<p>Hey guys, t won't waste your time and type too much (mainly because of my own depression right now...) but I've got a question.
So I took the ACT twice, 31 both times. My GPA was a 3.4w (yes I know, VERY low). I had over 100 hours, mainy great academic and sports ECs and several teachers said my Essays were amongst the best they've read.
So...I applied to Computer Engineering and, I guess obviously, I didn't get in. My question is: how in the world didn't I get into general studies?! I'm black, a national achievement scholar (competition ingoing), I've been to Illinois state science fair (at UIUC!!) twice., Have received over $8k worth of research grants from multinational pharmaceutical corporations because of my novel (and potentially groundbreaking) method of detecting a protein that induces fear, and have received multiple letters from their school entitled "we want you". Even though I didn't get into CE (my GPA is low and it's a very competitive program) I just can't understand why I wasn't offered a slot in in gen. studies!<br>
Sorry to rave and rant but I've seen, and know, people with lower ACTs and similar GPAs who have been admitted to harder majors...
Any opinions?</p>
<p>Well someone in the admissions department was probably very shallow/silly, saw the 3.4, and tossed the application. Possibly without reading it in depth</p>
<p>I can’t figure that out…unless the admission committee thought you wouldn’t accept because of your extensive accomplishments. They might have thought that you would choose another school so they gave the space to someone who might be more likely to attend. MAKES NO SENSE TO ME !!! How were your essays?? You can appeal the decision—there is a process for that.</p>
<p>I just re-read your post. A 3.4 weighted GPA is pretty low. What is that unweighted (under 3.0 or low 3??)?? Your GPA plus an ACT of 31 might be the reason. Your accomplishments should have balanced that out though…and at least given you an admission into an alternate program with the chance to earn the grades to reapply into Engineering after a one or two years.</p>
<p>Yes unweighted that pans out to a low 3 but the ACT s on the very high side for their general admissions. That plus my accomplishments seems like it should’ve been enough fr me…apparently not. Does anyone have any idea what I can apply to? Any other schools?</p>
<p>I don’t understand either. I had similar stats minus your excellent ACT score, only I applied directly into General Studies. Maybe DGS at the time was full? Even then, you should have gotten deferred or wait listed, especially as an African American.</p>
<p>How was your essay? One thing I know is that UIUC admissions is very partial to people that genuinely want to go to the school rather than someone with just good stats applying just because. Did your essay exemplify this?</p>
<p>I’m very sorry, but believe me- its NOT the end of the world. You can always transfer. (and as much as the word “transfer” bugged me, it really won’t matter in the long run.) This is just a tiny spec of a moment in your life, don’t let it bring you down.</p>
<p>You never know why one qualified student is admitted and another denied. I know that UIUC has the option of appealing an admission denial online. Are you within driving distance from UIUC?? If so, contact them and ask if you can make an appointment with one of the admission officers. If they allow you to come in to speak with an admission officer, you could bring with you a notebook of your accomplishments so they can see your research proposals and grants and other accomplishments. If your essays did not do a very good job of showing your true interest in attending UIUC, then show this interest thru the appeal process. In the process, stay positive, not boastful. Be yourself and ask for a chance at DGS to prove yourself. They might not allow you to have an appointment, and if they do, you might still have to appeal online. If you have to appeal online, take a good look at the entire application to see where you might have made a mistake or made a wrong impression. (Be sure to write a thank you note to any admission officer that you have contact with. Being able to speak with an admissions officer, even if only on the phone, would give you the name of someone who you can contact and with any luck will be on your side when it comes to making the final decision.) Good luck to you.</p>
<p>The following is cut and pasted from the UIUC application website (to give credit where due).
“Important factors considered by the review committee when evaluating the essays are:”
" How the applicant ties his or her academic interest to the desired major or, if applying to the Division of General Studies, how the applicant explains his or her varied interests and need for exploration. "
"How the applicant showcases his or her passion through chosen activities, work experience, research, or course selection in high school."
"How the essay reveals maturity and growth through past experiences, evidence of character development, cultural insight, community awareness, and/or leadership."
