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The 7 UChicago Essay Prompts: How to Write Stellar Responses

College Essays

The University of Chicago is famous for its unique essay topics. They're some of the most creative and off-the-wall essay prompts you'll see when applying to colleges, and it can sometimes be confusing to know how to tackle them.

What should you write about in your UChicago essays? How can you show that you're intelligent, creative, and worthy of a place at their school? As someone who spent a long time on my UChicago essays (and who got into the school), I've figured out exactly what UChicago is looking for in these essays.

 Read on to learn all about the UChicago essays, what the admissions team expects to see in your responses, what topics you should write about, and which topics you should avoid. In this guide, we also suggest sample essay ideas for each of the 2022/2023 UChicago supplement essay prompts and analyze past University of Chicago essay samples so you can see what a great UChicago essay looks like.

What Are the UChicago Essays?

Before you can begin figuring out how you'll write your UChicago essays, you should know which prompts you'll be seeing and the rules for each one. You'll need to write two essays, and the UChicago essay prompts you must answer are commonly referred to as Question 1 and Question 2.

Question 1: Why UChicago?

The Question 1 prompt is the only UChicago supplement essay that stays the same each year, and it's also the only prompt that all applicants must answer (for Question 2 you'll have multiple prompts to choose from).

For this question, you'll need to write an essay that explains why you want to attend the University of Chicago and why you think the school is a good fit for you and your goals. UChicago doesn't have strict word limits for essays, but they suggest a response of 1-2 pages.

Here's 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.

The nice part about this prompt is that it's a pretty standard "why this school" essay . And luckily for you, we have a complete guide that walks you through how to knock this type of essay out of the park.

Question 2: Extended Essay

For Question 2, you have a choice of six essay prompts, and you'll choose the one you want to respond to. The essay prompts for this question change every year, and while there are always around six prompts, some years there may be one more or one less to choose from.

These are the more unique and offbeat essay prompts that UChicago is known for. Many of them were created by UChicago alumni and current students. Again, UChicago asks you submit a response 1-2 pages long.

Below are the essay prompts for the 2022/2023 school year.

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.

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. 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.

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?

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!

The world is your oyster when it comes to answering UChicago essay prompts.

How to Answer the University of Chicago Essay Prompts

In this section, we explain what UChicago wants to see in your essays, give ideas for topics to write about for each of the essays, and discuss topics you are better off avoiding.

For this University of Chicago supplement essay, UChicago wants to know why you want to attend their school, what you hope to get out of attending, and how University of Chicago will help you achieve their goals. Basically, they want to know why you think their school is a better fit for you than all the other schools out there. For more analysis of this essay, check out our in-depth guide to the Why UChicago essay .

What Do They Want to See in Your Response?

The "why our school?" is probably the most common essay prompt you'll see on college applications. Why do schools, including UChicago, ask this question?

UChicago wants to first see that you really want to go to their school. Students who love a school are more likely to accept an offer of admission and attend it, and they are more likely to be committed to their studies, participate in extracurriculars, and give back after they graduate. Your passion for UChicago should be shining through in this essay.

Next, UChicago wants to see that you've done your research on their school and have an idea of what opportunities you want to take advantage of while there. You can do this by mentioning specific things you like about UChicago or that you plan to take advantage of as a student there. Potential things to discuss include professors you admire or are interested in working with, specific classes you want to take, and extracurriculars you want to participate in.

Finally, UChicago wants to see that you are a good match for their school. Your essay should explain how you'll make the best use of what UChicago offers, how your strengths match the opportunities they provide, and how UChicago will help you reach your goals for the future.

Potential Topics to Write About

There are many ways you could approach this essay prompt; although since UChicago is best known for its academics (as opposed to killer sports teams, for example), most people will discuss the academic side for at least part of their response. Below is a list of possible topics; most people will discuss one to three topics in their essay.

• Majors or classes you're especially interested in
• UChicago's core curriculum
• Professors whose work you admire and whom you'd like to study with or conduct research with
• Unique events like Scav and Kuviasungnerk/Kangeiko
• Research opportunities you'd like to have
• University of Chicago students you've met who you admire
• Volunteer opportunities
• Financial aid opportunities UChicago offers that make it possible for you to attend

Topics to Avoid

The key here is to avoid generic topics that could apply to practically any school or any student. You want it to be clear in your response what opportunities the University of Chicago offers you that no other school does and how you're going to make use of them. Topics that won't show this include discussing:

• How pretty the campus is
• Chicago weather
• The food on campus
• Where UChicago places on college ranking lists
• Your future major and career path without connecting it back to what UChicago offers
• Bashing other schools

The extended essay is when you can get especially creative. These prompts require you to move outside your comfort zone of typical essay topics and answer in a way that gives readers insight into who you are and what you care about. Remember: Question 2 is required, but you have six different prompts to choose from for this essay response.

Your response to Question 1 is meant to show what you like about UChicago and how you’re going to make the most of the opportunities it offers. Question 2 is less about UChicago and more about you. The admissions team wants to see who you are and what's important to you. Three main things they'd like to see in your essay response are:

• Your personality
• Your thirst for knowledge

Who are you? What have been the important events in your life? What kind of person are you? What do you love learning about? These are the questions UChicago wants you to answer. They want to know what's important to you, what events from your past shaped you, what kind of person you are now, and what you want to accomplish in the future. 

UChicago is particularly interested in students who love learning and have a lot of interests in different fields and topics. A mathematician who also does ballet? A creative writing major who started her own business? Bring it on! Make sure to show your love for learning in your essay.

Your passions and goals don't always need to be lofty though; in the second example essay below you can see how the writer took a quirky interest and managed to connect it to larger ideas. If you can connect one of your pet passions to an essay topic, do so!

The great thing about these UChicago essay prompts is you can write about almost anything you want to since they're so different from each other and give you lots of chances to be creative. And you can tackle it from any angle you want. On their website , UChicago states that "[This essay] can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between." Just remember, you want this essay to give UChicago a good idea of the type of person you are and what's important to you.

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.

You're allowed to let your imagination run wild with this prompt. You should try to find a pair of objects that the admissions panel didn’t think of, something wholly original that only you would think of. For this prompt, they want to see how imaginative you can be, but the most important part of this essay is justifying why your pairing makes sense and why it matters . The pair you choose will show off your personality, creativity, and cultural experiences. 

Make your response as wacky and original as you like, but remember to tie it back to yourself and your interests a nd/or potential major. For instance, say you go with the idea of an art conservator and the passage of time. You could discuss how time degrades the materials of a work of art, and then an art conservationist revitalizes the work, only to have the passage of time wear it down again. This would be an excellent segue into writing about your interest in history, creative writing, or U Chicago’s Department of Art History Conservation Science Teaching Program . 

You could also write about how you developed an interest in these subjects, and what other interests you have could be applicable . Weaving your story into your essay will show UChicago that you’re creative and intellectually curious. This can include your niche interests, quirky hobbies, or pet projects.

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.

This is a classic UChicago question that allows you to answer the question literally...or not. (The year I applied, the version of this question was "Describe your table.") So, if this exemple were your actual song lyric, you address, where have all the flowers gone? You could answer this literally and describe how, for instance, flowers are changing colors in response to climate change . Perhaps you could then discuss your interest in horticulture and what led you to pursue that field.

Or (as always with UChicago essays), you can take it in a totally unexpected direction. This prompt is a chance to put your interpretive and reasoning skills into action. In fact, you could almost think of it like a riddle, except that the answer is anything that you can come up with and justify:

“Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” A valid question in a world where loneliness has been declared a public health emergency and social isolation can increase the likelihood of heart disease by as much as 29% ! 

“Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?” Likely not, considering radio listening has been trending downward for years, especially amongst young listeners and Rock Music is at the lowest point in its popularity since about 1960 . Where does this leave you, a young would-be guitar player with an interest in U Chicago’s ethnomusicology program ?

“Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” Perhaps you do, considering recent studies show a decline in empathy and corresponding rise in narcissism .

You get the idea. Whatever question you choose, don’t worry too much about having a great answer for it; the idea is to find a context for the question that is meaningful to you and relates to your interests , which will give UChicago insight into your values and personality, two things they want to see in these essays!

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).

This prompt is a bit sillier, but you still have the chance to show U Chicago your personality and unique worldview. This prompt gives you a chance to play with language and create something that expresses a meaning that we don’t have a word for. The best way to go about this is to think of two areas that are important to you and find a pair of rhyming words related to each and combine them.

So, for instance, if you’re math-oriented but somewhat spiritual, you could take words from both mathematics and spirituality, and come up with something like “stamystics” (statistics+mystics). You could talk about how you became interested in math and how it relates to your spirituality, and so forth.

If you are more interested in sports than spirituality, you could come up with something like “mathleticism.” You could write about how you had to train your mind in order to grasp difficult or advanced mathematical concepts and, inversely, how your understanding of math deepens your appreciation of sports.

What U Chicago is looking for here is how you can connect two seemingly unrelated concepts and find a bridge between them. They’re looking for problem-solving in addition to insight into your personality.

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.

This prompt gives you an opportunity to think about familiar things in a new way. We probably don’t think much about peanuts not being nuts, but it’s obvious once you think about it that they are legumes. But, on the other hand, they are also closely related to peas–so the name has some validity. Even though they’re not actually nuts, they do taste like nuts…so is it wrong to call them nuts? Think about other examples that exist in your fields of interest.

And of course, be sure to let your experiences, interests, and values shape the way you rename or defend your misnomer . That way, UChicago will get a good idea of who you are and what’s meaningful to you!

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?

This prompt is your chance to be more overtly academic in your response . In writing about how this game will remain relevant in the future, you’ll be able to show your knowledge of history, culture, politics, economics, religion, scientific discovery…and so on! Choose a game that interests you in some way that you can tie into your personal history and academic interests. 

While brainstorming possible games will be really fun, the most important part of this essay is justifying why you think something that’s relevant today will continue to be relevant in the future. Think about what cultural, social, and political changes could be possible and what the implications of that could be for people today. As long as you’re creative, descriptive, and thorough, your response can range from serious to silly and meet the requirements for this prompt.

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!

If you aren't feeling any of the other five optional prompts, you can respond to this one, which asks you to choose and respond to a past UChicago optional essay prompt, or write and respond to your own prompt. With either option, you'll want to consider your identity, interests, strengths, and goals, and let those factors inform which prompt you choose, how you write your own prompt, and how you craft your response.

You may not feel up to the task of writing your own prompt, but you might like the idea of tracking down an old prompt that catches your eye. Read through the past prompts and consider which one will allow you to play to your strengths . If there's a particular experience or skill that you want to showcase in your response, select a prompt that is conducive to that.

Alternatively, if there's a specific experience you want to write about, you can write your own prompt and respond to it. To write your prompt, use the tone and structure of the existing UChicago prompts as a guide. It'll probably come as no surprise that your original prompt should fit right in with the ones provided on the application. This means you might have to be a little goofy, cryptic, or risky...and that's a good thing!

Though this option allows you to write your own prompt if you so choose, it's important to remember that your response to the prompt should still focus on showcasing who you are , what strengths you will bring to UChicago as a student, and why UChicago is the perfect place for you. Don't get too carried away trying to impress admissions with punny phrases or cryptic logic; be authentic, be bold, and be you.

Some people shy away from this prompt because they feel like it's "cheating" or less impressive to not follow one of the specific prompts that UChicago gives. However, this isn't true! As long as you write a compelling essay that gives readers a better insight into who you are, your essay will strengthen your application. For what it's worth, when I applied to UChicago, this is the prompt I chose, and I was still accepted to the school.

UChicago wants you to be creative here, so there aren't many topics that are off limits. However, you're trying to convince them that you'd be a great and interesting student to add to their school, so make sure you use your essay to show who you are and why UChicago would want to admit you.

This means you should avoid responses that don't give readers a good idea of who you are. For example, if you choose essay option 1, don't just state that “taco cat” is funny because it reminds you of your favorite meme. Instead, tie it back to yourself and your life by explaining its relevance, like making tacos with your abuela and fending off the family cat’s attempts to steal tacos. 

Because these prompts are creative, it can be easy to run away with them, but always remember to answer the prompt completely and give UChicago better insight into who you are.

Additionally, don't feel that certain University of Chicago essay prompts are "better" or more impressive than others . UChicago wouldn't have chosen these essay topics if they didn't think applicants could write outstanding responses to them, so please choose the prompt that you feel you can write the best essay for.

University of Chicago Essay Examples

In this section are two University of Chicago essay examples, each written by an accepted applicant.

Below each UChicago supplement essay we discuss what makes the essay work so well.

Dear University of Chicago,

And now you inquire as to my wishes? They're simple, accept me for who I am! Why can't you just love and not ask why? Not ask about my assets or my past? I'm living in the now, I'm waiting for you to catch up, but you're too caught up in my past, I offer us a future together, not a past to dwell upon. Whenever I'm around you, I just get that tingle deep inside me that tells me you're the one; you have that air of brilliance and ingenuity that I crave in a person, you're so mature and sophisticated, originality is really your strongest and most admirable trait. I wish we could be together, I still think in my heart of hearts we were meant to be, but you have to meet me halfway, dear. I'm on one knee here with tears welling up in my eyes, the fireworks are timed and ready to light up the night sky for you, just say 'I accept...you.'

Why Does This Essay Work?

• Creative take on a standard prompt: The writer chose a very unique angle for this essay: comparing the University of Chicago to a lover. He's probably the first applicant to answer the essay prompt this way, which definitely makes this a memorable essay. In fact, UChicago loved this essay so much that they mailed it out to thousands of potential applicants (which actually got them a bit of backlash ). You absolutely don't have to take as unique an approach to this essay as the above writer did, but doing so can definitely help your essay stand out.
• It answers the entire prompt: Even though this is an unusual essay, the writer still manages to answer everything the prompt asks for. He mentions his goal for the future (to become a lawyer), mentions varied interests he has (the Gothic era, the philosopher Kierkegaard), and explains what he likes about UChicago (the brilliance, ingenuity, and originality the school offers). He even manages to mention that he visited campus three times, which shows a serious interest in the school. If you choose to write an especially offbeat essay, it's key to do what this essay did and still answer the prompt while being creative.

This essay is from several years ago, so it doesn't use a current prompt, but it's still helpful to read and analyze.

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.

Now let's take a look at the successful essay:

The Illuminati changed my life. Three years ago, I found my first ambigram in one of my favorite novels, Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I turned the page, and there it was: the word "Illuminati" printed into the exact center of the book. It was styled like a newspaper masthead, exquisite and complex, yet oddly symmetric. Curious, I rotated the book upside-down.

Impossibly, the inverted word was still "Illuminati." Gazing closer, I realized that the letters, I-L-L-U-M, actually shaped into a flipped I-N-A-T-I. Suddenly, I was reading it in both directions. My eyes waltzed along the broad curves and sharp twists of the calligraphy, striking poses in a glamorous font against a sheet of creamy whiteness, sliding between the dense vertical strokes, peering at the edge of the defined serif as it angled away, then bent boldly toward me. Every line was deliberate, every flourish smiling with purpose, and the whole word balanced on the delicate cord that joined two letters into one. It was unforgettable.

Ambigrams are words that can be read from different directions. Actually, "ambigram" is an umbrella term that encompasses dozens of distinct types of visual wordplay. The most popular ones are rotational, mirror image, and-my personal favorites-symbiotic ambigrams, which can spell two different things when viewed normally and upside-down.

Compelled by the striking art, I could not help but try my own hand at designing ambigrams, and slowly I felt the pitiful stick-figure artist inside me shrink away as my inner energetic graphic designer sprang up. Before early volleyball tournaments, I work myself up by filling up pages and pages of experimental letter combinations, gleefully satisfied at the way that a rounded lowercase "a" was a perfect upside-down lowercase "e." In my AP Literature class, I drew "She's a witch!" which revealed, when flipped, "Communist" to reflect Arthur Miller's contemporary motives for writing The Crucible. On a challenge from a friend, I even drew an ambigram of "Jay-Z" and "Beyonce" on a bumpy bus ride back from a leadership retreat.

In the last few months, I have also practiced drawing ambigrams as fast as I can. I dream about the day when I can effortlessly write out a message saying "Hi, how are you today?" normally and "The password is cherry268" upside-down, without pausing or rotating the paper. I imagine a world in which everyone had this ability, and could literally write two things at once. How would that change communication? Encryption? Trust? My legs swing comfortably from this innovative edge, excited to take a stab at the answers.

The best part about the ambigram is that it refuses to define itself as just one thing. It is a linguistic passion, a cryptographic endeavor, an artistic design, and an ironic illusion. I relish the fact that ambigrams force both the artist and the audience to reject first glances and embrace secret identities.

This may just be a nerdy obsession, but ambigrams have taught me far more than how to sketch fancy words. Their multidimensional truth implies that my hobbies of both writing Italian sonnets and solving logical riddles are not opposing functions of my left and right brains, but rather, a perfect conglomeration of my passion for creating and solving puzzles. The beauty of the most surprising combinations reminds me to take bold risks in both my life and my designs.

Above all else, ambigrams have taught me that I can create the impossible. I can make true and false the same word depending on something as simple as a 180-degree head turn. Victory can be defeat. Open can be closed. Am amateur piano player with an obsession for cryptology can learn how to program iPhone apps and get the game-winning kill at the varsity volleyball championship. A girl with divorced parents can make time for both families, and an inspired teenager from California can write her name into world history--both normally and upside-down.

- Samantha M.

