Northeastern University Top Questions

Deciding what college to attend is a major life decision. There are many factors that play into that decision, such as financial aid, feeling comfortable, safety, extracurricular acitivities, job placements, academics, etc. The best advice anyone can give about choosing a college, is finding the right fit for yourself. You have to make sure that you feel comfortable wherever you are going to be. Make sure the college or university's policies and goals match yours. Do they offer financial aid? Do they want you to succeed in your field? Are they focused more on grades or on life experiences? Academics do play a big role in the college selection process, but attending school is part of your life's path. Make sure that the school you choose provides oppurtunities for the things that you want to do with your life. And while financial aid is something to think about, there are scholarships and oppurtunities that can help you go to your desired school, if money is a restriciting factor. Research, community service, sports, hobbies, adventure, whatever it is you want to do, it is important to make sure that attending that school was the best decision you ever made.

My advice would be to look at every aspect of the university. Think about what is most important to you, and then rank each school according to your list. Don't pick a school based on only one or two things. Can you see yourself at the school? You'll get a feeling if you know you are at the right place . Don't worry to much about making the right decision. Whatever decision you make will be the right one. You can be happy anywhere you go. Once you're at college, don't sweat the small stuff. Study hard, make a few good friends. And just enjoy it.

Searching for the right college seems like the most confusing and intimidating undertaking a person has to take on. For me, the most valuable part of my search process was making college visits. While at Northeastern, my tour guide turned to us and said, "Honestly I think while you are standing here some of you will just know that this is the place for you. I know when I visited Northeastern I just knew in my soul that this place was right for me and it was where I wanted to be." It was true. I visited other places that I liked and I could see making myself happy there, but when I was at Northeastern I just knew that it felt comfortable and it fit. So many colleges have so much to offer that you can make yourself happy. No matter where you decide to study, don't second guess or sweat the small details, just take advantage of every opportunity that seems to fit you and make it your own. When you embrace your new home enthusiastically, you are bound to create a great and exciting experience for yourself. Have fun!

whereever you will get the most career-oriented experience

Choose wisely, but if you choose the wrong college you can always transfer (which is sometimes easier to do if you don't get into the right college the first time around). Enjoy it but work hard because your future is at stake. Remember to make as many connections as you can.

Make sure you weigh all of your financial options before choosing a school. If you know you want a big or small school you should only apply to school of your preference. If you want to go out of state and your parents feel it's too expensive, always know that there are ways to get by that. I am from Georgia and I go to school in Boston. It hasn't been easy but I know I made the right choice. Go to a school that you love or know that you can fall in love with.

I would advise college students and parents to visit as many colleges as possible. Visiting a college really helps a student decide if they could fit in there or not. Also, it is never too early to start looking. Visiting colleges for weekends with slightly older peers is a great way to see if you can be happy at a college. You can see the types of people that go to the school, see the ins and outs of campus that aren't shown on tours and get real answers to your questions from students who aren't trying to advertise for the college. Also, you can possibly sit in on a class to see if you like the class settings and teachers.

look for a setting that you can relax & be yourself

Pick a college that best suits your personality. If you are shy and may not put in the effort to make the most of your experience, consider trying out a smaller school. Talk to students that are there now, whether that be by going on a campus tour or joining an online forum. It is important to look at the type of students that go there. My first college was a very religious based school-in which Catholicism was incorporated into the classroom and social life. Even though I was raised Catholic, the environment was very overwhelming for me, especially since most of my classmates went to Catholic high school and I was not used to this type of school. Also, drinking at bars and on campus was a primary social focus so there was very little to truly divert myself from how uncomfortable I felt. So make sure you can see yourself fitting in at the school and really examine the population there. Sometimes you can go on an overnight in which the prospective student stays with a college student overnight-I highly recommend that. Also, consider the expense-that will be a large factor in your happiness.