“Strength of writing is carefully considered throughout all the application essays.”</p>
<p>Thanks momgrad! You’ve been very helpful and I appreciate it. I’m for sure going to submit an appeal. I live in Chicago so I’m roughly 4-5 hours away but I’ll convince my mm to drive me outfi they give me a meeting. I’ve cheered up since yesterday, must notve been Gods plan for me (sorry for saying so if you’re not religious). Thanks for all the help guys!</p>
<p>I don’t think that the essays or scores or EC’s matter too much in case of UIUC. I believe that my essays and accomplishments were commonplace, but I had a pretty high GPA. And I’m from India too! So try your luck, but I feel that the only reason was your GPA.</p>
<p>Quiverfox - Essays and scores definitely matter. Especially if your GPA is on the lower end. Your Act/SAT would be weighted more heavily in that case. GPA is actually a worse indicator of academic performance than a standardized test score. A 3.5 at a public urban school with a lenient curriculum would not be the same as a 3.5 at a rigorous, nationally competitive high school. That’s why you need the a standardized test score. The essay also gives insight about your character and goals for college.</p>
<p>Guiverfox, I completely disagree with you. My son is a Mechanical Engineering freshman this year. His high school GPA was high, but his test scores were on the very low end of admitted students. He would not have been admitted based on his test scores alone. He was not deferred or sent to DGS. He got in because of his strong essays!!! I know that is true. At a public university, if you have top test scores, you are in, but if your test scores are average or low, then you have to stand out some other way…and the way to do that is fantastic essays !!!</p>
<p>If you decide to try again later as a transfer, as Soso694 suggested, then you need to know that college GPA and college courses taken are the only things that matter when evaluating engineering transfers. This came directly from the engineering school admissions representative during a transfer visit day this Fall.</p>
<p>*I was accepted for transfer to Computer Engineering with a 4.0 from an Illinois community college. I have a published research paper in an unrelated field, but I don’t think that made a difference.</p>
<p>@quiver, thanks for your input but I have to say I too disagree. I think, base don what they told me at an open house, that essays play a BIG part in the admissions process. I’m going to appeal under DGS and cross my fingers. Btw, I was speaking to several people and they said while i was udnerqualifid for Compuer Eng, UIUC employs the practice of denying people who they thinks re overqualified for DGS. Is there any truth in this? Maui have been too low for engineering but too high for DGS? They said that the assumption is I’ll go to another school that’ll take me for engineering and blow DGS off.</p>
<p>No olagan I’m sorry to say that was definitely not true that you’re overqualified for DGS. There are plenty of very good students who have applied to Engineering or business that end up in DGS which much higher stats than you. Many of THEM turn down the offer because they were accepted in Business or Engineering at other schools. I’m guessing the rigor of your courses coupled with some low grades in core courses may have been to blame. A low 3 is very low for UIUC which trumps your accomplishments.</p>
<p>momgrad, I also believe that your son’s GPA (you said he had a high GPA) got him in. In paying attention to UIUC admissions decisions over many years, it seems that UIUC looks at grades and class rank as a more important factor than ACT scores. In other words, a high ACT and low grades will get you rejected, whereas high grades and relatively low ACT may get you accepted. The essays are there for borderline decisions, but will not make up for a deficiency on either grades or ACT.</p>
<p>d101parent, You are probably correct. My son took the ACT and SAT tests only once (during Junior year). He took a full schedule of classes during his senior year including IB Caclulus HL (2nd full year of IB Calculus), IB Physics, and IB Chemistry (a full year of each), so the rigor was there. Throughout his entire high school years, he took honors classes (Freshman and Sophomore years) and IB classes (Junior and Senior years), so he definitely took the most difficult classes that were offered at his school each year. His grades were very good. He had straight A’s in all of his math and science classes. His SAT score was in range but on the bottom end (1970)…but it got him in without being deferred or sent to DGS. (He chose to not report his ACT score.)…and he had unique extracurricular experiences to write about in his essays.</p>
<p>Well if it makes you feel any better, I was deferred from the college of business with a 4.1 GPA, 33 ACT, am in National Honor Society and have over 100 hours of service, instate and wrote good essays.</p>
<p>Your guidance counselor or school’s college counselor can and should follow up. Not only would the explanation be helpful for you to understand but it is helpful for them as well with their own planning and advice for other students.</p>
<p>OP, if you would really like to attend you could try appealing: [U</a> of I Admissions: Admission Appeal Form](<a href=“http://admissions.illinois.edu/forms/appeal.html]U”>Page Not Found, Illinois Undergraduate Admissions)</p>
<p>It says you have to provide ‘new and compelling information not on your original application.’ Maybe if you have any significant new achievement in the next few months you could try for it.</p>
<p>(The website says the deadline has passed, but I’m pretty sure it means last year’s deadline for appeals, this year’s appeals haven’t started yet)</p>