Why This Essay Works

• Shows passion: This essay focuses on a pretty unusual and specific topic: ambigrams. While many people may not even know what an ambigram is, the writer is clearly passionate about them. She discusses how much time she spends trying to create different ambigrams, what her goals for ambigram creating are, and some of her favorite ambigrams she's created. UChicago loves people who are passionate about something, even if it's an unusual or offbeat interest. It makes UChicago believe those students will bring that passion with them onto campus.
• Gives insight into the writer's personality: The majority of this essay is about the author's interest in ambigrams, but she also manages to cleverly slip in multiple other references to her personality and interests. From her essay, we learn that she's a volleyball player, writes Italian sonnets, and loves solving puzzles. Adding these details gives UChicago a fuller look at what makes her tick.
• Connects it to a bigger picture: The writer chose to write about a very specific topic—ambigrams—but was still able to connect that to bigger concepts, such as communication, truth, and how she's able to balance her different interests. She's able to take a quirky topic and show how it influences her worldview.

Final Advice: UChicago Essays

When answering the University of Chicago essay prompts, keep in mind that the main reason UChicago is reading these essays is to find out who you are as a person and if you'd be a good fit at their school.

The University of Chicago wants students who are passionate about learning, creative, are excited to make the most of their time on campus, and have big dreams for themselves, and the UChicago supplement questions are designed to help you show these sides of yourself to the school.

For the "Why UChicago?" prompt, you'll want to show the school why you want to go there, why you think you're a good fit for the school, and how UChicago will help you achieve your goals during college and beyond.

For the extended essay, you can (and should) be more creative. These UChicago essays are more "out there," and in your response, you should show your personality and passion for learning.

For both University of Chicago essays, remember to show who you are and what you're passionate about, include details about yourself and the school to help you stand out from other essays, and mention your plans and goals for the future.

What's Next?

If you want a more in-depth look how to write about Question 1, check out our guide to the Why UChicago Essay , which includes an additional sample essay along with analysis of how to answer this prompt.

Are you working on the Common App essay ? Read our breakdown of the Common App prompts and our guide to picking the best prompt for you.

If you're planning to take the SAT or ACT one last time , try out some of our famous test prep guides, like "How to Get a Perfect Score on the SAT" and "15 Key ACT Test Day Tips."

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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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How to Write the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2024-2025

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The University of Chicago supplemental essays are designed to test your creativity, reveal your curiosities, and highlight your unique spark. Known as the quirkiest prompts on the college essay circuit, the UChicago essays strike fear into the hearts of many aspiring Chicagoans. But in reality, the UChicago supplemental essays are one of the few places in a college essay where your personality can truly shine.

There are two UChicago supplemental essays . For the first essay, you’ll select from a series of prompts created by current students or create your own. For the second essay, you’ll explain why you want to attend UChicago and feel that it’s the right school for you. This blog post will guide you through answering each prompt so that you can approach your UChicago essays with confidence.

UChicago’s 2024-2025 Prompts

Essay questions (1-2 pages).

•  We’re all familiar with green-eyed envy or feeling blue, but what about being “caught purple-handed”? Or “tickled orange”? Give an old color-infused expression a new hue and tell us what it represents. – Inspired by Ramsey Bottorff, Class of 2026

“Ah, but I was so much older then / I’m younger than that now” – Bob Dylan. In what ways do we become younger as we get older? – Inspired by Joshua Harris, Class of 2016

Pluto, the demoted planet. ophiuchus, the thirteenth zodiac. andy murray, the fourth to tennis’s big three. every grouping has something that doesn’t quite fit in. tell us about a group and its unofficial member, why (or why not) should it be excluded – inspired by veronica chang, class of 2022, “daddy-o”, “far out”, “gnarly”: the list of slang terms goes on and on. sadly, most of these aren’t so “fly” anymore – “as if” name an outdated slang from any decade or language that you’d bring back and explain why you totally “dig it.” – inspired by napat sakdibhornssup, class of 2028, how many piano tuners are there in chicago what is the total length of chalk used by uchicago professors in a year how many pages of books are in the regenstein library these questions are among a class of estimation problems named after university of chicago physicist enrico fermi. create your own fermi estimation problem, give it your best answer, and show us how you got there. – inspired by malhar manek, class of 2028, 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, “why uchicago” essay (1-2 pages), 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..

General Tips

We need to address the elephant in the room. The UChicago supplemental essays do not have a word limit. Instead, you need to upload a document for each question with a 1-2 page answer. This raises a lot of questions for students. Is the page double- or single-spaced? Or 1.5-spaced? Times New Roman font or Comic Sans? How big should the margins be?

Relax. Unless formatting is essential to your essay in some way, just keep your margins, spacing, and font standard. Double-spaced is generally advised. Again, unless your formatting is part of the essay itself, you’ll want to make it so ordinary that it isn’t noticed.

Essay Questions

We’re all familiar with green-eyed envy or feeling blue, but what about being “caught purple-handed” or “tickled orange” give an old color-infused expression a new hue and tell us what it represents. – inspired by ramsey bottorff, class of 2026.

This prompt gives you the opportunity to flex your creative muscles and write about something meaningful to you. If you’re looking to bring out your imagination in your supplemental essays, then this prompt might be the right one for you.

Consider the topics that you might generally want to write about in your UChicago supplemental essays, and then think about how those topics could fit into this prompt. Because the prompt is open-ended, you could likely take your re-interpretation of an expression in any direction that feels important to you. Feel free to get personal in this essay, discuss your values, and/or infuse your unique sense of humor.

Here are some expressions you could put your own spin on:

• black and blue
• black and white
• have a green thumb
• out of the blue
• rose-tinted glasses
• whitewashed
• the grass is always greener

If none of these examples inspire you, keep researching! This is by no means an exhaustive list.

This seemingly oxymoronic phrase has poignant implications about maturity, self-awareness, worldviews, and more. In this essay, you can write broadly and philosophically, but you might be more successful grounding your ideas in personal experiences and concrete details. Although this prompt doesn’t ask about your personal experiences, it can be difficult to generalize about “our” experiences with aging. In other words, because everyone has a different relationship with aging, you risk making too many assumptions about others’ lives if you don’t focus this essay on your own, or the life experiences of people you’re close with, such as your parents or grandparents.

Consider the ways you’ve embraced your inner child as you’ve grown older. Did you reject toys at age 10 in order to seem less like a child, only to enter into a LEGO phase at 17? Have you been rocking out to the Wiggles lately, or found that you’re most joyful when watching YouTube with your five-year-old brother? Identifying the ways you’re currently in touch with your youthful energy can help you work backward to describe the experiences that have brought you to where you are today.

And, of course, if you wish to focus this essay on someone else or on a group of people, you can use the same strategies outlined above to write about their experiences. Just be sure you have their consent and insights before embarking on this essay.

This prompt gives you the opportunity to dive into a unique interest of yours, and/or explore a personal experience you’ve had. For instance, if you’re a politics buff, maybe you’d like to write about how Switzerland is an unofficial member of the European Union. If you love music, maybe you’ve been thinking about how the Rolling Stones should really just call Darryl Jones an official member by now. Whatever interests you have, you can likely find an unofficial member to write about. Just remember to clarify any context that your reader, who doesn’t necessarily share your interest, will need to follow along with your argument.

Alternatively, you can write about your personal experiences. Perhaps you were the unofficial member of a sports team or social clique, and this affected your self-esteem or social status at school. Writing about these experiences requires vulnerability, but you have a chance to share your unique personality and background with the reader. If you choose to go this route, just remember to use specific details. Doing so will help your essay feel vivid and personal to the reader.

Language is a playground for meaning and ideas. This essay prompt gives you the opportunity to explore whatever linguistic ideas and meanings that speak to you. When you select your slang term of choice, be sure to consider its cultural and historical implications. Who originated this term, and why? What was the context of the term’s origins and usage? And, if applicable, how did the term’s meaning or impact change? Even if these details don’t make it into the essay, they will be helpful for you as you frame your the story you want to tell.

A key part of this essay will be your explanation of why you think this language should come back into fashion. Although you can make a light-hearted argument here, your essay may benefit from some more serious reasons as well. What does this term add to language? Consider how communication might change if this term were reintroduced. And remember, the slang term that you choose need not be in English!

This question may speak to mathematically minded applicants, or students with very active imaginations. That said, if you are not mathematically minded, you can still choose this prompt if the challenge of it attracts you. Just do your research thoroughly, ask your math teacher for help if you need to, and you’ll be fine! Note that the prompt says “give it your best answer.” The problem you choose doesn’t have to be soluble, by you or by anyone. Revealing your willingness to challenge yourself, even if you can’t succeed, is admirable.

When the admissions team asks this question, they are hoping to see you as an applicant in a new or more nuanced light than is permitted by the rest of your application materials. Thus, think about the strengths you possess that the rest of your application doesn’t express. Do you have an analytical mind, a creative spirit, or an expansive imagination? Consider the topics that you are especially interested in. Are there mathematical questions underpinning aspects of this topic? In other words, you can use this prompt as an opportunity to dive more deeply into an existing interest of yours as well as share that interest with the admissions team at UChicago.

Like the open-ended Common App essay question , this prompt presents both opportunities and challenges. Unlike the rest of the UChicago supplemental essays, this prompt doesn’t require you to discuss anything in particular. That said, like the rest of the prompts, you can and should still focus on yourself, your interests, your background, your worldviews, your opinions, and so on. Remember, your college application is the opportunity to show who you are to an admissions team so that they’ll fall in love with you as a thinker and human being, and then admit you to their prestigious academic institution. Thus, your supplemental essays should ultimately function in service of that goal.

Note that this prompt gives you the opportunity to dive into past UChicago supplemental essays , if any of those speak to you. Therefore, if none of the prompts officially set for this year’s applicants feel fitting for you, but you’d still like a bit of structure when approaching this essay, you can read through past prompts to see if you can find inspiration in one of them instead.

Regardless of what approach you take when writing this essay, remember to keep things organized. The hardest part about writing an essay without a prompt is staying on topic. Pick your topic, identify the message you’d like to communicate to the reader, and/or outline your intentions for the essay. It’s essential that either before or after you draft this essay, you organize it. The essay can be about anything you like, but it must say something specific and meaningful, and it should be cohesive. But don’t afraid to be bold!

“Why UChicago?” Essay

Like many colleges and universities, UChicago’s admissions officers want to know why you specifically want to attend UChicago. What programs, courses, professors, clubs, or opportunities are available to you only at UChicago? What aspects of the campus culture speak to you? Why do you see yourself as a part of UChicago’s community?

Note that prompt’s emphasis on specificity. Use concrete details and sentences which could apply to no other institution than UChicago. Indicate how your unique future plans would be best served by learning and studying at UChicago. If you’re stuck, read through their website, watch videos about UChicago, and visit the campus if you’re able. Good luck!

If you need help polishing up your UChicago supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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UChicago Extended Essays: An In-Depth Guide + Examples

Every year, UChicago provides six new extended essay prompts that are designed to highlight how you engage with complex ideas and, through that, essentially show how you fit within the UChicago community. Your job is to pierce through the seeming absurdity of the questions to showcase your intellectual vitality, curiosity, creativity, and perhaps humor. Sounds like a lot to accomplish in one essay, right? 

Right. ‘Cause it is. But don’t let that scare you off! Remember, UChicago is searching for students who will help shape its intellectual community and who can stand up to its academic rigor—this essay is one of the primary ways they refine that search. 

To clarify, we aren’t saying that what’s below is the only way to approach these essays—you should definitely feel free to explore. But if you want a little more guidance in approaching this essay, we’ve identified three possible paths (of the virtually unlimited paths available, but that might seem overwhelming) for you to take depending on your unique strengths and offerings. 

This guide will include:  

How to choose your UChicago prompt 

Intro to 3 paths forward

How to break down the question

Brainstorming

Outlining + example essays

Part 1: The Prework

Regardless of the prompt you choose, you’ll have to complete some significant pre-work before your fingers start dancing away on the keyboard. 

Remember how much reflection and planning you did for your personal statement? This essay will require a similar amount of prep (maybe more). 

Still with us? Let’s begin. :)

How to Choose Your UChicago Extended Essay Prompt

The prompts are intended to allow you to showcase your intellect and personality in unique ways. But they won’t each do so equally for all applicants. (And a quick but important note that you can choose prompts from previous years. UChicago lists them here .)

For example, take this prompt from a previous year:

Alfred Hitchcock said: “Puns are the highest form of literature.” Tell us what you find punny.

Or this recent one from 2021:

What’s so easy about pie?

The first has the potential to really highlight your word play, wit, and sense of humor. The second could display a person’s reasoning skills, perhaps persuasiveness, and creativity in making interesting, subtle connections. 

That difference points to our first key piece of advice: pick a prompt that plays to your strengths. For example, if you’ve never played with puns before, this is probably not the time to start. Or, if you feel like finding subtle and complex connections and layers of insight is a skill you’re still developing (side note that it’s a skill, not a talent—everyone can get better at it) then maybe be wary of the “pie” prompt. 

Looking at the prompts given over the years, we’ve designed three different paths you can take based on your archetypal strengths.  

The Scholar

Have you taken college level coursework in high school and know a lot about a subject? Want to apply those philosophical theories, historical perspectives, or mathematical concepts to a certain topic? Do you feel confident in flexing that academic area of expertise? Look for questions that allow you to be the expert on a subject and assert your academic prowess. (And yes, in theory any prompt could be used this way, but some are going to be easier for you to do this with than others…)

Example prompts:  

If there’s a limited amount of matter in the universe, how can Olive Garden (along with other restaurants and their concepts of food infinity) offer truly unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks? Explain this using any method of analysis you wish— physics, biology, economics, history, theology… the options, as you can tell, are endless.

What if the moon were made of cheese? Or Neptune made of soap? Pick a celestial object, reimagine its material composition, and explore the implications. Feel free to explore the realms of physics, philosophy, fantasy…the sky is the limit!

Dog and Cat. Coffee and Tea. Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye. Everyone knows there are two types of people in the world. What are they?

The Ponderer

Are you a Holmesian analyst (as in Sherlock)? Someone who likes to think in silence by yourself? Do you tend to get lost down rabbit holes of thought? Look for prompts that could be suited to showcasing your analytical skills and ability to go deep. 

Example prompts:

"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.

What’s so odd about odd numbers?

The Storyteller  

Are you most comfortable bringing stories to life through imagery and revelation? Did you have a blast writing your personal statement, and have other interesting life stories to tell? Use this essay as an opportunity to weave some stories that reveal more of your core values and how you view and connect with the world around you.

Example Prompts:

The popular saying goes, “You are what you eat.” What food has shaped your life or worldview?

People often think of language as a connector, something that brings people together by helping them share experiences, feelings, ideas, etc. We, however, are interested in how language sets people apart. Start with the peculiarities of your own personal language—the voice you use when speaking most intimately to yourself, the vocabulary that spills out when you're startled, or special phrases and gestures that no one else seems to use or even understand—and tell us how your language makes you unique. You may want to think about subtle riffs or idiosyncrasies based on cadence, rhythm, rhyme, or (mis)pronunciation. 

Merriam Webster defines epiphany as “An intuitive grasp of reality through something usually simple and striking.” Isaac Newton had his apple tree. Scout had Boo Radley’s Porch. Cher Horowitz had her living room doorway. What was your something, both simple and striking, that sparked noteworthy realization?

Quick side note: The UChicago prompts can fall into more than one category. The three paths often criss-cross and merge. So, consider your path as a starting point–the place from which you feel most confident approaching your essay. 

Breaking Down Your Extended Essay Prompt

Now that you have a prompt in mind, it’ll save you a ton of time to analyze the prompt before you dive into any writing. 

How? Like this:

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:

Read twice: "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.

Underline key terms: "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.

Define terms using examples from the prompt: “original”=new idea, not a combination of old ideas

Write an instruction to yourself: Argue why a selected piece of art, literature, philosophy, or technology is (or is not) original. 

Brainstorming your extended essay

As you brainstorm, write down everything (Like, literally everything. Well, fine, figuratively, but pretty close to literally.) you can think of that fits your key term(s) and definitions. 

Set your timer for 30 minutes and jot down your ideas. Once your time is up and/or you feel like you’ve emptied your idea bank, shoot to write down 10 more ideas before taking a rest. 

Important note: What you brainstorm is just your starting point. In this phase, think expansively: It’s easy to discount ideas that seem like a stretch. But in this process, get rid of that limiting censor. You might be surprised what seemingly terrible, unoriginal idea will springboard you to the unique, quirky topic you end up using. 

So where should you begin? 

Let’s play with this prompt:  

Dog and Cat. Coffee and Tea. Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye. Everyone knows there are two types of people in the world . What are they?

First , think about things that are related (or if applicable, unrelated) to your key term(s). It doesn’t have to be a perfect fit, we just want to get your wheels turning.  

There are people who… drive cars and ride bikes, run fast and run slow, love math and hate English, etc. (There are no stupid ideas when you’re brainstorming!)

Second, break down your ideas into various component parts. 

Drive→one hand vs. two hands, front in vs. back in, speeding vs. speed limit

Running→long strides vs. short strides, good technique vs. bad technique, running backwards vs. running forward.   

Hate English→hate writing vs. love having written, cursive vs. print, handwritten vs. typed

Notice how breaking down your ideas helps to broaden your scope, giving you even more topics to work with!

Last , do some test drives–provide a mini answer for one of your ideas. You might want to repeat this step with multiple topic contenders to a) see if you have enough material to work with and b) help you to conceptualize your definition further.

Typed vs. handwritten→technology vs. human connection, paper card vs. evite, speed and function vs. nostalgia and charm

At this point, if you go with handwritten vs. typed, you might realize your real topic is about human connection vs. technology. You could continue going down this rabbit hole for a loooong time. Find a stopping point that is exciting to you and that generates a wide range of ideas.  

