Illinois State School

College Search & Selection
21

<p>I’m sorry UIC wasn’t a good fit for you. I was going to recommend that one. My son attended a summer program there, and we liked the campus. The dorm he was in was great for studying. He had his own room, then went into a hall to get to the bathroom. I could see where it may be considered a commuter college, but I think the proximity to a medical campus would be a plus. </p>

<p>As far as good premed programs, what about Marquette? They have a great biomedical sciences program, and you would be attending a school with a respected name, since that seems to be important to you. I have heard they have a caring faculty that is very accessible to students, and they supposedly offer lots of merit aid. If you want to stay in Illinois, what about Loyola or DePaul? I really wouldn’t be concerned about any of those schools being too Catholic, especially Loyola and Marquette. The Jesuit schools are generally very inclusive of people of all religions, races, national origin.</p>

<p>Good luck on your search!</p>

22

<p>Today, I visited Bradley University (which was one of the private universities I have considered). For the most part, I really liked it. They certainly are good at presenting themselves and marketing themselves. The campus and buildings were really nice - but the sorrounding city was not. It is located in dowtown Peoria, and the crowd hanging around in that part of the city didn’t look very “safe.”</p>

<p>But, here are some of the positives of this college:
-Small classes
-Faculty interaction and no TAs
-Research opportunites: because they are so much smaller undergrads can actually particpate in, and not just watch, research!
-Friendly people: they seemed like they were very available for help
-It is the only university really nearby Peoria. This city has about 350K people in it, and many industries. So, this presents many opportunities for undergrads to take advantage of. Because there are many more opportunities than students, you don’t necessarily have to be “the perfect best” to get an opportunity! Also, there are 3 major hospitals nearby and many opportunites for pre-medical (and other) students for volunteering or work.
-94% job/or graduate school placement rate (It was 96%, but has declined with the economy)
-97% medical school placement rate (this is what the transfer coordinator told me; the website says 85% for biology majors)</p>

<p>Does anyone think I should consider this school (more than I had previously)? Maybe it would be easier to stand out here (and therefore, increase chances of getting into medical school) in comparison to a larger university like UIUC? What do you think? Should I go for better opportunities (perhaps), or for more name recognition (like UIUC)? Has anyone even heard of Bradley, and do you think it is a good school?</p>

23

<p>Bradley is a better choice than ISU or either SIU campus.</p>

<p>Many people in Chicagoland, where I lived for years, have heard of Bradley. One issue to be aware of is that schools like Bradley often have good local reputations but minimal name recognition in other parts of the country. However, it won’t matter if you’re sure you want to stay in Illinois long-term. It also won’t matter once you complete med school.</p>

<p>The ability to get involved in research at Bradley is a major plus.</p>

<p>That said, I’m not an expert in medical school admissions, so I don’t know how much of a difference there is between UIUC and Bradley for this purpose.</p>

<p>Also, your reasons for not wanting to attend UIC seem valid. I’ve lived in several major cities and will be the first to admit that major cities aren’t for everyone.</p>

24

<p>Why do you think Bradley is better than ISU? I always thought national ranked universities must be better than master’s level. I suppose I should not pay so much attention to rankings because they are based on many things, including things that I couldn’t care about (e.g. sports). </p>

<p>I think I would really like to go to Northwestern or the University of Wisconsin Medical College. But, I am not sure at this point what my stats will be at that point in time and which colleges would accept me. At this point, I think that I would like to stay in Illinois, or the general area, for my education. However, I do eventually want to move around more and I am not very sure where in the coutnry I may like to go. I may decide to go farther away to medical school.</p>

<p>Do you think medical schools pay more attention to where you went or what you did? I definately have the impression that I could do a lot more at Bradley, but UIUC has more national recognition. Do you think if I did well at Bradley (and perhaaps had more opportunities to do things) I could still have a good chance at other medical schools? Or, do you think because it is such a small, liberal arts school that it would hurt such chances?</p>