Finding the right college is a process which is different for everyone. What may seem ideal to you, may seem like the worst possible choice for someone else. Finding the right college should mean looking for a school that fits you, not what your parents want or where all your friends may be going, but a school where YOU want to be because at the end of the day it's really going to be your opinion that matters. As far as the college experience goes, study hard and play hard. What I mean by this is take your classes seriously, really study for those exams, make the extra trip to the library at 1 in the morning if you need to, but do everything possible to pass your classes and from there everything else will fall into place. Once you're doing well in your courses, you'll be able to have fun with your friends, to take part in all the school activites, and meet new people.The college years are the only time in your life that you get to do a little of everything without worrying about kids, or the bills, so enjoy it!

Find the college that fits your personality and lifestyle because that's where you'll be most happy. Even if your dream school seems like it would cost too much there is always a way to finance it. If it means a ton of loans it totally worth it because this is when you start your life. You really grow up and make great friends and have some of the best experiences of your life. Just be sure that you find the school that will set you up for the greatest success in the future. Be sure that when you finally do get to college you find the right balance between work and play because in ten years you won't remember that you had the 4.0 GPA you'll wish you had gone out and had fun. But also be sure that your social life doesn't cause you to fail out of school because it's really hard to get back in.

College is about branching out and expanding horizons. Students should feel comfortable in their college environment, but it should also be a place where they will have new and different experiences and where they will be challenged. That is how students will grow and learn about themselves. Making the most of the college experience is up to the individual students. The effort you put into your experience will dictate what you get out of it. Getting involved in campus and community organizations is a great way to further your interests and talents or to gain new ones. Take advantage of all the oppotrunities your college has to offer. Spend a semester or two abroad, traveling and learning about the world. Colleges can offer amazing once in a lifetime travel opportunities. Pay attention to guest speakers, film screenings, conferences, club meetings, activist organizations, and any other activites happening on or around your campus. There are so many opportunities for learning and growing outside the classroom. My best advice is to take advantage, and don't be afraid to jump into new things.

From what ive learned in college, go where you can see yourself for 4 or more years. Go to a place thats going to not only grow you academically, but professionally. The goal of school is to grow into a professional young adult with a strong academic backround in a field that makes you want to work. When looking at a school, look for size of classrooms, location(urban, country, cold, hot, distance from home) cost. Do not go to a school because everyone else is, go because you feel right there. Visit the school, and schools like it, because you might find you are in the right area just not on the right campus. Another good piece of advice is to check out a quality community college with good transfer status, you can get a lot of normal classes out of the way and still get a degree from that reach school that you might have no hate a chance to attend in highschool. While at college, the more you do, the more you get out of it. Meet as many people as you can, always find a way to do more, and always ask questions!!!

My best advice about choosing a college would be to look at alot of schools before applying and making a decision. The more colleges a student looks at, the more he or she will understand himself and the type of atmosphere that is right for them. Not everyone will make the right decision the first time. Although the idea of transferring is a scary one, it is critically important that if one becomes increasingly aware that a school is not right for him, he is not stuck there. In order to make the most out of the college experience, students need to listen to their gut in times when it is telling them that something is not right. Changing your major, changing colleges, or even something small like changing the people you hang around with is a tough decision, but usually the right one. Each one of these changes can be hugely important in learning who you are and what is going to make you happy for the rest of your life, which is a huge part of what college is all about.

To find the right college make the most of all your campus visits and ask questions specific to the department of study in which you plan to enroll. It may be a great school, but maybe not the best for what you want to do. E-mail the head of the department and ask for a guided tour and facts and figures on success rates.

Explore lots of options early and thoroughly think the decision through. Always apply to more schools than you think you should since admission is becoming increasingly difficult.

