Colleges

[SnB]

You sorry sap.  That's what is the matter with you.  And besides, you would have never met KAP! (Thought I was going to put my real name there, didn't ya?)  Or, CHIP!

i bet your real name is Stewart or Eugene or..........Sue

:hoping there's some johnny cash fans

[SoxFan1]

I thought about going to Rutgers for Grad school, but then I found out that it was in Jersey. 

 

EDIT: UMN is a really nice campus--I think you'll like it a lot. When you go if you have any questions about fun things to do in the area let me know, I can tell you some neat stuff up in the cities.

Cool. Before I visit, I'll be sure to drop you a PM...

[Mplssoxfan]

I thought about going to Rutgers for Grad school, but then I found out that it was in Jersey. 

 

EDIT: UMN is a really nice campus--I think you'll like it a lot. When you go if you have any questions about fun things to do in the area let me know, I can tell you some neat stuff up in the cities.

 

What she said, SF1. Cultural stuff, places to eat, etc.

[SoxFan1]

What she said, SF1.  Cultural stuff, places to eat,  etc.

Same. I have good connections here! Thanks guys...

[Mplssoxfan]

I am a proud (sometimes) graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield Minnesota. I would recommend it for someone looking for a good, but academically intense, school with lots of social and service opportunities. I have no regrets about going there and I think I'm very well rounded academically--I definitely would recommend a liberal arts education.

 

Now I'm a graduate student at Binghamton University. I like it (as much as anyone can *enjoy* graduate school), but I would not recommend it for undergrads--it has a good reputation, but I don't feel the students get the education they pay for here.

 

You'll know the right college for you--don't pick one because your friends are going there (you will grow into different people and probably won't stay close) or because of a significant other or because your family says to go there. It's 4 years of your life so choose where YOU want to go because you're the one that has to live with that decision.

 

Please please please don't take this the wrong way, CSG, but after reading your posts, if you had told me you went to school in Northfield, I would have incorrectly guessed your alma mater.

[Soxy]

Please please please don't take this the wrong way, CSG, but after reading your posts, if you had told me you went to school in Northfield, I would have incorrectly guessed your alma mater.

I love you, no really I do.

 

I've always said that if I knew about that other school before applying I would have gone there.

 

But, all in all, I'm pleased with my choice. Let's just say I love a good fight, and Olaf gave me plenty of those. Plus, it was probably easier for me to be the best there than across the river .

[ilsox7]

Jumping in late here, but why not.

 

I am a fairly recent grad. of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Before other Hoosiers who hate Bschool students call me an arrogant prick, I say it like that b/c the Bschool is now, more than ever, completely trying to seperate itself from the rest of IU. So if you're looking at IU for business, be aware that they are supposedly making it more difficult to gain entrance to Kelley in order to get its ranking back up in the top 5, where it was in 1998. Basically IU has a handful of top notch programs (music school, environmental afairs, bschool, etc) but the overall repuation of the school has been decreasing.

 

I was a Finance and Legal Studies (Business Law) major, both thru the bschool at IU. My advice would be to research your ass off and visit schools. I knew I wanted a top 5 or top 10 undergrad business degree and also wanted to stay in the Midwest. That basically narrowed it down to Wash U. in St. Louis, UIUC, IU, and UM. I eliminated UIUC before applying b/c I truly dispised the campus and would have been miserable there. I eliminated UM b/c my brother went there and I wanted some seperation from family. So it came down to IU and Wash U. for me. I chose IU b/c of it's bschool and also somewhat b/c it was a big public school and I was not used to that.

 

If you are a business major, the absolute most important thing you need to look at is the school's career placement office. Most schools have s***ty career placement offices. While IU's does have some drawbacks, they bring in something like 500 employers to campus to interview. All of the big time companies come to campus. And a bunch of smaller ones, too. When I graduated the job market was pretty horrific, yet I don't know one single person who didn't have a good job offer and some of us had multiple offers from Fortune 100 companies. Really research this b/c it can make your life a TON easier. Trust me, I know some total idiots who got good jobs simply b/c of the amount of interviewing being done on campus.

 

Finally, I am currently enrolled at Loyola Chicago for law school (after working some post IU). While I absolutely love having Chicago as my campus, I think it's better to go live in a nice college town for 4-5 years. You'll probably never get to do it again and it will also be dirt cheap. Yikes that was long, hope people read it.

 

Good luck to everyone and GO HOOSIERS!!!!!!

Edited August 11, 2005 by ilsox7

[White Sox Josh]

I am seriously considering going to Iowa State. They sent me a letter and i talked to some people from their and i actually toured the campus. It's a great campus.

[ilsox7]

Another thing I forgot to add is do EVERYTHING in your power to study abroad, at least for a summer, but preferably a semester. It is truly a life-chaning, maturing, incredible experience that you will never forget. And I would HIGHLY recommend Europe b/c of the ease of travel and different cultures. Go somewhere unlike the U.S. and open your eyes to a world you never knew. You'll learn more bumming thru Europe on weekend trips than you will in any classroom.