25

<p>My ultimate goal is still to go to medical school. But, if that (for some tragic reason) did not work out and graduate school was still very possible . . . do you think i could still get into a great university with Bradley as my undergrad? For example, if I did well there and I wanted to get my master’s or phd, would I be considered at places such as UWMadison, UIUC, Northwestern, loyola, UChicago, etc.? Or would I be looked at cautiously since Bradley is such a small school (and therefore not as well known)?</p>

<p>Sorry for my wordiness, but this has really helped me in narrowing down my decisions. Also, I think I have the right to be concerned about making the right decision. Becoming a physician has been my ultimate goal for so long now that I truly do not want to imagine doing anything else. I have not had very good luck with getting in contact with administrative people at the medical colleges, or any such person, to help answer some of these questions. I am just so afraid that if I go to a small school that no one is overly familar with, I won’t be taken as seriously (even if I had greater opportunities at such a university). On the other hand, I really feel like UIUC caters more to its graduate students, and it was very large to me. But, it has national recognition and I think that admincommittees would treat such an applicant with more respect, simply because they are more familiar with the school.</p>

<p>Thanks again everybody and please keep commenting - it helps me get to sleep at night!</p>

26

<p>I’m a parent rather than a student, and DS hasn’t started yet, but he choose to attend Bradley for many of the reasons you stated (we’ll see how closely they meet our perception). My feeling has always been to attend the school which meets your more immediate needs. Of course, some consideration should be given to future prospects, but with so many uncertain factors out there, it’s hard to quantify how much weight to give to them.</p>

<p>I know less than nothing about med school admissions, but for grad school in general, going to a lower tier school isn’t a handicap IF you do well at those things you can control (grades, test scores, research, etc.). Grad school adcoms admit many students from many schools which are even lower on the food chain than Bradley (which isn’t as low as I think you’re portraying it - it has a pretty good regional rep). They want people who’ve shown ability and interest in their field regardless of where they went for undergrad. Yes, you’ll need somewhat better grades than at a more competitive school, but if you’re applying yourself, you should get them. AND because of the closer interaction with profs, you’re more likely to find a mentor who’ll write you a really good recommendation (VERY important), rather than having to compete for such relational benefits at Mega U.</p>

<p>If Bradley (or any other college) has what you want for undergrad, it’ll make you a better candidate for medical or graduate school. Don’t let reputation blind you to the benefits of going to a good school with lesser name recognition. Adcoms choose people they feel have the background and accomplishments to succeed, not simply based on attendance at a highly regarded college. It’s what you do that matters!</p>

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<p>
[QUOTE=BiologyBabe23]
Why do you think Bradley is better than ISU? I always thought national ranked universities must be better than master’s level.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>“National Universities” are not necessarily better than “Master’s Universities” (as the terms are used by USN&WR). The classification is based on the fact that “Master’s Universities” award relatively few Ph.D.'s. The best “Master’s Universities” in the Midwest are probably better than a school which qualifies as a “National University” because it awards many Ph.D.'s, but which is ranked fairly low within that list.</p>

<p>In terms of actual academic quality, the factors you noted above as good points about Bradley are going to be less true about ISU, SIU, etc.</p>

<p>In terms of reputation, Bradley at least has a good local reputation. ISU really doesn’t have a solid reputation even locally. Rightly or wrongly, many people in Illinois share the viewpoint you noted earlier that (to paraphrase) ISU is for people who couldn’t get into UIUC.</p>

<p>Incidentally, sports are not considered as a factor in any of the university ranking systems I’ve heard of. If they impact the rankings at all, the effect is indirect and minor. For example, if alumni feel more connected to their university because of the sports program, they are more likely to donate - and that actually does affect at least the USN&WR rankings.</p>

<p>Do you think that the lecture halls and other disadvantages of UIUC are merely a nuisance, and that you could succeed anyway? Or do you think you would do significantly better at Bradley than at UIUC?</p>

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<p>So, would Bradley be better than ISU because Bradley is a Master’s level institution, Tier 1, Rank 6 and ISU is a National Institution, tier 3? Would Bradley be more respected and well-known (at least regionally)?</p>

