<p>From what I hear (read: no sources for this), UIUC uses a computer to make their initial admission decisions.</p>
<p>If your SAT score and class rank are above a certain threshold specified for the school within UIUC that you're applying to, you will be accepted as soon as they receive all materials and enter your stats into the computer.</p>
<p>If your SAT score and class rank are below the threshold, you get "Deferred - Manual Review Req." Translation: your numbers aren't good enough to auto-admit, so we need to get an actual human to read your file. This isn't necessarily a bad sign; it just means that your essays, curriculum, and extracurriculars will be considered.</p>
<p>From my limited research, I believe that the above information is true. If anyone has information that says otherwise, please speak up.</p>
<p>I don't have any information to confirm or reject your information, but I'd say you're probably right. I'm pretty sure there are articles or books that discuss the whole admissions process. And some of these articles and books talk about how some large universities try to save money by maintaining a lean admissions staff that doesn't spend too much time evaluating applicants. Hence, a computer program to evaluate applicants' statistics is probably common. Actually, I think this computer program is common for a number of large universities, not just U of I. </p>
<p>Plus, just look at the application for U of I. There aren't really any kind of meaningful essays that you have to write. There's just a personal statement. This kind of indicates that U of I admissions doesn't really care to get to know an applicant intimately through essays unless you need to show how your number don't properly represent you. I would even dare to say that some people, who had a high class rank and high ACT score, have sent in applications without even filling out the personal statement and were accepted anyway.</p>
<p>I would say you're right. I was accepted one day after I applied. I also applied Nov 16th after everyone who was applied to U of I at my school. And I was the 4th one accepted. It was funny. But some of my friends took much longer. One of my friends didn't get accepted until his graduation date. So so many people that if they looked at everyone's it just wouldnt happen.</p>