University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Academics

Large Classes, but Accessible Professors and Teaching Assistants.

I'm currently a molecular and cellular biology major with a chemistry minor. The academics are not easy, but they are manageable as long as you put in the time and effort into studying and doing homework. The professors are all very knowledgeable and I am always learning something new. Because lectures are usually very large and professors cannot focus their attention on a single student during class, they will always have office hours for you to go and talk to them outside of class. They also have TA's (teaching assistants) that have office hours and are are available to answer your questions.

Kinesiology Courses at the University of Illinois

The University of Illinois offers a variety of courses in relation to one's major or not. Within the College of Applied Health Sciences, specifically those majoring in Kinesiology, provide hands-on experience classes that focus on exercise science components. As a pre-physicaly therapy student, I've had the opportunity to learn about various aspects of movement and health that are related to my overall career goals. In addition to physical therapy, I'm also studying pedagogy and will graduate with a certificate enabling me to teach physical education in grades K-12. The pedagogy classes provide a great deal of learning experience, especially within the school settings. Specifically, KIN 362 and 363 taught by Gary Crull and David Daum, expect future educators to experience the school setting by teaching a total of 9 lessons to both middle and high school students. Lesson plans were required for each teaching module in addition to a reflection based on how the lesson went (i.e. what went well, what could be improved, etc). Each lesson was recorded and provided additional feedback to what the instructors witnessed. Overall, the quality of these courses is extremely high, especially those taught by Gary Crull. He prepares you for the future and takes every opportunity to engage and help his past and current students.

U of I

Our school offers excellent academic opportunities but the curriculum is very rigorous and takes a lot of effort. The workload can be pretty heavy but it depends on your major. Our libraries on campus are always full and bustling with people but the plus side is they usually have coffee shops in the library or near one. The professors expect a lot from the students and lectures are usually pretty boring. The registration process is stressful because they never offer the classes i need to graduate in 4 years.