City Colleges of Chicago: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Elgin, Illinois · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective
City Colleges of Chicago is a private institution located in Elgin, Illinois with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, City Colleges of Chicago admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 63%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 985 and an ACT composite around 22. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $25,027 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether City Colleges of Chicago is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for City Colleges of Chicago?
City Colleges of Chicago admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores City Colleges of Chicago typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 425–540, with an EBRW midpoint near 515. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 16–23. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
How much does City Colleges of Chicago actually cost?
Published tuition is $30,910 for in-state students and $30,910 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $11,820 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $25,027 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 40% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
Other colleges in Illinois parents ask about
- University of Chicago7% acceptance
- Northwestern University5% acceptance
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign44% acceptance
- University of Illinois Chicago70% acceptance
- DePaul University55% acceptance
- Loyola University Chicago93% acceptance
- Illinois State University89% acceptance
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale90% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like City Colleges of Chicago
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like City Colleges of Chicago recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about City Colleges of Chicago
What GPA do I need for City Colleges of Chicago?
City Colleges of Chicago admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does City Colleges of Chicago typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 425–540, with an EBRW midpoint near 515. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 16–23.
How much does City Colleges of Chicago actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at City Colleges of Chicago after grants and scholarships is $25,027 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is City Colleges of Chicago realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, City Colleges of Chicago is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.