Supplemental Essay Questions Released

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>From the University's most recent email:</p>

<p>“Provocative.” “Comical.” “Engaging.” “Fun!”</p>

<p>Yes, fun. These are all words that students have used while discussing our uniquely UChicago essay questions. And now it’s your turn.</p>

<p>As a reward for finding your way onto our mailing list, we’re rolling out the maroon carpet to grant you an exclusive sneak peek at this year’s essay questions. This should give you plenty of time to ponder, play, and procrastinate before the application process commences this fall. </p>

<p>The complete UChicago supplement and financial aid details will be available when the Common Application goes live on August 1. And remember, even though we’re sending these prompts to you now, you won’t have to submit the application until November 1 (Early Action applicants) or January 3 (Regular Decision applicants). Now, without further ado, the 2010-11 University of Chicago Essay Questions are:</p>

<p>Essay Option 1: Find x.
Inspired by Benjamin Nuzzo, an admitted student from Eton College, UK</p>

<p>Essay Option 2: 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?
Inspired by an alumna of the Class of 2006</p>

<p>Essay Option 3: Salt, governments, beliefs, and celebrity couples are a few examples of things that can be dissolved. You’ve just been granted the power to dissolve anything: physical, metaphorical, abstract, concrete… you name it. What do you dissolve, and what solvent do you use?
Inspired by Greg Gabrellas, A.B. 2009</p>

<p>**Essay Option 4: “Honesty is the best policy, but honesty won’t get your friend free birthday cake at the diner.” - Overheard in the city of Chicago.</p>

<p>Does society require constant honesty? Why is it (or why is it not) problematic to shift the truth in one’s favor, even if the lie is seemingly harmless to others? If we can be “conveniently honest,” what other virtues might we take more lightly?**
Inspired by Eleanor Easton, a second-year in the College</p>

<p>Have a great summer!</p>

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<p>These are so much cooler than ours. I am jealous.</p>

3

<p>I especially like #4.</p>

4

<p>This will be the only college that I will enjoy applying to, even if I don’t get in (I seriously hope that the # of apps doesn’t rise by 42% again =[[[)</p>

<p>I was really hoping the How’d you get caught one would return, but whatever. The Find x one sounds fun.</p>

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<p>haha i just saw this five seconds ago in my inbox and they’re all such interesting questions. I especially like 2 and 3! they all allow for so much of creativity</p>

6

<p>I feel slightly intimidated. lol</p>

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<p>I was playing Battlefield when a great idea came to my head for #3. Love it since I took AP Chem this year, haha.</p>

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<p>I know one of the people who “inspired” them! That’s never happened before! Yay!</p>

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<p>@goldysocks me too! seeing this made me realize how real all of this is. we’re actually applying soon :S</p>

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<p>BEST TOPICS EVER !!!</p>

<p>Especially #1.</p>

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<p>Number 4 sounds fun.</p>

<p>Do they get an open topic this year? Like how we could write our own prompt?</p>

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<p>^I wondered the same thing. Probably, though, they just didn’t see the need to include it with the other specific prompts.</p>

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<p>Nice topics, i definitely like these better than last year’s. I <3 all of them, but mostly 3 and 4 :stuck_out_tongue: I wish the one about walking over any landscape was back though :(</p>

<p>I’m getting kind of intimidated too now. Mostly because UChicago wants really really creative essays, and i’m a poor writer T.T</p>

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<p>“Find x.”</p>

<p>-_-
Really?</p>

<p>Boy am I starting to hate my lack of creativity and writing skills…</p>

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<p>I really hope they place as much weight on the essay as they say they do, honestly. One thing I do have going for me is creativity. I must admit, normally I can start an essay in minutes but I had to think these over for a while.</p>

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<p>Ha, I actually think that’s the easiest one to write for. It’s flexible. Detach it from the algebra and the prompt is basically about looking for something. Write about the scientific pursuit of knowledge (if your interests incline that way), or the time your guppy died and you spent nights staring at the ceiling wondering what the meaning of it all was anyway, or the time your friend didn’t believe you when you said verboten was a real word and you had to search the school up and down for a dictionary so you could prove him wrong, or even The Great Remote Search of '08.</p>

<p>You get the point, I hope. Any time you were seeking something, or trying to solve a problem, or stumbled upon an Answer without really meaning to. Your actual essay doesn’t have to be stunningly creative or original–mine definitely wasn’t–but you have to think a little about how you apply the prompt.</p>

<p>…and if all else fails, you could always write about your prealgebra teacher.</p>

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<p>ew what do they want me to do? Think hard?</p>

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<p>Haavain, I like your approach to that. I’m not writing on that topic but I was thinking about something really whimsy for it. Possibly a stream-of-consciousness type thing about finding a simple thing through a complex solution (my grandfather… lol)</p>

<p>For essay #2… I wonder how many people are going to think they are clever and write about male & female. hahaha</p>

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<p>Haavain do you still have your old UChicago essay? If you do, and if you’re willing, can you pm me your essay so i can see the level of writing that i need to write at. If you don’t want to, then it’s alright, i’ll understand.</p>

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<p>I love the first three… they’re so much better than last year’s :p!</p>

<p>@esthetique: essays are supposed to be all different:P. But if you’re interested in reading past applicants’ essays, I think there was a thread somewhere on CC where people posted theirs last year.</p>