UChicago Questions? Ask an admissions counselor!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1281

<p>fxrn, please let us know through the Awards section of your Common Application that you are a semi-finalist, and we welcome your update if you are selected as a finalist. We do not receive information directly from National Merit about your status if selected, so we will need you to provide this information to us. </p>

<p>snowinchicago, we hope that students will use their time on campus or at any of our information sessions to learn more about UChicago, our application process, and whether or not you may see yourself as a good fit for our environment. The act of visiting is not the important part-- it is the information gained from the visit (or off campus session, etc) that will help you craft your application and do your best in our admissions process. We realize that it can be expensive to come to Chicago, and do not require students to visit to be admitted, nor use that information in our admissions process. Also, yes, I read applications from most Mid-Atlantic states, including Maryland, so, hello!</p>

<p>Overtheline, our transfer application process considers many factors, including a student’s high school and college records, recommendations, writing, activities, etc-- the application process for transfer students considers most of the same factors as our first-year undergraduate application, with the addition of college information and some change in the essay requirements. While we will certainly note that your daughter is interested in a particular major or subject area, it will be considered alongside many other factors.</p>

1282

<p>Hi Grace,</p>

<p>I’m asking on behalf of my friend who’s also applying to UChicago. For the optional “essay”, he’s planning to write a song/poem about his favorite artist. </p>

<p>Is this form of writing okay for the optional essay? How creative can we be for this essay, such as writing a poem or a song? He’s writing about Louis Armstrong, and wants to write a song in the style of his music.</p>

<p>In addition, even though it says “share a few” of your favorite books, poems, etc., can we focus on one thing, like what my friend did with Louis Armstrong. Would you recommend that he talk about more than just Armstrong, or do you think what he did was okay.</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

1283

<p>Hi Grace,</p>

<p>About the ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TEST, it says on the website: “If you are taking the IELTS, request the scores to be sent to the admissions office… The only exceptions are for applicants who for two or more years have attended a high school where the primary language of instruction is English in a country where English is one of the official languages”</p>

<p>I took the Ielts 2 months ago in Vietnam. Now I would like to send the test score to Uchicago. Is it necessary as this is my second year attending a US high school (My grade in English is pretty good)?
It is really difficult for me to request the test center in Vietnam to send the score to Uchicago now (I’m in the US right now, and my parents know barely anything about these kinds of sending-test-scores things). Can I just scan and send UChicago my IELTS test report first to meet the EA deadline?
Do you have any suggestion?</p>

<p>Thank you! Have a great day :"D!</p>

1284

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>Thanks for your reply. </p>

<p>You wrote: </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>On the Admissions web site it says, “Only high school seniors or transfer students may visit classes. Juniors in high school may visit after May 1st of their junior year. The Office of College Admissions is happy to supply parents and younger students with suggestions as to how to spend their time during class visits.” </p>

<p>Do you make exceptions? My son is a sophomore, but he is already studying math at the college level, and, next year, will take an elective level math course at the local university–an Ivy. (We are planning to visit during your Winter quarter, 2013.) Should I also query our regional admissions counselor about this?</p>

1285

<p>hamlinkin, it is appropriate for essays to take whatever form students wish; if your friend wishes to submit his essay in song form, he may do so. We do not have a strict limit on the number of favorite things a student must or may have, so one favorite person is just fine. </p>

<p>gacut3, if you have been studying in an English speaking country for two or more years, the IELTS is not required, but if you have already taken the test and are able to access the results to have sent to us, it may be recommended to do so. We do have a minimum suggested score on the TOEFL or IELTS; seeing an international student achieve that score helps us feel most comfortable that you will be able to participate fully in our coursework here with no struggles, so it can really only be helpful to submit it even if not required. </p>

<p>latichever, my apologies, I had assumed that your son was to be a rising senior. I would suggest a more personal conversation with your son’s regional counselor to see what options may be available for your son as a sophomore.</p>

1286

<p>Can I just scan and send UChicago my IELTS test report (by attaching it somewhere in the common app)?</p>

<p>Thank you!!</p>

1287

<p>What is the Dolan Scholarship?</p>

1288

<p>Is there supposed to be a particular formatting for the common app or UChicago supplement essays? Are we supposed to include our name,common app id etc details in the documents or pdfs of the essays we attach as well?</p>

1289

<p>I have a question pertaining to my UChicago application, (Im applying EA).</p>

<p>Throughout most of high school I suffered from Social Anxiety disorder. As the name would suggest, I easily became anxious and uncomfortable around certain people. This made it very difficult for me to join in lots of extra curricular activities, and as a result I only participated in one club, and one sport. (although I am now in a leadership position for that club). At school it caused my GPA to fluctuate greatly. In some classes I felt more comfortable than others. Basically, it negatively affected my GPA, prevented me from “putting myself out there” as much as I should have. During my summer break prior to senior year, I found treatment for my condition and truly believe myself to be well again. I challenged myself by signing up for more AP classes than I ever thought I would and I am doing well. However because of my Early Action application status, I am afraid that my recovery came too late, and that colleges will not have a chance to see this change.</p>

