<p>My S was admitted to UIUC and now I've heard about honors programs as a way to stay focused on academics and also develop a more 'intimate' space in the college community.</p>
<p>Does anyone here have information on the Honors Programs at UIUC (There seem to be two- Campus Honors Program and James Honors Program). How hard are they to get in to, how beneficial are they?</p>
<p>Campus honors usually has only about 125 freshman in it -- they admit more than that because they estimate the number they need to admit to end up with 125 that actually enroll. It is heavily dependent on class rank and test score although they also review your essay, high school courses taken, and EC's. It is very difficult to get into. Each college (LAS, Engineering, others) has its own James Scholars program. Invitation is heavily dependent upon class rank or test score, or both, depending on college and each college sets its own levels and rules; there are a lot more invited into the James Scholars program than the Campus Honors program. On your application for admission, there is a section where you can check to show whether you desire to be considered for an hopnors program or do not so desire. If you express such desire and qualify, you will receive a letter after being admitted inviting you into the program. Both programs basically require you to take a number of honors courses per semester and are heavily oriented towards general education courses. </p>
<p>For information on the Campus honors program start here: <a href="http://www.honors.uiuc.edu/information/about.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.honors.uiuc.edu/information/about.html</a></p>
<p>For information of the James Scholars program for the Liberal Arts & Sciences College go here (programs in other colleges are similar): <a href="http://www.las.uiuc.edu/students/honors/honors_james.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.las.uiuc.edu/students/honors/honors_james.html</a></p>
<p>Particularly for freshman (and even sophomores), one of the main advantages of either program is priority registration in that you get to register for classes earlier than those in your same year of college who are not in honors programs and you also have sections of popular courses reserved for the honors students. That advantage is of significant value because freshman may otherwise find that they often cannot get a popular course (or at least not one that starts later than 8 a.m.) when they go to register for classes because they are already filled. If you complete the honors program such will be marked on your transcript and diploma. How much that means in the real world for employment is not known. It has been known that many engineering students invited either turn down the programs or drop out of them because of the belief they do not add much and they do not want to devote the time needed to general education courses that many of them abhor.</p>
<p>There are additional honors programs as many departments have their own (pecking order: the "university" has several "colleges" and then the colleges have numerous "departments"). However, most of those are not open to freshman.</p>
<p>I am a freshman at Uof I in LAS and am in the James Scholar Program- I have to say there is not much real benefit to being in this program other than the fact that you get to sign up for classes way before everyone else- class registration spans about 3-4 weeks and James Scholars sign up the first day so you get all the classes you want- but being in the James Scholar program does not make the LAS college feel smaller or more intimate- I take one honors class and to be quite honest, it is the easiest class I am taking this semester- I also did not apply to be a James Scholar I just got in b/c of test scores- if you do get in to it I recommend following through b/c I assume it looks good on your resume</p>
<p>Boru234, can I ask what your test scores were? Do you know what the cut-off is?</p>
<p>I got a 33 on my ACT and was in the top 5% of my school at competitive high school in IL but I know that other kids have gotten in to James Scholar with lower test scores and grades (like in the upper 20's for ACT like a 27,28,29)- I think it depends on the college b/c engineering has a larger pool of students with very high test scores than LAS</p>
<p>Boru,</p>
<p>What high school in Illinois?</p>
<p>when do they tell you if you got in to the honors program?</p>