ACT/SAT scores?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

<p>Hey guys, I was wondering if you could tell me if UChicago prefers ACT or SAT scores? Being from the midwest, we pretty much only have the ACT at my school... not very often do we have SAT testing. </p>

<p>Also, I've heard that the standardized testing scores aren't nearly as important at UC as they are at other "elite" universities. Would you guys consider this true? I've taken the ACT twice as of now, and the best I've gotten was a 27. Is this any need to worry? I'm planning on taking the ACT again this summer, to see if I can do better. </p>

<p>So, any opinions on this subject would be greatly appreciated! :) Thanks!</p>

2

<ol>
<li><p>Being from the midwest, but attracting a lot of students from the coasts, the University of Chicago, as far as I can tell, doesn’t care whether you submit ACT or SAT scores.</p></li>
<li><p>Figuring out how important test scores are (or GPA, too) is tough. It’s a moving target. A few years back, when Chicago was getting 7,000 applications and accepting 4,000 of them, it had the luxury of being able to overlook less-than-stellar test scores (or grades) if something else about an application showed a spark of genius. Now, with an expectation that applications will hit 14,000 or 15,000, and acceptances around 3,500, my impression is that test scores (and grades, and class rank) matter more. Not that philosophically the admissions staff think they are more important, but that as among several candidates with similar sparks of genius it’s hard to turn down ALL of the ones with better numbers. Like other elite universities, Chicago is far from using a simple matrix of grades and scores to pick its class, and small differences in grades or scores mean nothing, But my sense is that in the past couple of years the “stats” of accepted students have been creeping upwards, and that the trend is more likely to continue than to reverse. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Also you have to factor in the fact that Chicago will have a new Admissions Dean next year, whose most relevant experience was at Yale. That doesn’t mean that Chicago admissions are going to look exactly like Yale’s next year, but I think it does mean that Chicago’s admissions are likely to be moving towards rather than away from Yale’s, and that in part the new dean was hired to do that.</p>

3

<p>I think the middle 50% of scores fall between 28-33. You may want to aim for a score in (or above) that bracket.</p>

4

<p>I was waitlisted and then admitted with a 30 on the ACT,
I would say that you should defiently try and improve on
a 27 to at least the bottom of the mid range (around a 29).</p>

<p>Have you tried using the Kaplan ACT book?
I went from a 27 on my first attempt, to a 30 on my second which I would put down to the practise and advise on answering that the book gave me.</p>

5

<p>What if I have a 1450(720m/730cr), do you think it would be worth it to try and retake and get the score up to a 1500, or do you think it would be a waste of a saturday morning.</p>

6

<p>I was waitlisted with a 34 ACT and a 2260 SAT (and Chicago keeps me hanging on). </p>

<p>I sent both in, but if you want to save money, you can do okay by taking and sending in only one score. But some people may find (for example) the SAT easier than the ACT, so it may be your advantage to take both. Chicago simply doesn’t care that much about standardized test scores, but they care alot about what you write in your essays. </p>

<p>As for advice on improving your test scores, I have found Princeton Review to be the most helpful of all textbooks. They do the best job when they give strategies (particularly the reading section of the ACT book) and when they explain the problems … it’s just straightforward. And the problems match the SAT/ACT pretty well. </p>

<p>Other test prep books: I’ve found Kaplan the least useful, most likely because the problems are just much easier than what’s found on the SAT/ACT. On the other side of the spectrum, Barron’s way of explaining problems and teaching strategies is so overly complex and the practice tests are so hard that they pretty kill any hope that you have of doing well on the tests. If you’re a last minute person, avoid Barron’s at all costs. CB’s Real SATs book is helpful to give you a taste of what to expect on the test (they are sometimes somewhat easier than the actual real test that you will take) but if you want to boost your score, this book isn’t particularly effective, because it’s the cash-hoarding CB and the solutions manual comes separately … and even the solutions aren’t particularly helpful.</p>

<p>Also, avoid private sessions at Princeton Review/Kaplan/ or any other test prep source, because they are way too overpriced to be worth it. If you go to a really high-caliber/high-performing high school, some high school seniors may choose to host SAT prep sessions for a much reduced cost because they’re just looking for some money for college. At my high school, I know a few HS seniors with 2300s+ who are hosting 6-week sessions for $480. Then again, some people do feel safer with professionals, because they have experience in the field, and high school seniors may know how to do well on these tests … but they may not be as good when it comes to teaching other high school students to do well on the tests. </p>

<p>But keep in mind, everyone’s mind works differently, so you may find, for example, Barron’s to be more helpful than Princeton Review. You may also want to check your local library for test prep books (some of them will offer test prep books), so that you don’t have to spend too much money on test prep books. (trust me, half of my closet is full of test prep books right now … good news is that I have something to sell for a garage sale or on Ebay :D) </p>

<p>Anyways, I hope this helps, and good luck!</p>

7

<p>ihatecollege2: In the past I would say save your time and money, but with a new VP of Enrollment, it is anyone’s guess.</p>

8

<p>Idad, but do you think that 50 points is really that big of a deal, considering that on the SAT that means getting like 1-3 more right depending on the curve.</p>

9

<p>I don’t, no. I was just saying one cannot make recommendations based on past admissions practices.</p>