University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

What are the academics like at your school?

Chris

Professors in large lecture halls do not know my name; however, in my major courses I have developed close relationships with many of my professors. Many TAs also know my names from discussion sections, which is always a positive. My favorite class outside of my major was a weather class. Each class we learned about weather patterns, natural disasters, and how meteorologists predict forecasts. This class encouraged class participation, used movies/videos, and made great use of computer simulations in weather patterns. Class participation can be common in these type of classes, but in other classes it can be quite lacking. It really depends on how the Professor chooses to utilize the class. It is also common to use a voting system in class which encourages discussion where students use a device to vote based on a question asked on the projector. Students tend to be competitive and really concerned about their grades and future. Sometimes I think professional and job experiences are taken aback by concerns about grades. One thing that I think students should focus on more is on trying to get an internship. This is a very important thing, almost more important than grades at times to employers. My major and department is Statistics. I spend time with a professor or two outside of class, catching up at the local bar or restaurant on occasion. In general, most students do not do this unless they know their professor extremely well. The education at this school really stresses getting a job and networking with employers. There are over 10 career fairs each year at this school, which show the importance the University places on getting a job. The University has its own Career Services Center to assist with this. However, there are plenty of opportunities that stress learning for its own sake in that research here is very important. Research positions are very common by departments. I would say that the academic requirements are very good with the reputation of the University. I would stress the importance of class rank, high school coursework, etc even more than standardized tests scores. Overall, admission requirements are fair.

Betsy

The University of Illinois is not just a default school where all in-state students go. Although many of the students here are from the state of Illinois, the University is much more than it's proximity. The programs here are nationally ranked and the faculty include Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners. There are over 150 majors and thousands of classes available every year. It is a well-known fact that students should Google their professors to see what they did before becoming a professor. Some of my professors are published authors, national award winners, professional reporters, producers and practicing lawyers. In a school of 40,000 students it is surprisingly easy to develop a relationship with professors. They are willing to help students with their own class, help them find classes to take in the future and even find internships and jobs. I secured my internship because one professor asked her students what they wanted to do after graduation. She remembered my response and emailed me about a year-long internship opportunity that I could take for credit.

Benjamin

There are large classes at UIUC and there are small classes. All professors have office hours that allow students extra time to come talk about their college experience, their interests and the intellectual ideas about the classes they're taking. Professors in classes of thirty or less will know your name. Class discussions contribute the debate about how to make the world a better place through our ideas. The most unique class I took was called Comparative Politics of Developing Nations and was taught by the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Everyone is encouraged to think critically and develop their own ideas. As a history major, I have been given the opportunity to think about social justice and civil rights and how that relates to today's society. Through writing papers and reading books, I have been able to hone my skills as a competent learner and my professors were instrument in allowing this to happen. They gave me tips and strategies for furthering my intellectual capacity.

Betsy

The University of Illinois is not just a default school where all in-state students go. Although many of the students here are from the state of Illinois, the University is much more than it's proximity. The programs here are nationally ranked and the faculty include Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners. There are over 150 majors and thousands of classes available every year. It is a well-known fact that students should Google their professors to see what they did before becoming a professor. Some of my professors are published authors, national award winners, professional reporters, producers and practicing lawyers. In a school of 40,000 students it is surprisingly easy to develop a relationship with professors. They are willing to help students with their own class, help them find classes to take in the future and even find internships and jobs. I secured my internship because one professor asked her students what they wanted to do after graduation. She remembered my response and emailed me about a year-long internship opportunity that I could take for credit.

Betsy

The University of Illinois is not just a default school where all in-state students go. Although many of the students here are from the state of Illinois, the University is much more than it's proximity. The programs here are nationally ranked and the faculty include Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners. There are over 150 majors and thousands of classes available every year. It is a well-known fact that students should Google their professors to see what they did before becoming a professor. Some of my professors are published authors, national award winners, professional reporters, producers and practicing lawyers. In a school of 40,000 students it is surprisingly easy to develop a relationship with professors. They are willing to help students with their own class, help them find classes to take in the future and even find internships and jobs. I secured my internship because one professor asked her students what they wanted to do after graduation. She remembered my response and emailed me about a year-long internship opportunity that I could take for credit.

