How to Get Into the University of Chicago: Acceptance Rate and Strategies
July 2, 2025
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the University of Chicago was still a premier destination for quiet, bookish types, many of whom had their heart set on a future in research/academia. Always a haven for intellectuals, UChicago was more concerned with providing an epically rigorous educational experience (the school was then known as 鈥渨here fun goes to die鈥�), than with being viewed as 鈥渕ost selective鈥� in its admissions process. In 1993, the University of Chicago acceptance rate was 77%, and as recently as 2005, the UChicago acceptance rate was still 40%.
What is the University of Chicago acceptance rate in 2025?
New leadership led to a more aggressive marketing of the school, as UChicago began seeking an increased number of applicants. By having a lower acceptance rate, perhaps even one on par with the Ivy League, the university would finally get the recognition it deserved as one of the most distinguished institutions of higher learning in the United States. Recognizing this history is important as it informs you that you shouldn鈥檛 feel too flattered when you receive a piece of mail from UChicago strongly encouraging you to apply.
In short, the marketing strategy yielded spectacular results: the acceptance rate has hovered around 4-5% in recent years, placing the University of Chicago in the mix with Columbia University, Caltech, Stanford, Harvard, and Yale as the most selective colleges in the entire country. Given this newfound reality, those applying for freshman admission need to first do their homework.
The intent of this article is to give those considering applying to the University of Chicago a full understanding of the following topics:
- The University of Chicago acceptance rate (and how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
- The UChicago ED acceptance rate
- GPA, SAT, ACT, and class rank of accepted University of Chicago applicants
- Admissions trends
- UChicago鈥檚 system for rating applicants
- A look at the demographics of University of Chicago undergraduates
- The percentage of accepted students that attend the university (yield rate)
- Tips for applying to the University of Chicago
- UChicago’s notoriously out-of-the-box and occasionally head-scratching essay prompts
- How to assess whether applying to University of Chicago is even worth the $75 application fee (for you)
UChicago Admissions Calculator
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University of Chicago Acceptance Rate 鈥� Class of 2028
A record 43,612 students applied to be part of the Class of 2028. Out of these applicants, UC accepted 1,955, which is an acceptance rate of 4.5%. Of those accepted, 1,726 students enrolled, which gives the University of Chicago an amazing 88% yield rate.
Historical University of Chicago acceptance rates are as follows:
| Applicants | Admits | Acceptance Rate | |
| Class of 2027 | 38,631 | 1,849 | 4.8% |
| Class of 2026 | 37,522 | 2,039 | 5.4% |
| Class of 2025 | 37,958 | 2,460 | 6.5% |
UChicago Early Decision Acceptance Rate 鈥� Class of 2028
UChicago offers two rounds of Early Decision鈥攖he first deadline is November 1 and the EDII deadline is on January 6. Unfortunately, the university does not publish EA or ED acceptance rates. However, it is reasonable to believe that there is a slight advantage to applying ED or ED II at the University of Chicago, but with such a high yield rate (more on this later), the school doesn鈥檛 have to worry too much about getting applicants to commit.
Not ready to commit to ED? An Early Action round is offered as well.
What GPA do you need to get into the University of Chicago?
Among enrolled 2023-2024 first-year students, the average GPA was 4.32.
63% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above, while 27% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. Only about 10% of students had a GPA below 3.74.
What class rank do you need to get accepted to the University of Chicago?
An impressive 97% of the Class of 2027 hailed from the top 10%, while 100% earned a place in the top quartile.
What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for the University of Chicago?
According to the most recent statistics available (Class of 2027), the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1510-1560. The mid-50% ACT range was similarly high: 34-35. Moreover, just under half of accepted students submitted an SAT score and about a third submitted an ACT score.
Admissions Trends & Notes
- For the Class of 2028, the University of Chicago saw a 12% jump in the number of applicants.
- International students comprised 18% of the Class of 2028.
- In a recent year, 85% of accepted students participated in community service, 69% participated in varsity athletics, and 54% were involved in music.
- SAT and ACT ranges have held steady for the past two years.
How the University of Chicago Rates Applicants
Overall, there are six factors that the University of Chicago ranks as being 鈥渧ery important鈥� to their admissions process: rigor of secondary school record, the essay, recommendations, character/personal qualities, extracurricular activities, and talent/ability. GPA, class rank, standardized test scores (UChicago is test-optional), first-generation status, geographical residence, state residency, religious affiliation, ethnicity, volunteer work experience, and paid work experience are all 鈥渃onsidered.鈥�
The University of Chicago is not going to be impressed that you filled the ten spaces on the Common App Activity List; they are looking for genuine excellence in one or more activities. For example, one recent freshman class included a quarterfinalist and a finalist on Teen Jeopardy!, the creator of two modern operas, Oman鈥檚 Woman of the Year, a student with a patent pending for an artificial intelligence swim goggle (made in conjunction with Olympic swimmers), a nationally ranked archer, the No. 2 ranked Scrabble player in the world, and the first high school student ever to present research at NASA. (No pressure.)
Lastly, in the admissions office’s own words, they 鈥渨ant you to, through your application, show us who you are in your own voice. What is your story? Why did you choose to pursue certain opportunities? What activities are most meaningful to you? The very best way to approach your UChicago application is to simply be yourself and write in your own voice. We care about you and who you really are, not what you think we want to see in an application.鈥�
Who Actually Gets Into UChicago?
