University of Chicago Top Questions

I would advise the students not to put too much pressure on the school itself; a lot of effort for self-fulfillment and satisfaction have to come from the individual himself. Parents should also trust that their kids have a certain style or niche they are looking for, so if they want a certain type of school versus your preferred type (say, large, social, modern architecture) be sure that they will be fine, and will find their own group to feel comfortable in. Schools are so different, so you need to visit and see if you like the atmosphere. Sit in the quads, listen to students. Imagine yourself studying there. You life will be completely consumed by your college experience for at least four years, so make sure you really "fit" !

Know thyself. Realize your priorities, but don't think of just academics or any other single aspect, but evaluate all of them. While applying, it might seem that one is most important, but once you start studying at the university, other aspects of your choice will come up and become much more important than before. For example, quality of dorms or dorm visitor policy might not matter to you during the application process, but once attending the school, it might have a profound effect on your overall happiness and studying abilities, which will affect academic achievements on the same level as actual courses would. So do try to think about menial details and imagine what life would be like once in college. Ask current students (and MANY current students to get a decent sample size) about thier frustrations and their likings, but evaluate and weight the answers based on how much each respondent is similar to you. For instance, don't count much on party-goer's view of academics if you are a reclusive studious type and vice versa. Visit the campus and get opinion from people not affiliated with admissions office.

There is no one way to ensure that a student makes the most out of his or her college experience. You can go on as many campus tours as you like, complete as many prospective student visits, but you'll never be able to have a full grasp of the school until you actually enroll. Additionally, your experience at each school is what you make of it...you can go to a nerd school and party it up if you look for it, and you can likewise go to a state school and take challenging courses that forever change the way you think. The most important thing to remember is to keep your eyes and mind open during the process. Don't be too hasty to pick a major or a career path as soon as you finish high school. Take time to explore the different options your school provides You may find doors you never knew existed, or realize that you don't want to go down paths that you once thought you would. You are young, and the world is yours for the taking. Take advantage of it.

Don't stress it so much.

To find the right college for you or your student, the most important aspect is "feel." Do you like the general feel of the students and campus life? Do you feel comfortable on campus and in the neighborhood? Would you be happy to live in that city for four years? How comfortable you are is the largest determinant in how well you will do at a particular school - academically, socially, personally. If you generally do not like the student body or are hesitant about leaving your dorm room, it will begin affecting you more than you think, and may even start intruding on your academic success. Once you find the fit, the best way to make the most out of the experience is to do just that - experience! Don't simply take required core and major classes; take an elective on a topic in which you are intersested or were considering as a different major. Try volunteering, researching, internships, studying abroad now, because college may be one of the last times where you have the freedom to do so, and college institutions often make them so easy to participate in. Go out of your comfort zone and find yourself.

Don't worry about reputation, don't worry about how you think your life is supposed to turn out. Make the choice that you know in your heart to be right for you.

I would suggest that students spend time on the campus and talk to professors and students. I suggest that they sit in on several different classes of the academic area they are thinking of majoring in. Both of these things will give the student an idea of their workload and what professors expect of them. They will also know what other students feel is expected of themselves. The purpose of college is to learn more about a specific field in preperation for a job. I feel that if a student is not also enjoying the process of learning because they have too heavy of a workload or they don't feel comfortable sharing their ideas in a class, then there is no point to college. Students should pick a place where they will want to go to class and they will want to learn more outside of class. There are always extra curriculars that a student can find to improve themselves as a well rounded person, but if the basis of college, the learning portion, is not fullfilling then the student will not do well or have an enjoyable college experience.

Students are the lifeblood of any college. The best way to learn about any college is to understand its students; try to arrange an overnight stay, visit classes, and ask as many questions as possible of the students you meet. Try to imagine seeing yourself with these people as your classmates and friends -- although a college visit is short, see if you can determine whether these people reflect the person you'd want to be in four years. Would you be proud to be one of them? Your first day at college is something like kindergarten all over again -- it's an entirely fresh start. Take advantage of it -- talk to the people sitting next to you in class, sign up for choir, join a pottery circle, start a journal club. You have four years to craft the individual who will set the tone for the rest of your life -- and the best time to start is right now.

Always visit your college campus- I didn't even consider going to the University of Chicago as an option when I was looking at colleges. My mom convinced me to take a look while I was visiting schools in the area, and it turned out that I hated the other schools I thought I wanted to apply to, but when I stepped onto the Univeristy campus, I knew that it was the college for me. You can't ever know how much you will like or dislike a school until you are actually there and can experience it for yourself- I was surprised by this school, and it became my top choice! Once you are at college, make the most of the opportunities offered to you. Anyone can go through college sitting in thier dorm rooms. That experience will be the same at and school. Once you get into a school, it's up to you to take advantage of all the wonderful things that the college has to offer!

Try to get the names of the major contacts for deadlines for registration and payments as soon as possible. Parents and students will need to do follow-up on paperwork submitted. Often times the school will not acknowledge that they have not received the paperwork. You will often times find out in the form of nothing showing on registration, late fees with no details. Red tape is constantly a major issue. Pick a school that gives the degree you are looking for but couple it with the right size of student population and geographical area. Always have two or maybe even three schools picked out that are comparable in size and costs as options in the event something hasn't gone right with the first choice.