Illinois State University
Reviews

Thirsty Thursdays

Since I have been enjoying the bar scene now that I am 21+ the most fun I have is at the bars on thursday.

Illinois State's Atmosphere

Illinois state has a friend and well rounded atmosphere. While there is a small downtown for attractions and good eats, it is close to a movie theater, offers bowling and billiards, many activities throughout the year and on most weekends, and is close to many popular restaurants as well as a shopping mall.

Lots of Drugs

I don't do drugs or alcohol, and for me there are way too many raging parties featuring marijuana and LOTS of alcohol. Almost all students participate in these parties, so if you don't want to go, like me, you kind of have to deal with pretty boring weekends. However, if you like to party, this is the school for you.

Resnet Is Terrible.

The university uses resnet for internet and there are constant updates to it. Wifi is unreliable and doesn't work in the library half the time.

Good

Illinois State has a good blend of people. I would say that the population at Illinois State represents the normal population well. There are many attractive people and some not so attractive, but there is someone for everyone.

No Judgement, Cool People

Everyone on campus is really friendly. No one judges anyone. You'll meet someone new almost every day, and find it's really easy to start conversations with people.

Great Food, Somewhat Pricey

All of the options off of campus are really good. They all have amazing food, and there's lots of places to choose from. The only downfall is the price. Most places are a little expensive, and most college students are broke.

Finance

The program focuses on gen-eds freshman and sophomore years and then junior and senior years are almost entirely devoted to finance. Sophomore year students do take a couple general business classes like BUS100 which expose them to all aspects of business to ensure that finance is what they really want to do. There are a number of professional clubs as well such as FMA which help students to network. Most professors are helpful and have real world experience as well. Also with StateFarm and Nationwide in town there are a number of speakers as well as internship opportunities that will be available throughout the year.

In General

Some students are simply here to party, but otherwise, everyone is friendly.

Housing

Loved Waterson Towers at ISU, food was great. I liked it alot.

Decent

ISU gas a great rec center that was just completed in 2011. It has everything from a swimming pool to an indoor hockey ring. Also, the library has a phenomenal selection of any book fathomable, and if it can't be found, they will order it.

Always Somewhere to Go

At Illinois State, most underage students go to apartment or house parties. We have bars, but they are for students who are 21 or older. Greek life is pretty popular, but it is not the only option available for going out at night. Parties are a great way to meet new people and relax after a stressful week. Drinking is not pushed on anyone, plenty of students do not drink and they still have a blast when they go out. The university also has events every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night as an alternative to going to parties.

New Rec Center

One of my favorite new places to go is the new recreation center that was built right on Illinois State University's quad. The rec center is equipped with a swimming pool, track, treadmills, basically every piece of equipment needed to have a great work out with friendly staff and amazing group fitness classes. There are also two libraries on campus, the Bone Student Center, and plenty of restaurants for when students are tired of eating dorm food!

The CPA Is Awesome

I reccommend that everyone go see a play or musical or dance performance at the Center for Performing Arts. We are highly underrated, but give some of the best performances. We work hard and would love to show it off to people.

Surprised by the Lack

I started at ISU with some preconceived notions about the type of students that would be there, never having experienced a state school before. I was quite surprised by the fact that somewhere around 2/3s or more of students were white and with an average household income approaching 6 figures.

It manages to stay out of the C or worse range thanks to the, as far as I could see, positive GLBT climate on campus.

Blo-No? Blo-Yes (Hah)

Bloomington-Normal is what one would expect of a decent sized college town, with a combined non-student population around 100k. There are two malls, just about any food type you could crave within driving distance, and you can always drive or take the Amtrak for a weekend trip to Chicago if you crave something much larger. Blo-No also has a large state school, a small private liberal arts school, a community college, and small 2-yr liberal arts school along with a school of cosmetology, leading to a town that greatly values it's education.

Safety

In college, I always felt safe. Campus was well lit & always packed with students, no matter what time of day. I felt as though ISU students stuck together & always looked out for one another. Although, I wouldn't think twice about leaving any doors unlocked.

Big Campus, Small Town Feel

There is a community that surrounds the school so there is a lot of rich history and many of the community members are willing to talk to you about their experiences. It's great when you get to talk to them.

Ask for Student Discounts

A lot of restaurants have student discounts (movies included), but you have to ask to find out.

Midevil Combat Club

We have a midevil combat club, which is different from most campuses, I think. They are always fun to watch or join.

Academics Are Pretty Good

Most professors are pretty good at explaining the material and helping out when a student doesn't understand. Go into office hours or email them whenever you have a question. They do help.

Great Friends

I have made some awesome friends and would never change a thing. Professors are also helpful for the most part and assist students whenever they need it. Overall, great experience.

Sometimes Options Get Boring

A lot of times they offer the same thing week after week so finding new things to get can get tough. The trick is to figure out what you really want or else pizza is always the best option.

Party Bus to the Bars

Most people take the party bus to downtown Bloomington. It is the best because you get to drink on them and its never that much money ($3).

Permits Help

Many people who live off campus or commute to school buy parking permits to park in the many lots available. This is often the best idea because if you park at a meter or somewhere you are not supposed to, you will get a ticket.