Friday is a highly anticipated day for high schoolers. It means two days without school, sleeping in and no crowded hallways. But this Friday, the anticipation revolves around school.

Jan. 31 is decision day for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and with EHS being a feeder school, the stakes feel especially high.

UIUC is one of the top public universities in the country, attracting a large number of applicants each year. Some of the most popular majors include engineering, computer science, education and psychology.

According to a survey, 27% of applicants applied for an engineering major while 18% applied for education. 

Senior Sammy Kourinos, who applied as a biochemistry major, is anxious to hear back.

“UIUC is my top school, so I’m nervous but also excited to see if I get in,” Kourinos said.

Kourinos isn’t alone. Of the seniors who applied to UIUC, 72.7% said they were nervous about their admissions decision.

At first, Kourinos wasn’t interested in applying, but after doing some research, she decided to submit an application. According to her, the biggest draw for her is the campus resources and competitive environment.

“Before touring, I didn’t want to go because it was in Illinois and I thought it was only going to be cornfields and farmers,” Kourinos said. “But after doing my own research I realized UIUC offers a lot of resources and now it’s my top school.”

Senior Addyson Moore, who applied as a biology major, agreed that UIUC has strong academics and is more affordable than many universities.

“I think a lot of seniors applied to UIUC because of the in-state tuition and it would be cheaper,” Moore said.

UIUC is also a Division I school in several sports, including football and basketball, which adds to its appeal for many students.

“I think they have a really good selection of sports to watch,” Moore said. “It would be really fun to experience.”

For Moore, another major draw is the location. Being two hours away from Edwardsville makes UIUC an ideal choice for students who want some independence while still being able to visit home regularly.

“I really liked how UIUC isn’t too far from home but more so, I love that it’s only two hours from Chicago,” Moore said.

Junior graduate Merissa Quart-Ackad said UIUC is one of her top choices because of the positive reputation among her teachers but her decision will depend on cost.

“Avoiding debt for my undergraduate degree is the number one priority,” Quart-Ackad said.

 Quart-Ackad applied to the Gies College of Business and feels confident about her chances.

“I’ve maintained a good GPA, and I’m in a lot of extracurriculars,” Quart-Ackad said. “But I don’t want to jinx myself.”

Decisions will be released Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. Until then, seniors will have to wait eagerly to see if they will continue EHS’s tradition of being a feeder school to UIUC.

“Waiting this long to see if I got in has really made me nervous,” Quart-Ackad said. “But I think I have a solid chance.”