university of chicago essay contest

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Essay Contest on Race and Religion (2021)

The Divinity School is pleased to announce the winners of our 2021 Race and Religion Essay Contest, below. We received many excellent submissions and we are grateful for the time and care applicants spent in submitting their work.  First-place winner Prof. Alexia V. Williams will present a public lecture at the Divinity School in Spring Quarter; more info to come. 

First place: "The Archbishop Wears Prada: Heavenly Bodies & Catholicism’s Racial Imagination" Prof. Williams delivered her lecture on this topic on April 25, 2022.

Alexia V. Williams Assistant Professor, Department of Religion, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Second place: "Racializing Islam Through Humor"

Samah Choudhury Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Ithaca College

Third place: "De casu angelorum: Damnation as a Political-Theological Problematic"

Sean Capener Postdoctoral Fellow in Christianity, Department of Historical Studies, University of Toronto, Mississauga

How have religious traditions historically helped conceptualize the category of race, its predecessors or analogues? How have these traditions produced or reinforced hierarchies of racial difference, or conversely, helped combat such hierarchies? In what ways and to what ends have dominant structures of power (state bureaucracies, colonial courts, scientific laboratories, capitalist modes of valuation, forms of militarism, policing, and incarceration, religious authorities, etc) racialized the practitioners of specific religious traditions? How have racism and religious discrimination become enmeshed with other forms of violence? What resources do religious practice and thought offer for overcoming racism? 

As the historical legacies of racism, anti-semitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and other forms of discrimination continue to persist in our contemporary world, such questions demand increasing attention from scholars in the study of religion. To this end, the University of Chicago Divinity School invites submissions for an international essay contest on Race and Religion.   For questions, please contact Sarah Hammerschlag ( [email protected] ) or Alireza Doostdar ( [email protected] ).

Unique UChicago essay questions spark students’ creativity

August 20, 2021

By Lily Levine

AB'22, Writer, College Editorial Team

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," Wilson said. "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."

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 article also appears on the UChicago News website.

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.

2024-2025 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 .

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

UChicago Supplemental Essays 2024-25 – Prompts and Advice

July 8, 2024

UChicago has long been known for its “provocative” essay prompts, viewing them as a chance for “students to talk about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions.” The University of Chicago admissions committee invites you to approach the UChicago supplemental essays with “utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.” While writing this “uncommon essay” sounds like a real lark, we have to keep in mind the sobering facts that UChicago admits just 4% of applicants, and the mid-50% SAT range of those who enroll is 1510-1560. This level of competition places the UChicago essay prompts squarely in the spotlight.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into UChicago? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into the University of Chicago: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

When applying to an institution like the University of Chicago that rejects 19 of every 20 applicants, you’ll need to put maximum effort into every area of the application, including the two UChicago supplemental essays. Below are UChicago’s supplemental prompts for the 2024-25 admissions cycle along with our advice for composing a winning essay.

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.

For the absurd level of uniqueness in the prompt choices in Question #2, Question #1 is as common as they come—the good ol’ “Why Us?” essay, Chicago style!

How to write a winning “Why University of Chicago?” essay

• Specify how you will take advantage of UChicago’s endless resources, both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Cite specific academic programs, professors, research opportunities, internship/externship programs, study abroad programs, student-run organizations, etc.
• Show evidence of how your past/current endeavors will carry over onto the University’s campus community.
• Lastly, note any special talents and passions that you bring to the University of Chicago.

Examples of items to include in a “Why UChicago?” essay

Examples of items that quality “Why UChicago?” essays may touch upon include:

• Two-thirds of UChicago professors live in Hyde Park, making for a particularly cohesive campus.
• 80% of undergrads elect to participate in undergraduate research .
• Additionally, the quarter system allows students to explore a greater number of courses each year in a more in-depth manner.
• 85% of UChicago classes enroll fewer than 25 students.
• The school has 160+ research centers, institutes, and committees.

UChicago Supplemental Essays (Continued)

• Many students win Rhodes, Marshall, and Fulbright Scholarships after graduation.
• The Jeff Metcalf Internship Program also offers 3,500 paid internships.
• UChicago has 450 student organizations .
• The university sponsors 66 study abroad programs in 31 cities ; many include chances to study with UChicago professors around the globe.

