What does U Chicago want?

[Anonymous]

Hard to imagine that anyone applies on a lark given the required extended essay that isn’t even close to being reusable anywhere else. But hey, maybe your kid can write a coherent extended essay on Fermi estimation problems in 10 min.

Anonymous wrote:Chicago wants you to apply so they can pocket your fee and reject you to boost their stats.

Don't play that sucker's game!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC student works in the admissions office at Chicago and said that it seems they admit the people they like personality wise. So try and have your son show his personality in the package.

Important to remember that "the Chicago personality" is a joyless grind...

UChicago churns out more students who go on to get a PhD than its peer schools, so the grind impression. If your students want to get easy A, go to Harvard or Yale, where students do not even need to show up for classes often to get A.

[Anonymous]

A colleague of mine taught at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and UChicago. A very liberal person, they said the students at the former universities are entitled and lack intellectual curiosity, but they enjoyed teaching the students at the latter two universities who are far more intellectual. This also indicates the importance of showing intellectual interests in your application to UChicago.

[Anonymous]

I just checked and tuition alone is $67,446 at UofC and after you add housing, etc, the total 1st year total is $93,633. I know many of you will say that is the going rate of a T10 school but that figure is sticker shock to me!

For the PP who got merit aid, may I ask how much UofC offered?

I can't fathom paying $93k for 1 year of college but that is a "me" problem, not a DCUM problem, so just looking to understand what the merit aid package looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just checked and tuition alone is $67,446 at UofC and after you add housing, etc, the total 1st year total is $93,633. I know many of you will say that is the going rate of a T10 school but that figure is sticker shock to me!

For the PP who got merit aid, may I ask how much UofC offered?

I can't fathom paying $93k for 1 year of college but that is a "me" problem, not a DCUM problem, so just looking to understand what the merit aid package looks like.

Not PP, but out of curiosity what can you fathom paying? Is your kid considering applying to UofC since you researched the tuition and housing? How does this compare to the other T10’s you must be researching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A colleague of mine taught at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and UChicago. A very liberal person, they said the students at the former universities are entitled and lack intellectual curiosity, but they enjoyed teaching the students at the latter two universities who are far more intellectual. This also indicates the importance of showing intellectual interests in your application to UChicago.

Yeah, well, if your friend couldn’t keep a full-time job, why should we care what such a loser has to say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC student works in the admissions office at Chicago and said that it seems they admit the people they like personality wise. So try and have your son show his personality in the package.

Important to remember that "the Chicago personality" is a joyless grind...

UChicago churns out more students who go on to get a PhD than its peer schools, so the grind impression. If your students want to get easy A, go to Harvard or Yale, where students do not even need to show up for classes often to get A.

It’s cuz they are too nerdy & awkward to do anything other than fall into the academic swamp.

[Anonymous]

Actual UChicago parent here. What they want is in their slogan: "The life of the mind." They want intellectuals. The essay reader will read your essay, and it will matter a ton. They don't want narcissists, braggy stuff, or listing off service projects. They want intellectual curiosity on any topic. This is what most people miss--they don't want a bunch of kids who scored 5s on E&M Physics and BC Calc. If UChicago students were profiled on the Big 5, they'd have super-high O (Openness.) Regarding early decision, yes, helps a ton. APs don't really matter; all kids take entrance exams in June before Freshman year. SAT is truly a bar to clear (1500 for white non-athlete.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A colleague of mine taught at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and UChicago. A very liberal person, they said the students at the former universities are entitled and lack intellectual curiosity, but they enjoyed teaching the students at the latter two universities who are far more intellectual. This also indicates the importance of showing intellectual interests in your application to UChicago.

Yeah, well, if your friend couldn’t keep a full-time job, why should we care what such a loser has to say?

Hahaha！😛😜🥸🤓🥵😱 It is beyond your realm of imagination. The person is a Nobel level professor who is sought after by the very top departments and who visited other schools on sabbatical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actual UChicago parent here. What they want is in their slogan: "The life of the mind." They want intellectuals. The essay reader will read your essay, and it will matter a ton. They don't want narcissists, braggy stuff, or listing off service projects. They want intellectual curiosity on any topic. This is what most people miss--they don't want a bunch of kids who scored 5s on E&M Physics and BC Calc. If UChicago students were profiled on the Big 5, they'd have super-high O (Openness.) Regarding early decision, yes, helps a ton. APs don't really matter; all kids take entrance exams in June before Freshman year. SAT is truly a bar to clear (1500 for white non-athlete.)

