Tufts University Top Questions

Do not sweat too much about making friends. Everybody is in the same boat as you. That being said, take advantage of the Asian American Center opportunities. Beware of the Computer Science projects during Fall Semester. Don't be shy and talk to upperclassmen about what clubs they are in. Ask for help when you need it. But more importantly, Boston's weather literally changes every day--check the weather frequently. I could keep telling you a long list of little bits of advice that could have possibly made the transition easier for me. But where is the fun in that? Nothing worthwhile in life is ever flat out given to you. That is why the future is so uncertain, yet at the same time, so limitless. I do have my regrets and an equal share of surprises. But telling you them is not going to benefit you in any way. You are going to college for the experience--no spoilers allowed! So go out there, take initiative, make mistakes, learn from them, take two steps out of your comfort zone, and become the intelligent, confident, witty, independent woman I know you can be.

Growing up, I’ve always been very close with the people around me. Whether that was friends, family, or classmates, I’ve always felt very supported and very loved. I always had a network of people to rely on, and I expected to find something similar to this in college. If I could give one piece of advice to my high school self, it would be to understand that you may not meet your best friends right away, and that is okay. I was constantly meeting new people the first couple weeks of school, and I was worried because I hadn’t met anyone who I thought could be my best friend. Now after the end of my first semester, I have made so many amazing friends, some who I did meet at the beginning, but many who I didn’t meet until more recently. There is a lot of emphasis on making friends those first couple weeks of school, but my advice is to understand that those people won’t necessarily be the people you’re friends with for the rest of college, and that is perfectly okay, because you will find your friends as time goes on.

Dear Kathryn, Many students struggle with the transition from high school to college because they are not accustomed to the heavy workload. You should continue to challenge yourself in high school as you have done for the last three years. You will find that the transition will be much easier than how people describe it to you. Also, it's important to remember that you should maintain a balance between work and play. It is important to work hard, but it is also important to have fun. Life in the future isn't always guaranteed, so it's important to enjoy the present. While you should take your work seriously, it is also important to maintain a social life. Remember that your grades do not give you value as a person. Rather, the relationships you foster with others are not only valuable, but also have a profound impact on who you are and who you want to be. Surround yourself with those that will help you grow both intellectually and socially. Enjoy the rest of high school and look forward to your years of success to come. Sincerely, Your Future Self.

Going back and talking to my high school self, I would have a lot to say. The first thing I would tell myself is to be prepared for financial problems. I made the mistake of spending my money on less important things, instead of saving it for gas to commute, books, and other college related expenses. Having extra money specifically for college takes away a lot of stress. Never wait to do work at the last minute. Even if you do a few questions a day, it is better than cramming it all into a few hours.This gives you time to review the questions and fully understand them. In high school you may have gotten away with skipping class and fake being sick, but college leaves very little room for a sick day. Missing one day of class is like missing an entire week. You can miss so much from one day, so try your best to get to class on time each and every day. Most importantly since you are a senior, do not cath senioritis. Your last year of high school is when you should work your hardest to prepare for college . Good luck in the future!

During my time at Tufts I learned so much that I now apply to my life and if I could advise myself as a high school senior I would say: Make lists and take joy in crossing each task off, search for the lesson in each experience, ask for help, believe that your Momma really does love you and listen to her advice, break up with your boyfriend, start learning how to apply your knowledge, speak up more in class and challenge your teachers when you need to, find meaning in what you read and disect it yourself, you are not fat, seriously, don't stress out about school because it will get much harder, buy a better coat and boots and hat and scarf because it will get real in a few months, spend more time with your family becaus you will miss them tremendously, learn how to cook, have more fun, overweight luggage fees are expensive so don't overpack, take pride in your city and find more to love about it, you will meet people that are nothing like you so try to get prepared and lastly, invest in some great long johns.

