Hope College Top Questions

Exploring colleges can be a lot of fun. The most helpful thing to do is to visit the campuses and get a feel for what campus life is like. Also, don't let finances be the largest factor. Your education is a great investment worth more than a given price. Determine what you want, narrow down the options, visit, and choose. You'll most likely be satisfied with where you go if you invest in the community and have a positive attitude. Don't settle.

Do what's the best fit for you not your parents, friends or anyone else.

Choosing a college is obviously one of the biggest decisions of your student's life. It is also one that will shape the rest of his or her life. Preparing students for the real world is, of course, a matter of vocational training, but there is much more to the process than just that. Your student has views that will be strengthened or changed in college. New ideas will be abundant in this environment that is likely not completely under your control. As such, the choice of a college is also a choice about what kind of person this student will be. So rather than just choosing the college with the most stars or the best name recognition be sure to consider what kind of person goes to this school and comes out of this school. Campuses have lives and personalities of their own and you need to be sure that it is one that will make your student a better person as a result. There should be no single criterion that is used to determine what is a good college and each college should be evaluated as a whole. Enjoy discovering the world of colleges available.

Make sure that the student in picking the school that they like not one that the parents would like.

For students: when looking for schools, consider what's important to you, then evaluate the schools you're thinking about based on all of your criteria, not just one or two of them. Don't forget that the point of college is to get an education. When you're at a school, take advantage of the opportunities available to you. Don't focus on partying, but do have some fun. Your professors and/or TAs (if your school is big enough to have grad students) will often want to help you - go their office hours, and don't be afraid to ask questions (if you don't know the answer, there's probably someone else who also doesn't). For parents: Listen to your children. Don't pressure them to go to the kind of school you wish you'd gone to. Try to guide them away from making a truely wrong choice (in ANY way), but remember that at the end of the day it's their choice, and if you press them too hard, they're just as likely to refuse to even consider what you're saying as they are to heed your words.

Visit the campuses you are interested in! It is important to do so during a weekday while classes are in session; this allows you to really get a feel for the campus community. Also try to sit in on a class (preferably in a department in which you are interested in studying). Sitting in on a class helps give a true sense of what it will be like to study at that school. Additionally, talk with students and ask questions while you're on campus. Enjoy!

The advice that i would give is to get out of your comfort zone. By this i mean to live in the dorms, get to know alot of different people, talk to people about their different backgrounds. I have learned that college is just as much about learning about your self and others than it is about the books and the classroom. College is a time to learn about yourself and others and to experience the many cultures, backgrounds, and futures that life has to offer.

If at all possible, visit the campus during the school year and interact with students. Don't feel like you have to go right into college after high school if you don't have a clear career path in mind, you could save a lot of time and money if you wait.... if you are interested in travelling, look for a school that has a large study-abroad program and go for it! The "real world" doesn't often afford the opportunity so easily and affordably. Work hard on finding a group of friends during your first year, but don't be afraid to break away from your high school group. Take the chance to start fresh in a new environment and be who you want to be. Do the things you want to do, prove to yourself that you can be independent. Living away from home makes you appreciate it all the more when you come home for breaks; three hours' drive was the perfect distance for me: not too close and not too far. The "college experience" is fun, but don't forget that you are there to study... appreciate the opportunity you have to determine your future!

All throughout high school i didnt want to go to a small school, when i didnt make it into the big school i wanted to i was forced to consider my other applications. I had applied to Hope only after my mothers prodding. After giving it a good look i became enamored.

First, apply/visit to every college possible. Do not limit yourself to one or two colleges and/or universities! Secondly, once you have chosen a college, get involved in anything and everything you can! Have as much fun, meet new people, and take in every exprience!