<p>I'm planning to apply to UChicago as an EA applicant and have begun looking over the Un-Common Application and filling out all of the minor areas first. However, I have some questions about the application, and was wondering if you could help me out.</p>
<p>1.) As I'm filling out the EC area, it asks for hours per week and things like that. Now, this can be applied to things I do all year such as fine arts or journalism, but what about the smaller things? For example, I want to state in my EC area that I studied abroad in Japan for 1 month, but there is no way I can specify that...Should I specify my more obscure ECs in the additional comments section?</p>
<p>2.) I've heard from my counselor and from various other people that UCs fine arts program (more specifically, the visual arts program) is not as well developed as it should be. I've been told my consistent interest in visual arts through high school may be a rewarding in my application to UC. How is UCs visual arts program? Please understand that I ask this more out of curiosity rather than to see how my chances for admission are.</p>
<p>3.) UChicago requires that you send in two reccommendations from teachers from two different fields; english/social studies and math/science. The difficulty I have is that 1. Math and science are not my strong suits, and 2. My chemistry and physics teacher left last year. Ive only known my bio teacher for one year, and Ive had 2 different math teachers, neither of which know me too well...How should I best approach this reccommendation issue?</p>
<p>Get a rec from math/science, no matter what. Chicago is pretty firm on this one and wants to see students who are committed to academic pursuit despite the subject. It doesn't mean they are looking for all-around geniuses, but they are looking for students who can handle Core, among other things.</p>
<p>If you want to add a supplemental rec and you think it will really help you, go ahead. Just don't get too rec-happy.</p>
<p>Chicago is not an arts school, but I've met some very talented artists here. Considering that we're about to build a multimillion-dollar arts center (scheduled to be open in 2010), I would say that Chicago is definitely trying to push the arts.</p>
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For example, I want to state in my EC area that I studied abroad in Japan for 1 month, but there is no way I can specify that...Should I specify my more obscure ECs in the additional comments section?
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<p>That makes a lot of sense, or you could include it in your essay.</p>
<p>I agree that your abroad experience could go in additional comments.. I believe I mentioned awards and an internship in my additional comments section.</p>
<p>So things like studying abroad, working on a masterwork (kind of like a senior thesis, except the masterwork program is optional) and things like that are probably better in the additional comments section, right? </p>
<p>I'll probably wind up asking either my Bio teacher or math teacher for a rec. Would it be better to choose my Bio teacher if she was my Bio teacher for 1 year AND my masterwork coordinator? Or my math teacher who I will have for 3 years by the time I finish high school?</p>
<p>Could I send in 1 rec from my english teacher, 1 rec from math/science teacher, and 1 <em>additional</em> rec from my Spanish teacher??? I'm really into languages, and he has been my spanish teacher for, well, most of middle school and all of high school...</p>
<p>And does UChicago also ask for a college counselor letter too?</p>
<p>Can't answer about the Bio/math rec but S did send a supplemental Spanish rec--he says there is a form for it. He also says that the school counselor rec is also requested and there is a form for that one too.
He sent a separate ec sheet that was really simple, easy to read and it organized everything he wanted the school to know about. He found the app form a little unsatisfying somehow.</p>
<p>It's not a problem to do the app online and send info on paper too. Everything from the HS and all teacher recs are sent on paper. I don't know it S sent his extra bit of paper separately or asked his counselor to include it in the school packet, but it didn't seem to be a problem.</p>
<p>Honestly, you want to get the recommendation from the person who knows you and has the most personal interest in you. You want recommendations from people who actually care whether or not you make it into the school, and aren't just going to write a paragraph about your academic strengths, but rather illustrate both your academic talents and your character. So choose the one you're on the best terms with. If it turns out to be the one who's not sponsoring your masterwork, then have that teacher mention that you're doing one in their rec.</p>
<p>Yeah, that's definetely understandable, but the problem is that I just don't have a remarkable connection with my math and science teachers...I don't know who to pick. </p>
<p>I'll just see how the first few weeks go and make my decision.</p>
<p>I've been thinking more and more about applying EA and I'm considering its disadvantages...For one, I will not have my senior FIRST SEMESTER grades. What I will have, however, are my quarter grades. </p>
<p>Could/should I send these in with my EA app?</p>