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Unique UChicago essay questions spark students’ creativity

Prompts encourage applicants to think beyond traditional admissions essay conventions and freely express themselves.

Whether it is finding where Waldo really is, considering who Sally sells her seashells to or exploring what can actually be divided by zero, every University of Chicago undergraduate since the 1980s has written an essay as part of the College admissions process.

While the first supplemental essay on the UChicago application essentially asks “Why UChicago?”, the Extended Essay encourages creative liberty and provides a window into a prospective student’s personality and passions.

The legendary UChicago Extended Essay dates back to at least 1984, when a prompt invited applicants to imagine themselves as astronauts on Mars and asked them whether they would prefer to be teleported molecule-to-molecule back to earth, or to be the person running the teleporting machine. Prompts were initially developed by College Admissions staff, but in 2000, the practice of inviting admitted students to contribute questions first began.

According to Peter Wilson, AB’10, MBA’17, assistant vice president of enrollment and student advancement and director of undergraduate admissions, the essay gives prospective students an opportunity to demonstrate how they utilize critical thinking and rigorous inquiry to confront unfamiliar situations.

“When students come to the College, they will invariably be met with a situation or problem they have never encountered before, be it academics-related or otherwise” Wilson said. “This prompt gives Admissions counselors a way to evaluate how students will navigate those situations once they are at UChicago.”

John W. Boyer, the dean of the College, said the fundamental idea behind the Extended Essay is to invite prospective students to be creative in a serious but intellectually playful way in response to an open-ended challenge.

“These essays not only reveal much about the qualities of mind of our students, but they also show our students something of the intellectually dynamic culture they will be joining if they matriculate here as members of our community,” Boyer said.

Each year, applicants choose from six essay options—five are prompts selected for that application cycle, and the sixth allows applicants to choose a prompt from past years or create one of their own.

“We offer a number of options because we understand students are different—they have different interests and backgrounds, a wide variety of experiences and views, and they engage different parts of their brains. We are interested in diversity in all its forms, and a wide variety of questions allows for a wide variety of ideas to be represented,” Wilson said.

Selecting new prompts every year begins with soliciting members of the UChicago community, both past and present, and asking them to submit ideas. Those interested in sending in their ideas for the 2022-23 application cycle can expect to see a call-for-submissions email next May.

By engaging current students and alumni in the process, the Extended Essay connects prospective students with the UChicago community. After receiving an average of nearly 1,000 essay prompt submissions each year, a small group of Admissions counselors then meet to review and finalize the year’s list.

Grace Chapin James, AB’11, is very familiar with the process, having served as the chair of the essay committee for eight of the 10 years that she worked in the Office of College Admissions.

“When we give people these creative questions, the goal is to open up their minds and see if they have a level of creativity or flexibility and exploration that will lend itself well to being in a UChicago classroom,” said James, who is now director of student recruitment and admissions at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Overall, Wilson says the essay shows prospective students that the University is interested in getting a sense for how they think before they step foot on campus.

“It also signals to prospective students that we are an institution that values and celebrates novel ways of thinking and solving problems,” he added.

Below, view two of the 2021-2022 essay prompts for prospective students and the thought process behind their creation. The rest of the prompts can be found here .

Applications for the Class of 2026 are open through the Coalition and Common Applications. For more information, visit getstarted.uchicago.edu .

In Homer’s Iliad, Helen had a “face that launched a thousand ships.” A millihelen, then, measures the beauty needed to launch one ship. The Sagan unit is used to denote any large quantity (in place of “billions and billions”). A New York Minute measures the period of time between a traffic light turning green and the cab behind you honking. Invent a new unit of measurement. How is it derived? How is it used? What are its equivalents?

—inspired by carina kane, class of 2024, and ishaan goel, class of 2025.

The first thing that rising second-year Carina Kane, a pre-medical student and anthropology major, learned about UChicago as a prospective student was that it had unusual essay prompts. Because of this, she decided to apply.

“I really liked the freedom [of the essay], because I could pretty much choose anything and then weave whatever story or anecdote into it and make it my own question. And I definitely knew when I was answering the question that I wanted to include something that I was interested in, but I wanted to mostly talk about something that would give some indication about who I am.”

At the end of her first year on campus, inspired by past prompts, Kane submitted her own with the goal of giving students freedom to present their stories. From chemistry to economics to architecture, nearly every field includes a unit of measurement, and Kane hopes applicants will apply their knowledge in their subject of expertise.

“I hope students will choose something that they're really interested in, and take that freedom that comes with the question and extend their knowledge in that subject to a fantastical realm. Everything's rigid when you're working with certain subjects, and I'd hope that they could take that and turn it into something invented and imagined.”

"There is no such thing as a new idea" - Mark Twain. Are any pieces of art, literature, philosophy, or technology truly original, or just a different combination of old ideas? Pick something, anything (besides yourself), and explain why it is, or is not, original.

—inspired by haina lu, class of 2022.

Haina Lu, a rising fourth-year majoring in economics and public policy, chose to submit a prompt because the Extended Essay was one of her favorite parts of the College application process.

Her idea was partly inspired by the “ship of Theseus” paradox, which asks whether an object that has had its components entirely replaced fundamentally remains the same object. It was also inspired by late-night conversations with her housemates in Cathey Dining Hall.

“The Extended Essay makes the overall undergraduate body more creative and colorful,” she said. “Having an Extended Essay prompt allows students to present their ideas in a more freeform way, which contributes to making a more curious and eccentric—in the best way— student body.”

—This story was also published on the College website .

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A Guide to the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

August 8, 2023

As you prepare to apply to the University of Chicago, we all know that admission is far from guaranteed, with an acceptance rate of approximately 5%. However, the challenge doesn't stop there. The essays required for UChicago are anything but ordinary. While i t's clear that UChicago's unique essay prompts deviate from the norm, their underlying goal remains the same as any other university: to gain insight into your perspective, understand your goals, and determine if your values align with what UChicago seeks in its students. To guide you through each of the prompts, I have outlined the questions, how to go about tackling them, and more tips to help you write the UChicago supplemental essays 2023-2024 .

The UChicago Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

UChicago prides itself on its thought-provoking supplemental essay prompts. Use these as an opportunity to introduce yourself, what you’re passionate about, and your ambitions and goals. Although there is no set word limit for any of the prompts, InGenius Prep counselor Natalia Ostrowski, who worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions at UChicago, recommends that you limit the first essay (“Why UChicago”) to a page (double-spaced in 12-point font). The second essay—the more unusual one of the two—should be about two pages, double spaced, and in 12-point font.

Natalia also adds, “Remember, this is not the time to write another personal statement or about your extracurricular activity, research, or summer experience. Regardless of the question you choose to address, this is a chance for you to show the reader how you think. They want to see how your brain works, how you explore and connect ideas and concepts.”

Question 1 (Required)

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..

Although there is no strict word limit on this “why UChicago” essay, don’t go overboard with what you like about the university. Admissions officers already know it’s a great school. When reading your response to this question, admissions officers are looking for whether you’ve done your homework on UChicago to determine how much you’d fit into the college. Below are a few questions that Natalia suggests you ask yourself to brainstorm for this essay:

Why is the Core important to you? (And don’t just copy/paste what you wrote for Columbia and vice versa—they’ll know)
What specific majors are you interested in and why?
Has it always been your dream to work with [ insert professor here ] or study abroad in [ insert location here ]? Why?
Which activities are you excited to contribute to? Why do you want to be a Maroon (yes, UChicago has sports!)?

Emphasize the community aspect —how do you hope to find your people on campus? Is it the opportunity to participate in student organizations such as Humor Magazine or the intramural wiffleball team that call out to you? Or are you keen to explore Chicago’s Revival Community Improv Theater within walking distance of the college? You might want to continue your community involvement work from high school by participating in the Neighborhood Schools Program, The Civic Knowledge Project, or one of the college’s several organizations that help give back to the greater Chicago community.

Since you have space, you can provide context on who you are, your passions, and the kind of values you hope to bring to UChicago. Whatever you choose to write about, make sure you prioritize what you’re looking for from your college experience and how UChicago is the ideal place to explore these interests or goals. Show admissions officers that you have done your research and can convincingly argue for your place at the school, clearly outlining the parts of campus you wish to commit to.

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose One)

Now we get to the more peculiar essays. But where do you even start? Natalia affirms that “Admissions officers want to see how your brain works. It doesn’t matter what you write about or which question you answer—your ideas and how you write about those ideas is what matters.” She also adds that from your essay, “Admissions officers will be able to have a glimpse of who you might be in the classroom, or when you’re deep in discussion in the dining halls or dorms, or walking through the snowy Harper Quad on your way to get some hot chocolate at Hallowed Grounds.”

The takeaway for admissions officers reading your UChicago supplemental essays should be to understand what makes you tick and how you are going to contribute to the community. This is the goal you should keep in mind throughout your writing process.

Essay Option 1

Exponents and square roots, pencils and erasers, beta decay and electron capture. name two things that undo each other and explain why both are necessary. – inspired by emmett cho, class of 2027.

There are two key words in this prompt: undo and necessary. When we undo something, we reverse or negate its effects, essentially returning it to its original state or erasing its impact. On the other hand, the term necessary refers to something that is essential, required, or crucial for a particular purpose or outcome.

In the context of this prompt, it is crucial to recognize that in each pairing of things that undo each other, something must first be created or established before it can be undone. This raises two essential questions that need to be addressed: 1. Why is it necessary for the first thing to exist at all? In other words, what purpose or function does the first thing serve that makes it indispensable? For example, consider the use of pencils. Pencils are essential tools for writing, drawing, and expressing ideas. The existence of pencils enables us to visually communicate, create art, or simply jot down our thoughts. Without pencils, the act of writing or drawing would be significantly hindered, limiting our ability to convey information and express ourselves effectively.

2. Why is it necessary to have the ability to undo this creation with the second thing? Once the first thing is created, there is a need for its potential reversal or correction. This is where the second thing comes into play. Taking the example of pencils and erasers, erasers are essential tools that allow us to correct mistakes or make adjustments to our writing or artwork. Mistakes are an inherent part of the creative process, and having the ability to undo or erase them gives us the freedom to refine our work, improve accuracy, and strive for perfection. Without erasers, the permanence of mistakes would hinder our progress and limit our creative freedom.

When selecting two "things" to discuss in response to this prompt, it is important to choose items that offer ample room for exploration and analysis. The chosen "things" should be able to be examined from multiple perspectives and angles, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of their significance and the necessity for their existence and subsequent undoing.

Essay Option 2

“where have all the flowers gone” – pete seeger. pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer. – inspired by ryan murphy, ab’21.

Aside from potentially sharing your taste in music, this prompt invites you to pick a question that you really want to answer! There is no right or wrong song to pick (and no wrong or right answer to the question), but you should find a song that allows you to play with different ideas -- “play” being the key word here!

When selecting a question from a song title or lyric, consider the themes and messages conveyed in the song. Is there a question that stands out to you, one that raises intriguing possibilities or challenges conventional wisdom? Perhaps it's a question about identity, societal norms, or the human condition. Whatever question you choose, make sure it ignites your passion and allows you to think outside the box.

Then, approach the question from various angles, drawing on different disciplines to provide a well-rounded analysis. Consider the historical context, philosophical implications, psychological interpretations, or even scientific theories that relate to the question. By incorporating different perspectives, you can showcase your interdisciplinary thinking skills and demonstrate your ability to connect ideas from various fields.

Essay Option 3

“vlog,” “labradoodle,” and “fauxmage.” language is filled with portmanteaus. create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match). – inspired by garrett chalfin, class of 2027.

This prompt is an opportunity for you to showcase your ability to think outside the box and make unique connections between two seemingly unrelated concepts. However, the true essence of this prompt lies in the explanation of why these two things are the "patch." This is where you can truly demonstrate your thoughtfulness and analytical skills.

Start by carefully considering the characteristics and qualities of the two things you have chosen. Think about how they complement each other or how they can be combined to create something new and meaningful. This is your chance to show admissions officers that you have a deep understanding of the concepts you have chosen and can articulate your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Use imaginative language and creative metaphors to bring your ideas to life. Consider incorporating anecdotes, personal experiences, or examples from literature, history, or popular culture to make your essay more relatable and memorable.

To take your essay to the next level, consider including your thoughts on language and communication. Connect your portmanteau back to the broader themes of language and how it shapes our understanding of the world. Discuss the power of language to bridge gaps, convey emotions, or challenge conventional thinking. By demonstrating your awareness of the significance of language, you show UChicago that you are not only a creative thinker but also someone who appreciates the complexities of communication.

Essay Option 4

A jellyfish is not a fish. cat burglars don’t burgle cats. rhode island is not an island. write an essay about some other misnomer, and either come up with and defend a new name for it or explain why its inaccurate name should be kept. – inspired by sonia chang, class of 2025, and mirabella blair, class of 2027.

Choose your own adventure here, but be ready to defend it! This defense should be multifaceted, considering historical, philosophical, scientific, and other perspectives. For example, if you choose to write about the misnomer "peanut butter," you could argue that despite its misleading name, it has become an iconic and beloved food product that holds a special place in culinary history. You could delve into the origins of peanut butter, discussing how it has evolved over time and become a staple in many households. By considering various lenses, you can construct a persuasive argument for why this misnomer should be kept. On the other hand, if you choose to create your own misnomer, it's essential to explain your creation thoroughly. This means providing a clear definition and rationale for why this new term is more accurate or fitting than the existing one. Let's say you come up with the term "moonflower" to describe a nocturnal plant that blooms under the moonlight. In your essay, you would need to explain why "moonflower" is a more appropriate name than the current term used for such plants. You might discuss the visual imagery and the poetic connection between the plant and the moon, emphasizing how this new term captures the essence of the plant's behavior and adds a touch of mystique.

Whether you choose to defend an existing misnomer or create your own, it's crucial to present a well-reasoned argument. Consider the implications and consequences of your choice, and anticipate potential counterarguments. This prompt offers an opportunity to showcase your critical thinking skills and your ability to construct persuasive arguments.

Essay Option 5

Despite their origins in the gupta empire of india or ancient egypt, games like chess or bowling remain widely enjoyed today. what modern game do you believe will withstand the test of time, and why – inspired by adam heiba, class of 2027.

This is a great question to explore your sociological and anthropological interests! When considering the game that you believe will withstand the test of time, consider its significance to a particular group and its individuals. By analyzing the game's importance from a sociological perspective, you can uncover the underlying reasons why it holds such value and why it is likely to endure. Take, for example, the game of soccer. Soccer is a sport that is deeply woven into the fabric of many cultures around the world. It transcends language barriers and unites people from diverse backgrounds in a shared passion. The significance of soccer goes beyond the physical act of playing the game; it represents teamwork, perseverance, and the ability to overcome challenges. These values make soccer an important part of many communities, providing a sense of identity and belonging. Furthermore, soccer has a rich history that spans centuries. From its early origins in ancient civilizations to its modern-day global popularity, soccer has stood the test of time. It has evolved and adapted, but its core essence remains the same. The simplicity of the game, with its basic rules and minimal equipment requirements, allows it to be played anywhere, from professional stadiums to makeshift fields in remote villages. This accessibility and universality contribute to its enduring appeal.

Think about games that have proven their enduring appeal through their universal nature, rich histories, and the values they represent. What games provide a sense of belonging, intellectual stimulation, and cultural identity, making them likely candidates for continued enjoyment in the future? By addressing the concept of timelessness and exploring the sociological and anthropological aspects of the game, you can present a compelling argument for why it will endure.

