Recently, I attended an admissions presentation that the University of Chicago put on for children of alumni. It was good, mostly in that it confirmed that things haven’t changed much over the years other than the level of competition for spots. They are still trying to find the same type of student, top 10% -ish of high school class, 1400-ish SATs, excited about the Chicago philosophy (which is distinctive, even in the business school). Aid wasn’t discussed (I guess U of C alumni aren’t supposed to need aid?) but the rest was. A few highlights:
*Tie-breakers in your favor include being a legacy, writing a nice thank-you note to an interviewer, having a skill that the university needs to fill (e.g., quarterback, trombone player, etc.), being a graduate of a high school in the city of Chicago (a new category as part of a U of C commitment to the Chicago Public schools.) Things that work against you include being overly familiar with the admissions officers (hugs, sending cookies) and sending way too much information (six recommendations when U of C wants only three, for example).
*The only other advantage for legacies at U of C is that those applicants are guaranteed an interview. Now that they get about 30,000 applications, they can’t promise one to everyone anymore. Interviews don’t help all students, though.
*A student who is rude to his or her parents in the interview or on the tour will be rejected. The admissions dean said that’s pretty much the only absolute deal breaker.
*There is less competition for early action and early decision, but you should be willing to go if you are accepted. If you have a top choice, apply early. Because early decision is binding, don’t even think about turning down such an acceptance. If you do that, the admissions officer will call other schools, and acceptances may be withdrawn.
*The admissions officers know each other. One of the people presenting used to work at Columbia University, the other had worked at Yale and Northwestern. They also know a lot about the different high schools. If your high school only offers a few AP classes and is cutting foreign language, you are not at a disadvantage. The university wants to know what you did with what you had, not how much you had to begin with. It’s more important to show passion in extracurriculars than to be a serial joiner.
*Demonstrate your interest in the school in the essays. That’s where you show that you understand the campus and will do well there.
