@shadyconcepts Actually, today I went to an information session for UChicago and found out that there’s a slightly higher admissions rate for EA. At the same time, though, it’s because those kiddos generally know that they want to go there and have put in 120% of their energy into the app.
@PunsPunsPuns Haha exactly what I expected. not sure if I want to get my grades up and wait or just go ahead and do it… I have good standardized scores and I’m gonna try to get the essays on time so I guess we’ll see! Thanks for that info 
I’m currently an upcoming junior. I was sick for two weeks during my freshman and junior year. I missed school for 3 days during my illness, but I went afterwards. I was very fatigued to work. I also have a potential blood disease. I also have to take care of my family, as my father works 3 hours away, and I don’t see him until the weekends. My current GPA is a 3.124. I will take 6 virtual classes(4 AP’s, 2 honors) along with 6 classes at school(All Ap’s) to try to raise my unweighted GPA to a 3.708 by the end of junior year. My weighted will put me at the top 25-30 people out of a class of 489. I will also have tons of awards this year. I will most likely make it to the Chemistry Olympiad top 20 camp, mock trial top 3 at state, envirothon top 10, and FAMAT top 10 Math competitor. I will also create two clubs in my school that I have a passion of leading to high competitions(Science bowl and debate). I will be a treasurer of my school’s finance club. I will also research polymers at my local college. My ACT is a 36. Do I have a chance EA at Uchicago with my circumstances? I’m sorry for the long reply.
Guys for essay option #2 do you think it matters if i just talk about one paradox instead of the plurality it asks for? Thank you!
RoSoccer101. Yes I believe you do. You have an interesting story.
@adrenalinegirl NO WAY ME TOO! Im taking a Gap Year and part of the Class of 2020 as well!
This years essay prompts seem very interesting and cool and from the ideas I’ve already seen on here I know you all will do amazing! Can’t wait to see everyone next fall!!!
Chicago admission is a crape shoot, so apply, don’t count on it until you really got in, especially do not emphasize your illness, everyone has an excuse for bad grade, illness is the easiest excuse.
I will just simply state it on my application. Nothing else will be said about it. I don’t want to write a generic sob story.
I’ve started working on my essays, and I have one that is a favorite of mine. It really shows off my unique personality and interests, but also (as far as I believe) gives an original example of order within disorder. However, anyone I tell about it gives me the, “What on EARTH are you DOING?” face.
I’m not insane to want to submit the essay that’s a bit out of the ordinary but I’m really passionate about, correct? I wouldn’t send it to other colleges, but I feel like it fits UChicago and it fits me.
@RoSoccer101 when I applied last year, the Common App has a space where you can talk about anything you want the colleges you’re applying to to know about regarding your life or your health. I went through a bit of a health episode myself, so I used the space for that so that I didn’t write the generic sob story as a main essay Good luck!
So im about to enter my first year at Uchicago and figured I’d quickly post a few stats given at the Admitted Student Overnight that could benefit those who are of the opinion that applying RD is in their best interest:
Uchicago had an 11% acceptance rate for EA, 4% acceptance rate for RD, and <1% acceptance rate for EA students who were deferred to RD for the Class of 2019.
Personally I was among the less than 1 percent who were deferred and then accepted in RD though, so don’t get too discouraged if you are deferred! Just be sure to send them some sort of letter of continued interest and you should still have a fair chance.
Yo, does anyone know if you can use IMAGES on your essay questions? Since we can upload PDFs, I’m really tempted to.
So does anyone have a lot of knowledge on their No Barriers program? They say there would be no application fee for anyone who applies for financial aid, but wouldn’t that meant the majority of applicants would apply for free?
@whizkid98 From what I understand, yes, that’s the case. Most people don’t pay the application fee. Which kind of makes sense in the context of their low admission rates – why wouldn’t you apply if it’s free?
^ If you know you do not have the stats and you know you don’t write great essays, you wouldn’t apply even you may not need to pay application fee. Why? It would be a waste of effort and time. Most high school students are smart enough to know that. Low admit rate is not due to no application fee. It’s because more bright and qualified students have discovered the understated greatness of UChicago and applied. That’s why.
It use to be that students applying to UChicago were a pretty self selecting bunch. From the time my S graduated high school in 2012 to my D’s upcoming graduation, it seems a lot has changed. You couldn’t pay kids to apply to UChicago in my S’s cohort. Only those that had researched the school and knew about the intensity and wanted that applied. It just wasn’t popular.
Now, it seems that kids know about it and are applying but they only know about the school on a very superficial level sometimes. A girl that I know is applying. When I asked her why she was applying, she only could answer that it was high on US News rankings and that Obama had graduated from there. And it was easy to get in because the average SAT was only 1560. Many misconceptions. This girl would absolutely not fit in with the environment. But in her mind, it’s a popular school and she received lots of mail from them, so they must want her, right?
So I don’t venture to think that I might know what makes kids apply to the schools that they do or presume that they would select themselves in or out because they know better. Most kids don’t really take the time to research the schools on their list. Kids on CC are the exception, I think.
Excited to be applying EA! UChicago has been one of my top choices for a long time, and it would be awesome having an acceptance for Christmas.
Ok! My D will be officially applying to UChicago EA! She did an overnight stay then went to the Columbus Day Open House and absolutely loved it. By far her favorite college tour experience. Good luck to all!!
GC told me today that my extended essay looks ready to send. Looking forward to sending my full application off in a week’s time or so, and glad to be joining the other class of 2020 EA applicants here.
My AP lit teacher told me my essays look great–especially the uncommon essay. I’ll be submitting my application as soon as I get my letters in.