University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is great! There are so many options to get involved and so many people to meet. I do wish we still had a mascot. It is a great college town and I love it! People have a lot of Illini pride, and that is another great thing about the school. There are a lot of crime alerts though, which is a huge downfall.

One of the biggest reasons I chose Illinois was for the fantastic "game day" vibe I felt every time I came to campus. Everyone wears Orange and Blue. Also, the students here are proactive, and have "go for it" attitudes. There are over 1,000 R.S.O.'s (Registered Student Organization) that range from Illini Pride, to Squirrel Watching, Childhood Memories Club or Treehouse Society, to October Lovers, and the Daily Illini, our student run newspaper. There is a niche for everyone and so many ways to get involved, or start up something yourself!

U of I has been the best place for my college experience. Illinois has a rich sense of tradition and it is easy for any incoming student to feel a part of this tradition. There are so many ways on campus to have Pride for either our athletics or just our Alma Mater. I love the size of the University because for me it has brought many opportunities that I don't believe I could find elsewhere. Unique to Illinois is the Research Experience that is offered, it is something truly to treasure. The large campus can easily be made smaller with over 1200 Registered Student Organizations to choose from. It is a goal for Illinois Students to invite incoming students to become involved. One of my favorite days on campus is "Quad Day", which falls on the Sunday before instruction beings. All 1200 RSO's put a table on our quad where we pass out free goodies and hoot and hollar for students to join our club. It's a great way to become oriented right away to campus life and become involved. Finishing my senior year, I have found it easy to add and drop at least one club each semester, the possibilities are endless.

I love the University of Illinois! The best thing about m school is that there are so many interesting people and so many opportunities. Since there are so many people, it is easy to meet new people and make new friends. There is a lot of school pride, as you can see with all the orange students wear on campus every single day and in the turnouts for all the sporting events. On campus, there is no specific place I spend most of my time; it's a combination of my dorm, the dining halls, the libraries, and hanging out other places with my friends. It's a huge campus so there's many places to go.

I absolutely love Illinois. I bleed Orange and Blue and will be an Illini forever (as cheesy as I just realized that sounded). Are there things I would like to change about the school? Yes. But what I think is the greatest thing about Illinois is there are so many opportunities for students through involvement and personal and professional growth to impact their community, especially the Illinois community. There is so much you can DO on campus, whether that is joining the October Lovers or attending the famed Ebertfest and you know...going to class. And from DOING all these different things Illinois offers, you learn what like, what you don't like, what you love and honestly find who you are (again I know, cheesy but true). And because it is a large campus and there are SO MANY things to do, students may feel overwhelmed at first, but you find your niche through the clubs you join and the people you meet that you are similar to and feel comfortable with and will probably remain friends for the rest of your life. Then the campus doesn't feel so big anymore in a good way.

I. Love. This. School. From day to day, there may be things that get me down, but as a whole, I have absolutely loved being a student here at the University of Illinois, and I'll be sorry to leave next year. One of the best aspects of campus is the size. 40,000+ students may sound intimidating at first, but there are so many more positives to our large size than negatives. There are a huge variety of classes to take and clubs to get involved in. We have over 150 majors and if those don't float your boat, you can even design your own major. I've met people from around the country and around the world, and I've made really close friends in my classes, in my residence hall, and in my clubs. Living in Champaign-Urbana is a lot of fun. It is a small city, but there's basically everything you need right here. We've got tons of restaurants, the mall, movie theaters, concert venues, big box stores, boutiques, and really off-beat places in downtown Urbana and Champaign. Campus is not too spread-out and it's easy to walk from place to place, but we have a great (free!) bus system too. There's always something fun or interesting going on every day of the week and weekends too. I love going to concerts, and there's also the football and basketball games, plays, lectures, movies, and random events put on by different campus organizations. People here have a lot of pride in the fact that they go to the U of I. We like wearing orange! A few small negative things to mention: Parking is really expensive here. Don't bring a car Freshman year. You really don't need it anyway. Also, there's a lot of construction going on at all times of the year, and it can get kind of annoying and loud. My favorite things: The dining halls! The food is really good (and really abundant, ugh Freshman 15!) in the university residence halls. Also, the ACES library. Best place to study on campus. Last, the flowering trees all over campus in the spring. They're beautiful! What makes us unique: We invented Homecoming. Like, the whole concept of it. Really! We've got some cool (supposedly) haunted buildings on campus too.