Do not take your high school education for granted because one hundred percent of what they teach you there is translated to the college level. Do not stress about college applications. Start early with your selections and slowly narrow in on your core options. Do not apply to more than 10 schools. After that number, many are essentially duplicates of others. Do not pick a school solely because of rankings in a book. Ask yourself: how do I rank this school, based on MY categories and requirements. Worry about how you will fit there and not how it will look on paper. Unless you undoubtedly know what your career will be, do not attend a school that is a "one hit wonder." The majority of college students will change their major and you do not want to find yourself backed into a corner. Finally, after you do decide, begin making friends. Do not just add friends on Facebook, but put your self out there. Go to pre-orientation programs and get involved in clubs, sports, and/or organizations. There is no worse feeling than having nothing to do in college. Trust me, the schoolwork by itself will not be enough.

Growing up in a small town with one stoplight and cows grazing on the sides of roads, I craved a more diverse college setting and found just that at Tufts. As a research institution that values global perspective, I was surrounded by students from India, Paris, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Germany, to name a few. The diverse backgrounds of the student body makes for a notably eclectic mix and I am fortunate to be able to learn just as much from my roommate, for example, as my professor. The encouragement of travel is remarkable; most of the campus studies abroad during summers, winter breaks, and junior years-- conducting research, fellowships, internships and studies. Before Tufts I had traveled no farther than Massachusetts. Now, I am able to benefit from the extensions of projects abroad brought back to campus, from the stories and lessons of friends abroad, and fromcountless travel opportunities for myself through Tufts. The focus on academics has been equally valuable. Never before college was it "cool" to spend Friday afternoon or even Saturday night in the library. I'm so lucky to call this diverse, conscientious, ambitious, and involved campus home.

Going to college on the other side of the country has been a blessing. I've had to become more independent than ever. Back at home, I was always too paranoid to even walk outside to mail letters, let alone explore the city I lived in. Since moving here, I've ridden with the "T" numerous times, alone and at night, and have gone on adventures that I would not have had otherwise at home--such as getting lost after getting off the bus a few stops too early and as a result, befriending a Nepalese nursing major. Though I've only been here for a month, I feel like I've matured more than I have in the 4 years I was at high school; I've done away mostly with procrastination and after 18 years have finally worked time management into my list of skills. At Tufts I'm surrounded by seas of international students and have really come to appreciate my Chinese culture and background. Going to a high school that was 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} Asian unfortunately made me sick of my own heritage; however, now I'm working harder than ever to keep in touch with my roots.

When I was in high school, I was seeing all of my friends applying to many public and private colleges with cost reaching up to $40,000 a year. Personally, I think I took a smarter step than all of my friends. My older brother had went to Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) and I found out that they have many programs like Basic Engineering that is accepted to prestigious and reputable schools such as Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). My brother introduced me to the coordinator of the Basic Engineering Program in QCC, who is in direct contact with the admission office at WPI, and he explained to me the usual steps that Basic Engineering students take. That is to start at a community college, study and finish the basic engineering curriculum and then eventually transfer those credits to WPI and earn their bachelor's degree from WPI. Therefore, I decided to follow in my brother's steps so I could cut my cost in half and save money by attending a community college first, which is very cheap, and then transfer to a 4-year college. This was the most valuable lesson that helped me with my college cost.

My college experience has given me tremendous opportunities to further not only my academic education, but my experience as a citizen of the world. Tufts is an incredibly stimulating community that has opened my eyes to different scientific, humanitarian, religious, cultural, and sociological beliefs. While I have pursued opportunities to work in research laboratories with well-known professionals in the field, I have also pursued opportunities to have in-depth discussions with my friends, ranging from the similarities between religion and scientific theories to the evolutionary basis of an engagement ring. I have met people from Hong Kong, Egypt, Haiti, and Bangladesh. My roommate is from Saudi Arabia. Attending Tufts has given me a rich academic background, with important connections that have helped me obtain admission to the Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine as an Early Assurance candidate. Equally as important, however, is the worldly knowledge gleaned from a variety of perspectives. I have learned in the classroom how to view the world as an evolutionary biologist, and I have learned from my peers how to view the world from a multicultural perspective. Tufts has given me unprecedented access to diverse beliefs and ways of life: an invaluable gift.

