IllinoisThrowAway

In 2020, the PoliSci department received 90 applications, admitted 16 and 10 accepted. In 2019, the PoliSci department received 75 applications, admitted 18 and 8 accepted. In 2018, the PoliSci department received 88 applications, admitted 24 and 10 accepted. 2018 was the year when the University threatened to take away future students' stipends.

Computer Science is one of Illinois' strengths. Its program in CS is stronger than Duke's. The collaboration alone would be worthwhile.

Flagship (and Ivy) at the undergrad level does not apply to the grad level. There are programs at satellite campuses that many would consider stronger than the flagship campus. I think it's important to remember that support for your field will differ by each department and placement is the most important thing. Nobody can predict the future but they do can figure out how much people will get paid. Nobody is going to get rich from grad school but one should be able to live off a stipend without the need for roommates and they shouldn't have to worry about tuition waivers being withdrawn. UIUC's administration has actually done really bad damage to its students in the past including threatening to withdraws tuition waivers back in 2017/2018 for all future students. Luckily, the Union prevented that from happening. This happened a few days ago: https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/student-says-he-was-dismissed-from-uiuc-over-covid-19-testing-non-compliance/

As the article states: A fourth-year doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) may face deportation after being dismissed from his studies due to noncompliance with COVID-19 testing. Yidong Chen, who goes by the nickname Ivor, lived with his mother in Champaign-Urbana while working remotely as a teaching assistant in the fall semester of 2020. Because his mother has greater chances than he does of contracting COVID-19, Chen barely left their home until the start of the spring semester of 2021. Chen opted out of his university’s policy on COVID-19 testing, which changed multiple times throughout the past few months. After a few minutes, the panel issued the following as a result of noncompliance: Dismissal from the University for one year, effective immediately Two 1,000-word reflective essays A trespass notification that prohibits Ivor from setting foot on University property, subject to enforcement by the University Police Department A petition letter for University re-entry after one year 80 hours of community service Evidence of successful academic or work history during his one-year dismissal The full story can be found here: https://nextshark.com/university-of-illinois-phd-student-dismissed-covid/ Sadly, this isn't uncommon. The Union has fought for students many times but the administration has continued to pull stunts like this many times. If you haven't made your mind up yet, please consider these things when applying/accepting offers.