Bentley University Top Questions

If I could give myself advice as a high school student, I would tell myself to be prepared to work extremely hard and to prepare a resume early on. Also, I would start saving money early- Boston is an expensive city.

Knowing what I know now, I would tell my high school senior self to not be afraid to make friends with people who are different than I am. I attended a high school that was not diverse in race, personality, clothing styles, or really any other distinction. I would tell the younger me to venture out and try to meet people who are different than those that I would normally approach. There is such a great diversity of people and personalities at my university that I wish I had more ambitiously pursued. In addition, I would tell myself to invest in a great day planner, and not solely for academic reasons. I attempted to keep track of assignments on my own without this tool freshman year, and that was a challenging learning experience. The younger version of me should schedule assignments, study sessions, and even social activities. Making an effort to schedule fun events with friends would have greatly enriched my social life as well as made me a more dynamic person.

Visit as many schools as you can and try to get a fell for the size and area of the school. You need to feel comfortable in order to fit in and succeed. Once you've picked a school, get involved in as many activities and groups as you can manage, it's a great way to meet people, leran responsibilities, maybe help the community and also give you experience for the real world. The only other thing I would sugest is to apply for as many scholarships as possible and early!!

Pick the size and the type of people you want to be around. Those are the two most important things to look for.

Follow your instincts and visit before you decide to attend.

If you are concentrating on one major, make sure to pick a small school that focuses on that field. If not, choose a school with more options. There are still kids who change their majors more than 10 times throughtout their college life.

Make sure that you can afford the college and look at more than one school even if you feel like you have found the perfect school right off the bat.

As a college tour guide, I know that the quality of tours can make the difference when looking for schools. I recommend really talking to students there, visiting the campus on a nice day, and asking a lot of questions. The college that you decide on will be your home for the next four years, and it's where you'll do some of the most important growth of your life. Choose a school based on the education it offers, the career placement, and your overall "fit" within the community. If you're conservative, find a school with predominantly conservative ideas, but make sure there's a healthy mix of all views. It is these differences that will help you grow, expand your knowledge, and get the most out of college. Trust me, most things I've learned in college have come outside the classroom. Look for a diverse environment with a flourishing student body that wants to succeed and has school pride. Most of all - enjoy yourself!

My advice in choosing the right college is to be sure to shop around. I went into my college application process seeing two schools, applying to one, and getting in. While I do not regret going to Bentley, I did not do all the research I could have and did not consult resources like my high school counselor to learn more about schools and financial aid. If I had it all to do over again, I would apply to competing colleges and use my acceptance to both to get money from one or the other. I failed to do this when I applied and it ended up costing me a lot of money. Once attending a school, it is important to find balance. College is an experience, not just an education. It is important to get the most you can out of your education academically, but also to experience new friends, new places, and new people along the way. What you take away from college might not be all the lessons from the classroom but the memories you have instead. Be smart, be active, and get involved in all your school has to offer!

Be aware of yourself and what you like to do. Just because to go to one school and have bad experience doesn't mean that's the end of your successful collegiate career. The best advice is to just be yourself-- no one can make you happy while you're at school other than yourself, and if you don't try, you'll never get the most out of your experience. You won't know what you want to do "when you grow up" even when you're supposed to be grown up, so expand your horizons and try things that scare you on a regular basis. Give a speech, take an art class, or join an outdoor adventure club-- the more life experience you have under your belt, the more fulfilling you'll find your experience and life after college. Have fun but be responsible, too-- it's great preparation for the "real world." Make your mantra "balance." Between school, work, extracurricular activities, and spending time with friends, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. Balance.