uiuc essay examples 2021

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Undergraduate Admissions

Deadline Update: We want to ensure anyone applying for federal financial aid has enough time to make an informed decision regarding their college choice! For this reason, we're extending our enrollment decision deadline to May 15.

Writing Prompts for First-Year Applicants

Following are our writing prompts for first-year students applying for fall 2024 admission. Writing prompts for fall 2024 will be announced in August.

Major-Specific Prompts

You'll answer two to three prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Each response should be approximately 150 words . If you're applying through Common App, you'll find our major-specific writing prompts in the "Writing" tab of our supplemental questions after adding us as one of your colleges.

If You're Applying to a Major :

• Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you've taken, or through something else.
• Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.

If You're Applying to Our Undeclared Program in the Division of General Studies:

• What are your academic interests? Please include 2-3 majors you're considering at Illinois and why.
• What are your future career or academic goals? You may include courses you took in high school and how these impacted your goals.

If You've Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared ):

• Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals.

Essay Prompts

You'll also answer one essay prompt as part of your application. Prompts are the same whether you apply through myIllini or the Common App. Select and answer the prompt of your choice from the full list found on the Common App website . Your essay response can be anywhere from 250 to 650 words total.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 4 tips for writing a great uiuc essay.

College Info , College Essays

Thinking of attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign? Then you've come to the right place. For this highly-ranked public school, you'll need to submit a personal statement with your application. But what should you include in your UIUC essay to make you stand out?

Read on to learn what the current UIUC essay prompt is and how to write a great UIUC essay. We also show you a real UIUC essay example to give you an idea of what a great statement looks like.

Feature Image: Adam Jones /Flickr

What Is the UIUC Essay?

All applicants must answer two to three UIUC prompts and one Common Application prompt as part of their application for admission.

Your UIUC prompt will change based on whether you 1) are applying to a major, 2) are applying to UIUC's Undeclared Program, or 3) have selected a second-choice major (including Undeclared). Each response should be about 150 words. 

Here are this year's UIUC prompts:

If you're applying to a major:

• Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you’ve taken, or through something else.

Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.

If you're applying to UIUC's Undeclared Program:

• What are your academic interests and strengths? You may also include any majors you are considering.
• What are your future academic or career goals?

If you've selected a second-choice major (including Undeclared): 

• Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals.

Students are also required to select one Common application essay prompt from a range of choices and write a response. 

You can view the full list of Coalition application essay prompts here and all of the Common Application essay prompts here. 

How to Write the UIUC Essay: Topics and Tips

The University of Illinois essay is an important part of your application since it's the only personal essay you'll write for the school. This makes it the only area on the UIUC application in which you can show off your personality, academic passion, and storytelling skills.

The overall point of this statement is for UIUC to learn more about you as a person and what qualities you'll bring to the school if you enroll.

In addition, UIUC has a YouTube series on admissions counseling that includes some useful videos with tips on how you can write an effective UIUC essay:

Now that you have a general sense of what UIUC will be looking for in your application essay, let’s break down each UIUC application essay prompt one by one. 

Myllini Major-Specific Prompt #1

Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you've taken, or through something else.

Here's your chance to show your passion for your first-choice major! You have a lot of leeway here: maybe you took a class that lit a fire inside you, maybe you joined a club related to the subject, or maybe you participated in a related activity. Be careful, though. You only have 150 words, and UIUC is asking for an experience related to your major, not why you selected it in the first place. This is a time for you to show that you're already taking steps toward engaging with your chosen major!

Choose a story that is meaningful to you, and remember to be as detailed as you can within the constraints. Show the UIUC admissions counselors that you care about your chosen major, and you're already engaging with it.

Myllini Major-Specific Prompt #2

Unlike the first essay, which asks you about your past experience, this is where you get to dream big and show UIUC what you want to do with your degree. Remember to write this as if you've already been accepted to UIUC—they want to know how you'll represent them in the world! You only have 150 words, but you can do a lot in that space. If, for example, you want to be an aerospace engineer, you should check out UIUC's Aerospace Engineering website and connect their specific courses, professors, and extracurriculars to your post-degree goals. Maybe you want to work for NASA, and the UIUC robotics team will aid you in successfully applying. Be as specific as you can! And show UIUC that they are the best school for you to achieve your goals.

Myllini Undeclared Prompt #1

What are your academic interests and strengths? You may also include any majors you are considering. Much like the Major-Specific Prompt #1, this prompt asks you to share what you're passionate about, and where you excel academically. Be specific! Rather than saying "I've always been good at English and I like it," go into detail: perhaps you won an essay contest, or your op-ed was featured in the school paper. Maybe writing poetry is the best way you can connect your outer and inner worlds. If you have a few majors in mind, definitely mention them here! It's always good to show that you have a specific plan for your college career , even if you're not 100% sure what you want to major in yet. 

Myllini Undeclared Prompt #2

What are your future academic or career goals? This question mirrors Major-Specific Prompt #2, and asks you to talk about your ideal future. Maybe you know you want to get a graduate degree in sociology, or you're certain that you want to spend a few years with the Peace Corps before working with the U.S. Department of State. The key here is to remember that undeclared doesn't mean unplanned. Many students have specific career goals, but they see multiple paths to achieve them. This is your chance to show the future self you want to be, and how UIUC will get you to your goal.

Myllini Second-Choice Major Prompt #1

Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals. You'll only need to answer this question if you've applied to a second-choice major! This prompt should look pretty familiar: you can choose to answer either the Major-Specific Prompt #1 or the Major-Specific Prompt #2. The trick here is to show that your second-choice major is deliberate and useful for your future goals. You're not just picking a second-choice major because you really, really want to get into UIUC in any way, shape, or form. If you have a secondary interest that's almost as strong as your first-choice major, consider answering the first prompt. If you have a very strong career goal that multiple majors could feed into, consider answering the second.

Whichever choice you make, remember to clearly state why UIUC is the best schoo l for your major or career path!

A Real UIUC Essay Example + Analysis

To help give you a better idea of what your own UIUC essay could look like, here is one real UIUC essay example we found online, written by an admitted student.

Keep in mind that this essay was written for an old prompt that's no longer on the MyIllini application. However, this essay is still a great example of how college counselors want to see students talk about their interests and passions. 

Here is the prompt:

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? (250 to 650 words)

And here is the essay:

The chicken, or the egg? The hours I’ve spent pondering this question are countless. People frequently debate the seemingly simple idea of which came first. To me, it is more than just a question, but an example of how human beings think. The question of “Which came first?” captivates me because it is a question without an answer. It has been asked for centuries and no progress has been made, but it still continues to be brought up. I think this is because humans prefer clear-cut answers. Like in any kind of competition, ending with a tie between teams or individuals isn’t a satisfying conclusion. People would rather the competition continue for extra time than admit there’s no real winner, or in this case, no real answer. So even though it’s obvious there will be no agreement, the debate over chickens and eggs continues. When people label something a “chicken-egg” situation, it means there is no way to establish the order of cause and effect, again leaving a feeling of uncertainty. But human nature is to seek an answer. The chicken-egg question shows humanity’s inability to accept unfinished business, and this fascinates me most. People want closure in all aspects of life, and big questions like this are no exception. I think the question “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” is so interesting because people will always try to answer it knowing they will never find a solution. It shows that humans desire understanding above all else. When I want to learn more about this concept, I turn to my grandfather. He doesn’t have a degree in philosophy or psychology, yet he’s a reliable source on almost any subject given his extensive years spent at the University of Life. With so many experiences under his belt, he understands unanswerable questions much better than I do. “The only truth is uncertainty,” he tells me when I once again dive deep into the possibility of eggs without chickens or chickens without eggs. In his words, the most beautiful parts of life are the questions we can’t answer but spend out whole life trying to. My own desire for answers keeps me thinking about this question for hours on end. I think there’s good points to grandpa’s perspective, but as an eighteen-year-old entering college, I don’t know if I can accept that the only answer is no answer just yet. Until I can, I’ll gather my own evidence and continue to spend my days wondering whether Aristotle was eating chicken and waffles or omelettes for breakfast.

What Makes This UIUC Essay Work?