Of course, these are just a small sampling of the thousands of possible features that could be part of a successful essay, but we hope this helps your brainstorming session take flight!

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

Before offering a few words about how one might address each of the following prompts, we want to stress to future UChicago applicants that there is no right way to talk about color-infused expressions, demoted planets, or Fermi estimation problems. What matters is that your response to any of the following prompts demonstrates your excellence and creativity as a writer. If the first five prompts don’t appeal to you, there is no downside in constructing your own via option #6.

University of Chicago Supplemental Essays

Essay option 1.

We’re all familiar with green-eyed envy or feeling blue, but what about being “caught purple-handed”? Or “tickled orange”? Give an old color-infused expression a new hue and tell us what it represents.

An applicant can quite easily take this in a very serious or seriously humorous direction. Our only suggestion is that your rule doesn’t include the phrase, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow.” Or, it can. This is the UChicago supplemental section. Anything goes. Get weird.

Essay Option 2

“Ah, but I was so much older then / I’m younger than that now” – Bob Dylan. In what ways do we become younger as we get older?

As with all UChicago questions, you can take this in a serious or off-the-wall direction. For example, as we get older, many of us need additional physical and/or mental support, similar to young children. Alternatively, we may adopt a “younger” attitude as we get older, perhaps not caring as much about what others think about us, or vowing to live life more spontaneously. Or, you could get a little wild and talk about how the version of yourself in any given photograph will seem younger and younger the older you get. Overall, if ruminating on Bob Dylan lyrics appeals to you, knock yourself out. If not, keep moving down the list of prompts…

Essay Option 3

Pluto, the demoted planet. Ophiuchus, the thirteenth Zodiac. Andy Murray, the fourth to tennis’s Big Three. Every grouping has something that doesn’t quite fit in. Tell us about a group and its unofficial member, why (or why not) should it be excluded?

A few years back, UChicago offered a prompt for imagining that the moon was made of cheese or Neptune from soap. To that prompt, we advised that it didn’t matter if you wrote about a quasar made of Jergens Enriching Shea Butter or Jupiter’s moons constructed from Bored Ape NFTs—your imagination and writing ability are what matters here. The latter half of that advice remains applicable to this prompt. There are an endless number of interesting groups that may be worth unpacking, so if you happen to have one in mind, go wild. The explanation will be far more important than the group itself.

Essay Option 4

“Daddy-o”, “Far Out”, “Gnarly”: the list of slang terms goes on and on. Sadly, most of these aren’t so “fly” anymore – “as if!” Name an outdated slang from any decade or language that you’d bring back and explain why you totally “dig it.”

If you, as a ridiculously busy applicant, have time to spare, this is a pretty fun prompt to ponder. The only downside is that—since this is so specific— you may not be able to reuse your composition for any other college to which you are applying. That said, if you’ve always felt called to muse about the near-constant use of “Booyah” in the ’90s or reflect on a Spanish slang word from the 70s that your grandmother still says on a regular basis, your day has come.

Essay Option 5

How many piano tuners are there in Chicago? What is the total length of chalk used by UChicago professors in a year? How many pages of books are in the Regenstein Library? These questions are among a class of estimation problems named after University of Chicago physicist Enrico Fermi. Create your own Fermi estimation problem, give it your best answer, and show us how you got there.

This essay affords applicants a chance to flex their intellectual muscles and show off a talent for navigating complex answers. As illustrated in the built-in examples, the estimation problems may be straightforward (number of book pages in a library) or zany (total length of chalk used in a year). Your explanation of how you arrived at your answer is where the real creativity comes in.

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 elect to go with an archived prompt, you can locate some past entries around the internet such as here and here . There are also a number of past prompts listed directly on the UChicago admissions website . A good number of applicants we have worked with avail themselves of the flexibility offered by this restriction-free offering.

How important are the UChicago essay prompts?

The University of Chicago lists six factors as being “very important” to the admissions committee and the essays are among them. In addition to the essays, UChicago most heavily weighs the rigor of your secondary school record, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. Clearly, the Common App and supplemental essays are among the most important considerations for the University of Chicago in its decision-making process.