Another UChicago parent here - I agree. My kid got in RD. Great student. But if I had to guess, the differentiator was her essay. She did an outstanding job and thoroughly enjoyed writing it. If your kid likes the “uncommon essay” prompts, they would be a good fit. If they hate the prompts, I do think you should steer your kid somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actual UChicago parent here. What they want is in their slogan: "The life of the mind." They want intellectuals. The essay reader will read your essay, and it will matter a ton. They don't want narcissists, braggy stuff, or listing off service projects. They want intellectual curiosity on any topic. This is what most people miss--they don't want a bunch of kids who scored 5s on E&M Physics and BC Calc. If UChicago students were profiled on the Big 5, they'd have super-high O (Openness.) Regarding early decision, yes, helps a ton. APs don't really matter; all kids take entrance exams in June before Freshman year. SAT is truly a bar to clear (1500 for white non-athlete.)

Another UChicago parent here - I agree. My kid got in RD. Great student. But if I had to guess, the differentiator was her essay. She did an outstanding job and thoroughly enjoyed writing it. If your kid likes the “uncommon essay” prompts, they would be a good fit. If they hate the prompts, I do think you should steer your kid somewhere else.

Second the above. My kid liked to write the Chicago essays a lot; the out of the blue essay went longer than a thousand words, touching on Greek methodology, baseball, another sport, human nature, latest research in economics, communism, radical changes, conservatism, …. My kid hated writing the Yale essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actual UChicago parent here. What they want is in their slogan: "The life of the mind." They want intellectuals. The essay reader will read your essay, and it will matter a ton. They don't want narcissists, braggy stuff, or listing off service projects. They want intellectual curiosity on any topic. This is what most people miss--they don't want a bunch of kids who scored 5s on E&M Physics and BC Calc. If UChicago students were profiled on the Big 5, they'd have super-high O (Openness.) Regarding early decision, yes, helps a ton. APs don't really matter; all kids take entrance exams in June before Freshman year. SAT is truly a bar to clear (1500 for white non-athlete.)

Another UChicago parent here - I agree. My kid got in RD. Great student. But if I had to guess, the differentiator was her essay. She did an outstanding job and thoroughly enjoyed writing it. If your kid likes the “uncommon essay” prompts, they would be a good fit. If they hate the prompts, I do think you should steer your kid somewhere else.

Second the above. My kid liked to write the Chicago essays a lot; the out of the blue essay went longer than a thousand words, touching on Greek methodology, baseball, another sport, human nature, latest research in economics, communism, radical changes, conservatism, …. My kid hated writing the Yale essays.

Another +1 UChicago parent agreeing that it would have been the essays, if I had to guess. By far the most well written and most interesting of all the essays he has written was off the UChicago prompt. They Why UChicago essay was fun to read for me as well. Although it could also be partly a function of the fact that UChicago was his #1 choice. Even his personal statement on the Common App - I wasn't so much a fan of it but I thought if there's any school that would appreciate it, it would be UChicago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just checked and tuition alone is $67,446 at UofC and after you add housing, etc, the total 1st year total is $93,633. I know many of you will say that is the going rate of a T10 school but that figure is sticker shock to me!

For the PP who got merit aid, may I ask how much UofC offered?

I can't fathom paying $93k for 1 year of college but that is a "me" problem, not a DCUM problem, so just looking to understand what the merit aid package looks like.

hold onto your hat, but that's 10k under what many privates are changing next year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC student works in the admissions office at Chicago and said that it seems they admit the people they like personality wise. So try and have your son show his personality in the package.

Or lack thereof (joking!). When I told my son that there motto is "where fun goes to die", he said, "that's cool". And meant it. He's proud of being a nerd. Is building the Lego Mount Doom, which he plans to turn into his alarm clock. But he's funny and thinks outside the box and has great grades. I think Chicago has a bit more of a "type" than HYP. But it's not really for everyone. I think the only way to get in is ED - they take a lot of students that way because they don't want accepted students to choose HYP over them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC student works in the admissions office at Chicago and said that it seems they admit the people they like personality wise. So try and have your son show his personality in the package.

Or lack thereof (joking!). When I told my son that there motto is "where fun goes to die", he said, "that's cool". And meant it. He's proud of being a nerd. Is building the Lego Mount Doom, which he plans to turn into his alarm clock. But he's funny and thinks outside the box and has great grades. I think Chicago has a bit more of a "type" than HYP. But it's not really for everyone. I think the only way to get in is ED - they take a lot of students that way because they don't want accepted students to choose HYP over them.

It's great that he's cool to have a challenge, but I often find high school students are way overambitious ("I want to triple major," "I'll grind to a 4.0 in college," etc.) and then you're in your Honors Analysis class first semester weeping. Chicago is a great place with intelligent people, but man it can be horribly depressing studying in a place committed to pushing you beyond your limits with impunity.