To the parents: I would advise to always be there for your child. It is a life-changing experience and be prepared for A LOT of change. Be there to listen and give your most honest advice when warranted. Ultimately it will be your child's decision and it is the best feeling to know your parent will be there for you in the end no matter what happens. To the students: There is a lot of freedom at college, but do not let it overwhelm you. Don't ever loose your focus because you need to remember you are at college to learn and finish with a prospective job. When you are not learning from professors about mitosis in a classroom, you may learn something about yourself from a roommate in your dorm room. College is the best time of your life, but anytime can be the best because it is what you make of it.

The most important advice I could give any student about making the right choice is go where you feel the most comfortable. When you are going on college tours, go to the school that you can literally see yourself at. Be aware of the surroundings, the size, as well as the community atmosphere. Pay close attention to the way the students are interacting in their classes or even on the streets of the campus. Go somewhere that gives you a sense of belonging and gives you that feeling of being at your new home away from home. College is a wonderful chance for new opportunities and new experiences. Becoming involved on campus and with my professors I have learned and experienced so many great things. Networking is crucial so make an effort to get to know professors outside of the classroom. Definitely stay active and stand up for what you believe in. Become involved in activities that fit your personality and that will enhance growth for future experiences and career options. Also, study abroad if you have the chance. It?s enriching and gives you a chance to culturally immerse yourself in something other than what you are used to.

Start early in your search; search for scholarships in your community or through groups that you are involved with. Spend as much time on campus as you can, get your homework done, study abroad, and have fun!

Make sure the program is right for you. Also make sure that traveling to your college and home is easy.

its always up to the kid not the parents.if it feels right your child will tell you so just be there to support them.

Do spend too much money the first time around, that's what grad school is for.

My journey to finding a college that was fit for me was a very long and stressful one. I believe that the key to finding a good college is knowing who you are and what you want to do in your future. For both parents and students there are alot of factors that should be considered when trying to decide which school is best. I would advise that you think about which school is finacnically wiser for your situation. After you have limited your schools down to a few make a chart that comapres the positives and negatives for all the schools. Think about your learning style. Do you learn better in large group or in a small group? What type of extracurricualr activites are u interested in? Which school offered you the most money? Most importantly though pick a school that incorporates a little bit of all those aspects that are crucial for you and offers a good program for you major as well.

Advice for picking the right school... I am unsure of how to explain it other than you will just know. When you walk on that campus, you just feel like your at home or could eventually call this your home. It may be overwhelming at first, but just take it all in and really think. Although this is a big decision, remember you need to do what is right for you, and only you. Sit down and weigh all the options and what you are truly looking to get out of your college experieince and if your perspective school offers it. For making the most out of your college experience, my only advise is to get involved. Its okay if it isn't right away but don't wait to long. This is how you stay connected to your school and your peers, and it is where you will most likely get the most out of college. By joining a sorority my second semester of freshman year, I have made life long friends, became active in other student groups, met many people that I probably would not have otherwise, and made many connections for my future!

Take a good look at exactly what you want from a school. Decide first what setting you like (city, suburbs, rural), then how important successful and strongly student supported sports programs are to you as well as the name recognition of the school especially in the field you are entering.

It is important to decide what kind of atmosphere has led to previous adademic and social success. (large v. small, etc) When choosing your college, it is important to realize that this new place will be the endeavor when you figure out who you are and what will make you happy. Getting good grades is always important, but should not all that you acheive from college. Make sure to get involved around campus and take advantage of all that is offered: free concerts, clubs, shows, sporting events, and intermural sports are just a few of the ways to get out and meet new people. College is the next step before life begins: Make all that you can out of it. Your freshman year will be the time when you figure out how college works and what you need to do to succeed- how much you need to study, go to class, or how much you can party. The choice is yours- you are an adult, but choose wisely andtrust your instinct. It is almost always correct. College is where you will meet your best friends, make your best memories, and will shape the person you become.

