<p>The thing I’ve realized over the course of my senior year this year, having been accepted to a couple schools already (UofC included), college acceptances CAN’T be the end of the road for the goals you have. What are doing for yourself to be the individual you want to become? Have you thought about your life WHILE you’re in college, or after that? Not to say that you can plan your entire life in advance, but short-term, end-all goals like getting into that one dream college (especially when, to be honest) you’re not even headed on the right road to get into that particular college—I can guarantee you that USAMO and any other national/international science/math/research things are not prerequisites for admission into UofC, because I didn’t have any of that) will leave you empty. The fact that SAT/AP scores don’t count for anything once you get into college, for instance, shows that they should not be your primary concern or focus. Do what you can, show colleges that you’re capable, and pursue your LIFE. If your LIFE interests them, they have a reason to accept you. If not, take your LIFE somewhere else.</p>
<p>Why reduce high school/college experiences to mere numerical figures or a graduation certificate on the wall? Doing that shows that you do NOT care about the process that will take you to the end. And it will be a sorry end at that.</p>
<p>THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET INTO THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO: Speak genuinely. Everyone knows when you don’t.</p>
<p>Taking advice from all of us does not mean showing us that you’ve changed your plans by taking out this, focusing more on that, etc. It means expressing a new insight in the way of honest words. Note that there’s a difference, too, between “showing” and “expressing.” UofC will want you already to know that if you’re to be a student there.</p>