UChicago Supplemental Essays – Personalized Assistance

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your UChicago supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

Ready to start working on your essays? You might consider checking out the following:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• How to Brainstorm a College Essay
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• How to Write the Community Essay
• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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The Joyce Z. and Jacob Greenberg Center for Jewish Studies

Undergraduate essay contests.

The Greenberg Center for Jewish Studies is pleased to announce its annual Essay Prize Competition for essays on any topic relating to Jewish Studies, including (but not restricted to) the study of Jewish history, religion, culture, thought, classical and modern texts, and languages.

The Center will award two prizes, each of $500. One prize will be awarded for the best essay related to Jewish Studies written for a course. The essay need not have been written for a course in Jewish Studies or for a course taught by a faculty member in Jewish Studies. A second prize will be awarded for the best B.A. Essay on a topic related to Jewish Studies.

Eligibility: The essay prize competition is open to all students currently registered in the College of the University of Chicago.

Application: Essays must be submitted electronically as a pdf file no later than 4 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2024, to Nancy Pardee at [email protected] .

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How to Write the University of Chicago Essays 2022-2023

UChicago is a rigorous, top-tier research university located in beautiful Hyde Park, Chicago. It’s famed for its outstanding academic programs, neo-gothic architecture, and prestigious school of economics. If you’re interested in delving deep into theory, bookishness, and the most hardcore of academic materials, UChicago might be just right for you. 

You can complete your UChicago application through the Coalition Application or Common Application. The essay questions for this season are on the UChicago website , and listed below. The first question, which boils down to “Why UChicago?,” is required yearly. The second question, a one-to-two page essay, is also required, but applicants can choose from a menagerie of exciting prompts that offer boundless opportunities for creativity and reflection. 

Read this UChicago essay example to inspire your writing and watch our video where we interviewed UChicago students about their essay topics.

Before You Begin Writing  

The University of Chicago’s prompts are famous (infamous? both?) for being different, quirky, and sometimes downright weird. Have you ever seen the word cheese or pie in a college essay prompt before? I’m guessing not. But don’t get discouraged or overwhelmed—the weirdness of the UChicago prompts makes them ripe with opportunity to explore your passions, interests, and personal oddities. 

You know that subject you avoid in casual conversation, because it turns you into a gushing ball of enthusiasm that could talk for hours ? UChicago wants to hear about it. Whether it’s feminist literature of Southeast Asia, modern perception of African art, or your job at Colonial Williamsburg, UChicago has happily passed you the mic. 

While your creative opportunity has few bounds, there are some key strategies to conquering the UChicago essays. Keep this checklist of things in mind as you write: 

Unconventional topics often require unconventional styles. 

UChicago essays should definitely be viewed as a piece of creative writing, rather than a dry analysis. When you are in college, you will be asked to write thesis-driven essays, but that’s not what the UChicago essays are asking for. You need to have a clear focus, but you should be comfortable disrupting the familiar rhythms of essay prose. This can mean vivid (and I mean vivid ) imagery, addressing the reader directly, sentence fragments, CAPS, lists, and anything else! Toss in some wild jargon from your field, phrases from another language, anything you’ve got—as long as you explain them. You should try to be imaginative, engaging, and colorful while maintaining an authentic voice and staying focused with your subject matter.

Communicate who you are as an academic.

The point of your essay is still to tell admissions officers about yourself. Give them an image of how you will perform in and contribute to an academic environment. You can’t just gush about your topic—you have to prove that you can engage with it at a highly intellectual level. Explain research protocol, cite specific books you’ve read, mention your AP and IB classes, or give examples of how you’ve collaborated with others to produce results. 

UChicago admissions don’t want a student who says “I love physics”; they want a student who says “I love physics so much that I stayed up until 4 am reading Cosmos by Carl Sagan, and I use meatballs to diagram the moons of Jupiter to my friends, and I took Calc III because I plan on studying mechanical engineering with a focus on aerospace materials.” Be detailed about your studies; be explicit in your interests. 

Marry yourself to your topic.

Be sure to include the first person; you are the main character here, not whatever subject you’re writing about. The subject is an avenue to tell admissions officers about you. You aren’t trying to get your latest film, your famous lasagna, or your community service project into the university— you are trying to get in . Don’t be afraid to center yourself. How do these objects from your past illuminate facets of your personality? What do your interests say about you ?

