Gordon College Top Questions

Speak with students who have a variety of experiences at the school: athletes, student council members, etc. and try to find both students who love the school and those who are unsatisfied. Speak with professors and custodial or food service staff to get an idea about the attitude and life style of students at the school. Stay overnight on the campus. Speak with alumni. Attend classes! Explore the surrounding area-- ask students where all the "hot spots" are around town. Speak with residents of the city to find out what neighbors think about the school and its students. Ask students questions to assess how they have grown and changed since they started attending the school.

Go where you want, not where other people think you should. Be willing to change your mind.

Prayer is the most important factor when deciding on a college, whether one is spirtual and prays to a heavenly being or one just meditates and thinks quietly by themselves. It is also important for one to get input from friends, parents, and mentors on where to go to school. One also should visit schools to better understand the campus and to ask students about the school. Students of a college or university are often more helpful than admissions counselors simply because they're truthful about their feelings regarding the school. The best way to get the most out of the college experience is by finding a way to balance the academic and social life. Academics are extremely important in college and should take priority. However, one should also take advantage of the extra-curricular activities the school offers and spend time off-campus with friends so that he or she can fully grasp the college experience. The friends one makes at college are often for life; one should really work on developing these friendships in order to fully enjoy college. Students should also study with friends, thereby getting both the academic and social aspects of college in one setting.

Visit the school multiple times before making a decision. Talk to current students and find out what campus life is like. For example, find out what kind of place campus is on the weekends and what kinds of activities there are to do on campus. Find out if having a car on campus is necessary in order to find something to do. Find out if the school offers support in finding a job after college and if it holds career fairs. Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions regarding what is important to you, no matter how small or detailed your questions might be. In the end, those little details play a big role in your satisfaction with your college experience.

Visit the schools that you are interested in. Ultimately, you will get a sense that one feels right; that is probably the school that will be a good fit for you. Weigh your career options, extracurricular interests, and social life and the schools' respective strengths and weaknesses. Finally you will have to choose the one that sits with you.

It is incredibly important to consider career choice before making a college decision. The cost of a private liberal arts education is hugely inflated, and while the experience is enriching and helpful, there still comes a point when the cost of tuition is too much to pay for that (admittedly valuable) experience. If you are absolutely set on a private liberal arts college, I would only reccomend attending if you are able to receive an excellent scholarship - or if you are certain that your post-college career will be able to support your student loan payments. If you expect to either attend graduate school or enter a service-oriented career (such as ministry, social work, teaching, or non-profit), your money will be best spent on a less expensive institution. A related piece of advice for those who are unsure of their college major is to look at the job market during sophomore year of college. Perhaps you were considering majoring in painting, but in your job market research, you realize you would not find work in that field. You see, however, that you could find a job if you majored in graphic design - go for that!

Parents: Start saving early! The less your student has to work to pay for his/her education, the more enjoyable and beneficial it will be both socially and academically. In terms of finding the "right" school for you child - let them decide. They know what they want, and if they choose the "wrong" school, they can always transfer. Students: Take it seriously, but have fun! Grades are important, but you don't want to look back and wish you had participated in the choir or basketball team after all. In terms of finding the "right" school, don't be afraid to move away from your home town/state. You will gain so much from a completely new experience - it is more rewarding than you could imagine! Someday you may end up wishing you'd been brave enough to attend that faraway school.

Choosing a college can be incredibly stressful. Please realize it's more important to find a school that fits you. Forget finding "the perfect school" because it doesn't exist. Narrow down the field to your top 3 or 4 (or ten in my case) and do an overnight visit on a random weekend. Talk to the students about professors, workload, extra requirements and fees. These conversations and time spent in the dorm will be your the best indication of whether the school is right for you. The thing to remember is that there are wonderful opportunities at any school if you are willing to take the time to seek them out. I began my freshman year with a declared double major of biology and secondary education. I finished that major in four years while also participating in activities that I never knew were options. I was a walk-on for the varsity swim team and played flag football. I took an art course one semester where every other weekend was spent at a new art venue in Boston. I spent five months teaching English and researching a tropical plant in Honduras . Just dream big and make it happen!

Keep your options open. Don't judge a school by its look but rather get information about the school from the students. The students will be truthful of what their experience is and how the school is in their opinoin. Also, don't go by one student's opinoin but a few of them. And don't just look at the school but look at the surrounding area, the community around the school (i.e. if lots of the students settle down in that area after graduating than it reflects on the schools sense of community). And as hard as it is, don't let money be a decision maker, the money will come somehow if you are in the right place for you.

College is an experience that will change your life. It's a big choice, but it's not the end of the world. My advice would be to pick a school that will allow you to expand your way of thinking, challenge you academically, and provide a social venue that is conducive to forming meaningful relationships. Talk to students at the school, walk around the campus, attend a class, and follow your instincts. In the end, there may not be only "one school" that would be right for you. College is what you make of it: you can take an amazing school and turn it into a mediocre experience, or you can take a mediocre school, get involved, take initiative, and have the time of your life. It may take you a while to settle in, but soon, school will be what you call home. Take the time to reach outside youself: make good friends, ask yourself some hard questions, ask a professor to meet you for lunch, go to on campus events and lectures, and appreciate it while you're there. Pick a school where you can grow, and then go and take advantage all the opportunities!