Provactive title

taypi31 · 12-02-2008, 08:35 PM

I couldn't really think of one at the moment, but that's not important.

I could use a little advice.

Now, I know that UC is a very good school... and very difficult to get into.

I have had my heart set on this school though.

I'm currently a junior, at a small high school in Nebraska. Our school offers no AP classes. Just your typical, run of the mill, classes. I have a 4.0 GPA (On a 4.0 scale), and have taken the hardest classes possible (and no, I'm not just saying that..

Anyway, I recently took the ACT for the first time, and got a 25. Not stellar, but not incredibly terrible.. however no where near what the average ACT score is at UC. I also took the writing portion, and got a 10 out of a possible 12. Writing, well, English is what I really want to go into. I really enjoy writing. I also have a bunch of extra curriculars, which I think should help. I've played varsity basketball, volleyball, and track, as well as our school's play production for two years. I was on the dance team one year, and have been in our FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) for three years. I'm on the student council, and have been all throughout high school. I'm also our junior class vice president. Certainly, these must help.

So, I'd just like to hear what anyone might think my chance of acceptance might be. And feel free to be frank, I'd hate to have my head stuck up in the clouds for too long of a time. Thanks!

Machiavelli12 · 12-02-2008, 09:14 PM

Just try to get that ACT up and you will have a nice shot!

spazzity · 12-02-2008, 10:21 PM

You just made me freak out that I didn't creatively title my essay. In fact, I didn't title any of my essays at all :/

But answering OP's question, I agree with Machiavelli12, increase that ACT score (have you considered taking the SAT to see if you might do better on SAT than ACT?) and you have as good a shot as any other competitive applicant.

idad · 12-03-2008, 02:40 PM

Chicago has an active program to encourage students from smaller towns to apply. I believe they may waive the application fee. That no AP courses are offered is no problem, they want you to simply demonstrate that you challenged yourself with what was offered. Although your writing SAT section score may be good, the admissions folks will never see it, it is on the essays where your writing skill needs to show. An ACT of 25, while at the lower end of U of C admits, is not all that big a deal; Chicago does not put much weight on ACT scores. Raising it some, however, probably wouldn't hurt. Your ECs are sound.

beefs · 12-03-2008, 03:24 PM

I have to disagree. A 25 ACT is a very big deal. It's not even close to the lower end of 28.

idad · 12-03-2008, 04:03 PM

If one believes the admission folks, they say no one is rejected because of low test scores, but that they usually correlate with grades, recs, and essays. this is why they list them as "considered," rather than very important or even important in there consideration list. About 9% of U of C first years who submit ACT scores, are admitted with ACT scores of 25 or below; 23% are in the 26-29 group. This is perhaps of more importance for Chicago, since it is not recruiting "big time" athletes.

Machiavelli12 · 12-03-2008, 04:04 PM

I have heard through admission people and the very admissions officer who posts on this board, that test scores are on the low end of there admissions list. With that said, I still think it is a good idea to retake. If you look at the break down of admits on the website, there are a good number who have below a 28. But still retake, it will only help. Or maybe try the SAT. Whatever you feel comfortable with.

idad · 12-03-2008, 04:15 PM

I tend to agree that retaking and receiving a higher score can't hurt, and I believe I read that U of C is one of the few schools that super scores (combines the best scores from multiple sittings to produce the best possible total score) the ACT as most do with the SAT.

lazydog · 12-04-2008, 09:12 AM

"Chicago has an active program to encourage students from smaller towns to apply."

Would that mean that students from small towns have a little bit of an advantage in the admissions process?

unalove · 12-04-2008, 09:24 AM

I don't think so, but I know a lot of students here who are the first people from their high schools to attend a "Top 10" in five or six years.

The program idad is talking about waives application fees for students from some high schools. I don't know anything more about the program or how it works.

taypi31 · 12-04-2008, 10:46 AM

idad, what program are you talking about? Seems like I should look into that... Thanks to everyone for your answers. I'm definitely retaking the ACT, and am going to talk to my GC about taking the SAT too perhaps. Hopefully I'll get that figured out.

lazydog · 12-04-2008, 12:24 PM

If you consider yourself an "english" person, you should definitely take the SAT. The SAT is now 2/3 english related, where the ACT is 1/2. That said, Chicago doesn't look at the writing section, so the SAT is really 1/2 english as well. So, it may help at other schools that do look at the writing test.

idad · 12-04-2008, 11:34 PM

taypi31: The program is called Small School Talent Search.

Quote:

The Small School Talent Search (SSTS), established in 1960 to seek out exceptional students from America’s smallest communities, has expanded to encompass students beyond urban and suburban communities that may receive less attention from colleges.