<p>These prompts are AMAZING! I never had UChicago on my radar, but now I’ve been looking at the college and I really like it! But wow, I just don’t know how I’m going to pass up the opportunity to write an essay on the coolest prompts ever… ;)</p>
<p>@ Litlhurry and rk33: Absolutely. You guys go for it. Mine was blatant fantasy. Think about flying road dragons with street lamp eyes. That’s how fantasy it was. (I also liberally cursed in my essay, which I actually don’t advise in hindsight. Do censor yourself unless it’s absolutely necessary for curse words to appear.)</p>
<p>If you’re really worried about the essay seeming too distant from yourself (as in worried to the extent of feeling physically uncomfortable), just make it first person. [shrug] It’s not any sort of dishonesty as far as I can see, as it’s just a different form of storytelling. Just make sure the essay’s well-written.</p>
<p>Humor’s an awesome genre. Well-written humor’s a definite treat. Just make sure the humor’s appropriate. I advise keeping any racial stereotype jokes out of there, as that sort of humor may fly over the readers’ heads.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Another '13er with nothing to do. Gimme some work, '14s!</p>
<p>Hahaha avoid racial jokes? Being from Florida I think they’d be shocked if I made a joke that wasn’t racist…</p>
<p>The prompts this year are really great. Compared to last year, we really did luck out…
I’ll probably be writing #1, but I’m kind of regretting being a goody two-shoes my whole life. Really having to rack my brain for something mischevious, yet appropriate.</p>
<p>hahaha i know what you mean rk33
go florida :P</p>
<p>i liked the prompts from last year better…i’m kinda bummed there isn’t a math/sci related one : /</p>
<p>^ya i was hoping for a math/sci one too…i have absolutely nothing to write about and these prompts are really open. i got alotta thinking to do</p>
<p>Oooh, 1 and 4. Haha. 4 especially.</p>
<p>To all the nutcases that have written their essays already…0_0</p>
<p>UChicago didn’t come under my radar until October of '09. I wrote my essay during Christmas Break. I actually remember it being 3 days before the deadline, and I was on the verge of throwing the laptop I had just gotten for Christmas through a wall. Meanwhile, my mother kept yelling me for spending too much time on the computer, asking me how it was possible that I had spent hours and hours on the computer obsessing over a single-spaced page of writing. It wasn’t a fun experience. But hey! - somehow, it worked! I still haven’t completely shaken the feeling that admissions some how screwed up my acceptance (:</p>
<p>1 is great. I have an amazing idea, but it is so different than other people’s concepts of the question. Plus, I am gonna make the question almost minute, making the story build up and up, to a slight climax, and then just continuing. Sure, I have been “caught” before, but the other view of getting caught makes it interesting. 
I am pumped.</p>
<p>Erika27 - I’m was the exact same way. I became interested in Chicago a little earlier and applied by the EA deadline, but I still can’t rid myself of this paranoia that my admission was a mistake. hahah it’s a horrible thing.</p>
<p>I think I finally have an idea for #1. But I want to get a different idea.</p>
<p>Is it better to write on one of the questions which is “less popular”? Or does it not matter?</p>
<p>Oh, please. Stop the incessant gaming! It’s best to write on the question that inspires you to produce the best work. That’s the ONLY valid approach. How in heck would you know which questions are less popular anyway? (Actually, Question #5 is almost certainly the least popular, and the biggest risk. You shouldn’t do #5 unless you have a really, really great idea and feel completely confident about it.)</p>
<p>Parent of a '12 Question #5 responder here…1398 words.</p>
<p>S2 ('14) is still deciding, but has great ideas for two of them. Cranked out a 1200 word draft tonight. When the writing muse strikes this kid, awesome stuff comes forth.</p>
<p>Hey guys, for prompt 4, it seems mostly about games but mentions sport briefly. I’m a runner, and I was wondering if you guys think I’d be able to write about running? You can’t “play a game of running” per se, but it is the most ancient form of sport.</p>
<p>I like 3 and 4. I think I’m going to write one for each and see which I like better and then go on from there.</p>
<p>As for running - run with it if you want! 
I think any response is more or less viable as long as you approach it right from what I understand. If it’s unique and insightful, then you’re good.</p>
<p>There is no right answer or approach. Just be authentic.</p>
<p>Cool, that’s what I thought, just making sure :)</p>