Degeneration

Decision: ACCEPTED

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 770 M 660 CR 730 W (1430/2160)
• SAT IIs: 800 Math IIC 770 Physics
• ACT:
• APs: 5's: World, Micro, Stat 4's: APUSH, English Lang, Macro
• IBs:
• GPA: 3.87 or 3.9 uw
• Rank: No rank
• Other stats: Intel ISEF 3rd place, quantum mechanics course, 2nd highest AMC 12 in school, dunno AIME score yet

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: MUN, Cross Country, Track
• Job/Work Experience: None
• Essays (subject and responses): Commonapp: why I shouldn't write an essay, I like it. UC prompt 1: live the question, very stream of conscious
• Teacher Recs: Good
• Counselor Rec: No idea
• Applied on:
• Hook (if any): ISEF

Location/Person:

• State or Country: USA east coast
• Ethnicity: Somewhere in Asia
• Gender: Dude

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: Cool. Hope I get some $$

Logorrhea

[ size=+2][ color=green][ b]Decision: ACCEPTED [ /b][ /color][ /size]

[ b]Stats:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I (by section): Math 640, W 710, CR 800
[ *] SAT IIs: USH 740, Chem 730, Bio-m 750
[ *] ACT: 31
[ *] APs: English Lang 5, USH 4, Chem 4, Bio 5
[ *] IBs:
[ *] GPA: About 4.3
[ *] Rank: 2 of 320
[ *] Other stats:
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] ECs listed on app: VP of earth club, mock trialian, key clubber...
[ *] Job/Work Experience: Secretary for insurance consulting business, piano teacher, ecology center intern
[ *] Essays (subject and responses): How would my room describe me? Pretty original essay.
[ *] Teacher Recs: Excellent
[ *] Counselor Rec: Fine, I suppose.
[ *] Applied on:
[ *] Hook (if any):
[ /list][ b]Location/Person:[ /b][ list]
[ *] State or Country: CA
[ *] School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): Public, most high achieving students end up at UC's.
[ *] Ethnicity: White
[ *] Gender: Male
[ /list]

kasiiaaa

Decision: ACCEPTED

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 2090 (770 M, 690 W, 630 CR) *Didn't send
• SAT IIs: 780 Bio, 720 Chem, 710 Math II *Didn't send
• ACT: 35 (35E, 35M, 36R, 34S, 31W)
• APs: Bio 5, Chem 4, Eng Lang 4. This year: Physics B + C Mechanics, Eng Lit, Calc AB, Psych
• IBs:
• GPA: 101% Weighted, around 97-98% unweighted
• Rank: 2/607
• Other stats: a few awards, national merit commended, public speaking awards

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: mostly dance/community service related. Really not super extensive.
• Job/Work Experience: Bakery cashier and tutor
• Essays (subject and responses): common app was about overcoming the need to be perfect, chicago one was the live the question and I wrote about being little and always wondering about the vastness of the universe and trying to find answers to my "space" questions.
• Teacher Recs: excellent
• Counselor Rec: excellent
• Applied on: like a few days before?
• Hook (if any): Polish immigrant

Location/Person:

• State or Country: New York
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): Public, around 2500 students
• Ethnicity: Polish
• Gender: Female

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: Congrats to all accepted! I really like UChic but my decision will probably be based on financial aid. Those who were rejected/waitlisted, please do not worry! I say it time and time again, everything happens for a reason! You will be somewhere great!

-CS

Decision: ACCEPTED

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): Did not take
• SAT IIs: 750 (Math II) 700 (Chem) 690 (Bio)
• ACT: 30 (28 English, 33 Math, 30 Reading, 30 Science)
• APs: 5 (Chemistry) 4 (Physics C: Mechanics) 3 (Biology) Will take Physics C: E&M + BC Calculus in May
• IBs: None
• GPA: 4.0 (UW) 4.102 (W at 4.3 scale)
• Rank: 1/67
• Other stats: Not sure

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: Church (all four years), Student Government (Class Sophomore & Junior; ASB Senior), Visual Arts (all four years), Yearbook (Junior Year) Volunteer (150 Hours)
• Job/Work Experience: None
• Essays (subject and responses): Common was on a science experiment… things you can learn from it (never give up, you have people to count on…etc) Supplementary was the question one. About how the small questions in the world, when totaled up, make a difference. Overall they were decent, I suppose. I’m not a very strong writer.
• Teacher Recs: EXTREMELY strong. I’m close to all three of them (having taken at least three classes from each...)
• Counselor Rec: Probably pretty general. She had high hopes for me but didn’t know me very well when she wrote it.
• Applied on: Late December (26-27)
• Hook (if any): Organic Chemistry in HS, Differential Equations in HS…basically strong science classes

