Trinity Christian College Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Samantha

The only advice I would give to my past self is to listen to your parents and teachers. With out them I wouldn't have made certain mistakes that I wish I could fix. My school is okay but I am transferring next year so I wish I had originally listened to my parents. I would have made different decisions and been down a different path in life. So please listen to your parents no matter how much you do not want to!

Jada

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as an high-school senior; I would tell myself when entering college to remain focused on God and yourself. Leaving your home, and packing your things and living in a place where you don't know anyone is a scary experience but in midst of fear to always lean on God. Don't deviate from Christ but to constantly embrace him and accept him in all aspects of your life. While being in college you tend to feel weak, lonely, unworthy, poor and more mixed emotions because for one you are away from home and second you have no money. In college you are going to be humbled, focused, driven and strong-willed. College isn't for everyone. College is where you are going to learn how to grow up, and balance many things in life. College is also where you get to find out how strong you are. You get to see how amazing God is and how profound his love is for you. When entering into college have an open mind and heart. Be strong, open, compassionate, focused and most importantly keep God first and yourself second.

Caleb

I would tell myself to try harder and figure everything out now, because time flies in college, and the time to get your act together is now. Also, I would tell myself to really try the first semesters in school, because this way, you won't have all of that stress later on in school. I would tell myself to not take anything for granted, and to really invest time into friendships, because the people here at Trinity are some pretty awesome people, and just waking up everyday to get to the end of the day is not going to cut it, and you will regret not investing your time in others. The last thing that I would tell myself would be to really give everything to education, as I will become a teacher in the future, to really show everyone that I have class with and my professors, that I truly love education more than any college student in the United States.

Garron

If I could go back in time, I would changed my work ethic that I had during high school. During high school I was satisfied with getting C's and B's, but now that I'm on my second year of college I realized that if I would have tried harder in high school to get good grades. I currently have a 3.9 GPA and am enrolled in the Honors Program here at my school. After this semester I will be transferring to a 4 - year college that my high school GPA wouldn't have let me get into. That is why I would go back in time and change my work ethic so that I could have attended a good 4 - year college with no problem.

Cherianne

Get Scholarships!! Okay now to be a little more serious. When you are eighteen, the only thing you can think about is getting out of the house and being in charge of yourself. If you can step back and take a longer view of the future, you will find that it makes a lot more sense to stay at home for the first two years of college. That place of your own and doing your own thing is tantalizing, but at home you are not paying rent or utilities so you can save your money for further education. Enroll in a local community college; then get a job. The first two years of college are not so intense that you can not handle working as well. This also gives you time to make sure you know what degree you want to pursue. We don't all come right of high school knowing what we want to do with the rest of our lives. My advice would be, stay at home, save money and search out scholarships (you don't want to be stuck taking out loans), and spend the time to find the right university and degree for you.

Tara

I have learned a lot about myself in my time at Trinity. I have made my way through the different 'clicks' on campus. I have had to start over and make new friends as I discover the type of person that I desire to be. For me this meant getting involved in a group that would help me meet new people that would encourage me in my spiritual growth. I became a Resident Assistant on campus and have learned how to confront people with issues, even when it may be uncomfortable. I have recognized the need to help build community amoung the women that live on my floor, and have therefore been tested in my ability to plan events and get students involved. I am recieving a wonderful preperation for my field, even as a sophmore I have been placed in a classroom setting to learn how to teach hands on. I feel that I will be extremely prepared, not only for my profession, but also for other leaderships roles, because of the opportunities that have been presented with at Trintiy.

Erin

I would have listened to my parents more. It is a important to pick a school and major that is a good fit for you. However, your parents know more about the world and sometimes know you better than you know yourself. I would have had more confidence, and realized that things would work out. I'm happy where I am now, yet there are other schools I would have been happy at. However, there are some schools that I wouldn't. I think it is important to go to college with an open mind. Don't view transferring as an option. If it comes up later, then go ahead and consider it. However, I think the fact that my parents picked my school and said that I only had to go there for a year affected me. I thought right away that I wasn't going to like it. Now I'm having trouble deciding if I will be happier somewhere else or not. Another thing, I thought for sure I had the calling for special education and that I would never change my major, but I ended up switching twice so far. Basically, keep on an open mind.

