There are a wide variety of classes offered. I'm an English major, and UNL has a great English program. It's home to the Prairie Schooner, which is a highly regarded literary magazine. There are a lot of great poets here and even in my freshman year I learned a lot. There are also a lot of opportunities for customizing your education. You can work with your professors to make sure you're getting what you need out of your classes.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
I lived on campus in Sandoz residence hall for my first year. The dining halls around campus are great--with a meal plan, you have access to all of them. They just remodeled Sandoz after I moved out, and all of the other residence halls are pretty up-to-date.
Lincoln is a great town. It's somewhere between a town and a city. It's bigger than most places in Nebraska, but it's college-centered, not business centered like Omaha. UNL has two campuses--downtown, and East campus. The downtown campus is the main campus--East campus is mostly for agricultural studies and overflow of classes.
Downtown Lincoln is perfect for college students. There are a few clubs with live music. Lots of delicious, affordable restaurants (Chipotle, Noodles & Co.) as well as regular fast-food and more pricey options. There are movie theaters, great options for used clothing stores, and plenty of green spaces for Frisbee and other stereotypical college activities.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
I'm sensitive about money. I'm paying more for school than I want to (I'd like if it was free). UNL has helped me a little with scholarships and a grant or two. Mostly I have loans. I wish there were more options for financial aid, but I've exhausted the resources they've provided me with. (That's why I'm here).
Otherwise, it's a pretty solid education. I don't feel like my (huge) loans are being wasted. There are a few basic requirements that I wish I didn't have to pay for (science--I took astronomy). They make me feel like I'm in high school still, with all the wasted classes (when am I going to USE this?).
But those classes are few and far between. The classes I've taken have been meaty and interactive. At the same time I don't feel so overwhelmed that I stop going (except for that astronomy class). It's a delicate balance.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Search hard for financial aid. This goes for any college. There are a lot of scholarships out there just for college freshmen, and if you don't get them now you never will.
If you don't know what major you want, there's a great general studies department to help you out. You'll get your requirements out the way sooner if you stay with them until you're sure what you want to do. If you jump into a major, you might end up taking classes that will be useless to you later. Most people end up switching eventually, so you're better off with the general studies people.
Look into housing off-campus. It's a good way to save money. I moved into an apartment downtown at the end of my freshman year, and it's saving me about $4,000. I ride my bike home for lunch and save tons of money that way, too. Also, bring a bike. It's cheaper than driving and MUCH cheaper than parking. UNL parking permits go into the high hundreds. On the other hand, it's nice to have reliable parking downtown for other things like concerts, movies, shopping, etc.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
If you don't know what you want to do, UNL will help you figure it out. You won't waste your time here. It's also great for English students. There are a surprising amount of Engineering scholarships available. If you like to be involved in activities (student council, sports, clubs) there are tons at UNL.
There are a wide variety of classes offered. I'm an English major, and UNL has a great English program. It's home to the Prairie Schooner, which is a highly regarded literary magazine. There are a lot of great poets here and even in my freshman year I learned a lot. There are also a lot of opportunities for customizing your education. You can work with your professors to make sure you're getting what you need out of your classes.
I lived on campus in Sandoz residence hall for my first year. The dining halls around campus are great--with a meal plan, you have access to all of them. They just remodeled Sandoz after I moved out, and all of the other residence halls are pretty up-to-date. Lincoln is a great town. It's somewhere between a town and a city. It's bigger than most places in Nebraska, but it's college-centered, not business centered like Omaha. UNL has two campuses--downtown, and East campus. The downtown campus is the main campus--East campus is mostly for agricultural studies and overflow of classes. Downtown Lincoln is perfect for college students. There are a few clubs with live music. Lots of delicious, affordable restaurants (Chipotle, Noodles & Co.) as well as regular fast-food and more pricey options. There are movie theaters, great options for used clothing stores, and plenty of green spaces for Frisbee and other stereotypical college activities.
I'm sensitive about money. I'm paying more for school than I want to (I'd like if it was free). UNL has helped me a little with scholarships and a grant or two. Mostly I have loans. I wish there were more options for financial aid, but I've exhausted the resources they've provided me with. (That's why I'm here). Otherwise, it's a pretty solid education. I don't feel like my (huge) loans are being wasted. There are a few basic requirements that I wish I didn't have to pay for (science--I took astronomy). They make me feel like I'm in high school still, with all the wasted classes (when am I going to USE this?). But those classes are few and far between. The classes I've taken have been meaty and interactive. At the same time I don't feel so overwhelmed that I stop going (except for that astronomy class). It's a delicate balance.
Search hard for financial aid. This goes for any college. There are a lot of scholarships out there just for college freshmen, and if you don't get them now you never will. If you don't know what major you want, there's a great general studies department to help you out. You'll get your requirements out the way sooner if you stay with them until you're sure what you want to do. If you jump into a major, you might end up taking classes that will be useless to you later. Most people end up switching eventually, so you're better off with the general studies people. Look into housing off-campus. It's a good way to save money. I moved into an apartment downtown at the end of my freshman year, and it's saving me about $4,000. I ride my bike home for lunch and save tons of money that way, too. Also, bring a bike. It's cheaper than driving and MUCH cheaper than parking. UNL parking permits go into the high hundreds. On the other hand, it's nice to have reliable parking downtown for other things like concerts, movies, shopping, etc.
If you don't know what you want to do, UNL will help you figure it out. You won't waste your time here. It's also great for English students. There are a surprising amount of Engineering scholarships available. If you like to be involved in activities (student council, sports, clubs) there are tons at UNL.