Official University of Chicago RD Decisions Thread - Class of 2014

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

<p>Well, decisions are coming out tomorrow so, for the purpose of helping out future applicants, please post your decision in this thread. Even if you are rejected, please post your general profile because otherwise this thread loses (at least, partially) its original purpose. </p>

<p>Surely, admissions decisions in RD this year may seem arbitrary due to the increased number of applications and the projected acceptance rate of 12% for RD but understand that we do not have perfect information in this process and hence cannot come up with wholly adequate rationalizations behind certain decisions made by the admissions committee. As such, I would discourage all those who feel some sort of sense of entitlement in this process who, upon getting rejected or waitlisted, attempt to come up with rationalizations for their supposed failure (and attempt to demean those accepted) and, in doing so, make themselves appear very unintelligent and (as has happened with decisions for other highly selective institutions) racist to simply brush off a rejection or a waitlist and realize that, in the scheme of one's life, this decision could end up being truly meaningless. Indeed, one may end up better off at an institution other than the University of Chicago. I'm not sure if most of that made sense but whatever.</p>

<p>Regardless, our purpose for applying to UChicago was to get admitted and, as such, I wish everyone the best of luck with their decision. I was just wishing to remind those who get rejected that a rejection isn't the end of the world and that even though those rejected will be discouraged - please don't embarrass yourself.</p>

<p>[ size=+2][ color=green][ b]Decision: Accepted[ /b][ /color][ /size]
[ size=+2][ color=orange][ b]Decision: Waitlisted[ /b][ /color][ /size]
[ size=+2][ color=red][ b]Decision: Rejected[ /b][ /color][ /size]</p>

<p>[ b]Objective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I (breakdown):
[ *] ACT:
[ *] SAT II (if submitted):
[ *] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0):
[ *] Grades in AP/IB/honors classes (if applicable)
[ *] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):
[ *] AP (place score in parenthesis):
[ *] IB (place score in parenthesis):
[ *] Senior Year Course Load:
[ *] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] Extracurriculars (place leadership and number of years participated in a certain activity in parenthesis):
[ *] Job/Work Experience:
[ *] Volunteer/Community service:
[ *] EC short answer (subject and personal opinions on it):
[ *] Common App Essay (subject and personal opinions on it):
[ *] Optional Favorite Things Essay (subject and personal opinions on it):
[ *] Why Chicago (details in the essay and personal opinions on it):
[ *] Extended Chicago Essay (subject - if you want, include essay prompt if you did #5 - and personal opinions on it):
[ *] Teacher Recommendation (only if you saw it):
[ *] Counselor Rec (only if you saw it):
[ *] Additional Rec (only if you saw it):
[ *] Interview:
[ /list][ b]Other[ /b][ list]
[ *] Three Areas of Interest Listed:
[ *] State (if domestic applicant):
[ *] Country (if international applicant):
[ *] School Type:
[ *] Ethnicity:
[ *] Gender:
[ *] Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.):
[ /list][ b]Reflection[ /b][ list]
[ *] Strengths:
[ *] Weaknesses:
[ *] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
[ /list][ b]General Comments:[ /b] Good Luck!! </p>

<p>As well, try not to post in here until decisions are released (though this note will probably not be read so I don't know why I'm even putting it here lol).</p>

2

<p>

</p>

<p>For ease of use. Just copy and paste!</p>

3

<p>The Chicago boards on CC are probably going to be down for several hours tomorrow.</p>

4

<p>^ If CC can survive April 1st (which it does every year) it will be able to get through tomorrow without any technical difficulties</p>

5

<p>As I recall, CC pretty much coasted through mid-December [slow every now and again, but that’s no big thing]. Would imagine they’d coast through March 19th as well!</p>

