Villanova University Top Questions

Pick a college based on what your child wants, not what you think is right for them. Also, don't look at just rankings, make sure you really like the actual college as well.

the school spirit, firends and the area your surrounded

You'll know that its the right school for you when you walk around the campus and get that feeling. You can't describe the feeling until you experience it. Don't be afraid to ask students on the campus any questions that you might have. Visit everything, the gym, the dining halls, the dorms, everything. Its a big decision you're making and you might as well get all your questions answered.

There are so many things about college that I learned once I got to Villanova. First: EVERY freshman left their friends from home, and their family, and they are just as nervous as you are about starting at a new school and have to mkae new friends. It's a scaring feeling but it's also exilerating. It's the first time you really get to branch out on your own and be the person you truly are, not who your parents think you are, or your high school friends, but the person you want to be. I also realized that a major part of college, besides academics, is the social life. A lot of students come to college afraid of the "expectations" of drinking. Although there will be many opportunities to be confronted with the choice to drink, It's always YOUR choice. No one can force you to do anything you are uncomfortable doing. I found a great group of friends my freshman year who all respected my choice to obstain from alcohol. This isn't to say that they felt the same way, but they never excluded me from parties, or pressured me into anything.

choose the college that feels right.

Parents and students should first and foremost do their research before choosing the school right for them or their children. I recommend taking as many AP and honors courses as possible because they tend to go more in depth into the subject matter and will help students decide on the major that is right for them. They are also more representative of the caliber of work that is expected of a college student. Most importantly, parents should listen to their children and children should spend most of their high school careers forming their own opinions about what they like, what they are good at, and how they want to spend their time because they will also be spending their parents money (in most cases). There is no worse situation than paying $50,000 in tuition for your child to go to a university to study something they do not enjoy.

When it comes to looking for the ?right? college, there are two schools of thought: follow your heart or follow the money. However, the best advice for the college search and the experience that follows is to find a balance. When looking for the right college, find a school that has your desired major, activities, and sports but is still affordable. Following the money may lead you to a school that does not suit your needs, while following your heart may result in a large price tag. However, not all the right colleges are expensive, and not all of the expensive schools are right. Balance is also a great quality to have in college. The student must juggle friends (both at college and from home), activities, academics, and sleep. It?s a delicate juggling act, but once the right balance is achieved, college does, in fact, become the clich? ?best years of your life.?

The best advice I can give to a prospective student is when choosing a school, everything matters. Do not sacrifice one area for another. Do not disregard the social life you might have there for the wonderful or well known professors. And certainly do not disregard your academic goals for your social life. You need to find a school that you believe has a good balance. If you ignore one over the other then you will hate your college experience and never mentally grow. Once you have found your school, you can make the most out of your college experience by just going with your instinct and doing what you want to do. Your college experience will not be worth any less if you did not join a varsity sport or organization if you did not want to join. Do not be boggled down by the do?s and don?t?s (and there will be times where you will). If you can look back at all the things you did and did not do and are happy with yourself, then that is all you need. The crucial part is that you ARE TRYING to make the best of it.

The most important piece of advice that I would give students about finding the right college is to go with the school that YOU think fits you the best and the school that will challenge you the most to grow as a person. Try not to allow outside influences such as your parents, peers, or society influence your decision in which school you attend. Although it may be difficult to make this decision without taking other factors into consideration, ultimately it is your decision and no one else's. College is about growing as a person and as a student and it is important for the school to challenge you, but it is also important that you feel comfortable at that school. When making your decision, although you can consider other's opinions, make sure that the school is right for you. It should also be a place that has something that you're passionate about whether that is sports, community service, religion, whatever. Finally, try not to stress out too much about it! The college you attend is important, but there is more than one college out there that is right for you!

Make sure you know more about the college

Have fun and do what you want while you're here. It's the greatest four years of your life and it's already half over for me and I am so angry. Also, get a good fake I.D and STUDY ABROAD.

Be sure to visit the colleges. You will know almost instantly which school will be right for you. And be involved on campus. Take up activities and internships. Your schoolwork is extremely important, but the majority of your years in college shouldn't be spent in the library. There is more to life than your GPA.

follow your heart, and do what feels rights. dont let anyone tell you other wise

When you're searching for the college that is right for you, I definitely think that a visit is in order before you apply, and an overnight stay if possible. Before visiting Villanova, it was pretty low on my list of priorities. But after going to a few campus tours and spending a weekend here with a friend from home, I realized that I would fit in on campus the second I got here because I met so many people from similar backgrounds with similar interests. Academic reputation shouldn't be the be-all end-all when it comes to picking a college, because after all, this place is going to be your home away from home for four years. I think you should get in touch with an alumni or current student and ask for their opinion about their college experience because the propaganda that schools put out only tell you so much.

Go with your gut!

To parents and/or students in search of a college, I would recommend amply researching the schools you apply to and definitely visiting the college campus. When I visited college campuses, I found that some schools I thought were top on my list were not and visa versa. Visiting college campuses gave me a real idea of what the student body was like at the schools and help me decide which school was right for me. When I stepped foot at Villanova, I was immediately overcome by a sense of belonging, welcoming, and community which helped me choose Villanova as my school. At college, it is important to balance schoolwork with leisuretime and extracurriculars. I strongly recommend getting involved on campus. By doing so not only does the student make new friends, but he/she will also build connections for the future. Managing one's time is also extremely important to succeeding in college and enjoying oneself. Also, always remember that the college years are often the best years of one's life, so never sweat the small things, try your hardest, and have fun along the way!

The best piece of advice I can give to students is to find a college which not only meets your academic needs, but one that fulfills your living requirements. There are so many schools that offer great educational programs, but so few that meet comfortable living standards. Are you really willing to put up with a forced triple in an airconditionless shoebox of a room for 4 years just to say you graduated from a prestigious college?

Every college you even think about applying to will try to convince you that it is the best for you and your money. Weather you are looking for an Ivy League education or a community college experience, the most important factor to take into account is what you in particular are looking for when it comes to college. Visit the campus at least once. Talk to the students and teachers. Investigate the food choices. Ask about clubs of your interest. Check out the dorms, but realize that any dorm, particularly the ones roughly the size of closets, will take some getting used to. Concentrate on finding a good program in your major, but remember that it is normal to change your major and , in my case at least, more than once. Finally, as cliche as it may sound, you just have to go with your gut. If something feels wrong about a school, chances are there's something wrong. Enjoy the decision, and take your time. It could change your life.