maria fernanda

when I talk about my ec's and my interests, does it have to be about just high school activities or can it be things that I have been involved in since I was little and are recurring interests throughout my life?

ohio_mom

I wouldn't include pre-HS accomplishments on your list of stuff / resume ... but you can certainly incorporate them into your essays, additional information, and so on.

maria fernanda

ok because when I was in middle school, thats when I really discovered that I loved being part of the school and helping in the community. I was 1 of the 4 members that created the student council in my middle school, and since we only have one m.s. it was the first of its kind outside of the high school so I didnt know if listing this would show how passionate and serious I am about student council and other similar organizations.

glasses

ohio_mom has it right, as usual.

maria fernanda

or what I mean is not necessarily list them in your ec's but if I talk about it in my essays can I talk about those things in which I have been interested in since I was little? so not so much list them but use them to showcase my passions

ohio_mom

"can I talk about those things in which I have been interested in since I was little?"

Absolutely. I wouldn't dwell on it, but you could use your early interests to set the stage for who you are now, and perhaps who you hope to become.

glasses

Whatever works its way into those essays is good, you'll see when you respond to the topics. I understand your dilemma, one of my guys caused a real shift in middle school policy and he had to lead the fight. The parts of him that made that happen came through in his essays although the episode was long left behind. Your passions and ways of thinking can be clear whether you reach into your younger self or not as you write.

x-post, sorry.

UCLA, Ph.D.

MBP get back to me when you start paying your own bills.

maria fernanda

so regarding my sat's again, what score would make me very competible for the school? and also what are my chances if nobody else applies to U. of C. or has attended this school? do they look at that sort of thing, or just at each individual?

ohio_mom

"what are my chances if nobody else applies to U. of C. or has attended this school? do they look at that sort of thing, or just at each individual?"

I don't believe that it will hurt you - no one from my son's hs had ever applied to UChicago - or had done so in recent memory.

As far as your SAT's go - take a look at class statistics on the Chicago website and look for yourself. I really hesitate to give a number as it is only one component of your application.

SCOMathmo

Seconding what ohio_mom said. I'm the first to apply to the University of Chicago from my small international school in Scotland and I got in.

maria fernanda

ok so we have a better chance than if say, 10 kids applied? i hope so lol

rap_mom

My understanding is that the admissions folks don't set a quota per school, so that you don't have a "better chance than if...10 kids applied." There might be some advantage to the admissions officers knowing the nature of the high school you've attended, particular its level of rigor. My son's small and highly selective public h.s. in NYC had a ton of students (somewhere between 6 and 10 students) accepted to Chicago last year, and I think that the same pattern continued this year, with multiple acceptances.

This certainly doesn't mean that it's an inherent disadvantage to be the first from your high school to apply (as posts #40 and #41 illustrate), especially if your application packet makes it clear that you took the most rigorous course load that was available there.

maria fernanda

ok thats great! yeah although my high school isnt the most challenging unless you want it to be, I have made sure that I take the hardests classes possible, including all honors and ap's so hopefully that'll be an advantage