How I got into UChicago || Stats, Activities, Essays, and Advice!

Hello and welcome to my first video on this channel!
With college application season nearing, I wanted to share my academic profile and explain how I got into the UChicago class of 2024. This video will highlight my grades, classes, scores, activities, and essays. I will also provide some advice from my experience with the college admissions process.
If you found this helpful, please like and subscribe! Also, comment any questions or video requests you may have.
Thank you so much for watching!!
Timestamps:
Background Info 1:01
GPA & Classes 1:37
AP Scores 2:46
SAT Score 3:52
SAT Subject Tests 5:28
Activities 6:25
Essays 14:51
Common App Essay 15:05
UChicago Uncommon Essay 16:45
Why UChicago Essay 19:19
Supplemental Materials 22:17

[@Brian-eh1xj]

I’m always amazed how students from large high schools have so many extracurriculars/competitions to put on their applications. Coming from a very small high school, I don’t get any of that 😕 but this was still very helpful!

[@EmilyDow]

Thanks for the support! I know it's really hard not to compare to people online, but keep in mind schools evaluate you holistically and in the context of opportunities provided at your school, so there are definitely ways for you to stand out! Good luck:)

[@bibliophile7557]

This was one of the most helpful videos like this I’ve seen! UChicago is my top school and I’ve been worried that I don’t have enough of a “spike” the corresponds to my desired major so I love how you emphasize music even though that isn’t your major!

[@santabanter]

Congrats on getting in! Your focus and dedication paid off!

[@NancyNie-gk1ko]

It is so helpful for us. Thank you, Emily! You are absolutely a genius! UChicago is my son's dream University. He is in the process of applying now.

[@tindo0038]

Thank you for your video 🙏

[@JonasTerleckas]

This is such a great video! Thank you for making it. I’d love to hear your essays, let me know if you’re thinking about making a video about them!:) Congratulations on getting in!!

[@EmilyDow]

Thank you so much -- that means a lot!! I'm planning to upload videos reading/analyzing my essays within the next few weeks. Good luck with everything, and let me know if you have any specific questions!

[@carolineboyden7580]

@@EmilyDow I would seriously appreciate that. Thanks so much for the great video, it really gave me lots of guidance as to how to actually get started with the whole essay writing process and thinking about what colleges are thinking and looking for when going through applications!

[@VeggiesbyEos]

Emily, I am SO proud of all of your accomplishments!! I look forward to more videos! -your cousin 🙂

[@EmilyDow]

thank you so much!

[@abigailmarianetti1808]

Amazing , spectacular, 10/10

[@EmilyDow]

aw thank you:)

[@laineweis6024]

Its so crazy we have the same amount of AP classes (I'm assuig you got all As too hehe) but my GPA is only 4.3/4 weighted! So weird how GPA varies so much depending on high school! (fellow AP Frencher as well)

[@user-bu3kz2wh2q]

Probably depends on the class difficulty as well. She took courses like cal bc and physics

[@md.jahirulislam5512]

Hi! It was great to watch this. Thanks a ton! Can you please give some suggestions for a test-optional international applicant?

[@karlstriepe8050]

Congratulations!

[@zhouli7157]

Thank you so much for noticing the lacking information on KZbin about UChicago, and I believe your ability of finding improvements to system is also one of the reasons for entering UChicago! Thank you so much, and hope I can enter UChicago this year!

[@EmilyDow]

Thank you so much, and good luck! :)

[@SA-sk8cm]

I’m from the Chicago suburbs as well I applied this year.

[@tiramisx3754]

I did EuroChallenge too! I'm planning to apply ed to uchicago and while my academics aren't the best, I'm hoping the other parts of my application will help me. Thank you for the video!

[@EmilyDow]

Woah that's awesome! Good luck with your applications, and let me know if you have any questions:)

[@aaronw8023]

YES EMILY!!!!!!

[@bianca-bt8er]

I always think im smart and then i watch videos like these but i just got humbled

[@wesleylittleton653]

How did you learn to manage your time between all of those activities, on top of a very heavy academic load?

[@Tomas-qc2dx]

Great video. WHERE IS PHIL in the video?

[@jeremiahhall2894]

May I ask what highschool you went to? I live in the suburbs of Chicago as well.

[@NAME-bs8pj]

Can I study artificial intelligence (robotics)as a major in uChicago

[@li-xb2nm]

i don’t have good grade so i can’t apply right?

[@kelseyraymer8854]

Do you think uChicago will take into account that my school pushes dual credit and only has a few AP courses?

[@EmilyDow]

Hi, sorry for the late response! They will definitely take that into account and evaluate you in the context of your school. I also took a few dual credit classes:)

[@nhkoal]

I wanted to exit the video as soon as I saw 4.99

[@RedOctober_]

so this profile is what those schools want 💀

[@dauletzhanberdikulov8117]

Did you self-report your final SAT scores?

[@EmilyDow]

Yes I did! I also sent scores eventually, but that’s only necessary after you decide to enroll

[@dauletzhanberdikulov8117]

@@EmilyDow I just have the following situation: I sent my SAT scores officially through college board to U Chicago, but eventually I got scores higher than these, but I haven’t sent them officially. Is it ok?

[@EmilyDow]

@@dauletzhanberdikulov8117 yes! just self-report the higher scores, and they will look at that

[@adventuresofgaara8936]

Child Prodigy

[@arielbarnea8400]

Transformational. The notion that someone wouldn’t find this video inspiring is absolutely asinine.

[@AlvinGuoSubscribe]

oh lord.

[@ttown918]

Superscoring is nonsense, IMO.

[@EmilyDow]

I understand where you're coming from, but to be honest it makes a very unsubstantial difference in how colleges assess applicants and is fair to offer if it helps people even marginally, as it may have in my case

[@ttown918]

@@EmilyDow I recognize that GPA and test scores are primarily threshold (or gating) criteria for consideration at top 20 colleges. Nevertheless, in general, without a top notch GPA and test score, most applicants will be discarded right off the bat. So, it is important. As to superscoring, the best measure is what a test taker can do in one sitting; preferably, taking the test one time. Regardless, let's be real. Superscoring is used by these elite schools pimarily as a way to boost the reported range of applicant (and admittee) scores reported (to the world) in order to keep up with other like schools in rankings. When the first school started doing this (whoever that was) it put pressure on others to follow suit. Heaven forbid Yale's median 50% of scores has a range 30 SAT points lower than Princeton, etc.

[@ttown918]

@@EmilyDow By the way - my intent was not diminish your applicant profile. You are clearly a super student, bright and articulate. Congrats on your success.