UChicago Class of 2012 Wait List

Captain Doubtful · 05-02-2008, 11:53 PM

Hello fellow UChicago Class of 2012 wait listers! Since May 1 had passed, we should be hearing from Chicago soon. It seems like that some universities had already started admitting from the wait list even before May, so hopefully this year's UChicago wait list will be used as well.

Post here if you receive any news or if you were admitted! Meanwhile, good luck to all!!

theplace · 05-03-2008, 11:55 AM

The wait list letter said May 4th. I sure hope they are in there this weekend finding lots of declines! Although, it seems the U of C is on a roll and more and more kids really want to go there. They could have another excellent yield year. I also remain doubtful, but I feel like I did everything I could to demonstrate desire.

ee33ee · 05-03-2008, 01:32 PM

Huh why would they inform people on a Sunday? Do they even work tomorrow? And it will be through a phone call, right?

Captain Doubtful · 05-03-2008, 01:37 PM

The Office of Admissions is in fact close on "most Saturdays and all Sundays". And the wait list says "after May 4", so I assume it'll be May 5 and onwards.

And yes, it will be through a phone call I believe. They will ask you whether you are still interested.

iX3demosthenes · 05-03-2008, 01:42 PM

i quite reluctantly gave up my spot at UC to go to Cornell partly because of my interest in engineering. anyway, I wish you guys the best of luck and hope you will be able to get good news soon.

vickious · 05-04-2008, 06:53 AM

I read on the uncommon blog that they won't know if they can use the waitlist until the second or third week of May. That was in the last post in late April.

srparent · 05-04-2008, 02:14 PM

Take heart! Here's an article from the Chicago Maroon, which indicated that U/C expects to accept students from the wait list. Unfortunately it doesn't answer your questions about when you will hear. But hopefully this will help! Chicago Maroon | U of C acceptance rate hits record low

"With mounting competition for limited admissions spots both at the U of C and other schools, the question of this year’s class yield—how many accepted students will decide to come to the University—is a particular concern for admissions officers.

'Because the group we admitted is so strong, I’d imagine they have lots of attractive offers, particularly from the Ivies,' [Michael] Behnke [Vice President and Dean of Enrollment] said. 'Harvard and Yale were even more generous to upper-income families than the Odyssey Program' which eliminates the family tuition contributions for students from families earning less than $60,000 per year.

Due to the uncertain yield, there is a relatively large waitlist of 1,200 students, compared to 800 students last year. The unusually large list stems from a pervasive caution in admissions offices in highly selective institutions.

'When you have such a selective institution and you’re looking at students that are going to get offers from other places, you have to be cautious,' Behnke said. 'I’d be shocked if we didn’t take students [from the waitlist] this year.'"

idad · 05-04-2008, 03:43 PM

They had a waitlist of 800 last year and took no one.

awm1989 · 05-04-2008, 03:49 PM

I have dillemna in regards to the waitlist.

I'm a national merit scholar and I got into Emory, which, like Chicago gives scholarships to national merit scholars.

The catch is that you need to state your first choice school by May 31. And if I don't have a response from Chicago by then, I would need to tell the National Merit people Emory. But if i were to get off the waitlist in June I would be out 8k - Emory gives a 2k renewable scholarship whereas Chicago gives a 1k I believe.

Is there anything I can do to get them to make up their minds faster? Is it even worth remaining on the Chicago waitlist?

Captain Doubtful · 05-04-2008, 04:13 PM

awm1989, if UChicago doesn't respond by late May I think it's safe to say that they won't be taking anybody off the waitlist this year. They should have a pretty good idea of how many they can take from the list at this point already.

SomethingSilly · 05-04-2008, 04:44 PM

awm1989: I'm a NMF, as well. Chicago gives a 2k renewable, but I'm pretty sure it comes out of your Chicago grant money (which is what happened to me).

That is, if you qualified for financial aid, they take 2k of the "University of Chicago Grant" and rename it as "U of C National Merit Scholarship". If you're not getting FA, then it is a 1k renewable. I'm not sure when Chicago's final NM deadline is/was, but I recall having to decide by March 1st to be guaranteed one.

unalove · 05-04-2008, 05:33 PM

awm, if I were you, I would just roll with Emory, take the money and run. :-)

chicagoboy12 · 05-04-2008, 07:44 PM

if chicago is accepting you off the waitlist, then you will know by may 31. if you DONT hear by may 31st, you likely will NOT get accepted off the waitlist, and should take emory.

i am no expert, but i think it is reasonable to assume that the people getting accepted off the waitlist will be contacted in may.

Captain Doubtful · 05-04-2008, 11:00 PM

Not to take away our hope or anything, but somebody just commented on the Uncommon App blog that an admissions officer at Chicago told a high school counselor that they won't be notifying wait listers until June now. I don't know if this is true but sure hope it isn't.

Captain Doubtful · 05-05-2008, 05:17 PM

Update: I called my admissions counselor today and was told that they are still counting the number of enrollment forms, so they will know in a few days whether or not any wait listers can get in.