Location/Person:

• State or Country: Oregon
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): Private, Decent with STRONG science program
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Gender: Male

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: I’m SOOOOOOOOOOOO Excited! Just need to wait on Columbia before I make a final decision.

cujosal31

Decision: REJECTED

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 730 Math 710 Reading 740 Writing (1440/2180)
• SAT IIs: 790 Math 2, 770 US Hist
• ACT:NA
• APs: 3 Euro, 5 APUSH, 5 LANG - This year will take Physics, CALC, LIT
• IBs: HL- ITGS, Physics, English SL- French, Math (middle math), History
• GPA: 6.24 weighted/ 3.84 unweighted
• Rank: Top 2 % out of 10,000
• Other stats:
  

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: MOSI Volunteer 75+ hours, University of South Florida Diabetes Research project 60+ hours, Relay for life (9-12), NHS, FHS, Key club, JV football, Achieve Tampa Bay volunteer, volunteer in my religious community (on sports board).
• Job/Work Experience:None
• Essays (subject and responses):all ok
• Teacher Recs: one excellent, one ok
• Counselor Rec: ok... first year as cousellor, didn't get to know her much
• Applied on: RD
• Hook (if any): Parents from Uganda (left ethnicity blank though because I'm not African American)... Otherwise none
  

Location/Person:

• State or Country:Living in Florida (completed all high school in FL)... but I am a Canadian citizen.
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): top 100 in US... many kids apply to top schools and many attend.
• Ethnicity:Parents from Uganda (left ethnicity blank though because I'm not African American)... so ?
• Gender:Male

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: Congrats to all who got in. I dont think I got in because I am considered international since I am a Canadian citizen and not US. I applied for aid as well and Chicago is need aware for internationals as most schools are. Thats a part of my reason. Scores a little low. Also not much leadership or any ECs that stand out. Essays weren't spectacular and Chicago cares a lot about essays.

erika27

Decision: ACCEPTED

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 2070 - CR:790, M:640, W:640
• SAT IIs: Lit:680, French:540
• ACT:
• APs: school doesn't offer any.
• IBs: again, school doesn't offer it.
• GPA:3.76 W
• Rank:17/282
• Other stats:

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: drama (formerly assistant crew manager), international club, math tutoring, national honor society
• Job/Work Experience: guitar teacher (on-and-off)
• Essays (subject and responses):responses were meh. why chicago essay was...meh. main essay was pretty good, methinks. my common app essay was probably the best out of the two major essays....
• Teacher Recs: my teachers=love (:
• Counselor Rec: she doesn't know me very well, but wrote a surprisingly good rec. three cheers for brag sheets and BS.
• Applied on: um, about a week before the deadline for ED
• Hook (if any): hook? um, i'm colombian. i guess that's a plus (as weird and a bit annoying as it is). i'm fluent in spanish and have done quite a bit of international travel. i've survived the insanity that is my extremely dysfunctional family in one piece? my school sucks majorly, but i've managed to retain my intellectual curiosity despite the fact that the entire student body is completely and utterly devoid of said curiosity? who knows.

Location/Person:

• State or Country: Rhode Island
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): decent public high school, nothing spectacular. definitely could not afford to go to a better private school...
• Ethnicity: Hispanic
• Gender: Female

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: as my top choice school, i am pretty much off the wall with happiness right now. i was pretty certain that i was going to get rejected, and was building myself up for the imminent rejection. but against all odds, i got in, and i honestly couldn't be happier (: best day ever? i think yes.

mrclassicfreak

Decision: ACCEPTED!


Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 2250 (CR 670 M 800 W 780)
• SAT IIs: Chemistry 710 MathIIC 700
• ACT: N/A
• APs: Psychology 4 Physics B 3 (both self-studied)
• IBs: N/A
• GPA: 4.0
• Rank: Top 3%...ish. School doesn't release ranks.
• Other stats: -
  

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: Heavy involvement in Youth Parliaments/Model UNs, Student Rep in School District Board of Committee, Student Council, Tons of music things
• Job/Work Experience: LOTS of tutoring
• Essays (subject and responses): indescribable. Couldn't have written them any better. Honestly, I think my essays got me in.
• Teacher Recs: One amazing, one great.
• Counselor Rec: Mediocre
• Applied on: RD
• Hook (if any): ehh. I repeatedly used the word 'orgasmic' in my book/music essay? XD

Location/Person:

• State or Country: British Columbia, CANADA
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): horrible public. NEVER sends anyone to US schools.
• Ethnicity: Asian
• Gender: Male

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: Write good essays, and let them reflect who you are as a person. And BE CREATIVE - I cannot stress this enough.
Congratulations, University of Chicago Class of 2013! I am ecstatic for all of you!

sartorialiste

Decision: ACCEPTED

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 800/800/800 E11
• SAT IIs: 800/800/800 Math II, US History, Literature
• ACT: n/a
• APs: 5/5/5/5/5/5 Human Geography, World History, European Histroy, US History, Statistics, Physics B
• IBs: n/a
• GPA: UW ~97 or 3.97, W ~101 or 4.00+
• Rank: 3/425
• Other stats: 1st Place in National Essay Contest (to remain unnamed...), NMF, TASP Finalist (idk if this even counts)

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: Creative Writing, Science Olympiad (Secretary, Captain), Art, Model UN, NHS, Beta
• Job/Work Experience: a couple of months at Kumon, restaurant since summer 08
• Essays (subject and responses): Common App - my love for writing from the perspective of 2-year-old little me; Chicago - poem that merged the street & questions prompts
• Teacher Recs: should've been great
• Counselor Rec: positive, but not very specific
• Applied on: Decemberish?
• Hook (if any): not really

Location/Person:

• State or Country: GA
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): public, sends about 10 kids to Emory per year and a couple of kids to top schools out of state
• Ethnicity: Asian
• Gender: Female

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:
SO HAPPY!! I was at school at 4pmish when I saw two posts on CC about decisions being up. Started squealing when I saw the decision letter, especially since this is the first school I've heard from since my state flagship a month ago. Chicago is one of my favorite schools, and I think my love for the college really did come through my essays, since I did a summer program there 3 years ago. It feels really nice to get in because my app here was really much more raw and risky than my apps at most other schools. Congratulations to everyone who got in!!!! I'm still so psyched.

CaddyBJ

Decision: ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!^_^

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): M: 780, CR: 800, W: 710
• SAT IIs: French 710, Bio-E 800, US History 760
• APs:US History, Art History, Biology => 5
  World History => 4
  Currently taking Calc BC, English Lit, Environmental Science, Chemistry, and French Lang.
• GPA:4.0/4.92
• Rank: 7/370
  

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: Science Olympiad, lab research, Outward Bound, Habitat for Humanity, French club, peer tutoring, etc etc etc
• Job/Work Experience: I take care of kids
• Essays (subject and responses): Road topic about "Memory Lane" . In retrospect the topic is probably a bit cliche (Adcom: omg, ANOTHER one about Memory lane??!) but I guess I made it adequately unique.
• Teacher Recs: Dunno their opinions of me, but I absolutely loved these teachers!
• Counselor Rec: Standard
• Applied on: RD
• Hook (if any):
  

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:
I didn't think I had a chance b/c I've never won any national or state competitions, I'm unhooked, and do not have stellar ECs. I guess they do evaluate the person, and not the things the person has done. My interviewer impressed me...he wanted to know how my mind worked, and not what I've accomplished..Thanks UCHICAGO!!! Definitely one of my top choices.

geckolord

Decision: ACCEPTED


Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 780M 770CR: 1550 (not a super score..I only took the SAT once)
• SAT IIs: 800 Math 2, 790 US History, 770 World His
• APs: BC Calculus, World His= 5. Lang, CS, Apush..4 ha
• GPA:4 UW
• Rank: 2/450?
• Other stats: intel regional

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: concert band, jazz band, marching band, scouts, church
• Essays (subject and responses): STREET
• Teacher Recs: good
• Counselor Rec: good
• Applied on: 11/19
• Hook (if any): eagle scout

Location/Person:

• State or Country: va
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): public, ok..
  