Essay Option 6

There are unwritten rules that everyone follows or has heard at least once in their life. but of course, some rules should be broken or updated. what is an unwritten rule that you wish didn’t exist (our custom is to have five new prompts each year, but this year we decided to break with tradition. enjoy) – inspired by maryam abdella, class of 2026.

The specific rule you choose is not as crucial as your analysis of the rule itself. A possible start is exploring the ideas of "good," "bad," relevance, and more. Or you could c hoose a rule that resonates with you personally. Rather than opting for a generic cliché like "don't judge a book by its cover," strive for advice that is specific to your interests and goals. This unique advice will allow you to exemplify it with anecdotes from your own life, providing a deeper understanding of who you are as a student and why you would be a valuable addition to the University of Chicago.

You might also want to consider exploring the concept of "unwritten" rules in your response. Let's say you choose to tackle the unwritten rule of "always follow the traditional path to success." In your analysis, you could explore the idea that this rule may not be as relevant in today's rapidly changing world. You could discuss how traditional paths to success, such as attending a prestigious university or pursuing a conventional career, may no longer guarantee fulfillment or happiness. By providing examples from your own life, such as pursuing an unconventional passion or taking a gap year to explore different interests, you can illustrate the importance of breaking this rule and forging your own unique path.

Alternatively, you might choose to examine the unwritten rule of "never show vulnerability." In your analysis, you could delve into the idea that vulnerability is not a weakness but rather a strength that fosters connection and growth. You could share personal stories of how embracing vulnerability has allowed you to form deeper relationships, learn from your mistakes, and develop resilience. By challenging the notion that vulnerability is something to be avoided, you can demonstrate your willingness to confront uncomfortable truths and embrace personal growth.

Ultimately, the more specific and personal you are in your explanation, the better the admissions officers will understand who you are and why you would thrive as a future UChicago student.

Essay Option 7

And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option in the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (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.

If you don’t like any of the other options, take a look at 30 of the previous years’ questions that UChicago has provided to inspire you! The question “What can actually be divided by zero?” might appeal to you more than any of the new prompts for UChicago supplemental essays 2023-2024 -- a nd that is perfectly okay!

Note that UChicago is giving you an incredible amount of choice here by providing access to their past prompts. If you decide to go the alternative route and come up with your own question, it HAS to be good enough. It wouldn’t be the wisest decision to go with your own silly prompt with the plethora of options in your arsenal. Take the time to consider your topic and answer – but most importantly, Natalia adds, “don’t use an essay you used for school!”

While UChicago doesn’t prefer that you answer questions 1-5 rather than 6, carefully weigh your options before you decide to pick number 6. Is there nothing you might have to say for the first five essay questions? If that is indeed the case, and you’re willing to take the risk (and UChicago appreciates risk-takers) put your unique spin on a previous—or completely original—question!

Additional Tips for Writing the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Now that you’ve taken a look at the prompts for the UChicago supplemental essays , here are a few tips to help your brainstorming process:

Standout essays for standout prompts : The prompts for the UChicago supplemental essays 2023-2024 are without a doubt, highly unique. It’s okay to feel intimidated, and you might choose a prompt that asks for a more academic-leaning response if you’re not a creative writer. While it’s fine to find an option that’s tailored towards your assets, note that other applicants will be writing all sorts of weird and highly imaginative essays. So you need to come up with something memorable and original to stand out from the competition.
Don’t let the prompts discourage you from applying to the school : While the prompts set by the University of Chicago are definitely unusual and undoubtedly tricky, they are not impossible to answer. The school has set a standard for similarly quirky questions and hundreds of students still get in every year. So the minute you see these on the Common App, don’t be tempted to run away and remove UChicago from your school list. It’s a great school, and if you have a strong application to compete with other top students, don’t miss out on the chance just because the supplemental essays seem a little intimidating!

The UChicago supplemental essays 2023-2024 can add depth to your application and help admissions officers understand who you are and what you’re looking for from your college experience. Whichever prompt you choose, it is crucial to present a well-reasoned argument. By exploring various lenses and providing a thorough explanation, you can impress the admissions officers with your creativity and persuasive abilities. The task at hand might seem like a tough uphill battle, but it’s definitely not impossible. Good luck!

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University of Chicago 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action/Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have:

University of Chicago 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 2 essays of 1-2 pages each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball

This is it, the infamous U Chicago supplemental application. These quirky prompts have been a rite of passage for generations of applicants, so before you dive in, just remember: if they could do it, so can you! Your goal in writing your Chicago extended essay should be the same as ever: to reveal something new to admissions. It might even help to have a few ideas in mind before reading through your options. These prompts are so specific and strange that, in the end, the key is just to follow your instincts. What speaks to you right away? What inspires you?

Question 1 ( Required )

Think of this run-of-the-mill why essay as the overture to your magnum opus (i.e. the Extended Essay). Chicago wants you to cover all the bases – “learning, community, and future” – so as with any why essay, you’d best buckle down and do your homework. The more specific details you can incorporate into your essay, the more sincere and personal it will feel (and be!). Explore both academic and extracurricular opportunities. How will you pursue your interest in oceanography? With a major in biology and a semester in Australia? What research opportunities will you pursue? Will joining the club crew team help you feel more connected to aquatic life despite your midwest location? One thing you won’t find on the school website, though, is that third piece, that “future” thing. Think about where you’d like to be five or ten years from now – your career or the impact you’d like to have or even just a geographic location. How will a U Chicago education help you get there? How will your scholarly and social pursuits help you grow? Show admissions how U Chicago is the bridge between the person you are and the person you hope to be.

Question 2: Extended Essay ( Required; Choose one )

Essay option 1, exponents and square roots, pencils and erasers, beta decay and electron capture. name two things that undo each other and explain why both are necessary., – inspired by emmett cho, class of 2027.

Ah, an essay about balance. Typos and autocorrect come to our mind immediately, and not just because our brains often think faster than our fingers can type! The examples admissions have provided do a great job of showing how you can take this idea in multiple directions and apply it to any discipline. What about pasta sauce and our Tide To Go pens? Not a day goes by that we’re not dreaming of penne alla vodka or pappardelle with arrabbiata and the resulting stains we’ll be wearing for the rest of the night! (Just us?) Use this prompt as a way to go deeper into one (or more) aspects of your life, and remember that the prompt is merely a springboard, a jumping off point. Don’t be afraid to write and see what comes of it—you can always backspace later to undo it!

Essay Option 2

“where have all the flowers gone” – pete seeger. pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer..

– Inspired by Ryan Murphy, AB’21

Well, well, well, if this isn’t a fabulous prompt for art lovers and philosophers, alike. “What would you do?” (a thoughtful question asked by members of City High). “Are we out of the woods yet?” (a question repeated over and over by Taylor Swift).. “What’s love got to do with it?” (an evergreen inquiry from the great late Tina Turner). Think through some of your favorite tunes and select a question that strikes a chord within you (music puns!), then start writing. This is one of those prompts where your final product can vary greatly from your initial plan—or not! The important thing is not to rush the process; explore the question posed by an artist who has touched you, then leave yourself plenty of time to shape and finetune your writing into a polished essay worthy of submission to the University of Chicago. If you’re lucky, you can finish your draft weeks before it’s due. “Wouldn’t it be nice?” – The Beach Boys.

Essay Option 3

“vlog,” “labradoodle,” and “fauxmage.” language is filled with portmanteaus. create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match)..

– Inspired by Garrett Chalfin, Class of 2027

This might just be our favorite prompt of this admissions season, since you can take it in just about any direction you like. If nothing comes immediately to mind, try taking a piece of paper and writing down a list of things you like to do or aspects of your identity that are important to you. This prompt is fantastic because you can use it to write an essay about two areas of your life that may not otherwise intersect in an obvious way and give admissions a chance to better understand who you are in the process! Maybe the two words you choose are “introvert” and “performer,” because the stage allows you to express yourself in ways you never would in day-to-day life, giving you “introformer”! (Which sounds like a really cool robot, just saying.) Or perhaps you are chomping at the bit to write an essay about your experience in the Atlanta ballroom dance community as a proud Latina. “Lattrot?” Whatever two aspects of your identity, personality, or background you choose to write about, remember to have fun with it – and UChicissions (UChicago admissions) will too!

Essay Option 4

– Inspired by Sonia Chang, Class of 2025, and Mirabella Blair, Class of 2027

This playful, creative prompt will likely call to those who can think of a few examples off the top of their heads. Maybe you think of fireflies, which aren’t flies (or fire for that matter) at all, but beetles. Do you think they should be renamed accordingly, since words and categorization matter? Or do you think “fireflies” should be kept, since the name has become something bigger than the bug itself, and no one will think fondly of summers at their grandmother’s house catching “luminescent beetles”? Ultimately, your argument will (hopefully) show admissions how your brain works and pepper in a few insights as to the kinds of things you hold dear along the way.

Essay Option 5

Despite their origins in the gupta empire of india or ancient egypt, games like chess or bowling remain widely enjoyed today. what modern game do you believe will withstand the test of time, and why.

– Inspired by Adam Heiba, Class of 2027

Calling all game-fanatics: this is the perfect opportunity to wax poetic about your favorite pastime! Whether you’re convinced that Dungeons and Dragons is here to stay or that cyborgs will be playing Uno in space station community halls in 2123, this is the opportunity for you to make your case. Now, there are some pitfalls that come with this prompt, so beware. Although admissions is asking about games, they really want to get to know the player behind the game (i.e. YOU). Use this prompt to offer admissions more insight into who you are and what makes you tick. Don’t slip down the slope of dedicating too many words to explaining rules and intricacies; instead, reflect on why you love the games you do and why you think gameplay is important to humanity or what is required to withstand the test of time.

Essay Option 6

– Inspired by Maryam Abdella, Class of 2026

This prompt option will likely jump out to those who have been questioning the silly little things humans do since they were toddlers. Well, here’s your chance to call us out. Maybe you’ve always been an incredibly direct person and consistently puz zled by the way the people in your community communicate between the lines. Or, perhaps there is just one unwritten rule that you’d like to strike down for the rest of eternity (NO MORE TALKING TO STRANGERS ON HIKING TRAILS!). See how you can finesse your response to reveal more information about your interests, goals, and character through an unsavory unspoken cultural agreement.

Essay Option 7

We love all the prompts from the past —there are so many quirky ones! If this year’s questions aren’t inspiring you, don’t be afraid to peruse the archives to find one that stands out to you. If you belong at UChicago, there is no doubt you will find a prompt that sparks a story within you.

We’d also like to note that this is a great opportunity for recycling essays. If you wrote a strong longform essay for another school, see if any of the old prompts work in your favor, or make up your own question custom-built for your essay. Good luck! 😊

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Essay Prompts 2021

The University of Chicago has long been renowned for our provocative essay questions. We think of them as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.

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How to Write the University of Chicago Essays 2020-2021

We’ve updated this post! Read the 2021-2022 UChicago essay guide .

UChicago is a rigorous, top-tier school located in beautiful Hyde Park, Chicago. It’s famed for its research emphasis, neo-gothic architecture, and school of economics. If you’re interested in delving deep into theory, bookishness, and the most hardcore of academic materials, UChicago may be your place. Forbes ranks its Booth Business College #1 in the nation, and US News and World Report ranks UChicago as a whole at #6. In 2020, its acceptance rate was 7.94%, so steel yourself for the essay writing. It’s gotta be your best.

You can complete your UChicago application through the Coalition App, Common App, and UChicago portals. Their essay questions for this season are on their website , as well as listed below. The first question, which boils down to “Why UChicago?,” is required. The second question, a one-to-two page essay, is also required, but applicants can choose from a menagerie of wild and exotic prompts.

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Want to learn what University of Chicago will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take? Here’s what every student considering University of Chicago needs to know.

Before You Begin Writing

The University of Chicago’s prompts are famous – infamous! – for being quirky, creative, and sometimes downright weird. But don’t fret: this only means that you get to unleash your creativity and geek out about your deepest passions. You know that subject you avoid in casual conversation, because it turns you into a gushing ball of enthusiasm that could talk for hours ? UChicago wants to hear about it. Whether it’s the 70s rock scene in Zambia, Edmund Burke’s philosophy of the sublime, or your job at the antique mall, they have happily passed you the mic.

It’s not a free-for-all, however. Keep this checklist of things in mind when writing your UChicago essays:

Unconventional topics often require unconventional styles.

UChicago essays should definitely be viewed as a piece of creative writing, rather than a dry analysis. Without being too informal, feel free to disrupt the familiar rhythms of essay prose. This can mean rich imagery and addressing the reader directly. Sentence fragments. CAPS, even. Throw in jargon from your field, and phrases from another language, as long as you explain them. To the extent that it’s authentic to your voice and your subject matter, you should try to be imaginative, engaging, and colorful.

Communicate who you are as an academic.

Make sure you provide admissions with a portrait of how you will perform in an academic environment. You can’t just gush about a topic – you have to prove that you can engage with it at a high intellectual level. Explain research protocol, cite specific books you’ve read, mention your AP classes, or give examples of how you’ve collaborated with others to produce results. UChicago admissions don’t want a student who says “I love physics”; they want a student who says “I love physics so much that I stayed up until 4 am reading Cosmos by Carl Sagan, and I use meatballs to diagram the moons of Jupiter to my friends, and I took Calc III because I plan on studying mechanical engineering with a focus on aerospace materials.” Be detailed about your studies; be explicit in your interests.

Marry yourself to your topic.

Dearly beloved, you can’t have a “unique” topic without “u.” Be sure to include the first person; you are the main character here, not whatever subject you’re writing about. UChicago is deciding to admit you – not your botany experiment, not your gymnastics record, not your novel – you. How do these objects illuminate facets of your personality? What can you bring to this topic that no one else can?

And, as always, answer the prompt!

Print out the prompt. Circle key words. Hang it over your desk. Read it. Read it again. Mark out places in your essay where you will address each specific element of the question. Do everything to track down all the sneaky requirements hidden in the prompt forest, hit them between the ears, and mount them on the cabin wall that is your essay.

All the UChicago Essay Prompts

Prompt 1 (required).

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.

Prompt 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

Choose one of the seven extended essay options and upload a one- or two-page response. please include the prompt at the top of the page..

Essay Option 1

Who does Sally sell her seashells to? How much wood can a woodchuck really chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Pick a favorite tongue twister (either originally in English or translated from another language) and consider a resolution to its conundrum using the method of your choice. Math, philosophy, linguistics… it’s all up to you (or your woodchuck).

—inspired by blessing nnate, class of 2024.

Essay Option 2

What can actually be divided by zero?

—inspired by mai vu, class of 2024.

Essay Option 3

The seven liberal arts in antiquity consisted of the Quadrivium — astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and music — and the Trivium — rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Describe your own take on the Quadrivium or the Trivium. What do you think is essential for everyone to know?

—inspired by peter wang, class of 2022.

Essay Option 4

Subway maps, evolutionary trees, Lewis diagrams. Each of these schematics tells the relationships and stories of their component parts. Reimagine a map, diagram, or chart. If your work is largely or exclusively visual, please include a cartographer’s key of at least 300 words to help us best understand your creation.

—inspired by maximilian site, class of 2020.

Essay Option 5

“Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” – Eleanor Roosevelt. Misattribute a famous quote and explore the implications of doing so.

