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I am considering applying for a semester exchange scheme between my university here in England and the university of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. I like my university, but I would love to experience a different school and a wider range of courses which Illinois would provide. However, I've never been there and am a little nervous as to what I would be letting myself in for.
So I was wondering - did anyone here go there for school? Or even visit? Any tips to help me make up my mind?
Posts: 119 | Registered: Nov 2003
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It seemed nice enough when I visited my friends there. I always kinda intended to go there, but never actually did. The campus was nice enough, but I generally visited on weekends when classes weren't in session, so it never seemed like a very busy place to me, and I never actually walked around on the campus, just drove by it a few times.
Just make sure you go visit La Bamba's and get a "Burrito as Big as Your Head." Good stuff.
Posts: 1323 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I can't imagine anyone who would come all the way from England to live in the midwest. I mean, it's definitely America, but it's not where I'd like to go for my American experience. Is there much outside of Urbana-Champaign proper, besides terribly, terribly, flat land? I'd pick a Coast: New York, Boston, San Fran, or Seattle, but that's me and my time in the midwest was distressing. I'm a city guy and my sensibilities may not match-up with those of the good people of hatrack.
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Its a pretty large campus, but well organized so you don't have to run to all sides.
What are you studying? A large University like UIUC offers many diverse courses, which I found great. I really like the campus as well. It is pretty and has a large quad (big lawn area with buildings around it) to study and socialize in.
The only drawback to UIUC is that Champaign-Urbana is a pretty decent sized town, but the only towns around it are farm towns. It is a 3 hour drive to Chicago and a little more to St. Louis if you go South.
You can email me with specific questions if you'd like.
Posts: 1777 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Thanks! I'm at York at the moment, which is a lovely, pretty town, although it's a little quiet. I just wanted to know if I would be making a mistake by applying to the scheme, since I'd never even heard of Urbana Champaign before last week - and there's no-one here who will give me an unbiased opinion.
Christy - If I get a place, I'll maybe e-mail you to find out more, but I think I probably will apply - you've reassured me.
DanielW2 - are you a fresher? How's Durham treating you?
Posts: 119 | Registered: Nov 2003
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History student here. I've never been to Durham, but I've heard good things about it. I can't believe that it's almost Christmas - where has this term gone? It's nice not to feel quite so 'new' here though.
Posts: 119 | Registered: Nov 2003
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I went there, been gone about 2 and a half years now. The campus really is beautiful, but watch out for the smell coming off the south farms if the wind is blowing right. The campus is small enough that you can walk across it in about 20 to 30 minutes depending on walking speed, and it has most everything you could want. Except a major city, but C-U is about 100,000 native, so it's okay. The one thing I really liked about it was the huge diversity of students (though not necessarily in terms of background, more like interests and such).
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Yeah, I thought I remembered something about that, something about new buildings, or a closer golf course or something. Can't remember exactly what it was, but I don't know if it's been done yet.
Posts: 609 | Registered: Apr 2003
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