Is UIUC or the University of Rochester generally harder to get into?

The biggest practical difference is that UIUC’s difficulty changes dramatically by major and Illinois residency, while the University of Rochester is more consistently selective across the university. UIUC’s computer science, engineering, and some business-related programs can be exceptionally difficult to enter, particularly for out-of-state applicants. Rochester evaluates applicants through a holistic process and has a selective applicant pool across its arts and sciences, engineering, and other undergraduate divisions.

For a broad, university-wide comparison, the University of Rochester is typically somewhat harder to get into than UIUC. That comparison can be misleading, though, because UIUC’s overall admission picture includes programs with meaningfully different levels of selectivity. An applicant who would be competitive for Rochester might still face a tougher path to UIUC computer science or certain engineering programs, whereas admission to less capacity-constrained UIUC majors may be more attainable.

For an Illinois resident applying outside UIUC’s most selective programs, UIUC may be the less difficult admission. For an out-of-state applicant, or for someone targeting UIUC CS or engineering, UIUC can be at least as difficult as Rochester and often harder.