Key differences on Getting in
- 1
UIUC's yield is 15 pts higher than U. California-Santa Barbara's
Yield rate - 2
U. California-Santa Barbara admits 33% vs. 38% at UIUC
Acceptance 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
- U. California-Santa BarbaraVery 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
- U. California-Santa BarbaraTest-blind
How they read a record
UIUC
and GPA are both very important; tests are considered.
U. California-Santa Barbara
GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required.
What they look at
| Factor | UIUC | U. California-Santa Barbara |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Required |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Recommendations | Not considered | Not considered |
| Essay | Important | Required |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Not considered |
| 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;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023About 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