Chance me for Uchicago and NU!

As ED and EA deadlines are coming up, I’d like some feedback before I submit my application. I’m applying to Uchicago, NU,and UIlinois at Urbana-Champaign. (Out of state, fyi) My situation is sort of unique, but I’ll try to explain it in as much detail as possible.

I am a white, transgender (female to male) senior who has lived his entire life in a very rural mountain town, with a population of less than 2,000. Because of this, I have not had access to the resources that most competitive applicants have. My freshman year was the most tumultuous period of my life, and during that year, I made nothing but B’s, A-'s, and one C. I had a rough time and went through a great deal of adversity, which while these challenges strengthened my character, they tanked my GPA. I was homeschooled for the majority of my freshman year because I took care of my chronically ill aunt, and didn’t have access to any honors or AP courses because my family was too poor to afford any programs that offered them. Yet, whenever I entered public school again my junior year, I pushed myself as hard as I possibly could in order to make up for the lack of extracurriculars and rigor I missed during my period of homeschooling. My school only offers 6 AP courses (I’ve taken 5 of them) and doesn’t allow students to take AP online, so my options have been rather limited, but I have made the most of it.

My school has a very scarce faculty, and so the course and club selection is rather slim compared to most, due to the fact we only have 4 classes per semester-- and usually only 1 teacher for each core subject in each grade. Whenever I asked to take AP Computer Science online, the administration said it would be too hard for me. (They said the same about AP Lang, but I ended up making a 4 on my exam…) My current GPA is a 3.8 weighted on a 4 point scale, and I scored a 30 composite on my ACT. ( 22 M, 28 S, 35 E, 33 R) My math score is probably my fatal flaw in admissions, but my schedule has been messed up numerous times, more specifically Math wise, so I ended up taking Math 3 late in my junior year, and will take Honors Pre-cal this year. Despite my low GPA and test scores, I want to hold onto the hope that I have a chance, no matter how small.

I have a sizable amount of EC’s that I’ve participated in Junior and Senior year, including:
President of my school’s GSA
Science Club member
Leadership Team Senior Representative
Debate Team
Being a School and Regional Science Fair Winner, and a State Science Fair Participant
Independent Research
Library Advisory Staff
Editor for my school’s Literary Journal
National Honor Society
75 hours of community service as a tutor, teacher assistant, and volunteer at a local animal shelter
Roller Derby
Summer Job for an acting company

I plan to write one of my essays about being transgender, and how I used to be ashamed of myself due to my identity. I want to express how the struggles I have faced by being a transgender student in a school with minimal diversity has impacted me and allowed me to grow as a student. Cliche, or no? For my recs, I’m getting two of my AP teachers, and my GSA advisor.

I know I’m not the typical applicant, but Uchicago is my dream school, and I would do anything to wind up in the windy city.

Not sure if this is allowed, but bumping

Pretty unique circumstances, but don’t really focus too much on only one school, especially UChicago. I know UChicago places lots of emphasis on essays and stuff, but the average ACT there is a 33, and it’s really a crapshoot even for someone with extraordinary test schores. Just apply and hope for the best

Don’t worry about your circumstances. Universities factor that into their decision.

If UChicago is your top priority, by all means, consider applying ED.

If, on the other hand, your top priority is studying at either Northwestern or UChicago, I think it’s more likely that an ED app to Northwestern would be successful – Northwestern’s ED acceptance rate is around 35%.

If you failed to get into Northwestern ED, you could try UChicago ED2.

In any case, run the NPC at them to make reasonably sure that you can afford to attend. Nothing would suck more than getting in and having to turn it down because you can’t afford to go.

Good luck!