At first I was unsure if I was going to like UofI. It wasn't my first choice and I had never visited before. However, upon arriving for freshman orientation I quickly changed my mind. The academic campus is very impressive and pretty. While the campus town is urban and not as pretty there is a lot to do there. The campus is big but it is pretty easy to learn your way around quickly. The student body is big, but between classes, joining a fraternity/sorority, or joining a club it is very easy to meet people. There is a good amount of school pride. Basketball games and football games are a ton of fun (they'd be more fun if we won more often) and people go all out for them. There have been a couple recent controversies, such as the clout list and the banning of our mascot, however I feel none of these have a had a negative effect on students or affected our school pride.

At first I was unsure if I was going to like UofI. It wasn't my first choice and I had never visited before. However, upon arriving for freshman orientation I quickly changed my mind. The academic campus is very impressive and pretty. While the campus town is urban and not as pretty there is a lot to do there. The campus is big but it is pretty easy to learn your way around quickly. The student body is big but between classes, joining a fraternity/sorority, or joining a club it is very easy to meet people. There is a good amount of school pride. Basketball games and football games are a ton of fun (they'd be more fun if we won more often) and people go all out for them. There have been a couple recent controversies, such as the clout list and the banning of our mascot, however I feel none of these have a had a big effect on students or affected our school pride.

At first I was unsure if I was going to like UofI. It wasn't my first choice and I had never visited before. However, upon arriving for freshman orientation I quickly changed my mind. The academic campus is very impressive and pretty. While the campus town is urban and not as pretty there is a lot to do there. The campus is big but it is pretty easy to learn your way around quickly. The student body is big but between classes, joining a fraternity/sorority, or joining a club it is very easy to meet people. There is a good amount of school pride. Basketball games and football games are a ton of fun (they'd be more fun if we won more often) and people go all out for them. There have been a couple recent controversies, such as the clout list and the banning of our mascot, however I feel none of these have a had a big effect on students or affected our school pride.

At first I was unsure if I was going to like UofI. It wasn't my first choice and I had never visited before. However, upon arriving for freshman orientation I quickly changed my mind. The academic campus is very impressive and pretty. While the campus town is urban and not as pretty there is a lot to do there. The campus is big but it is pretty easy to learn your way around quickly. The student body is big but between classes, joining a fraternity/sorority, or joining a club it is very easy to meet people. There is a good amount of school pride. Basketball games and football games are a ton of fun (they'd be more fun if we won more often) and people go all out for them. There have been a couple recent controversies, such as the clout list and the banning of our mascot, however I feel none of these have a had a big effect on students or affected our school pride.

Overall my opinion is this school offers everyone anything they could ever need. The extensive list of classes, majors and clubs make sure every single student will find a niche. Though I went to college with no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, I took a class called GS 101 Exploring General Studies that gave me the resources to understand each major a little bit better and choose one based on my academic strengths and personal interests. The University's academic advisors, Career Center and even professors are more than happy to help students with any questions they have whether they are related to class or not. The friendly feel at the University of Illinois and everyone's willingness to lend an ear or a helping hand give students the ability to truly discover who they are and shine during their time here.

For a student looking for a top-notch university at a great cost, nothing beats the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. U of I consistently has programs ranking in the top ten nationally and is a university known for its research. While the University of Illinois has an enrollment of over 40,000 students, it manages to still have a personalized, small-school feel. Due to it's size, there is a range of everything on campus. From class sizes to subjects, clubs to sports, the choices here are endless. In my time at Illinois, I was able to study under professors that were the experts in their field, participate in a variety of clubs, and cheer on our football and basketball teams to success. All of this combined to make my experience at U of I an unforgettable one.

