Dartmouth College Top Questions

Visit the campus.

It will seem odd, but I believe parents and students should forget about jobs! We should not attend school to simply get a good job! We should be attending school to get a great education! Knowledge these days is power, so make it happen! Figure out if you want to be in a city or not, and then go to a school that focuses on the importance of learning and mastering concepts found within the industries your interested in.

Take advantage of everything that the school has to offer.

If you can, visit the colleges you are interested in. Ask current students the questions you have; they can offer a more candid (and perhaps honest) perspective of a student's experience than the employees in the admissions office. Walk around the campus and ask yourself, 'Can I imagine myself here?' Visit the academic departments you are interested in, butr remain open to studying and exploring topics and ideas that may not seem immediately interesting or important to you. Don't be afraid to try new things, some of the most important college learning experiences happen outside the classroom. Remember that your professors are people, too! Visit them during office hours to talk about your class, and offer to take them out for a cup of tea to talk about life.

Participate in college visisits, ask candid questions to students, alumni. Get feedback form older college age kids about campus issues.

There are a few things to take into consideration. First and foremost, have a plan to finance your education, be it through loans, scholarships, or out of pocket. Secondly, winnow your list down. Eliminate schools that are in locations that are undesirable or significantly above/below your GPA/SAT range. Third, relax! No one knows at 18 what he wants to do with his life. Realize that majors are flexible and colleges are accomodating. Take that class about Egyption history or study that foreign language you're curious about. Join a sports team or club. Find clubs or organizations that interest you. College offers everything possible to you at the least risk possible - take advantage of it while you still have that freedom once you're in.

I would recommend visiting a lot of different campuses so you can get a good idea of what it is you are looking for in a school. Things such as size, location, resources, campus setting, academic specialties, foreign study opportunities, and research or liberal arts focus are all important aspects to consider. It is also important to know what sort of student body you want to associate with, since the people you go to college with have a huge impact on your experience. That said, don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and try something new; I left the West Coast for New England knowing no one, and in turn met a lot of people with a worldview completely different from my own. Keep in mind that college is as much about what you learn out of the classroom as in the classroom. Lastly, consider alumni networks and career placement opportunities from your college of choice. While it may sound like a shallow thing to consider, choosing a college with a strong alumni network can help you not only become part of a tight community during college, but after graduation as well.

I would recommend that both parents and students find a college that they feel comfortable at. Obviously the ultimate decision should be that of the student since they will be the one spending their time at the college but parental input is important. Find a place where the people are supportive and welcoming. People, whether it be the students, administrators or professors, make or break the college experience. While at college it is important to prioritize. Become involved and get the most out the entire experience. College should be just that, an experience. Remember what is important to you and strive to reach those goals. Best of luck and enjoy!

Take college tours and go to the available information sessions. Ask lot of questions, too. Make sure that when you get on campus, you can picture yourself living there for four years. Once you're inrolled in a college, remember that it's not just about the schoolwork. Don't hide away in the library studying all the time. Joing clubs, have lunch dates, and go to parties, even if you don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. Socialiazing in a HUGE part of the college experience, so live it up!

College is what you make of it--Dartmouth was not my dream school by any means because of its location but I don't think I could be happier anywhere else. I've embraced all that Dartmouth has to offer in terms of service projects, extra-curriculars, leadership opportunities, research jobs, and the like. Similarly I've learned to work with what I didn't like--the location. I became involved in programming councils that allowed me to take trips to NY or Boston. I worked out travel plans with my friends on the East Coast to be together over Thanksgiving. In short, the most important thing is to make the college your own. What you put into it is what you get out of it and the college experience embodies that adage to a fault.