As college decision day approaches May 1, thousands of Illinois students are deciding where they’ll go. For many, one school stands out: the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
U. of I. has become one of the highest-rated, most competitive public universities in the country. The average ACT score for incoming students reached 32 in 2025, up from 29 when I applied in 2018. Nearly 30,000 in-state students applied to U. of I. last year, and just over 10,000 were admitted in 2025, according to Freedom of Information Act records from the school. Some of its most prestigious programs are even more selective — computer science admits just 7.4% of applicants, rivaling Ivy League schools.
With a more competitive admissions landscape than ever, students need every possible advantage to stand out, such as tutors, online prep programs and multiple chances to take standardized tests. As standards rise, even small increases in test scores can make the difference between acceptance and rejection.
A federal program could help them compete — if Illinois opts in.
The federal tax credit scholarship program would allow the vast majority of Illinois families, anyone earning up to 300% of the area median income, to receive funds to help eligible K-12 public, private or homeschool students pay for tutoring, test preparation, exam fees and more. The program is funded by donors who give to nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700.
Just applying to college has become increasingly expensive. Students hoping to strengthen their competitiveness with Advanced Placement exams and additional ACT attempts can quickly rack up hundreds of dollars in fees. Add application costs, and families can easily spend $600 or more on the process. With tutoring, costs can climb even higher.
Many families earn too much for financial assistance and still struggle to cover these costs.
For Illinoisans navigating this process, even modest help matters. The federal program could cover public school students, unlocking a new way to fund these costs. Support from scholarship-granting organizations could cover the extra steps students now need to distinguish themselves in the competitive college admissions environment.
My sister learned the hard way that even high-achieving students struggle to stand out. I graduated from U. of I., but my sister was rejected with a higher test score and stronger extracurriculars than mine.
My family didn’t have resources for extra test prep or tutoring. I was lucky to be admitted then, and I might not have been so today.
Illinois loses a lot of bright students, including my sister, to out-of-state universities every year. Of those who don’t get into their top in-state choice — often U. of I. — many leave for another Big Ten experience rather than enroll in regional schools, where enrollment is declining and in-state tuition is one of the highest in the country. Illinois’ public university enrollment has fallen by more than 15,000 students since its peak in 2010.
The reality is this: Illinois can’t quickly expand seats at its most competitive universities. But it can help students compete for the limited spots that exist today.
The federal tax credit scholarship program offers a way to do exactly that — giving students help to strengthen their applications now, while universities and policymakers work toward longer-term solutions.
Illinois donors will receive the tax credit whether or not the state participates in the program. The difference is that their money would support students and applicants in other states instead of those here at home. Illinois’ education funding formula ensures state funding for public schools never declines, regardless of enrollment. Public education funding isn’t going anywhere; opting into the program will only make our public school system better.
It’s up to Gov. JB Pritzker to decide whether Illinois should opt in.
For many students, covering the cost of an extra test, exam or tutoring session could make the difference between getting in — or moving out.
Illinois students are capable. What they need is a fair chance to compete.
Opting into the federal tax credit scholarship program would be a practical step toward giving them one.
Micky Horstman is the communications manager for the Illinois Policy Institute, a social mobility fellow for Young Voices and a proud U. of I. graduate.
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