Choosing The Right College School Spotlight: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Written by Elyse Krantzon October 23rd, 2018 I became interested in the college admissions process after serving as a student tour guide in the admissions office of my alma mater. After graduating, I accepted an admissions counseling position at Bennington College in Vermont where I evaluated applications and reviewed art portfolios from students across the country. Three years later, after pursuing my master's degree in New York City, I joined the admissions staff at Barnard College where I served as a senior admissions officer. At Barnard, I directed Long Island and Boston recruitment in addition to managing the College's alumnae interview program, coordinating admissions statistics, and editing various college publications. Having also served as an alumni interviewer for Dartmouth College and visited over 75 colleges, I feel especially well-equipped to help students prepare for admission interviews and campus tours. Learn More About Elyse choosing the right college, college lists, There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school! School Spotlight: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL As the public flagship institution of the Prairie State, the University of Illinois has well-known strengths in academics (engineering and business in particular), study abroad (over 400 programs to choose from!) and athletics (21 NCAA teams combined with a whole lot of Illini pride). But we’ve uncovered a few facts about Illinois that may surprise you. (1) Every year, Illinois is consistently a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, with 13 student receiving awards in 2017-18. (2) Students with physical disabilities receive exceptional support here, from accessible living accommodations (complete with personal care assistants) to one of the country’s most active and accessible public transportation systems. (3) Students looking to stay fit will love Illinois’ Activities and Recreation Center. The ARC features a 35-foot climbing wall, 12 racquetball courts, hundreds of machines and weights (over 25 ellipticals), and two 50-meter swimming pools (one indoor, one outdoor). (4) Illinois offers over 160 majors, including unique options such as jewelry design; nuclear engineering; and public policy & law. (5) The U of I student body is both diverse and spirited, with 15 percent of undergrads hailing from overseas, and nearly one-quarter of students participating in Greek life. Fun bonus fact: Congratulations to sociology and law professor Rebecca Sandefur on her recent win of a MacArthur “genius grant” Fellowship! Photo credit: Top, Courtesy of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Related Resources Read | Posted on March 26th, 2024 California Colleges and Universities: A Treasure Trove of Opportunities Read | Posted on March 5th, 2024 The Top 3 Campus Safety Myths Read | Posted on March 1st, 2024 Celebrating International Women’s Day: Is a Women’s College Right for You?
