Who’s excited for the University of Chicago out-of-the-box supplemental essay prompts?
University of Chicago 2018-2019 Essay Prompts
The University of Chicago is known for its interesting and unique essay prompts that often ask students to show off their creativity. This year is no different. This year’s prompts ask students to imagine new spells, discover the end of the world, and more. If you’re interested in UChicago, it’s time to get brainstorming on how you’ll answer these essay prompts.
UChicago’s application requires that applicants answer two essay questions. There is no word limit, and students can either submit it through the Common App or their own UChicago Account. Make sure you know which platform you’re submitting through.
UChicago Essay Prompt: Question 1 (Required)
Essay 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.
Essay Tips:
This is the most common supplemental essay prompt you’ll find. It’s simple. Universities want to know why you want to study at their institution. What goals do you have that align with the teachings of the university? What does the community offer that can help you achieve those goals? In other words, they want to know that you’ve done the research and actually understand what the university has to offer you, instead of applying “just because”.
On top of that, universities want to see that you know what your goals are and you see how that aligns with the university offerings. I mean, you wouldn’t apply to a university that doesn’t have an architecture program if you’re passionate about architecture, would you? So, think about what you want to gain out of the 4 years you have at college. If you’re not sure about what you want to study, that’s okay. You can think about the bigger picture: what are some skill sets or discipline that you want to be able to take away at the end of college.
UChicago Extended Essay: Question 2 (Required)
Essay Option 1
In 2015, the city of Melbourne, Australia created a “tree-mail” service, in which all of the trees in the city received an email address so that residents could report any tree-related issues. As an unexpected result, people began to email their favorite trees sweet and occasionally humorous letters. Imagine this has been expanded to any object (tree or otherwise) in the world, and share with us the letter you’d send to your favorite.
-Inspired by Hannah Lu, Class of 2020
Essay Option 1 Advice:
With this prompt, you’ll be able to share what your favorite object is. This doesn’t necessarily call on your most creative side, but it does allow you to show off your personality and your interests. You can take it anywhere you want—whether that be a bus stop you have a long standing relationship with or a video game controller that has been through highs and lows with you. The point is you are allowed to choose anything that gets you excited, after all, it’s what you’d send to your favorite.
Essay Option 2
You’re on a voyage in the thirteenth century, sailing across the tempestuous seas. What if, suddenly, you fell off the edge of the Earth?
-Inspired by Chandani Latey, AB’93
Essay Option 2 Advice:
Are your creative sense tingling? This prompt reminds me a little bit of Alice in the Wonderland. What if you fell down a rabbit hole, or in this case, the edge of the Earth? What would be there? How would you go about approaching all the unfamiliar things?
You will be able to demonstrate your creativity and your personality. You can describe how willing or unwilling you are to discover this new place you’ve found. Do you wish to stay there or are you looking for a way back? There’s a lot for you to play with, so be careful with how far you take this. As you brainstorm, keep in mind what it is you want to share about yourself.
Essay Option 3
The word floccinaucinihilipilification is the act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant or of having no value. It originated in the mid-18th century from the Latin words “floccus,” “naucum,” “nihilum,” and “pilus”—all words meaning “of little use.” Coin your own word using parts from any language you choose, tell us its meaning, and describe the plausible (if only to you) scenarios in which it would be most appropriately used.
-Inspired by Ben Zhang, Class of 2022
Essay Option 3 Advice:
This might be a good prompt for those of you with a multicultural background, or for those who are really interested in language and linguistics. If you’re bilingual, you’ve probably encountered a situation where you knew how to express something in one language but not the other. Use your creativity and see how you can put them together, or using a language root develop a new word that will bring meaning to you and describe something you weren’t previously able to.
Think hard about why you want it is you want to describe. It should have some meaning to you, otherwise, why do you need to create a new word to explain it?
Essay Option 4
Lost your keys? Alohomora. Noisy roommate? Quietus. Feel the need to shatter windows for some reason? Finestra. Create your own spell, charm, jinx, or other means for magical mayhem. How is it enacted? Is there an incantation? Does it involve a potion or other magical object? If so, what’s in it or what is it? What does it do?
-Inspired by Emma Sorkin, Class of 2021
Essay Option 4 Advice:
This is almost like asking what superpower you want! What daily inconvenience do you run into that a spell can solve? Put your inventor hats on and think about how the problems you can help solve not only for you but for everyone. Maybe there’s a spell that can be beneficial not only to you, but everyone. Use this prompt to show off your creative side, and perhaps your background or even your problem solving skills!
Essay Option 5
Imagine you’ve struck a deal with the Dean of Admissions himself, Dean Nondorf. It goes as follows: you’re guaranteed admission to the University of Chicago regardless of any circumstances that arise. This bond is grounded on the condition that you’ll obtain a blank, 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, and draw, write, sketch, shade, stencil, paint etc., anything and everything you want on it; your only limitations will be the boundaries of both sides on the single page. Now the catch… your submission, for the rest of your life, will always be the first thing anyone you meet for the first time will see. Whether it’s at a job interview, a blind date, arrival at your first Humanities class, before you even say, “hey,” they’ll already have seen your page, and formulated that first impression. Show us your page. What’s on it, and why? If your piece is largely or exclusively visual, please make sure to share a creator’s accompanying statement of at least 300 words, which we will happily allow to be on its own, separate page.
PS: This is a creative thought experiment, and selecting this essay prompt does not guarantee your admission to UChicago.
-Inspired by Amandeep Singh Ahluwalia, Class of 2022
Essay Option 5 Advice:
The biggest challenge of this prompt is how long it is. Once you do read through it, the main question is this: if you had a one-page summary to describe to everyone you meet for the rest of your life, what would be on it?
Because this is a more visual representation, please do not choose this essay prompt because you want to get out off writing an essay. This is certainly a prompt that will be advantageous for those who are artistically inclined as well. You are able to doodle and put down how you’d represent yourself to the world. Play around with colors to show your personality. Or the ratio of what you draw or write about: more focus on a specific topic probably means that is more valuable to you.
This prompt is almost like an art project of how you’d represent yourself with any kind of medium. You’re just limited to a single page. You’d also have to provide an analysis of your piece, describing why you chose the colors, medium and composition.
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.
Essay Option 6 Advice:
The above essay prompts not creative enough for you? Take a risk and put together a prompt you want to respond to. Before you do, take a look at some of the past prompts and see if those excite you!
For supplemental essay examples, you can now search by supplemental essay topics on our search page. Or, you can check out our curated packages to find what you’re looking! For further access, upgrade to our premium plans offer different levels of profile access and data insights that can help you get into your dream school.
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