<p>What is your take on what the U of C is looking for when it gives out merit awards?</p>
<p>Goodliness.</p>
<p>With the exception of super-geniuses who receive full tuition scholarships, it looks like 10K ones are given not based on academic merit but some other criteria - to recruit athletes, minorities, etc.</p>
<p>It seems very unpredictable. Don't count on one.</p>
<p>i thought uofc couldn't give athletic scholarships for some reason</p>
<p>They can't give offical Athletic Scholarships but they can give money to a "student-athlete".</p>
<p>yeah, I think that's how I got one, but I don't plan on running track this school year. I'm kind of scared to try and balance academics and sport at UofC.</p>
<p>But for the most part, I'd think that it was pretty random.</p>
<p>I know someone from school who got a full ride. This individual is Hispanic, so that may have played a role. In any case, you have to be a great student/scholar to get any merit scholarships.</p>
<p>i heard chicago loves minorities true?</p>
<p>I know (directly or indirectly) several non-minority/non-athlete people perfect or close-to-perfect scores (35, 36 ACTs, 2380 SAT with excellent essays, ECs, interest in Chicago as typically their first choice) who over the last few years were admitted to UChicago and did not receive even smaller scholarship (9.5k one). The same people received full tuition merit scholarships at Duke (only 15 awarded for OOS / non-minority), WashU (around 15 full tuitions a year from the pool of 20000 applicants), Vanderbilt (12 from 12000 applicants). The difference between those schools and UChicago when it comes to awarding scholarships is that those institutions are transparent in their scholarship award processes. Duke and Vandy (being Division 1 sports schools) can openly award scholarships to athletes. WashU and Vandy (not sure about Duke) have separate "diversity" scholarships set aside (based on other aspects of applicants including community service, etc.).</p>
<p>UChicago does not have these "other" scholarships. It looks like full tuition ones are used to attract super-geniuses (with minority being a huge plus). While awarding more than a hundred 9.5K ones, academic achievements seem to be of very little importance and sports/minority factors rule there.</p>
<p>This (at least diversity factor) can probably to some degree be explained by controversial combination of location (in the middle of all-african-american neighborhoods) and very non diverse student body (very few minorities in comparison with other top 20 schools).</p>
<p>Thank you for a very informative and helpful reply. Anyone else?</p>
<p>I can guarantee you that the full ride scholarships are not based just on academic merit, either. I know of at least one kid who received one, from the Chicago area, who is no genius, but a good student.</p>
<p>And what was his "secret weapon" ?</p>
<p>A local girl (not a URM) was accepted with the 9500 scholarship - val, 2380 SAT, good essay - was not eligible for need-based aid. She will be attending MIT - she also turned down Olin. Although she is, from what I hear, a good tennis player, I believe this was an academic scholarship - she is very, very bright, but not in the super-genius catefory that get the full tuition.</p>
<p>I'm white, female, upper middle class, and definitely not a star athlete.</p>
<p>I'd say the scholarships are to attract students the admissions guys think will especially contribute to campus (through academics, sports, extra-curriculars, or whatever else) who may otherwise turn Chicago down.</p>
<p>yeah, I agree with corranged- good post</p>
<p>If you want a different take on this topic, find the articles from last fall's Atlantic Monthly college issue. They had a great article on how "merit" aid is used in practice, as a tool to manage tuition revenue. It was very illuminating.</p>
<p>My daughter received the full tution scholarship (she's about to finish her second year at UChicago). She isn't an athlete or a minority, just a good student. So the scholarships DO happen. We were really surprised when she got the letter, but very happy because Chicago was by far her first choice. </p>
<p>P.S. We did not qualify for a dime in need-based aid.</p>
<p>well...I was given one of the $9500/yr scholarships</p>
<p>my stats are somewhere on CC, but just to make a point:</p>
<p>-NOT an URM
-NOT an athlete
-NOT high test scores (2170 SAT, 31 ACT)</p>
<p>-yes, a three-time all-state vocalist (2nd, 1st, and 3rd in state in 10th, 11th, and 12th...but UChi only saw the first two years)</p>
<p>-yes, 4.0 GPA (but in a tiny school with bad grade inflation)</p>
<p>-I sent in a tape with excerpts from one of my high school musicals. </p>
<p>NOTE: The application DOES say:</p>
<p>Chicago offers scholarships to selected high school seniors
in recognition of outstanding performance in the classroom
and in school or community activities.....Chicagos College Honor and University scholarships are awarded without consideration of financial
need. Winners of these highly competitive awards are chosen
based on their application for admission, but you should feel
free to <em>supplement</em> your file with anything that will allow
us to better understand your strengths....Additional materials might include slides of art work, research abstracts, creative writing samples or portfolios, or musical recordings.</p>
<p>other than that:</p>
<p>my essays (which are also somewhere on CC in part at least) basically said: I love you, UChi...here's why you should love me. I told them that I fit perfectly, and I guess they believed me.</p>
<p>I have an interesting life experience, having grown up next door to a monastery, being very close with the nuns here...I guess that might qualify me as an URM. :)</p>
<p>I am a firm believer in the power of the essay. I've always felt (or liked to feel) that the scholarships are used to attract true fits....true Chicagoans. </p>
<p>Also, if I understand everything I have read correctly--
A <em>faculty committee</em> gives out the scholarships--not admissions officers wanting to "recruit" athletes or URMs.</p>
<p>also--I qualify for <em>lots</em> of financial aid</p>
<p>Well, two comments:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I would NOT apply early if you are looking to get merit aid. I think U of C uses merit aid to lure people, whether they be athletes, URMs, etc, who may not otherwise attend. If you apply early they think they have you hooked. I know no one who applied early and got any merit money besides national merit.</p></li>
<li><p>The awards are definetly not based on solely one's smarts. I have nearly perfect ACT and SAT scores (36 in all ACT sections over 3 tests, 35 on each one separately, and a 1580 SAT score), nearly perfect grades, am a nationally ranked debater, have had several science internships, etc, and didn't get a penny in merit aid outside of a meager 1000 dollar national merit award.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>apply whenever you feel ready to apply:</p>
<p>i have a friend who is a white, non-athlete male who was awarded a $9500/yr scholarship AND applied EARLY action...he had very good test scores and grades and is a musician of some merit...but mostly: he really is a very good fit for the university. (and his scholarship came with his early acceptance...which is against policy...i guess UChi really wanted him! and apparently they didn't think they "had him hooked")</p>
<p>again: Jerry Doyle said somewhere on the uncommon app blog that scholarships are decided by a faculty committee...i really have a feeling that such a committee would wish to recognize students who truly match the Chicago attitude and worldview</p>