<p>At orientation I met a lot of students from Illinois. Is there a reason why they dont attend school in-state? Reason why I am asking in my younger sister is looking at the University of Illinois for Fall 2014. Is it an issue about scholarship and aid?</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>Yankee3311, I am not sure about other’s situation but here is our story. My son wanted to attend U of I (premed) since freshman year. Each year he has made it to state finals in Science Olympiad. Every year we go down, the science buildings seem to become more and more dilapidated. These are the buildings he would be spending the majority of time in. Secondly, very little money is given in scholarship. Indiana has supplied us with both. With the scholarship money he has received, tuition is equal to in-state at U of I. That is our situation. Besides that, Indiana has a beautiful campus, has treated him like he is a rockstar, and basketball . . . what more can I say! :-)</p>
<p>Thanks…I agree 100% on all the positives about IU. I am in the same type of situation IU was cheaper for me tthan any comparable school in California. There is very little merit money and the colleges are impacted in California</p>
<p>It is an excellent university, not too far from Chicago. It is stronger than all state universities in Illinois outside of UIUC and not everyone who tries to to get into UIUC is able to so many go to regional Big Ten schools like Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Indiana.</p>
<p>UIUC is a very good school, so don’t let the high number of Illinois students attending IU deter your sister from considering it. My husband and I are UIUC alumni, but my daughter, Illinois resident incoming IU freshman, barely even considered UIUC. For her, it may have just been that she didn’t want to do what mom and dad wanted her to do! I think two major reasons why there are so many Illinois residents attending IU are: (1) it’s easier to get into IU than UIUC, so many students may use IU as a backup to UIUC, (2) with merit aid the cost of IU is pretty much the same as UIUC in-state tuition. But for my daughter is was much more than that - the beautiful campus, the Kelley reputation, the amount of attention she got from IU, etc. These UIUC alumni parents are very confident she made a good choice with IU.</p>
<p>I am an incoming freshman at IU and I looked at Illinois. For me, I just didn’t find it very impressive compared to IU. Indiana has such a nicer campus and atmosphere, I felt at home there. Illinois is ridiculously expensive for a state school, with the amount of merit aid I got from IU, it is much cheaper.</p>