Transitioning into college was perhaps the most difficult task of my life so far. Exiting my childhood support system and entering a world of professors, roommates, and laundry felt as if I had landed on another planet and took some time getting used to. My first weeks in college were characterized by anxiety, homesickness, and general unhappiness until it finally dawned on me what an amazing opportunity my time in college is. It is an opportunity to learn, grow, and experience as a student, but more importantly as a person that should not be taken for granted. After slowing arriving at this realization I decided to branch out, meet new people, and join a club. More importantly, my attitude changed and I began to think of college as an opportunity rather than a burden. As a consequence, I actually started to enjoy being at college. Based on my experience and somewhat difficult transition, my advice to me high school self would be: get excited! College is an amazing time to have new experiences and gain different perspectives on yourself and the world. After I realized this, everything got a little better. My only regret is not realizing it sooner.

If I were talking to myself as a high school senior I would advise myself to not be intimidated by students who are wealthier and had a better, quality, education than me. Additionally, I would remind myself that I can accomplish anything I want as a Latina who was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles; no matter what people do or say they can not break me down because I have the drive from myself, my Aztec ancestor, to not five up and prevail against all odds.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a High School senior the best advice I would give myself is to truly appreciate the finite amount of time I have left with my best friends. While I had a great time senior year, I wish I took more time to appreciate how special my bonds and connections were with my friends. Time flies and before I know it I?m going to be graduating college and looking back on all the fond memories I have of my new friends at Tufts University, but the sad truth is that though I will build new friendships, I?ll always yearn for those late nights at boarding school where my best friends and I would stay up for hours talking and having fun. Life is short. It?s important to appreciate each and every moment because before you know it everything changes. I love college and the friendships I have made here but there isn?t a day that goes by where I don?t think back to senior year and wish I could relive it all again this time appreciating how special each moment truly is.

My first piece of advice to my senior-self would be not to fear the independence that comes with college life. The transition is not as difficult as you may think. College, I feel, is the perfect balance of independence and responsibility. There is enough independence to foster rapid growth but not so much responsibility that you constantly feel overwhelmed. Of course, there are stressful periods during university careers, but on the whole the benefits of your newfound freedom will outweigh the tension of responsibility. I would also advise myself to leave my door open, and to never fearof walking into another person?s room to introduce myself. This is absolutely essential to forming friendships: if you never introduce yourself, you waste your chance of meeting another someone. This pairs with another piece of important advice in our technological era: don?t spend inordinate amounts of time skyping, talking on the phone, or facebooking with friends from home. It is essential to be present at college and take advantage of opportunities to spend time with people in front of you. I definitely endorse maintaining past relationships but many people take this ?maintenance? too far and lose out on other friendships.

I would tell myself to be prepared to not me the smartest kid in the class. I breezed through high school and finished with straight A's and was the valedictorian of my class, but in college I have to work for my A's. I would teach my younger self better study habits since I never really had to study in high school. Exams need more than just a day of cramming. I would tell myself to not put things off until the last minute either. School work in college is much tougher and requires more thought than a simple homework assignment in high school. I would also tell myself to have backup plans. Tufts is a Liberal Arts school that has an engineering department. It allows me to have different options for major/career paths. The best part about a Liberal Arts education is getting a taste of different courses that you would not necessarily take if you went to a business school, for example. I would remind my high school self that nobody knows you at college, so you can create a new you. At high school, I was very quiet, but I'm more outgoing now.

The first thing I would tell myself is to actually focus in AP history because unlike my top choice schools, the one I will go to will accept 4's on the exam. I would also tell myself to develop good study habits because in college most of the learning is left to the students and I won't be able to cruise by with what is said in class and no reading anymore. Lastly, I would tell myself to stop worrying because I will get into a good college, I will make some of the best lifelong friends I could hope for (in the first few weeks), my roomate will be nice, and I will find a girlfriend. This would have made me a much happier person had I known these thigns would actually happen to the lonly high school student, and given me a reason to learn to study instead of thinking college would be just as easy as high school.

