How should I compare the admissions selectivity of UIUC and UCLA?

UCLA is generally more selective than UIUC at the university-wide level, particularly because it receives an exceptionally large volume of applications and has very limited space. A strong UCLA applicant typically needs outstanding grades in the most rigorous courses available, sustained involvement outside class, and compelling evidence of academic and personal impact.

UIUC’s selectivity is much more dependent on the college and major to which you apply. Applicants to especially high-demand programs, most notably computer science and several engineering fields in Grainger Engineering, face admission standards that can rival UCLA’s difficulty and may be harder in a practical sense for students with narrowly technical profiles. UIUC reviews applicants in the context of their chosen program, so academic preparation in relevant math, science, computing, or portfolio-based work matters substantially.

A student applying to a less capacity-constrained UIUC major may find UIUC more attainable than UCLA, even with a strong record. Conversely, a student targeting UIUC computer science should not treat UIUC as a safer alternative to UCLA simply because UIUC’s overall admission profile is less selective.

For your list, view UCLA as a highly selective reach regardless of major, while placing UIUC into reach, target, or possible territory only after checking the competitiveness of your specific first-choice major.