notmyname

Does UIUC require rec letters for these? It says "for Colleges and the honors programs at Illinois will read your application to make decisions about admission and the awarding of merit scholarships. These units often pay special attention to extracurricular achievements and accomplishments, and may consult with mentors, coaches, and advisors for experiences that you list." It asks for three people and their emails. However, UIUC also says that they disregard unsolicited material, like rec letters from teachers.

So what exactly is this section for? Is it to verify that applicants are telling the truth? Is it for actual recs for them to decide whether or not they should give merit aid to an applicant who is academically qualified?

drusba

On app there is place to list that information about supervisors of ECs. In dermining admission and some merit awards, UIUC may actually contact one or more of the persons listed mainly to verify activity and but also possibly to ask what they think about you; neither you nor the supervisor send anything extra. Chances of such contacts are low even if you end up with a merit award. Chances are higher if you are being considered for President's Scholarship (full ride for small number with focus on minorities), University honors (generally offered to about 200 of highest applicants to get 120 to enroll in the program), or the business school honors program.

notmyname

What is considered a minority? For example, would females be considered minorities for science and engineering? Are Asians considered minorities?

Also when do you find out if you have received a reward? Is it when you find out your admissions decision (hence why they EA applicants receive special attention)?

drusba

I got my scholarships mixed up The President's award (only traditonal URMs) is a max of $4,000. It is the Provost award that provides full tuition. You have to be a national Achievement (African-American), National Hispanic Scholar, or National Merit Finanlist, and thus you need SAT, the award only 30, who gets award depends on full file review, and usually over 2/3 chosen are minoirites.

Asians are not minorities. However, women are considered URM's for admission to engineering. Engineering college and departments have numerous scholarships but most are in the $1,000 to $4,000 a year range. You are informed of aid and awards when Financial aid determination is sent in April although they often inform you of a merit award earlier such as a month earlier.

EA applicants do not receive any "special" attention and December EA determination date has nothing to do with scholarships or aid. EA applicants simply get considered before others and receive a determination of admit, admit to a different program than requested (often to Division of General Studies), deny, or defer to Feb determination. Being considered early gives "somewhat" of an advantage in admission but you should not assume it is much and businees in particular and engineering to a significant degree defer to Feb decison a lot of early applicants (for business well over the majority of early applicants are either deferred or admitted to a different program and college; for engineering that occurs for somewhat less than the majority). Note that deferral does not mean probable rejection as majority of those defered are eventually admitted.