Vanderbilt University Top Questions

It is essential to visit the campus itself to determine whether the college is right for you. Students, explore the neighboring area both with your parents and on your own. You will be able to feel right away whether a campus or city is right for you. Trust your instincts, explore lots of campuses, and don't undervalue the importance of feeling at home physically at the school in addition to enjoying its academic offerings. Once you are enrolled, try everything. Go to the freshman orientation activities even if they sound cheesy. I met one of my best friends at a barbeque luau in the freshman quad. Before that I would have fought tooth and nail to attend an event with either of those words in the title. Join clubs; go to lectures. On days where you feel disinterested in coursework remember that you will miss it once you've graduated. I still make notes in the margins of books I read, just in case I need to tie something in to a paper I'll never get to write. Take nothing for granted. Dive into your college experience wholly, with open heart and mind.

Do not pick a college on first impulse alone. Allow time to make the decision and stay on the campus if at all possible. Read the college books and insider's guides to the colleges as they are usually right and do not lie. Financially, choose the school that did supply the best financial aid package but also where it will make you happy. Make sure to check out the student body as while there is a huge social side to college, academics of course play a part as well, but many times, the social aspects of your college if they are too overwhelming can affect your academic performance. To make the most out of your college experience seek out the people who are like you and share your similar interests. Do not try to be something you are not and do not and try and "keep up with the Jones'" as you will never win. Find programs and extra-circular activities that interest you as well and make friends through that avenue. Become friends with upperclassmen as they have already taken the same classes and know what professors to take and not to take.

I would tell them that the most important thing in the selection is that the student feels like he or she will be comfortable at the school. Students should find a school with a social and academic environment that suits their interests and priorities. They should take time to tour the campus and get a feel for the atmosphere as much as possible. I would also tell them to keep in mind that things like housing and food options are not nearly as important as they might seem. Their top concern should be to find a school whose size, course offerings, and social opportunities appeal to them. Before all else, they should go where they will be happy.

It's important to look at more than academics. It's great to learn a lot and study a lot but if that's all you do, you will miss out. The social aspect of college will make or break the experience. Look for schools with lots of extracurricular activities and then pursue those activities in college.

The most important part, in my opinion, about choosing the right college for you is feeling right. It's best when you have been on campus and visited the school prior to making your decision because you can get a feel for what the atmosphere is like and if you could really see yourself living there for the next 4 or more years. When I chose Vanderbilt, I compared how I felt here as opposed to other colleges I had visited. For me, Vandy just felt right...the people, the feeling, the aura of competition and community really got to me, and now, even though I struggle everyday with the workload and the academic intensity, it is the best college for me and pushes me to be better every single day.

Visit colleges and go with your gut feeling, where you feel you will fit in the most, even if you're not quite sure what attracts you to the school so much.

It is the student's choice, and only their choice. It affects everything in their life, and needs to be left up to them.

Really research the schools, especially the areas you are considering majoring in. Don't go somewhere just because your friends do.

When looking for the right college, one of the most important things to do is to talk to the students that are currently attending the university. This will require doing more than just talking to the tour guide or the person in the admissions office. I would recommend a student overnight hosting program so you get a chance to really see if you fit into the school. You can read all abut schools on websites and in books, but when in comes down to it, you want a place where you will be happy and where you will enjoy your college years. Once you get to your chosen university, make sure to partake in all of the various opportunities offered to you keeping in mind to not over extend yourself. The most important thing about college life is achieving balance among your school work, your social life, your activities, and time for yourself. Every school has so much to offer so make sure to look to find the things you are truly passionate about and enjoy yourself!

Go wherever you feel comfortable but still stretched enough to be nervous. Forget what your parents/ guardians, counselors think and just feel when you arrive at that school what you think is the right fit for you. When you reach that place, trust me, you will know. When I visited Vanderbilt University I knew it was where I belonged and I told my parents that. They told me that it was too early for me to understand what I wanted, too early for me to know what felt right, but they were wrong. I knew, and it did feel right, and it ended up being everything i imagined it would be...perfect.

I would say, truly take a dynamic approach to your college search. Utilize as many resources from visits, alumni, current students and even gain perspectives from those who attend a school that is similar to that or those you are applying too. Take the time to understand the social environment of the school as well as inquire about socio-economic status of most students who attend. Also, ask about different programs they may offer while you are still in high school to they help give you an edge. Consider speaking with potential academic advisor's while making your decision to attend. In the end, be sure to gain perspectives outside those who are in the admissions office. In doing so, you can increase your chances of finding the best fit for educational endeavor.