And, as always, answer the prompt!

Print out the prompt, circle key words, hang it on your mirror. Read it, then read it again, and again . Sit with the prompt, get some (probably crazy!) ideas, then repeat the process! Many UChicago prompts are dense in their weirdness. Some of them take time to even understand. Many prompts will reveal themselves to you in your everyday life (after you’ve read them over and over again). Some of them just take deep thought. The key is to keep thinking and focus on what the prompt is asking. You’ve got this!

All the UChicago Essay Prompts

Prompt 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., prompt 2: extended essay (required; choose one).

Option 1: Was it a cat I saw? Yo-no-na-ka, ho-ka-ho-ka na-no-yo (Japanese for “the world is a warm place”). Może jutro ta dama da tortu jeżom (Polish for “maybe tomorrow that lady will give a cake to the hedgehogs”). Share a palindrome in any language, and give it a backstory.

– Inspired by Leah Beach, Class of 2026, Lib Gray SB ’12, and Agnes Mazur AB ‘09

Option 2: What advice would a wisdom tooth have?

–Inspired by Melody Dias, Class of 2025

Option 3: You are on an expedition to found a colony on Mars, when from a nearby crater, a group of Martians suddenly emerges. They seem eager to communicate, but they’re the impatient kind and demand you represent the human race in one song, image, memory, proof, or other idea. What do you share with them to show that humanity is worth their time?

—Inspired by Alexander Hastings, Class of 2023, and Olivia Okun-Dubitsky, Class of 2026

Option 4: UChicago has been affiliated with over 90 Nobel laureates. But, why should economics, physics, and peace get all the glory? You are tasked with creating a new category for the Nobel Prize. Explain what it would be, why you chose your specific category, and the criteria necessary to achieve this accomplishment.

—Inspired by Isabel Alvarez, Class of 2026

Option 5: Genghis Khan with an F1 racecar. George Washington with a SuperSoaker. Emperor Nero with a toaster. Leonardo da Vinci with a Furby. If you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together?

-Inspired by Braden Hajer, Class of 2025

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!

Prompt 1 (Required)

The pressure’s on to be unique here, since EVERY SINGLE APPLICANT to UChicago will be answering this required question. Here’s what you need to do:

Provide a tangible connection to UChicago. 

This is composed of specific elements of the university that appeal to you, and UChicago’s website is a great place to delve into these. Be sure to be “particular,” as they stipulate, and give them the “specificity” they’re asking for. Examples include research opportunities at Argonne Labs, the marketing classes in the Business School, or an internship offered through the Creative Writing program. 

Don’t write about UChicago’s general attributes, like fame, prestige, or “intellectual rigor.” And please don’t try to be clever and refute the old canard that UChicago is the place “Where Fun Goes to Die.” Application readers have seen this hundreds, if not thousands of times. And besides, why talk about a tired UChicago stereotype when you can talk about something cool? 

Describe your intangible connection as well. 

How is UChicago a place that aligns with your values, dreams, and goals? How do you vibe with it? For example, if I wanted to write about the Creative Writing internship, I would state explicitly how it draws me in: 

“ I want to attend a college that values the innovative nature of indie comics publishing as much as I do. So, I’m impressed by UChicago’s commitment to providing internships in comics writing through Bult Publishing and The Artifice magazine. One of my goals as a writer is to gain firsthand experience in comics publishing, specifically small houses, and the Creative Writing program at UChicago hits the mark, resoundingly. ”

Engage with faculty and students, if possible. 

This is a perfect place to talk about specific interactions, like sitting in on an inspiring seminar during a campus visit, hearing a professor speak, or seeing how UChicago has prepared a friend for his career. 

However, always be sure to tie these experiences into your own goals and interests! For example, don’t just name-drop a certain Professor Smith. Instead, take the opportunity to find a personal connection to Smith’s research and how great UChicago is for supporting people like her. Your format should be

        Program/Individual/Major – UChicago’s Values – My values

If you want to learn more about a specific professor or their subject, don’t be afraid to politely email them or contact their department. Many love to talk about their work and their interests, or would love to put you in touch with current students. This will better inform you about the school and give you a great edge for this prompt. And, more importantly, you’ll probably get great advice for your higher education journey. Note: the earlier you prepare for this, the better!

