University of Notre Dame Top Questions

I've heard from most people, and I also agree that, it tends to be the school that just "feels right" when you first visit the campus. A lot of prospective students seem to instinctively know what will end up working for them, whether it's a perfect match their first week attending the school or it takes some time to settle in and discover how amazing it is.

College is what you make of it. Don't be disappointed if you don't get into your first choice. Make the most of whatever school you get into. College is a new beginning, don't relive high school. Don't be afraid to choose a major that might not have a stellar future career field, do something you love. The key to college is time management. Make sure you form good study habits freshman year because they will stay with you. College is a lot of fun, but also a lot of responsibility. Parents, don't push your children into the schools that you thing that they should go to.

I loved my college. It was perfect for me in so many ways. The people I went to school with were so similar to me: they took their education extremely seriously, took their community seriously, but at the same time still wanted to enjoy life. But when senior year came around, I saw it in a different light: in a way I saw it at something that would hinder me for at least the next decade of my life. I went to a very expensive private school and majored in English and never wanted to have that high paying career. And while some say college is the best four years of your life, debt from college will affect the rest of your life. I wish I had considered the actual costs of the school and the affect it would have on the decisions I made after graduation before I had made my final decision. I had scholarships, but were they enough. I still love my school, but I continue ask myself if I made the right decision because of the financial situation I find myself in currently. Just consider how much you truly want to invest in a certain college.

My adivce would be: Dont hesitate! To make the most of your college experience, don't hesitate to do anything new; you wont regret trying something, you will only regret not trying. There are so many opportunities to meet new people, to take exciting classes, or to try a new club or sport. The only regrets I have are missing out on some of the opportunities I previously listed. So don't hesitate to put yourself out there and get the most out of your four years!

Go to a school that will challenge you intellectually, spiritually, and experiencially. I suggest not going to the school that feels like it's full of people just like you, but rather to attend a school where there are students from various geographic backgrounds, who think differently than you, but who share your same level of interest in learning. These people will be the ones who really encourage you, and challenge you towards becoming a better student and adult. Along those lines, choose a school whose faculty is similarly diverse, so that during the course of your studies, you have a chance to become intimate with various viewpoints, and may more successfully develop your own. Good luck!

Try and get a feel for the people on campus. Other students, in my opinion, will have the greatest impact on your happiness at your university.

Although choosing a college can be difficult and appear almost impossible at times, there are several colleges that will most likely fit you, as a student. College is not only a time to study, learn, and experience new levels of academia, it is also a time to really get to know yourself and understand who you are and what you are all about. Many students, including me, have learned that college is not only a time to learn and experience new intellectually driven ideas, but it is just as important to learn who you are and what you are truly about. Many people decide too early and who they are and what they want to become, but college is an excellent time to uncover new areas of your life that you did not believe applied to you. The college life helps people define themselves in ways that they may have never believd they could. Although there is a great fear that you may have chosen the wrong college, a potential student must realize that every college offers something for him or her; they may just have to search a little harder than they thought.

Be prepared to enter a new world. Have an open mind and remember that you are going to college to make the most of your education. This means friends, social life, and study, study, study. Find a mentor in a professor in your related field. It helps to have that expertise of someone wise above you in your low points. Write home, but not too often. Most of all, allow yourself to grow in many, many ways.

Pray

There is a lot to be said for picking a school that is a good fit, but in the end no school will be perfect. There will be challenges and benefits anywhere you attend, so it is important to identify the benefits you are looking for and the challenges you are ready to accept when looking at potential schools. It's also important to realize that a school won't make you; you get what you put into college. Once you start at a school, start off as strong as possible. It will help set the tone for your entire college experience and will give you an advantage over people who tend to slack off and party too much once they are away from home. An important part of this is trying to focus your attention on the short term, like the classes for the day or whatever tests you have that week. This is much more constructive than focusing and worrying about long term issues like "what kind of job will I get after school," as these thoughts won't lead to answers and can make you second guess a lot of what you are doing in the present.