<p>So, even if I would have more opportunities at Bradley, UIUC is still the better choice? UIUC does seem to be the most rigorous of the institutions, and therefore my gpa may not be a 4.0. So would it still be better to go to UIUC if it meant a slightly lower gpa? I am not saying that any of these colleges are not challeging - they will be (molecular biology isn’t a super easy subject) - but, UIUC seems to ask the most of their students.</p>

<p>UIUC was much more impersonal and the people there (adminstration, faculty, even students) were not as available or friendly. Maybe this was just the day I visited, but I have been told my impressions are accurate. </p>

<p>One thing that surprised me in particular was the differences in the aesthetic nature of the campuses. Please keep in mind that academics and my personal ability to do well at the school are my top priorities. Nonetheless, there is something to be said about the environment that I wil lbe living and studying in for the next few years. UIUC had the worst campus. Bradley and ISU had very nice campuses, that appeared clean and modern. UIUC was not as clean, and not as modern looking. I am sure they have wonderful laboratory equiptment, and I know they use technology in the classrooms. But, Bradley and ISU still appeared more modern and clean. </p>

<p>I just want to make the right decision, and I didn’t think it would be quite this hard! So, what do you think basedon what I have read? Do you still suggest UIUC, or Bradley, or ISU?</p>

<p>I think that at UIUC I will become more of “just another student,” and I don’t see myself being as involved in things there (the rigor of their coursework would keep me fretting and studying nonstop). Bradley lacks the name recognition and prestige (beyond regionally at least). It seems the last post indicated that UIUC would prepare me better for the MCAT, and that it still is the best option.</p>

<p>Please let me know your opinions and what you think! Thank you so much!!!</p>

29

<p>I forgot to answer your question!</p>

<p>“Do you think that the lecture halls and other disadvantages of UIUC are merely a nuisance, and that you could succeed anyway? Or do you think you would do significantly better at Bradley than at UIUC?”</p>

<p>I do think that I could still do well at UIUC, but perhaps I could do slightly better at a smaller school. This is a hard question for me to answer because I have never experienced a class larger than 50-60 people. I suppose it is the fear of the unknown that is always getting to me! I think that I would do slightly better in smaller classes. However, I think that I could still do fairly well in larger classes. Perhaps it is not as bad as I have been thinking it would be. What do you mean by “succeed”? This is slightly arbritrary. Success has many definitions - depending on who you ask! I think I would probably have a higher gpa at a smaller school, but it would probably be marginal. I think that I would bemore inclined to get involved in activities and organization at a smaller school, but I always have to motivate myself to do these things! During the school season, I prefer to lock myself up and study! Nevertheless, I do understand the importance of involvement. </p>

<p>At a smaller school like Bradley, I definately think that I would have a greater chance to be a “shining star.” At UIUC, I think there is a higher probability that I will get lost in the crowd and become a number. The student body at UIUC does seem to be “smarter,” and therefore competition will be much more cut-throat. At some of the other schools I have looked at I would have a higher chance of being ahead of the pack instead of on the bottom.</p>

<p>For a comparison of these schools, please let me share some data from one of my comparison tables. I think the ACT scores of the student body can provide a little perspective of the student body as a whole:</p>

<p>ACT Scores of Enrolled Freshman:</p>

<p>Bradley University
Average ACT Composite Score: 25
30-36: 10%
24-29: 57%
18-23: 32%
12-17: 1%
6-11: 0%</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>ISU
Average ACT Composite Score: 24
30-36: 4%
24-29: 52%
18-23: 42%
12-17: 0%
6-11: 0%</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>UIS (not really as interested in?)
Average ACT Composite Score: 23
30-36: 5%
24-29: 32%
18-23: 53%
12-17: 9%
6-11: 0%</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>UIUC
Average ACT Composite Score: 27
30-36: 36%
24-29: 52%
18-23: 10%
12-17: 0%
6-11: 0%</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>This information came from collegedata.com. </p>

<p>So, in order of student bodies with the highest to lowest ACT scores (from these select schools):

