<p>WHAT!!! Austin Bean is GONE!!! Why, oh ye cruel gods? He was the admissions counselor for my school and was UChi incarnate! These are sad tidings.</p>
<p>Austin Bean is UChi incarnate. However, Josh LaBove, who was my tour guide when I visited the school, will do more than fill his place.</p>
<p>mom16, I just read your post about Chicago students. Believe me, the Chicago students here really are courteous and helpful. I don't have a child in Chicago (yet?) but I have read many of the posts here over some time and have never encountered negativity and mean-spiritedness. Playfulness, friendly-banter back and forth, and that Chicago trait - self-deprecating humor - yes. Not every student posting on this board goes to Chicago. Actually, this board is sometimes a breath of fresh air compared to some of the other boards on CC (ever read some of the threads on the Parents Forum - lol?)</p>
<p>Libby should SERIOUSLY get a bonus for handling all of the question-happy mothers and kids hahhaha.</p>
<p>Ok, so let me throw my hat in as question #58129482719428147291.</p>
<p>Mmkay...</p>
<p>So...</p>
<p>For our teacher reccomendations, i'm trying
to spread it out (i'm maxing on 4 recs already)
2 teachers
1 Adult commenting on my leadership on a State Position for a Community service club
1 Adult commenting on my creativity in my internship at work</p>
<p>But...</p>
<p>I have a "teacher" sort of, from a summer school
program (LEAD Business Summer Institute) that I
want to include to show how I matched up compared
to the select group of student intellectuals. </p>
<p>So...</p>
<p>The question....</p>
<p>Can I replace lets say...one of my teacher recs for
that professor in the summer program? It gives a dfferent
perspective on how I stacked up with a special pool of
kids and I would really love to highlight it :D</p>
<p>Thanks, and I hope you survive another year of questions!
regards,</p>
<p>Ronald</p>
<p>FYI-- You'll probably get a more direct response e-mailing admissions/ your regional counselor directly. My impression is that Libby doesn't spend a lot of time on these threads.</p>
<p>The official admissions blog:</p>
<p><a href="http://uncommonapplication.blogspot.com/%5B/url%5D">http://uncommonapplication.blogspot.com/</a></p>
<p>Dear Ms. Pearson,
I do not know much about UC aside from its one of the top schools on the US news list. I am now trying to open my options to beyond the Ivies and state school. I really have one simple question: Why the University of Chicago?
**i am interested in science/biological sciences</p>
<p>Libby doesn't post here all that often, so I thought I (a current student) might chip in.</p>
<p>Chicago, along with being a prestigious school (as you saw for yourself in the US News rank) has a real focus on academics, and it is a passion for learning that I think draws many students to the school. Though the school is strong across the board academically, one of our most popular majors is biology, and because we have a hospital next door plus lots of on-campus research, there are a lot of opportunities to get involved.</p>
<p>Beyond academics, you have the typical college fare-- lots of student activities (really strong theater and Model UN in particular), and of course the city of Chicago.</p>
<p>Some more information-- if you have more specific questions, you can probably e-mail them to somebody from the website or ask them here again:</p>
<p><a href="http://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/</a></p>
<p>thanx for the response unalove.</p>
<p>Ronald- the answer is no, unfortunately. You can, however, send in his recommendation as a 'Supplemental Rec'. There is a different form for this rec under the Supplements section of the online application. The English/Social Studies rec and the Math/Science rec are required, but the supplement of your summer professor's rec is by no means discouraged- it just cannot replace the recommendation of a year-term teacher. It seems like you already have plenty of supplement lined up, though, so I'd encourage you to think about which supplements will be most telling of your strengths and abilities; if the supplemental recs are there merely to explain a bit about the program you were in or did, they are not necessarily as helpful to you, as your personal information and description of your activities should say more about these experiences if they were truly valuable to you than an extra letter will.</p>
<p>anyone know? how to show your "Level of Applicant's Interest"?</p>
<p>bc chicago is my first choice so i will be applying EA hopefully... is that all i can do?</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>There's always your "Why Chicago" essay... I imagine "OMG CHICAGO IS MY FIRST CHOICE LOLZ" will not be as effective as an honest examination of why you see yourself fitting in here.</p>
<p>If you can visit the school or interview, it may help. Note the word "may"-- the most I imagine it helping you is giving you more fodder for your Why Chicago essay.</p>
<p>so if you think you are a good interviewer you think definitly interview?</p>
<p>I personally think you should interview if you can-- whether or not you think you are a "good" interviewer. A lot of the people who think they are "bad" at interviewing are just a little shy, which is perfectly expected.</p>
<p>If you interview, you have a chance to learn about the school and to talk to somebody who has been connected to it in one way or another.</p>
<p>On a previous thread, I mentioned what I thought were some good tips for interviewing. I'll try to remember them:</p>
<p>-- Dress appropriately, and make sure skin is covered where it should be covered. Girls, no "sexy" tops.
-- If you plan on calling yourself an "intellectual" or indicating that you are "intellectual," be ready to defend what you mean. Even so, I would refresh my memory of current events and try to remember the last few books I read. Questions about current events/ last few books one read can really be stumpers if you're asked them on the spot.
--Come in with a few ideas of what you are going to say, a few stories from your life (stories of your family, of you overcoming challenges, of you being a leader).</p>
<p>Does U of Chicago look at ACT taken in one sitting or does it consider the best sections from multiple tests?</p>
<p>
[quote]
What should I do!?
[/quote]
I believe the standard practice is to submit your essay via the online application.</p>
<p>I've heard of people who got in who used a previous year's prompt in option 5. I don't think it's a big deal. I'd wait for Libby's response, though. Because she is a fountain of knowledge and awesome.</p>
<p>To UChicago admissions counselors and/or current students, I have a question regarding the main essay. Because UChicago gives the applicant 5 options to choose from, 4 of which whose topics are already determined, is it "looked down upon" to write an essay inspired by a quote for option 5? That's not really what I mean, but rather, does the admissions committee feel that the student is opting for the easy way out when choosing their own topic?</p>
<p>I already submitted my essay (option 5) and I was pretty confident about it before. But after reading on this forum, I found that a lot of applicants are choosing options 1-4, and so I'm doubting how my option 5 essay will be perceived.</p>
<p>In the early days if this thread, I believe that Libby stated that she used option 5! I think that all options are valued equally. Chicago sets you up to succeed, they are interested in what you have to say; they wouldn't offer option 5 if it was disparaged in any way.</p>
<p>Libby,</p>
<p>I know it can get pretty cold at Chicago. I was going to ask Andre Phillips (my regional admissions counselor) the following question, but you previously mentioned that he doesn't respond to e-mails.</p>
<p>Is there some kind of underground network that can be used when it is unbearably cold? I know my brother's school has one of these, and it would make me much more sure of UC as my first choice. I have little tolerance to the cold. In Miami during the winter, we pull out our fleeces when it hits 70 degrees F. </p>
<p>-saltinemachine</p>
<p>^^ Underground network? Are you referring to tunnels or something?</p>