It’s worth noting that there is no recommended essay length, but sticking to around 500 words should do the trick. It’s long enough to share the reasons you’ll thrive at UChicago, but not too long that the admissions officers will start to get bored.

Prompt 2: Extended Essay (Required, Choose One)

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.

Prompt 2, Option 1

Was it a cat i saw yo-no-na-ka, ho-ka-ho-ka na-no-yo (japanese for “the world is a warm place”). może jutro ta dama da tortu jeżom (polish for “maybe tomorrow that lady will give a cake to the hedgehogs”). share a palindrome in any language, and give it a backstory..

If you love linguistics and creative writing, this is a good choice for you. You have the freedom to pick any palindrome—a word or phase that says the same thing when read forward and back—and get as creative as you like. If you speak another language or have a unique cultural background, picking a palindrome in that language would be a great way to tie in your background.

Let’s look at a few examples of how you can turn a phrase into a story:

Draw, O coward!

Bring a moment from one of your extracurricular activities to life: Little beads of sweat rolled down from my temple to my chin, carrying the stage makeup caked on my face with them. My sweaty palms fumbled by my side to grab my plastic prop sword. My scene partner’s words fell on deaf ears as my director’s voice coursed through my head. Don’t forget to hit the O, she would say. My brain lagged behind the rest of my body. Before I could process what had happened, my sword was tightly gripped in my outstretched hand and my booming voice declared “Draw, O coward!”

Si Nummi immunis (Latin for “Give me my fee, and I warrant you free”)

Discuss a social issue you deeply care about: In the DA’s office, interns don’t do much—I was your standard coffee-getter and errand-runner. The one exception: looking at bail records. Every day, I could peek at who posted bail and for how much. While I originally approached it with a child-like curiosity, it quickly became disheartening. Looking at record after record of affluent offenders who paid their fee and went about their days made my heart ache for those who couldn’t afford bail, through no fault of their own. Every morning, on my trip to the coffee shop, a little voice in my head kept telling me: Nothing will change unless you take action.

दामाद (Dāmād, Hindi for “son in law”)

Tell a story of your family: No one dares to get in between a mother and her daughter. Especially my nani and mom. So, the day my dad marched up to my nani’s door and declared he was going to marry her daughter didn’t go as anticipated to say the least. “You will never be my dāmād. She is too good for you.” Was it his goofy smile or his naan baking skills that finally won her over? Whatever it was, he carries the title of dāmād as a badge of honor now.

Prompt 2, Option 2

What advice would a wisdom tooth have.

This is the shortest option of the bunch, making it one of the most open-ended prompts. You can interpret this question from several different angles, and here are some potential ideas:

The play on words angle

Wisdom teeth are named as such because they erupt later in life, when you typically have more wisdom. Your wisdom teeth might advise you that this is true, and you could share the life lessons you’ve learned as you’ve grown older, opening each paragraph with an age and an anecdote.

The foodie angle 

If you’re a big foodie or chef, your wisdom teeth might advise you on their favorite dishes they’ve seen/chewed. You could share those dishes and the stories behind them. For example, maybe all your favorite recipes are gathered from cooking with others, and you could share the story of how your family hosted an exchange student from Portugal and how they taught you to make pastéis de nata, and how your grandmother taught you how to make her pierogies while sharing life advice with you.

The “stuck inside” angle

Many people’s wisdom teeth never see the light of day and remain impacted in their gums. This could be a segue into telling a story of how you stayed engaged when quarantined or stuck indoors during a rainy day. For example, maybe you picked up sewing during the pandemic because you couldn’t go outside and now you make historical period gowns. Your wisdom teeth might advise you that sometimes boredom or idleness can help you find new inspiration.

The relevancy angle

While wisdom teeth aren’t very useful in the modern world, It’s believed that they helped our prehistoric ancestors quite a bit. Back then, humans needed to grind raw meat, nuts, and leaves, so these extra molars made it easier to break down food. Beyond that, dental hygiene probably wasn’t the best, so humans may have lost adult teeth, which the wisdom teeth would then replace. 

If you like fiction writing, you could imagine wisdom teeth in a room with other things that were once relevant, but are now obsolete, such as floppy disks, dinosaurs, sundials, etc. What would they say to each other? What are they all doing together?

