Nova10

ISU is supposed to be ranked below all the Universities of Illinois. The UIs are supposed to be the top schools. I doubt ISU is going to become a top 50 research school, like UIUC and UIC, anytime soon. They can't be on the level of the Universities of Illinois.

UCLA, Ph.D.

Where is U of Chicago? That is the best university in the state

2) Northwestern
3) UIUC
4) UIC

dbwes

madeinillinois -- While ranking schools is a fun game, go where you are most comfortable and where you feel you will be most personally successful. Better to excel at a school that others consider "third tier" than to be miserable/fail at another school.
Ultimately, you will open the doors for yourself, not the name of the college you went to.

MadeInIllinois

Can't believe I forgot Illinois Wesleyan and Knox College - I have a campus trip to Wesleyan this coming May and probably dig some more info on Knox College (my dad tipped on it, so I'll see what's it about).

The atmosphere at U of C is not for. I never was the type of person who studies at the library all weekends (not saying all U of C students are like this); I visited it this past month and liked the campus but the atmosphere is not for me. My sister is currently a graduate student at U of C and we are completely different when it comes to studying. Bottom line: I know for a fact I won't succeed in such a school.

UCLA, Ph.D.

Yeah some people are afraid of hard work. Try UI-Springfield that sounds like your pace.

MadeInIllinois

I didn't mean to come across as lazy and/or unmotivated - the atmosphere at U of C isn't for me.

fangsup15

Just Curious, how do DePaul and Loyola match-up head to head? Pros, cons, etc... I really like them both from their websites but haven't been able to hear much about either.

I'm looking to apply to one (or both as Loyola is a Free App.) and might be visiting the Chicago area to see them both as well as U o C and maybe UIC....

dbwes

Loyola is a Jesuit school with three campuses -- the traditional residential campus on the lakefront in the north side neighborhood of Rogers Park; a downtown campus mainly for business; and a medical campus in the west suburbs. Traditionally, Loyola has been the stronger school academically, but went through some very hard times in the late 80s/90s both financially and administratively. Is now bouncing back. They just built a beautiful new high-tech addition to the library at the Rogers Park campus and have lots of other new construction planned. Still very strong in the health sciences, pre-med, nursing, etc. Rogers Park campus can be a little rough around the edges. Easy train ride downtown.
DePaul, which as I say used to have less academic cachet, rode a different train in the 80s, 90s, got to be a "hot" school because of its incomparable location in the trendy Lincoln Park neighborhood and because of the basketball team. Built a new library, new student center, new rec center, etc. Extremely appealing urban campus. Also has a second campus downtown for business and law. Still known best in town for accounting and computer science. Median ACTs a little lower than Loyola's.
Both schools have more girls than boys and are still not 100% residential -- though dorm numbers have risen dramatically since the 1980s, many students still commute.
Both schools take full advantage of their settings in Chicago for internships, cultural events -- and the students go out into the city for a good time.
Hope that helps.

fangsup15

Thanks for the input!

I still have no preference over the other and am going to have to visit to really distinguish which school is right for me. I don't know if this tips the scale, but I am interested in the History/Government/Politics/Int'l Relations/Foreign Language field of majors and would prefer a school with a wide variety of language classes along with plenty of study-abroad options.

It's hard - whenever I put them head to head they cancel each other out in every other category. Hopefully it doesn't come down to both and I get into Chicago instead (looooong shot).

jenrik2714

"Yeah some people are afraid of hard work. Try UI-Springfield that sounds like your pace"

Some people actually want to enjoy college. Some people do not like the atmosphere of U of C, it does not mean they are lazy.

UCLA, Ph.D.

"Some people actually want to enjoy college."

Ok. Obviously you have not read any threads by U of C students.

ferryboat10

If you're interested in international affairs, Loyola runs programs in Beijing and Rome that are easy to get into and very affordable.

MadeInIllinois

Okay, okay. I know for a fact that I'll do fine w/o U of C. It's a fine school but it's not for me. And jenrick and UCLA that was uncalled for - you both I assume are college graduates and are doing fine due to your respective schools so stop the crap.

jenrik2714

He had made a statement and I responded to it
I was trying to help your cause

Thank You

idic5

Treetopleaf, do you know how many Ruggs pgms are present in IWU? It is a small LAC, but thought I 'd ask.

also-UIC has a strong philosohy pgm, too. But agree that UIUC is the state flagship. But more than academics, you are living at the school for four yrs. UIC is right in the center of the city of chicago along the 'el' and you can get anywhere you want on the train/bus system - both the intra-city trains as well as the suburban metra system. So there is a different feel there - depends on what you want. There (must be) more diversity at UIC than UIUC, if that is your thing, too. Don't know the exact stats. I went to uic and had visiting philosophy profs from oxford, harvard and u of c, among other places. Only afterwards did I find out how well regarded that pgm was. I saw tons of int'l and a variety of ethnic group too.