Ask away- it's UChicagoPSAC!

*UChicagoPSAC* · 10-09-2009, 09:13 PM

Hi everyone!

My name is Grace, and I am the web content director for the University of Chicago's Prospective Students Advisory Committee, the student division of the Office of Admissions. I work on external web projects for the University specifically relating to social networking (Facebook, CollegeConfidential, our Live Chat program, and the Uncommon Blog), and am the College Rep for UChicago on CC. I also work in the office as a Student Visit Coordinator (NOT an admissions counselor, but a representative of student life!)

In short, I'm here to answer your questions. Libby Pearson, our old College Rep and starter of "Watch Out, It's An Admissions Counselor!" no longer works in the office, so your new questions for an office rep should be directed here. While I will not "chance" you, and cannot provide details on official admissions information (when decisions come out, estimating your financial aid, etc) I am totally happy to answer your questions about student life, visiting campus, and the like. I encourage you also to keep in contact with your Regional Admissions Counselor (see here: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/php/contact/ to find their name, contact information, and assignment by state or country) for official admissions questions, but feel free to use me and this thread as a resource for other questions you may have. Please don't feel slighted if I refer you to them with any specific questions- some things are better and more effectively answered by a non-student staff member.

Best of luck in the admissions process, and I hope to hear questions from many of you soon!

Grace, AB '11
Web Content Director, Prospective Students Advisory Committee Executive Board of the University of Chicago

PaperChaserPop · 10-09-2009, 09:26 PM

Grace,

For EA, is there a deadline for scheduling an interview? And, what is the deadline for having one? Thanks.

*UChicagoPSAC* · 10-09-2009, 09:32 PM

PaperChaser- the deadline for on-campus interviews for EA applicants is Nov. 6th, and the deadline for EA applicants to request alumni interviews through their Chicago Account is Nov. 3rd (and, if available, the interview should happen shortly thereafter).
See here for further information for regular decision and transfer applicants: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.e...terviews.shtml

A-Punk · 10-09-2009, 10:13 PM

For the teacher evaluations, is it ok if one of the evaluations is submitted online on the common app and the other one is mailed?

Also, I am applying EA, so everything that I am physically sending to UChicago needs to be postmarked before November 1st, right? So that means, I could send something on like October 30th, and it will be ok if it gets there after Nov. 1?

Please excuse my ignorance, and forgive me if these are stupid questions, I just need some clarification.

*UChicagoPSAC* · 10-09-2009, 10:20 PM

Correct on both counts. As long as things are postmarked by the deadline, they are fine- it is better to get things in before, but not required.

Litlhurry · 10-09-2009, 11:24 PM

Damn my dyslexia! I was so happy to think that your post rhymed. But alas, I am mistaken v.v

Well...I know this is one curious question that I'm contemplating (Don't mind my overkill of alliteration..I do it quite often) Is it easy to start a new club? Because I have an idea or two that I think would really be a nice addition to the campus social life.

A-Punk · 10-10-2009, 01:12 AM

I am worried about one of my letters of recommendation. One of my teachers is going to be able to submit it through the commonapp website, and this evaluation will be submitted before the deadline. But my other teacher evaluation, from my English teacher, might be a little late; I screwed up and asked her for the recommendation a little late, and I am worried that if I rush her it might reflect poorly on the actual recommendation. So my concern is this: if I submit my complete application through the Commonapp, including one teacher evaluation and one counselor evaluation, on time, just my remaining teacher evaluation is sent late, would that be ok?

I am worried that something may happen and my English teacher may take longer on the rec and it wont be finished until after the deadline. If that final teacher recommendation is postmarked late, but every other portion of the application has been submitted, would that disqualify me for EA?

CountingDown · 10-10-2009, 07:43 PM

Grace -- do you mean the last date someone can REQUEST an EA interview is 11/6? Or the last day for EA interviews is 11/6?

S has one scheduled for 11/14 because he can't get out there sooner due to football commitments (and we bought tickets weeks ago), but is applying EA. Any help?

Edit: S went in through this page https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.e...ons/firstyear/ and there was never any mention of 11/6 being the cutoff for EA interviews.

*UChicagoPSAC* · 10-10-2009, 09:18 PM

Countingdown- you should e-mail or call your son's regional admissions counselor on Monday to talk about this. The information that I have about interviews is from the office and on this page: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.e...terviews.shtml (down at the bottom), but if you call your admissions officer will be able to let you know if this is a hard and fast deadline or workable.

*UChicagoPSAC* · 10-10-2009, 09:25 PM

Litlhurry- starting a new club (or RSO, as they're known here) is actually relatively commonplace, and totally easy! Basically, all you need is a faculty advisor, a few interested students, and a general description of what the club might entail, and it will be reviewed by a group of students and staff (basically to make sure it's not like "Cruelty to Small Baby Mammals Society" or something), and you're all set! Here's the official website for more detailed information: https://studentactivities.uchicago.e...becoming.shtml. Good luck!

qwt2 · 10-10-2009, 10:46 PM

Hi Grace! I have 2 questions

1) I am taking the ACT October 24th; I'm wondering if it will be too late to send in my ACT score when it comes out ~November 10th? (I will be sending in my SAT score on time, however and will only send in the ACT if it happens to be higher than my SAT equivalent)

2) and concerning the art supplement, I know the website says

"To submit supporting materials for music, theater and dance, or visual arts and film, use the Arts Supplement form from the Common Application. You may also submit an additional recommendation from anyone who knows you well (e.g., coach, music or foreign language teacher, member of your community). Please use the Teacher Evaluation form in the Common Application for this purpose. You cannot submit this online; the person writing the recommendation must mail or fax us the forms."

So...if I am to send in a DVD instead of using the art supplement upload-video-of-yourself option, my piano teacher also needs to fill out a teacher evaluation form from common app (like the one's school teachers use?) along with his recommendation directly to the university and not through the common-app upload-teacher-recommendation-option.

*UChicagoPSAC* · 10-11-2009, 12:09 AM

qwt2- these questions would be better answered by your regional admissions counselor- feel free to look him/her up at the address on the original post. Sorry I can't be more helpful!

CountingDown · 10-11-2009, 03:45 AM

Thanks muchly. S will email his rep since he doesn't get home til after the Admissions Office closes.

resolutely · 10-11-2009, 05:05 AM

hi, how do international applicants (who are not in the US) schedule interviews? is this even possible at all? i don't think i've come across it, although i may have missed something out.

thanks much!

dgtmartins · 10-11-2009, 05:48 AM

In the same vein as the previous post, I'd just like to make sure that as an international student whose school doesn't provide a GPA/class rank, having a teacher fill out the Secondary School Report while leaving those two things blank is perfectly fine? Additionally, is the process of getting the counselor to fill out the International Supplement also self-contained within Common App?