American University Top Questions

Don't worry about what other people think. Don't write off a school because it's not prestigious or not known for what you're majoring in. What really matters is that there are professors that can teach well and care about their students, and other students who are enthusiastic about the same things as you. That's the kind of school where you're really going to learn a lot, not just academically but about life as well.

You will never know what college is right for you until you attend it. Try as hard as you like, but it's impossible. You don't know yourself until college, so how can you know which is the perfect fit? Just try to keep your mind open when applying: apply to huge state schools as well as small liberal colleges. You never know, your safety school might become the choice you really wanted.

Visits are important. It's great to see cool websites, but the internet doesn't compare to walking around a campus. I applied to American University without visiting first, and when I was accepted I flew to DC with my father to visit the school and fell in love with it. I'm so happy I decided to go to American University. It wasn't my first choice, and if I hadn't visited, I don't think I would have elected to attend. I have great friends, I enjoy my classes, I like the area the school is in, and the entire city is within easy access of campus.

As I reflect on my college search I remember asking lots of the number questions. How many students went to each school? What percentage of students were from varying racial groups? What percentage of students lived on campus or got a job after graduation? How much did everything cost? What I discovered when I enrolled is that while those things play a part in your college experience they don't mean nearly as much as you think. When searching for colleges I would make sure first that you really reflect on what YOU want in a school. This is perhaps the most difficult part. Think about what you value in your own life. Are you someone who loves to learn? Do you have a strong committment to social change? Do you value a campus with a lot of spirit or a diverse student population? These are the questions that matter because you ideally want to surround yourself with an environment that you are comfortable in. Once you have made a short description of what you want you can more easily rule schools in or out. Lastly, don't be afraid to be different from your friends. Do what you want.

Visit. I decided two years before I got accepted that American was my top choice on the basis of the visit. There is a feeling you get when its right -- and I got it from American.

Go with you gut feelings and dont over think the procress......

Your college experience is once in a lifetime. Study something you are passionate about, in a location that inspires you. Don't worry about the future because the time is now.

It shouldn't really matter what school your child chooses to go to. No matter what, a college experience is going to be whatever you make of it. I considered transferring out of American during my first semester because I missed playing varsity sports and I felt lonely. But once I thought about it, I realized I that I wasn't putting forth my best effort to get involved. I joined club softball, got more invovled with my business school, got a job in the office of business communications, got an internship, and was more proactive about meeting new people. Parents, if you are ever confronted with a child that is feeling out of place at college, try suggesting some of these things; doing just one of them will end up opening three more doors to explore. What a lot of students don't realize is the amount of free time we have. Class and homework is about 60 hours a week. The rest of the time we have to ourselves. The key is to get involved in something, anything, and meet as many new people as possible.

I think that everyone has a basic understnading of whether they like a small school or big school depending on the attention they need from their professors to succeed. From there you look at the professors and their relationship with the students, theor availability and their aid in finding internships and jobs. Then I would look at what the program you want offers and their ranking because you want the best. I think it is important to look at clubs, volunteering opportunities and ensure that they have the activities you like. Also, I would look at the general education classes or required classes required. Also, the transfer rate and percent graduation rate and look deeper into this. I think that this would help a lot of peoples experience.

It may sound silly,but keep the dating pool in mind. If a college says they are 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} men and half of those men are gay. . . seriously consider the consequences this has on social life.