—inspired by chris davey, ab’13.

Essay Option 6

Engineer George de Mestral got frustrated with burrs stuck to his dog’s fur and applied the same mechanic to create Velcro. Scientist Percy Lebaron Spencer found a melted chocolate bar in his magnetron lab and discovered microwave cooking. Dye-works owner Jean Baptiste Jolly found his tablecloth clean after a kerosene lamp was knocked over on it, consequently shaping the future of dry cleaning. Describe a creative or interesting solution, and then find the problem that it solves.

—inspired by steve berkowitz, ab’19, and neeharika venuturupalli, class of 2024.

Essay Option 7

In the spirit of adventurous inquiry (and with the encouragement of one of our current students!) choose one of our past prompts (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!

The pressure’s on to be unique here, since EVERY SINGLE APPLICANT to UChicago will be answering this required question. Here’s what you need to do:

Provide a tangible connection to UChicago.

This is composed of specific elements of the university that appeal to you, and UChicago’s website is a great place to delve into these. Be sure to be “particular,” as they stipulate, and give them the “specificity” they’re asking for. Examples include research opportunities at Argonne Labs, the marketing classes in the Business School, or an internship offered through the Creative Writing program.

Don’t write about UChicago’s general attributes, like fame, prestige, or “intellectual rigor.” And please don’t try to be clever and refute the old canard that UChicago is the place “Where Fun Goes to Die.” Applications readers have seen this hundreds, if not thousands of times. And besides, why talk about a tired UChicago stereotype when you can talk about something actually cool?

Describe your intangible connection as well.

How is UChicago a place that aligns with your values, dreams, and goals? How do you vibe with it? For example, if I wanted to write about the Creative Writing internship, I would state explicitly how it draws me in:

“I want to attend a college that values the innovative nature of indie comics publishing as much as I do. So, I’m impressed by UChicago’s commitment to providing internships in comics writing through Bult Publishing and The Artifice magazine. One of my goals as a writer is to gain firsthand experience in comics publishing, specifically small houses, and the Creative Writing program at UChicago hits the mark, resoundingly.”

Engage with faculty and students, if possible.

This is a perfect place to talk about specific interactions, like sitting in on an inspiring seminar during a campus visit, hearing a professor speak, or seeing how UChicago has prepared a friend for his career.

However, always be sure to tie these experiences into your own goals and interests! For example, don’t just name-drop a certain Professor Smith. Instead, take the opportunity to find a personal connection to Smith’s research and how great UChicago is for supporting people like her. Your format should be

Program/Individual/Major 🡪 UChicago’s Values 🡪 My values

If you want to learn more about a specific professor or their subject, don’t be afraid to politely email them or contact their department. Many love to talk about their work and their interests, or would love to put you in touch with current students. This will better inform you about the school and give you a great edge for this prompt. And, more importantly, you’ll probably get great advice for your higher education journey. Note: the earlier you prepare for this, the better!

It’s worth noting that there is no recommended essay length, but sticking to around 500 words should do the trick. It’s long enough to share the reasons you’ll thrive at UChicago, but not too long that the admissions officers will start to get bored.

Prompt 2: Extended Essay (Required, Choose one)

Option 1: tongue twister.

Like we said, this is bizarre. And it seems like a lot when you read it all at once. So be sure to break it down into some key components.

“Pick a tongue twister.” It’s useful, but not essential, to consider tongue twisters that have elements of your biography in them. For example, you might not know any woodchucks, but caring for a beaver as it built a dam at a local forest preserve definitely counts for something. Also note that “translated from another language” offers an interesting opportunity – it’s a good place to discuss your knowledge of a second language or unique cultural experience.

However, note that while personal relevance is an interesting element, what’s ultimately important is the method and analysis below. A tongue-twister you’ve never used, but that allows you to show off your skills, is always better than a tongue-twister you grew up with, but has nothing to do with your studies.

“ Consider a resolution to its conundrum.” Identify some sort of conundrum within the tongue twister. This can be a world-building issue – like the “To whom does Sally sell the seashells?” above. It can also be a lurking instability or menace within the rhyme. Or it can be an examination of a historic element that’s worked its way into the tongue twister.

“…Using the method of your choice.” For this, you should pick the subject you know best and want to pursue in college . This is absolutely essential. For example, I could use my knowledge of French history to talk about the French tongue-twister “Les chaussettes de l’archiduchesse,” a rhyme about the dryness of an archduchess’ socks. By imagining it as a conversation between two maids in the ancien regime , I can show off my impressive knowledge of French court life and how working women were able to sharpen their wits even without an upper-class education. So a good strategy might be to pick your expertise – science, child psychology, business, linguistics – then pick a tongue-twister that you can really bust open.

Find a greater meaning. Tongue-twisters are often trivial, and an essay about them risks falling into triviality as well. You can avoid this hidden trap by finding a “so what?” to your analysis. What lesson can we learn from your approach? Why has this tongue-twister been repeated for decades, or centuries? Have you discovered something unsettling, even disturbing, about a rhyme recited by children? You can include this greater meaning at the beginning, conclusion, or throughout.

Option 2: Dividing by Zero

Weird, weird, weird. This prompt is cryptic in its brevity, which offers a huge challenge to you as a writer. UChicago is giving you all the space for creativity. But here’s the trade-off: in return for this freedom, they want to see you discipline yourself, organize your thoughts, and pull this essay off like a choreographed dance. Get your exploratory brainstorming out of the way early-on, and stay focused. Be your reader’s tour guide; don’t get lost yourself.

The obvious option: mathematics. If high-concept math is your thing, and you can explain it compellingly, feel free to discuss the actual question of dividing by zero. It’s a great place to talk about mathematical theories you’ve read, mathematicians you admire, or debates you’ve had in class. But be concrete. Your readers are probably not mathematics experts, so take a page from Carl Sagan: use figurative language, real-world objects, and simple language to illustrate your intimate understanding of the concepts.

Treat it like a metaphor. Deconstruct the prompt and ask yourself, “What do we mean by division? And what do we mean by zero?” Can you think of situations in history, literature, drama, or psychology in which divisions between people are caused by zeroes – insignificant, or unknown, factors? For example, an actor might talk about the play Othello, in which the villainous Iago skillfully divides the characters by creating illusive, nonexistent problems.

Consider different viewpoints and angles. In our everyday language, we take it for granted that division by 0 is impossible. But if you’re interested in philosophy, religion, or anthropology, this might be a great prompt to discuss what you know about “nothing/zero” and how different people have understood it. Is there a cultural and religious explanation for why medieval Indian mathematicians asserted that division by zero was possible? How did the ancient Mayans conceive of zero? And wait a second – if Christians believe everything in the universe is infinitely small compared to God, to the point of approaching zero, how was Satan able to create a divisive war throughout Creation?

Suddenly, the question isn’t quite so simple, is it? This is a great prompt with which to discuss how our debates are enriched by listening to alternative perspectives and reconsidering the seemingly “obvious.” Show off your powers of critical thinking, and demonstrate that you can bring out the intellectual big guns.

Remember: don’t lose focus on yourself and your personality. This is a daunting, abstract, almost cosmic question. No matter which approach you take, make sure to communicate your interest in the subject, your willingness to do research, and your unique voice. Remind your reader: “This is a cool person we don’t want to miss out on.”

Option 3: Quadrivium and Trivium

Brainstorm a list, and give yourself time to think. Sleep on this prompt, because some topics might occur to you as you’re out living your life. This Trivium thing seems a bit boilerplate when you sit down to write about it like your typical essay. Math? Check. Reading? Check. But there may soon come a day when you think, Screw it. Everyone on earth should know how to weld a light-up Santa to the hood of their car. And guess which essay is going to grab UChicago’s attention?

Education/anthropology students, this is your time! A society’s values are often reflected in its educational priorities. This is a great prompt for you to identify issues with modern education and offer solutions. Have you read any studies about programs that benefit low-performing students? Have you volunteered with any programs that taught life-changing skills to people? Discuss them here.

Lean into the appeal of the numeric/list format. UChicago has historically liked prompts that focus on lists or number groups. So if this attracts you, go for it. You can defend a group of values that’s different from the Trivium/Quadrivium – such as the five virtues of Confucianism, or a Quintivium or Sextivium of your own invention. Be creative – combine the stoic principles of Marcus Aurelius with the New Rules of Dua Lipa. Just make sure you balance out personal whimsy with intellect, knowledge, and prowess. (I.e. give more space to Marcus Aurelius and Roman virtues than “New Rules.”)

Consider an unconventional narrative style that weaves together a Trivium in practice. In the movie Slumdog Millionaire, we learn about the protagonist, Jamal, through flashbacks. As he’s asked random questions on a quiz show, we get to see the childhood experiences that enabled him to answer them. Can you think of a challenge that allowed you to synthesize three or four key skills? Start at that climactic challenge, and flash back to the preparation that you’ve done. Example: it’s your senior musical, and you’re on the verge of a panic attack onstage. But you use tips from psychology class, a lifetime of singing lessons, and the perseverance you learned from your family to pull through. This allows you to 1) show off your own biography, 2) show yourself overcoming a challenge, and 3) demonstrate you’re multi-dimensional.

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Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details.

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Option 4: Diagram, Map, Chart

This is another prompt that you need to break down into its key elements, because it’s a behemoth. Its visual component means that it can make a huge impression if done right, but it also demands a huge amount of work, so you want to make sure you’re expending your time in the right way. Needless to say, if you have artistic, drafting, or programming abilities, this would be a great place to showcase your skills.

“Each of these schematics tells the relationship and stories of their component parts .” The key words here are “relationships” and “stories.” This means that your audience won’t just be looking for correlation, causation, directions, and lines of descent – they’re looking for a narrative and personal element. If you’re dealing with data, make sure to personalize it, either through pictures or through your written description.

“Reimagine .” You have to fundamentally transform your diagram or data set in some way. Make us see something that wasn’t there before. There are plenty of real-world examples to draw inspiration from: for example, geophysicists in Mexico have used the present-day locations of caves and cenotes to analyze the impact of the Chicxulub object, the asteroid that most likely caused the dinosaurs’ extinction. Malcolm Gladwell is a great example of a writer who takes sets of data and interprets them in new ways, revealing unseen forces at work. What’s your data? And what’s the asteroid or secret history hidden behind it?

“Your creation .” This has to be your brainchild. While you can draw inspiration from existing discoveries or use existing stats, you should try your best to come up with your own final product.

Combine unexpected fields ; think big, and think broad! There’s a lot of interesting new ideas to discover if you blend two fields that don’t typically go together. If you’re interested in both programming and literature, you could use statistical methods to compare authors’ word use and diagram it accordingly. Does Milton use the word “green” more than Shakespeare? WHY?

Tie it back to your research values . Remember that UChicago asked this prompt because they want to get a pulse on your research philosophy. It’s worth including an explanation not only of your research, but your mindset in general, and the values you believe lead to productive research. Show yourself as someone who would thrive in an exploratory, research setting.

Option 5: Misattributed Quote

So this one seems pretty simple: they’re asking you to come up with a two-ingredient recipe. The hard part? Picking two ingredients that go together stunningly.

Be wary of formulae. The example UChicago gives would be great for an aspiring historian interested in discussing Eleanor Roosevelt. But don’t think that you have to misattribute a quote to a historical figure only. Food for thought:

Write about a person you know. For example, a member of your family who had a positive impact on your life. Could a fundamental lesson they taught you be paraphrased by a quote from Charles Dickens or N.K. Jemisin?
Discuss a real-life misattribution. There are plenty of famous ones: Marie Antoinette didn’t really say “Let them eat cake,” but the misattribution can tell us a lot about the French gossip magazines of the time. It’s also a fraught moral question: was the libel against Marie Antoinette worth it, because it led to the downfall of the French monarchy? Do the ends justify the means here? What’s the philosophy of misattribution? The psychology? The social implications?
Combine media. Plenty of songwriters quote other songs, intentionally or (as was ruled in a famous copyright case ) “subconsciously.” Is there an example that reveals a lot about an artist or media culture that interests you?
Misattribute a quote to a non-person . What if your dog, your houseplant, or your favorite skeleton at a museum could talk? This is a great chance to talk about animal psychology, how plants communicate, or an exhibit that inspired an academic interest.
The list goes on!

The key word is “implications.” The misattribution has to reveal something about the quote or the entity to which it’s misattributed. A person writing about Eleanor Roosevelt using the Dirty Harry quote might discuss, for instance, how “Do you feel lucky, punk?” could summarize Roosevelt’s tenacity when lobbying her husband to enact anti-lynching legislation.

You can also discuss “implications” in broader terms: for example, should education use punchy (incorrect) quotes to better help kids memorize historical figures? Should fictionalizations like Hamilton stray too far from the historical texts? Do embellishments and hot new phrases mislead the public perception of historical figures?

As always, be sure to bring it back to who you are as a student and thinker. What are your priorities, and what concerns you about your quote/source duo? Involve yourself and your audience in the “implications” section of your essay.

Option 6: Creative Solutions

Although this prompt includes examples of technological inventions, what’s really important here is the last sentence. If you put aside the first few sentences, the prompt becomes incredibly vast, and you can use it to write about almost any field you’re interested in.

Did you notice the subtle weirdness? “Describe a… solution, and then find the problem.” Isn’t that… backwards? You can interpret this as a license to get weird with your style and organization. For example, you could take your reader backwards in time, from the final invention to the inciting incident, or even a childhood memory of your inventor. You could alternate between the past in present. You can also find a solution that fixes an unexpected problem: for example, drugs developed for a certain malady sometimes improve conditions for the sufferers of different diseases.

Do some digging; find the quirks and paradoxes. Often, some mundane items we find commonplace have interesting, controversial, or even bloody histories behind them. And sometimes problems have paradoxical solutions – like how patients with phobias are instructed to expose themselves increasingly to their phobias. One strategy for creating a compelling essay is to amplify these striking contradictions or lurid histories.

The invention need not be physical. While we love our can openers and phones, there are a lot of inventions that aren’t things – they’re methods, systems, words, theories, names, university departments, religious doctrines, governments, languages, or ways of thinking. You can apply this “problem/solution” dynamic to almost any subject, but what’s important is that it’s thought-provoking, unique, and authentic to you. And you absolutely must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the invention’s development.

The invention need not be positive. UChicago describes beneficial inventions, but you can also talk about inventions and protocols that ended up inflicting evil on the world. For example, you could talk about a policy, law, cultural norm, etc. that “solves” a problem that really doesn’t need solving, or “solves” the problems of some very bad people. If you want to be really deep, you could discuss invented problems that are – paradoxically – solutions of some kind, that serve dark ends or that reinforce harmful ideas. However, be sure to end your essay with a gesture towards solutions, progress, and identifying bad systems of thought so that the world can be improved.

Cite sources! This is a research-based question, so make sure you credit the books, podcasts, movies, and articles you use. Demonstrate your aptitude as a scholar, and show your ability to synthesize a variety of sources. Don’t go overboard, and don’t let the citations drown out your own voice, but this is UChicago. Bring a bibliography to the gunfight.

Ending the essay. If your solution can solve a single problem, that’s fine. But a great way to end the essay, and show that you can think about broad applications as well as specific circumstances, is to gesture towards other potential problems your invention solves/is still solving. Is there a certain attribute that allows it to be applied towards multiple situations? It’s also worthwhile to talk about the mindsets, values, and societal environments that allow us humans to create worthwhile solutions to our problems. If you’re moved, changed, or inspired by the invention you’re researching, discuss this. If there’s a certain philosophy or perspective instrumental in the creation of the invention, and it would benefit our world from being used more widely, discuss this too.

