Another "Chances" Thread

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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<p>Can anyone update me on my chances? My stats are</p>

<p>• GPA - 3.5 UW, 6.111 W (for some reason my school W # does not seem to match any other school). If you look only at my GPA in my Honors/AP courses it goes up each of my three years to a high of 3.60 UW / 6.636 W in my Junior year.
• Rank – My school ranks only in deciles using their version (unlike anyone else’s) of Weighted so my weighted GPA of 6.111 probably puts me around the top 15% level. However, if you only include my Honors/AP courses, my 3 year weighted GPA jumps to 6.636 which would put me around the top 7% level. Yes, basically I had a tendency to slack off in the “filler” classes.
• Honors / AP – By the end of my Junior Year I had taken 10 Honors courses along with AP Physics (got a 4 on the test). My senior Schedule includes Honors English, AP World History, AP US History, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, and AP Calculus
• EC – The run of the mill stuff like most everyone – Volunteer at Senior Citizen Center, 3 years Track (both indoor and outdoor), Robotics Club, Biology Club, etc.
• SAT = 1340/1400 and 1970/2400.
• SAT II – Math II (720), Physics (710), Chemistry (710)
• ACT = Composite of 31 (32 if they super score) on two separate tests with highs of 35 on the Science section and 33 on the Math Section. Lowest score was a 29 on the English section.
• College Courses – Took 5 College courses at a local college between Freshman and Sophomore years (College Algebra - C, US History I - A, Applied Calculus – C, Colonial History - B and Pre-Calculus - B) for a GPA of 2.75
• Essays – Everyone says they will write a “killer essay” so I will say that I’m hoping that my essay is “killer”
• LOR’s – Should be stellar as I will include them from both my high school teachers as well as my College Math Professor.</p>

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<p>U of I does not take letters of recommendation, and your numbers are pretty standard for UIUC, so as long as you don't f-up your essays, you should be good.</p>

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<p>LORs are not considered, SAT II tests are not considered, they do not superscore SAT or ACT (they use that test with higest composite). From what you note, your class rank is top 15% (and no they don't redo it by taking only honors and APs but they do look at the difficulty of courses taken). You do not provide college (and major) to which you are applying. For A&S college and most majors within it, you have a decent chance (top 15 %, 31 ACT puts you in middle 50% range, although your class rank is in the lower part of that middle 50% range), but for Engineering college the class rank is low (for entering class of 2007, middle 50% range was top 10% to top 2%) so UIUC engineering is a reach.</p>

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<p>Thanks - Physics / Astrophysics. Highest composite ACT is 31 (twice). I should also be top 10% by end of Senior Year although I'm sure that is not a consideration.</p>

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<p>Senior year grades and rank are not considered for admission (can be considered after admission to determine if admission should be revoked). Be aware the Department of Physics is in the College of Engineering although the degree is awarded by A&S. Physics is one of those small number of A&S majors where the middle 50% range comes closer to that for engineering than for A&S. Thus, still a reach but not out of the box.</p>

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<p>My reading of LAS is that my ACT of 31 puts me in the upper level of the 50% range (26-31). I think the physics / astrophysics major ends up being in the Astronomy department with joint physics classes. That would keep me in LAS where my chances would increase.</p>