Northern Illinois University Top Questions

First I would tell myself to apply for scholarships while I was a senior in high school. This is where you meet friends who will be the best friends you will have. These are people who are interested in the same career you are and will be the best partner in school. You need to talk take initative to talk to teachers and advisors if you need help. College life is much different and is more fun than high school. Everyone for the most part wants to be in college and is going here to build their future career. Make sure you are taking classes that you need and do your best! Online classes are not as good as you think they are. You must me a good self motivator and do good on tests to do good in an online class. In all college is a good experiece that you will remember your whole life and in having a good attitude the transition will be a great one.

Know the four year university you want to go to before you graduate. When going to the community colleges find out if there's an agreement between the community college and the university you want to go to so that all the classes you worked so hard for can transfer. Just relax and take time for studying. The grades need to be perfect and if your friends don't understand then they don't have your future in mind. Take a step back when you need too and realize that it isn't hard if you just make time for it. Most importantly, don't stay awake until one in the morning if you can't wake up on time. You will miss quizes and your grade will suffer and you will be the only person who is effected by it.

If I were to tell myself something I know now it would to first apply for more scholarships so you will not have as many loans, two would be to apply for a job on campus during the summer, and three would be to work hard in all your classes. Money for school is really needed to me because of all the financial situations I am in with my family. If I had a job on campus it would help a lot for I would not have to ask my parents for money as much I do. As of now I current hold a 3.7 GPA in my first semester as a freshman so my hard work is paying off. So by going back in time I would help better myself in many areas of my life.

Stay true to your high goals and dreams but save your money too! College is very expensive and it's necessary to fulfill your goals and dreams. Save, save, save!!!!

As i watch you getting ready to go to college, i remember myself being that thrilled, waiting for my life to begin. I know the excitement of finally leaving your parents house and boldly looking at the world in the eye muttering: "i'm ready, gimme what you got!" I'd love to save you from the inevitable sting of homesickness and protect you from the burning pains of growing up but, you see, i won't. Freedom is bittersweet and so very worth it. It doesn't matter what i say, because you are young and wreckless and so jubilantly arrogant. Just like every young person ought to be. You have to experience these things, to know what you are made of. I guess i can leave you with some little bits of advice but mostly i don't want to spoil the surprise! Try not to be scornful to others or yourself. Remember that though ignorance is looked down on, it 's intolerance that is by far more destructive. Try to understand where other people are coming from, they may be hurting more than you. All of us are insecure but you don't have to be immature.

If I go back in time and see myself as a high school senior, with knowing what I know now about college life, I would sit down and tell myself that there will be ups and downs, as there always are, but keep working hard and push through it, it will be worth it in the end. The reward reaps greater benefits knowing that I will have accomplished something great and pursued what I wanted in my life. I would tell myself that there will be tough times ahead, but to never give up, and don't quit. because it will all work out in the end for the better, I will see.

I would go back and tell myself to be calm and everything will be okay. As a senior in high school, I was very nervous for the future and I did not think I was going to make it very far. However, I have made it this far, so why stop now. I would also tell my self to save money because I would need it for more important things in the future such as books, calculators, and food. Lastly, I would tell myself to stay focused throughout college, but mainly the first year of college because that is your fondation to the rest of the four years at the university and it is hard to pull your gpa back up once it has gone down.

If I were to go back in time to when I was a senior in high school, I would probably tell myself to persevere through every trial that comes my way. Take full advantage of the opportunities offered at school. I would also tell myself to get more involved with clubs and organizations. The richer the college experience, the better. I would also encourage my younger self to try and study abroad as well as apply for more scholarships. All of that to say, I am glad of the choices I made and I would encourage my younger self to always take the higher road. I will also meet some very influencial people and they will greatly impact my life. Thinking about all of the hard times I have gone through, I would tell myself not to worry because God has it all under control. Ultimately, everything works out in the end so do not worry. At the end of it all, I would tell myself that nursing is the best field I could have chosen and that throughout the years I would discover things about myself that will solidify my initial decision to go into nursing.

