Chances and Areas in Need of Improvement

Colleges & Universities University of Chicago
1

<p>RACE: African American / Black</p>

<p>GENDER: Male</p>

<p>LOCATION: South Carolina</p>

<p>GPA: 3.8 Un-Weighted / 4.7 Weighted</p>

<p>RANK: 3 or 4 / 342</p>

<p>SAT: Took the June 2, 2007 test (maybe 1200+ math and critical reading)</p>

<p>SAT II: Taking Literature and US History in November (maybe 650+)</p>

<p>GRADES:
FRESHMAN YEAR
Algebra 1 CP - 97
French 1 CP -99
Algebra 2 Honors - 91
Physical Science Honors - 88
English 1 Honors - 98
World History Honors - 95
Honors Seminar - 99
French 2 CP - 96
Physical Education (CP) - 100
Computer Applications (CP) - 96</p>

<p>SOPHOMORE YEAR
Geometry Honors - 94
Biology 1 Honors - 90
English 2 Honors - 95
AP European History - 89
French 3 Honors - 97
Visions of the Future Seminar (Honors) - 95
Art 1 (CP) - 96
Health (CP) - 96</p>

<p>JUNIOR YEAR
Algebra 3 Honors - 97
Chemistry 1 Honors - 93
AP English Language & Composition - 99
AP United States History - 96
AP Art History - 97
Introduction to Philosophy Seminar (Honors) - 97
Global Issues Seminar (Honors) - 96
French 4 Honors - 97</p>

<p>SENIOR YEAR
Pre-Calculus Honors
Physics Honors
AP English Literature & Composition
AP United States Government & Politics
AP French Language & Composition
Talented & Gifted Art (Honors)
AP Studio Art
AP Human Geography
Twentieth Century Seminar (Honors)
Economics CP (could not fit AP)</p>

<p>EXTRACURRIULAR ACTIVITIES
Youth Action Council: Co-Chair / President; Finalist in the Project Ignition National Seat Belt Campaign; presented multi-media campaign at the National Youth Leadership Council’s (NYLC) National Service-Learning Conference; recipient of the Best Grassroots Impact Award for working with South Carolina legislators to enact stronger seat belt safety laws; recipient of the $25,000 State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grant</p>

<p>Student Government
Senate; House of Representatives; Representative-at-Large; National Association of Student Councils (NASC) Council of Excellence Award; Certificate of Excellence and Varsity Letter for 300+ Hours of Service; South Carolina Association of Student Councils (SCASC) Gold Honor Council Award; Junior Class Leadership Council Secretary; Certificate of Excellence for 200+ Hours of Service; Sophomore Class Leadership Council Secretary; Outstanding Freshman Class Service Award for 100+ Hours of Servce; South Carolina Association of Student Councils (SCASC) District Conference; School Improvement Council (SIC)</p>

<p>Scholars Symposium / Honors Forum
Senior Class Advisory Council Representative; Junior Class Advisory Council Representative; Sophomore Class Advisory Council Representative; Freshman Class Advisory Council Representative; Peer Mentor / Tutor</p>

<p>National Art Honor Society (NAHS)
Awards and Ceremony Coordinator; Scholastic Art and Writings Award Competition; South Carolina State Fair Student Art Show; Spring Visual Arts Show; Photography Club</p>

<p>National French Honor Society (NFHS)
President / Awards and Ceremony Coordinator; Darfur Advocacy Campaign (Co-Chair); Peer Mentor / Tutor</p>

<p>National Honor Society (NHS)
Peer Mentor / Tutor</p>

<p>National Senior Beta Club
Peer Mentor / Tutor</p>

<p>COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS
Amnesty International USA
“Malaria No More” Campaign
STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition
Genocide Intervention Network
Andy Thomas Radio Network Teen Forum Show
National Service-Learning Partnership
Service-Learning and Civic-Engagement Collaborative Workshop
Good Neighbor Home Works Renovation Project
Winter Holidays Service Project
Board Election (Co-Manager for Gregory Branch)</p>

<p>SUMMER EXPERIENCES
The Governor’s School of South Carolina at the College of Charleston
South Carolina Business Week at Presbyterian College
Clemson University Program for Academically Talented Students</p>

