uchicago essays 2021

University of Chicago 2021-22 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

University of Chicago 2021-22 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 2 essays of 1-2 pages each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball

This is it, the infamous U Chicago supplemental application. These quirky prompts have been a rite of passage for generations of applicants. So before you dive in, just remember that if they could do it, so can you! Your goal in writing your Chicago extended essay should be the same as ever: to reveal something new to admissions. It might even help to have a few ideas in mind before reading through your options. These prompts are so specific and strange that, in the end, the key is just to follow your instincts. What speaks to you right away? What inspires you?

Question 1 (Required)

How does the university of chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to uchicago..

Think of this run-of-the-mill why essay as the overture to your magnum opus (i.e. the Extended Essay). Chicago wants you to cover all the bases – “learning, community, and future” – so as with any why essay, you’d best buckle down and do your homework. The more specific details you can incorporate into your essay, the more sincere and personal it will feel (and be!). Explore both academic and extracurricular opportunities. How will you pursue your interest in oceanography? With a major in biology and a semester in Australia? What research opportunities will you pursue? Will joining the club crew team help you feel more connected to aquatic life despite your midwest location? One thing you won’t find on the school website, though, is that third piece, that “future” thing. Think about where you’d like to be five or ten years from now – your career or the impact you’d like to have or even just a geographic location. How will a U Chicago education help you get there? How will your scholarly and social pursuits help you grow? Show admissions how U Chicago is the bridge between the person you are and the person you hope to be.

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

Essay option 1, what if the moon were made of cheese or neptune made of soap pick a celestial object, reimagine its material composition, and explore the implications. feel free to explore the realms of physics, philosophy, fantasy…the sky is the limit.

—Inspired by Tate Flicker, Class of 2025

Your answer to this prompt should ultimately speak to your passions. Maybe Jupiter is made up entirely of salt water because you can’t think of anything cooler than alien sharks (and you’re an aspiring marine biologist). Perhaps Saturn is made up of string because you recently discovered a love for knitting and you would take full advantage of this bountiful new resource. If Pluto is made up of trampolines, would you take your love of gymnastics to new heights? (We’re too punny!)

Whatever the celestial object is made of, it has to link to some kind of story or revelation about yourself. You need to know what you’re choosing, why you’re choosing it, and how it relates to something about you that admissions doesn’t yet know.

Essay Option 2

What’s so easy about pie.

—Inspired by Arjun Kalia, Class of 2025

You could take this prompt as face value and literally write about pie. Maybe you’re a novice baker or pie serves as the centerpiece of all of your family reunions. Does pie smooth out  social interactions with your relatives? (Who can question you about your career path and life goals when they have a mouthful of delicious pumpkin pie in their mouth?!) 

On the other hand, maybe this prompt isn’t about pie at all. Or, if it is, perhaps you don’t think there’s anything easy about pie. This prompt can be interpreted in a hundred different ways. The extent to which you can push this open-ended question is virtually limitless. Admissions is looking to see how you think, process, and approach. So, flex your imaginative muscles and take the metaphor off a cliff (in a good way). In the end, if this prompt doesn’t speak to you, don’t worry, there are plenty of others to choose from!

Essay Option 3

In homer’s iliad, helen had a “face that launched a thousand ships.” a millihelen, then, measures the beauty needed to launch one ship. the sagan unit is used to denote any large quantity (in place of “billions and billions”). a new york minute measures the period of time between a traffic light turning green and the cab behind you honking. invent a new unit of measurement. how is it derived how is it used what are its equivalents.

—Inspired by Carina Kane, Class of 2024, and Ishaan Goel, Class of 2025

This question can be reflective of so many aspects of your life. It can refer to a subject that you enjoy studying, a place that is important to you, or a hobby you’ve invested a lot of time into. This prompt is meant for fun, so don’t hesitate to tap into your comedian side or engage in wordplay. Are the hours between dinner and twilight the “construction-zone,” as you try makeup tutorials in your free time? (Repurposed phrases are encouraged!) If this prompt appeals to you, your answer will become abundantly clear. What do you want admissions to know about you? You can make almost any topic work for this prompt, so long as you have the proper segue.

We here at CEA have a different definition of a New York Minute, which is the time it takes a New Yorker to mute the monitor in the backseat after getting into a cab. If we were responding to this prompt, we might explore what it’s like to grow up in a city filled with distractions or what it’s like to be part of a super fast-paced environment. 

The new unit of measurement you invent could be the octave your mom manages to reach when breaking into one of her hyena laughs (her “wild-note”), or the force in which your dog is able to wag his tail and knock over literally everything (the “demolition-wag”). Let your mind wander and see what comes up for you!

Essay Option 4

“there is no such thing as a new idea” – mark twain. are any pieces of art, literature, philosophy, or technology truly original, or just a different combination of old ideas pick something, anything (besides yourself), and explain why it is, or is not, original..

—Inspired by Haina Lu, Class of 2022

This prompt is for all the creatives out there. Like the rest of the University of Chicago’s prompts, it doesn’t really matter which side you take, so long as you’re using the prompt to write about something that is important to you. Maybe you want to write about recent social justice movements like Black Lives Matter or #MeToo . Are they introducing new ideas? Not necessarily. Does that mean they’re not important for us to engage with and pay attention to? Absolutely not. 

You can also argue that everything is new. Sure, every piece of music is composed of the same notes, but those notes can be arranged in an infinite number of ways, evoking joy with that classic G-major and melancholy with those minor keys. You could argue that, every time you play a song, it’s for the first time because it will never be played exactly the same way twice. Or you could argue that ideas are reflective of the times in which they are introduced, and thus, they’re always brand new because they’re explored through the lens of a new chapter in history. If this prompt calls to you, follow the sound, and we’re sure you’ll come up with something great (and maybe even new)!

Essay Option 5

It’s said that history repeats itself. but what about other disciplines choose another field (chemistry, philosophy, etc.) and explain how it repeats itself. explain how it repeats itself..

—Inspired by Ori Brian, AB’19

This prompt serves you with a fun, creative way to nerd out about an intellectual interest of yours. However, what you choose to focus on doesn’t have to be something related to your major or long-term goals; it can just show admissions that you’re multifaceted and think about things creatively.

Maybe you’re a music-lover and want to write about how lyrics or choruses repeat themselves. Or, perhaps, you’re an avid reader and you’ve read or seen the plot of Pride and Prejudice at least seven times (each time with a different title and new characters, despite being the same storyline). Maybe you’re a science geek and want to talk about asexual bacteria and how it replicates/repeats itself all the time. So long as you’re having fun while responding to this prompt, you’re doing it right!

Essay Option 6

In the spirit of adventurous inquiry (and with the encouragement of one of our current students) choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). be original, creative, thought provoking. 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.

We love all the prompts from the past —there are so many quirky ones! If this year’s questions aren’t inspiring you, don’t be afraid to peruse the archives to find one that stands out to you. If you belong at UChicago, there is no doubt you will find a prompt that sparks a story within you. 

We’d also like to note that this is a great opportunity for recycling essays. If you wrote a strong longform essay for another school, see if any of the old prompts work in your favor, or make up your own question custom-built for your essay. Good luck! 😊

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University of Chicago (UChicago) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the UChicago essay prompts? With tips from one of our Admissions Experts, CollegeAdvisor.com’s UChicago supplement essay guide will show you exactly how to write engaging UChicago essay responses and maximize your chances for admission. If you need help answering the UChicago essay prompts, create your  free account  or  schedule a free consultation  by calling (844) 576-0968.

UChicago  Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• UChicago’s acceptance rate is 7%— U.S. News  ranks the University of Chicago (otherwise known as UChicago) as a “ most selective ” school.
• To maximize your admissions odds, we recommend answering all UChicago essay prompts thoroughly and thoughtfully.

Does UChicago have Supplemental Essays?

Yes! In addition to the main essay prompt that you’ll encounter in the  Common App  or  Coalition App , you’ll also have to answer several UChicago essay prompts. The UChicago essay prompts are notorious for their unique nature and play a major role in admissions.

Need some help writing your Common App essay? Get excellent tips from our  Common App essay guide .

What are UChicago’s Supplemental Essays?

The UChicago supplement essay prompts for 2021-2022 are on the  Common App site , but you can also visit the  main UChicago site  for a full list of application requirements, including the UChicago essay prompts. Be sure to pay attention to the UChicago essay word limit, which we’ll address for each prompt below.

How Many Essays Are Required for UChicago?

There are  two  school-specific UChicago supplemental essay prompts in the 2021-2022 Common App. Both of the UChicago essay prompts are required for all applicants.

How Do You Write UChicago Essays?

We have provided the UChicago essay prompts for 2021-2022 below. You’ll find a breakdown of how to approach each of the UChicago essays as well as tips for creating an application narrative that will stand out in admissions.

The UChicago essay prompts are famously unique. If you’re wondering how to approach them, check out our UChicago supplemental essay examples on the CollegeAdvisor Blog. Our UChicago essay examples will help you approach these strange prompts with confidence.

Let’s hop in!

UChicago Essay Prompts – Question 1 (Required):

How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago. (no word limit)

This UChicago supplement essay prompt falls in line with many of the “Why this school?” supplemental essays you’ll likely encounter. To cultivate a class of students who embody UChicago’s goals and values, Admissions Officers want to make sure that you have thought through the reasons why UChicago is the best place for you. To give you the space to answer this question as best you can, there’s no UChicago essay word limit for this prompt. Your answers to the UChicago essay prompts should showcase the specific academic and extracurricular reasons why you belong at UChicago.

Set your goals

First, ask yourself what your goals are for college, both academically and personally.

In terms of academics, why do you want to pursue your specific major? What classes, research opportunities, and other academic resources can UChicago provide you that will fulfill your academic desires? Then, think about what you want to accomplish after you graduate. Do you have other areas of academic interest that UChicago is able to support? How do you want to combine your academic interests to create a cohesive and unique educational experience? All of these questions can help you craft a strong UChicago essay.

In relation to your personal goals, what kind of communities do you want to join as a college student? Are there certain extracurriculars or types of activities in which you’d like to participate? What do you want to accomplish in your extracurriculars or through other communities that UChicago will offer? How do you want to use your college experience to grow as an individual?

Be specific

Then, conduct some research using the UChicago website and any other resources available to you. This way, you will be able to make your UChicago essay as specific and personal as possible.

The operative word in this UChicago supplement essay prompt is  specificity ! As you research and write, consider the specific resources and opportunities that UChicago can offer you in helping you to create your college experience. If you can substitute “UChicago” with any other college and the essay still makes sense, then it is not specific enough for a UChicago essay!

Let’s revisit the UChicago supplemental essay examples for this particular prompt. In the first of the UChicago essay examples, the author begins the essay with a reference to a campus visit, which shows demonstrated interest in the university, and sets the tone by recounting a classroom conversation that made an impression on them.

When I visited UChicago, a friend invited me to step into her Comparative Literature class: Monstrosity and the Monstrous.

In this piece, notice the specificity. The best UChicago essay examples, like this one, don’t just mention a class but tell you  which  class they visited, and/or are excited about. In fact, successful UChicago essay examples like this one read like a highlight reel of the university—the student is showcasing all of the research and first-hand experience they’ve had with the university’s classes, professors, and traditions.

Now, it’s surreal to imagine taking “The Economics of Crime” from someone as renowned as Professor Levitt (I’ve been a fan since reading Freakonomics) and staying after class to clarify the finer points of the latest Freakonomics podcast (I particularly enjoyed “Speak Softly and Carry Big Data,” on using data analysis to perfect foreign policy decisions).

In the second of the UChicago essay examples for this prompt, the author doesn’t specifically mention any classes, like in the first of the referenced UChicago supplemental essay examples. Instead, the author uses a random conversation had while visiting UChicago’s campus to draw a bigger point about interdisciplinary studies and how they hope to find community at UChicago.

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of visiting UChicago’s campus. What I found was exactly what I’d hoped for: an absurdly specific and drawn-out debate over which poem was better, The Iliad, or The Odyssey.

In both of the UChicago supplemental essay examples, the authors demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the campus and are able to list specific places, classes, and traditions that they’re interested in. Also, both UChicago supplemental essay examples avoid mentioning things like the prestige and reputation of the university.

Fortunately, we have two examples for this UChicago essay prompt. Make sure to read both UChicago supplemental essay examples. These UChicago supplemental essay examples are unique and yet each captures the essence of what the prompt is asking.  You’ll also find insight from our experts on what made these UChicago supplemental essay examples truly great.

UChicago Essay Prompts Key Questions:

• First, does your draft clearly communicate your academic and personal goals?
• Next, do your goals relate to the learning, community, and future you’d like to use your college experience to find?
• Finally, have you shown how you can take advantage of specific UChicago resources to reach those goals?

UChicago Essay Prompts – Question 2 (Required):

While the first UChicago essay is fairly traditional, the second UChicago supplement essay—the “extended essay”— is a bit stranger. As far as college essays go, this UChicago essay is famous in the world of college applications for perhaps being the most creative prompt that students will encounter. Here are the UChicago essay prompts:

Choose one of the six extended essay options and upload a one- or two-page response. Please include the prompt at the top of the page.

1. What if the moon were made of cheese? Or Neptune made of soap? Pick a celestial object, reimagine its material composition, and explore the implications. Feel free to explore the realms of physics, philosophy, fantasy…the sky is the limit! (Inspired by Tate Flicker, Class of 2025)

2. What’s so easy about pie? (Inspired by Arjun Kalia, Class of 2025)

3. In Homer’s Iliad, Helen had a “face that launched a thousand ships.” A millihelen, then, measures the beauty needed to launch one ship. The Sagan unit is used to denote any large quantity (in place of “billions and billions”). A New York Minute measures the period of time between a traffic light turning green and the cab behind you honking. Invent a new unit of measurement. How is it derived? How is it used? What are its equivalents? (Inspired by Carina Kane, Class of 2024, and Ishaan Goel, Class of 2025)

4. “There is no such thing as a new idea” -Mark Twain. Are any pieces of art, literature, philosophy, or technology truly original, or just a different combination of old ideas? Pick something, anything (besides yourself), and explain why it is, or is not, original. (Inspired by Haina Lu, Class of 2022)

5. It’s said that history repeats itself. But what about other disciplines? Choose another field (chemistry, philosophy, etc.) and explain how it repeats itself. (Inspired by Ori Brian, AB’19)

6. In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, pose your own question or choose one of our past prompts. Be original, creative, thought provoking. 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. Please upload your response here. (no word limit)

To begin, you’ll notice that there is no UChicago essay word limit. Instead, you’ll answer each prompt with a one or two page response. With this in mind, you can write without fear of a UChicago essay word limit. In other words, take as much time and space as you need. Now, it’s time to think a little bit outside of the box!

