Pratt Institute-Main Top Questions

When I started searching for schools, I had a perfect picture of what my college experience would be like. This was my mistake; I shouldn't have evaluated the schools according to how they could fit into my dreams, but how they would shape my life in ways I couldn't expect. I ended up not going to my dream school that fit my perfect life, which I had fabricated up in my head; I wanted to go to school in the mountains in a quant little college town, when I didn't get a scholarship there I ended up in Brooklyn. I realize now that I don't care if I made the wrong decision because I'm sure I would've met similar challenges at any school, my decision is what it is, and I even though it wasn't perfect I learned the most through what I didn't expect and have a lot to take away from the experience. If I were to go through the whole process again, I think that I wouldn't have made assumptions of all the schools I visited that didn't quite meet my expectations.

I would encourage students to speak to upper classmen who have majored in their field, meet with professors, sit in on classes and spend time on campus.

Visit the campus, encourage students to persue what they enjoy.

The right college is all about the learning environment. The student must feel comfortable in his or her learning environment in order to engage in meaningful discussions and learn from information-rich classes. I felt that Pratt was the perfect location for me because I wanted to be able to study in a campus environment, and yet be around the city. Another key factor in finding the right college is how the student feels about the value of the education. With the U.S. economy going downhill and college tuitions rising, it is important for the student to consider if the education is worth the cost. It is inevitable for some students to have hefty sums to pay off after graduation from their loans, but I believe sometimes it is absolutely worth it when someone makes big sacrifices to satisfy their passion. Passion, I believe, is another vital ingredient to finding the right college. I came to Pratt knowing that I loved digital art like nothing else. I also knew that my major is extremely competitive after graduation, but with my passion, I am willing to starve as long as I need, for my name to be known later on.

Its is important to find a college that you can grow, learn and experience at. Take advantage of all your college opportunities and work harder than you play so that you can accomplish everything you need to/want to before stepping into the real world. The right college for you is the school where upon walking onto the campus for the first time you feel completely comfortable. If there is one thing I have learned at college it is that anything is possible in terms of getting work done. Take a variety of classes, even ones that have nothing to do with your major. A student doesnt necessarily need to find the right college. I, personally, feel that college is what you make of it .

I would have to say, you must visit the school. A person cannot get the idea of a place just by photos and some text about a place. While visiting the school, also (if you have decided what major your going in to) check out your department and speak with the students and teachers there. Ask about their work load, their philosophy. Visit some of the dorms, and check out the surrounding area. If you like it all, you have found your school, but if most of this dissagrees with you then you should keep looking, because there is nothing worse than getting stuck at a college that you hate, because of the area or the workload or its philosophy.

Choosing a college is not an easy thing to do. Everyone wants somewhere that will help them to grow as an individual, a place to learn, and a place to spend the best years of your life. In order to pick a college you need to know yourself and know which direction you need to go in. Know what you are capable of and if you could be pushed to excell your potential or your limits. Don't assume you will dislike a school because it is not what you always imagined, you may find that the perfect fit for you is completely different from what you had imagined. The college you attend will effect the rest of your life so pick somewhere for yourself and not because of anyone else. Look at college as an adventure, it's your first time living away from home and that won't always be easy, rather than being scared focus on all the positives of a school and remember all the wonderful possibilities that await you.

I would advise parents and students that it's just as important - if not more - for you to feel that you love the college , rather than worrying too much about if the college is going to like you. Keep in mind that you're about to develope a whole new sense of self, just by leaving your parents, and try to be in a place that will inspire you to find the best in yourself. Reputation and job placement matter, but it's those people you surround yoruself with at the school who are really going to form how you approach the rest of your future. Be excited!

be organized and use the reasources offer in your school. Think about college a lot while your in high school. everything you learn will come to use at some point or another

For students to find the right college, I strongly suggest that they explore the campus and city where the school is located. For a school like Pratt, located in Brooklyn and only minutes away from Manhattan, it's important for students to be sure that they can be comfortable with such a diverse atmosphere away from home. To make the most out of your college experience I strongly recommend that you are in constant discussion with your peers. Some of the greatest things I learned at school were just from discussing my projects with my peers in our studio workspace. It's so important to get feedback from an outside perspective for your work to be truly great, and what better way to do that than to discuss it with close friends that are in the same boat as yourself! Also, don't be afraid to be bold and put yourself out in the career world as soon as you can. Internships are the gateway to an amazing job after college....which also brings to mind that there are many perks to going to school in a large city where incredible job opportunities await you.

