Aurora University Top Questions

I think the biggest thing would be to start preparing earlier in your college choice and to make visits, spend time talking to professors and faculty as well as students to help you see if the college is goin to be a good fit for the degree you are wanting to achieve.

I would have a talk with myself and tell myself that is "OK" to be different and actually it's an "asset" to think "outside the box" to reach my highest potential in life. I'd embrace what my mother has always tried to instill in me growing up and that idea is to be a leader and not a follower and to reach out to that kid sitting alone at the lunch table, or to initiate conversation with the kid who sits by himself, or to ask a fellow student who may have some type of disability to become engaged in a classroom project. I'd frequently remind myself that students with disabilities learn from those that are not; but also the able-bodied have a learning opportunity as well in an inclusive environment. I'd remind myself that earning an education is a privilege; one that is obtained thru a lot of hard work and determination. I'd tell myself that obtaining my nursing degree will mean working in AND outside the classroom! Having a job as my school schedule permits will help defray tuition! Also remind myself to relax and enjoy and have fun!

Don't change a thing. You'll figure it all out eventually. Enjoy yourself.

If I had to go back to my senior-self in high school, I would tell myself to apply yourself more at school. Meaning, take part in more extra-curricular activies, be involved, and study more. College is more fast-paced and if you don't pay attention, it will just fly by without you realizing it. There are so many more diverse people, so you will make many friends and have time for a social life. College is not just about finding a career path; it is also about finding yourself. So don't stress out! Remember to have fun and concentrate on your goals in life; both of which will make your college experience fantabulous and memorable.

Let the school pick your first roommate do not pick yourself.

If I could go back in time and tell myself about what college was going to be like, I would tell myself to stand up for who I am and what I believe in. There are so many different people in college, that most will accept you for who you are. In high school, students care to much about being popular and staying current with trends and fashions, while in college, students care more about grades and looking to the future. Therefore, whether I wear the lastest fashions or not, does not matter, what matters is that I stay true to who I am and work hard at my grades so my future will be bright.

High-school Cassie: I spent four years at Elgin Community College before transferring to Aurora University to complete my bachelor's degree. I loved all of the classes I took at ECC, and didn't really want to leave if not for the fact that I had so many credits racked up for the wide variety of classes I took. I love my classes at Aurora University as well, and am torn between wishing I had gone there right away and knowing how much I enjoyed and valued my experiences at ECC. Community college definitely helped me transition from high school life to college life, so I stand by my decision to go there first. This in mind, I advise you to take all the random elective classes you want, because all of those art classes you took at North meant nothing at ECC, I had to retake them anyways. So go ahead and take Autos, Woodshop, Home Ec, all of those classes Mom told you wouldn't be useful. Have fun with your high-school choices, because college is a brand new world where you can start over with new dreams and new plans. It's never too late.

When picking the right college it is important to determine what interests you as a student as well as what type of setting makes one feel most comfortable. In deciding on a college size, faculty, extracurricular activities, finances, and academics are all factors. What is most important is choosing a college that fits one's personal needs. Whether a student prefers a large campus compared to a smaller campus or a school known for a certain program versus a school no one has ever heard of. Pick a school that reflects you as a student and an individual. To make the most of the experience at college get involved around campus. Some say to do that one has to live in the dorms. That may make things easier but that also may not be right for every student. A student can be as involved as they choose to be, no matter their address. While college is about academics, enjoy making new friends and finally learning about subjects that interest you.

The best advice I think I could give an individual when it comes to finding the right college for them, it would be to take your time. Finding the right school for you could ultimately be one of the biggest decisions of your life, so why rush? When looking for a college make sure you take the time out to apply to, and visit many different schools. If you are not sure where you want to attened, take a visit to a few big schools and a few small schools . Do not feel like you have to take the first school that excepts you, never settle for something you are not sure of becuase you may regret it in the long run. The ideal goal I think, when looking for a college would be to find one that you can stay at for your whole college experience. Who wants to deal with having to switch schools? It is a lot of hasstle to go through. Once you find a college you are happy with, you can make the most of it by making sure you get involved and play a role in your school, it gives a sense of pride.

The most important thing about the college experience is the coursework and the degree. Make sure you find a school that has a strong, challenging, yet supportive program and major that matches your own academic interests. If you are committing four years to a college degree, you have to be happy with the program--no other perks or amenities will make the college experience enjoyable if you hate your courses and degree program. With that in mind, be sure to research the degree requirements and faculty. Send emails to faculty and current students when first researching potential schools. If the students and faculty are eager to respond to your inquiries, you can be confident that they will be just as supportive and responsive when you are a full time student. Then enthusiasm of students and staff will say a lot about the school. The ideal would be a large faculty with a school that emphasizes teaching rather than faculty reasearch. Look for faculty with relevant research pursuits, and see if they are willing to help advise undergraduate research projects. You want to find a place where you can learn as much as possible from many different experts in the field.

