The University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign

Date: Sep 14 2004
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
There are several positives and negatives about U of I. It is definatley a good school, with a decent reputation in many fields. That being said, some students and faculty have an annoying "ivy leage mentality" and consider themselves better than those from other midwest schools.

The school itself is very large, and has a diverse student body but a majority of students are from Chicago and the suburbs. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a fact.

You might not expect it but UIUC is a pretty big party school and the bar scene is huge. Friday and Saturday nights can get a bit rowdy sometimes, but with so many students there's almost certainly something else going on if drinking isn't your thing. You will need good time management skills as those who party every night without ever studying will be weeded out. It happened to two friends of mine freshman year.

The surrounding town leaves alot to be desired…its a somewhat depressed area, in stark contrast to the booming university district. Nevertheless there is a decent mall and the standard choice of chain restaurants.

Overall U of I is a good school, especially for the money if you live in state, but be sure to visit the campus a few times and get a feel for it.