University of Puget Sound Top Questions

I have two main pieces of advice... First: visit! If you have the means to do so, you must visit the campuses you're thinking about attending. You won't really know how you will feel about a school until you have experienced it. If the schools you are applying to offer an overnight stay, take it! I visited the top three schools on my list and stayed overnight at one. That one ended up being my first choice. Attend classes in a few different fields. It sounds boring, but it can give you such a good perspective on the character of a school and its students. Second: I strongly encourage students to look for a school that fits your character rather than your ambitions. Most of us, while we may think we know what we want to do (or what we want our children to do) at this time, really have no idea what's out there. Take your time and really think about what kind of people you want to be surrounded by and how much contact you want with your professors. Pick a school that will open new doors, not just show you through old ones!

I believe that in order to find the right college, a student must do quite a bit of research in order to get a better idea of if that college is right for him/her. I also think that it is important to visit the colleges that a student has applied to and decided that they may want to attend there. It will give them such a better sense of what the campus feels like rather than seeing pictures from brochures or the web. The students will also be able to better understand the kind of student body present at each college if they visit. To make the most out of the college experience I think you should get involved with some extra curricular that maybe you've never tried before. Or make some study groups with classmates. These things will help you become immersed into campus life and you'll meet some great people that may become your best friends down the road.

One of the biggest things to consider is where you'll be spending most of your next three years. Make sure its someplace you will enjoy BEING! You will begin to learn more about yourself then you thought you knew. If you cannot stand the sight of the place you live, or the company of the people there, i doesnt matter how good an education you're getting, you'll be miserable, and yes, it will effect your grades. Make sure the school has a learning philosophy that fits your own, and you'll be successful.

I would visit every campus that I apply to and try to see myself walking around that campus as a student. I would choose whichever college FEELS the best to me.

Definately visit the campus of the colleges you are interested in. This helps you experience the vibe that the college has, see the food you would be eating, etc. I would also suggest not attending a place just because your friends are all going. You will make new ones, and there is a good chance that the college won't fit your needs/wants. Participate in social groups while you're attending college, whether its a fraternity/sorority, or just a movie night, this will help you get involved with the school, and will provide friends and a support system.

The most important aspect of deciding on a college is making sure to visit. I made sure to visit my top two choices, and after visiting these schools, it allowed me to clearly make my decision. Many of my friends chose a school without visiting, and had no idea what kind of school that they were going to attend. Some of these people have been disappointed by their choice. Visiting a campus allows you to see exactly what the school looks like, allowing you to visualize yourself at the university, and decide if you are happy with that visualization. The best way to make the most of your college experience is to remember that class is only one third of your college experience. Often time?s people focus explicitly on class. And while class is important, your social activities and friends are an integral part of enjoying college. Also important is participating in extracurricular activities. By going to class, having a vibrant social life, and partaking in extracurricular activities, you will be able to maximize your college experience. If you only have one of the three, college will seem similar to high school, and college is much more fun!

Don't worry about cost when you are picking what school to apply to, financial aid is amazing and can give you opportunities you never dreamed of. When you get to school stay active, take activity classes in addition to the academic, these classes will give you a placed to relieve stress and have fun!

Reflecting back upon my college search, I realize that as a high school student, I hadn't conducted the best research on my potential home. Although I was unprepared to attend what is and will serve as my home for the next three years- the University of Puget Sound (UPS), I understood that hard work is all I need to be successful. In general, I believe that overall demographics draws a student to their selected school(s). Once there, it is the student's job to perform at their best potential to achieve success. For example, I have found that many aspects about UPS (both beneficial and not) go into my overall happiness. Just as it is in the real-world- essentially what we attend in college to prepare for, I have learned how to adapt and know to not let the negative aspects deter me from my goal of graduating. My advice to potential college-bound students and their families, on how to make the most out of their college experience- based on my own, would be to embrace every opportunity in the present, as it is the ultimate indicator of how you will perform in the future.

Do your best to find the right school, but remember, it's not an end all be all decision that will influence the rest of your life all that strongly.

Finding the right college can be a daunting task. The best advice I can give would be to pay as little attention to labels as possible. Harvard is lovely, but if it doesn't feel right that's okay. You don't have to go to Harvard. In fact, you may even be 100 times better off somewher else. I suggest taking some time to explore the campus of your choice on your own. Really get a feel for the "vibe" of the university, and take frequent stock of how you feel. Does this campus inspire you, or does it make you feel competitive and stressed? Can you see yourself sitting in the cafe chatting to those students with stacks of Russian literature around them? Chances are you'll tour enoug hcmapusses that they'll all start to look the same. What won't be the same is how each campus makes you feel. Find the school that inspires and makes you feel the most comfortable and stick with it. It may not be Harvard or Yale, but it will be the school for you. Most of all, remember to breath and have some fun. Good luck!