Can somebody help here? Please?

Uiuc

reason?

just because you asked nice and said please i thought i would help

ASU

@Good_Knight: any specific reason/s?

ASU is solid.  You have a connection there.  The actual academic year weather Oct-May is excellent as opposed to the brutal winter in Illinois.

Someone mentioned the rowdiness factor in this thread or your other one, though.  ASU has a reputation for being rowdy.  I would guess Illinois not so much?  Might want to consider your own personality in this regard.

Perhaps the biggest consideration, which I don't think has been raised, is:  where would you prefer to live after graduation?  After graduating you'll have immediate connections either in Arizona or Illinois.  Something to consider.

UIUC has made a few changes since I graduated their MArch program in 2008.  I believe there is no more thesis and they currently have an interim director.  The program has some great electives for digital fabrication if that's your fancy.  Prof. Hemmingway helped with the changes to more digital experimentation by bringing in other professors with his mentality, but the school still prepares you to understand how buildings work and function.  That is their core.

Regarding connections to Chicago...the school is 2 hours South of the city.  There are some great architects in Chicago that went to school there, but I would argue UIC or IIT would give far better connections because of their locations.  Chicago architects do drive in for final design reviews though.

While I was there we did have Kengo Kuma as the visiting professor.  He came in a couple times a semester, judged a 5-week design charrette for a site in Toyko and the winners/runners-up took an independent elective in the spring semester with a week long trip to Japan that included visiting his office and many of his projects...pretty neat experience.  Jeanne Gang was the keynote speaker one year as well.

Disclosure: I know nothing about ASU's program.

Thanks all for all your comments. 

I've finalized on UIUC. :)

Just to clear up a couple of things about UIUC that were mentioned in this thread. (Qualifications because I am a grad student there)

1) There are focus areas but you definitely do not have to stick w/ your focus area. IN FACT, its rather hard to do some sometimes do to some focus areas seeming to only having 1 class some semesters. 

2) The fabrication equipment at the school are pretty fantastic. That is true. Students have pretty easy access to them too. HOWEVER, there are fairly few courses that actually use this equipment. Most professors (in my opinion) are aware of the equipment but do not take much advantage of it or do not really know how to use it. 

This is what I have experienced. Take from it what you will.

ASU, is like an old dirty boxing gym with very good training but toilets are broken and smells like mushrooms.