University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

When you walk onto our quad on an early fall day, you are most likely to be looking out at a sea of orange. Most students love this university, and I am included in that group of students. I think we offer the best of both worlds to students: a prestigious education and an enjoyable atmosphere. While our academics are top notch, we still maintain a fun social life outside of academics. Many students here seem to adopt the mantra “work hard, play hard.” While we have a reputation as a party school, we also uphold a reputation for strong classes with renowned professors.

The one good thing about this school is the diversity and I like how you have lots of opportunities to explore. It is peaceful and you can go to different places without getting bored.

Overall, I really do love Illinois. There are so many friendly people everywhere you go wanting to interact and talk and help and it's something I have never experienced before. There are a lot of people, which can at first seem overwhelming, but you hear time and time again that by joining activities, getting a job, and getting involved, you can make the campus so much smaller. Students here are so proud to be where they are, and you it's evident when you see at least a handful of students in a small classroom wearing Illini clothing. We also have a reason to be proud because when people hear "I attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, their immediate reaction is, "wow, you're smart". And I have heard this reaction not only in Illinois, but also in other states including from family and friends in California.The campus is huge and in a college town, but I actually really like it. You're surrounded by people like you so I never feel pressured to act a certain way, just as the college student I am. The U of I really is a great school where you will receive a great education and be surrounded by people who want to have fun, but who also strive for a bright future. Many know that they'll have to work hard now, but the reward that pays off later will definitely be worth it. And honestly, college isn't even that hard. True fact. .

Many high school students in Illinois see the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a fall-back school. It's our plan B. Frankly, it's the best bang for the buck. However, it's so much more than that. I'm GLAD my parents didn't give me an option about where else I could go. I was so upset that they wouldn't let me go to the University of Wisconsin in Madison after i got in. Don't get me wrong, UIUC has it's problems. However, the best part is that YOU can be part of enacting those changes. You can make a difference if you want to. Your voice does matter; you're not just a stupid student. They actually listen to you here (well, you do need to bust through some doors first, but they will listen if you're persist). The school is big and tons of people are here, but you can choose if you're going to get lost in the mix or stand out. Something important to recognize is that IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO FOR UNDERGRAD in terms of getting hired. I'm competing against Ivy League graduates for jobs, and I'm getting further than them because of me and my GPA. Your GPA is very important. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise.

The University of Illinois offers so many opportunities. The classes offered to early undergraduates allow the student the time and experiences to figure out exactly what it is they want to do in their life. The Big Ten sports are a fun experience, especially basketball! Also, there are tons of Study Abroad opportunities. I, for example, lived in Costa Rica for four months. I picked up Spanish and forged lifelong bonds. Studying abroad stands as my ultimate experience at this university.

When I was first shuffled into my dorm along with what felt like the population of a small city all filtering into Champaign Urbana on the infamous move in day, I felt like my school may just be a little too big for me to grasp. It was shocking compared to what I had ever perceived school to be, and I certainly didn't adjust to it in a day. But then, life is a series of heavy adjustments, and I feel like acclimating to a University and grand as mine has better prepared me for the eventual graduation date and plummet into the real working world. At a smaller school there would be fewer outlooks to encounter and combat, fewer life lessons you learn in a classroom where the fate of the class for the first time rests entirely on your shoulders. There would be less to conflict with, less opportunity available, and less to take away with for the rest of my life. The beauty of a big school is that there are homes and niches within and you can always find a comfort zone, but more importantly you will not leave a sheltered or naive person.

U of I took a lot of getting used to at first, but I think it's a school you grow to love. The campus is big and freshman year many people live in a little bubble - you go from the dorms to class and the furthest you venture out is on Green Street, where all the bars and restaurants are. The campus is so much bigger than that! It's also a very beautiful campus - with the trees and brick buildings, you sort of feel like you're in another time period. Eventually, you get used to the size and the college town feel, especially if you're from Chicago or its suburbs. If you're in to school pride, people have tons of that here! And if you're in to partying, between the Greek life and the bars all being located within a one mile radius of each other, you can get your fill of that too.

The University of Illinois is as well balanced of a school as you are going to get. I know every school pushes this as their go-to sales pitch, but U of I is the real deal. You will not find many schools that have such a high caliber social and academic life. Of course you can find a good party school and the prime academic schools can feel like a job instead of college, but to find a school with both is rare. U of I grads have no trouble impressing employers. U of I has gotten more and more competitive making it that much more of a difference-maker on the top of your resume. It is a school that is tough, but manageable academically, that will challenge you to succeed. It also has a vibrant nightlife. It has one of the best Greek-systems in the nation and plenty of on-campus bars. There is no short supply of fun at Illinois. Illinois is the perfect blend of work and fun.

I absolutely LOVE this place! Coming here, I was happy but not overly excited. I knew a lot of people coming into college because many people from my home and church already were attending U of I. I came into college without any preconceived judgements or biases. I wanted to seek them out for myself. I found out about amazing opportunities and organizations on campus that I'm happy and excited to be a part of and I don't think I would have this outlook at another school. Being at a Big 10 university is awesome because the sports games are incredible and fun to watch. I love school pride and seeing past generations of Illini coming back to cheer on our football team with my generation. I've heard the phrase, "At a big school, you're just a number," many times but I believe that you can make a huge campus into a small one. You just have to go out there and make it possible. There are so many groups you can join and friends you can meet through these clubs that it won't even seem like there are 40,000 students on campus. I've met some of the greatest people here that I wouldn't have met otherwise and it's because I got involved. It's because I had the opportunity to meet them and learn about them. I'm very thankful for that!

The title of my response perfectly captures the essence of U of I. Illinois has outstanding academics, including one of the nation's best business schools and engineering schools. Our students excel academically Simultaneously, students here like to have a great time. Yeah, we're not a top-rated "party school," but we don't care about those ratings. We know we have a great time while we're here. Red Lion, Kam's, and Joe's headline several great bars where Greeks and non-Greeks alike convene to dance, socialize, and party. Working and playing are perfectly balanced and don't impede on each other. One thing I'd change is the school athletics, particularly basketball and football. I'll concede that our athletics aren't as great as Big Ten powerhouses such as Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin. They're not as competitive as these programs, and the atmosphere is different. The football games lack a popular tailgate experience at the field. However, that doesn't mean that our students don't show school spirit. Block I, the student section for football games, leads cheers and put on a great "show" during halftime. Doug Gottlieb, an ESPN College Basketball expert, calls our basketball student section, Orange Krush, "the undisputed king of student spirit groups." The recent controversies that have occurred at the university have been well-documented. The clout that has taken place in our admissions department is very unfortunate. Also, the early admissions program at our law school has experienced some moral and legal problems involving inflating the law school's average GPA. This is representative of the state of Illinois, not of the University of Illinois. The state has been known for corrupt politics (i.e. Rod Blagojevich). But we refuse to be defined by these controversies and Windy City politics. We will define ourselves by our success at the university and in our future careers. To finally convince you, I will compare U of I to Indiana University. I do this because a lot of incoming freshman apply to both schools, and have to choose between the two. A lot of people choose IU over U of I because it's more "fun." This is simply false. It's comparing apples to oranges. Both schools are fun, but each has something different to offer, specifically in terms of "fun." Also, people are swayed by Indiana's beautiful campus. I agree. The campus is very aesthetically pleasing, no doubt about it. But I didn't go to college because the campus was nice. There's a lot more to a campus than its appearance. It's all about the students. We have the best students in the country. We have students who strive for excellence in academics. We also have students who like to have a great time. That is a perfect balance.