6

<p>Ugh, I feel sick to my stomach.</p>

7

<p>Decision: Deferred —> Rejected</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 690 CR, 760 M, 770 W E:10
[</em>] ACT: n/a
[<em>] SAT II (if submitted): 720 Math 1, 710 US History, 670 Chemistry
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.75 (4.0 midyear report)
[<em>] Grades in AP/IB classes (if applicable): (for APs): 4 A’s, 1 B, 1 C (meh, I know)
[</em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Not ranked but top 20%
[<em>] AP (place score in parenthesis): Physics, Econ (Micro/Macro), U.S. Gvt/Politics,
[</em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
[<em>] Senior Year Course Load: Physics AP, Econ AP, U.S. Gov AP, Java, Art, Gym, Physics Honors, English Honors
[</em>] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): MUN and FBLA awards…nothing big
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership and number of years participated in a certain activity in parenthesis): Model UN (bizarre leadership position, 4), Student Govt. (Speaker of Freshmen Class, 2), Econ Club (President, 4), Rec Soccer/Basketball (4), FBLA (2), School Paper (2), School Arts Magazine(1), Philosophy Papers (I sent 7 or so of them), Tech Student Association (2)
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: Basketball Referee
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service: Camp Counselor, School Shop, Presidential Campaign
[</em>] EC short answer (subject and personal opinions on it): Reffing - meh
[<em>] Common App Essay (subject and personal opinions on it): Really abstract and too complex, but I loved it
[</em>] Optional Favorite Things Essay (subject and personal opinions on it): Talked about my fave books and music, so-so
[<em>] Why Chicago (details in the essay and personal opinions on it): Compared the University of Chicago to my glasses and showed how the parts of the glasses represented UChicago, I laughed when I re-read it and I liked it
[</em>] Extended Chicago Essay (subject - if you want, include essay prompt if you did #5 - and personal opinions on it): Wrote about the general will in the terms of a banana, I loved it
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation (only if you saw it): n/a
[</em>] Counselor Rec (only if you saw it): n/a
[<em>] Additional Rec (only if you saw it): n/a
[</em>] Interview:
[/ul]Other[ul]
[<em>] Three Areas of Interest Listed: Econ, Philosophy, Poli Sci
[</em>] State (if domestic applicant): PA
[<em>] Country (if international applicant):
[</em>] School Type: Competitive Public
[<em>] Ethnicity:White
[</em>] Gender: Male
[<em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.):
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[</em>] Strengths: None
[<em>] Weaknesses: Everything
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I suck.
[/ul]General Comments: And life goes on.</p>

8

<p>^I’m getting sick from anxiety because of all of this. :p</p>

<p>Does anyone know about the rejection letters that some people saw a little while ago? I never saw one, but I wasn’t online. And can no one see the sign in? Or is it just me?</p>

9

<p>

</p>

<p>Actually, it never survives April 1st. Sorry. </p>

<p>But it will be fine tomorrow, I’m sure.</p>

10

<p>Decision: Waitlisted</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 2150 (CR 690, Math 710, Writing 750)
[</em>] SAT II (if submitted): USH 720, Math 2 710
[<em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.8
[</em>] Grades in AP/IB/honors classes (if applicable): AAAA
[<em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1/250
[</em>] AP (place score in parenthesis):APUSH 5, AP Eng 4
[<em>] Extended Chicago Essay (subject - if you want, include essay prompt if you did #5 - and personal opinions on it): Wrote about my big head… hahaha
[/ul]Other[ul]
[</em>] Three Areas of Interest Listed:
[<em>] State (if domestic applicant): Hawaii
[</em>] Country (if international applicant):
[<em>] School Type: Public
[</em>] Ethnicity: Asian (Filipino)
[<em>] Gender: Male
[</em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.): EFC=0
[/ul]Reflection[ul]</p>

<p>[/ul]General Comments: Eh… :(</p>

11

<p>^What???</p>

12

<p>motion: you already got decisions?</p>

13

<p>Decision: Rejected</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 111
[</em>] ACT: 11
[<em>] SAT II (if submitted): 111
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 111
[<em>] Grades in AP/IB/honors classes (if applicable) 111
[</em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 111
[<em>] AP (place score in parenthesis): 111
[</em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): 111
[<em>] Senior Year Course Load: 111
[</em>] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): 111
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership and number of years participated in a certain activity in parenthesis):
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: 111
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service: 111
[</em>] EC short answer (subject and personal opinions on it):
[<em>] Common App Essay (subject and personal opinions on it):
[</em>] Optional Favorite Things Essay (subject and personal opinions on it):
[<em>] Why Chicago (details in the essay and personal opinions on it):
[</em>] Extended Chicago Essay (subject - if you want, include essay prompt if you did #5 - and personal opinions on it):
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation (only if you saw it):
[</em>] Counselor Rec (only if you saw it):
[<em>] Additional Rec (only if you saw it):
[</em>] Interview:
[/ul]Other[ul]
[<em>] Three Areas of Interest Listed:
[</em>] State (if domestic applicant):
[<em>] Country (if international applicant):
[</em>] School Type:
[<em>] Ethnicity:
[</em>] Gender:
[<em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.):
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[</em>] Strengths:
[li] Weaknesses:</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]General Comments: This is just a test run, seeing as I’ve never used this format before :P</p>

