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The 5 Best Schools in America

The Top 5 Technical Colleges

Rank #3: University of Illiinois at Urbana Champaign

University of Illiinois at Urbana Champaign

Illinois Seal

601 East John Street
Champaign, Illinios, 61820
(217) 333-1000
www.illinois.edu

The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a public research-intensive university in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the second oldest public university in the state. It is considered a Public Ivy and is a member of the Association of American Universities. The university is designated as a Research facility. The university is comprised of 17 colleges and offers over 150 different programs of study. The campus holds 286 buildings in the cities of Champaign and Urbana.

Foellinger Auditorium

Foellinger Auditorium (Source)

Academics

The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is often regarded as a world-leading magnet for engineering and sciences. The University of Illinois offers a wide range of disciplines in undergraduate and post-graduate programs. It has been a leader in computer based education and hosted the PLATO project. The PLATO project lead to the development of the internet.

Tuition / Finances

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tries to make education possible for students by offering many grants and financial aid. The school also offers merit and need-based scholarships in order to alleviate some of the financial burden from eligible students. The base rate of tuition for a student in the 2011-2012 academic year was approximately $17,500 for resident undergraduates, and $31,000 for non-residents. Please note that tuition rates are subject to change based on the amount of in class hours and the field of study. There are many other fees that students must consider including books, lab fees, meals, incidentals and room and board.

Champaign Urbana area

Champaign Urbana area (Source)

Campus

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a beautiful campus and offers many amenities for students. University housing for undergraduates is provided in over 20 housing complexes for students. All incoming freshman must live in a certified student housing for at least their first year of study at the school. There are a number of private dormitories and houses around campus that offer a more communal living experience. Most students choose to move into apartments or  Greek houses after their first year of on-campus residence. There are a wide variety of libraries for students to use, many catering to specific fields of study like engineering. There are more then 20 departmental or school libraries for students to study and research at. The school also has an airport named Willard Airport located in Savoy. The University also tries to maintain a sustainable environment and is constantly looking to improve.

UIUC Alma Mater Commencement Week

UIUC Alma Mater Commencement Week (Source)

Student Life

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign boasts over 1,000 active registered student organizations. The school aims to offer students ways of pursuing their interests socially while creating a community. The school has the largest Greek system in the world in terms of membership. There are currently 68 fraternities and 36 sororities on campus. There are many different organizations including; music, communications, dance, intermural sports and more.

Sports

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is part of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. The university participates in the NCAA’s Division I. The university’s athletic teams are known as the Fighting Illini. The school has many state-of-the-art athletic facilities, including Memorial Stadium and the Assembly Hall. The University of Illinois is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Notable songs commonly played and sung at various athletic games are: Illinois Loyalty, Oskee Wow Wow, and Hail to the Orange.

Alumni

There are many notable alumni who accredit the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with much of their success including two-time Nobel Prize winner in Physics, John Bardeen. Structural engineer great, Fazir Rahman Khan is also a graduate. Many companies have also been created by graduates including; Netscape Communications, PayPal, Playboy, National Football League, YouTube and more.