<p>My school had a huge amount of students apply early to UChicago this year, at least 13. Only 1 one of us got in, and that person got into MIT and Caltech (yes, I was deferred as well). Now, I didn't expect all 13 of us to have a chance, but I did expect half of us did. I was unhappy to be deferred, but I was more shocked by the fact that only 1 person was accepted. I thought we were pretty qualified...and now that I hear a huge amount of people got deferred and that there were few rejections, I'm not really sure what to think of how UChicago made their decisions.</p>
<p>Can anyone try and maybe explain this? It's confusing how almost all of us got deferred, and the "better" batch of applicants from our school were put together with the lower mix by being deferred altogether.</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone can. Admissions decisions at all of the top schools are random. Six people from my school applied, and only one was accepted (the other five were not even waitlisted or deferred - they were outright rejected). One of them ended up at Harvard. You can’t explain it.</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>
</ul>
<p>If you are a better student only the part about thoughtful paragraph truly applies to you since mid year report can’t be adding much to your application. I am guessing they want you to profess your undying love to Chicago?</p>
<p>Well, the thing is, last year there were about 7 or so people who applied from my school. 4 of them got in. I feel some of those 4 were pretty similar in how impressive they were to my year’s applicants. I know it varies year to year, and that 25% increase in EA this year probably didn’t help.</p>
<p>I guess it’s just somewhat overwhelming to see at least 11 of my peers meet and experience the same decision as I did…</p>
<p>Well, I’m hoping that my grades this semester (which are pretty good) will help, and maybe some honors here and there might boost my application as well. But yes, I was planning on sending that email. Not sure how much that will differentiate me from others, since I’m quite sure that a good amount of those deferred will do the same.</p>
<p>If you are a top student, it is not your grades that are an issue but whether you will show up at Chicago if admitted. </p>
<p>Chicago is looking into yield management or else they would never write that paragraph as the only thing needed from you - i.e., state it is your first choice.</p>
<p>Oh, I would definitely go to UChicago if admitted.</p>
<p>However, I’m not sure how this email differs from the Why UChicago essay. To me, they seem one and the same. And because of that, how will they be able to separate those who are actually passionate about going and those who aren’t? I guess that will be up to me to find a way to convey that uniquely and genuinely. But this doesn’t seem like an effective way to narrow down the deferred pool.</p>
<p>We cannot overstate the value of the essay. That’s what will show admissions whether you truly have an intellectual capability, and you’d often be surprised which students do and don’t rise up to the occasion. </p>
<p>Other than that, yes, admissions at these upper-tier schools is sort of a crapshoot.</p>
<p>When I saw that they had received 8,700 EA applications I wondered how many of those had applied ED elsewhere and then, of those, how many were accepted ED elsewhere and then received a deferral from UChicago. This may be Chicago’s way of saying (in part) please let us know if you’re definitely going elsewhere next fall which would reduce the number of deferrals who still want to be considered for admission. I think their request for an email from those who were deferred but continue to consider Chicago their number one will become the minimum hoop that must be jumped through to continue to be considered; I don’t think it will help beyond that.</p>
<p>The whole “tell us that Chicago is your first choice” bit isn’t exactly for yield management. It’s for the purpose of avoiding admitting people who wouldn’t want to go over people who would. Is there really anything wrong with that, especially when only about 10% of deferred applicants are eventually admitted? I would think that deferred students still interested in being admitted would be grateful for such consideration on the part of the university.</p>
<p>phuriku - Chicago’s admit rate overall was 15.8% last year. So to state a deferred candidate has only 10% chance of admission by itself is telling the applicant he/she has less chance than overall pool. I can see Stanford saying deferred candidates have a 10% chance since they admit only 7% or so overall but why is Chicago giving less odds to deferred candidates?</p>
<p>What purpose does it serve to profess that Chicago is your first choice and be heartbroken if you find out you did not ultimately get in? It is just plain wrong.</p>
<p>To answer the OP, UChicago explicitly states that it does not compare applications from within the same high school. Nine kids from my school applied early and three of us got admitted with the rest being deferred. The best shot you got is to show your interest by e-mailing and updating, etc., best of luck!</p>
<p>The Chicago RD admit rate is less than 10%, so deferred candidates actually have a slightly higher admit rate during RD than non-deferred candidates. I don’t see why deferred candidates should have any significant advantage preference over regular decision applicants. On the contrary, that would be completely unfair, and I think Chicago already gives deferred applicants a larger advantage than most schools.</p>
<p>I also don’t really see your logic in why it’s so bad for deferred candidates to show that Chicago is their first choice, and then be “heartbroken” when they’re denied. I mean, isn’t that exactly what the application process is? You pick schools that you like, then you apply, taking the risk of being rejected. By your logic, denying anyone who shows any interest (i.e., applying) is inhumane. Also by your logic, admitting someone who got admitted ED to Columbia and didn’t bother withdrawing their deferred application from Chicago should have the same rights to admission as someone who has Chicago as their first choice. It’s only logical that Chicago give preference to the latter type of person, which benefits deferred applicants in general and the University. It’s really a win-win.</p>
<p>I dont believe admit rate was 10% in RD last year since they admitted 2000 + people out of 17000 or so in RD (not sure about deferred number but I am using 2000 + 15000 RD applicants).</p>
<p>I am not sure you understand what logic is or else you would not be comparing some kid who is admitted ED vs a college expecting the kids to write them love letters professing their undying love. The OP is asking what is the difference between why Chicago vs this this new requirement to state it is YOUR FIRST CHOICE?</p>
<p>It is kind of BS for a school to be asking students to do this and that is just my opinion. That and a $1 may buy you a coffee at your local kiosk.</p>
<p>Well, the rate was about 18% this year…meaning over 1500 were accepted. That kind of makes me wonder even more how only 1 person from my school was accepted…and his interest in UChicago probably is about nothing compared to MIT and Caltech.</p>
<p>haha…2 people at my school applied, and we both got in!
and my school rarely sends any people to top schools. Maybe a few Cornells and Penns if lucky.
Just goes to show that the essays really hold a lot of weight.</p>