<p>I was just wondering if applying as an in-state student helps your chances of admission. I am an in-state student and I keep seeing all of these qualified students wanting to apply to UIUC from OOS and I was wondering if they give preference to in-state students first or not…especially for the college of engineering. If any of you have experience with this, please comment! Thanks!</p>
<p>The short answer is no. Students applying for admission to UIUC far outweigh the available slots; especially in engineering. It is most beneficial to the university to put together a class that is both the most diverse and as academically strong as possible without regard to the state of the applicant. UIUC Engineering is recognized as one of the nation’s top engineering programs. Competition for admission is fierce. You need to be a top student not only academically and via standardized tests, but also have an accomplished extracurricular record, and a passion demonstrated by your personal statement of desire for the program to which you are applying regardless of your state.</p>