Located in the heart of the Midwest with the city hub of Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan, Illinois is a popular destination for people who wish to pursue higher education. It is home to a plethora of different educational institutions, ranging from large public research universities to elite private institutions. No matter what type of educational opportunity a student wants, they will likely be able to find what they need within the state of Illinois.
Illinois is home to nine public universities, 48 community colleges, 97 private colleges and universities and 35 for-profit educational institutions. Students from every location and all walks of life have the opportunity to live and study here during their college years. Some of the most notable institutions in Illinois include: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Loyola University Chicago and Northwestern University.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the largest university in the state, and is also the most prestigious public research university in Illinois as well. It is the main campus for the university, which as other satellite campuses in Chicago and Springfield. The University of Illinois is considered a Public Ivy institution, meaning it is a public university with some of the highest academic standards. It is a member of the Big Ten conference, and offers more than 150 areas of study for its students to focus on during their collegiate years.
Loyola University Chicago is a Jesuit educational institution with two main campuses, one in downtown Chicago and another on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is an elite private institution that is also the largest Jesuit institution in the United States. Loyola University Chicago offers more than 70 degree programs to its students, and it confers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctoral degrees.
Northwestern University is another well-known university in Illinois. It is a private research university that operates out of Chicago and Evanston, Illinois. Also a member of the Big Ten conference, it competes in athletics with the University of Illinois. It is the only private institution in the athletic conference. Northwestern University was founded in 1851 and now boasts one of the largest endowments in the United States. It is well known for its journalism programs, as well as its management and engineering programs. Notable alumni from Northwestern include Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Warren Beatty and David Schwimmer, just to name a few of its graduates.