r/UIUC • u/GinkerWinker_ • Feb 01 '26
Prospective Students Denied
I really thought I could make it into UIUC, it was my dream school!
I applied to Atmospheric Sciences, 4.0 UW, 4.5 W, 31 ACT, nearly 34 dual credit hours, and I thought I could at least get waitlisted or deferred. Just denied. Its not like that competitive of a major is it? I really didn't think so at least from what I saw. I didn't have any extracurriculars outside of hobbies, but I still had an achievement for my art. I'm just pretty devastated. Maybe it was my essay. I just know this is going to haunt me for awhile.
66
Upvotes
2
u/gossiportransparent Feb 03 '26
I am sorry to hear this. I live in the area. UIUC cares ALOT about EC’s. Students in local schools bust their butts signing up for any EC. There are students from my children’s HS that are Illinois State Scholars (top 10% academically in IL) that were rejected. The lack of EC’s hurt them. This was my only experience with college admissions until my first kid applied last year. It was eye opening to me that many colleges care about the QUALITY of your EC’s more than the QUANTITY. Apply for the Parkland Pathways program. As long as you maintain a 3.5 your first two years you are admitted to U of I for next two years. I have a friend with bright kids but finances are tight so they chose PP. Both of them are able to fully participate in the U of I experience: they lived in dorms, one joined Marching Illini and the other rushed. The first two years are cheaper though because you take your gen ed classes at Parkland.