Betsy

The University of Illinois is not just a default school where all in-state students go. Although many of the students here are from the state of Illinois, the University is much more than it's proximity. The programs here are nationally ranked and the faculty include Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners. There are over 150 majors and thousands of classes available every year. It is a well-known fact that students should Google their professors to see what they did before becoming a professor. Some of my professors are published authors, national award winners, professional reporters, producers and practicing lawyers. In a school of 40,000 students it is surprisingly easy to develop a relationship with professors. They are willing to help students with their own class, help them find classes to take in the future and even find internships and jobs. I secured my internship because one professor asked her students what they wanted to do after graduation. She remembered my response and emailed me about a year-long internship opportunity that I could take for credit.

Alexis

Being in the College of Media, my classes with my major average around 20 students, so I have gotten to know those within my major and all my professors. Professors here are always willing to talk to you, whether in office hours or after class.

Lauren

While Illinois academics may seem daunting due to the large student body, this is hardly the case. Many 100-level courses are indeed taught as huge lectures, but once students narrow their focus of study and begin enrolling in upper-level courses, they are able to get to know their professors and engage in opportunities such as research. Research is a core value at Illinois and many professors enjoy involving their students in their studies. While academics here are challenging, they are by no means impossible. Students must study and attend class to be successful, but there are many resources that can add to that success, such as professor office hours, tutoring opportunities, and specific libraries for each subject area. Academic advisors are available to keep students on track academically, while career advisors assist with job and internship searches. There are so many resources available here that Illinois students are never without assistance.

Alex

For most of my classes, the lectures are large. For engineering department classes, the lectures will be ~125 people, and for core engineering classes like physics and math, you'll triple that. Most likely the professors will not know you personally unless you're spending a lot of time in office hours. The physics here is rough. Its renowned in its own right and you will not get an easy good grade. That goes the same for any ECE course. If you're looking to get into the ECE program, get ready for some tough times. I think the ECE department is one of the top 3 hardest at the university with the NPRE and AERO departments. You will have a lot of opportunities to join intuitive startups here as a engineering student. Especially if you're in the ECE program. Additionally, you can't avoid office hours here no matter how smart you are. You won't spend your life with TA's and Prof.'s outside of class, but your brain definitely needs to work outside of the classroom. I'm an ECE major, and I try to be as socially active as academically possible. Being as efficient as I can, I spend about 30hrs a week on school work of any kind. However, I have many friends in other programs (Psychology, Business, or especially any 'pre-med' program like Kinesiology) that commonly don't have Friday classes, and can afford 4-5 nights a week out on the town. As a freshman, this dynamic could be extremely difficult to adapt to if you're friends with all different types of people. You will need to discipline yourself to say 'No' when you have important academic obligations.

chris

Whether you are in small discussion or a huge lecture, you still have the ability to gain a relationship with the professor in order to enhance your education. Most professors also love taking their undergrad. students as research assistants so students could practically apply theories learned in the classroom. We also have Research Park, which is an incredible way to experience your education in an entirely different light.

Isabella

Illinois has some of the best resources available. Even my most boring teachers wanted to help me in the class.

Amanda

Some classes the professors know your name especially in my major because the classes are smaller. In a lot of the more basic classes the professors don't know the students as well because the lectures are bigger.

Jessica

My motto on being a student at Illinois is that if you want a teacher to know your name they will. I personally am a quieter student so a lot of times I don't stand out, but all it takes is going up to the professors before/after class introducing myself or actively participating in class. The best class I took at Illinois was EPS 310 Race and Cultural Diversity. The professor and TAs were so knowledgable and approached the subject matter with such a humorous attitude it made the serious stuff a little lighter. Illinois has a little bit of everything where but in order to benefit from all that is offered you need to do the work to. No body is handing over grades, knowledge, and jobs on a silver platter.

