If your S end goal is CS, Jame Scholar doesn’t matter besides what you already know. As you know my S had successfully navigated PREP->CS and he was James Scholar after 1st sem.
BTW, PREP is part of DGS. So one can start DGS->PREP->Whatever eng or PREP->Whatever eng.
This is how it would look 
and James scholar
Ok, so as a James Scholar with Prep did that give him the priority registration for those engineering/cs courses too or only the GenEd ones in the DGS department? I know the priority registration doesn’t kick in until second semester so I wonder about how it’s taken into account when you’re trying to register for those Engineering classes. He already has most of the Core requirements for Engineering, so that’s another issue. I have to look again to see what he has to take, but still don’t think it’s worth it as they’ve raised the minimum GPA requirement and again no guarantee, and he’s in elsewhere, but I want to learn more about it and also the smaller classes.
Also it said they have to take 2 honors classes a year, so is that just like taking for instance “Honors CS xxx” or does it have to be “Honors Psych” something technically in DGS? He would obviously try to transfer out asap.
So i would share my experience. IIRC, sometime in summer, they invite all students for class registration in person (believe if you live outside 50 miles radius,this is a kicker) and parents aren’t allowed to be there, we waited outside building. Due to Covid, I am sure last year they didn’t do in-person and who know how they may do this year.
Point I am trying to drive is my s wasn’t allowed a basic CS class and he told us about it once he outside, now we went to admission office, same building, ask for admission adviser and after an hour he was offered that CS class. So basically you have to hustle a little bit for that initial jump start, but also don’t do that for higher level classes.
For you early registration is only needed for CS classes that is required by PREP, other gen ed/science classes is not an issue. Also here where it gets little trickier, you go for higher level CS class and now dent GPA and now PREP->CS door is closed.
Min GPA and no guarantee for CS/MechE/BioE hasn’t changed since PREP inception, however it has move upward for CompE.
If I were you, I won’t add extra load of James Scholar in first year for PREP.
Yeah that’s the issue, not sure it seems worth it since he has a lot of those courses already and has dual credit in some classes including a higher level CS class that I believe they will give credit for as they did for my other son, but then his option is to move up higher and like you said, then it becomes harder to transfer because you then wind up having to get solid A’s essentially with little room for error. Which is fine, but who wants that pressure when again, might be in another program that is comparatively good enough.
I told him to participate in the virtual thing on it so we’ll see but I think it’s low on his list if not CS.
@srparent15 Did he also get a scholarship/merit aid along with Honors?
Don’t think so. Pretty sure James Scholars don’t give merit and we already know UIUC is stingy on merit anyway, so wasn’t expecting any.
Ok. I was of the opinion that, in general, students getting admitted to Honors would also get Scholarship (not from Honors school necessarily, but from other areas of University). Most universities, I haven’t heard of a student who has gotten Honors, but no scholarship. I have heard of students who have gotten scholarship, but no Honors. UIUC must be really stingy!
Those credits are indeed double edge sword.
What are his options on the table so far?
The Campus Honors Program (which is different from James Scholars) carries a 1,000 annual scholarship, but it’s not a lot.
UVA, Purdue, Michigan - all into the programs he wants Engineering and CS
Waitlist - UNC, GT, and Northeastern (which is funny because I thought they care a lot about demonstrated interest and he showed 0 and applied RD so I thought he would be outright rejected as a high stat but he was happy with the waitlist)
UIUC - waitlist for CS (not happening - we live in IL as you know, so we know that game), James Scholar for PREP/DGS (Pretty sure his admit today to UM just knocked this off the table)
Waiting for a few others
does james scholar honors give scholarships?
I will take UMich over PREP as long as finance is not costing arm and leg.
@PPofEngrDr Are UIUC and Purdue engineering on par with each other? UIUC costs ~$35K (over 4 years) more than Purdue.
For top programs CS/MechE/BioeE/CompE, I will take UIUC over Purdue. That ~35K difference students can easily recoup by virtue of summer internships. For other eng. majors ~35K difference over 4 years may be a deciding factor for some to pick Purdue over UIUC.
Yep, pretty sure Illinois is close to the bottom. Eliminated his safety awhile ago and declined that acceptance, now is eliminating Purdue, and he would’ve gone to Purdue over Illinois Prep so just has to keep Prep in case he gets in off waitlist.
Waitlisted from NU so not out for the count there either. But right now it’s probably between UM and UVA and all the waitlists which may change things in an instant.
I am also on the waitlist for NU. Just curious, between UIUC and NU, which would be better for civil engineering, specifically the structural aspect?
There’s a longstanding rivalry between these two schools, but also a mutual respect and storied histories w/both re: engineering. There are sub -fields where each has a slightly greater notoriety i.e. AerospaceE - Purdue; CS - UIUC…etc. But really, you can’t go wrong with either choice. (son currently CompE at UIUC but has older cousin who graduated Purdue CS doing very well!)
UIUC CompE students have the freedom to take CS courses and many lean toward that avenue because of the opportunities in CS. That said, it’s rigorous since CompE also have to take more physics + hardware reqs. (EE side) than those who are strictly CS.
I would keep PREP over Purdue because he is wait listed for CS at UIUC. That means he is in ball park with his cohort and has pretty good chance to get into CS should he decided to pursue PREP. Again risk - rewards goes hand in hand. My S did let go Purdue CS and he wasn’t even wait listed for CS, guess what he is cruising CS with 3.9+ GPA. Technically he would have graduated this spring rather he will have his day at end of 5th year MS, which is another year. Kid and parents are best judge of their abilities.
I heard NU civil provides better prospects being proximity to Chicago. But at the same time, it is ~75K vs ~36K tuition.
Yup. I just got into the Gies Scholars program and the Golder Academy last night.
