Northern Illinois University Top Questions

The college should meet the student's individual learning abilities, ambitions, and ability to adjust. If the student is prone to problems in transitioning, or if the student is undecided, I would suggest a community college first then a 4 year university. However, if the student is able to adjust well and has great ambitions then a 4 year university with the right program would work best.

Make sure you know what you are getting into. Go visit the colleges and see what the the place and people are like. As for making the best out of your college experience, just make sure to go to all the events your school offers the first week or weekend you get there. Most of the time you meet some of the people that turn out to be your best friends through out your college career at that time. After that just make sure to go to class and get your learning and studying in and of course make sure to have fun whenever possible too. College is a great experience for everyone.

I myself had applied to a numerous amount of colleges, and because of how close Northern was to home, I chose that. I would definitely recommend looking into the location, and what areas of study are most focused on. Whatever the school is really known for is what the student will get the best resources of. In making the most of your college experience, I would stay on campus as long as you can, and try only going home for breaks, to truly enjoy the minimal amount of time left in college. Becoming a part of the campus community is also a plus. Try and get involved as much as you possibly can. And that doesn't mean joining Greek Life. There are so many unbelievable opportunities available at many universities that are seeking aspiring students with different outlooks. A college with diversity is one that will prepare you for the rest of the world. College is a life changing adventure, so in choosing that route, go with what you're not used to. Go with change.

You have to know what you really want out of your experience. Do you want to attend in a large or small school?? Visit during the school year while classes are in session and don't be afraid to try new things. Pick a school that best fits your true needs and don't necessarily go for popularity.

Go with what feels right. The college that you think most about and have the best intuition about, is probably the right choice.

Allow the student to choose where he /she would like to attend school. It is important for the student to understand that he/she is going to college for an education, rather than a social life. I suggest being involved in student activities and be out going. College is a time to make friends and attend a degree. Allow yourself to enjoy this time it is important.

Go where your heart leads you and not neccessarily your parents( this is your experience) however parents play a vital role in this process of life so be kind, respectful and patient with them and yourself.

Reasearch the campus. See what kind of major/minors they have. Make a visit to the campus and see if it somewhere the student can live. Look at the resources the campus offers such as health insurance, health services, recreation, sports, activities, groups, religous groups. Look to see the ratings on the programs offered there. Also look at the rate that students receive finanacial aid. Look into the living arrangements and make sure the dinning plan is feesible for students. Utilize all the resources on campus such as health services, the writing center, resume center, career center, religous center, computer labs, or otherwise all the other campus perks. It may take a while to find all of these but they usually include it with orientation packets. Look at the fees you are being charged for on the bill for tuition and monitor it.

I would say think about what you really would like to do, what would be your dream career? Don't just think about what will make you the most money, think about what will really make you happy. Also don't apply to just one school, look at a lot of places and don't be afraid to leave your home state. Leave all of your options wide open, you never know what's out there, and if you get advice from a teacher or friend about school make sure you agree with the reasons they loved the school you are thinking about. In regards to having a good college experience, just remember that what you are doing, all the hard work and painful all-nighters are all leading you to a great future, so don't stress too much. Go out with your friends once and a while and dont feel guilty about it, but balance your time well, it can be hard but in the end it'll all be worth it. Also don't be afraid to go to club meetings or go up to someone new, they are in the same boat you are, be yourself.

For parents: What ever you do, make sure that you stay involved in your childs education and college selection. Be positive encouraging about your child's decision. Your child wants help but wants to figure things out on their own too. Make sure that when they are doing the research for their school, you are beside them and assisting them. When they finall go away to school, be there. Make sure they know how much you miss them but let them be independant as well. Care packages and letters always light up a college student's day. For students: Make sure to visit lots of schools to figure out where you feel comfortable before applying. Don't pick the school that all of your friends are going to. You will make more! Plus its fun going home on breaks and sharing stories with friends from high school. Also, keep track of due dates. When you finally get to school... Go out. Meet new people. GO TO CLASS and STUDY! It's what you are at school for. Try new things. Get involved. Call home frequently. (Your parents miss you!) Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Northern Illinois University is close enough to home for those who may want to go back on weekends to work or see friends. It is aso far enough away from mom and dad. Northern Illinois students have seen tragedy, which made us stronger as students. NIU is close with the neighboring community. The Huskies are supportive of one another and has a great football team. The alumnis are very close with NIU.

For students, I would say to keep your options open. Really research the schools that you're interested in and take the time to pick a top 5 that suit your wants and needs. This way, the likely hood of you getting accepted into a school of your choice is ideal. Once you've entered college, I feel it is just as important to develop academically as it is socially; whether that be by becoming involved with clubs, a fraternity/sorority, or just by meeting a lot of new people and making a great group of friends. Enjoy all of your years here and remember that it's okay to make some mistakes. College is about discovering yourself and that is truly the best part of it!

I would suggest they visit the colleges and talk to students attending it. Going to orientation and getting familiar with the school helps to figure out if it will fit the person well and meet their educational needs as well as personal needs.

Don't let anything hold you back. There is always a way to pursue your dreams. Be yourself and have an open mind. Meet new people and expand your horizons.

It is tough to find the right thing to say to both parents and students when picking the right school, but after a bit of thinking, I was able to come up with one simple phrase to sum it up: personal experience. My advice would be to first narrow down your selection to three schools you got into, and would want to attend. The first should be kind of far away, either big or small, and should be somewhat of a dream school if you will. the second school should be a bigger in state school, and the third should be a small private school. this way, the three biggest characteristics that change your college experience will be covered. Then you simply visit them. I actually reccomend two trips to each school. One with the parents that includes a university ran tour. But I strongly believe another trip should be taken either by the student solo, or with a couple of friends. This will truly show the student if the school is right for them not only academicly, but socially as well. College is college no matter where you attend, but the proper precautions make the experience that much better.

Never make your choice of school based on anything besides what you want. Don't make your decision based on what others think, or make your decision for other people. I can't tell anyone what is going to be right for them, becaus it will be different for everyone. Some people should stay close to home, some should go to another country; some should go with their boyfriend/girlfriend to school, some should not; some people should attend community college first, some should go straight to four year. I don't know. No one can know. However, if you try to make your decisions based on what someone else thinks, or expects of you, it will be that much more difficult for you to tell if it is the right decision, because someone else made for you. And after all that, please listen to other people. Get their opinions and advice, just make sure that you are taking their input, but don't let them make your decisions for you. It's also OK to go to a school because it's the only one you can afford. I did that, and I am so happy.

I would say to get involved when you are in school. Do everything you can to get the most out of your college experience. Knowledge is very valuable, and choosing the right college is very important.

I would tell the parents to stay involved. Go with them during their senior year in highschool around to the different colleges to experience what they have to offer their children. Ask questions and observe how your child reacts towards each experience. Their face and their response to asking questions and veiwing the place will alone tell you their excitement towards that school. And finally, let them make the decision, because when they graduate from college they will be extatic over their life experience there at the college they choose.

Do not follow just one advisors advice. Do your research and get several opinions.

VISIT before you decide!!!!