Anonymous1993

I think this poll will bring some life to the University of Chicago board.

Basically, write about your thoughts at the various stages of the application/admission process.


First Email from UChicago:

Second Email:

Visit (If you went on one):

When you saw the essays:

When you decided to apply:

When you wrote your essay:

When you finished your application:

If you were accepted EA...

What was your first reaction?:

Who did you tell first?:

When you saw financial aid:

When you got the acceptance package in the mail:

When you got the holiday card:

If you were accepted RD (current students and former applicants)...

What was your first reaction?:

Who did you tell first?:

When you saw financial aid:

When you got the acceptance package in the mail:

If you go/went there...

Upon arrival:

After your first quarter:

Polyosophy

I graduated early and applied to Chicago as my 2nd choice (I think I'll fit in there more than my first choice, Brown). This school was the reason I decided to graduate early, intellectualism, etc.

First Email from UChicago: EA e-mail: "this is humorous."

Second Email: Admission Result is in: "I hope I get in."

Visit (If you went on one): "This school is really cool, but this admissions officer sucks. The tour guide is pretty awesome."

When you saw the essays: "Find x. I wanna write that one"

When you decided to apply: "I'm going to graduate early if I get in here."

When you wrote your essay: "I'm going to Halloween Horror Nights tomorrow, I'll pull an all-nighter to finish this essay. Eh, it's pretty good. *Submit*"

When you finished your application:"I hope this works"

If you were accepted EA...

What was your first reaction?: "CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! (I stopped reading) I hope this isn't some Uchicago joke. OMG it isn't!!!"

Who did you tell first?: "Friend, then Mom"

When you saw financial aid: "*****, I'll have to call them about this"

When you got the acceptance package in the mail: "Where the ***** is my scarf?"

When you got the holiday card: "It's hand-written? Awesome!"

Anonymous1993

First Email from UChicago: "Wow. This seems like an interesting school!"

Second Email: "I should apply here.

When you saw the essays: "These are very interesting. I want to find x." (In the end, I did not do that essay.)

When you decided to apply: See above.

When you wrote your essay: "This is actually enjoyable."

When you finished your application:"I feel really good about this. I really hope I get in"

If you were accepted EA...

What was your first reaction?: "I GOT IN! THIS IS THE BEST FEELING EVER!"

Who did you tell first?: Parents, Grandpa, Uncle

When you saw financial aid: "Not great but better than I expected."

When you got the acceptance package in the mail: "This is so exciting!"

When you got the holiday card:That is very nice of them. This is going on my wall."

goodwood8

First Email from UChicago: Ohh... email promotion... didnt expect Chicago to do this kinda stuff

Second Email: Seriously, why are they sending promotional emails all the time.. I know they want to spread knowledge about the University and stuff.. but I feel they're hiding their true identity through the emails.. oh well.

Visit (If you went on one): Seemed a little pretentious for some odd reason, even though I know its not

When you saw the essays: OMG Find x. The world's best prompt or what!?!?!

When you decided to apply: Its an amazing university. Its very good for my subjects. I have family here. I think i'll like the student body. It's EA. What's there to lose ?

When you wrote your essay: First draft was a disaster. Second one was really enjoyable...finding x one of my favorite essays i've written.

When you finished your application: Its 6:00 am in the morning... and its due in two hours. What the hell is wrong with me??? [Note: I live outside US]

If you were accepted EA...

What was your first reaction?: ***? **** NO WAY. NO WAY!!! I couldn't believe it for a while. Later, I realized: **** I GOT INTO UCHICAGO!!!!!!!

Who did you tell first?: My sister was there with me when I checked. Then parents.

When you saw financial aid: N/A.

When you got the acceptance package in the mail: How cool!... Still, They could have atleast given a souvenir!

When you got the holiday card: Huh?? I didn't get any holiday card...

tennisplayer151

First Email from UChicago: "Pretty cool school"

Second Email: "Why are they talking to me about Dinosaurs??"

