Eastern Illinois University Reviews

"Avoid the online psychology program at all costs. Eastern is an outright terrible school to attend online. Maybe this is just the psychology program, because when I took a philosophy elective, there were video lectures and other resources provided, but my experience with psych classes has been unimaginably terrible. In most of my classes, there are no resources provided outside of the textbook. Students are given assignments or worksheets and are expected to figure it out for themselves. There are seldom video or lecture materials. Professors are far from supportive. When I reach out to professors because I am struggling with material due to lack of instruction, and explain that I struggle with book learning, they will call me lazy, and/or refer me to the department for students with disabilities and tell me it is not their problem. I have learned nothing at Eastern, but by BSing my way through assignments, I have a 4.0 GPA. Or... I HAD... a 4.0 GPA, until I started to try to fulfill the math requirement. Math is not a subject that you can BS your way through and pass without any instruction. The professors will hand out insanely complicated math worksheets that look like hieroglyphics with no video lectures, no explanation, just "You're a college student. Figure it out." I have a math-specific learning disability and a chronic illness that puts me out of commission for weeks at a time. When I spoke with EIU's department for students with disabilities, they told me there is nothing they can do for me, despite that I have had accommodations at my 2-year college as well as in high school. I'm pretty sure it's illegal for an educational institution to refuse to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled students, but that's EIU. Professors often refuse to engage with you in zoom meetings or during office hours. I have had one report me to some sort of office of student conduct or disciplinary office for telling her that I need help. I have been accused of being lazy for struggling with assignments. These professors do not want to do any work at all, and they make that very clear. Let me reiterate that I maintained a 4.0 GPA, despite all of this. I am not lazy, and I am not a bad student. They are terrible teachers. I have spoken with academic advisors at the school and have learned that many online psych majors are stuck in the program because they cannot pass the math requirements. When I asked why they aren't doing anything about it, the response I got was that Eastern has other majors so they don't care. I am technically a senior. If I were to choose a different major, I could graduate in a year. I may actually need to do that, because it will take me at least two more years to complete a psychology degree at EIU.Read Less"

"I came into EIU as a transfer student from a community college. I understand that many times, transfer students can feel sot of a disconnect from their campus due to the fact that they don't always get the same first-year student experiences, or live in campus housing, and make friends that. Fortunately, that was not my experience at EIU, The campus is extremely welcoming, and there are many on campus events where it is easy to meet new people. Aside from the social aspect of college, my academic career there was just as amazing. I truly felt like I had a family within my degree program. The faculty and staff truly care about the students and want to see them excel. They gave me the pushes that I needed to get out of my comfort zone and make the most of my college experience.Read Less"

"Great program! The best classes were the on-campus art studio classes during the summers. I learned a ton, and feel this program improved my teaching ability and knowledge of art education. Even though I live on the west coast, this program was the best option for me in terms of cost and overall benefit. Most of my classes have had between 12-20 people in them. The professors get to know you, and give high quality feedback on your progress. There is a capstone paper in the second year of the program, but you get to write it over the course of two classes. I highly recommend this program for art teachers.Read Less"

"If you want a good business school this could an okay choice, but there are better. If you want to be a college student and live a college life this isnt the one for you. This school was dry to me. The advisors i had didnt help me in anyway whatsoever. I sought academic advice from older students or students within the same major. I never enjoyed myself at this institution due to the lack of information or lack of organizations. Very small campus, so for there not to be any activity or activities always being cancelled it was BORING. I was also a student athlete, but our sports program never received proper recognition because the school doesnt care if its not football. Definitely worst 5 years of my life.Read Less"

"I am a full time employee at EIU as an Operating Engineer at the Renewable Energy Center. I was a part time student in the Sustainable Energy program. It took me 5 1/2 years to complete a 2 year program. The practicum and research portion of my degree are the most memorable and meaningful to me. I have attended college classes all over the world and not easily impressed. EIU's faculty went beyond impressing me. The Professors here make the school fun, and that is sometimes hard to do. I enjoyed being involved with RSO's- Student Investment Society, and Graduate Student Advisory Council. I wish EIU offered doctorate level education.Read Less"

"EIU was a great school, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience there working as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer with football and women's basketball. I enjoyed the class sizes and the teacher's passion to connect with each student to give them the best education."

"Get scholarships and go. Worth it in the long run."

"Eastern has taught me so much more and solidified my career goal to become a therapist. My program is tailored toward those who want to be licensed in the state and has given me opportunities to work in the field as a graduate. I've learned about various orientations within psychotherapy, how to conduct assessments, and I'm currently working on my thesis which aims to study the correlation between resilience and one's coping style. My professors really are the backbone of the program - they're caring, tentative, and always available to their students. I have no doubt in my mind that EIU is preparing me for the future.Read Less"

