<p>I’d definitely would say my essays were strong parts of my app. I don’t know about my stats I’ve seen some older threads people with better test scores,gpas, EC, and awards get rejected. [-O< I’m just hoping for a miracle</p>
<p>@awh671 I think once you’re in the ballpark with grades and scores it really is a crapshoot. Hopefully your strong essays will give you better “aim”?</p>
<p>@kathoderberg how “punny” of you lol. </p>
<p>@awh671 The essays are so important, I think. My recommendations are definitely the strongest part of my app. I don’t know how much they count for though. I’m hoping for a miracle too. </p>
<p>I would say my essays as well. My ACT was good and I have AP Scholar with Distinction if that counts for anything…My GPA isn’t the best (3.87 out of 4 but my weighted is 4.7 out of 5). My interview was a terrible time and super awkward, but I think he wrote good stuff…I wasn’t able to send my SAT 2s but I got 800 on math 2, 760 on US history, and 740 in literature (which was pretty sucky). If I get deferred I’ll send them in along with some of my writing pieces.
I was confident initially but then I saw on another feed how so many got deferred and while it’s not a rejection, it’s almost the same as if I’m a booty call when there’s nothing better in regular decision or something. Anywats, whatever happens, I know I did my best as we all should. </p>
<p>Haha @naaattt every time I read a new thread on this website it drags my confidence down even lower. I understand why UChicago defers so many applicants. They get a lot of qualified applicants, and are probably too busy to narrow down deferrals with any real specificity, but I still wish they’d defer less people. If I’m pretty certainly going to be rejected and the admissions person knows it, I’d rather not spend another few months stressing out about it. I’m not going to win a Nobel Prize between now and March. </p>
<p>@naaattt lol “booty call when there’s nothing better in regular decision” is perfect. And true, we all have worked incredibly hard in high school, and even if those efforts do not result in a UChicago acceptance, they will benefit our future selves.</p>
<p>@ogacihcu
Great: GPA, recommendations, extracurriculars, volunteer stuff
Middle: Essays, Interview, Awards
Blah: SAT scores, SAT II Scores, only 7 AP classes</p>
<p>Still hoping for the best!</p>
<p>My strongest areas are my essays and my transcript. And I though my test scores were solid until I saw what some people are complaining about as sucky. But I’m in the range for UChicago, if not very high in it. And thanks @alleycat2 for clarifying! Thankfully I’m on break by the 17th so I’ll be able to devote all of my energy into freaking out haha. </p>
<p>@ogacihcu Recommendations are an important part of the application and if you feel they were really strong then they can only boost the rest of your application </p>
<p>@naaattt I didn’t get to send in SAT subject tests either. And i think your more than a booty call lol. </p>
<p>I think what makes it so hard on us, as students, is that for so long most of us have been doing really well is school, or sports, or playing an instrument, or whatever it is that each of us are great at, but in this college application time, we are not only compared to those in our school or communities or states, we are now on a national–INTERNATIONAL–scale. That’s what gets me. At my school, I am the only person (that I know) that is applying to UChicago early. I thought I was the only one who loved them, but that isn’t true. There a big ol’ world out there, and we can’t help stressing about it.
If we get denied, we stress over where we will get in. If we get deferred, it becomes a grueling waiting only to once again not know if have a chance or not. Jeez. Even if we got accepted, we would probably stress too. We are seniors in high school. It’s a stressful time. For example, do you know what I should be doing rather than sitting on CC? Writing two papers due Friday. Do you know what I’m not doing? (Writing two papers that are due Friday). You win some. You lose some. You try your best and high-five yourself at the end of the day because at least you’re trying. </p>
<p>it is so intimidating to see people from previous years with seemingly perfect apps get deferred or rejected. </p>
<p>personally, my gpa/rank are best. i’m ranked second of ~650 kids, and my uw is almost 4.0. but my act score isn’t great. my superscore is barely a 33, where most others have 34 or 35 with just one sitting. my sat subject tests are mediocre (770 and 730). my recommendations i think are great, but never got to read them. i chose the right teachers who undoubtedly portrayed me as a qualified candidate. my ecs aren’t great either, and i have few awards. maybe being first generation will help me a bit. my essays aren’t bad, but not enough to tip the scale (in my opinion).</p>
<p>ah, excuse my rant. there’s no sense in over thinking it now.</p>
<p>@naaattt i feel the same way. as far as i know, i am the only one from my school applying. it feels so weird.</p>
<p>@Awflapjackz My ACT score was the same, but the 25-75 percentile of UChicago has a 32 and it’s still holistic review anyways so scores don’t matter as much as we think they do </p>
<p>@naaattt you’re right. uchicago doesn’t focus as much on scores as other top schools, but if i am rejected or deferred then i’ll psyche myself out saying “wow if only i scored a point or two higher on the act…” i dunno. it is what it s </p>
<p>What I’m starting to realize is that I don’t only care if I get in now, I want all of you to get in too…ughghghgh just let the waiting be over!</p>
<p>It truly is a “crapshoot”. Last year one kid (I think the only to apply) from my school got in. He had a 2200 SAT, but he wasn’t near the top of the class or anything, just a good test taker. He took a mix of honors and regular classes, no APs to my knowledge and got in. I know him through mutual friends and he said his essays were all very short and to the point, and he is convinced his INTERVIEW (of all things) is what got him in. The one thing that I do think could have been a hook was that he played semipro soccer over in England when he was younger, but he didn’t do that in high school and just played on the school team (which wasn’t good at all)…so yeah, that’s the miracle story that gives me the slightest bit of hope and will hopefully do the same for the rest of you. </p>
<p>Awflapjackz - I think you are a very competitive candidate. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>@Localdreamer15 he sounds interesting. did he end up going somewhere else?</p>
<p>i was looking to actually be recruited by uchicago for soccer, but it kinda died down. i love the school regardless of that factor though :^)</p>
<p>Hmm maybe they’ll say something about the decision date tonight on ViewChicago Live</p>
<p>@Awflapjackz He’s a funny guy. More of a class clown, definitely not the academic/scholar stereotype you’d imagine at UC. He ended up going to the University of Delaware because of money 
Hopefully the new financial aid program won’t let that happen again. I also don’t think he was being recruited. </p>