<p>I had been thinking about the first prompt ever since they came out, and though I had a general idea of what to do… but then yesterday, at two am, I woke up suddenley and just knew what to write about. It’s completely different from my orginal idea but reflects me much more. I finished the first draft yesterday; now I just have to let it simmer and then proofread, let others critique it, and perfect it. The way I took the definition of “caught” seems to be different from those who have posted here… Thank you, UChicago, for providing such a mind provoking prompt.</p>
<p>imma steal one of these for my common app one, then use #1 for my chicago essay</p>
<p>Is it just me, or do other people feel like they’ve got tons of things to write about and are sad that they have to pick just one or two? I feel like I’ve got so many wonderful things that I could write about and I’m disappointed that I have to pick one. And even if Essay A will get me in, I’m sad that the Adcom didn’t get to know about another side of me through Essay B.</p>
<p>It’s the summer. You’ll feel differently in December, when you may be crossing schools off your list if they have a supplement.</p>
<p>um if you choose number 5 where would u state what ur question is? on the top of the essay or would it be implicitly stated in the essay?</p>
<p>does uchicago like it if ur essay is funnyish and really creative or would they prefer a more serious and philosophical essay?</p>
<p>Also there is an optional short answer question on ur fav books and stuff. Should I answer this and if so would what I choose effect my admission? Like if I choose new york times for what newspaper I read would the admission person (if they are a conservative) not like that? Or should I stay away from anything remotely political?</p>
<p>Sorry but I really wanna try uchicago and the whole essay thing is pretty intimidating :(</p>
<p>being a conservative will not offend the home of milton friedman.</p>
<p>Cacciato, there is an optional essay question on your favorite things (I think I remember it being pretty open-ended, not necessarily restricting it to books, movies, TV, etc.), but it’s intended to show deeper parts of your self to the adcom. So you don’t have to pick things that you think are intellectual to talk about; if there’s something meaningful about the New York Times to you (whether it’s your approval of their portrayal of politics and current events, or the challenge of their crossword puzzles–or does the NYT even include a crossword? I haven’t picked up many newspapers lately…), then write about the Times by all means. But don’t avoid that funny cartoon book you read in first grade that taught you phonics and led to your interest in the human approach to language and sound… you get the idea? It doesn’t have to be intellectual material to be intelligent.</p>
<p>Also, and this has been stated elsewhere: do not use the optional “favorites” essay as a place to impress the adcom with your versatile and deeply academic/diverse reading list. Such an approach will almost positively backfire on you. The optional essay is an essay: it’s intended as one more bit of monologue from your true self to the university interested in that self.</p>
<p>thanks! that really makes me feel A LOT better on that :)</p>
<p>Just to be clear, BOTH of the following are true: Being conservative will not offend anyone at Chicago. Reading the New York Times will not offend anyone at Chicago.</p>
<p>I really don’t like Chicago’s questions this year. #1 is good, the rest just seem kind of typical. A few of them remind me of Amherst’s questions last year, which isn’t good. It seems to me that Tufts U has more Chicago questions than Chicago does!</p>
<p><a href=“http://admissions.tufts.edu/downloads/TuftsSupplement.pdf[/url]”>http://admissions.tufts.edu/downloads/TuftsSupplement.pdf</a></p>
<p>Sorry, the Tufts questions are much more straightforward, less open-ended (except for #6, which is “do anything you want as long as it’s visual”). Only the second Chicago question is anything like that, and even that one is a little more complex because it deals with loss and growth simultaneously. Plus, the Tufts question is (a) optional, and (b) asking for 400 words max. Plus . . . “Drama at the Prom”? How many points do you take off for THAT?</p>
<p>I have a question about the supplement.
I have a really good idea about what I want to write for the “Why Chicago” essay. But I’ve heard that it’s supposed to be between 1 and 2 paragraphs, and my idea is more of a narrative essay than a list. I really like the idea and I think it could be really good, but I’m unsure about it because it seems like this essay is supposed to be more straightforward and list-oriented.</p>
<p>I would give the same answer for any “really good idea” that might be a little risky: Sit down, write it up, and see whether it works.</p>
<p>If you can do something creative with this essay, more power to you. It’s almost inevitable to ask that this question be answered, but I imagine that 90% of the essays are 90% the same (“Core blah blah intellectual inquiry blah blah great City of Chicago blah blah”), and they must be excruciatingly dull to read.</p>
<p>So, have at it! Just remember to show it to some other people to confirm whether you are getting your points across clearly.</p>
<p>Here is a link to previous essay questions:
<a href=“https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/admissions/previous_essays.shtml[/url]”>https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/admissions/previous_essays.shtml</a></p>
<p>I’ve almost got a trial essay for prompt 5 done if anyone’s still interested in reading my essay? At times I’m really liking the ideas I’m putting down here, but at others I feel like I’m forcing it. So who knows whether I’ll actually use it.</p>
<p>I guess it’s a bit intellectual and at the same time obvious, but I’ve never gotten the feeling that Chicago students would shy away from an essay simply because it’s intellectual!</p>
<p>I’ll read it.</p>
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<p>That’s the self-selecting part of UChicago at play. Those who find the questions mind-boggling, pretentious, or not worth the extra time move on to the next school on the list. Those who find the questions interesting and can’t stop coming up with responses are the ones who would find Chicago’s approach to their liking.</p>
<p>Send it over. I.AM.SO.BORED. ugh.</p>
<p>Gah!</p>
<p>I can’t stop thinking of ideas! When I first got ahold of the questions, I picked essay one and started stewing. But now, after reading the questions to a friend who’s also looking at Chicago, I want to answer all of them.</p>
<p>Oh, cruel Chicago and its beautiful questions.</p>
<p>MrClassicFreak, check your PM’s</p>