SIU - Carbondale

[JFSinIL]

OK - ds and I made it to two campus visits this past weekend. SIE - Southern Illinois at Edwardsville - 13,000 students, pretty campus with lots of bike paths on extensive grounds. All newer buildings - stark, window-less, beige prison cells for classrooms (our tour did not include classrooms - we went back and poked around the buildings on our own). The idea of four years of those classrooms, no matter how wonderful the professors, made this a NO for ds. Also - the dining hall for the dorms was in the student center in the middle of campus, not very comfortable seating and so-so food. Our student tour guide was all, like, um, like - not very articulate (a poor choice for a guide.)

 

Carbondale - we attended an open house with about 2,000 other students and their parents, and the enthusiasm level was high. DS had chats with folks from Air Force ROTC, History and Political Science depts. Since it was a Saturday we could not get into buildings to see classrooms - but the Pol. Sci. prof. said they all did have windows (except for the few large lecture halls, obviously ;)) Our campus tour guide was chatty and informative - the campus is large and has woods in the middle of it, and a lake by some older dorms. Main high-rise dorms share a dining hall with large windows overlooking many tall trees - the food was pretty good, and once in the hall all you can eat. We spend about 5 hours on campus poking around, eating, etc. and ds agrees that this state school can be his back-up if he does not get into a private school (or gets in but not enough $$$ aid.)

 

Our next report later this month will be on DePaul in Chicago.

[Nan in Mass]

We would have discounted that one, too. Horrid. I know the idea is to study and environment shouldn't matter if the academics are what you need and all that, but you can't study if you are depressed, and lack of windows is definately in our definition of depressing.

 

Beware campus swans. There was a pond in the middle of our campus, too, with a pair of gorgeous but agressively hungry swans. They feel about ostrich-sized when you are standing next to them and have something they want.

 

Glad your visits went well.

-Nan

[Staci in MO]

Your original impressions are correct. SIU-E is primarily a commuter school for people living in the St. Louis Metro East area. Not a lot of campus life there. Everyone I know who went there and lived on-campus transferred after a year. The only people I know who finished were people who were from the Metro East who lived at home and commuted.

 

SIU is a nice campus. I grew up in Southern Illinois, so I went there a lot for summer camps, science fairs, and other enrichment activities. My dh attended there, and lots of my cousins. It has a reputation as a party school, but there really is a vibrant academic life there as well. It's really a good school, and I think it's a shame that the party school reputation has tarnished its image somewhat. I frankly don't think it's any worse than any other state school.

 

The city of Carbondale has made a concerted effort to shut down the Halloween celebration, which has helped. People would come from all over to party there at Halloween, which is why I think it was perceived as more of a party school than it really was.

 

Good luck with your decisions!

Edited April 2, 2009 by Staci in MO
typo

[Beth S]

Maybe we're just over-exposed to the college students (through ministry attempts, customers in stores, etc.) . . . but we would not wish to recommend SIU-Carbondale to a serious student.

 

This is probably overly harsh, but many of the students are from Chicago & are using the time to party away from their parents. And I realize that this is common for most state universities. Many of the majors are "soft" academics, and the university has a "Party School" reputation . . . not just at Halloween.

 

Lots of crazy things go on in The Towers (the 3 15-story dormitories). There are plans to demolish them & expand their smaller, more home-like apartments.

 

The new Chancellor, former Rep. Poshard, is doing a good job. There is a good international student community. There are lots of international professors.

 

I am not implying that your child cannot get a good education there, but it's more of an exception than the rule. Many of the students we know have quit before graduation, or struggle to find jobs afterwards.

 

I would consider sending the child to Logan Community College down the street for the first 2 years at least. :tongue_smilie: Or pursue the many choices in nearby St. Louis.

[Beth S]

Beware campus swans.

-Nan

 

You can read an article here from 2006 about the deer that attacked & wounded three SIU-Carbondale students. One of the students was a friend of ours, and injured her collarbone!

 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,196758,00.html

 

So Beware of Killer DEER! (The deer was recently relocated, at least a year after the attacks.)

[LibrarianMom]

My husband's cousin graduated from SIU-E in December with a business major. She lived on campus for three and 1/2 years. She did a summer internship at Boeing and when she graduated they offered her a job right out of school. The best part of the job is that she telecommutes and is flexible about where she lives.

 

I know another student who is graduating from SIU-C is pre-med. She's been very active in their honors program and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship among other things. She's had interviews at a number of top-notch medical schools including Mayo.

[mommaduck]

SIUE, though bland looking, is considered an excellent school.

SIUC has always had a bad rep as a party school. Though I've known a couple of professionals that graduated from there.