After you’ve done substantial brainstorming, you might want to circle back to your “I love + I know ” brainstorming exercise for potential ideas on how to support your chosen topic(s)

Little Reminder: This is a general approach that must be tailored to the different questions being asked of you. As you apply these brainstorming techniques, try to think big picture: understand the question, define the terms, and then start grouping and breaking down your own ideas under those terms. 

Part 2: Writing the Uchicago Extended Essay + Examples

Once you’ve completed your prework, you’re ready to outline and write!  Remember those three paths we mentioned above? Let’s take a look at some examples + best practices for outlining those types of essays. 

The Scholar Approach

Approach: Answer the question through your knowledge of a few subjects

Answer the question in your introduction, provide some context surrounding your topic, and state your “thesis.” 

Find 3-4 different academic lenses/muscles to flex. If you are a superstar at 1 subject, feel free to go all in on that subject!

Reframe your “thesis” 

Here’s an example essay:

—Inspired by an anonymous alumna, AB'06

There are two types of people in this world: those who love La Croix, and those who hate it. In the extremely unlikely chance you’ve never heard of it, La Croix is a brand of canned sparkling water, featuring flavors such as ‘shy watermelon’, ‘tropical cardboard’, ‘a strawberry with low battery’, and ‘transported in a truck near bananas’ (No, these aren’t the actual names of flavors. But they maybe should be.). Personally, I’m a lover of La Croix, and my favorite flavor is ‘hint of hint of lime’. There’s actually a surprising amount of controversy over the carbonated beverage based on its subtle flavors, especially given its higher degree of carbonation, which has led to what many describe as a ‘tsunami of memes’. Given this, I love LaCroix not just for its barely-existent flavors, but also for what it shows us about human psychology, biology, and society. While LaCroix has become the focus of innumerable memes in recent years, the company has actually existed since 1981, and was created, funnily enough, to fill the niche that Perrier failed to, since Perrier marketed itself as a posh drink for the well-established (which could’ve started a meme war of its own had the internet existed). While La Croix received little public attention at its inception, the creation of a Facebook page for Pamplemousse LaCroix memes changed that. And then social psychology and cognitive bias took over. The bandwagon effect is defined as a phenomenon whereby the rate of uptake of beliefs, ideas, fads, and trends increases with respect to the proportion of others who have already bought in. So naturally, as the page became popular, many hopped on the bandwagon and spread the memes even further. And at the same time, people who liked Coconut LaCroix, as well as people who just don’t like carbonated water in general, began creating their own groups and spreading memes, creating in-groups and out-groups that only served to meme for their own cause. And thus, there were two kinds of people: those who memed in favor of the carbonated drink, and those who memed against it. One particular phrase that actually points to another reason some dislike carbonated beverages is “La Croix tastes like when my foot falls asleep.” Many don’t like the carbonation levels of the drink (and others like it). My friend says drinking LaCroix is “like drinking pop rocks.” This is because, unlike soda, carbonated water has no sugar or other strong flavorings, so the carbonation has to be stronger to give a more distinct taste, which is especially divisive since different people with different biological makeups perceive flavor differently. This leads to two kinds of people: those who can tolerate the increased carbonation, and those who can’t. The main reason that some can’t handle high levels of carbonation is due to the byproduct of water and CO2. When water is carbonated, it causes a chemical equilibrium in which carbonic acid is created (H2O + CO2 <=> H2CO3). This acid, combined with the taste of fizz, often overwhelms people with low pain tolerance, in the same way that some can’t handle spice and capsaicin. One particular factor that plays a role in how a person perceives the flavor of carbonation is genetic. Specifically, the CA4 gene, located on chromosome 17, which encodes for the carbonic anhydrase 4 protein, widely regarded as the protein that exists in taste buds that give us the ‘fizzy’ sensation when we drink carbonated beverages. The carbonic anhydrase 4 protein also serves a role in a number of other functions in the body, from respiration and calcification to the formation of saliva and cerebrospinal fluid. The expression of this gene is impacted by a number of factors in the human body, from variance in metabolic functions and the expression of Human Growth Hormone to certain genetic disorders, such as Retinitis pigmentosa 17, which results from a mutation of the CA4 gene. This reduces the body’s ability to maintain specific pH levels. Since the carbonic anhydrase 4 protein facilitates the reverse hydration reaction of carbonic acid, breaking down the acidic compound into water and carbonic dioxide. When the body (or parts of it) loses the ability to facilitate this reaction, it can’t break down certain acids, meaning that we are overwhelmed by the fizz sensation.  Or to put all of that another way: genetically, there are two types of people—those (with a functioning CA4 gene) who love La Croix and those (without) who don’t. While some may argue that I can’t just define people by their preference regarding a specific drink, I have yet to meet a person who has a moderate stance on the taste of LaCroix and defies the duality I’ve presented. But regardless of your stance, you can’t deny that ‘tropical cardboard’ is an objectively great name for a drink. — — — 

Analysis of Approach

Answer the question in your first paragraph, provide some context surrounding your topic, and state your “thesis.”  

The student clearly answers the question in the first line of the sentence: 

“There are two types of people in this world: those who love La Croix, and those who hate it”

He continues with made up descriptions of various La Croix flavors and concludes with his thesis:

“Given this, I love LaCroix not just for it’s barely-existent flavors, but also for what it shows us about human psychology, biology, and society”

Find 3-4 different academic lenses/muscles to flex. If you are a superstar at one subject, feel free to go all in on that 1 subject!

The student flexes his human psychology, biology, and sociological perspectives in three different paragraphs by discussing the bandwagon effect, body chemistry, and genetics. 

Reframe your “thesis”.  

At the end of the essay, the student reframes his answer to the question using multiple academic lenses: 

“Or to put all of that another way: genetically, there are two types of people—those (with a functioning CA4 gene) who love La Croix and those (without) who don’t.”

The final paragraph is a bookend of the beginning (and shows an additional value for humor):

“While some may argue that I can’t just define people by their preference regarding a specific drink, I have yet to meet a person who has a moderate stance on the taste of LaCroix and defies the duality I’ve presented. But regardless of your stance, you can’t deny that ‘tropical cardboard’ is an objectively great name for a drink.”

The Ponderer Approach

Approach: Answer the question through deep analysis

Use the first paragraph to contemplate the key term + topic using appropriate contextual information that will funnel you through to your thesis statement. 

Make 3-5 arguments supported by evidence and analysis

Reframe your “thesis” (essentially, “so what?”). 

Example Essay:

Meret Oppenheim. Object, 1936. Fur-covered cup, saucer, and spoon, cup 4-3/8 inches in diameter; saucer 9-3/8 inches in diameter; spoon 8 inches long, overall height 2-7/8" (The Museum of Modern Art) The notion of originality in art has been widely debated, with implications extending beyond the scope of the subject. Matthew Teitelbaum, director of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, has said, “At one time, all art was contemporary … it was received by an audience and played a certain role in relation to a culture or community.” Art can be groundbreaking and revolutionary, though over time, it can lose its meaning due to changes in preferences, tastes, and fashion. But with thousands of years of ancient history, could any object in the modern world be truly original? Or are creations today merely regroupings of the past and combinations of old ideas? In my opinion, because artists inevitably draw inspiration from the past, true originality does not exist, but ultimately this doesn’t matter—what is essential is that art motivates and ushers in intellectual discourse across interest groups and sparks transformation.  Enter Object by Meret Oppenheim, regarded as one of the defining representations of Surrealism for its embodiment of mundane objects challenging logic and reasoning. At first glance, Object may seem ugly, even idiotic: a teacup, saucer and spoon, evocatively wrapped in animal fur, strike a stark contrast to my vision of the pinnacle of art: e.g., the luminous landscape, thick brushstrokes, and vivid colour of Starry Night. In creating Object, Oppenheim challenges the nature of originality in art with the jarring combination of fur and everyday items. Even the 3D sculptural elements deviate from past establishments. Object does not follow the idealistic canon of proportions of Polykleitos’ Doryphoros, nor does it embrace the pop art of contemporary icons. Was this thought-provoking sculpture a satirical response, or unintentional brilliance?  Object was inspired by a luncheon with Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar, who complimented the furry brass bracelet of Oppenheim and jokingly proclaimed: “Almost anything can be covered in fur!” Oppenheim was struck with inspiration—she left the cafe immediately and created the now-iconic Object using a cup, saucer, and spoon from a nearby store.  Object is certainly not original in that it utilizes ready-made items for art creation; this concept has been exemplified by artists such as Marcel Duchamp and his famous sculpture Fountain. But ultimately, originality should not be the end goal of artists. The goal of art should be to challenge the human mind. Object certainly accomplishes this goal—the idiocy of the brown gazelle fur layered on top of the presumably ceramic/porcelain dining utensils transposes human logic.  Object creates a lasting impression, even if Object is not truly original. As the colour of the earth, the brown exterior symbolizes a return to simplicity and a sense of dullness of everyday life. More importantly, why fur? And why gazelle? This particular medium might serve as an allusion to the 1790-1890 American Fur Trade, which represents a period of economic and social significance. Though disagreements permeate art historians, some recognize fur as sexual in nature, alluding to fetishistic qualities in the fur-lined set; others believe that Object is linked to the alchemical transformation of Surrealism in the transition from smooth ceramics to a bristly fur to attain a higher state of consciousness.  Now, imagine being in an exhibition, examining this bizarre and extraordinary spectacle. The saucer, spoon, and cup are arranged in a naturalistic way, almost as an invitation for a warm cup of black tea paired with a fine assortment of chocolates on a pleasant afternoon. Yet no one in their right mind would ever drink from a cup full of fur. Fur may be pleasant to touch, but the physical discomfort and ridiculousness of wet fur filling one's mouth and throat is an appalling nightmare, simply disgusting. Abominable. Through creating Object, Oppenheim had given practical, everyday commodities transcendence, moving into a realm of irrationality and absurdity. The creation of Object speaks to the fact that originality should not be the end goal of art; art should focus on transforming the way humans see the world. Object exemplifies these characteristics in that it evokes a visceral and profound response: the absurd addition of fur challenges the logic in our everyday thinking regarding simple things around us. During Object's exhibition at the MoMa, a woman fainted "right in front of the fur-bearing cup and saucer." (Landsdale & McKelway 1936) She left no name, but the fact that an eccentric combination of everyday objects could cause such a sensation shows why Object exemplifies Surrealism's desire to revolutionize human consciousness and experience.  Despite the success of Object, the majority of Oppenheim’s artistic career was tragically overwhelmed by the focus of the world spotlight. Yet Object was something fresh—the stunning fur-wrapped set remains one of the defining icons of Modernist art cemented in the minds of enthusiasts worldwide. Today, Object is no longer the groundbreaking sensation it was in 1936. Still, it embodies the glamorous and elegant elements of the principle of art: a regrouping of old ideas and transformative creativity challenging the nature of the human mind and paving the way for future artworks that no longer obsess over the notion of originality. So now, when I sit on my comfy couch sipping a lovely afternoon tea, I will always remember the furry, thought-provoking Object and its role in creating history.  — — — 

Use the first paragraph to contemplate the key term + topic using appropriate contextual information that will funnel you through to your thesis statement.  

The student references an art historian and asks rhetorical questions to ponder the originality of art, which leads directly into his thesis: 

“…what is essential is that art motivates and ushers in intellectual discourse across interest groups and sparks transformation.”

Make 3-5 arguments supported by evidence and analysis.  

The student makes 4 main arguments and/or belief statements to then unpack using his own observations, research, and analysis:

In creating Object, Oppenheim challenges the nature of originality in art with the jarring combination of fur and everyday items. 

Belief statement/argument: But ultimately, originality should not be the end goal of artists. The goal of art should be to challenge the human mind.

Object creates a lasting impression, even if Object is not truly original

Art should focus on transforming the way humans see the world.

Reframe your “thesis” (essentially, “so what?”).

The student finds a unique spin on his answer to the prompt. Instead of directly answering the question, he states his belief that art doesn’t need to “obsess over the notion of originality.” 

The Storyteller

Approach: Weave a world that leads to complex reflection

Find 5-7 “beads” that answer the prompt’s question

These beads should be connected by the key term

Pick values and details that will bring each bead to life

Example Essay:  

People often think of language as a connector, something that brings people together by helping them share experiences, feelings, ideas, etc. We, however, are interested in how language sets people apart. Start with the peculiarities of your own personal language—the voice you use when speaking most intimately to yourself, the vocabulary that spills out when you're startled, or special phrases and gestures that no one else seems to use or even understand—and tell us how your language makes you unique. You may want to think about subtle riffs or idiosyncrasies based on cadence, rhythm, rhyme, or (mis)pronunciation.

“Khushi, do your American accent!” My friends and I are sitting in the Commons, currently filled with hungry high schoolers and agitated lunch ladies. No matter how many times I’ve been requested, the thought of the action makes me highly self-conscious. You see, having pruned my vocal cords through fusions and accents of ethnic languages for the majority of my life in India, it was permissible for me to exaggeratingly mock the “American” verbiage, characterized by its excessive use of the word ‘like’ and strange soft way of pronouncing r’s. I brush my friends off and try to change the topic. Once I’ve been made aware of how I normally speak, I tend to get quiet. My phone lights up with a call from Papa; I silence it and let it go to voicemail. I know that if I did pick up, my voice would invariably switch to my “Indian accent,” something I was not going to let my friends hear. For the most part, my British accent sounds cool to them, but my Indian accent diminishes me to a negative stereotype. When my family moved to the United Kingdom from India, not only was I exposed to “Religious Studies” and other new courses, but for the first time I also had to learn a new kind of English. And though much of Indian English and British English overlap, I still had to train my brain’s speech assisting Broca’s area, to say aubergine instead of brinjal, cuppa instead of chai, and cafeteria instead of canteen. My vocal identity crisis followed me to the United States, where I had to relearn the English language once again, this time switching aubergine for eggplant and cuppa for cup of tea, but at least cafeteria remained cafeteria. In one of my first speeches at an Model UN conference, while trying to focus on national surveillance, I was all at once reminded of my vocal differences and began stumbling over words that I didn’t know how to pronounce the “American” way. I unwittingly corrected my mistakes by saying “Arrey!” under my breath, the Hindi equivalent of “Darn.” As my American journey continued and Bangalore and London and Oakland all rolled off my tongue together, I thought to myself, which world do I speak like now? It’s a deep injustice that some accents are granted more leverage than others, British accents are ‘prim and proper’ and authoritative, while Indian accents are somehow ‘backwards’, funny, or a stereotype. As a student of culture and geopolitics, I have seen how modernism and social acceptability still trend towards Western values, a pattern that has persisted through history: markers of certain cultures provide access whilst others create barriers. Language is nothing more than another agent of socialization. In a world where we broadcast messages of “cultural awareness” and “global exposure,” it’s disturbing to see American journalists call Renée Zellweger’s accent in Bridget Jones “sophisticated” British (as opposed to her Texan drawl), while Indian journalists refer to Priyanka Chopra’s accent in Quantico as a  “sickening fusion of accents.” As the world transitions towards a society where differences are celebrated, where gender and sexual fluidity is acceptable, why is it that cultural identity is considered constant and cultural belonging, exclusive? I am a proud third culture kid, finding her place within the intersection of a Venn diagram on linguistics. I can’t (pronounced without rhyming with ant, true desi style) and won’t forego one of my identities in favor of another. Having multiple accents is neither negotiable nor remarkable. It is a benign symptom of the worlds in which I grew up in and must be seen that way. Hybrid accents are not betrayals of identity, and they are never performances nor punchlines. — — —

Find 5-7 “beads” that answer the prompt’s question.

The student seamlessly depicts multiple scenes navigating her Indian accent, experimenting with different American speaking styles, stumbling through her Model UN speech, noting the injustice of accents, and critiquing language’s role in current culture.

These beads should be connected by the thread/key term.

The prompt’s question is used as the unifying thread: how does language set you apart? 

Pick values and details that will bring each bead to life.

The student uses imagery, clear examples, and literary devices in each paragraph to tell her story. Just a handful of examples that stood out immediately were: 

“hungry high schoolers and agitated lunch ladies” 

“aubergine instead of brinjal, cuppa instead of chai, and cafeteria instead of canteen” 

“As my American journey continued and Bangalore and London and Oakland all rolled off my tongue together, I thought to myself, which world do I speak like now?”

I can’t (pronounced without rhyming with ant, true desi style) and won’t forego one of my identities in favor of another.

As a final note, notice that these approaches still allow for each essay to feel distinct—each gives us a sense of the human being who, if accepted, is going to show up at UChicago’s door.

As you can see, the UChicago essay requires a lot of preparation, self-reflection, and writing skill. It’s a daunting task, but hopefully also an exciting one: an opportunity to showcase your academic character, knowledge and creativity, and command of the English language.

Special thanks to Ali for writing this blog post

Ali is a college essay specialist with her BA in English from Stanford University and MFA from UC Irvine. She has spent thousands of hours coaching admissions essays and helping students to build their confidence in the writing process. In addition to essay coaching, she is a former professional ballerina and current co-artistic director for Maui’s contemporary dance company Adaptations Dance Theater. She is a hybrid writer-dancer who enjoys the power of storytelling.  

UChicago Essay Examples (And Why They Worked)

The following essay examples were written by several different authors who were admitted to University of Chicago and are intended to provide examples of successful UChicago application essays. All names have been redacted for anonymity. Please note that CollegeAdvisor.com has shared these essays with admissions officers at University of Chicago in order to deter potential plagiarism.

For more help with your UChicago supplemental essays, check out our UChicago Essay Guide ! For more guidance on personal essays and the college application process in general, sign up for a monthly plan to work with an admissions coach 1-on-1.

