How can I improve my chances of getting in next year?

Colleges & Universities University of Chicago
1

<p>I’m a junior at a public high school in an upper middle-class city in Michigan. I intend to apply to the University of Chicago, and I imagine that admissions will be at least as competitive as before. I was hoping to get some advice on how I could strengthen my application to colleges, especially UChicago. Below are the stats that I can think of.</p>

<p>My school calculates GPAs strangely (an A- is the same as an A+, B- = B = B+, and so on). I have a 3.933 following this system, with 2 or 3 Bs from my first two years.</p>

<p>So far, I have been in advanced and/or honors English and Mathematics courses throughout my high school career.</p>

<p>I am currently enrolled in AP Economics and AP English, and am doing very well in both. My practice AP test scores have consistently been within the range of 4-5.</p>

<p>My PSAT score was in the 99th percentile, and I scored a 32 (with a 36 English) on a practice ACT. However, I feel that my actual ACT (taken as part of the MME) may come out to be a bit lower than a 32. I have registered to take the May SAT, and I’m confident that I will score on par with or better than I did on the PSAT. In the two National Spanish Exams that I’ve taken so far, I have consistently scored above the 90th percentile.</p>

<p>I was a staff member and the ad manager of the school newsmagazine during the first semester of my junior year. Unfortunately, I had to drop the class for scheduling purposes. I continue to help out with sales and ad work, but I have not published any articles since leaving the magazine in January.</p>

<p>My course load next year will be as follows:
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
AP English 12
AP Statistics
Debate 1
Intro to Physical Education (required for graduation)
Spanish 4</p>

<p>This summer, I won’t be able to go to any sort of summer program, as until mid-August, I will be taking World History courses to meet my school’s graduation requirements. (NOTE: If you have any ideas for making my summer seem more rigorous and academic without changing this schedule, please let me know.)</p>

<p>As far as extracurriculars go, I have been a member of the Muslim Students Association since 9th grade, and was in DECA during sophomore year. I made it to the international level of DECA competition for an event in which I pitched a business idea to judges playing the role of venture capitalists. I have just recently joined a volunteering club at school*, and I intend to participate in our NHS and Economics Club chapters next year. I am also considering trying out for tennis next year.</p>

<p>Entirely outside of school, I have taken enough Arabic and Urdu lessons to read fluently and comprehend conversation at about an elementary level. Using tools such as smart.fm and byki.com, I have learned moderate amounts of French and German. I have taught myself the Greek, Cyrillic, and Hebrew alphabets, and intend to be able to read the Hiragana and the Devanagari writing systems by the end of this summer. I have started a few blogs, working on one or two at a time. My most recent foray is an ongoing blog of ideas that are free for anybody to use. Each post is essentially what you would find on patent files, minus the claims to intellectual property.</p>

<p>If it’s at all relevant, I am the oldest child, and I am not the first member of my family to attend college.</p>

<p>*So far, I haven’t done any volunteer activities in years. This club will be instrumental in getting hours.</p>

<p>That’s everything that I can think of. Please let me know what I can do to make myself a stronger candidate for admission. Any helpful suggestions are welcome.</p>

2

<p>Don’t focus so much on just “getting hours” but accomplishing something.</p>

<p>This sounds really cool and appealing:

</p>

<p>I suggest writing an essay on that.</p>

3

<p>Alright, thanks a lot for the advice. Honestly, I’m still looking for something big to accomplish. I hate to ask, given that it’s such a wide-open question, but can anybody think of something to do that would help my community and look good on my r</p>

4

<p>internships mean a lot. Is there an organization that focuses on languages or arab culture type stuff? Maybe you could do something with them. I think volunteering is very important on an application. I would try to start now. Like, right now. It should fit into your other activities-- that’s the hard part. Maybe amnesty international would fit in? you could play a foreign policy/foreign culture studies angle… I would focus on your global languages. It sounds like you really enjoy it, and it’s a very chicago hobby. Def right essays on it and talk about it in your interview. That’s what one might call a “hook.”</p>

<p>Also, I would start writing essays this summer, but start outlining essays in your head now. Get the chicago essay questions for next year ASAP and get working on them. It sounds like your transcripts and test scores will be perfectly fine, but it’s your essays and whole package that get you in. Seriously, those essays will make the difference.</p>

<p>Also, don’t stress yourself out too much. It doesn’t make things any easier. I recommend formulating your college list early, and don’t be afraid to change it at the last minute, either. I wasn’t going to apply to Chicago until early october (applied EA), and I was going to apply to stanford up until a week before the due date. I changed my list, and it turned out fine. Don’t be afraid to change your list. </p>

<p>Another piece of advice: don’t become addicted to this website. It will only make you anxious. And don’t apply to more than 10 schools. Any more than that, and it’s just waaaaay too much work for everyone involved.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

5

<p>KitKatKatie: Sorry for the delayed reply. I haven’t had a chance to see your post until now. Your internship idea sounds good; I will schedule a student-counselor meeting tomorrow to discuss my options in the field. I looked into the essays a few weeks ago, but I’m not sure as to whether or not they are meant for 2011 applicants. Does anybody which year the set beginning with “How did you get caught” pertains to?</p>

