University of Illinois at Chicago Top Questions

What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

Mirely

Before coming to UIC I wish I would have known the big difference between commuting and dorming. When you are a commuter you have to use every minute possible that you can to do your work, and when you dorm you don't have to worry as much. Sure this school is filled with commuters, but it is hard to get work done on the train and to stay involed at school unless you are fine with taking the Blue line at eight o'clock at night. Dont get me wrong you do save alot of money by commuting.

Gabriela

I wish that I would have known that everything was going to be okay. UIC offers many resources and opportunities to help you succeed. There is nothing to worry about. You will get a job and love your classes and have tons of fun. Remember to take advantage of all that the world has to offer.

Ashley

There is nothing that I wish I had known before I attended UIC.

Thomas

Unless you join a club or play sports, it can difficult to meet people at first. I would suggest joining something because it makes you feel more apart of the community. With this school consisting of many commuters, it can be difficult to establish strong connections and relationships. Joining a club can expand your network.

MONIKA

I wish I had a plan and/or major decided

Mayra

I wish I had looked for more scholarships, this way I would not have been so stressed during my school year. Always worrying how i was going to pay for this University next semester. Also becoming more familiar with the programs that it has to offer to their students. There are many resources you could have joined so they helped with school.

Christiana

I wish that I had known the campus bus could get me to class (on time) if I knew where all of the stops were located. The large campus is easier to navigate if one knows the when and how of the campus bus. The information booth provides a schedule that is actually adhered to by the drivers and students ride without incident to their destination.

Christopher

I would have like to known what kind of help is offered if a student would need help with a class.

Alejandra

I wish I had known how big the average class-size was.

Brittany

The campus is prone to be subjected to strange smells.

Milan

That the classes were so huge and that at a smaller campus I could get more attention

Martha

How big the campus was.

Bryn

I wish I had known a little more about city life. It's quite easy once you get used to it, but I can be pretty intimidating at first . The school feels like its own little town in the middle of Chicago

Tisa

From living in a small suburb in Illinois, I didn't know the importance of understanding other areas. I was a minority, and unhappy. Chicago has become my new home in less than three months because of how UIC opened all sorts of people. Something that I have been wanting to see in my small-town. I really wish I knew about how happy I would be here and show my home-town how we should really be.

Samantha

Don't sleep in too late! I wish I would have known that making a class schedule where all of your classes don't start before noon can come back to bite you later. All of freshman and sophomore year I had this amazing schedule where I could stay up as late as I wanted because I could sleep in. When I was a Junior and started the Nursing curriculum, I had to be at the hospital at 6:45 am! Waking up that early took a long time to get used to because of my late sleeping schedule.

Jeff

One aspect of life that I wish I had known more about before school is the virtue of patience. This one seemingly unimportant quality can improve the quality of the college experience more than nearly anything. From roommates to busy work, patience can aid in creating a much more stress free environment while also preparing one for what lies ahead in life. Reward comes to those who are patient and respectful, knowing that this was true would have spared be countless amounts stressing over the most miniscule events. Patience remains of the utmost importance to me.

Dionicia

Before going to UIC i wish that i would have known how expensive it was to start college and if i knew that i could have taken the same pre requesit clases at a community college i would have. Because it would have been much less expensive . In other words after finishing my prerec courses in a community college and saved money then i could have transfered over to UIC for the remainder of my years to follow my career.

Alexis

I wish I would have know about the high standards at this school.

Josh

I wish I had known how different college was overall, not difficult but different. I thought I could continue my methods of studying that were really effetive in high school and apply them here. Well that wasn't the case. UIC is one of those shool, prospective students look forward to but half-way into their first semester they begin to experience how different it actually is. I wish I had taken dvantage of the opportunity during the summer to do the Summer Workshops to get a small taste of what college expects to better prepare myself.

Alana

Many of the students are commuters but there are a certain amount of individuals that are residents. I grew up in a small farming community and found the big city life overwhelming but enjoyable. I wish I could have had the opportunity to a workshop type thing to be able to sit in on a lecture, classroom discussion etc. Many classes are the size of my entire high school graduating class.

Thomas

I wish I had pushed myself more in mathematics because now I am stuck retaking placement tests trying to place directly into the higher math class that I need, instead I may have to take multiple classes prior to getting into my required class which may hinder my intended graduation date. I was not accustomed to urban life prior to moving here but it was easy to get acclimated to this way of life. However, I wish I had a greater understanding of the transit systems of Chicago prior to coming to this University.

Anthony

How difficult it was going to be living away from my family.

Anna

nothing. i chose it because it was cheap.

Erica

I only came to this school for architecture, and I ended up changing my major.

Ian

The campus has little social life. It is more like a commuter college.

Shannon

I was pretty well prepared.

giana

i wish i new they didnt have the dance team .

Nedea

I fell that I have a good grasp on everything

Yangfeifei

Middle class don't get much financial aid at all.

Laura

n/a

Bao

I wish that I had been informed of the bad housing facilities and uncaring teaching assistants hired by the school. This may have changed my choice for which college to attend.

Jessica

I wish I had known that it was a huge commuter campus, therefore most of the people I get to know in class aren't around on weekends and outside of class to have fun with.

Juan

The amount of studying and effort involved in a university setting. I feel that my High School, which was a college prep , did not prepare me enough for the courses at UIC.

Narae

I wish I had known more about the professors and classes at this school before registering for classes. I also wish someone would have told me not to depend on academic advisors because they don't really help much.

Alana

The class sizes aren't that big. I was surprised to learn this and the teachers are very friendly and helpful.

richard

First off, I wish I had been a little more prepared for this experience. I thought I was prepared but found out that the professors are occasionally rigid and uncompromising. Second the fact that the financial aid office was telling me that I would receive x amount of money for my classes and when later I found out when i changed classes or was able to accelerate my workloan that the financial aid was non-existent and could'nt be applied backwards on previous semesters, thus leaving me a debt.

Katarzyna

I wish that before coming to my school I had known more about scholarships available to students. That would help me avoid taking loans my first year of college.

John

How unconcerned the professors are about you learning anything.

Jonathan

I do wish that I have know anything , because I knew everything when I came into college and I still know that I will create wealth while I am here in college. To be honest the only thing that I wish I had know, was that college is only fit for those who are financailly stable to attend even with financial aid assitance. College is expensive, and it takes a lot of finance in order to achieve higher goals such as medicine and law. This is what I should have known before I knew that funds were being cut.

Erica

I wish I had the experience of what to except while in college. I didn't know what classes would be like or what kind of work load they would have. High school is so different from college. I wish I could have been more prepared for college. Especially when it came to studying and working on projects and papers. The expriences you have in high school are nothing compared to college.

jacqueline

Alot of T.A's are foreing

Christine

You have to work really hard!

Naz

There is nothing I wish i had known before coming to this school.

Katherine

Before I came to this school, I wish I knew more about the school's history or background. I simply chose this university because it was close to my hometown, and because I heard they were known for having successful medical programs. I feel that not the people who do have pride for their school is because they either don't care or they don't know very much about the school in general.

Katrina

Commuting would be a hassle and that it was built during the Riot Years in Chicago.

Kinga

I am satisfied with everything. So far so good!

Christopher

I wish that I would have known that everyone goes home every weekend.

Chad

What kind of major I wanted to be.

Kit

the profesor and advisors's performance

Joelitta

that campus housing wasn't like the brochure