Alderson Broaddus University Top Questions

The most important advice I would give is to first speak the professors one on one. If you didn't get along with them when you met them, then you never will. Talk to the students. Don't just talk to the people that look like your friends from highschool, but pick random people and ask them there opinion. Someone will give you the truth about the school. Pay attention to the students attitudes walking around. Ask yourself if you could fit in there. Most people go away to college far from home, so you have to make sure that the place you are going to go can become a home away from home.

Students want to figure out what type of class size they are comfortable with first, then look at the area, financial aid, and how helpful the administration is. Usually the admissions office is a good place to get a good look at the overall attitude of the school.

Let the student pick the school. That is where the student will be living for the majority of the next four years. If the student does not feel at home at the school, the student will not have a fun, rewarding college experience. There needs to be communication between the parents and the students so that both are happy with where the student is going. The parent should encourage the student to apply to certain schools, but should not pressure or force the student to go to a particular school. Also look at the classes and class size. The student needs to pick a school that has an environment the student can learn and succeed in. Once in college, get involved with the college community and organizations. This is the easiest way to find friends. Don't worry about making friends in college, because, if the student picks a school that the student feels comfortable in, the student will find a group where the student belongs.

I would advise everyone to experience their college in person before making any decisions. You should talk to the students and faculty and not be afraid to ask questions about the religion and politics of the campus because those things can make a huge difference in how comfortable you'll be at the campus. Many colleges offer "Senior Sleepovers," where a prospective student can spend the night in a dorm with a current student and attend classes the following day, as well as meet with financial aid and academic advisers. Senior Sleepovers are a great opportunity to really get the feel of the campus and decide whether it is the right place for you to spend the next four years of your life. The most important advice is to get to know the campus and the people before you make the decision: be abosolutely sure this is what you want.

I would tell parents and their children to make the right choice for you, don't go to a college because your friends are going there or because your parents went there. Find a college that works for you, one that offers the educational path that will lead you to your dream job.

In my own opinion, I think it is very important to look a lot of schools. I personally only looked at 2 schools that were completely different from each other so it was easy to pick the one that I favored more. I think students need to be exposed to everything their school can offer (from housing to athletics to social activities) in order to decide what would be their best fit. I also think that it should be the student's decision, with little input from their parents because if you are not completely satisfied in where you are going your chances of being and staying happy in that place are slim. As far as making the most of a college experience, I have found it very important to get out of your room and take advantage of all the activities your campus has to offer! Even if you don't like what is being offered, chances are that there is someone else that agrees with you. The more time you spend making friends and being active, the happier you will stay and the more enjoyable your education will be for you.

In order to find the college that's right for you, make sure that you know what you want to get out of your career at school. Once you know that, you can lookat what all your potential schools have to offer and make a better decision. To try to make the most of your experience, just take the opportunity to try as many things that you think you can handle. Have a variety of activities as well as making sure you do all your work.