To be honest, I think the right college for anyone is the cheapest one. No one really wants to spend over $100,000 for school anymore, because jobs are never certain afterward. People are coming out of college with loans to the sky that they cannot pay off. So my advice is to shop around and try to find the best price. College is just like any other business in which tuition could be negotiated. If people were to start negotiating prices, like they would a car, I think tuition would come down a lot and be more affordable for people.

When choosing the right college for you, size matters. The size of a campus is a very imporant part of your decision making process. Some students are better suited for large schools then small ones or vice versa. For me a smaller campus was the ideal choice . The second thing to consider when choosing a school is the population of a school . You'll want to find a school where you'll feel comfortable with the race or ethnicity of the people around you as well as find students with similar beliefs and values to the ones that you have. A good college is like your second home, when you've found the right fit you'll be ready for school to be over at the end of the year but your heart will not want to leave. Once you get to college you'll need to find a good balance of work and fun. Join In! Join clubs and organizations and meet people with similar interests. The goal of college is to find yourself to shape who you are. The last piece of advice I can give you is to study. Study hard because thats what your there for.

Time management skills are essential

If possible, the student should try to figure out what he or she wants to major in school. This is very important because if he or she is decided then the next step is what schools offer the best program for that major. Parents and students also have to look at if the student is going to live at home or on campus. Parents have to ask themselves: Do we want him or her to move away to another state? Can we afford it? I highly believe that if a student goes to a college/university with a decided major, he or she will be able to finish his career on time because he or she will know what courses to take and how long it will take to get there. Joining extracurricular activities will help you socialize more and interact with others. I joined a club where we teach K-5th graders Spanish and it is such a rewarding experience. Basically parents and students have to look at: a major, a school, financial aid and housing options. Aurora University, for example offers an entrance scholarship for all incoming freshment, it is very helpful!

It is an awesome campus and has wonderful faculty

To the students go on visits and find the right college the feels best to you. Parents let your student go on as many college visits as possible

Look for a college that will make the student most comfortable. Make sure their are lots of activities the student enjoys doing on campus and near campus. Find out what is in the area and whether it is easy accesible by car or bus or walking depending on the situtation. Be sure the school offers everything academically that is needed to ensure the student does he or her best. As for the student, to make the most of college experience be willing to try new things and be very sociable. Take up opportunities to hang out with new people. This is college; have fun, don't be afraid, mistakes will happen but it is time to try new things and discover the person you want to be. Enjoy the experience!

If I were to give advice to students about finding the right school for them, I would tell them to find a school that they are passinate about going to. Students should choose a school that they want to go to, not because their parents want them to. Find a school that they might find enjoyable and apply for it. Do not be afaird to take chances. In order to make the most of the college experience, I think it is important to become involved in the college community. Join any club, sport, or organization that may seem interestring to you. Students should also strive to be open-minded and be friendly. Obviously, studying is very important, but remember to have some fun, laugh, and make friends. College is about growing mentally and socially.

Take time and research the schools of your choice and then talk about it as a family. And to just always keep the lines of communication open!

Find a college where you will actually learn. Make sure that class sizes are small and teachers have a professional background.

I would consider your future goals, the cost, the distance, the size, and the location of the school. All of these things play a big part in how you will do at your university.

I advise students to make college visits. Durring those trips ask as many questions as possible. Additionally, they should try to imagine spending the next four years at that institution. Most importantly, the school and the program of interest should entice the individual and make them feel excited and ready for college.

Visit small schools and big schools to see what you feel comfortable with. Don't rule out a private school just because you think it will be too expensive--many private schools are able to offer a lot more financial aid because they have less students. When you find the school that is right for you, you will just know. Follow your instict and think about where you can really see yourself fitting in. When you begin your first year, join as many organizations and get as involved as you can. That is the best way to meet people and not only will you make friends, but you will form connections that can help you network when you need to get into a special program or even for when your looking for a job after graduation. Take your work seriously, but still remember to take time out for you and enjoy yourself.