The best thing about the University of Illinois is the amount of organizations and opportunities there are to get involved in. You have every social organization you can imagine. There are numerous professional business organizations or clubs. You can find virtually anything you want. In fact, you can even start your own organization and have it certified by the University. I wish that the University would publicize some of the opportunities more via social networking or email. I believe the school is a great size as you can always find clubs, Greek organizations, committees, a job, professional organizations, etc to become involved in which allows you to develop a closer group of friends, while still being offered all of the opportunities that a large university of this size can offer. Many people are impressed when I tell them that I go to the University of Illinois, but what impresses them most is all of the opportunities that I have taken advantage of. I have found a company to work for on campus that will build my professional skills, a committee to assist the University in making it better, a fraternity that I can have fun in, and many groups within my Department that I can be a part of. My opinion of the school's administration is very positive, as I believe they are really trying to listen to students and the suggestions that they bring. Also, many of the recommendations that my committee has provided have been used by the University. We have made phone calls to prospective students, suggested a new minor in Business, and easier advising options. I believe there is a lot of loyalty and pride about this University. Students seem very happy and proud that they attend a university like this. Many students take advantage of the organizations on campus. I'll most always remember the Big Ten sporting events and the thrill of the atmosphere that is created at these events. The basketball student section, Orange Krush, is unique in that they raise millions of dollars for charity each year. They also create one of the best atmospheres in college basketball. One frequent complaint is that TA's teach too many courses on campus; however, I believe TAs can be quite the wealth of knowledge if students go to their office hours.

The best thing about the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the fact that everyone has the opportunity to find their niche and develop who they are. With a diverse campus boasting 40,000 students there are a wide array of majors and fields of study that can satisfy many students insatiable thirst for knowledge when they first arrive at Urbana-Champaign. UIUC's commitment to diversity is expressed in their use of affirmative action and their commitment to a liberal education that benefits everyone. I spend most of my time in classes, in the library, at coffee shops and at concerts and other social events. The biggest recent controversy at the University of Illinois has been the admissions scandal in which many of the members of the Board of Trustees, the President, and a few Chancellors resigned for unfairly admitting students with political connects. Now however, the administration has made clear its commitment to equal standards in admissions for all students.

Overall my opinion is this school offers everyone anything they could ever need. The extensive list of classes, majors and clubs make sure that every single student will find a niche. Though I went to college with no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, I took a class called GS 101 Exploring General Studies that gave me the resources to understand each major a little bit better and choose one based on my academic strengths and personal interests. The University's academic advisors, Career Center, and even professors are more than happy to help students with any questions they have whether they are related to class or not. The friendly feel at the University of Illinois and everyone's willingness to lend an ear or a helping hand give students the ability to truly discover who they are and shine during their time here.

Overall my opinion is this school offers everyone anything they could ever need. The extensive list of classes, majors and clubs make sure that every single student will find a niche. Though I went to college with no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, I took a class called GS 101 Exploring General Studies that gave me the resources to understand each major a little bit better and choose one based on my academic strengths and personal interests. The University's academic advisors, Career Center, and even professors are more than happy to help students with any questions they have whether they are related to class or not. The friendly feel at the University of Illinois and everyone's willingness to lend an ear or a helping hand give students the ability to truly discover who they are and shine during their time here.

My favorite part of this school is the fact that it is very much so a "college town." Its reputation carries far and wide, nationally and internationally. I spend most of my time taking advantage of our large library system or hanging out at the Union student center. When you walk down the street, there is a strong sense of community and camaraderie with all those who go to Illinois.

Many positive adjectives describe the University of Illinois, but I would say that "diverse" is way up there on my list. Not only is the student body diverse in culture and ethnicity, but there are also wide varieties of academic, extra-curricular, and volunteer opportunities to suit every students wants and needs. There is something for everyone at Illinois.

From an Computer Engineer's perspective: The best thing about this school is actually the preparation and leg-up on your next stage in life. I came here because I wanted to have a job I love, and make a substantial salary at the same time. As an engineer, the school couldn't be a better fit for me. In my opinion, it is without a doubt the best bang for your buck when you look at all the yearly rankings. Continually, UIUC is on the top 10 lists for almost all of its Engineering departments. And when you are getting hired for the same positions as Berkley and MIT grads, how can you beat that? UIUC brings roughly 500 individual companies to career fairs each year. And that's only counting Engineering employers, there's also a pair of huge fairs for Business students. As we are all looking for our jobs right now, I've interviewed with tons of great companies as a direct result of the notoriety and hosting of the school. If you're an average Engineering student, YOU WILL BE SOUGHT OUT by many companies. I would just about guarantee that even in this climate you'll have multiple options for a post-grad job. I spent last summer in Boulder where everyone on the west coast knew of this public, state school as one of the top in the field. If I had to change anything, it would be the professor selection done by the school. Make no mistake, this is also a huge research university that has a renowned graduate program. Many professors are famous in their fields and the amount of large scale inventions or products that have come out of this campus rivals the Ivy schools. However, you will struggle with understanding some of these Non-American professors. If you're not someone who feels confident and enthusiastic learning material by yourself or with peers, you may want to evaluate if this is the right choice for you. Make no mistake - you will work your tail off. But as I'm experiencing now, its totally worth it.

