University of Illinois at Chicago Top Questions

I would have told myself to apply to go away to a 4 year university to fully concentrate on my education and have fun at the same time while working a part time job versus what I had done which was stayed here and worked full time and school full time and half time (varied)

If I could go back to talk to myself as a senior I would advice to put my pride aside. I had worked so hard during high school to get good grades, be on the National Honors Society, be the leader of clubs, all so that I could attend good college. I wanted to show my parents that their little girl was going to make them proud, she was not only going to graduate with honors but she was also going to go to a University. I applied to many scholarships but did not get any; I wanted to go to a University so bad because I deserved it. I would say to myself, “you didn’t work that hard to go to community college, show others what you are capable of”. I took out loans to come to UIC, but now I am always stressed on how I am going to pay them back. It difficult now to say but I should have put my pride aside and gone to community college since I knew I couldn’t afford a university. Now I realize that it didn’t matter where I went as long as I got my education.

During my time at UIC I have gained a peace of mind that I am attending the right school for me. That has been the most valuable asset for me because it has allowed me to completely focus my attention to my studies and attempt to attain prestigious scholarships such as these. It has also allowed me to flourish socailly at the universirty and in return i have met a lot of good people and professors. Most of the teachers I have had were very helpful and understanding. There is a challenge academically at the university which entices me to always try my best. All of these factors help me realize that UIC is the right college for me and the peace of mind i have recieved is the most valuable thing i can ask for.

I graduated from Malcolm X Community College.with an AAS in Accounting . I was hired at the first job I applied for after graduation and worked for a year as an accounting clerk for the Safer Foundation. The job lasted a whole year. With the contacts I made in school, I looked into another job where accounting skills were not even required (but the skills learned in the core courses were) and worked there for nearly 20 years. Obtaining a degree was a worhty pursuit and worth every cent I spent and every hour I worked to get it. the job required that continuing education courses be taken periodically and they too were worth it. Now, I'd like to get more education so that I could possibly start my own business. Anyone who can should get as much education as they possible can.

I've gained two strong sets of skills: book smarts and street smarts. While earning my world-class education from UIC, I have also learned the ins-and-outs of public transportation and what independence means in a large city.

Having only a GED and not finishing high school, the thought of going to college was very overwhelming. I live on my own and was tired of working as a bartender. Not knowing where to begin or what to expect, I went to El Camino College and registered. The counselors helped me get on the right track and I started working on my general education. In the beginning I felt as if I was the oldest person in all of my classes. But after a semester, I was fine. My college experience so far has allowed me to make many new friends and learn how to interact with people of other backrounds. There is such diversity in all of my classes. I have become more outgoing and able to handle new situations without being scared or shy. I have also become more disciplined in my everyday life and have learned how to balance a work schedule around my study time. When I graduate I believe the college experience will prepare me for my career, because they are very similar. Now I have more confidence and feel very comfortable about finishing school and starting my new career as a nurse.

Going to college helped me see how wrong I was about my intelligence. My school was located in a lower middle class neighborhood. I graduated the top ten from middle school with numerous awards. When I went to high school I competed in the Academic Decathlon and graduated as the National Honor Society and class Vice President. I thought I was smart until I went to college with classmates who went to school in the suburbs. My classmates had large vocabularies and expressed themselves with so much ease that the professors were impressed. I on the other hand was sent to the writing center by my English professor because I didn't write at the college level. I was shocked and saddened by the comments but determined to get an A in the class and at the end I did. This college experience has been very valuable to me because now as a teacher I know that I am responsible for making sure students are always held accountable for high expectations. I never look at a student and say since he is poor it's okay if he doesn't know more. It has been a positive life changing experience.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Alan Craig and I am 20 years old. I am attending ITT Technical College. My goal is to get my Bachelor's Degree in Computer & Engineering Technology. My ultimate goal is to become a computer hardware technician. I have found that ITT Tech is the perfect place for me. Not only am I getting a specially designed program for the evolving communications industry but I am also getting a hands-on education. I am taking hardware and software classes, electronics and programming. I know that this education is extremely valuable and ITT is a great fit for me. Because of this, I have started a small independent business out of my home where I repair and maintain computers. I have learned to repair desktop systems, laptops and hand held electronics such as IPods. I have also worked on video game systems and just about anything current in the electronics market. I want to continue with this business while I attend ITT and hopefully further my education for a future in the computer industry. My only challenge is financial, so this scholarship would help me immensely. Thank You.

The University of Illinois at Chicago gave me an amazing college experience. I met wonderful and very helpful professors that were willing to make an appointment to their office hours to give additional help for myself along with their students. This help allows students to suceed and do well. The classmates are friendly and make real great friends as well. They can be considered as a best friend that one can count on whenever in trouble.

College life is exciting, fun, scary, and stressful all at the same time, but worth every moment. It is truly a life changing experience because the decision to go to college is far too great not to go to college. I can truly say my decision to go to college has been the most important decision I have made in my life so far and there are no regrets. In college I have met so many different people and have been exposed to many different cultures and lifestyles. I have learned alot about life and where I see myself in the future just by being around other ambitiuous people in my college environment. Also by going to college it opens so many windows of opportunity for me in the future. Even though college is not cheap it is definitely worth every penny because it is a life investment and I do not know of anyone who finished college that would say it was a waste of time.