The University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign

Some comments,
Academics: Yes some classes are big, and a few professors do not seem that interested in teaching. But there are also many opportunities to take small classes, and become closely involved with professors. Take advantage of them.

Living: I highly recommend living on the east side of campus in Urbana. The dorms there tend to be more diverse, it seems almost everyone in the west is involved in the greek system. Also, off-campus housing in Urbana is better, houses there can be had for the same price as cramped apartments in Champaign. Don't join a frat, they aren't bad people but all a frat offers you is a place to drink every weekend, and that can be had otherwise.

Social Life: Drinking and parties do play a large part in the weekend plans of many, but there are alternatives. The eastern pseudo-sophisticates may claim that Champaign-Urbana is a horrible place to live, but it is merely an average small city. The campus itself is so large that it provides plenty of intellectual stimulation, especially of more profound and academic types than stores that sell Ani DiFranco CD's. There are plenty of coffee shops, for that matter.People: The campus is not particularly racially diverse, and most minority groups tend to associate with other minorities. On the other hand, political and social diversity seems to be relatively strong. Not everyone is from the Chicago suburbs, contrary to popular belief.