Taylor

I started off at the U of I as a student in the Division of General Studies, meaning I didn't have a major. As a freshman, I didn't know what to expect. I had heard everything imaginable from people about the academic life on campus. It was pretty competitive to get into the school, so I knew classes weren't just going to be a breeze. I had heard lectures were of epic proportions and that professors didn't care about you. I was aware that the standard of work was set above most public universities in the country. While I did end up having a lecture of around 750 people, I did not feel disconnected from my professors or my T.A.s (teaching assistants). Every professor I have had since my first semester here has held office hours in which you can come to them personally with questions about classwork or anything in general. I've learned that my professors are there to help you and want you to succeed in their classes. It pays to go to office hours and stand out amongst your peers. I personally made a great relationship with my Jour 199 Professor, and he is one of the reasons I transferred to Broadcast Journalism my sophomore year. I took Jour 199 "Television Talk-Show Production" my first semester of college. It was the most inspiring and useful classes I have even had the privilege of taking. The course is offered to only 19 freshmen every semester, so I was very lucky to sign up. Not many people think you can find classes with only 19 students at a college the size of U of I, but it's very common. Almost all of my discussion classes are made up of 20-30 students. Back to my story though, my jour 199 course set off my interest in production by giving me experience in an actual television studio in which we made shows for our student TV channel. That class prompted me to do so much: pick a major, join an RSO (registered student organization) called J.A.M.S. which puts together TV shows for the student channel, act in a commercial for our Brand New recreational facility on campus, and pursue my interest in production. The education I received in my classes has helped me attain an internship at the student-run radio station, WPGU, and of course, this internship here at Unigo :)

Andy

f you're not sure what you want to major in and you're just fulfilling gen eds, you're likely to be stuck in a lot of lecture classes with hundreds of other students. Once you start taking core classes, they start getting smaller and you can really get to know your professor. I'm an advertising major so my favorite classes are my core classes because they're fun, they keep me entertained. My least favorite class was cs105. If you don't need it, avoid it!!!! It seems to me that the amount of student participation is similar to any class throughout your life, sometimes you have students really involved that really want to participate, some students always answer, some students never do. I'm really happy to be an advertising major because I think it's one of the most interesting majors on campus. I want to complete a minor in International Arts because it is also extremely interesting. It is a very cool minor because you are involved in picking the path of your minor . You work really closely with the department to decide what you are going to learn.

Jennifer

most of the classes especially in the math and science departments are really competitive. One particularly hard class that i took was Calc 3. The professors are generally good, and all of them know their subjects really well. even though most lectures have at least a hundred people in them, as long as you sit at least near the front, the numbers seem a lot smaller and its easier to concentrate. plus there are discussion sections with usually around only 20 people and its usually pretty easy to get in touch with your TAs.

Stefanie

The best classes at Illinois that I was able to partake in were the psychology classes that I needed for my advertising major. Being able to participate in experiments and learn about how the human mind functions was one of Illinois' greatest strength in classes.

Morgan

The professors will know your name if you want them too. It is easy to sit in the back of the class and go unnoticed. However, that is what I value about academics at Illinois. It forces you to take the initiative in your academic career. This is college. No one is going to hold your hand and make sure you know what the homework is and when the exams are. This is life. We are adults now and need to think for ourselves and figure out what we need to do in order to get where we want to be. I like the academic responsibilities that I have gained through the University of Illinois. This is a difficult school to get into, and once you're in, you need to take responsibility for your future. Most students study very often. Whenever I would go to the library, there were always a good amount of people there. The University of Illinois has one of the largest library systems in the nation, and its students definitely take advantage of it.

matt

as an engineer, classes took up almost my entire life. they could have take up the entire thing if i let them. professors will know your name, some of them will know it whether you want them to or not. i had a 400 level concrete design course and the professor knew my name the first time i went up to talk to him. the first couple years, the classes were pretty easy and straightforward. once class difficulty began to pick up, with the 300 level classes, it became more important to learn actively by talking to professors, going to office hours, studying with friends after class, etc. by that point the professors expect that you know how to learn and they place more of the responsibility for it on your shoulders. my favorite classes were the first two geotechnical engineering classes i took, the introductory class and the foundations design course. this was mostly because of the professors. they were always available and very helpful and friendly.

Isabel

One thing that bothers me about U of I is how big the lectures are. In lower level classes, lectures can have up to 500 or 600 people in them. And the only way the professor would know your name is if you attend their office hours on a regular basis whereas if it was a smaller class, like upper level classes, the professor would recognize your face and name.

Chris

Some professors are ok and others are a bore. Personally, I prefer smaller classes and more interaction between the professor and each student instead of passing students along to the teacher assistant.

erik

Amazing classes. Some suck. Quality of Education is great. Some problems with registering for classes even though they are required for you.

