Illinois 2011 applicants! Forum

[Barbie]

Drive wasn't so bad

[Flips88]

Woke up to an email telling me I'm WL. LSAT right near median, GPA way over 75th. Hmmmmmm

Definitely wasn't expecting that. Should have written a Why Illinois in the first place I guess. Does anyone know how an LOCI affects one's position on the waitlist as well as chances at scholarship?

[blurbz]

From speaking with the dean, it's my understanding that Illinois is trying hard to push its numbers AND get people who are genuinely interested in coming. If you have the numbers, you likely still need a "Why Illinois" to feel comfortable: Part of having a free application means there will be more applicants competing for the same number of seats and you'd be wise to do everything you can if you want to snag one of them.

Edit: Smith told me that they're treating recruiting as if they were a football team: Going everywhere and talking to everybody. As a result, students with ALL levels of numbers are being attracted to Illinois and are expressing their genuine interest. What does that mean? Lots of competition.

[Flips88]

From speaking with the dean, it's my understanding that Illinois is trying hard to push it's numbers AND get people who are genuinely interested in coming. If you have the numbers, you likely still need a "Why Illinois" to feel comfortable: Part of having a free application means there will be more applicants competing for the same number of seats and you'd be wise to do everything you can if you want to snag one of them.

Edit: Smith told me that they're treating recruiting as if they were a football team: Going everywhere and talking to everybody. As a result, students with ALL levels of numbers are being attracted to Illinois and are expressing their genuine interest. What does that mean? Lots of competition.

Thanks. I'm drafting an LOCI already. Illinois was the first application that I turned in so I wasn't fully aware of the importance of supplemental essays, had a different version of my personal statement, etc.

[krad]

Good luck Flips! Def submit that LOCI and any updates. Also, Pless has said that being waitlisted does not necessarily impact $ offers either. This recently came up ITT if you search back a few pages

[blurbz]

Woke up to an email telling me I'm WL. LSAT right near median, GPA way over 75th. Hmmmmmm

Definitely wasn't expecting that. Should have written a Why Illinois in the first place I guess. Does anyone know how an LOCI affects one's position on the waitlist as well as chances at scholarship?

Waitlist at Illinois is not ranked, but a well-written LOCI can only help. Scholarships are given out as long as there is money. Scholarship funds are obviously depleted by the time schools get to the waitlist, but if people who have been awarded money have forfeited their seat, that money will be given to someone else, possibly from the waitlist. In terms of money, it's a guessing game, really! If you get in and you need money to attend, it's worth talking to Pless. He might not be able to do anything for you, but he's receptive enough to professional requests that it's well worth talking to him.

[blurbz]

From speaking with the dean, it's my understanding that Illinois is trying hard to push it's numbers AND get people who are genuinely interested in coming. If you have the numbers, you likely still need a "Why Illinois" to feel comfortable: Part of having a free application means there will be more applicants competing for the same number of seats and you'd be wise to do everything you can if you want to snag one of them.

Edit: Smith told me that they're treating recruiting as if they were a football team: Going everywhere and talking to everybody. As a result, students with ALL levels of numbers are being attracted to Illinois and are expressing their genuine interest. What does that mean? Lots of competition.

Thanks. I'm drafting an LOCI already. Illinois was the first application that I turned in so I wasn't fully aware of the importance of supplemental essays, had a different version of my personal statement, etc.

No problem. Good luck to you!

[Sandro]

Rejected. Not surprising, seems like a line is being drawn at 168 barring URM/high GPA. Kind of disheartening to see people with +1 LSAT and +.1 gpa get in, though.

[krad]

Rejected. Not surprising, seems like a line is being drawn at 168 barring URM/high GPA. Kind of disheartening to see people with +1 LSAT and +.1 gpa get in, though.

so sorry to hear buddy!!

[Flips88]

Rejected. Not surprising, seems like a line is being drawn at 168 barring URM/high GPA. Kind of disheartening to see people with +1 LSAT and +.1 gpa get in, though.

