| UIUC vs. community college... This is actually a good question!
I attended a community college and then transferred to UIUC. In my experience, the community college actually offered stronger courses at the freshman and sophomore level. Admittedly, the community college was one of the strongest in the US. Regardless, it's not that surprising, when you think about it. Community colleges offer smaller classes, typically 20-30 students. Research universities like UIUC stuff hundreds of students into freshman and sophomore classes.
Also, UIUC tends to be cliquey, homogeneous and intolerant of differences. Someone like you who is from another country might have difficulty being accepted.
Additionally, for most UIUC most students, the lifestyle revolves around getting drunk, to an even greater extent than most other US universities. You'd find a wider range of activities and interests at California universities.
You don't list your gender. Are you male or female? I wouldn't recommend UIUC to women for safety reasons. This is doubly true for an international student, who isn't going to know the unwritten rules people from Illinois know.
US$25,000 per year to attend lecture halls with hundreds of students on a campus with a horrible atmosphere... WHAT?
Whatever you decide, good luck! |