The university of Illinois has a small-town community feel to it, as well big city benefits. It has an incredible night life with plenty of exciting things to be entertained by, as well as a tight-knit community. You really get to feel like you a part of something great as an Illinois student.

The best thing about Illinois is its size. RESOURCES! RESOURCES! RESOURCES! Because of the sheer size of the university, the possibilities are endless in terms of your experience on campus. Studying abroad, meeting new people, joining a student org, or just attending an event for fun. For geeks or Greeks...you'll always find something you like in Chambana.

The best thing about Illinois is the school spirit and the friends I have made. I love how big it is but your friends make it small.

It's just a great environment to be in. It's a college town so there's students/academic professionals everywhere. The social atmosphere is huge too. Some people think of Illinois as too big of a school, but the fact is it is huge. If you get involved and find ways to meet people it makes the campus so much smaller. School pride is big. Especially at athletic events like football and basketball games.

The University of Illinois is so many things. It's a place where any student; no matter who they are, what they do or what they like, can find a place to fit in and grow. It's a place where you can find the biggest Greek Community in the country. It's a place where they conduct research that affects the entire nation. It's a place that's my home. U of I while huge in size with over 40,000 students, can be made into a campus that makes you feel like you know every student walking on the main quad. We boast a huge campus with literally something for everyone. The U of I is home to one of the largest arenas in the state of Illinois, Assembly Hall, where concerts and sports events are held every weekend. We have a world-renowned performing arts center, The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, which can seat up to 4,000 people and hosts everything from Operas, to Dance Companies to commencements. Green Street, which is the main drag on campus, has tons of local food joints in addition to well-known favorites. The campus bar scene is centered around Green Street also, and every night the street is flooded with students looking for a good time. While the recent news of the Clout List and the issues with the Board of Trustees has had a negative influence on the college in general, I have never been more proud to be a student and the University of Illinois. Every school has its ups and downs, and I believe I'm getting the very best education I can to prepare me for the future.

The best thing about the University of Illinois is its diversity. You can find anyone and anything you’d ever wanted from a school here. Whatever type of person you believe yourself to be, you’ll find a group of people that fit you perfectly. Because there is so much to do here (anything from fraternity life, to academic clubs to adventure clubs), you’ll never find the need to venture outside of the campus. Unfortunately, if you actually wanted to do something outside of the school, you’re only choices are eating out, a movie or the mall.

U of I is incredibly fun. There's just the right amount of people. You'll never know all of them, but you can always find incredible friends. One problem is that the only thing off campus to do is go to the mall, or movie theater. theres nothing around champaign-urbana, but the campus is really cool, and it's got a lot of fun restaurants to check out.

The best thing about Illinois is its balance. It's amazing school for sports and has outstanding school spirit and pride. It's also an amazing school to get a top notch education while having fun. A great balance like this is hard to come by at smaller schools..and I would know since I transfered from Northwestern!

I love the school spirit at the University of Illinois. Everyone that goes to this school absolutely loves it and wants everyone to know it! One of my favorite things is sitting in Block I and the Orange Krush student sections. Even if we are not winning, the spirit is there and I have so much fun. I love my professors and the classes I have taken. Everyone is extremely down to earth on this campus. I have had no problem relating to and talking to my professors. Even though some of the lectures are huge (upwards of 500-700 people) I feel like it is in a small setting because the professors make themselves so readily available. I enjoy spending most of my time on the quad. In the spring and fall it is so pretty and everyone is out. People are playing music, studying, playing frisbee, tight-rope walking (what!?), and just socializing. The school size is just right. I really do not consider it to be that large, although my friends from smalled colleges tell me it is HUGE! I love that it is large and I always meet new people every time I step outside. Everyone finds their place here. Although the campus is quite large, it is very easy to get everywhere. There is a free bus system that runs regularly throughout the day and it will take you everywhere you need to go on campus, and it's free! I also spend a great deal of time at the bars. I love going to the bars to hang out with my friends and meet new people. I love that Illinois has such a diverse party scene. There are apartment parties, fraternity parties, and the bars. There is always something to do! Also the Canopy Club in Urbana is a great venue. It offers a different atmosphere than the bars in Champaign, as it brings in a lot of different musical varieties.

