Rate Chances at UIUC Gies or IU Kelley

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Demographics

  • US domestic *(US citizen )

  • State/Location of residency: Illinois

  • Type of high school (current college for transfers): Large public high school

  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity (optional): Male/South Asian

  • Other special factors (first generation to college, legacy, athlete, etc.): None

Intended Major(s) business, Marketing, entrepreneurship with a specific interest in fashion entrepreneurship

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.43 cumulative until and including junior year. 3.83 in junior year. Improving trend year over year. expecting to maintain the same level or better in senior year.

  • Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system):

  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1250

Coursework

(AP/IB/Dual Enrollment classes, AP/IB scores for high school; also include level of math and foreign language reached and any unusual academic electives; for transfers, describe your college courses and preparation for your intended major(s)) 3 AP courses in economics, business and psychology. Honors courses in maths and English.

Awards
National level participation in BPA, after winning state and regional level in the marketing case study presentation of a fashion/ pop icon. This is an individual effort and not part of a team.

Extracurriculars

(Include leadership, summer activities, competitions, volunteering, and work experience)

1)Has been working in 2 jobs concurrently for the past 3 years - one in retail and one in hospitality/ event management.

2)Has been running a snow shoveling business, recruiting classmates to do actual shoveling, while managing the sales and customer service. Generated > $2,000 over 2 seasons so far.

3)Started own vintage online store, built enormous buzz in the school towards launch. Expected to generate between 5k - 10k in annual sales. Highly passionate about clothing, art, fashion.

Essays/LORs/Other

(Optionally, guess how strong these are and include any other relevant information or circumstances.)

I expect that essays would be compelling to demonstrate his passion, purpose, interest, and creativity. He is a strongly independent and creative thinker and loves writing.

Personal circumstances: His parents went thru divorce in the last 2 years, and affected him for a while.

Cost Constraints / Budget None, but UIUC Gies is a target considering the quality and cost.

(High school students: please get a budget from your parents and use the Net Price Calculators on the websites of colleges of interest.)

  • Safety * please suggest.

  • Likely * University of Illinois, Chicago

  • Match: UIUC Gies ( most preferred ) , IU - Kelley, Babson( strong focus on entrepreneurship), Rutgers New Brunswick ( Decent match and to be near NY for future career opportunities)

  • Reach: Any good business programs in the top 50. Please recommend.

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Also want to add:
I am asking this for my son. I expect he would get good/strong recommendations from 2 of his teachers.

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Will get into IU - not Kelley. Not sure if youā€™d get into UIUC - forgetting the major because I donā€™t see the b school happening.

When you say Chicago, I hope you mean U of Illinois Chicagoā€¦not U of Chicago.

Maybe Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Eastern Illinois.

If you want a ā€œlower costā€ OOS - schools like Murray State, Alabama Birmingham.

There may be some state schools like UT Knoxville, U of Arizona, Mizzou, Ohio U, etc. but they will not be cheap.

What are you seeking in a school? or what is he seeking? Have you been out and touring?

Lots of schools heā€™ll get intoā€¦

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I have a friend whose son started at Kelley this year. Similar stats to your son but heā€™s from MA ( and I donā€™t think they get as many applicants from there).
Your sonā€™s ECā€™s are much stronger than my friends son.
Iā€™d second Babson ( assuming he likes a really tiny school).
Have you though of the Carroll school at BC? You might get a bump being from IL ( less applicants). Itā€™s also highly rated. And bigger than Babson.

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Thanks. Yes, I meant UI Chicago. Of course, University of Chicago is way out of bounds.

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Thanks. Didnā€™t know about Carroll Boston College. Looks interesting. Thanks for pointing out. Will definetely keep in mind.

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Boston College Carroll School of Management is a much higher reach that Gies or Kelly. BC had a 16% acceptance rate last year, average SAT score of 1510, and average GPA of 3.96.

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Gies is likely out of reach with those stats. In order to be accepted to UIUC you will have to thoughtfully choose your school and majors (you get to list 2). Work with your HS GC on that.

For Kelley you donā€™t meet either of the direct admit criteria (3.8 GPA, whether weighted or unweighted) and a 1370 SAT. So you will have to complete the Kelley review/appeal form in the portal after applying to IU. I agree you will be accepted to IU, Kelley direct admit not likely, but try.

Babson is also a reach. Rutgers is correct as a match.

Other schools for fashion/business: Columbia College Chicago, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Drexel, TCU.

Research mid-50% ranges for last yearā€™s test scores at each school, and work with your HS GC to decide where to apply with and without the test score. For example, the 1250 wonā€™t go to Babson, probably not UIUC (depends on school/major) or for Kelley, probably apply with test for Rutgers and UIC (but again have to pull the data).

Are there budget constraints?

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Yes agreed. Doesnā€™t look promising

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No budget constraints.
I am trying follow that strategy of identifying the colleges where middle 50% is comfortably within his stats.

Of course the question is: How much of his EC , essays and demonstrable /focused/ non-trivial entrepreneurship experience ( in my own biased opinion) will help get into Gies or similarly selective business schools in the bottom 25% of the incoming class.

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This is the million dollar question that is difficult to assess as outsiders. UIUC relatively more stats driven, and Gies is relatively small in terms of number of students.

Look into the other schools I suggested, there are some good business/fashion schools there that are not reaches.

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Thanks a lot

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Babson on no way imho. Bentley is itā€™s easier to get into, excellent cousin. BC. No chance.

But again what ā€˜typeā€™ of school does this student seek. Size. Area. Sports/Greek etc. urban. Not urban.

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Thanks for the suggestion. I will check it out.
Urban / Major metro setting is preferred for future career prospects. Otherwise, UIUC because it is excellent in-state and Kelley because of its reputation and closer to Chicago. Also he is very outgoing and extroverted.

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With the interest in fashion and business I would look at Marist.

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Yes, but many kids applying are from NE. Less candidates from IL. So that can definitely tip the scale. And the SAT and GPA you listed is likely for all majors.

A friend of my '22 got into BC off the waitlist. Had very low scores (SAT was 1050) and donā€™t know GPA. This kid was bottom 50% of the class. I was pretty shocked but it happens. Many kids applying with scores above 1500 and GPAs that are near perfect will be rejected. No real rhyme or reason these days. Low score standardized tests go TO. And the rest are really high based on that factor.

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Iā€™d second Drexel. They have a strong fashion program. Donā€™t know much about their business program.

Also, Iā€™d have a mix in each category. Also keeping in mind that if few apply from your area, chances are much better. Might not get you in. But it might. Our class of '22 kid had many kids in the graduating class get into amazing schools that were outside the immediate region (NE). Schools where everyone applied had much lower rates for all.

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Thanks for suggesting.

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Drexel business majors do look solid in business / marketing. Thanks for suggesting.

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Since IU is rolling, just apply and go test optional. You can petition to kelley right now and write a strong essay showcasing the business ecs and explaining the lower GPA which they want near 3.8. Nothing to lose really.

You can track the petition and find more details here:

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