Hey all.  Just wanted to check in real quick and answer 1 main question I’ve gotten about the Personal Statement.

“What do I write about in my personal statement?” is a common question we get from students all the time.  For Illinois State, the main thing we want to get from your personal statement is why you want to attend Illinois State University.  Additionally, we want to know about any unique or compelling circumstances (i.e. death in your family, parents divorce, illness, learning disability, ect) that may have affected your grades but mainly, why do you want to attend ISU.

On paper, many students look the same.  Similar ACT score, similar gpa, similar course pattern so for some students, it’s difficult for us to seperate them. Your personal statement can be the 1 thing that helps you to stand out over another student.  It’s not so much about can you write with subject/verb agreement and grammatically correct sentences (althought that is important), but its more about telling us your story…what make you you!

These are just a few tips for those struggling with your personal statement.  Don’t stress out about it or get nervous over it…..just tell us about you and that will do! Hope this helps.

 Until next time…….Be Breezy!

JUNIORS. . . .JUNIORS. . . . JUNIORS JUNIORS JUNIORS

GET UP GET UP GET UP GET UP……WHEW!!!

GET UP GET UP GET UP GET UP……WHEW!!!

Growing up, I remember hearing our cheerleaders doing this cheer umpteen million times at our football and basketball games and I recall that when they got to your class, the students of that class went crazy! Ahhh, the memories!

 I figured that that was the perfect lead into what I wanted to share with you today…..JUNIORS, that’s right, your time has come.  This is the time for you to get your college selection process underway.  It’s time to start preparing for the ACT; its time to start visiting college campuses and it’s time to make sure that you have all your ducks in a row so that when September hits, you can start getting your applications out to those schools that interest you most!

 1) Most of you will be taking your first ACT here in a few weeks when you take the Praire State Achievement Exam.  For many of you, this will be your first time taking this exam and that can be a scary thought.  However, it’s good that you are getting this opportunity as you can see what you score, then if you desire to take it again to try to improve your score, you have quite a few chances over the summer and early during the 1st semester to take it to try to improve your score.  Also, many schools accept this ACT score as an “official” score so be sure to do your best!

2) This is also the time to actually start visiting college campuses.  Many colleges offer Open Houses, Special Tours, and even Summer Programs just for Juniors.  Take advantage of these opportunites.  Data shows that the campus visit is the #1 factor in the college selection process.  Go on several visits.  Go to different types of schools…..public vs. private, in-state vs. out of state, large vs. small, etc.  There are all sorts of institutions out there, you just need to find the right one for you and the campus visit will be a big help in doing so!

3) Stay on top of your grades.  Something that I don’t think a lot of students realize is that, when you initially apply to college, we are only seeing your first 3 years of grades so if you’re a student who’s struggled during freshman and/or sophmore year, you’ve got some work to do.  Furthermore, colleges love to see students on an upward trend as far as their grades or concerned but a downward slide has the opposite effect.  Keep your grades strong!

4) Start investigating scholarships, financial aid and loans.  Many families haven’t or simply can’t afford to save for their students college expenses.  That’s just the way it is during these economic times.  However, there are still plenty of ways to help you finance a college education.  Scholarships, grants, and LOANS (yea I said it!) What families have to remember is that, this is more than likely the 2nd biggest investment you’ll make, next to purchasing a house, in your lifetime!  With that being said, there is a very real possibility that you’ll have to take out some sort of loans.  If you need them, TAKE THEM.  I haven’t quite figured out why so many families are scared of loans but if that’s whats needed to help your student get a college degree and better their life, I’m just of the mindset that it’s worth it.

Furtermore, there are all kinds of scholarship searches out there to help you identify different types of scholarships you may qualify for.  Our Financial Aid Office has a wonderful scholarhip search on their website - http://www.financialaid.ilstu.edu/scholarships/tips/ I’d encourage you to get on it and start looking around.  You never know what you’ll find and every little bit helps!

Lastly, preparing to apply.  Most institutions have “priority filing periods” so you want to make sure you know when those are.  For example, ours is September 1 - November 15th.  Some are shorter than ours and some are longer.  These dates are important as that is the time when they want you to apply and applying after that could run you into stiffer competition for admission, closed majors, etc.  Get some applications from different schools to look at and see what’s on them.  Look at what’s required for the essay/personal statement.  Use this summer to earn the money for the application fees.  There is a lot you can do between now and the start of your Senior year to prepare yourself for you college selection process.