When I was looking at schools when I was a senior I really didn't know what I was looking for. I ended up making my decision based on the cheapest option and what others thought was right for me. I spent a year at my first school and decided to transfer. I transfered to a school that I never thought I would have gotten into when I was in high school. When I had to make my college decision for the second time I focused on what was most important for me. It is very imprtant to me that my education is well rounded and for me this means having opportunites outside of class to do things I never thought I would do. It is important to look at what activities outside of class are most important to you and then look to find those in a school. A lot of schools have similar academic opportunites but what sets them apart is the other opportunities outside of the classroom.

There is one piece of Very Important Advice to that I would tell myself if I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior. It's the one thing that I didn't do my first semester at school, and it's something that I regret. This Very Important Advice is quite simply DO NOT BECOME A HERMIT!

Hey Kris, You are a strong independent woman, equal to anyone and capable of anything. While it's easy to get caught up in what others think and the progress others are making, remember you are your top competitor; compete with yourself and yourself only. Push yourself to reach higher and farther than you ever have. Not because you want to please others, but because you want to please yourself. View every trial as a learning experience, and live with the mentality that you can never learn enough. Remember you have the motivation and innovation to see a problem, find the solution, and pursue it. If you don't know something, ASK! Don't worry about looking stupid or inferior because 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time you're not the only one confused about it. Don't forget you have an enormous support system, and no weight is too heavy to bare if you let others help you. Also, CALM DOWN! "For everything there is a season", just have faith everything will work out in time. Worrying doesn't solve anything. Take initiative, take charge, and take a seat; God will work it out He always does. Love Always, Kris

Choose Tufts!

Don't be shy and awkward when you first got to college. Be more outgoing and relaxed and people will like you more. Do not be afraid to take risks and be yourself.

Don't be limited in what you think you should study. Think really hard and plan well your academic schedule before going to school. Talk to professionals and graduates.

Finding the right college is a very difficult task. Many parents that are very involved in the college application process push their children to attend the college that they think will be right for them, but really, only the student can know what's right for them. While college rank and research possibilities might be important to a parent, Greek life and campus food might be important to the student; doing research to find elements about a school that will make the student happy is the ultimate goal. Once you set foot on campus the experience is up to you. Maybe it isn't the perfect college for you, maybe you should've taken more notice of class size or religious affiliation, but anyone can find their niche on a college campus. Using the resources available to you in order to find jobs, activities, study groups, and friends make the biggest difference. From personal experience, one can make the best out of any situation. Applying to my college on a whim, flying across country, and arriving on campus not knowing a single person, I feel that I've made the best out of my situation, as any student could do.

Make college the best ALL-AROUND experience possible

Remember: there is no one perfect school for you! Choose a college or university based on if you like the general facts of the place: does it fit roughly into the categories of size, location, and program of study you want? If so, you could most likely be very happy there, because the college experience is largely what you make of it; if you do your best to have fun and participate in/study things that you love or are interested in, you are sure to meet people you like (and that like you!) and have many great experiences. That said, don't count on loving Kenyon College if NYU is your dream campus-- figure out a few guidelines for what kind of campus you want before you apply by visiting some schools with a diverse range of locations, sizes, and campus types (urban integrated, rural isolated, suburban, etc.)

Try to visit and stay overnight at every school you're interested in. When you're at the right one you'll be with the right people and you'll know it's for you.

My junior year English teacher was the one who gave me the invaluable advice that led me to my choice of Tufts University. "When you're picking a school," she said, "it needs to feel right in your head, your heart, and your gut. It needs to be all three, because if one part doesn't agree- the school is not the fit." I knew after my visit to Tufts, in my head, heart, and gut, that I belonged there. Trepidation is natural. Anxiety is natural. But the whole time, three parts of me knew that I was making a good decision. Tufts quickly and easily became my home, and I have seized every available opportunity to become involved. I have had to try very hard and make many sacrifices to afford the education, but I do so because it is more than just that. It is an experience, and one that will define my future and mold myself more than any other. That is what the right college does. For every person that college is different, but the feeling is the same.

