The state's oldest public university, ISU was founded as a training school for teachers. Fast-forward to today, and education is still one of the top-producing majors at the school. Other popular degree programs include agriculture, nursing, communications, marketing and criminal justice.
The school has a highly lauded theater program — actors John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, Jane Lynch and countless others have all roamed the Quad — and is home to the oldest collegiate circus in the country. ISU also has 19 sports teams. Hancock Stadium’s Victory Bell, which is rung every time the Redbirds score a touchdown, is a 60-year-old pillar of school spirit.
With about 21,000 students, Illinois State enjoys an above-average graduation rate and an average cost that’s below the national median. About one-third of students graduate without student loan debt, the university reports.
The campus is located about two-and-a-half hours southwest of Chicago, in Normal, a town famous for being the birthplace of Steak ‘n Shake (other local favorites, like Avanti’s, D.P. Dough and Pub II, are among the area’s most popular student haunts). Fell Arboretum, located throughout The Quad and beyond, is home to more than 200 different species of trees.
