Lecture Notes: A Journey Through the College Admission Process

Introduction

• Starting Point: Graduating in 2015
• Initial Expectation: Not expected to be recruited by top companies like Apple

College Application Experience

• Application Strategy: Applied to top computer science schools listed in US News
• Unfamiliarity: Did not know much about Illinois or UIUC before applying

Acceptance and Conditions

• Accepted at UIUC: With conditions; not directly into Computer Science
• Advisor's Assurance: 30% of students transfer into Computer Science
• Decision: Accepted the offer with intentions to transfer into Computer Science

Arrival at UIUC

• First Steps: Walked into Engineering Hall to inquire about transferring to CS
• Requirements: Needed a 3.67 GPA, A's in two specific classes, and coursework similar to CS peers
• Course Selection: Chose to take Calculus III early on

Challenges Faced

• Difficulty with Calculus III: 9 AM class, heavy-accent professor
• Additional Strategy: Attended multiple class sessions and office hours
• First Semester Results: C+ in Calculus, B+ in Chemistry; ended with a 3.48 GPA

Second Semester

• Required Classes: CS173 and CS225
• Goal: Needed A's in both to balance GPA
• Outcome: A in CS173, B+ in CS225, cumulative GPA 3.62

Seeking Advice

• Advisor's Guidance: Needed an A in the next CS class and to boost GPA over 3.67

Third Semester

• At-risk Situation: Close to considering transfer to another school
• CS Class Enrollment Struggles: Limited seats, locked out by website due to bot usage

Persistence

• Manual Enrollment: Eventually got into the class by visiting the administration office
• Final Results: Achieved a 4.0 GPA that semester, boosting cumulative GPA to 3.73

Conclusion

• Acceptance: Successfully transferred to the College of Engineering's CS program by Winter 2016
• Moral of the Story: Knowing what you want makes obstacles manageable tasks
• Current Status: No longer doing Computer Science; active on YouTube

Final Thoughts

• Reflection: Importance of persistence and clarity in goals