University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.