<p>So, I have attended multiple information sessions with UChicago and have visited campus in the past. I know they emphasize creativity and freedom when it comes to their supplement essay. My question is, though, how zany can I be? I love that you can craft your own prompt and write an essay on truly anything you wish. My idea is honestly, is something I feel will be completely unique. It's quite bizarre, but it reflects the way my mind works, which I want to get across to the officers reading my essay. It's (at least meant to be) humorous and is meant to be taken as a complete satire of the topic I'm writing about. Is this okay to do? I don't want them to think I'm just being ridiculous and submitting a worthless essay if they don't get it the weird humor in it. I feel it'll risk having Monty Python syndrome---they'll either get it and completely love it or not get it and think I'm totally nuts. Is it worth the chance? Thanks for any advice! </p>
<p>It is absolutely worth the chance to present something truly original to the U of C essay prompt. This is why they keep putting these prompts out there - they hope to find smart, creative people who will take up the challenge! </p>
<p>My only caveat would be that satire can be difficult to pull off. Be careful if you are heading in a direction that could be construed as arrogant or negative. Zany is awesome. Mean or biting satire can be problematic. </p>
<p>The way I’m approaching it is completely light-hearted, not offensive or pompous in the least. It is a fun essay, something I hope will show the way I as a person approach life–with humor. I was just concerned because I heard many other applicants taking the essay from a deep, heavy point of view and I didn’t want to seem as if I was taking it too lightly. Thanks!!</p>
<p>it’s definitely worth it to take a risk, but i would caution against trying to be funny just because you think it’s what they want. if you’re naturally a funny writer than keep doing what works for you. if not, don’t try to be funny. fwiw, i wrote a completely serious essay, got in, class of 2018 :)</p>
<p>I also wrote a completely serious essay claiming that mathematics is superior to certain other fields. You can take the route of simply arguing something and displaying your thought process throughout. (Edit: I was accepted.)</p>