NIU is proving not to be the last resort for many of its almost 25,000 students.

In fact, NIU is the first choice for many students, partly because it is close to their hometowns and also because the quality of education fits their needs, students say. NIU also has developed a good reputation with high schools in the Chicago area.

Statistically, most NIU students come from suburban Chicago schools.

Based on fall 2002 enrollments, St. Charles East High School has bragging rights for being the most-represented high school at NIU with 285 students. Second place goes to DeKalb High School, with 267 students. Waubonsie Valley High School comes in third, with 203 students attending NIU.

NIU Director of Admissions Robert Burk said NIU goes out of its way to be accessible to high schools. For some time now, NIU has had suburban Chicago schools as its main feeders because NIU builds good relationships with their counselors, Burk said.

Students recognize the values of the programs at NIU, DeKalb High School guidance counselor Cindy Dugan said.

"It’s a combination of quality and proximity," Dugan said. "NIU is not a last resort for our students."

Cost also is a major concern for students. They don’t want to leave college with a lot of debt, so they attend NIU and possibly live at home to cut costs, Dugan said.

NIU representatives give presentations to DeKalb High School seniors about the application process, and also work with Kishwaukee College by helping parents and students complete their FAFSA applications, Dugan said.

NIU had the best music program, faculty and facilities of all the music schools freshman Dana Hildreth looked at while she was a senior at DeKalb High School, she said.

"While I’m close to home, I probably go home only five times a semester," Hildreth said. "I barely see my old friends or my family anymore ... It’s like a totally different city."

Waubonsie Valley Director of Guidance Sharon Maholland said students go to NIU because it’s their top choice; it’s close and the quality of education is right for them, Maholland said.

"I came here because it was far enough away from home, and NIU has a good communication department," said Rochelle Wistar, a junior communication major and Jacobs High School alumna.

NIU alumnus and Jacobs High School guidance counselor Don Biagioni said NIU is small enough to not leave students overwhelmed, but big enough to get the college atmosphere they’re looking for.

Bonnie Dearborn, a guidance counselor at St. Charles East High School, said a lot of the students who she talks to are interested in attending NIU, especially if they want to major in accounting or business. Sometimes students will go to a school because one of their friends is going there, she said.

"Northern is never looked at as a cop-out," Dearborn said.

Julie Stefan, a St. Charles East graduate, said she came to NIU because it’s close to home and inexpensive.

"I am indecisive about my major ... and my parents made me come here," the freshman pre-education major said.

College Consultant Cheryl Brubaker from Downers Grove South High School said there are numerous reasons why Downers Grove South students choose NIU.

Students enroll at NIU because of its close proximity and the excellent reputation the school of business and accounting department have, Brubaker said. Internships and job opportunities are readily available to NIU graduates, which also attract high school seniors, she said.

NIU also is easier to get into in comparison to Big Ten schools, Brubaker said.

"The students of today are different from their predecessors," Brubaker said. "They are making better and more informed choices. They are better aware of what they want to do with their lives."