If you are a student that goes to lecture and does your homework, you will learn an astounding amount in just your first year as a student at the University of Illinois. Intelligence from all over the globe comes to U of I to research and serve as quality professors to provide their knowledge to eager students. Many professors teach not only through lecture, but also through interactive activities, such as student-teacher discussions, student-to-student interaction or peer editing, participation in a class experiment, or a showing of an influential film, just to name a few. There are many ways to learn, and every professor that I have had at U of I has utilized these to help their students get the most out of their class. Some object to large schools because they are concerned about being taught by TA's (teaching assistants are students that teach discussion sections of a class, usually meeting once a week). This was an initial concern for me when trying to decide what school to go to, but now having experienced many discussion sections led by TA's, I can assure you that every TA I have ever had has definitely done their homework and is very knowledgeable about the content in which they teach their students. If for some reason the TA is not able to answer a question that someone may have, every professor has office hours in which a student can go and ask questions. Most professors are very flexible and willing to help their students, even if the student is not able to attend their office hours due to another class or engagement. Beyond classes and professors, the amount you learn at college about life, people, and yourself is invigorating, but can sometimes be overwhelming. At U of I, there are many different counselors that specialize in helping freshman through their transition. There is also a place that is centrally located on campus called The Oasis, which is a place to relax, rejuvenate, and refresh. Here, they have everything from ...
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
U of I is a gorgeous campus. If you have spent some time looking at pictures online but have not visited, visit now! It is even more beautiful in person. The first time I stood on the Quad (big grassy central area of campus where students go to lay out, study, play Frisbee, or meet up with friends), I felt like I was standing on a brochure cover. The intense green of the leaves and grass complimented by the array of bright colored flowers are truly a sight. Even in the winter, the snow-tipped trees framing the Illini Union building are picture-perfect. Beyond the stunning visuals of this campus, U of I has over 1,200 RSO's (Registered Student Organizations) to get involved with to meet a lot of people while doing whatever you are passionate about. From a cappella choirs to tightrope walking to book club to the October Lover's club (formed to do all the fun fall activities like pumpkin carving, apple picking, corn maze exploring, etc.), there is at least one RSO for everyone. If you cannot find one you would like to be a part of, you can create your own! Discovery of all these grand organizations happens on Quad day, a fun day in the very beginning of the year when all of the RSO's set up a table on the Quad (yes, the Quad is packed!) and have members and paper information and sometimes other goodies to help you learn about their organization. Can't choose just one? You can be involved with as many RSO's as you choose. Even if you are not sure you will have time to do something but you would like more information, sign up for that RSO's emailing list, which should be on their table. You can easily remove yourself at any time throughout the year. RSO's are an excellent way to make friends with similar interests! Greek life is of course another way to meet people and get involved in the community. Just by rushing, you will meet a wide variety of people that you can socialize with and learn about. All houses will coordinate with each other and...
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Yes, U of I is now the most expensive state school in Illinois. However, comparing this university to smaller private ones that cost almost double U of I's tuition, I would say you definitely get the bang for the buck. Smaller private schools often conger up rumors, drama, and unnecessary issues that are blown out of proportion because people cannot step in other directions and ignore it. This is largely because there are not enough activities and groups available for them to do so. Here at U of I, if there is something or someone you do not get along with, you can bet that removing it or them from your life will be easy. There are so many different things to do, and the campus is so large, that this should not be a concern (this message is especially for those who were scarred by any drama in high school). If you have read all of the above information, you will see that there are thousands of services the campus is offering you. The ARC, the MTD bus service, the Illini Union, The Oasis, the Career Center, the Office of Minority Student Affairs, McKinley Health Services (this includes insurance and huge discounts on medicine from the pharmacy), and any advisers and councilors that are there to help you through your college experience are all included in your tuition. Considering that almost everything you need on campus is already paid for, I would say U of I definitely gives you the bang for the buck!
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
There are so many different things that you will learn in your college experience. Here are some tips that will hopefully make your transition a bit smoother!
-When you move in, do not be afraid to go around your floor and introduce yourself to people! It is totally normal to knock on someone's door and say, Hey, I'm blahblahblah. I'm in room whatevernumber and just thought I should meet some people around here. Here is a little secret not many people think about: EVERYONE is in the same boat on your first day. Some may know a few people, but for the most part, virtually everyone wants to make new friends. The people you meet in the first six weeks will be the people you get closest with! It is a lot harder to form a plethora of new relationships after that point. So push those first six weeks!
-Be yourself. Seriously. In high school, people conform. In college, people don't care, and conformists are actually a bit annoying. So do not be afraid to put the real you out there. There are tons of people for every kind of personality.
-Smile. Countless studies show that if you have a smile on your face, people perceive you as a warm and approachable person, making it a lot easier to make friends!
-Manage your independence. Yes, this will probably be your first time living on your own with no parents to tell you what to do. This does not mean you can pile up your laundry until you have no more underwear or leave the dishes undone until you cannot walk into the room because of the smell. It will now be your job to keep yourself in check. Set a day of the week (Sunday was always good for me) as your sorting out my life day. Do your laundry, clean your dishes, do any remaining homework for the upcoming week, check your calendar so you know how busy your week will be, print any necessary lecture slides for classes...the list goes on and on. When this day rolls around, you should know what you need to get done to make your parents proud and your life a lot less stressf...
Which types of students will excel at your college?
The only kind of student I would not recommend is someone that does not care about their grades. U of I definitely knows how to party, but the academics are very challenging, and I have seen everyone that I knew did not care drop out. Do not waste your money on this school if you are not going to fight until graduation. It is definitely hard work. This school is PERFECT for students that are both hard working, social, and good time managers!