These UChicago essay prompts might leave you feeling uncertain—and that’s okay! Once again, if you’re looking for inspiration, check out our UChicago supplemental essay examples. These UChicago essay examples can help you better understand what admissions officers look for in evaluating students. However, there is no magic formula. On the contrary, admissions officers are looking for genuine/unique answers that get at the spirit of these prompts.

In other words, admissions officers want to use this UChicago supplement essay to determine whether you can think creatively. Consider this, they’re giving you a unique opportunity to demonstrate a side of you that few schools attempt to see. In addition to the first five suggestions, UChicago gives you the option of posing your own mind-bending riddle to respond to or using one of their own from the past. For a list of past UChicago essay examples, you can head to their  website .

Having difficulty deciding where to start with this UChicago supplemental essay? You might begin with a  writing exercise ! To begin, pick three or four of the UChicago essay prompts that you connect with most and set a timer. Then, write about each topic for no more than 10-15 minutes. When you finished, did you find yourself wanting to keep writing about one of the UChicago essay prompts? If so, that’s your prompt!

For inspiration, check out some of the UChicago supplemental essay examples for prior prompts. While these UChicago essay examples won’t match the prompts above, you can get an idea of how students approached odd essay prompts. You’ll also notice that without a UChicago essay word limit, one author’s essay is only approx. 700 while the other essay is a little over 1000. This goes back to the word of caution on the UChicago essay word limit—don’t feel the need to fill your essay with superfluous language to hit a specific word count. Instead, make sure your draft is complete and that your ideas are fully fleshed out. For reference, see how the authors did this in the UChicago supplemental essay examples provided.

No matter what UChicago essay prompt you select, the most important thing is that you reveal something personal about yourself, your interests, or your accomplishments.

When reimagining the material composition of a celestial object, a student might explore what would happen if the Milky Way was made up of actual milk and how that might support, and/or disrupt the movement of the objects in our galaxy. On the other hand, a student athlete might consider how the delicious dairy product has shaped their experiences as an athlete looking to maximize the amount of calcium in their bones.

Thinking about the “What’s so easy about pie” UChicago essay prompt? Consider whether you want to an answer this literally or figuratively. For example, you can write about your love of baking and experimenting with different flavors of pie other types of pastries. Then, use your baking knowledge to delve into how chemistry and biology affect the food we eat and vice versa.

For the UChicago essay prompt about a subject that repeats itself, maybe an applicant who really loves music could explore the finite number of notes on the scale and how they repeat continuously in different octaves. That might lead that student to write about how they explore different keys, tones, and genres when writing original songs.

As the UChicago essay prompt implies, the possibilities are quite literally endless! If you haven’t already, read over some of our UChicago supplemental essay examples for more inspiration.

• Have you selected a prompt and a topic that you feel you can identify with?
• Do you answer the question at hand in a creative, yet logically coherent, way, revealing something about your thinking?
• Does your response reveal something about you, your personality, or values, or your accomplishments?

How Long are the UChicago Essay Prompts?

Technically, there is no UChicago essay word limit. The Common App requests that applicants upload files with their responses to the UChicago essay prompts. So, while all essays (no matter the school) should be drafted outside of the Common App, the UChicago supplement essay responses must be written, revised, edited, and finalized in an outside document.

Without a UChicago essay word limit, your UChicago essays could theoretically be as long as you want. However, admissions officers don’t have the time, energy, or motivation to read essays ranging several pages when they have to evaluate thousands of applications! Therefore, you’ll want to keep each UChicago essay short-ish and sweet. While there’s no formal UChicago essay word limit, we recommend that your responses range from about 500–750 words (or about 1–2 double-spaced pages) each. This unofficial UChicago essay word limit will make your UChicago essays a similar length to your Common App essay. That way, you have the room to infuse your personality and creativity into each without going overboard.

What Does UChicago Look for in its Essays?

The UChicago essay prompts are meant to reveal who you are as a student, a thinker, and ultimately a person. In fact, UChicago is know for their creative essay prompts. Take a look at some UChicago supplemental essay examples with commentary from a former admissions officer on why they  worked !

Admissions Officers want to know who you are and how you can contribute to their academic and extracurricular community. They want to know that you have the motivation, skills, and ingenuity to thrive in a rigorous, yet extremely rewarding, academic environment. As you saw in the UChicago essay examples, the school is looking for students who are interested in attending for reasons beyond prestige and ranking.  Moreover, the best UChicago supplemental essay examples show specificity in their knowledge of the school. For example, our UChicago prompt author not only wanted to study economics, but they wanted to take “The Economics of Crime” from Professor Levitt. Leveraging your knowledge of the university is very impressive to admissions officers.

The UChicago essay prompts ask you who you are at your core; they urge you to “simply be yourself and write in your own voice.” For a greater understanding of what this looks like and how it relates to the UChicago essay prompts, visit their main application  page .

Does UChicago Care About Essays?

Absolutely! In fact, UChicago cares a lot! In recent years, UChicago has received more than  30,000 applications  and generally accepts just over 2,500. Because UChicago is a top-tier school, the vast majority of applicants will have stellar GPAs, standardized testing scores, and extracurricular activities. Therefore, Admissions Officers use the UChicago supplement essay responses to understand who their applicants are and how they will fit into the UChicago community. This means that the UChicago essays form a key part of your application!

UChicago Essay Prompts – Final Thoughts

Crafting your answers to the UChicago essay prompts can seem difficult, but don’t let them stop you from applying! Instead, use your UChicago supplement essay answers as a way to demonstrate to Admissions Officers all you have to offer. Essays have great power; even if your academics aren’t exactly where you’d like them to be, an incredibly well-written UChicago supplement essay can push your application through. Use this guide to create a strategy to write solid UChicago essay prompts, and remember to check out our UChicago essay examples if you need more  assistance . Happy writing!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on UChicago was written by Senior Advisor  Michael Miller . For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on UChicago,  click here . Want help crafting your UChicago supplement essay answers? Create your  free account  or  schedule a free consultation  by calling (844) 576-0968.

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Unique UChicago essay questions spark students’ creativity

Prompts encourage applicants to think beyond traditional admissions essay conventions and freely express themselves.

Whether it is finding where Waldo really is, considering who Sally sells her seashells to or exploring what can actually be divided by zero, every University of Chicago undergraduate since the 1980s has written an essay as part of the College admissions process. 

While the first supplemental essay on the UChicago application essentially asks “Why UChicago?”, the Extended Essay encourages creative liberty and provides a window into a prospective student’s personality and passions.

The legendary UChicago Extended Essay dates back to at least 1984, when a prompt invited applicants to imagine themselves as astronauts on Mars and asked them whether they would prefer to be teleported molecule-to-molecule back to earth, or to be the person running the teleporting machine. Prompts were initially developed by College Admissions staff, but in 2000, the practice of inviting admitted students to contribute questions first began. 

According to Peter Wilson, AB’10, MBA’17, assistant vice president of enrollment and student advancement and director of undergraduate admissions, the essay gives prospective students an opportunity to demonstrate how they utilize critical thinking and rigorous inquiry to confront unfamiliar situations. 

“When students come to the College, they will invariably be met with a situation or problem they have never encountered before, be it academics-related or otherwise” Wilson said. “This prompt gives Admissions counselors a way to evaluate how students will navigate those situations once they are at UChicago.”

John W. Boyer, the dean of the College, said the fundamental idea behind the Extended Essay is to invite prospective students to be creative in a serious but intellectually playful way in response to an open-ended challenge. 

“These essays not only reveal much about the qualities of mind of our students, but they also show our students something of the intellectually dynamic culture they will be joining if they matriculate here as members of our community,” Boyer said.

Each year, applicants choose from six essay options—five are prompts selected for that application cycle, and the sixth allows applicants to choose a prompt from past years or create one of their own. 

“We offer a number of options because we understand students are different—they have different interests and backgrounds, a wide variety of experiences and views, and they engage different parts of their brains. We are interested in diversity in all its forms, and a wide variety of questions allows for a wide variety of ideas to be represented,” Wilson said. 

Selecting new prompts every year begins with soliciting members of the UChicago community, both past and present, and asking them to submit ideas. Those interested in sending in their ideas for the 2022-23 application cycle can expect to see a call-for-submissions email next May.

By engaging current students and alumni in the process, the Extended Essay connects prospective students with the UChicago community. After receiving an average of nearly 1,000 essay prompt submissions each year, a small group of Admissions counselors then meet to review and finalize the year’s list. 

Grace Chapin James, AB’11, is very familiar with the process, having served as the chair of the essay committee for eight of the 10 years that she worked in the Office of College Admissions. 

“When we give people these creative questions, the goal is to open up their minds and see if they have a level of creativity or flexibility and exploration that will lend itself well to being in a UChicago classroom,” said James, who is now director of student recruitment and admissions at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. 

Overall, Wilson says the essay shows prospective students that the University is interested in getting a sense for how they think before they step foot on campus. 

“It also signals to prospective students that we are an institution that values and celebrates novel ways of thinking and solving problems,” he added.

Below, view two of the 2021-2022 essay prompts for prospective students and the thought process behind their creation. The rest of the prompts can be found here .

Applications for the Class of 2026 are open through the Coalition and Common Applications. For more information, visit getstarted.uchicago.edu .

In Homer’s Iliad, Helen had a “face that launched a thousand ships.” A millihelen, then, measures the beauty needed to launch one ship. The Sagan unit is used to denote any large quantity (in place of “billions and billions”). A New York Minute measures the period of time between a traffic light turning green and the cab behind you honking. Invent a new unit of measurement. How is it derived? How is it used? What are its equivalents?

—inspired by carina kane, class of 2024, and ishaan goel, class of 2025.

The first thing that rising second-year Carina Kane, a pre-medical student and anthropology major, learned about UChicago as a prospective student was that it had unusual essay prompts. Because of this, she decided to apply.

“I really liked the freedom [of the essay], because I could pretty much choose anything and then weave whatever story or anecdote into it and make it my own question. And I definitely knew when I was answering the question that I wanted to include something that I was interested in, but I wanted to mostly talk about something that would give some indication about who I am.” 

At the end of her first year on campus, inspired by past prompts, Kane submitted her own with the goal of giving students freedom to present their stories. From chemistry to economics to architecture, nearly every field includes a unit of measurement, and Kane hopes applicants will apply their knowledge in their subject of expertise. 

“I hope students will choose something that they're really interested in, and take that freedom that comes with the question and extend their knowledge in that subject to a fantastical realm. Everything's rigid when you're working with certain subjects, and I'd hope that they could take that and turn it into something invented and imagined.”

"There is no such thing as a new idea" - Mark Twain. Are any pieces of art, literature, philosophy, or technology truly original, or just a different combination of old ideas? Pick something, anything (besides yourself), and explain why it is, or is not, original.

—inspired by haina lu, class of 2022.

Haina Lu, a rising fourth-year majoring in economics and public policy, chose to submit a prompt because the Extended Essay was one of her favorite parts of the College application process. 

Her idea was partly inspired by the “ship of Theseus” paradox, which asks whether an object that has had its components entirely replaced fundamentally remains the same object. It was also inspired by late-night conversations with her housemates in Cathey Dining Hall. 

“The Extended Essay makes the overall undergraduate body more creative and colorful,” she said. “Having an Extended Essay prompt allows students to present their ideas in a more freeform way, which contributes to making a more curious and eccentric—in the best way— student body.”

—This story was also published on the College website .

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College Essays

The University of Chicago is famous for its unique essay topics. They're some of the most creative and off-the-wall essay prompts you'll see when applying to colleges, and it can sometimes be confusing to know how to tackle them.

What should you write about in your UChicago essays? How can you show that you're intelligent, creative, and worthy of a place at their school? As someone who spent a long time on my UChicago essays (and who got into the school), I've figured out exactly what UChicago is looking for in these essays.

 Read on to learn all about the UChicago essays, what the admissions team expects to see in your responses, what topics you should write about, and which topics you should avoid. In this guide, we also suggest sample essay ideas for each of the 2022/2023 UChicago supplement essay prompts and analyze past University of Chicago essay samples so you can see what a great UChicago essay looks like.

What Are the UChicago Essays?

Before you can begin figuring out how you'll write your UChicago essays, you should know which prompts you'll be seeing and the rules for each one. You'll need to write two essays, and the UChicago essay prompts you must answer are commonly referred to as Question 1 and Question 2.

Question 1: Why UChicago?

The Question 1 prompt is the only UChicago supplement essay that stays the same each year, and it's also the only prompt that all applicants must answer (for Question 2 you'll have multiple prompts to choose from).

For this question, you'll need to write an essay that explains why you want to attend the University of Chicago and why you think the school is a good fit for you and your goals. UChicago doesn't have strict word limits for essays, but they suggest a response of 1-2 pages.

Here's the prompt:

How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.

The nice part about this prompt is that it's a pretty standard "why this school" essay . And luckily for you, we have a complete guide that walks you through how to knock this type of essay out of the park.

Question 2: Extended Essay

For Question 2, you have a choice of six essay prompts, and you'll choose the one you want to respond to. The essay prompts for this question change every year, and while there are always around six prompts, some years there may be one more or one less to choose from.

These are the more unique and offbeat essay prompts that UChicago is known for. Many of them were created by UChicago alumni and current students. Again, UChicago asks you submit a response 1-2 pages long.

Below are the essay prompts for the 2022/2023 school year.

Essay Option 2: “Where have all the flowers gone?” – Pete Seeger. Pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer.

Essay Option 3: “Vlog,” “Labradoodle,” and “Fauxmage.” Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match).

