Saint Joseph’s University Top Questions

My advice to incoming college students and their parents are to make sure the college has a mission and vision that is compatible with your lifestyle. Make sure the school's core values match up to your own, and most important make sure it is a school you will feel comfortable at and will enjoy!

To spend some time on the campus, visit it often; colleges are always at their best when they know that you are going to be there visiting. Talk to students, sit in the cafeteria and try to get a feel for the type of people you will be around everyday.

Dig deep into each possible college to get a feel of the student culture. Also, try to sit in classes that you may take to see teaching styles. Most importantly don't talk yourself into spending double or triple what you want to on college because you think you found some diamond in the ruff. There are many schools that can fit your needs, find one that is affordable and doesn't leave graduates with an obscene amount of debt.

You can get a great education anywhere as long as you are committed to the educational process. The texts are the same so you may want to save money by going to a state school for your undergraduate degree and then get your Master's from the professors who wrote the book.

I would suggest that future students and their parents take a tour of the universities and colleges that they are interested in. When you see the campus and are exposed it, you get a feeling about whether or not it's right. When I started looking for schools, there were a few things that were common among them all, but what separated them for me was the experience I had when visiting the campus. The moment I stepped onto SJU's campus, I knew it was the place for me. Additionally, I would encourage students to look into the activities that the campus has to offer. Is there anything specific that attracts the student? If not, maybe it's not the right school. Becoming involved with the school itself is a great way to learn more about yourself and have positive social life.

When I began searching for a school, I didn't have a good idea about what I wanted to choose as a major or a career. I figured that there was no reason to borrow 30,000 a year to attend a private school when I could complete the majority of my gen ed requirements at a state school for next to nothing. As a result, I ended up attending a school that I hated. I struggled with trying to figure out my course requirements and program planning all by myself. There was hardly any help available. Those who were supposed to aid students in making important decisions were often rude and unprofessional. I was unable to get help from professors outside of class, and I failed several classes. This experience set me back an entire year. I wish that I had decided to spend the money up front to attend my first choice school. Since I began at St. Joseph's, I have maintained at least a 3.2 gpa. There is no doubt in my mind that I would have met with more academic success in my first year had I begun my college career here.

When looking for a college, the most important advice I can give is to keep an open mind. Without this, I never would have visited the amazing school that I currently attend. In researching what different colleges have to offer, and which is the best fit for you, there are many helpful websites only a click away. For instance, my high school advisor suggested that I visit the College Board web site, which allows you to search a database of all the universities in the nation according to majors, location, size, admission requirements, costs, athletics, activities, and other factors. The site allows you to save your favorite universities, compare them against each another, and find similar schools. When I was a college freshman, I made sure to attend all of the different informational fairs offered by my school. By doing this, I was able to discover what options would be available to me over my four years at college, concerning courses of study as well as campus clubs and organizations. The Career Development Center is a great resource when it comes to helping you plan out your four years and finding the path that will ultimately be best for you!

Let the student choose, they are the ones that have to live at the school and with their major.

My advice to students who want to find the right college and make the most of their college experience is to try to visit as many as possible! Many colleges let students stay over night. During these overnights, prospective students are assigned to actual students who attend the institution and may share some of the same interests. This gives the prospective a day in the life of a student at the institute, such as visiting classes, social events, and touring the school. The student is given a concrete idea of how their future college experience can possibly manifest. The student, based off of this engaging experience, can decide whether or not if the institution is where they can make the most of their college experience. This experience can definitely play a big role on the perspective's final decision. Also, students should research the type of area, demographics, academic, and social aspects of the institutions they are interested in. Evaluate which one fits with their expectations, and then try to visit the institution.

check everywhere big and small schools, east coast and west coast, private and public

Do research and realyy be sure that the college you choose is what you want and is not influenced by other people

Really take time to evaluate what means the most to you. College is the best time of your life, never settle if it was nto in your goals. College is also what you make of it. Get involved, meet people, join clubs, and be proud... this is your future and your DREAM.

Regardless of your choice, go with an open mind and positive attitude.

Be involved! Be active! Have fun during college while you learn--sleep later in life.

Make sure soon to be students understand the distance of the school from home, financial cost, the importance of school size and class size, location (city vs. country), check what people do on the weekends (people may go home a lot, it could be a bar school). Look at the types of people at the school and see if you'd fit in somewhere. See what the job placement is post graduation. Check into the safety of the school, housing options, and meal plans. See if there are campus job opportunities.

