George Washington University Top Questions

Remember that undergraduate is about an overall experience. Go where you think you will receive a quality education and have opportunities to pursue your interests and be engaged with activities you enjoy. Don't worry too much about prestige, but rather where you think you will be most excited to get involved and stay active.

Try to meet people who have gone there and see if they seem like the kind of people you want to be friends with for life. But ultimately it doesn't matter - even if your school isn't perfect, you're going to find people you like and going to find opportunities. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to decide what you want and go out and ask for it. If a school is willing to work with you, they are a good choice. Otherwise consider looking elsewhere.

College is what you make it. I have told you what college was for me. Be open and have fun. Work hard. Make opportunities for yourself.

I would recommend that parents and students take time to consider the needs of the student, on an academic, social, and career basis. Although college guides are a great way to get an idea of the school, students will not understand exactly what a school is like until they spend some time there. Prospective students should try to stay overnight in a dorm if they can, and talk to students who go there. Also, they should not base what kind of college they want to go to on the school's ranking-there are many good schools that are not Ivy Leagues in which students will flourish because they will be able to handle the courses and be with students who share similar backgrounds to their own. Also, students and parents should not choose schools purposely because they are not strong in certain social areas, such as Greek Life and School Spirit; what someone wanted in high school may be different from what they will want in college, and they do not want to prevent themselves from enjoying another aspect of their college experience.

Advice I would give to any student or parent searching for the "perfect" school is to look at all possible options. As a student who applied Early Decision, I had no options other than my number 1 school. Choosing one school restricts your options; options like: financial aid, location, and academic majors. Many people choose their schools based on the amount of financial assistance they receive. When you choose one school you are obligated to take what they give you. The best thing to do is to look at all financial plans and choose one with your parents. The school you choose should also be a fit for your lifestyle. If you like fast paced environments, an urban campus would be great for you. If you like the typical college campus feel, a more rural college is probably the best fit for you. Lastly, the amount of academic programs a school offers should be very important when shopping for a school. Try not to attend a university that is very specialized, you never know what the future may hold and changing your major is a very common thing during the first few years of school.

In my experience, I found it best to visit all the colleges I thought had programs that suited my interests. Visiting the colleges beforehand made it easy for me to weed some out where I did not feel at home or comfortable. I also would recommend talking with students there, sitting in on a class, and speaking with financial advisors before applying. All of this can help you decide if the school is a good fit for you. I would also recommend applying to at least five or six schools, so then when the time comes to decide, you can have a good number of schools to chose from, not only for fit but price as well. Finally, I would say that to get the most out of yoru college experience, one should go to all the student activity fairs and job fairs early to get involved with internships, work opportunties, and student groups. Its also a great way to make friends right off the bat.

Rankings are important but not that important, send your child to a school that is good for what they want to study no matter what it is ranking is.

In high school, we are made to believe that the college you choose will not only define you, but dictate the rest of your life. I believed this too. After high school, I went to a small, very conservative college just one hour away from home. It didn't take me long to realize that I had chosen the wrong college. Two years later, it took a lot of hard work and time to get to where I am now - at a university that I absolutely love. The college you choose won't define you, and for the most part, the right attitude will make any place tolerable. Think about what you really want. Try not to only consider what is easiest, what your parents, or friends want.

Make sure you look around, but go with your gut.

Finding a university is all about fit. You want to find a school with programs, faculty, and other students who match your interests in order to thrive. If you don't know what it is that you want to do, find a fit with the type of size and student body that you're looking for.