Junior Chances. Visiting Tomorrow. Am I wasting my time?

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
1

<p>I’m currently visiting all the places that are far from home, and I’ll be visiting U of I tomorrow.
Do you think I’d have any respectable chance? Would it be worth an application? I’m applying to the College of Aviation, with DGS as the 2nd choice.</p>

<p>Current JUNIOR, probably willing to pay full tuition
White guy from Seattle, Washington
1 Parent attended college, but not at UI.
GPA Unweighted: 2.95-3.02 (Math kills me. I’ve flunked and retaken a couple of honors math classes to help my GPA. I get A’s and B’s in everything else.)
GPA Weighted: 87.8 (on a % scale for some reason)
ACT: 27 (12 writing)
CLASS RANK: 57th %ile. Top 43%.
GRADE TREND: Freshman: 2.8ish, Soph: 3.5ish, Junior:likely 2.6ish w/ better 2nd semester</p>

<p>Classes were pretty hard…
SOPH CLASSES: Pre-Calculus, AP U.S. History (3), AP Psychology (4), Honors English, Honors Spanish 4, AP Biology (3), AP Euro (2)</p>

<p>JUNIOR CLASSES: AP Statistics, AP Gov, AP Microecon, Positive Leadership, AP English, AP Spanish Lang, AP Chemistry</p>

<p>SENIOR CLASSES: Calculus, Comm. College Economics, Comm. College English, Comm. College Spanish, AP Physics, Comparative Religions, International Relations</p>

<p>Extra-Currcular Activities:</p>

<li><p>Cross Country (5 years)
1a. I’m a captain next year =]
1b. Competing at the Varsity Level
1c. Lettered freshman year</p></li>
<li><p>Boy’s Swimming (2-3 years)
2a. JV Level, this is more just for fun
2b. Managed the team freshman year</p></li>
</ol>

<p>3.Track & Field (6 years)
3a. Varsity Pole Vaulter
3b. #1 Male PV’er on the team (a.k.a. the ONLY male PV’er on the team.)
3c. 400m open/ 4X400, not so good at this</p>

<li><p>Choir (8 years)
4a. Member of Motet, the school’s most prestigous choir
4b. Traveled to Austrailia to Perform in July 2009
4c. Tenor Leader</p></li>
<li><p>Musical (1 year)
5a. Performed in the school musical “Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” sophomore year, and never did it again because I didn’t have time</p></li>
<li><p>Tutor (2 years so far)
6a. 6 Spanish Hours for youth service
6b. 4 Algebra 1 Hours for youh service…
6c. 3 Geometry Hours…
6d. 18 Algebra 2 Hours…
6e. 2 Chemistry Hours…</p></li>
<li><p>Junior Class Squadron
7a. Historian
7b. 2 hours weekly</p></li>
<li><p>Part Time Job since July 08 @ McCafe’</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I think I’ll have 1 rec and it’ll be good.</p>

<p>Bases on my ACT writing, my essays should be epic.</p>

<p>Chances?!?!?!?!?</p>

2

<p>You ACT is good enough, though it looks 50/50 with that GPA, though Aviation is extremely easy to enter compared to everything else. I say you are not wasting time.</p>

3

<p>I thought DGS and LAS were the easiest go get into… wouldn’t avi be one of the hardests? </p>

<p>Is there anything I can do to improve my chances? I’ve been looking at the website and I’m expecting to really like it tomorrow…</p>

4

<p>I would try to sell yourself based on the fact that you’ve taken really challenging courses and have a lot to offer the university. If you do that properly, I believe you can get in regardless of whether your stats are below the out of state averages. I might also try to explain the difficulties you have had in your math courses. However, I know plenty of people who got denied in state with similar stats so I don’t know how you’ll do from out of state. Good luck.</p>

5

<p>I ended up loving the school. It’s my first or second choice. </p>

<p>They made it sound very 50-50 when I was talking to them there.</p>

6

<p>Awesome! Actually question: I’m showing a prospective student around tomorrow. Was there anything in particular that you saw that really wowed you or made campus appealing? Or was it just the general atmosphere? Thanks :)</p>

7

<p>I forgot to mention, APPLY EARLY.</p>

8

<p>

</p>

<p>Yeah, there were several. I liked the union quite a bit, and especially the massive grassy area between the union and the auditorium. That whole area looked like what a college is supposed to look like, and the atmosphere was inviting.</p>

<p>I also liked the UIUC Willard airport… but I’m a prospective aviaton student, so this does not apply to everyone.</p>

<p>I was also impressed with the electric schedules at all the bus stops. Kind of dorky, but it’s technology.</p>

<p>And the whole atmosphere was great. It was big, which I like, and most of the people seemed pretty happy to be there.</p>

<p>I do NOT recommend taking them into the dorms, unless you know of a nice one. The one we went into was called Carr Hall, I believe, and it completely scared me away from living in the dorms. They were extremely hot and cramped, and in two places these was puke in the hallway. Someone’s parent adressed that and our guide was like “hehe, you have to get used to that.” I think I’d have been more impressed with a nicer dorm.</p>

9

<p>And yeah, Taxi, I’ll have it in on the first day.</p>

10

<p>Thanks so much for your input! I’m really glad to hear that you liked campus, and I’ll be sure to show tomorrow’s student some of the sites that you mentioned. Sorry to hear about the negative dorm experience. 1) I am shocked that they took you to that dorm in particular since most tours are of ISR, a nice dorm where I live. 2) I can assure you that dorm life is far from what you’ve seen, and there are plenty of great dorms to live in on campus.</p>

<p>You’re lucky to be interested in aviation since that’s supposedly one of the easiest majors to get into. Best of luck applying. :)</p>

11

<p>Seems like the impression you got from UofI was the same as me. I really liked the atmosphere - can’t really explain why. And when I toured, they took me to ISR and I loved the tall doors (hah). </p>

<p>Your GPA is a little bit below average for Aviation I think but the ACT score is within range. If anything you may be borderline, but if you write some amazing essays I think you’ll be just fine.</p>

12

<p>Does anyone have anymore input?</p>

13

<p>Hey,
I’m currently a freshman here at U of I in Business and Economics. Your chances look pretty good and your ACT is decent. Try to get your ACT up one more time (I did my senior year), and definitely incorporate all your EC’s into writing a killer personal essay. GPA is the only negative factor that pops out automatically. Peace.</p>

14

<p>OK, I have a few updates:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>I got rejected from the community college program, so I’ll be taking basically all AP Classes next year instead of college classes.</p></li>
<li><p>I finished Junior Year with a 2.977 Cumulative and 58th Percentile Rank.</p></li>
<li><p>ACT is still 27. Writing 12.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m applying the first day it comes out, for sure. </p></li>
</ul>

<p>I really really really want to go here. Do these updates change anything at all?</p>

<p>…and BTW, when is the earliest they’ll start taking applications for 2010?</p>

15

<p>Well, I’m not sure about your GPA, but I know for sure a 27 is great for the aviation school (I got a 27 and that’s what I plan on trying to get into as well). I’m sure that if they see you take a challenging course load you could get in. And as for the applications, I have no idea, but I hope it’s soon so I can start the process!</p>

16

<p>You’ve got a lot going for you. Good ACT score, excellent writing score, hard classes, good EC’s, but then just a low rank/GPA. Your hard classes should definitely compensate for that though.</p>

<p>I think you’ll get into U of I just fine. I’d gauge your chances at 65%, for aviation. But have fun paying the OOS tuition.</p>