Northern Illinois University Top Questions

First go out and find friends-it isn't hard at all. But always work hard on your school work because you can easily get behind and lose track. Even through the first 2 years, work as hard as you can to get the best grades. Don't ever slack on your school work. To find the right college, just know what kind of environment you like best. Having friends help you make the most out of your college experience.

More than anything, the most appropriate college choice is about the school and campus itself. The vast majority of public schools have a large number of similar classes and majors, though the quality of them may certainly differ. What's most important is getting into a school where you feel totally comfortable and happy. College is a stressful time; it's absolutely imperative that you attend a school with a positive environment that's conducive to learning, studying, and obtaining decent grades. That is why we're here, after all. The social atmosphere and pastimes available near the school should be a secondary interest, not a primary one.

I would recommend that they do research on different schoold in areas that suit them, so that they can make the right choice. It is important to understand the area around your school, as well as the school itself, in order to get the most out of your experience. In addition, getting involved in clubs or sports that are inportant to you is important- the busier you are, I find the easier it is to stay on top of school. Also, helping others through tutoring or community can help you plan for other jobs and help in your own studies as I have found. Basically, you should get involved in the school you plan on attending, and try to meet new people- take advantage of this time, because it goes fast!

Visit the school during the year when students are there. Speak to students who live on and off campus. Sit in on a class or two, especially the lecture classes. Is that for you or are smaller classes preferred? Get involved from the first day, either on your dorm floor, intramural sports, student clubs. Get to know your fellow classmates, they will be invaluable when it comes to study groups or if you miss class. Students, ask questions! If you don't already have good study habits, get them as no one will hound you to do your work. Be responsible, don't be afraid to be yourself and don't give in to peer pressure! It's ok to be a nerd or a cheerleader, just do it for the right reasons. Keep up with your grades and allow yourself to socialize. Enjoy your time as it goes by so fast! Parents: Keep in touch, but allow your student the freedom to get in touch with you when they can. Classes, meals, studying, and just taking in the sights of the campus are time consuming. Parents, help your student make good choices, but don't make them for them.

Do your reasearch. That is the main advice I would give. Know what kind of college experience you want to have. Most of all go away for school; it truly is a learning and growing experience.

Visit as many of the schools you are interested in so that you can can have a good comparison of what the different schools can offer. Check into financial aid, scholarships, grants, etc as soon as possible to determine what you can afford. Vist with academic and career advisors/ counselors who will help you plan your schedule. Student involvement and leadership development is important. Take advantage of the many programs and support services offered by the school. Don't get carried away with parties and drinking. Go to all classes and prepare all assignments on time.

Advice I would give to parents and/or students about finding the right college and making the most of the college experience would be to follow your dreams. Don't base your college or career on how much money that choice will make you in the future. To make the most of the college experience, find a happy medium between your academic life and social life, otherwise it will get you in trouble.

Imagine this is your junior year in high school, and the thought of college has never seemed more exciting, or nerveracking. Maybe you knew the college you wanted to attend since you were younger, or you are still indecisive about where you would like to go. Everyone is different, and sometimes this choice can be overwhelming. Its important to make this decision based on your what your priorities are, and what will be best for your future in becoming a productive member of society. Think of what you are interested in and research what schools can satisfy these passions. When you weighed the pros and cons of each college you are debating between and considered your money situation, make a decision. Once you do this, it's important to recieve academic counseling and support to ease you into the transition. I am familiar with this process after seeing my siblings make their decisions for college. During my first year of college, I attended WIU in macomb. After going there for a year and discovering more about who I am, I changed my major and made my decision to attend NIU, where I could not be more happy.

Letting the decision to be up to the student, and to not pressure them into going somewhere in order to fulfill their own personal interests. To a great amount of research and to really explore all of the opprotunities the college has to offer.

Consider the details when you plan financially. Let students live and learn, without financial distractions.

