<p>As a former "downstate kid", it seemed like almost everyone at every state school in Illinois was from Chicago or the suburbs. There are just so many of them!!!</p>
<p>Interesting, at UIUC years ago I'd have said that about 1/2 half of the students were 'burbs, and 1/2 other. Not too many Chicago kids - they tended to stay in Chicago, it seemed. That's why I assume that UIC is mostly Chicago/suburbs.</p>
<p>I think it benefits a Chicago/burb kid to get out for a while...</p>
<p>At UIC, over 90% of undergraduates come from the Chicago area. At UIC, you'll have downstate students who have been dying to get out of their small towns.<br>
In general, none of the public universities have a large OOS population. UIUC has the highest at about 10% or so.
NIU does have a suitcase campus reputation.<br>
There are good and bad points about all these school.</p>
<p>UIC has great social work and engineering programs, but nothing else is particularly high-quality.</p>
<p>Made some college visits:</p>
<p>UIUC: Really like the campus. Champaign-Urbana is a college town - I kinda like it to be honest. It's not Madison, WI, but it has stuff to do. School may be two hours away from my home and Chicago, but I think it's worth the drive for my education. Tuition isn't too bad, but still expensive. I'll live with it. A good majority of the students seems bright. Most are from Illinois but that's okay -- many have interesting backgrounds and experiences. Top choice so far if I am accepted. Hopefully I'll get some Unofficial fun this weekend when I visit some friends. </p>
<p>NIU: I think I have a very good chance for their honors program. I shadowed a student back in December and the campus isn't too nice IMO. What I liked about it was that not one of his classes were taught by a TA -- all were taught by their professors. Super Cool! Campus: Some parts are pretty, but classes aren't held in the pretty part . . . : ( I walked the campus and it seems elongated - odd. Academics are decent. Few departments shine while others are questionable -- I want to challenged by my peers not only by myself -- so not cool. The town is rather soulless. Some students have an inferiority complex when I mentioned UIUC was one of the schools I was also visiting; must be a in-state rivalry thing, or something else. Recent tragedy makes me feel real bad for them since I left with an odd/bad vibe. Wanna like you, really.</p>
<p>Elmhurst: Small college. I like their food -- best chicken tenders EVER. Town is cute and seems interesting for me not to go home every weekend. I can run around the campus in five or seven minutes. That's how small it is. Kids seem to come from surrounding suburbs. Academics -- no clue what they're good at. </p>
<p>Going to visit UIC next this month.</p>
<p>You've just got to choose Elmhurst so when you're a parent, you can tell your kids that you chose your school based on the quality of the chicken tenders.</p>
<p>^^ Haha. They were so good!</p>
<p>Why did you leave the University of Chicago out of your list? UChi arguably tops out Northwestern.</p>
<p>Chad,</p>
<p>
[quote]
I'm looking for a school that has solid academics (probably majoring in Political Science and/or Sociology), great social and sports atmospheres, and that's respectable not only in the midwest but nationally.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's probably why.</p>
<p>U of C is, after all, a different animal from not only Northwestern but most universities, private or public. Harry Potter and Marx are not the usual topics of interest among college students at large.</p>
<p>My two cents, if you must go public in Illinois, go with Urbana-Champaign. It is the flagship and the only public in Illinois people will recognize outside of Illinois. Excellent sports scene and a pretty good social scene if you're into Greek life. UIC is would be my next pick personally.</p>
<p>As far as prestige and quality of education, I'd say:</p>
<p>UChicago>Northwestern>UIUC>Loyola=Depaul>/=ISU=UIC>Northern>Eastern>Southern>/=Western</p>
<p>I'm basing that a lot off of avg ACT/GPA and percent admitted from my highschool</p>
<p>If you are basing it off of ACT/GPA, you would know that UIC's average GPA is about the same DePaul and ISU, and lower than Loyola.
UIC average ACT 21-26 top 10% of HS 24%
DePaul average ACT 21-26 top 10% of HS 19%
Loyola average ACT 23-28 Top 10% of HS 32%
ISU average ACT 22-26 Top 10% of HS 11%</p>
<p>The Chicago universities do interact a lot together. Students tend to clump UIC, DePaul, and Loyola together. The major differences between them are more social than academic. Everyone hates University of Chicago students because they are too stuck up. Northwestern keeps to themselves and don't interact much with the other schools. Due to centrality, UIC tends to be a popular location for meetings.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I will also add that Northwestern has become next to impossible for caucasian boys from Illinois (particularly the Chicago area) to get into. I know several from our local high schools with excellent stats/ECs, who didn't get in, yet girls, or minorities with lesser stats did.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If anything, it's probably tougher to get admitted to NU (as well as many other schools) as a caucasian female than a caucasian male.</p>
<p>
[quote]
UChicago>Northwestern>UIUC>Loyola=Depaul>/=ISU=UIC>Northern>Eastern>Southern>/=Western</p>
<p>I'm basing that a lot off of avg ACT/GPA and percent admitted from my highschool
[/quote]
</p>
<p>For the past cycle (fall 2007), Northwestern>UChicago in avg ACT and admit rate. ;)</p>
<p>You can rank schools is so many ways. If you rank by research dollars.
