The University of Illinois - Springfield

This is an absolutely horrible school. I happen to live in Springfield and thus a number of my friends and relations have attended UIS due to it's proximity. I can't say enough about what a nightmare dealing with this school has been for everyone I have dealt with. Yes, I have achieved my degree, but not without wading through the nearly literal feces that is the bureaucracy of this place. There isn't a single department that I dealt with that had a level of competency that was satisfactory. All the way from admissions to financial aid to trying to discern what courses you need to earn your degree on your own through the DARS website (as not a single professor can help you), the entire journey is a disease. It's horrible. Please, please, please stay away from this school.

4th Year Male -- Class 2010

Surrounding City: C, Education Quality: F

This school gives you the illusion of a good college experience. However, in actuality, you are not being taught adequate information to compete for medical schools. There are NO class selections, so do not expect to find fun electives geared toward your interests. The CAP program is a horrible program of lies that tricks you into accepting extra coursework for no benefit. You will lose all these credits if you transfer, and you WILL NOT receive the same UofI degree (that would be an insult to a great schools reputation.) Bottom Line: If you want a social outlet, academically challenging,crazy party, or just all-around college experience please do not attend this school.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2013

Campus Maintenance: C-, Education Quality: F

Before we begin, if you're a high school student reading these reviews, then give yourself a pat on the back for actually doing research instead of just listening to your friends and the propagandist brochures colleges mail out. This could very well be one of the most important websites you ever find.

If you're considering joining the Capital Scholars Program don?t. You'll run around like a hamster in a wheel doing their busy work and for what? They're hard on grading in the CS program so they won't have to pay out too much in scholarship money. And ask yourself the simple question ? who will care after UIS about this program?

A lot of the business classes taught nothing more than common sense and everyone acted like you were going to get an MBA and learn the same things then so there was no point in teaching you anything now. There are a lot of ?working adults? who have given up on life already and really bring down the mood, especially in the night classes. So if you're a traditional student to be, keep that in mind.

They hired a new English professor while I was there and I had to take one of his writing classes which I doubt he was qualified to teach. Everyone I knew thought he was a horrible and tactless professor. He introduced himself by saying he was an ex-trucker who dropped out of college twice because of drug abuse. We all gave him a bad review at the end of the semester and I heard similar complaints from many others. He was given tenure before I even graduated.

UIS is/was always raising tuition, all while new buildings were going up on every corner of campus, including the giant useless fountain. In spite of raising tuition every year, UIS is probably the cheapest university in Illinois. I?ll never tell someone to go to a private or out-of-state university they can't afford, and I think state universities are the best decision for most people, but if you're going to UIS because of the price tag remember that you get what you pay for.

The only club with any significant membership was the Christian organization, which I believe they share with the nearby community college. So if that's not your thing, you don't have a prayer. There are a lot of students from the Chicago area, so expect most of the friends you'll make to be gone after graduation.

If you plan to live on campus the one good thing is that most of the housing is pretty new. The Lincoln Residence Hall, where Capital Scholars live, is 10 years old and many of the apartments are newer.

If you're unfortunate enough to live in Springfield after graduation and want to be part of the UIS community, forget it. The alumni association is useless and is just another way for them to get your money. Other than using the library or getting something to eat at the cafeteria there is nothing for alumni to do.

You have to take the reviews on this site with a grain of salt ? someone dissatisfied with their college experience is much more likely to go on the Internet and complain than someone who enjoyed it is to share it, but 79% of students would not return to this school, much worse than the % of any other state university on this site. What does that tell you?

Going to UIS was the worst decision of my adult life, and if you can still make the decision not to go there, then don?t. Take a good look at ISU, NIU, or SIUC instead. Or if you can afford it and handle the work, maybe the main U of I campus.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000