I was told that with hard work and determination, goals could be achieved. Throughout high school, I participated in nearly everything my school offered, while managing to succeed academically. While applying for college, I was certain I would have a school in no time. However, my mailbox was asphyxiated with rejection letters. In the following months, I reviewed schools that had accepted me. Unfortunately, I couldn?t afford them without incurring incalculable debt. With future goals, I turned down the offers. I altered my priorities and applied to a university with a reasonable tuition and focus on helping me achieve. I accepted their offer. What hindered this decision earlier? I was convinced of the grandeur of attending well-known schools, with well-known prices, blinded by the stadium lights of Division I ?s, and driven by the reputations of Ivy?s. I should?ve focused on universities that fulfilled my needs. Personalized care mattered. I reconsidered what ?good? schools meant. They are dedicated to making dreams attainable realities by providing opportunities to achieve and grow. Also, students should get involved, not only providing social networks, but teaching leadership and teamwork skills that will be beneficial throughout a lifetime.

The first advice I would give parents aboutt choosing the right college would be to start looking at schools before the student senior year. The student needs to figure out what he or she would like to study. Then you will also need to look at the prices of the schools that have what your child would like to study. Also take in consideration the class sizes and the locations of the schools. Frequent several open houses so that you can differentiate the schools and the last step will be to decide what school you will be attending. In order for any student to make the most of their college experience is based upon time management. If a student does not know how to manage their time , they will not know how to make the best of their college life. In college you must go to class, study and manage a social life. Balancing all of these things is a tough task but when you have good time managing skills then everything will fall into place.

The advice that I would give parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience is to help your son or daughter start searching for colleges early, while he or she is in highschool. I would start with helping them search when they are a freshman in highschool. This will get the student thinking about what they want to major in college early and give them enough time to search for colleges who offer their major, what gpa they need to be accepted, what extra curricular activities they offer, such as band, cheerleading, church services, and what size they are comfortable with. Once they choose a college that best fits their criteria, they need to apply, visit the college, and take a tour. This is very important to do since they will get to see the whole picture of the college and if they really want to go there still. Once the student makes a final decision, they need fill out the FAFSA form asap. This was extremly important at Aurora University and helped me out tremendously with financial aid. Students should also find scholarships to help pay for their education.

What is the right college? Where do I feel safe? What kind of education do I want. These are very important questions that need to be asked by parents and students when looking for a college. The first question what is the right college? This means what majors is the student looking into. Not every college has all the majors desirable. The parents need to ask this question because they need to find a college that will be financially stable for their budgets. The student and the parents need to make sure they are as well looking into several scholarships and financial aid. They need to meet with the financial aid counselors and see what aid is avaliable to their student. Where do I feel safe needs to be asked as well because it is very important that the student feels safe on campus and that their parents feel they are safe. What kind of education do I want, needs to be asked because the student needs to find out class sizes and the kind of teaching styles at the college. College is a honor to attend each student should make sure their college experience is a good experience.

I would make sure that you visit campus, its the only way you can get a feel for the school. Also if possible stay the night with a current student, you may be able to shadow them to classes and see if the school is right for you. Don't just go to a school because a friend, parent or sibling went there, college is a stepping stone to the rest of your life, make it what you want it to be. Also, when you finally get to school, join either general interest clubs or those that are catered around your major. Also, don't get discouraged if you changef your mind and decide the major you chose isn't for you. People change and changing your mind is normal. Another piece of advice: don't leave papers or projects to the night before, it never turns out well. Also, having a social life doesn't always mean that you have to go out and party, and its ok to say, " No, thanks I have homework." And the most important thing: Have fun, and make college what you want it to be, that way theres not regrets!

There are many factors that one must consider when choosing to attend a college or university. You have to consider the size of the school. Do you want to attend a large University where you can always meet new people and make new friends, but don?t have great relationships with faculty and advisors? Or would you rather attend a small college where there aren?t as many students to make friends with, but classroom sizes are small and teacher student relationships are great? Another factor to consider is distance. Do you want travel far or stay near home? If you attend a school that is hours away, it is hard to visit friends and family at home. If you stay near home, you can easily still have a life at home, but have the opportunity to make a life at school too. Once you have narrowed your search down according to size and distance, it is then important to consider curriculum. If you know what you want to do with your life professionally, then you should consider the specific programs in different schools. During school, make as many friends as you can, and attend as many events as possible.

i would suggest that you find a school that is willing to work with you in helping you decide your future plans. i would also suggest finding a school that you can see yourself at and feel comfortable with. and do not worry about the cost of tuition, that should not be a factor.

My advice would be to know your priorities and your interests. Figure out whether you would like a large or small school, how involved you will want to be, or whether you want to live at home or dorm. My personal advice is participate in a travel study program because it is very fun and interesting to learn in another country and you get to see so many perspectives. Don't base your judgements on the most popular school in the country's eyes, but your eyes. Figure out what programs and school atmosphere fits for you and start researching about schools early to make a good decision.

