<p>How much do you guys think the 25% increase in applications will affect selectivity? I mean, the acceptance rate will most likely drop, but how much better do you think the average accepted applicant has to be than applicants in previous years? Or will admissions still significantly weight the essays?</p>
<p>The applicant pool size generally, but not consistently, correlates with quality. Selectivity will definitely be raised but not to the same extent as the increase in size.</p>
<p>“Or will admissions still significantly weight the essays?”
As far as I’m concerned, essays are always weighted significantly.</p>
<p>@lovebrown: Sassy gay friend reference?! Omg I don’t even know you but you’re awesome</p>
<p>I would certainly think they weigh the essays significantly given the fact they have some of the most creative essay questions.</p>
<p>1) Where are you from?
A land of busy-ness, college research, and scholarship applications.</p>
<p>2) When you submitted your application
Do not remember the exact day and time. </p>
<p>3) How long/hard you WORKED on your app (very applicable for UChicago :P)
Oh I do not even know. A long time? A long time.</p>
<p>4) Did you do the optional favorites essay?
YUS. based on the prompt and the fact that they have 3 other essays, and from reading the essays of previous admitted students I got the impression that this one could be a lot more casual. So I wrote about how I love Star Wars, and unlike the rest of the world, I much prefer the prequel to original trilogy (don’t hate). I think it was intelligently written and concise, so pretty happy with that. </p>
<p>5) The topic you chose for your creative essay?
Don’t write about reverse psychology. Awwwwww yeah.</p>
<p>6) In your opinion, which was your best essay?
My ‘Why UChicago?’ was really strong, but much longer than they were expecting. Either that or my Common App.</p>
<p>7) What you want to major in
TAPS</p>
<p>8) Whether Chicago’s a safety/likely/reach school for you
Reach. As it is for everyone. Although, sadly, it is much more likely than most of my other schools. (I am going for acting, so most of my schools accept only 10-30 into the program each year, out of thousands who audition. :/)</p>
<p>9) How badly do you want to go on a scale of 1 to 10?
10*
(*that being said, there are 2 other schools on my list that are also 10s because of their theatre programs)</p>
<p>GO PHEONIXES</p>
<p>From past threads and past applicants, it seems that UChicago weighs the essays more heavily than do other schools. Some have said that a less-competitive applicant will get in over a more-competitive one with stellar essays. What I meant to ask: do you think this will hold true with the increase in applications?</p>
<p>I’m just curious. I suppose it doesn’t really matter since there’s nothing we can change about our apps at this point.</p>
<p>I think the factors will still weigh relatively the same. Now it’s probably be more likely that it will be mostly people with very good stats AND essays… But still very holistic and everything and stuff.</p>
<p>I agree with Amelia. I think the increase in the applicant pool will likely be bringing in more stronger applications.</p>
<p>I think the only thing left to do is stock the house with party supplies and tissues. If it comes down to the tissues, at least you can eat the party snacks.</p>
<p>1) Where are you from?
IL</p>
<p>2) When you submitted your application
November 1st</p>
<p>3) How long/hard you WORKED on your app (very applicable for UChicago :P)
Hours. Definitely hours.</p>
<p>4) Did you do the optional favorites essay?
Yup. I thought it was pretty unconventional. Actually, I thought all of my UChicago essays were on the quirky side…though, I hope, not overly quirky. D:</p>
<p>5) The topic you chose for your creative essay?
In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, pose a question of your own.
Question: How do you know if It’s alive?</p>
<p>6) In your opinion, which was your best essay?
