I cannot express how much I dislike this school. Secondary education majors are given the most unnecessary amount of work with uncaring teachers and advisors but supposedly this is a top school for education. This school does not care about its students at all. We have had to come to class in the most insane weather conditions (some of us walk 20 minutes to class every day) read more

One daughter already attending and a second one attending in the fall at ISU. This is a great college with many major options. This school is known for education and has a great nursing program, but not the only options for majors. One daughter majoring in communications and the other in Social Work. We attended Preview this weekend and I was very impressed with all of the education provided to students and parents. Students were able to register for classes and get their student ID so that is all taken care of before school starts in the fall. My daughter had a great time and met many new students! read more

See all

Teachers are not good and neither are the SDepts or Chairman's. I've called and emailed and little had been done to take care of problems. They want more $$$ coming out of your butt. Even though you get scholarships you'll also have to get loans . I DESPISE THIS SCHOOL! I'm NOT THE ONLY 1 WHO GAVE THIS SCHOOL 1 STAR! ​ read more

You'll assume that because this is a major "state" school, you're going to be meeting all kinds of students from all notable parts Illinois but in reality, most of the students here are from ghost towns, sleepy suburbs, and rural parts of Illinois. A lot of the students here are from suburbs you've never even heard off before. There is nothing mainstream, world class,or international about ISU... absolutely nothing. Most of students here have only been to Chicago a hand full of times in their life and if you're from the Chicagoland/Chicago suburbs area like myself, you will quickly realize you have absolutely nothing in common with 95% of the student body here. There is definitely a specific type of audience this school attracts and I would think twice about coming to this school if you seek a truly mainstream college experience....UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE A TEACHER.....This school churns out teachers like a Turkey farm....Teaching is what this school is known for....Aside from the teaching program at this school, I wouldn't advise any from the Chicagoland area or any bustling lively city to attend this school. Actually, if you remove the teaching programs, I.S.U is a pointless school. I attended this school for only a year and a half....by the end of my 1st semester during sophomore year, I KNEW DEEP WITHIN MY SPIRIT THAT I WAS WASTING MY YOUTH AND MONEY at this school....One of the reasons why I got tricked and bamboozled into attending I.S.U was because most of my teachers in highschool attended ISU...because most of my teachers in highschool attended this school, I automatically thought it would be an excellent choice for me. If you have no interest in being a teacher, scratch this school off of your list. If you are an international student or a student hailing from a major city, don't even waste your time applying to this place. read more

I graduated here a few (*cough*) years ago. Now that I've been out on the streets for a while, I thought I'd weigh in on my alma mater. Education Program: If you are going to be a teacher, especially a teacher in Illinois, do not go anywhere else. This is hands-down the best teaching school in the state. They take the education program very seriously and are very good at what they do. Teaching in General: ISU believes in small class sizes and having professors actually teach. Compared to larger state schools and research institutions, this isn't always the case. While not all professors are necessarily good teachers, you at least have access to them. My experience with the History Department and the Education Department was positive in this respect. Value for Money: It is hard, if not impossible, to justify the cost. And the fees. The fees never end. When I look back at my years at ISU, I mostly remember endless ass-raping with no lube. I'm surprised they don't have pay toilets and coin-operated drinking fountains. Sure, relative to other schools, ISU is on the less expensive side. But it's hard to justify $9k tuition, $7k room & board (not counting other fees and living expenses). So, let me get this straight: you want me to pay you $64k so that I can go earn nothing as a teacher? Hmm.... maybe I should have been a math major so I could understand this better Social Scene: It's downstate Illinois. It's what you make of it. Bars are fun. House parties are fun. The cops like to crack down on house parties once or twice a year, but still. If you want a major scene, you need to go to school in NYC. The Town Itself: Ah, Bloomington-Normal, where I wasted away my formative years. The town seems to have a love-hate relationship with the University, especially the student body. Yet, they have no problem accepting all the cash the students pump into the local economy. In any event, most of the townies are decent people, even though there are a high % of wack-job born-again extremists. I don't blame them for getting sick of an army of 18-22 year old kids descending on their town in a drunken stupor. The Student Body: A lot of suburbanites who can't figure out what to do after high-school, couldn't get into a good school, don't want to start work quite yet, might as well go waste several thousand dollars of mommy and daddy's money. Many of them are weeded out by their sophomore year. Other core constituents include future teachers, townies that aren't ready to leave the nest, and people who don't want to pay for UIUC. These populations combine to produce some good parties, some intelligent discourses, and some great scenery on the quad in the early fall and late spring. Overall: Within a month of graduating, it no longer mattered what emblem was on my piece of paper (degree), just that I had one. Since the day I graduated, I've referred to my degree as my "receipt". I would have the same opinion of any non-ivy league school. In all, ISU is what you make of it. With a little work and some research, you can have a great experience. All the tools are available, you just have to be a little on the aggressive side in finding them. If you're not-so-diligent, you'll end up with a mediocre experience and blame it on the university. read more

