University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

-

Overall, I am happy I attend U of I. It is a great school with a very strong reputation in the midwest as well as across the country and internationally. There are very strong programs in a variety of fields, and the large size allows for numerous opportunities that do not exist at many smaller schools. That being said, it does take some time to find your "group" where one will feel comfortable, at home, and enjoy attending classes each day. The key to doing this is being persistent- it definitely takes more work than it would at most high schools and smaller universities! It is definitely you're stereotypical college town, with Green Street having a variety of restaurants, bars, and stores that one would need on a daily basis. Overall, I'm proud to be an Illini!

Overall, I feel lucky to attend the University of Illinois and find that I continue to discover new things about it every day.

U of I is large, but that is one of its biggest strengths. Everyone finds their niche and has their own crew, but it is easy to diversify your friendships and get involved with anything you are interested in. I love U of I. Your college experience can be anything you want it to be by taking advantage of all the opportunities we offer.

University of Illinois is perfect for me, and can be perfect for anyone. Although it is a large school with 30,000 undergrads, there are so many different RSOs and clubs to get involved in it is easy to make it your own. I spend most of my time at Chabad, which is Jewish student organization. I am the student president this year and it keeps me very busy! Although the university's leadership has gone through lots of changes, there will be a new president next year who will be great and can hopefully give the school some stability.

First, most of the freshman dorms are in a great location on campus. If you're lucky enough to live in the 6-pack (the centrally located dorms I previously referred to), you will be right near the AMAZING activities and recreation center (the ARC), the Ikenberry dining hall (the largest student dining hall on campus), and a short walk or bus ride away from the quad. Additionally, almost every professor I have had has been completely approachable and flexible with meeting times and office hours. You will never get bored here, as there are hundreds of things to do. At night, there are dozens of frat houses to stop by or bars to go to, which are 19 and older (many students love the bar age here as it is an advantage over many other schools). I spend a lot of my time at the Marketplace Mall, which is only around an 8-minute drive from central campus or a 15-20 minute bus ride (which are all free for students!). Although there are many amazing things about UIUC, the administration has been flaky the last half of decade, as recently the president resigned due to issues of integrity. However, I do not at all feel affected by the flaky administration. The students here love Illini football and basketball, and there are plenty of other sports to watch and support in addition to the big two. If you live north of campus in Illinois, there are two main bus routes that will take you back to malls south of and north of the Chicagoland area for a small fee. Although Champaign and Urbana are not exciting towns on their own, this little college town on campus is incredible and definitely something worth visiting. I love UIUC!

I like all the opportunities UIUC has to offer. There are many ways to take leadership positions, get to know professors and work with them on research projects, and more. It is a big school, but it is also very easy to find your niche and make it your own. CU is a college town, but I love it. Everyone is a big supporter of the school and the energy around town is awesome.

This is the most amazing school ever. The atmosphere is so relaxed and welcoming. It has a great reputation for both its academics and its social life. Everyone who goes here loves it.

I love the University of Illinois! The academics at Illinois are challenging and prepare its students for a great career. The school is a very diverse community and the people are great. The school may seem large at the beginning, but the teachers try to make their classes into an individual experience including learning everyone's name. Campus pride is a huge part of Illinois. Everywhere I go I see orange and blue shirts and sweatshirts. I bleed orange and blue and am really glad I decided to come to Illinois.

The University of Illinois is a great school. The best thing about the university is the rewarding feeling you get from succeeding. Yes, this is a tough school, and yes you will struggle at times and feel like it is too difficult, however, when you do put the work in and succeed, that feeling is great. The university is full of opportunities that most people do not take full advantage of. There's always someone who can help you with your classes (professors, TAs, friends, tutors, etc.) and there is plenty of volunteering opportunities to gain leadership and put things on your resume. Some people complain about the school being too large. I would agree that it is very large, however, if you are ok with taking a bus daily or walking/biking at least 10-30 minutes a day I am sure you won't mind how big it is. Lectures are quite large, my biggest was around 800 students. However the discussion section of classes are only about 20-30 students. I spend most of my time at my apartment or out studying, usually at the Illini Union. There are plenty of good study spots around campus, you just have to find yours. You could definitely say this is a college town with a lot of school spirit. The football and basketball games are a great experience and you really get to see what it feels like to be part of a great school with a lot of pride.