Yes absolutely sure than the RD rate was approximately 2%. I think that rate was the low for all universities. Like @JBStillFlying still flying mentioned Jim Nondorf confirmed it at the admitted student overnight. Will that hold true for 2018 admits, who knows? UChicago has a history of self selecting admits, in this case it’s still self selecting but through ED. There are whole threads on this particular issue and the surprising numbers that came out of the 2021 class admitted through ED/EA/RD. Seems like most of the RD admits had significant hooks (first generation, etc.) speculation on my part, from just the few I met.
IMHO, UChicago will continue to see self-selection via ED/EDII; however, perhaps those binding vs. non-binding admit rates will get a bit closer to one another in future years. This was the first year of ED/EDII and obviously the take-away for many who were following the process is that a binding Early Decision of some kind will be the way to go in the future, especially given the high number of ED/EDII enrollees this year. Expect to see future ED/EDII admit rates at less than 30% due to 1) more shifting to this strategy and away from non-binding; and 2) more applying overall (the AO took a 3,000 application hit this year for various reasons but that might well be temporary).
Hi! I’m applying this fall ED II
We reviewed the 2017-2018 essay questions when they first came out and noticed it was the usual three. Why Chicago, Favorite things and extended essay. My son looked tonight and now it is only listing two. There is no longer a favorites essay listed. Does anyone know anything about this?
Is there any considerable benefit to applying EA because I really want to apply early for Chicago.
Might be a small benefit but it’s hard to say, the significant benefit appears to come only from ED.
EA admit rate this year was better than RD but still very low compared to ED and most likely EDII as well.
My D got her SAT score 1540 but it’s her 3rd time try. She didnt do well on the previous two. My question is does she has to submit all her SAT test scores to Uchicago?
She got ACT33 and gpa uw 3.93. She will apply ed1, what is her chance? she is also a 3 year vasity swimmer.
any input is appreciated. thanks
The admissions website will specify the exact admission requirements, deadlines and options. Here is what it currently says about standardized testing:
“We will superscore both the SAT and the ACT, meaning that if you have taken either test more than once, you should submit all your scores, and we will add your highest subsection scores together to give you the highest possible combined score. We will superscore within both the old SAT and the new SAT, but will not be able to superscore between the two versions of the test. We encourage students to take the test more than once, but do not recommend excessive retaking of standardized tests, as we generally do not see significant improvement after the second time taking a test. Test scores are valid for five years (with an exception for veteran applicants); if your scores are more than five years old, you must retake the test.”
https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/application
Here stats are great and the varsity athletics will help, of course, but the essay component is super-important so be sure to encourage your D to spend time on her essays.
Good luck to her!
JBStillflying, thanks so much!
Is there a big difference between applying EA and RD? Because it seems UChicago will accept more of the ED applicants anyway.
EA could allow you to be waitlisted, which would in turn would allow you to switch to EDII should your college choices rearrange after EA/SCEA results from other schools.
RD puts you into a pool where less than 2% were accepted for the current class.
Of course that was based on what happened for the incoming students in 2017, can’t be sure that it will happen in 2018, although I think it would be likely.
@CU123 Agreed, the process for 2022 is the same, however the numbers may/may not.
Will applying ED I this year be worse off then last year?
@ReqCollatz - if you are asking whether a lot more will apply EDI this upcoming year, then the answer is: It’s reasonable to expect so. Not sure if that means more will apply early (13,000 total applied EDI/EA for class of 2021) - but it’s likely that more of that number will opt for EDI rather than EA now, given the very disparate outcomes last year. There is still likely to be a favorable admit rate compared to EA (and certainly compared to RD), and that makes sense given the up-front commitment the candidate is willing to make. You should apply EDI if it’s your first choice school and are either reasonably confident about your Fin. Aid. package or are willing to go full-pay.
I was already planning of going ed. Its sounding like this years going to be even harder to get in compared to last year 
@ReqCollatz Maybe, maybe not, there are indications that the overall number of applicants may drop this year for a number of reasons which in turn increases the chances of all applicants.
@ReqCollatz Understand that either way it swings you are talking about changes in percentages of percentages. Every individual applicant will have roughly the same chance this year as last year. ED will comprise the largest portion of the class becuase this pool will be the most competitive and is attractive to the university for accurately projecting yeild. Ea will follow by a large gap and the sure-to-be accepted cases (fantastic applications or family doner children) will be accepted in the RD round (likely <2% there).
Getting lost in the total number of applicants or trends in over enrolling distracts from the reality that these changes don’t really…well change much.
Admissions over enrolled my class and then they over enrolled 2021. That wont stop them from over enrolling 2022.
Over-enrolling helps their marketing efforts, not surprisingly. That might be why you see over-enrolling year after year. BTW, the 2% RD admit rate is completely manufactured as well, given that they deferred practically everyone who applied EA (and a sizable majority who applied EDI). They could have rejected more but it helps their “selectivity” not to do so. Just keep that in mind. One way to set yourself apart is ED if you can swing it. Whether the admit rate is north of 30% again, or more like 15-20% which is consistent with ED at other elite schools, it’s still WAY better than the EA or RD admit rates, and noticeably better than the overall rate of 8%.