Question 1 (Required; Choose one) 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.

When I visited UChicago, a friend invited me to step into her Comparative Literature class: Monstrosity and the Monstrous. Desperate for refuge from the cold (as a Bay Area resident, I hadn’t packed for the Chicago winter), I quickly obliged. I expected to silently observe, but when I mentioned that I’d read Antigone , her professor was thrilled–he immediately invited me into the discussion. For an hour and a half, we weighed the pros and cons of civil disobedience: did Antigone’s actions permanently destabilize Thebes, and in the modern day, when does protesting against a government cross the line? Was Antigone justified in interpreting the will of the gods? And, if so, would Sophocles support pardoning well-intentioned criminals? Beyond the enthralling analysis of the play, I was captivated by the spirit of UChicago: a campus that invites everyone (including a loitering high school student) to contribute and develop their ideas.

Now, it’s surreal to imagine taking “The Economics of Crime” from someone as renowned as Professor Levitt (I’ve been a fan since reading Freakonomics ) and staying after class to clarify the finer points of the latest Freakonomics podcast (I particularly enjoyed “Speak Softly and Carry Big Data,” on using data analysis to perfect foreign policy decisions). I hope to add to UChicago’s legacy of pushing the boundaries of our economic understanding by participating in undergraduate research, and perhaps put my findings to use through crafting social policy for the Harris School’s Public Policy Practicum. Prior to graduating, I’ll sample tastes of future careers through the Fried Public Policy and Service Program or the Trott Business Program. Simultaneously, as someone who enjoys conversing and respectfully challenging ideas, I look forward to immersing myself in the Core Curriculum and obtaining a strong foundation of knowledge. Above all, I appreciate that UChicago teaches students how to think, encourages dialogue, and prompts students to question norms.

Beyond an unparalleled education, UChicago boasts an incredible student body. Whether it’s over $1 milkshakes, at a desk beneath the stunning glass dome of the Mansueto library, or over a game of pick-up basketball, students at UChicago have a reputation for cultivating the most interesting conversations, both miscellaneous and profound. I hope that culture will only intensify within groups like the student government, Muslim Student Association, or the (undefeated) Model United Nations team. Though I look forward to Scav, the prospect of another scavenger hunt is even more enticing; over the next four years, my peers and I will discover the impact we intend to have on the world. Whether I end up delving into politics, finance, or the nonprofit sector, I know UChicago will guide me through that process–more importantly, as a member of a campus of visionaries, I hope to learn how I’ll change any field I enter. I look forward to four life-changing years–this time, with a warm winter coat.

Why this UChicago essay worked, from an ex-admissions officer

The author of this essay did a great job highlighting their familiarity with the faculty’s research and the university’s traditions. In doing so, admissions officers know that this student conducted the necessary research and is not solely interested in the university based on its rankings and reputation but rather the intangibles- the things that set UChicago apart, from other colleges/universities.

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of visiting UChicago’s campus. What I found was exactly what I’d hoped for: an absurdly specific and drawn-out debate over which poem was better, The Iliad, or The Odyssey.

It happened in a dorm. After my official tour, a good friend of mine, Lizzie, who I’d met two summers ago on a writer’s retreat offered to show me around campus. The insider tour: coveted by many, enjoyed by few. As we were leaving the common space on her floor in Max P., we were discussing our respective class schedules. We came to find that we were doing similar coursework with regard to Classical studies, and with a simple groan at my mention of the adventures of Achilles in Ilion, the battle began.

Quickly, I found myself drawing my spear—the initial jab: “The portrayal of Odysseus in The Odyssey is lackluster and inconsistent with prior descriptions at best.”

She dodged, “Maybe, but The Iliad is just a bunch of gore. I want a real story.” The phalanxes were starting to form; war cries echoing, bouncing off doors which held the empty beds of students wintering at Mansueto, I stopped.

“Listen,” I said, with a ring reminiscent of a sword being gloriously drawn from its sheath. “Homer may not have even been the mind behind much of The Odyssey . On top of that, how do you reconcile Odysseus’ supposed military genius spanning ten years with his seemingly cavalier attitude towards his men’s safety on the voyage home?” In turn, she threw her arms up with a sigh of exasperation—a shield, a deflection.

“Maybe, but Achilles’ melodramatic fits aren’t worth reading. If I wanted to witness overwrought pouting, I’d go find a four-year-old. Besides, an inconsistency doesn’t damn a story to the pits of inadequacy.”

Round and round we went, like Achilles and Hector around the city of Ilion, neither of us gaining an inch, and neither of us drawing nearer escape. But then, for us, escape wasn’t the point, was it? It was the chase. The Iliad would have been far less exciting had Achilles settled for glory, fought for Agamemnon, and killed Hector immediately. Likewise, The Odyssey is nothing but a story of a journey, and therefore wouldn’t have a leg to stand on without the chase. From my point of view, this is what UChicago is all about—the chase; the journey—the questions asked and examined, not only those answered. Lizzie and I never came to a conclusion about which poem is better (thankfully we could agree that The Aeneid was objectively well written, and well told), but we had a riveting, impassioned conversation on a dime. My favorite part of this? It happened on the way to her Physics discussion.

That’s why I love UChicago; this is what I crave. The perpetual hall pass to unapologetically geek out with fellow cats whom curiosity didn’t kill, but strengthened. To walk by the chapel, and hear the bells playing Kiss the Girl, to sit in the Reading Room and write, to marvel at the marketing genius behind the naming of Grounds of Being ; to have conversations with poetry nerds, language lovers, people who can rant about the beauty of the C7 chord or the curvature of a parabolic function. I can only see myself in a place that emphasizes interdisciplinary studies, that offers a slew of majors, minors, and career courses—that not just allows, but encourages exploration—that finds its students discussing Homer on the way to a physics class. I would not be able to function without the camaraderie that comes with the $1 shake, or the friendships born of mutual vitriol at the notion of their disappearance. This community is not tied, but melded together—one that challenges, one that nips stagnancy in the bud. So, paint me maroon and point me towards Axelrod; I’m ready to join this Odyssey-loving, manhole-cover-thieving, Royal Tenenbaum-esque family.

In this essay, the writer connected her seemingly random conversation with a friend to the interdisciplinary focus of the university and the ways in which, others challenge her views. Oftentimes, when we think of a college education- there is so much focus on the rankings, reputation, and major, career opportunities, return on investments, and salary– all of which, are very important; however, one could argue that that true purpose of college is to challenge yourself, to step outside of your comfort zone, meet new people and challenge others as well. This writer understands those values are paramount to an education at UChicago. The admissions officer reading this essay, knows this student will thrive at UChicago, but most importantly, this student will leave UChicago in a better place than where they found it by challenging those around them.

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

Editor’s Note: The UChicago supplemental essays change each year, as the University is known to reach out to newly admitted and current students for essay prompts. These are examples of previous successful approaches to essay prompts.

2017-2018 UChicago Essay Prompt

What’s your armor.

I won’t knock on wood for luck if the wood isn’t demonstrably pure as the waters of the Piscine Molitor. When I say I won’t, I don’t mean that I will knock on a table, or a bench occasionally through gritted teeth if I’m in dire need of cosmic intervention, no, I mean I will not, under any circumstance, on a train, a plane, or even in Spain, knock on anything other than natural, uncoated in any way, wood. I recognize the scientific irrationality, not just of superstitions, but of being picking nits within a particular superstition. I have my reasons.

Two years ago, while scrolling through my Instagram feed, I stumbled across a disconcerting “fact” that probably wasn’t a fact . The post asserted that more than ninety-percent of all wooden tables, benches, chairs, etc are not, in fact, strictly wooden. Rather, they are a mix of synthetic materials and wood. Granted, in most cases, the synthetic is likely just a coat of protective varnish, but you see, that tarnishes the product for the superstitious. It was a moment of earth-shattering ramifications. In a matter of three seconds, I questioned every bit of trust I’d ever placed in the universe. It all seemed futile, meaningless. Now, I’m not knocking on wood, I’m knocking on wood that has been coated once, twice, ninety-six times with preservative varnish. At that point, it’s just a synthetic graveyard with a foundation of wood. There is no luck to be found in an ungodly cemetery of bones like that. I might as well knock on glass, or grass, or a plastic container. It surpasses trivial in the scheme of things, but imagine I were to have something especially important looming, something that has the potential to frame the context of the rest of my life, something like college applications. Why would I take a chance on something that merely resembles pure wood for luck? I wouldn’t. I’d run straight outside, find the nearest tree (the only real guarantee), and knock until my knuckles resembled shredded calf-liver. It’s really not worth the risk.

Why does it even matter, though? Who, and/or what enforces frivolous matters like outdated pseudo-religious compulsions? I like to imagine that there is a being in charge of each superstition, both the common and obscure. The Being of Repetition would oversee all attempts to cheat one’s destiny by uttering a word thirty-seven times, the Being of Self-Induced Discomfort would superintend those who hold their breath while they cross bridges or drive past cemeteries, and the Being of Sylvan Knocks would assure that not a single soul who bops their knuckles on a tarnished, synthetic-wood abomination receives their prize of favor. This being watches and keeps tabs on those foolish enough to put their faith in the preternatural equivalent of fool’s gold, and shames them by leaving their worlds deservedly unaltered. However, those who are devoted enough to search out the nearest tree and give it a few raps for good measure, will find magnificent rewards from their generous karmic sugar daddy. Call me a purist, call me ridiculous, but I’m convinced that this is the indisputable truth.

So convinced, in fact, that those closest to me have picked up on my idiosyncratic neurosis. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy the friendship of observant souls, one of whom, named Jack, happens to be a skilled woodworker. Upon confessing to him my cognitive dissonance of being vehemently non-superstitious, while also controlled like a marionette by this irrational belief, he took it upon himself to, at the very least, ease the inconvenience of finding a tree in my panic. He gave me a teardrop-shaped, knuckle-sized piece of pure wood. Not just that, but he put a small hole in it so that it would fit on my keychain. I carry it everywhere. I give it a little knock every now and then just for the extra luck. Knowing that no matter the place, no matter the scenario, I’m always in the good graces of the Being of Sylvan Knocks means that I never again have to add “find a tree” to my mental to-do list. It means release—means freedom.

Maybe one day I’ll get over my manneristic malady, but until that day comes, I’ll keep carrying my teardrop everywhere I go, and hope that Jack never tells me that my charm is anything less than Piscine pure, unadulterated luck. Knock on wood, right?

2013-2014 UChicago Essay Prompt:

The mantis shrimp can perceive both polarized light and multispectral images; they have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. 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 . what might they be able to see that we cannot what are we missing.

The red and purple hues of the sunset warm the chilly summer evening; the soft pastels blend perfectly under my fingers to emanate the photograph; each Van Gogh and Renoir mesmerize me as I creep through the brightly lit museum. Photographs and paintings capture the beauty that we see with our eyes. Our almighty sense of sight allows us to be immersed by the extraordinary, but at the same time, it hinders us.

Although breath-taking to witness, the mantis shrimp, majestic as a unicorn or narwhal from the outside, relates more closely to a soul-sucking dementor. Its mighty claws enable it to chomp nearby prey instantaneously. Is it possible that the violent behavior of a mantis shrimp is related in someway to its heightened abilities of sight?

Segregation, discrimination, isolation; so many “tion”s can be attributed to our sense of vision. In elementary school, the concept of being popular is already engrained in our minds. As a first grader, I got my first glimpse of this when a girl was forced to tell her best friend that they couldn’t hang out anymore because she “wasn’t cool enough.” And what deems someone to be popular? Of course, attitude and self-confidence are key, but popularity is equally derived from having the newest backpack and sparkly shoes that light up with each step. In the 1940s, having “the look” meant blonde hair and blue eyes with the emanating threat of concentration camps and execution. America, the land of the free, cannot forget its very own history of segregation that nearly split the nation in two. People were belittled and harassed due to the color of their skin. Throughout history, mankind has associated superiority with skin color and race. Our sense of sight has limited us oftentimes to fixate on seeing instead of understanding.

The kaleidoscopic exoskeleton of the mantis shrimp indicates its very own evolutionary emphasis on beauty. Why else would one attempt to look so radiant if not to mate and produce heirs? I would probably be pretty picky too if I had such a powerful pair of eyes—fixating on each segment, each tentacle, each antenna. Over the centuries, the selectivity of the mantis shrimp possibly eliminated less attractive members from the gene pool. It never thought “Oh well, maybe she has a nice personality and a good sense of humor.” In a world of plastic Barbie dolls and glossy magazine covers, I would hate to see an even greater emphasis on aesthetics.

As a child, I read A Wrinkle in Time and journeyed to the planet Ixchel where Madeline L’Engle’s fictional character Meg tries to explain the concept of seeing to a creature with no eyes. In response the beast states, “We do not know what things look like, as you say… We know what things are like. It must be a very limiting thing, this seeing.” As a child, I pondered the difficultly of explaining sight to someone incapable of it and all the words that a person wouldn’t understand—light, dark, colors, shades. When I initially read this prompt about the mantis shrimp, I was reminded of this passage. The difficulty of imagining all that the mantis shrimp can see is possibly just as difficult as it is for someone who is blind to imagine the red of a robin’s belly, the illustrious light blue sky, or the shades of skin tones. I was originally perplexed by the idea that seeing can be “a very limiting thing.” Over half a decade later, as I reread Madeline L’Engle’s words, I find the truth in this phrase. We do not need sight. It is convenient being able to color coordinate files and match shoes with shirts, but the ability to see can often overpower our other senses. We judge and make first impressions by the way a person dresses, often neglecting what that person says or thinks or knows.

Perhaps the mantis shrimp’s eyes allow it to see further than our color spectrum, into infrared, ultraviolet, or radio waves. Maybe this allows it to see its predators inching closer before they devise an attack. The shrimp’s vision could possibly replace its sense of feeling and hearing—observing sound waves in the wavy, salty sea or having thermal imaging abilities. However, the extent to its abilities is far greater than we can perceive. It would be impossible to imagine the full capabilities of the mantis shrimp without having a “Freaky Friday” moment and switching brains. As humans, we have become too accustomed to our perception of superiority that it is difficult to imagine abilities greater than our own. What we lack, we attempt to compensate for with technology and scientific advancements. We have escaped the mentality of our cavemen and cavewomen ancestors—scavenging for food and hiding from predators. Machine guns and others weapons of mass destruction have given humans the mindset that we are on the top of the food chain.

The short novel Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott was enforced upon my Geometry class over spring break. Although initially a lesson about the multiple dimensions, Flatland also explores the challenge of explaining higher realms to those who cannot experience it. The king of Pointland is so narrow-minded and insular that he refuses to believe that there are objects larger than he is. When confronted with a square, all he sees is another point. As humans, our abilities are limited as well. We do not have the innate skills of the mantis shrimp with its sixteen receptors; however, centuries of innovation have made us inept to fully perceive the skills we are incapable of.

The mantis shrimp can see a greater spectrum of rays and waves and possibly some great unknown, but perhaps, it is better that its abilities remain a mystery. At this time, we are probably not ready for such visual capabilities; our current ones have already proven to be overbearing. Maybe the best things in life are not meant to be seen because they must be felt or understood.

These UChicago essay examples were compiled by the advising team at CollegeAdvisor.com . If you want to get help writing your UChicago application essays from CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts , register with CollegeAdvisor.com today.

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Command Education Guide

How to write the university of chicago supplemental essays, updated for 2023-2024, 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. (250-500 words)

Explanation:

UChicago’s first supplemental essay is a classic “why this college” prompt that can be separated into three components: learning, future, and community.

Responding to the “learning” question requires laying out your intended major (or couple of majors) that you hope to pursue, along with specific class offerings, research opportunities, immersion experiences, internships, etc. for that major or related program.

The “community” component can be addressed by discussing an extracurricular or club offered at the college (called RSOs at UChicago) that you would like to get involved in. This can also add depth to your “learning” response if the organization is related to your intended major. Additionally, discussing UChicago’s size, location, history, and/or educational philosophy—the unofficial motto “Life of the Mind” emphasizes intellectual inquiry simply for the sake of learning—can be an excellent way to showcase how you picture yourself as a member of the UChicago community.

For the final “future” component of this essay, clearly lay out your current plan for your future pursuits and how you hope to achieve your goals by the time you graduate from the University of Chicago. How will the opportunities you pursue and the community you build impact your plan for post-college life?

I’ve stared up at the night sky through my prized Orion Spaceprobe Reflector telescope all over the United States—from the deserts of Arizona to the highest points of California’s many national parks. I’ve captured detailed photographs of Saturn’s rings and carefully coordinated, award-winning time lapse shots. I’ve gone on journeys through dense forests and down unmarked dirt roads to achieve the ultimate stargazing experience. But standing in my school’s parking lot, reveling in observing the Harvest Moon with my classmates, I realized there’s nothing I want more than to share my passion with my peers.  

The University of Chicago offers unparalleled astronomy and astrophysics opportunities—but just as importantly, it presents an incredible community possible to share in that experience. I’ll be the first in line to take hands-on classes like “Observational Techniques in Astrophysics” and the two-part “Field Course in Astronomy and Astrophysics” that will provide the rare chance to use the university’s array of powerful research telescopes and publish scientific papers in collaboration with my classmates. Meanwhile, classes focused on the theoretical side of astronomy and astrophysics like “From Fossils to Fermi’s Paradox” will allow me to geek out over the universe’s greatest questions with fellow self-proclaimed hardcore space nerds. I’m equally interested in connecting with professors, and (if possible) I’d be eager to assist in any way with Professor Jacob Bean’s work identifying potentially habitable exoplanets.

