UIUC Undergraduate Admissions process?

Hi everyone! I'm really eager to apply to UIUC but I'm a little unsure about the specifics of their undergraduate admissions process. Can someone shed some light on this for me?

Sure, I'd be happy to help!

When applying to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), the first step is to submit your application through the Common App or the myIllini platform. UIUC has an early action deadline of November 1 and a regular decision deadline of January 5.

You will need to submit a high school transcript which shows your grades, coursework, and class rank where available. They'll be looking for good grades in a challenging curriculum, which means taking advantage of AP classes if they're available at your school.

UIUC also requires several application essays, including some that are specific to this particular institution. The essays are a great opportunity to showcase what you have to offer beyond the numbers. For detailed guidance on how to respond to their current essay prompts, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign-essays

As for test scores, UIUC has a test-optional admissions policy, which means you do not need to submit an SAT or ACT score unless you wish to. However, there can still be instances where including a test score with your application makes sense. For detailed guidance on how to navigate test-optional policies, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional/

For context, most accepted students at UIUC have an SAT score between 1380-1530, or an ACT score between 30-34. These are not hard cutoffs, but being within or above this range indicates you're generally a competitive applicant.

Each college within the university may also have specific requirements for admission into their specific program, and scholarships may ask for supplemental materials as well, so make sure to check the requirements for the specific opportunities you're considering.

After submitting your application, you'll be able to check your application status online. Decisions for early action applicants typically come out on January 31, while regular decision applicants will find out their application results on February 28.

I hope this overview clears up the process a bit! Good luck with your application!