Duke University Top Questions

Visit each school to get the feel of the place. Actually think about what you want in a school, not just what you think sounds prestigious. Ask several current students about the things that are important to you. Does the school have what you want in a school? And remember--this is a stressful process, but no matter what school you choose, you can make it work.

Follow your gut instinct.

be sure to visit and stay for more than pre-freshman orientation weekend if possible, because a school is not what it portrays itself to be on one special weekend. once you're there, take time to make friends and dont think you have to jump into a particular club or social circle immediately.

The right college choice has to be your own choice and not your parents' nor anyone else's choice; if you want to further your education, then you need to make the effort to begin planning financially and academically as early as possible. Call the admissions departments and financial aid offices of schools that you are interested in , and speak with representatives about questions that you have concerning fields of study, finances, and issues concerning applying to your campuses of interest. It is highly recommended that you visit your campus before matriculation because what looks pretty on the page of a campus admissions manual may end up not being the perfect fit for you. Choose a school that is going to offer you the best fit when it comes to your financial needs, your prosepective academic interests, and your social needs. Once you matriculate into your college, the most fruitful advice that one can give you is to immediately explore your interests without feeling overwhelmed. Find a mentor, counselor, or academic advisor who can guide you with the best possible advice and strategies to help you achieve your goals. Do things that you enjoy while building your r?sum? simultaneously!

Consider everything, even food.

Definitely visit the school. The longer the visit the better. Instead of taking the tour, go around talking to students. Talk to both the ones that seem happy and the ones who look stressed and like they're about to start crying. Make a list of what is important to you (i.e. academics, extracurriculars, career prep, social scene, etc) and make sure the college can provide it for you. Meet the people because that is what will determine whether or not you're happy, not the dorms, or the classes, or the facilities.

Just follow your heart. You need to evalulate your interests and match it with what the school can offer. An academically challenging school may not make you the happiest person. College should be the time of your life. Make decisions that make you happy and not choices that make your parents happy. Live life to the fullest by participating in as many organizations as you can. But don't overload. Balancing out your academic life with social life. Also, time management is important. Learn how to schedule things around so you don't have conflicts. Try new things, things that you have never done before can be your favorite memories in college. Make lots of friends. Enjoy life.

Make sure you visit the campus and can see yourself living there and as being a part of the student body. Besides choosing an academic program that you think is manageable but challenging, it is also important that you have a rich and active life outside of classes. Clubs, sports, arts, greek life, volunteering, and work opportunities should be explored as well. Resources, e.g. library collections or facilities, are a good indicator of the quality of life around campus. The city or town the school is located in is also important, make sure there are opportunities you can take advantage of in the surrounding area.

visit the colleges, and take the tours.

Definetly visit the campuses of the colleges you are thinking about applyign to. I suggest you get to talk to at least 2 or 3 students about what they feel is most valuable about the school, and ask them to not give you the cliche answer.

While prospective students should consider a school's academic reputation, they need to find out about the quality of life, both academic and non-academic, in order to get a bigger picture. Applicants should talk to students currently attending the college/university to learn what the classes are like and what the academic climate is like. Is it open-minded? Grade-oriented/excessively competitive? Do people help each other? Are students interested in learning? These are very important questions to answer because a quality education is not merely having good professors and knowing material, but learning it in a way that makes a student love and appreciate the material and subject. It's also important for students to take their social and extracurricular lives seriously. Does the school have much spirit? Do people do anything other than study? Are there many organizations of all types on the campus? Is the school supportive of its students in their non-academic endeavors? A good college experience is also not merely about books and courses, but about the people one meets, the clubs/groups one joins and invests in, and the quality of the relationships that are developed as well.

College is the best time of your life, but don't be disappointed if you don't get into your first choice. After working in an admissions office on campus, I've found that if you just be yourself in your applications, the colleges will see you for what you really are. They'll make a good decision as to where you belong, and you'll probably be happiest at those schools that want you for being you. No matter where you end up, you'll end up finding the type of people you'd like to be friends with, the organizations that you'd like to be involved in, and the obligatory academics that you'll learn to like.

I would tell students to take a look at all their options and definitely visit the schools they are interested in attending. Do not get caught up in applying for only one school because you think it's perfect for you. In fact, another school that you haven't researched much about might be your best choice. Keep an open mind and remember there are a lot of factors into making a school great, including school size, courses offered, the Greek life, club/varsity sports, etc. Once you're in college, keep the same open mind about everything. Take classes that are you passionate about to find what you ultimately would like to study. Take all opportunities to try different clubs and do not be afraid to drop things if they don't interest you. Get to know the people at your school and constantly develop relationship with professors, students, and alumni to help you in the future.

Finding the right college is without a doubt one of the most important choices of a person's life. It is important for parents to consider what they can afford, keeping in mind that a good education from a reowned institution may be priceless. Other than that, the decision should be left to the student, as it is the student that will be attending that school for three plus years, and it is the child's life to be lived. It is the best idea to actually visit a school, since reading about something cannot substitute a real live experience. At this visit, the student and family should to do as much as possible to gain a thorough understanding of the college; this includes 1) going on a student-led tour guide, 2) conversing with current, attending students, 3) attending a few classes in area of interest and talking with professors, if possible, and 4) checking out the living situation: campus housing, food options, entertainment options, convenience factor, etc. All of these things help to determine if the university is the best option for the student, not only for the next few years but also for his entire life.

Don't pick a school based on rankings, or what you think it'll be like. Chances are you'll be happy where you end up.

I would advise parents to be guides and not the mind of their child. A lot of times parents get to involved in their child's selection process and put pressure on their child to pick a certain school. Instead, a parent should be supportive and help guide and support their child during the process. They should help challenge them to ensure that the child picks a school that is appropriate for their academic level. As far as the student, be open to new people and possibilities. Don't be closed minded as to which school you want to go to because the last school you think you'd attend might be the best choice for you. Follow your heart and your gut and enjoy the process because what they say is ture...these are the best years of your life!!!!

It's very important to visit the school and talk with students attending the college as honestly as possible about both their likes and dislikes about life at the particular college. Know that attending college is a very personal decision, so parents need to let their children decide on their own, although they can help!

Schools are akin to plants. We, the students, are little buds growing in our pots, hoping to stretch and blossom. Smaller schools might do a better job of tending the soil, making sure that sunlight hits everyone?s pot, and clustering students in pots of just the right size. At larger, more elite schools, everyone is put in a tiny pot, the soil is a little dry, and it?s up to us to migrate, and negotiate the balance between finding the right place to grow and keeping in check with our own sunlight and soil. In this regard, a school might be chosen based on your preference for finding self awareness through challenge versus growing comfortably. A larger, more impersonal school might be a more challenging environment that allows us to stumble upon self awareness. In getting a little thirsty, and a little withered, you are forced to find solutions to keep growing. A smaller school might have a fertilizer readily available. If college is about preparing for the ?real world,? then the most important question to ask is in what sort of environment might encouraged the growth of strong, resilient roots. It?s probably the one you are more uncomfortable with.