Enrollment: 30895
Average SAT: 680
Average ACT: 28
Most Popular Majors: Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology,Political Science and Government, General,Psychology, General,
Regular Application Deadline: 01/02
Student Faculty Ratio: 17:1

Undergraduate Receiving Need-Based Financial Aid: 1356
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $8,821.00

Major Frat and Sorority Scene
Professors Get Low Marks

Students Say - Academics
The epically large flagship campus of the University of Illinois "is very challenging and gives you freedom to do anything." Students here enjoy "all the benefits of a great public university." There are more than 150 undergraduate programs. The colleges of engineering and business are of the "most prestigious and hardest to get into," but there are dozens of other "very strong and reputable" departments as well. "The research resources are amazing," raves a Russian literature major. "The library has almost any resource an undergraduate or even an advanced researcher would ever need." However, the drawbacks that come with such an expansive campus are present as well. Lower-level class sizes "are horrendously large." "My largest class had 800 students," says a biochemistry major. "The massive bureaucracy" is a constant source of irritation. "Simple things like adding or dropping a class a few weeks into a semester can require five or six trips to different buildings to talk to different people, each time requiring you to explain your situation." "Professors are more impersonal to freshmen but seem to warm up to upperclassmen," explains one student. "There are some professors that should not be teaching anywhere," though. "A lot of times, it's a toss-up with bad/good professors," counsels a geology major. "You can learn a lot and have a great teacher, but you need to ask around and find out who that good teacher is." "There are professors and classes that you come across that certainly leave something to be desired," agrees a women's studies major. "But overall, I am very pleased with my academic experience at UIUC, and I have met some astoundingly intelligent, influential professors."

Students Say - Campus Life
At the University of Illinois, there is "never a dull moment, despite the surrounding cornfields." More than a thousand clubs and organizations provide students with a wide array of options. "Anything that you are interested in, you can do," gloats an engineering major. "It's a huge campus, but it's not too spread out," says a Spanish major. "You can get around anywhere by bike or bus, and you don't need a car." "The campus is very Greek-oriented," and the students who pledge the myriad of frats and sororities "love the Greek life." Some students notice serious animosity between the independent students and students involved in the frat scene. "It seems at times to take over our campus," says one independent. Other students just don't see the problem. "I think plenty of non-Greeks associate with Greeks," asserts a finance major. "Drinking is a big thing at U of I." Apartment parties and frat parties rage on the weekends. There is an "outstanding bar culture," too. "If you don't want to party all the time, there are plenty of other options." "Intramural sports and playing sports on the quad and in frat park are popular." The campus is "alive with the Big Ten spirit" and students are very supportive of their beloved Illini. "Awesome concerts" proliferate, and "there is a really good artsy theater which runs foreign and indie films."

Students Say - Student Body
The U of I has a decidedly Midwestern feel, and "Midwestern hospitality" is abundant. "Kids from out-of-state and small-town farm students" definitely have a presence, but, sometimes, it seems like "practically everyone is from the northwest suburbs of Chicago." There's a lot of ethnic diversity "visible on campus." There are many Asian and Asian-American students. On the whole, the majority of students are "very smart kids who like to party." "The typical student is involved and really good at balancing schoolwork, clubs and organizations, and a social life." "They really study fairly hard, and when you ask, it turns out that they're majoring in something like rocket science." Ultimately, there's something for everyone here with students who think about "nothing but drinking" to those who "never miss a class" and are "in the library every night." "There is a niche for everyone."

Northwestern University
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor

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