  1. UIUC
  2. Bradley
  3. ISU
  4. UIS</p>

<p>I only got a 27 on my ACT, but I have maintained a 4.0 gpa at my community college.
Would it be detrimental to go to UIUC since a large portion of the student body is going to be so much smarter (if the teachers use a grading curve, this could be disastorous!)? Wouldn’t it be better to go to a school with slighlty less motivated students (since I am a motivated student, this would be in my favor - less competition)?</p>

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<p>Why limit yourself to Illinois schools? What CC did you go to?</p>

<p>The public schools in Illinois aren’t top tier or close to it, except for UIUC. </p>

<p>Big classes a huge minus for me now that I have experienced a few. Before I took some they seemed like a good fit for me(easy to blend in, easier class to not dread going to because there is no involvement in the class, heres the info – now do the work kind of classes). But now I highly dislike them. Lots of times, most of them, it felt like my time would have been better spent reading the text.</p>

<p>Getting a 27 on the ACT doesn’t mean a large portion of UIUC will be smarter than you. The difference between 27 and 29 is not night and day. The students will be more motivated at UIUC, but it is still a party school. </p>

<p>4.0 at CC is nothing to sneeze at. If you took hard classes it shouldn’t a huge leap going to another college. There were a few UIUC students in my calculus summer classes and they struggled to get good grades. Their calculus at UIUC was in a lecture hall with 100+ students, with tons of people dropping the class, rather than a class of 30-35 with 5 dropping out. They probably learned more in the CC class they took over summer then they would have in the UIUC calc class.</p>

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<p>The OP needs to talk to the placement office at Illinois State University to get an idea of how successful the school is in sending their graduates to medical school. Same thing with SIU. I’d also look at the list of admittees at midwestern medical schools to see how ISU and SIU graduates have fared in recent years. Start with private medical schools that aren’t obligated to accept state residents, such as a the Mayo Medical School or Creighton University, Washington University or Saint Louis University.</p>

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<p>I am attending Highland Community College in Illinois. Highland is part of the Illinois Articulation Iniative. This means that my courses should transfer smoothly to other Illinois schools part of IAI, and I will have few (if any) gen-eds to complete. This is my main reason for wanting to stay in Illinois. I have done so much work already, and it would be nice to focus on my major instead of gen-eds once I transfer. </p>

<p>Another reason that I would like to stay in Illinois is distance. I have never lived far from my family, and they mean a great deal to me. I would like to live far enough to be away, but close enough to visit during breaks.</p>

<p>It is unfortunate to hear (although I agree) that Illinois schools are so meager. It seems UIUC is one of the only state schools with some recognition and reputation. I just don’t know if I should go there, regardless of any other factors, due to its reputation. A lot of their reputation and recognition stems from their graduate programs (even though they rely a great deal on undergraduates to fund the school). </p>

<p>Of the Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin medical schools that I have looked at, most of the medical students from Illinois went to UIUC or UIC. Perhaps this is because of the sizes of these schools? I have seen some medical students from smaller schools, but there are not nearly as many. I have read before that since many medical applicants are equally qualified it sometimes comes down to which school they went to. Although I hope this is a myth I have a feeling that it is truth.</p>

<p>I suppose a 29 is not that far away from a 27. However, it does seem significantly better. If UIUC is a “party school” - this may be advantageous to me. So, while they may be more motivated and perhaps smarter, many will still want to party. I have no desire to engage in such social functions. I think this would give me a slight advantage over the competition (but, probably not too much). </p>

<p>The local impression of UIUC is that it is a “public ivy” where only the smartest and most talented kids go. The school is very competitive and everything is cut-throat competition. The kids never take breaks or do much of anything except study (because the courses are so difficult and time-consuming). Are these local misconceptions? Or, are they true?</p>