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: i have a gecko. i leik calculus.

dirigibleplum

Thrilled to lose my CC posting virginity with this post:

Decision: ACCEPTED

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 2340 -- 780CR / 800M / 760W
• SAT IIs: U.S. History 680 / Chemistry 680 / Math II 690 (lol, ouch)
• ACT: N/A
• APs: World Hist 4, Statistics 4, Language 3, U.S. Hist 4; taking Chemistry, Biology, Calc BC, & Literature
• IBs: N/A
• GPA: 4.000 UW (I always forget my weighted GPA, but it was around 4.3-something)
• Rank: 1 of 323
• Other stats: Awards listed on app -- National Merit semifinalist (finalist pending), academic letter, GA Certificate of Merit, AP Scholar with Honor, numerous science fair awards; also let them know about becoming valedictorian and a Presidential Scholars candidate post-submission; no interview; no legacy

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: 4 yrs community service (Key Club president, Beta Club treasurer, NHS); 3 yrs science fair, Georgia Junior Science and Humanities Symposium presenter; 1 yr Academic Team (varsity); 4 yrs Math Team; 1 yr county school superintendent student advisory group; 4+ yrs piano/keyboard; 1 yr "school-spirit" (homecoming festivities -- voted on homecoming court, voted homecoming queen); I also attached a more expansive resume, though nothing really worth noting here
• Job/Work Experience: None
• Essays (subject and responses):
  - Common App -- "Describe a character in fiction, etc... that has had an influence on you" -- Wrote about Albus Dumbledore and how his advocacy of tolerance has made an impression on me.
  - Supplement Q1 -- Discussed my life as being complacent up 'til I visited the city of Chicago last summer - literally my first foray out of the Southeastern U.S. Expressed enthusiasm for the Core and my wish to "try to learn something about everything and everything about something" as Thomas Huxley once said.
  - Supplement optional Q2 -- Tried not to write too much about my favorite books, movies, actors, music, etc.
  - Supplement Essay 4 (particle accelerator thought experiment) -- Not all that willing to give up the two things I smashed together, but I wrote it in the style of a log kept by a slightly evil Russian scientist, and threw in lots of relatively accurate technical info. Tons of fun to write.
• Teacher Recs: My Hnrs+AP Chem and AP Lang teachers both thought very highly of me. Can't speak for their writing ability, though my Lang teacher was probably better
• Counselor Rec: Could have ranged from generic to good
• Applied on: ?
• Hook (if any): Dunno enough CC lingo for this

Location/Person:

• State or Country: GA
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): Suburban public -- mediocre in my opinion, but located in a reasonably academically competitive region
• Ethnicity: Asian
• Gender: F

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations, etc: It's been two hours since I read the acceptance letter, so my excitement has honestly petered out a tiny bit, but still! I can't believe I didn't know about this school until after I visited the city of Chicago. It might have been made for me. I am so relieved. I thought I came across as too vanilla in my application, perhaps. Now I'm just waiting for a financial aid statement. I truly can't afford this school without aid. Lots of aid. Big congrats for my fellow accepted students!

anna726

[ size=+2][ color=orange][ b]Decision: WAITLISTED [ /b][ /color][ /size]

[ b]Stats:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I (by section): math- 760 reading- 720 writing- 620
[ *] SAT IIs: lit- 690 math- 670
[ *] ACT: n/a
[ *] APs: took lots of AP classes, took 3 exams: USH- 3, Calc BC- 3, English- 5
[ *] IBs: not offered at school
[ *] GPA: weighted 4.7, unweighted 3.7
[ *] Rank: 2/399
[ *] Other stats:
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] ECs listed on app: president of FIRST Robotics team, member of FIRST team for 3 years, Science Olympiad president and member for 4 years, Asian Student Association 2 years, Med Club, lots and lots of volunteer experience
[ *] Job/Work Experience: One month internship at Columbia University's Vascular Biology lab
[ *] Essays (subject and responses): they were ok
[ *] Teacher Recs: good recs
[ *] Counselor Rec: ok
[ *] Applied on: IDK what this means
[ *] Hook (if any):
[ /list][ b]Location/Person:[ /b][ list]
[ *] State or Country: North Carolina
[ *] School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): urban school
[ *] Ethnicity: indian
[ *] Gender: f
[ /list][ b]General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:[ /b] Congratulations to everyone who got in

defusee

Decision: REJECTED

Stats:

• SAT I (by section): 760 CR, 660 M, 700 W : 2120 (taken once)
• SAT IIs: 740 Lit, 610 Math I
• ACT: n/a
• APs: n/a, but have taken many AP-level classes. My school doesn't do the AP curriculum.
• IBs: n/a
• GPA: 3.5ish unweighted (a guess, as the school only reports GPA to students once during junior year)
• Rank: n/a (school doesn't publish ranking)
• Other stats: had an alumni interview, which went well
  

