My Chances at University of Chicago...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm in 11th grade right now, from a small, upper middle-class (but not wealthy) suburb in North Jersey, I go to a public high school, and I'm white and Jewish. My GPA is about a 3.9 now. Freshman year, I got straight As, three of them in honors classes (everything but math.) Sophomore year, I got straight As with the exception of a C- for the year in Honors Chemistry (not a good decision of mine to take.) This year, I have an A in AP History, A-s in AP Language and Composition and British Literature Honors, an A in Spanish IV Honors and Independent Study Creative Writing, and Bs in CP Physics and Algebra II. Next year, I plan to take AP English Literature, AP Spanish Language, either Anatomy or AP Biology, Math Analysis, and the social studies electives that are offered for 12th grade, since there are no other history classes.</p>

<p>My extracurriculars are good-I'm a newspaper editor, set to be EIC next year, co-EIC of the literary magazine, I started the school Gay-Straight Alliance this year, I'm an active Spanish Club member and a very active Drama Club member, and I help out at the school where my mom teaches a fair amount. I'm also probably set for a position in the National Spanish Honors Society. </p>

<p>SO! To get to the point, what are my chances for ED at the University of Chicago, and are there any other schools I should look at? I'm deciding whether or not to wait for regular decision there so that my first marking period grades for 12th grade will help me.</p>

2

<p>UChicago is early ACTION not decision</p>

<p>your stats look fine, but the real challenge of getting into Chicago is writing kick ass essays.</p>

3

<p>I also got a 210 out of 240, National Merit Commendation. I'm an excellent writer. The fact is, I'm not all that into the obsessive college admissions stuff, and I just want this to be over with. I'm a triple legacy at Yale, Harvard, and Columbia/Barnard, but really don't care, since I think I'd be happier at Chicago. That, and I want to go to a big city with a thriving gay life.</p>

4

<p>Is that really meant to be "gay" life or "happy" life? Becuase if it's gay as in not happy, it severely limits your school choices.</p>

5

<p>Homosexual. I don't want to have a repeat of my lonely high school years.</p>

<p>Anyway, let's move the discussion back to my chances there.</p>

6

<p>side note: how can you be a triple legacy at all of those places? do you have three parents? (assuming by triple legacy you mean parent, grandparent, great-grandparent)</p>

<p>secondly, i do think chicago is more liberal than some school, but most top college campuses are very open-minded, it's not like high school at all, so I wouldn't worry about that social aspect.</p>

7

<p>philadelphia has a large gay and lesbian population. have you considered penn? or maybe swarthmore?</p>

8

<p>Includes grad school, though only Yale is consistent for undergrad, two generations back.</p>

9

<p>Chicago is fairly generous if you approach them with the right attitude. In the acceptance letter they said that </p>

<p>"You have been selected by our faculty and admissions counselors because you recognize the pleasure – the absolute joy – to be found in active, creative learning. Our decision was not based on numbers but on your achievements and your words, a difficult determination to make but one that gives proper honor to the University and to you."</p>

<p>Really, its all about the essays. Subtly weave in something that reflects (indirectly, as to avoid heavy-handedness) the joy of learning and thinking, and then be blunt about it in your "why Chicago" essay. That's what they want in their students.</p>

10

<p>brown... brown is so liberal...and full of hippies
middlebury is even more liberal</p>

11

<p>Thanks for the advice! I'm still sort of worried about the C- from 10th grade. </p>

<p>Not interested in Middlebury and I probably couldn't get into Brown.</p>

12

<p>Dude, I got in with a 2.7 in 9th grade: I had a D, a C and a bunch of B-/B's, it was a disaster. My SATs were good, but not amazing (2150).
They forgive certain flaws--I'm living proof. They're all about taking challenging courses, a love of learning and being able to write very well. Most colleges preach a holistic review of their applicants, but nearly all still focus on stats primarily. Its refreshing that for once, a college practices what they preach.</p>

<p>A single C- will will certainly not stop you from getting into Chicago.</p>

13

<p>yeah, but sophomore year is so much more important than freshman year, some college dont even ask for freshman year grades...</p>

<p>but i do agree that chicago is very forgiving on the gpa/sat front. the only kids i've seen get deferred are the 3.4 and below category</p>

14

<p>VertigoFrog is right about the essays. It will also help if in the interview and recommendations, you bring in your interest in learning and thinking. Definitely, do an interview. I think that you should apply EA. It shows interest, and you will probably get in. Even if they defer you, having been EA is all to the good- you showed more interest, plus all of your materials in earlier.</p>

15

<p>Although, interestingly enough, both RD and EA have about the same acceptance rates for UChicago.</p>

16

<p>Basically, what I am asking are two things: should I take the AP Bio class to help forgive the Chem Honors grade, and should I apply RD so the 1st marking period senior grades help me?</p>