Perhaps most exciting of all, the Paris Astronomy Program offers the opportunity to combine astrophysics with my other academic passion—French. Communication between international labs and scientists from different countries is a major component of modern science, and this program offers an immersive component to my intended minor in French. Envisioning the conversations I’ll have seated at Parisian cafes and touring through famous labs and museums ignites my imagination and excitement. While I understand that the Paris Astronomy Program is generally oriented towards astrophysics minors, I believe taking advantage of this opportunity as early as possible in my college experience will build a foundation for my specific education in both astrophysics and French in the same way that the Core creates the a structural baseline for my general education at UChicago. 

While much of the UChicago community and opportunities I’ve pointed to take place inside the classroom, I’m equally looking forward to everything that happens outside of the campus’ gothic buildings. Visiting my friend currently living in the “South” dorm has made me especially excited for the experience of living on campus and forming relationships with other residents in my dorm. From the house-specific dining table with Harry Potter-esque banners hanging over them to the inter-house broomball battle, I was able to witness firsthand the O Week scavenger hunt throughout the dorm—the experience provided me with a built in community that will be waiting for me the moment I step on campus. However, I don’t plan to let this community make me complacent in my social life. Joining RSOs like the Outdoor Adventure Club and Ryerson Astronomical Society will allow me to continue my passions for intense hiking and casual stargazing while connecting me with other students on campus who are equally excited about those activities! 

From my perspective, there’s no desire for learning, community, or my future that UChicago does not satisfy. While others might make claims about the school where “Fun Goes to Die,” I can hardly wait to get started! 

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one). 650 words max

UChicago’s “extended essay” is also occasionally referred to by its old name: “The Uncommon Essay.” When writing this essay, you should aim to break away from traditional essay formats and take creative control to showcase both your writing ability and unique perspective. Get creative with your responses: humor, interesting structuring, and unique writing motifs will go a long way towards impressing the admissions officers.

Each of the prompts may seem almost nonsensical at first, but start by writing down your initial ideas for approaching each of the options. If you’re brainstorming for any one of these prompts and one idea jumps out at you—go with it!

The trick to these essays is responding in a way that feels natural to you, don’t try to get too smart and outthink yourself. Try crafting the direction of your essay as it goes rather than trying to plan your essay perfectly before you start writing, as this method will allow you to better showcase your thought process. If none of the essay prompts inspire you, take advantage of Option 7 and look over past prompts until you find one that speaks to you. Don’t write off any idea as stupid, and try to keep your phone or a notepad near you as you think over the prompts—inspiration can strike at the strangest of times!

Finally, stick with the obvious theme of the essay, but don’t try to overdo it. Make sure you find a creative way to fully answer any questions posed by the prompt while also including some insight into yourself or your background. For instance, a unique response to Essay Option #3 might reflect on how portmanteaus are part of a larger trend to characterize new ideas by combining them with something familiar—but trying to combine two separate essays and calling that a portmanteau could result in a confusing and ideologically diluted essay. Likewise, Essay Option #6 requires coming up with an unwritten rule you disagree with, but your argument should also reveal something about you or your way of thinking (e.g. if you’re deeply passionate about human and animal rights, discussing your opposition to the practice of documentary staff not helping those they film—and perhaps how you break this rule when filming content for a conservationist group you volunteer with—would both answer the prompt and tell admissions officers a bit about one of your activities and how your mind works).

As an example to offer a bit of guidance: for the classic prompt “Find x,” the admissions officers do not want to see a sheet filled with math problems. However, if you use math as a writing motif by which you compare using substitution to find x with comparing activities to find what you’re passionate about… you might just have a perfect essay idea on your hands!

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

Humans might be the dominant species on our planet, but we’re rarely the best athletes from a physical perspective. Famed Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt would be left in the dust by a cheetah. The legendary Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor would be bowled over if an NFL team suddenly employed a silverback gorilla as a running back. Even Michael Phelps, the winner of twenty-three Olympic medals for his swimming prowess, was left floundering when he raced against a shark—or at least a CGI projection of one! 

However, mankind did not come to rule the planet through our intellect and endurance alone. We had a secret weapon no other species has mastered—throwing projectiles. Sure, a chimpanzee can manage a halfhearted toss, but it wasn’t until Homo Erectus came to walk this Earth that any creature had the combination of unique anatomical traits necessary to truly master the art of the throw. Over millennia, we Homo Sapiens have developed countless modern sports that rely heavily on this ability: baseball, football, and basketball just to name a few. Of the many activities humans have created to show off the pinpoint accuracy of our throws, one game truly represents the culmination of millions of years of human evolution: darts. 

I believe that darts will be played for centuries to come. There are countless ways to play darts: Cricket, 301, Legs—but the specific game mode is irrelevant to the longevity of the activity. Simply put, the game of darts offers the best blend of compactness and complexity required to light up the neurons in our brain that have been pre-wired with a desire to throw objects accurately. Carnivals and theme parks have taken countless dollars by understanding this aspect of human nature, but darts offers a way to scratch that itch without the high cost and space requirements of classic carnival games like Ring Toss, Can Knock Down, or Balloon Darts. Not to mention, the odds aren’t stacked against us in darts! 

I can accept that not everyone might believe that darts is a “modern” game, as the game was officially created with the invention of the dart board all the way back in 1896. However, in the face of games that have existed for thousands of years, like chess, a game that’s not even as old as the first car is modern in my book. Additionally, for anyone who’d like to argue that the game of darts was created in medieval times when soldiers started throwing knives at tree trunk cross sections, I’d posit that a game is only as old as its rules. If hunting wooly mammoths with spears isn’t playing darts, neither is chucking knives at trees. Every human throw leading up to the creation of darts was simply the creative process, but the game of darts itself is the final masterpiece!

Though it will undoubtedly stand the test of time, darts will not look the same forever. Modern boards offer magnetic darts and electronic boards to prevent the potential collateral damage darts entail. Perhaps in the future, game designers will advance the game of darts through virtual reality or haptic feedback gloves so people can walk right in front of the game without fear. But wherever space is limited and people want to be entertained, darts will follow. Even if the next century’s version of darts is unrecognizable in everything but the dartboard (which could be a hologram or a projection at that point), the spread of darts through future bars and basements is as certain as its initial proliferation through English pubs.

Admittedly, even the most patient parents might want to put a stop to the next generation of dart throwers when they inevitably find the small holes in the basement wall made by errant darts from their kids’ attempts to improve their accuracy. However, they can rest assured that millions of years of evolution have led up to us all throwing those darts at that dartboard. With that kind of history on our side, we should all be able to hit that bullseye consistently before too long… right?   

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University of Chicago 2021-22 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

University of Chicago 2021-22 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 that 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)

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..

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, what if the moon were made of cheese or neptune made of soap pick a celestial object, reimagine its material composition, and explore the implications. feel free to explore the realms of physics, philosophy, fantasy…the sky is the limit.

—Inspired by Tate Flicker, Class of 2025

Your answer to this prompt should ultimately speak to your passions. Maybe Jupiter is made up entirely of salt water because you can’t think of anything cooler than alien sharks (and you’re an aspiring marine biologist). Perhaps Saturn is made up of string because you recently discovered a love for knitting and you would take full advantage of this bountiful new resource. If Pluto is made up of trampolines, would you take your love of gymnastics to new heights? (We’re too punny!)

Whatever the celestial object is made of, it has to link to some kind of story or revelation about yourself. You need to know what you’re choosing, why you’re choosing it, and how it relates to something about you that admissions doesn’t yet know.

Essay Option 2

What’s so easy about pie.

—Inspired by Arjun Kalia, Class of 2025

You could take this prompt as face value and literally write about pie. Maybe you’re a novice baker or pie serves as the centerpiece of all of your family reunions. Does pie smooth out  social interactions with your relatives? (Who can question you about your career path and life goals when they have a mouthful of delicious pumpkin pie in their mouth?!) 

On the other hand, maybe this prompt isn’t about pie at all. Or, if it is, perhaps you don’t think there’s anything easy about pie. This prompt can be interpreted in a hundred different ways. The extent to which you can push this open-ended question is virtually limitless. Admissions is looking to see how you think, process, and approach. So, flex your imaginative muscles and take the metaphor off a cliff (in a good way). In the end, if this prompt doesn’t speak to you, don’t worry, there are plenty of others to choose from!

Essay Option 3

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

This question can be reflective of so many aspects of your life. It can refer to a subject that you enjoy studying, a place that is important to you, or a hobby you’ve invested a lot of time into. This prompt is meant for fun, so don’t hesitate to tap into your comedian side or engage in wordplay. Are the hours between dinner and twilight the “construction-zone,” as you try makeup tutorials in your free time? (Repurposed phrases are encouraged!) If this prompt appeals to you, your answer will become abundantly clear. What do you want admissions to know about you? You can make almost any topic work for this prompt, so long as you have the proper segue.

We here at CEA have a different definition of a New York Minute, which is the time it takes a New Yorker to mute the monitor in the backseat after getting into a cab. If we were responding to this prompt, we might explore what it’s like to grow up in a city filled with distractions or what it’s like to be part of a super fast-paced environment. 

The new unit of measurement you invent could be the octave your mom manages to reach when breaking into one of her hyena laughs (her “wild-note”), or the force in which your dog is able to wag his tail and knock over literally everything (the “demolition-wag”). Let your mind wander and see what comes up for you!

Essay Option 4

“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

This prompt is for all the creatives out there. Like the rest of the University of Chicago’s prompts, it doesn’t really matter which side you take, so long as you’re using the prompt to write about something that is important to you. Maybe you want to write about recent social justice movements like Black Lives Matter or #MeToo . Are they introducing new ideas? Not necessarily. Does that mean they’re not important for us to engage with and pay attention to? Absolutely not. 

You can also argue that everything is new. Sure, every piece of music is composed of the same notes, but those notes can be arranged in an infinite number of ways, evoking joy with that classic G-major and melancholy with those minor keys. You could argue that, every time you play a song, it’s for the first time because it will never be played exactly the same way twice. Or you could argue that ideas are reflective of the times in which they are introduced, and thus, they’re always brand new because they’re explored through the lens of a new chapter in history. If this prompt calls to you, follow the sound, and we’re sure you’ll come up with something great (and maybe even new)!

Essay Option 5

It’s said that history repeats itself. but what about other disciplines choose another field (chemistry, philosophy, etc.) and explain how it repeats itself. explain how it repeats itself..

—Inspired by Ori Brian, AB’19

This prompt serves you with a fun, creative way to nerd out about an intellectual interest of yours. However, what you choose to focus on doesn’t have to be something related to your major or long-term goals; it can just show admissions that you’re multifaceted and think about things creatively.

Maybe you’re a music-lover and want to write about how lyrics or choruses repeat themselves. Or, perhaps, you’re an avid reader and you’ve read or seen the plot of Pride and Prejudice at least seven times (each time with a different title and new characters, despite being the same storyline). Maybe you’re a science geek and want to talk about asexual bacteria and how it replicates/repeats itself all the time. So long as you’re having fun while responding to this prompt, you’re doing it right!

Essay Option 6

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.

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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Should U Chicago's admissions dean have sent this essay around or am I too strict?

<h2>I think the “Essay” is too provocative…and they should have kept it in the “Admission” Office. I’m not against the selection of the student, but I dislike the decision of the Dean of sending this kind of “Essay” to prospective students…kind of romantic (?), a private love story…? What do you think? </h2>

<p>“Dear” [student’s name],</p>

<p>"I am sending you the following essay by one of your classmates with the hope that it lightens your mood, reduces any end-of-the-year stress and inspires your creative juices in completing your applications. Enjoy the essay and the holidays! </p>

<p>"Dear University of Chicago, </p>

<p>It fills me up with that gooey sap you feel late at night when I think about things that are really special to me about you. Sometimes I just hunger for more, but I keep that a secret. The mail you send is such a tease; I like to imagine additional words on the page. Words like “you’re accepted” or “you’re awesome!” or “don’t worry, she still loves you!” but I know they’re all lies. You never called after that one time, I visited you thrice, but you never come around anymore. Tell me, was I just one in a line of many? Was I just another supple “applicant” to you, looking for a place to live, looking for someone to teach me the ways of the world? The closeness between us was beautiful, it couldn’t have been just me that felt it, I know you felt it too. The intimacy was akin to that of scholar and original text, your depth as a person is astounding! To be honest, I must confess I had already dreamt of a rosy future together, one filled with late nights and long discussions over the Gothic era and the ethical stage of Kierkegaard, we would watch the sunset together and spend every Christmas snuggled in blankets. Eventually we would get older, I would become a well-educated corporate lawyer and you would enrich yourself within the domain of human knowledge. Your cup overfloweth with academic genius, pour a little on me. You’re legendary for it, they all told me it would never work out between us, but I had hope. I had so much hope; I replied to your adorable letters and put up with your puns. I knew going into it that you would be an expensive one to keep around, I accounted for all that; I understand someone of your caliber and taste. </p>

<p>And now you inquire as to my wishes? They’re simple, accept me for who I am! Why can’t you just love and not ask why? Not ask about my assets or my past? I’m living in the now, I’m waiting for you to catch up, but you’re too caught up in my past, I offer us a future together, not a past to dwell upon. Whenever I’m around you, I just get that tingle deep inside me that tells me you’re the one; you have that air of brilliance and ingenuity that I crave in a person, you’re so mature and sophisticated, originality is really your strongest and most admirable trait. I wish we could be together, I still think in my heart of hearts we were meant to be, but you have to meet me halfway, dear. I’m on one knee here with tears welling up in my eyes, the fireworks are timed and ready to light up the night sky for you, just say ‘I accept…you.’ </p>

<p>Always, </p>

<p>Rohan" </p>

<p>P.S. Rohan was admitted to UChicago last week and will be joining us in the fall. I can’t wait to meet him. </p>

<p>P.P.S. This was in response to the question: How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community and future? DO NOT see this as a blueprint, but one of many types of essays we get. Be yourself! </p>

<p>Best regards, James N…Vice President Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid"</p>

<p>I think it’s a pretty clever essay. I’m not sure I see why you object to it.</p>

<p>I don’t either. I think it was clever and well done, though what do I know, I’m not U of C material. I don’t see it as provocative or inappropriate, at all. What did you object to?</p>

<p>I’m sure they got Rohan’s permission. I think the letter is funny. My son’s essay “Why Chicago” essay clearly wasn’t the quirkiest one out there this year.</p>

<p>I have mix feelings: I like to read the “essay,” however, I feel the content is something you will say to an intimate person and not share it with anyone else. Maybe that’s the reason I feel uncomfortable…like it should have kept private. I agree a clever essay…I cannot explain why I feel awkward.</p>

<p>I too think it’s clever and funny. I can see why the student was admitted.</p>

<p>Greenery, The purpose of UChicago’s sharing this essay is to show the extent other applicants write their essays. It’s really to get you to think “outside the box”. For all I know, this letter was actually written by a marketing committee and not really by an applicant. It’s really not at all designed to make someone feel uncomfortable when they read it; it’s designed to inspire you to write something unique. They chose this essay to illustrate what that looks like. Remember, they had thousands from which to choose. This one fit their criteria: send something a bit bizarre, unexpected, light-hearted, and somewhat generic.</p>

<p>So, no. You’re not too ‘strict’. But, you’re not reading it from their point of view, or using their criteria.</p>

<p>Clever–reminds me of a poem my daughter wrote that sounded very provocative, and at the end you learned she was talking a washing machine. It was priceless watching her father read it for the first time.</p>

<p>As spoof on a love letter, it is meant to be tongue-in-cheek and humorous. There is really nothing in that letter that most people would consider inappropriate (sappy, maybe!). If the language bothers you because it sounds too much like a real intimate love letter, then I’d characterize that as extremely conservative by today’s standards, though (kind of like an 8:00 pm curfew for a HS senior ;)). I suspect there are cultural background differences here.</p>

<p>greenery, you are "reading “too much” and “too little” into this wonderful essay! I agree with roshke, it is a wonderful spoof on what at first glance may appear to be a “love letter”, but it is wonderfully twisted into an original, “quirky” “why Chicago” admissions essay!</p>

<p>There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the essay.</p>

<p>There is something wrong with the dean sending this around, namely that now my Why Chicago looks roughly 63% less original. yippee</p>

<p>I love it! I’m glad that kid got in. :-)</p>

<p>Ditto, Roshke. </p>

<p>Securing the muffler to her Xterra in the event she knocked it loose in a snow-drift.</p>

<p>And she closed with (and I remember this one because it was so bizarre) un-winding it to its full length so she could reach across from her bed and poke her sleeping roomie “while denying all knowledge of the poke and the poking device”. Bet she was the only one who wrote THAT. ;)</p>

<p>I laughed! It was cute.</p>

<p>It’s a spoof letter, and it’s very witty.</p>

<p>very witty! :)</p>

<p>I think it was a little intimidating to send this around a week before the application deadline, but it’s awfully good.</p>

<p>I would like to sticky it and have it handy to trot out whenever people here are complaining about some student with inferior “stats” and “ECs” getting accepted at a college in lieu of his betters. This essay comes close to an automatic acceptance, regardless of what the rest of the application looks like, as long as it is consistent with the applicant actually having written this. (And the internal hints are that there were plenty of flaws in the rest of the application.) When we look at a resume and list of stats, we are looking at only a portion of the information available to admissions staff. And something like this is far more impressive (and probably more rare) than 4.0 GPAs or 2400 SATs.</p>

<p>Couldn’t agree with JHS more. When visiting on admitted students day I actually asked the admissions dean why S1 (whose GPA was not stellar) was admitted. His response to me was, “His essays.” Someone from the College later asked for permission to reprint one of them, though I don’t know if they ever did. In my calculation, the essay had to be worth about .40 GPA points.</p>

<p>Greenery – If you are living in a culture in which relationships between men and woman are more formal than they are in mainstream America, I can see where an older man sending a young girl an essay spoofing a love letter which mentions snuggling together under blankets or alludes to a tingling feeling deep within could seem inappropriate or disrespectful. Know that in the context of the culture of most American universities, the letter is really not over the line and the two phrases I mentioned are not interpreted by most readers (see all the postings above) as sexual innuendo. The essay just reads as a funny letter that expresses how much the writer wants to attend the U of C in a very clever way.</p>

<p>Is this a good why this college essay? From what I understand I would have thought this was well-written, but not really informative. It could apply to any college, not necesarily UChicago (just swap in a different name–still works).</p>

<p>I wrote one of these why essays and worked really hard to research and give specific reasons for why I wanted to attend X college…I can just do this? Aha.</p>

<p>I would think they should have omitted the writer’s name…now on campus when he meets people they’ll always ask, “Are you the Rohan who wrote that essay?”</p>

<p>But it’s a clever essay!</p>

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How to Write the University of Chicago Application Essays 2017-2018

The University of Chicago, located in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, is a private research institution that ranks  #3 in U.S. News and World Report’s Best National Universities .

