2019-2020 University of Chicago

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Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
I am technically not a veteran either. The VA considers a veteran anyone who was on Active Duty for longer than 30 days outside of training. All of my Active Duty time was "As part of training" or less than 30 days. So, despite doing 6 months work as a lab tech I was still "a student" (it was all OJT with very little of the T part lol), and 2 humanitarian missions, all the trainings and experiences, etc. I am not a veteran by VA standards.


That doesn't seem to matter to all of these schools and civilians just seem to think prior service is prior service so I don't even know why I am debating the point.....But yah, technically, I am just as much a veteran as you are lol
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Ok, I guess the term the person used was wanting to fill the entire class with "former military people," rather than veterans?
 
FISTMCLARGEHUGE said:
No, it does not. It shows commitment to not being thrown in jail for going awol and most people who were in for a short time never hit a leadership rank.
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Agreed. I still reached E-5, but I didn't join "to serve my country." I joined because I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life at 17....I played the game while I was in and gave my all to whatever was needed of me/whatever I volunteered for, but I got out at my 6 years because - while I enjoyed my time and plan on going back to the reserves for a local drill sergeant unit if I don't get accepted this cycle - I was ready to be out and move on. The American population values our service far more than we tend to....
 
Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
That doesn't seem to matter to all of these schools and civilians just seem to think prior service is prior service so I don't even know why I am debating the point.....But yah, technically, I am not a veteran. And any of these combat guys (@FISTMCLARGEHUGE or @Matthew9Thirtyfive) have done far more in just one month of deployment then I ever did in 18 months of AD and 4.5 years of reserves.
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I won't turn down the help but I also struggle to see how having a few rounds tossed at you or clearing a room translates to medicine. I think making it to certain units can convey a lot as the SOF side of the military is vastly different than the conventional, but the military gets too much credit for a lot of things.
 
FISTMCLARGEHUGE said:
I won't turn down the help but I also struggle to see how having a few rounds tossed at you or clearing a room translates to medicine. I think making it to certain units can convey a lot as the SOF side of the military is vastly different than the conventional, but the military gets too much credit for a lot of things.
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My conversation about this during my U of CHicago interview with the admissions dean (after she made the comment about "if I could admit 90 veterans I would" we had a little 3-5 minute discussion) she broke it down to something along the lines of critically thinking under pressure, demonstrates ability or willingness to work within a hierarchical team - I brought up "embracing the suck" and she agreed with our abilities to 'bounce back' and be resilient....So, it is more or less a romanticized notion of these abstract concepts.

I do think I may have more of these abilities than most of my peers, but I wouldn't necessarily attribute them to the military per se...I think it is more so just having real world non-undergraduate experience...IDK, maybe she is right and it is due to the military. Just as you have said, I will gladly take the bump but I don't necessarily agree with the bump being present.

Edit: Yah, sorry, this conversation done. Although, this one is kinda UChicago applicable...
 
Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
after she made the comment about "if I could admit 90 veterans I would" we had a little 3-5 minute discussion) she broke it down to something along the lines of critically thinking under pressure, demonstrates ability or willingness to work within a hierarchical team
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so not for me... lol and explain why I got the R right after I emailed her about my emergency lol. I am not obeying her hierarchical order.
 
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I couldn't find a second school in T20 that has this kind of distribution and disparity.
 

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Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
critically thinking under pressure, demonstrates ability or willingness to work within a hierarchical team - I brought up "embracing the suck" and she agreed with our abilities to 'bounce back' and be resilient
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Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
I do think I may have more of these abilities than most of my peers, but I wouldn't necessarily attribute them to the military per se...I think it is more so just having real world non-undergraduate experience
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I would say I also have these attributes, despite never being in the military. Perhaps military service is one way but not the only way.

Anyway, I’ll stop responding to this thread because apparently notifications are distressing.