The perfect college today is less about the name of the school and more about programs that will work for you. The best advice I could give parents and students during their search for the college that will fit them best is to not get caught up in the rankings. Yes you want the college to be certified but beyond that students should really be looking at the programs that schools offer and what applies to them. I would suggest starting with the basics: what kind of high school did you go to? Was it big, small? What kind of course interested you the most? These simple questions will really narrow down what kind of colleges parents and students should be researching. If you are a math and science person look into tech schools. Likewise if you are interested in English or the arts go to a liberal arts college. This way no matter what you are interested in the college will have a more personal feel and the student will be an environment suited directly for their needs.

Don't asume that you won't get caught for things because of how big your school is or that you will get leniency because of how small your school is. Treat everyone including professors with respect and above all have fu.n

Read students' reviews, ratings, visit a college, talk to students, find colleges that are the best at the program (major) of your choice (usually they are among 10 best ), apply to more than one, then choose from the ones that accepted you. Choose the one where you feel comfortable, that serves your financial needs best, and ideally that offer coop programs where you get real life work experience while in college. During college years, get involved in clubs and sports, community life, work hard to receive high grades, and you will have all the career and further education doors opened for you.

look at a lot of schools so you can make an educated decision. this way, you also maximize the chances for schools to offer you money or a large amount of aid.

Try and visit as many colleges as you can to really find out what it is you want. Get as involved as you can. Don't worry about not doing well your first semester because of it. College takes a while to get used to and you can always drop out of things. Getting involved in clubs and sports helps you meet people and those people often can help you with any problems that you have, plus its fun.

When you go to take a tour or visit the campus, be conscious of looking at the STUDENTS you see, not just the facilities. You can often tell whether or not you will fit in based onhow current students look and what they are doing. Just ask yourself...."Are these people I would be friends with?" That's an easy way to tell whether you'd fit in. Something else to consider is the percentage of students who have full time jobs or are enrolled in graduate school one year after graduation. This will give you a good idea of how much the school prepares you for after graduation.

Always try to take a tour of the school and speak to students that attend it, especially those that are not involved in tour guiding so that you can get an honest look at the school. Check out what goes on in the surrounding areas, as well. Make sure this is somewhere that you will easily be able to adapt to and see yourself living. Make sure that the programs that the school offers suits your needs if you already know what you want your major and minor to be.

My advice to future college students is to really figure out who you are. When you know what you want and what you need for yourself, the right college will come to you. It was hard for me because I went into college undecided, but I chose Northeastern University because I knew of their well known Co-op, the program that really ignites your career. Co-op gives students such great opportunities and a well rounded resume. Now going into my second year of college, I am now declared in a major and I thank the competitive and open minded Northeastern Classes. Now that I am at the right college for me, I can easily make the most of my college experience. Anyone can make the most of their experience by being open minded and trying new things. College is just another stage in life and that is where students really become who they want to be.

It is more important to understand what is most important to your student. Don't rely on rankings and prestige in order to find a college or university. Also, it is important to take reasonable chances in college--not with drungs, but experiences. Find a school that will help you grow.

Start looking at colleges early, to get a feel for what kind of environment fits best. Just tour the campuses on your own. Don't judge the school entirely by its campus appearance. Look at articles like US News top 100 schools and books that describe the strengths and weaknesses of colleges. Don't be biased against state colleges, most offer an education that is as good or better than many private schools

Visit the college and talk to various students there not just the ones who are paid to orient you

I would definitely advise people to be pro-active and become involved in campus acivities and get to know as many people within your college network as possible. Seize every opportunity, as the time will fly by before you know it. Don't be afraid to stand out or be different. The people that approach professors, and make an effort to stand out are the ones who will be the most successful, especially in a bigger school where it is difficult to be noticed. Be yourself, work hard, but make sure to enjoy your time at college as well!

