University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

I promise you, UIUC is the definition of diverse. Frankly, I've met more people from Africa here than from my hometown (Northbrook, IL). For some reason, UIUC is a big draw for international students. You will be exposed to every culture that YOU DESIRE. That's key. There are a lot of programs and events going on at all times here. You can choose what types of people you want to be exposed to. FYI, I'm 23, female, lesbian, Israeli, Jewish, republican...There are people here from every background. There are issues with how the police handle minority populations. If I was going to be here longer, I would make a stink about it. Does it bother you that I mentioned this fact? DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! I say this because I want you to understand that I don't think UIUC is perfect, but that the students who attend have the power to effect change. For that reason, and the fact that you can basically make decisions to access what's important to you, UIUC is really amazing.

I can walk down Green Street at the University of Illinois and go from hearing Mandarin to German to French to English. I love it! The University attracts students from around the world. While some majors carry their stereotypes- engineering geeky Asian and white guys, sociology a racial hodgepodge of women- the University as a whole offers all sorts of people and ideas. Check out Murphy's on Thursdays for International Night!

I am involved in a Christian ministry called Covenant Fellowship Church. This is an incredibly blessing and awesome organization because there are so many opportunities to meet people from all over campus and learn to develop my faith. Since our church is so big, members get put into groups "small groups". My small group has become my family here and it's cool because we can all get together and make dinner at someone's apartment and have a great time. We even have weekly bible studies! I've been very blessed to be a part of this organization. My school is very diverse in the sense that all religions, races and communities are welcomed and accepted. There are more than 100 religious groups on campus, tailoring to every religion you could possibly think of. There's even a secular student organization. It's cool because there are a plethora of racial groups on campus like: African Cultural Association, Korean American Student Association, Philippine Student Association, etc. There's even cultural houses on campus where you can go to eat lunch and learn more about a specific culture. The lunches are delicious, they cater and it's usually authentic food! Yum. We have a strong LGBT community as well. This is an organization that supports and encourages students to be comfortable in their own skin and they empower students to take a stand for who they are. I really think that there is at least one organization that any student could be involved in. I don't think there is one student that would feel out of place at this school. I'm not joking when I say there are so many organizations tailored to students and their different interests that there is no way someone could feel left out. This is my personal belief. There are four tables of students in the dining hall and I can look at them and tell you each kid sitting at them are all diverse and all part of different groups. It's not like high school where only athletes sat with athletes or the AP kids sat with AP kids. Everyone in the dining hall sits wherever they want to and it's not a big deal. I want to say many of the students here are Illinois natives but lately, I've met so many people who are from out-of-state and there are a ton of international students here. I want to say more than 100 countries are represented at this university. I think that's cool! Some students are politically aware and those that want to be more vocal about where they stand in politics join the student senate here. I don't know if my campus is predominantly left, right or center but I can say that all political parties are accepted and respected.

One of the things I hear a lot is about how many Asian students there are. Illinois has about 5,000 international students from China and South Korea. That number does not even include Asian-American students. The Asian culture is a pretty big chunk of U of I. On the other hand the Chicago suburbs do tend to dominate the campus. As a public university that should be no surprise, but these students come from diverse backgrounds. There is no shortage of diversity on campus. With so many students it’s hard to avoid that. Diversity is one of the reasons why Illinois is such a great place. With so many undergrads and graduate students you can find every point on the spectrum when it comes to any race, religion, or political view.

One of the things I hear a lot is about how many Asian students there are. Illinois has about 5,000 international students from China and South Korea. That number does not even include Asian-American students. The Asian culture is a pretty big chunk of U of I. On the other hand the Chicago suburbs do tend to dominate the campus. As a public university that should be no surprise, but these students come from diverse backgrounds. There is no shortage of diversity on campus. With so many students it’s hard to avoid that. Diversity is one of the reasons why Illinois is such a great place. With so many undergrads and graduate students you can find every point on the spectrum when it comes to any race, religion, or political view.

This question can be answered simply by spending an hour on the quad. Every type of person can be observed in action. There are some very talented people at U of I, and they display their talents on the quad daily. The quad, and the university in general, represent people from every ethnic, socioeconomic, racial, religious, and sexually oriented background. Hundreds of Student Organizations represent all groups of people, so no one should every feel isolated or left out at the university. Students are definitely socially and politically aware. I've witnessed several protests on the quad, advocating for every political ideology. The campus isn't left, right, or center. All political beliefs can be witnessed on display at the university.

There are plenty of ways to surround yourself with students with the same social tendencies, major interests, or background as you. One of the reasons we have so many little cultural hubs is because the campus promotes getting involved and finding your niche here. We have cultural centers for ethnic groups to either embrace your heritage or learn about a new one, multiple Living-Learning communities (residence halls that cater to a specific set of interests and cater to those areas by bringing in speakers and hosting courses within said hall), and over 1,000 clubs! So whether a student wants to keep pursuing one path, or try something different the options are limitless, and always welcoming.

This school is...diverse and loves it. Students come from all over, and believe all kinds of things, but I would say that the majority are still suburban kids. I think most kids wear sweatpants to class, or jeans and a hoodie under a northface fleece. That being said though, with such a large student body it's easy to find a group of people that you click with. there are cultural houses on campus that are amazing, they host activities and they provide a place for minority students to go to feel like a "home away from home". I think a lot of the students here people who have a tradition of attending college in their family and so they don't appreciate it I think as much as they should. Students are fairly politically active, there are a lot of protests on the quad.

I really believe there is no student that would feel out of place at this school. The school is so big that it is impossible not to find people that are like yourself. Most students wear comfy clothes to class, we are typical college students. Most of the students are from the Chicago suburbs, but I have met quite a few people from other states and other countries (mainly from Asia).

University of Illinois is, well, in Illinois and historically, Illinois is a blue/left leaning state and thus University of Illinois also tends to be a left-leaning/more liberal institution. However, I tend to be more right leaning/conservative and I have had no problems in the political atmosphere in my four years. There are groups on campus that cater to every group, whether it be racial, religious, LGBT or political...you will find your resources here. Specifically with racial, LGBT and women, we actually have many resources and cultural houses that empower students with a minority background. We have a LGBT and Women's Resource Center located across the street from the Main Quad, so easily accessible to students. I have never heard of any student that felt out of place here because there are so many opportunities for you to find your niche in that you will never be alone. In regards to what students wear to class, that is all over the board. From business casual students (usually there is a reason for that, such as an interview) to sweats, anything is fair game. Most students wear jeans, t-shirt or hoodie and sneakers. We have a very diverse community so style is very subjective from the very artistic, to international, to edgy to those who look like they just got out of bed, you will have no problem with having to choose what to wear each day. Everyone here interacts with each other, no matter what their background or heritage. We come together in all sorts of activities and I enjoy going to a university where everyone is different. In terms of financial backgrounds, each is present so you don't have to worry about everyone being super high class or vice-versa....we are a very diverse school so everyone fits right in and brings their own uniqueness!