I hope this has helped.  I just wanted to share a few tips and pointers for the Juniors to help you get ready for this next big step in your life.  Good luck and SPREAD THE RED!!!!

Hey, what’s up everybody.  It’s been some time since I last logged on and shared anything with you…..my apologies!

Now is the time of year when admitted seniors are making their college choise so I figured that I’d share some “words of advise” for those still contemplating this very important decision.  Although I would LOVE for everyone who was admitted to choose to come to ISU; I know that that’s very unrealistic.  I get questions from students and parents alike asking me about how to make this decision.  I think that there are a couple of very important factors when choosing the school you’ll spend the next 4, 5 , or 6 years at.  In my estimation, it’s all about the “right fit”! ISU is not for everyone.  It’s too big for some……it’s too small for others…..its too close to home for some…..its too far away from home for others.  So with that said, here are a few tips to help you out:

1) Go where you’ll be happy.  Students get a lot of pressure from mom and dad, teachers, peers, siblings, etc., to go where THEY want you to go but ultimately, YOU have to live with it and you’re the one who has to be happy on that campus so go where you feel you’ll be most happy.  Being happy is going to make your college experience much more enjoyable.

2) Go where they have your major.  It makes absolutely no sense to me that some students choose to go somewhere and know absolutely nothing about that campus or the programs it offers.  True, the average college student changes their major 3 times but then again, some don’t. Go visit….talk to someone in your intended major(s).  Doing so will help ensure they have everything you are looking for.

3) Go somewhere that you can afford.  With the ever rising cost of tuition, some colleges will be priced out of your family’s financial range, no matter how much you love the school.  Staying in-state, going to institutions close to home and doing exhaustive financial aid searches are ways to help eliviate some of the costs but you have to make sure you and your family can afford it.

These are just a few things to think about as you embark upon this very momentous decision.  As always, Illinois State University is committed to helping you make the best decision possible so please do not hesitate to contact us if you have further questions.

Good luck with your college selection process & I look forward to seeing some of you in the fall!!

First, let me begin by saying I pray everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  I truly can’t believe that this semester is gone already.  Where did the time go?  It seems like just yesterday that everyone was moving into the dorms, now the semester has ended.  I feel a variety of emotions during this time.  Just a few weeks ago, we had graduation and I was able to witness several of the students I’ve recruited walk across the stage to receive their college diplomas and that always encourages me.  For so many of them, I can remember when they first came to ISU or some of the things that we’ve shared during their time on campus! Many of them wouldn’t believe that I remember some of the things I remember…..then on the other hand, I’m conflicted because there is always those students that I’ve recruited that had a rough semester or a end up on AP (academic probation; not advanced placement! ) or even worse, they end up dismissed.

I can certainly relate to these students; as I was a student who was on AP a time or two during my college career but what troubles me most are the ones who seem to never learn from that experience.  I can understand if you have a bad semester but what I don’t understand is not learning from that situation.  Making excuses will only last so long.  At some point in time, it’s time out for the excuses and it’s time for execution! If you’re truly not capable of doing the work, I can accept that; however, if you’re just not doing the work because you’re lazy, apathetic or downright uncaring, then I have a huge problem with that.  When a student comes to me and asks me to help them get reinstated, I always ask them if they did the absolute best they could do….if the answer is no, then we have a long discussion and they typically don’t like it! lol…..but hey, it is what it is.  Nothing in this world is just going to be given to you…you have to get up, do some work and take it. 

With that, I’ll bid you farewell until next time.  Again, MERRY CHRISTMAS & A MOST HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

It seems like we’ve been meeting about this program forever….thank goodness it’s almost here! I’m talking about our You Can Do ISU program.  This is essentially a “mini Open House” for 1st generation and/or underrepresented students to come to campus and hear the “real deal” about ISU….from the admissions process to financial aid to a student panel, we think we’ve covered all our bases. It’s next Friday, Oct 31st!  Can’t wait to see how everything turns out!

This is really a revamp of an program we use to do called “Minority Scholars Day”.  We have approximately 300 students and parents coming this year so I’m extremelly excited about that.  It’s been said that the campus visit is the #1 deciding factor for students choosing their college home and I would agree!  I think back to when I was taking my college visits and some schools were automatically eliminated from the very moment I stepped on campus! So I HIGHLY encourage you that, if you haven’t already done so, start visiting some colleges!!! Of course I want you to check out ISU but check out others as well.  ISU may not be the right fit for you and if not, that’s cool.  We understand that it’s not for everyone but the only way you’ll really know that is to visit!