Option 7: Grab Bag

Again, this prompt is, on the surface, granting you a lot of leeway. UChicago even ends it with an exclamation point! But you should always remember: they expect a disciplined, thorough, rigorous essay. Don’t let your sense of fun and frolic drown out your serious intellectual ideas.

Pick a prompt that inspires you to write, and connects with your academic interests. If a prompt jumps out at you, and you’re immediately filled with ideas, it’s probably a good fit. Just take it slowly, jot your thoughts down, and get to work.

Involve your personal connection to that prompt . If you’re not answering any of the 6 prompts UChicago has issued this year, the onus is on you to prove that you and the archival prompt you’ve picked are a match made in heaven. This means having a lot of knowledge and personal investment in your subject matter, and an angle/perspective totally unique to you.

If making your own question , remember this: YOUR QUESTION IS YOUR HOOK. So make sure it’s not a question that could be found on a standard-issue application, like “When did I overcome a challenge?” or “What’s a place that feels like home?” These prompts are everywhere. They won’t get the job done, and they won’t make an unforgettable first impression. But “Why did I lock myself in the basement and watch The Bee Movie for eighteen hours?” That’s a different story.

If you look at past UChicago prompts, they tend to be fond of certain things: numbered lists, fairy tales, common phrases, and items of pop culture that can be re-contextualized. They also like hearing your answers to famous questions, and you might have a unique answer to “Et tu, Brute?” or “Do you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain?” Just remember that the novelty of the question, while the hook of your essay, is not its substance. If your biography and scholarly interests don’t involve pina coladas, or rain, you might just have to pick a different question to answer – as wonderful as that eternal question is.

You have to do a lot of thinking for the UChicago essay – but don’t overthink it. There’s a reason why they give you a page limit, and not a word limit: they don’t want you to stress about cutting ten words, and they don’t want you to have to cut yourself off. Fully develop your ideas in a way that seems natural. If a paragraph needs to be a little thicker, or if you need to include a longer quote from your favorite author, don’t sweat it.

You can look up lots of examples of essays online, but try not to get intimidated. It’s the nature of the UChicago essays to encourage everyone to showcase their expertise, so you’ll read a lot of essays and think, “Wow. I’ve never spent a month in Arizona digging up fossils. How can I ever compete?” Instead, try to think of the essays less as a Competition than as a Giant Celebration of everyone’s achievements and interests. It’s cliché but it’s true: everyone has something compelling about them, and the UChicago applications readers wouldn’t be giving out prompts like these if they didn’t believe it.

If you’ve written your UChicago essay and are looking for feedback, we encourage you to create a free CollegeVine account and explore our resources. You’ll have access to free peer review services, through which students can peer review each others’ essays. We also offer free essay guides and other resources. We’re here to help you put your best foot forward, feel prepared, and deal with less stress this applications season. Feel lucky, punk!

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Hello everyone! So, I've heard that the University of Chicago has some pretty unique essay prompts when compared to other schools. Can anyone who has successfully applied to UChicago describe their experiences with the admissions essays? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hello! You're right, the University of Chicago is known for its creative and thought-provoking essay prompts. These prompts are designed to allow applicants to showcase their intellectual curiosity and thinking skills.

When approaching UChicago's essay prompts, it's essential to take some time to brainstorm and think outside the box. Remember that there is no "correct" answer to these prompts; they're intentionally open-ended, giving you the chance to explore different ideas and perspectives. Keep the following tips in mind as you work on your essays:

1. Be Authentic: Stay true to your own interests and experiences. The prompts may be unique, but the goal remains the same: showcase your personality, curiosity, and commitment to learning. Use your authentic voice, and don't be afraid to take risks in your writing.

2. Engage with the Prompt: Rather than writing a generic response that could fit any prompt, make sure your essay directly engages with the specific question at hand. The admissions team wants to see how you think and respond creatively to unique ideas.

3. Be Thoughtful, Not Gimmicky: The uniqueness of the prompts might tempt you to write something gimmicky or overly humorous. It's okay to have fun, but make sure your essay still highlights your intellectual depth and showcases your critical thinking skills.

4. Revise and Edit: As with any college essay, it's important to revise, edit, and proofread your work. Ask trusted friends, family, or teachers to review your essays and provide feedback.

5. Consider the "Why UChicago?" Essay: In addition to the unique prompts, there is also a "Why UChicago?" essay. This is an opportunity to show your specific interest in the University. Research the school and its culture, resources, and programs to create a compelling and personalized response.

For example, one past UChicago prompt asked: "A hot dog might be a sandwich, and cereal might be a soup, but is a a ?" This type of prompt invites you to think critically about categories and definitions. You could explore whether something like a video game is a form of art or a persuasive essay is a form of storytelling. The point is to engage with the prompt and explore your own perspective in an intellectually stimulating way.

Best of luck with your University of Chicago essays! Remember to embrace the unique and thought-provoking nature of their prompts while showcasing your intellectual curiosity and depth as an applicant.

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

UChicago Essay Examples

Uchicago essay examples .

As one of the world’s top-ranked universities, the University of Chicago deeply values inquisitive and creative learners. For that reason, UChicago essays that worked are some of the most captivating and unique college essays out there. Hopeful applicants will benefit from reading UChicago essay examples. In fact, beyond just reading UChicago essay examples, closely analyzing UChicago essays that worked is an excellent way to prepare.

Are you thinking of applying to UChicago but not sure what goes into writing UChicago essays that worked? You’re in the right place! In this article, we’re going to read some UChicago essay examples and see why they impressed admissions.

In this UChicago Essay Examples article we’ll look at:

Recent UChicago essay prompts
Several real University of Chicago essay examples
Why the UChicago essay matters
Tips for writing a UChicago essay, and more!

As one of the best universities in Illinois , the Midwest , and the world, UChicago demands top-tier essays. And with our expert analysis of UChicago essay examples, you’ll be better prepared to craft your own..

How many supplemental essays does UChicago have?

There are two supplemental essays required for the UChicago application. These prompts can be found on the university’s site as well as in the Coalition Application or Common Application . It’s important to note these prompts—and, accordingly, UChicago essay examples—vary from year to year. However, you’ll find similarities among UChicago essays that worked regardless of the prompt.

The first prompt is required of all students and is essentially a “why UChicago” essay. A “why UChicago” essay that works will follow the general framework of any other “why school” essay.

UChicago essay examples for the second required essay change the most between admissions cycles. This is because the second essay responds to one of several prompts created by UChicago students.

For both required UChicago essay examples, there is no set word limit. However, the University of Chicago admissions office suggests 650 words for the UChicago extended essay example. As for the “why UChicago” essay, the suggested word limit is lower, at 250-500 words. Regardless of your final word count, UChicago essays that worked use their words effectively, as we’ll see soon.

What are the University of Chicago supplemental essay prompts?

UChicago essays that worked will respond to the unique prompts in an innovative and inquisitive manner. That being said, UChicago essay examples vary greatly as the prompts change yearly.

UChicago posts its current prompts as well as some of the favorite prompts of the past years. In fact, you can even find past favorite University of Chicago prompts from as far back as the nineties. As prompts change, so do UChicago essay examples; however, elements of Uchicago essays that worked are pretty constant. With that said, let’s look at the current UChicago essay prompts.

The first UChicago essay prompt is required of all students:

The second required essay for the UChicago application is inspired by current students. In the most recent application cycle, it asks students to respond to one of the following options:

Essay Option 1:

Exponents and square roots, pencils and erasers, beta decay and electron capture. name two things that undo each other and explain why both are necessary. – inspired by emmett cho, class of 2027, essay option 2:, “where have all the flowers gone” – pete seeger. pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer. – inspired by ryan murphy, ab’21, essay option 3:, “vlog,” “labradoodle,” and “fauxmage.” language is filled with portmanteaus. create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match). – inspired by garrett chalfin, class of 2027, essay option 4:, a jellyfish is not a fish. cat burglars don’t burgle cats. rhode island is not an island. write an essay about some other misnomer, and either come up with and defend a new name for it or explain why its inaccurate name should be kept. – inspired by sonia chang, class of 2025, and mirabella blair, class of 2027, essay option 5:, despite their origins in the gupta empire of india or ancient egypt, games like chess or bowling remain widely enjoyed today. what modern game do you believe will withstand the test of time, and why – inspired by adam heiba, class of 2027, essay option 6:, there are unwritten rules that everyone follows or has heard at least once in their life. but of course, some rules should be broken or updated. what is an unwritten rule that you wish didn’t exist (our custom is to have five new prompts each year, but this year we decided to break with tradition. enjoy) – inspired by maryam abdella, class of 2026, essay option 7:, and, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option in the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (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.

Soon, we’re going to check out some UChicago essay examples. However, you may notice that our UChicago essay examples don’t respond to the current prompts. That doesn’t mean that these UChicago essay examples aren’t helpful! Responses to these prompts will vary greatly based on each student’s story. All UChicago essays that worked are valuable tools to aid you in writing your own college essays.

Demystifying the UChicago Extended Essay

When considering how to write a UChicago extended essay example, think about how unique all of the UChicago uncommon essay examples are. There is no one-size-fits-all way to craft impressive UChicago essay examples; rather, there are infinite ways to approach them.

While that may feel overwhelming for some students, try to focus on the creative liberty the UChicago essay examples allow. Because the University of Chicago essay examples are so unique, students have a grand opportunity to express themselves.

What’s the goal of UChicago essay examples? Well, the UChicago extended essay example has a slightly different goal than “why UChicago” essay examples. The prompts are admittedly “provocative.” After all, this competitive university wants the most curious, inquisitive minds in the nation. Accordingly, successful UChicago essay examples prove that admitted students aren’t afraid of thinking out of the box.

In the end, although the prompts seem quite different from other college essays, the goal is the same. UChicago essays that worked share more about each student: their interests, background, life experiences, or tastes. The exciting part about the UChicago uncommon essay examples is the rare opportunity to embrace your quirkiness or get serious. The choice is yours!

UChicago Extended Essay Example

The first of our UChicago uncommon essay examples touches on some themes common in more traditional diversity/background/life experiences prompts. Read the first of our UChicago essay examples closely. How does the writer share more about themselves in an eloquent manner while still responding to this unique prompt?

UChicago Extended Essay Prompt:

A neon installation by the artist jeppe hein in chicago’s charles m. harper center asks this question for us: “why are you here and not somewhere else” (there are many potential values of “here”, but we already know you’re “here” to apply to the university of chicago; pick any”here” besides that one). – inspired by erin hart, class of 2016..

In a culture where Bollywood’s ‘item girls’ receive fame and glory for their provocative dancing and scant clothing, I am often filled with shame and even disgust for my own Indian heritage. Films and television soaps reinforce gender stereotypes of dominating male characters, while their female counterparts are either passive homemakers or desirable ‘item girls.’ These movies are mainstream and celebrated in my culture, watched by children and grandparents alike.

How can I embrace and respect my culture if this inequality pervades? Because I notice these things, and define them as blatantly sexist, does that make me less Indian?

In a culture where dowries are still regularly exchanged between families, I cannot help but notice the objectification of women that is culturally acceptable and ubiquitous. I cannot understand how Indian women all over the world permit their future family to request money and goods equivalent to their supposed ‘worth.’ This is the feminist and Western approach to dowries However, if I look closer, there can be a degree of justification to this practice. The parents-in-law are given money and luxurious goods for the bride in order to protect her if her husband and breadwinner can no longer work.

While this reasoning does offer some justification for the persistent existence of dowries in the 21st century, it brings new objections to the presumption that the bride will not contribute to the family’s income. I see the world through two lenses as the clash between Eastern and Western culture pervades my every thought and action.

During rare family gatherings, the few times I get to see my extended family, the joy of the reunion is mellowed by what I see. The men and children lounge into the couches, sipping tea and crunching bhel (Indian snack), while chuckling and debating over current events. In the kitchen congregate the women, busy cooking and giggling with each other, but in a constant frenzy to prepare the next meal or brew more tea. Distracted by the simmering chai, this room lacks the same fervent discussion of prevalent global issues. The living room and kitchen stand divided between the men and women. As a female young-adult, I am confused as to where I belong- to which room do I go? While we are one family, the divide remains firm. I feel sick to my stomach, as I alone perceive the waves of sexism that ripple beneath our facade.

Adding to this confusion are my looks. I am a rich mocha, but with too much crème, and suddenly I no longer look Indian. My unique ringlets add fuel to my accusers’ claims. Too pale, and too many curls. I have been called nearly every ethnicity in the globe, from African-American to Latina to Russian. When I explain my Indian heritage, aghast, they cry, “But you can’t be Indian!” Hurt, I leave questioning my appearance and the personality I project.

On the other hand, Hindu culture reveres female empowerment through the worship of powerful female deities such as Kali and Lakshmi. This hypocrisy baffles me. Why I am here? Why am I Indian, when everyone questions my ethnicity, and I, myself, question certain practices?

I realize, I am here to question and ponder, because thinking about the life and environment in which you live is critical. Because the fact remains that I absolutely love my culture. The passionate, unrequited urges to dance at every occasion in a flurry of vibrancy cannot be found anywhere else. I love the intrinsic and irrevocable respect for the knowledge and experiences elders bring. Also, I appreciate the emphasis on family as ultimate supporters and best friends. I even love the sense of duty and service that being a daughter brings. Outwardly, perhaps, I don’t conform to the typical model of an Indian girl, reserved and soft-spoken, with thick, straight hair and rich mocha skin, but I have the heart and soul of one.

Why This UChicago Essay Worked

With endless ways to respond, this writer’s UChicago extended essay example offers the reader a unique look into her life. She contemplates the many clashes in her own culture and her way of thinking and navigating the world. However, in her final reflection on precisely why she’s “here,” she affirms the centrality of her culture to her sense of self.

The author of the first of our UChicago essays that worked dissects aspects of her culture that disquiet her. The reader sees an inquisitive person who’s always questioned cultural norms that others within her family might not have. Of course, she doesn’t completely reject a culture because she doesn’t completely agree with it. On the contrary, she’s able to find and appreciate the parts that have shaped her into who she is. Additionally, while she may not exemplify what’s “typical” of her culture, she recognizes that it’s nevertheless intrinsic to her experience. And she loves it.

UChicago essays that worked often show growth. In the first of our UChicago uncommon essay examples, the writer shows how she’s navigated the inner conflict she experiences around her culture. In the end, even though she doesn’t come to a conclusive answer, the writer accepts the ongoing process of questioning. Moreover, she recognizes her culture and her surroundings aren’t mutually incompatible, but that she must find her own balance. This willingness to accept ambiguity and keep questioning is certainly important at an elite institution like UChicago.

More UChicago essay examples

Let’s continue with the UChicago uncommon essay examples. Again, as you read this UChicago extended essay example, note features common among college essays—not just UChicago essay examples.

UChicago Essay Prompt:

Share with us a few of your favorite books, poems, authors, films, plays, pieces of music, musicians, performers, paintings, artists, blogs, magazines, or newspapers. feel free to touch on one, some, or all of the categories listed, or add a category of your own., uchicago essay example.