The medical angle

Wisdom teeth are actually not routinely removed in countries outside of the US. As a result, some people interpret the industry as a ploy to make money from unsuspecting patients. If you’re going into the medical or dental field, you could use this prompt as a chance to comment on the state of medicine and why you feel healthcare needs to be reformed. 

Some argue that removing wisdom teeth still reduces the chances of complications down the line, while others think the surgery is riskier than leaving the wisdom teeth in. You could use this debate as a chance to share a time you did a cost-benefit analysis on an area of your life, such as the time you were deciding whether to work at a brand-new local jewelry shop that paid less but had more opportunities for growth, or to work at a grocery chain.

Prompt 2, Option 3

You are on an expedition to found a colony on mars, when from a nearby crater, a group of martians suddenly emerges. they seem eager to communicate, but they’re the impatient kind and demand you represent the human race in one song, image, memory, proof, or other idea. what do you share with them to show that humanity is worth their time.

Like all the others, this prompt is another way to showcase your creativity, but it also gives you the opportunity to reveal what you value. If you love art and history, you could show the Martians Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. If you’re an avid music fan, maybe you want to teach the aliens the iconic Thriller dance. Inexplicably fascinated by science? Show your new friends the benefits of penicillin. 

What’s important about this essay is not what you pick, but how you demonstrate its importance . Forget about writing a college application essay for a minute; you are tasked with saving the entire human race. That’s a lot of pressure. Anyone could show the Martians a picture of the pyramids of Egypt, but it’s all in the story you tell that will make them appreciate this is the greatest accomplishment of humans and the true test of their capabilities.

Let’s take the example of the student who writes about penicillin. What they shouldn’t do is write “ I would show the Martians penicillin because it was one of the biggest medical advancements that allowed for humanity to conquer infections that used to be deadly, allowing people to live longer and healthier lives.” While what they wrote is true, it reveals nothing about them. The item you choose will undoubtedly be important to not just humanity, but you, so your response needs to establish a personal connection.

So what should this student do? They could start their essay by telling a story of how they plan to find a sick Martian suffering from an infection and will inject them with penicillin to show the aliens its magical healing properties. Then, this student should go into what penicillin means to them. Did they volunteer at a hospital where they witnessed people recover from infections that could be deadly because of this medicine? Maybe penicillin saved their life and allowed them to pursue their research that could be the next scientific breakthrough. 

You can get creative and playful with the story you tell about the item you chose, but if you go with this option, you’ll want to spend more of your essay focused on how that choice made a difference, not just for humanity, but in your life. 

Prompt 2, Option 4

Uchicago has been affiliated with over 90 nobel laureates. but, why should economics, physics, and peace get all the glory you are tasked with creating a new category for the nobel prize. explain what it would be, why you chose your specific category, and the criteria necessary to achieve this accomplishment..

The Nobel Prize is awarded to those who have “conferred the greatest benefit to mankind” in the categories of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. Through this prompt, UChicago wants to know what matters to you, and they want to see your analytical and creative side shine through your selection process.

You can take a more straightforward angle or a more unconventional one with this prompt. A straightforward angle would involve selecting a “serious” category that fits neatly into the existing ones, such as Sustainability, Education, Technology, or Music. 

The unconventional angle would mean coming up with, well, something more unusual. Maybe you think there should be a Nobel Prize in Cooking, Hiking, Crocheting, or Speed Reading.

The category itself doesn’t matter as much as your connection to it, as you’ll need to explain why you chose it. Make sure your essay touches on both the personal significance of the category as well as its implications for mankind. For example, maybe you chose cooking because it’s soothing for you as a home chef, but it also has the power to improve the mood of those eating the meal. Food has also brought people from different backgrounds and cultures together throughout millenia. 

Continuing this cooking example, your selection criteria could involve a competition where cooks from around the world are asked to create dishes in three categories: one from their own culture, one from another culture, and a meal for ten that costs no more than $1/plate. This competition would highlight the cultural aspects of cooking, but also raise awareness of food insecurity and the challenge of creating nutritious meals at a low cost.

In addition to the criteria you need to receive the accolade, you could include examples of previous winners or people you would like to nominate for the prize.

