The University of Chicago is cut-throat, and not just as an academic environment. They hold their statistics close to the chest, and, as of this writing, have not released the acceptance rate for the Class of 2029. The Acceptance rate for the Class of 2028, however, was a measly 4.5%. The university also offers nearly no visibility into the University of Chicago waitlist, as they don’t share the waitlist length, number of students accepted, or overall statistics in the Common Data Set, the report most universities use to share their waitlist outcomes.
What we can look at for some insight into the role of the waiting list at the University of Chicago, though, is the yield rate. The yield rate is the percentage of students who are accepted by UChicago and then choose to attend. The higher the yield rate, the less they (most likely) have to lean on a waitlist.
For the first-year class enrolling in the fall of 2024, UChicago admitted 1955 students. Of that group, they report that 1,726 accepted the offer. This 88% yield rate is incredibly high. Very few schools have yield rates that high. UChicago pulls this off by accepting most of the incoming class in the early application rounds: Early Decision, Early Action, and Early Decision 2.
This tells us that UChicago highly prioritizes students who prioritize them. Logic probably holds that this holds true for the waitlist, too. Even without data around the number of students on the waitlist, we know from the Common Data Set that UChicago has a waitlist, and we know from experience that the students who get off of it tell admissions that they will attend if accepted. How you tell them is its own special formula — we break it down below.
Getting in off the waitlist isn’t a waiting game. Contact us to get in on the action.
The University of Chicago is intense, and their waitlist is similar. They give you very little to go on, and waitlisted students are left guessing what to do next if they really want to get in. Luckily, the process isn’t crazy or complicated. It is, however, precise. We break it down into four steps.
Step One: Accept a Spot on the Waitlist
Being offered a spot on the waitlist and being on the waitlist are not the same thing. When you received your waitlist offer from UChicago, they gave you instructions on how to stay in the game. If you do not follow those instructions by the deadline given, they will not give your application a second glance. For them, it’s dead at that point. A waitlist offer gives you the option to keep it in play, but accepting that offer and joining the list actually keeps you in the mix.
We’re using all these analogies that make the waitlist sound like a game because it really is one. There are moves UChicago can make and moves you can make. The next one is a big one.
Step Two: Enroll in a College
The University of Chicago is the goal — we get that, and it remains the goal. However, the rules of engagement have changed a little. The deadline for committing to a college for fall is in early May, and UChicago won’t give your application another glance until after May 1. There is, then, no chance that you will hear from UChicago in time to commit to another top school if it doesn’t work out.
So, this is where you hedge your bets. You need to enroll in your next best option. Hopefully, you really like one of the schools you got into, so enrolling doesn’t feel like a failure. It’s possible, though, that this isn’t your situation. If your college list wasn’t balanced or your application had weak spots, it is possible that the only option you have on the table is somewhere you aren’t thrilled to attend. Unfortunately, you still need to enroll.
Every year, a student contacts us asking if they could not enroll and instead reapply as a first-year next year. Technically, yes. You could do that. However, we have seen that backfire for students who are not our clients too many times to advise it. It is really hard, after all, to substantively change your application — especially the academics — in the 6 months between high school graduation and the fall early deadlines. Instead, one ends up submitting nearly the same application. The outcomes, too, tend not to change. Often, they are even notably worse.
We aren’t trying to scare you here, but we are trying to push you towards a strong decision. Commit to the best option you have and then move on to step three.
Step Three: Update The University of Chicago
The next move is yours, too. You’ve joined the waitlist, enrolled in a back-up, and now it is time to make UChicago fall in love with you. They like you enough to not reject you, but we want them to be looking for ways to let you in.
There are a few ways to do this, and we break them down below. Do not, however, do anything that they specifically ask you not to do. Taking initiative is great, but an inability to follow directions is a major red flag. Instead, use the tools that are allowed to impact your chances of admission.
LOCI
The most important next step, and one that every student on the waitlist should do, is the Letter of Continued Interest — or LOCI. This is a literal letter (albeit submitted through the applicant portal or over email) that directly addresses your application, provides updates, and reinforces you interest in UChicago. The letter should have four parts, but also needs to be only one page in size 12 font with standard margins.
Opening: This is a letter, so start it like one. If you do not know the name of the regional admissions rep. for your area, start with “Dear University of Chicago Admissions,”. Then, you’re going to write a basic introductory paragraph with sentence introducing yourself as a waitlisted student hoping to major in whatever you put as your prospective major on your application (but never undecided), another sentence stating that you will enroll if accepted, and a final sentence setting the intention for this letter.
Update: Next comes the update. UChicago knows that you like them, but they aren’t sure that is enough to bring you onto campus. Here, you need to share 2-4 substantive updates to your application since applying. If you don’t think you have any meaningful updates, you’re wrong. You’re just not conceptualizing of this correctly. By update, we aren’t just talking about awards, recognitions, or major academic achievements. An update could be telling them about a project you’ve undertaken that you are particularly proud of, and extracurricular event that is shaping up to be a huge success, or an annual tradition you’re helping organize for you senior class. Aim for at least one academically-oriented update and one extracurricular update. And remember, more isn’t better. Making it sound meaningful is really what scores points.
Reinforce: Next you need to remind UChicago, briefly, whey they are your first choice. This is not what will get you into UChicago, but it is still helpful. Instead of repeating what you put in your application, write a short paragraph underlining one aspect of the UChicago program that you are particularly excited for and that is relevant to your major. This could be a research program, a lab, an opportunity local to Chicago, or a professor whose research is exactly what you want to spend time on. Keep it brief, but specific.
Close: End your letter with three more sentences. First, thank them for their time and continued consideration. Next, state again that you will enroll if accepted. Last, have one fun sentence optimistically looking forward to beginning your college journey at UChicago.
Sign off with “Sincerely,” or something similar. Then edit, share with a mentor or parent, edit again, and submit.
Supplemental Recommendation
It may also make sense for you to ask a non-academic adult in your life to submit a supplemental recommendation that speaks specifically to the positive attributes that you would bring to the UChicago community. This could be a research mentor, coach, or even job supervisor. The letter should be short, and they will submit it to UChicago admissions directly themselves rather than it going through you.
Advocacy Call
Finally, you should ask your college counselor at school if they would be willing to make a call to UChicago on your behalf. This is called an “advocacy call” and your school counselor is not required to do it. They don’t ‘owe it’ to you, and pushing them will not result in the outcome you want. Ask respectfully, explain why UChicago remains your top choice, and then back off.
Step Four: Wait
The final step is boring. Now, the ball is in their court. You have at least a few weeks before they will even consider your application again, and those weeks can grind on endlessly. We encourage you, though, to enjoy your senior spring. Keep your grades up (and ask your school to send updated grades when you have them), pursue passion projects, and stay optimistic — whether or not your future ends up at UChicago.
Getting into the University of Chicago off of the waitlist is like doing a puzzle with your eyes covered. You can give up, or you can find ways to make it work. We prefer that latter.
We help strong students get in, even after a waitlist decision. Email us to learn more.