14

<p>decisions are out!</p>

15

<p>Ok, so I just got my decision right now. </p>

<p>REJECTED! lol</p>

<p>Next university!</p>

16

<p>[ size=+2][ color=orange][ b]Decision: Waitlisted[ /b][ /color][ /size]</p>

<p>[ b]Objective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I (breakdown): 1350/2020 (680-M 670- CR,W)
[ *] ACT:N/A
[ *] SAT II (if submitted): US History-730 Math Level II-630
[ *] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0):4.0/4.0
[ *] Grades in AP/IB/honors classes (if applicable): A’s
[ *] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):1/54
[ *] AP (place score in parenthesis):World History(4); US History(5); Taking English, Calc AB, and Macro
[ *] IB (place score in parenthesis):
[ *] Senior Year Course Load: Heaviest my small school can offer
[ *] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NSIB National Young Entrepreneur Semi-Finalist
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] Extracurriculars (place leadership and number of years participated in a certain activity in parenthesis): I play club soccer year-round for a competitive team.
2-time Student Council President
4 Year Varsity Soccer Player-1 as captain
[ *] Job/Work Experience: Started my own business; High school hockey announcer
[ *] Volunteer/Community service: 150ish, most of which at my local Boys & Girls Club
[ *] EC short answer (subject and personal opinions on it): Volunteering and I though it was “aight”
[ *] Common App Essay (subject and personal opinions on it): I wrote about the people living their entire lives in my small town because they were afraid to take some risks. A tad cynical, but I though it was pretty good.
[ *] Optional Favorite Things Essay (subject and personal opinions on it): I thought this was good, I wrote about Portuguese Fado music.
[ *] Why Chicago (details in the essay and personal opinions on it): I kind of wish I had another shot on this one. It was good and all, but I fell in love with Chicago so much more after my app was in.
[ *] Extended Chicago Essay (subject - if you want, include essay prompt if you did #5 - and personal opinions on it): Outgrowing things. I talked about taking philosophy and how it was a powerful experience.
[ *] Teacher Recommendation (only if you saw it): It was good. I saw a typo and my teacher accidentally called me a girl. Not a deciding factor however.
[ *] Counselor Rec (only if you saw it): Assuming it was ok
[ *] Additional Rec (only if you saw it):
[ *] Interview: Alumni Interview went great.
[ /list][ b]Other[ /b][ list]
[ *] Three Areas of Interest Listed: Portuguese, Economics, and Business
[ *] State (if domestic applicant): Vermont
[ *] Country (if international applicant):
[ *] School Type: Rural Public
[ *] Ethnicity: White
[ *] Gender: Male
[ *] Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.): Started my own business, from Vermont. Two very uninteresting hooks.
[ /list][ b]Reflection[ /b][ list]
[ *] Strengths: Interview, one of my essays
[ *] Weaknesses: SATs, Maybe my Chicago one was seen as weak.
[ *] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I have no idea, but I am hoping some kids opt for HYP so I can get in! I’m not too disappointed though, being waitlisted this year is an honor with the increase in apps.
[ /list][ b]General Comments:[ /b] Good Luck!!</p>