Downton Abbey makes me fantasize about the elaborate fashions of the 1900s, with long taffeta gowns and hats bursting with feathers and jewels, each lady is a vision of elegance. Each episode and season leaves me fascinated by the grandeur and magnificence of the house, which stands in stark contrast with the peeling grey wood of the downstairs kitchens and servant halls. The servant’s staircase is shabby and dull, and runs parallel to the vibrant tapestry-covered marble staircase for those upstairs. I am puzzled by the smooth refinement of upstairs, juxtaposed with the panting bustle of downstairs.

I constantly marvel at the writers’ ability to craft characters to whom I can relate, despite the gap of a century. The world they lived in is so vastly different from today, yet people of all ages experience comparable emotions such as jealousy, passion, and shame. I am left breathless by the fact that each character faces similar challenges of familial disappointment, honor, and struggle to find a purpose in life; just as we do today.

Technology may change, but human nature remains the same. In addition, the rich historical background of Downtown Abbey provides intricate context to the larger historical events I learn in class. I am transported from merely learning about the implications of World War 1 and the Spanish Influenza, to learning about how these impacted the daily lives of people.

Downton Abbey is more than merely a television show to me. Calling my grandmother in England to discuss in the elaborate plot twists and new character developments has brought us together for a shared passionate experience in the same living room. We avidly discuss Mary’s slew of new suitors and Daisy’s latest heartbreak via video chat. Excitedly we giggle over birth of baby George and Ms. Pattmore’s witty retorts. In a unique twist, Downton Abbey has become something that transcends the thousands of miles that separate us.

In addition, Pride and Prejudice couples my love of fairytales with my irrevocable feminism.

Forever imprinted in my mind is the first time I attempted to read Jane Austen’s masterpiece, as a plucky third grader who brought the book to reading circle. At that young age, I was merely fascinated by the drama of five girls, each with their own tantalizing personality. But now, I realize the subtle life lessons concealed within each page. This novel makes me squash my teenage urges to judge and categorize people instantly, instead realizing that there is something to be learned from all people from all walks of life- especially the people from whom I am the most different. This subtle yet sparkling wit of Mr. Bennett reminds me to laugh more at the chaos and confusion life often brings.

The dysfunctional and hilarious family dynamic provides comedic relief and reminds me of the 19th century equivalent of a reality show. I admire Jane Austen’s subtle yet thought-provoking feminism through Elizabeth, as she pokes fun at her best friend for marrying without love for money and position, something she could never do. Also, I am inspired by Elizabeth’s passionate resolve against being ‘anybody’s fool! I am drawn by my love for English literature, which provides a window to discover historical intricacies that mirror a universal human experience.

Why This UChicago Essay Stood Out

The second of our UChicago essay examples hooks the reader and shows the author’s ability to connect with others. Much more than simply saying, “I like Downton Abbey because of the costumes”, the writer describes in detail the wardrobe and architecture. UChicago essays that worked provide ample details to help the main idea—and the writer—come to life for the reader.

Then the writer goes on to show how humans share the same feelings and experiences, which transcend time periods. This shows the reader how the writer is capable of empathizing and relating to people even through their differences. As the author points out, human nature is the same no matter the time period. Their personal understanding of this will ideally motivate humanistic, world-changing work at UChicago and beyond.

Focusing on the personal impact

Although this writer includes their grandmother in the essay, notice that the focus comes back to a lesson. Writing about experiences with friends or family in college essays is by no means off limits. However, those who do so should use a strategy like this essay. In other words, the essay should ultimately discuss personal impacts or lessons on character.

Finally, the writer touches on the book Pride and Prejudice and the feminism portrayed within the book. Through this point, we learn more of the author’s values as well as traits in characters—in people—that they admire. She again ties the book to the underlying theme of her essay which is the universal human experience.

This multifaceted essay engages the reader, answers the prompt, and allows some insight into the author’s values and way of thinking.

How do you write a UChicago essay?

Logically, University of Chicago essay examples vary: a UChicago extended essay example differs in many ways from UChicago essay examples. However, while UChicago essays that worked may look very different, they serve the same greater purpose. Above all, writers must show admissions who they are and why they belong at UChicago.

“Why UChicago” essay examples will follow the format of a “why school” essay. Students should get specific as they reference opportunities, programs, faculty, or extracurriculars found only at UChicago. Additionally, UChicago essay examples should demonstrate just why the writer belongs on campus. How do your values align with those of the university? What will you bring to the school’s community? UChicago essays that worked should also show that UChicago is a good fit for the student—it goes both ways.

More ‘Why School’ essay examples

Before writing, check out some successful “why school” essay examples from a variety of different schools. Of course, pay special attention to the “why UChicago” essay examples. Additionally, don’t miss essay tips from the University of Chicago admissions team. Given the competitiveness of UChicago admittance, UChicago essays that worked must all stand out.

Why This College Essay Sample

As for the UChicago uncommon essay examples, they can be approached in a myriad of ways. Firstly, be sure to choose the topic that excites you the most. Which immediately catches your eye? If you can’t decide, brainstorm for each first to see what you can write. Then, choose the topic with the most potential for a meaningful essay you want to write. Successful UChicago uncommon essay examples are founded on genuine excitement about the essay, so choose a topic that excites you.

You may want to free write to get your ideas flowing. From there you can choose the “meat” of your essay out of a slew of words. University of Chicago essay examples must be unique to get you admitted. UChicago essay examples that worked ranged from serious to humorous. Don’t be afraid to have fun and get creative. The main goal is to share with admissions more about yourself. And, of course, show off your writing chops!

Determining a College Essay Topic: Reflection Exercises to Try

Does UChicago care about supplemental essays?

In short, yes, absolutely! Understanding why different University of Chicago essay examples had success will do wonders for students writing their essays. The essays are a pivotal part of the UChicago application. And as one of the best universities in the nation, UChicago wants students with well-crafted essays

Of course, there are many factors that contribute to college acceptance, such as GPA and extracurriculars. Students will want to polish each part of the application, which starts early with your high school curriculum choices.

Making sure that you meet all of the University of Chicago requirements and the UChicago application deadline is also imperative. After all, there’s no use in writing perfect UChicago essay examples if your application is incomplete or late. Start planning your application early so you have documents in hand well before the deadline. With this in mind, most colleges use a holistic evaluation process when considering candidates. With such unique essay prompts, it’s clear that University of Chicago admissions wants students who rise to the occasion. That means students who passionately, creatively, and inquisitively respond to the prompts.

You’ll notice that all the UChicago essay examples provide some valuable insight into the writer’s life and personality. These wouldn’t have been apparent from other parts of the application. That is to say, your essays should help to fill in your picture, so to speak. Admissions officers read essays to learn more about students to ensure that their values and goals align with the university.

Need more help with your UChicago essays?

While we’ve checked out a couple of UChicago essays that worked, there are plenty more resources on the topic! In fact, you can check out more University of Chicago essay examples and see just why they worked, too. Reading UChicago uncommon essay examples will help inspire you to write your best UChicago extended essay example.

The UChicago acceptance rate is one of the most selective in the nation at 5.4% . In light of that, applicants should do everything possible to make their application stand out. Read our how to get into UChicago guide for more tips on being a competitive candidate.

While our “how to get into” guides cover each step of the application process, we have additional resources beyond UChicago essay examples. Watch our webinar for more valuable insight on how to write and edit your own UChicago essays. You can also take a look at UChicago admissions’ announcement of the most recent prompts in the video below.

Chicago Essay Examples – 5 Takeaways

What have we learned from these UChicago uncommon essay examples? Here are 5 key things to keep in mind to make sure that your University of Chicago essay examples are successful.

5 Tips for Writing Chicago Essay Examples

1. start early.

This goes for all aspects of the college journey, from the demographic info to the essays. The UChicago application deadline can creep up with everything else busy high schoolers have going on. Don’t let it take you by surprise! Specifically, successful University of Chicago essay examples have almost certainly undergone more than one revision. Start your essays well before the UChicago application deadline to make plenty of time to brainstorm, outline, draft, and edit. Before applying, check out all of the application deadline options to see what works best for you!

2. Choose your topic carefully

In order to write your best essay, you’ll want to choose the topic that most excites you. Which prompt caught your immediate attention? And, can you respond fully to the prompt in a way that shows more of your personality and values to the University of Chicago admissions team? The strongest University of Chicago essay examples brimming with passionate language and excitement.

3. Get creative

You’ll notice that UChicago uncommon essay examples usually hook the reader. This is where the favorite writing phrase comes in handy: show, don’t tell. When writing your essays, don’t merely list your points. Captivate the reader with descriptive language and attention-grabbing narrative strategies. The successful University of Chicago examples almost read like a story that you just don’t want to put down.

4. Meet the requirements

While there is no official word limit for the UChicago uncommon essay examples, there are “recommendations”. Successful University of Chicago essay examples are often 250–500 words for the first prompt and about 650 for the second. Obviously, be sure to answer both required essays!

5. Show who you are

This is the most important part of all college essays. Of course, comprehensively answering the prompt is also vital, but applicants must also tell admissions about themselves. Don’t just repeat other parts of your application; use the essays to share something about yourself that admissions wouldn’t see otherwise. Most importantly, be yourself! One of the most common mistakes applicants make is trying to write something that University of Chicago admissions officers want to read. Answer the prompts in an authentic and unique way.

Overall, remember that UChicago uncommon essay examples are an opportunity to stand out among a pool of qualified candidates. At one of the most selective universities in the nation, UChicago uncommon essay examples catch the eye of the admissions team. So, be sure to read several UChicago uncommon essay examples possible before starting your own. They’ll surely spark inspiration as well as show what’s worked in the past.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed after dissecting the UChicago uncommon essay examples, don’t worry! CollegeAdvisor’s Admissions Experts help students in every step of the college application journey, specifically with the University of Chicago requirements. They offer personalized support with everything from creating a college list to writing essays to applying for financial aid.

Don’t focus on rankings and acceptance rates when planning your essays—just creatively show who you are through your prompt responses. Have fun when writing each UChicago essay! After all, people call them “uncommon essays” for a reason. UChicago wants you to think outside of the box when responding to their one-of-a-kind UChicago essay prompts.

Sarah Kaminski wrote this article. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 4 tips for writing a stand-out 'why uchicago' essay.

College Essays

For students applying to the University of Chicago, the "why UChicago?" essay is more straightforward than most of the other essay prompts you'll see, but it can still be intimidating to try to figure out how you should tackle this essay.

What should you mention? What will impress the admissions team? What are they really looking for in your response?

We break down the "why UChicago?" essay, explain everything the University of Chicago is looking for in this essay, suggest topics to write about that'll help you stand out, and provide "why UChicago?" essay examples to help get your creative juices flowing.

The Why UChicago Essay Prompt

The "why UChicago?" essay is the only prompt that shows up every year on the UChicago application. It's also the only prompt that everyone must answer (you'll have multiple prompts to choose between for the other essay). This alone should tell you that the University of Chicago takes applicants' responses to this prompt very seriously.

Here is the prompt:

"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."

There is no strict word limit to this essay, but UChicago suggests a response of one to two pages.

What Is the Purpose of This Essay?

Why does UChicago require applicants to answer this essay? What are they really looking for in your response? Let's analyze this prompt.

No matter which schools you're applying to, "why our college?" is probably the most common prompt you'll see on college applications, and for good reason: colleges, including the University of Chicago, want to see that you really want to attend their school. Why? Applicants who love UChicago are more likely to accept an offer of admission, be committed to their studies, participate in extracurriculars, and give back after they graduate.

If you show in your essay that you really love UChicago, it makes admissions officers feel more confident you're going to have a significant and positive impact on their school.

If you can't give any compelling reasons for choosing UChicago or you don't seem to have done much research on it, that makes UChicago admissions staff worry that you're not that invested and will do only the bare minimum in college without having much of an impact at the school or afterward. They may also think you don't really care about getting into their school, which can make them less likely to admit you.

Additionally, UChicago asks you to write this essay to ensure that you and their school are a good fit for each other . If you use the "why UChicago?" essay to talk about how much you love Division I sports teams or how you want to be a famous geologist, the admissions team may hesitate to offer you a place because their sports teams are Division III and they don't have a geology major.

Ultimately, the purpose of this essay has two parts: UChicago wants to make sure you know and value what they offer, and they also want to see how you're going to make use of these opportunities to reach your goals for the future.

What Should You Write About in Your "Why UChicago?" Essay?

There are multiple ways to approach this essay prompt. However, since UChicago is best known for its academics, most applicants will make sure that at least part of their response touches on coursework and specific majors.

Here's a list of possible topics you can write about:

Majors or classes you're especially interested in
The UChicago Core curriculum
Professors whose work you admire and whom you'd like to study with or research with
Extracurriculars that you'd be interesting in joining
The school's intense academic atmosphere
UChicago Scav
Research opportunities you'd like to have
Small class size and discussion-based classes
UChicago students you've met who you admire
Volunteer opportunities
Financial aid opportunities UChicago offers that make it possible for you to attend

In your response, you should choose about one to three reasons why you think the University of Chicago is the best school for you. For each reason, you should describe what UChicago offers and connect it back to your interests and skills to show how you're a good match for the school. Remember to answer the prompt completely; this means talking about both the learning and community at UChicago, as well as your plans for the future and how UChicago can help you achieve them.

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Tips for a Great Response to the Why UChicago Essay

Regardless of how you decide to answer this prompt, there are four tips everyone should keep in mind to make sure they're fully answering the question, giving the information UChicago wants to see, and making sure they stand out from other applicants.

#1: Do Your Research

Before you begin writing your response to this essay prompt, you should know exactly why you want to attend the University of Chicago. There are multiple ways to do this research:

School website
Course catalog
School newspaper
Campus visit
Meeting with an alum or current student
Meeting with a professor

#2: Be Specific

From your research, you should have come up with specific reasons why UChicago is a great school for you. The more specific you can be when answering this prompt, the better. Don't say UChicago has great academics, caring professors, and an interesting student body. Most schools have that.

Instead, try to mention opportunities only UChicago can provide, such as specific professors, course names, extracurriculars, or research opportunities. The things you discuss should be things your other top schools don't offe— things that really make UChicago stand out.

#3: Show Your Passion

UChicago wants students who care a lot about their studies and their school, so make sure this comes across in their response. A bland statement like, "I am impressed by UChicago's strong economics program" doesn't tell the school anything about you or help you stand out from other applicants.

You've done your research to mention specific qualities of UChicago that have enticed you, and now you need to discuss specific qualities about yourself as well . Why does the economics program make you so excited? What do you want to get out of it? Do you want to use your knowledge to study the economies of different developing countries and use that knowledge to fight global poverty? That's what you should write about.

Showing a passion that's unique to you will help differentiate you from other applicants and show UChicago that you're going to take your studies seriously.

#4: Discuss Your Vision for the Future

The "Why UChicago?" prompt clearly asks you to connect your desire to attend UChicago with your future goals. So let them know your plans! Do you hope to use your time at UChicago as a launching pad for a career as a researcher at Fermilab? Do you want to major in theater and performance studies and eventually open a drama school for underserved kids? UChicago wants students who dream big, so let them know what your dreams are.

"Why UChicago?" Essay Examples

To help you get a better idea of what a great response to this prompt can look like, below are two Why UChicago essay examples. The first is an excerpt of an essay written by an admitted student, and the second is an essay we wrote. After the examples we explain what makes them excellent responses.