Making the transition from high school to college was definately a challenge. The advice I would give myself includes advice about social life and academic skills. Living in a dorm freshman I was surrounded by many new people and that was kind of intimidating but exciting at the same time. The advice I would give myself would be to be more friendly and sociable on a daily basis. Making more friends in the dorms and in classes would have allowed me to have more study buddies and just people to relate to in the area I lived in. Another piece of advice I would give myself was the being particular about the kind of people I chose to hang out with. Binge drinking was popular on campus and in the dorms but sometimes has bad consequnces. The other area I would give myself advice in would be the academic area. I would tell myself to take some time each day, even on the weekends to study and/or work on homework. I defintely procrasinated early in my college career, and I my GPA suffered as a result.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would only have two things to say to myself. The first thing I would say to myself is to practice my study habits. Because something that I didnt do much of high school is study a lot. I was the type of person to just get by the easy way. But since I have came to college, I've really learned the importance of studying. Its something that you must do if you want to succeed. To this day, I have younger friends currently in high school that dont believe studying is important. I constantly tell them the importance so they wont make the same mistake I made. The second thing I would tell myself is to be focused. I now know the importance of focusing on what I came to school for because at first, in high school, no one really told me not to let things distract me. So I learned on my own and I'm still becoming a better college student as times progress.

Growing up I never had anyone really telling me that I can go to college or that I can become a nurse, so I had to keep motivating myself. High school was very hard for me and I did not advantage of anything my school had to offer. So if I had the opportunity to go back in time to high school and give myself some advice I would say, take advantage of different opportunties you have and the different people who are there to help you, stay focused on your goals, and also keep a positive mind. Many of us tend to lose sight of our dreams and goals or we have obstacles to overcome, but we have to put our dreams first and find ways to overcome these obstacles. Having a postive is really going to take you futher in life and school. The transition to college is hard, but if you are somewhat prepare, then that equals less stress on yourself. In the end, I would have kept my dreams in mind and tried to get involved with different things.

When I was a senior my English Composition teacher made all her students write a letter to themselves. The letter was suppose to be about the future and what I would tell my future self to do, only knowing the plans I had for your future. I didn?t know much then, but what I told myself was to stay focused and not party too much and I also warned myself that college was going to be different and no matter what happens I couldn?t give up. Well now being a college student and having experienced the classes, the homework, and the parties, I would tell myself not to forget about my school work. I would also beg my past self not to go out and party too much like I did this semester my education is too important to throw away on partying. All I have to remember are the things I wrote to my future self in that letter that I wrote in English Composition.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself, I would tell myself to stay calm, relax, and enjoy my last year. There are so many other things I would say, but this would be the most important. I have always been somewhat of a perfectionist and did not really enjoy my senior year as fully as I wish I had. I was always studying or reading and did not really go to many sport games except my own. I enjoyed tennis and would definetly do it all over again. I would tell myself to relax and have fun with friends before we all move away and barely get to see each other. Everyone should have an opportunity to have fun and I should have taken some of those chances when I had the opportunity whether it was with close friends or just people in my classes. One last thing I would tell myself is to just say hello to anyone. That is how you make friends and having friends will help make the college transistion and life easier. These are only a few important pieces of advices I would give not only to myself, but others too.

During high school students are consumed by the excitment of finally being "big dogs". What high school students are not aware of is the fact that once you leave leave the security of high school, you are once again "little dogs". I wish I could give myself a pep talking about how mean people can really be. And tell myself to never give up, if I believe I can do something, I can. No matter what anyone else tells me.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was a senior in high school, I would tell myself to RELAX. I chose to go to college four and a half hours away from home and I didn't know anyone who was also going to my school. My biggest fear was that I wouldn't make any friends and that I would spend all of time being lonely and sad and regretting my decision. I almost backed out to go to a school closer to home, but after my first semester of college, I am so glad that I listened to my heart. I could not be happier with my decision to attend NIU. I realize that I was nervous about making friends for no reason. Even though most people know a few people from high school, everyone is looking to meet new people so making friends is easy. I learned that if I just open up and be myself then everything will be okay and at a school as big as mine, if one person doesn't like me, there are 25,000 other people that might.

Some advice I would have given myself before coming to college is being open to anything. You never know what you are going to like and not like. I would also have said not to be scared because you will make a ton of friends you won't even know how to balance your social life. Dont worry about not having anything ever to do because there is always something to do. Work hard and study harder. Just have fun.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would explain that I needed to have faith in myself. Ultimately, while it's important to get advice from others in helping to pick colleges and courses - ultimately I know me best. Additionally, college is a place where I will be exposed to a variety of idea and cultures, and having faith in myself will allow me to learn and grow as individual through exposure to these new ideas while still staying true to my beliefs and goals. What others think about my choice of major or lifestyle are not as important as what I think - I'm the one who has to live with it.

