Scholarship Symposium

Scholarship Symposium is an exclusive event planned for early Decision I and Early Action I admits. As part of the evaluation process for the Camras, Crown, Duchossois Leadership, M.A. Lila Self Leadership Academy and Emerging Campus Leader scholarships, nominees are invited to Illinois Tech's campus to meet current scholars, faculty, and their future peers!

Illinois Tech students name Scholarship Symposium as one of the highlights during their college search process, as the event provides future scholars the opportunity to make friends, tour the campus, and talk with faculty and future classmates about topics they care about.

The next Scholarship Symposium will take place on February 9-11, 2023.

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Note:

The schedule is subject to change.
All visitors attending in-person events at Illinois Tech will be required to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 OR submit a negative PCR or antigen COVID-19 test result (including over-the-counter tests such as BinaxNow) from a test taken within 24 hours of your scheduled visit. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our community safe.

How will I know if I'm invited to Scholarship Symposium?

Scholarship Symposium is invitation-only. Those who apply by the Early Action I deadline of November 15 will be considered for eligibility to attend Scholarship Symposium through the Camras scholarship. If you apply for the Crown, Duchoissois Leadership, M.A. Lila Self Leadership Academy, or and Emerging Campus Leader scholarships, you will also be considered for eligibility.

Email and direct mail invitations will be extended to all finalists by December 31. If you are invited to Scholarship Symposium, you will receive additional information about the event schedule, the scholarships you are being considered for, and the scholarship evaluation process.

What happens at Scholarship Symposium?

Below are examples of past Scholarship Symposium activities from last year. Please note that activities are subject to change each year.

Academic information sessions
Campus, residence hall, and lab tours
Trolley tour of Chicago
Esports gaming
Improv show
Pizza dinner
And of course... your scholarship roundtable discussion or interview!

2023 Event Schedule

Check-in begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 9, 2023 and check-out is at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 10, 2023.
The 2023 Scholarship Symposium detailed schedule will be published closer to the event date.

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Are there accommodations for out-of-state students and families?

For students and families requiring accommodation during Scholarship Symposium we provide rooms at the Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place at a special rate of $99/ per night. Reservations at this special rate need to be made using this link. All reservations must be made no later than Thursday, January 19, 2023 (extended timeline).

We have added additional rooms for those who need to arrive on Wed, February 8th. Guests will need to select “Edit Stay” and add the 8th of February if they are needing the additional night at the group rate of $99.00.

Click here for directions from the Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place to Campus.

FAQs

Please email Gavin Waits at Gwaits@iit.edu for an evaluation of your exceptions needs and for consideration for make-up sessions.

We recommend wearing business casual attire for your interviews. Please bring comfortable clothing and shoes to change into when needed for the rest of the event.

Yes. In order to participate in the Scholarship Symposium, you must stay for the entire event, which runs from Thursday beginning at 9 a.m. through Friday at 5 p.m. Checkout begins on Friday at 5 p.m.
You are not required to spend Friday night on campus.

The university definition of fully vaccinated is the initial vaccine doses(s) plus the initial booster, all of which are required.
All attendees must be vaccinated, including the booster, or have received a negative test within 24 hours of the start of the event.
On-campus overnight guests are required to have the required vaccination doses and at least one booster (if eligible). Overnight guests do not have to show a negative COVID-19 test.

No, they are not required to stay on campus overnight. Staying on campus overnight is not a requirement for any attendee.

All attendees should bring a photo or copy of their COVID-19 vaccination card or present a negative test result taken within 24 hours of the event; guests should be prepared to present either their vaccination card or negative test when requested by an Illinois Tech staff member. The COVID-19 test result can be from an at-home test..

If a student is staying overnight, they must be fully vaccinated, according to the Illinois Tech policy that is stated above and have at least one booster—a negative test will not suffice.

No. Attendees are responsible for their travel and accommodation expenses.

Weather is entirely out of your control. If there is a bad storm and your flight is either canceled or delayed, you will not be penalized. This goes for traveling by car as well. We want you to put your safety first. If you are unable to make it to the Scholarship Symposium, please let your admission counselor know as soon as possible—and provide any updates along the way. We will schedule you for a virtual make-up session.

Scholarship recipients are determined based upon a combination of the merit that was shown in their application, as well as their performance during the interview process at the Scholarship Symposium. The Office of Undergrad Admission will look for qualities of leadership such as strong communication skills, collaboration, respecting all voices, content knowledge, critical thinking, and the ability to adapt to different situations. Ultimately, the scoring process is holistic in nature and several factors are considered.

If you are more than 10 minutes late for your scheduled discussion time, you will not be permitted to enter the session. A makeup session is available on Friday if this occurs.

Our ambassadors and counselors have offered some of their favorite Chicago activities in the PDF below.

Things to Do in Chicago

Questions?

Contact your admission counselor or visit team, at visit@iit.edu.