Do your research and visit the schools you're interested in. If possible plan an overnight stay in a freshmen dorm room so that you can see what it's like to live on campus from a student's perspective. Get involved! There isn't a better way to get the most out of your experience than to join a club that centers around something you're interested in - or join a club you're curious about and gain a new interest!

The first thing to consider when choosing a school is the academic programs the school offers. Where a high school senior might not know exactly what field they wish to major they should have some idea if they are more interested in technical fields such as engineering or mathematics or if arts such as music or theatre intrest them more. After considering the academic programs the shcool's social environment should be considered. The parents and students should think about what social environment the student is most happy in and choose a school with a similat atmosphere. The best advice after picking a school is trusting you and your parents instincts that the school is a great fit for you and approach the opportunity with an open mind. The best piece of advice I could give a new college student is to not choose a school based on proximety to a high school girlfirend/boyfriend or other high school friends. Go into college cherrishing those relationships you have made but excited about the opportunity to further your education and establish new relationships with those who share your goals and dreams.

Definitely aim for a school that will expand your social and educational horizons. Look for the school that will allow you to grow in ways you believe will benefit your future self.

My first piece of advice would be to relax and have a bit of fun in the college search process. We all know that the process can be quite stressful, so doing things like taking breaks on college visits to do siteseeing in the surrounding community can enrich the experience and relieve stress. While your decision about where to go to college is extremely important, it is important to keep it in perspective. Your choice of a college is only the first step - more important is what you do once you get there. I am confident that I would have been extremely happy at each of the five schools to which I was accepted, because the decisions that one makes after the initial choice of a college are what will really decide the rest of your life. So make the most of your time in college by keeping a balance. Studying is critical, but remember to do other things - get to know your professors on a personal level by visiting office hours and attending optional activities, make lifelong friends, and get involved with campus organizations by running for student government or joining a club. Enjoy it - college only happens once!

I stressed out a lot about choosing 'the right college'. In the end, the stress isn't worth it. There are a lot of really great schools out there. Pick one that will challenge you and grow you, one that has a wide variety of academic strengths in case you decide to switch majors. Look into the weather in the area, becuase you will spend a lot of time outside walking from class to class. Know that in picking a college, you a picking a lot more than just a school, you are choosing a community. So visit the schools and choose one where you could see yourself joining the community. College is all about experiance and exploration, don't be worried if you go into it having no idea what you want to get out of it. It is supposed to be an adventure. Set achievable goals for yourself and try new things. See who you want to become and really invest yourself in something besides academics, whether a youth group or a sorority or a sports club, really invest in a good community and find people who will support you in your academic endevors.

Visit, get to know students, ask them. best case, you are already good friends with a student, they'll give you a good description.

College is where most of you will find yourself and learn a lot about your own personality as well as your beliefs. It really is where your character and your world view will be shaped, which will ulimately impact the contribution you make to society. So, when choosing college's look at every aspect that matters to you personally. Visit the campus, take time to sit in through classes that you know you are interested in, for example Biology or Neuroscience and talk to current students about the college itself; they are usually the most honest with you. Also, during the application process draft, re-draft and re-draft again your Common App essay. Everyone who is applying to your college of choice, will probably have the same grades, about the same ECA's, etc, so what sets you apart from the rest is that essay. Make sure it represents who you are as a person and contains nothing that is already in your application itself. It is the only chance Admissions gets to see you as a person - so show them who you are and how you can make a positive contribution to your school of choice. Good luck!

Prospective students should know themselves - the kind of academic, intellectual, social, and political environment they want to be in - when making this crucial decision. The more you know about yourself, the better informed your choice of college will be.

Visit the campus of any school you are planning on attending and spends some time getting there. If possible prospective students should sit-in on a few classes and tours to be certain the college choice is well informed because for the next four years the campus is your home.

One of the major things to consider when choosing a college is to start early. There are plenty of schools out there, many of which would be a good fit for you. Start looking early and narrow down your choices over a few months. Only apply to schools you really want to attend and have a good chance of getting into. Make sure you focus your attention on your applications to the schools you most want to attend, and don't allow yourself to get distracted by applying to too many schools. Finally, visit the schools you applied to and try to rank the colleges by how much you like them.

