Is UIS University of Illinois Springfield a good school? (Champaign: job, medicine)

[Justcruisin']

I personally think the honors program may be more stimulating for students. It may offer them the challenge that they seek or that they weren't getting elsewhere. On the other hand, if it is just more busy work, it may not be worth it. A more rigorous curriculum may also help prepare the students for harder classes as they go through their terms and may better prepare them for post graduate enterance exams.

I don't really think that 17 and 18 year-olds know where they will thrive the best. They may think a bigger school is for them versus a smaller school. Many students transfer for that very reason. We can see from this forum that the honors program can be interpreted differently by different person. Therefore there clearly isn't a right or wrong answer. I guess we will just make a decision and see how it goes. If she doesn't like the decision that she made, she can transfer to another school. The most important thing is that she is getting an education. Like I have said to my kids; jobs can be taken away from you but your education is yours to keep forever!!

[aragx6]

So very true.

[runninfiend]

Speaking as someone who took a graduate degree there in the late 90's, UIS is a very good school. It was not my first choice at the time, but I took it due to my sig. other getting a good job in Springfield.

Turned out to be a great situation, was able to get a G.A. gig that paid tuition and a stipend, great professors, vibrant campus, good arts scene, affordable (even though my degree was free).

That said, I think the campus has changed quite a bit even since my time there. Remember that UIS started out as Sangamon State in the 1970s, a progressive type of place that drew lots of radical professors, no letter grades but rather written evaluations, ala' Evergreen State College in Oregon.

See: http://www.dennisfox.net/uis/state-agent.html for a history of the early days from one of those professors.

By the late 90's when I was there, a few of those radical old guard were there, but the University was making a conscious decision to wipe out its roots and become "respectable."

Just after I left in '99, they started admitting Freshman, making it a true four year institution, and building shiny new facilities and dorms.

The campus of today looks quite a bit different. There is pretty much no sign that I've found on subsequent campus visits that Sangamon State was once an educational alternative; UIS now looks like pretty much like every other state university.

I make no value judgments, but this has been the evolution of the school. My own personal time there was enjoyable, and that sense of being the upstart little brother to the larger U of I institutions (I would wager that most UIUC students have probably never even heard of UIS) made it interesting.

I guess some of that rebellious spirit was still around, but not to the detriment of the level of education. My graduate education was something I cherish and never have I regretted my decision to attend UIS rather than a bigger name school, even though I had the opportunity.

Hopefully at least some vestiges of that spirit are still visible, although I have to wonder.

[Justcruisin']

Thank you for that piece of history. That was very interesting.

[aragx6]

I totally agree, rep points your way for sure.

[illini84]

No. If you said you went to UIS (even within Illinois), I think most people would respond with "where?". It has aesthetically decent campus, but it's not in the rankings for anything and isn't well-known. It's largely a commuter school. Not to say you'd get a poor education there, but it lacks prestige (and all that goes along with going to a school not well known). Overall--if you can get into somewhere else--do it. Maybe try Southern Illinois University (Carbondale).

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by illini84

No. If you said you went to UIS (even within Illinois), I think most people would respond with "where?". It has aesthetically decent campus, but it's not in the rankings for anything and isn't well-known. It's largely a commuter school. Not to say you'd get a poor education there, but it lacks prestige (and all that goes along with going to a school not well known). Overall--if you can get into somewhere else--do it. Maybe try Southern Illinois University (Carbondale).

I wouldn't suggest SIUC over UIS. I don't think that SUIC really has prestige in the state.

[aragx6]

At least the bulk of people from Illinois, as well as people from St. Louis have heard of it.

[illini84]

Originally Posted by aragx6

At least the bulk of people from Illinois, as well as people from St. Louis have heard of it.

Exactly. SIUC is a large Division I school, which the majority of the people in the Midwest have heard of. If you said you went to UIS, most people would respond with "where"? I grew up in Illinois and had NEVER heard of the tiny UIS until a high school classmate went there. From the few times I visited her, it seemed like UIS has no real college campus, as SIUC does. Coming from a native Illinoisan, UIS is considered a joke. The people who go there either are commuters or people who couldn't get into the "real" University of Illinois (in Champaign) or any other significant University.

[jenrik2714]

Originally Posted by illini84

Exactly. SIUC is a large Division I school, which the majority of the people in the Midwest have heard of. If you said you went to UIS, most people would respond with "where"? I grew up in Illinois and had NEVER heard of the tiny UIS until a high school classmate went there. From the few times I visited her, it seemed like UIS has no real college campus, as SIUC does. Coming from a native Illinoisan, UIS is considered a joke. The people who go there either are commuters or people who couldn't get into the "real" University of Illinois (in Champaign) or any other significant University.

Why do graduates of the UIUC so arrogant? Why do they look down on other U of I campuses?
I went to UIC, not because I couldn't get into UIUC but I couldn't afford to go away. I did not have rich parents liket he majority of UIUC students. I think UIC introduced me to the real world.
I am sick of some UIUC graduates and how arrogant they are.

If you want to go to UIS, make sure it is a right fit for you. Ultimately, it is your education not anyone else. If you feel comfortable at UIS, go for it.