What is this series?
As Seniors begin to turn in their college applications, acceptance letters are starting to arrive. Shining a light on students’ accomplishments will not only bring de Toledo pride but will also help inform the rest of the student body about the application process and how the journey can look different for each student. The opportunities colleges have to offer are endless, and this series of profiles will help exemplify that.
Our first student spotlight is Max S. (‘26), who got into the University of Chicago. The University of Chicago was Max’s first choice, and he got in through the Early Decision application, which is a binding agreement saying that if a student gets accepted, they must attend that school. Early Decision is the perfect way for students to show the University that it is their top choice, and it can give students peace of mind, as the decisions are often released before anything else.
I had several questions about this process for Max, and despite being stressed at times, he had a positive outlook on his process and gave amazing advice. Note: Answers were edited for clarity.
1. The Process
The process was, at the very least, difficult and frustrating for me because every essay I wrote, every word I chose, I feared could have been a deciding factor in whether or not I got into a given college. And while I was waiting for my response from UChicago, I still had to write early action essays, and I wasn’t as happy with how those essays were turning out. At the same time, I was going crazy over my UChicago application, refreshing the portal every single moment. That being said, the whole experience was not terrible, but still quite stressful.
2. Regrets
I cannot regret too much [about the process] because I did get into my first college choice. That being said, I wish I could have written better essays for other schools, so that if I had been rejected, I would have had better chances.
3. Finished
Amazing! Not only will I never have to write another college essay, but I also got into my first-choice college.
4. The Decision
I chose UChicago because it is a nerdy school that places an emphasis on intellectual discussion. They advertise themselves as “a liberal arts college inside of a big university.” The advantages of UChicago being “liberal arts” are an intellectual culture that places an emphasis on the social sciences, and small classes, while the advantage of a large university is more access to research. Another thing that is very important to me about UChicago is its location. Chicago is one of my favorite American cities (good food, walkable, beautiful architecture), and for everything I love about UChicago, I would not have been as excited to apply there if not for its location.
5. Advice
Don’t be redundant in your essays. If you have your academic activities (research internships, awards, extracurriculars, etc.) already shown on your Common App, you do not need to write about them in your essays. If you want, you can mention them, or use them as a setting for a story you are writing about, but if you brag about something once, you don’t need to in your essays. I would advise people to write about something that lets colleges know more about their MIND. Boxes checked on your Common App cannot tell the admissions people about your interests, your favorite hobbies, or your personality, so write about that.