Visit (If you went on one): Nah

When you saw the essays: "Definitely the dissolve one. Oh wait, maybe find x.. So many options...."

When you decided to apply: "Awesome Econ and Poli Sci programs, can't go wrong either way."

When you wrote your essay: "This is cornier than the state of Iowa, but it works for me!"

When you finished your application: "Free at last!!"

If you were accepted EA...

What was your first reaction?: Jumped a little too high, hit my head on the ceiling :P

Who did you tell first?: "Dad! Guess what?? College is going to cost a bit more than I thought.."

When you saw financial aid: "Yeah, I could see that coming..."

When you got the acceptance package in the mail: "They must have spent a lot of money on this fancy folder.."

When you got the holiday card: "How nice, it's personalized!"

Mudskipper

First Email from UChicago: interesting

Second Email: impressive, but are you really trying to recruit me or did you send this to everyone

Visit (If you went on one): nice buildings but not sure if I'll fit in here

When you saw the essays: Oh, you think this is funny, do you? I have applications for nine different schools and YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY, DO YOU?

When you decided to apply: Why the hell not.

When you wrote your essay: Eh...

When you finished your application: Eh...

If you were accepted EA... N/A

If you were accepted RD (current students and former applicants)...

What was your first reaction?: relief

Who did you tell first?: parents

When you saw financial aid: N/A

When you got the acceptance package in the mail: Eh...

If you go/went there...

Upon arrival: glee

After your first quarter: It's like my home now.

conscience444

First Email from UChicago:
Why would they be interested in me?
Second Email:
I'm applying!
Visit (If you went on one):
I have relatives who attend/teach there (but I'm not a legacy)
When you saw the essays:
AWESOME - I loved writing those essays
When you decided to apply:
Over the summer - I chose to apply ED to Duke EA to Chicago
When you wrote your essay:
Hard to start writing - but once you hit a certain chord it just comes easily - I wrote my supp essay on the discrepancies between NSYNC and Backstreet Boys fans and the marketing techniques employed by both management teams - definitely quirky
When you finished your application:
Relieved
If you were accepted EA...
December 17th -I had a concert from four to nine pm so I came home exhausted and depressed b/c I was deferred ED from duke a few days earlier
What was your first reaction?:
HOLY $hit - I was ecstatic
Who did you tell first?:
Brother who was standing behind me, then all my friends via phone and my mom found out when she overheard everything and I called my dad at work
When you saw financial aid:
Begin the Ramen diet
When you got the acceptance package in the mail:
Great - loved the certificate
When you got the holiday card:
I met the admissions officer before at a meeting at my school and he actually remembered who I was and wrote really nice things on the card!

zakuropanda

First Email from UChicago: Don't remember the first e-mail, I do remember being fascinated by the postcard with all the coffee shops on campus!

Second Email: Already applying by that point, but still cemented my decision to do so.

Visit (If you went on one): I was surprised to see that a school could be so beautiful in the rain and the cold (and this extended beyond just the visual aspect of the campus). Made it more of my #1 choice.

When you saw the essays: I didn't like last year's essays as much, but when I read the previous year's ones a year and a half ago I really wanted to write about the "What landscape would you walk on a tightrope over? (no net)" one

When you decided to apply: Probably after I found out about the essays, quirkiness and self-deprecating humor.

When you wrote your essay: Agonized over it for days - around late October?

When you finished your application: Afternoon of 11/1.

If you were accepted EA...

What was your first reaction?: Happiest of all college decisions!

Who did you tell first?: I didn't tell anyone, I think my parents knew because I was screaming "YES! YES!"

When you saw financial aid: Started thinking maybe I could actually go!

When you got the acceptance package in the mail: I wished I could just go already!

When you got the holiday card: Touched that they hand-wrote them!


If you go/went there...

Upon arrival: Nervous and excited, but mostly excited.

After your first quarter: Sometimes frustrated, but cannot imagine being anywhere else. Definitely home now.