Ball State University Top Questions

I wish I would have known at the beginning how important it is to stay on top of things and to continue to explore possible career paths. I had no idea how fast the four years would go by, so the last two years were terribly hectic for me. Coming into college knowing the importance of exploration and flexibility with plans would have alleviated much stress during my last two years.

I wish that I would hve known the layout of the campus more before classes started. It's a very large campus and, although the buildings all have signs, it is very easy to become lost. It's also very difficult to figure out the shortest/quickest way to classes from your dorm. Since it is summer, finding a quick way to class is a necessity so that you don't overheat.

I wish I had known how expensive everything would have been to actually attend the university.

Where all the classes are located and how the buses work

The area surrounding campus is not somewhere you want to be. Stay away from the townies.

I wish I had known how hard jobs are to come by--especially for Junior/Senior transfer students--both on and off campus.

I wish I had known how to manage stress better, instead of just holding it in until it caused me to break down.

The (actual) cost of attendance.

I wish I would have known that importance of actually applying for scholarships, instead of ignoring my parents when the encouraged me to fill them out.

I wish someone had stressed how unlike high school living on a campus is. I wish they'd pointed out all the great campus opportunities, like going to listen to speakers and joining clubs and getting to know the people in your residence hall. I think I would have had much more fun.

I wish someone would have told me to sign my housing contract sooner. I applied for Ball State in December, and I didn't sign my housing contract until about May. The time that I signed that contract (much later than most people) now determines my parking on campus and which residence hall I live in. Other people who signed their housing contracts before me get first choice on where they are going to live and it also gives them better parking spaces. Advice to the incoming freshmen: sign the housing contract as soon as possible. It won't put you in any better location or give you a better parking space during your freshman year, but it will really help in the long run!

I wish that somebody had told me to use my lanyard that they give me!!! For the longest time I didn't use it because I didn't want to look like a "typical college freshman," but in reality, everyone uses them!!! The lanyards that you will get will have whatever hall you are living in on the actual lanyard, and you get put your ID and your key on there. This is the SAFEST way to keep all of your stuff together!!! Everyone carries them around, and I actually got picked on for not having my stuff on one! (Not made fun of in a bad way, just people saying, "You wouldn't of lost your key if you would've just used the lanyard that they gave to you at the beginning of the year!"

I wish I had known more about the student activities, and what to expect in my lecture classes.

More people attending that school.

Before coming to Ball State, I wish I had known the importance of high school. To many kids, myself included, high school just seemed like a stepping-stone towards college. I have come to realize how easy it is to get behind in my area of interest just because I did not take advantage of opportunities in high school that would help me towards my major. If I had put fourth more effort in high school, I would not be lacking as much knowledge in my area.

I wish I would have know about the plethora of scholarships available. I would have applied earlier for them.

I wish I had known how important it is to get good grades and know what I want to do with my life before graduating.

I knew what I needed to know. I wish I would've known I would change my major though! But that had nothing to do with the school itself.

I wish I had known what to really expect and known that it was not as scary as what it seems.

I wish I would have known more about the dorms before I came here. Not all of the dorms here are the same, and some are located in better places than others.

It would have been helpful to be able to forecast the economic and political trends of the current day. This school represents a broad diversity of American and international students, and as such did afford me an opportunity for cultural breadth. I feel it would have been beneficial had I received more academic direction throughout the four years in that institution, as a young person can have some degree of difficulty crafting a degree that encompasses more options by the time of its completion.

I wish I would have known exactly what major I wanted to go into but that is why I love Ball State, they give you the opportunity to figure that out.

I wish that I had known just how much money it takes to attend college. I wish I had known to work more and save up for college becasue it costs so much money. My advice to anyone looking to attend college is to go to school becasue the money is worth the education but it is so important to save up.

I wish I had taken chemistry in high school as that would have made college level chemistry less of a struggle. I also wish I had a better idea of all of the little expenses that would become needs for dorm living so I could have saved up the money and supplies ahead of time.

I went to Burris Laboratory ,kindergarten through 12th grade, which is on Ball State campus, so I knew what to expect for the most part. Attending Burris, gave me the opportunity to take Ball State courses while in high school, and gave me full access to all of Ball State's facilities. The one thing I wish I would have been more prepared for, was the cost of living and the high price of books.

I wish I had known more of what to expect. I thought this would be just like high school without someone standing over your shoulder all of the time, but it's a lot more difficult than that. In high school, if you didn't have homework due the next day, you got to go home and not think twice about school. In college, you have to be studying even when you don't have homework to do. I wish that I had to do that in high school. It would have made the transition a lot easier.

more about the professors in the musical school and the way things are run there.

Nothing, I was totally ready to go to this school. Every new discovery was a unique experience and I would not change anything.

N/A

More about the actual classroom environment.

Ball State is lacking in explanation of graduation responsibilities for their students. I often had to figure out required responsibilities on my own, which was stressful and not very efficient. I understand everything that was expected of me now, but a trial and error process is not always the most conducive enviroment for success.

How to study for college classes.

Before I came to Ball State University I would have liked to know what clubs/sports were available and what other activities there were on campus.

I wish I would have known the clubs and activities you could join. By the time I got to school and got settled in many of the clubs were not accepting new members because the deadline date had passed. I wish I could have joined a club before starting school so that way when I started I could have began immediately making new friends.

I wish I would have taken more placement tests

I wish I would have known how important it was to really focus on classes in the beginning instead of focusing on my job and my friends more. I also wish I would have learned how to study more effectively.

How to study better on my own

I felt that I knew a lot about this school before I came.

That laundry was $1 to wash + $1 to dry... each load.

I wish I would have known a little bit more about the food choices before I had chosen a meal plan. I also would have like to know more about our academic advisors and how to change one if we needed to.

I have problems with flat places.... this place is like flat... no hills.....!

Not much really

I wish I would have known how many options the school offered, because Ball State has a degree for just about anything. High school didn't make me aware of the fact that I could go to school for anything my heart desired to learn.

I wish I would've known it was so hard to find a job off campus. It's a small, not so wealthy town with a huge school plopped in the middle.

You are on your own at this point. You will have the support of your family and friends, but as far as responsibility, it will be up to you to make sure that you are taking care of business. There is alot of temptation, be careful not to give in. Do not get credit cards, and they will be offered to you all the time!

People put so much stress on students that are graduating. People scare prospective college students because they say the change will be difficult. Maybe it is because I grew up in this area, but I had no problems adjusting at all.

What it was like living in the dorms.

That the big event before orientation for freshmen would completely change how many friends you make along the way.

I wish that I would have known that the major of elementary education at BSU was challenging. It has been a great experience thus far, but I have had my ups and down when it comes to working through my major. That is probably the only thing that I can honestly come up with!

Really just more about college itself and i wish i would have known that I wouldnt see most of my friends from highschool anymore and basically have to start over with friends.