• It’s got a great hook. The applicant starts the essay with a familiar philosophical question: “The chicken, or the egg?”. This pulls the admissions committee into the essay by making them ponder the question too. The applicant then analyzes the question and provides their own unique interpretation of what it’s really getting at. As the applicant says at the end of the first paragraph, “To me, it’s more than just a question, but an example of how human beings think.” By stating their unique take on the chicken vs egg dilemma, the applicant shows the admissions committee that they can interpret complex ideas and analyze tough questions. These are qualities that UIUC wants their incoming class of students to have!
• It’s clear, focused, and easy to follow: A topic like this one could easily go off the rails, but the applicant keeps the essay focused by responding to exactly what the prompt is asking in the correct order. The first paragraph states the idea that the applicant finds engaging. The next two paragraphs explain why the applicant finds this idea “captivating” and connects their engagement with the idea to deeper meanings about human nature, which also demonstrates why this topic causes the applicant to “lose all track of time.” The fourth paragraph states who the applicant turns to when they want to learn more about this question, and explains what they have gained from exploring this question with their grandpa. The applicant wraps up the essay with a conclusion that describes how their approach to the chicken vs egg question relates to the kind of student they will be at UIUC. The clear structure, clean prose, and adept analysis all make this essay easy to understand and exciting to read

How Could This UIUC Essay Be Even Better?

• It could be more specific about why the idea is captivating: Although this UIUC essay is well written and tightly focused, it isn't super specific about why the applicant personally relates to the question about the chicken and the egg. The applicant does a great job explaining what they feel this debate reveals about human nature, but doesn’t say much about why that debate is meaningful to them.
• It could have a stronger conclusion : Although the applicant makes a great attempt at tying their essay response into why they will be a great fit for UIUC, the conclusion could do a bit more to show how this is the case. Reframing the last paragraph so it explains how the applicant’s approach to uncertainty makes them the perfect UIUC candidate could make this essay even stronger.

3 Essential Tips for Writing a Great UIUC Essay

To wrap up, here are four essential tips to keep in mind as you write your U of I application essay.

#1: Don't Just List Your Accomplishments

At first glance, some of the UIUC essay prompts may seem like an invitation to list all of your amazing accomplishments. But none of these prompts actually want you to do that! Instead, you need to use expertly crafted stories to convey everything you have to offer as an applicant to UIUC.

The point of the UIUC essay is to give the admissions committee more detailed and personal commentary on why you've chosen their school and why you would be a great addition to their student community. Leave the list of accomplishments for your resume. Telling a genuine story is the best way to show how your life experiences have shaped you into the perfect candidate for admission to UIUC.

#2: Highlight Your Passion

While the essay prompts all have a different focus, the main goal of each one is to draw out what you’re passionate about and why. With each prompt, what you're really trying to do is demonstrate your passion to the UIUC admissions committee.

In other words, what motivates you to learn? What drives you more than anything else? And why are you so enthusiastic about bringing your ideas, experiences, and character to UIUC?

By highlighting your passions and interests, you're also showing the UIUC admissions committee who you are and what's important to you, both academically and more broadly.

To really make your passion stand out in your University of Illinois essay, take the following steps:

• Be as specific as possible —give us real names and use visceral descriptions to make us feel as though we're there experiencing and feeling everything with you
• Be honest —the admissions committee wants to get to know the real you, and it can only do this if you're writing in an authentic voice that's true to who you are

#3: Polish and Proofread

My final tip is to give yourself plenty of time to polish and proofread your UIUC essay.

In your rough draft, keep an eye out for obvious typos and technical mistakes, such as errors in punctuation, grammar, and spelling. Also, look for any areas that are awkward, incomplete, out of place, or unclear.

Once you've edited your essay on your own, give it to someone else to read, such as a parent, teacher, or tutor. Ask them to make technical corrections as needed and to offer you advice on what you might be able to improve in terms of story, cogency, and overall effectiveness.

What's Next?

Applying to other colleges in the midwest? Check out our expert guides to how to write the UChicago essays , the Notre Dame essays , and the Michigan State essay .

If you're using the Common App to submit your college applications, you'll need to figure out which essay prompt is the best one for you .

Learn more about how to get into the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by visiting our UIUC admission requirements page .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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How to write the university of illinois urbana champaign essays 2020-2021: the precise guide.

The University of Illinois has a beautiful campus only 140 miles south of Chicago, in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign.

The university is proud of its accomplishments and highlights these on their website. The University of Illinois was ranked the 14th best public university according to the U.S. News and World Report’s 2017-2018 ranking.

The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign has an acceptance rate that hovers around 60%.

In its history, 28 faculty and alumni have been awarded Pulitzer Prizes. Additionally, the school offers over 150 undergraduate programs .

Essentially, UIUC is a campus that values hard work and recognizes accomplishments. Therefore it is of the utmost importance that you spend quality time researching the school and assembling a stellar application.

What are the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Supplemental Essay Requirements?

There are two ways to submit your application to the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. The first option is to submit through the Coalition App . For more information on writing the Coalition essays, click here . Transfer students may not use this method to apply.

Alternatively, you may submit your application through the myIllini portal on the UIUC website. Freshman applicants that use this method must complete a required essay and an additional optional essay.

Click above to watch a video on UIUC Supplemental Essays.

These are the prompts:

Explain your interest in the major you selected and describe how you have recently explored or developed this interest inside and/or outside the classroom. You may also explain how this major relates to your future career goals. If you’re applying to the Division of General Studies, explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. You may include any majors or areas of study you’re currently considering. Limit your response to 300 to 400 words. If you select a second-choice major other than the Division of General Studies on your application, write a second essay explaining your interest in this major, too. Again, limit your response to 300 to 400 words.

How Do I Select a Major?

The essay options for the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign are both tied to your future goals as a student and professional. Before writing your essay, you should spend some time looking at the academic programs offered by the university.

• You want to ensure that you are writing about a program that currently exists at the school.
• Otherwise, this mistake could be grounds for the admissions committee to reject your application.
• Why would you want to go to a college that didn’t offer the program you’re interested in pursuing?
• And why would the admissions committee tolerate a candidate who didn’t do his research?

Additionally, you want to be able to fluidly and intelligently discuss the program that you are interested in. Details from the UIUC website will bolster your essay and reflect that you have done your research before applying.

• For example, if you are interested in the electrical engineering and computer science department, describe how you have pursued that interest throughout your coursework in high school and in your extracurriculars.
• Perhaps you took an AP computer science course, attended a programming summer course, or conducted related research at a nearby university.
• Make sure you have evidence to back up your interest in the major you intend to pursue, and also make sure you can tie it back to the department of interest.
• Your demonstrated interest in computer science and economics could have sparked an interest in cryptography and cryptocurrency. The overall goal is to make sure you have a coherent storyline for the choices you have made to pursue a specific major.

If you do not already have a major in mind, consider your hobbies and interests :

• …do any volunteer work?
• …participate in extracurricular activities?
• …work a job?

Think about your experiences during these activities and what you enjoy about them.

• You may begin to see a common thread such as “being physically active” or “helping people in need.”

This line of thinking will help you to find an area of focus to discuss in your selection of either “General Studies” or a more specific major.

For example, maybe your most memorable high school experience came from a leadership position where you were able to mentor younger students and teach them foundational basics in English and journalism. This could allow you to write about your interest in pursuing a major in reporting or writing.

Should I Write Both Supplemental Essays?

As noted above, the second essay question is optional. If you have absolutely no idea what you would like to study in college, it’s best to choose the “Division of General Studies” and complete only the first essay.

We caution you against writing the second prompt if you feel no passion or interest for it. Why? It’s important that you avoid writing an essay that seems forced or inauthentic.

The admissions committee will be able to tell right away that your essay doesn’t accurately describe your passions.

However, perhaps your heart is torn between becoming a computer science major or studying English to become a teacher.

• Writing two essays in this situation would be beneficial because it gives you the opportunity to express your interests in two different spheres.

For example:

• In the first essay, you may discuss how you have been drawn to a computer science degree ever since you took a coding summer course at a local university.
• You might discuss how you see yourself working in a career that would allow you to be both creative and exact in your daily work.
• Then, in your second essay, you could discuss how becoming an English teacher would allow you to pursue a career path that would make a difference in the daily lives of young people.
• You could describe your experience in the tutoring club at your high school and how great it feels to be able to help a peer improve their schoolwork.

There are other situations for which you should write two essays.

• Perhaps you are passionate about one program but you also want to explore your options once in college.
• You could write one essay for the General Studies track and another for your more specific interest.

