Brandeis University Top Questions

Choosing the "right" college is really a matter of perspective. The "right" college isn't necessarily the one with the best ratings or the most attractive campus, but is a place where you can see yourself being happy and comfortable. It may sound cliche, but college IS what you make of it: with a positive attitude and some initiative, you will make friends, become involved, do well in classes, find the resources you need, have person growth...everything you are probably most concerned about. Once you narrow it down in terms of your general academic interests and opportunities for campus involvement, the rest is just a matter of faith in the fact that with a positive outlook you will be just fine wherever you end up...and if not, you can always transfer!

Don't be afraid to take time off after highschool or between semesters at your university! I took over a year off and transfered schools and it was the best decision I ever made because I had enough time to think about what I really wanted and considered schools that weren't even on my radar during my senior year of high school. Also, being in college does not mean you have to delay your career goals during those four years. With dedication and a little help from your university, you can do both simultaneously.

Believe in yourself, and that wherever you go, you have made the right choice. I now have friends in colleges all over the world, and the one common sentiment I hear again and again is that it all worked out for the best. Do your research. Visit each school you are considering. If the school offers an interview, take it. Ask questions. But most importantly, keep in mind that wherever you end up, you are in the right place. Every school will offer you opportunities that other schools cannot offer. Every school will give you a chance to prove yourself, and every school will have a group of students that you can relate to and befriend. Once I realized this, my college search became much easier. I learned to trust myself. When you visit schools, talk to students. Sit down in one of the dining centers or cafes. Most students will be very nice and honest if you catch them off-guard, and ask them about their experiences at the school. Look around when you are on a campus. Can you see yourself walking those steps to class? If you can, you have found your first schoice.

Go with whatever feels natural. Pay attention to everything on the campus, how the campus makes you feel, the type of students you see walking around, your overall comfort and security level, and how readily you can see yourself living and learning in that environment. While statistics are important, there are many schools that share similar characteristics and while there are differences in reputation or architecture, the most compelling reason for going to a school will be the feeling that you remember leaving with. The better that the school can convince you that the atmosphere, the students, the campus, everything combined on the day you visit, the more you will want to go to the school. After all, most prospective students get a very narrow glimpse of what college life is like, so the more time you can spend at the school, the more accustomed you will be to the genuine feel of being a student there. Ultimately, your best way of measuring a school is your initial, concurrent, and delayed reaction of being a part of its community and environment for a small amount of time.

During the college search process many people feel the pressure to find that one right school. They go and visit 37 schools, apply to 21, get into 12, and then have to to decide between 12 excellent educational institutions. Remember this one thing, you will be happy at whatever school you choose. The key is choosing a college for logical reasons and not giving into to peer, parental, or societal pressure to go to that school with the ivy covered buildings. To make the msot of college you must carefully combine long term strategic planning and optimism with an approach centered on short term impulsive opportunity taking. Once you start, you only have 3 years and 10 months left to try learning about anything you want and develop your chances to become something great. Don't waste your time because the clock is already ticking. That being said, college is a time of immense opportunities which may not always side with your academic goals. Just remember what Mark Twain once said, "Never let your schooling get in the way of your education." You have 4 years in which to learn how to learn, so love every minute of it.

Make sure there is a close relationship between the faculty members and students at the school.

I think the hardest part about finding a college is trying to figure out who you are as a student, and as an individual. I picked my school because from the moment I set foot on campus I felt comfortable and the more I learned about the school the more I realized that the values of the institution are parallel to my own values and beliefs. Now in my second year of attending the school I have found likeminded people as friends, professors and administrators. Having similar believes and values with so many people have fostered incredible connections that I hope to keep for life. So I advise you to take your time and figure out who you are, and what your needs are in an institution. Do you want something large, or something intimate? Somewhere is the city or the suburbs? These are important but there is so much more to ask yourself. How do I feel about having bottled water on campus vs. tap? Do I want a school with small classes? So instead of spending hours searching for the right college, search for yourself then the right college will find you.

Definitely visit the school and try interacting with the students there to see what they are like.

Go where you feel you will be academically successful...

Make sure that your decision is what you really want. You will never be happy unless it is really where you wish to be. :)