UChicago prides itself on the accomplishments of its alumni, but the school gives every student the opportunity to excel within their own right. They want you to be a future Nobel Prize winner, so if you don’t feel like you fit into the traditional categories, here’s your chance to show them how you will succeed and change the world for the better.

Prompt 2, Option 5

Genghis khan with an f1 racecar. george washington with a supersoaker. emperor nero with a toaster. leonardo da vinci with a furby. if you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together.

There’s three important things your response to this prompt needs to incorporate: what wacky pairing you choose, what their interaction would look like, and why the world absolutely needs to witness this combo.

Let’s take a look at a sample pairing a student might choose:

Who and What?

While you could choose any random figure and item, this essay will be most successful if you choose either someone or something that has personal significance to you (although it will be strongest if both your person and technology relate to you!). So for example, if a student loves graphic design, they might choose to give Walt Disney an iPad and Apple Pencil. 

This might not be the wackiest combo they could choose, but notice how both relate to the student and their passion. Growing up on Disney animation was what prompted this student to start doodling when they were younger, which eventually led to an interest in graphic design. Their iPad is their sketchbook, home to thousands of designs that they can create at their fingertips. This student wants to see what their inspirational figure would do with the piece of technology they cherish the most.

How do they interact?

This is where you can infuse more creativity into your essay. What will separate an okay response from a good or great one is how well you can show the interaction between these two unlikely players. Using the example of Walt Disney, this student could describe some of the tools they have used and apply it to a drawing of Mickey Mouse. Maybe they think Disney would have made a new movie every week if he had that advanced technology at his fingertips and the student shares the concept behind his latest character design. 

Whatever you choose to do, the interaction of a historical figure with modern technology would be ridiculous and hilarious. If you’ve taken anything away from UChicago based on their prompts, it should be the value they place on creativity, so don’t throw away this opportunity to inject some creativity into your response.

Why should we care?

The last thing you’ll want to make sure of in your essay is to pull back from the absurdity of the moment and reflect on why this odd combination is important. Even if it only has a deeper significance to you, we still want to know why you chose this pairing over every other.

Our student would probably elaborate on what Disney animation meant to them growing up at this point in the essay. They might explain that if they were influenced by the stories and visuals Walt Disney created, they can only imagine how many more kids all over the world would have had the same experience if he was able to use modern technology to develop his projects. 

You don’t have to follow this exact model in your response, but keep these different aspects of the prompt in mind as you write. As long as you can tell an engaging story of the item and historical figure interacting, and find a personal connection, you can really pick any person and item.

Prompt 2, 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.

Again, this prompt is, on the surface, granting you a lot of leeway. UChicago even ends it with an exclamation point! But you should always remember: they expect a disciplined, thorough, rigorous essay. Don’t let your sense of fun and frolic drown out your serious intellectual ideas.

Pick a prompt that inspires you to write, and connects with your academic interests. If a prompt jumps out at you, and you’re immediately filled with ideas, it’s probably a good fit. Just take it slowly, jot your thoughts down, and get to work. 

Involve your personal connection to that prompt. If you’re not answering any of the 6 prompts UChicago has issued this year, the onus is on you to prove that you and the archival prompt you’ve picked are a match made in heaven. This means having a lot of knowledge and personal investment in your subject matter, and an angle/perspective totally unique to you. 

If making your own question, remember this: YOUR QUESTION IS YOUR HOOK. So make sure it’s not a question that could be found on a standard-issue application, like “When did I overcome a challenge?” or “What’s a place that feels like home?” These prompts are everywhere. They won’t get the job done, and they won’t make an unforgettable first impression. But “Why did I lock myself in the basement and watch The Bee Movie for eighteen hours?” That’s a different story. 

If you look at past UChicago prompts, they tend to be fond of certain things: numbered lists, fairy tales, common phrases, and items of pop culture that can be re-contextualized. They also like hearing your answers to famous questions, and you might have a unique answer to “Et tu, Brute?” or “Do you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain?” Just remember that the novelty of the question, while the hook of your essay, is not its substance. If your biography and scholarly interests don’t involve pina coladas, or rain, you might just have to pick a different question to answer – as wonderful as that eternal question is.

