Benedictine University Top Questions

College is what you choose to make of it. If you know you want to pursue a graduate school education, the most important thing in undergrad is to keep your grades up. This most likely means taking summer courses so that each semester load allows for sufficient time to study. School is a once in a lifetime opportunity, make the most of it!

Apply yourself even if you are not interested in every class required in the high school cirriculum. Get the best grades possible and talk to a career counselor of some sort to obtain some guidance on which career to choose. Start working toward a degree as soon as you figure out what you want to do with your life. Save the partying for later.

If I were given the opportunity to go back in time to my senior year I could give myself many advice. To begin, I would tell myself to get involved in many activites. It's important to have a balance between our schoolwork and our social lives. I would also advice myself to practice successful studying habits since they pay off in the long run. It's also important to seek help from staff If any questions come up. Faculty and staff are there to help and want to see every individual be successful, they will guide you towards the right direction.

Do what makes you happy. Do not attend a college or university just becasue someone told you to or becasue a friend is going there, because if you do, you'll be miserable. Also, pick a major that you want to pursue and that will make you happy for the rest of your life because once you have that degree, you have to work with it. No matter what, enjoy yourself while at school; it's a time to learn and think and grow and play.....so do just that.

It is very important to visit each college you are considering. Try to visit on a non-visit day to experience the campus as it is on a normal day. When you are there, don't be afraid to ask students questions to get a feel for the campus. It might be helpful to make a pro/con list of each school you visit to help make your final decision. Once you have gotten to the school of your choice, be open to new situations. Keep your door open if you live in a dorm. Go to as many events as you can. When you start classes, talk to the students around you. Form study groups for your tougher classes. Your college experience will be what you make of it. You are now on your own without mom and dad right there next to you. Go out and take what you deserve, be successful!

Explore your options. Don't limit your education to locations. You can find your best opportunites sometimes in schools that are far away. Always explore the possibilities for financial aid and scholarships. It is very easy to join fraternities or sororities to recieve a lot of grants and tuition reimbursment. Also, the most important advice I can offer is that of knowing your counselor or advisor. They will insure that you are taking the appropriate classes and aren't taking any classes that will not transfer to any other schools. Always check transfer credits before signing up for classes. This will save you thousands of dollars and perhaps years off of your college career.

Visit a lot of colleges, ask a lot of questions, and talk to current students

The decision to find the perfect college can be quite confusing and difficult. I tackled this process by first documenting my personnel expectations for what a college experience should consist of. Then I prioritized my list and placed in into a rating scale. Upon visiting each college I would take my list and rate each item to see where it ranked. I then added all the numbers up and divided to find which college best suited me. For example, one of my items on the list was quality of food. Upon visiting Benedictine I rated the food quality as a 10, the highest, because the food was quite tasty. Benedictine by far was the perfect match for me. I would say to make the most of the college experience, the second part of the question, you should meet as many people as possible. This has been the most rewarding part of my college experience thus far. Learning and experiencing different cultures and peoples is quite educational in and of itself. The diversity and cultural awareness has enlightened my whole being. It has made me become a more open minded and culturally sensitive individual. I thank Benedictine for that experience.

College is all about making transitions and finding yourself. Find a college that will expose you to new people and different ideas even if it may seem scary at first. Your ideal college doesn't have to be the textbook picture of a university, it just has to feel like home.

When choosing a college, be sure to visit different sizes and apply to several schools. It is important that you know if you want a big or small school, close to home or far away and ask lots of questions during visits. Don't apply to just one school and hope you get in, you need to have backups. Get to know your advisor when you finally chose a school. Don't blow off your freshmen year because it is the building block of the rest of your years there. Study hard and don't be afraid to see your professors outside of class; they are usually very nice. Go out places and meet new people, don't be shy because you may meet some friends you will have the rest of your lives. Time management is key, so set a time to study and a time to just hang out with friends so you don't get too stressed out. Finally, have fun because after your four years in college, its time for the real world.