Review of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
from Chicago, IL
Do you feel you’re learning a lot?
The teachers here at SIUe are dedicated to ensuring that their students understand the material taught in their classes. Before I attended college, I heard many horror stories of professors who do not really teach but expect students to learn on their own time. This made me weary of the grades I would earn, but after taking one semester all of my worries vanished. Every teacher I have taken in the two years I've been at SIUe were exceptional and honestly care about their students education. Of course, every teacher cannot be perfect and some classes are more difficult than others. There is no need to panic though; when registering for a class the teacher's names are listed and can be inquired about on ratemyproffessor.com or by asking around. The average rating for teachers here is 3.45 according to this website, and many of them score higher than that. I do not question whether I am receiving an adequate education at SIUe.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
The campus is very scenic, and it is the second largest in the nation. It only takes 10-15 minutes to walk across the part of campus where classes are held, but a lot of the surrounding land is covered in trees. There are many food places and grocery stores located just a few minutes off campus and there are three malls in the area. The body of students that attend are very diverse. The campus often hosts free events and gives away everything one can think of from ice cream to key chains.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
The resources here are almost unlimited. There is an office for everything one can think of where information about a particular subject can be obtained. There are over 300 student organizations and we also have a variety of greek organizations. It is also possible for one to start their own organization with a mere agreement of four other people. The gym, known as the vadalabene center, has a vast array of workout machines, a track, an indoor pool, and a variety of classes one can take such as yoga and even belly dancing. The co-ed freshman dorms are very nice, with only four people to a bathroom and two people to a room. The rooms and bathrooms are very spacious. There is no curfew for freshman and from each dorm (of which are 3) the cafeteria is only a few minutes walk away. Upperclassman can choose to live in either Cougar Village or Evergreen, where 2-4 people share an apartment. The cost of education is very reasonable, which was one of the main reasons I chose to attend.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Develop good relationships with your teachers. Most of them enjoy talking to students and this often ensures they will be a little more lenient when it comes to grading, if they know you are trying and working hard. They are very helpful and will do whatever they can to help their students learn.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
There is a substantial number of majors offered here at SIUe. There is also a student organization for almost every one of them. For students that major in or like business, there is a business fraternity where both men and women can join. There is also a minority organization called OMBUS. For those who are interested in science, there is Cougars Volunteering for Science, where students do science projects at elementary schools. We also have Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental, Pre-Pharmacy, and Pre-Optometry organizations. For those who earn a 3.5 GPA or higher in their freshman or sophomore year, they can be a part of the nationally established honors programs of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars or Golden Key. Both of these organizations offer scholarship, intern, volunteer, and study abroad opportunities. There are also a number of leadership/volunteer groups, one of them being the Student Leadership Development Program. These organizations are by no means all-inclusive, but are just a few of the many extracirriculars a student can partake in.
The teachers here at SIUe are dedicated to ensuring that their students understand the material taught in their classes. Before I attended college, I heard many horror stories of professors who do not really teach but expect students to learn on their own time. This made me weary of the grades I would earn, but after taking one semester all of my worries vanished. Every teacher I have taken in the two years I've been at SIUe were exceptional and honestly care about their students education. Of course, every teacher cannot be perfect and some classes are more difficult than others. There is no need to panic though; when registering for a class the teacher's names are listed and can be inquired about on ratemyproffessor.com or by asking around. The average rating for teachers here is 3.45 according to this website, and many of them score higher than that. I do not question whether I am receiving an adequate education at SIUe.
The campus is very scenic, and it is the second largest in the nation. It only takes 10-15 minutes to walk across the part of campus where classes are held, but a lot of the surrounding land is covered in trees. There are many food places and grocery stores located just a few minutes off campus and there are three malls in the area. The body of students that attend are very diverse. The campus often hosts free events and gives away everything one can think of from ice cream to key chains.
The resources here are almost unlimited. There is an office for everything one can think of where information about a particular subject can be obtained. There are over 300 student organizations and we also have a variety of greek organizations. It is also possible for one to start their own organization with a mere agreement of four other people. The gym, known as the vadalabene center, has a vast array of workout machines, a track, an indoor pool, and a variety of classes one can take such as yoga and even belly dancing. The co-ed freshman dorms are very nice, with only four people to a bathroom and two people to a room. The rooms and bathrooms are very spacious. There is no curfew for freshman and from each dorm (of which are 3) the cafeteria is only a few minutes walk away. Upperclassman can choose to live in either Cougar Village or Evergreen, where 2-4 people share an apartment. The cost of education is very reasonable, which was one of the main reasons I chose to attend.
Develop good relationships with your teachers. Most of them enjoy talking to students and this often ensures they will be a little more lenient when it comes to grading, if they know you are trying and working hard. They are very helpful and will do whatever they can to help their students learn.
There is a substantial number of majors offered here at SIUe. There is also a student organization for almost every one of them. For students that major in or like business, there is a business fraternity where both men and women can join. There is also a minority organization called OMBUS. For those who are interested in science, there is Cougars Volunteering for Science, where students do science projects at elementary schools. We also have Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental, Pre-Pharmacy, and Pre-Optometry organizations. For those who earn a 3.5 GPA or higher in their freshman or sophomore year, they can be a part of the nationally established honors programs of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars or Golden Key. Both of these organizations offer scholarship, intern, volunteer, and study abroad opportunities. There are also a number of leadership/volunteer groups, one of them being the Student Leadership Development Program. These organizations are by no means all-inclusive, but are just a few of the many extracirriculars a student can partake in.