Eckerd College Top Questions

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

Leah

Students should go to the school that they want to go to, not what their parents want them to go to. They need to take into account what they want to do for the rest of their life and chose the school that is best suited to help them in the future.

Rachel

My advice to students when choosing a college is to spend time at the college and get a true feel for what they have to offer. Ask students who go there specific questions, remember, you will be spending the next 4 years at this institution - so find out as much as you can! What the school advertises might be totally different then what actually goes on - so make sure to check it out for yourself. As far as making the most out of your college experience... take advantage of everything they offer. Study abroad, travel, take challenging classes, explore subjects you have always wanted to learn about, make good friends, work hard but always play hard too. These are your last 4 years of being able to do anything you want - so don't let it go to waste.

Samuel

Reach as high as you can and don't forget what you really want out of life.

Alexandra

To Students: In order to make the best college choice, take a close look at yourself and decide what you want out of a school. Don't just go to a school because your friends plan to go or because it's close to home. College is a time to explore yourself and to take advantage of opportunities that you will probably never have again. Go to a school that values academic and experiential learning. Go to a school where you will be proud to have a degree from. Go to a school where you look forward to reunions. Go to a school that will open your mind. Go to a school where the students are from all over the United States and other countries. Learn about other cultures. Travel. Find your values and voice your opinions. Be involved. Be passionate. The journey will be worth it. The hardships and challenges you face will be worth it. The four years you spend in college will help you find out who you are... who do you want to be?

Stephanie

Go to the school that is best for you academically, and where you also feel comfortable and welcomed.

Alexandria

Follow your heart. Do what feels right to you. Make sure you will be the happiest you can possibly be wherever you go.

Eder

For a student to fully develop, find a school where the major that the student decides to study in is among the best, and where the student is able to express himself as he wants and has availability to participate in diverse activities.

Aurora

Go visit campuses, if you find one where you have an over all feeling of happiness and belonging go with it!

Chauntel

To find the right college, spend as much time as possible at your prospective schools. Visit during weekends and weekdays, especially outside of the prospective-students days, when aspects such as food quality and campus events are amplified above normal. Talk to many students, not just the tour guide or your host. Sit in on classes. Research campus surveys to see how students feel about their college. To make the most of your college experience, be sure to participate in activities outside of class, such as campus-sponsored events, taking advantage of ammenities like the pool and gym, volunteering, seeing speakers hosted by the school, or just socializing with friends. Don't forget the value of career resources. You are paying for all of these things, so use them! It is so important to visit your professors during their office hours, even with minor questions. They will get to know you personally, and take a much higher interest in your education. I was surprised at how many professors extended deadlines for me and spent time answering my questions or just chatting--all I had to do was ask. Lastly, show up to class, even if it is not mandatory.

Macy

ya'll know which one to choice when u ger there just keep looking and ya'll know

Alexa

Weigh the pros and cons of big and small schools and let the student decide for himself what feels right. Don't worry about money. Consider the location

Amy

The best advice I could offer about finding the right college is to step back and look at the school without the rankings, without how your friends and family perceive it. Visit the campus, talk to current students, and see if it feels like it could be home to you. You will make more out of your college experience if you are somewhere that fits your personality, interests, and lifestyle than if you go somewhere just for the name recognition. Once you are at college, take advantage of every day and new and unique experiences. College is the time to join that intramural sport team you always wanted to try, meet friends that have completely different views than yourself, and discover what you are wanting out of life. Get to know your professors well as they can help you later in life with graduate schools and career advice. Don't just float through 4 years, spacing out in class and binge drinking on weekends. Engage yourself, engage yourself, engage yourself.!

gabrielle

Visit colleges, when you get to the one that you are destined to be at then things will click. It will feel like your new home and when you leave, you want to come back.

Lacie

Don't be afraid to be honest. As a student you have to go to a college that is going to give you what you want and what you need... not your parents' wants or needs. I would lie if I said college is all work and no play but I feel that is a good thing. You have to be willing to buckle down when necessary and have fun when you can. Don't pick a school just because it has a beach pick a school that can give you the atmosphere that is most beneficial to your future. Finally, after choosing school and being there for a semester, if it seems really hard and you want to leave... give it some more time. It takes awhile to realize that a school is right for you, but you will know, just give it enough opportunity to prove itself.

Natalie

To find the right college, you need to tour the campus more than once and read up a lot about the college. Talk to people who go there, graduated, transfered out, transfered in, parents of students, professors, etc. Email professors, read the school paper. Get to know the school your interested in because when you finally get to the right college for you, you will enjoy the experience so much. Everything will feel right, activities will be available to you that you enjoy and your friends will be similar to you. In this, you will enjoy yoursellf so much.

Teresa

First off, choose the environment that you feel naturally comfortable in. After all, you'll be living there for four years. Visit the area to get a feel of what the lifestyle is like at the college (dorm life, night life, dinning facilities, etc). Also get a feel of whom you're going to be going to school with. Eckerd College can give you all of these experiences with our Perspective Student Weekend where you can live on campus and do what Eckerd students do. You also get to attend a class and get a feel for what it will be like academically. Once you?ve chosen your college, you should attend all of the events and sit with new people (I still meet new people at Eckerd's events, such as the Social Justice dinners). You should also make sure you take time to study and especially time to relax. If you only focus on work, you?ll end up missing out on what?s happening around you. You have to make college your own experience, do anything that interests you, make mistakes and live your life.

Michael

Find a school that is comitted to their students, don't go out and find the biggest school you can, find a small school where students will be forced to interact with their students on a day to day basis, small classrooms, will help to make students and teachers have a closer relationship.

Margaret

I beleive that it is very important to visit prospective schools, multiple times if possible. I feel the best way to find the right fit is to spend time on the campus, and interact with current students. I know that for me, Eckerd just 'felt right'. It is important to read all the literature that you can, but it is just as important to talk to people who are actaully living the experience. Meeting with professors, and other staff who can give you a better idea of the academic climate on campus is important, as is interacting with students to get a feel for the social dynamic. Make sure the school offers ample classes in your intended major, and once at school, for goodness sake, go to class. I cannot stress this enough. The books may give you the information, but there is no substitute for learning something first-hand from acomplished professors and mentors. In college, you will grow and discover more about yourself than you thought possible, and it is an incredible experiance- this is why choosing the right school is so crucial. Try not to stress, have faith in yourself, and consider your choices carefully and honestly.

John

Where ever they apply they will find friends, do well, and have fun along the way