University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

The best thing about going to the University of Illinois is that I know employers will like the fact that I will have a degree from a prestigious university. The one thing I would change would be that sometimes it feels like I lose my identity as a student since the school is so massive. That personal experience can be hard to carve out when you feel like you're just a number. Urbana-Champaign is absolutely a college town. The university is so large that the school dominates a large portion of the cities. Without the school, Urbana-Champaign would actually be a really depressing place to live since the surrounding neighborhoods aren't that pleasant. There are many "crime-alerts" that the police send out about shootings or robberies that occur on campus that are from residents off-campus coming to exploit the wealthier, more sheltered student body. The biggest recent controversy or incident would have to be when a member of our football team got shot at a party a few weeks ago. It is just hard to believe that level of violence can occur so close to where I live. This is also a big source of student complaints because many fear that it will become unsafe to walk to class. Not too many weeks ago, a man was threatened with a gun and had his iPad taken in the heart of campus-town in the middle of the day. No one wants to feel like they can't take their valuables with them to class because they might get robbed. Following the clout controversy of a few years ago, naturally my opinion of my school's administration isn't too high. However, I hope that they have figured all that out by now and that shouldn't affect prospective students from wanting to go here. There is definitely a lot of school pride here on campus. The football and basketball games are always a big source of excitement and students always take the opportunity to get decked out in orange and blue to show their support. I don't necessarily feel a lot of school spirit, but I've never really been one to be like that. However, watching a football game with a lot of friends and fans is usually a good time no matter who you are. I know it sounds very stereotypical, but one of the main experiences that stick out in my mind is the fiasco that is Unofficial St. Patrick's day. It is insane just how "college" everything is on that one day a year and it sums up the student body pretty well. A large portion of students wear green and start drinking at 8am one Friday every March, much to the dismay of the local law enforcement. It is the definition of "I'm young so I can do these kind of things." At a big university such as this one that is known for partying, Unofficial is an experience to remember. Overall, I like the University of Illinois. I don't love it, but I don't hate it, either. I feel like I may have been more satisfied somewhere else but I have never felt so strongly that I wanted to switch schools. There is a lot being offered here with many opportunities to get involved and make a difference.

I think it's fair to say that I "bleed orange and blue." Thought cliche', I believe that's and accurate way of putting my feelings for this university into words. I get excited every time I see someone else with a big orange "I" t-shirt walking around the world. I just want to shout "I-L-L" in hopes that faintly in the distance, I'll get an "I-N-I." Now that I've thoroughly shown my love for this school, there's something to be said about life here. I love that we're so diverse, that is, we have more than 1000 student organizations catering to different interests and a array of represented ethnic groups. There's always something to do here, and something to learn as well. For anyone stuck in their comfort zone, they'll learn to break out of it and experience something new once they step on campus grounds. Encountering people of different races every day is something I'm sure to take for granted out in the real world, because we're a melting pot, the the corporate world can't really compare. People need that exposure to people who don't look like them or do the same things they do, and U of I gives that to them. Our school is very large, but there's a home for everyone. Like I previously mentioned, the many organizations available to join make it easier to find friends and venture into the unknown to find something else you like. I feel like I'm an individual even amongst 39,900 students. Going off of that, there's so many opportunities to become a leader on campus. I love U of I because it' prepares you for the real world, and prepares you to stand tall in all that you do in the future by giving you the chance to practice it everyday. No campus is golden, and we've had our share of controversies, however. Most recently, our mascot was removed from campus. Every shred of "Chief Illiniwek's" existence has been taken down, painted over or tucked in the memories of those who actually got the see him dance at halftime. Native American interest groups viewed the mascot as a modern-day minstrel show, mocking the rich Native American culture they cling to. There were protests and boycotts by the small group represented by about 100 students and community leaders. Their small voice was heard, and the mascot was taken away. Of course, many people hated the idea of not having a mascot, I actually came here once it was taken out. So I never got to see this amazing dance in person. However, I've learned so much about the culture from the controversy. I think others did too even though their feelings are on the fence. One of my favorite memories here is the moment I read my Resident Advisor job offer. They offered to pay my room and board, which has ballooned to almost $1000 more than tuition, and a monthly stipend. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be a student here if I hadn't gotten that job. Financially, my family struggles, and I needed every scholarship and grant I could get. Upon opening the letter, I jumped up and down, spun around an yelled at the top of my lungs. It was such a joyous moment for me because I had worked so hard for it. My experiences as an RA have been beneficial to my professional goals and personal growth in more ways than I can write on paper. i loved ever minute I spent with my residents, helping them to grow into young leaders making them feel at home here. If I could touch the lives of more people before I graduate, I would. It's the greatest feeling in the world.