<p>Most people would suggest that I mention my condition in the Common App section for additional information. However, I have heard from many people, including college councilors that I should not mention my condition because Social Anxiety inherently implies undesirable traits such as anti-social behavior. Also, while I can tell you now (on an anonymous website where I have no reason to lie) that I believe myself to be cured, everybody is different, some people are more extroverted than others, and there is no way for me to “Prove” this. Two weeks ago, I even found a NY Times article online claiming that colleges are weary of accepting students with mental illnesses.</p>

<p>I did not write my essays on this topic, as I prefer to think that my illness did not define my character. </p>

<p>Could you please let me know which plan of action you think is best for me regarding my past condition? Whenever I ask, I hear a lot of confliction answers over whether or not it should even be mentioned, due to the nature of Social Anxiety.</p>

1290

<p>The financial aid page says that the CSS Profile is due Nov. 1, but it’s my understanding that you have to submit your application before you get a UChicago account and have to get a UChicago account before you apply for financial aid. So do I have to submit my app early enough to do all of this by November first? Can you clarify the process?</p>

1291

<p>Hi,
I have a slightly similar question to tennisplayer3. However, in my case I suffered from depression. I also didn’t participate in many extracurriculars. This year (I am still a junior but would like to start looking at colleges) I am in multiple clubs that I have a good chance of having a leadership position. I also want to partake in track and field again. Last school year (at the beginning of 2012) I sought treatment and am still in recovery. </p>

<p>Basically my GPA is like this: Freshman year, 1st semester - 1 C, 2 B, 4 A, 2nd semester - 4 B, 3 A; Sophomore year, 1st semester - 2 Bs in Honors classes, A in one Honors class, 3 A’s in non-weighted classes, and a pending possible A in another non-weighted class (i.e. makeup work is still TBD), 2nd semester - 1 B in an honors class, pass for another Honors class, 2 B’s in non-weighted classes, 1 A in an honors class, and 3 A’s in non-weighted classes. This year, I am taking 6 weighted classes and 1 non-weighted classes. However, for AP Calc AB I am basically nosediving - I am at a F right now. For AP Physics C, I may get a C but if I try really, really hard, I may get a B. The rest of my classes there is a high chance of getting As. </p>

<p>How would a situation like this be viewed?</p>

<p>Basically freshman year I kind of just floated along, not really belonging to a lot of clubs but doing a spring sport. Sophomore year I belonged to more clubs, but didn’t participate in any sports. This year I am in Science Olympiad, an art club, a science club, and a creative writing club. For Science Olympiad and the science club, the people in leadership positions think well of me because I got a pretty high score on the USA biology olympiad as a freshman; however, I did not make it past the school round. Also, recently, I have been selected as a semifinalist in the Siemens Westinghouse Competition. </p>

<p>Although I am still a junior, I would appreciate some pointers because I fear that I cannot get in anywhere. Or at least, places where I would feel properly challenged. </p>

<p>Also if I take SAT IIs and get a high score, will that offset a poor grade (i.e. for Physics)? I have a strong interest in science but particularly biomedical sciences. I am in AP Bio currently, and there is a high likelihood that I will get an A. However, in freshman biology, due to a teacher who wouldn’t answer my questions, I got Bs both semester. </p>

<p>Thank you</p>

1292

<p>I took a non credit class over the summer at another university and received a substantial evaluation from the course teacher. May I submit this as the additional supplemental recommendation?</p>

1293

<p>Hi Grace!<br>
My DS has been working on his UChicago supplement question #1. It says 1-2 paragraphs and his is 4. He wanted me to ask if that is allowable. It is only 573 words. He is very excited about UChicago and I think that is why it is a little long. Thanks!</p>

1294

<p>Grace,</p>

<p>So, even the 1-2 paragraph questions: Why UChicago/Favorite things (though that is optional) should be around 500 words? Those would be two incredibly large paragraphs… I thought those should be around 250?</p>

1295

<p>Hi,
The UChicago supplement states that an applicant, writing their extended essay, should, “write a one- or two-page response.” Your website does not have any guidelines as to the length of the essay. Therefore, I was confused and concerned when I read on this thread (after digging through several mentions of your original comment) that you want, and expect, the essays to be 500 words long. Without any guideline except “1 to 2 pages,” mine ended up being a page and a half single spaced, about 780 words. </p>

<p>I guess my point is this: if you want something from your applicants, put it in writing. Please put it in writing somewhere they can all see it, not hidden in an 87-page thread on a forum that the majority of them will never use. </p>

<p>Please, please put this information on the “Apply” section of the UChicago admissions website so that this information is available to all applicants. </p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

1296

<p>gacut, please do have an official score report sent from the IELTS testing service. If this becomes overly difficult, please contact our international admissions team at <a href=“mailto:internationaladmissions@uchicago.edu”>internationaladmissions@uchicago.edu</a> for further instructions.</p>