Visit many colleges before you make a decision on which school you will attend. Also take into consideration the financial debt you will be in after you graduate. Remember that there are community colleges that are very low cost.

Do what you can to be involved in your school. Have fun while still putting most focus on your schoolwork. Do not procrastinate!

I work as a telecounselor in the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid and I love it! I call prospective students/parents to help them visualize if Aurora University is the right fit for them. I also help to answer any questions about college in general because I know it can be a stressful and difficult process. My job is to be honest and this is my philosophy on selecting the right college and any additional advice I may have. College is literally the best years of your life and it's not cheap. I tell prospective students to look around, even places you've never even heard of. You should visit each campus and ask many questions. Visualize youself. Ask yourself, "Could I see myself in a lecture hall or small classroom? Could I see myself living here and having fun with my new friends?" The more places you visit and research, the more you will understand what is important to YOU in a colllege. No one should make these decisions for you or influence you. It is your life, your education, your future. Once your're at your school do not be afraid to try new things!

Decide the basics first such as how big you want the school to be, how far away from home you want to be and how much money you are able to invest in your education. There are great schools available at any price range. Then get more detailed. Look at what you want to major in or if you do not know, just have a general idea so you can find a school that will be able to give you an option one way or the other. I think visiting the schools is the most important because then you get the feel of what it is like to be on campus. This is the deciding point for a lot of people. Talk to some counselors and a teacher of a class you would have to take. Ask them general questions like how many students do you help one-on-one every semester or what do you think is your teaching style. Ask them what they think is a good career to pursue after you get the degree you are going for. This will help you get to know the personal opinions of the teacher. Mostly make sure you are comfortable.

I would tell anyone to check out the college during the school year/ season of a sport to see how the college kind of runs during the year. Seeing students "in action" gives someone a better idea of what it is going to be like. Also talk to students and get their opinion and advice about the school. They will tell you the good and bad so you know before coming here.

Go for a college visit but if you know someone there let you student stay a couple of days with that person. It will help them see what the campus is really like. Find scholorships early because they help where ever you decide to go.

In order to choose the right college, the student must first want to attend an institution of high learning. Next the student has to find a subject that interst them, if not, its fine to go in undecided. Set up college visits at both small and large campuses; you want to get a feel of the campus (try doing this the start of your jr yr of HS). Ask students what they think of the campus (ask for their reasoning). Inquire about financial aid if you are leaning toward a college; this way you can compare college costs. Don't be afraid to call/email colleges and ask for information on activites/programs that interest you. (**Parents- don't pressure your student to make a choice right away...they can choose as late the 4th quarter of their sr yr). Student after you've taken the above info into consideration, make the best decision possible (**One you can benifit from socially but over all academically) it will be the first of many grown-up decisions. When attending college get involved; meet/talk to new ppl, to professors/staff. Don't Panic...DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP!!!

Find out what type of school you really want to go to, and what you're interested in. People change their majors / minors all the time while they're in college (I did so myself), so it's not a big deal if that happens to you. Find a school that suits your needs and interests - don't choose a school to go to just because "your best friend goes there" or "you really like how big the dorms are". Check out the majors / minors list, the activities that are available, and check out the campus. Talk to some professors and or coaches (if you plan on doing a sport) and try to figure out as much information as possible. Sure you could always transfer to a different school if you don't like the one you are going to, but that's usually a hassle and if you find out as much stuff as you need, you could avoid doing that at all costs. I'd say the most important thing is to really enjoy the school you'll be going to - after all, you'll be there for 4 years! Try to make the best of it. :-)

Parents as well as their students attending college should go to career day at the junior colleges. You should talk to the people there and they will best advise you on who to talk to and where to go at their University. Look for a college that offers alot of job placement. Look at the college and see where it is ranked in the state for the career you are trying to achieve. Take a walk through the school and see if you like it. Peek into the office of the advisor for your field. Talk to them a while and see if they are offering the help that you think you need. You will know if the college is right for you if all your questions are answered in a particular way. If you a commuter , do you think this is the right college for you, is there enough parking? The most important thing is what are you going to get out of the experience and is it worth it to you .

Visit!! You must visit the colleges or universities that you apply for. When you visit you can get a feel for what kind or environment that the school is. Also if you really want to know what it is like, ask if they have a program where you can stay overnight with a student to get an even deeper experience and really learn more about the school. Also, get involved on campus, whether it is an on-campus job, club, or sports, you want to make the most of you experience and this also allows you meet a lot of people and make life long friends!