<p>Tilgaham: Your titling your thread “Something to lighten everyone’s mood” didn’t attract viewers because it sounded like a post about a joke, not a post showing an essay that helped a student get an EA admit to a top 10 college.</p>
<p>I find this all very amusing because the writer of that essay is actually my boyfriend 
I was worried it was a bit too provocative but the admissions officers loved it!</p>
<p>I liked it. :-)</p>
<p>It’s great, radiokvetch, that he didn’t change it based on your opinion. :)</p>
<p>Your feedback is exactly why I think that students applying to top colleges shouldn’t show others their essays. The type of essays that most impress the adcoms at top colleges are not likely to impress peers, parents, GCs, etc.</p>
<p>Ok, so now I’m starting to feel really bad about myself. I’m applying to Chicago, but I didn’t really plan on writing something like this. Do they really expect this? I mean, it’s well written and all, but come on? I have researched the school and sincerely stated why Chicago is a good place for me, isn’t that what they asked for? Maybe I’m just too old-fashioned. </p>
<p>Do I need to change all my application essays? Do colleges want this? I don’t think the dean should have send it, it just makes people more confused. I don’t want to write in a voice that isn’t mine… Thoughts?</p>
<p>Perhaps the essay was posted with the student’s permission, and with a name that is not the student’s real name. I haven’t seen the context of the dean’s message, but both things are possible. As far as I know, the new prompts that are posted each year are posted (again, with the permission of the students) with the real names of the students who suggested them. The unique essay prompts are definitely one of the strengths of the University of Chicago admission process.</p>
<p>StevenHilton:</p>
<p>Not every person writes like this, and the University is well aware of this. Very many people are admitted by writing more normal essay prompts. If this weren’t true, the university wouldn’t be as strong as it is in mathematics and the sciences.</p>
<p>If you think that this essay response is inappropriately provocative rather than ingeniously original you probably don’t belong at the University of Chicago. Just an opinion.</p>
<p>Tokenadult, it was posted with the student’s permission and that is the student’s real name.</p>
<p>Just the academically great UChicago trying to shed some of the “where fun goes to die” stigma…</p>
<p>Is Rohan a common name?</p>
<p>^Nope. I looked it up and its origins lie in literature (Lord of the Rings) and Sanskrit (Indian). </p>
<p>I love the essay! It’s hilarious. I think it’s rather prudish that someone would find it too provocative, and I agree with whoever is saying that you probably shouldn’t go to U of Chicago if you are disturbed by it.</p>
<p>I know a fair number of people named Rohan, who are mostly but not entirely of Indian ethnicity. </p>
<p>That student will arrive at campus famous.</p>
<p>Good piece of work I might add. Congratulation to Rohan on EA to U of Chicago. I always think U of Chicago is a unique and academically quirky place in the world of higher education. That is the reason why they have so many Noble laureates.</p>
<p>agreed, UChic has always had that out-there and loopy (in the best possible way, of course!) rep - I like the essay, and even though I think it’s a little long winded, it’s still cute and gets the student’s personality across :)</p>
<p>What crap. Maybe I’m bitter at UofC for rejecting me, but their ‘clever’ admissions prompts are a sign of what is wrong with American higher education. China bases its admissions on performance. We base it on who can write the ‘cutest’ essay. Wanna bet on which country is on the upward trend?</p>
<p>^ Unrelated, your screen name is awesome lol</p>
<p>Hahaha! Wow, I wish I thought of that first. </p>
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<p>Well Mr. Rohan is clearly much more creative than the average student and he stood out that way. He turned it into something cute and clever, whereas most would go the normal route in trying to be impressive. Not to mention, the letter was written very well. Plus, as several posters pointed out, this wouldn’t work anywhere else. :)</p>
<p>Creativity is not writing a cutesy letter.</p>
<p>bartleby: where fun ACTUALLY goes to die.</p>
<p>Just kidding.</p>
<p>But really, lighten up! The letter may have been “cute,” but it was also a good, original, idea that was well-written and that managed to garner attention from the admissions committee. It’s funny and shows an understanding of the institution in a creative way (creative because it was out-of-the-box, unique, not the typical way to answer the prompt, and still successful and effective). It shows personality.</p>
<p>As far as your assessment of American higher education, I don’t know, I think I kind of prefer this system.</p>