Northern Illinois University Top Questions

When trying to find the right college you first want to reaseach the colleges that have the best programs for the major you are interested in. Once you have a few in mind, you should go on college visits to each school. Talk to the department that you are thinking about majoring in, and see the requirements and possibilities of getting interships and helping to start a career. Also talk to students that are enrolled at that school and see the pros and cons that they have about it. It is also a good idea to sit in on one or two of the classes at the school to see if you like the learning environment and the ways the professors teach. Also research the costs of the school and what ones fits the best into your financial state. It would also be nice to go on weekend visits to your tops schools to see whether or not you will like the social life there as well as the academic. If you do all of these you will find yourself in the school that you will love and remeber for the rest of your life.

Pick a place that makes you happy. If you don't like big schools, don't go to a big school for a particular program. In the end, you won't get the most out of your college experience. I started at a small private school and realized after a large tuition bill that I didn't want to be there. Once you find the place where you want to be, take classes with professors you enjoy. You will always get more out of a course when you feel inspired, motivated and encouraged by the person instructing you. Also, make connections where ever possible. Go to office hours, email, and participate in class. The more people that know your name in a positive way, the more scholarships you can be nominated for. (Little known secret - there are lots of awards students can only be nominated by a faculty member for!) Finally, have fun. In the end, while GPA matters, when you look back on your college experience, you won't say to yourself, I wish I studied more.

I would have to say that you cannot pick a college based on location or price. A college should fit where you want to go in the future with your career. You should choose a school that to you has the best resources for your major and is the best college for you to learn at. I would strongly encourage visiting any school that you are interested and looking at what they offer for extracurricular activities. A college should encorporate all those aspects that meet your needs not what the guides say.

dont pick a school just for the parties

I would say definitely go with your intuition and go with the first college you choose, especially if you get in. I think that will make your college experience that more fun and you will want to learn more. Plus if you are excited about the school then you are more willing to participate in the activities around the campus (living on and if living on campus definitely find out what activities are going on around campus, especially if you live aroudn campus.)

Make sure that the school that you are looking at has what you want to do in life and your couselors at high school can advise you which school is good for that. NIU has a great business and engineering school with much funding. Fraternities and sororities are also great ways to get the true college experience but it doesnt need alcohol. In my fraternity chapter, there is only 2 people that drink and 1 who drinks regularly and he's over the age of 21. Make sure you look at the fraternity carefully and has the ideals which you believe in. Most state colleges are great and have no bad qualities.

Think about how much debt you want your child/children to aquire and how will they benefit from the school they plan to attend? Is this school the best option for their future, do they have their own drive?

Finding the right school is all the important. For instance, if you are all about being on the sport team then go to a school that thrives off their sports team. If you made your mind up about your profession then go to a school that offers the best in that profession. School is fun. There are many opportunities for you to meet new friends and meet your long time buddies. For me, I chose NIU because it was close to home, has a good Computer Engineering program. I also chose the school because I did not want to go to a big school or a small school and NIU is just right. So my advice again is finding the right school is all the important. Have fun choosing, cause I did!

visit as many as you can during the year and find out if this is really a good fit for you.

visit the colleges and you will know where you belong

find some place that you feel comfortabe at and take the time to get to know everyone. If you dont like it the first few days dont worry wait at least a year before you really decide and make sure you get yourself involved with the school and with your piers.

Find a school of the right size and diversity. A school too small may not have as many majors to expose one to and a large school may be a bit overwhelming. Try and decide upon a field and stick to it, but remember that you'll have to eat someday (pick wisely). Don't assume that you'll be able to make it out in only 4 years. Plan for possibly more than that. Look at all your options when it comes to finances and be sure to pad the amount it will cost you to go to school since unexpected costs will always occur. Do not slack off in the beginning, doing well in the early Gen-ed courses will keep your GPA from falling later on when the courses in your major become more difficult. Don't worry, you are not the only one in college, many people have gone before you and many more will follow. They will all survive. Although it may seem as if the roof is caving in at times, this isn't the end. You'll have friends there to help you, professors to guide you, and your parents to support you.

They should try to find a college that they like and not one that their friends like, also, try to find what social activities they do, and try hanging out in the college town for some time just to get to know it.

Choosing a school can be a stressful thing for both parents and students. Its difficult to chcek facts and figures as many schools look better on paper than they do in person. When a student is on campus, theyre not thinking " this campus has __ {4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} crime rate," or some other statistic. They notice how they feel as a part of their new community. Do they feel detached from their campus, or do they find their niche where they feel welcome and at home? I encourage the student and their parents to visit the campuses of the potential schools, talk to those already living there, check out the campus organizations, and meet some faculty. If its possible see if the student can sit in on a freshman level class, or spend a night in the residence halls. The student must feel welcome and at home as they will be on campus 8 months out of the year. It will become their new home. I visited many campuses and I knew very quickly when I arrived at my campus that I was home. I am now a community advisor and help make my students feel welcome.

It is important in my opinion to visit the college before you make your decision. Attend the open house. And talk about the decision with your family. If you are undecided, look into schools that have a variety of programs and good academic advisors. If you know what you want to major in, then make sure the school has a good program for that. And do not be afraid to ask questions about the school. Once in college, get involved! High school does not matter anymore, college gives you a fresh start. And there is so much diversity on campus that if you are willing to get involved, you will find the right group that shares your interests. Go in with an open mind and an open heart, and your college years will be the best of your life. Study hard, but have fun too! College is a balancing act, so learn what your priorities are, and you will have a successful college career.

VISIT the schools you're interested in, and be sure to ask the questions you have. Keeping them to yourself keeps you from finding a school that fits YOU. NEVER assume the campus tour guides are lying. After your tour is over, ask for a few minutes of their time and ask about their experiences in areas that interest you. It's a very rare occasion when they won't help you. Yes, they love their school, but they're students too and have had good and bad experiences.

Make sure to visit the school a few times before making one's decision.

Colleges in the city tend to be alot more expensive in alot of ways. University that are by themselves (away from the city) tend to be more cheaper in prices. Traffic and parking also seem to less of a problem

My advice to all of those who are looking for the right college is to find what fits YOU best, not what fits your best friends or what is closest to home. If you want to have an amazing college experience I personally suggest that you go further away from home. You don't have to be on the other side of the country, even a couple hours drive away would work. That way you can enjoy your freedom and learning experience without mom and dad breathing down your neck like in high school. But ALWAYS visit that school first, because you may get on one campus that looked awesome in the brochure and find out you don't ever want to go back. Choose one that you feel gives you the most potential to succeed. And after that just keep an open mind and have fun.