Beloit College Top Questions

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Students: travel to visit schools without your parents. Go on college tours without your parents. Look at schools without your parents. Walk around campuses, go to libraries, call friends of family members, stay overnight with them. You're going to be the one in school there for four years--not your parents. Make your college decision for you, since that's what you should be doing at this point in your life. If you don't already make most of your own decisions, now is a good time to start.

You need to know what motivates you. Students differ in what they consider to be the purpose of college - some use it as pre-professional training, others like cutthroat academic competition, and still others focus on becoming a well-rounded person. When you visit a college, you'll find that it's pretty clear what that particular college thinks the purpose of college is. Make sure that purpose matches your purpose, and you'll be fine. Don't be afraid to look at non-name-brand colleges and universities. My classmates were not only successful/smart/engaged, they were actually good people - and in the end, isn't that what is really most important?

The best one can do when selecting a college is to obey the ancient Greek aphorism: Know thyself. This advice is daunting for most high school students, who are still finding their place in the world. But there are three qeustions that make the process much easier: 1) Where do you want to live? If there is a city or a region you adore, look for schools there. Although colleges tend to have a diverse student body, the location of the school sets the tone on campus. 2) Do you have specific career goals? If you do, then it is easy to find a school with cooresponding coursework. If not, you may consider the liberal arts. 3) Big or small? While it is easier to make career connections in a larger school, small schools tend to have a more intimate community, conducive to making friends and knowing faculty. Answering these three questions gives a sense of the type of atmosphere you need: intimate, academic, career-focused, challenging, off-beat, conservative, liberal, whatever you need. The right environment will bolster your academic performance and personal development. Only you can know what kind of setting that is for you.

beloit is awesome

The advice I would give to a student searching for the right college is: find the right college for YOU. Apply to many different types of schools. You may be surpirsed to find the best pick was your last choice. (I was!) Give your decision some time by listing pros and cons of each place you have applied to. Visit your top campuses each more than once. Try making at least a day trip and also an overnight visit, where you stay with a host student. Go with the gut feeling. Pick the place you can picture yourself walking to class or talking with that group at the commons. To comfort your parents in the decision, let them ask questions of campus officials and take the tours with you. It will give them peace of mind to know that you are happy with your choice and they will be more resposive in your journey. While at school, make the most of your time and exprience the diversity around you. For the next couple years you will be in close quarters with potential lifelong friends and valuable new insights on life. Take the good with you and have no regrets.

Do stuff!

I've answered a lot of questions for you, mostly because I think Beloit college is a great place and I'm always happy to tell people about it. I'm not even in school at the moment, so the scholarship can't got to me anyway.

Don't get caught up entirely in academics, have fun and make friends.

Look around a lot. Don't just find what you "think" you are looking for a stick with it. Go outside the box, because you'd be surprise what schools are out there. There are servers that list all UW schools to private schools to tech schools and more. Make sure to look at everything they have, not just what the student thinks they are interested in. For example, check the Extra Curriculars and such. These make the experience better if one looks for more than just their interests. Also, don't let money be a huge factor. I did not have savings or anything, but the financial aid programs at most schools are great and give you space to pay the amount later. Beloit College is expensive, but they give me scholoarships and grants for most of it. My biggest advice: if you feel good there when you visit, it's usually right for you. Always check out the campus, even if you think it has everything you want. Where you are and live make a huge difference.