Illinois State University
Normal, IL
What are your chances of getting into Illinois State University?
Illinois State University is a large public university in Normal that feels more like a traditional college town campus than a commuter school, with a 490-acre arboretum setting and a strong sense of everyday campus life. It is best known for its education programs, but it also offers 160+ degree options, with notable strengths in business, nursing, agriculture, creative technologies, and health-related fields. The academic experience is structured but approachable, supported by a 19-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio and a lot of advising for first-year students and undecided students. Student life is active without feeling overwhelming, thanks to 400+ student organizations, frequent campus events, and a lively Redbird athletics culture. The university is accessible compared with many selective publics, which makes it a practical choice for students who want a solid regional university with breadth and school spirit. Students who tend to thrive here usually want a friendly, organized campus, value internships and hands-on preparation, and are comfortable in a medium-to-large university environment.
Calculate your chances at Illinois State University
Enter your GPA and test scores, add other schools, and see where you stand instantly.
Your Academic Profile
Estimates based on admitted-student data. Real decisions also weigh essays, recommendations, and course rigor.
Your results
Enter your GPA to see your academic score.
Your chances map appears here once you enter a GPA and add colleges.
Strengths
- Broad menu of 160+ degree options across education, business, health, arts, and agriculture
- Especially strong reputation in teacher preparation and practical, career-focused programs
- Active campus life with 400+ student organizations and a visible school spirit around athletics
- Pleasant campus setting in Normal with a walkable, tree-filled 490-acre arboretum-like environment
Things to weigh
- High admit rate means the university is accessible, but it is not highly selective or especially prestige-driven
- Large-enough campus can still feel busy, and students need to be proactive to build close faculty connections
- Best fit is often career-oriented and campus-engaged, so students seeking a very research-intensive or elite academic culture may prefer elsewhere
- Normal offers a classic college-town feel, which may feel quieter or less urban than some applicants want
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get into Illinois State University?+
Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants, and the middle 50% of admitted students score between 990 and 1210 on the SAT. Enter your GPA and test scores above and this calculator estimates your personal chances in seconds, and tells you whether Illinois State University is a safety, match, or reach for your profile.
Is this the most accurate college admissions calculator?+
Counselly's chances calculator runs on real, current admissions data, the actual admit rates and SAT/ACT ranges colleges report to the U.S. Department of Education, not averages scraped from forums. Our algorithm weighs your GPA, test scores, and extracurricular strength against each school's admitted-student profile the way an admissions reader would begin, which makes it one of the most reliable free tools for seeing where you'll get into college.
How does the calculator predict my chances of getting in?+
It compares your academic profile to each college's real admitted class. We look at where your GPA and test scores fall within a school's 25th to 75th percentile range, combine that with the school's overall admit rate, and factor in your extracurricular strength, then translate it into a clear percentage and a Safety, Match, or Reach label. Everything recalculates instantly as you add schools or adjust your stats.
What counts as a good chance of getting into a college?+
Roughly above 60% is a Safety, you're comfortably ahead of the typical admitted student. Around 30 to 60% is a Match, realistic and worth prioritizing. Below 30% is a Reach, still absolutely worth applying to if it's a dream school. The strongest college lists balance all three, and Counselly helps you build exactly that kind of list.
Which colleges can I check my admission chances for?+
Hundreds of US colleges and universities, from Ivy League schools to large public flagships to smaller private colleges. Just start typing, MIT, UCLA, NYU, Michigan, and pick from the suggestions. We're continuously expanding our data, and your free assessment goes even further, matching you to programs across the country based on your full profile.
Can a calculator really tell me where I will get accepted?+
No tool can promise an outcome, and you should be cautious of any that claims to. What Counselly does exceptionally well is show you, honestly and instantly, exactly where you stand academically at each college, so you can build a smart, balanced list instead of guessing. Your essays, recommendations, and story do the rest, and your free assessment is built to help you strengthen all of them.
Is the college chances calculator free?+
Completely free, and no signup is required to use it. When you're ready to go further, your full assessment, the complete list of colleges where you're a strong fit plus a step-by-step plan to raise your odds, is also free to unlock with an account.