If you’re working on your University of Chicago application, you know getting into UChicago is no simple task — the class of 2020 had an acceptance rate of 7.9%. The writing supplements can be a challenge to tackle because of their open-ended and creative nature. This post will help guide you through all of the University of Chicago’s essay prompts.

Read on to understand how to tackle Chicago’s unique application essay prompts for 2017-2018.

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.

University of Chicago Application Essay Prompts

Required 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..

Like many other schools, UChicago asks applicants to answer what is essentially a question asking, “Why do you specifically want to attend this school?” This is a common prompt at many top schools, and it is what we like to call an “essay of elimination.” By itself, the “Why School X?” essay rarely gets a candidate into a school, as it is really difficult to write an answer to this question that is truly unique and meaningful.

Instead, schools like UChicago use this application to separate the candidates who are truly passionate about attending the school (it has too many strong applicants for a limited number of spots in the incoming freshman class). That’s why a poorly written or mediocre “Why UChicago?” essay can keep you out, even if a great one cannot get you in.

And the only way to actually mess up this question, beyond obvious errors, like making grammar mistakes or saying something offensive, is if you don’t write an essay that is specifically about the University of Chicago.

Generic statements like “I’m excited to spend the next four years in Chicago,” “UChicago students have a tight knit community,” or “the campus is beautiful” — that apply to dozens of colleges around the country — should be avoided. The university wants to know that you want to specifically attend it, not just that you want to attend any Top 15 university in the United States. Specificity is key .

Unique Things About UChicago

To help you as you write your Why UChicago essay, we have included a few special and unique things about the University of Chicago, according to CollegeVine team members from the school. This is by no means a fully comprehensive or complete list, and it would behoove you to do your own research as well, as ideally, you will find specific reasons for attending UChicago that align with your own admissions profile. We would also warn that unless you plan on reading through 15 years worth of Scav lists, merely name-dropping Scav will likely diminish the specificity and strength of your essay.

Note: As this question is asked every year by UChicago, these notes borrow heavily from the lists we presented in our blog posts for the essays for the classes of 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Extended Essay Questions: Choose One

Essay option 1, ‘the aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.’ – joseph joubert, sometimes, people talk a lot about popular subjects to assure ‘victory’ in conversation or understanding, and leave behind topics of less popularity, but great personal or intellectual importance. what do you think is important but under-discussed, – anonymous suggestion.

The key words in this prompt are “victory” and “progress,” which indicate that the prompt is set up nicely for you to draw a contrast between the topic that you think is important but under-discussed and other topics.

One natural axis with which to approach this essay is policy or politics . It is pretty easy to draw a contrast between issues that are politically contentious, like abortion or free speech, and issues that are highly impactful but less debated, like malaria in Africa or the opioid crisis in the United States. If you go down this path, it’s important to note that questions like abortion and free speech are certainly important.

Instead of just arguing that they are not important, you can draw upon the prompt in saying that discussion of those issues is usually conducted in such a manner that no progress is made. Instead, it’s usually about trying to yell at the other side.

As long as you make this clarification, you can then turn to the real or underlying issue and explore it further, laying out why you think it’s important. This essay archetype can be made more effective if it is interwoven with a strong personal narrative that ties you to the important and under-discussed issue (for example, perhaps you have cousins that have gotten addicted to opioids). But it is still possible to write an excellent essay in this vein even if you don’t have a personal connection to the essay.

Another angle to take with this essay is to focus on a highly specialized or niche area within a topic or field of interest and write a deep-dive essay that shows off your passion for a subject. This can obviously be something like a deep academic treatise on an overlooked aspect of Russian history between 1640-1700, but it doesn’t have to be about a purely academic topic.

For example, if you’re an avid soccer player and fan, you can write an essay about why the 3-5-2 formation is under-discussed and under-utilized, despite allowing several underdog teams to pull upsets in international tournaments. The important thing isn’t that the idea is particularly academic or erudite, but rather that you know the topic extremely well and can display your love for it through the essay.

Essay Option 2

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: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/academics/majors-minors., – inspired by josh kaufman, class of 2018.

This prompt certainly lends itself to an essay with a more humorous tone, and it is quite easy to slip into a joking treatment of “Bromance Languages” or “Ant History.” There are certainly interesting essays that can be written in this vein, but we would caution that it is really difficult to pull off a humorous tone in a written format because so much of humor is contextual and specific to the tastes of the audience.

You can still write an essay that attempts to leverage humor with this prompt, but you should keep your audience in mind. Admissions counselors at top universities tend to be younger, highly educated, and politically progressive. So it’s probably not the best idea to slip that “edgy” (i.e., racist) joke that you found on Reddit into this essay. And regarding tone, you should be going for something closer to Mel Brooks or Woody Allen than to Adam Sandler.

However, you don’t have to tackle this prompt with a humorous lens. Instead, you can use it as an opportunity to show off your intellectual chops and flexibility, or highlight multiple academic themes on your profile.

For example, let’s say that you’re interested in both linguistics and gender and sexuality studies. Instead of cracking the all-too-easy jokes about Bromance Languages, you could reframe your exploration of the topic by using it as a launchpad to discuss the concept of toxic masculinity and how that prevents effective communication in male friendships by creating a taboo around discussing one’s feelings openly.

This essay is going to work best if you find a pun or fusion that aligns closely with your profile. To share just one more example, let’s say that you renamed “Social Sciences” to “SoCal Sciences” and are interested in studying urban studies and history. You could frame the renamed major as the study of how the historic presence of industry and the military (the hard “sciences”) in Los Angeles shaped the urban geography of the city and made it harder for the city to densify its neighborhoods once those industries left.

Again this is just one of numerous possible examples with the dozens of majors on that list. You should think carefully about your own.

Essay Option 3

Earth. fire. wind. water. heart captain planet supposes that the world is made up of these five elements. we’re familiar with the previously-noted set and with actual elements like hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, but select and explain another small group of things (say, under five) that you believe compose our world., – inspired by dani plung, class of 2017.

This prompt is the first to really lend itself to a highly personal narrative, as you can use it as a vehicle to comment on the broader psychology or organizational patterns of the society around you while weaving in your personal experience. As an example, if you struggled with self-esteem and communicating with peers when you were younger, you might argue that your place in the world is driven by the combination of confidence, intellect, and the ability to communicate or connect with other people.

If you mixed your analysis of these topics with intensely personal and negative memories of times that you struggled in each area, it could be the foundation for an incredibly powerful essay.

Conversely, you can easily lay out a more positive case and tell your story that way. For example, you could propose that the world is composed of altruism, Smithian self-interest, and random chance. Using this as your foundation, you could argue that every event in your life falls into one of these categories, and share anecdotes of how your life displays each of those traits.

Once again (as with most UChicago essay prompts), there is also a more academic angle that you can take, perhaps illustrating your knowledge of sociology, economics, or neo-Marxist analysis. The key with this type of approach is to ensure that you are displaying both your intense passion for the field and your in-depth knowledge of it. UChicago is the rare school that will accept your display of an academic or quirky passion in a college essay, but you cannot fake it — your essay needs to display the deep love and passion you have for the subject or field.

Essay Option 4

The late new york times photographer bill cunningham once said, ‘fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life. i don’t think you could do away with it. it would be like doing away with civilization.’ tell us about your ‘armor.’, – inspired by adam berger, class of 2020.

This is probably the prompt that lends itself most to a personal narrative or story, for obvious reasons. One tactic that you can take is to describe a personality trait or common behavior of yours as your armor — for example, confidence or sarcasm — and interweave that with anecdotes that prove the point. In general if you take this approach, you want to try and choose less common or clichéd personality traits.

Sarcasm is about the most conventional answer that you can give that still makes for a compelling essay, anything more narrow than that (like confidence) will likely come off as clichéd. A slightly more innovative approach in this style is to use it to show that you’re willing to engage with your flaws a little bit, especially if you are a strong applicant on paper. Obviously you don’t want to go overboard, but (as an example) describing a nervous tic where you rub your pen during a test to help calm yourself down could serve as an essay that humanizes you and takes a more innovative approach to the prompt.

Another angle to take with this prompt is to use it to explore an extracurricular activity or passion that you display in your profile. For a specific activity or passion, you could then talk about a fundamental skill or “go-to move” that you fall back on when things aren’t going smoothly in this activity, which thus makes it a form of “armor” that you use to avoid failure in the activity.

The sports examples are easy to think of: For example, perhaps your go-to move in basketball is a fadeaway jump shot. But the concept can also be applied in a non-sports context. If you are a Lincoln-Douglas debater, then maybe there is a rhetorical trick or technique that you always fall back on when you’re in a tough debate. Or if you conduct a lot of physics research, perhaps you always fall back on your understanding of data when you see results that you can’t replicate or that are confusing. Regardless of the arena, the point is to highlight a foundational skill that you use in the activity to reiterate your passion and dedication to the activity.

One final approach is to engage literally with the question and talk about your favorite piece of fashion or clothing. Perhaps you have a favorite shirt or there’s a pair of shoes that has a special place in your heart. But if you do write about an actual piece of clothing, you shouldn’t just skim the surface level, i.e., “I like this shirt because I look good in it, and it makes me feel good.”

Instead, you should use it as a jumping-off point to reflect on who you are as a person and share that with the admissions counselor. For example, you might write an essay about your favorite pair of sweatpants because you always do your best work in those sweatpants (and cannot do your best work unless you are comfortable and warm). You might also extend the essay to talk about why you sometimes feel the need for solitude (which the sweatpants implicitly represent) amidst the social strain of being in high school.

Essay Option 5

Fans of the movie sharknado say that they enjoy it because ‘it’s so bad, it’s good.’ certain automobile owners prefer classic cars because they ‘have more character.’ and recently, vinyl record sales have skyrocketed because it is perceived that they have a warmer, fuller sound. discuss something that you love not in spite of but rather due to its quirks or imperfections., – inspired by alex serbanescu, class of 2021.

This is a prompt that is naturally set up for you to share something that’s quirky or offbeat about yourself. One angle to take is to focus on some sort of hobby or pastime that you enjoy that isn’t particularly mainstream.

For example, if you collect antique furniture from the 1940s or really love riding in older Amtrak trains for the authenticity of the experience, then this is a prompt that lines up really nicely to explore that. If you can tie the various quirks of the hobby or pastime to your own personal journey, then that takes the essay to the next level. For example, if you first experienced an Amtrak train with your grandfather and heard his stories, that could create a highly personal and compelling narrative.

Another approach with this essay is to write about some sort of “guilty pleasure” that you have, say if you like bad movies like the Transformers series or cheesy pop music. If you are then able to use your guilty pleasure as a vehicle to explore society at large and your place within it, then that can create a truly innovative and interesting essay.

For example, if you’re a male in more traditional settings whose guilty pleasure is watching romantic comedies, you could then explore the fact that this is considered an “unmanly” pastime and how you feel about that fact in a reflective and incisive essay. This is possible with any number of “guilty pleasures,” but you do want to be careful about how your assessment will be viewed by the reader.

For example, it’s perfectly fine to write an essay that says that you love the Transformers movie series despite its uneven gender politics if you are a woman. But the same essay written by a man might come off as tone deaf given who admissions counselors are.

Essay Option 6

In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, pose your own question or choose one of our past prompts. 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..

This is a prompt that appears every year. This essay really poses the highest risk but also the highest potential reward. Writing your own question allows you to write an innovative essay that either tackles a difficult or controversial topic (for example, our founder Vinay Bhaskara’s essay tackled why mainstream Hollywood films are more valuable than seemingly more intellectual independent films), or presents the information with a unique format (such as a conversation with a dead historical figure).

Using a prompt from past years also allows you to write an essay that is thematically and tonally different from many other applicants (as they will mostly be writing about the first five prompts offered above).

Generally speaking, your best payoff to this essay comes if you want to try something unconventional, such as writing an essay that describes the four years of high school as Hell, Purgatory, Paradise, and Heaven, and is written in the style of the divine comedy.

There are a variety of possibilities here ranging from the idiotic (you probably don’t want to write your own variation on the alt-right’s platform referring to events in your high school life) to the (relatively) overdone — they’ve probably seen several essays that have been written in iambic pentameter as an ode to Chaucer.

And we’ll reiterate the note above: This type of essay has the highest variance in terms of outcome. If done well, an unconventional essay can captivate the right admissions counselor in a way that no conventional essay can. Conversely, if the essay is executed poorly or even if it isn’t, your essay may go over the admissions counselor’s head or bore them. So this is only a strategy that you should try if you are confident in your abilities and have at least a couple of sources of high-quality feedback.

This is also an optimal prompt for truly diving into an academic passion, particularly if it is of an advanced level or unique tenor. For example, if you know a lot about Soviet cars produced between 1957 and 1983, then writing a custom prompt that allows you to explore that passion may be easier than trying to bend that topic to match one of the prompts provided.

As with any academically oriented essay, you do want to make sure that any jargon you use is made clear, either via explicit explanation or context clues. You shouldn’t shy away from jargon — it’s one of the things that helps position you as an expert on the subject of your essay. But you don’t want to render the essay unintelligible to your reader.

One broader note on writing your own prompt — it doesn’t have to be as complex or convoluted as the other UChicago prompts, and you mainly just want to find a prompt that matches the essay that you want to write, even if it is straightforward.

We wish you the best of luck writing your UChicago essay!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Academics and standardized testing, what is your minimum gpa or required sat or act score.

There is no minimum GPA or required test score. At UChicago, the admissions committee considers a candidate’s entire application—academic and extracurricular records, essays, letters of recommendation, and optional testing according to our no harm policy—and there’s no one piece of information that alone determines whether you would be a good fit for the College. You can learn more about this contextual review process here . 

What if my school does not report class rank or GPA?

If your school does not report class rank or have grade point averages, please leave that information blank. UChicago understands that many schools do not report class rank or compute averages as a matter of policy and not having these will not negatively impact your application. Please do not estimate or guess.

What does no harm testing mean?

Submitting an SAT or ACT is optional and not required for admission. In addition to being test-optional, UChicago practices a “No Harm” policy for application review when considering SAT or ACT scores. Any SAT or ACT score submitted will only be used in review if it will positively affect an applicant’s chance of admission. Test scores that may negatively impact an admission decision will not be considered in review. All applicants including domestic students, international students, and transfer students will be reviewed under this policy.

I was unable to take the SAT or ACT due to a test date cancellation. Can I still apply to UChicago?

Absolutely! UChicago is test-optional alongside the no harm test policy, which means that students are not required to share results of the SAT or ACT if you have been unable to test or prefer not to share your scores. This policy is open to all applicants. Further information about UChicago’s testing policy can be found here .

I've taken the SAT or ACT more than once. Should I send all my test scores?

If you have chosen to submit SAT or ACT test scores, UChicago recommends that you send all of your scores and welcomes you to self-report these scores. When multiple scores are submitted, UChicago will superscore both the SAT and ACT, meaning that if you take either test multiple times, your highest individual sub-scores will be combined to give you the highest overall score possible. Please note that UChicago requires an official score report if you are admitted and choose to enroll.

Is there a score cut off at which I should opt out of submitting my ACT or SAT?

UChicago’s no harm testing policy means that students do not need to worry about score cut-offs or other nuanced details of testing considerations. Your test score will only be considered if it benefits your application; that benefit will be based in part on your individual context and other details of your academic preparation. You do not need to worry about anticipating these details and can send in test scores with the confidence that they will not harm your application.

If I had SAT or ACT scores sent before applying, can my application be reviewed without considering these scores?

Yes. If you previously had SAT or ACT scores sent before applying, you can indicate in your application that you wish to have your application considered without SAT or ACT scores.

If UChicago practices a no harm testing policy, in what situation would I ever apply as a test-optional applicant?

Sending your standardized test score to UChicago is a personal choice. While all students are encouraged to submit testing if they have scores to share, you are welcome to apply without testing if it feels like the best course of action for you. The test-optional policy also allows students to apply to UChicago if they are unable to take the SAT or ACT.

Does UChicago not see a value in standardized testing?

Your transcript shows your academic record in the context of your school, but since each school can be very different from another, testing can be useful to see evidence of academic achievement that exists outside of that context.

Will you consider the new digital SAT differently than past SATs?

UChicago does not consider the digital SAT any differently than past versions of the SAT. Like any testing, your scores on the digital SAT will be considered in the context of your many other application materials and according to our no harm testing policy. UChicago will superscore across both variations of the exam.

Can I self-report my test scores or my transcript?