[CubsSuck1]

Jumping in late here, but why not.

 

I am a fairly recent grad. of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.  Before other Hoosiers who hate Bschool students call me an arrogant prick, I say it like that b/c the Bschool is now, more than ever, completely trying to seperate itself from the rest of IU.  So if you're looking at IU for business, be aware that they are supposedly making it more difficult to gain entrance to Kelley in order to get its ranking back up in the top 5, where it was in 1998.  Basically IU has a handful of top notch programs (music school, environmental afairs, bschool, etc) but the overall repuation of the school has been decreasing. 

 

I was a Finance and Legal Studies (Business Law) major, both thru the bschool at IU.  My advice would be to research your ass off and visit schools.  I knew I wanted a top 5 or top 10 undergrad business degree and also wanted to stay in the Midwest.  That basically narrowed it down to Wash U. in St. Louis, UIUC, IU, and UM.  I eliminated UIUC before applying b/c I truly dispised the campus and would have been miserable there.  I eliminated UM b/c my brother went there and I wanted some seperation from family.  So it came down to IU and Wash U. for me.  I chose IU b/c of it's bschool and also somewhat b/c it was a big public school and I was not used to that. 

 

If you are a business major, the absolute most important thing you need to look at is the school's career placement office.  Most schools have s***ty career placement offices.  While IU's does have some drawbacks, they bring in something like 500 employers to campus to interview.  All of the big time companies come to campus.  And a bunch of smaller ones, too.  When I graduated the job market was pretty horrific, yet I don't know one single person who didn't have a good job offer and some of us had multiple offers from Fortune 100 companies.  Really research this b/c it can make your life a TON easier.  Trust me, I know some total idiots who got good jobs simply b/c of the amount of interviewing being done on campus.

 

Finally, I am currently enrolled at Loyola Chicago for law school (after working some post IU).  While I absolutely love having Chicago as my campus, I think it's better to go live in a nice college town for 4-5 years.  You'll probably never get to do it again and it will also be dirt cheap.  Yikes that was long, hope people read it.

 

Good luck to everyone and GO HOOSIERS!!!!!!

 

Very interesting, especially about living in a college town. I'll have to consider that.

[CubsSuck1]

Another thing I forgot to add is do EVERYTHING in your power to study abroad, at least for a summer, but preferably a semester.  It is truly a life-chaning, maturing, incredible experience that you will never forget.  And I would HIGHLY recommend Europe b/c of the ease of travel and different cultures.  Go somewhere unlike the U.S. and open your eyes to a world you never knew.  You'll learn more bumming thru Europe on weekend trips than you will in any classroom.

 

Thank you for that advice as well. You've got a ton of great stuff to say.

[ilsox7]

Thank you for that advice as well. You've got a ton of great stuff to say.

 

Thanks...I just cannot emphasize it enough about studying abroad. I spent 4 months in Maastricht, Netherlands. It's at the very Southern tip of the country...a 10 minute walk to Belgium and a 45 minute bus ride to Germany. I don't speak any other languages. It was a major "risk" on my part b/c it's something I never would have thought I could do. But seeing 14 or 15 countries, gettign caught in train stations, trying to make your way to the Netherlands while stuck in Prague...stuff like that creates a lifetie of memories.

 

And it also is damn good material for interviews. I cannot tell you how many times in interviews, when asked about a time I had to overcome adversity or some other question, I whipped out a Europe story. They go over much better than your run of the mill group project in a class stories and many times the itnerviewer has also been to Europe and you spend a half hour talking about your favorite cities. No lie but that scenario happened multiple times with me.

 

I am even considering spending next summer in Europe for law school, but there are some major cons to doing that. But I cannot get enough of that continent...even worked there for a short time. Run, don't walk to your study abroad info sessions at college!

Edited August 11, 2005 by ilsox7

[White Sox Josh]

Thanks...I just cannot emphasize it enough about studying abroad.  I spent 4 months in Maastricht, Netherlands.  It's at the very Southern tip of the country...a 10 minute walk to Belgium and a 45 minute bus ride to Germany.  I don't speak any other languages.  It was a major "risk" on my part b/c it's something I never would have thought I could do.  But seeing 14 or 15 countries, gettign caught in train stations, trying to make your way to the Netherlands while stuck in Prague...stuff like that creates a lifetie of memories.

 

And it also is damn good material for interviews.  I cannot tell you how many times in interviews, when asked about a time I had to overcome adversity or some other question, I whipped out a Europe story.  They go over much better than your run of the mill group project in a class stories and many times the itnerviewer has also been to Europe and you spend a half hour talking about your favorite cities.  No lie but that scenario happened multiple times with me.

 

I am even considering spending next summer in Europe for law school, but there are some major cons to doing that.  But I cannot get enough of that continent...even worked there for a short time. Run, don't walk to your study abroad info sessions at college!

how tough was it to learn the languages. Also how many people spoke English their.

