<p>“I think anyone taking these sorts of rankings seriously is totally lacking in judgment skills. Look at the source and the methodology. It’s a joke.”</p>
<p>I found the ranking more meaningful after viewing the methodology. Can you elaborate on what makes the ranking a joke in your opinion?</p>
<p>Do they use a random survey technique and verify the soucres of the completed surveys? No. Therefore those who choose to respond might represent a biased sample of people who like to respond to surveys and those with more important things to do will just ignore the survey. Also you can have whole groups like a frat filling them out together just to be funny.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE=silverturtle]
Personally, the school lost any prestige when I found it ranked among the top 20 colleges in the nation for students who study the least and for being a top party school.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>It depends on the program.</p>
<p>For students in Engineering, Computer Science and other programs for which UIUC is particularly highly ranked, students must spend long hours studying. And as a result, there’s limited time to party.</p>
<p>In other programs, I found that students generally don’t study enough and that “a top party school” is generally true.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE=silverturtle]
…filled with out-of-control drinking.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I also found this to be the case.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE=barrons]
Therefore those who choose to respond might represent a biased sample of people who like to respond to surveys and those with more important things to do will just ignore the survey.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>Such as majors in Engineering, Computer Science and the other especially highly-ranked programs at UIUC, any of whom have limited time to goof off on the Internet filling out surveys.</p>
<p>UIUC’s reputation being concentrated in the midwest also depends on the program. UIUC is highly respected in Silicon Valley, at least for technology majors. But outside of the especially highly-ranked programs, this is a drawback worth considering. There are many reasons why one would want to attend a university which is well respected throughout the country. What if the ideal job opportunity comes up outside the midwest?</p>
<p>[Clout</a> goes to college - Chicago Tribune](<a href=“Chicago Tribune - Chicago News, Sports, Weather, Business & Things to Do”>Chicago Tribune - Chicago News, Sports, Weather, Business & Things to Do)
[University</a> of Illinois application clout list fallout grows - Chicago Tribune](<a href=“Chicago Tribune - Chicago News, Sports, Weather, Business & Things to Do”>Chicago Tribune - Chicago News, Sports, Weather, Business & Things to Do)</p>
<p>This should be a much more juicy topic! 
LOL!</p>
<p>It is definitely prestigious enough; the crooks want a piece of it.</p>
<p>Sure, U of I is the first and only prestigious college where clout and influence rear their ugly twin heads. Right. Frankly, the Freedom of Information Act combined with the brazen stupidity of the many Illinois crooks at least brought these issues out into the open. Better days are clearly ahead for the U of I. Is it a stretch to think that similar practices don’t occur at the other top publics? And what about the top privates? Please. Our former president and a veritable who’s who of society can tell you a bit about clout and influence at the nation’s top “clubs.” This is hardly a unique to U of I issue – it’s simply flavored with that unique stench that seems to dominate our political landscape.</p>
<p>Nobody says that it’s unique to U of I. In fact, maybe part of the reason why they’ve been doing it so blatantly is the belief that others are doing the same thing anyway:
</p>
<p>That said, I think a distinction should be made between publics and privates regarding this sort of thing.</p>
<p>As most publics today rely on both funds from the state and substantial fundraising it would make perfect senses and do what the privates have done since Day One, use the “development admit” as needed. In a state like Illinois that would include the political development admit. At least until Illinois becomes a very different place than it is now and has been for decades.</p>
<p>The party school list is a ranking and therefore relative. The self-selective nature of the respondants would likely translate similarly to all schools, rendering the ranking meaningful.</p>
<p>Its hard to call Illinois prestigious seeing as its a public school. The reason it is considered somewhat difficult to get in is because every student in Illinois applies there for the cheap in state tuition and the the great academia. Its just a little competitive to get in when in state.</p>
<p>I go to U of I and if you ask me, we lose prestige because a lot of people consider Illinois to be a party school. Due to the huge greek life and influence on campus, its pretty hard to ignore. In reality the campus is fairly divided, on one side you have all of the LAS (Liberal Arts and Science) majors who spend their 4 years taking general electives and classes that don’t require a large amount of work. You will find that a decent majority of the students who go out every night to drink are LAS majors. On the other side you have the engineering, physics, chemistry, and math majors that enjoy the pleasure of spending 4 hours a night studying and pumping out extensive homework. Some of these students tend to be less sociable and more often tend to stay in rather than go out. Depending on who you talk to, its fairly easy to give someone the wrong impression about the school.</p>
<p>I myself am studying aerospace engineering, so I am biased in this sense, but I do enjoy hitting up the bar and frat scene on the weekends when I have time so I like to think that my opinion is fairly reliable.</p>
<p>Personally, the ranking of Illinois in terms of it’s academia and of it’s partying is fair. If you have a degree from Illinois, employers are going to recognize that and if you attend Illinois you will most definitely be around and influenced by the party and greek heavy social life.</p>