Loyola University Maryland Top Questions

Dear Alicia, Meet as many people as possible! Be yourself and stop worrying about what you think others are thinking, you are most likely overeacting. Don't spend time with people who leave you feeling drained and worthless. Reach out to everyone to find out where you fit. Secondly, stay involved! Join a club that you like and stick with it. Lastly, try to keep your life in balance. School work should be most important, that is why you're at college. Though it might feel like the end of the world if you can't go to the party on Friday, you will benefit more greatly than you can imagine in academics. Try to study atleast two days in advance for a test. If you don't understand something, talk to your professor. They will be more than willing to help. A lot of them turn out to be very interesting people who genuinely care about you. They have stood where you are! Most importantly, try to get out what you want from your school. Make the experience one you can look back proudly on. You only go to college once in your life!

Currently, I am a well adjusted happy sophmore in college because of the choices I made. But during the summer before I entered college I began to experience unlimited amounts of anxiety about everything. I even went so far as to talk myself into staying home with my parents so that I could feel safe, secure, and stress free. Sure, there were older college students who advised me about various things to look out for and experience in college, but some how I could not relate to what they were telling me. If I could relive those days again I would learn how to love and respect myself more. I let other people persuade me into applying for colleges that I knew in my heart I could never be happy attending. Knowing who you are and what you want to become is an integral part of that major decision on where you want to spend your next four years. Visit as many colleges as you can while classes are in session, eat in the cafeteria, workout in the gym, and stay over night. Advice from others is ok, but only your heart will make the decision for you.

Go to a place that is going to make you want to go to school every single day, whether it is for the classes or for the social life. Going to a school based solely on the financial aid is not what makes your college career good or bad. Sometimes having to pay more for a place that makes your day to day life more enjoyable is actually better than paying a little for no social life.

Work as hard as possible and don't slack off at all. Even if you think you don't have work to do one night there's always work you can getdone ahead of time. Join clubs as soon as possible and get involved as soon as possible to help make friends and connections. Talk to professors if you have any questions about anything concerning classwork, schoolwork, etc.

We as students sometimes feel pressure that we need to find the perfect school; that unless we fit into the college campus perfectly, our entire experience as undergraduate students will be ruined. After my freshman year, I can most certainly assure you - it's really more important that the school fits you as a person. If you exit college the same person you entered, you have missed out. College is a time not only for learning, but primarily for growing up, and the school you finally choose needs to allow you room to grow, to expand, to build yourself as a person and learn who you, the adult you, really is. My most important advice is to not search for the college that you absolutely-have-to-go-there-or-else-you-refuse-to-go-to-school-at-all. Look for the school where you think will mold to who you are, and never let it be the other way around. Parents? Don't worry. Your child is no longer - they are going to grow up. Make sure his or her school is a place that will let them.

I would have to say that go with what feels right. You should feel comfortable walking around campus, and be able to picture yourself there. Make sure you have some idea of what you may want to do, even if you have a couple options, and make sure the school has the appropriate programs, as well as the ability to switch programs if you choose to. Also realize that more and more often, students are going to graduate school, which can be much more expensive than college. So consider financial aid and scholarships to a school where you might be able to shine, compared to the school where you'd pay full price to be part of the crowd. As you begin college, realize that you have the potential to be anything you want to be. Know your dreams, and go after them.

Visit all types of schools. Get a tour guide. Pick it like an outfit, what you want to wear around and represent. Think of the changes you want to make to your life in your decision. Pick an area close enough and far enough.

Make sure to visit the school.

Go to a school that feels right for you. If it's a great school, but their science program isn't up to par and you want to go to medical school, then maybe go to a not so well renound school that focuses more on the science then on the humanities. Also, think about if you want a well rounded education, or if you'd be happier just studying in your own area. Finally, really think about the size of your school. Do you want small for small classes? Or do you want bigger for a more diverse social life and school spirit.

College is about what "feels right" to you. Education can be amazing anywhere; there will always be dedicated, knowlegable professors and academically challenging classes at almost any college or university. However, college is your home away from home. It becomes a part of your life that you will want to remember with a smile for the rest of it. So when you visit a college, take it all in, picture yourself there living, learning, and loving it. If you can't do that, it's probably not right for you. Make sure the feeling you get when you are experiencing the college for the first time is something you want to feel for four years. That's what is most important; to have the feeling that "yes, this is where I need to be."