chances for UChicago?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

I’m a rising senior. took SAT once with essay. composite score was good: 1510 (99th percentile) essay scores not so good (6,5,6). I did 3 subject tests (physics, 790) (bio E, 760) (US history, 700) and plan to do a math one since I need it to apply to my top backup school (McGill)

I am a Pakistani-American female with a very upper middle class household income. I speak some Urdu, but not 100% fluently.

I’m valedictorian in a class of about 150 (98.2 ish GPA). I’ve done 7 APs since i started in 10th grade:
AP Physics 1 &2 (4s on both)
AP World (4)
AP Bio (5)
AP Calc AB (4)
AP US (5)
AP Phys C mech. (4)
And i’m signed up for a bunch of APs next year (micro/macroecon, gov, enviro, lit, calc bc, maybe psych and stats)

I’ve done science olympiad since seventh grade and was an officer last year. I won regional medals for all of my events. I was a secretary for Amnesty International at my school last year and will be president this year. I play clarinet and violin and participated in a state wide honor band (NYSBDA) this past year. I also played in the pit for drama club since 10th grade, and in a regional orchestra independent from school since 5th or 6th grade.

I interned at a political campaign for 2-3 months for a congressional candidate in my district during the 2016 election.
Last summer I interned for a physics professor at the university where I live and did research, and have my name on a couple papers.

I paint/do art, had my work displayed in our district art show and one of my paintings won first place. I also had one of my pieces displayed in a local gallery.

Oh, and I run cross country in the fall but probably won’t continue next year. I dont think I’ll do science olympiad either, in order to focus on other things.

Currently I spend a great deal of my time on vegan/animal rights activism.

UChicago is currently the only school I really like besides McGill, but that school isn’t as competitive. I don’t really like Brown, Yale, Harvard, MIT, Cornell, etc. I still want to look at other schools, though.

I’m looking into studying environmental sciences, mathematics, and/or public policy. Suggestions on schools good for those fields would be much appreciated!!

Anyway, long post. Thanks

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Your grades and scores are competitive, but so much depends on essays, recs, and whether you’re willing to apply ED. Basically, no one here can chance you because the relevant info (yours and the rest of the applicant pool’s) isn’t available to them.

Best advice is focus on writing great essays. Have you looked at Princeton, Johns Hopkins, UWisconsin-Madison, and UWashington-Seattle? And/or at environmental engineering programs?

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If UChicago remains the only school you like and you know that your financial situation won’t affect your ultimate decision, you should strongly consider applying ED.

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Well I’d admit you but I’m not an AO. :slight_smile: Obviously ED would be the way to go if UChicago remains your first choice. You could go the EA/ED2 route if you do find something that you like a little better, but if not, ED1 is the way to go.