You brought me my closest friends, how can I ever repay you!? (And no, that wasn't an open door to call for donations) I will always remember you fondly...along with all the great memories had here... totally drunk and not so drunk... It really brings a tear to my eye thinking of all the fun and work college was. (but lets be serious...it was way more fun than work) Anyone who can call themselves an alum of this wonderful institution is lucky :) read more

While my favorite teacher from my major has retired, I highly recommend the Deaf and Hard of Hearing sequence in Special Education. I was over-prepared for the field of Deaf Education, and was often times ahead of the game compared to other grads. With Northern's program folding, MacMurray doesn't even begin to compare! While I had a blast with campus life, there are so many options to keep yourself busy here! Not to mention the bread at Avanti's! Yum!!! read more

This University is all about the money grab. They MAKE students stay on campus - even though there is no in person classes. Make you stay on campus for Freshman and sophomore year - housing department is not helpful and just want everyone on campus because they want that money. Housing says they have all of these studies about how it is better, but the past year was not a normal year, the dorms were a prison cell instead, yet the university wants to keep kids locked up, cant have any friends over, or to go other dorms. Completely ridiculous stance by the university but wont let you move out either. Parking is a mess on campus. Campus parking patrol- will give you a ticket every hour if your car is not moved. Dining halls were promoted and sold to prospective students as being so good. NOT TRUE! Dining halls are horrible, many times only 1 food option. The dining hall workers are rude and hate their jobs. You can not get your own condiments even, they have act like a packet of salt or ketchup is coming out of their paycheck. Have to get your food and go eat in solitary confinement of your room. Whole experience was horrible, and they did not care at all. They just want you to pay and got to your cell. Not one in person class, and professors were so lazy and unhelpful. Professors internet connection were so poor that every class was full of glitches and pauses. Hard to learn online as is, with out poor internet. Could not ask questions in zoom classes, and most professors took forever to reply to email and questions. Professors are not required to reply but if your home work was 1 minute late, it was graded as LATE. Professors needed to be graded and paid on their responsiveness. The administration of the University overall seemed uninvolved and did not care. Who ever is in charge of the professors needs to step up and set some standards that are required to be followed. Classes, lectures, labs, response times, how to access class materials, etc. I had one professor who did not reply to 1 email all semester, he gets away with that... guess they have it all figured out and can get away with that...thats why they dont work in the real world. read more

Illinois State University, you gotta love it. Every fall, the town of (Normal, which it is anything but) increases by 75% to allow for all the university kids to live, learn, grow, and drink in excess. Upon ariving you may see the local Delta Chi Fraternity guys holding up signs reading "Fathers, drop your daughters off here." In a school that specializes in education, it is a males dream. The ratio of guys to girls is about 1:4. The nightlife isnt like your typical "Lets go to the bars, and have our over 21 friends sneek us drinks." It is more of a house party town. You can just walk the streets of normal and find well over a dozen partys that are open to the public. If you cant find a party, just head over to our famous Cherry st. and all your wishes of drinking come true. This street always has something going on. If house, or block partys arnt your thing, and your female you can do the fraternity partys which go on from thursday till saterday. If your male make sure there is a 3:1 female to male ratio in your group to get in. Or find someone in the house you wish to party at before it happens and make friends with them. I hear the Delta Sigs are a pretty good house to go to. Some say that frat guys are assholes for not letting most guys in, I say its population controll. As for food we have all the finest fast food you can dream of, with the exception of white castle. We have a 24 hour Mcy D's. Dennys for your late night hungoverness, and El Famous Burrito, which i really dont like but hey thats me. We also have nice resterants to eat at, so try to con your parents to go to them when they come to visit. They include but are not limited to, Damons ( a nice sports grill that serves only the best steaks, as you watch the game on one of four huge screen tv's), Biaggies for your italian delight, as well as Lone Star, Mings China Buffet, Olive Garden (Ask for me), Outback, Chillies, Steak and Shake just to name a few. Over all i love this town, if your 18-26 and dont like the bars, this is the place for you. read more

The thing I liked best about my daughter's graduation from Illinois State (besides my getting 3, count them 3 kids through college) is their graduations. Sure the pomp and circumstance was there, (naturally). But the really, really, GOOD thing, was when my daughter was graduating they really picked up the pace. They rocketed those names out one after another. It STILL felt like 3 hrs. But at least they made an effort to do it quickly! read more

parking is a nightmare (no cameras in the parking decks & costs 300$ for a pass but never any spots available), food is just as good as prison food, broken elevators constantly in the dorms, overpriced housing. Also, the counselors are not helpful. The best way I can describe ISU is that it's a business that's ran by the rich (who take from poor college students). They also did nothing to help students out during covid. All they want is your money. Dining hall is always out of food. And 80% of my professors were entitled and pushed their own opinions instead of actually teaching, or they had TAs teach the class who barely spoke English. ISU really scamming their students. read more

My biggest issue while at ISU was the parking. I feel I shouldn't have to come hours early just to get a parking spot. If you pay for parking then it should be available. My first semester I would have to park in a gravel parking lot that was no where near my classes. Not complaining because at least I got a parking spot. Then ISU sold that lot to the apartment complex across the street. Great even less parking! They should change their parking policy during finals week. Milner is open 24 hours yet you're still not allowed to park in the lots between certain hours. You could park in the visitor's lot while it's open. However, it's an inconvenience to have to go move your vehicle to the student lot before the arms go down. Sorry, I don't want to have to gather my things and quit studying because of a crappy parking policy. I got a ticket for parking in the regular lot an hour before scheduled times during finals week. I challenged the ticket and got it reversed. They acknowledge I was right but had to be petty and include a photo of the sign stating the parking policy. One other small issue. I previously attended SIUC. I transferred in. Once I was a student there I was classified no differently than the students who started out as freshman. When I transferred in to ISU, I learned they continue to make a distinction between first year students and transfer students. I found this out after applying for the Comm program. There was a checklist of what was expected of transfer students. I assumed, like at SIUC, this was stuff I needed to do before I transferred in. I went to the workshops they mandated. That's when I learned it was all for nothing because I had to wait until I started attending to go through all this. You have been placed with the mark of the transfer student! Dun dun dun! read more

You can't really write a review about a university, one person's experience varies greatly from the next. That said, I wouldn't have gone anywhere else, and I have many friends who feel the same way. It's not for everyone, so anybody checking this site out for information, just come down to ISU and visit for a day or so...you'll know if it's right or not. read more

I loved my education here: namely with the sociology department (soa 106) Dr Richard Sullivan is a very good teacher. So was Professor Johnson of his 111 and Dr Whightsel of wgs 120. I also loved all of my professors in the communication school and some professors in the art department. Food was good when I went, although I hear it stinks now. Had one too many run ins with cockroaches in the dorms but if you raid you're okay (don't rely on dorm management to take care of it). I've met many good friends there too. I will miss it. Unfortunately I will not be returning to ISU because I cannot afford to live away from home anymore. You will be missed dearly! read more

Had a great time at the Special Olympics ! Was very organized and its all thanks to wonderful volunteers. The parking lot is very big and you will have to walk. Inside you can tell that this gym has been played inside many times. The prices on food is more then normal but they have to make their money some how. read more

Illinois State University - Special Olympics Basketball - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Normal, Illinois

All the school cares about is your money. They will bleed you dry. You have to pay for a parking pass if you want to drive to school, but you will not get a spot unless you arrive two hours early minimum. They sell thousands of passes but there are only a few hundred spots to park in. The school is making millions of dollars and is too cheap to build a decent size lot, even though they have a whole football field size area right in front of the fitness center. Then if you park somewhere that isn't within your passes color you have a ticket fairy waiting to run to your car with a 30 dollar ticket the second you walk inside. I dropped out because it was so ridiculous. read more

