Hello Chicagoans!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

<p>So the purpose of my post is two-fold: 1. So you can point and laugh, 2. So you can tell me more about UChicago. </p>

<p>I've recently become interested in UChicago and I'd like to really know more about what it's like to go there. If a miracle happens and I get to apply to UChicago through QuestBridge (Or if I apply EA) I feel like it's important to know where I'm asking to spend the (then) next 4 years of my life. So, um... "Tell me more!"</p>

<p>Otherwise, I don't think I fail at being a person, but my numbers aren't so great:</p>

<p>Intended Major: Philosophy&Science (Maybe Chem)
School type: Public, unknown, admissions process but unselective, Math/Science school
Projected Senior SAT: 2000-2100 (Sophomore SAT was 1870)
Income: $15,000 (AGI, EFC=0)
Current W/UW GPA: 4.3, 3.3 Projected 1st Semester Senior W/UW GPA: 4.6-4.7, 3.6-3.7
Current Rank: 5/~85 Projected Rank Top 10%? (Really no idea)</p>

<p>Awards/ECs: ~65th Percentile for CC (State Positions (~50,000 students), Non-profit Board Advisor, 300+ Hours of Community service (By Senior year), 100 hour internship (Senior Year), 3 sports, many other leadership positions and awards) Trying for Davidson Fellowship in Philosophy, but I don't expect anything; applying for Governor's school in English; seeking student position to represent ~500,000 students</p>

<p>Freshman Year</p>

<p>Advanced Comp Honors-95
Algebra II-90
AP Art History-94
English I Honors-98
Engineering Honors 95
Geometry-97
Physical Science (Our Version)-96
Pre-Calculus Honors-99
World History Honors-96</p>

<p>Sophomore Year</p>

<p>AP Calculus BC-70
AP Physics B-65
Chemistry Honors-96
English II Honors-97
SPA 111: Elementary Spanish I-96
SPA 112: Elementary Spanish II-88
SPA 211: Intermediate Spanish I-88
SPA 212: Intermediate Spanish II-WP</p>

<p>Here's the deal: APs aren't offered at my school so I took them online. After the drop-date I realized that the material for the courses simply wasn't there. None of the teachers at my school apparently know calculus (???!) or physics so I was out of my mind all of last year. On that note my mom was also committed to the mental hospital for a short time last year, we all thought my grandmother was dying, and I was diagnosed as mentally ill and got to go through all the fun of medicine-modeling (trying different medicines). Did I also mention I took AP Calculus BC without AB, AP Physics without prior physics, and college Spanish as 2x speed without high school Spanish? Do you need any more proof I'm crazy?</p>

<p>**Junior Year<a href="Planned">/b</a></p>

<p>AP English Literature
AP United States History
Biology Honors
CHM 151: General Chemistry I
CHM 152: General Chemistry II
Civics and Economics Honors
Earth/Environmental Science Honors (Summer course, appears as fall, current grade: 100)
English III Honors (Summer course, appears as fall, current grade: 99)
MAT 271: Calculus I
MAT 272: Calculus II</p>

<p>**Senior Year<a href="Planned">/b</a></p>

<p>BIO 111: General Biology I
CIS 110: Introduction to Computers
ENG 265: American Literature I
English IV Honors (Summer, appears as fall)
ESS 220: Physical Fitness for Life
MAT 273: Calculus III
MAT 285: Differential Equations
PHY 251: General Physics I (Calc-based)
PHY 252: General Physics II (Calc-based)
PSC 100: American Politics
PSY 100: General Psychology
Psychology Honors (Summer, appears as fall)</p>

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<p>Hi, aigiqinf. I like you. You have motivation. Your SATs aren’t great, but mine weren’t either. You’ve properly shown your dedication toward math and physics, and I think that as long as you elucidate your situation appropriately, it will be points toward you. Write good essays, show your passion, don’t tell them about your mental hospital thing, and I think you’ve got a decent chance. I know this isn’t a chance thread, but why don’t you tell us why you’re interested in Chicago and what you want to know about it.</p>

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<p>You know what? I think you have an excellent chance of being accepted. Considering your family’s financial circumstance and not on race (I am a strong opponent to the Affirmative Action), I think you have an amazing passion for philosophy, and an unusually strong motivation. UChicago is really forgiving when it sees one or two low marks. It’s not really a big deal. I got a 74% and I got accepted. I think you will ultimately be accepted.</p>

4

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<p>(The following was “written” at almost 3:00 am, so be kind!)</p>

<p>When I graduate from high school I’ll have around 68 hours of college credit. Instate, I will only need 9 hours of general education and other than that I get ~55 hours to do what I want with then I get to graduate, go to graduate school, and get on with my life (I can’t stay more than 2 years because of tuition surcharges after 140 hours). Sound great? I thought so at first.</p>

<p>To begin with I was disappointed that QuestBridge schools and other top schools wouldn’t take my college credit if I was accepted. But then I realized the advantage: I get to learn more, explore more, and grow more. I’ve already taken Multivariable calculus, calculus-based Physics, and general chemistry? Then I can take higher-level math, higher-level physics, and higher-level chemistry. I’ve taken 3 courses in Spanish? The placement test would tell me where I could grow more. In fact, I need a completely different foreign language for philosophy. Should I be upset? No, I learned something in Spanish, if nothing more than your spouse is your “half an orange” in Spanish. It’s the same for every subject. The point of college isn’t a degree on the wall, “Let every sheep keep its own skin,” it’s that you’re a different person on graduation day than you were on move-in day. </p>

<p>I can get these things at many schools, so “why Chicago?” you ask. Chicago is different, or it least it seems that way to me. Chicago doesn’t seem to care if it can raise its SAT score average some more, appear more “diverse,” or what percentage of students they can post who did music, student government, or varsity sports. Chicago seems to ask, “Who are you? And “What do you want in life?” </p>

<p>I’ve just started to research Chicago, and I’ve been able to divine only a small amount of information from the Wikipedia article or the admissions blog. What I want to know is not what the average job-placement rate is or the research opportunities, but what’s it like when you wake up every morning? I know that “going to school” at UChicago is great and all, but what’s it like living there?</p>

<p>UChicago also offers 4-year BS/MS programs from what I understand. Let’s say I pursued one of these routes. I would be going to a graduate program that I would grow more at, and probably wouldn’t have gotten into otherwise, because I would be better prepared. I would have had 6.5 years of undergraduate education and still be the same age as everyone else. Imagine the knowledge and experience I would have gained during this time! </p>

<p>One thing that has really started making me reconsider my state flagship, though I love it, is an attitude exemplified by “Each undergraduate gets one degree with up to two majors and one minor or one major and two minors.” Excuse me, “gets”? Like in a cafeteria?</p>

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<p>I’m starting to really like this school! My own flagship school’s forum on CC is about ready to run me off. Apparently I implied something about ACT scores? 0.o Thanks for all of your encouragement!</p>