The most important thing to consider when trying to find the right college is that college is all about change. What you think you want from life when you're looking at colleges and when you're graduating from college are very different for most people. Don't choose a school just because they have a good program for what you want to major in - nearly everyone I know has changed their major multiple times. Instead, choose a school where you can pursue many of your interests, but more importantly, a school where you can develop new ones. And don't worry about specific details like the availability of laundry or what specific clubs they have. Choose a school where the students seems happy, and where you can see yourself being happy for however many years. If you are happy, everything else will fall into place.

focus more on what your social life is going to be like, and what it's going to be like walking around day-to-day; take less into consideration your intended majors, because they often change easily

I only have two pieces of advice. First, it is far too easy to mistake a college's reputation for a good fit. Don't go to a school just because of a big name-- there are plenty of universities and colleges out there that would probably be just as great a fit as an Ivy League school. Find out what will make you happiest and look for that in a school, not which name you'd want on your car windshield the most. Second, understand that college isn't just about the academics, or having fun. Classes and friends need to be balanced, and it may take a semester or two to get the act down pat. A lonely, miserable semester spent getting a great GPA is just as useful as barely passing your classes because your constantly hungover. College is about challenging yourself in the classroom, and growing as a person with your friends. One without the other is useless.

Try and visit the schools that you are deciding between and go with the school that feels right to you. If nothing feels right, make a list of things that are really important and try to find colleges that inclulde a majority of your desires. What I found very helpful were books listing most of the major colleges in the country that provided actual feedback from students and alumni. Those were really important because you are able to read lots of facts about each school (ex. how nice the dorms are) in an unbiased manner. Now that I am a college senior, I look back at those books and find that a lot of what I read was true . Other than that, the best way to enjoy your college experience is by making friends and by participating in activities. The first week of school my roomate and I went and introduced ourselves to a majority of our dorm and invited lots of people to hang out. Our room eventually became the "hang out" room and we made tons of friends. Participating in sports or extra curricular activities is also a great way to become involved and to make lasting friendships.

The best way to find the right college is to visit as many as possible. This way you can get a feel for what will likely be the most important deciding factor - the campus and its students. You are looking at the place where you will spend four years of your life, meet your life-long friends, and likely spend thousands of dollars - if you're not happy with the campus, surrounding area, or the general atmosphere of the college/university it will be extremely hard to enjoy some of the best years of your life. If the distance of the college from your home is prohibitive to visiting don't visit until you are in! Do as much research as possible and if the campus and students seem to be to your liking apply and wait for your acceptance to visit. Once you have chosen your college - don't hold back. Many of the opportunities available to you during your college years will never come again. That concert you might want to see or the service trip to Ghana that looks interesting - seriously consider these things. Do the things you want to do and you will truly enjoy yourself.

Each student makes his or her college selection under different family circumstances. Many face economic pressures, others have legacy considerations, but in all cases the decision comes down to the student's level of comfort in a school. Pamphlets of college statistics can aid in narrowing down schools by size and academics, and they are an invaluable tool for comparing curricula of various schools. However, their campus life segments are often far from a comprehensive sample. Whenever possible, take advantage of admissions outreach programs. With the social networking tools available today it has never been easier to get in touch with current students, coordinate shadowing their classes, or spend a night on campus. Actively participating in campus life, even if only for a day, is an easy and often fun way to gauge the school's social environments, dining facilities, dorm life, and academic pressures. It is something I wish I had done more of. Obviously, it's not possible to do for every school, and that's why the pamphlets are still important, but the final decision should be based on gut feeling. Several schools may 'feel' right. In that case, pick the one that seems most comfortably challenging.

