Illinois College Top Questions

Although I have only been enrolled in college for one semester I have gotten a lot out of it. College has been a great experience so far. It is teaching me how to manage my time, and how to take care of myself. I feel that college is helping me become independent and is helping me gain the information I need to know to become successful. Coming to college has made me value my education more. It makes me feel accomplished being the first person in my immediate family to attend a four year university. I feel that my college experience will grow to be even more wonderful. It is molding me into the person I will become for the rest of my life. I can't wait to look back at my college experience and see how much I have grown.

From my college experience thus far I have learned to plan and live on my own away from my parents. In high school I didn't have to study much for any of my classes but this changed when I got to college. I have learned to study and prepare for tests. I've really enjoyed how friendly everyone is here on campus. I have been able to create relationships with my teachers because they are helpful with I have problems understanding the information they are teaching. Also the friends I have made here at college have made a very valuable impact on my experience. I know that these friends will be there for me whenever I need them.

College was valuable for me for that fact that in order to be successful in life, you must have a good college education. In the realization of this, I decided to pursue a dual learning experience, to heighten my musical skills as well as my business sense. I come from a family with high values in pursuing a college education, so going into college was not a mattter of choice or opinion. My choice in higher learning was a result of my past experience in business and music. I consider myself an artist: keyboard player, songwriter, and producer; as well as a businessman, after selling Cutco merchandise and aspiring to be an entreprenuer. In order to start my own businesses, my intelligence would need to be backed by a solid source of reference: a college degree. It never mattered to me where I attained my degree; just the fact that I am aiming for several in my possession by 2016 brings confidence to my inner workings. The fact that I am ambitious and a hard worker, in my eyes, proves busting my buns for a college degree is worth every penny spent; because in the end, its a penny earned.

My college experience has been valuable to me because I have learned how to think critically, be prepared for the world, and how working hard will get me far in life. I am a student who struggles not because I have lack of focus or studying, I struggle because I come from a divorced family and a middle economic family. Because my family has never really had money I have learned how to juggle two jobs and go to school full time. I realize that by getting a college degree this in turn will help me obtain a career that will pay decent money so I can invest money towards college money for my children. I believe this is valuable because it prepares you for the world and teaches values of working hard for the money because all the money I currently make goes towards school. In college some students may party and have things given to them but they are not learning or preparing for the future; where as I work hard and I am focused so in the end I can be successful.

Illinois College spends a lot of time trying to open all of its students to different cultures and traditions. I feel that I have gained valuable insight to things I may have not otherwise experienced, like attending convocations and attending world culture events. Illinois College has a variety of lectures and activities that open up its students' minds to these things. After attending this college I have gained respect, knowledge and understanding of different world cultures, and I have had the opportunity to travel to different countries to immerse myself in their culture. Those experiences and newfound enlightenment are invaluable to me, and I know I will treasure them for the rest of my life.

As I progress through my studies, I realize that my skills in communication, computers, group collaborations, and people skills have grown in magnitude. With these, I can enrich society to embrace differences and learn to work together towards a common goal. I was fortunate enough to participate in a BreakAway while earning my Bachelor's Degree. After 10 weeks of study focused on associated literature, history, and sociological aspects, a mixed group of faculty and students spent a week in London, England, where we visited some of the most spectacular buildings and sites in the world. Our campus contains visiting students from several foreign countries and encourages U.S. students to study or travel abroad by offering scholarships, grants, and opportunities through the Study Abroad and BreakAway programs. Interaction with students from differing ethnicities or countries is emphasized through clubs and classes on-campus. Globalization is spreading, and being able to cooperate and build friendships with other people from different backgrounds builds character and strengthens our global community. Keeping this in mind, I stay in contact with friends who have graduated and moved back to their own countries to continue their studies.

I started college when I had come to a crossroads in my life. My husband and I divorced, and I had no real training that would lead to a fulfilling career. That first semester was so difficult for me, and I was afraid to even talk in class. I had an amazing oral communications professor that pushed me to come out of my shell. With her encouragement and inspiration I began to speak in public and talked more in classes every day. Always searching for new answers and no longer afraid to question even what was in our textbooks or happening in the world. Growing up with abuse, I always knew I wanted to find the reason behind the cycle of events. The advisors and professors helped me to decide on my major in psychology. Through the help I have received from the faculty and staff at college, I became more involved in our community and on campus. Through this involvement I have seen an even higher need for the help that I am aspiring to be able to confidently give. Without the college community, I would still be searching for answers for my own personal goals.

My college experience at the Lancaster Campus of Central Pennsylvania College has enriched my life in so many different ways. I've learned to listen to other peoples perspectives, to think outside the box, and to live by my own set of values and beliefs. I'm not so quick to believe everything I'm told, but to question things and search for the true answer. I have learned that things I used to believe were impossible for me to learn, I can learn when I apply myself to my studies. I have learned that when things are hard, if I reach way down inside myself, I am able to pull up the impossible. This experience alone, has helped to make me a confident and self assured person. Knowing who I am as I enter the professional field is why my college experience has been valuable to me. The friendships I've established with fellow students and professors has also brought value and meaning to my life.

Looking back now, my choice to become a Dual Enrollment student and attend college a year early was one of the best choies I could have made. I allowed myself to "broaden my horizons" and take chances by meeting new people and challenging my abilities academically and personally. College, in my opinion, is a symbol of hope. Hope for more knowledge and more experiences. I have learned to enjoy life and look forward to my future. My college experience definitely changed my life for the better. If more people were exposed to these opportunities, I am sure they would feel the same way.

My time at Illinois College is full of invaluable experiences. One of my best decisions was to join a Literary Society, Sigma Phi Epsilon. I?ve held many offices and am currently serving as their President. These girls have become my family, and friends that will stick with me for the rest of my life. In college I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I stopped listening to what other people told me was "practical" and discovered what I really want. I'm an activist, a feminist, and I care deeply about people and the issues surrounding them. After undergrad I plan to join the Peace Corps. I'm a Theatre major, which is something I never thought possible. I now know that I want to attain a higher degree and teach at the college level. Although I don?t know all the details yet, my life has a plan. In my time in college I?ve figured out what I like and what I like to do, but most importantly I discovered who I was.