UIUC is my top choice school at the moment but I’m beginning to feel as though I’m not worthy to even be looked at by an admissions officer. I want to study biology there but My GPA unweighted is a 3.3 and weighted is a 3.6(That’s because I didn’t care much for school freshman year but now I regret that) I’ve taken a total of 5 AP classes and some honors and have As in most of them but my freshman stats really messed up my weighted GPA. I haven’t done almost any ECs because I had to work to support my single mother and my 4 siblings for most of sophomore and junior year. I recently started volunteering at a local hospital though. Somehow, my class rank is 19 since I go to a low end high school. My SAT is garbage too at a low 1040(because I am awful at math) but planning to retake it on December and apply when I get my new scores to help boost my chances in any way. I appreciate any comments, criticism and advice!
Are you in state? You may want to reconsider UIUC, it will be a reach. I would try other in state schools.
Yeah I am in state. I don’t really know if that helps though.
Why biology?
What other majors are you interested in?
Right now, I’d say your odds are almost nil.
Although freshman year is less important than sophomore and junior year, a 3.3 unweighted isn’t very good for such an elite university. Your curriculum rigor is very good though. But what really doee you in is that test score - 80% UIUC students have math scores of 700+. Only about 3+5% of those admitted have scores in your range - and you can bet those were ‘recruited’, not regular applicants.
Study foe the SAT with Khan Academy every day and see if your school library has Melzer’s books for Sat English and a book of practice tests. Even for other universities, increasing that sat score will help with admissions and scholarships.
An ec is anything you do outside of school:
Working to support family and taking care of siblings “count”. Don’t forget to list each.
What’s your budget? Do you know your EFC?
Fill out the Request info form for each of these colleges:
Earlham, Gustavus Adolphus, Luther, Augustana (il), Millikin, Bradley, Doane, Hamline, Beloit, Elmhurst, Concordia Moorhead, St John’s/Benedict, St Kate’s (if you’re a girl), Augsburg.
Most of those are test optional, meaning they’ll judge you on your curriculum rigor, grades (esp. Sophomore, junior, and first quarter senior year), essays, and activities (work, helping family, volunteering).
Apply quickly to SIU Carbondale, SIU Edwardsville, ISU, NIU. If they have a test optional application, go with it and hurry - most scholarships deadlines are Nov 15 or Dec 1. (Most scholarships come from the Colleges themselves).
Thank you MYOS. Well the reason I am going for biology is because I have a sister with many genetic disorders and mutations which created my interest in genetics. I hope to be a doctor one day for that reason as well. That is also why my mom can’t work. She has to constantly tend to her 24/7. I was hoping that if I got admitted, I would be considered for the Illinois commitment program. I’ve worked a fast food job for more than a year and have worked with a couple of uncles during the weekends in construction to help my mom our with bills.
Another thing is that my counselor adviced me to apply with a second degree Incase I get denied my first choice so If biology does not, DGS is my second choice.
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Your stats are low for UIUC, certainly you can apply, but make sure you have some safeties and matches identified as well. Take a look at the other state schools such as UIC, NIU, ISU—all have good science facilities. Perhaps even Western, Eastern and SIU, depending on your tolerance for school locale.
You can major in biology and go on to medical school from any school, you have to have high GPA and high MCAT score. Another option would be to go two years to your local community college, do very well and then apply to UIUC (or another 4 year school). Good luck
Your (MYOS1634) claimed stats are completely baloney. The 25th percentile SAT for UIUC as a whole is a 1270, which means that the top 75% of the class got a 1270 or above, which makes it very, very unlikely that more than 80% of students at UIUC have a score of 700+ in the math section.
@kermit777 That is not an acceptable way to speak to others on these boards. It is true that 80% of freshman who reported SAT scores had 700+ in math per the 2017-18 CDS. http://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2017_2018.xlsx
But, only 22% of freshman submitted SAT scores. All of the stats suggest that UIUC is a reach for OP. As long as OP has target and safety schools, applying to UIUC as a reach is reasonable, but admission can not be counted on.
Have you seen this page?
https://admissions.illinois.edu/Apply/Freshman/profile
The middle 50% of students admitted to the College of Environmental Sciences this Fall had GPAs ranging from 3.30-3.85. As you can see, you’re on the lower end of this range, but still within it.
The middle 50% of students had SAT scores ranging from 1180-1400. It would be great if you could get within this range. Some prep could really help.
Like others said, working counts as an EC.
I think the fact that you’ve had to work to support your family, as well as your reason for wanting to major in Biology, are factors that strengthen your application and set you apart, and could make good essay topics.
If you can get that SAT score up, I think you have a shot, especially since you’re in state.
(Someone please correct me if I’m wrong on any of this information; I’m not an expert on college admissions.)
Check out, https://myillini.illinois.edu/Programs/MajorDetail/10KV0314NONE
If uiuc is your ultimate dream school, you can always apply as a transfer student in the future.
MYOS1634’s response really doesn’t have alot of accurate UIUC information in it, OP. OP, put in the best application you can to any school to which you apply.
SAT scores. Okay, here’s my take as a resident parent with students in the relevant age groups. Up until the last couple of years, the overwhelming majority of Illinois high school students did not take the SAT-at all. Even at the state’s top high schools, very few students took the SAT. For UIUC, look at ACT scores if you’re interested in knowing test score distributions applicable to current students. Illinois is still switching to SAT as the standard state achievement test, and students are counseled to take the ACT if it works for them. Lots of students were likely not pleased with their state-administered SAT score, so you are not alone. Identify the test type that works for you, and concentrate on getting a score that works for you.
Illinois applies holistic assessment to applications; nobody should assume the outcome of his/her application.
OP, are you a junior or senior? Are you applying for 2019-2020? Get some help from your hs counselor if you can. If you’re a senior check out alternate paths to get to UIUC, such as transferring as KingPlateMan mentions. If you’re a junior, make this year count, keeping testing, and you’ll feel as good as you can when you submit your application.
@Mwfan1921 Nope. @MYOS1634 claimed that 80% of all UIUC students got a math SAT score of 700 or better, which is certainly not true, considering most used the ACT. The average enrolled SAT is much higher because a large portion of OOS (especially from states like California, where the SAT is much more prevalent) students at UIUC tend to be in the engineering college, which is by scores, much higher than the rest of the school. In addition to that, the stats mentioned in your link are those of students who enrolled, not those of students admitted.
What’s clear is that the admitted, not enrolled, 25%th percentile SAT is a 1270, pointing out that it is quite unlikely that 80% of all admitted students have a 700 or above in math.
OP have you considered starting at Parkland and then transferring to UIUC that way? I recall there is a program (I think called pathways) where you are guaranteed admission into UIUC after starting at parkland. You should look into that.
Earlham is good for biology and will certainly consider your application with interested eyes. I was going to suggest community to UIUC if there is a transfer program. Then the SAT won’t matter. If you took the SAT in Jun, it seemed a lot of people lost 100 points off their expected math score. Did you take the ACT?
You should definitely try for UIUC, especially if you are in state. Biology is not one of their most competitive majors for admissions, so you might have a shot. Continue to do well in school, retake the tests. The game isn’t over.
Apply for UIUC, if you’re dead-set on UIUC and get rejected just go to CC for 2 years and try to transfer.