Applicants should submit their choice of Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoiror the Common Application,both of which include theUniversity of Chicago Supplement.Applicants will also be be prompted to create aUChicago Account, where they can submit information and view their admissions decision.
Select One of Two Applications
There are several online application platforms accepted by many colleges and universities. Through the online application platform, you submit basic information about your background, academic profile, and extracurricular activities, as well as an essay, and that information can be easily shared with multiple colleges you decide to apply to.If you apply to the University of Chicago, you will also submit twosupplemental essays, which will not be seen by other institutions.
UChicago accepts Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoiror the Common Application. We treat both equally in the admissions process. You'll want to pick a single application platform to use, whichever you feel works best for you.
Questions about technical matters related to using one of the consortium applications should be directed, respectively, to the folks at theCommon ApplicationorApply Coalition, Powered by Scoir. Questions about our own requirements should bedirected to us.
Extracurricular Activities
In your list of extracurricular activities, you should include whatever it is that you spend your time doing outside of class. This could be an official club, team, or competition; a hobby you pursue on your own; a part-time job; a family responsibility; or anything else you do with your time outside of class. Colleges ask for this information not because they have any specific expectation or preference for how you spend your time, but to see what's meaningful, worthwhile, or interesting to you.We do not require certificates proving participation in activities. If the space provided on the Coalition or Common Application to list all extracurricular and work experiences is not sufficient, you may share further details in the Additional Information section of the application.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is your chance to present yourself and your ideas in your own words. Through the Common or Coalition Application, your personal statement will be sent to all of the schools you are applying to. As a result, it should not be specific to any one school. Your personal statement should be appropriate for a wide array of audiences and should put your best foot forward. Be sure to proofread and edit your essay, and have someone you trust like a friend, family member, or counselor read it overbefore submitting it.
UChicago Supplement
The University of Chicago Supplementrequires one extended essay of your choice from our list of several prompts and one short essay on why you would like to attend the University of Chicago. The Supplement is available through Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoiror the Common Application.
Your UChicago Account
Students may create a UChicago Account before or after beginning the Coalition or Common Application. To create a UChicago Account before you begin working on either application, please visitgetstarted.uchicago.edu. If you begin by working on the Coalition or Common Application, you will receive an email with instructions on how to set up your UChicago Account. When yousign in to your UChicago Account, you will be able tocomplete and update your profile, apply for financial aid, upload some materials, and view your admissions decision.
The University of Chicago does not charge an application fee for students applying for need-based financial aid. For students not applying for need-based financial aid, our application fee is $75 and can be submitted through Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the Common Application.
Credit Card
Please follow the instructions on Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the Common Application for submitting the application fee online.
Check or Money Order
Please include a note with the check or money order with the applicant's full name and address, and mail it to the College Admissions Office by the appropriate application deadline. Checks should be made payable to the University of Chicago.
The Office of College Admissions
Attn. Matt Cowell
1101 E. 58th St.
Rosenwald 005
Chicago, IL 60637
Ask your secondary school counselor to complete the Secondary School Report and to submit it along with an official transcript.If you do not have a secondary school counselor, a teacher or school administrator may submit the Secondary School Report and transcript instead. Students may also self-submit transcripts.
Secondary School Report
The Secondary School Report provides us with an overview of your high school academic record.All secondary school counselors have the option of submitting letters of recommendation and school forms online via Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the Common Application. High school counselors should follow the instructions onApply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or theCommon Applications for submitting these forms. Counselors may print out and submit these forms on paper even if you submit your application online.
High School Transcript
An official transcriptdetailing your coursework and grades over your entire high school careershould be sent from your high school. Inreading your application, your transcript will serve as a roadmap of your academic path in high school. We will be looking at your academic record across all four years of high school, primarily to see that you have challenged yourself productively in your course selection and done well in those courses.
Your transcript is considered in the context of your high school. Course offerings and opportunities can look very different from one high school to the next, and we want to see how you took advantage of what was available to you at your high school. You would never be at a disadvantage in the admissions process for not having pursued an opportunity that was not available to you. A School Profile is usually included with your transcript that tells us about the environmentat your school, course offerings, curriculum, and educational outcomes. We do not require complete syllabi.
