Illinois State University Top Questions

Don't sweat the small things. Don't over-worry about the transition to college. Keep a strong work ethic and keep in touch with your old friends but make new ones too!

Get involved in things you might be interested. Always stay ontop of your coursework in college and don't be afraid to talk to professors; they know so much and are so helpful and friendly.

Become involved as many organizations that do not interfere with classes. Every time I enroll in a student organization I meet new people and create new networks of friends. In college you do not want to hang out with the same ten people. I am currently involved in alternative spring break. Durring my spring beak, I will be traveling with ten other people to do a service project. I am also involved in habiat for humanity. Students in this group build homes on saturdays for familys who do not own a home. In college there are activities for whatever a student is intrested in. Whether it be community service, greek, sports, dance, theatre etc. It is out there. However, the student has to find it. Organizatios will not go looking for you. It took me a semester to become involved with any student organization. If I had known I would have met the people I did by becomming involved, I would have become involved sooner. It is a great experience! do not waste time because college goes quick!

If I could go back to senior year of high school I would tell myself to make the most of every moment between then and graduation from college. I feel as if I could have done more as far as getting to know people as well as taking the classes that i needed instead of classes that i wanted to take because I find that money be becoming more of an issue the longer I stay in school. I really enjoy school though, which is also something that I would not have anticipated after high school. I had such a good time in high chool and thought that I was leaving all of those fun times behind, so if i could go back in tim i would also tell myself to not be afraid to go have a good time! because its still possible to do so while still getting good grades.

If I could go back in time to senior year, I would tell myself to aim higher than I think I am able of because in the past year, I have proven to myself that I am smarter than I think. I would tell myself to not only apply to Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, and Carthage, but also to a more challenging school such as University of Illinois. When I was a senior in high school, I never challenged myself to academically perform better, so I never took the "next step up" to achieve more than I was used to. I would also tell myself to start saving my money now because I never gave my financial situation a second thought. Little did I know, my freshman year consisted of my bank account topping off at twenty dollars. While I did have a one thousand dollar scholarship from high school, it did not go very far. With the combination of books, groceries, and tuition, the money was gone within thirty days.

It is going to be a lot of work and at times it is going to be very stressful but the good times and hard work does pay off.

If I went back to talk to my high school self, I would tell myself that I need to pick up my slack. I may have gotten through high school alright with my work ethic, but I need to motivate myself to work harder. I got so distracted with being away from home and family that I didn't focus as much as I needed to. I regret this because I have no slack now. I am not satified with my GPA, so in order to increase my GPA, I need to work a whole lot harder. But that is easier to say when you get into your major classes and all your work load starts to pile up throughout the years. So, don't slack. You'll have a harder time in the later years in college if you do.

I would tell myself to be a little bit more outgoing. I would also tell myself to go out and become more active because it is easier to do when you are a freshman. The bit of advice I would give myself is to avoid some of the thirsty Thursdays so I would not miss ITK lab so much!

When I was a senior in high school my parents consistenly pushed me to look for scholarships, but I, being oblivious at the time to the cost of attending a respected college, ignored them. I soon learned that they were right all along. I should have been searching and applying for scholarships long before my freshman year of college. The cost of college these days is somewhat outrageous, however the education is worth it. Students like myself who are paying their own way through college need all the help they can get. So if I could go back in time, I would tell myself that listening to my parents might not be such a bad idea and to start that scholarship search as soon as possible!

The first advice I would give to parents and students regarding finding the right college and making the most of their college experiennce is to first and foremost secure funding for school. With today's economy, and the decrease in financial aid available to students, this is very important to consider before attending a four year university. For some people, their situation might prove that it's more economical to attend a Community College to complete their Associate's degree, then transfer to a four year university. If your financial situation allows you to secure funding at a university, my advice would include visiting the campus of prospective schools. For instance, shadow a Froshman for a day or two, get a campus tour, and learn about the services the school has to offer. For students, remember that you should chose a school that best fits your personal learning style. Specifically, learn about the average class sizes, and teacher to student ratio. Take the initiative to find out about services offered that will help you be successful in your major. Overall, secure funding, and dilligently seek information about the campus community in order to make the most of your college experience.

