Illinois State University Top Questions

Definitely go visit! Students need to go with their gut as to where they want to go, forcing your children to go somewhere they don't want to will end up in both of you being unhappy.

I believe parents should encourage thought of careers once their son or daughter reaches high school. Some kids don't feel it is necessary to think about a life career and put it to the back of their mind. I think this is why many more students are taking longer to complete college and therefore are in more debt. Based on their career choice, this will be helpful in narrowing down what college to go to. There are so many colleges out there that are better choices for a specific career. Another thought to have before applying to colleges, is what size would they feel most comfortable and confident in? The size of the college is important for the student, because this could ruin their experience if it wasn't appropriate. If too large, students may fall behind and if too small some students may not flourish as they could in a big university.

Find a college with your personal interests in mind. While searching for something that fits, make sure to talk to people who already attend to get their input. It is best to go somewhere you are 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure about so you are spending money on something that is going to be worth your while. If you go somewhere you do not really like, your experience will not be satisfying in the long run. Be prepared, also, to work for your degree. It is a long, hard trip, but in the end, it really does matter.

I suggest visiting colleges. This is a great way to see if you like the college and how well it will fit yourlifestyle. While visiting a college stop by some of the academic buildings and the residents halls. You will never know if you like something if you do not look at it. I would also suggest looking at many schools, that way you will have a variety to choose from!! Once you get accepted to a college, I suggest you get involved as uch as you can. These experiences you have in college will stick with you for the rest of your life and you can meet people who could be a part of your life even after graduation. I also suggest getting involved in your floor if you live in a Resident Hall. This is a great place to meet people and make new friends. You will make wonderful friends in the Residents Halls. Above all, I suggest that you be yourself!! You will have a great time if you stay true to your self and do things you feel comfortable with. Don't feel pressured to do anything you don't want to do; just be you!!! : )

Find a college that suits you, and one with your major. Make sure you feel comfortable, do not hold back and try new things.

Make sure that the college is focused more on academics then social life. ISU has great professors but students seem more concerned with trying to get into a fraternity or soriety. Although social life is important and clubs are important it needs to be t more academically oriented. I would suggest going to a smaller school that provides smaller classrooms. Sometimes at larger schools it is harder to get lost in the shuffle and get to know people. College is definiately a great time in someones life and the memories will last forever, so it is important to choose a school that you feel apart of and catters to your needs as a student. Also, it is important to take different classes your first 2 years. I think that there is too much focus on trying to find a major right away but I think it is important to look at all kinds of fields of study. That is what college is about afterall. Trying to find yourself.

I would talk to people that go there. Stop random people on the quad and see how friendly they are. Spend a weekend there and try to walk to get groceries and have fun. That is one of the most important things, because living on and off campus you don't always have a car. Try to find parking in a bunch of different places. Take the bus around and see where it can get you, and how long it takes. Eat in the cafeterias all over campus to see where you would like to live. Talk to counselors in a few different departments that you are interested in. Sometimes the counselor almost makes more of a difference than the major. Try riding your bike around to see how easy it is. Really think about your biggest concerns and then try them out. Sit in on a class if you are allowed. Really kick the tires of the school! Don't feel like you are being pushy or nosy; you are going to spend a lot of time and money wherever you choose to go.

For the parents, I would say to help your son/daughter pick the college that will meet her needs. This is a time for them to be on their own and figure out what they want to do for the rest of their life. The school needs to be far enough away to get the whole experience, but close enough for them to come home whenever they want. Just be a guide for them and they will thank you for it later. For prospective students, I would say to pick a school that will offer you everything that will make you happy. College is a time to learn more about yourself and to have fun; join a club/organization, make friends, but most of all - do what you want to do. There isn't anyone here to tell you how to live your life. So do everything you can and make sure to take it all in; it will be totally worth it.

Expressing the meaning of college in less than two-hundred words is literally impossible. It can hold so many meanings for so many different people. However, it has to be said that regardless of what college you attend, it is what you make of the experience. Not everyone enjoys going to a large university or a small local college. However, it is the time and effort you choose to put into your college that can result in the success of your future. The more your school has to offer and the level of involvement you choose , the better student, friend, volunteer, and person you will become. Getting involved is more than just going to class every day and choosing the right college means choosing one that provides you with the opportunity to find yourself as a young adult. Without this, it is impossible to feel prepared for what the real world has to offer.

The most important thing to consider while choosing a college is how it makes you feel. Visit all the colleges on your list and get a feel for them. If you feel uncomfortable while visiting chances are you will not like going to school there. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the choice is the students. Pick a school that you want to go too, not somewhere someone else wants you to go. The important thing to remember while in school is that there is a fine line between fun and too much fun. Make time to get your work done while still being social.

