I’m applying to UIUC as a First Year Freshman, and I was wondering - if they don’t admit you for your first-choice or second-choice major, will they consider you for the Division of General studies automatically? In other words, is it better if I put an actual second-choice major, or is it okay if I put Division of General Studies as my second choice?
You can put DGS as a second choice major. If you put DGS as a second choice major, you don’t have to include a second essay.
Only if you’re an Illinois resident do they consider you automatically for Gen Ed. I’m pretty sure that’s on the actual application.
Know your end goal: Many disappointing stories f/ students who start off in DGS with hopes to transfer into competitive majors: Engineering, Business, CS+ Math/Stats (in LAS)… Ask this question via UIUC Reddit. DGS is generally not advised.
Without knowing your end goal:
If you’re someone who really wants to attend UIUC, but lacking the avg. stats; ACES(College of Agriculture) is often an option that doesn’t have the competitive profile as some of the other colleges. TSM (technical systems management), Consumer Economics or CS + Crop Sciences (very new) - offer good regional employment outlook for those wanting business/econ or systems technician degree:
Program Explorer | College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences | UIUC
Also to jump on this, many community colleges in Illinois have pathway programs directly into UIUC Engineering. This is a good and cheap way for students to get in there.
But like you say, I agree. I would never have my students go in there via DGS and expect to transfer. It often does not work out for someone and then they’re stuck with some BS major they don’t know what to do with.
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