As I prepare to leave my home for a university, I dream of joining the University of Chicago community. In all honesty, UChicago is probably the only university that will accept and even encourage my eclectic thinking and passion for finding adventure in everyday life. Although I hope to major in Computer Science, I also want to study political science and the Italian language to the extent that I can confidently debate Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan and copy Dante's terza rima poetry. I want to learn about game theory and astrophysics not just in surface-level introductory classes, but through in-depth discussion and analysis. At UChicago, the Core curriculum will feed my hunger for a broad undergraduate education by guaranteeing that one-third of my studies will be dedicated to the exploration of the humanities, sciences, and arts. I yearn to engage in vibrant discussion with UChicago musicians who study neurosciences, business majors who star in theatrical productions, and psychology students who are learning Mandarin. At any other school, I would be an untraditional student, but at UChicago, I will fit right in. Traditional warrior princesses feel at home in castles; it is no surprise that UChicago's campus is full of them. At UChicago, surrounded by diverse thinkers and unique personalities of every kind, I know that I will feel at home, too. — Samantha M.

It was reading an issue of the Chicago Shady Dealer that made me know the University of Chicago was the right school for me. Any school that produced a satire paper that included hilarious and clever articles joking about students taking a math class in an abandoned parking garage or hysterical preaching and projectile vomiting during alumni weekend was a place where I knew I'd belong.

After speaking with a current UChicago student, I felt even more strongly that this is the school for me. This student is a Creative Writing major, as I plan to be, and he mentioned so many opportunities for University of Chicago students to publish their writing, from the Shady Dealer , to the Chicago Maroon , to Sliced Bread . My only concern was having enough time to write for all these publications! I'm especially interested in the student magazine Diskord because of its focus on student opinions of national and global news. Many people dismiss young people as uninformed or naïve, but I've found many have my peers have extremely important things to say, and it's important to hear each other. The student I spoke with on the phone also mentioned that he was able to combine his interests in poetry and French Literature, and I really like how interdisciplinary the major is.

Theater and scriptwriting is something I've always been interested in learning more about, and I think University of Chicago's theater workshops and groups like Court Theatre could help me gain more skills in this area. People joke the University of Chicago is where fun comes to die, but from what I've seen, it's just the opposite. I've never met a group of students who were so funny, creative, and intent on making an impact, and I'd love to be a part of that.

Why Do These Essays Work?

Answer the entire prompt: Both of these responses answer every part of the "Why UChicago?" essay prompt. They mention the type of learning the writers hope to receive, the type of community they want to be surrounded by, and what their plans for the future are.
Give details: There are many details in both these responses, such as specific classes the authors want to take, what they want to major in, specific extracurriculars, and school publications they want to join.
Show where they fit in: It's clear from reading these essays how the authors see themselves fitting in at UChicago The first hopes to major in computer science while also debating famous literary works with fellow classmates, whereas the second wants to become a writer for school papers and possibly work on theater productions. They've shown that UChicago has opportunities they want to take part in and contribute to, and they tie this into their goals for the future.

The "Why UChicago?" essay likely won't be the make-or-break factor in your application, but it can help give the admissions teams a good idea of why UChicago is a great fit for you . The purpose of this essay prompt is for you to show UChicago that you've done research on their school, you feel it's a good fit for you, and you already know some of the opportunities at the school you want to make the most of.

In your UChicago essay, you can write about multiple topics, including academics, the student body, extracurriculars, and research opportunities. Just make sure to thoroughly research the school, be specific, show your passion, and mention plans you have for the future. When in doubt, don't forget to check out successful "Why UChicago?" essays!

What's Next?

You'll need to write one other essay when you apply to the University of Chicago. Check out our other guide to learn how to tackle both UChicago essays .

The "Why This College?" is a common essay topic on college applications. Learn how to write a great "Why This College" essay for every school you're applying to by reading our guide on the topic.

Want to see some more college essay examples? We have links to 145 great college essays that includes our expert analysis on how you can write a standout essay of your own.

Want to write the perfect college application essay? We can help. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will help you craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay to proudly submit to colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Prompt's How-to Guide for the University of Chicago Essays

Our best advice for impressing uchicago admissions officers with your supplemental essays..

No college’s essay prompts are more fun to read … or more scary to get started with. UChicago definitely wins the award for most creativity, but you may want a few helpful hints.

From our long experience at Prompt helping applicants succeed at college essays, we’ve developed a step-by-step guide to these questions (the post will be updated, but the advice is still on-point for 2021).

In a nutshell, UChicago’s prompts consist of two required essays with no word limit :

Why UChicago. [ Prompt suggests 250-500 words.]
Choose from a vast selection of “eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky” essay prompts. And “have fun!” [Prompt suggests~650 words.]

Finally, all writing calls for feedback. Especially college essays. Especially tricky ones like here. So find someone you know well and respect, and ask for some. And if you like the idea of personalized guidance from people who’ve done this thousands of times, get started here .

UChicago supplemental essay questions for 2020-2021

Question 1 [Why UChicago?]: 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.

Tip 1: This one requires research. Give specifics: talk about a particular course, program, professor, opportunity, or some combination.
Tip 2: Don’t share all your doubts and nuances. Choose one path that genuinely excites you, even if it’s not the only one, and talk about it with gusto. Nobody’s going to hold you to it if you change your mind next year.

Question 2: Extended essay (Choose one):

Option 1: Who does Sally sell her seashells to? How much wood can a woodchuck really chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Pick a favorite tongue twister (either originally in English or translated from another language) and consider a resolution to its conundrum using the method of your choice. Math, philosophy, linguistics... it's all up to you (or your woodchuck).
Option 2: What can actually be divided by zero?
Option 3: The seven liberal arts in antiquity consisted of the Quadrivium — astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and music — and the Trivium — rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Describe your own take on the Quadrivium or the Trivium. What do you think is essential for everyone to know?
Option 4: Subway maps, evolutionary trees, Lewis diagrams. Each of these schematics tells the relationships and stories of their component parts. Reimagine a map, diagram, or chart. If your work is largely or exclusively visual, please include a cartographer's key of at least 300 words to help us best understand your creation.
Option 5: "Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" - Eleanor Roosevelt. Misattribute a famous quote and explore the implications of doing so.
Option 6: Engineer George de Mestral got frustrated with burrs stuck to his dog’s fur and applied the same mechanic to create Velcro. Scientist Percy Lebaron Spencer found a melted chocolate bar in his magnetron lab and discovered microwave cooking. Dye-works owner Jean Baptiste Jolly found his tablecloth clean after a kerosene lamp was knocked over on it, consequently shaping the future of dry cleaning. Describe a creative or interesting solution, and then find the problem that it solves.
Option 7: In the spirit of adventurous inquiry (and with the encouragement of one of our current students!) choose one of our past prompts (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!

[ Bonus note: While many of the past prompts are listed on UChicago’s application page, Prompt found all of them here , thanks to a Reddit thread .]

Just one more step to start saving colleges!

UChicago Released 2022-2023 Essay Prompts and We're Loving Them

Each year, applicants to The University of Chicago are asked to answer two supplemental essay questions. Sounds normal enough, right? Not quite – UChicago is famous for its unique essay prompts which are often creative and uniquely fun.

Applicants are asked to submit two essays with their application. The first is the standard "why UChicago" question. The second question takes a more creative approach. The essay prompts change wildly each year–because they are submitted by current students!

The University of Chicago’s history of unique essay questions began in 1984 when the admissions staff added a fun prompt asking students to image themselves as astronauts on Mars. In 2000, UChicago students took over the task of writing essay questions. Each year, UChicago receives several hundred essay prompt submissions from students enrolled at the university and narrows it down to a handful for applicants to choose from.

When asked why they offer such unique essay prompts Peter Wilson, assistant vice president of enrollment and student advancement and director of undergraduate admissions, says: “We are interested in diversity in all its forms, and a wide variety of questions allows for a wide variety of ideas to be represented.”

2022-2023 University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Prompts

Question 1 (required): .

How does the university of Chicago, as you know it, 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 (Required; Choose 1)

Essay Option 1 : Was it a cat I saw? Yo-no-na-ka, ho-ka-ho-ka na-no-yo (Japanese for “the world is a warm place”). Może jutro ta dama da tortu jeżom (Polish for “maybe tomorrow that lady will give a cake to the hedgehogs”). Share a palindrome in any language, and give it a backstory.

— Inspired by Leah Beach, Class of 2026, Lib Gray SB ’12, and Agnes Mazur AB ‘09

Essay Option 2 : What advice would a wisdom tooth have?

— Inspired by Melody Dias, Class of 2025

Essay Option 3 : You are on an expedition to found a colony on Mars, when from a nearby crater, a group of Martians suddenly emerges. They seem eager to communicate, but they're the impatient kind and demand you represent the human race in one song, image, memory, proof, or other idea. What do you share with them to show that humanity is worth their time?

— Inspired by Alexander Hastings, Class of 2023, and Olivia Okun-Dubitsky, Class of 2026

Essay Option 4 : UChicago has been affiliated with over 90 Nobel laureates. But, why should economics, physics, and peace get all the glory? You are tasked with creating a new category for the Nobel Prize. Explain what it would be, why you chose your specific category, and the criteria necessary to achieve this accomplishment.

— Inspired by Isabel Alvarez, Class of 2026

Essay Option 5 : Genghis Khan with an F1 racecar. George Washington with a SuperSoaker. Emperor Nero with a toaster. Leonardo da Vinci with a Furby. If you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together?

— Inspired by Braden Hajer, Class of 2025

Essay Option 6 : And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (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!

Past Supplemental Extended Essay Prompts

Lost your keys? Alohomora. Noisy roommate? Quietus. Feel the need to shatter windows for some reason? Finestra. Create your own spell, charm, jinx, or other means for magical mayhem. How is it enacted? Is there an incantation? Does it involve a potion or other magical object? If so, what's in it or what is it? What does it do? — Inspired by Emma Sorkin, Class of 2021 

UChicago professor W. J. T. Mitchell entitled his 2005 book What Do Pictures Want? Describe a picture, and explore what it wants. —Inspired by Anna Andel

Heisenberg claims that you cannot know both the position and momentum of an electron with total certainty. Choose two other concepts that cannot be known simultaneously and discuss the implications. (Do not consider yourself limited to the field of physics). — Inspired by Doran Bennett, AB’07

Alice falls down the rabbit hole. Milo drives through the tollbooth. Dorothy is swept up in the tornado. Neo takes the red pill. Don’t tell us about another world you’ve imagined, heard about, or created. Rather, tell us about its portal. Sure, some people think of the University of Chicago as a portal to their future, but please choose another portal to write about. — Inspired by Raphael Hallerman, Class of 2020

Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History... a full list of unmodified majors ready for your editor’s eye is available  here . — Inspired by Josh Kaufman, AB'18

How did you get caught? (Or not caught, as the case may be.) — Inspired by Kelly Kennedy, AB’10

Discover more of The University of Chicago’s past essay prompts on their admissions essay website .

And don't forget to join the CC Community for more discussion on application essays, admission tips, and applying to college.

Sam is a freelance writer. She studied at the University of Massachusetts Boston where she earned a degree in English.

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Build Proficiency for Language Learners by Assessing AI Outputs: Insights from a UChicago Instructor’s Experimentation

by Michael Hernandez | May 17, 2024 | Instructional design

While much of the discourse on generative AI in higher education has concerned student use to circumvent learning goals, particularly for writing assignments like essays and reading responses, learning activities and concerns from disciplines involving other artifacts to demonstrate learning have received less attention. These include disciplines like computer science, math, science, and language instruction. This post is the first in a series to fill in that gap. We begin with language instruction, covering some of the large-scale implications of the technology; providing some historical context on machine translation in education; and sharing insights from a UChicago instructor who has actually been exploring the opportunities and issues presented by AI in language instruction.

What Isn’t New

Some language pedagogy experts have noted that while exercises in translation or expressing an original thought in another language are of course vulnerable to unwelcome assistance from generative AI tools, the field already faced similar challenges that have raised the question of how much knowledge a user still requires of the target language, even when using advanced translation tools.

As Simon Zuberek , a former educational technology and language specialist at Columbia University, explained in a recent podcast interview , a major upgrade to Google Translate in 2016 created similar concern to today’s crisis: questions about learning goals circumvented by a technology that can produce an equivalent product without significant work on the part of the student to develop understanding of the subject matter. As Zuberek notes, however, the application of these tools has not delivered on that specific threat:

“After a couple years, we have seen that that is not what has happened, and it is largely due to the fact that for all their worth the machine translation technology in many ways works like a dictionary in a sense that in order to use it effectively and successfully you have to know the language in the first place…Of course, you can as a user input a sentence in your first language or the dominant language and ask it to translate to target language but you still as a user, you need to know, you need to be able to ascertain whether the translation is correct…whether idiomatically it makes sense, whether it grammatically holds water. So, sure, the basic need of going from A to B is perhaps addressed but you know that in turn sheds light on even more areas of foreign language that maybe without machine translation we wouldn’t even be as aware of.”

As our interview with Romeena Kureishy, instructor of Urdu at UChicago bears out, this limitation of the technology persists, creating both a risk of misapplication and an opportunity for guided instruction in using these tools as a learning aid. Particularly with Less Commonly Taught Languages, the risk and opportunity both come from how poorly AI tools currently produce outputs.

What Is New

As A.G. Elrod has noted in a recent EDUCAUSE article , much of the text online in Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs) is actually very low-quality text that has been generated using machine-translation, often for purposes like advertising. As Elrod describes it, the danger of relying on these tools for LCTLs includes “creating a homogenized version of the languages, one devoid of the subtleties and richness essential for true linguistic and cultural understanding…a disservice to students who seek to learn languages in their authentic form and to those for whom the target language is an essential element of their culture and identity.”

Elrod bases these concerns on recent research published in arXiv , in which the researchers analyzed a corpus of 6.4 billion unique sentences in 90 languages for quality ; topic; how many other languages the sentences existed in within the corpus; and whether they showed errors suggesting they originated in that language or another. As a result of this analysis, Thompson et al. suggested that 57.1% of sentences in low-resource languages were machine-translated (likely from English). The low-quality sentences were generally 5-10 words long and concerned topics “requiring little or no expertise or advance effort to create, on topics like being taken more seriously at work, being careful about your choices, six tips for new boat owners, deciding to be happy, etc.” (Thompson et al).

These findings seem to align with the experience of UChicago instructor of Urdu Romeena Kureishy , who decided to explore the learning opportunities presented by these tools in her own class.

Teaching Urdu Students with AI

For the full quarter, Kureishy and her first- and second-year Urdu students have been on a “virtual trip” to Pakistan, and she incorporated ChatGPT as a conversation partner for her students, playing the role of an immigration officer at the Karachi airport.

Why Use AI?

When asked why she decided to experiment with AI in her course, Kureishy explains that as both a teacher of Urdu herself and someone who trains Urdu teachers in twenty-first century pedagogy, she needed to be up to date on the implications and applications of these tools in language instruction.

Going into this experimentation, Kureishy designed this activity to support students’ interpersonal communication skills, particularly in writing. While she gives her students practice speaking with each other as well as with native speakers through videoconferences, it is difficult to find conversation partners who can model correct writing in Urdu script.

How Did They Use AI?

She chose to have this activity take place (or at least be started) in the classroom so that she could be available to monitor the experience and help troubleshoot. Because it takes time for beginning students to write in Urdu, they completed the assignment as homework and then submitted their conversation transcripts for Kureishy to review, and then they discussed them in the next class session.

Her specific directions to students in using AI reflect many of the best practices recommended by writers on generative AI in teaching, which you can find more information about in our other generative AI blog posts .