If I were talking to my high school self, I would tell "me" not to think that making new friends at college would make me lose my old friends from high school. I would tell myself to take risks, make friends, join everything, and try something new every day. I would not tell myself what to major in, who to be friends with, or anything of that sort, because it's the journey I took to get to major I am in now and to be with the friends I have now that made me who I am today and I wouldn;t trade that for the world. I would tell myself to give to others everyday, because it's the best feeling that I have discovered since coming to NIU. I would tell myself not to worry about my future, because I am in a good place, I am happy, and I am making a difference in the world.

As a senior in high school, you should take the college placement tests more seriously. These tests determine what level of math and science or other subject you will be placed in as a freshmen in college. You want to make sure that you give yourbest so that you will not have to retake a class you had in high school. It is hard because the tests are given the summer before college. Also, make sure that you take advantage of tudors and other help available. It is easy to let a subject slip when no one is there to remind you. There are many more distractions than in high school. Keep focused on the goal and the college work.

I would tell myself that the necessity to apply myself to classes and financial situations would need a lot of commitment on my behalf. I would have probably told myself to wait a couple years after having a job in order to attend college, in that the financial burden cannot be covered with only financial aid. However, the most important advice that I would give myself is to take out time for myself to read extensively, not to join too many extracurricular activities, and apply myself in the workplace as I would apply myself to each class. Education is the most important tier in life, and without knowledge, it is difficult to imagine where any of us would be.

If I went back in time to talk to my high school self, I would tell him that he does not have to rely on solely himself to make the transition from high school to college. I'd tell him this because I wanted to do everything on my own when I was his age. Even though there were things about the college application process and the transition process that I did not know, I didn't look for help. Because of this, I found myself in a lot of tough positions that I had trouble working my way out of. The wake-up call didn't occur until my sophomore year when I had to transfer from the school of my dreams to a school I didn't particularly like because of financial issues. Knowing what I know now, I would stress to my high school self that there are people around him that have plenty of advice and resources that can aid him in making the transition into college and set him up for future success.

i would say take your school work very seriously. sometimes i feel that you don't even have to be be smart to be in college, you just need to know how to manage your time well. i would say dont spend your entire time doing school work all day. get out there and find things to do. make friends, go to the rec, do some volunteer work. if you can find a good balance between school life and social life then your life as a whole will be very happy and satisfied.

Have lots more fun, take challenges and make lots of friends since this is the time of my life. Do well in school, but make sure that your experience is one that you will remember for a lifetime since this is your only opportunity in high school.

As a high school senior life has the ability to seem stress free. You are done with most of your classes, and are probably enjoying the fact that you have your own transportation to school and are probably only having to go to school for half the day. In addition you have already completed your SAT's or ACT's in your junior year and are able to relax and take it easy. This surreal feeling unfortunately comes to an end abruptly after high school is over. Now you must face the either the real world, or choose to go to college. The best advice I can give for someone in this situation is choose the second option. t will be the foundation upon which you will become successful in your life. The transition to college will be a scary endeavor. Much like being a freshman in high school it can seem overwhemling at first, but remember just take it one day at a time. First, get all of your business in order. Second, make friends who help you succeed and prevent you from failing. Third, study and always strive for your best, you will appreciate it in the end!

Learn to prepare and to plan, know how you will manage the money and now how many loans you have to take out and your deadlines. Like any other colleges make sure you schedule your classes ahead of time and know where on campus their located so you know how much time you have in between classes. Waiting until the last minute to complete any project will not help you in anyway. For some students like myself be prepared to actually study for the first time to prepare youself for an exam. Be prepared to start you life in debt with loans and try hard not to stressed out by the amount of money you to take out in a loan. Make sure you look for different sources to obrtain school books because the bookstore on campus will be very pricey. Also make sure you check to see if you book is even necesarry there are a lot of classes where they tell you up front that you wont really be needing your book, that the class notes should be enought material. last but not least never give up hope, always try hard, and don't over stress yourself.

