Supplementary Material for Deferred Students

<p>I've noticed that people have mentioned sending in additional material for the admissions office to look at, such as "January letters." I don't want to send a ridiculous amount of additional material, but I do want them to understand that I am still extremely interested in the school and willing to convey my passion, work ethic, admiration of the school, etc. What would you all recommend a deferred student send/not send to enhance his or her chances? An extra essay, recommendation, refined list of extracurricular activities, or none of these? And if an essay, what should the essay focus on, or what should be addressed in this essay? I don't want to display myself as being pompous or anything like that, but I want to give them a strong second impression and a good reason to fully reconsider my application.</p>

<p>I think this list is going to change for each person.</p>

<p>For me, I had two people on the back burner whom I hadn't asked for recommendations whom I was going to ask to write letters for me. (I only sent in two recommendations). One was going to be from my adviser from a club and the other was going to be from an English teacher who offered to write on my behalf.</p>

<p>I probably would have sent those two pieces in, along with a "Why Chicago part 2.0."</p>

<p>BUT... and here's a big thing... I would recommend not to think about these things right now. It's very easy to feel hurt, bitter, and disappointed, and your desire to change those feelings might be driving your desire to be admitted to the school. So, you want to be careful that your materials don't smell of "ADMIT MEEEEEE PLEEEEEEEASE!" and rather, "I think I'd be an awesome dude at your school.... still."</p>

<p>The only way to write that kind of letter, I think, is to make sure that you're approaching it calmly and rationally, and with a lot of space in between the time you receive your decision and the time you start writing.</p>

<p>I always thought that it would've been unfair for the RD admissions students to send extra recommendations, but I guess they're accepting it?</p>

<p>for the deferred students in the RD pool to send extra recs that is</p>

<p>S sent in extra recs for the EA round. His regular recs were from his AP World History and CS teachers, and his extra recs were from his research mentor and the director at a summer math program who both know him very well. They could all fill in different pieces of the puzzle -- at least that was S's hope in choosing them! He only saw one of the letters -- from his research mentor. He could not have dreamed of better support.</p>

<p>Agree with Unalove about not sounding too needy -- I posted on one of these threads in the past few days that Chicago will ask you to self-report your mid-year grades. That's a fine time to add anything meaningful you might want to share.</p>

<p>To unalove:</p>

<p>How would sending in a "Why Chicago part 2.0" help in any way? Besides, there aren't so many things to really write about. </p>

<p>Wouldn't the admissions office wonder why you didn't include all these somewhere in your earlier application? Wouldn't it sound like what you are advising others not to do, in terms of not sounding "ADMIT MEEEEEE PLEEEEEEEASE!"?</p>

<p>I think it's nice to write something, and I think if you clearly and honestly explain to the admissions office that Chicago as a school still appeals to you, then I think that counts for something.</p>

<p>If you don't think you'd be able to write a letter like that without coming off as desperate, then don't. But I think it might be nice to have something, even if it's just a paragraph or even a few sentences.</p>

<p>A deferred student on the Chicago blog said she wrote a 6 page essay expressing her interest in chicago and 3 supplemental essays.</p>

<p>That's a lot of interest!</p>

<p>Edmandoo, I'd call it overkill.</p>

<p>That's what I thought too...but maybe the 6 pages can all be meaningful and honest.</p>