What are my chances of acceptance into UIUC MCS online?
Hello everyone,
I completed my MS in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Chicago and my undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering in India. My overall GPA is around 3.1 though my final semester GPA during my master’s was 4.0/4.0. My MS was research-based, and I also published one paper during the program.
Recently, I’ve become very interested in transitioning toward data science/CS. Professionally, I currently work in analytics-heavy logistics/procurement roles involving Power BI, SQL, automation workflows, and data-driven decision-making. I’ve also completed several data science certifications over the years, including the Hortonworks Hadoop Developer certification.
I’m particularly interested in the MCS-DS program at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Since my background is non-CS, I’m planning to complete a 1-year bridge/pre-requisite program through iCAN to strengthen my CS fundamentals before applying.
I’ve heard the program is quite competitive and that many admitted students have around a 3.2+ GPA. Given my profile, work experience, research background, and upskilling efforts, I wanted to ask honestly what do you think my chances are? Also, are there specific things I could improve before applying to make my application stronger?
Would really appreciate any advice or insights from current students or applicants. Thanks!