UChicago Questions? Ask an admissions counselor!

<p>Hi Grace,
I am interested in obtaining a liberal arts as well as a business background. I am extremely interested in U of C’s CCIB program, and wondering how selective it is. In part, because I am deciding whether or not to mention CCIB in my ‘why U of C essay’, but I don’t want anyone in admissions to see me as looking to enter a program I’m not qualified for and react by not accepting me, even if he/she thinks I’m qualified for U of C? I believe there are other Business Advising programs that students don’t need to apply for, but is that true? If so, how do they compare to CCIB/is there any info about them that I should know? As for my essay, would you recommend writing about these programs in general over CCIB in particular?</p>

<p>Also, how optional is the “optional” essay and would not writing the optional essay make a reader more lenient towards a slightly longer ‘Why Chicago’ essay (500-600 words)? I’d like to also say thank you for having such a public (but also private) forum for prospectives to ask questions we really want to know. Knowing how great guys (and girls) are makes we want to attend even more.</p>

<p>Hi Grace</p>

<p>I listed U Chicago as one of the 4 recipients of my October SAT score report. I was just wondering how long it takes for Admission Office to receive the score reports and process them.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Hi Grace,</p>

<p>Just out of curiosity, why does the common app’s essay length guideline for the supplement differ from yours? “Respond to Question 1 - and, if you choose, Question 2 - by writing a paragraph or two for each question.” I followed the common app’s guidelines when writing my Why UChicago? essay, so I only focused on one thing I love about UChicago. Should I expand it?</p>

<p>Also, if we need to mail in any arts supplements, would the deadline be postmarked by 11/1 for early action?</p>

<p>Thanks :D</p>

<p>Hello maxxk159, don’t worry-- we look at applicants as individuals, and would not deny a qualified student simply because we had received other quality applications from that person’s school. While it would of course be unwise for us to, say, fill our entire class from one school or one city, we’re saying yes or no to you based on your application and qualifications and not based on other students from your school.</p>

<p>Hello ViTong4-- we encourage you to send an arts supplement if your art represents a substantial talent and time commitment, especially one that represents a talent you wish to continue pursuing in the College. The vast majority of our students are accepted on the basis of their required application documents alone; unless this supplement represents something you can foresee yourself continuing in school, there is no need to send one.</p>

<p>Hello Chicagodude86, we suggest you keep your essay at around 500 words, so that length is fine; no need to add more.</p>

<p>Hello studyhard12, if CCIB is a program you are interested in, you should feel free to mention it. CCIB has its own application process, which occurs at the end of one’s first year of school; this process is handled by the program itself, so in reading your application we will not be deciding whether or not to accept you to that program. The program is selective, although the percentage accepted varies by the year; you may learn more here: <a href=“Home | CareerAdv”>Home | CareerAdv;

<p>That said, we are looking for students who wish to participate in all aspects of a liberal arts program. While you may certainly mention CCIB in your essay, I would caution you to make sure that you are still identifying other aspects of a UChicago experience that you think you will find enriching and valuable.</p>

<p>Hello Studyhard12, I’d call the optional essay more “recommended but not required”; I’d much rather see a student engage this prompt in some way than to pass it over in favor of a longer other essay. It shows us another side of you, one that I think doesn’t necessarily usually (nor would it need to) come through well in the other essays we require you to write.</p>

<p>Hello DarthSpawnus, rest assured that we will receive your SAT scores from the October sitting in plenty of time to consider them as part of your EA application. Processing them can take a bit of time, but we will let you know if we have not received them by the time we begin reading your application.</p>

<p>Hello littlepenguin, our supplemental essays differ from the Common Application personal statement in many ways, so we do have a different length suggestion for them. I’d suggest you stick with our length suggestion-- about 500 words for the extended “Uncommon Prompt” essay, and 1-2 paragraphs for the other two responses. Finally, yes, if you are submitting an Arts Supplement through the mail, it should be postmarked (or, preferably although not necessarily, received by) Nov. 1 if you are applying EA.</p>

<p>Hi Grace,
I had applied to UChicago last year and I was waitlisted, but ultimately I wasn’t pulled off the waitlist. So, I am applying EA this year again. Last year, I had written my essay on the topic of my own choice. Would it be better for me to use the same essay that I used last year?</p>

<p>Hi Grace,
Just to clarify – is a transcript from a college course completed by a first-year applicant required? My daughter was concerned about whether a transcript from a college course taken over the summer would arrive by the EA Nov. 1 deadline. But it seems like these transcripts are not required, so it’s late arrival would not make the application late, correct?
Thanks!</p>

<p>Hello Generation, it would definitely be wise to write a new essay for this year’s application, and not to reuse the one you wrote last year.</p>

<p>Hello 2fornow, so long as your daughter is applying as a first-year applicant and not a transfer student, she does not need to send in a transcript from her summer program.</p>

<p>Hey again.</p>

<p>Until now, I thought SAT scores should be sent after the application is sent in. At this point, should I rush my scores (2 business days) or use regular shipping, which will arrive in 1-2 weeks from today? I’m applying EA.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>littlepenguin-- no worries, just send them regularly. This will be fine. We will let you know if we do not receive them by the time we begin to read your application.</p>

<p>Hi Grace, I was wondering if I could choose to respond to one of last year’s prompts instead of one of the current prompts for the extended essay.</p>

<p>Hello (again) Grace!</p>

<p>How long, word-wise, would you recommend the “Why UChicago” and optional essay to be? I know it says one to two paragraphs, but is it okay if I wrote three (my third one is short, though)?</p>

<p>I don’t know whether my “Why UChicago” essay is too long (it’s about 450 words).</p>

<p>Hi Grace - can you please tell me if, for students that apply Early Action and are accepted, will they get estimated financial aid awards at the same time as their acceptance (mid-December, correct?)? </p>

<p>I’m very aware that FINAL aid determinations are not made until the Spring, when the FAFSA is completed and tax forms are sent in. But, since the financial aid deadlines at Chicago (CSS and last years tax forms submitted by Nov 1) coincide with the EA application deadlines, I’ve been assuming that estimated awards would come along with an acceptance in mid December. However, I just learned that some schools that have EA programs don’t give estimated awards in December and accepted students don’t find out until the Spring, when the RD awards are communicated. So, just wanted to confirm how Chicago does this.</p>