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.