You might also consider whether you are applying for a program that is particularly competitive.

• If that’s the case, you may want to write two essays in order to show admissions that you don’t have an “engineering or nothing else” mentality.
• If you don’t get into the program that you want right away, there are often other opportunities in college to switch majors.

Get personalized advice!

Uiuc supplemental essay #1: a journey from interest to degree to career.

In this essay, you are asked to explain how you explored or developed your interest in a particular major. It’s important to realize that the path to choosing a major is filled with countless, subconscious micro decisions.

Look back at the questions above regarding choosing a major.

• Did any of your experiences in a class, participating in an extracurricular, or working inspire you to make that choice?

You also want to consider what you have done to explore your potential career choice after recognizing your interest.

• Did you sign up for a Marine Biology-themed summer camp program after taking Environmental Science in 9th grade?
• Or maybe you chose to take a fourth science and math class even when it was optional at your high school.

These are important choices that you want to mention in your essay.

Whenever possible, describe both inspiration and initiative as they are related to your essay.

• “Inspiration” refers to the people, places, experiences, or events that shaped your future degree and career goals.
• “Initiative” means specific choices that you have made to further explore your interests.
• In the example above, your science teacher’s class may have been a catalyst and inspiration for pursuing a career in biology.
• Choosing to go to a science summer camp and taking an extra academic class reflects initiative on your part.
• These two factors work together to tell your story.

Remember that there are thousands of people submitting essays and many of them may have similar interests.

Therefore, you must include specific details to tell your personal story.

In order to accomplish this, consider using emotional and descriptive language to elevate your writing.

• Rather than saying “I took another academic science class because I liked it,”
• …you might instead write, “Deciding to give up an elective course in order to take a challenging science class was difficult. However, I told myself that the late nights of studying and homework would be worth it. I left my first class elated and felt instinctively that I had made the right decision.”

If you are choosing “General Studies,” transfer this advice to describing your academic interests and strengths.

• Perhaps you have been taking band since you were in the 6th grade.

This is an opportunity to explore that journey and to highlight your many joys and successes over the past seven years.

For this option, you may need to narrow down your variety of interests to 2-3 for the sake of the word count.

• Think about which topics you can write most passionately about and those for which you have examples of inspiration and initiative (as defined above).
• If you do have an idea of what you would like to do as a career or majors you are considering, you should mention them in your essay.

Regardless of whether you are writing about a particular major or general program, remember that you can use examples from experiences in or outside of school.

Be descriptive in telling your story and be selective with your details in order to stay within the maximum word count of 400 words.

Linking Experiences to Career Goals

Once you have discussed your interests and experiences, connect your story to your future career goals.

Although your professional life post-graduation may seem very far away, remember that the admissions committee is looking at the big picture. They want to understand how and why their program(s) will propel you to where you need to be in order to achieve your dreams.

In this section, it’s even more important to use emotional language as you are discussing not only your dreams but also your identity.

Describe to your readers why you feel called to enter this particular line of work. Consider these questions in preparation for writing:

• What do you think you could bring to the field?
• What do you want to accomplish?
• Why do you think this line of work is important?

Connect back to ideas that you established early on in describing your interests. If you spend the beginning of your essay talking about your amazing experience on a hiking trip and how much you like the outdoors but then tell the reader you would like to study Culinary Arts, your essay will be disjointed.

However, perhaps on your hiking trip, you learned how to identify edible plants and picked mushrooms that you later cooked in a group class. This specificity now allows you to connect your interest, which, at first, seemed unrelated to your career goal.

UIUC Supplemental Essay 1 Examples

UIUC Essay Prompt 1 Example:

The feeling still gives me a rush. After pouring my heart and soul out onto the editor, scripting programmatic prose in the form of for-loops and conditional statements, I move my cursor towards the horizontal green triangle and click: magically, my name appears on the console line. From the early days of “Hello, World!” to the startup websites and newspaper mobile apps, my penchant for programming developed due to my insatiable appetite for turning ideas into an interactive reality using lines of text. However, the topic that has increasingly piqued my interest has repercussions that could potentially reduce the need for me to program at all. Don’t get me wrong: after reading about the notion of “machine learning” for the first time, I was still particularly hesitant. Teaching a computer to think? It just didn’t seem like a plausible idea, nonetheless even practical. As time went by, more news notifications popped up on my phone containing this specific buzz phrase, and I became less and less naive and more and more curious regarding its applications. Eventually, at my first internship, I finally got a chance to build my first neural network and see exactly what everyone had been fussing over. I hurriedly perused through an incredibly technical textbook, copied down the shortest example I could find, and hit run. I closely watched as a succinct collection of 60 lines of code became trained to classify handwritten digits, doing so with a stellar accuracy of over 90%. Since then, I can confess to spending hours in the office with the sole purpose of feeding networks dozens of types of images: HeLa cells, dogs and cats, sets of fashion clothing, you name it. Every time I hit run, I become in awe at how a couple of words can somehow learn to act like a human; yet, I contemplate further about how this “revolution” of artificial intelligence has just begun. After all, maybe the ways in which we see this technology driving the future of our world are a tad bit too crazy; at the same time, maybe they’re not crazy enough.

Here’s another UIUC Essay Prompt 1 Example:

Thinking about the “why” when it comes to business always keeps me going. For me, the “why” is not about the money. Thus, after months of researching how to alleviate poverty in India, my friends and I founded Palm Empower, a nonprofit that connects underprivileged artisans and their products to American consumers; the artisans then keep the profits.  As communications director, I facilitated our partnership with the charity Ekal Vidyalaya, who linked us to families in Jharkhand that were interested in creating products for us to sell. Once the products were manufactured and shipped, I combined supply-chain strategies to my co-founders’ distribution services and negotiated product pricing with American consumers to generate sales.  Afterward, we focused our marketing on connecting directly to buyers and donors. I collaborated with my co founders to present our idea at local events and tell the true stories of the Indian families we were trying to help. We sold 300 products and raised another $1,000 for our mission on our first day.  I built the abilities to manage my nonprofit after extensive work as part of student council. As director of policy, I catalyzed change amongst our student body in order to improve our school environment. For example, many students wanted to take action when it came to eating food: The traditional cafeteria setting was sometimes unacceptable to students, who wanted to enjoy a half hour of leisure during their seven-hour school day in a different way. As the summer season approached, I introduced initiatives to the principal that would enable students to eat lunch outside in one of our courtyards. This would let students to enjoy their meals in a picnic-like setting. After students took turns signing our petition, and the principal eventually approved the plan.  My experience in building our message through Palm Empower and student council has helped me discover my passion for solving problems through creativity and social entrepreneurship. I want to use principles of business management to defeat financial instability. Although this issue is complex, I will do my part to reduce poverty through innovation and learn the nuances of creating social ventures. Ultimately, I want to start a business similar to my nonprofit and fight for those facing financial instability. 

Advice from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Admissions Page

On the Urbana Champaign website, the undergraduate admissions page lists six different qualities they look for in an essay. Below, we will outline questions related to those qualities that you should ask yourself before writing and submitting your essay:

Be Memorable.

• Could any high school student have written my essay, or is it specific to my story?
• Did I use emotional language and description?
• Do I give enough detail for my readers to understand my experiences?

Be Prepared.

• Did I brainstorm before writing my essay?
• Am I aware of important deadlines?
• Have I asked a peer or adult to proofread my essay and give me feedback?

Be Yourself.

• Is my response honest?
• Can I hear my own voice in my writing?
• Did I use specific examples to support my statements?
• Have I adhered to the word count limit?
• Am I careful about word choice and clarity of my writing?
• Have I omitted any vague statements that leave my reader needing more information?

Be Focused.

• Have I fully answered all parts of the prompt?
• Do I effectively use transitions to move from one topic to another?
• Can my reader tell the interrelatedness of my interests and career goals?

Be Professional.

• Do I use a formal tone with my reader?
• Did I check my response for spelling and grammar errors?
• Does my essay reflect maturity on my part?

Conclusion: The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Supplemental Essays

In this guide, we have reviewed important strategies for writing a powerful essay that is sure to impress the admissions committee.

Don’t feel nervous if you have not already decided on a major. As discussed, the essay prompt guides you to reflect on your strengths and goals instead.

If the school expected you to already be committed, that likely would not have been an option in the prompt.

Before submitting, review your essay one last time.

If you have been thoughtful, reflective, and precise, you are ready to send your response onward.

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How to Approach the UIUC Essay

Our best advice for writing a spectacular uiuc essay (2020-2021)..

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign wants to know what you’d like to study once you get there, and what makes you so excited about it.

Good news — you can absolutely blow this essay question out of the water. In fact, we’ll show you how with our in-depth approach to UIUC’s short essay — drawn from our long experience at Prompt helping applicants get accepted.

And if you’d also like personalized guidance from people who’ve done this thousands of times, get started with us here .

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign short essay prompts for 2020-2021

• Explain your interest in the major you selected and describe how you have recently explored or developed this interest inside and/or outside the classroom. You may also explain how this major relates to your future career goals. If you're applying to the Division of General Studies , explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. You may include any majors or areas of study you're currently considering. Limit your response to 300 to 400 words .
• If you select a second-choice major other than the Division of General Studies on your application, write a second essay explaining your interest in this major, too. Again, limit your response to 300 to 400 words .

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UIUC Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

September 13, 2023

The University of Illinois — Urbana Champaign is one of the top public universities in the entire United States. Top-ranked computer science, engineering, and business programs, in particular, attract an endless stream of high-caliber applicants from around the globe. Great grades and test scores will put aspiring members of the Fighting Illini on strong footing. However, you are also required to address 2-3 UIUC supplemental essay prompts.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into UIUC? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Let’s dive right in and begin examining the 2023-24 UIUC supplemental essays. Two important notes:

• You will be addressing 2-3 of these essays, depending on which category you fall into.
• Each response is a max of 150 words.

UIUC Supplemental Essays: If You’re Applying to a Major:

1) explain, in detail, an experience you’ve had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. this can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you’ve taken, or through something else..

UIUC is not necessarily asking you to write about the in-class or extracurricular experience which led to you earning the most prestigious awards or holding the highest position of leadership. The university is going to see all of your accomplishments in the Honors and Activities sections of the Common App. As such, you want to ask yourself two main questions:

1) Which experience best illustrates my passion and commitment to my first choice major?

2) Which experience is closest to my heart and most representative of my unique passions?

Pick the option that will allow you to deliver additional detail that may be memorable to the admissions reader. Start this process by asking yourself, “What is the most interesting and consequential moment that I have experienced in a classroom setting or in my extracurricular activities?” If you can identify one clear-cut moment, that is likely the activity worth sharing with the UIUC admissions staff.

2) Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.

This prompt shares some of the same elements of a traditional “Why Us?” essay, but UIUC is particularly interested in hearing about why the curriculum in your desired academic department is attractive to you—not so much about your love for the football team or the beautiful campus. Below are some quick tips for writing an essay that will help your admissions cause:

• Cite specific academic programs , professors ,  research opportunities , internship/externship programs ,  study abroad programs ,  student-run organizations , etc.
• State why your chosen program is the perfect fit for you  and why you are the perfect fit for it.
• Offer insight into your future personal/academic/career goals. It’s okay if you’re not 100% sure what you want to do at age 25 (most teens are not). Feel free to speculate based on your current mindset and interests.

In summary, you’ll want to dedicate time to researching more about your prospective college/department and what makes it truly world-class. The more specific you can get here, the better your UIUC essays will be!

UIUC Supplemental Essays: If You’re Applying to Our Undeclared Program in the Division of General Studies:

1) what are your academic interests please include 2-3 majors you’re considering at illinois and why..

Your strengths will likely be evident from other data points (AP scores, classroom grades, SAT/ACT results, etc.). Therefore we recommend focusing the bulk of your response on your specific academic interests that relate to your major of choice.

Whether it’s a general love for math/science or literature or a specific interest in aerospace engineering or 19th century French novels, use this opportunity to share what makes you tick, the ideas that keep you up at night, and what subject inspires you to dream big. What topic makes you read books and online content until your eyes bleed? Share the manner in which you relentlessly pursue knowledge. Whether it’s falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about the nature of time or consuming thousands of hours of podcasts on game theory, this is a chance to illustrate the ways in which you are an obsessive learner with an endless thirst for information. The admissions reader should emerge from reading this essay with the sense that you are a sincerely curious young person with a strong intellectual drive.

Finally, be sure to connect these interests to 2-3 majors at Illinois and support your reasoning with school-specific offerings and resources, like academic departments , courses , research initiatives , etc.

2) What are your future career or academic goals? You may include courses you took in high school and how these impacted your goals.

Note that this question is a bit different than the one asked of students with a firm first-choice major. We recommend providing a straightforward answer here. If you are Undeclared, you may not have a firm idea of your academic goals, but you can use your current academic interests (the ones explored in the question above) as well as past academic experiences to guide your answer. Similarly, your career intentions may be relatively unformed. Use this space to share academic/career areas that may be of interest. Don’t sweat it if your plans are still in a nascent stage. This is normal for a 17 or 18-year-old, and UIUC will understand.

UIUC Supplemental Essays: If You’ve Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared):

Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals..

See answer #1 for those selecting a major. You are essentially repeating this process for a different field. However, you probably don’t want to have two completely unrelated majors/career goals. For example, if your first choice was business and your second choice was economics, it’s easy to explain the relationship. If the fields are more disparate (e.g. Dance & Chemical Engineering, be sure to provide a thorough explanation.

How important are the essays at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign?

UIUC only labels two factors as being “very important” to the admissions process. Those factors are: the rigor of your high school coursework and your GPA. The essays are “important” to the application review. In fact, the essays are rated as being of equal importance to test scores, extracurricular activities, and talent/ability.

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If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your UIUC supplemental essays, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

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UIUC Supplemental Essays 2023-24

If you’re interested in attending UIUC, writing effective UIUC essays is an important step toward gaining admission. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), located in eastern Illinois , stands out as one of the premier public universities in the nation. Consequently, UIUC Admissions assesses thousands of applications and UIUC supplemental essays annually to identify strong candidates.

With UIUC’s acceptance rate hovering around 45%, many students are curious about the key to gaining admission. While a strong academic record is important in any application, the UIUC supplemental essays are crucial to your application journey. Your essays offer admissions officials a glimpse into your academic interests and how they align with UIUC offerings. Therefore, your UIUC essays can be the deciding factor in the success of your application.

Our guide to the UIUC supplemental essays will walk you through strategies to use while writing your UIUC essays. We will explore the UIUC application requirements and analyze UIUC essay prompts, including the UIUC why major essay and why UIUC essay. In each section, you’ll find valuable insights to help you craft outstanding UIUC essays. With this guide, you’ll be ready to craft compelling UIUC essays that are certain to impress University of Illinois Admissions.

First, we’ll go over some UIUC Admissions quick facts. Then, we’ll take a look at the prompts for each of the UIUC supplemental essays and how to answer them. If you’re ready to learn all about the UIUC essays, let’s get started!

UIUC Admissions: Quick Facts

University of illinois at urbana-champaign quick facts.

• UIUC Acceptance Rate: 45% – while UIUC’s acceptance rate is higher than other top universities, U.S. News still considers UIUC moderately selective. 
• UIUC Application Platforms: UIUC accepts the Common Application & myIllni Application
• Students will respond to one essay prompt from the list of 2023-2024 Common Application Essay Prompts . Prompts are the same whether you apply through myIllini or the Common App. 
• Students will respond to specific UIUC essay prompts depending on their choice of major. Your UIUC essays may include a UIUC why major essay and why UIUC essay.
• Early Action: November 1st
• Regular Decision: January 5th 

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

Does University of Illinois Urbana Champaign require an essay?

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) requires applicants to submit UIUC supplemental essays as part of the application process. To start, all applicants must complete one personal statement essay, ranging from 250 to 650 words. This University of Illinois essay allows candidates to showcase their unique perspectives, experiences, and aspirations. The good news is that the UIUC essay prompts for this essay mirror the Common Application essay prompts. So, if you are applying to other schools via the Common App, you don’t need to write a new essay for UIUC. 

In addition to your personal statement, applicants must also submit 2 to 3 additional UIUC supplemental essays. The number of essays you write and the UIUC essay prompts you’ll respond to will depend on your chosen major(s). These major-specific UIUC supplemental essays allow applicants to delve deeper into their academic interests. In these essays, students can demonstrate an understanding of their chosen field of study and how their passions align with UIUC.

Ultimately, UIUC supplemental essays play a crucial role in providing the University of Illinois admissions committee with a comprehensive understanding of each applicant. Supplemental essays are UIUC’s main tool for seeing beyond what is reflected in a student’s academic achievements and standardized test scores. Once we go over the UIUC essay prompts, you’ll see just how important and valuable these essays can be to your application.

In the next sections, we will dive deeper into the major specific prompts. We’ll show you how to respond to these UIUC essay prompts to ensure your UIUC essays strengthen your application.

UIUC Major-Specific Prompts

For those applying to a specific major at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), you can expect two major-specific UIUC essay prompts. These UIUC essays can be thought of as a UIUC why major essay and why UIUC essay. Together, these prompts are designed to gain deeper insights into your academic and personal aspirations. 

Major-specific University of Illinois Essay Prompt #1

Explain, in detail, an experience you’ve had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. this can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you’ve taken, or through something else. (150 words).

To craft your first UIUC why major essay, you must recount a recent, significant experience related to your first-choice major. Whether it’s an extracurricular activity, a memorable class, or any other relevant context, the connection to your intended major should be clear. Take the opportunity to provide a detailed narrative that showcases your hands-on involvement and its impact on your academic journey.

Major-specific University of Illinois Essay Prompt #2

Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from uiuc and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them. (150 words).

Your second UIUC why major essay can also be thought of as a why UIUC essay. In your essay, you’ll want to articulate your personal and/or career goals following graduation from UIUC. However, you’ll also need to explain how completing your first-choice major at UIUC aligns with and contributes to these aspirations. This prompt requires thoughtful reflection on your long-term vision, drawing clear connections between your academic pursuits at UIUC and your personal and professional journey. 

Strong college candidates will have clear goals and a track record of commitment to their education. By addressing these UIUC essays with sincerity and depth, you can present a compelling case for your suitability and enthusiasm for your chosen major.

UIUC Undeclared Major Program Essay Prompts

Students applying to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) as an undeclared major can also anticipate two UIUC essay prompts. These UIUC supplemental essays are specifically tailored for students who are still undecided. These UIUC supplemental essays are similar to the major-specific essays in that you’ll still be discussing your academic interests and future goals.

Undeclared Major University of Illinois Essay Prompt #1

What are your academic interests please include 2-3 majors you’re considering at illinois and why. (150 words).

This essay invites you to share varied academic interests, requesting that you include specific majors you are considering at Illinois. Be sure to select specific major programs, rather than more general areas of study, and elaborate on the reasons behind your choices. This University of Illinois essay lets you showcase your curiosity and thought process in exploring potential academic paths. So, even if you’re undecided, you can still show the admissions committee what topics pique your curiosity.

Undeclared Major University of Illinois Essay Prompt #2

What are your future career or academic goals you may include courses you took in high school and how these impacted your goals. (150 words).

For this essay, you must articulate your future aspirations for college and beyond. You are also encouraged to look back on previous experiences and include details about high school courses that have inspired you. This University of Illinois essay prompt allows you to reflect on not just what you want to accomplish but also why . In your essay, aim to create a narrative that demonstrates the alignment between your educational background and future endeavors. 

Even if you aren’t sure what you want to study, that doesn’t mean you can’t wow admissions with your essays. By responding thoughtfully to these UIUC essays, you can present a well-rounded picture of your academic interests and future ambitions. 

UIUC Second-Choice Major Essay Prompt

For those who have chosen a second-choice major, including undeclared, UIUC provides a specific essay prompt to delve into your motivations and aspirations. Although this University of Illinois essay is technically optional, UIUC strongly recommends students select a second-choice major and complete this essay.

Second-Choice Major University of Illinois Essay Prompt

Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals. (150 words).

This University of Illinois essay allows applicants to convey the reasons behind selecting a secondary major or to elucidate their broader academic and professional objectives. In responding to this UIUC essay prompt, consider sharing the factors that fuel your interest in the chosen second major and how it aligns with your overall academic and career trajectory. Whether you have a clear career path or are exploring various academic avenues, use this essay to showcase your thoughtful consideration of your academic journey and your second-choice major’s role in shaping your educational and professional aspirations. Crafting a compelling response to this prompt will strengthen your application by giving the admissions committee valuable insights into your motivations and future plans at UIUC.

How to write UIUC Essays?

You will notice that UIUC essays are uniquely tailored to outline your personal experiences within your interests. This reflects UIUC’s commitment to truly understanding who you are as a student and how your academic environment can contribute to your desired development.

With limited space, your essays need to be focused and concise, and writing them may require a touch of creativity. Approaching the UIUC essays requires careful consideration and authenticity to effectively communicate how UIUC aligns with your academic interests. Therefore, use the following steps to help craft your UIUC supplemental essays:

Self-reflection is Key

Self-reflection is a crucial first step in preparing your UIUC supplemental essays. Take the time to delve into who you are, what matters to you, and why you are an exceptional fit for UIUC. Focus on your individuality and consider what aspects of your personality and experiences have been vital to your growth. This preliminary exploration is pivotal to choosing strong topics for each of the UIUC essay prompts.

Choose the Common App Prompt That Fits You

While the major-specific UIUC essays will depend on your selected major, you do have the opportunity to choose your personal statement prompt. When deciding between the UIUC essay prompts, choose the one that aligns best with your experiences and interests. For instance, if overcoming a challenge has significantly shaped your perspective, consider the UIUC essay prompts related to resilience. Similarly, if you’ve achieved a noteworthy accomplishment, opt for the UIUC essay prompts inviting reflection on success. Your goal when choosing between the UIUC essay prompts is to pick one that effectively showcases your best qualities. (Especially those that make you a valuable addition to UIUC’s academic community.)

Be Creative, Be Different, Stand Out

Given the intimate nature of UIUC supplemental essays, don’t be afraid to be creative! Craft your narrative with innovation, experimenting with storytelling elements such as chronology and story arcs. Use dialogue and imagery to enhance the personal touch of your UIUC essays, providing admissions with a vivid portrayal of your unique qualities. Instead of merely stating preferences, vividly illustrate your interests. For instance, rather than stating a love for reading, you might vividly depict the hours spent engrossed in books.

By adhering to these steps, you will undoubtedly capture the attention of the admissions team. Remember, there is no singular formula for writing UIUC essays. Infuse your personality and distinctive experiences into your UIUC supplemental essays (and answer the prompts!) and you’ll be on the right track. Beyond these guidelines, you can find more detailed writing advice in this article on “ How to Write Better Essays .” 

Does UIUC care about essays?

Yes, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) certainly cares about your UIUC supplemental essays. UIUC takes pride in its thorough admissions process . While academic excellence is essential, UIUC recognizes that true potential encompasses more than just grades. This holistic approach is exemplified by the significance attributed to things like your background, interests, and previous accomplishments and challenges. These things are hard to tell from numbers alone, which is what makes your UIUC supplemental essays so important.

The emphasis on UIUC supplemental essays reflects the university’s strategic decision to identify individuals who resonate with its values of academic excellence, innovation, and a commitment to societal impact. The UIUC essays offer applicants a platform to share their personal stories, experiences, and aspirations, enabling the admissions committee to better understand each candidate’s unique qualities and perspectives.

Therefore, crafting impactful UIUC supplemental essays is one of the most important steps in the application process. UIUC essays are not just a showcase of writing skills but a window into your character, revealing your commitment to contributing to UIUC’s academic and innovative community.

What is the UIUC known for?

UIUC is renowned for its exceptional academic programs, cutting-edge research initiatives, and a vibrant campus community. UIUC consistently ranks among the top public universities in the United States and is recognized for its outstanding engineering, computer science, and business programs. So, let’s dive deeper into some of UIUC’s best qualities:

Top-Tier Engineering Programs

UIUC is consistently recognized for its outstanding engineering programs, particularly electrical engineering and computer science. (U.S. News has UIUC ranking #5 in Best Undergraduate Engineering and Computer Science Programs). The Grainger College of Engineering has a distinguished reputation for producing graduates who excel in the technological and industrial sectors.

Cutting-Edge Research Facilities

UIUC is a research -intensive institution with state-of-the-art facilities. For example, the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology is a hub for interdisciplinary research, fostering collaborations among scientists, engineers, and scholars to address complex global challenges.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The university strongly commits to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. The Research Park at UIUC provides a supportive ecosystem for startups and industry partnerships, allowing students and researchers to translate their ideas into real-world applications.

