Hi. I am applying to UIUC in the college of engineering as an undecided major. according to their website, the competition is fierce and I should choose a second major as well. I thought of choosing Electrical engineering. However, it requires that I write an additional essay for me choosing the second major. Now, I have covered every point regarding engineering in my first major essay. Hence, I don’t have anything to write for the second one. Any suggestions?
Please reply ASAP!
If you feel the two majors are similar enough and you don’t have anything to differentiate among your interests, coursework, EC, test results, hobbies etc, then you have the option to use the same essay. Undecided Engineering is obviously a vague one in terms of interest statements, you could simply add something about being genuinely undecided? My son used the same one for Engineering Physics and LAS Physics. Here is the official answer:
FAQ: https://admissions.illinois.edu/FAQ/applicant-freshman
Can I use the same essay for both my first and second choice?
We recommend you craft separate essays. When evaluating your essays, we’re looking for the reason you’re interested in the major you selected, whether it’s your first choice or your second choice. If you feel that your second choice corresponds with your first choice, it’s possible to reuse portions of your first-choice essay. However, we still want to see a true interest and understanding of your second-choice major through your essay.