All applicants who choose to submit SAT or ACT scores may share either official or self-reported scores. These students will not be required to submit official score reports unless they are admitted and choose to enroll. Students can self-report test scores through the Questbridge, Coalition or Common Application, through their UChicago Account, or may share a transcript that includes test scores.

All applicants may also self-submit high school transcripts and will be required to submit an official transcript only if they are admitted and choose to enroll.

Do you grant credit for AP and IB scores? For college-level classes taken in high school?

Yes! UChicago accepts scores of 5 on most Advanced Placement (AP) exams and of 7 on certain International Baccalaureate (IB) higher level (HL) examinations for credit; other scores may be accepted in particular subjects. Learn more about accelerated course credit here .

While UChicago is unable to grant transfer credit to first-year students for college-level coursework taken prior to matriculation (including dual enrollment and early college programs), these courses can give students strong experience with rigorous work that prepares you well for the UChicago experience. UChicago also offers placement and accreditation tests to entering students in select subjects to ensure that students can start courses at a level that best suits their prior experience.

Essays, Recommendations, and Supplemental Materials

What types of supplemental materials can i submit.

The most effective supplements share a representative sample of work that is important to the applicant. One to two minutes of a recorded work, two or three high-quality prints of a work of art, the best paragraph or page of a creatively written work, or an abstract of original research are some types of supplemental materials you can consider adding to your application. None of these are required, and choosing not to send any supplemental materials will not disadvantage your application in any way.

What counts as an academic achievement of note in considering what to include in my application?

UChicago reviews every application within the context of a student’s school, environment, and opportunities. If you feel there is something that best highlights your skills, talents, and potential contributions to UChicago—and you have not already included it in your application—please feel free to share it!

Does UChicago require a counselor letter of recommendation?

While UChicago does not officially require a letter of recommendation from your counselor, many school counselors will still choose to submit one on your behalf. If they do, that letter will be considered as a part of the application review.

Can I submit supplemental letters of recommendation?

You may submit one additional letter of recommendation. The writer should know you personally and have worked closely with you in some capacity; this could include a coach, religious leader, group adviser, or employer, to name a few. Please only send an additional letter of recommendation if you feel it represents a unique perspective not shared elsewhere in your application.

Is there a word limit or suggested word limit for the supplemental essays?

Please note any word limits for Coalition or Common Application essays; however, there are no strict word limits on the UChicago supplemental essays. In general 500-700 words for the extended essay and 300-600 words for the “Why UChicago?” essay are good benchmarks, but these are rough guidelines and by no means requirements. The ideas in your writing matter more than the exact number of words you use!

How do I make sure that UChicago has received all of my required application documents?

A little while after the application deadline has passed, you will be able to check to see which application materials have been received and processed by logging in to your UChicago Account . Given the large volume of material submitted every year, there will be a reasonable amount of processing time between when you submit your documents and when they will appear in your account. If anything is missing, you will have ample time to submit or resubmit it without any penalty to your application.

Can I participate in an interview as part of my application?

If you would like to add your voice to your application, you have the option to submit a highly recommended two-minute video profile. Your recording does not need to be extensively rehearsed or polished, and the video does not need to be edited. UChicago does not offer on-campus or alumni interviews as part of the application process, but will accept Glimpse or InitialView interviews in lieu of the UChicago video profile.

Is the video profile required?

The video profile is not required but is highly recommended. A video profile is one more way for us to get to know you and hear your voice (literally!), but it is up to you whether to include one. Students who choose not to submit a video profile will not be penalized in any way. Applicants can upload their video to their UChicago Account under “Portfolio” with the title “Optional Video Profile.” You may upload your video to your UChicago Account at any time, but it is recommended to do so by November 6 th for Early Action and Early Decision I or January 10 th for Regular Decision and Early Decision II.

Does my video need to be produced/edited/scripted?

The option of submitting a video gives students who wish to do so a different medium for developing their voice and ideas. In reviewing these highly recommended video profiles, the focus will be on the content of the video rather than on production quality. Students who submit a video are encouraged to film in a quiet space that limits outside distractions (background noise, music, pet or sibling interference, etc.). While it’s okay to rehearse your message a bit so that you feel confident and ready, it’s helpful to hear these spoken in your normal, conversational voice. Memorizing a script or reading from prepared notes is not necessary and might detract from a sense of your genuine voice.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Do you offer financial aid.

Yes! UChicago meets the full demonstrated financial need of every admitted student through a need-based financial aid package that does not include a loan expectation. Each financial aid package is tailored to the student and family’s particular financial profile.

UChicago requires a few forms and documents in order to offer students an appropriate package. Although US citizens and permanent residents may apply for financial aid at any time, we recommend that they apply for aid at the same time as their application for admission in order to receive an aid decision in a timely manner. Applicants who are not US citizens or permanent residents must apply for financial aid during the application process.

UChicago does not charge an application fee to students who indicate that they intend to apply for financial aid. Learn more about applying for UChicago’s financial aid .

Do you offer merit awards or special scholarships?

Exemplary students are selected to receive University merit scholarships on the basis of outstanding academic achievement, extracurricular achievement, demonstrated leadership, and commitment to their communities. Merit awards are determined by committee on the basis of the application for admission without consideration of financial need.

Merit scholarships can be awarded for four years of undergraduate study or as funding for summer opportunities. UChicago also offers scholarships for first-generation college students, the children of police and firefighters, and the children of Chicago Public Schools educators. Each student admitted to the College will be automatically considered for merit scholarships; applicants do not need to fill out an additional application, with the exception of the Police and Fire Scholarship .

Special Circumstances

I had bad grades or a special circumstance that affected my performance in high school. does this mean i won’t get in.

No one’s record is perfect, and UChicago understands that sometimes students’ transcripts have grades that are not indicative of their academic capabilities when they apply to college. If you have made significant strides in your academic performance, or outside circumstances have caused bumps along the way, please make sure that comes across in your application. The Additional Information portion of the application is a great place to discuss this. UChicago truly embraces a contextual approach to reading applications, and this approach means seeing applicants as multi-faceted individuals rather than one-dimensional students.

I am taking the November SAT or October ACT as an Early Action or Early Decision I applicant, or the January SAT or February ACT as a Regular Decision or Early Decision II applicant. Will you consider these scores?

Yes! UChicago accepts October ACT and November SAT scores for Early Action and Early Decision I, December SAT and ACT scores for Early Decision II, and January SAT and February ACT scores for Regular Decision.

I am interested in participating in a varsity sport. How can I contact a coach?

Contact information for UChicago’s varsity coaches, as well as a survey for students interested in participating in varsity athletics, can be found here .

Does the University of Chicago grant second bachelor’s degrees?

UChicago does not offer second bachelor’s degrees. Please visit the website of the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies for information on post-baccalaureate coursework and non-degree-program coursework.

Can I apply to UChicago for entry in the Winter or Spring Quarters?

Entering students may only begin study at UChicago in the Autumn Quarter.

My school experience was disrupted or changed significantly during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Will this negatively impact my application to UChicago?

UChicago understands that schools around the world made the difficult choice to close or engage in remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many students may have experienced different grading systems or an inability to engage in school in their typical way in the Spring of 2020. UChicago always reviews applicants in the context of their school’s environment and grading practices and will continue to give full consideration to all applicants regardless of the method of grading or assessment your school selected. UChicago is also aware that many students experienced a disruption to their typical level of involvement in extracurricular activities. Rest assured that these circumstances that were outside of your control will not negatively impact your application to UChicago.

I am not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, but have been living in the United States for some time or am in the process of obtaining a green card but have not yet received one. Am I considered an international student?

In UChicago’s contextual review, every student is reviewed specifically within the high school they attend, regardless of citizenship. The only time citizenship is considered in the application process is when it comes to financial aid. For financial aid purposes, you will be considered an international applicant until you receive permanent residency or U.S. citizenship. For further help and questions as they arise during this process, feel free to contact us at [email protected] .

Visiting Campus

Can i tour campus.

Yes! In-person tours and information sessions are available on most weekdays year-round and on Saturdays from March through November. You can explore the visit calendar here to sign up for a specific date and time. The full campus visit guide is available here .

Can I attend a class while visiting campus?

Faculty-led model classes are a great way to get a feel for UChicago classes! These are offered during our Fall and Spring Open Houses which are listed on our website here .

I’m unable to travel to Chicago. How can I learn more about UChicago without a physical visit to campus?

UChicago offers a variety of virtual opportunities to learn more about the University’s academic, extracurricular, and admissions processes here .

Can I choose to take a gap year after I’ve been admitted to UChicago?

UChicago will consider requests to take a one-year gap year from incoming first-year students before June 15. To be eligible for consideration, interested students should accept their offer of admission and place an enrollment deposit (or have a deposit fee waiver in place). Students must then apply for a gap year through their regional admissions counselor and will receive written confirmation from the Dean of Admissions if approved. Gap year requests should include a plan for a full year of structured programming, work, community involvement, or other exploration that could not be completed while enrolled in school. Students taking gap years will be asked to sign an agreement outlining expectations for conduct during their gap year. Second or two-year gap year requests are rarely approved except under unavoidable or well-defined national policies (typically including obligatory national/military service or other similar commitments).

Transfer Applications

Am i eligible to apply as a transfer student.

If you have already completed at least one term as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree-seeking program at another college or university, you should apply as a transfer student. All other students, including high school students who have taken college-level classes through dual enrollment or early college programs, should apply using the first-year application.

When do transfer students start at UChicago?

All incoming students, including transfer students, will start in the College in the Autumn Quarter.

Can I apply as a student-at-large, and apply as a transfer student later after taking some courses?

If you would like to pursue your undergraduate degree at UChicago, you should apply as a transfer student. Students-at-large will not be eligible for transfer admission.

What classes should I take now that will transfer to UChicago?

To be eligible for transfer credit, courses at minimum must be from an accredited institution that grants bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts subjects similar to those offered in the College at UChicago and you must have received a grade of C or higher (or B or higher in some subjects). However, since many colleges look at transfer credit differently, UChicago encourages students to make curriculum choices based on what they believe is best for their own educational goals. A full description of UChicago’s transfer credit policy can be found here: http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/thecollege/transfercredit/

Can you tell me which of my classes will transfer to UChicago?

In most cases, courses taken at accredited institutions that meet the eligibility requirements described in the College Catalog and are equivalent in content and instruction to courses offered at the University of Chicago are likely candidates for transfer credit. As a prospective transfer applicant, you should familiarize yourself with programs of study and their class requirements in the College Catalog as well as our transfer credit policy online: http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/thecollege/transfercredit/transferstudents/

Admitted students will be provided an estimate of transfer credits; in the meantime, the College Catalog is a helpful resource to gain a sense of which of your classes are most likely to transfer credit and should give you a good sense of what your future path at UChicago might look like.

Is housing required for transfer students?

Yes, transfer students are required to live in college housing for their first academic year at UChicago and will complete the housing application alongside incoming first years in early summer.

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As part of the transfer credit evaluation process, you will be allotted a maximum number of quarters to complete your degree (note: summers do not count in this number). For non-transfer students, this number is 12. For transfer students, this number is discounted, depending upon how many quarters worth of credits are transferring in and how many quarters are needed to complete your degree. (Note: you must complete at least six quarters at UChicago).

What does UChicago offer for adult learners?

The Graham School offers an array of different programs for adult learners who want to access UChicago courses and faculty. You can visit the Graham School’s website and learn more about these opportunities here: https://graham.uchicago.edu/ .

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The Mid-Term Report collects information about courses in which you are currently enrolled in the spring and can be found in the “Forms” section of your UChicago Account. If you do not plan to enroll in any coursework in the spring when you apply, you do not need to fill out a Mid-Term Report. Please wait to submit the Mid-Term Report until after March 1 so that you can include accurate course information and grades. If you do not yet have in-progress grades to share for some or all of your spring courses, you are welcome to write “NA” or “IP” where it asks for a grade in the Mid-Term Report. To ensure it is included in the review of your application, please submit the Mid-Term Report no later than March 22 for Transfer Early Decision, and no later than April 15 for Transfer Rolling Decision.

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Transfer students are required to submit a College/Transfer Report indicating their academic standing at their current or most recently attended college or university. The report should be completed and sent via email or fax to our admissions office by a dean, registrar, or academic adviser who has access to your disciplinary and academic records. If using the Common Application, you can download the College/Transfer Report in the “Supporting Documents” section. If using Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir, you may use the University of Chicago College/Transfer Report .

My school has a policy against completing the College/Transfer Report. What should I do?

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I don’t yet have grades for my current coursework this spring. Should I still include them in the Transfer of Credit form?

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UChicago asks for a written evaluation from an instructor for any coursework that was taken pass/fail. What does this entail? And how should this be submitted?

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Just wondering if anybody here's got a likely letter from UChicago? They're kinda hush-hush about admissions, so I'm dying to know more about these letters. If you've got one, what does it entail and how did your application stand out?

Hey there! I can share some general insights on likely letters, although I don't have specifics about UChicago's process.

Likely letters are early positive signals sent to applicants that the school is seriously considering them for admissions, and in many cases, it’s a strong indicator that you'll be admitted. They tend to go out to the very top candidates whose applications truly stand out due to exceptional accomplishments—think Tier 1 or 2 in the realm of extracurricular involvements, like national awards or significant research achievements.

To catch the eye of an admissions committee at a place like UChicago, an application would typically showcase a student with a strong spike—a deep passion or accomplishment in a particular field—and superb academic credentials. Remember, UChicago is known for valuing intellectual curiosity and fit with their unique culture as well.

Your application essays, for example, would need to be especially thoughtful and reflective of UChicago's values. It's important to note that not getting a likely letter is in no way an indication of rejection; most admitted students don't receive one. They just ensure that the most sought-after students seriously consider that college when making their final decision.

Best of luck, and whether you've received a likely letter or not, keep your head up and stay hopeful until decisions are officially released!

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When she was an undergraduate, Leslie Travis, AB’73, took a series of photographs of Maclean in his element: the classroom. Another photo from this group appears on the cover of Norman Maclean: A Life of Letters and Rivers . (Photography by Leslie Travis, AB’73; Copyright 2024, The Chicago Maroon . All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.)

Before A River Runs Through It made him just plain famous, Norman Maclean, PhD’40, was UChicago famous—and UChicago beloved.

Norman Maclean, PhD’40, was many things: the most decorated teacher of undergraduates in UChicago history; author of the first original work of fiction published by the University of Chicago Press; and a sage to literary-minded anglers the world over.

Until now, however, Maclean was not the subject of a biography. Rebecca McCarthy , AB’77, has changed that with the publication of Norman Maclean: A Life of Letters and Rivers (University of Washington Press). ( Read an interview with McCarthy about how the book came to be. )

It feels overdue for such a figure. At UChicago his three Llewellyn John and Harriet Manchester Quantrell Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching are unmatched. Thirty-four years after his death, his iconic book A River Runs Through It and Other Stories (1976) continues in print, with more than a million copies sold. The title novella’s status as a modern classic was further cemented by Robert Redford’s acclaimed 1992 film adaptation.

McCarthy brought to her task all the usual biographer’s methods, speaking to scores of sources and combing her subject’s papers, down to the notes he kept as secretary of his condo board. But she also wrote from personal experience.

She first met Maclean while visiting her brother in Seeley Lake, Montana, Maclean’s summer retreat. The 16-year-old McCarthy impressed Maclean with her poetic talent, and he took her under his wing, reading her work, offering candid but encouraging critiques, and talking her out of vague plans to attend the University of Montana. The place for her, Maclean counseled, was the University of Chicago. “A strong, powerful woman like yourself, a poet, they would love you,” she remembers him saying.

“What I didn’t know then,” she writes in the book, “was that only the previous year, Norman had been hospitalized a few months for depression.” He had watched his wife, Jessie, suffer a protracted decline from emphysema and esophageal cancer and had lost her in 1968. He was soon to retire from teaching and could not foresee the literary success to come. In retrospect, McCarthy writes, “I think I helped Norman continue to feel healthy because I was an eager young person he could encourage and influence. I was a project.” She did come to the University of Chicago, where the two became friends.

In the chapter reprinted here, McCarthy narrates the beginnings of Maclean’s career at UChicago. Known as an inspiring teacher of undergraduates—inspiring both love and fear—he published no scholarly books and only a few articles. Holding himself to the impossibly high standards set by his exacting father, Maclean spent a career searching for the story that could realize his ambitions. He found it at last, McCarthy shows, in A River Runs Through It. When he finished the novella, “he knew it was fabulous,” she said at a reading in Chicago this May. “He didn’t need anyone to tell him.” —L. D.

When Norman began his career at Chicago , it clearly wasn’t a “publish or perish” world. Teddy Lynn, a beloved teacher in the English department, didn’t even have a PhD. Norman wrote little for a decade, though he did take a lot of photographs, of colleagues, family members, and friends in Chicago. Shooting pictures was a way to delay writing his dissertation, which took ten years to complete. On the day of convocation, when he was to receive his hood, he received a letter from Dudley Meek, a friend and publishing executive with Harcourt, Brace and Company. He promised to treat Norman “with the respect due one who has come up unscathed from the torture chambers of [Ronald S.] Crane and Company.” At an upcoming meeting, Meek told Norman he would “see whether a PhD-vocabulary has replaced your very artistic profanity. If I don’t hear a profane phrase turned with telling effect, I’ll believe that society has lost a true artist.”

