Hope College Top Questions

In order to find the right college, you must visit the school that you are interested it. Don't worry about financial costs. If you truly want to achieve something you will make it work. Once you narrow your search to you top three or four schools, plan an overnight visit with the Admissions office. Tell them that you would like to stay in a dorm room for one night. Have the students show you around campus and have them take you to different activities. This is the only way to see if you actually like the campus environment and people. After visiting the school your decision should be a little easier.

To Parents and Future Students: Look for a place that will fit your needs. If its a small school go there or if you want to be lost in the crowd go to a big university. Do not worry about the cost of attending college because it will be fun anyway.

Visit as many college campuses as possible in as many different areas as possible. start early so that you have time to do this. this gives you a first-hand look at a variety of schools that you may not have otherwise considered. i only got to visit three different campuses, and i wish i had had the opportunity to visit more. there are so many options out there, and it is so difficult to determine whether or not a school is right for you without a campus visit. I am so lucky that one of those three college visits that i took happened to be the perfect school for me. Also, consider financial standings and how much the student is going to participate in funding his or her tuition. start taking practice ACT exams in 9th and 10th grade because that has a strong influence on scholarship awards. besides that, map out a financial plan and determine how much money will need to be taken out in a loan. by doing these two key steps, you should be on your way to a great college experience.

Visit every college you are interested in. Look at academics sure, but spend more time on learning about what kind of people you are going to surround yourself with for the next four years. Stay overnight. I never did because I was scared out of my mind, but that experience opens you up to what the college is actually like instead of just an admissions tour. When you get to school, know your priorities. This is a new start, but don't go crazy. Be yourself. FInd yourself. Find people that are your soulmates, the friends that get your jokes. This isn't high school anymore. There will be people who are interested in the same things as you, and things completely different. Open yourself to new experiences. This will probably be your last chance to try something new without any real responsibilities. Go study abroad. College is special in it's limbo quality- you have the chance to be an adult without being tied down to a career. Take advantage of every minute and don't stress over the small stuff.

First and foremost, I would say begin praying early and never stop. Visit colleges your junior and senior years of high school. Really stay aware of what size college you want to attend, because in the end that makes a big difference. When you visit a college, try to feel the overall atmosphere above everything else. When I visited Hope College, I could feel warmth, friendliness, and opportunities as I walked around campus. Try to visit schools during a favorable season such as fall or spring. I found that I was prejudiced towards colleges that I visited in the winter (The season I find unfavorable). But overall, I believe that one should listen to his or her gut. By the end of my college search I was confused and enrolled at a college that I didn't feel comfortable with. I was hesitant to go to Hope because it was close to my hometown. But in the end, my gut was telling me that Hope was where I needed to be. That is how I knew. Listen to your heart and you will find your niche.

I would advise parents and students to visit multiple colleges and universites in order to receive the whole experience. I also would encourage students to work hard at their current school or college.

Visit the colleges that you are looking at applying to. I really like Hope College because the classes are smaller and the teachers are really focused on students success. Both the students and teachers are super friendly and fun to be around. Advice for students, do not slack off freshman year. I have seen plenty of my really smart friends from high school fail out or drop our of college because they are out partying too much. College is fun, and almost everyone of my friends loved the college that they chose.

Come with an open mind. Give Hope and Holland a chance because the first semester can be hard. Seek out all the on campus resources because they can be life savers. If you ever need help you just need to know where to go to get it. RA's and RD's are life savers when it comes to figuring out where to go to get things done.

Visit many colleges, and talk to some of the professors and faculty. Do not be afraid to talk to students walking around campus! It will give you a feel of the atmosphere. Make sure you look into the different sizes of schools and find out what would be best for you. Look at what the college is located by. Is it in the middle of nowhere? Or is it in the center of a city? All of these factors are different for each individual. Most of all, don't get stressed out! It is a lot of fun getting started with college and looking at all of the different possibilities - have fun! Even if your first week/semester/year of college isn't great and you end up transfering, there are still experiences that teach you life lessons!

The best way of choosing a college is planning a trip to visit the colleges you are thinking about and spend a day at each one. Talk to faculty at each school in the desired field you would like to study as well as the students. It is the students that will tell you what it is really like. Narrow the colleges down by getting rid of the colleges where the students do not like the education they are recieving and where you can see that you will not have fun. To get the most out of college you need to get out there and not just spend all your time in the books. The first week of college is the most important time for you to find friends, get out there and go to all orientation activities. Make the experience unforgettable. College years usually come around once in a lifetime, so make the most of them.

Parents and students: My advice to you is to dive in head first. Choosing the "right school" may seem like a hard decision, but in reality, it's not about the choice as much as it is about the experience you have at the college you choose. If you find 2 schools that you really like and you can't make up your mind, chances are they will both be a great fit for you. I strongly believe that the best way to experience college is to just go for it--meet as many people as you can, join clubs that interest you, eat in the cafeteria, and have some school spirit. Of course, academics are important, too. Don't forget that one of the biggest reasons you are attending school is to become further educated in a subject of your choice. Whatever that choice may be for you, be PASSIONATE about your subject. Jump head first into your classes, internships, and into your future. And while you are doing homework and writing papers and studying for exams, also remember that college was meant for something greater than just classes--it was meant for memories.

The best thing to remember when choosing a college is to remind yourself that it is your decision. The high school you went to was determined by your parents or by where you lived. But with college, you get to decide. Honestly, it can be really overwhelming to have so much choice, but it can also be very freeing. Do your research. Ask your friends, their parents, your teachers, your parents and even their friends where they went to school or if they know of a place you would like. And VISIT! The feel a college has when you are phyically there can often make or break the school and tell you much more than a piece of paper ever could. Just remember that it is your choice where you spend the next for years- so pick wisely. There is a school for everyone. And once you get there, cherish it. Don't worry about loans or looking good on the first day of class. Just cherish the opportunity and savor every last moment of the best years of your life.