[size=4]Decision: Deferred[/size=4]
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1590 total; 790 CR+W, 800 Math
ACT (breakdown): 35C; 36E, 35M, 34R, 35S
SAT II: 800s Math II, Chem, USH
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.7037 (4.72 as of 7th semester)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 13/251(15/254 as of 7th semester)
AP (place score in parenthesis): World History (4), Music Theory (5 overall, 5 nonaural, 4 aural), Chemistry (5), Calc AB (5), Literature (5), Seminar (4), U.S. History (5), Physics 1 (4)
IB (place score in parenthesis): none offered
Senior Year Course Load: French IV, Honors Comp Sci I, JROTC IV, AP Lang, AP Physics 2, AP Calc BC, AP U.S. Government
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Semifinalist, Coca-Cola Scholar Semifinalist, National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, ACS Chemistry Olympiad 1st Place in Region Tests Level 1&2, Beta Club Membership Selection
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Old-Time Fiddle for 8 years-won school talent show, 3rd place in state youth fiddle contest, some
ensembles
JROTC since 9th grade (C/LTC & Battalion Commander-highest position in program, numerous
lesser positions) - Scottish Rite of Freemasonry JROTC Award, Superior Cadet Award,
attended JCLC
Junior Civitans since 7th grade (Club Pres, District PRC, Club PRC, Club Secretary) - 2013 District
Female Junior Civitan of the Year
Pulsar Search Collaboratory since July 2016 (School Club Founder/President) - attended 2016
PSC Camp in Green Bank, WV, founded school Club for research, training, education etc
USDOE National Math & Science Bowl since Feb 2016 (“A” team member) - competed in state
competition Feb. 2016, teaching underclassman and practicing since then (up to Nov 1)
Church community service since 9th grade - food pantry-related; packing weekend bags for
elementary schoolers and holiday feasts for families
Church handbell choir for 6 years (C6/D6 ringer)
Biography published by WV Division of Culture and History in WV Veterans Memorial Archive
Database spring 2016 (coauthor)
Private fiddle teacher: half hour per week since September teaching son of my dad’s friend
Job/Work Experience: aforementioned private fiddle teacher
Volunteer/Community service: ~1000 hours among JROTC, JCivs, and church
Summer Activities: PSC Camp 2016, Vandalia Gathering Fiddle Contest, JCLC (this is just what Case
knows about)
Essays (rating 1-10, details):
CommonApp essay - 7/10? Answered first prompt (background,
identity, interest, or talent prompt), wrote about JROTC; how I came to join it, its impact on me,
and why I don’t want to continue with it or have any sort of career in the military. I don’t know, I
didn’t feel like it was exceptionally strong or anything, and it was the second topic I attempted to
write my CA essay on.
Extended Essay - 7/10 part/whole prompt; very analytical/informative discussion on photomosaics (100% just so I could talk about the picture with Trump made out of over 500 richard pics. Maybe didn’t obviously show my personality but certainly showed how I think. Don’t think it’s quite the sort of essay UChicago is looking for.
Why UChicago? - 7/10 sincere and specific, addressed goals and what I would do at UChicago. honest…not much more to say. Well written but I guess mediocre content-wise.
Favorites - 8/10 vivid description of my favorite recording/song, mentioned some other favorite things. Less boring than others, not incredibly creative, but a sincere and honest baring of my personality.
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1: 8/10 English teacher, had me for AP Literature junior year. I was one of 2-3 kids
she had last year that got 5s. Knows me pretty well and probably a good writer. Likes me a lot,
although we might have butted heads a little bit in class. She liked that I contributed to the
discussion and stuff I think but obviously I couldn’t read it so I don’t know how good it is.
Teacher Rec #2: 9/10 AP Chem teacher junior year (my intended major is Chem). Loves me but
doesn’t know me reaaallly well on a personal level. I’ve heard that he uses my work as answer
keys in class and he’s said that he’s had one other student of my caliber, and that student went
to MIT (I got deferred though lololololol). Also loves me for the ACS Olympiad stuff we did last
year. Plus overall he’s a teddy bear to everyone, but again I don’t actually know what he put.
Counselor Rec: 6-7/10? I don’t know my counselor very well, but she seems to really like me. On
the one hand, she’s realllly old and kinda crazy, but on the other hand she’s been doing this
college stuff for so long that she seems to know her stuff. She interviewed me for an hour or so
to help her write the recommendation.
Additional Rec: none
Interview: 7/10 phone interview; alumnus went to grad school, not undergrad at UChicago :/. It was nice, talked, connected I guess but not anything super special. Lasted ~30 minutes and interviewer called me 30 minutes early by accident–when I was busy–so that was kind of awkward.
Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: No
Intended Major: Chemistry
State (if domestic applicant): WV
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: best public high school in state, but that’s not saying much since it’s WV
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: pretty up there? We don’t live in a gated community or anything but it’s high
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): none. WV and female in STEM might be bonuses though.
Reflection:
Strengths: GPA, test scores, leadership/community service/ECs?
Weaknesses: no big draws, no big awards, non-stellar essays, ECs, and recs…basically everything
else?
Why you think you were deferred: above strength/weaknesses…UChicago is just really hard to get into, especially without amazing essays. I mean I KNOW they were well written, they just weren’t excessively creative or kitschy…just my honest personality, which very well may not fit UChicago, and if they see that and reject me for it, so be it. Makes sense.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: so far Accepted WVU Honors, Ohio State, Case Western Reserve U, deferred MIT
General Comments: I know this is late but I didn’t feel like writing out this big long thing until I did when I got accepted to Case…I guess I’m doing it now because I’m procrastinating doing other stuff. I am glad I wasn’t rejected but the deferral is kinda a bummer and I’ve put UChicago out of my mind as an option really, and learning more about the people/culture, I’m starting to like it less and less. Ah well.