As of now, this is at the top of my list as far as in state schools go. My biggest problem is I have no knowledge of anything in or around this town. I hear it is a very boring place where there is not much to do besides get drunk. Is this true? I really like to hike and be outdoors, so are there any good trails and state parks in or near city limits? And what is there to do in the city itself besides party/drink?
When I visited, there were a few streets of shops/restaurants. It’s a pretty small, standard college town. I think most of the stuff that’s going on happens on campus (and there’s a lot going on there). I heard the same thing about the partying/getting drunk. In fact, my dad said when he went to UIUC for grad school, his only social activity was going to bars LOL We visited together, and he did comment that the area has gotten much more vibrant since he went to UIUC.