<p>i think to chicago, its a bit irrelevant whether you test in the 95th or 100th percentile. clearly the vast majority of applicants COULD succeed at UChicago. They just want kids with quirky personalities to be the ones to do so</p>
<p>reading the posts, i dont think i would fit well in chicago 
i’m no philosopher… I got deferred btw (siemens semifinalist) gl for all those goign to u of chicago :)</p>
<p>Wow. Interesting post, Phuriku. I’m regretting I didn’t apply to Chicago. That description seems like it fits me perfectly…</p>
<p>I love phuriku’s post, and it pretty much summarizes some things I’ve wanted to say but couldn’t really find the words to express. Suffice it to say that phuriku said it better than I can.I do think he forgets one thing: the university DOES accept some dissenters. I recall reading an article from a few years ago about UChicago admissions (I can’t find the link), in which they were reviewing a girl who did not buy into this philosophy. Some of the people in admissions said she ought to be denied. One of the people said, “Well, shouldn’t we have some dissenters? Shouldn’t we have someone who will stand up to the majority in Sosc or Hume and vocalize her opinion, especially when it’s not in the majority? Isn’t open debate what this university is all about? If we have no dissenters about the purpose and philosophy of education, especially liberal education, then we are not fulfilling our purpose as a university.” So this girl was accepted. Mostly, I think, people at the university prescribe to the philosophy phuriku outlined, but it is important to note that there is a noticeable population which does not agree. </p>
<p>I also disagree on another point. I don’t think that the university is looking for students who agree with this philosophy, but for students who want this kind of discussion–this kind of openness and vulnerability that creates learning and understanding. I think this desire often results in the philosophy phuriku has outlined, as a byproduct.</p>
<p>My friend was accepted Ed to Columbia but deferred by chicago</p>
<p>I know one guy (with int’ science competition recognition) got into MIT and Caltech and one girl got into Stanford both got deferred by UofC.</p>
<p>bestswimmer – re: “I know one guy (with int’ science competition recognition) got into MIT and Caltech and one girl got into Stanford both got deferred by UofC”</p>
<p>Caltech, MIT and UChicago are all EA’s. But Stanford is REA or SCEA and thus she can’t apply to UChicago. It’s good that she did not get in UChi EA, else she could have been in trouble for breaking the REA rule ?</p>
<p>now that I think about it, my chicago essay was pretty philosophical LOL</p>
<p>but yeah college admissions is hella weirdooooooooooo</p>
<p>I think though Stanford has even a weirder admissions than Chicago…I had a friend last year who was ranked 2/750, 2390 SAT, and a top 20 chemist in nation (USCho or whatnot, the one that deals with chemistry however you spell it lol…finalist) and got REJECTED from Stanford (like what the heck, not even waitlisted?) but got in MIT and Yale, both with likely letters</p>
<p>back to chicago though, there was a case that valedictorian/2400 got rejected, but got triple crown.</p>
<p>sigh. correge correge correge. I’m glad i’m dont with my correge crap 
(aka correge applications)</p>
<p>^Did you get into Chicago? (I’m only asking this because I don’t want to scroll through your 307 posts)
and Phuriku would it be too much of a bother to read my essay?</p>
<p>I find it funny how applicants in the aftermath of their decision divide into 3 camps.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The Accepted: The world is all right the University of Chicago is what it promised to be, and you’re headed to a college that chose you because you fit, you belong, rather than impersonal statistics.</p></li>
<li><p>Deferred/Rejected (1): Shocked/upset/angry/variety of emotions over the fact they were deferred or outright rejected despite their terrific stats. This usually serves to feed the first camp’s argument.</p></li>
<li><p>Deferred/Rejected (2): They felt like they were fits, but according to Camp 1, they probably weren’t. A little confused why they got rejected/deferred, and have to either believe UChicago wasn’t what it promised to be (argument deterred by Camp 1), or they just didn’t fit as well as they thought (in which case, where do they belong?).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>It’s funny how a simple decision could swing a hopeful into camp 1 or camp 3 easily. Personally, I don’t really know what to believe, when my experience at UChicago over the summer and a friend’s acceptance makes me inclined to agree with Camp 1, when my deferral, despite my interviewer saying I’d being a great fit and my English teacher loving my essays, makes me want to swing over to Camp 3.</p>
<p>I was rejected by Chicago EA and just received a conditional offer letter from Oxford today. I wouldn’t say Oxford is in anyway superior to Chicago or vice versa. They are both great schools and if you are a smart kid you’ll get in some good school even if that means getting rejected by others.</p>
<p>I guess Chicago admissions officers didn’t see me as the ideal UChicago kid while Oxford obviously saw something in me that they liked. Having said that, US and UK admissions look for very different things.</p>
<p>Chicago in spite of the massive increase of applications is still wishing to retain it’s identity… So if they do not feel like the kid is a good fit in terms of personality for the school then it makes sense not to accept them outright. And instead give the acceptance to a kid who will be slightly less qualified but is in their minds a “UChicago Kid.”</p>
<p>Also the essay esp the “uncommon app essay” plays a big role in their admissions process. Far more so than stats do.</p>
<p>Is there stats about how many of the 6000 EA applicants withdrew their applications already due to the ED agreement (assume they got into their ED school). Maybe 15%?</p>
<p>Hyde Park is a dumpy neighborhood populated by intellectual elitists. Those who dare to cross the “boundary line” of this preppy cosmos quickly realize HP is a tiny, pinhead island amid a sea of poverty and urban squalor. HP and its “1600” residents arrive blind and leave blind to the sea.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Dear Madame,</p>
<p>Despite your creative use of “apostrophes”, Old Testament metaphors and odd description of UChicago as preppy, I fail to see any connection between this rant and the topic at hand.</p>
<p>Are you a hater of the White Sox? A frustrated Cubs fan? Drink too much tea, perhaps?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Bitter Jets fan anyone?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say that they put more emphasis on essays than stats, at least not anymore. One look at the EA results thread proves that they aren’t making any noticeable sacrifices in the stats department.</p>
<p>This year Chicago deferred a lot of extradinary applicants from the northeast elite boarding schools. I have one friend got into Penn’s dual degree program, one got into Wharton, a couple got into lower ivies, a couple got into MIT/CIT and coincidently they were all deferred by Chicago.</p>
<p>Those who appear in their applications to have the fit Chicago is seeking as evidenced through their essays and other material, also are likely to have high stats. The opposite may, however, not be the case.</p>
<p>Oddly enough, 4 (or 5, I’m not sure) of the 6 people who applied early were accepted from my school. Similar to last year’s results for my school…</p>