Duke University Top Questions

Almost everyone loves their college and will be loyal no matter what school it is

Visit the campus and go with your gut feeling. If you are comfortable with the campus, the people you see, the weather, it has a good chance of being a good fit.

Look for a school that will fit your needs as a person as well as a student. Choose a college that you can make yours and that you will thrive in. It is important to remember that what you see during visitor days is not a good example of campus life. If you are truly interested in a school, shadow a student for a day or take the opportunity to spend the night/weekend with a student host if this is something the college offers. Could you see yourself living there for a number of years? Be sure to look at the courses the school offers but also look into activities and volunteering opportunities. When you do choose a school, make the most of your time there. College is the time in your life when you have opportunities to do things you have never done before and may never have the chance to ever do again. Make each opportunity worthwhile because the years really do fly by and you don't want to remember all the things you wished you had done. The memories you cherish most don't involve exams or classes, but smiling faces and new best friends.

Do your research.

I would advise parents and their children to focus not on any one aspect of the university (ie prestige) or any single perspective (that of tour guides, recruitment faculty, etc), but instead to evaluate all of the potential and actual costs and rewards that that particular university will afford them. Too often I see people who feel like they may have been misled in their selection process. They feel as if somebody might not have been completely honest with them about what would truly transpire during their collegiate careers. Unfortunately, at times I feel like one of those students. I wish I had really evaluated my personal goals (academic, career, and social) more closely in relation to the my school's environment. My university has undoubtedly helped me attain some of those goals, but I feel it may have failed me in others. In my opinion, your college experience should not be dominated by any one factor of the college, but rather a solid balance of time and activities will make these four years the most productive and enjoyable.

Parents and students need to research, research, research. Visit as many campuses as possible, go to information sessions, and speak with admissions representatives. Students will know by how a campus feels whether they belong there or not.

no what you want to do before you attend a particular college, at least if you think you might lean towards an artistic major

Think about what would be right for you: not what your parents want or what other people would respect. I chose a school because of pressure from my parents and because I knew it was a top school, and I am not particularly happy with my choice. I should have thought about who I am and what makes me happy. Do what is true to you.

Visit as many schools as you can and try to stray a little bit from the tour. Very rarely does a tour itself offer anything the school's website doesn't. But look around you. Are people smiling? Talking to each other? Listen to conversations. What are they saying. It can be hard to gauge whether or not you'll "fit" at a school, but these are the best signs.

The college experience is just as important as grades, so take advantage of every opportunity that is out there and you will graduate with no regrets.