I had applied to two colleges, NIU was my back up as I knew a family friend who went here and loved it. I got into both schools, but I ended up not liking my first choice when I went to orientation. So, I decided to give NIU a try as I received a great scholarship. I did not even receive a scholarship from my first choice. I am very glad I did as I have been able to continue a successful academic career while making some really great friends.
Course Curriculum
They have a wide variety of choices and you're able to choose a bunch of different philosophy classes based on your interests. I had quite a few required classes but I enjoyed all of them (for the most part). I like the free reign of my major because I was able to take a bunch of philosophy electives which enhanced my experience.
Faculty
I really enjoy the faculty as our Graduate Assistants do not teach any of my classes. The professors (with PhDs) teach all of the courses. I know for my program, I've never had a philosophy class with more than 40-50 people in it which makes the professors much more approachable. All the professors want to see you succeed so they are always there to help.
Placement
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Accommodation
I lived on campus for my first year as it included an unlimited meal plan and I was not from the area. However, I moved off campus as soon as I could because the dorms costed around $12,000 and living off campus was wayyy cheaper.
Exams
I knew I wanted to go to Law School eventually and I was interested in the idea of Philosophy. I did not have to take any exam to get into my program as I had a 31 on the ACT and I just had to have a meeting with the undergraduate advisor. Also, Philosophy majors score higher on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and I believe it helped me achieve my score of 160 (120-180 scale)
Fees
They have a tuition free per credit for 1-11 credits, but if you take 12+ credits in a semester then their is a flat rate. I have both scholarships and loans. There are merit scholarships available to all applicants (international and local) based on your GPA and ACT scores. I received a merit scholarship of $28,000 over four years as I had a 31 on my ACT and a 4.0 GPA.
Examination Structure
It depends on the class, some professors do essay based exams, others are purely multiple choice, and others combine both factors.