Students prompted ChatGPT to:

Play the role of an immigration officer talking to a visitor to Karachi.
Ask five questions in Urdu
Ask only one question at a time

The Results

In addition to making her own observations and reading submitted conversations, Kureishy took exit surveys for the activity from her students to get feedback on their experience using this tool.

So, how did it go? Recapping the experience, Kureishy notes that at a high level the activity was engaging to students for its newness and student curiosity over how well the tool would perform. As a conversation partner, however, the tool did not tend to model correct Urdu writing. In assessing the text outputs as an expert reader of Urdu, she first noticed that “AI made…repeated grammatical errors,” that “…it does not use correct syntax everywhere,” and that the outputs from ChatGPT frequently showed issues with gender agreement.

Instead, ChatGPT’s output served as a useful tool for guided reading and correction. With instructor guidance, the class went through all responses one by one, and at some points the students were even able to find the mistakes in the AI outputs themselves, an exercise in error identification and correction that Kureishy found beneficial to her students. This provides an excellent example of critical AI use that other instructors may find useful–especially those who are looking to encourage scrutiny of generative AI outputs and highlight the value of the intellectual skills humans still need to build for themselves. Overall, Kureishy says:

“It was a very engaging class. The students were really engaged because they wanted…to see if they were right…they wanted to see where the AI was wrong. So it ended up being a very, very interesting class…I believe that teacher supervision is necessary, not during the activity, but definitely post-activity where you’re going over it.”

Student Reception

In summarizing the insights from her review of exit tickets and debrief for this activity, Kureishy draws attention to several student reactions in particular:

They found it useful to practice reading Urdu script, reading and writing in real time.
The activity allowed students to practice reading and writing Urdu at their own pace and explore different vocabulary.
However, students did not trust the grammatical correctness of the outputs due to some of the obvious mistakes.

She also draws attention to one student’s desire to explore multiple options for expressing a single thought in Urdu. (For those interested in trying this out, Academic Technology Solutions’ February 2024 prompt book contains a prompt to do something similar.)

“In the past days have you achieved a mention of traveling!!”: Nonsensical and Weird Sentences in Urdu from ChatGPT

Kureishy and her students’ experience bore out the limitations described by both Zuberek and Elrod regarding machine translation. She describes the follow-up conversation with her class thusly: “We were talking about it, the students and I afterwards, and we all thought that ‘You know, Google Translate gives you some very weird translations. And AI was doing the same thing. So it was generating some weird sentences that wouldn’t normally be written or spoken in everyday use.” Below you can find a few examples of nonsensical sentences, translated by Kureishy herself.

آپ کو پاکستان میں رہنے کے لیے کس شہر کا منتخب کیا گیا ہے؟ “To you what city has been chosen to live in Pakistan.”
کیا آپ کو پچھلے دنوں میں کوئی مسافرت کا تذکرہ حاصل ہوا ہے “In the past days have you achieved a mention of traveling!!”
کراچی میں آپ کیسی محسوس ہو رہی ہے؟ “Which are you feeling in Karachi.” (Which should be: “کراچی میں آپ کو کیسا محسوس ہو رہا ہے۔”)

Additionally, Kureishy provides details on grammatical errors, particularly in the gender of certain words. She notes that some of these are simple errors. These errors, anyone who has used AI tools will notice, are not something you would expect when prompting AI responses in English.

“This sentence uses the possessive marker ‘ki,’ which is used for feminine nouns, but the noun it is using it for is actually masculine. The noun “maal” is an unmarked masculine and does not need to be in oblique “maaloN” because the “ko” in not needed in this sentence.”
“This sentence spells “theek” with a ت instead of a ٹ. It again assigns the noun safar (travel) a feminine gender, when it is masculine.
It is assigning “mausam” (weather) a feminine gender, when it is actually masculine, and “ka” should have been used instead of “ki”.

A Detailed Example of AI Shortcomings with Less Commonly Taught Languages

Furthermore, ChatGPT’s responses also demonstrated a lack of cultural background data in its outputs that aligns with the previously mentioned idiomatic and cultural nuance deficits.

One student experimented with a realistic expectation that an official at the airport in customs might ask for “chai pani.” While this term literally means tea and water, any speaker of Urdu, as Kureishy explained, would know that this is a cultural euphemism for a bribe .

Two-panel illustration separated by a large white question mark. The left panel depicts a vibrant display of tea-related items, suggesting tea preparation. The right panel, in a monochromatic blue scheme, illustrates a scene of bribery at an airport, with hands exchanging money against a backdrop of businessmen and airplanes in the sky. The image contrasts two different concepts – the art of tea and the act of bribery.

“It’s a cultural thing people will ask for chai pani, which is tea and water, but it means that they want something to let you go or to let some stuff go,” she explains. Having learned this in class a student decided to test if the AI tool would be able to appropriately respond. Kureishy describes a conversation the student had after answering some standard questions about their travel:

“My student said, ‘Oh, can I take care of your chai pani,’ like my student is offering AI a bribe. And if anyone else were talking to my student, if it were another student, and they all knew about this. And the AI says, ‘Oh, sure you can ask me about tea and water.’ Tea and water as a topic is very common. If you have a specific question, please ask me.’ It does not know what the student is talking about. And then my student goes, really playing with the AI: ‘Oh, okay, is a thousand rupees enough?’…insinuating ‘Okay, I’m gonna give you a thousand rupees. I have a lot of prohibited items, is a thousand rupees enough, and the AI says…’I don’t know what you’re talking about…For some reasons a thousand rupees can be enough, but for some other reason they might not be enough.’ and then it goes off on a tangent. Maybe, for example, a thousand rupees is little for someone who lives in a big city, and they’re facing an economic crisis. And then another for another person. It might be a lot of money.”

In Conclusion

This example shows that rather than being a substitute for a human conversation partner, AI chatbots used in the language learning capacity (at least for low-resource or Less Commonly Taught Languages) are currently more useful as a tool for critically engaging with dynamically generated samples of written language. With instructor support, it was good practice for students to form their own sentences in written Urdu and see what errors they could spot in the outputs they got back. Kureishy expects that eventually the outputs in Urdu are likely to improve, but that it should be useful for now as a tool for proficiency building–as long as students have the support and guidance of someone who already knows the language:

“If you don’t know what a sentence should look like, you don’t know what grammatical errors the AI is making…They don’t know if it’s right or wrong. So, you really need to know the language. That is why it helped as an error correction activity rather than a conversational activity which also had its merits, because the students had to type in the language.”

Kureishy’s observations offer an important counterexample to the impressive outputs generative AI tools have delivered in English, which draws attention to flaws in current training data. It also, however, serves as a reminder to consider critical use of AI that keeps the “human-in-the-loop” , even (or especially) in languages where the outputs are more fluent.

Please keep watching our blog for more examples of thoughtful AI use in instruction. If you’re a UChicago instructor trying something new with AI, we’re interested in hearing about it! Email [email protected]

Further Resources

For more ideas on this topic, please see our previous blog posts about generative AI . For individual assistance, you can visit our office hours , book a consultation with an instructional designer , or email [email protected] . For a list of our upcoming ATS workshops, please visit our workshop schedule for events that fit your schedule.

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UChicago instructors, graduate and undergraduate students honored for exemplary teaching

May 16, 2024

The University of Chicago has honored 11 instructors, graduate and undergraduate students for their exceptional work as teachers. Nominated by undergraduates in the College, these winners demonstrated the ability to push students to think beyond the classroom, and to share their disciplines in exciting ways.

Hannah Lant, Thomas Newbold, Alan Parma and Keith Jonathan Ruskin have been awarded the Glenn and Claire Swogger Award for Exemplary Classroom Teaching, which recognizes outstanding teachers with College appointments who introduce students to habits of scholarly thinking, inquiry and engagement in the Core Curriculum—the College’s general education program.

Quan Duong, Casey Ferrara, Taylor Hains and Andrea Reed-Leal have been named the winners of the Wayne C. Booth Prize for Excellence in Teaching, awarded annually to University of Chicago graduate students for outstanding instruction of undergraduates.

And for the first time, three undergraduate teaching assistants have been awarded the College Undergraduate Student Prize in Undergraduate Teaching: Vincent Hou, Liam Pak and Laura Zielinski.

Prize recipients were selected on the basis of nominations from students in the College. The prize itself was established in 1991 in honor of Booth, PhD’50, the late UChicago faculty member who was one of the 20th century’s most influential literary critics.

In addition to the Swogger Award, Booth Prize and Undergraduate Student Prize, five faculty members were recently awarded the Llewellyn John and Harriet Manchester Quantrell Awards .

Learn more about this year’s Swogger Award and Booth Prize recipients below:

Glenn and Claire Swogger Awards

Hannah lant, assistant instructional professor, chemistry.

Each year, Assistant Instructional Professor Hannah Lant teaches nearly 500 students, and cherishes getting to know each one. An instructor for several courses, including General Chemistry, a capstone lab for majors called “Experimental Physical Chemistry,” and a Core class designed for non-STEM students, Lant said she treats her students as colleagues, and collaborates with them to expand their knowledge and interests.

“UChicago students are creative, curious, and resilient, and it is thus a pleasure to work with them,” she said.

The University of Chicago campus is another reason she deeply enjoys her work. Any General Chemistry textbook, Lant explained, will refer to at least several ground-breaking developments in chemistry that took place right here at the university. She appreciates that she can teach in the same setting where these experiments, which helped lead to the modern-day conception of the atom, occurred.

“It’s a wonderful thing to teach students, for example, about the world’s first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction, and then be able to say, ‘it happened down the street,’” she said.

Whether she is teaching her non-STEM or her Experimental Physical Chemistry students, Lant guides them towards reaching the ever-rewarding ‘Eureka!’ realization. In these moments, she feels her students can most appreciate the challenges of lab work.

At the end of the course, though, it’s the progress that matters most to Lant. She witnesses firsthand her students’ trajectory from tackling the basics of the subject to wading through much more complex ideas of chemistry.

“As a professor, I can show them the road, but they ultimately are the ones to walk the path,” she said. “I like to encourage them on the last day to turn around and see how far they have come.”

Thomas Newbold, Teaching Fellow, Social Sciences Collegiate Division

Though history has always fascinated Thomas Newbold, it wasn't until he was a high school student at an international school in India that he first became interested in what he would now call "the kind of disorienting shock colonial conquest must have been."

Newbold is now a historian of modern South Asia and the British empire, and oversees a variety of courses covering the history of India and Bangladesh in the colonial period. Currently, he also teaches the Core sequence titled Self, Culture and Society.

He said he finds the University of Chicago to be the perfect place to ask hard questions about temporality and colonialism due to its specific culture of scholarship.

It's no surprise then that many of his courses, from those on colonialism in 19th century India to those in the Core, are centered around interpretations and engagement with primary source readings and archival materials.

Through this process, Newbold hopes his students realize that historical arguments stem from the reconstitutive and interpretative efforts of those who advance them– a task that he hopes they undergo for themselves as students in his class.

One moment that best embodies both Newbold's teaching philosophy and the culture of open inquiry he loves about UChicago occurred in his Self, Culture and Society sequence, when students used propositions from social and political theorists outside of the prescribed curriculum to support their arguments in what he found to be a thoughtful and resourceful way.

"In both the humanities and the social sciences, there is a strong tradition of disciplinary self-reflexivity here," Newbold said, "which is to say, a sense of being part of a tradition of inquiry that first and foremost interrogates itself."

Alan Parma, Assistant Instructional Professor, Romance Languages and Literatures

Language instructor Alan Parma brings a wealth of international experiences to his teaching. Originally from Brazil, Parma taught English before coming to the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship to teach Portuguese, which he now teaches in the College, along with Spanish.

His exposure to second language acquisition research inspired him to pursue a Ph.D. focused on how students best learn new languages. He said he feels very honored to have the opportunity to teach his language and represent his country and culture to the UChicago community.

What sets UChicago apart for Parma is the students’ evident enthusiasm, which helps support a welcoming classroom setting.

“I love the dedication the students demonstrate to the subject matter, this makes classes more engaging and motivates me to do my best for the students,” he said. “I love getting to know my students on a more personable level, and teaching beginning language classes allows me to do so. At the same time, I can share some aspects of my life with my students, which creates a very friendly and open environment.”

One of Parma’s favorite recent moments was when a former student who had studied abroad in Spain visited his office, conversing entirely in Spanish.

“He wanted to show me that one of my students had successfully used Spanish in a Spanish-speaking country. That was a big validation of the work I have been doing,” he said.

Parma said he aims to help his students see the value in their language studies beyond his classroom.

“On the last day of class, I hope my students are able to perceive how much they have grown in their language studies and how much understanding the culture of another country can enhance their lives,” he said.

Keith Jonathan Ruskin, MD, Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care

Keith Ruskin is a jack of all trades. When he’s not working professionally as an anesthesiologist or teaching medical students and undergraduates in the College, he’s probably doing research for the Federal Aviation Administration on air traffic control alarms.

He says the operating room and the aviation environment are not so different – both are high-pressure, life-or-death work environments.

Ruskin, a professor of anesthesia and critical care, says his nontraditional path to medicine informed his varied interests, which in turn inform his teaching approach.

“I went to an engineering school and because of that I tend to approach problems with a different mindset,” Ruskin said. “That applies to my practice of medicine and also to my teaching. Rather than asking students to memorize facts that they’ll forget as soon as the exam is over, I try to get them to learn concepts through classroom discussion. I then ask them to apply those concepts to solve clinical problems.”

In addition to teaching medical students and residents, Ruskin teaches undergraduates in a class called “Conquest of Pain.” The course covers pain physiology and anesthetic mechanisms.

He said he treats his undergraduates just like he does his medical students and residents, as colleagues who are at an earlier stage in their careers. In his course, there are no tests, only reflective essays based on students’ interests, which allows undergraduates to pursue complicated medical issues of interest.

Ruskin said something that makes UChicago different from other universities is that its undergraduate campus and medical center are connected, meaning he is able to teach students at all levels. This also makes site visits possible, allowing undergraduates to see the concepts they are learning about put into practice, which Ruskin says is one of his favorite parts of the course.

“I bring the students into the operating room with me to see me in my ‘day job,’” Ruskin said. “They always enjoy meeting the patients and seeing how surgery, anesthesia, and pain management are actually done.”

Wayne C. Booth Prizes

Quan duong, chemistry.

As a TA for Organic Chemistry, one of the ways Quan Duong has taught his students is through a simple analogy: Legos. The comparison, he explains, helps them to “play” with the molecules and keeps the subject from getting dry.

“By encouraging them to manipulate and combine these molecular Legos, they find joy in learning and thus remember reactions more effectively,” he said. “It transforms the classroom into a dynamic space filled with enthusiasm and discovery.”

Aside from his work teaching students, Duong also works in chemical biology. Incited by his fascination with DNA, he has researched gene editing, hoping to help discover solutions to molecular diseases. He specializes in mitochondrial DNA editing—a field that may hold the answer to revolutionizing human health in the future.

Duong’s time as a TA has given him many memorable experiences. He recalled a panicked evacuation due to the spilled liquid of a broken thermometer—it was mistaken as mercury, but fortunately it was just alcohol.

He said he has enjoyed conversations with students, during which they often share their most brilliant insights and strongest concerns. He attributes much of his approach to teaching to advice he received from a senior teaching assistant.

