Illinois State University Top Questions

I wish I would have known just how many opporunities were avialable at ISU. I started college with an idea of what I wanted to do unaware that I could do so much more at Illinois State.

I wish I had known that applying myself in high school would lead to life being easier in college. My problem in high school was I never fully applied myself in areas where I should have. I could have earned the grades that would earn me scholarships and lessen the finanicial burden when the time came to attend college but I just waltzed through high school without a care in the world. Now I have to work even harder today to undo my mistakes from yesterday.

I wish I would have known how great this school was. I never knew it could be such a great school with such a friendly student body. It was very unexpected

Before attending Illinois State University, I wish I had known how much studying obtaining a good GPA would entail. In high school, I was typically able to maintain straight A's with minimal studying. However at ISU, I had to study at least three hours each day in order to earn my 4.0 GPA. Although I am willing to put in the amount of work necessary for my academic success, I wish I had developed the study ethic required for college success in high school.

I wish that I knew that it is okay to ask people for help, no matter how small, because everyone has been in my shoes and know that people need help sometimes.

I wish I would have known the amount of foreign speaking teachers in the Mathematics Department.

I wish I had known about the cost and about how important it is to get involved in something you're interested in to meet friends

I really wish somebody would have emphasized to me that life is a roller coaster and that not everybody settles with a career. I came in to college have a pretty set plan as to what I wanted to do with my life. However, with certain life events, I am now not sure what I even WANT to do. I don't have the money for grad school- which is what I've been working towards for a long time- and I am feeling more confident with just finding a job (not a career).

Get involved with things quickly. You make a lot more friends that way. It took me until second semester to figure that one out!

I wish I had known the extent to which I would need to manage my finances before attending ISU. I didn't know that the clubs and activities here would require a substantial amount of my money, nor did I grasp that living in a suit would cost an extra $600. Because I applied late to the school, I did not have much of a say as to where I'd be residing. I was placed in a suite and have to pay an extra $600, which I did not know about until a month into the school year.