I’ve read a lot of the power on here talking about the EDII resaults and the criteria used for selection isn’t really clear to me. One post said that they were able to get in with a 28 on the act and like a 3.7 gpa while another said that while they got a likely letter from Yale and were accepted to MIT EA they were flat out denied at UChicago. So my question is what is it’s they UChicago is looking for? I know the review process is holistic but there seems to be a set of not obvious criteria that the admissions counselors are using to determine who belongs at UChicago. All of this has been on my mind as I wait for my RD results. With a 34 on my ACT and a good GPA with healthy amounts of EC’s and AP classes I thought I might be a good candidate but the more I think about it I’m not so sure.
If someone got into UChicago with a 3.7 and a 28, i’d bet my house that that applicant had a very powerful hook, or multiple hooks, helping them.
Without a hook, to be seriously considered i think you’d need an SAT of at least 1470, ACT of at least 32-33, and a GPA of at least 3.8. And with stats on the low end, as those would be for unhooked applicants, you’d probably need to have very strong qualitative portions of the app.
Personally I think that you really divide those who get in into two groups, ED1/2 and RD/EA; the latter are those who have highly desirable attributes (to UChicago) to fill their class. The former are those who fit their academic profile and also fit the college, and they express that “fit” through their essays. This is a broad generalization, but unless you bring something fairly unique to the college than getting accepted in the EA/RD pool is extremely difficult.
So, you may fit the academic profile but that doesn’t guarantee anything, it goes well beyond that.
UChicago is not a meritocracy, at least not any more. It demands your loyalty first. You must apply ED1/2 if you don’t have some serious hook, or your stats and ECs make you a good candidate for HYPSM.
You mean CHYPSM?
@1NJParent This is thread is for an applicant looking for some answers, please don’t post answers on this thread that are judgmental and disingenuous, which would be a disservice to someone seeking some answers, especially with questions you know nothing about. If your intentions are to get UChicago people riled up, please start another thread.
Here we go again on another heated ED/ED2/EA/RD debate 
OP: please review this discussion if you want to dive into this debate:
@uocparent Be prepared to start another random thought thread 
“With a 34 on my ACT and a good GPA with healthy amounts of EC’s and AP classes I thought I might be a good candidate but the more I think about it I’m not so sure.”
Those stats do make you a “good candidate”, but it’s tough to say what the rest of the RD pool looks like. Your essays will be important and how you were able to describe your EC’s in your Common App. Trying to compare yourself to what others post on CC will only cause you stress - unless you could read the applications side by side, there’s no way to compare…and even then, you don’t know what that Regional Admissions Counselor is looking for.
I’m sure it’s tough to wait, but after sending in your applications, it’s probably best to try to stay off the CC boards.
@uocparent I did provide an answer to OP’s question, explaining why UChicago would reject someone who’s clearly a strong candidate, as evidenced by acceptance by MIT via EA or by Yale via a likely letter. You’re the one who’s judgmental and disingenuous, and failed to provide an answer to OP’s question.
@1NJParent I wasn’t going to answer to OP’s question, just wanted you to go back to your league.
@uocparent Did I rile you up? It wasn’t my intention, I can assure you of that. I want OP to hear a perspective that’s unlikely to come from people like yourself.
1NJParent “It demands your loyalty first” sure sounds like a judgment call.
Isn’t it a loyalty test, if an applicant has to apply ED1/2 to be accepted by UChicago, for all practical purposes, regardless how strong s/he is?
I would guess @uocparent is too much of a lady to say so but I have to ask:
@1NJParent : what do you mean by “…perspective that’s unlikely to come from people like yourself…” What are you implying about @uocparent ? Are you impugning her integrity?
@85bears46 Where did you get that idea? I see some people who have been brainwashed to defend anything that UChicago does, but I’m not questioning anybody’s integrity.
Let’s stop bickering on this thread, and let some more answers (if any) to the OP’s question ensue.
Clearly @1NJParent doesn’t like ED, no problem, just keep with the HYPSM crowd. They don’t use ED and they are fine schools. If only UPenn hadn’t started ED…
@CU123 At least UPenn doesn’t do ED2, or EA that’s in name only.
@1NJParent once again I see that northeast bias coming into play, UPenn started ED but hey they are part of that NE Ivy league thing so all is forgiven.
My own theory is that it really chaps Northeastener’s (who are all things Ivy) that UChicago invaded their top 5 list. By all rights Stanford should be #1 (as they have no weak areas (re: engineering)) but since they play real/competitive DIv I sports the will never hold that spot.
Sorry OP no more hijacking this thread.
@CU123 I’m not a fan of UPenn’s admission policy either, but UChicago’s is much worse. UPenn pioneered it. UChicago just outdid everyone else.