State Universities (Wheaton, Ohio: hoa, maintenance, medical)

[Frank the Tank]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Excuse me?!!! Eveyone in the profession knows the reps of the local schools. Granted, I have seen good nurses from lesser known schools and vice-versa, but not very often. I will say, a few years out, it doesn't matter as much.

I'd second Pittnurse's thoughts here (disclosure: I'm a University of Illinois business grad). Particularly in accounting and business programs, the largest firms (AKA highest-paying firms) will recruit and hire legions of graduates out of places like the University of Illinois, University of Michigan and other Big Ten schools, but will only provide a token spot or two (if that) to the other state schools. I'm not going to argue that you can't learn the exact same things and take the exact same classes at U of I as you can at NIU or EIU, but honestly, M Type X probably had the most accurate assessment: you're paying for the name and alumni base more than anything else. Particularly in competitive markets such as Chicago, school reputation means a fair amount right out of college at least in the private business sector - fair or not, when HR departments pore through thousands of resumes for each position or internship, it's one of the first weed-out factors (and at the very least, your grades are looked at on a sliding scale with respect to where you went to school - the better the school, the more credit you get for good grades and the more benefit of the doubt you get for mediocre grades). That's not to say it becomes less of a factor as you advance farther along in your career, but I think realistically it's important at the beginning.

[donjpma]

For what it's worth, after graduating Danville HS in only the top 25%, I applied to all the state schools b/c I was offered baseball scholarships, including the U of I. Went to Western Illinois b/c they were the most interested and thought I could play sooner. Got the idea of education there (no grad students teaching or lecture halls after freshman year, as mentioned previously), then graduate degrees from Suffolk (Boston) and a PhD from Columbia (NY). Not one employer or graduate school doubted the quality of my undergarduate education. My advice to my daughters was to do undergrad work where they could get what they need/want, then go from there.

[FireForever]

Just from an overall impression- I suggest considering the following option for her:

Get her gen-eds out of the way at Parkland College (Champaign) and then transferring to Eastern Illinois University.....I think that this combo would be respected, rigorous, but FAR FAR more accomodating/less interpersonally damaging that a 4 yr trip thru UI.

I graduated from UI (BS Chemistry) and then went back (20 yrs later) for an AAS at Parkland (personal interest). Though I graduated from UI, I consider Parkland to be an Alma Mater.....As a youngster, I was sucked into the snob appeal of UI's admissions- I wished I'd had checked my ego (which was trounced anyway) and gone for the better education & ego preservation instead.....

UI tended to show no mercy whatsoever with regard to any student which deviated from the ACT 30+/valedictorian/salutatorian formula...I can't imagine being LD at UI and being given much leeway (without unofficial 'behind closed door' derision/disregard being given privately by faculty).

I recently worked as staff at UI (2006-07) and dealt w. profs who did a lot of eye-rolling at LD situations- which were (in fairness) often exploited by some students who were likely not LD. My point being: even though my undergrad experience there is not recent, I don't believe (based on what I heard as staff behind closed doors in 2006-07) that private attitudes are particularly supportive for LD, regardless of official positions which are likely mandated rather than embraced.....though it could be a dept-by-dept thing, too....

Generally: Undergrads are regarded as niggling impediments to the vaunted research which is the primary focus of the profs/grad students (never mind that the IL taxpayer is providing them a sweet deal for the inconvenience of educating undergrads). In short- a teaching award is regarded as a kiss of death to any serious tenure prospect.....

UI is NOT a teaching/undergrad accomodating school- by any stretch of the imagination- even if NOT LD. I suspect it's better now, but only because state/federal regulations force it to be, not bec. of warm-fuzzy humanity inclinations. I was a Natl Merit scholarship recipient/ACT31/valedictorian/Il State Scholar, and I found it tough to defeating at times......had my lab locker broken into, my lab samples stolen (no leeway granted by socially-inverted TAs, etc.), no real humanity from academic types until about jr/sr years (and by then we were all jaded and cynical!).

I really learned how to watch my back there...and it has taken years to undo the damage....and found it even more egregious when I later went to grad school (at a higher ranked school than UI for my field) and found out that others' undergrad experiences were so VERY much better than my own- I really felt cheated then- I would never EVER choose UI again as an undergrad institution knowing what I know now about other options.

Now -otoh- Parkland. Nope- you won't likely hear about it, but I almost think it must be in the Parkland bylaws for instructors that students MUST succeed without watering down standards. I was amazed at my Parkland education- I finally LEARNED the Krebs cycle there! lol - even though I'd passed a 300 level course at UI earlier, I'd never really UNDERSTOOD it till my Anat & Physio instructor explained it- go figure!

In general, Parkland folks (and from what I hear- EIU) were/are far more interested in student skill development and accomplishment (this not even on the radar for undergrads at UI- imho). Many classes at Parkland are graded against the scale (not curved)- which means you aren't penalized for helping each other (all can rise or fall independent of other students' performances). They often will call you if you miss more than one -two classes (I found this hilarious as a 40+ student! lol), but they do help a student learn how to 'do college', and would be far more LD accomodating than UI.

