How can I compare my admission chances at UIUC and Notre Dame?

The biggest practical difference is that UIUC admission is heavily shaped by the specific major or college you select, while Notre Dame evaluates applicants more as candidates for the university and its undergraduate colleges. A student can be highly competitive for one UIUC program yet face a much tougher review in another, especially in highly subscribed technical, business, or design fields. At Notre Dame, course rigor, grades, writing, recommendations, activities, and evidence of contribution to its residential community tend to matter across majors.

Start by comparing your transcript to each school’s expectations, not just your GPA. For both, the most useful signals are demanding courses available at your high school, strong performance in core academic subjects, and senior-year rigor. UIUC will also look closely at preparation relevant to your intended program: advanced math and science for engineering or computing, for example, or sustained creative work for certain arts-related programs.

For Notre Dame, assess whether the rest of your application shows depth beyond academics. Its review places real value on service, leadership, intellectual engagement, and how you would participate in a close-knit campus community. Being Catholic is not required, but applicants should be able to explain an authentic connection to the university’s values and educational environment rather than treating Notre Dame as interchangeable with any private university.

Use the UIUC program you would actually apply to, rather than the university-wide rate, when judging realism. Apply to both if you would genuinely attend either, but consider Notre Dame a reach for most seniors and calibrate UIUC based on your exact intended major.