College is more than just a place to earn a degree. It is a transitional phase from childhood to adulthood that allows you to begin taking responsibility for your own life. In order to get the most out of your college experience, learn as much as you can academically, but do not overlook the life lessons that are taught indirectly. Showing up to class is more than just an act of respect for your professor; it prepares you for your future job in which showing up late consistently will not be tolerated. When selecting a university you want to consider your preferences such as city versus rural. However, when it comes down to making the final decision I would suggest going with your gut feeling. Sometimes your gut feeling has a logical basis and others times it is a simple feeling. In life you have to be willing to take positive risks and choosing a university is undeniably a positive risk no matter how you look at it. Even if you are unsatisfied with your selection, you can look back and say ?now I know what I do not like,? which is one step closer to determining who you are.

It is important to visit many school of different sizes and in different areas to really get a feel for the type of school that is right for you. Talk to students and faculty and make sure to ask questions. once you choose a school work hard, go to class and study, but also allow yourself to have fun. Spend time with friends, join clubs and activities you are interested and just go out and try to meet new people. Enjoy yourself and work hard and you will have an amazing college experience.

I would tell them to pay more attention to the little things. You don't really have to work hard to find out about a school's academics, but there's SO much more to that when it comes to getting an education. Having great classes is good but do you really want to spend the rest of your time doing paperwork or trying to find a safe place to live?

You should without a doubt visit any school that you are interested in along with consulting a guidance counselor. Talk to friends and family and read the Princeton Review or US News best colleges when looking for the right choice. In order to make the most out of your experience you should study hard and have fun but know when to do both. I highly recommend getting an internship in your field of interest as experience is a must these days. Also stay positive and focused and make lots of friends.

Visit the school if possible and read as much as you can about other majors as well just in case you decide to switch majors.

A huge thing that I love about Northeastern is that although it might be a large urban school, my department major is small. Being in the Art+Design Department at Northeastern is so helpful because class sizes are under twenty people and very one-on-one intensive. My other friends have classes in large lecture halls, and so did I when I needed to take core requirements such as history and science, but in the Art+Design Department there is a real sense of community. There are department meetings with guest speakers from all different artistic fields, and I've built good relationships with my professors for recommendations. Most of them know me on a first name basis and I've had one professor three times! Being in a small area of study makes the school seem less overwhelming, and having classes with the same students, builds bonds and helps you meet people. I'm glad things worked out the way they did, but if I were to search again I would definatly look deeper into what my area of study had to offer instead of the entire university. There can be a bbig difference!

For students, make sure it's the right fit. Some bigger schools can be overwhelming and some smaller schools can be too dull. Make sure you think out what you want out of college and how important academics, social activities, career and other things are to you. For parents, don't push any school on your children. They know what is a good fit for them and the added pressure will not help them make the best decision. Make sure you are both actively looking and talking about what the student wants.

The best advice that I would give parents looking for the right college is to first narrow down their choices of colleges by figuring out what they want to major in , what atmophere they would rather live in (urban or rural), and how close they want to be to home. After narrowing down a search (collegeboard.com is a good resource to use) then students/parents should take the time to visit each college they have left on their list. I believe visiting the college is a major part of the selection because by just looking at pictures or listening to what other people say doesn't help the student/parent to make an accurate perception of the school. By visiting the school and witnessing the college environment, it is easier/better for the student to make the right decision. In college, the student should try to make as much friends as possible because friends are what makes school more enjoyable and memorable! Students should have fun, but still work hard because good grades pay off in the end. Students should also participate in extracurricular activites as much as possible because its a good way to relax from school work.

I would advise parents and students to pick a school that is right for them. This school must be academically and financially appropriate. With the credit crunch and the unstable economy, it is becoming more and more unattractive to graduate in debt. One should choose a school that is at their level of intelligence, but not one that breaks the bank. There might be a compromise between top choice and budget, but at the end of the day it is still better to graduate a free person. As for making the most out of the college experience, I would simply recommend enjoying it. Achieving good grades, becoming independent and forging new friendships are key components to a successful stay. Join a club, a sports team or even take part in a research project. College is a great time to try new and different things. Enjoying your days as a worry-free college student are what it's all about. However, do remember to try your hardest and strive for academic excellence, you will never live these years again.