University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

It has a lot, a lot, of brick buildings. We like our bricks at Illinois. The quad is green and verdant, except in winter, naturally. There are lots of trees and a small army of squirrels- it's whispered around campus that squirrels outnumber people at least 3-to-1. If it ever comes to war, each of us will have to fight 3 squirrels, basically. A handful of cutting-edge buildings rise out of the otherwise quaint, smalltown campus. The streets are, always covered in students walking and biking here and there, and cars and C-U MTD buses drive along. It's a mix of the old (the school's been here since 1867) and new, as we all come together and get our learning on.

Depending on where you are, our campus can look extremely different. The area around the Quad, where the majority of our classes are held, is very pretty - lots of old brick buildings, big trees, and flowers. It's maintained well and intially reminded me of something out of colonial times. Head west of the Quad and you're in Champaign - where things start to get more modern, and more student centered. There are a lot of houses and apartments over here, most of which don't look particularly "new". Most of the frats and a good portion of the sororities are over here as well. Things can get a little dingy here at times ( think beer cans rolling around in the street), but it's more just like a town that hasn't been renovated in a few years. It's not perfect, but there's nothing wrong with it. The one exception is Green Street, where everything is very new and updated. East of the quad is Urbana, which has a feel similar to that of Quad. Lots of the roads are brick, the houses are old and unique, and everyone rides their bike where they need to go. It has less of a "college-party" feel and seems more like the place where professors live and spend their time. It get's the stigma that the "hipsters" live there and the people who like to party live in Champaign.

UIUC is a giantic school where I can broaden my experiences and academics while being given the opportunity and resources to succeed.

I've grown up around Champaign-Urbana my whole life, so sometimes it's hard to think about how first-time visitors might view campus. I think it's pretty, but some of the buildings have that distinctive (ahem, ugly) 1960's look to them, especially some of the residence halls. But, as a whole, there are a lot of things to appreciate about campus as well. The Main Quad is probably the most notable landmark on campus. It's a huge grassy expanse with sidewalks crisscrossing between the class buildings that surround it. The Illini Union bounds it to the north, and Foellinger auditorium lies to the south. The Union is a beautiful building both inside and out, and it's a great place to relax or nap between classes. Foellinger is massive and a bit intimidating, but it's used for a lot of classes and special events or concerts on campus. The other buildings around the quad include Altgeld Hall which looks like an old castle, the English Building complete with its gorgeous white columns, and Davenport Hall, Noyes Lab, and Lincoln Hall, all of which were built in the early 1900's. But why are you reading this when you could be looking at pictures? Go!

One of the most iconic parts of the University of Illinois is it's appearance. The Quad, which is where most undergraduate classes are, is a rectangular grassy area lined by beautiful and historic buildings. The most beautiful time to be on campus is during the fall. The trees change color and the Quad truly looks like a postcard. Some other famous places on campus are the bell tower at Alt Geld, which performs a chimes concert every afternoon, Follinger Auditorium, which looks beautiful lit up at night, and the Japan House, with a variety of different landscape architecture techniques.

To someone who has never laid eyes on Illinois' campus before, it looks royal. All of the brick buildings and tall trees evoke an impressive atmosphere. Students can feel the Illini spirit in the air as they walk through the historic structures and sit in classrooms that generations of successful Illinois students have also sat in. The University of Illinois is a beautiful place, and the only way to truly experience its beauty and magnificence is to see for yourself!

A very large, academicly inclined, party school.

The University of Illinois contains seemingly infinite amounts of diverse opportunities, student organizations, and people imaginable.

Large campus with large variety of classes, activities, and organizations.

Tough