<p>There are a lot of things that IT will to do to lure their prospective clients into signing a lease, and I’m pretty sure the person who posted up there works for them. I’m also a resident at IT, but because of their fine print, I couldn’t move out at the end of last semester. I thought their marketing schemes were outrageous, but apparently, they’ve decided to pretend that they are students. Here’s my comments on the above review.</p>
<p>“First of all, let me say that Illini Tower is super, super, expensive. It’s really a lot of money to live at this place. I pay more for housing at Illini Tower than for tuition! That being said, it living at IT does have certain benefits.”</p>
<p>This is wrong. IT is CHEAPER than most resident halls for next year. Reason why? Ask them. Also, ask them about housekeeping. Just one of the many “amenities” that they will no longer have to cut costs. Also, ask them just about anything, and see how many excuses you’ll have in return. Ask them why the key cards never work. Also, ask them why complaints on their facebook page periodically get deleted. </p>
<p>“I’ll begin with the most obvious: Location. IT is really close to the quad, really close to Green St. and really close to the Frats if that’s someplace you see yourself hanging out at. It’s very quick to walk to class, and if you have an hour break between two classes you can easily walk back to IT and eat something before going back to class. I consider that a big plus.”</p>
<p>Yes, they have a good location. BUT Newman Hall (PCH) is one block closer to the quad and Presby Hall (PCH) is one block closer to Green Street. University housing Halls are all relatively close to distinct areas, and hence why there’s so many of them (Allen is close to music, the six pack is close to the ARC, Daniels is close to engineering, etc.).</p>
<p>"Speaking of food. Yes, you do have to have a meal plan with IT. Which means that you’ve got to basically only eat there, or else pay out-of-pocket for anything at the University dining halls. This does suck. The food at IT is pretty crappy. They make the same things over and over again, and it’s certainly not very healthy. Personally, I didn’t come into college with the expectation of 5-star dining, so I don’t really care. Usually the food is good enough to eat without having to hold your nose. But just barely. That being said, all the rooms do have kitchens, so my recommendation would be to just make some food yourself every once in a while and you should be fine. For me breakfast is fine, (Bagels, cereal, scrambled eggs, that sort of thing) and lunch and dinner get progressively worse. Although this year they added a “recommendation board” and I’ve seen a couple of people’s recommendations actually cooked, so you cannot say that they aren’t trying. I asked them to add tea as an option and they did, so I must say I was a little surprised that they actually did it so kudos to them. "</p>
<p>If you are required to pay for a meal plan freshman year, then there is no reason to have a kitchen in your room. Why pay over two thousand for a “crappy” meal plan, and be encouraged to spend even more money to cook your own? Ask them how long their head chef has been working there, and then ask them why the old one left.</p>
<p>“The rooms. Oh my. When I arrived, my room was filthy. In addition the room wasn’t in great shape. The walls look terrible, the carpets are worn out, the rooms look like… well… like college kids lived in them for a couple of years. That being said, after a long cleaning session, some new rugs, and adding some posters to the walls, my room looks pretty presentable, and I would actually say quite nice. Everything in my apartment works, and the one time the sink was clogged, my roommate called the front desk and they fixed it the same day, so that was pretty good. That being said, I know people who never get their problems solved, and who have bigger issues then us. (Leaky sinks, broken appliances, etc) My room was terribly insulated and really cold, so I bought some insulating tape and insulated the windows myself. Oftentimes you get the feeling that you just have to fix things yourself.”</p>
<p>Having to fix your own room is unacceptable. If you are first year student, having to clean and decorate your room to barely make it appear habitable is laughable. No student attending the University of Illinois should have to deal with this type of recommendation. Look at their facebook page and keep scrolling down. You will see many CURRENT resident complaining about their internet service, heating/cooling, room requests, etc.</p>
<p>“The staff is generally Ok. Like anywhere some people are really nice, caring and helpful, and some people really don’t care and are downright rude. I’d expect the same at any dorm/PCH.”</p>
<p>Yes, nice staff. Ask them how many RA’s they had this year and how many they currently have. They need 15 RA’s to staff the building, and just about that same amount quit throughout the year. It’s unfortunately that this poster would “expect the same at any dorm/PCH”. If you are a college student, you shouldn’t have to deal with people who “don’t care and are downright rude”. If this is the case at IT, I question their hiring and management standards.</p>
<p>“The movie-theater is often broken, that is true, but I’ve seen people using it quite frequently, so I don’t think it’s a terrible problem. The ping pong paddles do indeed suck, but the pool table is just fine, and the gym, while basic, is good enough as far as I’m concerned. Laundry, however, is super expensive, and a huge hassle.”</p>
<p>All these amenities are true, but do you really need them? Included in the tuition and fees that students pay for, are fees for the campus amenities. Why pay extra for a small dark gym, when you can take a bus, or walk to the state-of-the-art campus gyms (ARC, CRCE)? Also, how many times do you play pool or ping pong? Just walk to the Illini Union, pay a few dollars and play a few games, along with bowling. Is there really a need to have one table 24/7?</p>
<p>“In terms of atmosphere, yea, this place is very quiet compared to other places. There are no “floor events” or whatever, and people just generally keep to themselves. There are tons of international students. Personally I enjoy their company, and I think they’re interesting, but they do have a tendency to keep to their own little groups as well. The social scene is basically non-existant, which if you think about it, may not be that bad. If I want to party, I can go to a frat, or out, or wherever, and I don’t have to worry about there being all this noise going on at home when I want to study or sleep or whatever. It is difficult to make friends at IT, but you can join different groups and get out, and you should be fine with that.”</p>
<p>Resident Assistants are supposed to create an atmosphere that encourages a social life. Well, very few floors actually had RAs this year.</p>
<p>“I moved to IT because I wanted the privacy of larger rooms and semi-private bathrooms. I wouldn’t say that I’m disappointed, but rather I feel like I’m not getting a good deal, money-wise. I suppose it just depends on what it is you want for your living experience, and then how much money you’ve got. I will be moving away from IT, mostly for financial reasons, but I know people who will stay here another year, so I suppose it just depends on finding a good fit. I don’t think IT is a terrible hell-hole, although people like to complain about it and make it seem that way. I think it’s just a crappy, expensive place, except that other places are crappier.”</p>
<p>No, other places are not “crappier”. Presby, Bromley, and Newman Hall are also PCH and are really nice, and I would suggest taking a tour of them when on campus. Is University Housing “crappier”? Probably not. They’re currently rebuilding most of the older dorms. </p>
<p>“Hope that helps.”</p>
<p>I really hope that their review helped no one. If you want real answers, talk to current residents who do not work for their building. They will truthfully answer your questions without having to pretend to be a student. Also, ever wonder why each of those paragraphs said one thing negative, and then something positive? Thats because theyre trying to sell them place rather than talk about it. I made my account just so that I can post this because that post upset me like no other. The Mystery of Illini Tower is true!</p>