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: Editor in Chief of school's Visual and Literary Arts magazine, unpaid photo intern for school's Alumni magazine, volunteer work in New Orleans, volunteer work at local animal shelter, raised $1000 through handmade shirt sales to support Obama, PADI certified Rescue Diver (significant hours of training required) with some marine biology research, SAIC art classes and study abroad classes in Paris
• Job/Work Experience: Swimming instructor to small children
• Essays (subject and responses): Common App one is about how split custody from birth shaped me growing up, UC one was "Powers of Ten" about my experience in Hurricane Dennis, how it led to me volunteering for New Orleans clean up work, and how atypical this community service was from any other I'd experienced.
• Teacher Recs: waived rights, but probably good
• Counselor Rec: waived rights, but probably praising a smooth transition in my junior year when I transferred to his school
• Applied on: Dec 31, 2008
• Hook (if any): Sent a portfolio of illustration work

Location/Person:

• State or Country: IL native, now boarding in MA
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): transferred from large public school (9/10) to a competitive private boarding school (11/12)
• Ethnicity: did not report
• Gender: Female

[b]General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:[ /b] I thought I had a shot, as my writing is strong, my interview went quite well, and my portfolio supplement is impressive. Oh well! Now I don't have to fret over my choices as much, and have so far gotten in to two of my top four picks (NYU and WashU out of those + U of C and Brown). Congratulations to those accepted!

Failed Applicant

Decision: REJECTED

Stats:

• SAT I (composite): 2220
• SAT I (by section): 760 Math 740 Reading 720 Writing
• SAT IIs: N/A
• ACT: 34
• APs: 5 AP English Language, 4 AP US History
• IBs: Not offered.
• GPA: 4.61 Weighted, 3.86 Unweighted
• Rank: 15/513
• Other stats: Not sure.

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: Many.
• Job/Work Experience: Have held management positions.
• Essays (subject and responses):
• Teacher Recs: Didn't get to see them, willing to assume they were decent.
• Counselor Rec: Very good.
• Applied on: RD
• Hook (if any): None.

Location/Person:

• State or Country: United States
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): Large public school.
• Ethnicity: Asian
• Gender: Male

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:

Congratulations to all those who got in, you are truly the cream of the crop. I truly regret not being a part of the group that was accepted, as U of C was one of my top choices. Best of luck to you all in the future.

caatinga

Decision: ACCEPTED!!


Stats:

• SAT I (by section): CR 710, M 800, W 700. Total: 2210
• SAT IIs: Math 2 800, Chem 800, Bio M 800
• ACT: N/A
• APs: N/A Not offered at school.
• IBs: Bio SL 7. Diploma candidate.
• GPA: 94% avg in Canada.
• Rank: Unranked, but top 10.
• Other stats: Like...?

Subjective:

• ECs listed on app: Creative writing, science olympics, a decent amount of volunteering, entrepreneurship.
• Job/Work Experience: Unemployed since 1991
• Essays (subject and responses): CommonApp about significant experience from volunteering and how it influenced my life. Why Chicago is straightforward, about my future plans and how the U of C would be a good fit. Favorite things was all over the place, wrote a paragraph each about book, newspaper, play, movie etc. etc. "Extended essay" on topic 1, showing my paranoid (in a comical way) views regarding the role of questions in life.
• Teacher Recs: 1 Math, 1 English. Did not read Math, but I have a hunch is good. English is okay to decent? I haven't read many recs to compare it to.
• Counselor Rec: Cookie-cutter I assume. He manages 600 other kids and does not know me well.
• Interview: by phone. Thought it was decent.
• Applied on: Sometime extremely close to the deadline.
• Hook (if any): Only anti-hooks.
• Supplementary information: A writing sample and a rec from volunteering place.

Location/Person:

• State or Country: Canada
• School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): Public, reputable according to other people, 2000+ kids, most go to local universities.
• Ethnicity: Asian.
• Gender: M

General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: I completely did not expect the decision to be released today, but I was pleasantly surprised! I couldn't stop smiling and shaking for a few minutes. Congratulations to everyone else who got in! And to those who didn't, I believe the university we go to is only half of experience. Our actions are just as important as where we get in. Anyone of us can bring amazing things to any university, and ultimately what we do is going to define our college careers. Everyone on CC can go on to do amazing things.