<p>“4.0 at CC is nothing to sneeze at. If you took hard classes it shouldn’t a huge leap going to another college.”
Thank you very much. I have low self-confidence, and this comment made my day! I was told that most community college transfers experience a 0.5 drop in their gpa the first semester at UIUC, but most can get it back up again. I have always considered myself a hard-worker, and I generally fret too much over every little assignment, quiz, and exam (I want to get it right!!). So, perhaps I am fretting too much, and I could still do well at UIUC?</p>

33

<p>Also, does anyone have an opinion regarding large v. small classes? I know that UIUC also provides discussion groups for their large classes. So, perhaps that would make these extraordinarily large classes more manageable?</p>

34

<p>The top ten Master’s Universities in each region are probably stronger than Tier 3 National Universities. The top Master’s Universities are the best of their breed. By contrast, a Tier 3 National University is, by construction, in the bottom half of its breed.</p>

<p>Again, I’m not an expert in medical school admissions. It would be a really good idea to talk to someone who is familiar with medical school admissions about which schools are good choices for medical school placement. You also might want to check out the Pre-Med sections on this site. They have FAQ’s about applying to medical school. You could also ask there about how good each school is for medical school placement.</p>

<p>It’s important to find out how readily you could get involved in research as an undergraduate at UIUC. If Bradley really does offer better research opportunities, the question is whether you’d be a stronger candidate with a UIUC degree and fewer research opportunities or with a Bradley degree and more research opportunities. Again, I don’t claim to know the answer.</p>

<p>That said, I have heard that placement rates into medical schools can be grossly misleading. This is because many schools will discourage anyone who isn’t highly likely to get into medical school from even applying. So, for example, if the school only encourages two-thirds of their pre-meds to apply and 90% of that group get in, the medical school placement rate will appear to be 90% when in reality it is only 60%. If you call a school you’re interested in and they quote a high medical school placement rate, it may not mean as much as you think.</p>

<p>Along a similar vein, getting an excellent GPA while not being involved on campus might be counterproductive. Medical school admissions are very competitive. They might want to see extracurricular activities. Again, someone familiar with medical school admissions could provide advice on how important extracurriculars are.</p>

<p>Don’t worry about only having gotten a 27 on the ACT. That’s actually a good score. More importantly, your 4.0 GPA proves that you can handle the coursework at rigorous universities.</p>

<p>As far as staying in-state, articulation agreements are nice because they give you certainty that your coursework will be accepted. However, if you’re taking solid general education courses, it is likely that an out-of-state university which interests you will accept them.</p>

<p>It’s admirable that you want to stay close to your family. However, if you’re in a rigorous program like pre-med, it’s likely that you won’t be able to go home for anything less than a long weekend. Also, if you were willing to go to SIUC despite it being 8 hours away, you can go to quite a few of the surrounding states and still be within an 8 hour radius. That said, unless you keep a car on campus, it’s going to be difficult to get to your area from either ISU or UIUC. There are quite a few buses which take UIUC students home to all parts of Chicagoland. But I don’t know how well they link up with Van Galder buses.</p>

<p>Also, even your in-state options are so expensive that it may not be much more expensive to go out-of-state. If you can get financial aid at a private university, it might actually be cheaper than UIUC. Also, Wisconsin is actually closer to you than any of the Illinois universities you’re considering - it’s just over an hour away. It would only be a few thousand dollars per year more expensive than UIUC.</p>

<p>You might not have seen the right parts of UIUC’s campus. Some parts of the campus, such as the “Six Pack” residence hall complex, are downright repulsive. However, the main Quad area is quite attractive. Also, Urbana is much more livable and attractive than Champaign. In general, people who aren’t into the frat party lifestyle prefer to live in Urbana.</p>

<p>And yes, the discussion sections make large lecture halls much more manageable. Some TA’s can actually be good. A graduate student will have enough of a handle on the material to teach undergraduate classes.</p>

35

<p>The bigger classes usually have ‘discussion groups’ lead by T.A.s. It my experience it wasn’t a great learning experience. </p>

