DePauw University Top Questions

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I would tell myself there will be many seemingly impossible obstacles and struggles that you will overcome. More importantly though I think I would try my best to convince my younger self that I am capable of so much more than I ever realized. I came into college nervous about my ability to compete at such a school, and as a result I think I hid from putting forth my best effort. I must have had some twisted logic that had convinced me that if I never tried my hardest I would never truly realize that I couldn't compete. The very opposite, however, happens to be the case. I wasted many a class and many a semester doing less than I now know I can do. The most important advice I could give myself, "You can do much more than you think, just have faith, take the plunge, and you'll be surprised at what you can accomplish."

Be ready for a lot of reading, people judging you, and a lot of late nights and weary days. Also be ready for long bus rides for sports, and considerable time put in in the gym and at the practice field with no direct benefits promised to you. But most of all, be prepared to live with no money, party more than your body can handle and make some of the best friends you will ever make.

Do it exactly the same! Part of the experience is learning and every student definitely learns a lot about themeslves and growing up from their transition from high school to college. At times it was hard and I wish I was given more advice, but some things you just need to learn on your own.

The biggest advice I could give would be not to allow the extreme amount of new freedom become a problem. When you do not have a set 6-hour block in the middle of the day set aside for classes as you do in high school, the new freedom in your schedule makes things like skipping class or saving your homework for later seem very tempting. However, it is so dangerous to start down this path of abusing your free time. I have had too many friends who have been decieved by the seemingly endless amount of free time, and who have ended up skipping classes, partying too much, and just not being responsible enough to keep themselves healthy or in control of their own lives. It is a scary and stressful situation to not have control of your schoolwork or personal life in college, so I would advise myself to take the initiative and stay accountable to my own priorities and goals. Managing your time and planning ahead are the two best things you could do for yourself in a college environment.

My advice to any prospective college student is to do extensive research of the school. Navigate every part of the Web site. Learn the academic programs. Ask what majors are offered. Then visit the school. Sit in on some classes to get a feel for the academia aspect. It's also important to hang out with the students. If a student can spend the weekend, he or she should do it. Granted, the most important reason for going to a school is for an education, but the social side is crucial as well. Any given school can be listed one of the best schools as far as academics are concerned, but if the social life is a bore one must ask himself or herself if this would be a detriment to the college experience.

It may sound completely cliche, but go with your instincts! Somtimes I wish I had looked at more schools, farther from home, more prestigious, etc. But I chose my school because it felt right from the first time it set foot on it. I experienced some of the intellectual atmosphere and didn't want to let that go. Look for those major feelings--where you feel like you can be at home with the student body, and you will be GOLD.

In order to find the right college one needs to go into their search knowing what it is that he / she is looking to get from his / her college experience. Each and every college has something different to offer their students -- ranging from academic demand, possible majors, study abroad opportunites, school spirit, campus and class size, housing, and his / her social life, among others. It's more about finding the college that best suites one's needs rather than picking a college based on its popularity. If done in this manner, it's becomes pretty easy to find the ways that allow one to get the most out of his / her college experience. Being active on campus is just as necessary as striving for success in the classroom. Attend campus events, show school spirit, meet fellow students, and make lifetime friends. No college experience is complete without the ability to find a healthy balance between hitting the books and spending time with friends. Taking advantage of every opportunity that a college campus has to offer is by far the best way to ensure that friends, professors, and memories won't simply be forgotten after graduation.

Put down those college leaflets, that "100 best colleges" book your neighbors lent you, turn off your computer and go find somewhere quite to think. Students, college is a privilege, not a requirement, so spend time thinking about why you want to go and what exactly you want to do. Although you don't have to have your life planned out week by week for the next ten years, be honest with yourself about your life goals. Is being free of debt or studying an obscure field more important to you? Are you more interested in staying on the West Coast than studying with a writing expert in Iowa? The greatest gifts of college are time and training, which give you room to experiment and set the roots of what you want your future career to be. The best advise I can give is to be honest with yourself, students, and to express to your parents what your work, social, and financial goals are. Then you can return to the seas of information, but this time only keep the ones that line up with how you want your future to be.

Try to search for a school that fits your academic needs first. Then consider the extracurricular opportunities, social environment, and location. The last three criteria are not nearly as important as the first criteria. They do contribute greatly to your overall experience, but it is more important to get a good education than to have a good time.