't forget home, but don't be afraid of change either.

I think parents should take financial aid into consideration and how important the school is. They need to know what their priorities are. Today, undergrad is thought to be necessary and is a part of a system that promotes longer time in school. However, when attending a liberal arts school, and spending around 160,000, only to go to graduate schol to obtain a profession it seems somewhat unfair. I think they should consider whether a school is worth paying tha tmuch money if they are not receiving financial aid.

Not everyone walks onto a college campus and is hit with the feeling that "this is it," and even those who are so lucky do not always get in or face other obstacles along the way. For some, finances play the most important role, while for others it may be closeness to home, majors/minors available, or even the size of the dormrooms. Having found a school where I feel at home, the greatest advice I can give is to take a deep breath and think clearly. Don't rule out a school simply because you saw it on a rainy day, and don't force yourself to love one because your friends want to be "OMG only 30 min away next year!" Look at the flaws in addition to what you like about a college, because there will be both no matter where you go! If you are honest about what is important to you and do not pressure yourself into feeling a certain way (that goes for parents too!), then you will choose the place that is right for you. Once you get there, work hard, have fun, and, again, take a deep breath and think clearly!

Go visit before you accept it.

don't believe the BS tour guides and pamphlets feed you. Go to a class, meet with professors who teach topics that interest, read the school newspaper (and the joke newspaper/magazine where applicable). Be PROACTIVE. A good school will not find you, you have to find it.

I would recommend that people bear in mind that one does not shop for a college; a college shops for you. I would recommend not falling in love with one place, and being brutally realistic about both your abilities and those of your competitors. When choosing where to go between those that accept you, it would be most wise to find a balance between the most reputable school and the amount of financial aid they give you. The industries dirty secret is that undergraduate school does not give you a career boost: its graduate school. Thus it makes no sense to pay $50,000 for an education you could have gotten for $40,000 or lower. To be realistic about your priorities and chances takes a lot of pressure off, allowing you to go into a college with an open mind and to make the most of wherever you go. Students should realize that they will most likely fall in love with the school they go to despite any initial disappointment. Most importantly, bear in mind that these will only be "the best years of your life," if you're willing to make them so.