University of Chicago ED rejection?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I can’t stand to look at another thread full of BS on my kid’s school, but I’m posting to say that my kid is having a fantastic experience, and almost nothing I’ve seen here in the many, many threads on UChicago accurately represents what the school is actually like. (The exception: the neighborhoods surrounding Hyde Park are rough, and most kids avoid them. And no, my kid doesn’t feel less safe in Hyde Park than near say, Logan Circle, U St., or H St. here. If your kid isn’t comfortable in those neighborhoods, then he or she can apply elsewhere!)

Here’s what she has experienced: Fantastic and small core classes with tons of required reading and writing. (My kid loves it! If yours doesn’t, there are many other schools!) Engaging professors. Insanely smart and motivated classmates. Excellent academic advising and career advising. Nice dorms and dining halls. Beautiful campus. Lovely libraries. Very challenging academic standards. Cold weather.

I don’t care what type of admissions her classmates used. I don’t care how many pieces of mail you all have received. (Or why so many complainers are checking their kid’s email, which is so bizarre.) And I frankly don’t care what percentage of whatever form of applicants got in, and I think it’s bizarre that so many people (or a few obsessives?) do.

Hope your kids who might like the vibe at UChicago visit and/or apply.

Thank you for posting! Our junior DC is so excited to apply to UChicago, more than his ivy legacy.

Same for my Ivy legacy HS jr - Chicago is her top choice. It’s not an unusual choice. We are in NYC and I see Chicago as comparable to Penn and Columbia - intense and prestigious city schools. But a lot of city kids don’t want to stay here for college.

that makes sense about NYC kids. I've wondered why there seems to be so many kids from NYC at UChicago.

We are also in NYC, and Chicago is considered a safe bet for kids who cannot get into Penn of Columbia. The high acceptance rate in ED at NYC privates is what makes it enticing. Usually the top students don't apply ED there. Everyone knows that Chicago prefers private school kids who are above average but not the best.

That’s not the case at DC’s private DMV school. This year, the top kids applied and got in ED to UChicago. The second tier got into Columbia, Dartmouth.

Indeed. Chicago has always had kids with scores as good or better than other T10s, even pre-test optional. And sub-10% acceptance rates even pre-ED. The PP has no idea what she’s talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid was rejected. He was extremely high stats and wildly nice and accomplished. And a man. I guess the admission guy replied after a "WTF" query and said this year they had more applicants than last year, which was the most ever. The hating on UChicago on this board is legendary, and I guess it's because it's a school for actual smart kids, or something, but it is really, really hard to get in.

I said this before on another thread and I think it's because most people consider UChicago as a backup to "insert more exclusive school here" and get flabbergasted when their kids get denied admission. It's like thinking you are settling for the more unattractive potential partner and then get rejected.

"You weren't that good anyway" seems like the default cope.

Well said! A whole lot of "because my kid *could have gotten* into HYP..., he *should have gotten* into UChicago."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid was rejected. He was extremely high stats and wildly nice and accomplished. And a man. I guess the admission guy replied after a "WTF" query and said this year they had more applicants than last year, which was the most ever. The hating on UChicago on this board is legendary, and I guess it's because it's a school for actual smart kids, or something, but it is really, really hard to get in.

I said this before on another thread and I think it's because most people consider UChicago as a backup to "insert more exclusive school here" and get flabbergasted when their kids get denied admission. It's like thinking you are settling for the more unattractive potential partner and then get rejected.

"You weren't that good anyway" seems like the default cope.

Well said! A whole lot of "because my kid *could have gotten* into HYP..., he *should have gotten* into UChicago."

Troll trying to wake up a dead thread?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:“ It's when you think you're punching down and then get denied. It's entitlement.”

I don't think that’s quite right, or at least it’s not right in my kid’s case. He finds lots to like about UChicago and doesn’t think it’s beneath him—he’d be honored to go and applied ED2. It’s just the he was deferred in the early round by Yale and it sucks that he can’t wait-and-see if he gets in to Yale. The lack of RD at UChicago is a major bummer for kids who genuinely like the place, would be happy there, but want a chance to know their options.

In other words: it’s possible to be very excited by UChicago and still think their approach to RD is a major bummer for applicants, even if entirely rational from UChicago’s perspective.

In a better world, they’d leave more room for hope in RD.

I'd say ED in general is a negative for students, and a boon for colleges who need to use tools like ED to increase yield. Students should be able to compare the full context of all offers before accepting and not play roulette with one or two schools so early in their senior year.

+1. ED is a bad deal for students. I wish it would be ruled against by the Supreme Court.

Too bad there is simply no basis for declaring it illegal.

I also think they may be a bit busy at the moment, if they don't decide to be part of the constitutional crisis we have

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Yes, I know of 1 rejection last year and 2 this year. All very strong students.

Just to add that there were 2 acceptances this year too. Both kids in the top 10 percent of the class. Lower ranked kids (not top 10) were accepted to Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia.

That just tells you that those 2 kids could have aimed higher. instead they settled for a school with a 40% ED accept rate.

For the love of Pete--perhaps they wanted to attend Chicago. 99% of the world outside of DCUM does not make their college decision on rank.

Maybe, but let's be for real. No one choose Chicago over an Ivy. Which is why Chicago has to play all these crazy games with admissions. It really is to their detriment and they should stop ASAP. But it sounds like they are absolutely desperate for $$.

This is just not true. U Chicago was my kid's first choice. He had the stats and EC and essays to be very competitive at an Ivy. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Yes, I know of 1 rejection last year and 2 this year. All very strong students.

Just to add that there were 2 acceptances this year too. Both kids in the top 10 percent of the class. Lower ranked kids (not top 10) were accepted to Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia.

That just tells you that those 2 kids could have aimed higher. instead they settled for a school with a 40% ED accept rate.

For the love of Pete--perhaps they wanted to attend Chicago. 99% of the world outside of DCUM does not make their college decision on rank.

Maybe, but let's be for real. No one choose Chicago over an Ivy. Which is why Chicago has to play all these crazy games with admissions. It really is to their detriment and they should stop ASAP. But it sounds like they are absolutely desperate for $$.

This is just not true. U Chicago was my kid's first choice. He had the stats and EC and essays to be very competitive at an Ivy. Seriously.

Mine too. I'm glad he chose Chicago - I think it's a better fit, regardless of their ED admit rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's kid was rejected. He was extremely high stats and wildly nice and accomplished. And a man. I guess the admission guy replied after a "WTF" query and said this year they had more applicants than last year, which was the most ever. The hating on UChicago on this board is legendary, and I guess it's because it's a school for actual smart kids, or something, but it is really, really hard to get in.

I said this before on another thread and I think it's because most people consider UChicago as a backup to "insert more exclusive school here" and get flabbergasted when their kids get denied admission. It's like thinking you are settling for the more unattractive potential partner and then get rejected.

"You weren't that good anyway" seems like the default cope.

Well said! A whole lot of "because my kid *could have gotten* into HYP..., he *should have gotten* into UChicago."

Troll trying to wake up a dead thread?

🙌