Selectivity

<p>Okay, before I start rambling (er- I'll try to make this a bit organized though I can't promise anything) I know that none of you are admissions counselors, etc etc. I just ask for any insight or further rambling. =)</p>

<p>My scores are pretty sub-par for UChicago, yet when I visited the counselors really emphasized that they don't put much weight on scores, instead looking at the whole story of a student. If you're a student there, or were once a student there, how true do you find that to be? Were most students also candidates for Havard, Yale, and Princeton as well as UChicago?</p>

<p>I've heard that the application pool is pretty much self-selecting... but then, what kind of people do they reject? High scorers with no passion or people with a strong passion but medicore stats?</p>

<p>Yes, this is just my insecurity speaking- the uncommon application is fun, but the uncommon selection process doesn't seem like so much fun to me. </p>

<p>So, can anyone comment on Chicago's admissions? Go ahead and ramble, I'm grateful for any insight...</p>

<p>basically...look at the 40 percent admission acecptance rate with a GRAIN OF SALT. You got some reallly talented and brilliant kids applying, many using it as a backup for Yale, Harvard, and Princeton to be honest with you, however, it really isn't a safety for anyone. UChicago routinetely rejects kids with 1550+. However, with that said, if you construct an original and fabulous essay, and have "average" scores for chicago, you should be admitted. When I say average, I mean 1400+.</p>

<p>But my question is - it seems as though all of Chicago's averages are a bit skewed. For instance,they say their average ACT is 28-32 (for class of 2008)... and I expect that many, many people admitted have above a 32. So to have a range that includes scores under 30, that'd mean that a sizeable amount of people have a score under 28 (to balance all of those above 32), right? This is where I get confused. According to Chicago's website, around a third of those admitted get in with scores 26-29. </p>

<p>I'm from a Chicago suburb and I've heard that UChicago has recruited for solely sports to better their image. If this is true, and assuming the athletes don't have the highest scores, is their ACT/SAT averages lowered to bring in athletes? Or, of course, the people in the 26-29 ACT range might just have a 4.0 and outstanding list of ECs and a great essay. </p>

<p>Argh, it's incredibly hard to form a guess when dealing with acceptance. </p>

<p>Okay, here's a real questoin:</p>

<p>In your opinon ("you" being anyone who reads this), is the admissions process so random that anyone* should give it a shot? Or is it probably more cut-throat then they let on?</p>

<p>*By "anyone" I don't mean "anyone"... I mean someone who has a GPA above a 3.0, passionate about learning, involved, etc.</p>

<p>When it comes to Chicago, check your assumptions. The football team had a higher GPA than the student body as a whole.</p>

<p>Best bet is to read this. A little dated, posted before, but still useful:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.scfun.net/sceduc-cl-newsweek.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.scfun.net/sceduc-cl-newsweek.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thanks for correcting me, idad... I'm always uncomfortable assuming things like that BUT nevertheless I do. =X .. Boo to stereotypes.</p>

<p>The average GPA for the football team was 3.077 for 2005, 3.13 in 2004, and 3.21 in 2003.</p>

<p>In 2005 the class breakdown was rising seniors 3.24, rising juniors 2.94, and rising sophomores 3.08.</p>

<p>patsfan, where do you get your stats on GPA?</p>

<p>what pats are you a fan of?</p>

<p>newmassdad</p>

<p>My son is on the football team at UChicago. The stats come directly from the football coach.</p>

<p>New Engand Patriots - season ticket holder for 12 years</p>