Essay Option 4: A jellyfish is not a fish. Cat burglars don’t burgle cats. Rhode Island is not an island. Write an essay about some other misnomer, and either come up with and defend a new name for it or explain why its inaccurate name should be kept.

Essay Option 5: Despite their origins in the Gupta Empire of India or Ancient Egypt, games like chess or bowling remain widely enjoyed today. What modern game do you believe will withstand the test of time, and why?

Essay Option 6: And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. 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!

The world is your oyster when it comes to answering UChicago essay prompts.

How to Answer the University of Chicago Essay Prompts

In this section, we explain what UChicago wants to see in your essays, give ideas for topics to write about for each of the essays, and discuss topics you are better off avoiding.

For this University of Chicago supplement essay, UChicago wants to know why you want to attend their school, what you hope to get out of attending, and how University of Chicago will help you achieve their goals. Basically, they want to know why you think their school is a better fit for you than all the other schools out there. For more analysis of this essay, check out our in-depth guide to the Why UChicago essay .

What Do They Want to See in Your Response?

The "why our school?" is probably the most common essay prompt you'll see on college applications. Why do schools, including UChicago, ask this question?

UChicago wants to first see that you really want to go to their school. Students who love a school are more likely to accept an offer of admission and attend it, and they are more likely to be committed to their studies, participate in extracurriculars, and give back after they graduate. Your passion for UChicago should be shining through in this essay.

Next, UChicago wants to see that you've done your research on their school and have an idea of what opportunities you want to take advantage of while there. You can do this by mentioning specific things you like about UChicago or that you plan to take advantage of as a student there. Potential things to discuss include professors you admire or are interested in working with, specific classes you want to take, and extracurriculars you want to participate in.

Finally, UChicago wants to see that you are a good match for their school. Your essay should explain how you'll make the best use of what UChicago offers, how your strengths match the opportunities they provide, and how UChicago will help you reach your goals for the future.

Potential Topics to Write About

There are many ways you could approach this essay prompt; although since UChicago is best known for its academics (as opposed to killer sports teams, for example), most people will discuss the academic side for at least part of their response. Below is a list of possible topics; most people will discuss one to three topics in their essay.

• Majors or classes you're especially interested in
• UChicago's core curriculum
• Professors whose work you admire and whom you'd like to study with or conduct research with
• Unique events like Scav and Kuviasungnerk/Kangeiko
• Research opportunities you'd like to have
• University of Chicago students you've met who you admire
• Volunteer opportunities
• Financial aid opportunities UChicago offers that make it possible for you to attend

Topics to Avoid

The key here is to avoid generic topics that could apply to practically any school or any student. You want it to be clear in your response what opportunities the University of Chicago offers you that no other school does and how you're going to make use of them. Topics that won't show this include discussing:

• How pretty the campus is
• Chicago weather
• The food on campus
• Where UChicago places on college ranking lists
• Your future major and career path without connecting it back to what UChicago offers
• Bashing other schools

The extended essay is when you can get especially creative. These prompts require you to move outside your comfort zone of typical essay topics and answer in a way that gives readers insight into who you are and what you care about. Remember: Question 2 is required, but you have six different prompts to choose from for this essay response.

Your response to Question 1 is meant to show what you like about UChicago and how you’re going to make the most of the opportunities it offers. Question 2 is less about UChicago and more about you. The admissions team wants to see who you are and what's important to you. Three main things they'd like to see in your essay response are:

• Your personality
• Your thirst for knowledge

Who are you? What have been the important events in your life? What kind of person are you? What do you love learning about? These are the questions UChicago wants you to answer. They want to know what's important to you, what events from your past shaped you, what kind of person you are now, and what you want to accomplish in the future. 

UChicago is particularly interested in students who love learning and have a lot of interests in different fields and topics. A mathematician who also does ballet? A creative writing major who started her own business? Bring it on! Make sure to show your love for learning in your essay.

Your passions and goals don't always need to be lofty though; in the second example essay below you can see how the writer took a quirky interest and managed to connect it to larger ideas. If you can connect one of your pet passions to an essay topic, do so!

The great thing about these UChicago essay prompts is you can write about almost anything you want to since they're so different from each other and give you lots of chances to be creative. And you can tackle it from any angle you want. On their website , UChicago states that "[This essay] can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between." Just remember, you want this essay to give UChicago a good idea of the type of person you are and what's important to you.

Essay Option 1

Exponents and square roots, pencils and erasers, beta decay and electron capture. Name two things that undo each other and explain why both are necessary.

You're allowed to let your imagination run wild with this prompt. You should try to find a pair of objects that the admissions panel didn’t think of, something wholly original that only you would think of. For this prompt, they want to see how imaginative you can be, but the most important part of this essay is justifying why your pairing makes sense and why it matters . The pair you choose will show off your personality, creativity, and cultural experiences. 

Make your response as wacky and original as you like, but remember to tie it back to yourself and your interests a nd/or potential major. For instance, say you go with the idea of an art conservator and the passage of time. You could discuss how time degrades the materials of a work of art, and then an art conservationist revitalizes the work, only to have the passage of time wear it down again. This would be an excellent segue into writing about your interest in history, creative writing, or U Chicago’s Department of Art History Conservation Science Teaching Program . 

You could also write about how you developed an interest in these subjects, and what other interests you have could be applicable . Weaving your story into your essay will show UChicago that you’re creative and intellectually curious. This can include your niche interests, quirky hobbies, or pet projects.

Essay Option 2

“Where have all the flowers gone?” – Pete Seeger. Pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer.

This is a classic UChicago question that allows you to answer the question literally...or not. (The year I applied, the version of this question was "Describe your table.") So, if this exemple were your actual song lyric, you address, where have all the flowers gone? You could answer this literally and describe how, for instance, flowers are changing colors in response to climate change . Perhaps you could then discuss your interest in horticulture and what led you to pursue that field.

Or (as always with UChicago essays), you can take it in a totally unexpected direction. This prompt is a chance to put your interpretive and reasoning skills into action. In fact, you could almost think of it like a riddle, except that the answer is anything that you can come up with and justify:

“Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” A valid question in a world where loneliness has been declared a public health emergency and social isolation can increase the likelihood of heart disease by as much as 29% ! 

“Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?” Likely not, considering radio listening has been trending downward for years, especially amongst young listeners and Rock Music is at the lowest point in its popularity since about 1960 . Where does this leave you, a young would-be guitar player with an interest in U Chicago’s ethnomusicology program ?

“Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” Perhaps you do, considering recent studies show a decline in empathy and corresponding rise in narcissism .

You get the idea. Whatever question you choose, don’t worry too much about having a great answer for it; the idea is to find a context for the question that is meaningful to you and relates to your interests , which will give UChicago insight into your values and personality, two things they want to see in these essays!

Essay Option 3

“Vlog,” “Labradoodle,” and “Fauxmage.” Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match).

This prompt is a bit sillier, but you still have the chance to show U Chicago your personality and unique worldview. This prompt gives you a chance to play with language and create something that expresses a meaning that we don’t have a word for. The best way to go about this is to think of two areas that are important to you and find a pair of rhyming words related to each and combine them.

So, for instance, if you’re math-oriented but somewhat spiritual, you could take words from both mathematics and spirituality, and come up with something like “stamystics” (statistics+mystics). You could talk about how you became interested in math and how it relates to your spirituality, and so forth.

If you are more interested in sports than spirituality, you could come up with something like “mathleticism.” You could write about how you had to train your mind in order to grasp difficult or advanced mathematical concepts and, inversely, how your understanding of math deepens your appreciation of sports.

What U Chicago is looking for here is how you can connect two seemingly unrelated concepts and find a bridge between them. They’re looking for problem-solving in addition to insight into your personality.

Essay Option 4

A jellyfish is not a fish. Cat burglars don’t burgle cats. Rhode Island is not an island. Write an essay about some other misnomer, and either come up with and defend a new name for it or explain why its inaccurate name should be kept.

This prompt gives you an opportunity to think about familiar things in a new way. We probably don’t think much about peanuts not being nuts, but it’s obvious once you think about it that they are legumes. But, on the other hand, they are also closely related to peas–so the name has some validity. Even though they’re not actually nuts, they do taste like nuts…so is it wrong to call them nuts? Think about other examples that exist in your fields of interest.

And of course, be sure to let your experiences, interests, and values shape the way you rename or defend your misnomer . That way, UChicago will get a good idea of who you are and what’s meaningful to you!

Essay Option 5

Despite their origins in the Gupta Empire of India or Ancient Egypt, games like chess or bowling remain widely enjoyed today. What modern game do you believe will withstand the test of time, and why?

This prompt is your chance to be more overtly academic in your response . In writing about how this game will remain relevant in the future, you’ll be able to show your knowledge of history, culture, politics, economics, religion, scientific discovery…and so on! Choose a game that interests you in some way that you can tie into your personal history and academic interests. 

While brainstorming possible games will be really fun, the most important part of this essay is justifying why you think something that’s relevant today will continue to be relevant in the future. Think about what cultural, social, and political changes could be possible and what the implications of that could be for people today. As long as you’re creative, descriptive, and thorough, your response can range from serious to silly and meet the requirements for this prompt.

Essay Option 6

And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. 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!

If you aren't feeling any of the other five optional prompts, you can respond to this one, which asks you to choose and respond to a past UChicago optional essay prompt, or write and respond to your own prompt. With either option, you'll want to consider your identity, interests, strengths, and goals, and let those factors inform which prompt you choose, how you write your own prompt, and how you craft your response.

You may not feel up to the task of writing your own prompt, but you might like the idea of tracking down an old prompt that catches your eye. Read through the past prompts and consider which one will allow you to play to your strengths . If there's a particular experience or skill that you want to showcase in your response, select a prompt that is conducive to that.

Alternatively, if there's a specific experience you want to write about, you can write your own prompt and respond to it. To write your prompt, use the tone and structure of the existing UChicago prompts as a guide. It'll probably come as no surprise that your original prompt should fit right in with the ones provided on the application. This means you might have to be a little goofy, cryptic, or risky...and that's a good thing!

Though this option allows you to write your own prompt if you so choose, it's important to remember that your response to the prompt should still focus on showcasing who you are , what strengths you will bring to UChicago as a student, and why UChicago is the perfect place for you. Don't get too carried away trying to impress admissions with punny phrases or cryptic logic; be authentic, be bold, and be you.

Some people shy away from this prompt because they feel like it's "cheating" or less impressive to not follow one of the specific prompts that UChicago gives. However, this isn't true! As long as you write a compelling essay that gives readers a better insight into who you are, your essay will strengthen your application. For what it's worth, when I applied to UChicago, this is the prompt I chose, and I was still accepted to the school.

UChicago wants you to be creative here, so there aren't many topics that are off limits. However, you're trying to convince them that you'd be a great and interesting student to add to their school, so make sure you use your essay to show who you are and why UChicago would want to admit you.

This means you should avoid responses that don't give readers a good idea of who you are. For example, if you choose essay option 1, don't just state that “taco cat” is funny because it reminds you of your favorite meme. Instead, tie it back to yourself and your life by explaining its relevance, like making tacos with your abuela and fending off the family cat’s attempts to steal tacos. 

Because these prompts are creative, it can be easy to run away with them, but always remember to answer the prompt completely and give UChicago better insight into who you are.

Additionally, don't feel that certain University of Chicago essay prompts are "better" or more impressive than others . UChicago wouldn't have chosen these essay topics if they didn't think applicants could write outstanding responses to them, so please choose the prompt that you feel you can write the best essay for.

University of Chicago Essay Examples

In this section are two University of Chicago essay examples, each written by an accepted applicant.

Below each UChicago supplement essay we discuss what makes the essay work so well.

Dear University of Chicago,

And now you inquire as to my wishes? They're simple, accept me for who I am! Why can't you just love and not ask why? Not ask about my assets or my past? I'm living in the now, I'm waiting for you to catch up, but you're too caught up in my past, I offer us a future together, not a past to dwell upon. Whenever I'm around you, I just get that tingle deep inside me that tells me you're the one; you have that air of brilliance and ingenuity that I crave in a person, you're so mature and sophisticated, originality is really your strongest and most admirable trait. I wish we could be together, I still think in my heart of hearts we were meant to be, but you have to meet me halfway, dear. I'm on one knee here with tears welling up in my eyes, the fireworks are timed and ready to light up the night sky for you, just say 'I accept...you.'

Why Does This Essay Work?

• Creative take on a standard prompt: The writer chose a very unique angle for this essay: comparing the University of Chicago to a lover. He's probably the first applicant to answer the essay prompt this way, which definitely makes this a memorable essay. In fact, UChicago loved this essay so much that they mailed it out to thousands of potential applicants (which actually got them a bit of backlash ). You absolutely don't have to take as unique an approach to this essay as the above writer did, but doing so can definitely help your essay stand out.
• It answers the entire prompt: Even though this is an unusual essay, the writer still manages to answer everything the prompt asks for. He mentions his goal for the future (to become a lawyer), mentions varied interests he has (the Gothic era, the philosopher Kierkegaard), and explains what he likes about UChicago (the brilliance, ingenuity, and originality the school offers). He even manages to mention that he visited campus three times, which shows a serious interest in the school. If you choose to write an especially offbeat essay, it's key to do what this essay did and still answer the prompt while being creative.

This essay is from several years ago, so it doesn't use a current prompt, but it's still helpful to read and analyze.

Share with us a few of your favorite books, poems, authors, films, plays, pieces of music, musicians, performers, paintings, artists, blogs, magazines, or newspapers. Feel free to touch on one, some, or all of the categories listed, or add a category of your own.

Now let's take a look at the successful essay:

The Illuminati changed my life. Three years ago, I found my first ambigram in one of my favorite novels, Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I turned the page, and there it was: the word "Illuminati" printed into the exact center of the book. It was styled like a newspaper masthead, exquisite and complex, yet oddly symmetric. Curious, I rotated the book upside-down.

Impossibly, the inverted word was still "Illuminati." Gazing closer, I realized that the letters, I-L-L-U-M, actually shaped into a flipped I-N-A-T-I. Suddenly, I was reading it in both directions. My eyes waltzed along the broad curves and sharp twists of the calligraphy, striking poses in a glamorous font against a sheet of creamy whiteness, sliding between the dense vertical strokes, peering at the edge of the defined serif as it angled away, then bent boldly toward me. Every line was deliberate, every flourish smiling with purpose, and the whole word balanced on the delicate cord that joined two letters into one. It was unforgettable.