College is a time where young people out of high school do so much searching. Searching for who they are and what they want to do for the rest of their life. It is so important to find the right school for YOU. If you go on a visit and you just don't feel comfortable or can't see yourself going there, then absolutely move on. There is a school that suits everyone, so be thorough in your search. As for making the most out of your college experience, you should absolutely look into joining a greek organization. The professional skills you learn, the friendships you make, the service hours you complete, and the networking tools and prospects you find cannot be outmatched. If greek life isn't for you, find other organizations where you feel well suited towards and can contribute. Every successful student has areas where they stand out beyond the classroom. You only get one chance to experience college so do some searching and look into everything it has to offer!

Visit as many schools as possible. The best choice for one person does not even come close to making it the best choice for someone else.

Just make you kids pick the collge for themselves, I would advise going and staying there for a while

The advice that I would give parents and/or students would be to find a school where they both feel comfortable and safe. Parents and students should look online at the specific college and then plan a trip to take a tour of the school. I would also recommend that both parties look into the academic programs offered to see if the desired program of the prospective student is offered. I would also look at the graduation rates, demographics of the school, employment and housing opportunities, and the transportation system around campus.

Choose wisely, because your choice WILL affect the rest of your life!

My advice to graduating high school students is to apply to as many schools as you are interested in and to apply early. It is always better to have more options and by applying early, you have a better chance at gaining a seat in the freshman class at the university of your choice. When choosing your university, the most important thing is a campus visit. Go to the campus, see what's around, see who's around, talk to students, talk to professors, look for programs that you would be interested in because being involved is VERY important. The more involved you are the happier you will be. Becoming involved with your school gives you lasting friendships, time management, great advantages on a resume, and pride in your school. If there was one thing that I could do over, it would be to become more involved sooner than later. College really is the best four years of your life, and they fly by so incredibly fast, so take the time to find the school that is best for you, and become involved with as many things as you enjoy because it will be over before you know it.

Look for a college that is tailored to your professional and social interests. Going to college on your own, without friends from high school, is the most difficult but the most rewarding experience. Take note of the town surrounding the college, as if you do not like the town itself that should be weighed into your final decision and can be a good "tie breaker." Listening to friends is okay, but make your decisions based on your own experiences, as they are making their decisions on their experiences. Don't try to anticipate your future too much, such as where you'll be four years down the line or what exact major you need to pick, as those change very easily and often. Take useful classes if possible and pick an interesting major and minor and stick to them. Get a decent GPA and try to graduate in four years, most people do despite what people actually tell you, and it saves a lot of money. Try to enjoy outside of the classroom, as 50 percent of college education comes from class, the other half is from what you do outside of class.

Do research on the campus and services offered at the school. Take a campus tour.

Make sure you find a college that has the right amount of students and class sizes. Smaller is not always better.

The right school can be chosen based on the student's situation. It is important to find a school that the best education for the chosen field can be found at. Money is an important factor, there are schools that offer a good education for a reasonable price. Junior college is a good way to cut expenses for the first two years, it also gives the student an opportunity to learn how to be a good college student while still living at home. The best way of making the most of an education is to get involved in your classes and ask questions when you don't understand something. Turn in assignments on time. Most importantly, don't skip classes. Start looking into what jobs and internships are available in your field when you start college. Talk to people from your department and professionals in your chosen field to get a good idea of how to accomplish your goals. Finally, set high standards for yourself and follow through on them.

Go somewhere where you will be comfortable

Pick any college that you feel suits you best, try not to worry about cost or how long it will take you to complete your degree. EXPLOIT all resources the school makes available to you, if you dont - someone else will. Get involved with Staff members, professors in any way possible - they can help you more than you will ever know.

Don't let money get in the way of your choice.

Location, Finances, diversity, school reputation

If you do not know what you would like to go into, then I would advise you to start with a 2-year community college. You can save a lot of money doing this, and it is sometimes easier to pick a good major that suits you. I didn't do this, however, I knew for a long time what I wanted to go into.

I think the best thing to keep in mind when finding the right collge is try to find the place for "you". Don't go somewhere for the wrong reasons, like because all your friends are going, or because it's a party school...etc. Find out what school fits your needs, a school that can help "you" get prepared for the rest of "your" life.

