A Guide for Students: Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois

Before transferring to the University of Maryland, I attended Illinois Central College, with its main campus located in the small city of East Peoria in central Illinois. Illinois Central College is by far the largest and most well known community college in this area, drawing many students each year from surrounding cities, as well as from other states and countries.

The Classes

A public, two-year school, Illinois Central College has three campuses. The main campus is located in East Peoria; two smaller campuses are located in nearby Peoria. One of these is conveniently in the heart of downtown. Students have the option of attending a combination of the three campuses, or can choose to attend any.

Although Illinois Central College has many students, the classes are usually small and intimate. The average class is around 15 to 20 students, affording each student personalized attention from the instructor. The main campus is also intimate in size. It is artfully designed; flowers, large windows and prominent works of art embellish this campus. All three campuses are newly renovated and equipped with state of the art media and technology.

Illinois Central College caters to both students who wish to transfer and those seeking a certificate or associates degree. There are various degree programs for transfer. Certificate programs include things such as Therapeutic Massage and others to further your career.

Students who are aiming to transfer will find that Illinois Central College has lots of resources and kind staff. Illinois Central College also participates in the Illinois Articulation Initiative, a statewide program that helps students choose courses that will successfully transfer to 4-year universities.

The Transfer Center also arranges student visits to 4-year colleges. A Spring Break College Tour occurs during spring break, which allows students to visit historically black colleges.

The Amenities

Illinois Central College recently added a new internet café to its campus, where you can purchase gourmet coffee and pastries while finding a quiet place to use a laptop. They also have a full service cafeteria. Many quiet study nooks are available throughout the campus as well as several computer labs. A student lounge area, equipped with sofas and large television, is a place students can relax and mingle.

The main campus library has extensive hours, including weekends, and is large considering the small campus. It also has computers available, as well as an inter-library loan.

Because the student body also contains many professionals or older students, Illinois Central College has a place for children. A nice, brightly decorated daycare is available on the lower level of the buildings, equipped with an outdoor playground facing the surrounding forested areas.

The only thing lacking is more parking; with the rapid growth of the student population, convenient parking has been a problem. However, Illinois Central College is currently working on this.

The Tuition and Fees

Illinois Central College is remarkably affordable, especially if you are a local student. They also offer help with financial aid, as well as offering help to apply to over 20 scholarships. These range in amount from $500.00 to a full year of tuition and books. The book store participates in a book program for financial aid students. Books can be expensive, but no more so than most college bookstores.

The Housing

Illinois Central College recently opened their own on-campus apartment housing. The apartments are clean, secure, and supplied with new appliances. There is a choice of apartment sizes, from efficiency to four bedrooms. The four bedroom apartments are fully furnished. All the apartments include full utilities, including high-speed internet, gas, electric, cable and phone. The price is a bit high when compared to local apartments ($500.00 or more a month per person), even considering the included utilities.

For those who wish to live off campus, East Peoria does not offer a lot of apartments. However, the larger city of Peoria is located just fifteen minutes away, and there is always ample housing of all types and prices to be found.

The Recreation

Illinois Central College has about 40 clubs and organizations, including regionally acclaimed sports teams. There is always active recruitment for all of these, ranging from academic interests to hobbies.

The campus itself is host to many recreational activities. "Rock the Courtyard" is a local band competition that kicks off the school year. There is also a Second City Improve Comedy Show that takes place yearly, as well as dances, holiday parties, and other social events.

For fun off the Illinois Central College campus, students can turn to the many shopping areas, stores and restaurants in East Peoria. East Peoria also has a large casino on a riverboat (a tourist destination) that sits in the Illinois River, complete with casino games, buffet, restaurants and a hotel.

Directly across the Illinois River in Peoria, Illinois Central College students can also find many nightclubs, restaurants, parks, museums and other attractions; such as the Peoria Riverfront, where concerts, markets and community events take place year round. The newly enlarged Peoria Civic Center plays host to Broadway, major music artists, and other shows. InPlay is a large, new entertainment complex downtown, with indoor games for all ages, restaurants, and more. Some favorite leisure places of Illinois Central College students include Sully's, an Irish pub neighboring the downtown campus; Hoops, a sports bar famous for its pizza and wings; and Gilligan's, a popular dance club.

Altogether, Illinois Central College is a great, affordable option to begin your degree or earn a certificate to further your career. The city is very safe relative to its size, with a charming mix of the nearby farming communities and modern downtown. I would recommend Illinois Central College for students desiring to study in central Illinois.