Western Illinois University Reviews

"The Computer Science program is dreadful. Professors, with few exceptions, are simply riding on tenure track doing the bare minimum. The AI classes are all carbon copies of each other. Almost nothing from this century is actually taught, so don't expect to be able to compete in the job market on this- the degree is sub-par and the university name isn't worth anything. The university does have solid classes in a few categories- the databases professor is excellent, for example, but in terms of the most useful fields- Web Dev, Full stack development, Machine Learning, you will learn nothing useful. Beware the cyber security program. It's listed as CSec, but it's actually just a rebranded computer networking program with minor alterations. The professor who teaches the cyber security classes was, at the time I took the course, unaware of historical security issues such a Heartbleed and was skeptical such a thing was possible when I mentioned it. Overall, the university is overpriced for what it offers, the scholarship system is poor, and the education is abysmal. Would not recommend."

"The Masters of Public Health program is run exceptionally poorly. I was first told that my classes would be available on the Quad Cities campus, which was a lie, classes are only held at Macomb or online. A few professors were highly disorganized and inefficient in their teaching. I practically had to beg my thesis advisor actually to read the rough drafts I sent in."

"I received my degree in Mathematics from the College of Science. I was not very involved with my program and actively seeking help from classmates and professors. I was always good in Mathematics and was always a person to go to if someone needed help with their math classes. I preferred having to work on calculations instead of writing papers and figuring out words. Once I got to a higher level of mathematics, the calculations stopped and I had to prove mathematical theories so I do not think I was interested at the end. Mathematics did teach me a lot but I would usually go to my professors and get help with my assignments and did not use my peers very well. The professors were pretty helpful most of the time. There is always a few professors that are a little more difficult to deal with, but for the most part they were good educators. There were evaluations at the completion of every class which means the school valued our input and let us give our honest opinion of the overall class. I hope the professors took advantage and actually listened to the feed back given and alter some of their lessons to make it easier for students to succeed. My counselor was also a good person to talk to about my program. She set me up to succeed in all of my classes as well as gave me feedback on what classes to take next. This also helped prepare me for every semester."

"Going to Western Illinois University and being apart of the Forensic Psychology program was the best decision I have made. Not many schools offer this degree at the undergraduate level, so I was very lucky to be apart of the program. The classes I took were amazing, and the professors in the psychology department loved their job. There were plenty of opportunities to become a research assistant, which I took advantage of."

"My time at Western Illinois University was great! I attended the Quad Cities campus, because it was close to home. The campus had just expanded right before I graduated, and using state of the art facility at the time was amazing. The best part was the library and all the collaboration space that was available on campus. This helped tremendously when it came to large study groups, presentations, or a place to just hang out with your friends while you make note cards for the next exam. My professors were great, I loved the fact that I had a connection with my instructors and any time I asked for help, none of them had a problem meeting one-on-one to discuss or address the concerning issue. It felt as though each instructor truly cared about your well-being. The advising staff was just as amazing, signing up for my classes took a little as 5 minutes to as long at 45 minutes, each advisor gives you their full attention and are really helpful when it comes to answering questions about your financial aid package or course work needed to complete your degree. It has been several years since I have graduated from Western Illinois University, but I still keep in contact with some of my closest instructors and my academic advisor. Truly that is what makes a difference, is having that connection with instructors and staff that make you feel comfortable and they care able your wellbeing that they even want to keep in touch after youve graduated to see all the great work and success you are having since graduating."

"It's been a few years since I was there, that said, I enjoyed my time at Western Illinois University, lots of student organizations to get involved with and become part of university life. The Macomb campus is in a rural area. I found my instructors generally good and helpful. Academics were on par with other mid range state universities. Financial Aid was decent and the people in Sherman Hall (main administrative area) were generally helpful. I was satisfied with my degree and program. The school has a solid ROTC program."

"It was a good school with good professors that stuck their neck out to get me into a PhD program."

"The Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration program (RPTA) at Western Illinois University is one of the best recreation programs in the field. Classes were interactive, stimulating, challenging, and they greatly prepared the students for their future careers. Instructors have years of valuable experience both in the recreation field and teaching, and they really care about their students. Not only does the RPTA department teach inside of the classroom, but also outside. The department runs Horn Field Campus, a park with prairie land, high and low ropes courses, hiking trails, and lodges. Horn field campus is largely ran by undergraduate and graduate RPTA students. In addition to horn field, the RPTA department also offers many trips around the country to national parks and landmarks to learn more about the recreation and tourism industry. The RPTA program at Western Illinois University is an amazing program with invaluable benefits for it's students, and sends students out into the field prepared and confident in their abilities."

"It was a good time. I developed a lot of skills that helped me in the working world. I became inspired at WIU, so much so that I went on to work on my doctorate in public health."

"There are numerous reasons why this school is really dear to my heart and I will be highlighting just of few of those reasons. First, I must say I am very impressed with the setup at Western Illinois University. Coming from Nigeria to the USA for the first time, I was really uncertain about my ability to settle down easily and to make matters worse, I came in about a week into resumption. I was really impressed with how I was attached to people around and in no time, I was brought to the school. I did all my registrations in a day and instructors were willing to spend time putting me through on all I missed. Secondly, the Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Business Analytics offered by the Economics department is really wonderful. That's what makes it standout for me. Lastly, the environment is cool, calm and peaceful. Things are quite cheap around."

"I thought the classes were challenging and felt prepared to enter the public health field."

"Since graduating, the campus has moved to the new Moline location. The professors are great and now the campus facilities reflect that."

"There are hardly any classes offered and they just cut 30 professors from my school because of government funding."

"WIU-QC is a great, small school. The staff and faculty are very helpful and take an effort to get to know their students and help them succeed. The majority of the English courses are taught by two of the best professors I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

"Going to college was one of the best decisions I ever made. I learned to be independent and made friends from all over while living in the dorms. It not only helped me in my career but for success in life in general."

"Excellent program with knowledgeable faculty that really prepared me for my work as a school counselor."

"WIU's history program has a strength in the flexibility of their faculty. Regardless of where my interests took me, I was able to find a guide -- if not a professor well-versed in the subject matter explicitly, then at least one with firm grounds in the methodology necessary to pursue such research. In my years since leaving the program, I have received support and guidance from multiple faculty members, and consider myself lucky to call many of them friends as well as mentors. Their professionalism was equal to their enthusiasm, and the WIU history program as a whole is much stronger for the diverse interests of their faculty."

"I moved to the Quad Citites to attend the School Counselors program at WIU. The faculty were amazing and very much invested in my success as a student in their program. The value of the program was also very important to me. School is getting more and more expensive, but WIU has done a fabulous job at keeping costs for students in check. The campus is also brand new, with more and more being built. There are many activities to do in the area, and as a adult student the housing is affordable. The only con I would say is that the campus is very small, however it is growing!"

"In the College Student Personnel program, student learning and development is paramount for our development as students and professionals. This growth is facilitated in the program through student, faculty, and student affairs professional partnerships in the classroom and in practical experiences in the field of student affairs."

"Personally, I feel the biggest benefit to being in Western Illinois University's Astrophysics program is how accessible the teachers are for questions regarding classes, for questions regarding degree paths, and questions regarding careers afterwards. In addition, most of the teachers are willing to go over any parts of their courses with you individually that you are having trouble understanding. I would say the biggest downside is the surrounding area; Macomb is a relatively small city, and does not hold every type of store or job that one might want in a place to live."