Confira a apresentação do Simon Nascimento, diretor de admissões internacionais da Universidade de Chicago, no Bate-Papo com a Universidade de Chicago, promovido pelo Estudar Fora e Livraria da Vila, em 26.08.13.

1. Applying to Highly Selective
Colleges and Universities in the
United States
Simon Nascimento, Director of International Admissions
The University of Chicago

2. QUESTIONS?
The Undergraduate
Admissions Process

3. Academic
Preparation
Standardized Testing
Letters of
Recommendation
Extra- and Co-
Curricular
Activities
Essay or Personal
Statement
5 Essential Elements of Your Application

4. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Common Application
• The Common Application is used by over 400
colleges and universities
• One portal-based web application with
biographical information, essay, and list of
activities
• Most highly selective schools also require a
Supplement to the Common App
The Application

5. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• High School Context
• What type of school do you attend? American or
international-style, other country-style (French,
German, British), national private or public
• What kind of curriculum is available? Advanced
Placement, International Baccalaureate,
Electives, CSEC/CAPE, A-Levels, National
curriculum
• How well are you doing in secondary school?
Grade trends, rank in class, core classes
Academic Preparation

6. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Transcript
• Your secondary school transcript is what we use
to judge how well you did in school
• If you attended more than one secondary school,
you should submit all transcripts
• If you took a college course, you should submit
the transcript as well
Academic Preparation

7. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Secondary School Report (SSR)
• Counselor Letter of Recommendation
• Helps us understand your school context
• Usually will include how you fit into the overall
context of your class, what your reputation is
amongst the faculty and peers, and what kind of
student you are outside of the classroom
• The narrative letter is not required, but highly
recommended
• A counselor, principal, headmaster,
administrator, or teacher can submit this letter
Letters of Recommendation

8. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Counselor Letter of Recommendation
• This letter should include the type of curriculum
in which you are engaged, such as:
• If you will you graduate with more than one
diploma, such as the IB, US diploma, state or
national diploma
• If there is no choice in your curriculum; all
students take the same classes
• If there is a special concentration or track
available, such as business or engineering
• If admission to your high school is
competitive
Letters of Recommendation

9. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Teacher Letters of Recommendation
• Usually, these letters of recommendation should
be written by core subject area teachers, such as
English, science, math, social studies/history, or
other foreign language
• Letters should tell stories about you in the
classroom, how you engaged in classroom
discussions, your content ability, and overall,
what kind of student you are in class
Letters of Recommendation

10. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Primary Testing
• Primary testing = ACT and/or SAT
• Schools do not favor ACT over SAT, or vice versa
• Some “super score” the SAT and/or the ACT
• The writing section might have less importance
Standardized Testing

11. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• English Proficiency
• Toefl, IELTS, Pearson, etc.
• Secondary Testing
• AP test scores, IB actual or predicted scores, A-
level exam scores, etc.
• Some schools require SAT Subject scores.
Standardized Testing

12. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• The List
• The Common Application includes a list for you
to complete, which includes the name/type of
the organization or activity, leadership positions
held, amount of time involved by week, and a
very brief description line of your
responsibilities
• Also includes honors and awards won and
received
• Should include part-time work, summer
experiences, faith-based work, etc.
Extra- and Co-Curricular Activities

13. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Beyond the List
• Essentially, we are looking for evidence of
engagement, in terms of impact, depth, and
longevity
• Impact: what kind of impact are you making on
your school? Community? Home? Work?
• Depth: how involved are you in this activity?
Do you exhibit a progression of leadership?
• Longevity: have you been involved for several
years? Months? Weeks?
Extra- and Co-Curricular Activities

14. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Essay
• Sample Common Application prompts:
• Some students have a background or a story
that is so central to their identity that they
believe their application would be
incomplete without it. If this sounds like
you, then please share your story.
• Recount an incident or time when you
experienced failure. How did it affect you,
and what did you learn.
Essay or Personal Statement

15. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Essay
• Show the admissions committee/counselor that
you can:
• Your brain is active, you’re thinking
• You can engage with ideas at a high level
• Write clearly, concisely
• Thoughtfully choose your essay topic
• Be passionate about a subject
• Get us excited about your application via
your essay!
Essay or Personal Statement

16. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• UChicago’s Uncommon Essay
• In a famous quote by José Ortega y Gasset, the
Spanish philosopher proclaims, "Yo soy yo y mi
circunstancia" (1914). José Quintans, master of
the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division at the
University of Chicago, sees it another way: "Yo
soy yo y mi microbioma" (2012).
You are you and your..?
Inspired by Maria Viteri, Class of 2016
Essay or Personal Statement

17. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• UChicago’s Uncommon Essay
• "A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his
enemies." –Oscar Wilde.
Othello and Iago. Dorothy and the Wicked
Witch. Autobots and Decepticons. History and
art are full of heroes and their enemies. Tell us
about the relationship between you and your
arch-nemesis (either real or imagined).
Inspired by Martin Krzywy, admitted student
Class of 2016.
Essay or Personal Statement

18. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• UChicago’s Uncommon Essay
• Find x.
Inspired by Benjamin Nuzzo, an admitted student
from Eton College, UK
• How do you feel about Wednesday?
Inspired by Maximilian Pascual Ortega, a
graduate of Maine Township High School South,
Park Ridge, IL
Essay or Personal Statement

19. •Essay
•Highly Selective Schools usually ask “Why do you
want to attend ______ College/University?”
•Why is this school a good match for you?
Essay or Personal Statement

20. What Does Vanderbilt Consider?
• Essay
• Other Tips:
• Have two proofreaders:
• A person who knows you well
• A person who doesn’t know you as well
• Avoid topics that may offend the reader or
cross the “TMI” line
• Can you think of other things you
probably should not write about?
Essay or Personal Statement

21. Questions?

22. QUESTIONS?Contact Information
Simon Nascimento
The University of Chicago
internationaladmissions@uchicago.edu