So I was under the impression that UIUC does rolling admission because they have application filling periods. Is this not true?
I’m planning on applying EA there for engineering, so no matter when I send my application during that filling time, I will be notified in December? And does submitting the application early (say September) afford any acceptance advantage over submitting it later (say late october)?
Thanks in advance!
UIUC did away with rolling admission about 7 years ago. It went to an EA and RA system where EA applicants were told a decision on a specified date in mid-December – either admit, admit to alternative major (meaning rejected for first choice), denied admission, or deferred until regular admission (large numbers applying to business and engineering were usually deferred). RA decisions, incluiding everyone deferred from EA, were sent out on a specified date in February.
That then changed two years ago to a single RA decison date in February with no EA, except that if you applied by November 1, you would have some priority for honors programs over those who applied later.
Beginning this fall, for those appllying for freshman admission in 2017, UIUC is returning to the EA and RA system with EA notification in mid-December and then RA applicants and everyone deferred from EA will be notified of a decision in February, but it has some important rules attached to it that all need to know. For EA, you must apply by Nov 1, and that requires not just the application but also getting test scores into UIUC’s hands by Nov. 1, meaning you better order your test scores sent well before Nov 1 even if you are not done with the application. It also means the October SAT and ACT tests could be too late for EA, although the October SAT has a chance of arriving on time if, and possibly only if, you identify UIUC in your SAT test registration as a college which will automatically receive scores upon release, which results in the fastest form of delivery. In other words, if you are relying on the October test for EA, you better send it blind before knowing what your scores are.
Moreover, those who timely apply EA will have some preference for popular majors, honors, and scholarships. That does not mean later RA applicants will have no chance for those but just means their chances are somewhat less than EA applicants.
It does not make any difference when you apply for EA as long as you apply and get test scores in by Nov 1.