Sweet Briar College Top Questions

I would tell myself to be more outgoing, for most people are very kind and helpful. This advice would have helped because I am a naturally shy person and not very verbose. However, upon arriving at school I found that many of the girls were nervous too; being a college freshman and leaving home creates a little bit of stress. What I learned by coming to college is that i can come out of my "shell" and people will accept me for who I am and even if they don't, it's not important because I have made some of the best friends imaginable. So, by telling myself to be a tad more courageous when meeting people would be a good thing.

Make sure that you choose a college that is the right size and in the right location for you that ultimately affects how you are going to do academically. Also, social life and extracurricular activities are key, make sure they fit who you are.

Do not automatically exclude same sex colleges. They provide a wonderful experience and great opportunities and a unique experience that cannot be found at a coed college, and I know this because I have attended both.

Always visit the school, you have to make sure the school has the right fit and feel for you. Parents - don't pressure your kids into a certain school; they'll be more likely to be unhappy and do poorly. Picking the right school is part of the growing up process of college.

To make the most out of the college experience a parent and student should research the students interest in location, classes and education that is offered. The availibilty of jobs, how accessible the professors are, the financial situation that the college is in, so that if a student comes into the college as a freshman with a specific tutition, that the tutition will not raise due to the lack of funding for the college. The students and parents should agree on what is best for the student, and parents should be willing to allow the student to go to a college of their choice, (having boundaries of course) that will allow the student to become a productive member of society once they graduate. The student should also be allowed to express themselves in a positive manner at this college, and not feel degraded in anyway throughout the college experience.

Students need to choose what is right for them and not what they think that their parents or friends would like. Students and parents need to review all aspects of the school and visit the school several times before making the decision to attend it. Students should find the place that they would feel the most comfortable being themselves and where they can get the most out of the experience.

I don't think it's possible to find a school that is a "perfect fit" but it is important to spend an entire day and night on campus during a weeknight so you can see how your life might be like on that campus.

Listen to your instincts, and go with what feels right, regardless of what your friends from high school are doing. Once you're in college, try as many things as you can! You'll meet more people and discover what you really enjoy doing.

The most important thing in selecting a college is fit...How do you find the right fit? Go, visit, spend the night, hang out with the students, go to classes...now can you imagine yourself going there for the next 4 years? Will you be happy there? If yes, then you've got your school, if not, then keep looking. Sometimes all it takes is stepping onto the campus to know whether it's the place for you, or whether the very air there makes you sick. To find the right college isn't just about statistics, it's about the right feeling. Because how can you succeed, truly, when you're miserable?

Forgeting all other factors, including price, location, social life, and even acedemic strengths, choose the school where you feel the most comfortable. Push the idea of a perfect college out of your mind for a minute, and just look around, and forget how you might feel if you went to that school, think about how you feel at the moment. Once you start there, remember, everyone in your class is new, just like you, and whatever the state of your new school is, it's you and your classmates who will determine the atmosphere that surrounds you. Don't expect all circumstances to favor you, but either take things as they come and let them pass, or be proactive about making changes that will positively affect you and the community around you. The school where you feel most comfortable might not be particularly strong in whatever your interests are, but 1) your interests may change, and 2) don't forget that you are in control of your education, and a school that lets you design a course of study and helps you get outside internships and experiences that the school itself may not be able to offer is priceless.