7 Things to Consider Before Casting Your Ballot on Which College to Attend

The decision of which College is the right one for you is a monumental and severely underestimated decision in a high school students life. Looking back on my own experiences, I truly did not place much thought on my decision until I was facing my Junior year of high school, when my counselor pulled me into her office and began asking me about my plans after graduation. I was taken back. I hadn't spent an instance of my time prior to this moment thinking about where I was headed. I knew I was going to College, but where exactly? Your guess is as good as mine was at the time. Its astounding to me that at the age of 17 I was expected to know exactly what my plans were, where I wanted to attend College, what my major was going to be, what I want to do for the rest of my life, and so on. Worrying about this decision only makes matters more stressful than need be, and here are 7 things to consider before casting your ballot on which College to attend.

1. Making the decision of where to attend College is incredibly stressful, so lean heavily upon your counselors, teachers, friends and family to help you along in the decision making process. 

2. Formulate a list of your wants and needs from your College and tackle to College searching process head on. Searching for College's without having a game plan is going to cause even more stress.

3. Start your College searching process broad and continue to refine your results. The College you may not initially be leaning towards may end up being your number 1. 

4. Schedule campus visits as early as possible. You can learn a lot about a College by simply stepping foot on its campus. After all, you'll be spending 4+ years living there, if its not a campus you find appealing crossing it off your top choices will focus your attention on more promising prospects. 

5. Deciding on your major before attending College is less important than you may believe. I came to Illinois State with the impression of being a journalist, and now in the midst of my Senior year I have changed my mind a number of times and now am majoring in business. In most College programs you will have until your Junior year to declare a major, which will allow you to take general education courses to discover where your passions lie. 

6. When deciding on which College is right for you its incredibly helpful to seek opinions from your peers. However, their opinions should not supersede your own wants and desires. Don't let another's desires persuade you away from your own. A prime example would be attending the same College to remain with a significant other or to continue a friendship with your best buddy. Friends and relationships come and go, but be sure not to loose out on the experiences College will present to you by remaining in the past. 

7. Choose a College that fits what you're searching for. There's a College for everyone and by putting in the work to find it will change your life forever.

If you need additional advise regarding how to land admissions to your top-college, check out the following link!
http://8db2ej4iqpvj7l8a16rbtal121.hop.clickbank.net/

What can be found on, and around the ISU campus?

Illinois State University is located in Normal, Illinois. Don't let the town name of Normal fool you, this town is anything but normal. The campus itself is heavily centralized on the quad. With classroom buildings surrounding the entire exterior of the quad. The typical student will have majority of their classes surrounding the quad their entire 4 year undergraduate degree term. There are a few buildings found further off the main quad area, however are all within walking distance from the heart of the campus.

The quad is the centerpiece of Illinois State University; is beautiful every season of the year, and condenses the large student population into a small school feel. Students litter the quad every break from classes, filling the sidewalks with commotion and traffic as everyone rushes to make their next class, to hit the library for a study session, or attend the rec center for a workout. The quad is a one-stop-shop for everything and anything a college student may be searching for. Watterson dining center is a quick walk from the quad, and just past Watterson is a quaint street with shops and restaurants, which leads straight into what we refer to as Uptown Normal.

Uptown normal is a terrific getaway for Illinois State University students to relieve stress and simply take a walk. Restaurants and shops fill both sides of uptown with constitution trail splitting it down the middle. Constitution trail is one of my personal favorite aspects of Normal, and is a paved trail that has portions in uptown and through forested locations. Whether your taking a walk, jog, or biking on the trail you'll find it occupied around the clock during the day.

Normal offers a unique landscape which is quaint, yet relaxing. Its not flashy or highly publicized, however provides us students and residents with everything needed to live a happy, healthy lifestyle. The campus is incredibly accommodating to students by making all buildings centrally located to relieve walking time and has provided an outstanding learning environment for me especially now in the midst of my senior year.

Sports: The stressed out college student retreat

College sports are the equivalent of a long walk on the beach to clear your head in the eyes of a college student. Having time away from the books, sitting in class, and all the homework/assignments/tests that become second nature to students. Attending a college-sporting event, whether its football, baseball, basketball, or any other program your school has will allow you to relieve stress with your fellow students by cheering on your classmates as they take the court or field. College sports hold a level of uniqueness that can't be found in professional sports. The players are not making a profit; they're playing the sports they love while furthering their education at the same time. 

I love attending college-sporting events here at Illinois State University. They bring together the entire campus for a few hours to simply watch and enjoy some quality entertainment. Here at Illinois State our football and basketball teams are what gain the most publicity over any other program. We are currently immersed within the college football season, which means tailgating is in full swing. This is a social experience that should be experienced by any and all college students. Spending my cool Saturday mornings every fall tailgating has been one of my favorite memories I have obtained in my years in college and is something I will never forget. Unfortunately the basketball season takes place during the winter, which is not an opportune time for tailgating, however sitting in Redbird Arena on a big game day is something that must be experienced personally to understand. The stands are electric, players eager with anticipation of the upcoming game, and the stadium buzzing with students, alumni, and faculty members all looking for a getaway from our daily workloads.

