Davidson College Top Questions

Please try not to stress out to much. Enjoy the end of High School, when you are at a school forget what the guidebooks say and try to imagine yourself there. Talk to students and professors who are doing things you would like to do, ask students what they are doing, are those things you want to be doing. Gauge how excited students are to be at school. If students are happy with the education they are recieving that is a good sign. Do not ask questions about your AP scores, ask students what they did that day, what is it that students compain about the most. See if it feels right, be patient, stay calm, and enjoy yourself!

Allow the prospective student to spend a night on campus, and to wander around the campus alone, so that they can engage with the current student body and gain insight on what the campus is actually like when the parents and administration are not around.

When you're touring campuses, the right college should just click for you. If you can see yourself strolling down those brick pathways to get to class, or sitting in a certain chair on the patio overlooking the stadium, or going to every single home basketball game, then you've probably found the school that's right for you. It should be about what is a good fit for your personality and your goals in life. If you want to work hard and be proactive about making a better future for yourself and your community, choose a school with a tough academic curriculum and a very motivated student body. I also advise finding a school where class sizes are smallest, and interaction with professors is at a maximum. Larger schools tend to utilize teaching assistants more than professors, and it just isn't the same as having a twelve-person seminar with THE American expert on Somalia, who just happens to be your professor and your personal academic advisor (true story). A good social scene is always an important consideration, too, because college is also about personal growth and learning how to interact with people.

My first piece of advice would be to visit the school and talk to a current student (student tour guides are not always the best source though). Look into aspects of the school that are not normally mentioned but are crucial to college life such as; what do students do on weekends, places to eat and quality of food, laundry services, speakers that come to campus. An overnight stay can also be helpful for developing an idea of a school's student life. Don't be afraid to ask friends for their opinions about a certain school because the more you know the better. Lastly, don't just think about your major and look at schools from that angle. The amount of time spent towards academics is minimal so think about what you want to do or try while you are in college like studying abroad or hosting a radio show when picking schools. As an extra tip that may help, research any future plans the college is working on because a new Chemistry building your junior year could be the detail that makes or breaks your decision.

Make sure that you actually visit the campus of any school that you are seriously considering attending. Also, also talk to students AND professors at the school. Try to do this outside of the normal school tours. Talk to graduates of each school and find out how well prepared they were for the real world.

Visit the college you think you may like for a few days, especially when school is in session, not during holiday breaks. I visited a couple schools during their holiday breaks and had trouble seeing what life actually was like there. Also, if you are able to, the prospective student should spend a night or two in a dorm with a sponsor student attending the college because this is where you will actually feel like you are at the school to the best possible extent. Good luck.

Don't look for the most elite/prestigious place. Find somewhere where you feel comfortable learning, academically, socially, spiritually.

1. Don't just take the tour... find a way to talk to the actual people who make the school what it is: the students, the professors, the administrators. Interview them, ask them the tough questions. If you can, ask students from each class, Freshman through Senior, about what they like about the school, what they dislike, and what they would have done differently. 2. Find out what alumni do after they graduate. This is a litmus test of the strength of the school's curriculum - if you find out what people are able to do after they graduate from the place, you'll get an idea of how well the place is able to prepare their students for life after studenthood. 3. Sit in on some sample classes. Try to visit a good variety of classes (subjects you know you're interested in as well as subjects you're not yet sure about!). 4. Students: spend a few days at the college. Shack up with current students for a few nights - you'll get to know what dorm life is really like, what the students are really like (when they're not putting on a show at college tours).

1) Find a place where there's plenty to do with your free time 2) Find a place that allows to major in your interest (go to business school if interested in business) 3) Find a place where you can relate to others (bigger schools safer bet if unsure)

College can be the best time of your life - and it is largely what you make it. Any school can become a party school with a group of friends and one professor could mean everything to your academic experience. Finding the right college is a combination of factors to consider, city or suburban, small or large, Greek life or not? Talk to students, stay overnight, talk to professors after class visits, chat with recent alumni and try to get a feel for your daily life. At the right college, the students you meet will be engaging and interesting to you, the professors dedicated and the social life an exciting prospect. Once you get there, it is entirely up to you. Make the effort to get to know your professors. Volunteer on campus and meet people. Limit the drinking so that you will actually remember college. Take different kinds of classes - otherwise you will never know what you are really good at. Be tolerant and open to new ideas but don't be afraid to defend your opinions, argue, and grow. Make good decisions about credit cards and money. Nothing ruins graduation more than being in debt. And have fun!