If you go on tours or speak with an advisor that is great. However, talk to some students around campus or find someone you know who attends the school. If you trust them, they will give you a better idea.

Its about the feel of the campus, can you imagine yourself there. Do the things you liked outway the things you didn't like? Are looking to party and get an easy degree or do you ready to focus on your future. When I picked St. Joe's, I knew that I would do well here, based on the students I met with their enthusiasm for SJU and their friendliness. I knew the classes would be a challenge but that I'd still be able to have a social life. My parents felt the same way, and thats why I tell parents to not be naive about what the son/daughter is looking for in the college experience. Its up to them to make the right and safe choices.

I woudl encourage people to purposefully step out of their safety zone. College is all about finding yourself. You can't do that if you never experience new things. Let go of your opinions and be open to those of others, yes, including teachers. Try to get involved on campus in a club or organzation; it is the best way to get to know people. Introduce yourself to everyone on your floor the first day you move in; they are just as nervous as you are.

It is at the utmost importance for the graduating class of 2013 to pick the school that fits the best for you and your life. FInancial aid, location, other people's opinions should not be the primary reason for your choice. If you are deciding between two schools, I implore you to play out this scenario: In twenty years, would I like to say that I am a graduate of this college or university? If your answer is yes, then you have found your school. If you have the luxury of having many schools that give you an astounding yes, then you move to the other reasons for attending and ask for help. I plead for this upincoming class to stop for a minute in the haze of college choices and listen to their hearts, as in it holds the true answer to the next four years of their life.

Trust your instincts.

It is important to visit and school and take a tour, but not too rely only on the tour. It is nice to sit down and see how students interact when they aren't being paid to take you around.

Stay overnight! Sit in on classes! Sometimes you just know though.

study hard, join a team, enoy life

just be yourself and take advantage of all your oppurtunities

The best advice I can give to students is follow your hearts. When you walk onto a campus for a visit you will just know it is the right one for you and if it is, be happy that you've found the place you belong and make sure you do whatever it takes to get there. Once you are there, get involved. I cannot stress how important it is to be involved. Being involved is how and where you will meet your lifelong friends and those friends will make your college experience the greatest of your life and one you will forever remember. Parents, the best advice I can give to you is support your child is wherever or whatever he or she may want to do.or beI. f he or she changes their mind a million times then let them and support them no matter what they decide on for the time being or their future. Your support means more than you may think to your child. When you see them happy, smile and realize you are a part of the reason for their happiness.

Get Involved

The right college is all about fit. You don't need to go to the school with the best reputation, best program, best location, best activities, or whatever. You need to go to the school that comes in with a little bit of each of those. And whatever school you school, the way to get the most out of it is by putting a lot into it. You can be happy anywhere and succeed anywhere provided you take the time to throw yourself into making friends, studying hard, and getting involved.

Take your time looking and when you find what fits right you will know it. Good Luck!!

Choosing a college for yourself or a loved one is not a simple process, all who have been through it will say the same. My best bit of advice comes from an admissions advisor at a school other than the one I chose, she told her tour group: this school is great, but its not right for everyone. Choosing a college is not a blanket decision for every student, many factors go into it. Choose the school that is best for YOU. Don't go because it is the best ranked school, the one with the best sports team, or even the one with the best food or dorms; go because you love that school, because you feel at home there are you know that you can belong there. Parents: I understand it is tough to let your kids go, I saw my parents worried about me and are again as my brother looks at schools this year, but have a little faith in your kids, they can do it, and will get more out of the experience if they do it on their own. Students: enjoy this time - it may be stressful but it's all certainly worth it!

I would recommend looking at as many different colleges as possible before application time. When you've narrowed down your list, revist some of the schools you liked. They may seem different the second time you see them. Arrange for an overnight stay with a student. Grab random students on campus and ask them questions - they're more honest than the tour guides. Spend as much time as you can looking at a school to get a feel for it. When you get to college, make an effort to establish a social life at your school. Don't spend so much time keeping in touch with high school friends that you miss out on meeting new people. Try to meet people in a variety of places, not just your dorm. You'll wind up with a better variety of friends that way. Don't feel like you HAVE to pledge a fraternity or sorority. You can still have an amazing social life sans Greek. Try new things. College is about broadening your horizons.

I would just have students pick the school where they feel the most comfortable, and where they feel they are in love with the campus and its surroundings.