“Remember your own days as a student,” he said. “The challenges were real, and so was the pressure. Empathize with your students rather than placing unrealistic expectations on them.”

Duong said that if he could give his students a lasting message, it would be to continue their curiosity and courage that they have demonstrated throughout the lab.

“Continue to piece together the puzzles of the world,” he said, “just like we did with our molecular Legos.”

Casey Ferrara, Psychology

Casey Ferrara has a background in human cognition and language. She started with an undergraduate degree in psychology and linguistics, with a focus on psycholinguistics and pragmatics and continued with a four-year research assistant position studying post-stroke aphasia.

Her fascination with how humans think and communicate culminated in an eventual Ph.D. in psychology, focusing on cognition and multimodal communication through spoken language, sign language and gesture.

Her time as an instructor at UChicago has similarly spanned across many topics and disciplines, from teaching “Mind” in the social science Core to designing and overseeing a course called “'Human Communications” that explores the various ways humans create meaning through communication systems.

Ferrara's teaching philosophy is rooted in an experience she had as an undergraduate student, when one of her linguistics professors referred to her class as “linguists.”

"This seemingly innocuous choice instilled in me a sense of legitimacy and confidence in my ability to contribute something of value to the academic community," she said.

Now, as an instructor herself, she invites students to take themselves seriously as scholars and scientists, and hopes to instill confidence in them by doing so.

"In the classroom, I want students to see their questions as valuable and worth asking," she said. “All students bring with them a wealth of lived experience and are themselves members of communities and speakers of a language, and in my classes, students learn that the intuitions and ideas that arise from this are of value and can be examined and interrogated to reveal insights about how humans think and communicate.”

Taylor Hains, Ecology and Evolution

Taylor Hains teaches “Ecology in the Anthropocene” in the Ecology and Evolution department. His passion for nature and genomics shines through, fueling an innovative teaching approach that leaves a lasting impact on students: infusing levity and theater into the classroom experience.

“I’ve always loved nature and wanted to make sure my scientific work helped society and preserve nature,” he said. “I think being able to connect the material to jokes allows for the students to remember the material a lot easier because they remember laughing.”

Hains is committed to creating an engaging and exciting learning environment, in which he consciously cultivates an atmosphere of curiosity.

He is also a proponent of making the extra effort to connect with his students on a personal level.

“The thing I learned from my own academic experiences is that if you’re going to be stuck in the classroom you might as well have fun,” he said. “I always tell my students that I am always here for you, do please don’t hesitate to email me if you need me. And, if you pass me on campus and don’t say hi, I will be very sad.”

Andrea Reed-Leal, Romance Languages & Literatures

To Andrea Reed-Leal, college classes are as much about creativity and enjoyment as they are about learning, and she brings that philosophy into her work teaching Spanish and Hispanic history and culture in the College.

“One of the meanings of the Greek word skholè, the root of the Latin schola, means ‘leisure,’” Reed-Leal said. “The school is thus associated with enjoyment, joy and free time. The classroom should be a space of joyful learning, where everyone feels their voices are heard and included.”

Her approach to her instruction has been formed by the many years she spent teaching abroad, which exposed her to new ideas and cultures. Ultimately, she came to specialize in her particular field by working as a research assistant to anthropologist Lisa Overholtzer at McGill University, in Canada, who specializes in the everyday practices of ordinary people in Postclassic and Colonial Central Mexico.

Since Reed-Leal is a Ph.D. student, her teaching work is just as much about learning as it is about teaching others, an experience she says she has been privileged to experience at UChicago.

Along with the commitment and dedication of the UChicago students she teaches, Reed-Leal said she is proud of the communities that can form in the classroom, where she and her students can mutually support each other.

“I will always remember that the first time a professor came to observe one of my classes as part of my pedagogy training, I was very nervous – and I guess everyone could tell – I noticed my students were particularly patient and engaged, supporting me in moving through the class as we always did,” Reed-Leal said. “I read this as a gesture of ‘we have your back, Andrea!’ This made me realize that during the time we spend together in the classroom we not only exchange knowledge but create a sense of community.”

College Undergraduate Student Prize

Vincent hou, biology.

A sequence of classes Vincent Hou took in his first year—“Molecular Biology of the Cell,” “Biological Systems” and “Biological Dynamics”—inspired him to pursue research in the life sciences. These courses, which are all part of the Advanced Biology sequence, are some of the most rigorous courses he has taken at the university. Now, he’s a lab TA for the very same sequence.

Hou often tells his students about the historical context of experimental technologies and the rationale for experimental design. By discussing his own research as well, he equips them to not only ask questions of what , but of why .

“Simply performing the labs according to the protocol without considering why these steps are performed is not very helpful for learning,” he said. “I hope this will make them better at designing studies of their own when they go into research themselves.”

A favorite memory of his from winter quarter is representative of the good times Hou seeks to bring to the lab. Hou recalled that he hadn’t had a haircut for months, so his students styled it into an “apple.”

“I directed the whole 4-hour fruit fly lab with it. This truly epitomizes the joy in my lab session,” he said. “You can see my smile through the mask!”

Hou is a biochemistry major and conducts research in a protein structure lab. Outside of his studies, he’s appreciative of the conversations he’s had with his peers, whom he always finds open-minded and unconstrained by practicality—he fondly remembers discussing Thomas Kuhn with an astrophysics major and an economics major.

As a TA since his second year, though, he’s not only well-versed in the life sciences, but in thinking like a scientist, too. This has lasted with him throughout his education.

“The main driving principle is to think before you act, especially in science,” he said.

Liam Pak, Economics

When Liam Pak began his collegiate experience, he was stuck abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with an eight-hour time difference separating him from the students and professors in Chicago he shared Zoom classes with.

He said that the understanding and accommodation his professors offered him during this time is integral to his current approach as a teaching assistant, in which he tries to be as helpful and understanding as possible to his students.

Pak currently supports a course called “Managing in Organizations” which he has enjoyed both as a student and as a TA a year later.

"I was first interested in this class as I wanted to learn about how the likes of intuitions and unstructured experiences can deeply influence the effectiveness of managing a culture and individuals," he said.

Assisting Prof. Alexander Todorov as he taught the course again this past Winter Quarter allowed Pak to revisit some of the examples he had already found to be incredibly interesting the first time over, ranging from psychological experiments to space expeditions.

The theories Pak encountered as a student, and now helps teach as a TA, form the foundation for his favorite feature of the UChciago experience – the friendships formed during group work on projects and problem sets late at night.

“I remember a time when our group was working on homework which we began in the afternoon, thinking that we had all the time in the world. We ended up submitting one minute before the deadline! That is the sort of intense, shared working experience that really pulls a team together in a memorable way,” he said.

This and other activities like the 'Primal Scream,' another of Pak's fondest memories, emphasize the strong collaboration between students at UChicago that he finds to be particularly rewarding.

Laura Zielinski, Computer Science

Laura Zielinski took Honors Calculus on a whim as a first-year student, and found her academic passion by noticing the number of math tie-ins to computer science. Now as a TA for courses like “Formal Languages” and “Theory of Algorithms,” she has guided students through the theoretical underpinnings that tie the two disciplines together.

“I really liked being a TA for this “Algorithms” since I felt I could help computer science students with the math and proof-writing aspect, and maybe make them actually enjoy it,” she said.

Zielinski said that in the course of her education, she has learned that at least half of writing code or math proofs is making them readable and understandable. Writing skills correlate strongly with coding and proof-writing ability, so, surprising as it may be, writing clarity, organization, and argumentation are things she focuses on when teaching math and computer science students.

“The most important skill in every academic discipline is good, clear writing,” she said.

Next year, she is starting a Ph.D. in programming languages, a field of computer science that closely relates to math.

Even though algorithms (in this context, designing computer programs to solve hard problems) aren’t directly part of the field of programming languages, she said it is an extremely important branch of computer science theory that she is also interested in.

Some of Zielinski’s most cherished memories as a student include helping her friends move into their apartments at the beginning of every school year, jumping into Lake Michigan this January, and finishing second in the intramural Euchre tournament, she said.

IMAGES

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COMMENTS

How to Write the University of Chicago Essays 2022-2023
Here's what you need to do: Provide a tangible connection to UChicago. This is composed of specific elements of the university that appeal to you, and UChicago's website is a great place to delve into these. Be sure to be "particular," as they stipulate, and give them the "specificity" they're asking for.
UChicago Essay Examples (And Why They Worked)
Human eyes have color receptors for three colors (red, green, and blue); the mantis shrimp has receptors for sixteen types of color, enabling them to see a spectrum far beyond the capacity of the human brain. Seriously, how cool is the mantis shrimp: mantisshrimp.uchicago.edu.
UChicago Supplemental Essay Questions
Essay Option 3. "Vlog," "Labradoodle," and "Fauxmage.". Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a "patch" (perfect match). - Inspired by Garrett Chalfin, Class of 2027. Essay Option 4. A jellyfish is not a fish.
A Guide to the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2022-2023
The UChicago Supplemental Essays 2022-2023. UChicago prides itself on its thought-provoking supplemental essay prompts. Use these as an opportunity to introduce yourself, what you're passionate about, and your ambitions and goals. Although there is no set word limit for any of the prompts, InGenius Prep counselor Natalia Ostrowski, who worked ...
UChicago Essays: How Real Students Approached Them
The second essay that you'll need to write is far more open-ended. The suggested length is 650 words, and you can choose from six prompts, all of which are highly unconventional. Each prompt is inspired by current UChicago students or recent graduates. You can also choose to answer any of UChicago's old prompts instead.
How to Write the University of Chicago Supplemental Essays
Step #1: Do your research. Spend 1 hr+ researching 10+ reasons why UChicago might be a great fit for you (ideally 3-5 of the reasons will be unique to UChicago and connect back to you). Step #2: Use this chart to map out your research. Step #3: Decide on your approach.
Unique UChicago essay questions spark students' creativity
The legendary UChicago Extended Essay dates back to at least 1984, when a prompt invited applicants to imagine themselves as astronauts on Mars and asked them whether they would prefer to be teleported molecule-to-molecule back to earth, or to be the person running the teleporting machine. Prompts were initially developed by College Admissions ...
How to Get into the University of Chicago: Essays and Strategies That
Part 4: 2023-2024 University of Chicago supplemental essays (examples included) UChicago is famous for its wacky and provocative essay questions, which are designed to attract those most interested in the intellectual rigor and vitality of the school. They consist of one "Why UChicago?" essay, and an extended essay from list of creative ...
The 7 UChicago Essay Prompts: How to Write Stellar Responses
Pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer. Essay Option 3: "Vlog," "Labradoodle," and "Fauxmage.". Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a "patch" (perfect match). Essay Option 4: A jellyfish is not a fish.
A Guide to the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2023-2024
The UChicago Supplemental Essays 2023-2024. UChicago prides itself on its thought-provoking supplemental essay prompts. Use these as an opportunity to introduce yourself, what you're passionate about, and your ambitions and goals. Although there is no set word limit for any of the prompts, InGenius Prep counselor Natalia Ostrowski, who worked ...
UChicago Extended Essays: An In-Depth Guide + Examples
The steps: Read the question twice (or more). Underline the key terms. Define your key term (s) using the examples provided in the prompt. (The prompts often give you instruction on how to interpret the key term and answer the question). Reframe the question as an instruction to yourself. Here's an example:
2023-24 University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
University of Chicago 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations. *Please note: the information below relates to last year's essay prompts. As soon as the 2024-25 prompts beomce available, we will be updating this guide -- stay tuned! The Requirements: 2 essays of 1-2 pages each. Supplemental Essay Type (s): Why, Oddball.
Essay Prompts 2021
Essay Prompts 2021. The University of Chicago has long been renowned for our provocative essay questions. We think of them as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between. About UChicago and Our Philosophy.
How to Write the University of Chicago Essays 2020-2021
In 2020, its acceptance rate was 7.94%, so steel yourself for the essay writing. It's gotta be your best. You can complete your UChicago application through the Coalition App, Common App, and UChicago portals. Their essay questions for this season are on their website, as well as listed below.
University of Chicago Admissions Essays
5. Consider the "Why UChicago?" Essay: In addition to the unique prompts, there is also a "Why UChicago?" essay. This is an opportunity to show your specific interest in the University. Research the school and its culture, resources, and programs to create a compelling and personalized response. For example, one past UChicago prompt asked: "A ...
UChicago Essay Examples
While there is no official word limit for the UChicago uncommon essay examples, there are "recommendations". Successful University of Chicago essay examples are often 250-500 words for the first prompt and about 650 for the second. Obviously, be sure to answer both required essays! 5. Show who you are.
4 Tips for Writing a Stand-Out 'Why UChicago?' Essay
Essay 1. As I prepare to leave my home for a university, I dream of joining the University of Chicago community. In all honesty, UChicago is probably the only university that will accept and even encourage my eclectic thinking and passion for finding adventure in everyday life.
Prompt's How-to Guide for the University of Chicago Essays
In a nutshell, UChicago's prompts consist of two required essays with no word limit: Why UChicago. [ Prompt suggests 250-500 words.] Choose from a vast selection of "eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky" essay prompts. And "have fun!" [Prompt suggests~650 words.] Finally, all writing calls for feedback. Especially college essays.
UChicago Releases 2022-2023 Essay Prompts
Not quite - UChicago is famous for its unique essay prompts which are often creative and uniquely fun. Applicants are asked to submit two essays with their application. The first is the standard "why UChicago" question. The second question takes a more creative approach. The essay prompts change wildly each year-because they are submitted ...
UChicago Essay Examples and Samples
UChicago is known for its unique and thought-provoking essay prompts. These examples will help you think creatively and stand out in your application. Recent Articles
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Unique UChicago essay questions spark students’ creativity

"There is no such thing as a new idea" - Mark Twain. Are any pieces of art, literature, philosophy, or technology truly original, or just a different combination of old ideas? Pick something, anything (besides yourself), and explain why it is, or is not, original.

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A Guide to the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

The UChicago Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Question 1 (Required)

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose One)

Essay Option 1

Essay Option 2

Essay Option 3

Essay Option 4

Essay Option 5

Essay Option 6

Essay Option 7

Additional Tips for Writing the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

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University of Chicago 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

University of Chicago 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

Question 1 ( Required )

Question 2: Extended Essay ( Required; Choose one )

Essay Option 2

Essay Option 3

Essay Option 4

Essay Option 5

Essay Option 6

Essay Option 7

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Prompt 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

What can actually be divided by zero?

The seven liberal arts in antiquity consisted of the Quadrivium — astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and music — and the Trivium — rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Describe your own take on the Quadrivium or the Trivium. What do you think is essential for everyone to know?

“Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” – Eleanor Roosevelt. Misattribute a famous quote and explore the implications of doing so.

Prompt 2: Extended Essay (Required, Choose one)

Option 2: Dividing by Zero

Option 3: Quadrivium and Trivium

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

Option 4: Diagram, Map, Chart

Option 5: Misattributed Quote

Option 6: Creative Solutions

Option 7: Grab Bag

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UChicago Essay Examples

In this UChicago Essay Examples article we’ll look at:

How many supplemental essays does UChicago have?

What are the University of Chicago supplemental essay prompts?

The first UChicago essay prompt is required of all students:

Essay Option 1:

Demystifying the UChicago Extended Essay

UChicago Extended Essay Example

UChicago Extended Essay Prompt:

Why This UChicago Essay Worked

More UChicago essay examples

UChicago Essay Prompt: