Academics
Minutes from downtown Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology is a "beautiful green oasis in a bustling city." This career-oriented university prepares students to "[make] the jump from student to professional" with a curriculum "strongly based on applied learning" and access "to student research at all levels." But IIT "caters to those individuals that want to pursue careers in areas of STEM," the curriculum "puts an equal emphasis on the life sciences and doesn't discount humanities." And while most come for the school's "historic reputation," particularly in engineering and architecture, students don't dismiss the value of the school's diversity. "The size and diversity of Illinois Tech is perfect," one student argues, "small enough for individual attention, but large enough for various resources to be available. Working with students from around the world gives you a unique perspective that is useful after college as well." Many students offer hot and cold reviews of the faculty. "I have had some really fantastic professors who are engaging and make the material genuinely interesting," one student explains. "However, I've had the exact opposite too." Others say that their "professors are very willing to help...but [they] want you to think for yourself." Most agree that IIT "is a very academic-based institution with mostly excellent professors, especially in upper-level classes. Academics here are challenging but rewarding." Others are quick to point out that many of IIT professors "also work in the field" and, therefore, they "apply topics studied in the lectures to the real world," and "their lectures are very current with the solutions and technologies that are actually being used."
Student Body
"The students at IIT are absolute nerds, and we all say that with pride." IIT "students study hard, focus for the future, bathe in the diversity of campus life, and are able to enjoy all events/ programs that IIT and Chicago have to offer." Many students highlight an interest in "innovation and in aspiring creativity." IIT has "a very heavily male demographic" of "quiet introverts" who value teamwork and hail from around the world. Roughly half of the total IIT student body are international students, which "provides a variety of perspectives" and cultures present in classroom discussions and clubs. Students largely describe one another as "warm, accepting, welcoming, and friendly." Overwhelmingly, "Illinois Tech students are serious about their studies, have a great eye for design and architecture, and love to have a good time especially when there is free food involved, which is often the case."
Campus Life
Students enjoy "playing chess," "video/tabletop gaming, movie watching," but many report that "life at school is work and study every day with a few breaks in between." Or as one student appreciatively and jokingly puts it, "This school is nerd school." While some prefer a lifestyle that is "simple and sorted," these academically driven students also enjoy playing intramural sports and exploring the many museums, restaurants, and cultural attractions of the city. Between the workload, the "very strict" on-campus alcohol policies and "mostly small apartments" in Chicago "that get packed quickly," students say "there doesn't seem to be much partying going on at this school." But many students emphasize the important role that Greek life plays in their lives. "The brotherhoods and sisterhoods on campus can be a serious life-saver," one student explains, "for those struggling socially, mentally, emotionally, and academically. Most people who go Greek refer to it as the best decision they made while at school, and those who don't join immediately often wish they did. Yes, it's that good."
Save School