Ambigrams are words that can be read from different directions. Actually, "ambigram" is an umbrella term that encompasses dozens of distinct types of visual wordplay. The most popular ones are rotational, mirror image, and-my personal favorites-symbiotic ambigrams, which can spell two different things when viewed normally and upside-down.

Compelled by the striking art, I could not help but try my own hand at designing ambigrams, and slowly I felt the pitiful stick-figure artist inside me shrink away as my inner energetic graphic designer sprang up. Before early volleyball tournaments, I work myself up by filling up pages and pages of experimental letter combinations, gleefully satisfied at the way that a rounded lowercase "a" was a perfect upside-down lowercase "e." In my AP Literature class, I drew "She's a witch!" which revealed, when flipped, "Communist" to reflect Arthur Miller's contemporary motives for writing The Crucible. On a challenge from a friend, I even drew an ambigram of "Jay-Z" and "Beyonce" on a bumpy bus ride back from a leadership retreat.

In the last few months, I have also practiced drawing ambigrams as fast as I can. I dream about the day when I can effortlessly write out a message saying "Hi, how are you today?" normally and "The password is cherry268" upside-down, without pausing or rotating the paper. I imagine a world in which everyone had this ability, and could literally write two things at once. How would that change communication? Encryption? Trust? My legs swing comfortably from this innovative edge, excited to take a stab at the answers.

The best part about the ambigram is that it refuses to define itself as just one thing. It is a linguistic passion, a cryptographic endeavor, an artistic design, and an ironic illusion. I relish the fact that ambigrams force both the artist and the audience to reject first glances and embrace secret identities.

This may just be a nerdy obsession, but ambigrams have taught me far more than how to sketch fancy words. Their multidimensional truth implies that my hobbies of both writing Italian sonnets and solving logical riddles are not opposing functions of my left and right brains, but rather, a perfect conglomeration of my passion for creating and solving puzzles. The beauty of the most surprising combinations reminds me to take bold risks in both my life and my designs.

Above all else, ambigrams have taught me that I can create the impossible. I can make true and false the same word depending on something as simple as a 180-degree head turn. Victory can be defeat. Open can be closed. Am amateur piano player with an obsession for cryptology can learn how to program iPhone apps and get the game-winning kill at the varsity volleyball championship. A girl with divorced parents can make time for both families, and an inspired teenager from California can write her name into world history--both normally and upside-down.

- Samantha M.

Why This Essay Works

• Shows passion: This essay focuses on a pretty unusual and specific topic: ambigrams. While many people may not even know what an ambigram is, the writer is clearly passionate about them. She discusses how much time she spends trying to create different ambigrams, what her goals for ambigram creating are, and some of her favorite ambigrams she's created. UChicago loves people who are passionate about something, even if it's an unusual or offbeat interest. It makes UChicago believe those students will bring that passion with them onto campus.
• Gives insight into the writer's personality: The majority of this essay is about the author's interest in ambigrams, but she also manages to cleverly slip in multiple other references to her personality and interests. From her essay, we learn that she's a volleyball player, writes Italian sonnets, and loves solving puzzles. Adding these details gives UChicago a fuller look at what makes her tick.
• Connects it to a bigger picture: The writer chose to write about a very specific topic—ambigrams—but was still able to connect that to bigger concepts, such as communication, truth, and how she's able to balance her different interests. She's able to take a quirky topic and show how it influences her worldview.

Final Advice: UChicago Essays

When answering the University of Chicago essay prompts, keep in mind that the main reason UChicago is reading these essays is to find out who you are as a person and if you'd be a good fit at their school.

The University of Chicago wants students who are passionate about learning, creative, are excited to make the most of their time on campus, and have big dreams for themselves, and the UChicago supplement questions are designed to help you show these sides of yourself to the school.

For the "Why UChicago?" prompt, you'll want to show the school why you want to go there, why you think you're a good fit for the school, and how UChicago will help you achieve your goals during college and beyond.

For the extended essay, you can (and should) be more creative. These UChicago essays are more "out there," and in your response, you should show your personality and passion for learning.

For both University of Chicago essays, remember to show who you are and what you're passionate about, include details about yourself and the school to help you stand out from other essays, and mention your plans and goals for the future.

What's Next?

If you want a more in-depth look how to write about Question 1, check out our guide to the Why UChicago Essay , which includes an additional sample essay along with analysis of how to answer this prompt.

Are you working on the Common App essay ? Read our breakdown of the Common App prompts and our guide to picking the best prompt for you.

If you're planning to take the SAT or ACT one last time , try out some of our famous test prep guides, like "How to Get a Perfect Score on the SAT" and "15 Key ACT Test Day Tips."

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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First-Year Applicants

First-year applicants apply into our undergraduate College at UChicago, which includes all of our majors, minors, and programs of study. First-year applicants include QuestBridge Applicants, Home-Schooled Applicants, and International Applicants, and may apply for entrance in the Autumn Quarter only.

The University of Chicago offers first-year applicants a choice of four application plans. Learn more about your choice of application plans and their respective deadlines.

2023-2024 Timelines

Application materials.

The application materials below are those required for all first-year students, which include QuestBridge applicants, home-schooled applicants, and veterans. First-year international students can find a list of relevant required application materials on the international applicants  page. With the exception of prospective students-at-large, applicants may apply for entrance in the Autumn Quarter only.

Required Materials

Application for admission and supplement essays.

Applicants should submit their choice of Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir  or the Common Application , both of which include the  University of Chicago Supplement . Applicants will also be be prompted to create a  UChicago Account , where they can submit information and view their admissions decision.

Select One of Two Applications

There are several online application platforms accepted by many colleges and universities. Through the online application platform, you submit basic information about your background, academic profile, and extracurricular activities, as well as an essay, and that information can be easily shared with multiple colleges you decide to apply to. If you apply to the University of Chicago, you will also submit two supplemental essays, which will not be seen by other institutions.

UChicago accepts Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir  or the Common Application . We treat both equally in the admissions process. You'll want to pick a single application platform to use, whichever you feel works best for you.

Questions about technical matters related to using one of the consortium applications should be directed, respectively, to the folks at the  Common Application  or  Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir . Questions about our own requirements should be  directed to us .

Extracurricular Activities

In your list of extracurricular activities, you should include whatever it is that you spend your time doing outside of class.  This could be an official club, team, or competition; a hobby you pursue on your own; a part-time job; a family responsibility; or anything else you do with your time outside of class. Colleges ask for this information not because they have any specific expectation or preference for how you spend your time, but to see what's meaningful, worthwhile, or interesting to you. We do not require certificates proving participation in activities. If the space provided on the Coalition or Common Application to list all extracurricular and work experiences is not sufficient, you may share further details in the Additional Information section of the application.

Personal Statement

Your personal statement is your chance to present yourself and your ideas in your own words. Through the Common or Coalition Application, your personal statement will be sent to all of the schools you are applying to. As a result, it should not be specific to any one school. Your personal statement should be appropriate for a wide array of audiences and should put your best foot forward. Be sure to proofread and edit your essay, and have someone you trust like a friend, family member, or counselor read it over before submitting it.

UChicago Supplement

The University of Chicago Supplement  requires one extended essay of your choice from our list of several prompts and one short essay on why you would like to attend the University of Chicago. The Supplement is available through Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir  or the Common Application .

Your UChicago Account

Students may create a UChicago Account before or after beginning the Coalition or Common Application. To create a UChicago Account before you begin working on either application, please visit  getstarted.uchicago.edu . If you begin by working on the Coalition or Common Application, you will receive an email with instructions on how to set up your UChicago Account. When you  sign in to your UChicago Account , you will be able to complete and update your profile, apply for financial aid, upload some materials, and view your admissions decision.

Application Fee or Automatic Fee Waiver

The University of Chicago does not charge an application fee for students applying for need-based financial aid. For students not applying for need-based financial aid, our application fee is $75 and can be submitted through Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the Common Application .

Credit Card

Please follow the instructions on Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the Common Application for submitting the application fee online.

Check or Money Order

Please include a note with the check or money order with the applicant's full name and address, and mail it to the College Admissions Office by the appropriate application deadline. Checks should be made payable to the University of Chicago.

The Office of College Admissions Attn. Matt Cowell 1101 E. 58th St. Rosenwald 005 Chicago, IL 60637

Secondary School Report and Transcript

Ask your secondary school counselor to complete the Secondary School Report and to submit it along with an official transcript. If you do not have a secondary school counselor, a teacher or school administrator may submit the Secondary School Report and transcript instead. Students may also self-submit transcripts.

Secondary School Report

The Secondary School Report provides us with an overview of your high school academic record. All secondary school counselors have the option of submitting letters of recommendation and school forms online via Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the Common Application . High school counselors should follow the instructions on  Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the  Common Applications for submitting these forms. Counselors may print out and submit these forms on paper even if you submit your application online.

High School Transcript

An official transcript detailing your coursework and grades over your entire high school career should be sent from your high school. In reading your application, your transcript will serve as a roadmap of your academic path in high school. We will be looking at your academic record across all four years of high school, primarily to see that you have challenged yourself productively in your course selection and done well in those courses. 

Your transcript is considered in the context of your high school. Course offerings and opportunities can look very different from one high school to the next, and we want to see how you took advantage of what was available to you at your high school. You would never be at a disadvantage in the admissions process for not having pursued an opportunity that was not available to you. A School Profile is usually included with your transcript that tells us about the environment at your school, course offerings, curriculum, and educational outcomes. We do not require complete syllabi.

If you have taken courses at a school other than your current high school, such as a previous high school or a local college, please be sure to have those grades sent as well. They may be reported either on your current high school transcript or in a separate transcript from the original institution.

Transcripts written in a language other than English should be accompanied by a certified translation and a grading scale.

Self-Submitted Transcripts

UChicago will review the applications of students using either self-submitted or official transcripts and midyear transcripts. We realize that there can be costs associated with ordering transcripts. If students have a hard copy or digital copy of their transcript, they may fax, mail, or upload through their UChicago Account. Students will not be required to submit official transcripts unless they are admitted and choose to enroll.

Two Teacher Evaluations

We require two recommendations from teachers who have taught you in an academic subject: high school teachers for first-year applicants and college instructors for transfer applicants. Academic subjects, as defined for the purposes of letters of recommendation, include mathematics, social studies, history, science, English or literature, foreign language, and other courses in which you are doing substantial amounts of reading, writing, or class discussion. If you have questions about whether a particular course is a good choice, feel free to  contact your regional Admissions Counselor .

Ask for recommendations from teachers who know you well and can speak specifically and positively about your contributions in the classroom, academic interest, and interactions with classmates. This does not necessarily need to be the teacher who gave you the best grades, but instead someone who best knows your academic personality and thinks highly of you. Plan to have a brief conversation with your recommender to give them context on your educational plans, as this can be helpful in writing a more detailed letter.

As teachers are often writing letters of recommendation on their own time and are therefore not getting paid to do it, we also strongly encourage students to write their recommenders a thank you note.

Submitting Letters of Recommendation

All school counselors and teachers have the option of submitting letters of recommendation and school forms online via Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir  or the  Common Application . They should follow the instructions on the relevant application for submitting these forms. Teachers and counselors may print out and submit these forms on paper even if you submit your application online. Letters of recommendation must come directly from the recommender and should not be sent by the applicant. Letters of recommendation can be added to your application after the application deadline, so you do not need to ask your recommender to submit their letter before or at the same time as you have submitted your application.

If your recommenders are most comfortable writing in a language other than English, they may. Have them submit the original letter accompanied by a translation.

Supplemental Recommendations

If you feel that we won't be able get a full picture of who you are without a third letter of recommendation from another teacher, an employer, role model, youth leader, or friend, you may submit one additional letter. Submitting a supplemental letter of recommendation is not an expectation, and please be considerate of the significant time commitment writing a good letter of recommendation takes before asking a potential recommender.

Midyear Report

Please have your high school counselor submit a midyear report with grades or a transcript for your first semester or first trimester by February 1 of the year you have applied, or as soon as possible thereafter. We are aware that schools may issue midyear grades at a later time, and students will not be penalized for submitting the report after this date. Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir and the  Common Application provide a Midyear Grade Report form, or you may use your own school’s midyear report. You are also welcome to make updates to your application by logging into your  UChicago Account  and clicking “Update Your Application." Students may choose to self-submit their midyear transcript.

No Harm Testing Policy

Submitting an SAT or ACT is optional and not required for admission. In addition to being test-optional, UChicago practices a “No Harm” policy for application review when considering SAT or ACT scores. Any SAT or ACT score submitted will only be used in review if it will positively affect an applicant’s chance of admission. Test scores that may negatively impact an admission decision will not be considered in review. All applicants, including domestic students, international students, and transfer students will be reviewed under this policy.

Reporting Scores

Students submitting SAT or ACT scores may share either official or self-reported scores. Students sharing self-reported scores will not be required to submit official score reports unless they are admitted and choose to enroll. You are able to self-report test scores through Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir or the Common Application . You will not need to superscore your own results or recalculate your scores in any way; send your scores exactly as you receive them. To be considered official, scores can be sent by a school official, listed on a transcript, or sent to the University of Chicago directly from the testing agency. UChicago’s SAT code is 1832; the ACT code is 1152.

Testing Deadlines

While we would, if possible, like to receive your scores before the appropriate deadline, we will accept October ACT and November SAT scores for Early Action and Early Decision I, December SAT and ACT scores for Early Decision II, and January SAT and February ACT scores for Regular Decision. For transfer applicants, we will accept scores from the February ACT or March SAT.

Optional Components

Financial aid application, u.s. citizens and permanent residents.

Applicants to the College are not required to submit an application for financial aid to be considered for admission. If you do intend to apply for need-based financial aid, however, you should do so at the same time you apply for admission so that you can factor your financial aid package into your college decision process. Learn more about  applying for financial aid .

Once a student is admitted, regardless of that student’s country of origin, the University of Chicago will meet 100% of their demonstrated financial need throughout their four years in the College with a grant-based financial aid package. UChicago financial aid packages do not include a loan expectation.