"I have a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in chemistry in order to complete my pre-med requirements and get into podiatry school. Eastern Illinois University is a small state school that was almost shut down due to politics and the Illinois budget. Because of the fear people had in the school shutting down, enrollment has gone down drastically, which has had an awful impact on such a great school. Many professors are taking jobs elsewhere, for fear of losing their jobs they've worked so hard to obtain. My experience at EIU has been an amazing one to say the least. I've met so many different people from all different backgrounds who have taught me so many things and at the end of the day, I think that is what school should be about. I was able to participate in honors research for 2 years where I just had one paper published with my name on it and I am currently working on another that I wrote my honors thesis on. I was able to present my research at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research as well as receive various awards for my research all thanks to the incredible staff at EIU. I was even given the chance to be a teaching assistant for anatomy and physiology where I was able to perfect my own knowledge of the human body by teaching others. The experiences I had while at EIU are experiences I know I would not have had if I was at a larger university as I was not a 4.0 student. The professors in my department went above and beyond to help me in my studies, research, and finally getting into medical school where I'll be able to fulfill my life long dreams. It hurts me to know that those professors are having to pick up more classes due to other professors leaving or that they fear losing their jobs and in some cases that would mean losing their U.S. Visa. I was able to get involved with anything and everything I wanted to, such as clubs where we volunteered our time and in doing so, once again I made life long friends who were just as passionate about helping others as I was. The president of the university was someone you knew would be at most all events on campus, he personally knew who I was, which to me is amazing in itself. If I had any advice for students it would be to pick a school they could afford and pick it for the right reasons. I chose EIU because I played rugby there but I ended up finding so much more. Pick a small enough school that your professors know your name, mine wrote me incredible letters of recommendation because they actually knew the person that I was. If I had the chance to do it all over again I would pick EIU again and again and I hope people will realize how great of a place it is and enrollment will go back up. EIU forever!Read Less"

"The class sizes are small so there is more individual attention from the professors."

"I loved EIU and my masters program in Sports Administration. The culture at EIU was warm and welcoming and the learning environment was just what I needed to be successful, in the classroom that is. As much as I loved my classes, classmates, and professors, EIU did not help me enter the work force with a foot in the door. Now working for Arizona State University and starting my second masters degree in the Fall, I realize how little resources EIU had to help their students after they graduated. I wholeheartedly understand that as an adult, it is my own responsibility to find and apply to internships and jobs, but there are other schools with so many career resources and networking opportunities. However, without the internships that I had with EIU, I 100% believe that I would not be in the profession that I am today, and working my way towards my second masters degree. I truly do bleed blue!Read Less"

"Such a joke of a school. Dangerous, boring, and terrible academics. the only thing semi good about is the Greek system, if you plan on staying definelty go Greek, however half your friends will leave and go to real schools. Worst thing is the cops: all they care about is drinking citations (1000 dollars btw vs 200 dollars at most schools) to get revenue for their broke town and don't even care about the real crime. I wouldn't recommend my worst enemy to eiu"

"EIU is a good, small, midwest school. The class sizes are small and the teachers really make an effort to get to know their students and be involved in their academic success. While the rigor was lacking at times, several of my classes were difficult and I was proud of the work that I did in them. The campus is safe, and many of the faculty have "safe zone" stickers on their door to show that any student can come in their office if they need a safe space. This made me personally feel that the faculty cared about us as people and not just another student.Read Less"

"Eastern Illinois University was the best option for me for obtaining my degree in elementary education. I loved the program so much for my undergrad, that I decided to also attend EIU for my graduate level degree. I am currently in the process of achieving the Master's degree, and at EIU I have the full support from faculty and staff to succeed. They make me feel worth something and help me polish my skills to be used in the classrooms that I will encounter. If given the option to change my school of choice, I'd never ever choose a different school. Bleed Blue all the way.Read Less"

"I loved the college, went there for undergraduate as well."

"The school has a long history of being a great teaching college. It is conveniently located to many downstate communities and thus within easy driving distance. For those wishing to live in Charleston, there are many apartments near the campus. The school works closely with the Community College system in the state of Illinois and accepts transfer credits to help save students a considerable amount of money."

"Because I attended Eastern Illinois University, college was the best four years of my life. Going into college, I had no idea what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I was assigned to an advising counselor who sat down with me multiple times and helped me decide what major, minor, and career path was best for me. After a semester at EIU, I decided to major in exercise science, minor in psychology, and declare pre-occupational therapy; I could not have been more excited. Once I decided on my major, I was reassigned to a new advising counselor who was also one of my professors. We became very close in my four years of being one of her advisees; I could tell that she truly cared about me, my education, and my future. She encouraged me to work hard to achieve my goals, no matter how lofty they seemed. The education I was received at EIU prepared me greatly for my future as a graduate student studying to become an occupational therapist. I am now working towards my MSOT at a great school, and I could tell from the moment coursework was discussed and I began to study for tests, that I was miles ahead of my classmates. While I know and understand my dreams for my future could not have been reached without my own dedication and motivation, I must give credit to Eastern Illinois University for the opportunities given to me, both inside and outside the classroom, and for shaping me into the best woman and future occupational therapist I could be.Read Less"

"I absolutely loved my experience at EIU! I can only speak for my department, but the professors are wonderful and truly do care about you and your future success. Campus is easy to navigate and beautifully maintained. EIU has given me so many experiences that I wouldn't have been able to experience otherwise. I would do it all again if I could!"

"One particular aspect of the MA program that I am in at EIU is that it is a very fast paced one year program. I feel that this aspect has several pros and cons: 1.At times it feels like a crash course in graduate studies, and I don't have time to make quality work or research. 2.However, because it is so fast paced, I have learned a very strict work ethic. 3.I also feel that I am just beginning to get to know my committee members, but I will only be in school here for five more months, rather than another year and a half as in most Masters programs, in which I could establish a more solid rapport with them.Read Less"

"Decent place to go to school. EIU needs to do something big if they want to be around in the next 10 years."