<p>Stats:
SAT I around 2100
II: math IIc 800, lit. no idea, Chinese 800, Physics 750
Rank: 3/25
GPA: school doesn't rank
IB full diploma predicted grade: 40+</p>
<p>ECs: MUN (best delegate national conference), swimming, volunteer work, etc.</p>
<p>Citizen of: Canada, Hong Kong
Currently in: Shanghai, China
School: private-local(not really private some gov funding)</p>
<p>disadv: teacher recs, they aren't fluent in English
other factors: seeking aid, wants to do pre-law or pyschology</p>
<p>At Chicago the three essays required by the "uncommon" application weigh heavily in the admission decision. They should be posted on the University website in July. Write great essays, and you will have a shot at admission.</p>
<p>You should have good shot, but remember that there is limited finaid for internationals at Chicago as at most colleges in the us. You should case a pretty broad net because of the $$'s. Brandeis is pretty good with aid to internationals - you might want to check them out as well.</p>
<p>Well, can you get your SAT a little higher? There is no shame in taking it again later. Just make sure you study (seriously) a bunch or else take a course, like Kaplan.</p>
<p>Make sure your essays focus on what makes you unique. And make them CREATIVE as hell.</p>
<p>jane -
my sat was 2110.
my sat II was 670 690 and 740.</p>
<p>and i still got in.</p>
<p>i think for me it was my essays and my extra submission of a composition i wrote for piano based on "julius caesar" with program notes outlining my ideas behind each movement.</p>
<p>oh international...
hm... </p>
<p>well all i can say is work on your essays!!! those can make or break you.</p>
<p>cookiemonkey: Very cool composition idea. I compose as well, and, in addition to writing an essay on composition, I sent in a CD of two of my pieces played by professional musicians. But my pieces were title-wise not as creative: "Nocturne in E-flat major" and (here is the good one) "Untitled."</p>
<p>Hey, it worked for me.</p>
<p>I also sent in an additional essay, plus lots of supplementary information, such as papers, lit notes, a page of calc, etc., as I am homeschooled. It was a way for me to "prove" that I had done the work.</p>
<p>As fo essays, I sent in one that I knew would be iffy. It would either make it or break it for me - depending on if Ted O'Neill and staff had a sense of humor that day. I read it a few days ago, and it is quite funny to me, though it does have a mocking tone to it, as I am making fun of some of my family members in the way that they collect crazy things and don't throw anything away. </p>
<p>Use the essays to help you stand out from the crowd. Start on them early and try not to think too much about them, ie. how you should be adhering to grammatical and writing rules, etc. I made mine spur-of-the-moment and fixed things afterward to make them flow.</p>
<p>oh katharos, do you play any instruments as well? ooh that's cool that we both sent in compositions!
this was the first composition i actually ever wrote. it was actually for an extra credit assignment for english where we could do anything we wanted with julius caesar and i just decided to write music to it, depicting each scene into a musical phrase/idea.
i dont think i can ever do that again!!</p>
<p>lol my title wasn't that profound.
julius caesar suite.</p>
<p>and my titles for each of the movements were so corny.
"caesar and the capital: to go or not to go"
etc.</p>
<p>cookiemonkey, yes, I did quite a bit of composition at my music school until I decided to audit an intermediate-level course at the U. of C. And there went composition. . .</p>
<p>I play piano and clarinet. And you?</p>
<p>And yes, I am homeschooled. I actually have run into quite a few students at the U. of C. who were homeschooled through 8th grade. I knew a student (she has graduated now) who went to the U. of C. for math and is now at MIT persuing grad work. Despite the fact that homeschoolers make up about 2% of school-aged students, I have run into a much larger percentage.</p>
<p>neverborn, perhaps the U. of C. had to meet their homeschooled student quota for the year. Actually, I doubt they have one. :)</p>
<p>OK, so now I am wondering if there are any other homeschoolers out there who will be attending the U. of C. I posted a topic on this on Thick Envelope, so let's see if I get any responses. Are there homeschoolers on CC (besides in the homeschooling forum, which mainly is populated by parents of homeschoolers anyway)?</p>
<p>hey janezhang. you probably have a pretty good chance at getting in, but if it makes your recs easier, ask them to write both an english copy and a chinese copy. i did that with my chinese school teacher, and just attach a note saying sorry english not so good. if your essays are creative, quirky, shows your personality!, and strong, and trust me, they are pretty much the entire app for uc, you should be fine.</p>