The frist thimg i will talk about is the money to attend any school that you would like to go.It's hard when thing go by your parent income and they only have money to pay there bills.and the system look at it as they can pay bill and pay for you to go on to school with out help for the grants. Then it make you and your parents have to apply for loans that will have you in debet the rest of your life.I advice any high school senior to get a job,try to live off camps it would save you about $4,000.If i could have done it over this would be my first step save money from frist year in high school until senior year,or don't try to go away to school go to a city coolege.This is where i will find myself for the rest of my college years.

Ivon you can not slack off. I know its senior year but it is also another year that will contribue to ur futures this also determines ur college life. So you got easy classes and you are probably just applying for applications. Most likely not focusing. Well you should. First you should really look into what each university provides. Then you should also start on scholarhips. The money is worth your time in school but you also need the money that organizations or companys provide. Apply more in scholarships. Another big hint is to start bieng independent. If you go off to a university, and you relie on your parents alot, you will struggle more then others. The easy or the hard way you will find out you learn how to be own your own. Which is a good thing in life because it shows mature. Also start having goals in life, so you can motivate yourself more. So remember focus senior year, apply apply, independent, and goals!

I would say that while you are in college, make sure to learn with your heart. What I mean, is that you should appreciate what you are learning and apply it to your everyday life. I think that I did not see the whole picture of what I was learning in high school and how it pertained to my life. I just focused on GPA and ACT scores. Whether you go to an Ivy League school or a state university, what you put into your academic life is what you will get out of it. There are many opportunities in most schools. Make sure that once you decide on a major, to explore all the opportunities to gain experiences in that area. Such as clubs, activities or part-time jobs. Remember to take your courses seriously, and keep on planning for your future.

Going back I would tell myself that upon entering college remember that everyone is in the same boat as you and that life can change on a dime. It is important to always keep an open-mind and expect the unexpected. If you are not open to new things than you never know what you are missing. Don't take yourself too serious.

I would give the advice to actually take high school seriously. I would tell myself to challenge myself and take excelled classes because it would really help me to understand more what courses in college will be like. I would tell myself to study a lot more and learn useful studying and note taking skills. I would have definitely told myself not to slack off senior year. It would make it a very difficult transition into college. I would tell myself to reflect on my junior year of high school and compare the difficulty to college since I found junior year to be quite difficult. I would advise myself to take classes that will also help me in my major, such as by taking as many science classes as possible. I would also tell myself to take advantage of not having to do everything yourself and enjoy being a kid.

The advice I would give my high school self about college is that, this will not be a walk in the park. I must remain focused on my studies and don't think I'm just going to breeze through this. College life isn't easy although it seems like it but you have no one to make sure you get up and go to class or telling you what to do. You have to make your own decisions and make sure they are smart ones. Remember everything mom has taught and use it.

Have patients, right now your thinking of attending a four year university with no understanding on how you will afford it. Take your time and start small there will come a time where you can afford to attend one, but for now you should wieght your option. You should focus more on what college will suit you best at this time so you can get a fill on what to expect when you do decide your ready to transfer to a 4 year university. Seek finacal help, and please look into scholarship early. There's something out there for everyone, but you have to work hard at it. Don't get stuck thinking its easy, it's harder then what you think. Academically and finacally.

I would tell myself to start putting money aside for school, and get ready to start studying more.

If I could go back to my senior year I would tell myself to learn about the online part of school better. I would also tell myself to talk to an acedimic counselor at the beginning of each school year. I would also tell myself to take classes during the summer even if it is only one class. I would tell myself to live in an apartment verses the dorms because its less expensive. I would also tell myself to get involved earlier. Finally I would tell myself not to get too distracted with all the activities and partying. Most of all to not study in or around my bed, and to not work on the same days I have classes.

I would tell myself to dedicate more time and effort towards my studies, because a GPA is so important in life. I would tell myself not to goof off and not complete assignments or blow off tests because once you get a low grade on a test, you can not make it up. I would tell myself to join organizations and get involved because being involved on campus helps you to meet great people and learn new things you never knew about the world. And most importantly, I would tell myself to never let anyone take away your dreams!

I would definitely have encouraged myself to join the military, which I did anyway. The money I get through federal and state veterans benefits have been invaluable when it comes to paying for college. The time I spent living away from my parents in the service would prepare me to live away from them in college. Apply for scholarships and fill out a fafsa, with both college is paid for. I would have money left over for rent on a room and money for other expenses, including savings. Join clubs that go with your major, and create a profile on Linkedin.com. It's never too early to start networking. Do an internship and study abroad. Experience will help when writing a resume.