Until next time…….

This is a very exciting time of year around campus.  For starters, we’ve practically reached the mid point of the semester.  I hear many of my students talking about mid terms, etc.  It seems like this semester is FLYING by. Secondly, Homecoming is 2 weeks away! Chatter around the community and abroad is that a lot of alumni are coming back to celebrate homecoming this year and that’s a good thing. I think it’s great for our current students to see the pride and school spirit our almuni exude when they return to campus. I’m looking forward to seeing many of the students that I recruited or worked with, who’ve graduated and gone on, return to campus.  It’s encouraging and heart warming to see their growth and development over the years.

One thing that I hope that I’ve imparted to the students I work with is the need for them to get involved; particularly the minority students.  It’s easy to say that there is nothing here for minority students but if you are a person that says that, ask yourself, what did you do to help bring something here that targets “us”?  Did you participate on the Homecoming Committee? Are you on the University Programming Board?  Are you apart of BSU or ALAS, etc?  Are you at the table when decisions that affect you as an ISU student and a part of the ISU community are made?  If the answer is no……..what are you complaining for?  There are some many opportunites for you as a student to be involved with.  Find something you like and run with it.  Hey, step outside of your “comfort zone”.  Do something that you wouldn’t regularly do…..who knows, you might like it!

Fire it up!!

It’s interesting for me to watch the ebb & flow that students go through during the course of the school year.  Just a few short weeks ago, folk were excited & refreshed by the beginning of the semester.  Friends and roommates reconnected.  Freshmen were overflowing with excitement and trying to figure out what was what on campus.  There was a feeling of “newness” in the air.

Oh how things can change in a matter of weeks.  The “newness” has begun to wear off and “realness” is beginning to set in.   Once a freshman begins to realize the amount of work that is required in college, things begin to look a lot different to them.  I frequently tell my freshmen students that “there is a ‘University’ at the end of ‘Illinois State’ for a reason!”  If one more of them come to me with “in high school…blah blah blah”, there is going to be, as Bernie Mac (R.I.P) so eloquently uttered in ‘Players Club’, TROUBLE TROUBLE!

What you did in high school may or may not work for you; I tend to lean towards the latter but that of course, depends on the type of student you are.  Take me for example. I was the spitting image of the very student I’m blogging about now.  When I was a freshman in college, I can’t tell you how many times my then girlfriend (now wife) would ask me, “don’t you have any studying to do?”  For 2 years, I had the same reply….’NOPE’! I was merely operating as I had in high school - doing just enough to get by.  By the end of my sophomore year, that attitude led me to academic dismissal.  Talk about a wake up call.  I’ll never forget how I felt after I received a phone call from my new football coach, while I was at home on summer break, telling me that I had been academically dismissed from the institution. Prayerfully, I was reinstated but I learned a valuable lesson.

My encouragement to any student entering college is to realize that 1)the celebration is not making it to college….lots of people do that….the celebratory moment is graduation! 2) you first semester gpa is vitally important to the rest of your college development. It’s better (and easier) to start off with the strongest gpa possible, than it is to have to build it up and 3) if you do struggle early, it’s not the end of the world….pick yourself up, dust off and try again.  If I did it, trust me, so can you.

Hello! My name is Marlon Webb and I have the pleasure of serving Illinois State University as an Assistant Director of Admissions; with my primary responsibility being the recruitment and retention of students from traditionally underrepresented groups.  I came to Illinois State after graduating from college in 1998 with my Bachelors in Physical Education/Sociolgy and I have worked here ever since!

I have seen tremendous growth and change at ISU in my 10 years here and I’m excited about what the future has in store for the University and its students.  I am doubly excited about talking to students about how they can become a part of that future.

I’m originally from Alton, IL so I am a HUGE Rams and Cardinals fan.  I’m highly active in my church (Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church) and I’m a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  I have a beautiful and loving wife and we are the proud parents of our wonderful 4 year old son.

I’m new to this “blogging” phenomenon so ya’ll pray for a brotha!

However, I do look forward to sharing my insight on ISU and answering any questions you may have about this great institution.