To the parents, it is very important for you to take part in the college selection of your child, but DO NOT MAKE THE CHOICE FOR THEM! In the end, they are the ones who will spend the next four years of their lives at that college. It will be hard, but you will feel at ease if your child attends a school that they feel passionate to attend and learn. To the students, RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH the college of your choice. What may look good in the pamphlet can turn out to be the wrong college to attend. It is quite okay if you get into college not knowing what you want to major in. Eventually, you should make that decision. It is best to make that decision BEFORE entering, that way you can choose a college or university that specializes in that field.

Do not let others try and change your mind if you are set on going to one type of school. Do keep an open mind that there might be something better fit for you out there, however if you know you found your match don't let others talk you out of it. And if you get declined to go to your school of choice, keep trying and if all else fails go to an alternate school of choice and try again the next year. College is an amazing experience and you don't only learn out of books, but you learn from experiences and situations. Take it seriously, however not so seriously that you don't enjoy yourself too.

Consider the location of the school.

Finding the right college is not the easiest task. I would advise students to begin their college searches early so that they are not rushing a decision as high school graduation comes around. It is also important to look at a variety of colleges that offer different aspects of college life to their students; you never know what you might find at a college that is not in your "Top 5." Do not wait to figure out financial aid either. Whether you will get student loans or state loans, they all take time and if you do it early it is one less stress to deal with. The best tip I can give to any high school senior deciding on college is listen to yourself and do what feels like a good fit for YOU. Do not be afraid to go to a college where you don't know anyone; you will meet so many people and being "alone" will force you to make new friends and build self-confidence to put yourself out there. Most of all...enjoy those four+ years because they go by faster than you think they will!

When trying to find the right college you first want to reaseach the colleges that have the best programs for the major you are interested in. Once you have a few in mind, you should go on college visits to each school. Talk to the department that you are thinking about majoring in, and see the requirements and possibilities of getting interships and helping to start a career. Also talk to students that are enrolled at that school and see the pros and cons that they have about it. It is also a good idea to sit in on one or two of the classes at the school to see if you like the learning environment and the ways the professors teach. Also research the costs of the school and what ones fits the best into your financial state. It would also be nice to go on weekend visits to your tops schools to see whether or not you will like the social life there as well as the academic. If you do all of these you will find yourself in the school that you will love and remeber for the rest of your life.

Pick a place that makes you happy. If you don't like big schools, don't go to a big school for a particular program. In the end, you won't get the most out of your college experience. I started at a small private school and realized after a large tuition bill that I didn't want to be there. Once you find the place where you want to be, take classes with professors you enjoy. You will always get more out of a course when you feel inspired, motivated and encouraged by the person instructing you. Also, make connections where ever possible. Go to office hours, email, and participate in class. The more people that know your name in a positive way, the more scholarships you can be nominated for. (Little known secret - there are lots of awards students can only be nominated by a faculty member for!) Finally, have fun. In the end, while GPA matters, when you look back on your college experience, you won't say to yourself, I wish I studied more.

I would have to say that you cannot pick a college based on location or price. A college should fit where you want to go in the future with your career. You should choose a school that to you has the best resources for your major and is the best college for you to learn at. I would strongly encourage visiting any school that you are interested and looking at what they offer for extracurricular activities. A college should encorporate all those aspects that meet your needs not what the guides say.

dont pick a school just for the parties

I would say definitely go with your intuition and go with the first college you choose, especially if you get in. I think that will make your college experience that more fun and you will want to learn more. Plus if you are excited about the school then you are more willing to participate in the activities around the campus (living on and if living on campus definitely find out what activities are going on around campus, especially if you live aroudn campus.)

Make sure that the school that you are looking at has what you want to do in life and your couselors at high school can advise you which school is good for that. NIU has a great business and engineering school with much funding. Fraternities and sororities are also great ways to get the true college experience but it doesnt need alcohol. In my fraternity chapter, there is only 2 people that drink and 1 who drinks regularly and he's over the age of 21. Make sure you look at the fraternity carefully and has the ideals which you believe in. Most state colleges are great and have no bad qualities.

Think about how much debt you want your child/children to aquire and how will they benefit from the school they plan to attend? Is this school the best option for their future, do they have their own drive?