I think that I would have tried to do more social activities. When I first began college, I did not participate in many of these activities because I did not know anyone. Once I got more comfortable and joined a few groups, I then made friends very quickly. I was disappointed that I had not done this earlier because I feel that it affected my college experience for that first semester or so.

My high school senior self wanted to go to Northern Illinois University from the beginning. Unfortunately due to my financial situation I had to attend a community college where I received my associates degree. Once I started attending NIU I found myself in a completely different world where I have grown as a person. I would tell my high school senior self to at least try to attend NIU earlier than what I did.

If I could go back I would have focused more on my study habits and went to ACU as a walk-on to play softball. I chose not to go because they could not give me a scholarship until the following year because the coach had already given hers out to returning players. I would have played softball throughout college and would be well into a career instead of starting later and graduating college at 30 years old. It is true what they say If you don't keep going to school it becomes harder and harder to return and finish. All in all I have no regrets because I have two beautiful children that provide me the drive to become everything they need me to be.

Talk to people that were recently in college about transfer classes and how to handle taking the correct classes first.

I would tell myself that my first semester is the most detrimental, it is hard work to raise your GPA after a hard first semester. I'd remind myself that sacrificing a night out with friends to get a high grade on an exam or paper is definately worth it in the long run because there will be plenty of other times to have fun. I feel that I would remind myself that being the open minded person I am will benefit me because my friendships will have a huge variety of diversity and that only makes you a more wise person. Volunteer work would help me find the career path I decide to follow. Finally, realize that even though your original roomate didn't attend NIU your new one will only open your eyes to a different culture and make you a more open person to others opinions.

Although I went to a large high school, I would tell myself not to be intimidated by the largeness of my university. Although most of my classes are large, I should never hide and instead let my opinions be heard. I would also tell myself that it is okay to ask questions, rather than be confused.

have more options, when it comes to schools and financial aid. make ur decisions based on your own personal needs and not to make your parents, friends, or significant other happy

Study hard for every class it will always pay off and enjoy the time while you can since it will go faster then you know it.

Tom, take this next year seriously. The school you choose will determine where you end up as an adult. You will make friends for life and learn things you will never forget.

I would inform myself to start college with an open mind and that the sky is the limit. I would let myself know that it is okay to open up to the idea of campus activities and get involved with organizations that I believe is interesting. I would balance my activities better and not get carried away with too much parting my freshman year. If i could travel back in time I would not allow myself to go so far from home to begin with I would have started my college career at Northern Illinois University instead of transfering my junior year. I would tell myself that I will mess up and make mistakes but it is okay as long as I remeber that I am a child of God and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Take your freshman year of college very serious. It is a new chapter in your life, but it is also a very important chapter. Be soical, but go to class and get your work done. Always remember you are capable to doing anything and everything. Believe in yourself and you will do great.

I think I will just focus on my grades because the academic world is what I excel at. Boy, was I wrong. I agree that education is the reason why we are in college. However, being involved on campus stretches the limitations to the sky and makes the possibilities endless. I am not saying to desert your grades but to find a balance. It is a good rule of thumb to follow for every hour in class, a student should spend two hours studying. Also, try to study inbetween classes rather than sleeping or just staring off into space. This way the studying is already done and you will have a lot more time on the weekends to do things that you will never forget nor regret. Enjoy your time on campus. The professors are not out to get you. They want you to succeed just as much as you do. and you will get the same amount of respect as you show. If you are having trouble, get help right away instead of stressing about it last minute. The campus has an impressive amount of resources for help on any subject matter - whether it is academic or social.

I would make sure that I really knew what I was getting myself into. I would apply to more schools and go to more open houses and tours. I would do more research on Universities and try to get involved more.

I know you're feeling very hesitant about the whole community college thing, but don't. I've been through it, and trust me, it is the best decision you can possibly make right now. If you go anywhere else, you'll be spending too much money and pushing yourself too hard for a goal you haven't even determined yet. By the same token, don't rush community college either. Just because you've got enough AP credit to get your Associate's Degree in half the time, don't assume you have to. Spend a whole two years there. It'll give you time to really figure things out, and trust me, some really good things'll happen that second year. But that's venturing into "no one should know too much about thier own destiny" type stuff, so just remember: there's no shame in going to a community college, and whatever you do, take your time with it. Otherwise, you're going to miss the point.