When choosing a college, don't settle. There are plenty of colleges out there to choose from, all that would be happy to have you. Think about what is most important to you, whether it be school pride, academics, food, off campus activities, athletics, or dorm life. Whatever it is, consider it carefully. Yes, making sure you can afford it is important, but there will always be financial aide possible, and if you are willing to work for what you want, on camps jobs. If you're not going to to school where you are happy, you won't be as happy. Also, get involved! Finding a group that you feel comfortable with will make all the difference in the world. There is nothing that can motivate you as much as having friends there to go through this new stage of life with you. Remember, everything will be new to them too! Find things that you have in common and be willing to reach out. Make th most of everything. If you're not sure, try it anyway! Then you'll know whether or not to do it again! Be adventurous, live it up, and study hard!

Get Involved, go to class, and dont party too hard.

Extensive research would definitely be my advice. I didn't find out about a better institution for my intended major until a few months ago. It's definitely too late to for me to consider transferring, unless I want to start over in my college experience. Best fits as a far as majors and financial aid tend to be the two most common factors weighted when deciding which college to attend. The third factor would probably be distance away from home, but most would definitely sacrifice that if the institution is offering a certain amount of money for the student's education. I would tell students to PLEASE focus on academics FIRST. After and only after that is taken care of, you can get to the social aspects of college. The parties and extracurricular activities aren't going anywhere. At the end of the day, you are in college to receive an education.

The most important thing for a student to consider when choosing the school they want to go to is the comfort level. If a student is not comfortable at the school they are looking into they will not adjust well. When a student is comfortable with their environment it allows for them to achieve excellence and be themselves in their surrounding environment. Success is very important in college and being comfortable and enjoying the environment in which the school is located will only enhance success.

I have a few pieces of advice for students and parents. The first piece of advice is that when touring college campuses, always remember to take note of the feeling you get in terms of comfort. When I came to Illinois State University (ISU), I felt so comfortable and at home when I was getting the tour. People were friendly, the tour guide was helpful, and the Quad was so beautiful. A factor that I took into account when making my decision was how far away I was from my parents. ISU is two hours south of my parents, so I could easily travel back and forth by way of public transportation. Consider modes of transportation when making your decision because freshman and sophomores are the least likely of all students to get parking passes at most universities. In terms of making the most out of one's college experience, I would advise that students join any club or sport that interests them. It's a great way to make friends and to get to know the campus. The more people you know, the more connections you'll have when you graduate. Lastly, never hesitate to ask for help.

Make sure the incoming student likes the size of the school (how many students actually attend), and that they like the campus in general. And also, make sure that when they visit, they feel welcome there.

Make sure to visit plenty places, to apply to many schools, and really think about your decision. Apply early so you have a lot of your senior year to contemplate your choice. I only visited three or four schools and I applied to four. I got into all four and chose the school I would attend by the start of October. I wish I had applied to more schools and taken through the spring to make my decision, because though I like my school, I now understand I could have gotten more money for some other schools, and I may have liked a different environment now that I really see what other schools are out there. So long story short, do a lot of research and don't feel pressured to make a decision quickly or to settle on a school.

Go on every college visit you can and explore all of your options. Do not assume that just because you think you want to go to a school that one institution is the only one out there.

Choosing the right college is not always easy, but it IS exciting! I would tell parents and students to not take the college decision-making process to lightly OR too difficultly. It is a process that takes time and effort on the parent and students part, but it should not be overly stressful. My best advice is to apply to no more than three or four colleges/universities. I have met plenty of people who took the application process way to seriously and applied to more than five colleges, and they seemed way too overwhelmed. I also would say that when you find the right college and are all ready to start packing everything, do not pack more than you can handle. Always remember that there are plenty of stores and places you can buy supplies at while you are at school, so do not worry too much about having all the right things right when you are all moved in. Lastly, these really can be some of the best four years of your life if you let it. Study hard, but not TOO hard, and do not forget to have fun, but not TOO much fun! GOOD LUCK!

Parents: listen to your child; Sudents: listen to your parents. Choosing a college is a huge decision and students will not only need as many opinions they can get, but also trusted advice from a parent. However, the ultimate decision should be left up to the student, for he/she knows themselves the best and where they'd be happy. For most middle-class families, such as myself, the largest factor when choosing a college is financial aid. I attended a large state university at the behest of my parents, yet it wasn't the best choice for me. My education and happiness may have been compromised since I was accepted into top=tier presigious uiversities. I am growing to like it where I am and it's important to students who don't end up at thier first choice to atleast give thier new school a try before they decide to hate it. I was bitter when I first enrolled which impacted my experience. Now I'm looking at my school from a new perspective and like it alot better. There will be "jerks" and potentcial freinds at every school, so just give it a try!