The order is UIUC, Northwestern, UIC, UChicago, SIUC, Loyola, SIUE, NIU, ISU, DePaul, UIS, WIU, IL Wesleyan U, EIU, Lake Forest U, NEIU</p>
<p>"My two cents, if you must go public in Illinois, go with Urbana-Champaign. It is the flagship and the only public in Illinois people will recognize outside of Illinois. Excellent sports scene and a pretty good social scene if you're into Greek life. UIC is would be my next pick personally."</p>
<p>I completely agree. All those other universities won't mean a thing outside Illinois. UIUC has a national reputation. UIC has a decent regional reputation. </p>
<p>Someone who's actively considering NIU, SIU, EIU doesn't really have Northwestern (or U of Chicago) in her competitive set anyway.</p>
<p>To the original poster's question about prestige, which he said was important:</p>
<p>Obviously NU and U of Chicago are the most prestigious of this group, hands down.</p>
<p>U of I is a major state flagship. It will get you anywhere you want to go within Illinois, and will have respectable credentials outside of IL.</p>
<p>DePaul, Loyola and UIC will have the strongest recognition mostly in the Chicago area, though are certainly "acceptable" nationally.</p>
<p>Benedictine, Elmhurst, St. Xavier, North Central are only going to be known locally (if that) and they don't have any prestige. Honestly I doubt most people in Chicagoland even know these schools.</p>
<p>Likewise, NIU, EIU, WIU, SIU and ISU are only going to have name recognition in the state of Illinois. And even then, it's not "prestige," just recognition.</p>
<p>If you want "respectable not only in the midwest but nationally," then realistically, of the state schools, only UIUC and to a lesser extent UIC fit the bill. Of the private schools, then only NU / U of Chicago and to a lesser extent DePaul / Loyola fit that bill.</p>
<p>I disagree about EIU
It is a nice campus. Not to big and not to small. Yes its standards may be low compared to U of I but not everyone does well in a U of I environment. Some people need constant interactions from their professors and not having classes taught by TA's. It doesn't make them stupid. People have different learning styles. In addition, some people may be intimidated by a large campus. </p>
<p>There are some NFL coaches that attended EIU (Sean Payton N.O Saints, Mike Shanahan Denver, Brad Childress Minnesota)</p>
<p>Not to mention EIU is the school where the Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo attended. </p>
<p>While on a visit to EIU, I talked to alot of students. They told me they really liked EIU.</p>
<p>jenrik2714, I visited EIU and I must say I enjoyed my time. As I stated I will most likely be attending a state university and EIU seems like a good fit with UIUC. My history teacher has a daughter currently attending and he says the campus is like a "mini-U-of-I" and I must agree. I also visited NIU and ISU, and between the two ISU impressed me the most. </p>
<p>In regards to everyone who responded to this thread, thank you on your feedback and perceptions, but please - KEEP RESPONDING! I must admit it's a pleasure having information (no matter how ridiculous and biased it may seem) by people who know the college process.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Benedictine, Elmhurst, St. Xavier, North Central are only going to be known locally (if that) and they don't have any prestige. Honestly I doubt most people in Chicagoland even know these schools.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>One of my music instructors went to Elmhurst and I asked where was it located and he said, "Elmhurst, IL." Ahhh...easy enough. But yea, those said universities/colleges are in my immediate area so might as while add them to my list regardless if I'm interested. In saying that, there are smart students who attend Benedictine, Elmhurst, and St.Xavier.</p>
<p>The quality of these schools varies far too greatly to belong in the same list. If you're academically qualified for Northwestern and UIUC, they're far better options than everything else on the list. The next tier down is Loyola, DePaul, and UIC, which likewise are better than the others. NIU is a 4th tier school, and EIU/ISU are about the same, as in no one outside the state has ever heard of it. I'll put it this way: have you ever heard of Middle Tennessee University or Central Connecticut State University?</p>