Contemplating colleges? Or don’t even know where to start? You are not alone! Many kids across the country are dealing with the same thing.

Going to open houses and visiting the college is very important, to get a sense and feel of the college and its environment. When asked the question “What is one thing that students should really look for in a college?” 5 out of 5 of the students of Manhattan College agreed that school size is very important. “On average a third of Students will transfer colleges before graduating, Abby Welte a student at Manhattan College says Welte says “When you look for a college really look for a college with a comfortable atmosphere, for me I love Manhattan College and the atmosphere here. I love going out and taking a train over to watch a show or just adventure in the city. Once you really find that atmosphere that you love and feel comfortable then it just makes your whole college experience that much more enjoyable.” Welte also adds that its ok not to know exactly want you want or what you are going to do later in the future Welte adds that she changed her major and was happy she did and not to rush into anything.

According to studies more than 28% of students said that they are frequently felt overwhelmed by all they had to do. Meggy Ryan a junior at Manhattan College says “ If I was to give one piece of advice to an incoming freshman it would be to keep your options very open. Really expand your horizon and really look into what you want. Once you find your comfort zone and what you are interesting in everything will start to fall into place.”

A common mistake made by hundreds of high school seniors is that they get so wrapped up in preparing and looking for colleges that they forget about their current obligations; seniors tend to also get restless, but many universities look at your second semester grades, so keep that GPA up! Balancing an academic schedule, extracurricular, activities and athletics, and perhaps a job on top of social life can be very demanding and stressful. When you have some time free maybe go to some open houses and do some research on some colleges that you are considering. Good luck!