Yes also disheartening to see people with 1-3 point higher LSAT in with full tuition scholarship.

[Sandro]

Rejected. Not surprising, seems like a line is being drawn at 168 barring URM/high GPA. Kind of disheartening to see people with +1 LSAT and +.1 gpa get in, though.

Yes also disheartening to see people with 1-3 point higher LSAT in with full tuition scholarship.

Retake

[Flips88]

Rejected. Not surprising, seems like a line is being drawn at 168 barring URM/high GPA. Kind of disheartening to see people with +1 LSAT and +.1 gpa get in, though.

Yes also disheartening to see people with 1-3 point higher LSAT in with full tuition scholarship.

Retake

Haha eff that.

[mez06]

Drive wasn't so bad

wohoo! picture looks nice. Though i checked the weather and its suppose to be -4 there and feel like -18

[Dr. Strangelove]

Rejected
165/3.0
(Ended up getting another 165 in December)

[jayman6]

If there was a small typo in the subject line of the email that I sent with my LOCI will I automatically be rejected? It's one of those things where you proof read so carefully that you completely miss something. It was just one missing letter and it didn't have a substantial negative impact to what I intended to say.

[Flips88]

Is it best to send an LOCI via email or snail mail or both?

[krad]

jay I think you'll be fine, it's just the subject line of an email, not the actual letter.

Flips I'd send it both ways... At least that's my plan for my soon-to-become WL's.

[OfficialWheelman]

Drive wasn't so bad

wohoo! picture looks nice. Though i checked the weather and its suppose to be -4 there and feel like -18

It actually feels like -22F right now... But generally it's the wind that really gets you. It picks up speed because of the flatness in the areas surrounding Champaign. That being said, it's nice and warm inside.

[ArchRoark]

Is it best to send an LOCI via email or snail mail or both?

I work in an admissions office of a community college and I know my coworkers and I just trash redundant material. I am sure Dean Pless can comment on the preferred method of updating an applcant's file (I am going to guess it is by email). If you do send it by email, I would attach it as a word doc or PDF and not put LOCI into the body of the email.

[xqhp82]

My 6th rejection of the cycle
163/3.7

What can I say...life sucks!

[jayman6]

Is it best to send an LOCI via email or snail mail or both?

A few days after I was placed on the waitlist, Dean Pless emailed me and he said if I had further relevant information to provide I could email it to the admissions office. I don't think a hard copy sent through snail mail is necessary.

[krad]

That's good to know with the email vs. regular mail, thanks guys!

[OfficialWheelman]

Is it best to send an LOCI via email or snail mail or both?

I work in an admissions office of a community college and I know my coworkers and I just trash redundant material. I am sure Dean Pless can comment on the preferred method of updating an applcant's file (I am going to guess it is by email). If you do send it by email, I would attach it as a word doc or PDF and not put LOCI into the body of the email.

+1

That's how the feds do it. If it's good enough for them, it's (hopefully) good enough for Dean Pless. I'd suggest attaching the LOCI as a PDF to save your formatting.

[Flips88]

Is it best to send an LOCI via email or snail mail or both?

A few days after I was placed on the waitlist, Dean Pless emailed me and he said if I had further relevant information to provide I could email it to the admissions office. I don't think a hard copy sent through snail mail is necessary.

As a small aside into how dumb some people are...when I worked as a clerk at a law firm, this one firm from California would communicate with our lawyers via email and then for no apparent reason would FAX us the emails. It was one of the dumbest things I'd ever seen.

[jayman6]

Is it best to send an LOCI via email or snail mail or both?

A few days after I was placed on the waitlist, Dean Pless emailed me and he said if I had further relevant information to provide I could email it to the admissions office. I don't think a hard copy sent through snail mail is necessary.

As a small aside into how dumb some people are...when I worked as a clerk at a law firm, this one firm from California would communicate with our lawyers via email and then for no apparent reason would FAX us the emails. It was one of the dumbest things I'd ever seen.

Dude, it makes him feel important. haha That realy does sound stupid though.