Is it bad to use a U Chicago essay for another school?

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I want to the essay I wrote for U Chicago for another college which asks for an essay on one of a few given topics, or on a "topic of your choice." I really like my U Chicago question, and I think my essay is pretty good, and says a lot about me. I actually don't even want to go to U Chicago that much, I kind of wrote the essay because I liked the question and then decided to apply because I had written the essay. Anyways, I don't want the other college to think I'm being lazy or that I actually do like U Chicago better. </p>

<p>What do you think?</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

<p>Other colleges won’t know what essays you sent to other schools. For example many colleges have an essay asking you to elaborate on an extracurricular. You can use the same one for every school, with minor revising and editing to accommodate different word limits.</p>

<p>Nonetheless don’t just use your UChicago essay because you like it. Make sure you are actually responding to the writing prompt in each of your essays. </p>

<p>The thing about U Chicago is that it seems like their questions are pretty famous, and that any main school would know them. At least they would realize that I’d written the essay for something other than applying to their school, because the topic is pretty specific. Idk? </p>

<p>The other college’s question was “…You may write on a topic of your choice, or you may choose from one of the following topics: …” so it seems like any essay would answer the question.</p>

<p>Yes, you’re right that other colleges may recognise that your essay was written for U of Chicago. It could be quite obvious or less so depending on the prompt you respond to and your treatment of it. However, I do think that colleges would be more concerned with the quality of your essay rather that for whom it was written for. It’s not so much lazy as it is smart to reuse essays when you’re having to write a dozen essays, some of which are very similar. </p>

<p>So, trust your instincts. If you like your essay, get feedback from others. If they agree that it is a strong essay, then by all means send it off to various colleges. Do be wary if the essay addresses each and every prompt though. Best of luck!</p>

<p>May I ask what you’ve written about?</p>

<p>Thanks! Yeah, maybe they’ll realize that we have a lot to do other than applying to college and that we’d rather reuse essays and do something else than spend that much more time obsessing. But then admissions committees are always looking for reasons not to accept people.</p>

<p>Yeah, the question was, “What is so odd about odd numbers?” I guess I liked it because it is different from most college questions where you always have to talk entirely about yourself or your feelings or accomplishments. I’m kindof a math person, too, so I answered the question from that perspective. But then I think it still shows “creativity” and that kind of thing.</p>

<p>Has anyone done this and gotten accepted/not gotten accepted?</p>

<p>I reused pieces of my Chicago essay for other schools, but what I wrote about wasn’t as specific as “What’s so odd about odd numbers?” I didn’t get accepted, but I don’t think it was because of my essays</p>

<p>Hmm yeah maybe it’s too specific. I think I’m going to ask the other school.</p>