<p>First of all, thank you for the time and effort you put forth in your UChicago application. Who knew how much Plato has had to do with Play-Doh! Once again we found that UChicago attracts highly impressive candidates from across the globe with a compelling interest in learning and the power of ideas. Rest assured--no matter your admission decision, these traits will serve you well.</p>
<p>You can now view your decision in your UChicago Account. Paper mailings will only be sent to Admitted students.</p>
<p>What Decisions Mean
Admit: Congratulations! You have until May 1 to reply to the University of Chicago. Just a friendly reminder: students are placed into the housing assignment queue based on the date of payment of their enrollment deposit. You can connect with your fellow students via the UChicago Admitted Student portal.</p>
<p>Defer: A defer means that we are not granting you acceptance at this time, but we will review your application again in the winter.</p>
<p>Our deferral list is not ranked, and historically about 10% of deferred students are admitted in the Regular Decision pool. If UChicago remains your top choice, here is some advice on what to do next:</p>
<p>Do:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Have your school send us a "mid-year report." Occasionally, students are deferred because we want to see these senior year grades. If you have new testing, be sure to send those scores as well.</p></li>
<li><p>Send an email to your regional counselor. This should be a thoughtful paragraph or two specifying why UChicago remains your first choice. There are no hard deadlines, but keep in mind we will release decisions in March.</p></li>
<li><p>Continue your college search. UChicago represents just one school in a sea of incredible institutions of higher learning. At the end of this process you're going to end up with an incredible place to call home.</p></li>
<li><p>Optional: You can continue to upload supplemental materials directly to your Portfolio in your UChicago Account.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Don't:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Book an overnight flight to Chicago. While we always enjoy welcoming students to campus, we do not make decisions based on whether or not a student has visited. Besides, there's nothing we can tell you in person that we couldn't do over phone or email.</p></li>
<li><p>Panic. An admissions decision is not an evaluation of you as a person. Decisions are made over a long period of time, by several people, with some conversation, taking into account the entire applicant pool. Perhaps a star cellist applies and is fully qualified for UChicago, but this year our orchestra is already busting as the seams with cellists (note to all Regular Decision cellists: this is purely hypothetical). Therefore, please keep in mind that we cannot give reasons for decisions over the phone or via email, as it really is impossible to condense the conversations behind our decisions in a way that would be adequate or helpful to the applicant.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Deny: This is your final decision. There is no appeal process, and it's not possible to reapply during Regular Decision.</p>
<p>Looking Forward
Also, a new calendar year is upon us! So break out that resolution book. This year marks a great change. High school (and its derivatives) will soon be a distant, Gossip-Girl induced memory. Resolve to make the most of what you have left, and enjoy time spent with friends and family. Finally, always remember to nurture your love of learning. Unlike UChicago's "Meat Institute," a well-tuned mind is sure to stand the test of time.</p>