[ilsox7]

how tough was it to learn the languages.  Also how many people spoke English their.

 

Learning languages really varies from person to person. For me, I was always fearful of learning another language, so I stopped taking high school French after 3 years. Horrible mistake. Currently, I am trying to figure out a way to teach myself German so I can at least be conversational.

 

The Netherlands is an interesting place b/c their language, Dutch, is dying. I think less than 20 million people in the world speak Dutch. While I was there, I learned a lot of words and could order food, ask where the bathroom was, etc but I never even became conversational in the language. The bottom line is to make an effort. Most Dutch people speak at least Dutch, German, French, English and one other language. But many won't offer their English to you unless you make an effort in Dutch.

 

I also lived/worked in Switzerland for a brief period of time. Switzerland is unique bc most of the country is either Swiss German or Swiss French. So they speak either a dialect of French or German. However, there is one "state" in Southern Switzerland that is Swiss Italian and that is where I lived. Most gorgeous place in the world...I lived on a lake with palm trees surrounded by snow capped Alps. Unreal. Again, I picked up minimal Italian and Swiss Italian, but nothing to write home about. I did, however, survive driving thru both Italy and some Swiss Alps, which I consider to be a wonderful accomplishment.

 

I should also add that the general rule is the further South you go in Europe and the further East you go, the less people there are that speak English. In Western Europe, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to try to speak the local language. Even if it's saying 'bier' to get a beer in a restaurant, they appreciate the effort and will treat you much, much better. Even if we're Americans!

Edited August 11, 2005 by ilsox7

[Cerbaho-WG]

So they speak either a dialect of French or German.

 

Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh.

[ilsox7]

Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh.

 

True but as I said, the vast majority of the country speaks either a dialect of French or German. In the South is where you'll find some Italian and Romansh isn't spoken that much.

[Heads22]

Being Swiss, I'd love to visit Switzerland.

[SoxFan1]

I speak 3 fluent languages, English, Serbian, and Spanish. I know that some jobs always need bi, tri etc. lingual people so...TIFWIW.

[farmteam]

They sent me a letter

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but schools send lots of people letters, and they mean zilch. Is it a great way to get to know a school? Sure. But it doesn't mean you're in or anything. I can think of a couple schools that sent me letters like that that I have no shot of getting in at.

 

Also, don't narrow your focus so much. It's great that you're interested, but keep your options open.

[nitetrain8601]

Don't take this the wrong way, but schools send lots of people letters, and they mean zilch.  Is it a great way to get to know a school?  Sure.  But it doesn't mean you're in or anything.  I can think of a couple schools that sent me letters like that that I have no shot of getting in at.

 

Also, don't narrow your focus so much.  It's great that you're interested, but keep your options open.

 

Very true. I got letters from school's I knew I had no shot at.

[whitesoxin']

Ilsox7...what you said about how experiencing a college town for 4 years is interesting. I have pretty much decided that I want to go to a school in a big midwestern city, more particular Marquette, Butler, DePaul, or St. Louis. But you could be right about that. However, my sister goes to DePauw and it's in a tiny little hick town so she has told me to go to a more exciting place for school.

[farmteam]

I'd say Milwaukee or St. Louis give the more "Midwestern City" feel than Chicago, but that's just me. Also, I'd pick Milwaukee over St. Louis, for the sole reason that in the late spring/summer/early fall months, it's humid like none other though. Awesome food though.

[Rex Kickass]

True but as I said, the vast majority of the country speaks either a dialect of French or German.  In the South is where you'll find some Italian and Romansh isn't spoken that much.

 

Although its not as big of a population center as the German and French areas, there is a significant Italian population in Switzerland. Romansh is spoken by less than 1% of Swiss.

 

Swiss and Austrian German sounds like another language to me though.

[Cerbaho-WG]

I speak 3 fluent languages, English, Serbian, and Spanish. I know that some jobs always need bi, tri etc. lingual people so...TIFWIW.

 

I sincerely doubt that you're "fluent" in the latter two languages. Fluent is "Able to express oneself readily and effortlessly", not merely carrying on a basic conversation. I've studied German for 7 years now and I'm still miles away from fluency.

[SoxFan1]

I sincerely doubt that you're "fluent" in the latter two languages. Fluent is "Able to express oneself readily and effortlessly", not merely carrying on a basic conversation. I've studied German for 7 years now and I'm still miles away from fluency.

I am 100% full-blooded Serbian and I am VERY fluent in the language. For example:

 

Zdravo. Moje ime je _________. Ja imam petnajst godina i moj rodjendan je Avgust dvajest-sedmi.

 

aka "Hello. My name is ________. I am 15 years old and my birthday is August 27th."

 

I speak Serbian regularly with my grandparents and some with my parents. Now Spanish, I can have a conversation and I can understand and read well but I am not as fluent as would be with Serbian or English. Besides, I already knew a lot of Spanish before taking spanish class because I live in a neighborhood that is 90% mexican and I hear the language often. Hope that answers your doubts...