<p>That is the only top ten with such high acceptance rate. I know many people who got in with amazingly low stats. In fact, there is a kid who got into U of C and not University of Illinois. University of Chicago is especially a semi-safety school for those with lower stats but who can manage to write decent essays. If you wish to apply, don't hesitate to do early action. It is non-binding, which means you can simultaneous do EA or ED at another school.</p>
<p>Though a much higher acceptance rate than many of its peers, a 38% acceptance rate school is, for many, not quite what most people consider a safety. It is true test scores play only a small role in Chicago admissions, and plenty of 1500+ (Chicago does not look at the writing score) kids find themselves rejected as well (friends of my S for example). It is also instructive that, according to a posting of an admissions counselor, it has the third highest CR score in the country, which means the competition is quite tough. Their criteria in order of importance according to an admissions officer posting are, taking advantage of strongest curriculum available and success therein (not simply GPA), essays, passion for learning as indicated by a few EC's, and lastly test scores. They are also not impressed with over EC'd kids, as the officer stated, they would prefer a report of regularly riding a bike to stay in shape rather than a report of 500 hours building houses for people the student probably doesn't care much about.</p>
<p>Yes, Chicago is not a good safety school for anyone, really, because its admissions are quirky. It has a high acceptance rate -- so someone with good stats has a better chance of getting in there than at, say, Harvard -- but it doesn't have any formula that would let you assess your chances accurately.</p>
<p>Notwithstanding that, if you are confident that (a) you are a good writer and will show well on the Chicago essays, (b) you come across on your application (including references) as pretty intellectual and maybe a little geeky, and (c) your application shows some depth in a particular field, and, in addition to that, you have good numbers (which need not be perfect), then you probably have a good chance at Chicago. But you still need an actual safety.</p>
<p>I agree with JHS: Chicago is emphatically not a safety school for anyone.</p>
<p>I know a brilliant student admitted to Princeton and MIT, but not Chicago. And this was someone who really enjoyed writing the Chicago essays, thought it was her favorite college application. (Someone who really seemed like a Chicago type--brilliant, quirky, eclectic, loved haunting old bookstores, a gifted writer, an avid reader--in addition to all the more mundane top credentials of high SATs, a ton of APs, valedictorian)</p>
<p>I never thought of University of Chicago as a safety. Here is the Naviance site for our schools history of acceptances:</p>
<p>Just for the record, an "A" in an honors or AP course is worth 5 points,. A "B" =4 points in an honors and AP and a "C" also gets an extra point. </p>
<p>Enter the site as a guest and click on college look up by state. Go to the school and the graph option. You will see acceptances and rejections by weighted GPA and SAT.</p>
<p>As you can see, no one got into Chicago from our school directly with less than a 1500 (math and CR) SAT. Most had about a 4.5 weighted GPA too. I wouldn't call this a safety.</p>
<p>However, from the waitlist, some got in with a weighted average of 4.0+ and 1400 on the SAT, which you can see from the blue squares.Frankly, I believe Chicago to be every bit as good and reputable as any ivy school.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Frankly, I believe Chicago to be every bit as good and reputable as any ivy school.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I agree completely. The other point to bring up is that Chicago applicants are a self-selecting group and that is reflected in the admit rate.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The acceptance rate is high because the school is so self-selective. Their "uncommon application" is a major pain, so only people that want to go there will be willing to work on it.</p></li>
<li><p>After you get in, you have to be able to survive there, and it's not easy...</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Interesting how many waitlists there were.</p>
<p>Chicago is very often on the list of applicants who also apply to HYPS, and unfortunately, loses out to them. But more recently, from what I understand, more students accepted than anticipated, resulting in overenrollment; so Chicago has had to be prudent in sending out acceptances and therefore making greater use of the waitlist.</p>
<p>Definitely NOT a safety for anyone -- and the admissions rate for class of 2010 was 36% -- and this past year waitlisted kids were pretty much out of luck, as the yield was higher than expected, so you can expect admission to tighten up somewhat for next year.</p>
<p>I think that Chicago is an excellent <em>match</em> school for students who are good writers and have strong grades & high school records, however. In other words, a college where a strong student has a reasonably good chance of getting in, even if test scores or GPA aren't in stellar ranges. And probably an excellent option for bookish, academic types whose ECs may seem on the light side.</p>
<p>This year few students were taken from the waitlist because the yield was better than predicted. For the class of 2011 it may very well come more into play as fewer may be admitted as a result of the higher yield this year.</p>
<p>But 36% IS STILL HIGH. MUCH LIKE THAT OF A STATE SCHOOL.</p>
<p>No, 36% means that almost 2/3 of the applicants get turned away. It is still very selective, especially because of the nature of Chicago's applicant pool. </p>
<p>If you don't believe that, check the posts from last April in the Chicago thread with the stats of the students who were rejected/waitlisted.</p>
<p>where can I find it Calmom.</p>
<p>Just so everyone knows, Nick Zhao has been spamming not only this web site but also the UChicago Class of 2010 web site.</p>
<p>Take what he says with a (huge) grain of salt.</p>
<p>Katharos:</p>
<p>I really have to wonder if Nick is a U of Chicago student. I really can't fathom why he would post what he does, if so. I can't imagine what the motivation might be, but his posts are extremely odd.</p>
<p>The original post is so odd and out of sync with reality it really cannot be credited. Chicago's acceptance rate may be higher, but that is because it takes a special type of person to go there (not being judgmental or critical). It is academically rigorous (perhaps among the tops in the nation), but its location (better than it used to be but still surrounded by an awful neighborhood) and atypical social scene (it attracts different, bright, introspective, but often somewhat quirky people) makes for a unique and self selected applicant pool. I attended one of the best high schools in the Chicago area, and while we sent plenty to Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Northwestern, Penn, etc. I can remember no one even applying to UC - which is not surprising because it just wasn't the type of place that would attract students from our multiple state champion in athletics type of high school. (Actually, the high school, while high achieving, could have used less rah rah stuff and more emphasis on intellectual development, but that was the reality). Chicago is an extraordinary place - how anyone can criticize going there and taking advantage of its opportunities is beyond me - but like every other school choice, it is not for everyone.</p>
<p>U Chicago is a very specific kind of school, and applicants should know its culture before deciding to go there.</p>
<p>mam1959:</p>
<p>It's interesting what you have to say about the neighborhood. I spent a couple of days walking all around the neighborhood, and it seemed to me that to the north and east of the campus, the neighborhood ranged from spectacular to "nice enough." To the west and south, the neighborhood ranged from seedy to downright dangerous. Still, stay on the campus or to the north or east, and I can't imagine you'd be in any danger.</p>
<p>Do you live there? Is that your impression, too?</p>
<p>I visited U Chicago very recently, for a very brief trip. My impressions are in agreement with Tarhunt's. I think the view that the surrounding neighborhood is awful was true some time ago, but is a bit out of date. The campus itself was not dangerous in the least, as far as I could tell.</p>
<p>As for "NZ", we should all probably stop contributing to this thread so it dies.</p>