what i liked most about illinois is the size. it is a really big school, but it gets smaller and smaller every year, until you can't go anywhere without knowing at least a few people. also, the size allows you to make and keep the friends you want to have. at a small school, you are forced to interact with the same people every day. i also really liked the campus, not just the buildings and landscaping, but the feel of the area. everything a college student needs is within walking distance, food, bars, housing, shopping, etc. if you wanted to get a little fancier, the downtown area is a short bus ride away, with better food and bars.

The best thing about Illinois is the diversity of what people are studying. I would change the small number of out of state students- I only know about one other! If you are into big schools then Illinois is just right! Most of my time on campus is spent in the theatres, libraries, or local coffee shops. Urbana-Champaign can seem like a college town unless you go out of your way to explore. I'm sure you could happily manage without ever exploring the rest of the town if you wanted to.

I think the U of I campus is beautiful especially the Engineering and Main quad. I will always remember when the men's basketball team made it to the final four. There were hundreds of people celebrating on the quad and on Green street, chanting and yelling. It was amazing to see us all come together as a University to cheer on our team. I will also remember the day after when there were several public places you could see the next game on projectors such as in the Union and different lecture halls.

Our college town is nothing less than amazing. Everything is at your fingertips and only within a few miles from campus. The night life is great. I think that our college is too big and that a lot of Parkland(community college in Champaign) students try to seem like they go to our school, which I hate. The best thing about Illinois is our school spirit.

Great school. I wouldn't take back the past 4 years there for anything. Met great people and will always be friends with them and remember the times there.

Big campus, but homey. There is anything and everything for anyone here. Plenty of people to meet and hang out with- most all of whom are very friendly. Champaign is a great place to hang out, and the quad is beautiful. The only problem are the buses. They are the most unreliable thing on campus, so having a bike is a great idea. Plenty of school pride, we still love the chief.

Going to school at Illinois is a challenge, not only because it is one of the best colleges in the country, but also because it is a party school. It is easy to lose focus on the overall goal (graduating and getting a job) and become someone who does nothing but have fun. That being said, I think the part of reason Illinois is a great choice is because the student body overall consists of very intelligent kids who like to have a good time.

I think Illinois is the perfect campus. It's large enough that you feel like you are in a small city, but you still have that security knowing that everybody that walks by you is a student or faculty. There is always so much to do: campus-sponsored events, bars or restaurants on Green Sreet, or shops, bars and clubs in Champaign and Urbana. The mall is only 15 minutes away by bus. The bus system is amazing, you can get anywhere you have to for free. I have never met someone that goes to Illinois that does not love it. School pride here is immeasurable, everyone wears Illinois gear, and sports games are filled with students cheering.

The best part about Illinois is that there is something for everybody. There are clubs for every interest and then some. With such a big greek system, this also carries over into fraternities and soroities. Not every house on campus is made up of the stereotypical frat/sorority guys/girls. You can pick and choose and you will find that there is a house for just about everyone. Another nice aspect is the college town feel. We are located in Champaign which is a terribly small podunk town. The main thing there is the university so, for the most part, everyone you see on a daily basis will be a student of U of I. All the restaurants on campus are campus restaurants with mostly student employees and student customers. It's not like a school that is set in a big major city.

I LOVE U of I, and most people who go here adore it as well. I love the size of it too. Guaranteed you will find someone with similar interests and personality. And there are soooooo many ways to get involved, in clubs, sports, have fun, everything. Even if you like the weirdest thing, there is a club for you. There is a club called October Lovers- for people who love the month of October! I mean, there really is everything. And there's really awesome diversity. You will find people of every race and background, country, everything. Thats the cool thing about living in the dorms; you meet so many new people in the same freshman situation. Champaign is a really cool town too, it's got a little bit of everything. And it's not like going to some hick town where theres not a McDonalds or anything- Champaign has it all.

The campus is enormous. There is a huge campus body. But the school can be as big or as small as you like or make it.

