Wheaton College-Norton Top Questions

It's always to have an open mind and never rule anything out, especially early on in the process. What you might want in a school may change significantly. This is normal as we're only human and as such, were very prone to indecisiveness. Appearances may be deceiving, especially as portrayed in those college books. You should not base your opinion on what someone else say's but how you feel and what you're impressions are, regardless of the school's perceived prestige such as with the Ivy League schools. Although this seems like a daunting process, it doesn't have to be. You can look for help with guidance counselors, friends, family or coaches. Also, beware of those websites that rate a school based on quality of dorm rooms, food etc. College is going to be what you make of it. During your freshman year you don't have to try and do everything. Try and find a few things that meet your interest, while balancing your academics of course! But college is supposed to be the best four years of your life so have fun!

Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions of everyone, the people on campus know about campus life the best. I strongly advise visiting the campus and doing an overnight if at all possible. While on campus keep in mind that not every day will be like it is when you visit. There may be seasonal changes, hard work days, school vacations, or celebrations. Campuses vary from moment to moment and you are only catching one glimpse of it. Also, stick to your gut, if a place feels right go there, don't put too much pressure on how prestigious the school is.

Students, and parents, should really, during the college search, consider schools that are not only a good academic fit, but a good fit physically. Try to determine the kind of place that as a student, and a person you will feel happy and a part of. If you really like knowing where your campus is, a big city school all spread out probably isn't for you. Or if a vibrant city scene is where you find yourself most weekends a little school cut-off from the city won't make you happy, no matter how good the acedemics and reputation is. College is definitely about preparing for your future, and learning the possibilites that exist, but you're not going to find those possibilities or oppourtunities if you're stuck in your dorm room feeling misirable, or driving back home every weekend. Find a place where you can be happy.

Talk to current students and look beyond the college rankings.

Who are you now? Who will you be several years from now? For a prospective student, the answers to either of these two questions may not be easy to answer, or even possible to answer. Despite the fact that determining academic or career paths isn't a task that can be accomplished in a quick meeting, it is important when looking at a school to remember that the place you choose to attend can have a great impact on the answers to both questions by the time you graduate. You of course will have great influence on what you choose to do while you are a student, but the environment of any college will in turn influence these very decisions.

Pay attention to the type of academics because that is the main purpose for going to college. You should know what will distract you or have you lost in a crowd, so find schools that fit what you need to succeed.

Go and visit.

College is both a social and academic process. If you are choosing to attend a 4 year college or university, your time spent there is going to be about making friends, growing up, and finding out what interests you. Though you may not know what you want to get out of college while on the big search, make sure that there are options available for possible future interests. Check out the curriculum and choose one that interests and makes sense to you--it is afterall the main reason you're going. Find out about campus clubs that are available and about options for socializing on campus. For me, the location was also key in my decision, and be sure to look past the boring town your ideal college might be in-- a boring town near a booming city can be an ideal situation. When in college, be proactive: meet people, join clubs, take a class you never thought you'd be interested in, and spend time with friends. You won't be able to do everything, but take advantage of the opportunies available to you while you're there and be sure to balance work and play.

I would say that Wheaton offers a lot if you look close enough.

The difficulty with today's current college application process is that there are far more students applying then there has ever been in the past. What does this mean? Now students need not only to worry about finding the appropriate college, but also successfully selling themselves to that college. Therefore, apply to a range of schools that are categorized as "reach," "likely," and "saftey" schools for you. This will not only help you get accepted, but also broaden your scope beyond the Ivy leaguers. Whether the school is considered to be one of the best in the nation, or not, it doesn't matter. What is important to remember, is that college is simply what you make of it. Get involved, especially your first year. Become an active member of at least one club or sport and form at least one personal relationship with a professor in your first year. To make this easier to accomplish, look for scools that have engaging professors and students, people who feel connected to their campus. Often times, commuter schools lack this element as well as extremely large universities. A big fish in a small pond is more noticable to employers than the reverse.