I think it's fair to say that I "bleed orange and blue." Thought cliche', I believe that's and accurate way of putting my feelings for this university into words. I get excited every time I see someone else with a big orange "I" t-shirt walking around the world. I just want to shout "I-L-L" in hopes that faintly in the distance, I'll get an "I-N-I." Now that I've thoroughly shown my love for this school, there's something to be said about life here. I love that we're so diverse, that is, we have more than 1000 student organizations catering to different interests and a array of represented ethnic groups. There's always something to do here, and something to learn as well. For anyone stuck in their comfort zone, they'll learn to break out of it and experience something new once they step on campus grounds. Encountering people of different races every day is something I'm sure to take for granted out in the real world, because we're a melting pot, the the corporate world can't really compare. People need that exposure to people who don't look like them or do the same things they do, and U of I gives that to them. Our school is very large, but there's a home for everyone. Like I previously mentioned, the many organizations available to join make it easier to find friends and venture into the unknown to find something else you like. I feel like I'm an individual even amongst 39,900 students. Going off of that, there's so many opportunities to become a leader on campus. I love U of I because it' prepares you for the real world, and prepares you to stand tall in all that you do in the future by giving you the chance to practice it everyday. No campus is golden, and we've had our share of controversies, however. Most recently, our mascot was removed from campus. Every shred of "Chief Illiniwek's" existence has been taken down, painted over or tucked in the memories of those who actually got the see him dance at halftime. Native American interest groups viewed the mascot as a modern-day minstrel show, mocking the rich Native American culture they cling to. There were protests and boycotts by the small group represented by about 100 students and community leaders. Their small voice was heard, and the mascot was taken away. Of course, many people hated the idea of not having a mascot, I actually came here once it was taken out. So I never got to see this amazing dance in person. However, I've learned so much about the culture from the controversy. I think others did too even though their feelings are on the fence. One of my favorite memories here is the moment I read my Resident Advisor job offer. They offered to pay my room and board, which has ballooned to almost $1000 more than tuition, and a monthly stipend. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be a student here if I hadn't gotten that job. Financially, my family struggles, and I needed every scholarship and grant I could get. Upon opening the letter, I jumped up and down, spun around an yelled at the top of my lungs. It was such a joyous moment for me because I had worked so hard for it. My experiences as an RA have been beneficial to my professional goals and personal growth in more ways than I can write on paper. i loved ever minute I spent with my residents, helping them to grow into young leaders making them feel at home here. If I could touch the lives of more people before I graduate, I would. It's the greatest feeling in the world.

My honest opinion of U of I is that it's one of the best Big Ten and 4-year state universities in the nation. It's best quality is that it's a nice balance of so many things- partying and studying, in-state and out-of-state students, rural and urban, and much more. It's a pretty big university in a small (for Chicagoans) college town, which is a nice combination, as it's easy to get excited about what's going on at the university, from the football games to the latest project the engineers and computer nerds are working on. The school's administration is fairly easygoing for such a big school, and they're more likely to get animosity from the workers (mostly grad assistants) than the students- the recent controversies are the strikes by the Graduate Employee Organization and upcoming strike by visiting academics professionals. For the most part, the students like them. U of I's brimming with school pride, whether it's for our unlucky football team or powerhouse basketball, and most days the campus is covered in orange and blue and I's. And, campustown is always full of life- I'll always remember my first U of I Halloween freshman year. The most frequent student complaint is that 4 years isn't enough.

