Chance me UChicago

Hi! I am a junior from New Jersey, USA who is currently studying at an elite prep school in Jordan. Yes, Jordan. As in the Middle East. I would love to attend the University of Chicago.
GPA: 3.70/UW (was lower my sophomore year but I have a pretty good reason)
ACT: Haven’t taken it yet
Hooks: I’m African-American
Awards/Honors: Won Outstanding Delegate at the 2017 Model Arab League conference, Honor roll
Activities:
At my old school (freshman and sophomore year)

  • founder/president of Model Arab League
  • Arabic lessons outside of school
  • Editor of the Middle East section of an international news publication at my school
  • writer for United Youth Journalists
  • Violin (10 years)
  • Member of both the selective and community orchestras
  • JV fencer both freshman and sophomore years
  • Volunteered in a classroom in a school in Trenton, NJ
    At my new school (junior and senior year)
  • Model UN (I’m a chair for a conference in two weeks)
  • Jordanian Model Parliament delegate
  • Fencing
  • Staff writer for The Youth Journal
  • (still) a writer for United Youth Journalists
  • writer for/member of a German think tank
  • potential contributor to a nonprofit that works with Guantanamo Bay detainees
  • I’m doing a Capstone-like project on counterintelligence for fun
  • member of the orchestra

Summer:

  • attended an Arabic immersion camp
  • volunteered in Ghana

APs: French (5), APUSH, APCSP, APCOMPGOV, APCalc AB, AP Bio

Fun fact about me: I am fluent in French and Arabic

Essays:
Why UChicago? I have thought about this quite a bit. What really attracts me is both the nerdy atmosphere and the dual MA/BA program in international relations.
Supplemental:
I haven’t started yet
Recs:

  • I’m confident in getting good recs from my teachers

Passions:

  • international relations, Middle Eastern politics, Law, Ethical Hacking, Languages, statecraft and national anthems (I actually know over 30 by heart. My favorite is Kazakhstan’s (no no the Borat version))

Until you have standardized tests, you can’t be accurately chanced. Come back when you do.

I agree with @MaybeHarvard2022. Also, in the Universities of the United States, being African American isn’t a hook. That’s just your race. Good luck though, your ECs look great. However, the GPA is a little bump in the wrong direction in my opinion, however many other standardized tests can compensate.

@NathanRubin10 being black or any other URM is a hook. Especially since the OP is an African-American male, the holy grail of URM, he has relatively good chances if he has good test scores. URM doesn’t apply if you’re an international applicant.

@MaybeHarvard2022 Really? I was unaware of this. Thank you for calling me out! I’m new here, so that saves some embarrassment for the future. :slight_smile:

@NathanRubin10 Haha no problem!