Academic Excellence in Business

UIUC’s Gies College of Business consistently ranks among the best in the nation. (U.S. News’ UIUC ranking highlights Gies as one of the Top 10 public undergraduate business programs in the country.) The Gies College of Business offers cutting-edge programs, including the highly regarded MBA. It is known for its emphasis on experiential learning and preparing students for leadership roles in the business world.

Diverse and Inclusive Campus

UIUC takes pride in its diverse and inclusive campus community. With students from around the globe and a wide range of cultural organizations within its 800 clubs and student organizations , the university provides a dynamic environment that encourages cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.

It’s no secret that UIUC is a top-tier institution. Known for academic excellence, research impact, and diversity, UIUC prepares its graduates for success in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

More supplemental essay resources from CollegeAdvisor

As you begin crafting your application for UIUC, consider exploring additional resources from CollegeAdvisor to enhance your preparation. These valuable tools are designed to provide expert guidance throughout the application process, ensuring you present your strongest and most authentic version of yourself. CollegeAdvisor’s resources go beyond the conventional and offer tailored advice for navigating specific aspects of the application journey.

Here are a few resources to check out before you start your application to UIUC:

• How to Get into UIUC Guide : This guide is a treasure trove of information, offering a detailed roadmap for securing admission to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It provides strategic insights into UIUC’s admissions process, tips for writing compelling UIUC essays, and advice on showcasing your unique qualities to stand out in the competitive applicant pool.
• College Essay Topics : Crafting impactful essays is a crucial aspect of the application process. This College Essay Topics resource assists you in exploring creative and meaningful ideas for your essays. It provides inspiration and guidance to help you tell your story in a way that resonates with admissions committees.
• How to Start a Personal Statement : Your very first sentence will set the tone for your entire essay. This resource offers practical tips on how to start a personal statement effectively, helping you capture the reader’s attention from the outset. Learn how to craft a compelling opening that reflects your voice and establishes a strong foundation for your narrative.

Exploring these resources will undoubtedly enhance your understanding of the application process. That way, you can feel empowered to create compelling materials, increasing your chances of success at UIUC and other esteemed universities.

UIUC Supplemental Essays – Final Thoughts

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ( UIUC ) presents a unique and dynamic opportunity for prospective students. With UIUC ranking #30 in the nation by Forbes, UIUC stands as one of the nation’s premier public universities in the Midwest . UIUC’s rigorous admissions process underscores its commitment to identifying candidates who both excel academically and align with its values.

The UIUC application process goes beyond standardized test scores, reflecting the university’s commitment to understanding the values and aspirations of each applicant. As such, the UIUC supplemental essays are incredibly important. UIUC essays require self-reflection, creativity, and a genuine connection to UIUC’s academic environment.

Before you go, here are some final takeaways from our guide to the UIUC supplemental essays. 

Navigating the UIUC essay prompts

• The major-specific UIUC essay prompts offer applicants a chance to showcase hands-on involvement and articulate how their chosen major aligns with their personal and career goals.
• Undeclared major applicants can express their academic interests and future aspirations through the tailored UIUC essay prompts, providing a glimpse into their exploration of potential academic paths.
• The UIUC second-choice major essay prompts allow applicants to delve into the motivations behind their secondary major or articulate broader academic and professional objectives, adding depth to their application.

Tips for writing your UIUC essays

• Resources from CollegeAdvisor, such as the “How to Get into UIUC Guide,” “College Essay Topics,” and “How to Start a Personal Statement,” provide strategic insights and practical tips to enhance your application journey, especially your UIUC essays.
• UIUC supplemental essays are essential for conveying your unique qualities and commitment to UIUC’s academic and innovative community. Approach the UIUC essays with authenticity, creativity, and a genuine connection to the university’s values, ensuring your application stands out in the competitive University of Illinois admissions process.

With these strategies, you can create UIUC essays that meet the requirements, stand out, and make a lasting impression on the UIUC admissions committee. We wish you the best of luck with your application and writing your UIUC supplemental essays. And good luck on your application journey!

This article was written by senior advisor, Ashley Hollins . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Prompt's How-to Guide for the UIUC Essay

The uiuc essay prompt, and how to nail it (2020-2021)..

Are you excited about going on to college? Does the prospect of only having to study the things you love — or that you think will get you to your chosen career — make you giddy?

Great! Then writing your short essay for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is going to be easy — it’s just asking about what you plan to do at UIUC and why.

Still, if you’d like a little guidance for nailing this, take a look at our complete guide to the UIUC’s short essay — drawn from our long experience at Prompt helping applicants get accepted. (Note: this blog post will be updated soon - but while the UIUC prompt has changed slightly this year, our approach is still on-point.)

And if you’d also like personalized guidance from people who’ve done this thousands of times, get started with us here .

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign short essay prompts for 2020-2021

• Explain your interest in the major you selected and describe how you have recently explored or developed this interest inside and/or outside the classroom. You may also explain how this major relates to your future career goals. If you're applying to the Division of General Studies , explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. You may include any majors or areas of study you're currently considering. Limit your response to 300 to 400 words.
• If you select a second-choice major other than the Division of General Studies on your application, write a second essay explaining your interest in this major, too. Again, limit your response to 300 to 400 words.

What are your chances of acceptance?

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How to Write the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Essays 2020-2021

Located in the vast cornfields of east-central Illinois, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is widely renowned as one of the country’s most influential public research universities. In fact, it has ranked first in National Science Foundation award funding for six consecutive years.

Many sources consider UIUC one of the top 50 universities in the world, and some have even ranked its engineering school in the top five worldwide.

Boasting over 24 million items in its library collection, it’s no secret that UIUC is an intellectual powerhouse. On top of that, it’s also a haven for sports lovers. UIUC was one of the founding members of the Big Ten Conference, a tradition that has remained strong, as evidenced by its 21 NCAA teams.

When it comes to the student body, UIUC’s average ACT scores range from 27-33, while average SAT scores range from 1280-1490. With an acceptance rate of about 60% , UIUC is a fairly selective school.

One final thing to keep in mind is that UIUC is not a Common Application school. That means you’ll have to submit a separate application either on the school’s website or by mail.

This also means UIUC won’t be reading your Common App essay, meaning that the school-specific essays count for even more. Luckily, we at CollegeVine are here to give you numerous tips on how to tackle your UIUC essays! Want to know your chances at UIUC? Calculate your chances for free right now.

UIUC Application Essay Prompts

Explain your interest in the major you selected and describe how you have recently explored or developed this interest inside and/or outside the classroom. you may also explain how this major relates to your future career goals. if you’re applying to the division of general studies, explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. you may include any majors or areas of study you’re currently considering. (300-400 words).

Since this is the most extensive essay UIUC will be receiving from you, it is also the most important! This prompt asks you to write a “Why This Major” essay. Your main objectives here should be conveying your passion for a certain subject and explaining how that relates to your future goals. Also, focus on expressing your love for the school by touching on specific aspects of the school that you think will suit you well.

While you might be tempted to simply reference your extracurricular activities in this section, this is not enough . Admission officers can already see your activities, so mentioning them again without further elaboration would be redundant. Instead, you should hone in on something more personal, and then proceed to explain it in greater depth.

Although your essay should not just restate extracurriculars or relevant classes, it is okay to briefly mention them as long as they provide a transition into new, more meaningful information. This “something meaningful” can be anything from an entertaining moment during one of your activities/classes to a more serious discussion of how you arrived at that passion. Just make sure your response illuminates something unique about you.

Because this essay is the most complex for this school, we recommend tackling it in smaller chunks. You’ll find that focusing on the structure of these shorter essays often does wonders for the overall cohesion of the finished product.

Introduction (100 words or less)

In this section of the response, your primary goal is to indicate your prospective major, but in a manner that the school would find compelling. Some of the most effective ways to hook the reader are by using figurative language or an anecdote, but there are a plethora of other ways as well — just be creative! Also, make sure your introduction allows for enough elaboration in the body section.

Because the introduction is so crucial to the development of this essay, below are some examples of good and bad introductions with explanations.