Zach

Professors know you if you take the time to know them. Most of them are very helpful if you seek them. The classes are oriented to make students learn the topics themselves rather than feeding information to them. Many intellectual conversations take place, obviously depending on who you meet. There are many intellectual opportunities all around campus.

mike

Since it's such a big university, one usually has to make an effort to get to know professors. I did however take a course with an experienced professor that only had 22 kids in it. It was a speech communications class, but it was really more like an "adjusting to your new life" class. Illinois offers a series of these "Discovery Courses" exclusively for freshmen. I'm an Accountancy/Finance double major. Accy is ranked number one in the country and Fin is ranked 11th. I've only taken one business class thus far, but it was awesome and I learned a lot. The students tend to help each other out a lot and it really is not too competitive in a destructive way. Most kids in business are highly motivated and ambitious

Jerry

Illinois is definitely a big school that has millions of opportunities to make it small. Sure, lectures are huge and your professor won't know your name if you only go to class and stay quiet; but, they all offer office hours that very few people actually take advantage of. It's a great time for them to get to know you, and for you to become familiar with their thought process and expectations. You have to get involved in student organizations too. Not only are they a great way to meet people, but they are a way to further integrate into your major and career path. Illinois students definitely have intellectual conversations outside of class. In a campus with over 35,000 students, there is every type of person within a ten mile radius.

Kevin

One thing that many people are worried about when looking at U of I is the class size. While the lectures are very big, there are also small discussion sections which will allow for interaction and any questions one may have. Also, all profs have office hours at least twice a week so you can have your questions answered directly from them if need be.

Dana

In your first year at U of I, it is likely that you will have a few classes in large lecture halls. After that, though, most classes are small and intimate. Teachers in these classes do know names and encourage opinions and participation. There are so many classes to take too, in every subject imaginable. I've taken classes called Insects and People (my science credit!), Human Sexuality (highly recommend this one), classes that require volunteering in the community, basic classes, everything. I LOVE the Spanish classes here too. Definitely has improved my Spanish hugely.

Jamie

Class sizes can be really huge or kind of small depending on the class. But even if youre in a huge lecture style class and feel like a small fish in a big sea, you can make the effort to talk with TA's or the professor to make yourself feel more comfortable. Don't hesitate to talk up in class, it really helps you as well as others in class.

Brian

The academic environment at Illinois is great. If you're an incoming freshman and don't know what you want to study then Illinois is potentially in the top 5 best schools in the nation for you to attend, it has a wide curriculum and any major you end up choosing you can rest assured its not a bad program.

Erin

the lectures can be really large depending on your major, especially if your a freshman. but most lectures include a smaller discussion session that creates a setting similar to high school and allows for more active participation.

Claire

My freshman year, most of my professors definitely did not know my name. Most classes are taught two days a week in large lecture hall (over 300 students) by a professor and then once or twice a week in a smaller setting by a TA (20-30 students). This makes it hard to ever even talk to your professor face to face although you usually do develop a good relationship with your TA's. Classes at U of I might be a little different from my point of view. To me, my classes are difficult and require a lot of concentration and studying in order to fully understand the material. It is a running joke in the engineering community about "classes south of Green". the engineering quad is north of Green Street and the main quad and all other colleges are located south of Green Street. Many engineers enroll in those classes to either fulfill requirements or boost their GPA. The requirements for an engineer are not hard to fulfill. I can complete all of the hours needed in four classes, but I'll take more to pad my overall GPA. I know my professors pretty well now because you start taking engineering courses during your sophomore year and the class size decreases exponentially. It is also imperative that you attend office hours and talk to your professors to understand the material and do well in the class. The professors also take an active role in student activities. To raise money for various organizations, professors will donate a student/faculty basketball game or dinner at their house. These dinner parties can be really fun and get pretty crazy. Professors are fun to hang out with outside of class, surprisingly.

Bobby

Some professors will know your name and some wont. It depends on the class you are taking. And most likely you will have both types... some small classes and some huge lectures of up to 800 people. It just depends. My favorite class would have to be KIN 120: sports injuries. My least favorite class would be CALC 2. It depends on the class how much you have to study. It also depends on how much you already know, if you go to class, if you actually pay attention in class, etc. The studying is up to you. You dont have to study at all, but I wouldn't suggest that unless you want a ticket back to your hometown. But, it all depends... (sorry I know, I hate answers like that) Yes, students have intellectual conversations outside of class. But, it isn't something that should be frightening. It's mostly sharing something cool you have learned. Its nothing to take super seriously. Some students are very competitive in grades, some are just trying to get by. It depends, its like every school. However, I will say that the competition here is tough. Most unique class I have ever taken is Human Sexuality. Its something that you probably wouldn't have to study too much for (just an hr or 2 for the test) and do the assignments and you should get an A. But, it is something that you wouldn't think would be taught in a classroom. My major when I first came to U of I was Math. I will tell you something, you should take school seriously, but definitely take your major classes super seriously. You have to do very well in those classes to stay in your major. Now my major is communications. It is harder than what people expect, but I truly enjoy it, so its not so bad for me. I don't usually spend time with professors outside of class, however, there is an option that you can. They all have office hours. I would say definitely use those to your advantage, I never did and I regret that. I think some of the academic requirements at U of I (especially in your major) are absolutely rediculous. They piss me off honestly, but thats why this school has the reputation that it does. It is what it is. I think that there is both, educationg for its own sake and geraed toward getting a job. The education here is impeccable.