I came to this school because it was close to home but not too close to home, a great school but not so exclusive it was snobby, and respected but not so expensive it would put my younger siblings out of a college education... just to name a few reasons. The best part of this school is that you can completely make whatever you want out of your college experience. You can take mostly online classes, party every night and sleep all day and still graduate. You can also take 18 credit hours, spend your time in the library and join a thousand clubs. Of course, you can be somewhere in between both of those. What i really mean is that I was able to explore all of the possibilities - sorority girl, bookworm, creative writer, journalist - and Illinois let me do that. Every year, I joined different things, dropped out of different things, thought I would be going in one direction and would be going the exact opposite just a month later. The campus at Illinois is huge, there's no denying that. But you find the places you belong - where you have your classes, where you like to study, where you spend your Thursday nights - and it quickly seems a lot smaller. It's certainly a college town, complete with cafes to chat and study, a really active nightlife with tons of campus bars (where you only have to be 19 to get in; a big plus for freshmen), too many libraries to count, lots of restaurants and, of course, the beloved Quad. I remember visiting in high school and thinking, "This is what college is supposed to feel like." UIllinois' reputation has taken some punches in my time here, most notably the controversy involving the "clout list," in which politicians paid for certain unqualified students to be accepted into the school. But I've always felt a lot of pride in this school, and people from Illinois who didn't even go here have a lot of pride in the school too. We're an amazing research institution, we have superb athletics, we're consistently considered one of the best schools for corporate college recruiting and we're just thought of as an all-around great school. There is no doubt in my mind that this was the best choice for me.

The most difficult part of moving to Champaign from the city was probably the change in environment. It was sometimes too quiet and I did not have the luxury of walking an equivalent of the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. I missed angry cab drivers, the presence of the Sears Tower, and mesmerizing skyline at night. In the end, the location is right for some and wrong for others. However, with hundreds of RSOs (clubs) on campus, there are activities for everyone. I am most drawn to Nevada street -- it is the epitome of cultural centers on college campuses. On Nevada street, you will find the La Casa Latina, the Native American House, and other cultures home. All houses welcome both people of their race and people who are not of the same race. Campus also provides fairs for different majors. It might just be your opportunity to score a summer internship and future job!

I love it. I love attending a college town school, that isn't too big or too small. Fall weather is one of the best times of year because you get warm weather almost all the way through November. The night life is great on campus, and there's always something to do. Football game days are probably one of the greatest things to experience on campus. Next season will surely be interesting with a new head coach, but I think campus is really excited about a change in the program. Athletics at Illinois have really been great with the Volleyball team and Men's gymnastics teams being nationally ranked this year.

The best thing about the U of I is it's diversity. There are so many cool people here. I've met students who are from all over the world. For example, I mentored two International students who came to the United States from China. Last summer, I met another student who was studying abroad from the UK. The opportunities to meet new people are endless. Now, some may think the U of I is too big. It may appear that way upon visiting and taking a tour of the campus. However, once you're here, taking classes and maybe even getting lost a few times...the place will seem as small as your own backyard. When my friends or family members come visit from Chicago, there amazed to discover how well I've adapted myself to the Urbana-Champaign community. This campus rocks! All in all, I can't complain about much here. But, If I had one thing to say I disliked.....it would be to cost of tutiton. Tutition has increaased by 5 percent since I've been here. The University says it's because of the State of Illinois budget cuts. This is why its important to search for scholarships and grants ahead of time. This will help off set some of the cost of attendance. Other than that, the faculty and staff are helpful and resourceful and anyone that goes here will tell you that we bleed ORANGE AND BLUE!

The university is a quintessential Big Ten school. The school is ranked highly in regard to academics and athletics play large role, too. Mainly due to the school's prestigious engineering and computer science majors, there are a number of international students. The fact that it's a public school also leads to diversity. Illinois is in the heart of the Midwest, and Champaign-Urbana provides a nice college town feel. Don't expect to stray too far off campus, though. There's only so much you can do in a town with this much corn. This is definitely a big school. But you can shrink it by getting involved in clubs and your major. School pride exists mostly through athletics, but the majority of students are proud to say they go here. People realize this is a good school and it carries relative weight when applying for jobs and internships. The use of "The Chief" as the school's mascot is a large controversy that everyone on campus has an opinion on. Overall, no one is really surprised by their experience here. You know what you're getting yourself into.

You can tell how connected the U of I family is when shouts of I-L-L come from Champaign and responses of I-N-I are heard from Urbana. The school pride here is amazing, who doesn't love the great blend of Orange and Blue? Even though the U of I is large, it seems like everyone finds their place to fit in just right. Whether you grab a cup of coffee after class with your friends, or attend a concert at Assembly Hall, U of I seems to grab everyone's attention in some way, shape or form. It;s a place I'm proud to be at, and a place respected by others.