Domestic Financial Aid Application Materials

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Prior-prior year's tax returns (including all schedules and W-2 forms)
• UChicago-Specific Financial Aid Worksheet (can substitute College Board's CSS Profile)

International Applicants 

UChicago will meet 100% of international students’ demonstrated need. International applicants go through the same contextual review process as domestic applicants, with the only difference being that international students are required to submit a financial aid application prior to admission if they think they may require need-based aid at any time while enrolled at UChicago. Learn more about  applying for financial aid  as an international applicant.

International Financial Aid Application Materials

• The International Financial Aid Worksheet
• Supporting documentation of family’s income and asset information

Transfer Applicants 

Based on the nature of financial aid funds for transfer students, the admissions process is need-aware for transfer applicants. Transfer applications go through the same holistic review process as first-year applicants, and an application for need-based financial aid will be taken into consideration at the end of that process. International transfer applicants are not eligible to apply for need-based financial aid. Learn more about  applying for financial aid  as a Transfer student.

Recommended Video Profile

If you would like to add your voice to your application, you have the option to submit a two-minute video introduction in lieu of the traditional college interview, which is not part of our application process. Your recording does not need to be extensively rehearsed or polished, and the video does not need to be edited.

You may record your video introduction using the platform of your choice, and then upload either a file of or link to the introduction into your UChicago Account. If there is any important information relevant to your candidacy you were unable to address elsewhere in the application, please share that information here.

Supplemental Materials: Optional Art, Creative, Research, or Other Supplements

Students may submit supplemental material representing a significant talent, passion, or achievement by self-upload through their UChicago Account. These materials include, but are not limited to, creative writing projects, highlights from music/dance/visual art/theater performance, school capstone projects such as AP Capstone or the equivalent, research projects, business plans, or other work of note.

Students may also elect to submit results of AP exams, or predicted IB or A-Level scores on an optional and self-reported basis.

Schoolhouse.world Statistics or Calculus Mastery Certification

Students are welcome to submit schoolhouse.world certification to their application. Once you’ve completed certification in a specific subject area, you’ll be able to download a PDF document verifying your completion. You can upload this PDF to your UChicago Account. Learn more and view FAQs at  schoolhouse.world/certification .

Add Project Key Words

How to Write the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2020-2021

Padya Paramita

July 8, 2019

A Guide to the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2020-2021

You probably already know that admission into the University of Chicago, with its acceptance rate of only 7.9%, is far from guaranteed. But as you gear up to apply, you might get further thrown off by the essays you have to write. Alongside the required classic “why UChicago” question, this highly selective school also presents you with some rather unusual prompts in the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 .  

You don’t expect to see references to Costco or Harry Potter when you’re getting into the mindset for convincing admissions officers why you’re a good fit for a school, and yet these have been part of past UChicago prompts. It goes without saying that UChicago’s quirky prompts aren’t your typical supplemental essay questions. But despite their unique nature, the goal of the university is the same as any other school -  to understand your perspective, to get a sense of your goals, and determine whether your values align with those that UChicago looks for in its students. To guide you through each of the prompts, I have outlined the questions, how to go about tackling them, and more tips to help you write the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 .

The UChicago Supplemental Essays 2020-2021

UChicago prides itself on its thought provoking supplemental essay prompts. Use these as an opportunity to introduce yourself, what you’re passionate about, and your ambitions and goals. Although there is no set word limit for any of the prompts, InGenius Prep counselor Natalia Ostrowski, who worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions at UChicago, recommends that you limit the first essay (“Why UChicago”) to a page (double spaced in 12 point font). The second essay - the more weird and unusual one of the two - should be about two pages, double spaced and in 12 point font. 

The voice in your essay can be serious, you can let your creativity completely loose, or you can find an in-between take on any issue you’re writing about. According to Natalia, “UChicago admissions officers want to see how you connect ideas and get a front-row view into your critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and excitement for knowledge.” 

So without further ado, let’s go through all of the prompts - including each of the odd ones - for the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021, and ways you should dissect and answer them:

Question 1 (Required)

How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.

Although there is no strict word limit on this “why UChicago” essay, don’t go overboard with what you like about the university. Admissions officers already know it’s a great school. How do you narrow down what you love about the college? Well, look at the question for hints. The question asks that you elaborate on how UChicago can help meet your needs when it comes to the following:

When reading your response to this question, admissions officers are looking for whether you’ve done your homework on UChicago to determine how much you’d fit into the college. Below are a few questions that Natalia suggests you ask yourself to brainstorm for this essay:

• Why is the Core important to you? (And don’t just copy/paste what you wrote for Columbia and vice versa — they’ll know) 
• What specific majors are you interested in and why? 
• Has it always been your dream to work with [ insert professor here ] or study abroad in [ insert location here ]? Why? 
• Which activities are you excited to contribute to? Why do you want to be a Maroon (yes, UChicago has sports!)?

Emphasize the community aspect - how do you hope to find your people on campus? Is it 

the opportunity to participate in student organizations such as Humor Magazine or the intramural wiffleball team that call out to you? Or are you keen to explore Chicago’s Revival Community Improv Theater within walking distance of the college? You might want to continue your community involvement work from high school by participating in the Neighborhood Schools Program, The Civic Knowledge Project, or one of the college’s several organizations that help give back to the greater Chicago community. 

Since you have space, you can provide context on who you are, your passions, and the kind of values you hope to bring to UChicago. Whatever you choose to write about, make sure you prioritize what you’re looking for from your college experience and how UChicago is the ideal place to explore these interests or goals. Show admissions officers that you have done your research and can convincingly argue for your place at the school, clearly outlining the parts of campus you wish to commit to.

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose One)

Now we get to the more peculiar essays. At first - and even second or third glance - these questions are out of the box in comparison to other schools’ supplemental essays. But where do you even start? Natalia affirms that, “Admissions officers want to see how your brain works. It doesn’t matter what you write about or which question you answer — your ideas and how you write about those ideas is what matters.” 

She also adds that from your essay, “Admissions officers will be able to have a glimpse of who you might be in the classroom, or when you’re deep in discussion in the dining halls or dorms, or walking through the snowy Harper Quad on your way to get some hot chocolate at Hallowed Grounds.” 

The takeaway for admissions officers reading your UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 should be to understand what makes you tick and how you are going to contribute to the community. This is the goal you should keep in mind throughout your writing process.

Essay Option 1

Who does Sally sell her seashells to? How much wood can a woodchuck really chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Pick a favorite tongue twister (either originally in English or translated from another language) and consider a resolution to its conundrum using the method of your choice. Math, philosophy, linguistics... it's all up to you (or your woodchuck).

—Inspired by Blessing Nnate, Class of 2024

This is one of the most open-ended questions among the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 , because with a convincing enough argument, you might just be able to sway admissions officers to believe - or not - that a certain tongue twister has an answer that we might not have thought about before. Here are some tongue twisters — with questions ingrained in them — to help get you started on your brainstorm:

• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?
• Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?
• She saw Sharif's shoes on the sofa. But was she so sure those were Sharif's shoes she saw?
• Which witch switched the Swiss wristwatches?
• To begin to toboggan first buy a toboggan, but don't buy too big a toboggan. Too big a toboggan is too big a toboggan to buy to begin to toboggan.

Don’t get so caught up in the tongue twister that you miss the second half of the question: “method of your choice.” Use this question to discuss your potential major or interest, because after all these are your supplemental essays. How can a certain law in physics explain if you can “can a canner?” Does the law of demand and supply in economics help answer the question of “How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?” This is a great question to combine both your imagination and creativity alongside your curiosity within your academic interest.

Essay Option 2

What can actually be divided by zero?

—Inspired by Mai Vu, Class of 2024

This is another open-ended prompt. Since, unlike the last question, the college hasn’t specified that you should use an academic subject to explain your answer, your options are truly unlimited in how you choose to answer the question. This prompt isn’t one where you should bring up your academic interests unless they flow in organically. But it is a great opportunity to show your humorous side and make the admissions officers laugh.

You can reflect on a real-life incident that occurred that helped you have a certain realization, or you can be more hypothetical and come up with your own math problem. Whatever you choose, it’s crucial that you explain why you’ve drawn a certain conclusion. What does “being divided by zero” mean to you? Why do you believe X object cannot actually be divided by zero? Since there are no specifications, you can use a concrete object such as chairs, or a more abstract example, such as happiness or grief.

Download Every Supplemental Prompt Here!

Essay option 3.

The seven liberal arts in antiquity consisted of the Quadrivium — astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and music — and the Trivium — rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Describe your own take on the Quadrivium or the Trivium. What do you think is essential for everyone to know?

—Inspired by Peter Wang, Class of 2022

This prompt from the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 is a great place to show the school that you’re not afraid to tie everyday mundane things to academic areas. Think about how you use topics such as astronomy or grammar in daily life. To tackle this prompt, you could talk about a particular mathematical formula that you believe everyone should know. Or you could take the Trivium route and explore how grammar has evolved over time.

Remember though, that you are encouraged to get as creative as you want with these, so if you want to use examples from a language that originated in a fantasy novel or film that you enjoy, you could take that risk. This question, like prompt 1, leans in a more academic direction than the others - since it explicitly brings up fields that you’d study in school and/or college. So if you’re not a fan of creative writing, this question might be more approachable for you since the answer can be framed with a scholarly angle. Whichever approach you choose, make sure to not emphasize the question, “what is essential for everyone to know?” but rather why you believe it’s important for every single person.

Essay Option 4

Subway maps, evolutionary trees, Lewis diagrams. Each of these schematics tells the relationships and stories of their component parts. Reimagine a map, diagram, or chart. If your work is largely or exclusively visual, please include a cartographer's key of at least 300 words to help us best understand your creation.

—Inspired by Maximilian Site, Class of 2020

If you’re an artist, or a visual thinker, this could be a great prompt to attempt. Since the question doesn’t specify whether the map you create can be from a real or fictional place, you can go all out and pursue anything you like. It can be on a smaller scale — such as your neighborhood growing up, or far bigger such as the entire continent of Asia.

One factor to keep in mind is to make sure that the subject has relevance to you. Since these essays help admissions understand what makes you unique and helps them make their decision, think about how you can use your choice of map to convey an interest or goal. If you want to be a computer scientist for example, you can reimagine the map for Silicon Valley to your convenience and explain why you’ve done so.

Essay Option 5

"Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" - Eleanor Roosevelt. Misattribute a famous quote and explore the implications of doing so.

—Inspired by Chris Davey, AB’13

This is definitely a more lighthearted prompt among the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021, that allows space both for creativity as well as a chance to demonstrate your interest in a particular topic. You could, for example, take a quote from The Office or a well known internet meme and assign it to someone such as Albert Einstein or Abraham Lincoln. The more important aspect of this prompt is the second half of the question: the implications of misattributing a quote. How is an industry — or even the world — impacted if someone who is reputable has their viewpoint misunderstood? 

This can be a particularly interesting topic to explore if you’re keen on English or journalism, as students applying to UChicago often are. What are the consequences of misquoting someone? Take the quote and persona you’ve chosen and imagine how the world — or a community — would be shifted if people start believing that they used an uncharacteristic statement. Analyze how such an incident can shift dynamics, through a lens that you’re passionate about, such as sociology, politics, or literature. 

Essay Option 6

Engineer George de Mestral got frustrated with burrs stuck to his dog’s fur and applied the same mechanic to create Velcro. Scientist Percy Lebaron Spencer found a melted chocolate bar in his magnetron lab and discovered microwave cooking. Dye-works owner Jean Baptiste Jolly found his tablecloth clean after a kerosene lamp was knocked over on it, consequently shaping the future of dry cleaning. Describe a creative or interesting solution, and then find the problem that it solves.

—Inspired by Steve Berkowitz, AB’19, and Neeharika Venuturupalli, Class of 2024

UChicago appreciates students who “ dig deeper, push further, and ask bigger questions ” — and this question is an effective way to demonstrate that you have the traits that the school looks for in its students. Think carefully about what you wish to cover here — there really are no limits on your topic as the prompt suggests that your solution can be creative. Don’t be afraid to think out of the box. For example, you might find the perfect answer to the question of “milk first or cereal first?” by discovering a solution that explains exactly why one is more efficient than the other. 

By explaining what the solution is — and its subsequent problem — you not only get to apply your knowledge and understanding of a topic, you get to kill two birds with one stone and convey your area of interest to the admissions officer as well. For this prompt, I’d recommend having a third party read the essay to see if the logic you’ve used in solving the problem does indeed make sense. You don’t have to be scientific at all in your explanation - you just have to convince the reader.

Essay Option 7

In the spirit of adventurous inquiry (and with the encouragement of one of our current students!) choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. 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!

If you don’t like any of the other options, why not look at 30 of the previous years’ questions that UChicago has provided to inspire you. The question “How are apples and oranges supposed to be compared? Possible answers involve, but are not limited to, statistics, chemistry, physics, linguistics, and philosophy” might appeal to you more than any of the new prompts for UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 . And that is okay. 

Note that UChicago is giving you an incredible amount of choice here by providing access to their past prompts. If you decide to go the alternative route and come up with your own question, it HAS to be good enough. It wouldn’t be the wisest decision to go with your own lame prompt with the plethora of options in your arsenal. 

While UChicago doesn’t prefer that you answer questions 1-6 rather than 7, carefully weigh your options before you decide to pick number 7. Is there nothing you might have to say for the first 6 essay questions? If that is indeed the case, and you’re willing to take the risk (and UChicago appreciates risk-takers) put your unique spin on a previous - or completely original - question!

