Brown University Top Questions

For one, I would tell myself to lower my expectations and be slightly more realistic about the maturity level of the students who will be attending your university. Also, I would be sure to emphasize sorting out my major as early as possible and then discovering more about the university. Furthermore, I would advise paying closer attention to my schoolwork and to be more aggressive concerning volunteer work and career-searching. Lastly, I'd suggest getting a job as soon as possible, and either changing my freshman year dorm assignment or exploring the environment outside of my freshman year dorm.

Try to make as many friends as you can and socialize in the beginning of college life. You don;t want to find yourself being lonely.

It is not difficult to adjust to academic life on campus. Learning in college is fun and there are so many interesting classes to take. Although some classes may seem daunting, with enough effort anything can be achieved. If you study and keep track of what is needed for each course then there is no problem getting the highest grade possible, even at an Ivy League school like Brown. Set time aside to focus on each subject that is not completely clear and all the material will make perfect sense. When it comes to social life, everyone here is so different and unique that all are accepted for each aspect of who they are, and there is no reason to worry or be embarrassed about one's interests, background, appearance, personal identity, etc. The best thing to do is to join clubs; since the student body here is so diverse, there are clubs for almost anything, and it is a great way to meet people with whom you have many things in common. It provides networking opportunities for when you graduate and start your career, and it is a chance to make life-long friends.

Passion is the secret to success. Try new things, such as interesting classes and fun extracurriculars, that will make you explore things that you have always felt would be intriguing but never had the chance to try or felt did not align with the path you have chosen. Now is the time to do things that will make your life something special. If you can succeed in making yourself happy with what you are doing, then the world will be a better place. People say that college (and life in general) are about finding yourself. The truth is that, if you open yourself up to new possibilities, you can make yourself the person others need to see and the one that you want to become.

Be prepared for the best four years of your life. Know that academics come first and don't overcommit and spread yourself too thin in terms of work load and extra ciriculars. Most importantly, have a good time and don't sweat the small stuff.

That freshman year of college was a very scary and lonely time. I was so upset about being uprooted that I did not take advantage of the many and exciting opportunities presented to me. Two years later, I sit here annoyed with myself for wasting one of the best years of my life mourning the past. With this in mind, I would urge my seventeen year old self to shake off the nerves. Everyone is anxious! It is necessary to step outside of one's comfort zone in order to make a college home. I may regret that wasted freshman year, however I know that I am a stronger and more determined individual because of it, in that never do I want to relive that loneliness again.

So many times I have thought, "I should have taken that course over this one," or, "What if I had gone to art school?" The road to my concentrations (what majors are called at Brown University) has had its share of bends and turns...even U-turns. This fall I will be a junior, and I have not even formally declared my second intended concentration, computer science. I have wished that I had taken the introductory CS courses during my first semester at Brown, that way the 9th or 10th semesters that may be on my plate would disappear. That said, those bends and turns ARE part of the road. Without them, I may not have found computer science...or brilliant artists...or my brilliant friends. If I were to go back to my senior year self, I would say to embrace the road. There is nothing you can do to change what is behind you, so take your exact experiences and histories with you to make informed decisions about which direction your road will take next.

I think the most important thing to do is to realize that there are a lot of places where you can be happy. People can get so stressed out about trying to get into the right college, when the truth is they might have just as great an experience somewhere else. Be realistic about what you options are, and remember that, especially if you're trying to get into the top tier schools, admissions decisions can be very arbitrary and you should try very hard not to take rejection personally. As far as making the most of one's college experience, I think it's important to always be open to making new friends. There are a ton of extracurricular activities at virtually every college or university I've ever heard of, and they're a great way not only to make friends but to be involved in the world outside of school. Getting too engrossed in schoolwork risks warping your view of the world. That being said, going to class is very important too; a good balance is difficult to find but essential nonetheless. Finally, don't worry too much about drinking/drugs; just talk honestly to your kids!

Don't let finances necessarily keep you from applying to where you want to go. Pick a school that matches your personality - learning style, social scene, living conditions and work ethic. Talk to people who go to the school as well as administrators. Visit if you can to get a feel for what life there might be like, and remember to balance work and play once you're there. There's so much to do, but if you manage things the right way, you can enjoy all of it.

In advising my peers and talking to numerous prospective students, I have come to believe that far too many high-school students today (along with their parents) believe that there is only one school and one path for their future. They put so much pressure on themselves to get in to highly competitive schools and be perfect, with perfect GPAs and perfect SATs. Few high school students can know for certain what they want to do with their lived and how to begin life after high school. The best thing they can do is to choose a school that they honestly believe will be a home to them and will create lasting memories.