<p>mom421, I am not familiar with a specific scholarship offered by our office called the Dolan Scholarship, but I will check further on this. We have in the past offered the Dean’s Scholarship, a specific name for some of our general merit scholarship awards; it is also possible that someone has endowed an Odyssey Scholarship in the Dolan name. Students’ individual Odyssey scholarships, sometimes carry the name of the family who has endowed the award, even though the award is granted to students on the basis of financial need. <a href=“https://odyssey.uchicago.edu/[/url]”>https://odyssey.uchicago.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>jojocircus, essay documents submitted through the Common App will automatically match up with your account, so there is no need to include additional information in the essay. We do suggest including your prompt if you have chosen to create your own prompt. </p>

<p>tennisplayer, we encourage students who have had any negative impact on their academic or social performance in high school to update us of this in the Additional Information section of your Common Application if the situation may help us better understand the past difficulties you faced and how you have and will continue to move forward from them. If you feel that this information would help us consider your application in that context, I would consider adding it in. However, you are not required to do so-- the choice is yours.</p>

1297

<p>napalm, you do not need to have established an account with our website to begin submitting financial aid information (or any other information by mail or electronic submission). Your UChicago Account will be generated to you when you submit the Common Application to us, but we will retain information submitted to us under your name before you submit the Common Application, such as mailed rec letters, financial aid information, etc, and match it up with your account once you have submitted your application. </p>

<p>quidditchcat, I am not able to provide information about how specific situations may affect a student’s likelihood of acceptance. I would encourage you to review the note I wrote to tennisplayer about submitting an “additional information” statement on the Common Application if you feel that this information would help us, or any other school, better consider your application in the right context. </p>

<p>momma, writing, paradoxgirl and others, my apologies for any confusion. Shorter essays (Why Chicago, Favorite Things) should be around 250-500 words, or approximately 2 paragraphs. For our extended essay, we have moved forward with the guideline of 1 to 2 pages, which can exceed 500 words in some cases. As the young folks say, earlier posts to the strict 500 word limit are “my bad”-- please do not be overly worried if your essay is over 500 words. I give 500 as a guideline for students who feel that they must have a numbered word limit, but and others are correct that in some cases a 2 page essay can exceed 500 words, and this is appropriate. It is also very important to note that, as stated previously, we do read every word that you send to us, and will not stop reading your essay if it exceeds 500 words-- just please make a concerted effort to keep your essays at our near our page length guidelines as it does become very difficult for us to properly consider essays that vastly exceed our suggested page limit.</p>

1298

<p>Hello Grace,</p>

<p>I was filling out the “International Student Financial Aid Application” form, and find it difficult, as my family’s financial situation is “messy” to put it in simple terms. I have filled it out to the best of my ability. However, I am worried that the university may not be able to understand my situation without much explanation. Some of the information on the form may not be completely accurate, as November and December are still to come (we tried to predict it as best as possible) and we may need to modify some things after the decisions come out. </p>

<p>So my question is: Will the university be in contact with me (if I get accepted EA) about financial aid? Will I be able to fully explain my situation with somebody, and will the university help me in achieving an affordable price for my family? (once again, in the possibility of acceptance) </p>

<p>I would be devastated if I was to be accepted, but not granted the full amount of aid I require to go. My family is below the poverty line by quite a bit, and I am very worried that this might affect whether I get to attend or not if I get accepted. I know for admissions, I will be considered “need-blind” as I am a Canadian citizen, but I am worried about the amount of aid that will come. Please let me know if aid can be negotiated after decisions come out!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

1299

<p>Hi there,</p>

<p>I am answering the fifth UChicago essay option where I “pose a question of my own.” How clearly displayed does our prompt have to be? Should it be separate/above the essay? Or is it ok to simply ask a question in the essay’s introductory paragraph and answer it in the body of the essay?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

1300

<p>Hey Grace. I greatly appreciate you attending to this thread, and have some questions I’d like to ask. I know you might not be able to answer both, but comment on the first at least would be wonderful.</p>

<p>For the favorite things essay: I have one book that I instantly knew I’d want to write about, and it looks like I’m closing in on the essay I’ve been dodging for a while. It’s a wonderful novel of immense personal significance, but while it may be Science Fiction it deals heavily with matters of religious faith. While my essay doesn’t make any assertions about religion one way or the other, it’s impossible for me to discuss the book without bringing the topic up. I know religion is one of those topics you want to avoid at all costs, particularly when it comes to applications, but I’m pretty terribly conflicted about what to do here.</p>

<p>General application: similar to what tennisplayer and quidditchcat were asking, so I’m not sure if you’ll be able to answer it, but I figured it was worth asking. My performance suffered freshman and sophomore years for a combination of health and personal reasons. Not excessively - all A’s and B’s with only one C, but still enough to make a significant impact. I transitioned to a homeschooled environment in my junior year and made a marked recovery that is immediately noticeable when you look at my transcripts. However, I’m concerned that my recovery will be disregarded because it happened in a non-traditional environment. Is this a valid concern?</p>