Goshen College Top Questions

I would suggest strongly that parents and students alike consider personal and career goals before entering college life, in order to make the most of the experience. It is important to find a campus where not only are you comfortable to share your values with others who support you in those choices, but those who also challenge you to broaden their interests and global awareness throughout the college experience. It is important to recognize that though personal belief shapes social and academic lives on any campus, one must remain open to shifting goals and ideals according to influential peers and professors. While location and income of any school influences quality of education for each individual, it is not as important as those environments formed by individuals and groups themselves each year. I have found that the most important factor, apart from remaining engaged in extracurricular activities to supplement academic focus, is that of maintaining close and trusting working relationships with professors. Much knowledge and life experience of others can be used to form and refine life goals of any student.

I would say that it's about finding what you love and going with it. Find the atmosphere in which you would be most comfortable for a college campus and you may be in the right place. As to the experience, I recommend choosing your major based on the classes you would like to take. It is good on your resume just to have a degree; it is not necessarily pertinant what it is in as long as you can show you followed through the four years to complete what you set out to do. Another word of advice is not to spend all of your time in your room studying. Yes, it is important; turn in all your work on time and make sure to have plenty of time to complete it, but do not isolate yourself. From college, you are going to remember the times you spent growing closer to your friends and having times of bonding.

The most important thing in picking a school is to find a place where you feel at home. From that, all else follows much more smoothly (though it doesn't hurt to find a program that excites you with professors that will challenge you and facilities that provide convenient opportunities). While you're there, the best way to fully enter the college experience is to stay out of the "stepping stone" mindset - college is so much more enjoyable if you immerse yourself in the social world at the school. Total immersion is impossible if you only see that period - that four year chunk of your life - as a stepping stone to later things. Let your friends there mean everything to you - skip the occasional class to go ice fishing with a housemate, neglect the occasional small assignment for a late night chatting with friends, and most of all: live together, laugh together, struggle together, grow together. Energy also ought to be directed towards studying so you get your money's worth for your education, but the real rewards come from getting involved with the people you meet there. Be young and stupid. Take on the world.

Find a college that fits you personally! As a student, do not lose focus of why you are going to school and do not go just becuase you want to party or socialize. College is not easy and you have to work hard. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need.

When looking for a college choose one that will give you a well rounded education based on the variety of types of classes and experiences it has to offer. One strength found in liberal arts colleges is the ability to draw on various strengths, making graduates more ready to handle the variety of challenges they will find in the work place. Take advantage of opportunities to travel and study abroad. Cross-cultural experiences change your life. When you have the opportunity, go. Don't be afraid to look at things you've always believed and question them. By asking questions you will understand better what you believe and why. Questions only make you stonger. Find extracurricular activities that you enjoy and dive in. Especially in the first year, trying new things will help you make friends and learn names of peers you hadn't know, even if your bond happens to be that you both DONT enjoy that new thing you tried. College is a great time to learn about the world and about yourself and try and figure out how you will make a difference.

Parents and students should make sure to talk to students at the schools that they visit. Meet some of the professors and talk to administrators to see if you feel like you fit in. College is a once in a lifetime experience and should enrich and nuture you. I have found my college experience to be extremely valuable. The people I've met and the experiences I've had have changed me into the person I am today. I am very greatful for all the time I have spent here at Goshen College.

Transitioning to college is a daunting task. Looking for a college that fits "you" is intimidating and can be stressful for the college bound and their parents. I feel that most people make good decisions on where they want to go, based on what they want to study, what kind of social life they want to experience, and what they can afford. People do a good job searching for a college. After the choice is made, mom and dad send their child off to gain a higher education. At this juncture, things should be great, but one quickly learns that beginning college can be an extreemly lonely time. It is important to have patience and wait for things to settle in. Everything takes time. Classes take time. Sports take time. Homework takes time. Finding friends takes time. I would encourage any new college student to pack their schedule and get out there. Don't sit around. You will feel lonely. You will feel like you have no friends, but the more you get out there , the more you learn about yourself and life. Things will settle in and you will feel comfortable, just give it time.

Valuing the learning environment of a school is just as important as the course offerings. Beyond a diploma, what do you want to be able to say you?ve accomplished or achieved? Through college, I have gained a new and wider understandings of change. The important thing to understand about college is that it will change you. No matter what college you attend, there will be times of feelings of completely lost and completely at home. This time in your life is a time of independence and one of building community. You will be stretched to new limits academically and socially, with new and old challenges alike. What is importance is how your formal and informal education will encourage these changes in you and help you discover what you truly want to accomplish. So chose an institution that has goals for its students that will encourage changes that you wish to see in yourself. You will accomplishing the changes of a lifetime in any school you decide to attend.

Relax and Enjoy the Process. It is a difficult process. First, look for colleges that have a potential major you would be interested in, but don't rule out other majors. Upon entering college, life changes and interests in different subjects might be elevated, so don't limit your options. No matter where you go, there will be positives and negatives regarding the campus life and education. But be open to new things and oppurtunities, for this is when you will really grow into the person you were made to be. It is then you will truly learn about yourself and with that comes clarity in life and direction. Participate and get to know others instead of locking yourself in your room or the library. Network - it is never to early to start thinking about a serious career, and networking people you know will one day help you to find an ideal job. Have Fun! Life is about balance, so don't be afraid to have fun as long as you can balance it with work! Lastly - laugh!! Have fun and laugh hard and make as memories as possible!

The biggest thing that I've learned after being at Goshen College for 3-1/2 years is the importance of letting your child pick their own college. I felt pressured into attending my parents' alma mater, and as a result, I have spent the last 3-1/2 years at a college that doesn't fit my needs or personality at all. Parents, it's your child's time to pick what they think is right for them, not your time to force the glory days of your college expereince on them. Making the most of the college experience ties right into this. If you choose a college that you fit in to, it will be much easier to make friends that share your interests and worldviews. It's been hard for me, because I'm the opposite of many of my classmates, and even though I am in my senior year of college, I have not yet found a close group of friends that I can identify with. So, in summery, evaluate every option carefully, because the next four years are some of the most important years of your life.