It takes courage to be the first person in your family to go to college. If you'll be the first in your family, you'll be in good company at NIU. About half of our first-year students are first-generation college students.
Once you're on campus, we'll provide you with resources to help you succeed in the classroom and after graduation. You'll have opportunities to meet other first-gen students and connect with faculty and staff who understand your path, because they were first-gen students too.
Learn more about being a first-generation student at NIU:
As a first-generation college student, [individualized attention] was important to me. NIU really sold me on the idea that I would be put in a position to succeed and, truthfully, I have.