Josh

U of I is a great school with an awesome reputation. You are really going to get a good degree from this school and will definitely turn out to be successful. There are classes that are certainly challenging, but when that final exams are turned in and you are done with them, you'll be proud of yourself for getting through.

KJ

Professors do not know your name! Let's not sugar coat it, if that's what your looking for DO NOT...I repeat DO NOT apply to U of I. The classrooms are huge, (auditorium sized). Favorite class: ART 250 It's a class in which they teaching you how to write using video. Interesting right? I loved it, I learned how to edit and make quality videos. (Plus it fulfills three Gen eds) Least favorite: BIO 120 Integretive Biology...Yuck! Students study ALL THE TIME...The Library is so full of people Class participation is not common, you try asking a question in a room full of 300 students. Intellectual convos are very common with my friends and I. The students are extremely competitive, I've seen people get disgruntled over a B The most unique class would have to be the same as my favorite class ART 250 My major is Communication and I enjoy it because there's a wide variety of careers that I can persue with this Major. I do not spend time with professors outside of the classroom. I feel that the Illinois academic requirements are challenging, many people complain about all the weed-out classes. I feel that the education is geared more learning for it's own sake.

Kelly

There are many difficult classes and most expect a lot out of you, but there are also easy, blow off classes that you can take to satisfy a gen ed. Everyone always warns that the curriculum is rigorous, and it is challenging, but if accepted, you will be able to do it.

Elizabeth

Professors don't know your name, even if you go to office hours often and you have the highest grade in the course. I know this for a fact because this is my situation every single semester. Everyone studies as much as they want to - some students never study, some students never do anything else except study. It's not uncommon to study 5 hours a day outside of class. Students are really, really competitive. In the majority of classes, participation is discouraged because there simply isn't enough time for questions from more than one or two people. My major is Molecular and Cellular Biology. I had to take the intro course because I'm pre-pharmacy, and you have to take a year of biology. The course was so interesting and so hard, but I did so well, that I decided to switch majors (I was previously Community Health, which is the most boring and repetitive major on this campus!). The department is decent, there are some really great advisors and some really awful ones... But fortunately, they are not assigned, so you can choose who you go to. The first few courses in the major are painfully boring, but I've been assured by many former students that the interesting courses come later. I've heard this is common for many majors.

Hannah

For the most part my professors know my name or they can recognize my face at least if I see them on the quad. Students study often, but also party very hard. The students are not that competitive, but they do have intellectual conversations outside of the classroom. These conversations usually take place after a major event such as the shooting at NIU.

Stephanie

Overall, I have been impressed with the academics at Illinois. Yes, you will have some classes with Teaching Assistants (TA's) early on, but once you get to the higher level courses (200/300/400 level) you will have Professors. Most of my Professors have been very kind and friendly, and fully accessible for questions and help. Oftentimes, in a large lecture, the Professor will have several grad students who hold office hours for questions as well. My favorite large lecture course has been History 140, "Western Civilization: Antiquity-1660." The course was taught by Professor Carol Symes, and her energy and enthusiasm for the material really made it fun. I was never a lover of History, but Professor Symes made the material come alive with her creative lectures. In one of the largest lecture halls (Foellinger Auditorium, on the Quad) we held our own trial of Socrates, complete with Graduate Students as actors, and Professor Symes herself running around the lecture hall to bring the microphone to students expressing different sides of the debate. My TA for that course, Trisha Olson, challenged our writing skills and really took the time to help us understand the material and make us into better learners overall. Within the Psychology department, I have taken several interesting courses. My favorite course thus far has been my internship, which is part of the Psychology 340/341 program. In this course, we had class once a week for 2 hours, and then we interned 10 hours a week at Cunningham Children's Home, which is about 8 minutes from campus, in Urbana. There are several other 340/341 opportunities to intern in different places in the community, but I chose this one because of my interest in children. I worked in a cottage with boys aged 10-11 and girls aged 13-15. At most, the cottage held 10 kids, but the Cunningham campus as a whole can accommodate many more. Cunningham Children's Home is part of the Illinois Department of Family and Children's Services (IDCFS), and it is home to children who are either wards of the state or are on individual care grants from their families. This was my most unique course, because it allowed me to reach out to the community and learn a great deal about the IDCFS system and how it affects the lives of hundreds of children every day. This coming semester, I am planning on continuing my work with Cunningham by interning in their school.