When selecting a college you MUST visit it it doesn't matter how many reviews you read or pictures you look at, noting compares to being there in person, if there you are moving to a new climate like from north to south or east to west, go when the climate is opposite to what you are use to and try to see if you can handle it. Also while you while you're touring the campus ask some current students about the classes, the process for registering for classes, and the administration; don't be afraid they are usually nice people, if not ask someone else. You probably wouldn't think of asking about these "behind the sences" aspects but they will have a large impact on your college life, if its difficult or impossible to take the classes you want you will not enjoy your time. When you are in college to make the most out of it talk with your professors they are full of information and are usually nice people and if you are lucky they work in the field they teach as well as teach about it.

I would advise students and parents to choose a college that offers many other areas of interest in addition to the main one that the student has chosen. It is important that you explore different subjects because you might find something that you would really like to study that you had never even knew you would. In addition to myself, I know so many people who came to my school with a career in mind, and within a semester or two, decided to change their major completely. When you live in a different place than where you went to high school, and interact with new people, it is very common that you will learn about new things and become interested in things that you previous had no interest in. There are schools that are specific to certain areas of study and it is crucial to try new things to expand your horizons. The best advice I can offer to students about making the most of their college experience is to be open minded and try to absorb as much information as possible. The best thing you can take away from your college experience is knowledge and with that comes success.

My advice to parents and students when searching for the right college would depend on what the student is looking for. I encourage students to look at specialize schools like Pratt, they are a really oustanding alterantive to traditional liberal arts schools. When deciding what schools to apply to try and decide what is most important to you. Weather is be location, major, school spirit, etc., but I would encourage families to not make cost one of the most important factors. There are so many scholorships and finacial aid opportunities that are availible. Try and not limit your self, college is an investment in your future, something that you can't really put a price tag on. Most importantly visit ans many schools as you can, its the best way to get a feel for the acedemic invorment. Once you get there take every opporutnity presented to you, there is no time like this for a chance to make descisions that open doors and shape the rest of your life. Push yourself to venture out of your comfort levels, there is no better way to grow and learn.

Post secondary educucation is incredibly important so never put it off. Start preparing for the transition far ahead of time, especially financially. Once in College one must make the most out their time in school by preparing for life after college, always remember that this is only a stop on a much longer and fulfilling journey. College is the perfect time for students to understand who they are and bloom into their true selves and provides the tools for prople to give back to society.

If possible visit the campus. I believe that parents should listen to their children and what they want, sometime parents think they can pick the right school for their children, but only him/her can make the right choice.

People choose schools that are cheaper and they can afford. It is not a good idea to do that because you infringe on your own learning experiences, which do not come often. There are a pluthera of scholarships, loans, and jobs available for student to help pay for college and or course loans. People try to avoild loan, and it is understanable. However, when you better yourself by going to the college you feel will advance your career goal, getting a good paying job that will help oay for college is easy. You wont struggle to pay and you will have fun at school, after school, and while you work.

Find somewhere that isnt too quite and isnt too loud. For me Pratt in Brooklyn is perfect cause Manhattan is right over the bridge I can see it from my dorm and it only takes 25 minutes to get there on train. The reason I say this is because i need a quite environment for doing my work and I also like to have fun when I can and its easy to juggle both here. Make the most out of your experience by going to orientation and meeting people and visiting campus, its a good way to become attached.

To make the most of your college experience research as much as you can about the school you are interested in attending. This can be achieved by visiting the online website, the campus, attending a class and/or lecture, email students and professors who currently attend or teach at the school, and most importantly speak with a counselor to ensure that programs offered are consistent with your career goal. Find a school that fits your personality and is within your price range. This will ensure that you do not start your career with significant debt. Keep an open-mind, be willing to compromise and to try new things. Be friendly with everyone you meet. Your paths may cross in the future. By meeting new people, making new friends, and by being on good terms with your professors you begin to expand your network, which will ultimately allow you to excel in your area of study.