Good examples :

• “Time to get to work. My classmates opened the textbook and saw gibberish, but I saw a colony of enchanting symbols beckoning me to dance with them. Smug and graceful, they taunted me with their movements, tantalizing me into an exotic tango. These symbols held the secrets of the universe. It was during this fateful study group that I pinpointed my undying love for math…” Why it’s good: While a little cheesy, this author has introduced their love of math with flair. They use the imagery of “enchanting symbols” within the context of a specific instance during their study group, likely intriguing the reader as to why this led to such passion. A capable writer would go on to explain this whimsical statement in the body of the essay.
• “The summer of skeletons was drawing to a close. On my last day at the clinic, they crept up on me, begging me to stay. I knew I had to return one day. They liked being analyzed by me — the touch, the care. These cadavers were always desperate for my attention, but it took me a full six weeks to realize that I was also desperate for theirs…” Why it’s good: While it could be a little creepy and somewhat obsessive, it certainly conveys the author’s passion for bone structures. This author still needs to specify their major (biology, anthropology, bioengineering, etc.), but otherwise, they have the foundation for a great essay. Moving forward, they have two options: focus on this sudden realization at the end of what is presumably a summer internship or talk a little more about the ongoing process. Either one is suitable.

Bad examples :

• “Ever since a young age, I was interested in math. It’s always been my favorite subject. That’s why I want to major in it when I get to college. UIUC has an amazing math program that I want to participate in with amazing faculty. I’ve always pursued difficult math classes, and I’ve even engaged in some extracurricular activities related to math. These activities had possibly the biggest impact on me out of any of my activities…” Why it’s bad: It’s easy to imagine an adcom reading this introduction and wanting to go back to sleep. The author hasn’t shown any personality, and they certainly haven’t set themselves up for anything more than a simple retelling of their most impactful extracurricular activities.
• “Growing up, I’ve always admired the true heroes of our society: doctors. That’s why I want to major in bioengineering. I want to be a hero just like them. At UIUC, the main track for pre-med students is bioengineering, which is also a topic that really interests me. I’ve done a lot of extracurriculars pertaining to the medical field, and I’ve even had some hands-on experience through clinical internships. Bioengineering at UIUC is definitely right for me…” Why it’s bad: This “bad example” is certainly better than the first one, but it still has a lot of room for improvement. Using the theme of doctors as heroes isn’t necessarily bad, but it isn’t implemented well here. Instead, the author should’ve discussed a specific time (perhaps during their clinical internship) that they saw a doctor do something brave, and how that inspired them to become a doctor. This introduction really goes downhill when they abruptly move on to general statements about their interests and past experiences. Also, statements like “Bioengineering at UIUC is definitely right for me” should be avoided at all cost. Remember to show, rather than tell.

Body (250 Words or Less)

Your goal with the body of this essay is to further elaborate on your involvement with your respective major. It is okay to mention extracurriculars and classes in this section, but only if you couple them with explanations of how they impacted you. Consider implementing some additional discussion of your future career plans if you haven’t already done so in the introduction.

The body of your essay doesn’t have to be quite as flashy as the introduction, but it needs to be more purposeful. You might spend less time here on an extended metaphor, and instead opt to explain why your experience in a particular subject area inspired you to pursue it further.

No length is specified in the conclusion, because it varies depending on how many words you have already used, and to what extent your intro/body necessitates closure.

If you have a lot of space left, you might mention specific programs or clubs that fit with your major. You could also go into greater depth here regarding your long-term career goals. If you find a program at UIUC that incorporates your career aspirations — take, for example, a school-funded internship program — this is a great place to discuss it.

Otherwise, the conclusion should simply wrap up the main idea of your essay with a general discussion of your interests that you already set forth. Avoid being too repetitive; it’s better to keep your summary brief and to the point. If you began the essay with thematic material, it should resurface in the conclusion. The last sentence of the essay should be powerful enough to leave a lasting impression on the reader. This will ensure that adcoms remember your essay.

If you select a second-choice major other than the Division of General Studies on your application, write a second essay explaining your interest in this major, too. (300-400 words)

This prompt is similar to the previous one, so you should approach it in largely the same manner. It might be tempting to focus less on this essay, but you shouldn’t neglect it just because it’s your second-choice major. Admission officers will be able to tell if you’ve gotten lazy.

Other than that, make sure you keep our suggestions from the previous section in mind. Remember to provide adequate insight into any examples you provide, and focus on being succinct, so you can add in as much content as possible.

Some Final Words

It’s already been mentioned, but it’s important enough to mention again: These are the only essays UIUC will see. That means you have a huge responsibility to be personable and unique while also demonstrating competent writing style and academic focus.

While we at CollegeVine sometimes encourage riskier supplemental essays, you should avoid that for UIUC. This is because you aren’t coupling these with your Common App essay, which tends to be more grounded and central to your identity.

Most importantly, make sure your essays are truly a reflection of you . Don’t try to use overly elevated language if that isn’t how you normally write. If you’re unsure whether your voice is coming across, ask a family member or friend to read over your essays; they often have invaluable advice.

Want help on your college essays to get into your dream schools? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses, as well as our Essay Peer Review.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

569 Emergent States of Matter

Term essays Spring 2021

These essays were written by students taking Physics 569 Emergent States of Matter, Spring 2021, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The copyright of each essay is due to the author.

Please acknowledge the essay title, author, and this course in any citation to these articles.

The information, opinions and interpretations expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily those of the instructor.

Author: Nan Zhang

Title: Cosmic Strings

This essay discusses the generating, gravitational description and observable effects of cosmic strings. In this essay, cosmic strings, as linear topological defects, are shown to be generated by the spontaneously symmetry breaking of gauge fields during the inflationary era. By studying the metric around a single infinite-length straight cosmic string, we explain carefully how the cosmic string changes a flat space into a conical space and results in the deflection of light passing by. We explore the double images, accretion effects and CMB anisotropy caused by the cosmic strings and introduce the efforts to detect cosmic strings based on the observable effects.

Author: Mark Hirsbrunner Title: Odd Viscosity in Chiral Active Matter: Theory and Experiment Abstract: Chiral active matter is a hydrodynamic phase composed of self-spinning microscopic constituent particles. The non-equilibrium steady states of chiral active matter realize a novel dissipationless transport coefficient called the odd viscosity. In this paper I provide an overview of theories regarding the formation of odd viscosity in chiral active matter, both from a top-down hydrodynamic perspective and from a bottom-up microscopic perspective. Fluids with an odd viscosity support exotic topological waves and surface flows not found in conventional fluids. I briefly discuss the theory underlying these novel features and present experiments that observe these effects in two very different chiral active fluids.

Author: Adam Bauer Title: On the emergence of flocking in birds Abstract: This essay will provide a brief overview of the many approaches scientists have taken to study bird flocking, including numerical, observational, and analytic methods. We discuss the pioneering work first done in numerical modeling and theoretical physics, and how these approaches are challenged by observational data. Lastly, we discuss an observationally motivated theoretical framework for studying flocking.

Author: Chenghao Zhang Title:  Experiment and Theory of Glass transition Abstract: Though belong to well-known state of matter, microscopic understanding of glassy state is still challenging for scientists. This article will summarize theoreticaland experimental effort have been made to unveil mystery of glass, begin with experimental phenomena like dramatic change of viscosity below glass transition temperature Tg , fragility, aging and dynamical correlation function of glass etc. For theoretical side, we emphasize random first-order transition theory of glass transition studied by Peter Wolynes.

Author: Zihan Wang Title: Emergent Ecology: Neutral Theory of Ecosystems Abstract: This essay discusses the neutral theory (NT) of ecosystems, from the aspects of analytical model, simulation results and comparison to empirical data. Certain macroecological properties are shown to be emergent from NT. It also discusses how the neutrality itself could be viewed as an emergent property from evolutionary dynamics, and how can the NT be possibly be reconciled with the classical niche theory.

Author: Marc Klinger Title: Evolutionary Game Theory – From Cooperation to Topological Phases Abstract: In this essay, we provide an introduction to the machinery of Rational and Evolutionary Game Theory, and observe how complex and even potentially counter-intuitive phenomena can emerge therein from a relatively simple set of strategic interactions.

Author: Riley Vesto Title:  Turing Pattern Formation from Reaction-Diffusion Equations and Applications Abstract: Turing patterns are finite-wavelength, stationary formations which can develop from homogeneous initial conditions following local reaction-diffusion equations. This essay provides a phenomenological description of how Turing patterns form, describes methods of preparing Turing patterns, and provides some examples of Turing patterns which appear in nature.

