Northern Illinois University College Portrait

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Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended

50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.

Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2010-11 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)

Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $25,756.00

Out-of-State & Other Costs

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The cost to attend Northern Illinois University varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.

How much would I pay?

Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?

Scholarships & Grants

• 49% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $7,511.00. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.

Annual Need-Based Loans

• 64% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $63.00. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.

Percent of 2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid

NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.

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98% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
28% of all undergraduates live on campus

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The Northern Illinois University Department of Police and Public Safety is committed to ensuring that NIU is one of the safest educational institutions in the nation.

The University employs more than 60 full-time, sworn police officers who are committed to a holistic, integrated approach to the philosophy of community policing. These dedicated people are an integral part of every aspect of campus life. Their mission is not merely to enforce the law, but also to educate students, faculty, staff and the visiting public as to how in cooperation with the police they can be better prepared to take care of themselves and their property.

The police interact with members of the community daily, building healthy, wholesome relationships and extensive interpersonal networks that allow them to proactively mitigate potential problems and implement solutions before trouble arises.

Campus Crime Statistics

The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/

Basic Type

Research Universities (high research activity)

Size and Setting

Large four-year, primarily residential

Enrollment Profile

High undergraduate

Undergraduate Profile

Full-time four-year, selective, lower transfer-in

Undergraduate Instructional Program

Balanced arts & sciences/professions, high graduate coexistence

Graduate Instructional Program

Comprehensive doctoral (no medical/veterinary)

NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.

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Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.

Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.

Group Learning Experiences

• 93% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
• 55% of seniors tutored or taught other students
• 22% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports

Active Learning Experiences

• 87% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
• 18% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
• 53% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
• 53% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
• 7% of seniors participated in study abroad
• 95% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year

Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success

• 96% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
• 73% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
• 66% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
• 95% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations

Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff

• 59% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
• 79% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
• 97% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
• 71% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class

Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas

• 67% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
• 89% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
• 60% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity

Student Satisfaction

• 80% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
• 86% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
• 81% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive

Evaluation of Experiences

Survey Administration Process

Survey Information

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Survey Administration Process

A 86% four-year success and progress rate means that 86% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.

Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.

• 3,180 First-Time, Full-Time Students
• 2,229 Full-Time Transfer Students

Success & Progress Rate Table

First-time students in Fall 2010 that returned for their second year: 71%

All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.

Learning Assessment Examples

Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.

This university is in the process of collecting and analyzing learning outcomes test results.