If you are a student that goes to lecture and does your homework, you will learn an astounding amount in just your first year as a student at the University of Illinois. Intelligence from all over the globe comes to U of I to research and serve as quality professors to provide their knowledge to eager students. Many professors teach not only through lecture, but also through interactive activities, such as student-teacher discussions, student-to-student interaction or peer editing, participation in a class experiment, or a showing of an influential film, just to name a few. There are many ways to learn, and every professor that I have had at U of I has utilized these to help their students get the most out of their class. Some object to large schools because they are concerned about being taught by TA's (teaching assistants are students that teach discussion sections of a class, usually meeting once a week). This was an initial concern for me when trying to decide what school to go to, but now having experienced many discussion sections led by TA's, I can assure you that every TA I have ever had has definitely done their homework and is very knowledgeable about the content in which they teach their students. If for some reason the TA is not able to answer a question that someone may have, every professor has office hours in which a student can go and ask questions. Most professors are very flexible and willing to help their students, even if the student is not able to attend their office hours due to another class or engagement. Beyond classes and professors, the amount you learn at college about life, people, and yourself is invigorating, but can sometimes be overwhelming. At U of I, there are many different counselors that specialize in helping freshman through their transition. There is also a place that is centrally located on campus called The Oasis, which is a place to relax, rejuvenate, and refresh. Here, they have everything from ...
U of I is a gorgeous campus. If you have spent some time looking at pictures online but have not visited, visit now! It is even more beautiful in person. The first time I stood on the Quad (big grassy central area of campus where students go to lay out, study, play Frisbee, or meet up with friends), I felt like I was standing on a brochure cover. The intense green of the leaves and grass complimented by the array of bright colored flowers are truly a sight. Even in the winter, the snow-tipped trees framing the Illini Union building are picture-perfect. Beyond the stunning visuals of this campus, U of I has over 1,200 RSO's (Registered Student Organizations) to get involved with to meet a lot of people while doing whatever you are passionate about. From a cappella choirs to tightrope walking to book club to the October Lover's club (formed to do all the fun fall activities like pumpkin carving, apple picking, corn maze exploring, etc.), there is at least one RSO for everyone. If you cannot find one you would like to be a part of, you can create your own! Discovery of all these grand organizations happens on Quad day, a fun day in the very beginning of the year when all of the RSO's set up a table on the Quad (yes, the Quad is packed!) and have members and paper information and sometimes other goodies to help you learn about their organization. Can't choose just one? You can be involved with as many RSO's as you choose. Even if you are not sure you will have time to do something but you would like more information, sign up for that RSO's emailing list, which should be on their table. You can easily remove yourself at any time throughout the year. RSO's are an excellent way to make friends with similar interests! Greek life is of course another way to meet people and get involved in the community. Just by rushing, you will meet a wide variety of people that you can socialize with and learn about. All houses will coordinate with each other and...
Yes, U of I is now the most expensive state school in Illinois. However, comparing this university to smaller private ones that cost almost double U of I's tuition, I would say you definitely get the bang for the buck. Smaller private schools often conger up rumors, drama, and unnecessary issues that are blown out of proportion because people cannot step in other directions and ignore it. This is largely because there are not enough activities and groups available for them to do so. Here at U of I, if there is something or someone you do not get along with, you can bet that removing it or them from your life will be easy. There are so many different things to do, and the campus is so large, that this should not be a concern (this message is especially for those who were scarred by any drama in high school). If you have read all of the above information, you will see that there are thousands of services the campus is offering you. The ARC, the MTD bus service, the Illini Union, The Oasis, the Career Center, the Office of Minority Student Affairs, McKinley Health Services (this includes insurance and huge discounts on medicine from the pharmacy), and any advisers and councilors that are there to help you through your college experience are all included in your tuition. Considering that almost everything you need on campus is already paid for, I would say U of I definitely gives you the bang for the buck!
There are so many different things that you will learn in your college experience. Here are some tips that will hopefully make your transition a bit smoother! -When you move in, do not be afraid to go around your floor and introduce yourself to people! It is totally normal to knock on someone's door and say, Hey, I'm blahblahblah. I'm in room whatevernumber and just thought I should meet some people around here. Here is a little secret not many people think about: EVERYONE is in the same boat on your first day. Some may know a few people, but for the most part, virtually everyone wants to make new friends. The people you meet in the first six weeks will be the people you get closest with! It is a lot harder to form a plethora of new relationships after that point. So push those first six weeks! -Be yourself. Seriously. In high school, people conform. In college, people don't care, and conformists are actually a bit annoying. So do not be afraid to put the real you out there. There are tons of people for every kind of personality. -Smile. Countless studies show that if you have a smile on your face, people perceive you as a warm and approachable person, making it a lot easier to make friends! -Manage your independence. Yes, this will probably be your first time living on your own with no parents to tell you what to do. This does not mean you can pile up your laundry until you have no more underwear or leave the dishes undone until you cannot walk into the room because of the smell. It will now be your job to keep yourself in check. Set a day of the week (Sunday was always good for me) as your sorting out my life day. Do your laundry, clean your dishes, do any remaining homework for the upcoming week, check your calendar so you know how busy your week will be, print any necessary lecture slides for classes...the list goes on and on. When this day rolls around, you should know what you need to get done to make your parents proud and your life a lot less stressf...
The only kind of student I would not recommend is someone that does not care about their grades. U of I definitely knows how to party, but the academics are very challenging, and I have seen everyone that I knew did not care drop out. Do not waste your money on this school if you are not going to fight until graduation. It is definitely hard work. This school is PERFECT for students that are both hard working, social, and good time managers!