Chicago, IL
The University of Chicago was founded in 1890 by John D. Rockefeller and the American Baptist Education Society, with classes beginning in 1892 under its first president, William Rainey Harper. It is a comprehensive research university spanning undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, including its own academic medical center, UChicago Medicine. The university states that "freedom of expression is fundamental" to its institutional mission, and highlights its role in shaping fields including economics, law, and the physical and social sciences.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from University of Chicago's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 57% submitted SAT scores, 25% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Decision I: Nov 2, 2026
- Early Action: Nov 2, 2026
- Early Decision II: Jan 4, 2027
- Regular Decision: Jan 4, 2027
Confirm on University of Chicago's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against University of Chicago's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow University of Chicago weighs your application
From University of Chicago's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
82 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 13 admitted, 69 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
How this compares at six selective private universities: Vanderbilt, UChicago, Tufts, Notre Dame, Boston College and Tulane Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not University of Chicago's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what University of Chicago weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does University of Chicago look for in applicants?
Per University of Chicago's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates character/personal qualities, application essay, recommendations, extracurricular activities, rigor of secondary school record, talent/ability as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is University of Chicago's acceptance rate?
University of Chicago in Chicago, IL admits approximately 4% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for University of Chicago?
Per University of Chicago's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1500–1560 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for University of Chicago?
Per University of Chicago's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 34–35 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does University of Chicago cost?
University of Chicago's total cost of attendance is reported at $90,360 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
When is the application deadline for University of Chicago?
University of Chicago's deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 2, 2026; Early Action Nov 2, 2026; Early Decision II Jan 4, 2027; Regular Decision Jan 4, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does University of Chicago require students to live on campus?
Yes -- University of Chicago requires students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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