Want to know how to decide on a college and major? Well, this is what I did and what I recommend you to do.
CHOOSING YOUR SCHOOL
I always knew that I wanted to go to college right after high school. I started my search up north, looking at schools in Chicago, and a few in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, my mother kept pushing Bradley on me. She went to Bradley and thought it’d be a perfect fit, but at the time, I disagreed. After some research, I started to change my thoughts about Bradley. I came to find out that we have a great school in our back yard. In fact, in “America's Best Colleges” 2013, U.S. News & World Report recognized Bradley as the top Illinois University of its type and number six overall among Midwest universities. These facts and many others made me rethink my original plans to “go away” for college. After I received my acceptance letter to Bradley, I compared Bradley’s costs to all of my other schools of interest and discovered that Bradley was my cheapest option. I kept researching and discovered that Bradley has an amazing campus life, tons of internships and study abroad programs, and on top of all of that, it is the perfect size. When I put all of these factors together, I decided that my mom was right, Bradley is a perfect fit.
CHOOSING A MAJOR
After you decide where you want to go, the next step is to decide what you want to do. Choosing a major is one of the biggest decisions that a person will ever make. I am deciding to major in Marketing. A degree in marketing opens many doors for tremendous jobs, since it is a necessary part of any business. It also ensures job security more so than a major like Organizational Communication. At Bradley, Marketing graduates have proven success. In 2009, marketing graduates had the highest salaries of all business graduates with the exceptions of accounting and actuarial science ("Why Choose Marketing?"). Bradley’s marketing program is also one of 173 accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business ("Marketing."). I feel that by earning this degree, I will have many job options, instead of just one.
DO RESEARCH
Since Bradley is a private university, one might expect the cost of tuition to be extremely high. Surprisingly, Bradley is known for its affordability. Bradley was ranked among the 100 best values in private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. The university was also recognized in the U.S. News & World Report annual survey as the fifth “best value” Midwestern school in the ranking of Great Schools at Great Prices. Bradley’s tuition at $27,920 is very low when compared to other Midwestern schools like Illinois Wesleyan, whose tuition is at an outrageous $37,774 ("Quickfacts.") ("Illinois Wesleyan: Tuition and Fees."). Not only does Bradley hold a low tuition rate, Bradley also offers a lot of financial aid and scholarships for their students. In fact, more than 85 percent of Bradley students receive financial aid, and I am happy to say that I am a part of this percentage ("Quickfacts."). Bradley has awarded me with enough scholarships to cut the cost of tuition in half, and because of this, Bradley has become an even better choice for my plans next year.
PICK YOUR SETTING
In addition to its affordability, Bradley offers the intimate school setting I prefer. A medium sized university with approximately 6,000 students, Bradley blends “large school opportunities with a small school personality” ("About Bradley."). Bradley has a great average class size of 21 students ("Quickfacts."). This is beneficial because it will enable me to learn more challenging course work in a more personal way. “One of my favorite things about Bradley is the small class sizes,” says BU freshman Taylor Gawthorp. “I really feel like I can connect with my professors on a more personal level, which is nice.” I feel like this experience is better for me than sitting in a lecture hall and learning from a T.A.
PICK YOUR CAMPUS LIFESTYLE
Bradley’s class size reflects the size of the school overall: a perfect medium. I have decided to stay on campus my freshman year. By doing this I will be able to grow as an individual by being away from home as well as live the campus life without commuting. Campus life at BU revolves around the “total college experience”. Bradley offers more than 200 student organizations including: intramural sports, Greek Life, and student government. Bradley is also a part of the Missouri Valley Conference with a Division 1 athletic tradition, and is home to 15 varsity sports teams. The campus includes 77 buildings along its 84 acre campus. This small campus size is very beneficial for students to get to class on time. After classes, students have an opportunity to go to the new 130,000 square foot Markin Family Student Recreation Center or go watch a basketball game in the new 4,200 seat Renaissance Coliseum ("Quickfacts.").
CHECK OUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE OFF-CAMPUS
Since students have so many opportunities on campus, it only makes sense that Bradley offers just as many opportunities off campus. Bradley University offers countless study abroad and internship opportunities for students. It has connections with universities all over the world, and offers study abroad programs in places like Italy, Africa, and Costa Rica. One of the most popular study programs is the “Hollywood Semester”. Students in this program get to work with professionals in the entertainment industry and live in the luxurious Hollywood. This opportunity is extremely attractive because I am seeking a job in entertainment marketing. Bradley does not only have internship opportunities in C.A. BU also offers a lot of internships in Peoria. There are many that are specific for marketing majors, including internships with: State Farm, Caterpillar, and Hallmark ("Why Choose Marketing?").
PICK THE ONE THAT FITS.
Feeling comfortable is the most important part of choosing a school. Even if a school is the best in the world, if you don’t feel comfortable at the school, the recognitions and distinctions don’t matter. I feel comfortable at Bradley. The students and faculty at BU are so inviting, and make me feel like I belong. Bradley University “brings the challenges and rewards of the classroom and campus together in a unique environment of balance.” ("About Bradley."). The university is one of the best in the Midwest, and was also included in The Princeton Review of the “Top 337 Best Colleges” ("About Bradley."). Majoring in marketing opens many doors for jobs, and opens many doors at Bradley University. Choosing to study marketing at Bradley was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but I feel that receiving an education at Bradley University will make me truly “go far.”