Applying to college and deciding where to spend the next four years of your education is important, just like how the application process is important. Getting caught up in the stress of it is easy, but recognizing that...
Category - College Prep
10 Ways to Prepare for UIUC: A Parent’s Guide
Is your child considering the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in their college search? If so, this post was written especially for you! Read on for 10 ways you can learn more about our university and help...
Search Not-Quite-Party: How to Navigate the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Future College Student
Life as we know it is fundamentally different from how it was last year. What’s happening right now is. not. normal. No matter what we say, all of you know that’s true, and to brush past what’s going on does a...
The College Application Process: 7 Ways to Organize Your College Apps
Our word of the day is higgledy-piggledy. Definition: what the college application process will be like if you’re not organized. We know you’ve got a ton going on already, and there are probably a lot of things you’d...
Things to Look For On a College Visit
Walking into my first college visit was one of the scariest moments of my high school career. I remember being so anxious that my hands were shaking and my lips felt glued shut. That anxiety led to me not hear a single...
5 Ways to Prepare for UIUC as an International Student
Making sure you’re ready for the college of your choice is always a challenge—especially when that college is in a different country! Today we’re giving you 5 things you can do right now to prepare for the University of...
The Hardest Goodbye
Four years ago, I was asked by Illinois Undergraduate Admissions to join a student blogging team. This blog, they said, would reach college seniors in their search for their collegiate home. Writing has always been...
Why I Chose Illinois
My brothers and I are triplets, and we applied to college together. This morning, one of them sent me a screenshot of a letter—on this day two years ago, we were all rejected by one of our “reach”...
It’s Not Goodbye—It’s See You Later
Dear high school seniors, I wish I could give you back your ABC countdown, prom, and senior ditch day. I wish I could give you one last game under the stadium lights. You were cheated and robbed of some of the best high...
How to Still Enjoy Your Last Moments of Senior Year
Congratulations, high school seniors! You’ve made it through your high school journey successfully and should be very proud! As several high school seniors get ready to make their final decisions about their post...
Senior Year of High School Reflection
I’m looking back at my senior year. That year was filled with memories and specific stressful events that a senior usually goes through, such as finals, standardized tests, college searching, and so forth...
4 Unspoken Rules Every College Freshman Should Know
It’s fantastic that Illinois is on your radar! But before you enter the social scene on campus, there are some things you should know … 1. Don’t brag about your Act / SAT scores. Are you talking to your...
How to Help Your Child Choose a College: A Parent’s Guide to College Decisions
You’ve guided your child through so many of life’s turns. Now it looks like they’re heading toward the biggest one so far—deciding where to go to college. Should you race up to them and take the wheel? Should you close...
Now What: Next Steps for New International Freshmen
First and foremost, congratulations, future Illini! We are so excited to welcome you all into the University of Illinois Class of 2024! Now that the big news is starting to settle in and your mind is still racing (and...
“I can’t decide. Help!” Here’s how to choose a college when you’re torn between offers.
You’ve filled out the applications, waited months to hear back, and now you’ve been admitted to all of your top-choice colleges. So which offer should you accept? Deciding which college to attend might be the biggest...
Essential College Items
There’s so much to get together for college that you’re bound to forget things. And that’s when you start calling your mom, asking her to mail you your pet turtle, or trying to figure out whether Walgreens sells Twin...
Preparing for Your Transition Into College
Like most incoming freshmen, I’ve been thinking about move-in day all summer—usually with excitement, but also with a fair amount of anxiety. My summer has been all about preparing for this day. From dorm shopping to...
Prepping for Your First Day
Leaving for college feels like a day that would never come, but it’s finally here. Getting ready can feel like a daunting task, but with a little time and effort, you can feel ready to leave by move-in day...
How to Prepare for College in the U.S. as an International Student
Making the decision to attend college in another country can be daunting. If you’re left wondering what you need to do to get ready, you’ve come to the right place! We’re here to help you learn about how to prepare for...
College Road Map: An Infographic Guide to Planning for College
Our college road map was created prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the majority of it still applies. We know college planning can be stressful in a normal year, and this year is anything but normal. If you’re...