1. How important do you consider rankings while evaluating schools? How have your perceptions changed about this now?
VB: While initially selecting colleges, I did look at rankings, and that's how I decided on applying to most of them. Even while looking at rankings, a lot of the factors were considered and put into ranks such as locations, faculty, weather, proximity to nearest city, etc.
Even now, after having been there for a year, I feel rankings do play an important role, but not so much as I used to think. Even low ranked colleges do have most of the facilities that big names have to offer, but the only difference is in that of the people who make the most out of college.
2. Did the geographic location (NE, Mid West, West , South) and setting (urban, rural, suburban, college town) of your college impact your overall assessment of your college experience? Did you think about this when applying? How did your perception change with time?
VB: For me personally, I would have preferred to stay in a place that was not too cold, and that was again a major factor while I was applying to colleges. Having a suburban/ urban setting was my first choice in terms of college location to be better connected to everything around.
3. Did you consider size (student population) as an important criteria while choosing schools? What do you think is a size that is ideal for you? Why?
VB: Class size was not such a big factor for me, but having been in both a proper classroom class and a lecture class, I would prefer having a smaller classroom for classes just so its better to understand concepts with fewer people around and fewer distractions.
4. What was the average class size of your intro classes? Were you satisfied with this? In what way did this change your perception of your academic experience? What would you do differently?
VB: As I said, I had both lecture style classes as well as normal smaller classes, in which I preferred to attend the smaller classes just so more attention is paid to the student and the class can move at its own pace. Even next semester I have taken classes that are smaller in size and are dynamic.
5. What is your current major interest? Did this change over time? Explain if it did? Do you think that the courses you took to fulfil general education requirements were good? What would you change about the choices you made?
VB: My current major is Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship and I had always wanted it to be that. I have already spoken to my professors who will be taking these classes and they have all agreed to accept me into the program as and when the time comes for me to take the classes. Some of the classes I took to fulfill the general education requirements were good while some were of no use to me.
6. Was the ratio of international students/total population an important criteria in your selection of schools? Did you feel trapped in any sort of bubble or clique? Did your perceptions about diversity change while you were in college?
VB: My college boasts of one of the highest percentages of international students and I truly think that the diversity level in my college is high as I constantly meet people from different backgrounds and places.
VB: While initially selecting colleges, I did look at rankings, and that's how I decided on applying to most of them. Even while looking at rankings, a lot of the factors were considered and put into ranks such as locations, faculty, weather, proximity to nearest city, etc.
Even now, after having been there for a year, I feel rankings do play an important role, but not so much as I used to think. Even low ranked colleges do have most of the facilities that big names have to offer, but the only difference is in that of the people who make the most out of college.
2. Did the geographic location (NE, Mid West, West , South) and setting (urban, rural, suburban, college town) of your college impact your overall assessment of your college experience? Did you think about this when applying? How did your perception change with time?
VB: For me personally, I would have preferred to stay in a place that was not too cold, and that was again a major factor while I was applying to colleges. Having a suburban/ urban setting was my first choice in terms of college location to be better connected to everything around.
3. Did you consider size (student population) as an important criteria while choosing schools? What do you think is a size that is ideal for you? Why?
VB: Class size was not such a big factor for me, but having been in both a proper classroom class and a lecture class, I would prefer having a smaller classroom for classes just so its better to understand concepts with fewer people around and fewer distractions.
4. What was the average class size of your intro classes? Were you satisfied with this? In what way did this change your perception of your academic experience? What would you do differently?
VB: As I said, I had both lecture style classes as well as normal smaller classes, in which I preferred to attend the smaller classes just so more attention is paid to the student and the class can move at its own pace. Even next semester I have taken classes that are smaller in size and are dynamic.
5. What is your current major interest? Did this change over time? Explain if it did? Do you think that the courses you took to fulfil general education requirements were good? What would you change about the choices you made?
VB: My current major is Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship and I had always wanted it to be that. I have already spoken to my professors who will be taking these classes and they have all agreed to accept me into the program as and when the time comes for me to take the classes. Some of the classes I took to fulfill the general education requirements were good while some were of no use to me.
6. Was the ratio of international students/total population an important criteria in your selection of schools? Did you feel trapped in any sort of bubble or clique? Did your perceptions about diversity change while you were in college?
VB: My college boasts of one of the highest percentages of international students and I truly think that the diversity level in my college is high as I constantly meet people from different backgrounds and places.