The questions are in!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>
[quote]
"Provocative." "Comical." "Engaging." "Fun!"</p>

<p>These are all words that students have used to describe our uniquely UChicago essay questions. (Yes, this is our attempt to make applying to college “fun.” Or at least a little less stressful.)</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 2 (Regular Decision applicants). Now, without further ado, the 2012-13 University of Chicago Essay Questions are:</p>

<p>“A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.” –Oscar Wilde.</p>

<p>Othello and Iago. Dorothy and the Wicked Witch. Autobots and Decepticons. History and art are full of heroes and their enemies. Tell us about the relationship between you and your arch-nemesis (either real or imagined).</p>

<p>Inspired by Martin Krzywy, admitted student Class of 2016.
*</p>

<p>Heisenberg claims that you cannot know both the position and momentum of an electron with total certainty. Choose two other concepts that cannot be known simultaneously and discuss the implications. (Do not consider yourself limited to the field of Physics).</p>

<p>Inspired by Doran Bennett, AB’07.
*</p>

<p>Susan Sontag, AB’51, wrote that “Silence remains, inescapably, a form of speech.” Write about an issue or a situation when you remained silent, and explain how silence may speak in ways that you did or did not intend.* The Aesthetics of Silence, 1967.</p>

<p>Anonymous submission.
*</p>

<p>“...I [was] eager to escape backward again, to be off to invent a past for the present." –The Rose Rabbi by Daniel Stern</p>

<p>Present:*pres·ent</p>

<ol>
<li>Something that is offered, presented, or given as a gift.</li>
</ol>

<p>Let’s stick with this definition. Unusual presents, accidental presents, metaphorical presents, re-gifted presents, etc. — pick any present you have ever received and invent a past for it.</p>

<p>Inspired by Jennifer Qin, AB’16
*</p>

<p>In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, pose a question of your own. If your prompt is original and thoughtful, then you should have little trouble writing a great essay. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun.
*</p>

<p>So where is Waldo, really?</p>

<p>Inspired by Robin Ye, AB’16

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</p>

<p>I've been waiting for this moment for years! This is going to be amazing. <3</p>

2

<p>Yes, it is! I didn’t know about U Chicago’s style of essays- but this looks like it’s going to be a LOT of fun!</p>

3

<p>Are we only allowed to choose one of the above for the UofC supplement? Or can we write multiple essays?</p>

4

<p>I log in to my Gmail account, and right there in my inbox was an email with the subject " Sneak Peek at Essay Questions 2012". It’s almost like unwrapping a birthday gift that UChicago has bestowed among us, finally. May the results be ever in your favor :wink: In other words, good luck everyone!</p>

5

<p>Just got the email! I was so excited too see them. They’re reasonable and should be fun to write.</p>

6

<p>I believe the preference is for one essay, where you display your style, though process and personality in depth. I remember wanting to write answers to ALL OF THE QUESTIONS when I applied to UChicago, but found that when I truly focused in one a question I was able to answer it from a lot of different angles, not just one. (Member of the Class of 2014)</p>

7

<p>Laray: how many off the essay’s must we answer?</p>

8

<p>You only need to write one essay from the “uncommon” prompts. We’ll also ask you for a few other essays on other topics, as well as the Common App essay. We would really prefer to see one very well done essay on a topic we provide (or topic of your choice) rather than multiple essays from these topics.</p>

9

<p>Well that makes it harder to choose. ^^</p>

10

<p>UChicago: how long should the uncommon essay be? I know most are capped at 250 words but yours don’t seem to have a limit.</p>

11

<p>I think it is usually around 500 words (250-500 or 500-750) not sure. </p>

<p>I’m really looking forward to writing the essay! Already have my plan of attack!</p>

12

<p>500 words or about 1 page single spaced (2 pages double) is what we suggest. This is not set in stone-- we don’t care if you have 504 words-- but we do read everything you send us, so anything drastically longer than this might annoy your admissions counselor.</p>

13

<p>Thanks UC!</p>

14

<p>This might seem like a dumb question, but if you are creating and answering a question of your own, does the phrasing of the question count as part of the 500 words?</p>

15

<p>I would say that the prompt you come up with doesn’t count. Whatever your first word is in the first sentence of your essay, is word 1.</p>

16

<p>I’m still confused about this, since my parents are unfamiliar with the college process of America, and I need to learn all this myself or with the help of others. When it shows me these 6 questions, is that what is referred to as the “College Essay”, where I only have to choose one, or are these all the supplement essays, all of which must be answered?</p>

17

<p>You respond to one of the questions with an essay of around 500 words. This is part of UChicago’s supplement. The supplement also included a “Why UChicago” essay where you describe why you want to attend UChicago and how you fit the idealogy of the school. There is an opional 3rd essay where you describes your favorites, anything you like. </p>

<p>On the Common App. you will also have to write an essay using the common app. prompts. This essay will be sent to all the schools you apply to, it you use the common app. This is generally what is meant by THE college essay.</p>

18

<p>So essentially, I only have to write one of the six and disregard the others. The supplements and THE college essay I won’t be able to write until August 1st when they’re released. Is that correct?</p>

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<p>Yes, for the first part. Regarding other essays, you can start any of the supplemental essays for UChicago whenever, I am pretty certain they will still have the “Why UChicago” essay and maybe the favorites essay. The common app. prompts usually don’t change at all, so you can start that essay whenever as well.</p>

20

<p>What exactly are the common app prompts? And how can I know what the UChicago supplement essays will be ahead of time?</p>