The campus is great, and while a lot of people come and say it's too big for them I think students that are at the University would agree that it's not all that big once you're there and realize that the campus is organized fairly well and you won't be everywhere on campus so the size really doesn't come into play all that much. Campus Town is a good place to eat and there are a lot of places around campus you can go but usually campus town is the best place considering its proximity (and believe me, you'll want to go eat there a lot...the dorm food is pretty terrible...and I have quite a few friends that would agree).

illinois is a really great home. even though the student population is quite large, you end up seeing alot of the same students in your major required classes. activities and clubs also help to create a great welcoming atmosphere.

Illinois is a great institution with many traditions. This year, the administration made the decision to discontinue the use of Chief Illiniwek as our mascot. Personally, I felt this was ridiculous as the Cheif was only held in the highest regard. During sporting events when he danced at half time, students were always respectful and never mocked the chief. The student body size at Illinois is huge, but I don't think I'd change it. Students just get involved in the hundreds of Registered Student Organizations on campus to make it seem a little smaller. This helps everyone "find their place". One thing I'd change is the size of the Greek system. The Greek system is the largest in the nation and these students rarely hang out with GDI's (God Damn Independents). I feel this really inhibits something that is essential to a college experience-- meeting different people. While there are thousands in the Greek system, you don't find much variety. You rarely stray from the rich, white, suburbs of Chicago students. This organization makes Illinois seem a little like high school in that people rarely venture outside of their cliques to meet or talk to someone who is different.

The best thing about Illinois is the education and the independence it brings. My first class my first semester freshman year my professor said "I am not here to be your friend, I don't care if you come to class, if you take the tests and I definitely don't care if you fail. I will fail you. I wont talk to you about how poorly you did on the test. I like failing people." It was pretty scary, but I do thank him for that. He made me realize that no one will hold my hand to get through college, I have to do it all on my own. One thing I would change is the cost of living. I dont see that happening though. The school is a big school. I will tell you that, however, once you get into your major classes and you meet people you would be surprised how many people you run into. It gets smaller the longer your here. When I tell people I go to U of I people automatically think that I am extremely smart. That definitely isn't the case. The prestige of the college is acknowledged. I spend most of my time on campus at my apartment. But, the libraries are everywhere (which is nice) and the quad is an amazing place to meet up with friends and relax, play around and have fun. This is definitely a college town! I like that about it though. You can get off campus and its somewhat still of a college town. Not in a bad way though... its nice. I wish I had something good to say about the Illinois Administration, I just don't know too much about it. Latest controversy was probably the Chief still. I don't think it will ever die! And I like it that way. The Chief should stay. In my opinion if you go to U of I and you don't like the Chief go to another damn school. Its a disgrace. There is an extreme amount of school pride here! The whole community is like that. Its pretty amazing actually. Something you have to experience and I have never seen anything like it. The unusual thing about U of I, I would have to say is the bar age. To get into a bar its 19, but obviously you are supposed to be 21 to drink. They make lots of money with drinking tickets. I don't know how they get away with it, but its fun if your not 21 (unless you get a ticket) One experience I will always remember is the first night my best friends and I went out my freshman year. It was rediculous and we have all been inseperable ever since.

Always wear your orange and blue! Chant ILL-INI at all Illini sporting events to show your Illini pride.

The best thing about Illinois is that fact that it's isolated from the 'real world', that three hour drive takes you into a world that is unlike reality. It's fun you feel free, you can grow as a person and develop intellectually all the while being independent. I think my school is just right in terms of size. When I tell people that I go to Illinois they are impressed and proud of me. I spend most of my time on the quad. It's a college town hands down. I am not too familiar with the administrative aspect of Illinois, sorry. The biggest recent controversy was over an exchange between a greek sorority Delta Delta Delta and fraternity ZBT entitled "Tacos and Tequila", the reasoning behind the controversy was because they had members of their sorority dressed in urban clothing and pregnant clothing while the guys dressed up as landscape workers with fake tattoo tear-drops. This event was huge but our school tried hard to keep it under wraps, which I believe they did a good job, only the local newspaper published an article on the event. There is so much school pride, Illinois students are the proudest of their school. I don't think there's anything unusual, well actually there is a dormitory that's the farthest from campus which happens to be the dorm that minorities are assigned to...segregation perhaps? The experience that I will never forget would have to be my freshman year, the first week had events catered to the entering freshman. I loved it! The most frequent complaints would have to be politics with the 'Chief'

The fact that a lot of people are from Illinois can be an advantage. It is easy to stay in contact with friends from school over breaks and after college. The school is very big, but it doesn't feel that way. The Greek system is extremely present but it is not necessary to join. With so many people, there is a lot of school pride which makes for fun sporting events/tailgates/celebrations. The library system is one of the best in the country so most of the professors are extremely intelligent and often have published books, etc.. They have high expectations of their students and a lot is to be learned from them. While it is a big school, there are tons of resources to help students with academics as well as sports and clubs.

