hey kids. Honestly I’ve been reading this thread for weeks, procrastinating lots of homework in the process. UC is the only extremely selective school I applied to, because it’s the only extremely selective school I want to go to. I feel like I have a great “fit” for UC so I hope that is evident and helpful in my app, since this school has my heart (as it seems to have a lot of ours). Best of luck to us all!
Best of luck guys!! Hope we all get in <3
Here is the countdown to the EA results:
http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20151218T16&p0=64&msg=UChicago+EA+Results%21&font=cursive
According to UChicago’s website, results will be declared sometime late afternoon but, applicants will be notified by email. See link @
https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/
Just for comparison I’ll give you the acceptance stats of two schools in my area:
Magnet high school-
GPA: 4.35
SAT: 2294
SAT (CR+M): 1527
ACT: 34
Applicants: 113
Highly regarded suburban high school:
GPA: 4.31
SAT: 2186
SAT (CR+M): 1480
ACT: 30
Applicants: 33
@goingnutsmom - Sadly, stats are not as important to U Chicago as to other typical schools (IVYs or otherwise like MIT, Stanford, etc.) - or at least based on what they state in their website (and from friends who currently attend there). Essays, recommendations are the key.
To b honest, personally, I felt that their essay was THE Most intellectually challenging essay topic in the entire US. Anything one answers could be wrong and right at the same time. Personally, I loved it and believe did well.
Most schools ask the basic question: “Why this school?”. Uchicago dares to assess the intellectual vitality of the student. Found a few other schools with similar essay topics like Harvard and Stanford.
The friends I refer to have comparable stats as you have stated.
^ So as you can see- it’s very competitive. I was surprised at the high GPA. While I know that UChicago stresses the essays a lot, I’m still seeing that the stats are really high for GPA and test scores.
UChicago is increasingly becoming more competitive and maybe attractive to kids that are applying to Ivy and other selective colleges. For example, I’ve noticed a number of applicants on this thread applying ED elsewhere.
For my D who was never interested in Ivies, UChicago offered something very different and this ID what attracted her to it. I think that this was more typical of the students who use to apply. Now, I’m noticing more crossover.
I wonder how this will impact admissions and the cohort that matriculated.
I’m not sure that Stanford’s essay really assesses intellectual vitality. There’s only so much you can learn from a 250-word piece, which is essentially a glorified paragraph.
Harvard leaves more scope for a student to showcase his/her intellectual depth and breadth, although requiring only the one essay does limit the perspectives it can provide - I feel this is one reason UChicago requires two and allows you to write a third. If I was tasked with creating a university in an ideal world, without resources as a constraint (within reason), I’d go so far as to require 4-5 essays, but in asking for 2-3 essays of some length Chicago already expects more of applicants than 90% of schools.
Again, I understand that the essays are important. I have repeatedly heard this on multiple sources. But you cannot ignore the data. The stats are highly competitive.
I sincerely wish good luck to everyone on this thread.
Of course, good stats are better than bad stats. That’s true anywhere. It’s just that there is a lot more taken into consideration.
@goingnutsmom While they claim only to “consider” test scores, and rank essays ahead of GPA, we also know that a high GPA is the first hurdle to clear for any applicant without a 1-in-1000 hook at highly selective schools. The same can likely be said of test scores.
Some people have speculated that test scores have been given more weight in recent years than Chicago is willing to admit, as they’ve mounted a sustained effort to move up in the US News & World Report rankings. The only kid to get accepted from my school last year had the highest SAT score of his class, although - being a STEM applicant - writing wasn’t his specialty, and he himself judged his essays pedestrian.
Even when universities offer some insight into the black box of admissions, one wonders to what extent students’ outcomes will reflect the schools’ official stance.
@NotVerySmart - Other than UChicago, followed by Harvard and Stanford, and little with Columbia, I can’t find another university with such non-linear and disruptive thinking topics for an essay. I love this sort of non-linear and disruptive thinking process - bcoz, that is the step to creative thinking (IMHO). :-*
@goingnutsmom - What you have stated is true but we don’t see the stats for all the students. I am amazed at the student population stats as well. This is one of the very few colleges where the stats makes good sense - i.e. every great student has a decent chance to excel.
In all other universities, I see reservations, quotas, limitations to restrict applicants which makes me think that the process is bound to be flawed for some unknown and secretive reasons. 
Actually, with our Naviance system, I can see quite a lot of information. There is a scattergram, acceptance and application history and school statistics with EA information and RD information, not just averages. With the magnet school, the accepted applicants are without a doubt very highly qualified stats wise. With the suburban school, I noticed that most were also highly qualified but some outliers as well. Maybe URM or athletes or essay standouts? IDK.
It is stressful waiting. But it’ll work out one way or another for everyone. Where you go to school does not determine your self worth.
You guys must go to good schools. On my Naviance, we’ve had 4 people apply to Rice (well, 3 got in), 1 to UChicago (he got in), and that’s it.
This is my second rodeo (with my D) and have a son in college. We were all really tense with my S when we were waiting on acceptances. With my D, not as much. Because we know that where ever she lands, she will be OK. It’s really more important to maximize the opportunities once you are there- where ever that may be because every college will have those opportunities.
when i visited UChicago they did say that they only accept 30% of students with perfect scores…
I like those odds!
@senior4031 That’s still almost 4x the overall rate, and higher by 5% or 10% than the rate at several Ivies.
There’s some correlation, of course - kids with perfect scores also tend to have good grades and strong extracurriculars - but it certainly appears they provide a boost.
As an international applicant, does asking for FA reduce your chances of admission?
@zeeaich Yes!
@Livingteen1209 Aahh I’m so nervous. Where are you from?