Additional Tips for Writing the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2020-2021

Now that you’ve taken a look at the prompts for the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 , here are a few tips to help your brainstorming process: 

• Standout essays for standout prompts - The prompts for the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 are without a doubt, highly unique. It’s okay to feel intimidated, and you might choose a prompt which asks for a more academic-leaning response if you’re not a creative writer. While it’sfine to find an option that’s tailored towards your assets, note that other applicants will be writing all sorts of weird and highly imaginative essays. So you need to come up with something memorable and original to stand out among the competition.
• Consider multiple approaches - Each of the questions for the UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 have different routes you can choose. For some, such as the “misattribute a famous quote” prompt or the topic of your choice questions, you can write about anything. So don’t restrict yourself into thinking there is a right answer. While it might feel like the college may want you to answer a certain way, UChicago wants to understand your personality and background. Stay true to yourself and authentically convey who you are and the way you view the world.
• Don’t let the prompts discourage you from applying to the school - While the prompts set by the University of Chicago are definitely unusual and undoubtedly tricky, they are not impossible to answer. The school has set a standard for similarly quirky questions and hundreds of students still get in every year. So the minute you see these on the Common App, don’t be tempted to run away and remove UChicago from your school list. It’s a great school, and if you have a strong application to compete with other top students, don’t miss out on the chance just because the supplemental essays seem a little intimidating!

The UChicago supplemental essays 2020-2021 can add depth to your application and help admissions officers understand who you are and what you’re looking for from your college experience. The “why UChicago” prompt is your chance to convey how you would be a good fit at UChicago and vice versa. On the other hand, the essay question is a great component to capitalize on so that admissions officers understand your interests, creativity, and how you view the world. The task at hand might seem like a tough uphill battle, but it’s definitely not impossible. Good luck!

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Everything you need to succeed with the University of Chicago essays prompts

Our best advice for writing spectacular uchicago supplemental essays (2020-2021)..

UChicago has the best essay prompts of any college, bar none. (That’s in our humble opinion at Prompt from our long experience helping applicants succeed at college essays.)

The problem is: they’re also the most difficult. Luckily, we have a winning approach for you. It’s a step-by-step guide to these questions (the post will be updated, but the advice is still on-point for 2021).

In a nutshell, UChicago’s prompts consist of two required essays with no word limit :

• Why UChicago. [Prompt suggests 250-300 words.]
• Choose from a vast selection of “eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky” essay prompts. And “have fun!” [Prompt suggests 300-600 words.]

Last piece of advice? Find someone you know well and respect. Ask for some feedback. (Probably no tip will help you as much as this one.) And if you like the idea of personalized guidance from people who’ve done this thousands of times, get started here .

UChicago supplemental essay questions for 2020-2021

Question 1 [Why UChicago?]: How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.

Question 2: Extended essay (Choose one):

• Option 1: Who does Sally sell her seashells to? How much wood can a woodchuck really chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Pick a favorite tongue twister (either originally in English or translated from another language) and consider a resolution to its conundrum using the method of your choice. Math, philosophy, linguistics... it's all up to you (or your woodchuck).
• Option 2: What can actually be divided by zero?
• Option 3: The seven liberal arts in antiquity consisted of the Quadrivium — astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and music — and the Trivium — rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Describe your own take on the Quadrivium or the Trivium. What do you think is essential for everyone to know?
• Option 4: Subway maps, evolutionary trees, Lewis diagrams. Each of these schematics tells the relationships and stories of their component parts. Reimagine a map, diagram, or chart. If your work is largely or exclusively visual, please include a cartographer's key of at least 300 words to help us best understand your creation.
• Option 5: "Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" - Eleanor Roosevelt. Misattribute a famous quote and explore the implications of doing so.
• Option 6: Engineer George de Mestral got frustrated with burrs stuck to his dog’s fur and applied the same mechanic to create Velcro. Scientist Percy Lebaron Spencer found a melted chocolate bar in his magnetron lab and discovered microwave cooking. Dye-works owner Jean Baptiste Jolly found his tablecloth clean after a kerosene lamp was knocked over on it, consequently shaping the future of dry cleaning. Describe a creative or interesting solution, and then find the problem that it solves.
• Option 7: In the spirit of adventurous inquiry (and with the encouragement of one of our current students!) choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. 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!

[ Bonus note: While many of the past prompts are listed on UChicago’s application page, Prompt found all of them here , thanks to a Reddit thread .]

The Admissions Strategist

How to write the university of chicago essays 2020-2021: the scholar’s guide.

The University of Chicago has an acceptance rate of 8.4%, and its application process can be daunting for even the most stellar applicants.

The school is well known for its rigorous academics, heavy emphasis on scholarship, and beautiful campus. Prominent alumni include over 50 Rhodes Scholars, NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and astronomer Carl Sagan.

If you want to attend the University of Chicago, you need to be serious about and dedicated to your chosen academic field.

The school prioritizes writing across the disciplines, so you want to make sure your supplemental essays are tidy, insightful, and maybe even a little offbeat .

This guide will help you write the best essays for this top school:

What are the University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Requirements?

You’ll need to write two essays when applying to the University of Chicago.

The first – “Why The University of Chicago?” – doesn’t change. It’s the well-known “Why This College” essay  that has the ability to show the admissions committee that you’re made for the University of Chicago as much as it can turn the committee toward keeping you away.

The second, the extended essay, is a choice from a series of quirky and provocative questions inspired by current students and alumni. These prompts change every year. Luckily, there are seven prompts available and you only need to choose one, so you can easily pick the one that shows off the best pieces of yourself.

The “Why Chicago” Supplemental Essay:

“How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.”

This essay is a prologue to your masterwork, the extended essay. Like all good prologues, this is the “hook” which will spark the interest of the admissions officer and keep their attention. Ask yourself, “What will pique his or her interest?”

There is a pretty clear clue in the words “particular” and “specificity.” UChicago makes it very explicit: They want students who own and love their unique subculture and singular curiosities and know how they will thrive at their university. Here are some examples of how “particular” and “specificity” can be portrayed in this essay.

• It’s good to write “I love literature written by marginalized groups,” but it’s better to say something like “I have a penchant for Spanish-language literature published in urban centers in the United States.”
• Rather than write “I really enjoy rock music,” you can express that “Although I enjoy the majority of rock music, my tastes tend toward 1980s Hair Metal and Glam Rock, which I’m constantly explaining the difference to my friends.”
• Instead of “I’m fascinated by the study of genetics,” write about how you “love reading research related to twin theories because I have had some experiences with my twin that are difficult to explain scientifically.”

The first example also shows the admissions office that their commitment to the South Side of Chicago will align with your commitment to urban literature. The last one could be relevant in the research around quantitative biology and human behavior at UChicago.

Ties like this are both important and impressive, if you can naturally fit them into your piece.

The prompt also wants you to focus on your “learning,” “community”, and “future.” While you don’t necessarily want three equal paragraphs that focus on each one, you want to be sure to cover each of the bases throughout, so you should brainstorm each before you begin.

The following thought processes will work well for UChicago, as well as most “Why This College” essays you write.

When considering your learning:

• Ask yourself “What are my values?” Check out a core value chart , choose two or three that stand out right now, and write them down.
• The academic questions that inspire your curiosity are likely connected to these values.
• If you value “balance,” for example, you might be interested in questions pertaining to health, fitness, mental wellness, and the human body.

In order to identify your studies:

• Ask yourself “What sorts of questions drive my studies?”
• So, you’re good at physics? This is fine, but it’s not enough. What is it about physics that motivates you?
• Tell them how you get lost in thoughts about gravitational time dilation while getting a haircut, or how your interest in aerodynamics was inspired by an inquiry about the dimples on golf balls.

When considering your community:

• Ask yourself “What type of people do I spend my time with? What are their dreams, what makes them sad, and what makes them laugh?”
• Take a look at the University’s student organizations page and see if any of the 400 groups appeal to you. “How would I thrive at the University of Chicago?” If you’re a West Coast surfer, maybe you’ll aspire to start a Great Lakes Surf Club. If you like hiking or trail running, maybe you’ll organize weekend groups to trek the Indiana Dunes.
• Think about how you will balance your academics and the rest of your life.

When considering your future:

• Ask yourself “What sort of mark would I like to make in the world?” Think beyond, “I want to make the world a better place.”
• Maybe you want to make the workplace more equitable or help change the values of the pharmaceutical industry.
• You don’t have to be definitive about your career, or even your major, but you do want to have some kind of vision that aligns with your values. How will the resources of UChicago support this vision?

You will want to look up specific programs and classes. For example, if you’re interested in international business, describe how you plan to double major in Chinese and Economics and then spend a semester in Beijing.

• Discuss what you hope to accomplish during your time there and what type of internship or experience will help you reach that achievement.

You’ll probably also want to take a campus tour. If you’re not able to visit the campus in person, take a virtual tour, meet with representatives at a college fair, and look at their brochures. Do your homework so you can speak with sincerity about the resources of UChicago, and how you can see yourself flourishing there.

• While the essay has no instructions regarding word count or structure, the admissions office advises to stay between 250-500 words.

Remember to keep your essay specific, and avoid generalities like “I will excel given the school’s rigorous academics.”

Tell them which academics, and how you will excel. Remember to cover everything – learning, community, and future – while artfully balancing both your aptitudes with an awareness of UChicago’s strengths and resources.

Get personalized advice!

The university of chicago extended supplemental essay.

The University of Chicago’s selectivity makes their quirky extended essay prompts all the more intimidating. Maybe this is another example of the school’s offbeat sense of fun.

In past years they’ve asked questions about odd numbers, vestigial structures, and mantis shrimps. There are some brief yet totally compelling prompts like, “Find x.”

• All of their questions evoke a sense of play, and should demonstrate the applicant’s capacity for creative, incisive thought.

As the admissions office puts it, “We think of [the extended essay] as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.”

UChicago doesn’t give you a strict limit, but advises you to keep it under 650 words.

The following are a list of the 2020-2021 prompts, with tips and examples to help you as you brainstorm:

University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Option 1

“Who does Sally sell her seashells to? How much wood can a woodchuck really chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Pick a favorite tongue twister (either originally in English or translated from another language) and consider a resolution to its conundrum using the method of your choice. Math, philosophy, linguistics… it’s all up to you (or your woodchuck).” —Inspired by Blessing Nnate, Class of 2024

This is an intriguing prompt because when you first read through it, it sounds completely whimsy. Then you get a little further and realize it’s giving you a one-of-a-kind chance to show off your knowledge and/or innovation within your chosen major (or another academic field).

Let’s break this prompt into two pieces.

First, they’re looking for something unique and even a little bit silly. They want to see that you are creative, and that you’re able to think outside of the box.

Start by brainstorming through the tongue twisters you grew up memorizing. If no brilliant ideas pop up after a few minutes, search the internet for a few tongue twisters you may have forgotten about.

Keep in mind that tongue twisters can be translated from another language, opening up your options significantly. This is a wonderful option if you grew up in another country or if you speak more than one language, as it gives you the opportunity to show the admissions team even more about what makes you you .

When you look into a tongue twister, try to answer the following questions:

• What is the protagonist’s conflict?
• Could its solution fall within your desired major or another academic field?
• Is the potential solution unique and intriguing?

Once you’ve got your riddle, you’ll need to relate it to that academic field. If you’ve got an excellent idea from another subject, it’s definitely okay to go that route. However, we recommend relating the tongue twister to your own major. This will show the admissions team at the University of Chicago that your knowledge and out-of-the-box thinking are needed within your future major’s department.

Some other tips for writing this essay include:

• Make the majority of your word count about the solution. That unique way of thinking is what UChicago really wants to see here.
• Showcase a bit of who you are, whether that’s through a tongue twister from another culture or just from choosing a solution within your chosen major
• Be unique! Even if your answer seems a bit crazy, that ingenuity is sure to help you stand out from the thousands of other applications being submitted this year.

University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Option 2

“What can actually be divided by zero?” —Inspired by Mai Vu, Class of 2024

When you first read through this question, it might not even make sense. Of course, nothing in math can be divided by zero. So how do you answer this question? You relate it to real life.

Once again, if a creative thought pops into your head right when you read through the prompt, run with it. Those “light bulb” ideas are often the best ones.

If you don’t have an idea right away, don’t disregard this prompt just yet.

Read it ten, twenty, even thirty times. Read it in your mind and then read it outloud. Call a friend and ask them the question (without taking their answer, of course, just to find the necessary motivation).

• Is there anything around you that exists but should go to no one?
• Is there a theoretical item that no one should have or no one deserves?
• What about something that is nothing already, so it can be divided by zero without really changing at all?

Remember, this is not a math question, even if it is talking about numbers and division (unless you’re a future math major with a genius idea on how this could actually work in the numerical world; then, go for it).

Most answers to this prompt, however, are going to be theoretical.

Use this platform to share about an issue you care about or one of your deepest passions (when applicable).

It’s a tricky question, but don’t limit your creativity. Come up with an answer no other applicant will submit. What could make your application stand out more than an essay that is 100% unique in every possible way?

Make the admissions team think in a way they never have before. What could impress them more than that?

University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Option 3

The seven liberal arts in antiquity consisted of the Quadrivium — astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and music — and the Trivium — rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Describe your own take on the Quadrivium or the Trivium. What do you think is essential for everyone to know? —Inspired by Peter Wang, Class of 2022

This essay prompt is partially great for history majors, and partially great for creative storytellers.

Have you studied up on what Quadrivium and Trivium were in ancient times?

Are you passionate about all things Medieval?Then this prompt may be perfect for you.

Even if the Medieval times aren’t really your thing, you can get pretty creative with bringing these terms to our current times.

Start by researching the ins and outs of Quadrivium and Trivium.

• If these were the only two majors today, which would you choose and why?
• What type of careers would come from Quadrivium majors? And Trivium majors?
• Does everyone need to choose one major, or will each student need to study both?

Once you describe how these two fields of study could exist in our world, describe why every person would need to know both.

Include the details of Quadrivium and Trivium in Medieval times, as well as the specifics of how they’d look today.

Remember to be creative. Show off your storytelling skills, and don’t forget to include a few details that help the admissions team get to know you.

Maybe you’re a college student getting ready to study the two fields? WHat do you hope to learn and why?

Have fun with this topic; If one thing’s for sure, we know it’s not meant to be boring!

University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Option 4

Subway maps, evolutionary trees, Lewis diagrams. Each of these schematics tells the relationships and stories of their component parts. Reimagine a map, diagram, or chart. If your work is largely or exclusively visual, please include a cartographer’s key of at least 300 words to help us best understand your creation. —Inspired by Maximilian Site, Class of 2020

This is another prompt that is really meant to get your creative juices flowing. Pick a map, diagram, or chart and get to work.

How will you choose which schematic to redesign?