In the 1940s, Norman was exhausted by administrative and teaching duties as well as from helping to care for his two small children. Standards and expectations changed after World War II. His teaching load was immense—three classes each quarter, usually Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and nineteenth-century poetry. Although he attended several defenses, Norman never directly supervised a doctoral dissertation, though he did offer advice to many graduate students. In the 1960s and 1970s, doctoral candidates in the English department at Chicago had to pass the 75 Book Exam before continuing on to a PhD. The books were drawn from every genre and period—plays, prose, and poetry, from Aeschylus to Tennyson to Orwell—and any departmental faculty member could drop in during any student’s oral exam and ask any question. It was an incredibly fraught experience for graduate students. Norman was known as a fair, and supportive, attendant who wanted students to succeed, but he still managed to scare the bejesus out of some of them.

PhD candidate Robert Cantwell [AM’67], who later taught at UNC at Chapel Hill, recalled that during his exam in the 1960s, when Norman entered the room, “my aqueous brain was suddenly and swiftly evacuated.” Norman tossed Cantwell a softball question, “To what does Dr. Johnson appeal beyond criticism?” Cantwell said that even though most English undergraduates at Chicago knew the answer by heart, he was so discombobulated by Norman’s presence that he couldn’t recall that “there is always an appeal open from criticism to nature,” much less anything else. “I don’t remember how I got through the exam, which transpired as in a dream, but somehow I passed it.”

Terry Meyers [AM’68, PhD’73], who earned his MA in 1968 and became a professor at William and Mary, said that during his exam, he “ran into problems” with Professor Elder Olson [AB’34, AM’35, PhD’38], “who had a disconcerting way of asking questions and then cutting the responses off if he thought the candidate could answer the question” or if he thought the candidate couldn’t. Thrown off by Olson’s methods, Meyers felt he was “on the ropes” and “about to go down for the count” until Norman intervened, wrestling away the interrogation and then asking questions “that let me formulate what I wanted to say without the pressure of having the rug pulled out from under me each time I started. I’ve always been grateful to him for rescuing me.”

Throughout his long career at Chicago, Norman invested his time and talents primarily in teaching college students. The letters, notes, and recommendations he sent to and for undergraduates are voluminous—literally hundreds of documents. That’s what he was writing, letters for students and letters to friends and colleagues, letters to awards committees, letters to prospective graduate students, letters to employers and more letters. But he wasn’t writing scholarly papers. From the 1950s onward, said [English professor] Gwin Kolb [AM’46, PhD’49], whose area of expertise was the eighteenth century, “there was the feeling among some people that Norman wasn’t a scholar because he never published a scholarly book.” But as his output in the 1950s shows, Norman could “do scholarship,” Kolb told me. “He was very solid.”

Published in 1952, Critics and Criticism, Ancient and Modern , featured chapters by Ronald S. Crane and his neo-Aristotelian acolytes. That group included Norman. His first chapter in Critics and Criticism is “From Action to Image: Theories of the Lyric in the Eighteenth Century.” It’s rigorous while reflecting Norman’s sly humor: “Few of the late-eighteenth-century writers who deluged the printing facilities with lyric stanzas and sonnets left much in the way of critical opinion, and this is unfortunate. Not that great critical systems abounded then which perished for want of a publisher.” A footnote in the essay indicates that Norman’s chapter on the eighteenth-century theories of the lyric is part of a larger project he’s planning that “will follow the long discussion about lyric poetry from the time when it first became audible to the present” and will relate criticism to philosophy and poetry. Unfortunately for scholars who focus on the lyric, Norman never completed this larger study. Did he think he wasn’t up to the task? Or did he simply lose interest? He seems to have been an author in search of the right story.

His second book chapter, “Episode, Scene, Speech, and Word: The Madness of Lear,” reads like a poem itself—in places, it scans. As in his other chapter, Norman is funny as well as insightful. Consider: “We must recognize, however, that a certain number of critics read King Lear in such a way that Gloucester’s lines are taken as a condensation of Gloucester’s and Lear’s and Shakespeare’s ultimate ‘philosophy,’ although this seems to me to be an interpretation of another book, possibly one written by Hardy.” Gloucester famously claims, “As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ gods; / They kill us for their sport.” As Mary Ellis Gibson [AM’75, PhD’79], the Arthur Jeremiah Roberts Professor and Chair of English, Colby College, a scholar of nineteenth-century literature, told me in a 2015 interview, Norman here is skewering existential critics without naming them—he reads the play’s ending as about tragic love, not existential angst. Norman goes on to note, “Scholars are still in search of the exact meaning of certain speeches in each of Shakespeare’s great tragedies—and we should like to assume that those who saw these plays for the first time did not have perfect understanding of all of the lines—but so great was Shakespeare’s power to conceive of action from which thought and feeling can be readily inferred that all of us know Lear, Hamlet, and Macbeth more intimately than we know many men whose remarks we understand perfectly.” To Gibson, Norman here sounds like someone who was tired of faculty meetings and administrative claptrap. He defends mystery—and intimacy.

“I still admire the usefulness and the critical acumen of the essay—after all these years,” Gibson wrote to me. “But I admire the essay’s structure and its poetry even more. Norman makes a strong, if implicit, argument that only a fool would prefer the Folio version of his favorite line, rather than the Quarto version (there are two equally authoritative versions of Lear which differ in important respects, including this line). The single line Norman parses, ‘Hast thou given all to thy two daughters? And art thou come to this?’ he reads brilliantly. From the Quarto, as the more beautifully done. He reads the line all the way down to the scansion.”

This essay still holds water more than seventy years after it was published. Clearly, Norman could do scholarship. Teachers at Dartmouth and Chicago had approved of his writing. David Lambuth, who wrote The Golden Book on Writing , thought Norman wrote so well that he hired him after graduation to teach freshman composition. James Dowd McCallum sent him a note after Norman sent the Lear essay: “The essay marches steadily to your conclusion. It is compact, frequently pithy, and even moving.” Norman’s dissertation had been solid enough to prompt a letter from Professor Ronald Crane himself a few years later, urging Norman to rework his ideas into a book. “What I want to convey to you now is the very great satisfaction I have had in the clarity of your narrative and in the maturity and wit of your reflections,” Crane wrote. “You have the groundwork of a first-rate book. May it be finished soon!” Despite this hearty thumbs up from his major professor, Norman never did transform his dissertation into a book. He didn’t share these positive opinions—or at least he didn’t act on them.

I believe the years of having his father as a teacher made him his own worst critic. He tells the story in “A River Runs Through It” of having to write daily themes for his father, gradually paring down what he wrote until his father found it satisfactory and then threw it away. Little that Norman wrote was good enough for him—or for anyone else. As he told [English professor] Richard Stern: “I know my writing has more than its share of blemishes. Words to me are things you take chances with both in what you say and how you say it, and these long shots don’t always pay off.” And spending days in the stacks as many scholars did just wasn’t something he wanted to do. He wanted to spend his summers in Montana, not in the Bodleian or Beinecke library.

Perhaps most importantly, I think Norman was intimidated by Ronald Crane, who was part of the sweeping changes that Chicago president Robert Maynard Hutchins made during his administration in the 1930s. Hutchins divided the university into four branches—physical science, biological science, social science, and humanities, with the college as a separate entity. Richard McKeon, who had arrived from Columbia University to teach philosophy, became the dean of the Humanities Division, and in 1936, Crane became the chair of the English department—he had joined it in the 1920s. Both men advocated jettisoning the traditional way of studying literature and instead applying Aristotelian methods of logic and analysis to texts. His acolytes and he were called the neo-Aristotelians. In place of literary history, students would focus on literary criticism. Younger faculty members, including Norman, embraced Crane’s ideas, while some of the older department members did not. The disciples called the chairman “boss.”

Crane was a teacher who, according to Elder Olson, “presented not a mass of facts but a narrative” and an inquiry into the construction of his own narrative. Crane raised questions: What was a fact? When did a fact become evidence? What kinds of history are there? What was a hypothesis? In a seminar, according to Crane, participants pursued questions for which the professor didn’t have answers, and they developed insights into foundational ideas underlying scholarship. Crane’s ideas about literary criticism had a profound effect on the teaching of English literature on university campuses across the country. I think Norman felt he couldn’t meet Crane’s expectations, so he decided not to try. Perhaps he found he didn’t agree with the boss’s ideas but didn’t want to challenge him.

“Crane was a serious thinker,” said Herman Sinaiko [AB’47, PhD’61], who served as both the undergraduate advisor and a director of the Committee on General Studies in the Humanities after Norman stepped down. “Norman was a deep thinker. That was part of his problem—he felt he just couldn’t measure up.”

With Crane in charge, the English department in the 1930s developed a reputation for toughness. There was no way anyone would think that someone as intellectually challenging—and sometimes verbally combative—as Norman, W. Rea Keast [AB’36, PhD’47], Elder Olson, or Crane himself was the stereotypical effete English teacher. The department required its college students to pass a week’s worth of exams at the end of the senior year. These included six hours of open-book tests and a six-hour test on works randomly selected from two hundred titles. Among them were Aristotle’s Poetics , Darwin’s Origin of Species , and Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire as well as Moby-Dick and Bleak House . Students didn’t know which titles would be chosen, so as they started their junior year, they began reading like crazy. To prepare for the six-hour writing marathon, they picked courses that would help them interpret the texts. Norman’s classes became known as ones that fit the bill.

At the beginning of every quarter, students would jam into Norman’s classroom on the first day, whether or not they were registered, hoping he would let them stay. This didn’t happen—the rooms were too small to accommodate a crowd. Like the other Aristotelians, Norman used the Socratic method in his teaching. One student remembered how she would blather a pretentious, banal answer, and Norman would respond: “A safe assumption! A safe assumption!” If a student offered an insightful observation, one that may have contradicted what Norman had said earlier in the class, Norman would agree that the student had said something new, adding, “You’re right and I’m wrong.”

Because his scholarly output was so paltry, Norman was known as an undergraduate teacher. I know he resented being classified as a mere college teacher, and he worked hard to whittle away the chip on his shoulder. I think he felt the English department’s university faculty members didn’t value his contributions—although Gwin Kolb and Ned Rosenheim [AB’39, AM’46, PhD’53] thought otherwise. He cultivated a persona for himself—the persona of Norman Maclean, a lone wolf from the mountains of Montana, where men were men. This Norman Maclean was a plainspoken, truth-telling, profanity-spouting, chain-smoking tough guy, whose deadpan delivery could silence departmental meetings and whose stare could quiet a room of chattering students. Those who didn’t know Norman well were afraid of him. He was a campus legend a few years after he arrived on campus in 1928. Even though Norman had retired in the early 1970s, his reputation persisted. In 1974, when I was a first-year student at Chicago, some older residents in my dormitory couldn’t believe I was friends with him. They watched as he strode into Pierce Tower to leave notes in my mailbox, and they whispered about him to each other.

What did they really know about him or his background? All they knew was you didn’t want to tangle with Mr. Maclean.

Excerpted from Norman Maclean: A Life of Letters and Rivers by Rebecca McCarthy with permission from the University of Washington Press. Copyright © 2024 by Rebecca McCarthy.

Questions for the biographer

When Rebecca McCarthy visited Chicago to read at the Seminary Co-op bookstore, the Magazine spoke with her about the biography and its making. McCarthy’s comments have been edited and condensed.

How did you come to undertake this book?

I was good friends with Gwin Kolb, a close friend and colleague of Norman’s. And Gwin told me, “Becky, you need to start interviewing all the English department faculty before they die. You must write about Norman. You used to fight fires, you lived in Montana. You can do it.”

So I started interviewing: John Wallace; Ned and Peggy [JD’49] Rosenheim; Wayne Booth [AM’47, PhD’50]; David Bevington. I mean, anybody. William Veeder ; Robert von Hallberg ; Joe Williams; Frank Kinahan; Richard Stern. And they said, “You need to talk to so-and-so,” and I would talk to so-and-so in a different department. And then those folks would suggest others.

At Joel Snyder ’s [SB’61, professor emeritus of art history and Norman Maclean’s son-in-law] suggestion, I ran a notice in the alumni magazine, telling readers what I was doing. I got a deluge of mail and phone calls from, I would say, 50 to 100 people. And they all wanted to talk about Mr. Maclean. His class was the only thing that people who finished in the 1930s still remembered. You know, “he saved my life and changed my life,” just all these testimonials.

In researching the book, you went everywhere—to Clarinda, Iowa, where Norman and his parents once lived; to Norman and his brother Paul’s college, Dartmouth; to Missoula and Seeley Lake, Montana; and to the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center in Chicago, to name a few. How did you craft all you learned into a narrative?

It was just little by little—accretion, getting all the information. And then I thought, I’ve got to fish or cut bait. I just started writing. I wrote a version that was chronological. The University of Washington Press sent it out to the first reader, and they said, “Oh, this has a lot of information.” The second reader just excoriated it. I mean, it was not helpful. It was hurtful. But I put that aside and talked to my friend Daryl Koehn [AB’77, AM’83, PhD’91], who has written many books, and I let her see what the person had written. She said, “Why don’t you take some of the suggestions? Even in this pile of shit, there might be a few pearls, right?”

So I did. And I just thought, you know what, I’m not going to write a biography, I’m going to tell a story. So people can see Norman and hear Norman and understand how he moved through the world and how he treated other people.

Norman had a lot of students who were tucked under his wing. I wasn’t the only one. Yeah, I was the only one who had fought fires in Montana, and lived in Montana, and knew Seeley Lake. But there were many other students. Bill Harmon [AB’58, AM’68] was one, and he was the longtime head of the English department at Chapel Hill. Ken Pierce [AB’63, AM’67], who wrote for the Village Voice . There are many people who were successful who Norman had nurtured in some way.

And so, when I started rewriting the book, at first I thought, I can’t. It was too much for me. So I backed up from the first version and then just shone a light on him. At first the book is me showing you him. And then it’s just him being him.

Were there other books you had in mind when you were writing yours?

The hero of what I call witnessed biography—and I love that; when it’s possible, it’s fantastic—is James Boswell. No one will ever top Boswell’s Life of Johnson . For biographies that aren’t witnessed, I love Claire Tomalin. I love her biography of Dickens. I read that, and I read her Pepys biography. She wrote a fantastic biography of Thomas Hardy. It’s great. And Norman loved Hardy too, because he made the jump between Victorian and modern poetry. And that’s what I read while I was writing.

You didn’t say what inspired me, but those books did, and a book by Candice Millard called River of the Gods : a terrific book about Richard Burton, John Speke, and the search for the White Nile. And I read Ron Chernow’s biography of Grant.

I think those are the closest. But I don’t think most of the people I’ve read have been friends with the person, so it’s kind of different.

Did anything in his papers especially catch your eye?

What stood out was the immensity of the task. Robert Caro said, “Turn every page.” I looked at almost everything. Norman was secretary of his condo association, and I read all the minutes. I mean, it was stupid, but I thought maybe he’d said something funny. There were many rabbit holes. I know a lot about [sixth president of UChicago and Maclean’s friend] Larry Kimpton that isn’t in the book—I wasn’t writing about him.

Norman kept a notebook for random thoughts. On one page, he writes that his sister-in-law Dotty Burns had died. Dotty and Kenny Burns were always at Seeley Lake in the summer, and they kind of ran the house. They did the shopping, and Dotty did the cooking, and Kenny chopped the wood, and Norman wrote. Then Dotty had a heart attack, and Norman wrote, This is a dark day, Dotty died, what do I do? Do I (a) find a woman? Do I get married? Do I (b) just fold up my house and stay in Chicago? Or do I (c) hire someone to clean and keep going? He did the third. He talked to Bert Sullivan, who was the postmistress and knew everybody, and she got him a housekeeper. It worked out. But just those questions—it was so funny to me.

In that notebook, you could see the wheels going and going about how he had written 70 pages of Young Men and Fire [University of Chicago Press, 1992]. He said, How did I write these 70 pages? He was astounded that he had written them. Then he would set pieces aside. [University of Chicago Press editor] Alan Thomas knows a lot more—he had a piece in the Los Angeles Review of Books about the writing and assembling of Young Men .

But the draft was pretty much there. Norman just couldn’t let it go. Because it was keeping him alive, and he just couldn’t let it go.

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Tsung-Dao Lee, 97, Physicist Who Challenged a Law of Nature, Dies

At 31, he and a colleague won the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering that subatomic particles, contrary to what scientists thought, are not always symmetrical.

By Dylan Loeb McClain

Tsung-Dao Lee, a Chinese American physicist who shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957 for overturning what had been considered a fundamental law of nature — that particles are always symmetrical — died on Sunday at his home in San Francisco. He was 97.

His death was announced in a joint statement by the Tsung-Dao Lee Institute at the Jiao Tong University in Shanghai and the China Center for Advanced Science and Technology in Beijing. Dr. Lee was a longtime professor at Columbia University.

The theory that Dr. Lee overturned was called the law of conservation of parity, which said that every phenomenon and its mirror image should behave precisely the same. At the time he challenged the theory, in 1956, it had been widely accepted for 30 years.

Dr. Lee was then a young professor at Columbia, where he had been promoted to full professor at age 29 — the youngest in the university’s history at that point.

He had become intrigued by a problem involving the decay of so-called K mesons, which are subatomic particles. These particles decay all the time, forming electrons, neutrinos and photons. Experiments had shown that when K mesons decayed, some exhibited changes that suggested that each differed from the others. But they also had identical masses and life expectancies, indicating that they were the same.

This apparent contradiction created quite a conundrum for physicists. They had assumed that weak nuclear forces, like meson decay, obeyed the law of conservation of parity just like the two other fundamental forces that govern quantum physics: strong nuclear forces, which bind protons and neutrons together in the nucleus, and electromagnetic forces, which govern the attraction and repulsion of electric charges and the behavior of light. In other words, scientists had assumed that the orientation of weak nuclear forces could always be reversed.

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