<p>Just re-reading what I said, hate is definitely the wrong word. I do not hate them, I just don’t have an interest in the university anymore. I sort of got turned off after not getting a definite decision in December, and this just added to it. I do wish all admitted applicants luck, as I’m sure that all of you will love the next few years. I’ve come to like my safety (which will be much less of a work load, for an equal amount of reward), so things should be good. </p>
<p>And to anyone that ever gets sad that they are going to a state school/ something non prestigious: a full one quarter of U.S. presidents never graduated college. Lyndon Johnson went to what is now Texas State. Top publics (U of M) have also turned out a president (Ford). </p>
<p>@footiesc7 </p>
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<p>The admissions office doesn’t seem to be having too much trouble gauging interest; last year’s admitted pool produced a yield of 55%, putting Chicago on par with Ivy-League schools that use ED. People who truly have no interest in going are already mostly deterred by the $80 fee. On the other hand, many people (myself for one) put the U of C on their shortlist precisely because unrestricted EA is an option, and those people are not faking their interest just because they want to keep their options open. I personally am intensely interested in this university; I only applied to schools that I would love to attend. But I have no problem if, should I matriculate, my class be populated by people who applied with mere “medium interest”, so long as they are able and eager to learn. There are four more years to fall in love with the school.</p>
<p>The marketing campaign of the past few years was launched to achieve exactly such a state: where the admissions and financial-aid offices don’t need to use ED or yield protection and can focus on admitting the best class possible. Chicago isn’t quite into the HPYS fantasyland of “we don’t care how much interest you demonstrate because you’ll probably attend anyway” but that is clearly the endgame for Nondorf and company.</p>
<p>@catisforfite - I totally see your point! And before the summer of 2013 I would have totally been on board with you and wouldn’t have even dared to write half of what I “said.” I’m mostly saying this off of experience/encounters with people. Considering I’ve met people who are filthy rich and the $80 application fee is a non-issue and have applied to schools such as UChicago, and many other big name schools simply “for the heck of it.” Some of them have actually gotten in and their reasoning for going ends up being “I don’t want to be surrounded by people like that.” I have some friends who last year applied, two who had zero interest and did it simply “to see if I could get it.” Another who did it because “it sounds like Howarts and who knows maybe it’d be fun.” As someone that has met Dean Nondorf and talked with him, I would say he’s doing a great job and delivering the correct message, but perhaps some of company isn’t. Given that the people I’m referring to applied both EA and RD, and many actually were accepted, yet refused to attend. I guess what my mind was really thinking is that if UChicago has a 55% yield without EA, then how much would that yield be affected by ED? But again, that’s probably me being a control freak…</p>
<p>I think it might be safe to say this will be an agree to disagree, simply because I TOTALLY see your point and how it can be supported, but I’m being guided by the foolishness of some of the people I have surrounded myself with. If not for some of these individuals, then I’d be all about “yes! They’re doing the right things and it’s all totally A.O.K.” Unfortunately, I’ve seen enough low-economy applicants use an application fee waiver in order to disregard the fee and apply anywhere they want to without the hinderance of an $80 payment and also high-economy applicants whom magically lived to tell the tale of having applied to over 20 schools, many times only wanting to go to a handful of these 20+ institutions. It is truly nerve wrecking to see some of these people who honestly don’t care, apply to 20+ schools because they can afford it and pay people to help them fill out so many applications and provide aid in the essays. Meanwhile, it is even more infuriating to see low-economy people, such as myself, that use their application fee waivers as an excuse to apply to such a ludicrous amount of schools and use their economic background as an excuse for their lack of opportunities in their applications or in order to obtain help in their essays.</p>
<p>You have no idea how much I wish this world was filled with applicants like you, the other CCers here, and myself who truly apply to places we’d love to go…sadly I’ve seen the dark side of people and the college application process.</p>