Ashley

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as I was making the decision of where to go to college, I would tell myself to follow my heart. Trinity was on the top of my list, but I focused a lot on the cost of each college. Even though Trinity is expensive, now that I am here, I do not think that I would have been happy at any other school. I would also tell myself to talk to more of the staff members and students when I visited each college. They are the people who set the tone of the environment and have the power to make your college experience successful. If you do not like the people who are there when you visit, you will not feel comfortable going there. Finally, I would tell myself to continue to pray about it and trust God. Even though many aspects of your life are uncertain after you graduate, God will always be there for you and lead you where he wants you to go. Simply trust him and everything will turn out for the best.

Nathan

Today as a freshman in College, I have gone through the many life changes that come, as one makes the jump from high school to college. If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself one year ago; as a senior with one semester of high school left, the first thing I would say is to enjoy the last semester and live it out to the fullest. I would tell myself that in the next 12 months, you are going to have the greatest year of your life. Then I would say, don?t take your friends for granted, as it will never be the same once you leave these halls. Then I would hint to my younger self that love will soon be knocking at the door. As I leave my younger self I would remind him once again, live life to the fullest, with no regrets. Then with one last final word of advice I'd say, "Don't swing at the high pitches."

Bee

As we all know, some college students are among the poorest group of individuals out there. When we graduate we are hundreds, thousands of dollars in debt and no job. If I could go back in time and give myself advices I would go off with the money issue. I would tell myself not to spend too much, save, save, save and try to higher my GPA and get as much scholarship as possible. Honestly, I?ve never been so broke in my life before. There are times when I check my bank balance and it?s embarrassing to know that I have 5 dollars in there. My parents like to tell me, and I like to tell myself that money isn?t a big issue, and everything will be fine but the reality of it, money is a big issue. I?m no longer living off of my parents and a lot times I find myself unable to do many things due to my lack of money. Therefore, I would tell myself to save as much as possible, strive for the perfect GPA, and pray for the best.

Courtney

You don't have to go to college right away. Take a year or so off and learn your passions and interests before you chose a school. That way, you know what you want to pursue and study. There isn't a rush to go to college; college will always be there.

Lauren

No high schol senior is mature enough to make a decision as life-altering as the college decision. However, there's no way to get around that age problem. I wish I could go back and impress upon myself how important the decision is - how it will decide what people I meet and develop relationships with, what connections I will make for job searches, and possibly, where I will live after graduation. I wish I had realized then that once you develop deep ties with people at college, it will be hard to leave - whether or not you like the location you choose as an 18-year-old. But although I know now that the transition and following decisions are hard, I would want to let myself know that no expereince up until that point will be as character-forming, life-defining, and self-shaping as the college experience and that persevering in that until completion is vital to personal success.

Annalise

I would advise my high school self to become more accustomed to interacting with individuals from different cultural and religious backgrounds. My high school was small, so small that I was the only graduating senior in 2008. Becuase of its small size, I was never forced to interact with the diversity of individuals that exists in a much larger school. Freshman year at Trinity Christian College was difficult in this sense. I was a small town, small school, country girl from Michigan suddenly thrust into the fast paced and diverse culture of a larger Illinois college. I wish that in high school I had pushed myself out of my comfort zone and learned to interact with different people, to defend my religious and social beliefs, and to embrace the "differentness" that I constantly encounter here at Trinity.

Raymond

If i was a high school senior, i would try really hard to improve my GPA. It ended a little low, and any little bit helps in terms of finacial aid. I would also like to go back and do better on the ACT, if i had done better i would have recieved more financial aid. I think that i would also tell myself to just relax, i was very nervous about college when in high school. I didnt really enjoy transition, and it didnt help my first semster at school.

Katie

Look for what you want in a school and make sure that you go and visit the campus. Stay over at the campus get to know the students. When you do decide on what college to go to, GET INVOLVED! That is what is going to make your college experience. Do not be afraid to be yourself, you will find people that will love you know matter what and that will stand behind you all the time. College is a great place to start your life don't waste your time staying inside. Meet knew people, be active, go to school games, involved with class activities.

Rachel

To the students: Talk to the staff and to students already on campus. Approach them during a visit and talk to them on a level of true honesty. Don't always trust the tour guide because they are trained to give the college the best face possible---trust a student in the middle of cramming for an exam and they'll give you the answer you're looking for. For the parents: Let the student decide where to go. No one wants to say to their friends "My parents picked this school FOR me." Lame.