<p>I am an illinois CC student and I will be looking out-of-state because of the limited options there are in-state(ISU/SIU/NIU all have bad programs for my major, UIC is a dump(think cement and garbage), UIUC is huge and a party school). I expect most of my credits will transfer to out-of-state universities, most colleges seem to try hard to accept transfer credits. Being a few hours away by plane might not be a big hassle for me compared to a 5 hour car drive. I’m still looking into surrounding states which can be the same or shorter distance than some of the illinois colleges.</p>

<p>IAI numbers for classes just make it easier for the classes to match up and see what the equivalent classes are.</p>

36

<p>Thanks for the info regarding Master’s v. National Universities. That makes sense to me! So, in that case in comparing ISU and Bradley - Bradley would be the better choice.</p>

<p>I will try to ask around some more about medical school admissions regarding the undergraduate institution.</p>

<p>I have also read about misleading statistics regarding medical school placement rates. Unfortunately, it seems many schools do this “screening” process. However, I think that I would be a good candidate and could still get through the admissions committees. Nevertheless, I do not like this practice. I will try to get a hold of Bradley and ask them if they screen their pre-med students.</p>

<p>For anyone familiar with medical school admissions: how much exrtra-curricular activities are they looking for? Is it okay to be involved in a few things, or should I be involved in many things? I am sure doing something significant would be impressive and beneficial (e.g. establishing a school in Sudan or running a fundraiser for the underprivileged of Cambodia).</p>

<p>I am okay with moving. But, I have moved enough in the past few years, and I really do not want to move so far away. Besides, I have struggled with my decision for so long that I don’t want to add too many schools to my “list.” This may not be a good enough reason for other board members, but it is good enough for me, and I hope that you can accept my decision. Like I said, I have moved enough in the past few years, and I generally like the area (and the people). I totally understand that a rigorous pre-med program leaves little time for much of anything else. When I said I would like to be close enough to visit I did not mean visiting regularly. I simply meant for times such as winter break, or in the summer (unless I was involved in study abroad, research, or some other school activity). Also, I did not like the drive to SIUC. Partly, mapquest had me go on the backroads instead of highways, and I did not like that! Way too much country - most of the trip was driving through middle-of-nowhere country! SIUC was an okay campus; nice people. But, I am not sure it would provide the academic atmosphere that I need. I visited when there were not very many students around so I’m not sure how accurate this is, but I just don’t think the academics are as rigorous there. It definitely felt more laid back! This could be partly due to the southern atmosphere. Regardless, it is more of a safety school than a school that I am very serious about. </p>

<p>I may have a car while I live on campus. At this point I do not know if I will bring it with (it isn’t the best car :wink: ).
In regards to the expense: Yes, UIUC is one of the most expensive state options. However, I do think the price would be worth it, and it is not that much different in cost from the other schools I have looked at. Also, I plan on living in an apartment, and I can live fairly cheaply. After doing some number-crunching I realized that it would be much cheaper to live on my own than on campus. I will definately look into UW-Madison, and perhaps look into applying. Still, after looking at what it would cost to attend there, and what financial aid I may be able to get, UIUC would still be cheaper. One thing to consider is that by going to the schools I have mentioned, I will transfer with almost all (with the exception of 1-2 courses) my general education requirements. So, other schools, while they may appear to be only slightly more expensive or cheaper, will usually be more expensive in the long run because of the extra time I will need to finish their requirements. I have looked at many schools, and the ones that I have mentioned are the most transfer friendly of the options. </p>

<p>I agree, the main Quad was quite beautiful! I wish I had the chance to view the Engineering area because I have been told that is the nicest area on campus! Thanks for the tip regarding Urbana v. Champaign. If I decide to go to UIUC, this information will be highly useful!</p>

<p>I have always enjoyed lectures, and I do not understand how some people can fall asleep in class. Even when I have only had 4 hours of sleep - they always are interesting to me! I am a serious student, and I find it distracting and disrespectful when other students do not pay attention, or fall asleep, or play on their cellular devices. I do no doubt that I would enjoy lectures (though the size still intimidates me a little). I think that I may enjoy discussion sections. But, of course, I have never experienced such a scenario before, so i have no past experience to base my opinion on.</p>