Sarah

Professors know my name a lot and will say hi if they see you out of class. You do have to make yourself known to them though. Be sure to introduce yourself to them, they can be extremely helpful in the future. The academics here are tough, but I feel that you learn the most from it all. Definitely geared towards getting a job someday in the future.

Ashley

I know all of my professors, and they all know me. The professors here, even the ones that teach lectures of 300 or more students, will go out of their way to help you and will round your grade up if they know you have put in the effort. The students here know how to study hard and have a good time. Students know how to get there work done and take time to dance till 2 am on a week night if they feel they deserve a break.

Tate

If you take the time to introduce yourself to your professors then it's easy to form a friendly relationship with them. The courses available cover a wide spectrum of studies, so finding the right class for you is never too hard. There are a million TAs and tutors, and classes can be as large as a couple hundred kids, or as small at 15. The counseling services available are pretty quality, and teachers are always available at their office hours for outside help.

Sarah

My classes are usually between 20 and 30 students. They look for participation and attendance as part of the grade. Classes are challenging but you can always get help if you are struggling.

Jennifer

Classes here are usually huge. Engineering is known nationwide for its excellence, and it is most certainly the most challenging college here. Liberal Arts and Sciences does not get the same resources as Engineering and LAS students are largely responsible for their own academic success. Still, not all kids here buy into the whole Greek meathead/ditz phenomenon. There are always discussions happening at Espresso Royal or kids smoking pot and chatting it up in the halls.

Alex

For the most part in small classes I think professors know my name. My favorite class has been spcm. My least favorite is theater. Students study a lot. Sometimes teachers expect too much class participation. Illinois students have intellectual convos out side of class. The students I know are highly competitive. Teh most unique class I've taken has been RST 255. My major is broadcast journalism. It gets you out onto the campus to get stories. It challenges you to test yur creativity as well. I have spent time with tas outside of class to get extra help and guidance. I think the academic requirements are fine. I think it is geared to getting a job and getting an education. Illinois wants you to walk away knowing you got something out of the University besides a job. Hopefully you walk out with life lessons and an education.

Alex

Illinois has a great academic reputation for all of the right reasons. Almost all of the students here take their academics seriously. A majority of the classes are very challenging, and you will only see results if you put the effort in. MCB 150 has been the hardest class I've taken so far, but I liked it so much that I changed my major into the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program. Other classes aren't that hard, including Human Sexuality or Vegetable Gardening. The variety is endless. In the end, Illinois will fit any interest you want to pursue, with the goal of preparing you for any job or interest in higher education.

Sally

Most people think that classes at Illinois will be gigantic because of how many students there are at the school. There are only a few classes like this. The majoirty of the classes have less than 50 people in them. For the large classes, usually you will meet once a week in a smaller section with a TA, so that makes the bigger classes seem smaller.

Katie

I think there is a wide variety at Illinois. I know some people in majors who have to study a lot to excel in their academics and others who don't study very much. There is some people who skip class a lot and others who don't miss. I think it is just like many other colleges. I attend class a lot and see some benefits from it, for the most part I enjoy my classes and there is a high amount of participation in them. I do have the occasional class with 500+ students but I really enjoy it.

Ann

The accounting program is rigorous and challenging. I find myself faltering at times due to the nature of the course work. However, the University of Illinois is number 2 in accounting for a reason. I am becoming thoroughly acquainted with the nuances of my major, something of which will aid me in the long run.

Timothy

There are so many amazing classes offered and all of the resources you could ask for are here at the U of I. The people here all seem to have a genuine desire to learn more, in and outside of the classroom. Professors are always open to meeting outside of classtime to help you if you are struggling with anything or even if you just want to learn something else that they have to offer. The requirements can be rigorous but certainly prepares you for life after college.

Tate

This university has good academic rankings but may not prepare people for real life.