The best thing about Illinois is there are so many academic opportunities. There's a class for everything, and if you can't find a class, you can always do an independent study of what you like. There are many research opportunities, if you're interested in that. I would change how many professors lead their courses - the courses tend to be huge lectures and there is little time for students to ask questions during lecture or to go up to talk to the professor after the lecture. The professor generally assigns office hours where you can go ask questions, but often, you will have a course during these office hours, and many professors are not happy to do office hours by appointment. This all really depends on the professor, but this is really typical in the science majors (in LAS, I can't really offer an honest opinion about engineering). The university is way too big - it does not have the resources to accomodate everyone. There is little unity except at sports events - most of the time, students compete with one another (it's cut-throat competition). White students hang out with white students, Hispanic students also hang out with just themselves... There's plenty of diversity, just no unity. When I tell people that I go here, the intelligent ones act very impressed. The athletic ones have their own opinions about the different teams here. And people who don't fall into either category sometimes aren't familiar with the university until I tell them we have one of the best engineering programs in the world. It's sad that people only know this university because of the engineering program, but the university is not interested in using any money or resources to make the school just as great in all the other departments. They just keep building up the engineering school. Illinois's administration has no idea what's going on, ever. An E-mail from them is a big joke. Nobody ever takes them seriously. The biggest recent controversy on campus was getting rid of our symbol, the Chief. It was not Native Americans who were offended by him, only African American and very liberal white students. The fact is there are very few Native Americans here, and the school claims that getting rid of the Chief will attract more Native Americans - but actually, the percentage of Native American students here is about the same as any other university in this region. We all know the university just caved because they felt they could receive more money from anti-Chief alumni. They actually never received more money. Many students are angry about this, but many students continue to wear Chief apparel every day. The controversy has FAR from gotten rid of the Chief!

Illinois is the perfect size. The best thing about it is that the teachers are approachable and helpful and if you are bored there is always someone around and open to new experiences. The thing I do not like about school is that there are bad bug problems in the public dorms that are not attended to for days. There is a lot of school pride; however, it is usually only associated with Unofficial and Sports Games. Student complaints are that they can never get into the classes that they wish to take.They often complain that there are too many general requirements on top of major requirements that there is not enough time to take all the other classes that look appealing. Also students complain because the LAS advisors are not as helpful as major advisors.

Even though Illinois is a large campus with many students, it seems to have gotten much smaller since my freshman year. Walking around campus with one of my friends, I wave to people I know as we pass, and she comments "You know everybody!!" It really does seem like that some days... People seem impressed when I tell them that I go to Illinois. The school is known for its academics, and they have recently raised their admission standards for out of state students. Champaign-Urbana, or "Chambana," is a fun college town. Green street, which is our main drag of restaurants, bars, and other stores, is always busy and there's always something going on. The Illini Union plans fun activities, including movie nights, live comedy, and even bowling and DDR tournaments. Also, some of the buildings on campus (Gregory Hall) regularly screen movies at a discounted rate, including Pirates of the Carribbean II and other new releases. Overall, Illinois is a great school. I have found the faculty to be extremely accessible and very helpful. If you're willing to go the extra mile, they're definitely right there with you. The academic advisers in my department (Psychology) are excellent, and have all won awards for their work with students.

Love the size of the school. Feels big but the smaller colleges make it feel just right. Example the business college is smaller than the whole university. The college of ACES is great. It is easy to not feel like just a number and the professors are very great and considerate. People pride themselves about this school and the alumni are awesome. It is easy to find jobs thanks to these alumni. Sports are amazing, don't miss out on that experience. I do wish that they would have kept the Chief, I was a freshman the last year he performed and he was amazing, it was a sad day when he left.