Finding the right school is all the important. For instance, if you are all about being on the sport team then go to a school that thrives off their sports team. If you made your mind up about your profession then go to a school that offers the best in that profession. School is fun. There are many opportunities for you to meet new friends and meet your long time buddies. For me, I chose NIU because it was close to home, has a good Computer Engineering program. I also chose the school because I did not want to go to a big school or a small school and NIU is just right. So my advice again is finding the right school is all the important. Have fun choosing, cause I did!

visit as many as you can during the year and find out if this is really a good fit for you.

visit the colleges and you will know where you belong

find some place that you feel comfortabe at and take the time to get to know everyone. If you dont like it the first few days dont worry wait at least a year before you really decide and make sure you get yourself involved with the school and with your piers.

Find a school of the right size and diversity. A school too small may not have as many majors to expose one to and a large school may be a bit overwhelming. Try and decide upon a field and stick to it, but remember that you'll have to eat someday (pick wisely). Don't assume that you'll be able to make it out in only 4 years. Plan for possibly more than that. Look at all your options when it comes to finances and be sure to pad the amount it will cost you to go to school since unexpected costs will always occur. Do not slack off in the beginning, doing well in the early Gen-ed courses will keep your GPA from falling later on when the courses in your major become more difficult. Don't worry, you are not the only one in college, many people have gone before you and many more will follow. They will all survive. Although it may seem as if the roof is caving in at times, this isn't the end. You'll have friends there to help you, professors to guide you, and your parents to support you.

They should try to find a college that they like and not one that their friends like, also, try to find what social activities they do, and try hanging out in the college town for some time just to get to know it.

Choosing a school can be a stressful thing for both parents and students. Its difficult to chcek facts and figures as many schools look better on paper than they do in person. When a student is on campus, theyre not thinking " this campus has __ {4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} crime rate," or some other statistic. They notice how they feel as a part of their new community. Do they feel detached from their campus, or do they find their niche where they feel welcome and at home? I encourage the student and their parents to visit the campuses of the potential schools, talk to those already living there, check out the campus organizations, and meet some faculty. If its possible see if the student can sit in on a freshman level class, or spend a night in the residence halls. The student must feel welcome and at home as they will be on campus 8 months out of the year. It will become their new home. I visited many campuses and I knew very quickly when I arrived at my campus that I was home. I am now a community advisor and help make my students feel welcome.

It is important in my opinion to visit the college before you make your decision. Attend the open house. And talk about the decision with your family. If you are undecided, look into schools that have a variety of programs and good academic advisors. If you know what you want to major in, then make sure the school has a good program for that. And do not be afraid to ask questions about the school. Once in college, get involved! High school does not matter anymore, college gives you a fresh start. And there is so much diversity on campus that if you are willing to get involved, you will find the right group that shares your interests. Go in with an open mind and an open heart, and your college years will be the best of your life. Study hard, but have fun too! College is a balancing act, so learn what your priorities are, and you will have a successful college career.

VISIT the schools you're interested in, and be sure to ask the questions you have. Keeping them to yourself keeps you from finding a school that fits YOU. NEVER assume the campus tour guides are lying. After your tour is over, ask for a few minutes of their time and ask about their experiences in areas that interest you. It's a very rare occasion when they won't help you. Yes, they love their school, but they're students too and have had good and bad experiences.

Make sure to visit the school a few times before making one's decision.

Colleges in the city tend to be alot more expensive in alot of ways. University that are by themselves (away from the city) tend to be more cheaper in prices. Traffic and parking also seem to less of a problem

My advice to all of those who are looking for the right college is to find what fits YOU best, not what fits your best friends or what is closest to home. If you want to have an amazing college experience I personally suggest that you go further away from home. You don't have to be on the other side of the country, even a couple hours drive away would work. That way you can enjoy your freedom and learning experience without mom and dad breathing down your neck like in high school. But ALWAYS visit that school first, because you may get on one campus that looked awesome in the brochure and find out you don't ever want to go back. Choose one that you feel gives you the most potential to succeed. And after that just keep an open mind and have fun.