Grace College and Theological Seminary Top Questions

I know that choosing a college is a really hard decision. Looking back on my process of choosing, and what I've learned through it, I believe it's essential to consider what's truly important. It's definitely beneficial to make a list of those things, such as desired majors and programs, prices, extra curricular activities offered, and location. I have to pay for college completely on my own, and it's definitely hard, but I recomend having an open mind when considering prices. If the college you truly want to attend is above your price range, don't pass it off completely. I wish I had actually gone to my first choice college, but I decided against it because I thought it was too expensive. Once you're at college, make the most of it. It's hard, but you have to be vulnerable at first. This is such an important factor of forming bonds and making friends. Get involved in programs and activities that interest you, and try some that you're not entirely sure about. You never know what you'll love doing. You learn so much about life and yourself during this time.

spending one night on campus may not be enough. get to know some of the people there and interact with the professors when you visit. ask some hard questions for the faculty to answer like "how many students actually graduate with high scores here?" "how many students who ask for financial help actually get it?" "what percentage of students actually get a job on campus?" "are most students academically oriented?". asking some of these questions and others (make sure you wrote them down or you'll forget what they were!) to not only give yourself a better visual understanding of what the campus is really like but also to help you learn if it is REALLY the right campus for you. some campus that you thought was the perfect one for you may not be perfect for you until you're alreay in it and it's too late to get out. keep in mind every campus has its flaws and mistakes, but a campus should still cater to you as a student. you're paying them to educate you, not flunk you.

Find schools that appeals to you academically as well as extra-curricularly. Visit the schools, and ask the hard questions: Do you have a high crime rate? Do you have a problem with plagiarism? etc. Remember a lot of the time the tour leaders are students, so they might be a little more frank than staff or faculty. Look at the faculty for your major. Are they well educated? experienced? well known? Is the staff friendly and helpful? Is the student body friendly or do they ignore visitors? How about student aid? Look around, apply to more than one. Once you've decided on a school, for whatever reasons you have, throw yourself into your major. Work hard, and make your time pay off. Use the school library. Make friends and have fun! Try new things: dorm-on-dorm kickball, or a sushi bar, or a free outdoor concert. Smile at people, and treat everybody as a prospective friend. This is an adventure! Call home, and thank your parents for the years they spent feeding, clothing, driving, and helping you. Be polite to faculty and staff! It's the right thing to do and it's in your best interest.

College has been the most influential experience of my life so far, so it's important to choose a place that will not only teach you and award you a degree but inform character development. Only a few years ago, your kids were babies, and I know it's hard to let them go, but the difference between my friends who went away to college and those who stayed home is obvious after only one year, so let them spread their wings. Learning occurs in all parts of campus, not just the classroom, and becoming a person who knows what I stand for has been the most important thing I've learned from college. You never get a rest from the tests that life without your parents subjects you to, so be alert! Loving your major is not always as important as completing your assigned work with love and dedication. Stick with it. Even students who didn't do well in high school have a chance to start fresh in college. Grades often improve if you allow yourself adequate rest and food, so... Even if everyone else is partying all night and trying the newest diets, choose to respect yourself.

Yes, choosing the "right" college can seem daunting, even terrifying; the same can be said of deciding on a major, pondering what to do with that major, or even making new friends once you finally move into your dorm for the first time. The key thing to keep in mind during this maelstrom of uncertainty is that you can affect your entire experience only with your attitude. Remember this! You can choose to cling to your comfort zone (tempting, I admit) and set yourself up for mediocrity by refusing to accept anything you haven't experienced yourself; or, you can choose to try something new or talk to someone you wouldn't normally talk to. I know it sounds cliche, but it is so important! You will miss so much if you don't try to conquer your fear enough to step outside of your own experience and into someone else's! There is so much in this world to discover; don't miss out on that just because you want to stick to what you already know. Putting yourself into new, different situations (such as college!) is scary, but it is worth it!

Work Hard. Complete Homework. Make sacrifices for your school work.

It's really all about knowing yourself. How large do you want the college? What do you like to do? What type of housing do you want to live in? What rules will you follow? Know what your expectations and desires are, and find the college that will work for you. Don't try and fit yourself into a college that won't work. Be patient; do your homework and pick the right one for you.

Don't let finacial crisis get in your way with finding the right college for you or your child. Most memories during my college years can't be labled with a price.

Go there first.

Make sure that you find a place that is community based. Try to find a place where the faculty actually care about the success of the students.