5 Things I Wish I Knew About Before Attending Chapman University

I attended Chapman University strictly because it offered evening courses so I could continue to work during the day. None of the other well-known colleges in Orange County that offered a teaching credential program offered evening courses. I knew it would be more expensive, but I didn’t pay much attention to the cost since I knew after I started teaching that I would be able to pay it off. Little did I know how difficult it would be to get a teaching job after I graduated. Here is a list of things I wish I knew about Chapman University before I chose to attend.

1.) Tuition is expensive because it’s a private university.

I knew I would be paying more when I enrolled but I didn’t know it would be almost double what it costs to attend a Cal State. It would have been a lot cheaper had I enrolled in a Cal State and finished the program in two years while going to school full time. Instead, I enrolled at Chapman University and finished the program in three years going part time. If I had lived at home for two years instead of choosing to live with a roommate and work part time, I wouldn’t have so much student debt. The teaching credential program at Chapman University cost me nearly $30,000 and I continue to owe that much because finding a teaching job didn’t pan out for me. I took an alternative route and now have my own business but my debt is still there.

2.) Check your campus email often to stay connected.

One of the best things I did when I enrolled at Chapman University was check my campus email on a regular basis. Since I only went to school in the evenings, it was hard to stay connected to the social life on campus. I did manage to attend a few events on campus. The first was an etiquette class that taught me how to properly eat a five course meal. Second, I attended a lecture that was given by Maya Angelou. It was amazing and free to all students, just like the etiquette class. Third, I attended a social justice conference in Los Angeles with one of my professors. She took a few students and now I am part of a listserv that focuses on social justice in education. These three events were amazing and I am glad I was able to connect with social life on campus.

3.) There is a chapel on campus.

I wish I knew there was a chapel on campus available to students. The chapel is named the Wallace All Faiths Chapel, and they hold services and events there for the students, faculty, and alumni. You can also reserve a room there. I wish I would have been better informed about what the cost was to reserve a room there, since I would have liked to get married there. It’s a beautiful place and worth a visit.

4.) There are small class sizes.

I wish I would have known that I would be part of a cohort within my program. I would have been better prepared to get to know other students. I really enjoyed taking small classes at Chapman University because I got to know the faculty well and it also didn’t take me a long time to find parking. Because Chapman is known for having small class sizes, there is always parking available to students. The campus itself is pretty small so it won’t take you more than ten minutes to get from one side of campus to the other.

5.) Downtown Orange is a hub for students.

Because I attended school in the evenings, I never took advantage of visiting the downtown area that is so close to the school. Fraternities and sororities tend to have meetings at the downtown area as well as some other clubs and organizations.

Belinda Espinoza graduated from Chapman University in 2008 and received a single subject teaching credential. She now writes a blog for a living and enjoys drinking coffee with friends.