<p>whats the social scene like at uiuc? are the students friendly? Easy to fit in? what is the typical uiuc student like? Im a bit afraid its going to be too much like high school.</p>
<p>well as many people put it, as long as not many ppl from your h.s. go to uiuc, you can create a brand new identity. a "fresh start". as long as you are not very very very ugly are very very weird you should be fine. most students find people similar to them to hang out with. for some reason everyone loves international students.</p>
<p>haha sweet, im an international student. havent been admitted yet tho...march 1st..</p>
<p>can internationals fit it easy?</p>
<p>ive seen internationals from south africa, europe, south america, middle east, and australia fit in easily but the ones from asia seem to be reclusive.</p>
<p>it has less to do with your international status and more with your social abilities... just get your ass out there.</p>
<p>Is anyone intimidated by the size of the place? I secretly want my DD to go there, already accepted--but she is looking at LACs and a smaller ILL state school. She is academically around the 60-75th percentile at UILL but above or way above 75th at the other places and would stand out in those places, just be one of the crowd at Illinois. She is not overly assertive but has a distinctive style, is liberal, into indie/alt music, and otherwise artsy (will be prelaw psych major), and not a sorority type. With large frosh classes (she would probably live in Allen) can she really meet her own group? I have never heard anyone say the size bothered them or that meeting folks was difficult but I still worry as a mom!</p>
<p>bookmom: your daughter sounds like a lot of girls i know. she'll meet some really great people if she takes some of the classes you might expect to find those sorts of kids in like art, cinema studies classes, media studies..etc. Dorms are also a great place to meet people. BUT, I could also see her not enjoying it here. There are LOTS of that typical stereotype sorority girl. Everyone in their northface jackets and big eskimo boots. If your daughter can not stand even the sight of these types of girls, be warned, it'l suck till she gets over it. There are girls like your daughter, but they are diamonds in the rough. It really just comes down to how sociable you can be with people you'd like to meet. I don't know what her other choices are, but if she's bent on a small liberal arts school somewhere you might want to consider that one. </p>
<p>.dda: the one thing i was suprised by when i got here was the diversity. I've been to two other universities and none were nearly this diverse. maybe it's just my dorm (i live in graduate housing but am not a grad student..long story), but there are definitely tons of people from all different backgrounds. it really impressed me. even those who appear to be oddballs or antisocials seem to have a whole group of oddballs and antisocials that they..socialize.. with.</p>
<p>OP: it's not like high school. it can be if you stick by your high school buds, but if not, no way. I've been here a full semester and still have not seen all my close friends from high school around campus yet. It's just too damn big for that. If it feels like high school here and you aren't hanging out with friends from high school, then any place is gonna feel that way.</p>
<p>oh god the north face jackets! seriously are they required to wear only north face apparel or something because all i see is north face north face north face.</p>
<p>ahah good ol northface</p>
<p>im fine with northface, but all these illinois kids are wearing hollister "california" shirts... i think this state has low self-esteem.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input; I love relaying all the comments to DD. My D pitched the Hollisters 3 yrs ago and wouldn't be caught dead in Northface, and she couldn't care less that she is a legacy to 2 different sororities thru mom and GM. She definitely has her own style these days: burgundy hair, nose piercing, black hose (usually with 1-2 runners), black n white gym shoes with nearly everything--very Vivienne Woodward on some days! She is overnighting tonight at Southern IL U-Edwardsville where she is interviewing in Feb for the full-ride scholarship, and is up for same at Drake and Saint Louis U. Her preferred LACs are Beloit and Lawrence. Guess I am rooting for UIUC since we prepaid the state school tuition and it is the flagship. The only dorm that interests her is Allen; we visit Champaign again in mid-Feb--I can't wait to see which school she finally selects. I will survive if she passes on UIUC but still....</p>