Good luck to all!
 
spuding102 said:
I doubt it. I got a II here and virtually every other top school I applied to. I put a ton of work into my secondaries and I think for a school like uchicago that is super important
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yeah, my II's so far are almost 100% at the schools where I was able to ball out on secondaries (rochester being the exception)
 
FISTMCLARGEHUGE said:
The MSAR would beg to differ lol.
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Alright, I just played around with their statistics and I think I can address both @notsobabydoc and @FISTMCLARGEHUGE concerns:

For the academics, it looks like their median does ot change - half of both their accepted and their matriculants are 521+. However, the 524+ almost all go bye-bye, and the 10th and 25th percentiles shift way down. MY GUESS:
The top students likely get Harvard or Penn acceptances as well, so they go that way as Chicago is not the coast and not as prestigious.
The middle of the road students go elsewhere as they do not have high enough stats or accolades to attract that cush merit aid
The 'low' stats stick around because "OMG I have a 512 and I got a Uchicago acceptance?!?!" and they are likely also in state

For the low military numbers, yah...it looks like they have matriculated one military in the last 3 years....Well, it looks like they also HIGHLY prioritize research (98%) and not so much the community service aspects (84%).To me, just thinking statistically, the number of high stats military is already low (Maybe a 30 518+ prior service in a given cycle). The military population is much less likely to have had extensive research experience just by the types of undergraduate institutions that vets flock to. So, maybe a dozen high stats, prior service, with research experience. Well....That type of applicant is a unicorn. Harvard take 5 or 6 of them each year (they have a 3% military each year), 3 or 4 of them probably stay at their state schools due to having a family and stability. So,UChicago would have between 2 and 4 high stats, military, with research to potentially end up with....those 2 to 4 probably have 4-8 acceptances to choose from. By sheer numbers, it is very unlikely for them to settle on UChicago.
 
Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
Alright, I just played around with their statistics and I think I can address both @notsobabydoc and @FISTMCLARGEHUGE concerns:

For the academics, it looks like their median does ot change - half of both their accepted and their matriculants are 521+. However, the 524+ almost all go bye-bye, and the 10th and 25th percentiles shift way down. MY GUESS:
The top students likely get Harvard or Penn acceptances as well, so they go that way as Chicago is not the coast and not as prestigious.
The middle of the road students go elsewhere as they do not have high enough stats or accolades to attract that cush merit aid
The 'low' stats stick around because "OMG I have a 512 and I got a Uchicago acceptance?!?!" and they are likely also in state

For the low military numbers, yah...it looks like they have matriculated one military in the last 3 years....Well, it looks like they also HIGHLY prioritize research (98%) and not so much the community service aspects (84%).To me, just thinking statistically, the number of high stats military is already low (Maybe a 30 518+ prior service in a given cycle). The military population is much less likely to have had extensive research experience just by the types of undergraduate institutions that vets flock to. So, maybe a dozen high stats, prior service, with research experience. Well....That type of applicant is a unicorn. Harvard take 5 or 6 of them each year (they have a 3% military each year), 3 or 4 of them probably stay at their state schools due to having a family and stability. So,UChicago would have between 2 and 4 high stats, military, with research to potentially end up with....those 2 to 4 probably have 4-8 acceptances to choose from. By sheer numbers, it is very unlikely for them to settle on UChicago.
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Very good explanation. Also I believe that because of this skewed data, they are kind of guilty of engineering it. I mean, seriously, how do you get a class that's the median is almost the same as your 75% and 90%.... and then you got the tail so wide..... I just find that so strange and statistically improbable.
 
notsobabydoc said:
Very good explanation. Also I believe that because of this skewed data, they are kind of guilty of engineering it. I mean, seriously, how do you get a class that's the median is almost the same as your 75% and 90%.... and then you got the tail so wide..... I just find that so strange and statistically improbable.
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With the tail, I think that speaks highly of them. To me, that suggests a much more holistic review process. They are not scared to interview a lot of <514s because they want the best people, not necessarily the 'best students.'
 
Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
With the tail, I think that speaks highly of them. To me, that suggests a much more holistic review process. They are not scared to interview a lot of <514s because they want the best people, not necessarily the 'best students.'
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agreed, but the compressed front. How did that happen? You must waitlist a ton of 521's and 522's and then replace every high stat with them.
 
Doctorburke said:
what dates are available?
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Options were very limited. 3 total in late October/early November, but they’re probably just trying to control interview flow. I imagine more dates will open for those who receive interview offers later on. 10/29, 10/31, 11/4
 
Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
Alright, I just played around with their statistics and I think I can address both @notsobabydoc and @FISTMCLARGEHUGE concerns:

For the academics, it looks like their median does ot change - half of both their accepted and their matriculants are 521+. However, the 524+ almost all go bye-bye, and the 10th and 25th percentiles shift way down. MY GUESS:
The top students likely get Harvard or Penn acceptances as well, so they go that way as Chicago is not the coast and not as prestigious.
The middle of the road students go elsewhere as they do not have high enough stats or accolades to attract that cush merit aid
The 'low' stats stick around because "OMG I have a 512 and I got a Uchicago acceptance?!?!" and they are likely also in state

For the low military numbers, yah...it looks like they have matriculated one military in the last 3 years....Well, it looks like they also HIGHLY prioritize research (98%) and not so much the community service aspects (84%).To me, just thinking statistically, the number of high stats military is already low (Maybe a 30 518+ prior service in a given cycle). The military population is much less likely to have had extensive research experience just by the types of undergraduate institutions that vets flock to. So, maybe a dozen high stats, prior service, with research experience. Well....That type of applicant is a unicorn. Harvard take 5 or 6 of them each year (they have a 3% military each year), 3 or 4 of them probably stay at their state schools due to having a family and stability. So,UChicago would have between 2 and 4 high stats, military, with research to potentially end up with....those 2 to 4 probably have 4-8 acceptances to choose from. By sheer numbers, it is very unlikely for them to settle on UChicago.
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So... if one were, say, a decorated disabled Marine Corps Vet, 520 MCAT, and years of research and business experience, he’d have a shot at getting an II? *There’s hope yet!* Of course, there’s that pesky terribad GPA.
 
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Mr. Dr. Prof. Patrick said:
Not getting or getting?

Also, how bad is the GPA?
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cGPA freaky bad from a decade ago. Great in the last 3.5. I just applied really late after not being able to take my MCAT until the end of summer. Not worried yet. Mid September apps haven't been looked at yet. Will cost me somewhere but not everywhere!
 
Marr97 said:
Me: Hey UChicago, just wanted to let you know that I'll be in the area later this month 🙂
UChicago: Oh Cool! [REJECTION]
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whatttt; with your GPA and MCAT; what do they wanttttttt? When did you finish your secondary?
 
Marr97 said:
Me: Hey UChicago, just wanted to let you know that I'll be in the area later this month 🙂
UChicago: Oh Cool! [REJECTION]
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Wow. Any ties to Chicago? Anyone else have ITA success with UofC?
 
robin-rosexin said:
whatttt; with your GPA and MCAT; what do they wanttttttt? When did you finish your secondary?
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Well, thank you! I'm not too shaken up by it, I kinda figured this would be a long shot. I submitted my secondary the last week of July.
AlaskanAktak said:
Wow. Any ties to Chicago? Anyone else have ITA success with UofC?
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No strong ties to Chicago, though I have heard they're generally pretty welcoming of ITAs, and others have had success with them.
 
Marr97 said:
Well, thank you! I'm not too shaken up by it, I kinda figured this would be a long shot. I submitted my secondary the last week of July.

No strong ties to Chicago, though I have heard they're generally pretty welcoming of ITAs, and others have had success with them.
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Thanks! I applied to multiple Chicago schools and am going to have to travel nearly 4,000 miles to interview if I’m invited. I didn’t want to worry about being looked down on for an ITA if I send one.
 
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