collageuic computer science acceptance rate
For example, knowing about uic computer science acceptance rate may not be as straightforward as you might think. Furthermore, getting accurate information may not be as straightforward as you might think. I discuss the uic computer science admission requirements, the uic computer science ranking, the uic computer science requirements, and the uic acceptance rate. I also discuss the uiuc computer science acceptance rate. You can also find up to date information on uic computer science acceptance rate in related articles on koboguide.
MS in Computer Science
Minimum Admission Requirements
Applications are considered on an individual basis by the Graduate Admissions Committee. A complete set of transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work is required before an applicant is considered. In addition to the application requirements of the Office of Admissions and the policies set by the Graduate College, applicants must meet the following program requirements:
- Baccalaureate Field Computer science or computer engineering. Outstanding candidates from other related fields with substantial course work in computer science will also be considered.
- Grade Point Average At least 3.50/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
- Tests Required GRE General scores are recommended for all applicants and required for financial aid applicants and all applicants with degrees from outside the U.S. A minimum of 300 GREV+GREQ score (with a minimum of 140+ GREV). All international students are required to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or PTE-Academic scores as well.
- Minimum English Competency Test Score
- TOEFL 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Test); 60, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Writing 21 (revised Paper-Delivered Test), OR,
- IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores, OR,
- PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
- Letters of Recommendation Two Required. Applicants for financial assistance must provide three letters of recommendation.
- Personal Statement Required.
- Deadlines The application deadline is the same as the Graduate College deadline.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:
- Minimum Semester Hours Required 36.
- Course Work At least 28 hours (with thesis), 32 hours (with project), 36 hours (for course-work-only); 12 hours of which (for thesis and project) and 16 hours (for course-work-only) must be CS course offerings at the 500-level (excluding CS 590, CS 595, CS 596, CS 597, CS 598, and CS 599). No more than one special topics course (CS 594) may be counted toward the 500-level CS requirement. At most 8 hours of preapproved non-CS graduate courses may be counted toward the overall requirement.
- Comprehensive Examination None.
- Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options Thesis, project, or course-work-only required.
- Thesis: Thesis students must earn 8 hours in CS 598; no more than 8 hours of CS 598 may be applied toward the degree.
- Project: Project students must earn 4 hours in CS 597; no more than 4 hours of CS 597 may be applied toward the degree.
- Course-Work-Only: Students must earn all 36 hours from course work as described in Course Work above.
Getting Into An Elite Computer Science (CS) School
There are several paths to admission to Computer Science programs and degrees at top schools. Universities administer different processes for admitting students into their CS programs. There are mainly four types of ways students are admitted:
- Applying to the major at the school before you’re admitted to the university
- Applying to the major after you’re already admitted and studying at the university
- Declaring the major directly after you’re already admitted and studying at the university
- Transferring majors after you’re already admitted and studying at the university
We will cover each of these paths in detail in this post.
Applying to CS Before You’re Admitted
At some universities, you apply directly to the Computer Science major when you are applying for admission to the school itself. The application will request supplemental materials, such as extra SAT Subject Test scores, extra essays, or a resume, in addition to your application to the university.
This is the case at, for example, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (UIUC) and University of California at Berkeley (UCB), for the Electrical Engineering & Computer Science major. When you are admitted to these schools, your major is already declared when you start your freshman year.
Carnegie Mellon University is slightly different in that when you apply for admission, you apply to the School of Computer Science (SCS), which houses three different majors. You are accepted into SCS, and you declare your major at the end of freshman year.
Universities that follow this application method ask students to display a strong math and science background, an interest in Computer Science, and extracurriculars both within and outside of the field. They, generally, also ask students to discuss their interests, experiences, and intentions with a Computer Science degree in an additional essay. Extracurriculars associated with Computer Science, like being on a robotics team, or having worked on projects like those in Juni’s curriculum, or achieving strong results in the USA Computing Olympiad, are helpful to have. They convey not only a keen interest in the field of software engineering, but also important qualities like leadership skills and the ability to take initiative to pursue your interests. Extracurriculars outside CS also help demonstrate interpersonal skills, work ethic, and varied passions, as universities look to admit well-rounded students. You can view a sampling of some admitted student profiles below.