If you have taken courses at a school other than your current high school, such as a previous high school or a local college, please be sure to have those grades sent as well. They may be reported either on your current high school transcript or in a separate transcript from the original institution.
Transcripts written in a language other than English should be accompanied by a certified translation and a grading scale.
Self-Submitted Transcripts
UChicago will review the applications of students using either self-submitted or official transcripts and midyear transcripts. We realize that there can be costs associated with ordering transcripts. If students have a hard copy or digital copy of their transcript, they may fax, mail, or upload through their UChicago Account. Students will not be required to submit official transcripts unless they are admitted and choose to enroll.
We require two recommendations from teachers who have taught you in an academic subject: high school teachers for first-year applicants and college instructors for transfer applicants.Academic subjects, as defined for the purposes of letters of recommendation, include mathematics, social studies, history, science, English or literature, foreign language, and other courses in which you are doing substantial amounts of reading, writing, or class discussion. If you have questions about whether a particular course is a good choice, feel free tocontact your regional Admissions Counselor.
Ask for recommendations from teachers who know you well and can speak specifically and positively about your contributions in the classroom, academic interest, and interactions with classmates. This does not necessarily need to be the teacher who gave you the best grades, but instead someone who best knows your academic personality and thinks highly of you. Plan to have a brief conversation with your recommender to give them context on your educational plans, as this can be helpful in writing a more detailed letter.
As teachers are often writing letters of recommendation on their own time and are therefore not getting paid to do it, we also strongly encourage students to write their recommenders a thank you note.
Submitting Letters of Recommendation
All school counselors and teachers have the option of submitting letters of recommendation and school forms online via Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoiror theCommon Application. They should follow the instructions on the relevant application for submitting these forms. Teachers and counselors may print out and submit these forms on paper even if you submit your application online. Letters of recommendation must come directly from the recommender and should not be sent by the applicant.Letters of recommendation can be added to your application after the application deadline, so you do not need to ask your recommender to submit their letter before or at the same time as you have submitted your application.
If your recommenders are most comfortable writing in a language other than English, they may. Have them submit the original letter accompanied by a translation.
Supplemental Recommendations
If you feel that we won't be able get a full picture of who you are without a third letter of recommendation from another teacher, an employer, role model, youth leader, or friend, you may submit one additional letter. Submitting a supplemental letter of recommendation is not an expectation, and please be considerate of the significant time commitment writing a good letter of recommendation takes before asking a potential recommender.
Please have your high school counselor submit a midyear report with grades or a transcript for your first semester or first trimester by February 1 of the year you have applied, or as soon as possible thereafter. We are aware that schools may issue midyear grades at a later time, and students will not be penalized for submitting the report after this date. Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir and theCommon Application provide a Midyear Grade Report form, or you may use your own school’s midyear report. You are also welcome to make updates to your application by logging into yourUChicago Accountand clicking “Update Your Application."Students may choose to self-submit their midyear transcript.
Submitting an SAT or ACT is optional and not required for admission. In addition to being test-optional, UChicago practices a “No Harm” policy for application review when considering SAT or ACT scores. Any SAT or ACT score submitted will only be used in review if it will positively affect an applicant’s chance of admission. Test scores that may negatively impact an admission decision will not be considered in review. All applicants, including domestic students, international students, and transfer students will be reviewed under this policy.
Reporting Scores
Students submitting SAT or ACT scores may share either official or self-reported scores. Students sharing self-reported scores will not be required to submit official score reports unless they are admitted and choose to enroll. You are able to self-report test scores through Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the Common Application. You will not need to superscore your own results or recalculate your scores in any way; send your scores exactly as you receive them. To be considered official, scores can be sent by a school official, listed on a transcript, or sent to the University of Chicago directly from the testing agency. UChicago’s SAT code is 1832; the ACT code is 1152.
Testing Deadlines
While we would, if possible, like to receive your scores before the appropriate deadline, we will accept October ACT and November SAT scores for Early Action and Early Decision I, December SAT and ACT scores for Early Decision II, and January SAT and February ACT scores for Regular Decision. For transfer applicants, we will accept scores from the February ACT or March SAT.
