Admissions

Get involved just like high school, when you join activities you meet so many new people!
Take advantage of the Student Fitness Center! It is apart of your tuition!

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.

Don't be shy! If you make a lot of friends at SIUe not only will you have a great social life, but you will always be able to get help with school work. Networking is the key to success.

Getting here will not be hard. Once you're here: go to class. Don't skip unless it's an emergency. I've made that mistake in a couple classes and the results were all but catastrophic. Don't try to get through with the least effort possible. Your adult life will begin here and fewer people will be peaking over your shoulder to make sure you're doing what you're supposed to than ever before. Don't let your freedom go to your head. Balance fun and work or, better yet: study something you enjoy, so that you won't be miserable working hard. Don't spend tens of thousands of dollars to come here and risk not getting a job when you get out.

Wake early,be prepared to walk to class(usually 10 minutes or less from parking lots no more than 15),prepared to learn with all needed materials to learn, listen to your professors, take notes, ask questions if you do not understand, and meet with your professor during office hours for extra help if needed.

Don't be afraid to interact with other students. You can learn a great deal from the different cultures represented on campus. Also make good use of your professor's office hours. Make sure you meet with them even if you don't need help with anything. This will show them that you are a serious student. They may even be able to write a letter of recommendation for you one day.Also when it comes to the meal plan use it carefully. Although we have a pretty decent meal plan where all you pay is for 40% of the price for food it can add up quickly. Beware of union station, they do not accept 60/40 there and you have to pay full price for the snacks in there.

Be prepared for a walk from the parking lot. Don't feel stupid when asking questions, that's what the teachers are there for. And even if you need extra help, the teachers will help you out or there are others places on campus to get help at!

if you are planning on coming here, i recommend you bring all of your bad weather gear! the weather in edwardsville can be a bit extreme at times (think very humid summers, stormy springs, and chilly winters). whether you'll be living on campus or commuting, you'll be doing a lot of walking to get to class, so keep that and the forecast on your mind when you get ready for the school day.

summers on campus are very laid back, and the campus takes on a totally different vibe. i definitely recommend trying at least one summer session while you're here.

Become a friend to the Student Success Center. Their resource center is very helpful.

My greatest peice of advice to prospective students would be to really examine the desires and dreams that burn within you. There are countless students who (sometimes unconsciously) go into college pursing a career because it is highly esteemed with great financial payoff, and find themselves either changing their major or unsatisfied with thier end occupation. When you are fascinated with what you're studying no one has to force or even tell you to study- A's will come naturally. SIUE offers many opportunities to be creative and study or do what you love to do in a style that is truly your own so get involved and explore all the campus has to offer. Just from personal experience- when you put yourself into your work it becomes something that has never been seen or done before; SIUE allows the freedom and even encourages you to do so because it will cause both you and the university to look good and receive recognition.