DeKALB | Erich Berndt, a freshman biological sciences major and Wisconsin resident, had a tough choice to make earlier this year.

There were many college choices available to him in-state, such as the University of Wisconsin at Madison, or he could come down south to Illinois. Berndt chose Illinois.

As of fall 2005, about 97 percent of all undergraduate students at NIU are from the state of Illinois, according to Robin Pakenham, secretary of the NIU Institute Research department.

The tuition for in-state students attending NIU is around $7,218 while out-of-state students must pay about $12,768, according to the NIU web site. Cost-wise, the benefits of being from Illinois can be seen strictly from the numbers.

“Along with my mom attending NIU, I heard that the school has a good chemistry program,” Berndt said.

The advantages of coming to an out-of-state school may seem small, but Berndt says the differences in how people act can be a big positive.

“There are different people here, and although they have small differences, they add to the experience,” Berndt said.

Pakenham said there are 578 undergraduate students attending NIU from other states or countries from the fall 2005 study.

“Two of my teachers graduated from here and recommended it,” said junior theater studies major Natalie Bayard, who is originally from California.

One of the main disadvantages of attending NIU from out-of-state is the travel to return home.

“I can grow up and be independent, even though I miss my family, I can get more experiences out here near Chicago, which is a good place to start for theater,” Bayard said.

Michael Van Der Harst is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.