Katie

Search out financial aid as much as possible. Go to the college you want despite cost and once you get there, don't be afriad to transfer.

Christopher

Don't base the college on the cost. Make sure that the college meets your needs.

Amanda

College is not only about the career path you are taking or what your schedule will be. Though these things are the main reason we seek a college to attend and are our main focus, Students should seek schools that fit their personal needs. Your time in college will have an impact on the rest of your life. The type of environment, the clubs you get involved in, and the way your spirit is either lifted or torn down; these things will change and shape who you are. College bound students should research the schools that they are looking to attend. If a student is religious, he or she may want to attend a school that encourages their specific religion. The religious student may even consider attending a school that is not affiliated with their religion so they may learn and understand different beliefs. The size of the campus is also an important aspect of choosing a school. Some students are overwhelmed by big schools and may want to consider a smaller more personal school. Students should also always seek to challenge themselves and should therefore seek out a school that will challenge their views, their mind, and their adaptability.

Franchesca

Research, research, research. The main themes to look at when finding the right college are: cost, atmosphere, academics, teachers, dorms, and etc

Amanda

Finding a college is an important decison in the students' lives as well as the family of those students. I would say to follow one's heart in the decision making progress. Find a school that you fall in love with, that you feel comfortable in, and that somewhat reminds you of home. A campus is more than what the classrooms look like or what the scenary is. A campus includes the people, faculty, staff, and spirit of the entire place. Make sure that you visit a campus before making any final decisions, because you can really tell a lot by that visit. Do some research and make sure that the school will provide you with quality learning in the field that you think you may go into. Don't be afraid to ask questions because this college will be where you spend four or more years of your life. This is a time of extreme growth, maturity, and finding one's identity. Embrace these years, and find a school that you are passionate about. Follow your heart, and everything will fall into place.

Rachel

I would suggest that students look into speaking to the alumni of the school to see how they felt about their college experience. The entire reason I went to Trinity is because of word of mouth. The best way to learn about a school is to speak to the students. Everything I was told is everything that I am experiencing. It was such a wonderful experience and a perfect fit for me. Once you start attending college, make sure you study hard and do your work. Make sure you focus on school and not hanging out with your friends. School is not about partying. You should want to be the best you can be. The best friend is one that will study with you. It is great to have a study buddy. If you are studying with someoney, they you feel as though you are hanging out and seeing you friends even though it is school related. I wish I would have went to college at an earlier age. Therefore, I would suggest to begin college as soon as you can. Do the best you can because it has a great deal with your future job.

Kourtney

think about your future, what you want to do, where you want to go, and make sure you can get there at the college that you pick

Eric

In order to find the right college and make the most of your college experience, first identify what it is that you are looking for in college. A school with 1500 students is perfect for someone who wants personalized classes and one-on-one contact with professors. Don't go to a small school if you just want to "blend it" and "float by" and don't go to a university if you want personal relationahips with classmates and professors.

Mike

It may be obvious to just go to a large school with lots of diversity, a good football team, and cheap tuition. However, if you want to make a difference in your school or you want a close one-on-one relationship with your professors, consider a small private school. A school like Trinity Christian College (around 2000 students) has a good share of available classes, but is still small enough to allow students to get involved in everything. Think about what's important to you as you enter college. Unless you're going to an Ivy League school, how notorious the school where you got your bachelor's degree isn't going to matter to employers. Christian schools will integrate devotions in the curriculum from time to time, which is great if you're a Christian, or if you're curious about religion. The bottom line is, depending on who you are, different schools are right for different people.

Franchesca

Pick a school that offers everything that you want and that you can easily fit in and also, i the right college where you can always go a teacher for help

Rachel

Keep up the hard work.

Ashley

The opinion of your friends and family is important when choosing a college, but it altimately comes down to where YOU feel comfortable, where YOU feel you can learn the best, and where YOU want to go.

Debra

In finding the right college, make sure you plan a visit to the campus and stay the night. You will really get a feel for what it is like. Make sure you have an idea of what you would like in your college experience and don't be afraid to ask questions. Make sure the college offers the exact degree that you are looking for and ask for more information about their program and what they offer so you can compare it to other colleges so you can get the most education for your money.