Comparable Schools'
Parking Grades:
Quick Stats
Common Parking Tickets
- Failure to remove a non-current NIU parking permit - $5
- Failure to use flashers in a loading/unloading space - $5
- Handicapped space use violation - $250
- Meter violation - $10
Freshmen Allowed to Park
Yes
Approximate Parking Permit Cost
- $37–$75 per academic year
Parking Permits
Parking permits are obtained from Campus Parking Services and through their Web site. They are easily attainable by all NIU students.
College Prowler Take
The only saving grace when it comes to parking at NIU is that even freshman can get a parking permit their first year on campus, and for a fair price, too. However, the lack of parking in the most popular locations is frustrating, and tickets can pile up very quickly if you aren’t careful. Parking enforcement is unbelievably stringent. Many students are convinced that parking enforcement employees could find Osama Bin Laden if they put their minds to it. Instead, they devote their days to writing tickets for even the most petty infractions, bringing in more than 400 thousand (!) dollars each year from fines that range from reasonable to heart attack-inducing.
Students don’t help the situation at all when they drive to classes that they could easily walk to, taking away spaces from commuters who are often seen driving around parking lots for nearly an hour to find a space that is both legal and open. Still, a car is a must if you want to have a life at NIU, so you just have to grin and bear it—something which they aren’t fining students for . . . yet.
Students Speak Out
Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:
Anonymous says:  |
There are more than 25,000...
There are more than 25,000 students on campus, so it’s not a big surprise there isn’t room for all of them to park. However, they could be a lot more proactive in helping students find parking and in creating more parking, instead of reclassifying spots and issuing tickets constantly. |
Anonymous says: |
I’ve piled up tickets, and I...
I’ve piled up tickets, and I think many of them are crap. You can appeal, but you will lose, and it ends up costing you the full price of the ticket instead of the discount you get if you pay right away. |
Anonymous says: |
It’s a nightmare if you...
It’s a nightmare if you commute. Leave yourself enough time, or you will always be running late. |
Anonymous says: |
Words can’t describe how bad...
Words can’t describe how bad the parking situation is on campus. There are no spots when you need them. Just once would I like to pull into a lot, park, and get where I need to be on time. But I don’t think it’s ever going to happen. |
Anonymous says: |
It is horrible! They keep taking...
It is horrible! They keep taking more parking away each year, and charging more and more. |
Did You Know?
Best Places to Find a Parking Spot:
The Convocation Center has tons of spots, although it is quite far away from campus. The lot at the Newman Catholic Student Center near the Campus Life building is almost always open, has a convenient location, and sells daily parking permits.
Good Luck Getting a Parking Spot Here:
The lot located next to the Chick Evans Field House and across from DuSable Hall is always filled and contains spots for permits that no one seems to have. Just as bad is the lot for the Recreation Center, which will certainly give students’ nerves a workout.
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