Acceptance Rates
In today’s climate, admission to CS programs can be up to four times more competitive than simply being admitted to the school. Below is a comparison of the acceptance rates to a few top universities as a whole, versus to their CS program.
| University | Overall Admissions Rate | CS Admissions Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | 22% | 5% |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 62% | 15% |
| University of California at Berkeley | 17% | 8.5% |
| University of Washington | 46% | 28% |
| University of Texas – Austin | 36% | 15% |
Admitted Student Profiles
Here are the profiles of high school seniors who were admitted into these Computer Science programs, as examples of academic and extracurricular resumes:
CMU SCS student
| High School GPA | 3.99/4.0 | |
| ACT | 34 | |
| SAT Subject Tests | Math II: 760, Chemistry: 790 | |
| Extracurriculars | FIRST Robotics (an international high school robotics competition) Mu Alpha Theta (National Math Honor Society) Computer Science Club National Honor Society Spanish Honor Society Civitas (a political discussion/ Model UN club) | |
| Awards & Honors | National Merit Scholar NCWIT Women in Computing Regional Winner FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) St. Louis Regional Winner |
CMU SCS student
| High School GPA | 4.0/4.0 | |
| SAT | 2190 | |
| SAT Subject Tests | Math II: 800, Chemistry: 800, Physics: 800, English Literature: 760 | |
| Extracurriculars | Bharatnatyam (an Indian classical dance form) Student Volunteer with Gift Your Organ School Choir Leader Model UN Veena (an Indian string instrument) Carnatic Vocal Music | |
| Awards & Honors | Semifinalist at Technovation 2016 Pramerica Spirit of Community Award |
UIUC Computer Science + Math student
| ACT | 36 | |
| SAT Subject Tests | Math II: 800, Physics: 800, Chemistry: 800 | |
| Extracurriculars | Math Team Scholastic Bowl Quiz Bowl WYSE (Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering Program) | |
| Awards & Honors | National Merit Finalist Top 300 on USA Physics Olympiad USA Math Olympiad qualifier Science Olympiad State Medalist Mathematics Department Award Winner AP Scholar with Distinction |
Applying to CS Once You’re Admitted
At some universities, students are accepted to the university as a whole and do not have a declared major as freshmen. Students then apply to the Computer Science major later in college, usually as sophomores. For example, at University of Washington (UW), students are admitted to UW as Pre-Science or Pre-Major students. They then apply to the Computer Science major as sophomores to the school of Computer Science & Engineering. To be considered for the Computer Science major students must have completed a set of courses and must submit a personal statement.
At UW, there is a required course called “Introduction to Programming” that all computer science majors must take before applying for admission into their program. The course is designed for non-majors and is offered during the fall quarter of each year. In this class students learn how computers work from an engineering perspective and how they can use this knowledge to solve problems using programming languages like Python or Java.
At North Carolina State University (NCSU), students are accepted with their majors as First Year Engineering – Computer Science Intent, First Year Engineering – Undecided, Exploratory Studies, or Undeclared. When students apply to the Computer Science major, their grades in a few particular classes are taken into account in order to make the decision. Engineering majors are automatically enrolled in some of these prerequisite classes, which makes it easier to get in to the Computer Science major. This method puts more weight on a student’s performance in their first year at college. Other universities like Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and Harvard University also use this method to accept students into their Computer Science programs.
Declaring a CS Major Directly
When you’re ready to declare your major at [university name], you can do so as a sophomore. You will be able to graduate with a degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering, as long as you complete the necessary coursework.
At MIT, freshmen enter undeclared and usually choose a major at the end of their first year. There are no prerequisites to declaring a major, but Computer Science students are advised to start required coursework in their first year, before they are formally declared. Similarly, at Stanford University, students are admitted to the university and then choose an advisor and declare their major sometime in their sophomore year
Transferring into a CS Major
Students often discover that they are passionate about a field that is different from the one they initially intended to study. This can be frustrating, but universities understand that students’ interests can change, and they have systems in place to allow qualifying students to switch majors. Depending on the university, this can be as simple as submitting a change of major form (for example, at Stanford), or an application process very similar to the process of applying to university as a high school senior (for example, at UIUC). Most universities require students to have a minimum GPA to be considered for a change of major to Computer Science. Some universities, such as CMU, require students to have taken a handful of prerequisite classes, in addition to having a GPA above a certain threshold (usually above a 3.2/4.0) and submitting a personal statement.
All universities look to admit students into their Computer Science departments who are passionate about the field and its applications. Personal statements are highly valued by most universities, as they are a chance for students to express who they are, what got them interested in CS, and how they intend to use their degree to further their passions. Regardless of the application method, a strong interest in Computer Science and activities that support this shine through. Having experience building projects is a great way to show that you are passionate about the field, and have taken the initiative to start learning.
At Juni, we offer online coding classes for kids, with group and one-on-one coaching for students to build projects in languages like Python and Java. Many of our older students go on to study Computer Science at the schools mentioned here. Get started with our Admissions Team today to see what class is best for your child..
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