<p>ACADEMIC HONORS
Principal’s Scholar Honor
National Ventures Scholar Program
National French Contest Level 4 Honorable Mention Award
Junior Marshal at Senior Graduation
Coker College Scholar Award
Lander University Junior Fellow Award
Newberry College Scholar Award
University of South Carolina Aiken Scholar Award
University of South Carolina Upstate Scholar Award
AP English Language & Composition Award of Excellence
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Junior English Award
South Carolina Governor’s Scholar Award
Golden Palmetto Leadership & Service Merit Award
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Sophomore History Award
National History Day Certificate of Achievement
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Freshman Social Studies Award
Academic Honor Roll
Duke Univeristy Talent Identification Program Scholar
Scholars Academy / Honors School</p>

2

<p>Well, everything looks good except your SAT’s, which make me a bit nervous. I think you should consider Chicago a little on the reachy side. Pay a lot of attention to your essays - I knew everybody says it on the Chicago boards, but it’s true. Where else are you applying?</p>

3

<p>I know I would feel more secure if I would score better on my SATs. I hope I have enough safety schools (as much as I dislike the term): University of South Carolina - Columbia, Furman University, Syracuse University, Boston University, Fordham University, George Washington University, Wake Forest University, New York University, Emory University, and University of Chicago. I really think my essays will be genuine because the core of my essay is going to be the impact my friend had on the community when she passed away in a car accident last fall and how, because she showed so much promise and talent, she truly inspired people from all over our district to hold on to every moment.</p>

4

<p>That essay topic would help your friend a lot more than it would help you… if she were applying to college.</p>

5

<p>Well, you sound like a writer, so that should be fine. Just be careful with your essay - that it does talk about you, not only your friend. Sometimes a wonderful person like that can act as a mirror - showing us the better sides of ourselves. Make sure your readers see your reflection in your words.</p>

<p>I like your list. Have you looked at Trinity in CT?</p>

6

<p>Can you come back after you have your AP test scores? That will give you and us a better idea of how you compare to others that have been accepted at Chicago</p>

7

<p>I know the topic needs to relate to me and it definitely does…school for the next few weeks was horrible since everyone was very close to her and you could just sense gloom in the atmosphere. But her death just taught me to think bigger than myself and take everything seriously, especially since this was the beginning of our junior year and we all thought of our cars as new toys or something (she was in a car accident with her friends going to a soccer game). I realize my AP course grades seem strangely high and I’m worried that if I don’t do well on the exam that the admissions committee will think the classes were ridiculously easy (I think I got a 4 on US History, a 3 or 4 on Art History, but English I really don’t know because I worked hard in the class but our teacher wasn’t too great - which is no excuse, of course). How badly will poor AP scores effect my application?</p>

8

<p>I honestly think you’ll be fine. Class rank and stats all seem pretty good. I guess the SATs could be higher, but that seems to be on the lower end of the list in terms of things Chicago takes importantly.</p>

9

<p>I can tell you that your class rank and your minority status make you stand out as an applicant, at Chicago or elsewhere. I think your geographic location helps, too. We don’t have that many southerners at the school. </p>

<p>You also have a ton of awards and commendations reinforcing that you’ve achieved a lot (and the Duke program! hooray!)</p>

<p>And about the essays… if I were you, I would do what one of my friends did: submit both your personal essay about your friend and an additional “uncommon” essay. Here, you’ll have a chance to share something very important and personal to you, but you’ll also have a chance to have the true Chicago essay experience. In my limited understanding of the admissions office here, they are not only looking at your academic record, but at your ability to connect ideas. Many students write their uncommon applications in the forms of short stories or plays-- the uncommon essay doesn’t have to be about you, directly, but it should reflect something about the way you think about things, the way you connect ideas, the way you make a really weird and unfamiliar prompt into something you can write about.</p>

<p>If you have more questions or concerns about your essay, I definitely recommend getting in touch with your admissions counselor.</p>

<p>The admissions office contacts:
<a href=“http://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/level2.asp?id=190[/url]”>http://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/level2.asp?id=190&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Also, this year there was a students-of-color Open House. You might want to ask if that program is going on again this year, in that case you might want to come out and visit then-- that’s another great way to express interest in the school.</p>

10

<p>Wow, thanks for the insightful posts! I really hope I can make myself stand out in my applications. I read somewhere on the Chicago forum that someone was accepted to Chicago with an 1870-ish SAT score. How can I express interest without actually visiting the campus? My parents will only let me visit colleges in neighboring states so I had to chose Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. I really want to show the admissions committee that, despite low test scores, I do have the drive and ambition to succeed at an academically challenging university. Any more replies will be greatly appreciated.</p>

