Chance Me: Deferred UIUC applicant in RD cycle [IL resident, 4.0 GPA, 1500 SAT, environmental engineering]

Demographics

•US citizen, In state
•Public High school

Intended Major(s)

•Environmental Engineering

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

•Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0
•Weighted HS GPA: 5.8/6
•Class Rank: N/a
•ACT/SAT Scores: 1500 SAT

HS coursework

•English: Honors English 9, AP Seminar, AP research, AP Lang
•Math: Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 2, Honors PreCalc, Statistics (could not take AP Calc due to scheduling issues)
•Science: Biology, Honors Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Chemistry
•History and social studies: World History, Honors American Gov, Honors Global Econ, Honors US History
•Language other than English: Spanish 1 and 2
•Visual or performing arts: Theater workshop, Acting, Varsity Treble Choir, Chamber choir (2 years), vocal jazz
•Other academic courses: Psychology, Culinary 1 and 2, Drivers Ed, PE (4 years)

Awards

• National Rural and Small Town
• AP Capstone Certificate
• AP Scholar
• NMSF

Extracurriculars

•Plays (4 years, Spring play as assistant director 1 year)
•Musicals (4 years)
•Drama Club (4 years)
•Student Ambassador (4 years)
•Tri-M (2 years, secretary 1 year)
•Vocal Jazz (1 year as a class 1 year extracurricular)
•ILMEA Districts (2 years)
•Hobby: Music (piano, vocals/voice lessons, clarinet)

Essays/LORs/Other
• 1, LOR. I’m assuming is pretty good because my teacher offered to show me what she wrote even after I signed the waiver to not see it.

Schools
•UIUC, deferred to RD

•Do not need scholarship

Congratulations on your achievements. I can’t chance the likelihood of an RD acceptance.

Applying to a competitive engineering school without having taken calculus is a disadvantage. What was your second choice major?

Do you have any acceptances yet (that are affordable and that you like?) Also note UIUC does not look at LoRs. Good luck to you.

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No second choice major, I’ve been accepted to two other schools. One of them I don’t like at all. The other I would consider going to and it’s pretty affordable but I’m not in love with it either.

You might check in the portal or with your UIUC AO if you can add a second choice major at this point (I know you can before decisions are out, not sure about after a deferral.) I would encourage you to choose DES (formerly DGS) if they allow you to add a major and you would consider starting there.

Are you still waiting for more decisions? Do you want posters to give you additional ideas of schools to apply? If so, let us know your budget and if you qualify for need based aid.

Can I add a second-choice major or change it after submitting my application?

Yes, you can perform either task through the Program Change Form, which can be found on your status page in myIllini. Once decisions are released, it’s no longer possible to add a second-choice major or change an existing one.

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I’m also waiting on Madison, got deferred there too. Honestly I’m not too sure I’d be happy anywhere else. I applied everywhere I’d want to go. I’ll think about adding a second major but I came to the conclusion when doing my apps that I’d rather go to my safety and study something else than get accepted to a second choice major

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Ok. Make sure to send your midterm grades to Wisconsin. Good luck to you.

Will do, thank you

Agree that not taking calculus is a negative for engineering but it is impossible to chance. If you are not happy with your current acceptances, consider seeking out one or two additional schools with higher acceptance rates and later application deadlines that you might prefer. Wish you the best.

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You should have found a way to take calc. Research/Seminar, etc are great but not important admission wise. Of course, perhaps you didn’t know you planned on engineering a year ago.

Starting college with a year off calc - it will be hard. And no doubt schools held that against you. But that’s water under the bridge.

You stated upthread - I applied everywhere I’d want to go but now you say one I got into I don’t like at all and another I’m not in love with it. So you’ve contradicted yourself.

I’vegot news for you - there’s not one college for you. There are many colleges for each student that will work. At the same time, some go to their dream and hate it.

You need to assume you are not going to UIUC or Madison.

So who had accepted you ?

If that’s not going to work for you, then your choices are community college, a gap year, or more applications.

So where else can you still apply ?

Alabama - with your stats $18k or so and more than 1500 Illinoians attend (because for high stats kids it costs less)

Arizona

Buffalo - if space available

Iowa State

Kansas State

And more. Those above are all ABET accredited in the major.

And all these schools will have loads of kids with your stats.

You cannot count on a deferral. Hope is not a plan. So what is your plan ?

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It was either calculus or I couldn’t take a 4th year of science…. Which I needed for other colleges. My bad I couldn’t make that work.

Research and Seminar were because the honors English classes were too easy and you weren’t allowed to take AP English until junior year unless you took Seminar.

I’m not applying anywhere else. I got accepted into a more local safety with an ABET accredited program. I’ll go there. I won’t be happy but it’s an education.

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You won’t be happy if you go in with a bad attitude. Kids attend safeties over reaches (they got into) all the time. Both mine in fact including my engineering son. And guess what - he was hired in the same cohort as kids from the school he turned down.

And you can get a great education and experience anywhere, when UIC or SIU or whichever school you are taking about.

In fact, you might have more opportunities to stand out.

But you need to go in with the right attitude.

Best of luck with your deferrals.

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I’m being realistic. I’m not going to go in with the mindset that I’ll be perfectly happy there when I know I won’t be on campus since I live so close, so I won’t have any sort of social life for 4 years. A bad mindset would be refusing to go altogether. But I’m giving it a shot anyways. Besides, I came here to be chanced, not scolded for my attitude or class choices or not having a plan.

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Wishing you luck and admiring your self awareness, determination and maturity. I can’t chance you but I would bet on your being successful.

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Has this presented any issue for you (just 2 years of foreign language study) ?

Did you apply to ASU or Virginia Tech (for Environmental Science) ?

You are an amazing kid, and I admire your attitude. I wasn’t even half as self-aware and intentional at your age—and I did very well in my life.
Also, from what I see, you do have a plan. There’s nothing wrong in being hopeful. It truly breaks my heart that you’re in this situation despite such great stats, just because of some scheduling issues with taking Calc. If you haven’t done so already, do shoot an email to admissions explaining that situation (sorry for the unsolicited advise).
I really hope and pray you get accepted to UIUC as well as Madison. I know you’d come out stronger regardless of where you end up. Keep it up!

No the 2 years of foreign language is fine. I didn’t apply to either of those schools, no

Thank you so much. I’m not sure they’ll take that into account at all now since they don’t want any updates but I’ll look into sending them an email.

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