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.