Brandeis University Top Questions

Listen to your gut. You will know which school is right for you. Always remember that if you do choose a school and feel uncomfortable with your decision after a time, you can transfer. The best thing to do is to write out a list of things that you DO want in a university and things that you know you DON'T want--use that as your guide. You will not make the wrong decision if you follow your truth. LISTEN to yourself though, it is important to let go of other people's expectations and pressures. Visit the schools that you are interested in and most importantly, keep an open mind.

visit and stay over at the school. talk to kids there and make sure you understand how much school work they get on average as well as what the social life is like. Investigate thoroughly it is a large, life-altering decision.

I have realized that I might have made a different choice of school if I had done overnights at my top choices. My advice: stay over for a night or two, which can be arranged through the admissions office! You will get a real feel for who the students are, what the social scene is like, and how the food is. No matter what, stick out school for a couple months, as I guarantee it gets better freshman year.

First decided close you want to be to home. Then go through at least three college books and make a list of 10 reaches, 10 middles, and 10 safeties. Then narrow it down to 3 of each (by going online, talking to current students, reading about the majors and minors you are interested in) and visit your 6 middles and reaches. Then apply to those 9. Its easier then it looks.

The first thing parents and students should remember is that there is no ONE right school. Different schools have different selling points. It's important to consider what matters most when looking for a college and ranking your priorities. It's not worth getting your heart set on one school, but if you do and don't get in, remember that college is new chapter in your life. There is no way to predict how it will shape you or what you will find. Of course, there's always the option to transfer if you're really unhappy, but be open to new experiences even if they seem daunting. Odds are you'll make friends if you put yourself out there and discover that you never want to leave! Take courses and join clubs that broaden your horizons; you'd be amazed at the hidden passions that will be unearthed. Explore and take time to really learn, not just ace tests and papers. Above all else, don't forget home, but don't be afraid of change either.

I think parents should take financial aid into consideration and how important the school is. They need to know what their priorities are. Today, undergrad is thought to be necessary and is a part of a system that promotes longer time in school. However, when attending a liberal arts school, and spending around 160,000, only to go to graduate schol to obtain a profession it seems somewhat unfair. I think they should consider whether a school is worth paying tha tmuch money if they are not receiving financial aid.

Not everyone walks onto a college campus and is hit with the feeling that "this is it," and even those who are so lucky do not always get in or face other obstacles along the way. For some, finances play the most important role, while for others it may be closeness to home, majors/minors available, or even the size of the dormrooms. Having found a school where I feel at home, the greatest advice I can give is to take a deep breath and think clearly. Don't rule out a school simply because you saw it on a rainy day, and don't force yourself to love one because your friends want to be "OMG only 30 min away next year!" Look at the flaws in addition to what you like about a college, because there will be both no matter where you go! If you are honest about what is important to you and do not pressure yourself into feeling a certain way (that goes for parents too!), then you will choose the place that is right for you. Once you get there, work hard, have fun, and, again, take a deep breath and think clearly!

Go visit before you accept it.

don't believe the BS tour guides and pamphlets feed you. Go to a class, meet with professors who teach topics that interest, read the school newspaper (and the joke newspaper/magazine where applicable). Be PROACTIVE. A good school will not find you, you have to find it.

I would recommend that people bear in mind that one does not shop for a college; a college shops for you. I would recommend not falling in love with one place, and being brutally realistic about both your abilities and those of your competitors. When choosing where to go between those that accept you, it would be most wise to find a balance between the most reputable school and the amount of financial aid they give you. The industries dirty secret is that undergraduate school does not give you a career boost: its graduate school. Thus it makes no sense to pay $50,000 for an education you could have gotten for $40,000 or lower. To be realistic about your priorities and chances takes a lot of pressure off, allowing you to go into a college with an open mind and to make the most of wherever you go. Students should realize that they will most likely fall in love with the school they go to despite any initial disappointment. Most importantly, bear in mind that these will only be "the best years of your life," if you're willing to make them so.