Author: Rajas Chari Title:  Network theory applications in complex systems Abstract: Network theory provides a great framework to study a myriad of phenomena occurring in nature. In this report we describe the different ways in which networks are characterized by studying empirical networks. We then study the popular descriptive models used to build and study networks with properties similar to empirical networks. We also explore methods from physics which can be used to analyze networks, including statistical mechanics and dynamical systems. Finally, we discuss the potential of renormalization group theory to study networks.

Author: Shengzhu Yin Title: Hidden Geometry and Coarse-graining Metabolism Network Abstract: Network Cartography is a key visualization of an organism’s mechanism of processing. In a sense, life is an ultimate emergent phenomenon that can be found in nature. However, most cartography only contains topological information, i.e., a mathematical graph. In this essay, we will take a look into series of recent development that further incorporates geometrical information into these metabolic cartography. As a final result, we will see an emergent pattern by utilizing this additional information.

Author: Jinchao Zhao

Title: The electron pairing of Iron-based Superconductors

Abstract: Iron-based superconductors are the second family of High-Tc super-conductors  people  have  found  until  now  besides  cuperates.   This  essay presents a review of experimental measurements on iron based superconductors, and aims at the difference and potential links between the pairing mechanism of these two families of high-Tc superconductors.

Author: Dmitry Manning-Coe Title: Towards an emergent macroeconomics Abstract: Despite substantial interest after the financial crisis, interest in deriving macroeconomic phenomena as emergent quantities has waned. I will argue that the existence of robust scaling laws and fluctuations on the order of economic quantities themselves are the kinds of things that should be explained by an emergent framework. To make this plausible I will show how emergent frameworks in biology and population modelling are able to explain similar phenomena.

Author: Michael O’Boyle Title: The Impact of Superfluids and Superconductors on Neutron Star Cooling Abstract: Neutron stars, remnants of stellar collapse whose densities exceed those of atomic nuclei, consist of a strongly interacting liquid of unbounded protons and neutrons (to first approximation) whose temperature is greatly below the Fermi temperature. They are subject to attractive nuclear interactions, so it is commonly believed that Cooper pairs will form in the degenerate matter. This would give rise to superfluid neutrons and superconducting protons. However, modelling degenerate nuclear matter remains an elusive problem, so little is known about the physics of the condensates. This essay will explore perhaps the most significant observational consequence of super-phases in neutron stars: their impact on the star’s rate of cooling from a thermal initial configuration into a degenerate ground state. Specifically, we will discuss Cassiopeia A, the youngest and most rapidly cooling known neutron star, observations of which have allowed constraints to be placed on the super-phase phenomena.

Author: Shubhang Goswami

Our current understanding of physics lies in a reductionist approach. An attempt to put physics under a non-hierarchical footing more in line with Emergence was proposed by Chew in 1968. In this essay, I will explore this approach based on self-consistency, talk about its success, its decline, and its renewed life in critical phenomenon. I will describe how time could possibly emerge from the bootstrap approach. I will elaborate on possible future connections with different fields of physics that could benefit from the Bootstrap approach and vice versa. Finally, I will end with a brief remark on whether we can shed the idea of a particle.

Author: Vincent Hickl Title: Dynamics of topological defects in passive and active liquid crystals Abstract: Topological defects arise in a variety of physical systems that undergo symmetry-breaking phase transitions into a state of higher order. Liquid crystals (LCs) are a useful set of systems for studying the interactions of multiple defects, particularly their creation and mutual annihilation. In this essay, the basic interactions of defects in LCs are described through the lens of recent experimental and theoretical advances in (quasi-)2-dimensional systems. Then, recent findings in active nematics are described, demonstrating how non-equilibrium interactions can give rise to very different defect behaviors. Unlike equilibrium systems, active nematic liquid crystals can exhibit spontaneous defect creation, leading to turbulent-like dynamics. These systems exemplify how relatively simple interactions between many microscopic objects can lead to complex emergent phenomena at larger scales.

Author: Mayisha Zeb Nakib Title: Active Flocks that Squawk: Geese on 2D Sheets Abstract: This essay explores agent based modeling and the Vicsek model to help explain emergent behaviors of migrating snow geese on a 2D lake surface. We will also review other 2D biological flocks such as surf scooters on the ocean. In addition, we will cover 3D swarms of krill in a more recent paper that takes into account transfer entropy and mutual information to explain swarm behavior due to more complicated social interactions.

Title: Using entanglement to characterize topological phases of matter Author: Faisal Alam Abstract: Off diagonal long range order is often used to characterize emergent phenomena like ferromagnetism and superfluidity. Similarly entanglement entropy and entanglement spectrum can be used to characterize topological phases of matter.  In such phases the interplay between interactions, symmetry and topology lead to emergent fractional charge, fractional statistics and non-trivial edge states.  In this essay we review how entanglement signatures can be used to deduce these properties from the ground state of the system alone.

Author: Jairo M. Rojas Title: Criticality in Living Systems Abstract: Various phenomena present in living systems, such as tissues, bacterial colonies, and neural networks, are the result of the interaction of a large number of components and, therefore, can be studied using statistical physics techniques. Thanks to new experimental technologies, it is now possible to study biological systems in detail and build statistical mechanics models directly from the data. Interestingly, the parameters for the models found are very close to a critical point. This essay describes experimental observations, simulations, and mathematical analyzes of biological systems where criticality has been found and discusses the presence of self-organizing criticality phenomena as a result of evolution.

Author:  Matthew Thibodeau

Title: Measurement-Induced Phase Transitions

When some unitary quantum circuits are punctuated by periodic measurements, distinct phases can emerge, where the order parameter is related to the entanglement properties of the circuits. This term paper describes recent progress in the identification and characterization of these phases. We provide a selection of circuit models that exhibit this phenomenon, detail the analytic and numerical arguments that show the emergence of high- and low-entanglement phases, and then describe some important properties of the circuits and states that can emerge, including topological protection and quantum error correction capabilities.

Author: Ryan Bogucki

Title: Criticality in living matter: a universal mechanism of charge transport in biomolecules Abstract In recent experimental works using metallic contacts attached to proteins, an anomalously large, temperature-independent long-range conductance has been mea- sured across numerous proteins with no known role in electron transfer processes. The exact mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs is unknown, although several recent theoretical works suggest that proteins belong to a larger class of biomolecules tuned precisely to a metal-insulator critical point, where decoherence plays a pivotal role for the robust conductance measured in proteins. Along with having strong dependence on molecular conformation, the ubiquitous nature of the phenomenon suggests that it was evolutionarily selected for, as the probability to find even a single critical molecule by chance is astronomically low. In this paper, we discuss the current modeling efforts which realize the physics for this phenomenon, their relation to experiment, as well as potential evolutionary roles.

Author: Daniel Belkin

Title: Anderson Localization Abstract This work covers the theory of Anderson localization. The behavior of Anderson’s original model is discussed, as is the derivation of Wegner’s nonlinear σ model. A relationship to Goldstone’s theorem in this context is covered. We then discuss an experimental demonstration of Anderson localization in a three-dimensional ultracold atom system. Finally, extensions to weak interactions via theory and numerics are discussed.

Author: Chunyu Lu

Title:  The development of the inflation models Abstract: This article is about different inflation models and phase transitions related to the models. We would focus on what kind of observational effects they can predict and explore different cosmological surveys to see the constrains they could give to the inflation model.

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UIUC Common App Essay Examples

Type a couple of keywords or describe yourself. We will find the most relevant UIUC Common App essay examples for you.

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All UIUC Common App Essay Examples

Filter exemplars, balancing discipline and spontaneity: finding my path, breaking boundaries: discovering my artistic side through henna, the impact of moving: embracing change and cherishing relationships, the dual systems: expressing myself as "mohamed omar", ubuntu, and windows, finding my voice: a journey of accents and ambitions, the pride of purpose, the power of words: from silent reader to literary mentor, unforeseen challenges: lessons learned and new perspectives, age-ambiguous: embracing identity beyond years, anchored down: overcoming fear and finding confidence.

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How do I write a good summer program application essay?

I'm mainly applying to STEM/math camps this year. What makes a good essay? Should I elaborate on personal experiences and traits that make me a good student, or should I highlight achievements and academic history that would make me qualified for the program? Pls help