<p>CCillinois: It sounds like you had a bad experience at a large university! I am sorry for this. How are choosing out-of-state schools? What are you basing your choice on? Of course, your major may be drastically different from mine, and therefore that may influence your decision differently than it would mine.</p>

37

<p>Well i’m just trying to avoid 30,000 student party schools. Even though it is the best public school in the state, and a great school, it is still a large party school. Alcohol and large parties are not an ideal social life for me. For my major, computer science, chances are i won’t get into a ‘higher ranked’ school than UIUC. But I am willing to sacrifice that to go to a school that is a better ‘fit’. </p>

<p>My aim is a small/medium sized school, not in a large city, not a party school, academically focused students, that is more personal socially and educationally, with a good program for my major. Sadly those are the schools that are hard to get into and/or dislike transfer students. Even though I will have a 4.0, or close to it, when I transfer I might end up getting rejected from most of them.</p>

<p>I didn’t really have a bad experience with a larger university. They just have some drawbacks, for me at least. I am more aware of it now after my experiences. Going into college I would have chosen to have all lecture classes if I could have. After experiencing larger 100+ student classes at a University I attended before CC, I would rather be in a smaller classes most of the time. I have, and I do not doubt I could succeed in the future in’lecture’ classes. But, I would prefer to not have them for a majority of my classes. I expect to take quite a few ‘lecture classes’, but that is not the only drawback I see from a 30,000+ student university. </p>

<p>They don’t teach calculus to 400 students at once because its the best option.</p>

<p>If I had to choose between the public schools in Illinois, it wouldn’t be a very hard choice, UIUC for my major.</p>

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<p>CCillinois: thank you for sharing your own story and reasoning for your situation. Personally, I would like to go to the best school for my own situation. I am not in the least worried about the party school scene because I am not in the least inclined to participate in such nonsense. I am not a social reject, but I am perfectly content to have a small circle of friends that I communicate and socialize with. Also, I know that there are several religious organizations on the UIUC campus, or nearby, that I could be involved in if I feel I need more social interaction. </p>

<p>Perhaps my situation is a little different than yours. While I will have some lecture classes, I will have many classes with labs. This means smaller sections. They did tell me that they keep the labs smaller than the lecture sections. Also, I will have most of my gen-eds done by the time I enter a university (including my mathematics). If I choose to go to UIUC, I will have to complete Organic Chemistry, Physics, the Biology core and electives, and hopefully research. Also, I would like to at least minor in Chemistry so I would have a few extra courses in that department as well. </p>

<p>Is anyone familiar with the typical class sizes for these classes? I tried to find the information on the UIUC website and I wasn’t having much luck.</p>

<p>Quote:
“If I had to choose between the public schools in Illinois, it wouldn’t be a very hard choice, UIUC for my major.”
So, CCillinois seems to think it is the best option for the public universities. It simply is not the best option for his personal situation. Do more people concure that UIUC is the best public Illinois state option?</p>

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<p>“UIUC is the best public Illinois state option”

  • Yes. But the other schools have good departments too.</p>

<p>“…large v. small classes? I know that UIUC also provides discussion groups for their large classes…”

  • The advantage in attending large lectures is that you get a high quality lecturer. The small sections vary in instructor quality. I had some great discussion TAs, and some not so good, at UIUC. Frankly, the large lectures were not an issue at all for me.</p>

<p>And as for the party school image, don’t forget that it’s a huge school and there are many people who don’t party.</p>

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<p>@BiologyBabe23: You’re welcome. I accept your decisions - I’m just trying to provide ideas.</p>

<p>Yes, visiting campuses over breaks when most students aren’t around is probably going to give an inaccurate impression. It’s much better to visit when students are around. That way, you can see what kinds of students go to each school and actually talk to students.</p>

<p>Also, extracurricular activities don’t necessarily have to conflict with classes. For example, students in UIUC’s chapter of the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) volunteer in pediatric medical facilities in Latin America. But they go during academic breaks, so it doesn’t get in the way of studying.</p>