Chances for UChicago?

swahilij
Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:10:03 +0000

Hello everyone! I am dead set on the University of Chicago and want to know what my possible chances would be with these statistics.

Gender: Female
Ethnicity: White

I am interested in pre-law with a possible double major in English and a physical science along with a minor in Latin.

GPA: 4.427 (weighted; I’ve made A’s in every class.)
Rank: 1 of 219
SAT CR: 750
SAT Math: 800
SAT Writing: 710
ACT Composite: 35
ACT W: 35
ACT M: 36
ACT R: 35
ACT S: 36
SAT II: 770 (Math II), 720 (History)
PSAT: 213 (National Merit Semifinalist)

Course Load:
9th Grade:
Honors English
Honors Biology
Honors Geometry
World History
German I

10th Grade:
Honors English
Honors Chemistry
Honors Algebra II w/ Trig
US History to Reconstruction
German II

11th Grade:
Honors English
AP Chemistry
Honors Pre-calculus
US History Post-Reconstruction

12th Grade:
AP Literature
Physics
AP Calculus AB
Economics/Government

Extracurriculars:

• Robotics Team (12) [Founding Member; I was also project manager and our lead technical writer]
• Jazz Band Trumpet
• National Honor Society (11, 12) [Vice-President]
• Theatre (10, 11, 12)
• Math Team (9, 10, 11, 12)
• Symphonic Band 1st French Horn
• German Band 1st French Horn
• German National Honor Society (10, 11, 12)
• Common Ground Youth Outreach (10, 11) [Youth for Christ]
• LEO Club (10, 11, 12) [Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity Club]
• Marching Band 1st French Horn
• German Club (9, 10, 11, 12) [Historian]
• Concert Band 1st French Horn
• Scholars Bowl Team (9, 10, 11, 12) [Co-Captain]

I had a poem published by the Live Poets Society of New Jersey and am writing a dystopian novel (I submitted the first chapter as part of my arts supplement).
I also studied horn under the best professional horn player in my state.

Some Awards:
• County Championship Scholars Bowl Team (9, 10, 11, 12)
• All-State Band (10, 11)
• Governor’s School Participant (11)
• 2nd place State Comprehensive Math Team (11)
• District Championship Scholars Bowl Team (9, 10, 11)
• 1st place State Algebra II Math Team (10)
• National Society of High School Scholars (9, 10, 11, 12)
• District Honor Band (10, 11)
• Southeastern All-Star Music Camp Outstanding 10th Grader
• State German Day, 2nd place scrapbook (10)
• 1st Horn, Cullman County Honor Band (9, 10) [Note: Cancelled due to inclement weather during my 11th grade year]
• Most Outstanding Concert Band Member (9)
• 1st place State Geometry Math Team (9)
• 3rd Place Statewide Mathematics Competition for Geometry (9)
• State Ciphering Math Team (9)
• State German Day, 1st place scrapbook (9)
• Outstanding German I Student (9)
• District, State, and National Championship Scholars Bowl Team (8)

I’ve logged over 375 hours of community service as well as work as a tutor at my school.

My Essays: (I wrote too much for all of them but did not catch the error until after I already submitted the application.)
My first essay was about why I wanted to attend the school. I started with how I discovered I wanted to be a lawyer and then transitioned into why I think UChicago would be the best school for me. It was only supposed to be one to two paragraphs, but mine ended up being roughly two and a half pages.
My second essay: I was supposed to write about favorites. I wrote a two and a half page essay about my favorite TV show, Lost. Again, I was only supposed to write one to two paragraphs.
The extended essay: I chose the prompt, “Don’t write about reverse psychology.” My essay talked about how a friend used reverse psychology on me to encourage me to try out for the jazz band, despite never playing the trumpet before. They said one to two pages; I gave them three. Also, I forgot to label which prompt I was addressing, which I was told to do.

So, what do you think my chances are? The thing I am most worried about are my essays being way too long, but feel free to tell me if anything else looks weak.

Thank you all so much!

Edit: I also applied to Princeton, Harvard, Brown, Northwestern, WashU, Rice, and Carnegie Mellon, if anyone would like to predict my chances for these schools.