Chances, please?

<p>Here goes nothing!</p>

<p>Gender: Female
Race: White
Location: Florida
Income: ~$70,000</p>

<p>GPA (w): 4.7
GPA (uw): 3.9
ACT: 32
SAT: 1230/1600. 2010/2400
SAT II: 690 (US History)
Class Rank: approx. 7/500</p>

<p>AP's:
have taken...
US History (4)
Microeconomics (4)
English Lit (5)
English Lang (4)
Biology (didn't take exam)
Calculus AB (currently taking)
Govt. (currently taking)
Macroeconomics (currently taking)
World History (currently taking)</p>

<p>EC's:
Fencing: 10,11,12
Musical Theatre: 10, 11, 12
Chorus: 10, 11
Guitar: 9, 10, 11, 12</p>

<p>My only awards are Excellent & Superior ratings at FVA Solo and Ensemble competition, and having earned a spot in the Florida All-State Choir for two years. I haven't had a job and I don't have any community service - not good, I know. I want to major in International Relations.</p>

<p>Essays should be excellent and teacher recs will be strong.</p>

<p>Do NOT submit your SAT's: your ACT is much better. And apply EA if you can - your rank is excellent and you don't need senior grades to pull you in. As you already know, your essays are going to be key; your profile doesn't leap off the page saying 'chicago kid' so your words and the thoughts behind them will be important.</p>

<p>What does the rest of your list look like?</p>

<p>ohio_mom, when you're talking about her profile not leaping off the page and saying "chicago kid," what part are you talking about (scores, ECs,etc)? What types of things would do this?</p>

<p>Chicago attracts a lot of students who are really interested in pursuing academics, so a lot of students were involved in the nerdy clubs in high school (i.e. debate, model UN, quiz bowl, etc.) Of course, if you're into other stuff, that's cool too. We need fencers for our fencing team and actors and actresses for our plays.</p>

<p>Other ways that Chicago-ness comes out is through your recommendations and your essays. On our application, you are given three opportunities to write about yourself, the things that you think about, and why you want to be at a school like Chicago. I'm sure your recommendations also play a big role in describing who you are and the kind of person you are inside the classroom. </p>

<p>"Chicago kids" come in many different varieties, though, so there's nothing I can tell you that you should do or write that's going to help you with admissions.</p>

<p>UNEPgirl -</p>

<p>To be happy at Chicago, you need to be smart, and you need to have shown that you are (or clearly can be) a successful student. The admissions comittee seems to me - and this is just my opinion - to also be looking for students that can play happily in the world of ideas. Whether one is a cerebral fencer or a football player/poet or a died-in-the-wool nerdy academic. </p>

<p>I am willing to make a suggestion about the essays, though. Pick something that interests you or that you think might be fun to discuss - not what someone else thinks you SHOULD write about. Believe in yourself. If not Chicago, then some other fabulous school will be lucky to have you.</p>

<p>Hey, I'm in the same boat as you with the job/community service thing...</p>

<p>I agree, dont submit SAT scores. Your ACT score is more impressive.</p>

<p>
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I agree, dont submit SAT scores. Your ACT score is more impressive.

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</p>

<p>I don't think it matters. Practically all schools I have asked have said that they will use the scores that make you look better to evaluate your application. This is also why most schools super-score SATs, and they freely admit that this makes them look better too.</p>