Illinois State University Review

Illinois State University Overview

Illinois State University (ISU) is a 4-year, public university that was founded in 1857. The first of its kind in Illinois, the university is one of the oldest higher education institutions in the Midwest. The residential university emphasizes its undergraduate liberal arts programs. The American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education recognizes ISU as one of the largest producers of teachers in the country.

ISU has ten residence halls and two student apartment buildings, which house a majority of the student population of approximately 21,000; private-owned student apartments are also within walking distance of the campus. The university's campus life includes 33 social fraternities and sororities, multicultural programs, student behavioral intervention teams and leadership conferences. In addition to the three dining halls located across the campus, the Bloomington-Normal area also provides over 200 dining options for students.

Admissions and Enrollment Overview

The admission requirements, such as prerequisite courses and standardized test scores, vary by college and student academic status. The average high school GPA was 3.49 on a 4.0 scale and the average ACT test score was 25 for incoming freshmen in 2009. Many undergraduate and graduate students receive some form of financial aid; however, financial need is not a factor for ISU's admissions decisions. Students work with admission counselors, as well as counselors in their major, during course registration.

Campus Facilities and Learning Environment

Illinois State University is home to Milner Library, the campus' main library, which has over 1.6 million volumes and over 40,000 electronic or printed periodical titles; each academic college has its own specialized library staff. Students can access resources from other colleges and universities in Illinois, either online or by having them shipped to ISU. The university is one of only 85 universities in the country to house laboratory schools and is home to both University High School and Thomas Metcalf Elementary.

The student-faculty ratio at ISU is 19:1, with almost 70% of all classes having less than 20 students. There are over 2,500 instructional computers located in general purpose and departmental computer labs, as well as the labs available in each of the residence halls. In addition to on-campus and online courses, students can also participate in the study abroad or National Student Exchange programs in 16 countries or 48 states with participating institutions.

Schools and Colleges at Illinois State University

• College of Applied Science and Technology
• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Fine Arts
• Mennonite College of Nursing

School Contact Information

• Address: N. and S. Streets, Normal, Illinois 61790
• Phone Number: (309) 438-2111