Consider choosing something that is related to the place you grew up, giving you yet another chance to allow the admissions team to get to know you.

• Do you live in the heart of New York City? Consider going with the Subway maps.
• Are you a future medical student? Mix up the estimated growth charts that pediatricians use.
• Do you love history? Maybe even scramble up the order of the years that have gone by.

Once you’ve chosen your map, diagram, or chart, it’s time to get creative.

What crazy thing would happen if what you’ve chosen was all mixed up?

• Do homosapiens evolve backward, bringing us closer and closer to our days as apes?
• Do the subway tunnels and tracks involve some crazy twists and turns, allowing them to spell out an ever-important word or phrase?

Whatever you think up, fill your essay with detail and bring it to life. Take the admissions team into your mind, showing them a small piece of who you are along with a large chunk of your incredible, unprecedented imagination.

University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Option 5

“Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” – Eleanor Roosevelt. Misattribute a famous quote and explore the implications of doing so. —Inspired by Chris Davey, AB’13

This essay is almost too easy to believe in our current society where misinformation is constantly being spread on the internet.

It’s the perfect prompt for a journalism or English major, as you can demonstrate the power of words along with your ability to use them in an outstanding fashion.

First, pick a historical figure (or even a well-known person who is still alive today).

Look into who they are and what they are known for.

Then, find or create a quote of your own that they would never say in a million years.

It could be against their beliefs, It could be outside of their personality. It could be completely strange and random. The limits here are endless.

You can make the admissions team laugh, make them think, or show them something you’re passionate about.

• Maybe a two-party politician comes up with a real plan for peace that involves both sides coming together.
• A historical figure could prophesy about the danger of a future filled with electronics.

No matter what you choose, make sure it’s obvious that the person would have never said it. Make the admissions team stop and think, “What did I just read?”

At the same time, though, make sure you’re writing for a purpose. Show a piece of who you are or what you’re capable of. It is a college application you’re writing for, after all.

University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Option 6

Engineer George de Mestral got frustrated with burrs stuck to his dog’s fur and applied the same mechanic to create Velcro. Scientist Percy Lebaron Spencer found a melted chocolate bar in his magnetron lab and discovered microwave cooking. Dye-works owner Jean Baptiste Jolly found his tablecloth clean after a kerosene lamp was knocked over on it, consequently shaping the future of dry cleaning. Describe a creative or interesting solution, and then find the problem that it solves. —Inspired by Steve Berkowitz, AB’19, and Neeharika Venuturupalli, Class of 2024

This prompt is for all of you entrepreneurs and future inventors out there. It is often said that inventing and business-founding is a passion, it’s not something that just happens. It’s the way you are and the way your brain works. You want to do something new, solve a problem, etc.

If this sounds like you, get ready to allow all of those inventive juices to flow right out onto the page.

The admissions team wants you to use this prompt to show them your ingenuity and what you’re capable of creating from the power of your own brain.

Start by thinking back to a problem you’ve experienced in life. It could have been yesterday, last year, or even when you were a child.

Now, find a solution. This solution could be real, it could be a hypothesis, or it could be completely made up. The prompt never says it has to actually work. It just has to show your potential for future innovation.

• Be creative
• Show the admissions team who you are and what you’re capable of
• Give your essay a fun flare

No matter what your invention is, if you’ve got that entrepreneurial passion, your essay is sure to be a hit with UChicago.

University of Chicago Supplemental Essay Option 7

In the spirit of adventurous inquiry (and with the encouragement of one of our current students!) choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. 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!

The University of Chicago prides itself in its unique prompts written by current and former students. They change every year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of a prompt you fell in love with last year while applying right now.

This question allows you to take any questions that have been offered as part of the UChicago application in the past and use them for the current year.

You can find a long list of old prompts here , but we’ll list some below to give you a little inspiration as well:

• Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History… a full list of unmodified majors ready for your editor’s eye is available here .

—Inspired by Josh Kaufman, AB’18

• Alice falls down the rabbit hole. Milo drives through the tollbooth. Dorothy is swept up in the tornado. Neo takes the red pill. Don’t tell us about another world you’ve imagined, heard about, or created. Rather, tell us about its portal. Sure, some people think of the University of Chicago as a portal to their future, but please choose another portal to write about.

—Inspired by Raphael Hallerman, Class of 2020

• The mantis shrimp can perceive both polarized light and multispectral images; they have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. Human eyes have color receptors for three colors (red, green, and blue); the mantis shrimp has receptors for sixteen types of color, enabling them to see a spectrum far beyond the capacity of the human brain. Seriously, how cool is the mantis shrimp: mantisshrimp.uchicago.edu What might they be able to see that we cannot? What are we missing?

—Inspired by Tess Moran, AB’16

Again, this prompt is really something you can turn into anything.

If none of the six essays from this year’s application inspire you, use this as an opportunity to find the perfect fit that really shows off who you are and what you’re capable of.

When you choose the right essay, your unique attributes will shine through and the University of Chicago will likely take note.

Conclusion: Writing the University of Chicago Supplemental Essays

The University of Chicago is a school that prides itself on academic, quirks, and offbeat traits. When writing your essays, don’t be afraid to demonstrate your uniqueness and vulnerability.

If you have special interests or perspectives that weren’t mentioned in your other supplemental essays, the University of Chicago essay is a great place to input those quirks.

The admissions site says these essays “can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between,” so really let your real personality shine.

Always check your work, revise with precision , and strive to craft a narrative.

Compelling and unique essays are key when it comes to earning yourself a ticket for admission to UChicago.

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How to Approach the University of Chicago Essay Prompts

The uchicago essay prompts, and how to nail them (2020-2021)..

Sad, but true: we love the UChicago essay prompts.

That being said, you might feel less enchanted. (We a t Prompt are college essay nerds who help applicants succeed at them for a living.)

If you’re looking for guidance, we’ve got a step-by-step guide to these questions.

The full prompts are below. In a nutshell, they consist of two required essays with no word limit:

• Why UChicago . [In the past, U of C has suggested about 500 word s.]
• Choose from a vast selection of “eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky” essay prompts. And “have fun!” [Prompt suggests about 650 words .]

One final piece of advice — good writing requires feedback . Never more so when the writing is as tricky as this. So find someone who loves you and knows you well. And ask for some. And if you like the idea of personalized guidance from people who’ve done this thousands of times, get started here .

UChicago supplemental essay questions for 2020-2021

Question 1 [Why UChicago?]: How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.

Question 2: Extended essay(Choose one):

• Option 1: Who does Sally sell her seashells to? How much wood can a woodchuck really chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Pick a favorite tongue twister (either originally in English or translated from another language) and consider a resolution to its conundrum using the method of your choice. Math, philosophy, linguistics... it's all up to you (or your woodchuck). Inspired by Blessing Nnate, Class of 2024
• Option 2: What can actually be divided by zero?
• Option 3: The seven liberal arts in antiquity consisted of the Quadrivium — astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and music — and the Trivium — rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Describe your own take on the Quadrivium or the Trivium. What do you think is essential for everyone to know? Peter Wang, Class of 2022
• Option 4: Subway maps, evolutionary trees, Lewis diagrams. Each of these schematics tells the relationships and stories of their component parts. Reimagine a map, diagram, or chart. If your work is largely or exclusively visual, please include a cartographer's key of at least 300 words to help us best understand your creation. Maximilian Site, Class of 2020
• Option 5: "Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" - Eleanor Roosevelt. Misattribute a famous quote and explore the implications of doing so. Inspired by Chris Davey, AB’13
• Option 6: Engineer George de Mestral got frustrated with burrs stuck to his dog’s fur and applied the same mechanic to create Velcro. Scientist Percy Lebaron Spencer found a melted chocolate bar in his magnetron lab and discovered microwave cooking. Dye-works owner Jean Baptiste Jolly found his tablecloth clean after a kerosene lamp was knocked over on it, consequently shaping the future of dry cleaning. Describe a creative or interesting solution, and then find the problem that it solves. Inspired by Steve Berkowitz, AB’19, and Neeharika Venuturupalli, Class of 2024
• Option 7: In the spirit of adventurous inquiry (and with the encouragement of one of our current students!) choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. 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!

[ Bonus note: While many of the past prompts are listed on UChicago’s application page, Prompt found all of them here , thanks to a Reddit thread .]

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2 Great UChicago Essay Examples

UChicago is famous —or shall we say infamous—for their highly-quirky essay prompts. In previous years, students have been tasked with mind-boggling questions like “Find X,” or “A hot dog might be a sandwich, and cereal might be a soup, but is a __ a __?”

These essays may seem silly, but they invite students to share their personalities and perspectives as fully as they wish. UChicago is looking for creative thinkers, and these essays help them distinguish the “kind” of applicant they want. After all, most applicants will have stellar grades and test scores, so these essays are your chance to stand out and beat the odds of the very low acceptance rate.

UChicago requires two essays—one that is a typical “ Why This College? ” prompt, and the other, your choice among seven zany prompts. The seventh option actually allows you to make your own prompt, or pick one from previous years.

In this post, we’ll go over some strong UChicago essay examples from real applicants and share what they did well and what could be improved.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our UChicago essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts. 

Essay Example #1

Prompt: “There is no such thing as a new idea” – Mark Twain. Are any pieces of art, literature, philosophy, or technology truly original, or just a different combination of old ideas? Pick something, anything (besides yourself), and explain why it is, or is not, original.

As I entered the bare-walled room, I could see the sky was painted blue through the tinted windows. It was my first day in my new high school where I’d have to spend the next two years. I wanted to make new friends.

I started walking towards a boy, introduced myself and exchanged pleasantries. After a few minutes of conversation, the topic of music came up and I introduced him to my love for the iconic classical ambient hit ‘Clair de Lune’. He put on my headphones, the song started playing, and he was amazed by the music’s ethereal, mellow, and serene chords. Or so I thought.

You know that awkward feeling when you show a funny video to your friends and nobody laughs? It was equivalent to that.

As days passed, I started noticing everyone was only listening to the loud pounds of the bass, the buzz saw synths, the crispy hi-hats, and every other element found in Electronic Dance Music, also known as EDM. Realizing that people in my school didn’t like Clair de Lune because they were emotionally invested in only the EDM genre, I had an idea– “What if I create an EDM remix of Clair de Lune to reach out to the audience of both genres?”

I tried to understand what the composer was trying to express through his composition and attempted to create an impression of the classical piece. The main challenge was to add musical elements from relatively two of the most unconventional music genres– Classical and EDM. Incorporating the rich and sometimes heart-wrenching chord structure of Clair de Lune to the multiple layers of EDM saw synths, I adjusted the volume of my instruments to the intensities with which the notes needed to be played and panned the sound in different directions to set the appropriate ambiance.

A few weeks later, I uploaded my work to the various Discord music servers that I am a part of with shaky hands. Nervous of what people might interpret my work to be, I awaited the replies I would receive. The server was filled with users from North America, and since I was in India, I realized that most people weren’t active at midnight when I uploaded my mix. I called it a night and went to sleep. When I woke up, my inbox was flooded with a mix of appreciations and suggestions. The users from the server really liked my idea and it went on to become a weekly competition where everyone would try to incorporate multiple genres into one song. I also made my classmates listen to the mix and later made friends who were interested in music production.

Music has constantly been transcending and bridging different identities cross-culturally through the fusion of genres. The key lies in capturing the emotions and the structure linked to the song, but most importantly, working to understand diverse cultures.

This raises a critical question– are the genres we listen to now truly unique on their own or just a complex amalgam of countless genres throughout history? The answer is that it depends on how experienced an artist is at the art of impression. Honoring instead of degrading, studying instead of skimming, crediting instead of plagiarizing, and transforming instead of imitating will lead an artist to a remix instead of a rip-off. As an artist keeps repeating this process, they’ll make unique decisions– maybe they’ll add an inimitable form of reverb on the synth or include a cymbal crash in their alien music structure. Regardless, those small changes and preferences– in the long run– will amount to a magnitude of alteration in style and develop a completely new identity for an artist. This is when the art practically becomes original while bearing into itself countless unoriginal remixes and impressions of different songs, artists, and genres.

What This Essay Did Well

This essay is a great example of taking a prompt that seemingly has nothing to do with the student on the surface and turning it into an exposé of the student’s personality and interests. The point of every college essay is to reveal who you are, so even when the prompt asks for something unrelated like a piece of art or technology, the ability to tie that back to you is key.

The reader is taken on a journey from seeing the defeat this student felt when no one liked their music taste, to their determination to produce a remix, to the success and positive impact caused by their creativity. Having a well-defined beginning, middle, and end creates a good pace and makes it easy to follow.

Another positive aspect of this essay is the way the student describes music and their process. When you write about your hobbies or interests in an essay, your passion, as well as your expertise, should shine through. The reader can clearly tell this student cares about musical motifs and sound mixing through their description of classical and EDM music, but they also demonstrate their knowledge in this area by explaining the steps they took to produce a remix.

What Could Be Improved

While this student did a great job of turning this prompt into a story about themselves, a definitive answer to the prompt fell through the cracks. After an entire essay focused on them, the student generalized in the last paragraph in an attempt to answer the prompt. The result was an essay that ended on a good note, but didn’t leave the reader with a final impression of the student.

To make sure the ending was as strong as other parts of the essay and that there was a concrete answer to the prompt, this student should have tied the lessons they learned through their experience into their perspective on originality.

For example, they could have decided there’s no such thing as originality because even when they were developing their remix they relied on known aspects of music to recreate genres. On the flip side, they could have concluded that of course there are new ideas because even though they had influences, the comments on the Discord server said they had created something no one had ever seen before. 

It’s okay to take a stance in a prompt like this one. You aren’t being evaluated on whether you picked the “right” answer because there is no right answer. The important part is to connect the answer back to the rest of the essay, and thus emphasize how the answer relates to you.

Essay Example #2

Prompt: Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History… a full list of unmodified majors ready for your editor’s eye is available here. —Inspired by Josh Kaufman, AB’18 

When I shared the video of me eating fried insects in Thailand, my friends were seriously offended. Some stopped talking to me, while the rest thought I had lost my mind and recommended me the names of a few psychologists. 

