Wheaton College-Wheaton Top Questions

If I could go b ack to my senior year in high school, I would have told myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible. I never knew that chasing a dream would put me in so much debt. Colleges make it hard for students like me to get a degree. I've been to two different colleges and build up a debt of $19,000 and still is not close to acheiving a goal. I cry almost every night because it's necessary to have a degree to live comfortable in this world. April 8th I will be expecting my first child and I'm afraid that without the right amount of income that I won't be able to supply her the things she will need in life. Fashion is my passion no doubt, and I fight to get my degree like my life depends on it. It's hard not having enough money to help myself.

Pray before you make a decision.

Pray before you apply to 20 different schools.

Don't take yourself to seriously. Care about people, get to know them, listen to their stories. Take life seriously as necessary, but don't forget to laugh and not get yourself down for your mistakes.

"Do not confine yourself to a specific career path you think you want to pursue. Chances are your passions and interests will change as you take new classes. For example, I started as a music major and switched to environmental studies. Most colleges require lots of gen eds, use this time to figure our what your major should be. Don't take the maximum credit load, you may be able to handle it, but you won't be able to get as much out of the class. You will be more conserned with completing the assignments than learning and applying the material. Use your time in college to develope healthy life long habbits. Get in a routine; workout, get enough sleep, eat well. College is a time to develop all facets of your lifestyle not just academics. If you go to school close to home, resist the urge to go home often and get to know the people in your dorm and in your classes. If you can, get off campus every once in a while. Go downtown and do something fun to get your mind off work. Don't expect to get the same straight A's in highschool. "

Daniel, the fact that you made it into this school means that you are educated. But that won't be enough to keep you in it. You know that you have what it takes to keep up with all of the geniuses that go here. You know, the studnets that turned down Harvard, Princeton, and Yale to go to Wheaton. You know you have what it takes, so when you get to Wheaton next year, prove it. Don't become complacent, or lazy. Don't make the same mistake twice. Follow your heart. You want to major in biology because doctors get paid. That is the worst thing you could possibly do. Wealth won't bring you happiness. Focus on your writing, focus on your ability to create music, and foremost, focus on God. You know that He is the only reason you got into this school. You are smart, but your High School GPA said otherwise. God showed the selection committee of this school the potiential inside of you, masked by a subpar GPA. When you get to Wheaton next year, you need to let that potential out. You are standing on a cliff. It's time to jump.

I would tell myself to focus more on the end benefits of the college in question. During the process of applications and campus visits when I was a senior, I focused too much on where I was right now, and what would fit me as an 18 year old kid. If I could go back, I would look deeper and try to figure out where I saw myself 5 years down the road. I am convinced that I made the correct decision in attending Wheaton College. However, I went into it with reckless abandon. Assuming I could go back in time I would be more careful in my decision making, keeping my future in mind.

It is incredibly important to visit all school choices. A school may appear to be one thing on paper, yet be another thing entirely once you set foot on campus. Since this will be the student's home away from home, it should feel very comfortable. It is important to see if the student gets along well with the current students, if they like what is offered on campus, living conditions, the way in which classes are conducted, etc. It is also important to consider financial aid. While it is true that money must be spent to make money, sometimes the debt is simply not worth the education received. Find the best education for the best price. Extracurricular activities are important to consider as well. The probability of having free time outside of study time is quite high, so it is a good idea to see if the school offers any activities in which the student would enjoy participating. Balance between studies, a social life, work, and other activities is something for which to strive.

Go with your heart. Sometimes rationale misleads you. When one school offers lower costs, honors programs, or other benefits, yet you still don't feel quite as at home as you did at another, it is difficult to see why you shouldn't go there. But before you can learn you need to be comfortable where you are. Parents, advice your children, but be supportive of them whether or not they choose the school you desire them to go to. It is okay to set boundaries, but don't force your child into any one school. College is one of the first steps into independence, if the decision is made for them; you are harming them more than helping them (academically and developmentally). Once you have made your decision, fall in love with the school you are going to. There is no time for you to think about what could have been. Initially follow your heart and then invest it in where it first led you.

Finding a college is all about what is comfortable for you. Ask yourself, could I see myself spending the next four years of my life here? Academics are very important, and you should choose a school that has a good program in whatever area of study that you are interested in, but if that is the only reason you are choosing the school, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Make sure that the school is in a comfortable setting and offers extracurriculars that you are interested in taking part. Things as simple as the weather and the quality of the food are important when you spend three-quarters of your year living there. Once you choose a school, make sure that you get involved right away. Join activities that will allow you to have time relaxing away from your textbooks. Remember, you are there to study first, but don't let yourself get burned out. Get to know your professors if possible and take full advantage of any resources that may be offered. Lastly, you are only going to get as much out of the experience that you put in; don't coast through college!