Do as much research as possible. Start with the big picture (the US map) and think about what kind of weather you would like to live in. That will narrow down your choices to a geographic region. Then look at all the major cities, towns, suburbs etc. and figure whether you want the options a city has to offer, the community of a smaller town, the comprise the suburbs combine together and identify them in the weather region you chose. From there you look at the price. It all comes down to money. Trust me I'm a Quantitative Economics major. Find the school you can afford (in the weather region you first chose, and in one of the living centers you thought was best for you [rural town, city, or suburb]). Apply early to that school and trust your gut. A belief in some kind of higher power also helps. Then get creative with you back-up schools. Give yourself exciting options because you don't know how your perspective will change after being rejected from your ideal choice. If you picked the North East first, then your back-ups should be in Texas and California. Life is mysterious.

Take it easy. Don't stress out about it. It will be fine.

My advice would be to keep an open mind and try to focus on colleges where the child will truly be happy. Parents should not pressure their children to apply to mostly Ivy League schools because not only are they especially hard to get into, but they may not be a good fit for the child. While most applicants focus their search on well-known institutions, it's important to really research various colleges, and more specifically what each one offers in regards to majors, research opportunities, extracurricular activities, etc.

There is no right college. Getting accepted to universities seems random and in many ways it is completely. However, what I have found is that no matter where you go there will be something or someone there for anyone. I decided on my university, Tufts, by default. Once I was there freshman year was difficult. I felt lost, as if someone had pulled a rug out from under me. The coast was new, the people were strange, and the weather was cold. But admist it all I still grew. I learned to love where I was despite it not being where I dreamed I would be. I discovered that Tufts had a premier lineup of philosophy professors ranging from Daniel C. Dennett to Ray Jackendoff. Since then I have been in academic ecstacy. I take classes from professors who are engaging and world renowned. They take interest in thier students and make sure we progress. I feel at home in Miner Hall (the philosophy department). Feeling at home and really taking in the place you are at, is what will make or break the college experience. The best advice I can give is to plant your roots and grow.

The most important factor in selecting a college is talking with current and former students. All of the information from the admissions office is certainly useful, but one can't really get a good sense of the school without gathering the opinions of current students. Overnight stays can be extremely helpful, but make sure to sit in a few classes and attend a couple of events that are not part of the schedualed visit. Try to get as much of a taste for true campus life as you can. And most importantly, don't rush your decision. Picking the right school can seem like an overwhelming task...but taking the time to pick the right one is important. That being said, don't stress. College is fun. Tough, but fun. And if you really aren't happy with your school, remember that plenty of students transfer a few times before finding the right fit.

When you begin to look at colleges, have a fairly clear picture of what is important to you. For me it was division three crew. That helps to narrow down the selection because there are so many schools out there finding, one can be pretty tough. Size was another very important factor for me. I wanted a school bigger than my high school of 2,000, but not so big, so I would get lost in the crowd. Determining factors are different for everyone; just make sure you know what's important to you. My biggest piece of advice for finding the right school is, visit the schools. If you can't that's OK, but if you can, do. When I visited my school as a senior, I just knew. There was no question in my mind that that was where I wanted to be. When you get to college, try to get involved as much as possible. Whether it's sports, Greek life, clubs, working, it doesn't matter. Get involved because you will meet so many wonderful people that are interested in the same things you are, and that is irreplaceable in the college experience.

As a rule, students and parents alike get far too worked up over choosing the right school. Although the perfect atmosphere is necessary for certain personality types to succeed, I tend to think that people who make the best out of their situation can be happy at almost any university. I myself decided to attend Tufts at the last moment, and it was very different than most of the other schools I applied for. I have however made my experience there work for me, and have successfully assimilated into campus life. I have plenty of friends who attended their dream schools and were miserable, and others who dreaded the school they were stuck with and eventually made the best of it, or others still who transferred from state schools into ivies. the bottom line is, the college application process is a crapshoot. students don't know what they really want, and universities have too many applicants to know the students. So the best thing to do is just make the best out of what you get.

