One might expect some tentative and even negative opinions about any school, but this is truly not the case here at U of I. Students are proud of U of I’s history, proud of is academic accomplishments, proud of the social opportunities it offers, and, most of all, they are proud to be alumni. For so many students to view their choice to come here as an unequivocally good one is a fantastic testament to the University’s strength.
Of course students here have plenty to complain about—the weather, the parking, the Greek social scene, the rural location. But all things considered, the positive points of the U of I experience tipped the scale—the University’s academic excellency, the safety, the social atmosphere, the athletic tradition, the city’s excellent transportation system. Some students admitted that they had a hard time adjusting, that they occasionally wished they had made another decision—but in the end, they were all happy to be here. The most encouraging fact was that so many people mentioned that they were leaving as better people, more knowledgeable, eclectic, and better equipped to navigate through life. University of Illinois students do not just leave with a piece of paper in their hands, they leave with a wealth of experience that is not easily rivaled—and, for in-staters, without enormous debt burdens to face when they graduate.