Jaelyn

Hi everyone,

As it warms up and the May 1st college decision deadline nears, more and more students are going on campus visits. Seeing these tour groups on campus brings back memories of my college decision process, and ultimately reminds me why I chose to come to the fabulous University of Iowa. Just like most other college seniors since the beginning of time, I was both excited and nervous to come to college. Now that I’m here, I have a totally different viewpoint, and I’m very happy with my decision to continue my education here.

Here are, in no particular order, are some of the main reasons why I chose Iowa:

1. Scholarships. College can be extremely expensive, and as the oldest of three kids in my family, I wanted to make sure my college expenses weren’t going to be overwhelming for my family. The university offers a wide variety of scholarships, based on merit, family need, and diversity, and these awards can reduce the advertised cost of attendance greatly.
2. Opportunities. I was looking for a university that would give me academic and extracurricular opportunities. There are tons of classes to choose from every semester (which was overwhelming the first time I registered for classes as a freshman), but there’s something out there for everyone. When it comes to activities outside of class, you have tons of options as well. Intramural sports are a big deal and highly competitive; I played on a volleyball team last year with my roommate and a few friends and we had a great time. In addition, there are over 500 student organizations you can join, and lots of events to attend downtown, such as weekly readings at Prairie Lights and the Farmer’s Market that runs from May through October. I only listed a few of the things to do on and around campus, but in short, there is always something going on, so it’s pretty hard to get bored around here!
3. A fresh start. I was ready to meet new people and experience something new after graduating from high school. It was a little scary being away from home and not knowing anyone at first when I came here, but I found it was fairly easy to make friends, and I’ve gotten used to living in a new place. Going away for college has also given me the opportunity to discover who I am as an individual without the influence of my family or old friends, and I’ve gained a great deal of independence.

I also had plenty of fears and concerns about coming to college:

1. Being far away from home. It was weird to be away from home at first, but I’ve gotten used to it. Over the past year or so I’ve actually spent more time in Iowa City, so Iowa City feels a lot more homey to me now! I don’t get to go back to my hometown very often, but when I do, it feels somewhat foreign in a way. Being homesick is normal, but once you get settled in, those feelings go away.
2. Not adjusting well. I can be a little on the shy side, so I was naturally worried that I would have a hard time meeting people.  It’s challenging living away from home for the first time and not knowing anyone, but I did my best to be enthusiastic and talk to as many people as I could from the get-go. I made the transition extremely well, and I have had a wonderful time here.
3. Too many people. This was probably my biggest concern in high school. Yes, there are a lot of students, but I see plenty of familiar faces wherever I go. Even in lectures of several hundred students, I usually have friends, and if I don’t, it really isn’t a big deal. I originally thought I wanted to be at a smaller school, but now that I’m at a big university, I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I love that I’m able to interact with a lot of different people, and see lots of new faces. I have a nice mix of large classes and smaller ones, so I’ve been pretty happy so far.
4. Just being a number. I honestly thought I wanted to be at a small school because I wanted my professors to know who I was. I’ve found that I have the opportunity to get to know my professors if I choose to — it just takes a bit more work than it might at a smaller school. Office hours are the perfect opportunity to develop a relationship with your professors. Not many students attend office hours regularly, so if you do, your professors will notice and begin to recognize you. Going to office hours is great for a number of reasons. It forces you to stay on top of the material, and you’re able to get any confusing things figured out. Also, professors are a great resource when it comes to getting letters of recommendation for things such as graduate school.

If you are a senior in high school, I hope to see you on campus next year! Coming to the University of Iowa was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I really can’t see myself being anywhere else. Go Hawks!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 7th, 2015 at 7:45 am and is filed under General, . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.