Picking a college isn't easy. There are more than 3,000 four-year colleges in the United States and nearly 4,000 two-year schools, and we can honestly say from experience that most parents and students aren't even aware of a fraction of them. We often hear students mention Spelman or Harvard or their state university or the college their brother, uncle, or mother went to?but when we ask them for specific reasons why they're interested in those colleges, we often get blank stares. But picking the right college is more than just choosing among the few colleges that you already know about, or limiting your sights to the colleges in your local area. The right college for you is the college that gives you the academic and social experience you want and that prepares you for the career you're seeking or opens you up to career choices you hadn't even thought about. And let's not forget: the right college is also the college that will accept you and whose tuition fits your ability to pay. But to pick the right school, you have to start early.

Don't be detered from a bad campus tour. When visiting the school schedule meeting with professors, coaches, etc. Also, please get involved when you arrive on campus. And really dont be affraid to be who you are.

Do not get distracted with a lot of the minute detials that are advertised about schools. Pick a school based on two things, the academic character of the school and the type of people that go there. Location, number of clubs etc. are details that do not make or break a college expirience. Be confident that your personality will fit with your classmates. Additiionally, if you go into freshman year with an open mind, you will succeed.

Pick a college that best suites your kid, not you. Don't put too much pressure on them, they will have as much as it is making friends and keeping up with the school work. Be supportive of them in everything they do and NEVER say I told you so. Encouragement is everything. Tell them to get involved in random school activities. You can never have too many friends. Vanderbilt is awesome, but they F*ck you financially!!! peace out

to explore all options

Don't get too stressed about the entire process. Visit as many schools as you can but know in the end that wherver you end up, your college experience is what you make it. If you are able tobe yourself and find people with similar interests then you'll have a great time. Also take advantage of opportunities that seem interesting to you that you may have avoided in high school, you may never have a chnace to try things like this again. For me personally, as someone who is very shy, I wish I had been more willing to open up earlier in my college career. As a freshman I was very nervous but you have to realize that everyone feels the same way. However, most importantly don't get behind in your school work. It can be very hard to recover and the reality is that a low G.P.A can prevent you from doing alot of things in college, and after college.

Look for a college that will help you grow academically as well as socially so that you are a well rounded individual. College is a time to grow and find out who you are as a person - so take advantage of it. Make sure that it teaches leadership, community conciousness, and most importantly academic excellence. It should advance you by community service, academic preminence, and lastly perpetual kinship. If the school that you seek will propel you career, enhance your social skills, and keep you happy all at the same time - then go for it. You only got one life to live, if you live it well - thats all you need!

Make sure that you start off the decision process with campus visits, preferably when school is in session. If you are considering a school that is out of state, make sure that you pay attention to how long it takes to get there - are there direct flights, more than one a day, things like that. You can never put too much emphasis on what just feels right for the student - after narrowing my choices down to two outstanding universitites, I ended up choosing one that was ranked much lower than the the other, just because I knew that I fit in better there. Make sure that the school that you choose has the major that you want, or enough breadth and depth so that you can choose something later. Once you have enrolled, make sure that you get involved and do everything that you have always wanted to do. College only lasts for four short years, and now I know why they always refer to college as the best time of your life. Go on a roadtrip to an away game. Start a new club. Get to know your professors. Live fully, and remember to laugh.

Make sure to spend plenty of time on campus with actual students.

The advice I would give parents and/or students about finding the right college is to DO THE RESEARCH. Find out what kind of services are offered at each school, what the class sizes are like, and what the social scene is like. Once the research is done, there are many different college that can fit a person's needs. If it comes down to one or two colleges and the decision is extremely difficult, don't stress about it too much, it probably means that you could be happy at either place. Make a decision and be happy with that decision, don't worry about choosing the exact right school for yourself. A student can be happy anywhere because regardless of how homogenous a student-body population is, people can find others they enjoy being with and share interests with, it is just a matter of finding those people. Once you get to college, try out many different things! Your interests will most likely be different than they were in high school and college is an opportunity to grow. Have fun!

In my opinion, the campus visit is paramount. I knew immediately when I visited Vanderbilt that this was where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life. Most high school juniors and seniors don't know what they're looking for, and if they do their aspirations are generally reactionary (to their high school experience) rather than rational. People who went to small schools and loved it want small schools, and people who went to small schools and hated it want large, state schools. Rather than take that approach, I think it's best to embark on the college-searching journey with no preconcieved notions of what you're looking for. That goes for parents as well as students. Look at a wide range of schools. Don't just take the tour, spend some time exploring the campus on your own. Talk to students. Happy, inspired students are by far the best indicator of a great college. Also, focus more on a holistic view of the school's athletic, academic, and extra-curricular offerings. The best schools are those with something for everyone. College is about expanding horizons, and good schools have diverse cultures, activities, and academics.