The school serves it's purpose: educating people and moving them away from the area. Many may knock on the little to do ho hum-ness of the area, it makes for a nice island away from nearly everything for some. The political science department is nice, though overly liberal in most 100 classes, the rhetoric kinda dissipates as you advance. The teachers are passionate and easy to find. It was uncommon for me to run into my professors while out or while reading under a tree on the quad. I throughly enjoyed my time at ISU and would recommend the department( Wahlrab, hands down is the best they have now that Nassar is no longer there), the only thing needed is that high speed Metra that has been talked about for years now. I knocked it down one star because of the various mistakes I had heard/seen from advisors. Though never happening to me (Krista Jackson rules), claims of students needing to retake a year's worth of classes is not uncommon. The advising department gets it's fair share, but there are gems(Krista Jackson gets a big golden star) If you're gonna live in the dorms, go for Southside; it's more ethnically diverse since the international students live there, wet dorm, and a better cafeteria. read more

I really enjoyed my grad school experience in the History department. The faculty were DEDICATED, INSPIRING, and INFORMATIVE. It was truly an enriching experience to learn at this school - Normal is... probably not the funnest place on earth, but my time there was definitely worth every dollar spent. Thanks ISU! ;) read more

Cannot complain. Four very good years at this amazing campus. Loved the classes and will miss the professors. Normal, Illinois may not be home for me, but I'll be sticking around a bit longer before I say goodbye. read more

A beautiful, historic university located in Normal, IL which is perhaps the finest college town in the state (a massive redevelopment in Uptown Normal transformed what used to be like many other run down college towns in the state). Redbird Arena is also one of the best indoor facilities in Illinois and an amazing venue for basketball. ISU is ranked behind the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in a close tie with UIC academically. In spite of financial challenges shared by all state universities (in Illinois, the result of decades of failed political leadership and corruption), ISU has handled demands better than other state schools. Programs are highly rated and some considered among the best in the country. The smaller campus with a blend of older, classic buildings and newer gems like the College of Business Building on a gorgeous quad gives the campus a visual focus. As Illinois' oldest state university, ISU stands out as one of the best options for higher education. read more

Illinois State is a community-based organizations that works with local organizations to host events. The education you get here is first class and it's a small school feel in a large campus. If students take time to meet their professors, they will go to the ends of the earth for them. read more

I wish I never enrolled here! I went here for one semester, commuting from 45 minutes away. I transferred to University of Illinois at Springfield/Peoria. ISU's staff did not willingly help me with my questions; I was left guessing and wondering if I was doing things right. A lot of the employees here look annoyed when you ask them a simple question. They like to send you e-mails with about 48 hours to complete a task- or else you will be dropped from classes. For example, I did not receive anything about sending over my immunization records until they sent me an urgent e-mail, leaving me two days to get my records or they would tack $50 to my bill. After a few hours of wasted time of digging through old files, I finally found my immunization records. A checklist or even a short e-mail 15 days before the due date would have been nice! My advisor was switched from Ginny Smith (who was super nice, friendly, and helpful) to Diane Skidmore (who was cold and seemed full of judgments). I was not pleased with the switch whatsoever! The professors here are fine- I didn't have any significant complaints about my professors or classes. I did very well while being a student at ISU...this review is not from an angry, lazy student. The system they use is called ReggieNet and it is ALWAYS down. 5/10 times I try to log in, they are doing maintenance. My professors constantly had to extend deadlines because of the unavailability of ReggieNet. The class variety at ISU is terrible. For my prerequisite Management class, only ONE class time was available- I signed up the very first day classes opened. That is ridiculous! Sorry to break it to you ISU, but many students, like myself, have jobs/do not live on campus...one class time is unacceptable. If a student couldn't make it to that one class, then you weren't able to move on next semester at a full time pace because of the prerequisite. ISU likes to cram 150-200 students in one room without considering a variety of classes. Let me guess...it's cheaper that way because they're only paying one teacher, right? They need more online or hybrid classes...they hardly have any online classes, but University of Illinois at Springfield/Peoria does! If you're looking for an all online degree, check out UOI at Springfield...the entire thing can be done online for some majors, not to mention it is cheaper than ISU. ISU does not care about their students' best interests at all. They charge $300+ for a student parking pass in a garage, which is extremely expensive. read more

Attended football game there this past weekend and it was the first time I saw a football game turned into a venue for everything other than football. Pathetic turn out by home team on homecoming and pregame activities non existent for the most part. Campus looked nice. Downtown area East of stadium is nice. read more