<p>I agree with chad. This is a really stupid discussion. The reason why the acceptance rate is so high isn't because of the uncommon app (the lower application number might have a little bit to do with it), but it is more to do with the fact that UChicago students are self selecting and a lot of smart kids choose not to apply because the coursework is notoriously difficult. I think the latter has more to do with it.
The lower yield is due to this also, less people who get into other prestigious schools go to chicago because they get scared or want the instant name recognition, perhaps they have issues with money too and get awesome scholarships from a different school. Who knows?
Chicago is an awesome school, and so are Stanford, Harvard, Hopkins, Cornell, Yale, Princeton et all. So stop this freaking bs to try to make some of yourselves feel better. It honestly looks like you already have an inferiority complex and you want to make it up to yourself by belittling other schools. That's not what UChicago is about, and if you make it like that, then you've ruined an awesome institution.</p>
<p>I don't know how to further respond - or what you are even trying to get out of me. If it is about my claims of Stanford, I already told you where I received that information. And, based on what I have heard, it is not as appealing to me as Chicago.</p>
<p>And what have you argued? I don't know. That is what I am trying to figure out.</p>
<p>Like I said before, I would rather not argue. ridethecliche put it well; this has gone on far enough.</p>
<p>Finally decided to turn down UofChicago for NYU CAS. Reasons because of the crap financial aid Chicago gave me (zilch) and NYU just made me an offer I couldn't resist.</p>
<p>masha!!! congrats on NYU!! but how sad that i wont be able to meet u at uchic!
but keep in touch okie? :)</p>
<p>whoa katheros, it really seems that stanford is really under your skin. noone ever mentioned it as far as i can tell, yet you went off on it. scary. is it because your dad went there and he's disappointed that you're not? there's this whole psychological thing going on there. tell your old man that uchi is the stanford of the midwest (please don't mention the high admit rate though) and he'll probably cut you some slack.</p>
<p>Reading this thread is really interesting. In any case, I understand the need to defend one's school. But in all honesty, I have to agree with some of the things BlacknBlue has said in the previous posts. </p>
<p>Personally speaking for me, UChicago is my landing spot because I either got rejected or waitlisted at other top colleges. My dream school was Stanford, but I didn't think I would get in, so I wasn't that crushed. I got waitlisted at Northwestern and Rice and rejected from Johns Hopkins. Now, I figured my chances at those three schools were ok, since college admissions is such a crapshoot these days. </p>
<p>I have to say that if I had gotten into Rice or Johns Hopkins, I can almost say I would've chosen those schools over UChi (pending fin aid and visiting the schools). I live in Chicago, so I kind of wanted to get away for a bit. It's not that I had anything against UChi (I knew it was a fantastic school), it just wasn't my top choice while applying. Now, I liked Rice and Johns Hopkins, and I was kind of bummed out I didn't get in, but it really doesn't matter to me now. </p>
<p>I am PERFECTLY happy and actually, very excited to be going to UChicago next year. Just because I'm going there because I didn't get into my top choices doesn't mean I can't be thrilled about it. And that, I think, is what BnB is talking about (correct me if I'm wrong). He's just talking about what kind of students end up there. UChi is a fantastic school, so it really doesn't matter how you ended up there, whether it was your top choice, or (like me) you didn't get in to your other choices. I don't think it takes away from the school at all. I can't generalize, but I'm just speaking from personal experience.</p>
<p>bobbobbob,</p>
<p>Someone else on CC has a daughter who was accepted to both Chicago and Brown and decided to attend Brown.</p>
<p>The schools are so different, especially the Core vs. no Core thing. Why did you apply to both, and what do you find more attractive about Brown?</p>
<hr>
<p>Well for me, the #1 thing for my choice of college is academics. Both Chicago and Brown are VERY strong in my intended majors, with the definite nod to Chicago on Econ. Also, I honestly dont mind the Core except for the math classes so that isnt really an issue to me. However, the open curiculum at Brown is what tipped the scales for me because of the fact that it would be very easy for me to double concentrate in two completely different field (bio and econ/IR), meanwhile it would have been VERY difficult for me to double major at Chicago, both due to the intensity of the econ program and the Core that is in place.</p>