The Class of 2028 is comprised of students who grew up in the:
- Mid-Atlantic: 26%
- Midwest: 20%
- West: 20%
- Southeast: 12%
- New England: 13%
- Southwest: 9%
- International: 18%
In past years (when data was released), students hailed most frequently from the following states:
- Illinois
- New York
- California
- Texas
- Florida
- New Jersey
- Massachusetts
In general, competition is harshest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). If you hail from a less populated state like Nebraska, South Dakota, or Montana, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances.
Turning next to ethnic identity, the breakdown for the freshmen entering in fall of 2023 was as follows:
- Asian American: 19%
- Hispanic: 18%
- Black or African American: 7%
- White: 30%
Further, the breakdown by gender is slightly skewed toward males:
- Male: 54%
- Female: 46%
Class of 2027 members were involved with the following activities while in high school, percentages that have held steady across the last two admissions cycles:
- Community service: 85%
- Editorial: 23%
- Music: 54%
- Religious organizations: 17%
- Student government: 38%
- Theater: 24%
- Varsity athletics: 69%
University of Chicago Yield Rate
UChicago鈥檚 yield rate鈥攖he percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted is 88%. This number is among the highest of any school in the country. Indeed, only schools like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale, Columbia, and Brown boast comparable yield rates. It can also help explain why the acceptance rate is so very low.
Tips for Applying to the University of Chicago
If you plan on joining the 43,000+ UChicago hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
- The University of Chicago offering on-campus and alumni interviews. However, as a substitute, students are allowed to submit a two-minute video introduction. This submission does not have to be edited or polished, and is highly recommended by admissions.
- Another great way for admissions officers to get to know you on a personal level is through your two required teacher recommendations. For tips on which teachers to target and how to ask, revisit our blog on the subject.
- UChicago is test-optional (although most students do submit testing) and employs a “no harm” testing policy. This means that they will only take your test scores into account if those scores will positively impact your application.
- The University of Chicago also does not consider 鈥�demonstrated interest鈥� so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
- Also, make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essays required by UChicago. For the 2025-26 application cycle, they were as follows:
Question 1 (Required; 300-600 words)
How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.
Question 2: Extended Essay聽(Required; Choose one; 500-700 words)
Essay Option 1
In an ideal world where inter-species telepathic communication exists, which species would you choose to have a conversation with, and what would you want to learn from them? Would you ask beavers for architectural advice? Octopuses about cognition? Pigeons about navigation? Ants about governance? Make your case鈥攂oth for the species and the question.
鈥� Inspired by Yvan Sugira, Class of 2029
Essay Option 2
If you could uninvent one thing, what would it be 鈥� and what would unravel as a result?
鈥� Inspired by Eitan Fischer, Class of 2027
Essay Option 3
“Left” can mean remaining or departed. “Dust” can mean to add fine particles or to remove them. “Fast” can mean moving quickly or fixed firmly in place. These contronyms鈥攚ords that are their own antonyms鈥攕omehow hold opposing meanings in perfect tension. Explore a contronym: a role, identity, or experience in your life that has contained its own opposite.
鈥� Inspired by Kristin Yi, Class of 2029
Essay Option 4
The penny is on its way out鈥攖oo small to matter, too costly to keep. But not everything small should disappear. What鈥檚 one object the world is phasing out that you think we can鈥檛 afford to lose, and why?
鈥� Ella Somaiya, Class of 2028
Essay Option 5
From Michelin Tires creating the Michelin Guide, to the audio equipment company Audio-Technica becoming one of the world鈥檚 largest manufacturers of sushi robots, brand identity can turn out to be a lot more flexible than we think. Choose an existing brand, company, or institution and propose an unexpected but strangely logical new product or service for them to launch. Why is this unlikely extension exactly what the world (or the brand) needs right now?
鈥擨nspired by Julia Nieberg, Class of 2029
Essay Option 6
Statistically speaking, ice cream doesn鈥檛 cause shark attacks, pet spending doesn鈥檛 drive the number of lawyers in California, and margarine consumption isn鈥檛 responsible for Maine鈥檚 divorce rate鈥攁t least, not according to conventional wisdom. But what if the statisticians got it wrong? Choose your favorite spurious correlation and make the case for why it might actually reveal a deeper, causative truth.
鈥擨nspired by Adam DiMascio, Class of 2025
Essay Option 7
And, as always鈥� the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun!
Should I apply to the University of Chicago?
Those who will fare best in conquering this admissions gauntlet will boast a transcript of straight 鈥楢鈥檚 in an exceptionally rigorous program of classes, superior standardized test scores (while the school is test-optional, most applicants do submit them), and at least one or two stand-out talents and passions outside of the classroom.
University of Chicago (UChicago) Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts
If you bring world-class academic and extracurricular credentials to the table, there is no harm in filling out a University of Chicago application, but鈥攁s with all highly competitive colleges in 2025-26鈥攅ven the best and brightest teens need to have an appropriate college list, containing a complement of 鈥渢arget鈥� and 鈥渟afety鈥� schools.
Ready to start building your application to UChicago? The following blogs may be of assistance:
