Chances at Chicago RD (2nd Choice)

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

<p>Hi, thank you all for taking the time to read my thread, university of chicago is my second choice,</p>

<p>I am a white male from a really competitive public high school in CT.</p>

<p>GPA 3.96 uw school does not weigh at all, school does not rank but i am in top 5%, hardest possible course load at high school
SAT 2250 800v 730m 720w
SAT IIs wrting 790, math IIc 760, US history 770 took literature in oct.
AP Scores US History 5, Calc AB 5, English Language 5, Physics C (Mech) 5</p>

<p>Senior Year Courses
AP Literature
AP Calc BC
AP US Government
AP French
AP Bio
Orchestra
Gym</p>

<p>Awards and Honors
National Merit Semifinalist (12)
AP Scholar with Honor (11)
Columbia University School of Engineering Book Award for Excellence in Math and the Sciences (11)
Connecticut Association of Language Teachers Award for Excellence in French (11)
Honorable Mention in an Essay Contest for the Museum of Jewish Heritage New York City (11)
High Honor Role 12 Quarters (9, 10, 11)
Invited to participate in the Fairfield County Strings Festival (9)</p>

<p>Sports
Lacrosse (9, 10, 11, 12) 17 hrs/week
Varsity Letter (11, 12)</p>

<p>Scholastic Activities
Model United Nations (9, 10, 11, 12) 2-3 hrs/week
• President – Responsible for running the club, organizing trips and meetings. (12)
• Parliamentarian – Responsible for setting meeting agendas, training new members, chairing meetings and facilitating debate, (10, 11)
• Have Attended 3 international Model United Nations Conferences, 1 at the United Nations and 2 at Yale University, plan on attending conferences at Harvard and Yale this year
• Head Delegate for the High School Model UN delegation to the Yale Conference (11)</p>

<p>Interact Club (10, 11, 12) 1-2 hrs/week
• Executive Board Member- Club started my 10 grade year, one of the original members, help organize collection of school supplies and health supplies for children (11, 12)
• Helped compile and send over 500 personal bags of school and health supplies to South Africa and Haiti
• Organized school wide tsunami relief collection,</p>

<p>National Honor Society (11, 12) 2 hrs/week
• Treasurer - Raise funds for both club and local charities, organize fundraisers including bake sales and newspaper delivery (12)
• Participate in NHS service activities including blood drives, crop walks, other community activities</p>

<p>Key Club (9, 10, 11, 12) 1 hr/week
• Participated in community service projects facilitated by the club particularly many Kiwanis events including annual Memorial Day pancake breakfasts, annual antique shows, annual Christmas tree sale, local park clean up days, and other events.</p>

<p>Select Orchestra (10, 11, 12) 1-2 hrs/week
• Assistant Principal - Help lead violin section (10, 11, 12)
• Auditioned for admittance in 10th grade, playing violin since 3rd grade</p>

<p>Investment and Business Club (10, 11, 12) 1 hr/week
• Participated in Stock Portfolio Competition and Business Discussions</p>

<p>French Literary Club (10, 11) 1 hr/week
• Read and discussed French literature</p>

<p>Community Activities
Volunteer at Sunrise Assisted Living (10, 11, 12) 1-2 hrs/week
• Play scrabble, cards, bingo, and trivia with the residents
• Exercise, play trivia, and walk with mentally handicapped residents
• Get to know and talk with the residents
• Created a weekly scrabble club</p>

<p>Altar Serving (9, 10, 11, 12) 1-2hrs/month
• Assist the priest in performing the regular Catholic Mass
• Serve occasionally at funerals, weddings, and special masses</p>

<p>Lacrosse Coaching (12) 2hrs/week
• Coach 1st and 2nd graders
• Teach fundamental skills and run scrimmages and games</p>

<p>Work Experience
Children’s Services Assistant and Shelver Wilton Public Library 4hrs/week
• Assist patrons, primarily children, with locating materials and conducting research
• Assist with children’s programs and events
• Handle patron phone calls and book requests
• Shelves materials and organize collection
• Assist with circulation of materials</p>

<p>Summer Experiences
Class in Molecular Biology and Genetics at Columbia University 20hrs/week for 4 weeks
• Studied recent innovations and developments in molecular biology, genetic engineering, and recombinant DNA technology
• Taken in the summer before my senior year
• Course does not give grades, only evaluation letters from professors</p>