6

<p>In case anybody needs to see them, the essay prompts are posted online at <a href=“https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/admissions/essays.shtml[/url]”>https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/admissions/essays.shtml&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>Those essay questions are for 2010 applications, not yours.</p>

<p>The essays should be posted around august-ish, possibly earlier. I would check that site over the summer.</p>

<p>I would really start working on the other essay questions you’ll need to answer. I suggest doing a common app main essay now so you can have a couple drafts. If you make it an “topic of your choice” essay that focuses on your life/interests/an interesting and meaningful anecdote, then you’ll be able to use it for most, if not all, of your applications. </p>

<p>Also, start working on a super creative Why Chicago? essay. That one is about guaranteed to be on the app.</p>

<p>Other essay questions to consider:</p>

<p>Write about someone important to you. Why are they important and how did they influence you?</p>

<p>Describe an issue that is important to you-- why and how does it personally relate to you and your life?</p>

<p>Describe some of your favorite books/movies/music/poetry? (Was on Chicago app this year… also useful for Stanford and Emory apps… on a bunch of other applications)</p>

<p>Write about a few of your principal intellectual interests/pursuits.</p>

<p>What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced, and how did you respond to it/learn from it?</p>

<p>What do you do simply for the pleasure of it?</p>

<p>Describe how your family/community has shaped you?</p>

<p>All of these have been on most of my applications, and I’ve used versions of each essay at 250 words and 50 words. If you get started on these essays now, your life will be much easier come next fall and you are scrambling to get all your LA reading and college essays done in the same week.</p>

8

<p>ismailcc, it sounds like your grades and scores are fine. Courseload looks good and you’ve got some potentially interesting activities. My son had a very imperfect GPA - lots of low B’s in Latin, and I think he had a C+ in chemistry his freshman year. He had pretty ordinary school activities - orchestra, literary magazine and Science Olympiad (regional medals only). What made the difference I believe is that he got really great teacher recommendations and he wrote great essays. They were not particularly intellectual sounding, but both showed his sense of humor and quirkiness.</p>

9

<p>The essay topics are released July 1st.</p>

10

<p>I got in with a 3.67 UW, 31 ACT, 2010 SAT, and had one of the more difficult course loads offered by my school. However, my rank was poor and I came from a school with many other outstanding candidates. I think I am a good example that if you are able to thoroughly convey why you belong at this school in your essays it can really make your application rise. </p>

<p>I do think, however, that my grades will not cut it in the upcoming years because admissions seem like they are going to be super competitive. So, do keep up the good grades!</p>

11

<p>Alright, thank you all for your info concerning the essays and admissions.</p>

<p>mathmom and brabble: I hope I’m not asking too private of a question, but when did you/your son get in?</p>

12

<p>I got in this year</p>

13

<p>Alright, thanks and congratulations.</p>

<p>I think that I’ve had a fair amount of input regarding improving my chances. However, is there any Achilles Heel on my resume? If you can provide proof of the racial quota/negative points stories, then it may be useful to know that my family is, practically speaking, Indian. If anybody can confirm/deny the stories, please let me know, but my question is not necessarily focused on this aspect of my application.</p>

14

<p>Just a small update, but I got my May 2010 SAT scores today.
Combined: 2300
Reading: 790
Math: 780
Writing: 730</p>

<p>Will this have any impact?</p>

15

<p>That’s gonna help. UChicago doesn’t look at the writing score, right? That makes those scores even better.</p>

16

<p>Um, those scores are great. But, the scores don’t matter that much. There isn’t a thresh hold that you have to reach to be admitted. It just is NOT like that. I know you’ll be like “I know, it’s holistic admissions and all of that.” But, I know from personal experience that there is a little piece of everyone that thinks that getting the “magic 2400” will get them in everywhere. It just isn’t true. if you are at or above ~2200, it DOESN’T matter!</p>

<p>Just work on your essays. Adding in a whole new activity won’t have much impact now, as you will have only been doing it for a couple months by the time you submit your app. It will just look like you’re doing stuff to get into college. And that’s no good.</p>

17

<p>Alright, thanks again for the help. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but from almost everything I’ve heard, it sounds like UChicago gives quite a bit more weight to the essays than other universities do. Is that true?</p>

18

<p>The argument has been raging on CC since the beginning of time, but the fact is, SAT scores matter (aka kitkatkatie is wrong). 2400s are accepted at a higher rate than 2300s. The higher the better.</p>

19

<p>^I don’t think that’s necessarily true. I mean, yeah, a stellar score is only going to help you, but it could be that people that get 2400’s tend as a group to do other amazing things. I think scores are important, but people overestimate the importance sometimes.</p>

20

<p>Drought: Thank you again as well. If I have no need to retake any SAT II tests, I’ll likely try to bump up my SAT in time for applications. However, I sent my ACT score report (31 Composite) to UChicago. Will this harm me, or will the office of admissions discard the worse score and merely rely on the SAT?</p>

<p>Additionally, I’m still curious about the weight UChicago gives to essays. See Post 17 for the question.</p>