Lafayette College Top Questions

let them make the decisions.

Go with your gut feeling, be sure to visit the school too. If something doesn't feel right, ask around and keep that in mind. Sometimes the best choices isn't your first choice, so stay open.

When choosing, make sure you go and VISIT! Don't make a choice based on pamphlets because the actual experience of a school usually deviates from it's paper presentation. Also, talk to students and get their opinion. Most importantly, perhaps, check the food!

The most valuable piece of advice I can give in regard to the college picking process is to follow your heart. Choosing a school to attend for your next four years is nothing like picking out a dress to wear to prom. It is not something you can do in a rush, you cannot stop at the downtown boutique and see the latest trends, and most importatly you cannot ask for others to choose for you. Because unlike that dress you and your best friend saw in the Sax Fifth Avenue window, your college is nonrefundable. Of course you should discuss how you feel about each school with your family and close friends, but in the end you have to remember that the decision is yours and yours alone. Do not pick because your best friend is going there too or its your parents alma mater. Choose because it suits your needs and you truely believe that the next four years of your life will be spent absorbing knowledge and life lessons. While you are there take advantage of everything the school offers, and more importantly remember to have fun. All the best, A college enthusiast.

Look for a school that engages your mind and interests. Talk to professors to get a sense of how well they communicate and interact with students. Meet current students to get a feel for what campus life is like. One visit to a college is usually enough if you maximize your visit by exploring as many of the major aspects of the school as possible, such as the department(s) you are interested in, dorms, cafeterias, etc. Once you are attending a college, figure out a reasonable schedule that you can stick to. Plan in free time so that you actually take it. Don't sign up for more groups and clubs than you can reasonably participate in. Pick a few, attend the meetings, and join two or three. Don't procrastinate when faced with deadlines. Get the work done sooner so that you aren't rushed to finish a paper or project. Don't cram for exams. Maintain a close body of friends and adults, both on campus and off, whom you respect and to whom you can go for advice and friendship. The more you put into your experience, the more you'll receive from it.