You can “explore” at many colleges. Many (maybe even most) college students change their minds or majors multiple times while in college. This isn’t unique to University of Chicago.
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I think you have a very interesting story that will make your application stand out and your academics check all the necessary boxes. That being said, it is nearly impossible to truly chance kids for the very top schools as they routinely reject kids with stellar grades/scores/ECs. You could be accepted at several of your reaches, one or none and none of those outcomes would be surprising. I wouldn’t classify USC or UNC Chapel Hill as targets for you (UNC takes about 5% of OOS applicants due to their 18% cap on OOS) so make sure you have a couple of likelier schools on your list if you don’t think you’d be happy at your safeties.
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The soul-selling comes after, I believe
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At many schools, business / engineering/ CS are extremely difficult to switch into. I think that’s what OP is talking about, in which case I would actually encourage them to take a look at HYPMS.
Then feel free to apply to Stern, Haas, or even Wharton. Don’t sell yourself short.
Bit of a late update on my results, but I didn’t get into chicago ED. Oh well. Here’s hoping there’s better luck in march!
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I look forward to hearing your good news in March.
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Surprising based on your shared info. How comfortable are you with your teacher recs ?
I’d guess that they had strong things to say, but none were particularly outstanding compared to the rest of the applicant pool of Chicago. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if the required school counselor rec letter was run-of-the-mill average for an honor student. If anything, I’d attribute it to my GPA being a bit low among the kids who get into those top universities, as most ivy/top lvl kids average a weighted 4.4-4.6 while I only had 4.27.
They will look at your actual grades and the classes that you took, with course rigor being one thing that they will pay attention to. I think that the real issue is just that so many applicants to Chicago are very strong.
Predicting results for NYU are tough, other than to say that it could go either way. Regardless, as long as you have applied to solid safeties, you should be fine in September. From what I recall from earlier in this thread I would expect you to do well regardless of where you end up.
Best wishes.
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You have zero idea why you were denied and I wouldn’t even bother to try and guess.
You have a great profile. You have other insanely selective schools but others near assured so you’ll land fine one way or another.
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You will (likely have) get into PITT and highly likely get into UMD. I saw Drexel somewhere but can’t find it. That’s an in.
BU and the UCs (test won’t matter) are more difficult.
We didn’t talk budget I see (or did we). Are you full pay or need aid ? BU is need aware so they can factor finances into the decision.
That you’re a stud is more important, in my opinion than the rest.
Good luck.
Yup, got into Pitt and Drexel already. I’m full-pay; however, merit scholarships would factor into which school I decide on. Also, ended up removing BU for UMichigan.
Thanks! Means so much.
Well if merit factors in, most your tops would be out anyway.
Btw - merit doesn’t matter. What matters is cost. Some schools are cheaper full pay than others with merit - so have a budget and stick with it. Your dream list is $90k plus and no merit happening - so would you pay that ? UF is $45k all in, likely cheaper than Pitt with merit, as an example.
To clarify, my parents are A-okay with me going full-pay if it is at one of the top, non-merit schools that I’m excited about, but if those don’t shake out and I have to choose between targets and safeties, I’d rather choose wherever it’s cheapest and offers scholarship so that my parents don’t need to contribute so much. I’m honestly not the most sure on how the finances of all this work, but I’m pretty sure that I won’t qualify for any financial aid whatsoever, so it comes down to the merit scholarships. So I should say: if I truly don’t have any on the dream list to choose from, THEN scholarship matters
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I think that he understands now. Should not affect his other applications.
Interesting list of schools.
Curious as to why you are not applying to Harvard, Northwestern, Yale, and U Penn as they are common overlaps with U Chicago. Also, since you have an interest in NYU-Stern, U Penn-Wharton should be of interest and U Penn’s liberal arts school might also be of interest.
USC (Southern Cal) offers merit scholarships and has some very strong majors.
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I did actually apply to all those except Harvard, for the College of arts and sciences in all. If anything, I would actually say I probably applied to way too many reach schools, but hey one of thems gotta like me, right?
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Yes, we all hope so. You are a very likable person with a lot of brainpower & a solid work ethic.
I wish you the best.
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