As a student attending their second choice college the best piece of advice I have about choosing a college is keep your mind, and your options, open. Not being able to attend your first choice college can be a blessing. When I entered Illinois State University I was not excited. I viewed the school as second rate and had every intention of transferring to my first choice university when the year was through. As first semester progressed I began to realize that, academically, Illinois State was top notch. Being an average student in high school I wanted to improve in college but figured it would be difficult to break my old habits and develop new ones. That was not the case though! The classes I took and professors I had motivated me to achieve my best. The small classes and availability of professors made it easy to excel. Involving myself in other activities of interest on campus also provided me with a community of friends willing to help by offering support through study groups or movie nights. So please, keep an open mind about your classes, professors, peers, and your university, it will make your college experience enjoyable and memorable.

My advice would be to visit all the colleges yourself of your child is interested in. In your visit look around, talk to students, talk to teachers, and ask plenty of questions. This gives you a feel of the campus. After all you will be spending years there. Don't hesitate to ask questions, because whoever you ask, will have once been in your shoes. The visit is one of the most important aspects in chosing a school. It's like shopping around for a car, you always test drive before you buy, so for college, you browse campuses and test them all out.

Make sure to not send your kids to Lincoln College Normal. It is the most terrible eductational institution you will ever see. Choose a place where friends are close, but the friends that are close actually are intellectually stimulating.

Choosing which college is right for you may be one of the most important decisions of your life. College is the place where you make your lifelong friends; the place where you learn the skills that you will use for a lifetime, whether they are your career or people skills. The actual place or campus that you land on is not the most important part of your experience. Always choose the place where you feel the most comfortable because you will be yourself in that environment and let other people see the real you. College is not about the classes that you couldn?t get into because you had a late registration date; college is about the new friends you made to complain to about not getting into that class. Making true friends is the most important part of college. They are to stay up late with you to prep you for an early exam, go out on the town with, and make the most of a crummy situation. Make the most of every situation and never waste time because you always think that you have much more of it than you really do. Four years really does fly past.

The best advice I can give to students or parents about finding the right college is to experience what your college has to offer in your decided major hands-on. I am an acting major at Illinois State University, and I truly knew that I wanted to attend ISU when I saw one of their main-stage shows that was done absolutely superbly. The show was "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," and the acting was phenomenal, and the costume design and set design looked like something on Broadway. When I saw that ISU could produce such an amazing show, something that I wished I could've been apart of myself, I knew right then and there that I wanted to learn from the faculty at this school, because they were able to produce shows of the caliber that I wanted to be apart of. I had experienced theater at other schools that didn't even compare to what ISU had to offer, but I'm glad I had both experiences so that I could know in the end, that ISU was definitley the perfect choice for me. Therefore, truly experiencing what a school has to offer is the best way.

Visit the college you are planning on attending or applying to. I had no desire to attend my college until I walked on campus for the first time on a tour. I fell in love with it and really felt at home. If you aren't going to feel good about the campus you are going to be living on there is no point in going there no matter how good or bad the school is said to be.

My advice goes to parents, please be supportive of your students' right to choose. I know you feel you have a say in it because of the financial aspect, however, please let your students make the choice, let them decide and find their niche. And my advice to students is to find somewhere you feel at home, and enjoy your time in college, it's the best time of your life. Good luck!

Go for what you want, listen to your heart. This is the place you will be attending for FOUR YEARS, or more, of your life! You want to enjoy it. Take everything into consideration, but really think about where you fit in and where you think you would flourish.

The advice I would give parents and or students about finding the right college is to make sure that school fits you as a person. Make sure the school has a reputation for something good rather than being the biggest party school. I also would look to see whats the graduation rate and how likely you are to get a job fresh out of college. Also take a visit of the campus. If the campus is too big that might affect a person in a negative way. I think if you use this advice you are bound to find a good college!!!!

One piece of advise for students trying to pick the right school to attend is go where you want to go. Do not go somewhere because your boyfriend or girlfriend is going to that school because you never know what could happen. If the student does not do what he or she wants to do then their college experience will not be everything that they want it to be. Going tothe same schools is fun. I myslef did that. Both my freshman and sophomore years of college I have roomed with someone that I have know from my home town. This is not always the best thing simply becasue this does not allow one to get out of their comfort zone and meet new people. If one rooms with someone they know from home it is fun, but I would suggest from experience to go with random roomemate. Sure, sometime it will not work out becuase college is all about growing and meeting new people. Also, pick the school that feels best to you when you go visit not the one that your parents liked the best it is the student that has to live with their choice.