Key differences on Getting in
- 1
UIUC's SAT midpoint is 55 points higher than UW's
SAT midpoint - 2
UIUC's yield is 5 pts higher than UW's
Yield rate - 3
UIUC admits 38% vs. 42% at UW
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
- UWVery selective
- UIUCVery selectivefrom IllinoisHighly selectivefrom other states
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1200–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 26–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- UWTest-blind
- UIUCTest-optional
How they read a record
UW
and GPA are both very important. 76% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.
UIUC
and GPA are both very important; tests are considered.
What they look at
| Factor | UW | UIUC |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Very important | Important |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Important | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:University of Washington-Seattle Campus (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;University of Washington-Seattle Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;University of Washington-Seattle Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Common Data Set, 2024-25;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 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