My Passion

Amy Vito is a junior from Chicago, who came to Illinois State to study Horticulture and Business Administration. At the same time professors helped fuel her academic passion for plants, Amy was gaining confidence and experience outside the classroom.

“ISU has truly given me an outlet and a way to express myself. I found my niche in the residential government groups on campus. I grew from a shy, nervous freshman to a confident vice president of the residence halls. I love the opportunities ISU has given me to grow and make a difference in the residence halls, our home away from home.”

Amy Vito

Junior, Horticulture/Business Administration

Who We Are

Our students explore the use of wind as an alternative energy source and help children overcoming speech impairments. They exhibit their paintings in the University Galleries and manage a $400,000 investment portfolio. Practical, real-world experiences as student-teachers or nurses prepare them to enter their professions with confidence.

See how you fit in...

Academic Profile of New Beginning Freshmen

Of the students admitted for the 2009-2010 academic year, one half earned ACT composite scores of 23 to 27. A quarter of the admitted students scored 28 or above, and another quarter scored between 18 and 22.
The average high school grade point average of students admitted for 2009-2010 was 3.49 on a 4.0 scale.

Where We Come From

Students come to Illinois State from across the country and around the world, but a majority of our students are from right here in Illinois.

Here are the counties in Illinois which sent the most new beginning freshman to Illinois State last year:

Cook
DuPage
Will
Lake
Kane
McHenry
McLean

Winnebago
Champaign
Tazewell
Sangamon
Kankakee
Kendall

Enrollment: Then and Now

43 students enrolled at Illinois State for the first term in fall 1857. In fall 2008, 3,394 new beginning freshman enrolled at the University.
The first commencement ceremony was held in 1860 for a graduating class of 10. In spring 2007, more than 3,000 students received degrees.
Enrollment grew from 4,469 in 1960 to 17,549 in 1970. Since the 1970s, the number of students has stayed about the same. In 2008, we had 20,450 students, 17,949 of whom were undergraduates.