17

<p>Decision: Waitlisted</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 750W, 700M, 650CR (2100)
[</em>] ACT: 32E, 36M, 31R, 28S (32)
[<em>] SAT II (if submitted): 700 Bio-M (getting rescored), 700 Math-2, 660 Lit
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.95 UW, 4.48W
[<em>] Grades in AP/IB/honors classes (if applicable): Got 2 5.0’s from Senior year grades (trimester schedule; getting a 4.8 third trimester)…
[</em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1/325 (Valedictorian)
[<em>] AP (place score in parenthesis): Biology- 5, USH-4
[</em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): —
[<em>] Senior Year Course Load: AP English Lit w/ Intro to Poetry, AP Calculus AB, Honors Anatomy, Honors Physics, Honors French IV, Economics, + Intro to Psych and American Government at a local CC (A+ in Psych and A in AmGov)
[</em>] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Lots of school awards, one from district school board, two Rotary ones, not much major ones
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership and number of years participated in a certain activity in parenthesis): Key Club (4 years, Secretary, VP), CSF -oragnized and ran a 4-day trip to SoCal to tour 9 colleges (3 years, Co-President), Eco Club (1 Year, Aiding Founder, Treasurer), Science Exposition -science fair put on for over 600 third graders, I got to head the event this year (3 years, Participant and Director), Track and Field -1600m & 3200m Varsity B (2 years, Lettered), Cross Country -Varsity B (1 year, Lettered)
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: Peer Tutor (about 3-7.5 hours a week)
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service: Over 300 hours from Key Club and working with local middle school
[</em>] EC short answer (subject and personal opinions on it): Talked about Science Expo and immense amount of leadership and time it took to run that.
[<em>] Common App Essay (subject and personal opinions on it): Quite long (1,200 words) and about a somewhat obscure topic. I thought it was good, but I could have spent more time on it. I did pour my soul into it, however.
[</em>] Optional Favorite Things Essay (subject and personal opinions on it): Quite a straight-forward essay explaining who I am and what I like and how they all relate to my intellectually curious side.
[<em>] Why Chicago (details in the essay and personal opinions on it): I wrote it at 4 am and didn’t review it much. I compared the school to one of it’s gargoyles, which somewhere in my deliriously tired mind, I must have thought was a good idea. After I read it after I submitted it, I thought it had pretty much shot my chances of acceptance.
[</em>] Extended Chicago Essay (subject - if you want, include essay prompt if you did #5 - and personal opinions on it): I chose prompt 5 and talked about an intellectually stimulating experience: Wonderful essay describing my experiences with dissecting a cat for Anatomy. It captivated everyone who read it!
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation (only if you saw it): Three in total: From my 3-year Honors English teacher, from my Honors Chem, AP Bio + Honors Physics teacher, and a last one from Honors Anatomy teacher. I did not see the English teacher’s letter, but I can assume it was very personal. My science teacher’s letter was glowing; she loved me and I was one of her best students. My Honors Anatomy teacher wrote a glowing one about how I’ve grown so much as an individual from having me in Honors Bio freshman year to having me in Honors Anatomy this year; stated that I was one of the best students she’s had in years.
[</em>] Counselor Rec (only if you saw it): Didn’t see, but I was one of the few people who made an effort to like her. She likes me and thinks I’m quite smart.
[<em>] Additional Rec (only if you saw it): –
[</em>] Interview: Great, hour and half interview in a small coffee shop. It was more like a nice, long conversation. The guy was a medical professor at a close-by university/med school.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[<em>] Three Areas of Interest Listed: Biology major
[</em>] State (if domestic applicant): California
[<em>] Country (if international applicant): —
[</em>] School Type: Public; rarely sends grads to top schools; small town HS located in country backdrop
[<em>] Ethnicity: Didn’t state in application, but Indian (Asian…)
[</em>] Gender: Male
[<em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.): None, really.
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[</em>] Strengths: Some of my essays were good… I guess.
[<em>] Weaknesses: I’m hardly a good applicant stat-wise. My SATs are low, and I have no strong awards.
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: That crappy essay! Bahhh! I’m not the best applicant, and tons more were much more qualified. I just didn’t deserve it, as much as I thought I did.
[/ul]General Comments: Good luck to all other applicants in the future and those all to still check! I’m horribly disappointed in myself. I don’t want to end up at a UC and this was the easiest private school I applied to. … so whatever. :(</p>

18

<p>holy crap @rejections and waitlistings…some of your stats blow mine out of the water, some are comparable!!! I knew Chicago was tough to get in, but not this hard!!!</p>

19

<p>Decision: Deferred-----> Rejected
GPA: 3.6
ACT: 32</p>

20

<p>Decision: Rejected</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 2000 (M 580, CR 660, WR 760)
[</em>] ACT:
[<em>] SAT II (if submitted):
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): School doesn’t have GPA
[<em>] Grades in AP/IB/honors classes (if applicable)
[</em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): School doesn’t rank
[<em>] AP (place score in parenthesis):
[</em>] IB (place score in parenthesis):
[<em>] Senior Year Course Load:
[</em>] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership and number of years participated in a certain activity in parenthesis): Principal second violinist in school orchestra, choir, a capella choir, grade 7 violin
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: I’m a nontraditional student, age 22. So I have 4-5 years of work experience. I have an office job and also worked for an international touring rock band. I’m now a semi-professional indie musician.
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service:
[</em>] EC short answer (subject and personal opinions on it): All my essays were pretty strong
[<em>] Common App Essay (subject and personal opinions on it):
[</em>] Optional Favorite Things Essay (subject and personal opinions on it):
[<em>] Why Chicago (details in the essay and personal opinions on it):
[</em>] Extended Chicago Essay (subject - if you want, include essay prompt if you did #5 - and personal opinions on it):
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation (only if you saw it): Very positive
[</em>] Counselor Rec (only if you saw it): Generic but positive
[<em>] Additional Rec (only if you saw it): Very good
[</em>] Interview: Went really well, my interviewer was adorable.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[<em>] Three Areas of Interest Listed: History of Science, Near Eastern Languages and Civilization, English Literature
[</em>] State (if domestic applicant):
[<em>] Country (if international applicant): UK
[</em>] School Type: Public all girls school
[<em>] Ethnicity: White
[</em>] Gender: Female
[<em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.): First gen. Not really a hook but I’m an ‘usual’ applicant because I’m a bit older.
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[</em>] Strengths: Essays
[<em>] Weaknesses: International needing full aid, with less than amazing grades
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
[/ul]General Comments: I’m saying goodbye to my Chicago dreams, but I hope that many CCers are accepted and go on to have a wonderful experience at UChicago. Best of luck to you all, and please remember that no matter what - everything will turn out OK :)</p>