However, it's not a cakewalk- Health Professions is rigorous (4 apps to every 1 admission) and the H/P instructors can be unsympathetic if a test/practical falls on the same day as a funeral, etc. (my girlfriend had to leave her fatherinlaw's funeral dinner to return to Parkland to take a practical that afternoon -they 'accomodated' her by holding her session in the afternoon rather than the morning (where she'd have to miss the funeral)...

Parkland also has a fairly extensive animal science/equine program (though she should consider Blackhawk and NOT UI, or even Parkland, if equine is big on her radar).

I don't know about EIU for animal science....though (based on experience & friends' recommendations), I can RIGOROUSLY recommend against a BS in animal science IF she has no intentions of pursuing either vet school (per DVM), or further graduate work in animal science - it would be MUCH better to go Biology (not even Zoology) instead....

Even the UI DVM admissions people admit that they'd take someone more rigorously prepared (eg: biology/chemistry degree holder) over AnSci, bec. so much of DVM school is hard (bio/physical) sciences...and many AnSci folks aren't properly prepared by the AnSci curriculum (regardless of how intelligent they may be...or the howlings of the ACES admissions councelors....)- again, just based on my personal conversations w. them.....

Regardless of how they spin it in the UI ACES admissions office (and they're widely known for a hardsell)- BSs in AnSci are a dime a dozen, and it qualifies you for precious few jobs with a upwardly mobile career path (the jobs available often have their pick of MS/PhDs in the area, so a BS isn't going to compete.).

I have 3 friends who are UI BS AnSci graduates and 1 friend with an EIU BS Zoology - they are employed either 1) completely out of the AnSci field, or 2) employed as a vet assistant at a lower pay/rank than a Parkland AAS CVT (Certified Vet Tech)- the BS doesn't matter, or 3 & 4) went back for the AAS at Parkland for Vet Tech (you can't sit for the CVT boards if you have a BS; you must have an Axx degree from an accredited vet tech program to sit for boards).

All wish they hadn't initially gone BS AnSci or Zoology- they tell me that they wish they'd majored in Biology instead: you have the option to effectively study all of the same stuff as AnSci/Zoo through your electives, but have much better/broader career options as a BS Biology over BS AnSci. ( a much better 'in' to pharmaceutical firms, etc. than a AnSci degree can offer).

It's generally regarded that an AnSci or Zoology degree is less rigorous than a Bio degree (even if not true)- I would strongly suggest she go Biology over AnSci..... LD or not....

[Drover]

Originally Posted by FireForever

Just from an overall impression- I suggest considering the following option for her:

Get her gen-eds out of the way at Parkland College (Champaign) and then transferring to Eastern Illinois University.....I think that this combo would be respected, rigorous, but FAR FAR more accomodating/less interpersonally damaging that a 4 yr trip thru UI . . .

For at least the third time now, EIU DOES NOT HAVE AN AG PROGRAM.

[Katiana]

I too, took some courses at Parkland College when iving in Champaign. I thought the statistics course I took was a piece of cake, and I am not mathematically oriented. My teacher was a grad student at the U of I.

I don't know where this young lady lives; if she has to rent an apt to go to Parkland she could just as well live at home and go to the community college in her own county. It would save a lot of money. Parkland is not *that* great that it would be worth it, IMO. I actually suggested such a course of action for my own DD, who couldn't figure out where she wanted to go to college. She wouldn't do it; wanted to live away from home. Went to a four year out of state college. Transferred back to CU this year.

But back to the young lady in question: she needs to talk to her guidance counselor about where to go that would be accomodating to her LD. They are the ones to give her proper advice.

[jenrik2714]

Originally Posted by Drover

For at least the third time now, EIU DOES NOT HAVE AN AG PROGRAM.

No he was talking about the BIOLOGY major which EIU does have.

I would also like her to go to a school that is diverse so she doesn't feel left out b/c she is a minority.

Is U of I that cold to LD students? Wow. I am an alum of the U of I system *alum of UIC*

[karlsch]

Townhall.com::Prestige Versus Education::By Thomas Sowell

[nJohn]

Not every school will fit every student -fit is very important. If U of I has what she needs then all by means she should look into it. If it doesn't then don't waste your time - go where her needs are going to be satisfied. Also make sure whatever program she's interested in is solid at that respective school. Other than that it's up to her to pave her future.

[dangaines1]

What about UIS??

How is University of Illinois Springfield as a school? How are its programs??

[CityKidWithAgDegree]

I maybe biased here.... WIU is my alma mater ..... Animal Husbandry was my degree. I graduated with honors from there.

My freshman year I flunked out of the University of Illinois....

U of I is a meat grinder, it's great if you are very self disciplined and a self starter, but it is also very impersonal!

the WIU ag department is all in one building, and less than 2 dozen faculty. You will be taught by a Phd as opposed to a graduate student.

I have 2 kids, as undergrads, i recommend smaller schools. As graduates, then hit the high powered public ivys!

BTW - ISU and SIUC also have agricultural curricula.