Key differences on Getting in
- 1
UCLA is 4.2× more selective than UIUC
Acceptance rate - 2
UCLA's yield is 19 pts higher than UIUC's
Yield rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- UIUCVery selectivefrom IllinoisHighly selectivefrom other states
- UCLAUltra selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1300–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 27–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- UIUCTest-optional
- UCLATest-blind
How they read a record
UIUC
and GPA are both very important; tests are considered.
UCLA
and GPA are both very important. 93% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.
What they look at
| Factor | UIUC | UCLA |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Very important |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Recommendations | Not considered | Not considered |
| Essay | Important | Very important |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Important |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Common Data Set, 2024-25;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;University of California-Los Angeles (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;University of California-Los Angeles Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;University of California-Los Angeles Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why