Calvin College Top Questions

Make sure the college has the same goals in mind that you have.

The most important thing to remember when choosing a college is that it needs to fit the student- not the student's parent, favorite teacher, or best friend. Spend time exploring each school on the 'short list' to see which qualities make him or her feel comfortable. Is it the size? The laid-back atmosphere? The academic community? Or that the beach is a bus ride away? Look at the type of people on each campus and look for common values and interests. Is the general atmosphere more conducive to studying or having fun (not that those two activities are mutually exclusive!)? Once school starts everything is a little overwhelming. However, to fully experience the college life, you have to explore. Step outside your comfort zone and see what is going on around campus and in the community outside. Treat all of the strangers you meet as potential friends- you never know who you will click with!

First, find the place that you feel comfortable- with the setting, with the people you meet, and with the subject areas & availability of those things. Don't go where your friends go- you may limit yourself and not meet a lot of people. Take into inventory what matters to you- Faith? Go to a religious college. Sports? Look at a big school, or one where you can play competitively or in intramurals. Make sure they have a good group of majors towards what you're interested in; options are important here! When you get to school, you have to be willing to meet everyone and be friends with anyone. You never know who may end up being your best friend, boyfriend, girlfriend. This is a new time to define yourself- don't be afraid to try new things! Make memories every week! Take advantage of on campus activities, as well as things in the community surrounding. The world is your oyster!

Find a college that fits your needs and your beliefs, in otherwords, where you feel most comfortable. I just lost my mom to liver cancer a few weeks ago and have come to realize the importance of a caring faculty and a close group of friends who can be there for you during the good times and the bad (especially since I am an out-of-state student). Academics is very important, it's why you go to school. However, you won't enjoy your time at college if you don't have people there who you think you can enjoy it with. So try to find that balance of a school with good academics and a strong community that you feel fits you and is something that you can really be a part of.

Apply to and visit as many as you can. Do not get stuck with a college you only marginally like. Talk to friends who attend the school you are thinking about and get their honest opinioins on the school.

For students looking to find the right college, I would advise talking with those who know you the best. When looking in a mirror proves fruitless, those closest to us are naturally the ones who can enlighten us as to who we really are, what we excel at, and what we might have a potential passion for. I would also advise prospective students to be realistic and flexible about their college choice. Transfer students never plan to transfer, but in specific situations, schools might not match what you need or even want. You are not trapped when you enroll in a college. Remember to try new things while you're there, go to seminars, talk to people you don't know, and go on dates. Stretch yourself!

They always tell you that you can go wherever you want and be whatever you want, but its not true. Its getting harder and harder to get scholarships and financial aid, and schools are becoming more and more expensive. Uou end up spending more time stressing about money and student loans then you do studying, and so many students have to take time off or quit school completely because no one told them that loans would be so much of a problem. Unfortunately, you really should go to the cheapest school you can find, because I had to quit school for a year and a half, since no one on my family (including me) was able to get enough loans because of credit- we had taken out too much for my other years. So keep money in mind, because it might seem like a small deal now, but it could definitely affect your degree and your life after college- if you make it that far.

Look for a school that does well in the major you are looking at. Finding a school with a great campus life is also very important. While at school, work hard at your studies, but make some time for social activities, sports, friends, etc too!

Visit and really think about yourself in a school.

Study abroad, learn a language, and minor in something.