College can be an incredibly stressful time for most students. Even if your university is not incredibly enthusiastic about your sports program, sports are an amazing experience to bond with and meet new friends. They're fun atmospheres, provide exhilarating entertainment, and for students, typically cost little to nothing. Some of my fondest memories of attending college-sporting events were ones in which paid nothing to attend. Men's lacrosse is a club sport here at Illinois State University and is a captivating and exhilarating game to watch. 

Each university will provide a different array of sports to either participate in or watch. Whether the sport is well known at your school or known of by very few, attending games is a terrific way to be more involved within your university and will prove to be a valuable escape from the trials and tribulations found during a college students typical week. 

Need a tailgating staple? Check out this link and enjoy your tailgate to the fullest!

What can your College do for you?

College is a location for higher learning to practice upon our strengths and improve upon our weaknesses. The skills acquired in the classroom are what everyone envisions when they fill out the application for admission to a university. Im not here to say otherwise, however I do believe the skills acquired outside of the classroom during your time spent in college are equally, if not more important to advancing yourself toward your optimal career. Involvement within your campus is key to gaining an optimal college experience.

Getting involved in clubs, teams, and organizations show you enjoy being involved and that you're able to maintain a busy, diverse schedule. These extra-curricular activities are the types of resume builders that will separate yourself from others when you're looking for work right out of college. Involvement is more than simply doing something to build your resume. Being involved in something you're passionate about will push you out of your comfort zone and to heights you may never have believed were possible. Follow your passions and never stop believing in yourself.

My freshman year I knew nobody. I had no friends to begin my college career with and was forced out of my comfort zone to change that. Im an introvert, which made putting myself out there and meeting new people no simple task. Through friends I had met, I ended up rushing a social fraternity on campus, and was initiated. The process of rushing and initiating was exactly what I needed to break out of my introverted shell. One year later I ran for an executive position and was named to the executive board as the Scholarship Chairman; a position I would never have dreamed to be named to prior to rushing. My fraternity has changed me for the better and while I am still introverted I have learned to express myself in social and academic environments. This level of growth was something I would not have acquired by merely attending classes and has drastically changed my college experience for the better.

Your time in college will go quicker than you may believe. Make your time enrolled productive. Become involved as much or as little as you would like and do not hesitate when opportunities to become involved present themselves to you. Remain open minded, take educated risks, and never stop learning.

About Me

My name is Matt Karstens and I am a Senior, Business Administration major with a minor in Political Science at Illinois State University. The purpose of my blog is to discuss the college experience by providing helpful tips an insight that any future or current college student can relate to. I will be discussing areas within the college experience. The gains that will be acquired from divulging in my blogs will include a thorough understanding of the college lifestyle, with focus on the social and academic occurrences that college has presented during my four years of schooling.

Through my schooling I have been well diversed in the college lifestyle and the atmosphere around campus. I have been thoroughly involved within my campus, from working at a realty company and being an executive member of my social fraternity, involvement is key and has impacted the amount and quality of the experiences I have been fortunate enough to have. My experiences translate well to the common college student and will paint a sound picture for all those about to attend or even currently attending college. Your time in college is limited, and each moment needs to be enjoyed to the absolute fullest.

I believe that, especially incoming students, have no idea what college will be like, and thus could use the insight of a now senior in college to acquire a better idea of what is to come when they begin college. Your time spent in college goes quickly so having a plan prior is an advantage to say the least.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences and hope you, the reader, are able to gain some valuable insight from my time spent here at Illinois State. 

If you have any questions or comments regarding my blog please do not hesitate to contact me at: 

http://kontactr.com/user/CollegiateRedbird

College: Fresh start for the Freshman

As a current Senior in college I have come to realize my days here at my university are limited, which is quite a shame and rather depressing if anything. While I look back at my past few years here, my time spent as a freshman was more memorable and exhilarating than I ever could have imagined. Freshman year comes with a fresh start to meet new friends, join clubs and organizations, to better your education, and to find a sense of direction in life. Freshman year was more spontaneous than anything. Recalling my first night officially moved in to my dorm room; my parents had just left and I was now all on my own, I had no friends at the time here at school with me and had just met the guy I would call my roommate. I was given no sense of direction of what to do, where to go, how to use my student ID to get into the dining center, nothing. I was dropped off and automatically supposed to know exactly where to go from there. Life seemed to stop for a bit as I sat in my freshly assembled dorm room contemplating what to do. As I sat on my bed I received a knock on my door, which resulted in me meeting the first person at my college who was not my roommate, a girl by the name of Abby, who would become one of my better friends, and is a friend I still see regularly to date. From meeting Abby, I meet the others on my floor, who had friends on other floors in the same building, then those friends had friends in other buildings, and my friend group from initially only my roommate grew exponentially, and thus led me to meet my best friend to date, my buddy David. David and I met the weekend college started and became best friends. We rushed and joined the same fraternity, roomed together, and still to this day we could not be better friends.

The moral of the story is simply that college will throw a myriad of experiences your way. So long as you are able to remain open minded, take chances, and to enjoy the time you have as your four years of college will disappear more quickly than the popcorn chicken at the mashed potato bar. I began my college career without knowing a single person, and currently as a senior I would not have changed that for the world. Beginning fresh, and leaving high school behind forced me out of my comfort zone, it forced me to go out, have fun, meet new people, and thus has created memories and friendships that I will have for a lifetime.

Quality notes separate strong students with the weak. Prepare for school accordingly with a fresh notebook!