<p>Well lets start with my background and stats before we get too crazy.
I go to a very rigorous private catholic high school in New York, that sends 100% of graduates to college every year, this year we have more than 20 going to top schools. I am taking the hardest courses available but my school offers no APs, or accelerated, everyone is on the same track, but we are on the same level as APs.</p>
<p>I had a 88.4 (88.8 without religion) freshman year, 88.0 ( 88.0 without religion) sophomore year, and a 93.4 (93.5 without religion) this year. So my three year average is a 89.93 with religion and a 90.1 without. Apparently secular schools recalculate GPAs without religion.</p>
<p>My ACT was a 28 (27-Eng, 28-Math, 29-Read, 26-Sci) Retaking in september
SAT was a 1720 (540-CR, 600-Math, 580-Wr) Retaking in Oct</p>
<p>My ECs: Assuming i take them all next year
4 years of social studies club
3 years of library service
2 years of Intramural officials club with Officer position
Volunteered for 8 hours at US Open for a group that raises money for 911 victims
Volunteering for almost 40 hours at my school this summer to help incoming freshman adjust at a summer program.
Went to NY Boys State
In NHS
Love to play golf but not a competitive level
Held down a job at a pool concession stand for 3 years now
Worked at a gym for two years during the school year
Good teacher recs
Class rank is unknown at this point.</p>
<p>Ok, now that that is over with, lets get down to business, the essays. I know U of C places a good deal on their essay and i consider myself a very good creative writer, i used to publish short stories in my schools newspaper, and without coming off as cocky i usually ace writing assignments, lets say i write a very detailed and creative essay what are your thoughts on me making it into Chicago?
Thanks a ton, really appreciate it.</p>
<p>GPA is a little low, but depending on the kind of school you’re at it could be solid (that would translate to about a 3.5 at my school which is SOLID for us). Test scores are, again, a little low, but if you bring them up you shouldn’t have a problem especially because the UofC doesn’t weigh them too heavily. ECs are pretty good.</p>
<p>The only thing that sat a little funny with me was your bit about the essays. I’m not debating that you’re a good writer, you very well might be, but the way you described your writing seems a little counter-productive to college applications. Both Common App essays and the “Why Chicago?” essay are about yourself, so it should probably be in the first person, which doesn’t sound conducive to your writing. For all I know, you could be just as good a 1st person writer, but I thought I’d point it out that writing short narrative stories and writing about your most meaningful extra curricular are two completely different things. However, if what you say is true about your writing is true, I would use that to my advantage in the extended essay for the UofC supplement. It could make for a very interesting essay which might be the lynch pin to your admission. Good luck.</p>
<p>Your stats (ACT/SAT scores) are on the low end of the spectrum. While high SAT/ACT scores probably won’t get you accepted to UChicago, low ones (I’m assuming from what I’ve seen in the decisions thread) can keep you from getting accepted. </p>
<p>It would be a good idea to have something that can be close to the middle 50% with something like 1300+ on SAT. Your about there (middle 50%) on the ACT so if your scores don’t improve on SAT you might consider just sending your ACT score.</p>
<p>Now I’ve been mentioning a lot about test scores which is of limited importance. You seem, from my perspective, to have good recs. If you have good recommendations and excellent essays they could push you over the edge :-)</p>
<p>Thanks to both of you for the replies, neogop, we do send a few kids to U of C a year, 3 this year i think, im pretty sure my school is known for being very rigorous by most colleges and i think i could do the essays just fine, usually i do write in the first person so the essays arent too much of a concern, i already have an idea of which one im going to use and what im going to use as a topic. And yes -CS i do know i need to get the scores up and i really am trying hard, thank you both so much for replying.</p>