A major in Gastrophysics at UChicago is not for the faint hearted. You have to have a stomach for it! I do hope I am accepted to it as it is the only University in the U.S. with this unique major. My passion for trying unique food such as fish eye has made me want to understand the complexities of how it affects our digestive system. I understand that Gastrophysics started with a big pang of food, which quickly expanded to famish. Bite years are used to measure the amount of food ingested. I look forward to asking, “How many bite years can the stomach hold?” and “How do different enzymes react with the farticles?” 

Gastrophysics truly unravels the physics of food. At UChicago I will understand the intricacies of what time to eat, how to eat and how food will be digested. Do we need to take antiparticle acid if we feel acidity is becoming a matter of concern? At what angle should the mouth be, for the best possible tasting experience? When I tried crocodile meat, I found that at a 0 degree tilt, it tasted like fish and chicken at the same time. But the same tasted more like fish at a negative angle and like chicken at a positive angle. I want to unravel these mysteries in a class by Professor Daniel Holz in gravitational gastrophysics, understanding the unseen strong and weak forces at play which attract food to our stomachs. 

I find that Gastrophysics is also important for fastronomy. I want to learn the physics of fasting. How should we fast? Hubble bubble is a good chewing gum; an appetite suppressant in case you feel pangs of hunger. I have read how the UChicago Fastronauts are stepping up to test uncharted territories. Intermittent fasting is a new method being researched, and UChicago offers the opportunity for furthering this research. Which is better: fasting for 16 hours and eating for 8, or fasting for 24 hours twice a week? It is just one of the problems that UChicago offers a chance to solve. 

I can also study the new branch it offers that uses farticle physics. It is the science of tracking farticles and how they interact with each other and chemicals in the stomach space. It could give rise to supernovae explosions, turning people into gas giants. It would also teach about the best ways to expel gas and clean the system and prevent stomach space expansion. 

I want to take Fluid dynamics 101, another important course in Gastrophysics; teaching about the importance of water and other fluids in the body, and the most important question: what happens if you try to drink superfluids? 

I hope to do interdisciplinary courses with observational gastrophysicists and work with environmental science majors to track how much methane is given by the human and animal gastrointestinal tract in the atmosphere and how much it contributes to the global climate change. I believe, with the help of courses in date science, they have been able to keep a track of how much methane is entering each day, and they found that during Dec 24-Jan 3 period, a spike in the methane and ethane levels could be seen. Accordingly, algorithms are being programmed to predict the changes all year round. I would love to use my strong mathematical background to explore these algorithms. 

These courses are specially designed by the distinguished faculty of UChicago. Doing interdisciplinary research in collaboration with biological science students to determine what aliens may eat, with fart historians to know more about the intestinal structure of medieval Italians, Japanese, Chinese, Swedish and French people to better their lives is what I look forward to. The Paris study abroad program is an immersion course into fastronomy, where I will have the opportunity to test my self-control with all the amazing French food and desserts around! 

My stomach rumbles now, so I am going out to try out new food – hopefully it will be in Chicago a few months later. 

What the Essay Did Well

This is a fun essay! This student’s voice is present and their goofy personality is especially evident. Not only did they change the name of their major, but this student incorporated word play throughout the essay to showcase their imagination. Phrases like “the big pang of food”, “bite years”, “fastronauts”, and “farticle physics” keep the tone lighthearted and amusing. 

Beyond the humor and creativity that makes the reader chuckle—always a great way to stand out—this student still manages to incorporate aspects of their real intended major that fascinate them. While it might take a little extra connecting the dots to get from gastrophysic to astrophysics courses, the reader still understands what this student wants to study at UChicago and how they might use this knowledge.

While this essay definitely takes some risks, it’s safe to say that they paid off. They are able to delve into their love for astrophysics all while maintaining vivid, engaging language. The writing style is simultaneously playful and mad-scientist-esque. Truly “geeking out” about their interests makes for a great essay.

Even extremely creative essays like this one can always be made stronger. In this case, it would have been nice to get more background on what drew this student to astrophysics (not gastrophysics). We get a sense for their love of trying new foods, but the essay is lacking an explanation that relates to astrophysics. 

Obviously, in an essay about gastrophysics, astrophysics would be out of place. But given this student’s level of creativity, they could have found a punny way to tie their interest in space into the essay. It doesn’t need to be too extensive, but since this effectively serves as UChicago’s “Why This Major?” essay, a strong essay should include more background on why the student wants to pursue their actual major (not the fake one).

Where to Get Your UChicago Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your UChicago essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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July 9, 2021

University of Chicago 2021-2022 Essay Prompts

Which highly selective school traditionally asks applicants to answer the weirdest essay question? That would be the University of Chicago — and this year will be no different. The institution has released its essay prompts for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle and, consistent with years past, things get weird fast (which we love!). So what kinds of questions will be asked of applicants to the University of Chicago Class of 2026? Wonder no more as we’ve got them for you!

The first prompt is rather straightforward and it’s a staple of the UChicago application. It reads, “How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.” Loyal readers of our college admissions blog will be able to recognize this question as a “Why College” essay. The game, of course, is specifics. Students who write generic sentences in their answer that can apply to any school in America are doing their candidacy quite the disservice.

The second prompt features six options of which applicants must choose one. They are as follows:

(1) “What if the moon were made of cheese? Or Neptune made of soap? Pick a celestial object, reimagine its material composition, and explore the implications. Feel free to explore the realms of physics, philosophy, fantasy…the sky is the limit!” — Inspired by Tate Flicker, Class of 2025

(2) “What’s so easy about pie?” — Inspired by Arjun Kalia, Class of 2025

(3) “In Homer’s Iliad, Helen had a ’face that launched a thousand ships.’ A millihelen, then, measures the beauty needed to launch one ship. The Sagan unit is used to denote any large quantity (in place of ’billions and billions’). A New York Minute measures the period of time between a traffic light turning green and the cab behind you honking. Invent a new unit of measurement. How is it derived? How is it used? What are its equivalents?” — Inspired by Carina Kane, Class of 2024, and Ishaan Goel, Class of 2025

(4) ’There is no such thing as a new idea’ – Mark Twain. Are any pieces of art, literature, philosophy, or technology truly original, or just a different combination of old ideas? Pick something, anything (besides yourself), and explain why it is, or is not, original.” — Inspired by Haina Lu, Class of 2022

(5) “It’s said that history repeats itself. But what about other disciplines? Choose another field (chemistry, philosophy, etc.) and explain how it repeats itself. Explain how it repeats itself.” — Inspired by Ori Brian, AB’19

(6) “In the spirit of adventurous inquiry (and with the encouragement of one of our current students!) choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. 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!”

Have a question about the 2021-2022 University of Chicago essay questions ? If so, let us know your question by posting it below. We’ll be sure to chime in.

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The UChicago Education Lab aims to reverse pandemic-induced learning loss.

Four years ago the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools around the United States, sending students and educators home for an unprecedented, monthslong experiment in remote learning. The disruption had a cost—student test scores in math fell by record levels between 2020 and 2022, and reading scores also declined. Most children lost half a year of learning, and losses were even larger for low-income and minority students and in school districts that stayed remote longer.

“This is the biggest problem facing America that nobody’s talking about,” economist Jens Ludwig , faculty codirector of the University of Chicago Education Lab , told the audience at a Washington, DC, event in December 2023 convened by the Aspen Economic Strategy Group . If learning losses are not reversed, Ludwig said, it could mean an average of 2 to 9 percent less income for the nearly 50 million children enrolled in public K–12 schools—a collective $900 billion loss in future earnings.

Ludwig and Education Lab codirector Jonathan Guryan argued the point further in a paper the Aspen Economic Strategy Group commissioned for a 2023 volume on building a more resilient US economy. “Because education is intrinsically cumulative, there is the real possibility that pandemic-induced school disruptions may set a whole generation of students off track for the rest of their lives,” they warned.

Yet the solution may be relatively straightforward. A decade ago, Ludwig and Guryan led a study showing how individualized, intensive, in-school tutoring improved students’ math test scores and class grades in Chicago Public Schools. More recently, the US Department of Education has encouraged school districts nationwide to prioritize their spending of federal pandemic relief funds on “high-dosage” tutoring, defined as individualized instruction that takes place three or more times per week, during school, for at least 30 minutes, with small groups of students and a consistent trained tutor.

Armed with this model, in 2021 the Education Lab and nonprofit MDRC launched the Personalized Learning Initiative , describing the effort as “a moonshot to overcome pandemic learning loss.” With its partners and supporters, the Personalized Learning Initiative aims to develop and test high-dosage tutoring programs at sites around the country and expand the most effective approaches on a massive scale. The initiative currently involves approximately 18,000 high-need students in school districts in Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, New Mexico, and California.

In its current phase, the Personalized Learning Initiative is focused on collaborating with districts to design, test, and scale high-dosage tutoring. To identify the types of tutoring that have the greatest impact on learning, project teams are tracking variables such as student-tutor ratios, the frequency and length of tutoring sessions, who receives tutoring, whether it is in-person or virtual, and the level of training and the source of the tutors themselves (i.e., a vendor or a local hiring process). The project is especially interested in tutoring models that link to improvements in third-grade literacy and middle and high school math skills—two crucial predictors of long-term student success.

The Personalized Learning Initiative shares detailed monthly reports with schools and districts so they can modify their programs to incorporate the approaches that work best. “We don’t want this to just be a randomized controlled trial where in four years someone reads the research, puts it on their shelf, and sets it aside,” says Sadie Stockdale Jefferson , the Education Lab’s executive director.

Pressure exists to quickly identify budget-friendly tutoring models, since federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief aid , a key funding source, runs out in September 2024. Personalized tutoring can be expensive—the Education Lab’s past research calculated the average cost at $3,000 per student per year—so the Personalized Learning Initiative is testing approaches that can lower the price. Two big questions are, Jefferson says, “Can we substitute technology for some in-person tutoring to bring the cost down, so that this can scale to more kids? How much can we substitute?”

To find answers, the Personalized Learning Initiative and its partners will continue to gather and analyze data on educational technology use as a key variable in the coming year. The goal is to create a “playbook” for school districts nationwide that details how tutoring can be scaled up in different settings, at the lowest possible cost per student, without sacrificing effectiveness. Meanwhile, the project released initial findings this past March showing that in-school, high-dosage tutoring had already led to meaningful improvement in math learning for students in Chicago Public Schools and in Georgia’s Fulton County Schools.

Tutoring is not a panacea, and the pandemic exacerbated many long-standing challenges. The academic achievement gap—tied to students’ race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status—widened in most states from 2019 to 2023. Students in both low-income and wealthy districts have been absent from school at record rates nationwide, with nearly one-third of students missing more than 10 percent of the school year over the past two academic years. Mental health difficulties persist, especially for teens, who have reported feeling sad or hopeless at high levels, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies.

Still, Education Lab leaders believe that a national scale-up of tutoring could not only reverse pandemic-era learning losses but also establish a system that helps schools intervene whenever any student falls behind grade level. In the long run, they say, it’s a moonshot worth taking.

UChicago to begin construction on the new Center in Paris in June 2021

March 4, 2021

By Emily R. Ehret

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Long at the heart of the University of Chicago’s programs abroad, Paris will soon be the home to an expanded center for the University’s distinctive scholarship and education, including a new Institute for International Studies. With programs in fields from neuroscience to cinema, the University’s expanded Center in Paris will be a state-of-the-art destination for the study of a broad range of disciplines, as well as a place for students and researchers from around the world to connect.

Announced in 2019 , the expanded Center in Paris will begin construction in June of 2021.

“Since its founding in 2003, the Center in Paris has been a key hub for our students, faculty and alumni to engage with life and scholarship not only in Paris, but across Europe,” said John W. Boyer, dean of the College. “The expanded Center in Europe will broaden the horizons of the University, providing additional resources for research and inquiry while making the University of Chicago an essential collaborator with research institutions across a large region that will also encompass Africa and the Middle East. Our desire is for the Center to be a place where ideas have no relationship to the limitations of passports and citizenship, but instead reference only the intrinsic creativity and imagination of those who advocate them.”

Over the last 20 years, the University of Chicago has transformed its model for international education and studying abroad, and has pioneered vibrant research collaborations across multiple continents. The positive influences of international education and collaboration are now present in every domain of research of the University and every program of study in the College, designed in ways that reflect the University’s core traditions and contribute to the globally integrated world of the twenty-first century. With the opening of the expanded Center, the University of Chicago is poised to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic more connected with the international scholarly community than ever before, and confident that scholarly work in Paris, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East will continue to be of vital importance.

The new space will be designed by Studio Gang, the Chicago-based design practice of architect Jeanne Gang, and built in partnership with Parisian developer Icade. Featuring amenities such as an amphitheater, great room, laboratory classroom and active gardens on the ground floor and rooftop, the expanded Center will more than double the space of the current building, providing unrivaled opportunities for dynamic research and learning.

Paris is home to a number of  UChicago Study Abroad  programs, including multiple Civilizations sequences, mathematics, social sciences, humanities and global health. These programs have grown tremendously in both quantity and enrollment over the past few years, and the expanded building will provide further resources to help students have a transformative study abroad experience. 

“The Center in Paris has offered an extraordinary platform to expand our signature faculty-led Study Abroad programs in a location that draws the interest of faculty and students alike,” said Sarah Walter, director of UChicago Study Abroad. “Demand has been so strong that some programs can only take place in alternating years due to space constraints, and new proposals are currently on hold. With the opening of the new building, we will have renewed opportunities to bring to life the creative vision of our faculty in an increasingly diverse number of disciplines.”

A key feature of the expanded center will include the inauguration of a new Research Institute, a major new initiative focused on faculty-led research collaborations across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. While positioning the University of Chicago as a citizen of a global community of scholars, this Institute will also offer numerous opportunities for students to engage in new research and coursework with faculty members from around the world. In addition, the Center will also provide a central, collaborative location for European scholars who study the Americas.

“With its new Research Institute, the Center will facilitate essential forms of scholarly connection including working groups, performances, seminars, and conferences,” said Robert Morrissey, the inaugural director of the Center in Paris and Benjamin Franklin Professor of French Literature. “Already, faculty members are generating new ideas for collaboration and research. A space like this really captures one’s imagination.”

—This story originally appeared on the UChicago News website .

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