<p>Sorry about long list, just copied and pasted my resume</p>

<p>Essays should be pretty good, (these are what worry me most, as you all know that chicago does not have the typical college essays)</p>

<p>Recs should be excellent</p>

<p>Applying RD</p>

<p>any thoughts would be apprieciated, again thanks for taking the time to read my post, i know you all probably get tired of reading these all day, but i couldnt resist</p>

2

<p>unless you really mess up your essays, you won't need a third choice. the beauty of making uchi your second choice is that they accept 40% of their applications. btw, what is your first choice?</p>

3

<p>my first choice was princeton, thanks for your reply</p>

4

<p>would anyone else like to comment?</p>

5

<p>look bikerman, i'm going to give it to you straight. your posting is the scariest posting on this uchi board. there are millions of threads and postings about how exceptionally qualified students view uchi as a safety or second choice. the uchi apologists reach into their bag of tricks to obfuscate and divert the topic away from the facts towards how strong their academic program is (though noone quenstioned that), then, poof, you show up and all the delusional uchi people who think they are as desirable as the princetons, harvards and yales pull out their garlic cloves and wooden stakes to ward off the nightmare that is your posting. the uchi people want you and your posting to disappear as fast as possible. so don't expect these people to respond.</p>

6

<p>thanks for the interesting reply, i think i understand what you mean, (i have been a longtime lurker on these boards), i do have a great deal of respect for university of chicago, and meant no disrespect at all, (i understand that you are not accusing me of that, but i thought i would make it clear to others), truthfully i would be really happy going there for both their respected academic program, location, and the opportunities they offer, the only reason i truely posted this thread was to get a feel for my chances, let me put it this way, my gf is applying to this school as her first choice (using EA), and she has similar credentials, also last year like 2 kids applied to chicago from my high school, and this year like 7 are applying, i guess my real concern is about chicago not wanting to accept too many kids from one school, and they seem to put so much emphasis on the essays, and i am concerned about being able to write in a way that would appeal to their admissions officers</p>

7

<p>i thought the chicago essay was fun to write! which question did you choose/are you going to choose? if you do a good job on the essays i think you'll get in.</p>

8

<p>i was thinking maybe the mind does not stick one or the string one</p>

9

<p>I think you're in</p>

10

<p>user_name thanks for your reassurance</p>

11

<p>bikerman262:</p>

<p>You're gold. Just write some completely whacked up essays, and yer in.</p>

12

<p>With a solid essay, you'll most likely be accepted.</p>

13

<p>Should be in. If they think you are using them as a safety, they MAY waitlist you. From my school last year, 5 went to HYP (2H2Y1P). 3 were rejected one waitlisted and the other didn't apply. They were far and beyond more qualified than some others that got in as well.</p>

14

<p>yeah that is what worries me a little, i am not using chicago as a safety, but they might think that i am, hopefully if i work on their essays they will realize my intrest</p>

15

<p>You look like a very good prospect; Chicago should be a strong match (or likely if it makes B&B happy) for you, and I can't see you blowing off the essays. But ... it's not a 100% sure thing, and if Princeton (I assume you are applying ED) doesn't come through, you might want to have another school or two on your list. Most of the admissions results posted on CC in the last couple of years were pretty predictable, but you did get odd ones now and then with schools that admitted less than half of their applicants. Also, if money is potentially any kind of an issue at all, you might want to include a financial safety.</p>

16

<p>thank you for your for taking the time for that thoughtful response</p>

17

<p>It wouldn't be a suprise if you got in. Which French authors/literary movements do you discuss in the French Lit. Club? I tried to do something like that at my school, no luck. I read George Sand alone now.</p>

18

<p>we did some volataire, camus, hugo, Flaubert, Antoine de Saint-Exup</p>

19

<p>85% chance, but it's higher if your essays are good. I had similar stats and much worse EC's (no leadership) and got accepted. If you are able to travel to Chicago by mid-January, an on-campus interview is a great way to improve your chances, as long as you convey your interest.</p>

20

<p>thanks for the reply, and i guess you ended up choosing duke over chicago :)</p>