Favorites, maybe.</p>
<p>7) What you want to major in
Public Policy/Cinema…the Big Problems program looks interesting…or maybe Tutorial? Can’t decide!</p>
<p>8) Whether Chicago’s a safety/likely/reach school for you
This isn’t really a question. /: Nobody on here has said anything but “reach…”</p>
<p>9) How badly do you want to go on a scale of 1 to 10?
ahhhhhhh 9 or higher? every school on my list is somewhere i would want to go…but UChicago is definitely up there. When it comes down to it, though, I’m probably going to go to the school that gives me the least amount of loans…ohhhhh i can’t wait 20 more days ):</p>
<p>PS. Hey, APChemistry, if you happen to read this again, did you happen to go to the Open House a couple weeks back? It can’t possibly be coincidence that some kid was wearing an AP Chemistry sweatshirt. I wanted to go up and give you a high five. I < 3 Chemistry.</p>
<p>1) Where you’re from
: Prefer not to tell? (:
2) When you submitted your application
: October 22nd? idk
3) How long/hard you WORKED on your app (very applicable for UChicago :P)
: hah literally for weeks
4) Did you do the optional favorites essay?
: No… I have one, but decided not to submit it, so if I were to get deferred, I’ll be submitting it
5) The topic you chose for your creative essay?
: Describe a time when you found something you weren’t looking for (Scavenger Hunt). This was definitely an art essay, so I decided not to submit the optional.
6) In your opinion, which was your best essay?
: ScavHunt
7) What you want to major in
: Public Policy Studies
8) Whether Chicago’s a safety/likely/reach school for you
: 
9) How badly do you want to go on a scale of 1 to 10?
: Used to be like a 8, but now it’s more like a 9.99999 because of my interview experience. Gahhh! Long story. But I applied ED to another institution so…</p>
<p>Good luck everyone! :)</p>
<p>@Insouciant - I love you for picking up on the reference. Let’s both be accepted so we can be bfflz.</p>
<p>@godukeyee</p>
<p>let me guess…Duke?</p>
<p>@Indigoxox: I was not at the open house then. I visited last May and the campus was quite lovely then. I wish I had an AP Chem class shirt though… I love chemistry too…</p>
<p>^ haha, slightly awkward. XD Yeah, it was a class sweatshirt. Must’ve been a helluva chem class. I wish I knew what it was like in the spring. Both times I went it was freezing cold and all the flowers in the quad were dead-looking. Still love it though. (:</p>
<p>@nondairycreamer</p>
<p>haha, good try, but Duke is by no means my first choice school (I love it though… just not the best school for me academically, I’d say)… I’m a huge Duke (sports) fan though! :)</p>
<p>@Insouciant and @LovesBrown</p>
<p>I approve of your references to Sassy Gay Friend!</p>
<p>16 days left!!!</p>
<p>GPA:3.6- but i go to a very prestigious/difficult private school, not some bum public school
SAT: 2070, 1390
Good activities + good essays
I know my stats may be a bit low, but I’m a Legacy so that will prob even it out, and hopefully get me in.
how are my chances?</p>
<p>I’ve been reading this for awhile now, so I figured I might as well finally join and stop creeping!</p>
<p>1) Where are you from?
Chicago.</p>
<p>2) When you submitted your application
Around the middle of October. It was my first app submitted. </p>
<p>3) How long/hard you WORKED on your app (very applicable for UChicago :P)
One hour for the Why UChicago? and around three hours for the quirky optional essay. I knew what I wanted to say for them so it all kind of flowed out. </p>
<p>4) Did you do the optional favorites essay?
Nope. </p>
<p>5) The topic you chose for your creative essay?
Playdoh → Plato. </p>
<p>6) In your opinion, which was your best essay?
I really liked both of mine, to be honest. My Why UChicago was very specific and personalized and emphasized the ties I have with the school, while my optional essay was fun and interestingly quirky while still deep (I hope!).</p>
<p>7) What you want to major in
Econ/psychology. </p>
<p>8) Whether Chicago’s a safety/likely/reach school for you
Safety-likely. I know this sounds very presumptuous, but I have close ties to the school (not a legacy). </p>
<p>9) How badly do you want to go on a scale of 1 to 10?
8-9. I also applied to a school ED, and while at first I wasn’t that into UChicago, I really found myself loving it more and more as I wrote my essays. </p>
<p>GAH! It’s December already!! Only two more weeks until we find out…good luck to everyone who applied! Did any of you do the interview/how did yours go?</p>