UC Application Essays

<li><p>On the UC application is there a “make your own prompt” option? Or at least something like it, which allows you to freely write about whatever you please (to an extent of course…lol)? </p></li>
<li><p>Where can I get access to current UC app essay questions? </p></li>
<li><p>Do they change from year to year?</p></li>
<li><p>Is the essay component just a series of short essay’s or is there one long essay involved as well?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Well, there are three essays. The prompts dont change from year to year (or at least not that Ive ever heard of). You have 1000 words to use total, and you get to choose which essay gets the most words. One of the essays has 600 words and the other 2 have 200. Like I said, you pick which essays are which lengths. </p>

<p>The first question is about how you took advantage of academic preparation activities that were available to you. The second question is about your potential to contribute to the UC campus. The last question is open ended.</p>

<p>1: Yes
2: Google "UC Application", and you will be directed to an application
3: No
4: See above. One essay 600 words.</p>

<p>( I posted this on the U Chicago board too ..) </p>

<p>I recently wrote a really kick-ass college app essay based on a University of Chicago prompt and I'm thinking about using it for some of my college applications. Do you guys think colleges would be ok with that? do u think they would even know that it was an essay written for a past U Chicago prompt?</p>

<p>yes they would be ok with it. many ppl recycle their essays. no, they would not know.</p>

<p>It's no problem, as long as your essay fits with one of the UC's prompts (i.e. is not obviously recycled), seeings as how the UC ones are more...conventional than U Chicago's.</p>

<p>Something else to note is that unlike some other schools, when the UC says 1000 words, they /mean/ 1000 words--unless they weren't as strict as they appeared. The word count instructions were downright anal--something like, "If you are a few words over or under the wordcount (ex. 198 or 204), it is all right."</p>