Sometimes, choosing a college feels like a lot of work. I looked through college books thicker than most dictionaries and looked online through university websites for hours. While this certainly paid off, and I encourage research into the college field to narrow the scope of choice to fewer than about 20 colleges, I feel that sometimes the best college might end up choosing the student, in a way. Apply to about 10 universities from your first cut, including reach schools, middle ground, and some backups. Wait until you hear back. You may jump up and down because you've gotten into your dream schools! However, if you think you may have just shattered a dream or two, hang in there. Of the schools that you have gotten into, pick the one that seems to suit you the best. Visits to the colleges might be appropriate, but if not, just try visiting their websites and perhaps emailing a few current students and staff members to try and get a feel for the school. I am having a blast at a college I previously didn't think would be my favorite - but it quickly grew on me. Good luck!

I think that college should be viewed as any other life event--it is an experience, a trial. Mistakes are inevitable, but necessary in order to learn and grow. I would know; I transferred colleges after my freshman year. When I was eighteen and first applied to colleges, I thought that I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted a small, secluded liberal arts college where academics were taken seriously. I wanted to major in Chinese. I could not possibly fathom changing my mind. Yet, now I sit in my dorm room at Tufts University, on the opposite side of the country as my previous college, Carleton College, and I absolutely adore it. Once at Carleton, I had realized that a small and secluded school made me feel stifled. I also hated Chinese-- my new love became Arabic. Basically, my advice is for students to be open to the college experience and to see it as an experiment. Students should test out/ visit many different schools and majors, and should not jump to conclusions about "dream schools" or "dream jobs." The results are often surprising, and do not match the "hypothesis."

Figure out what type of environment you are looking for and then narrow it down from there.

If you are a balanced, well-rounded person, you will be happy with almost any of the schools you are applying to. However, the schools with the perfect fit will push the student to greater heights while he/she will be able to have fun in the process. Visit each school you are interested in because you can truly experience your school of interest while staying overnight with another undergrad.

Finding the right college is simpler than Parents and potential students think. I would recommend that a potential freshman spend some time alone on a campus. If the student has managed to meet some interesting and outgoing people within a few hours, the school will be a good fit. As far as academics go, a Student will only succeed if they are willing to work. "World class professors," really means "Smart people abound." Reputation doesn't matter once a student is attending a college or university.

Do your homework :)

Have fun, talk to people you don't normally talk to. Make time to speak with your professors just because. Visit the campus before you make a final decision to get a feel for the atmosphere.

Parents and students should relax more. Senior year in high school can be very stressful with an imminent transition. There are so many schools in this country that people shouldn't be stressed about finding the "perfect one". All of the schools that I was looking at were rather similar. I can confirm that be seeing that other students at Tufts University were also interested in the same other schools. The best thing is to not have a "top choice" but to know the basic things you're looking for. A city or country campus? A small or large school? What are the best departments at the school? Then, once you are at the school, the best thing to do is just to make the most of it. Tufts was not my "top choice" but it turned out to be the perfect fit. Students should not be upset if they don't get the exact school they wanted, instead they should see all of the positive things about the school and find their own niche. If he/she applied with the right characteristics in mind, then I'm sure he/she can have a great experience.

Many universities seeks to create a well rounded student body by finding students who bring specific passions to the table. Before determining what school they should apply to, students should think about the type of skills and talents they would like to give their university. Using this information, students and parents can work together to find universities that will welcome these abilities and interests. Important things to consider are school size, spirit, commitment to citizenship and academic offerings.

It's only undergrad. Unless you have your life figured out, attend as prestigious a liberal-arts institution as you feel will be helpful but comfortable, it does you no good to fail out. Figure out what you want to do your sophomore year, major in a pertinent field. Graduate, if you still think you want to do whatever it was you wanted to do 2 years before, either attend grad school in that field, or start the job search. Or both. If not, the undergraduate degree means close to nothing, unless you were a siberian myth major, and suddenly wish to be a mechanical engineer. In that case, night classes, and debt. Most importantly, assume some, but not a lot, of debt. Students: don't let your parents tell you where to go, unless they are truly unbiased, in which case they will say "go where you want". Parents: Make sure you can afford to send your kid wherever it is they're going, or make it clear they'll have to pay.