I was wondering if I have a good chance at UIUC Social Work school for early action
I’ve been reading books about social work and would love to go there.
Hispanic and Asian
2.81 GPA ( I got a D and three C junior year second semester and first semester 1 C
Sophomore year all As and Bs
Freshman year was the worst
But mostly an upward trend
I have a bunch of Science EXtra Curriculars but I’ve now decided I want to do social work since I’ve been very interested but in it the past year.
ACT: 23
SAT:1110
What are my chances at UIUC School of Social Work Early Action?
UIUC is a bit of a low reach for you. An ACT of 25 is the cutoff for the bottom quarter of applicants, so you’ll have to improve several points to get in a more comfortable spot. GPA is the #1 consideration. You didn’t mention your class rank, but most students by far accepted into UIUC are in the top 25% of their class. Do you have any hooks or spikes? ECs?
The good news for you is that transfer students coming into that major only need a minimum 2.5 GPA for consideration. That indicates the major is not too competitive.
My guess is you are waitlisted to RD, but your odds go up if you show improvement on your next ACT.
Spanish club
Science Olympiad
I’ve been to nationals twice and got top 5 once and a few sTate medals. I am not sure if I should add my invitational and regional medals.
I fence for our schools team
I volunteer at my local hospital sometimes
I also got a music award
I’m Hispanic/Asian as well
What I am most worried about are my grades. My freshman year I just moved here so I was adjusting to the hard curriculum. I got a 2.38 first semester and 2.48 first semester that year. I the. Retook English and got a B+. But didn’t retake Bio bc my counselor said not to. My sophomore year I got all As and Bs. Junior year all A and B except one C in physics. Second semester three C and one D. I got really frustrated and just couldn’t cooperate.
I took most college prop classes sophomore year and took half honors and half college prep junior year. Senior year I’m taking all honors.
Freshman year was all college prep except bio
I wanted to do something Scoence related around a year ago but then I started getting into social work and I really liked it.
UIUC will consider ethnicity (and whether or not you are 1st gen college in your family), but it is not as important as GPA, test scores or ECs. You’ve got solid ECs, but I still think this is a low reach school for you, maybe a high match. Work very, very hard on that ACT score. It will help you. There is a place on the common app to list all your awards, so those you earned through Science Olympiad will look good.
@Groundwork2022
do you think I can get into Loyola Chicago then major in Biology and Minor in Social work?
two of my aunts went there and two of my uncles went there.
No, UIUC doesn’t accept the common app, sorry. There will still be a place on the app to list awards, though. I am pulling all the stats off of the common data set. Just Google the school name and “common data set” and it’s all there. I thought you’d have a better chance at Loyola, but your GPA is in the bottom 7% for enrolled students. Your ACT is about the bottom 25% and your SAT scores are slightly above the bottom 25%. So… still a low reach. Possible, yes, but you need actual matches and safeties too. Does your school offer access to Naviance? Match schools are places where your GPA and test scores are in the 25-75% range. Safety schools are places you can afford and where your stats are in the top 25%.
Edited to say: legacies have varying advantages in some schools, but your parents would have to be the graduates. Aunts and uncles don’t typically count, unless they are large donors to the school.