When I started applying to colleges, I had no "top choice" and was undecided about a major. I applied to twelve schools all over the country. I visited most of them, expecting to experience the "this is the right place for me" feeling I had heard about from so many older friends. But that feeling didn't happen to me. When it came down to selecting a school, the process was stressful and taxing. I ultimately decided on a school that I liked for it's beautiful campus and good reputation, and for the small amount of merit-based financial aid I would receive (which paled in comparison to the cost of tuition, but was significant enough to factor in to my decision). Lucky for me, I am very happy where I am now. But if I had to do it over, I would realize that "keeping your options open" only ensures that the task will get harder come decision time. I would have taken things like weather and access to transportation more seriously. And, honestly, I would have looked at more schools closer to home. Because, believe it or not, homesickness happens to everyone.

Take your time, visit some schools, and try to grab hold of a student attending that school (perhaps a family friend). They will give you the best perspective.

it doesnt matter

Be involved!

My advice is to students, because it is truly their lives. Choose a place that feels like home. Don't let someone else push you into something (a school, a major, anything) that you do not want. College is a lot of work, but it can be a lot of fun. It's just very important to choose a school and major that you can enjoy. As for making the most of college: leave your dorm room! Go out and meet people, join clubs, find friends to eat with. Though it sounds clich?, everything is easier with friends. You'll have a shoulder to cry on when you first feel homesick, you'll have someone to eat meals with, and you'll have study buddies. Also, try something new. College should stretch your boundaries and help you learn who you are; trying new things, questioning your ideals, and meeting new people with different outlooks is imperative. Don't be afraid: you're gonna love it.

Go somewhere where you feel comfortable enough to be challenged and succeed; don't pick a school because it's the easiest, or the most prestigeous. Pick a place where you will be willing to be stretched and pushed to limits you didn't know existed.

College is the perfect place to take advantage of oppurtunities, make friends, challenge yourself, culltivate your talents, and be yourself. Choose a college where there is a match and where you feel a sense of connection to the school. Go vist prospective colleges and take the time to feel the vibe, it might mean taking a tour, sitting in on a class and just talking to random students. Finding the right college is like finding the right husband or car, there are certain criteria and values you want in them. You right college will match most of your criteria and this should be a recripocal process, you must feel that the college has something to offer you but you also accept that you have something unqie to offer them. When you get to college, don't be afraid of teh unknown, if you are loosen up and ask questions. You would be suprised by the amount of people who are willing to help you only if you ask. Take heed to this quote, " Knock and doors will be opened." Make the most of college by trying new things, why not study abroad, play a sport , or start a non-profit.

Just be open to whatever comes your way. I almost didn't come to Vanderbilt solely because, being from Tennessee, I wanted to get away from home. Had I gone elsewhere, I think it may have been the biggest mistake of my life. Do your research, explore your options, but ultimately, go with what feels right. When you find the right school, you'll know -- sometimes you just have to admit it to yourself. And when you actually get there, go to every meeting for every organization that even remotely interests you. Go to football games. Talk to strangers. Don't stay in your dorm room all day. Getting involved is the only way to truly invest yourself in your school and get the most out of your years there. Have fun.

Don't procrastinate! Find the colleges you love toward the beginning of your senior year in high school (or before), and start working to get there! Fill out as many scholarship applications as you can find, and don't blow off your college essays. Once you get to college, have fun, but stay on top of your work! Partying on the weekends feels a lot better if you know you've done all your work for Monday. Learn the perfect balance for your academic and social life. Some people have to study more than others, so don't let your friends influence how much you work. Parents, your child WILL get homesick, whether they tell you or not, so send them brownies or a "thinking of you" card every once and a while. It help A LOT.

I currently work in an admissions office, and I often get calls from potentials asking questions such as, "I have this GPA and have taken these classes and have participated in this extracirricular activity for five years; what are my chances of getting in?" Always, I give them the stats and tell them that they want to be taking a different approach to finding the right fit. It's not just about if you fit the credentials or if your numbers compare significantly to others, but rather, what makes you happy. The best way to find out what you want in a college is to visit many campuses - as many as possible - and get a feel for the different layouts and atmospheres that a campus can present. Find out what the student life is like and how happy the average students are. Potentials often forget that they are going to be living in this community for a while. They should try to find a place where they can see themselves four years down the road. If they think they won't be happy, the academics simply don't matter. Find a community where you can grow, and the rest follows.