<p>Which is more important? I think a lot of colleges put their emphasis on the ACT, but my sister disagrees. She says that colleges follow the 33% rule (There is no actual name. I made up the name), which says that ACT takes only 33% of your application, GPA takes another 33% of your application, and activities and etc. take the last 33% of your application. I'm guessing 1% is a free. </p>
<p>Does the 33% rule exist in all colleges? Does it exist in this college? </p>
<p>I think that my only negative point in my application is my ACT score. I got a 26, but I have a 3.87 GPA and am in the top 5% of my class (29 out of 595). I'm very involved and decidated to my work. (Isn't everyone who's applying to Chicago?) I'm afraid that my ACT will count more than my GPA. </p>
<p>Of course, I have read that Chicago doesn't care too much about ACT scores, but seriously, only 26% (it's that number again! 26!) got accepted with an ACT score range of 26-29. </p>
<p>So what do you think? Thanks for replying. :)</p>
<p>P.S.- I'm sorry if I sound like a lunatic in this post. It's past midnight.</p>
<p>Probably an oversimplified way to characterize college admissions, especially UChicago. It is true that they don't care AS much about the SAT/ACT, but if you look at their accepted SAT/ACT averages, they're right on par with the other top schools. GPA is probably more important though.</p>
<p>being in no real authority to tell you what admissions officers are thinking, I would assume that a GPA shows your history of academic commitment, while your ACT shows how nimble you were for the three hours you were taking it.</p>
<p>With that said, schools do all sorts of funky things to raise their students' GPAs, and admissions committees must be aware of some of these tricks. Taking all honors courses at a competitive high school without any sort of weighting, my GPA looked pathetic compared to other students who got easy A's on a 5-point scale. So the number doesn't tell the whole story either.</p>
<p>GPA and test scores are not the priority at Chicago. Doing well in the toughest curriculum "available" is. I'm sure there is a fairly high correlation between the combination of doing well in the toughest curriculum, writing good essays & and a demonstrated passion for learning AND high test scores. I doubt high test scores would make up for a lack in any of those three, just as lower test scores would not detract from them.</p>
<p>I agree with everyone's comments thus far. </p>
<p>Think of it this way: Your 26 is not going to be the reason you get accepted, but it definitely won't be the reason you get rejected, either. </p>
<p>I would also emphasize what idad pointed out, that there IS a correlation between passion for learning, hard curriculum, and high test scores...but not always. Students with that combination want to go to a place that prides itself on knowledge and also has a reputation for quality (i.e. 'the life of the mind' and the 72 nobel laureates it has graduated). I also worry that my modest ACT score will impede me from the getting into my first choice school, but in the end, I think if I am waitlisted or rejected, it will be because of something much less superficial than a number.</p>
<p>Amykins I am so w/ you on that one. I have a tough time, w/3 AP classes and 2 honors classes junior year and 4AP classes 2 honors classes seniors year and absolutely no weighting whatsoever I will end up with like a 3.5-3.6GPA and watch others get 4.0 after 4.0 because they took secret blow off classes that still don't look like blow off classes and get an easier grading scale then ours, etc. AHHHH!!!!
idad, my school offers 19 AP classes. I will end up having taken 7 or 8 AP's and my teachers and I suspect high AP scores out of me. I have also taken some really cool honors classes like college compositon, Modern thought and Literature, and Humanities. but, I am doomed to be one of those A-,b+ students. I have ended up with more straight As in my APs then my normal classes which i am not sure if that is good or bad. I am also convinced I can right a stellar essay. Do you think UofC will recognize me as "doing well in the toughest curriculum {available}". ps I have struggled with math early in my hs career but i demonstrated in one year my struggle to succeed. I went straight from informal geometry, to geometry, to honors geometry.</p>
<p>While no one can hope to say what a particular individual's case will be, I can tell you that my S took 6 AP courses (most of the rest honors), had a final overall GPA of 3.46 and about a 3.3 in what the school called core courses, had some decent EC's showing his passion, wrote (what I considered to be) astonishing essays, and was admitted. He is now in his 2nd year, is doing very well, and simply loves the place; he has drunk the maroon kool-aid. I believe the admissions folks know there are kids like my S out there and are on the look out for them.</p>
<p>"Of course, I have read that Chicago doesn't care too much about ACT scores, but seriously, only 26% (it's that number again! 26!) got accepted with an ACT score range of 26-29." </p>
<p>Especially at Chicago, GPA, rank, and the rigor of your classes or much more important than one’s SAT or ACT scores. Look at their profile on CB. While essays and rigor were labeled “very important,” standerized tests were only labeled “considered.” Now that does not mean they are not important at all, but they will destroy your chances…</p>