<p>This arguement is simple. BnB is trying to say that Harvard, Yale, Princeton, blah blah will not accept students that Chicago will. I think we can all agree on this point. Now as far as using this as a measure of how good of a school Chicago is, I don't agree with. BnB, what is your point in saying that it is easier, actually very easier to get into Chicago than several other schools? Is Amherst over twice as good of a school as Chicago because they have half the acceptance rate? What is the point you are trying to prove?</p>
<p>twilight: so eloquent</p>
<p>michaelburt: there is no point to prove. the uchi forum is unique in that more than any other school forum, it if filled with parents and students that need, no crave, the validation that they, or their s and d, attend a school that is not only a great institution for learning, but perceived by everyone as, for lack of a better word, attractive to all applying students as the ivies, mit stanford et al. it is simply not so. so any mention of this achilles heel brings a fresh round of the same tired rebuttals...self selection, nobel laureates, i know a friend of a friend whose friend chose uchi over princeton etc etc. the fact is simply that if uchi played with all those other schools in the neighborhood playground, the yield figures would set uchi apart as just a day visitor in the neighborhood. why can't the uchi apologists just revel in the greatness of their institution, why is it always our sat scores are just as good as the ivies, the ivies are all about grade inflation...you earn your grades at uchi, ivies are all about networking...we're about the learning, ivies are actually inferior to uchi because uchi celebrates intellectualism...the ivies don't. anyone see a thread here. i didn't make up all these statements. uchi apologists did. maybe that's the point michaelburt. i, for one, think you made the right choice. then again, who the f am I anyway?</p>
<p>So, why are you wasting your time here?</p>
<p>Well thanks for the support BnB, but I'm not saying that for you. Chicago is a god damned awesome school so what is their to argue about? The quality of education is just as good as an Ivy education. In hindsight, these arguements are very immature. Just leave it at the fact that Chicago is pretty easy to get into but an excellent school nonetheless.</p>
<p>If you ask a student who goes to a (good/decent) state school and then transfers to a prestigious school, then unless the experience totally sucked, they will say that the academics are comparable just the student body is a lot smarter.
Undergrad really isn't THAT different, certain programs being set aside.
I talked to kids when I was visiting wesleyan, one of them didn't get into brown and transferred to brown from wes as a freshman. They transferred back during sophy year because they just liked it more at wes. Brown clearly has more prestige, but to each their own.
There are enough kids who get into chicago who also get into other 'top' schools, but I think each college tries to attract certain kinds of students, which is why harvard might accept a student who gets rejected from princeton, and waitlisted at columbia, while getting into a dual degree program for life sciences and wharton at Upenn.</p>
<p>Chicago isn't easy to get into. I didn't get in :-P and I'd like to say that i'm no fool, but hell I'm biased and being rank one in my school doesn't mean jack **** anyway haha.</p>
<p>No offense, but you just have to play the game to get in anywhere. I got crappy grades all thorugh highschool and will graduate somewhere around 20% with decent SAT scores and I got in, as well as some other very good schools. With that being said, 40% acceptance is twice as high as other schools on par with uofc.</p>
<p>out of curiosity, what schools would those be?</p>
<p>Yea I got waitlisted, some of you guys really take uchi for granted. I'd love to attend UChi just for the opportunity to conduct research at Fermilab. Then there's the core, the quarter system, and just the culture of the school that really separates UChi from the rest. You guys school be happy with UChi because if I were in your positions I'd take UChi in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>Well needless to say good to everyone next year, hopefully the admissions office has an epiphany and decides to take me off the waitlist ; )</p>
<p>BlacknBlue-</p>
<p>I didn't even apply to Stanford, by the way. My dad received his PhD from Chicago, a place where he found he truly was pushed to learn. </p>
<p>I must say my parents are very happy with Chicago.</p>
<p>samcold-</p>
<p>I wish you the best in getting off that waitlist! You know what you are talking about and what UChi offers. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>samcold: it won't take an epiphany, just an average uchi yield year and you should have a great chance of getting in.</p>
<p>Bump.......</p>
<p>i chose JHU over chicago.... despite all the nasty things being said about hopkins on this forum :). i definitely think that it just comes down to fit and location and the school's strength in your intended major. for me, i knew that i wanted to go to hopkins when i got chills at the international studies meeting :). thank god for admitted students days...</p>