<p>Hi all!
I've recently visited UChicago- and interviewed and it was simply amazing and it has skyrocketed to being my first choice. </p>
<p>I'm a little torn about applying- because even though it is early action, my admissions counselor makes it binding (very confusing- but a practice to help schools out with yields) </p>
<p>My test scores and everything else seem to be on par with uchicago's standards; however my grades are my main concern- being a little bit lower than those typically receiving acceptances from my school. </p>
<p>So I guess the question is - do I apply early to Chicago- or do I apply to a smaller school, where an early application can help my application.</p>
<h2>Thank you so much for taking you time to read this ! This process is really stressing me out and it would be great to hear some feedback. </h2>
<p>A little information about myself-
Asian male at very small competitive school in NYC (more than half of last years graduating class went to Ivys+Stanford)
SATs: 750 CR 800 M (planning on retaking bc of writing score)
SAT II : 800 M2 800 Chinese 790 Lit
GPA : a little bit away from the cluster on naviance (too embarrasing to say out loud here)
APs: AP Scholar with Distinction
Extracurrics: President/ director of two very high profile organizations- featured in nytimes etc. , president of gsa and Asian students group, teaching assistant to program that teaches art history/ urban planning to middle schoolers in under served communities- also have done some museum education + art history research that have been published- and won a national award, spoken at national conferences regarding research etc., also I've worked at one of the largest advocacy organization throughout high school as a paid intern, also co-created and co-facilitated a coursera class on art history
Intended Major: art history and gender studies</p>
<p>It might be that you GC would be the best one to advise you in this situation, as s/he would understand your stats and personal qualities in the context of your school. Of course if it is really your first choice school, go for it. And as always, give yourself enough time to nail your essays.</p>
This sounds very odd - are you saying that your guidance counselor is making you commit to wherever you get into EA? Sure, if this has been made a practice at your school then it would definitely look good upon you and other students from your school in the admissions process (because the university could count on you to bump up their yield rate), but it doesn’t sound like your counselor is “on your side” during the admissions process, so to speak.</p>
<p>
EA does help in UChicago admissions - even though it is nonbinding and thus theoretically shouldn’t confer an advantage to applicants, in the past few years the RD admissions rate has been approximately half, or maybe less than half, of the EA admissions rate. Applying RD also opens yourself up to competition from those prestige-grubbing HYPS restrictive EA applicants, so if you’re worried about competition then the chances get even slimmer. :P</p>
<p>Aside from that, you look really solid, and your intended majors meld well with your past experience. UChicago doesn’t use the writing score in the admissions process (why use it when applicants write 3 essays?), so retaking the SAT for a better writing score should be viewed only as an improvement for applications to your RD schools. Like tttm321 said, just nail your essays, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you got in.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’d say you’re pretty much set with stats and extra curriculars. As long as you write pretty solid essays you should have a good chance. I would say go for it seeing as it is your first choice. Also, what’s up with that school counseling? Can they really force you to take an application as binding? It seems fishy.</p>
<p>Dude - you have an admissions counselor that is working for him or herself, not for you.</p>
<p>You need to challenge this!</p>
<p>Is this your school’s policy or just your admission counselor’s?</p>
<p>Whosever policy it is , they are looking out for themselves, most definitely not for you.</p>
<p>They are putting you at a serious competitive disadvantage in what is already a stressful and arduous process!</p>
<p>^ Are they refusing to send transcripts to more than one EA?ED school?</p>
<p>You should shout this policy to whomever will hear it (including the AOs at all of the EA colleges) in the hopes that everyone will realize it is so wrong and someone might try to do something about it.</p>