Massachusetts Institute of Technology Top Questions

To students and parents looking for the right college, my advice is to find the perfect fit. Look at what your talents and goals are and choose the school that can enhance and develop these even more. When choosing a school, choose one that will change you and test your true capabilities, because this is the only way you will learn about yourself and about others. You will find many colleges that sound appealing, but don't be afraid to step into a challenging and inspiring environment. I did just that, and I could not be more grateful for MIT for providing me with so many opportunities. My classes were difficult and this challenge helped me to grow as a student and a person. I made goals and tried my hardest to achieve every aspiration. I have travelled the world to Zambia, India, and Nicaragua. Choose the school that fits you best and the world is open to every opportunity!

You should visit. Visit because only when you, yourself, with your own eyes and feet and ears, walk the halls and talk to the students-- please, for crying out loud talk to the students-- will you know if this is right for you. Come stay with a current student. Hang out with his friends, eat at his kitchen table, explore with him. Of course I can speak only for MIT. Here's the deal: I've been here for more than a year now and I know that it's not for everyone. The institvte can be cold, bleak, overwhelming like nothing else -- while I did my research and steeled myself for a demanding education, I did not anticipate the magnitude of the frustration students can feel here. But I chose the right place. I am happy here, and not because I am a masochist. I am happy because when I visited I could feel that this place, these people, are alive with an energy that is hard to put into words... I am surrounded by the greatest family away from home imaginable, made of unbelievably smart, fascinating, wonderful people. Together we can truly make it through anything. Please: visit.

For Students: -Do your homework on potential colleges. Look at their websites, aggregator sites that review colleges based on your interests, ask teachers or guidance counselors for advice. -Visit schools that you find interesting, and ask questions! Try to engage with actual students on campus, to get a better feel for how life is like on campus. If a campus has an overnight visit program, do it! -Work on your applications early, and take your time on your essays. Try to be yourself! Schools want to know who you are as an individual, to best decide if you will be a good fit at the school. For Parents: -Let your son or daughter decide on their possible college choices! By all means, provide your wisdom and insight to aid in their assembling of a list, but do not try to force any choice on your child. -Help your son or daughter by taking them to visit schools. There is no better way to decide on whether or not a school is a good fit for your child than visiting the campus. While your child talks to students, check in with the financial aid office and admissions! Good luck!

To students: follow your gut instinct and do not let others tell you where to go. It is your life and only you know where you will be happy.

Go to the college that is the best fit.

The most important part of the college application process is knowing what you want. The first step is to choose 3 or 4 possible majors that you would definitely be interested in. After that, go online and find out which colleges are the top in the country for each of those majors. Based on the results, apply to those colleges. If they are difficult colleges to get into, make sure you have a few safety schools (which, you would be surprised to find, can sometimes also be the leaders in the fields you want). If you don't get into your first choice, don't worry. Try not to apply to more than 6 or 7 schools. Keep your list small, and make as great an impact on the essays as possible. These colleges look for more than just grades. They want character too.

College is college, wherever you go. I've taken classes at a small community college during high school and had the same great experience there as I've had more recently here at MIT. Here are a few things to keep in mind: (1) Meet the people at the college: students, faculty, administration, dorm housemasters --they will all have a huge effect on your happiness. (don't worry about bring high school friends with you, for the most part, they can be replaced) (2) Choose a location that offers more than bars and a mall off-campus because you're going to want to get out every now and then, but travelling, as you will see, is a hassle. (3) Girls (and boys), the less stuff you have, the better--I fell into the "stuff trap," it's just distracting you from what's outside your room, you know, in that big world out there!? (4) Once there, try out a whole bunch of new activities and befriend new kinds of people, and then don't forget to take time for yourself, to just be in your head. this is called "finding yoursef" and it is the epitomy of college.

I would tell parents not to put pressure on their children and to support them fully while also doing research to help them out and feel more secure about making a decision because this decision is one of the biggest change in their life. I would tell students to make the most out of college experiences by trying to do everything they enjoy and believe will help their career. I would tell them to talk to upperclassmen to understand the college culture, especially specific to the college they are attending. I would tell them to plan out what they want to do and their classes to ensure they will graduate and to see the possibilities of what they can grdauate with. I would suggest joining clubs and sports, especially sports if they are athletic. This is a great network and definitely helps academically by taking a break from all the academics. I would also tell them to figure out how to balance their social and academic life and not to focus too much on one. There is so much that a college can offer and it's important to talk to people and embrace it all.

In terms of finding the right college, try and spend a night at the colleges you are interested, to try and get a feeling for the campus life, because the main events for the public, like preview weekends and orientation are not an accurate portrayal of the campus generally. To make the most of your college experience participate in everything you want to, like clubs, IM sports, varisty teams, fraternities/sororities, etc.

Summary in 7 words: Don't be afraid of those around you. This can apply to all sorts of situations. If you are heading off to a top teir, high acheiving school, remember, the other students there are real people, they aren't perfect, just as you aren't perfect. If you are just heading off to the local state school, you will meet all kinds and sorts of people you never imaginied existed outside of the movies, get to know them! You can learn alot. And if that particular person is just too intimidating, flash a smile, it might be the perfect first step to a friendship....