11

<p>The hardest part to show interest is to be genuinely(sp) interested. Sadly, I too never visited the school because I live in CA, but I wrote in my “Why Chicago” essay about how I love the core, why Chicago’s different philosophy beats all others, and how interestingly, I discovered the University in a poster. I was accepted.</p>

12

<p>Hmm, you think that if I take a road trip from Southern California to UChi this summer that will show ample interest? :). My parents won’t fund the plane ride so me and a buddy are trekking over there.</p>

<p>Oh and Blazer, just write a good essay, your URM status + your stats will easily get you in if you write spectacular essays.</p>

13

<p>I think your Duke nerd stuff and your activities will help show that you are motivated to learn, and that your teacher recs and your essays will follow that through. </p>

<p>If Chicago’s student body has a weakness, it’s minority applicants. Because the school is so challenging and it doesn’t have the same name factor as some of the Ivies, it’s extremely hard to get minority students who are willing and capable of doing the work and haven’t been given enticing scholarships and offers elsewhere. (Of my URM friends, one chose Chicago over a full ride at Wash U, another chose Chicago over Yale, another chose Chicago over Williams, another chose Chicago over Stanford, another got into every Ivy, with the exception of Brown, and even though Chicago gave her the worst aid she still decided to come). Though the school doesn’t have as many minority students as I would like to see, at the same time, there’s no “affirmative action” stigma, because the smartest, funniest, and most interesting students I know are minority students.</p>

<p>And part of the reason Chicago’s moving over to the common app, ostensibly, is to attract minority applicants. I remember the Maroon ran an article about how the admitted class of 2011 was the most “diverse” class in the history of the school in terms of racial composition. I can’t find the link anywhere, though.</p>

<p>In short, what I’m trying to say is that I think the fact that you are a minority will help you enormously, especially because you show interest in the school and the potential to do quite well here.</p>

14

<p>You do have to show true interest in what an education at Chicago is all about, not just interest in being accepted there. Read everyting you can about the college, the core, etc. on their website, which is very extensive. If the phrase 'love of learning" does not describe you in a nutshell, then you would probably not be happy there, and should probably not apply. The kind of student who thrives at Chicago has a passion for learning above all else. Those students, if they can articulate that passion in their essays, are often the ones Chicago accepts above higher profile or stat students.</p>

15

<p>"You do have to show true interest in what an education at Chicago is all about, not just interest in being accepted there.</p>

<p>Good point, mpm !</p>

16

<p>Blazer -
if your AP score isn’t good … don’t report it.</p>

17

<p>Thanks for the advice everyone, I didn’t know AP scores were that important :slight_smile: I plan on writing the essays and completing the applications as soon as I get back from Governor’s School on July 7, so that should give me ample time before school starts (plus some of my teachers are somewhat anxious to read some students essays). I’ll keep working hard to up my SAT score for the next test date!</p>

18

<p>Also, are students encouraged or discouraged from sending a resume or “brag sheet”? I ask this because I only listed the really important accomplishments for my extracurricular activities and community service projects (some things I did not mention but want to mention on my application: I had excellenct help from two professors at the Duke University Medical Center for the Malaria campaign, there were more things I did under Amnesty International USA, and some other unique and important jobs / responsiblities under Youth Action Council, since it isn’t a common activity).</p>

19

<p>The nice thing about chicago admissions office is they encourage you to send in anything that helps them get a true picture if you. However, I would advise that you edit your brag sheet so that your most valued ECs ,accomplishments stand out. Don’t make Adcoms wade through line after line trying to figure out what you are MOST passionate about or proud of.</p>

20

<p>Sweet, another U of C hopeful from SC. On your resume, don’t list any of your academic awards from Coker College Scholar down. I don’t want to be mean, but I’m pretty sure everyone in the top 10 of any school in the state has those same awards. But, do emphasize your leadership capability and community involvement, as well as the Gov School in Charleston. Get the SAT up to 1350, and I’d say you’re in, esp. w/ URM. And, you can always apply EA. </p>

<p>Say Hi to my classmates who will be doing research at MUSC and rooming w/ y’all ;)</p>