If you have University of Chicago in mind for higher studies, keep in mind that it only attracts unique and intellectually gifted students who are deeply passionate about their chosen subjects. In this guide, you’ll learn how to secure a place at University of Chicago, how to boost your chances of acceptance, and understand what makes your application stand out. Among the most critical factors affecting the decision include:
Located in Hyde Park, Chicago, University of Chicago was founded in 1890. It’s a private institution that accommodates around 6,499 undergraduates. It’s known for its big-city location and rigorous enrichment and academic programs. For over 12 years, Barack Obama, the former US president, served at the institution as a lecturer. With a campus size of 217 acres, the school is particularly known for its programs in Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Economics.
Other than undergraduate studies, the university’s postgraduate offerings are globally recognized. Among its highly ranked schools include Booth School of Business, Harris School of Public Policy Studies, Pritzker School of Medicine, and Law School.
As a freshman, you’ll be required to live on campus. On-campus residence serves as a tight-knit community that provides social and academic support. The campus offers more than 450 student organizations for you to join and over 50 majors and 40 minors to choose from.
You need exceptionally good high school grades to get accepted from University of Chicago. The average high school GPA for admitted students at the institution is 4.0, indicating that primarily A-grade students ultimately get to attend the university. However, a 4.0 GPA won’t be enough. You’ll need to score high on your standardized test, that is, either SAT or ACT.
The middle-50% range for SAT scores for Class of 2024 was 1510 to 1560. The average for admitted students was 1520, with the upper and lower percentile scores being 1470 and 1570, respectively. These numbers indicate how competitive University of Chicago is for SAT scores. If you’re struggling to hit these benchmarks, seek high quality SAT tutoring and try again.
If you choose to take the ACT instead, it’s important to know that the university is equally competitive for an ACT score. The average ACT score for admitted students was 34, while the 25th and 75th percentile scores were 33 and 35, respectively. Unless you have something else exceptional in your application, entering the institution with an ACT score lower than 33 is incredibly difficult. We recommend taking ACT tutoring and aiming for a 35, which should significantly increase your chances of admission.
You can apply to the University of Chicago through Coalition application or Common application. In the application, you’ll need to add details pertaining to demographic information and extracurricular activities, as well as submit personal statements and supplemental essays.
School counselors should send the Secondary School Report, the mid-year report and the student’s updated transcript. Two letters of recommendation from academic instructors will also be required and the application fee is $75. While an ACT or SAT score is optional, be sure to submit one to make your profile competitive.
By now, you should have obtained a fair understanding of the admission requirements for the University of Chicago. If you’re only short of an SAT or ACT score to make it to the institution, reach out to Clubz Tutoring Services for SAT or ACT preparation. We’ve helped countless students secure a place in top colleges around the world.
No matter how you look at it, college is an expensive proposition these days. Both public and private colleges and universities have had to raise fees and tuition as costs have increased. As a result, college student debt has skyrocketed and many students end up with loan payments years, sometimes even decades, after graduation. But with some careful planning and creative thinking, there are lots of other ways to help pay for college and avoid being stuck with big loan payments after graduation. One final but important step in the college application process is to include an application for financial aid.
As parents, and grandparents for that matter, we consider it to be a bit of a rite of passage to tell our children just how easy they have it compared to what we went through at their age. File this under the “when I was your age, I had to walk 2 miles to school each day, uphill both ways” category.
For any parent of a college-bound student, SAT and ACT test scores are no doubt at the center of most dinner table discussions. While no one will argue that test scores alone are the deciding factor in college admissions, and many colleges are moving toward a test-optional admissions policy, strong scores on the SAT and or ACT can definitely help a student’s chance of gaining admission to his/her college of choice.