College of William and Mary Top Questions

A word of advice to the anxious parents, whose sleepless nights are crowded with apprehension, and to their overwhelmed and intimidated sons and daughters: don't worry. Don't worry? How is that appropriate for the life-changing decision looming ahead? My parents' college experience taught me the only advice I needed to choose the right school. College is what you make of it. My mother, who didn't do her best in high school, went to an out-of-the-way liberal arts college. Knowing she could do better, she worked hard and earned a prestigious internship. My father went to Yale, but chose politics over his school work. Though they went to colleges of vastly different reputation, my parents both became equally well advanced and successful in their respective careers. You, as a college-bound student, have a wealth of choices before you. There are hundreds of excellent colleges all over the country, each with its own merits, any of which offers you the chance to succeed. But college doesn't hand out success or take it away. No matter where you choose to go, it will be up to you to make your college the "right" one.

My greatest advice would be not to lean to much on material things about a college, like the food, or the dorms, etc. The most importants things are the academics and campus life. Also, most people change at least a little when they go off to college so it is not wise to pick a college because they have a certain club of fraternity that one might want to be a part of.

In order to make the most of the college experience one needs balance. This balance is multi-faceted: physical versus emotional, scientific versus artistic, and academic versus social. The most difficult, or at least omnipresent challenge, is academic versus social. If your favorite band is playing 40 miles away the night before a midterm, should you skip it and study? Or do you want the experience of rushing away from campus in the night with a good friend, having a blast at a great concert, and rushing back to get some much-needed sleep before you fudge your way through an exam? Which is going to add more depth to who you are? (Seriously). Of course you can't start failing your classes, missing sports practices or club meetings, but honestly; don't let your academic life ruin your social life. You've got to find a college where the work load is challenging but not overbearing for you. Work hard, strive to learn more than what's expected, but don't forget to go out on the weekends (or the occasional thursday...) or perhaps take a $200 cab ride adventure to visit your best friends at another college. (whoops!)

First of all, visit. See prospective schools for yourself. If possible, try to sit in on a class or stay with a student. Talk with people who go there. The more you can learn from actual students, the better, since I can assure you that going to college for real is nothing like the guide books or movies. Also, make sure that the college you pick offers courses and majors that you would want to take, and has a social scene you are comfortable with. Check out the town and if possible, the dorms. Once you make it to the college of your choice, get involved. You won't make any friends or have any fun if you don't participate in out-of-class activities. Support your teams and the arts at your school, and make sure you get off campus a little, too. And don't forget that schoolwork is the reason you're there: if you try your hardest to do your best, you will succeed. Don't be afraid of college; it may seem like a big change, but you will get used to it, and if you get involved, you'll have a better experience.

College is meant to be about growth, but a student can only garner so much academic and personal growth from a college that doesn't challenge them in one way or another. And unexpectedly, a college's size can be a good way of telling what kind of challenge a campus can offer. One of the most overlooked aspects of a college is size. For some students, it's easy to stand out in a large crowd and a large school, be it a daunting Ivy League or an invisible state school. But for some students, like myself, standing out is an uncomfortable issue, I don't have the personal desire to stand out. Going to William and Mary, I'm pushed academically, but the small school setting has been a surprisingly interesting counterpart to the academics. Being on a small campus, I can't hide in class and I'm pushed to become a more confident and competant student and thinker. I still have a ways to go but I know that if I had gone to the large university of my chosing, I never would have had this kind of rich and personal college experience.

I think choosing a school requires more than just finding somewhere that offers your major of interest- no matter how certain you are of your major, it's likely to change. It's also important to look at what kind of setting you desire, the size of the student population, volunteer and special interest opportunities available, and the variety of courses offered. What it really comes down to is the feeling you get when you step foot onto the campus. Though it sounds cliche, that first sense you get is really significant.

I have told all of my friends in high school the same thing about selecting a college: it does not matter how big or "good" the college looks on paper--what matters, in terms of your life goals on higher educational trajectory, is finding the "right" college. Some people may take this advice as far as saying, "Oh, this school has a program that caters to my interests and aspirations." That's excellent and should be a major consideration, but I mean to take it just one step further and analyze everything about the experience of being on campus day to day. The people, the atmosphere, the food, the surrounding area. Take into account what you will feel every morning when you wake up, the chemistry you will have with the professors who are helping you achieve your goals and their relationship to the material, and the type of friends you'll make. It has to feel right--even if the college of your choice does not rank on any "Top 100" list, if you like it there, go there. What matters is that the college will develop the passion and desire to make something of yourself in this world.

First and foremost, it is impossible to simply choose a school that would be best for someone based on word of mouth or rankings on a website. A school's value far surpasses dollar signs and tiers created by third parties. In order to find a proper school for yourself, you MUST visit the school, walk around during the day, explore and take note of what you see around you. You can learn much more from watching students interact with one another before and after classes than you can looking at pictures and "Notes from the Dean" online. While these are also valuable of course, they should not be the priority. Also, be assertive. Walk up to a student, introduce yourself, and ask them if you could have a few minutes of their time to speak about their experiences. It does not matter if this person is a freshman, senior, or anything inbetween. What matters is that each person will bring a rich history and viewpoint, speak of a certain club, a class, the local hangout on campus, etc. The information you get in these few minutes could be the defining point and transdorm your choice and future.

Choose with your heart and your head. Do not depend on others to make or cause you to sway towards a certain school. And if you don't like the school, you can always change your mind or transfer. Also, be friendly and open, but also be careful because some people are do not show who they really are until it's too late and you get caught in their lies. Have the courage to tell your roommate that her/his friends need to go because you need to sleep because it's either: a) your room, too; b) you've got an important test/exam tomorrow; or c) you're just tired. You need to be an adult and be responsible for your actions. Lastly, you learn a lot about yourself, so don't be afraid to embrace who you are.

The best college for you will stick out as soon as you get your acceptance letters, but probably no sooner. Therefore, apply to places that fit your personality and goals and take location into consideration. Otherwise, wait to choose your school until decision time comes around, and you'll end up very happy with your choice. Then, live it up! Get out, into the school community. Work hard, but don't stress about grades too much. It will go much better if you are happy and comfortable in your surroundings. When the initial excitement about college life starts to wear off, don't get discouraged or bored. Join a new club or make an effort to meet new people; you never know who can be waiting right around the corner. This makes the rest of college as fun and exciting as the first weeks, and can transform your entire experience.