UChicago essays take a lot of time and thought—but don’t overthink it. The university wants to hear what you have to say, in its full form. That’s why they give you a page limit, and not a word limit—no last minute cutting! Fully develop your ideas in a way that feels natural. If a paragraph needs to be a little thicker, or if you need to include a longer quote from your favorite author, don’t worry about it. These essays can be fun to write and extremely effective.

You can look up lots of examples of essays online, but try not to get intimidated. It’s the nature of the UChicago essays to encourage everyone to showcase their expertise—which is exactly what you should try to do! You may read sample essays and think, “Wow. I’ve never spent a month in Arizona digging up fossils. How can I ever compete?” Try to reframe the essays as a Giant Celebration of everyone’s achievements and interests not a Competition.

If you’ve written your UChicago essay and are looking for feedback, you might want to check out our free peer essay review and paid expert essay review . Since the UChicago essay prompts are weird, it’s important to get an extra set of eyes on them to make sure they are clear and engaging! You can also improve your own writing skills by editing other students’ essays.

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University of Chicago 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action/Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

University of Chicago 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 2 essays of 1-2 pages each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball

This is it, the infamous UChicago supplemental application. These quirky prompts have been a rite of passage for generations of applicants, so before you dive in, just remember: if they could do it, so can you! Your goal in writing your UChicago 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 UChicago education help you get there? How will your scholarly and social pursuits help you grow? Show admissions how UChicago 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, we’re all familiar with green-eyed envy or feeling blue, but what about being “caught purple-handed” or “tickled orange” give an old color-infused expression a new hue and tell us what it represents., – inspired by ramsey bottorff, class of 2026.

This is a great question for artists, those of you with synesthesia, or anyone who’s been down the rabbit hole of seasonal color theory on social media. If you have strong associations with different colors or are language-obsessed, then this is a great chance to combine logical and creative thinking to breathe new life into these old sayings. Look at a rainbow or color wheel and see if any feelings or ideas jump out to you. Maybe you feel a certain calm when you see fuchsia, so “out of the fuchsia” might mean a solution that came from deep meditation, a practice introduced to you by your late grandfather. Perhaps you associate sky blue with familial love, and “a blue thumb” would mean someone who is very in tune with their family, culture, and traditions. Ultimately, your argument will (hopefully) show admissions how your brain works and pepper in a few insights as to the kinds of things you hold dear along the way.

Essay Option 2

“ah, but i was so much older then / i’m younger than that now” – bob dylan. in what ways do we become younger as we get older, – inspired by joshua harris, class of 2016.

This prompt will surely appeal to the philosophers among you, as it invites you to consider the trajectory of a person’s lifetime. With such a broad field to choose from, your answers can vary from the biological (some of our blood cells regenerate every four months , so they are always younger than the rest of us) to the comedic ( embracing cartoons that you used to pretend you were too old for ) to the profound (dementia patients reverting to childhood). As you brainstorm, make a list of all possible examples of this phenomenon and choose the ones that get you excited and that you can weave together into an essay that reveals what matters to you. Remember, admissions wants to see both creative thinking and strong analytical capabilities while learning what makes you tick. If anyone else could put their name at the top of your essay, you haven’t identified the right topic yet.

Essay Option 3

Pluto, the demoted planet. ophiuchus, the thirteenth zodiac. andy murray, the fourth to tennis’s big three. every grouping has something that doesn’t quite fit in. tell us about a group and its unofficial member, why (or why not) should it be excluded, – inspired by veronica chang, class of 2022.

If you love finding patterns, solving puzzles, or identifying what holds groups together, this is the prompt for you! As you go through your daily life, start observing and jotting down instances of “the odd man out.” As your list increases, see which ones jump out to you. Maybe you have the perfect explanation for why Washington, DC can’t become a state. Perhaps you’re ready to defend the tomato’s inclusion as a vegetable even though it’s technically a fruit. As with the other prompts, your choice can be as serious or frivolous as you like, as long as it is well reasoned and creative! 

Essay Option 4

“daddy-o”, “far out”, “gnarly”: the list of slang terms goes on and on. sadly, most of these aren’t so “fly” anymore – “as if” name an outdated slang from any decade or language that you’d bring back and explain why you totally “dig it.”, – inspired by napat sakdibhornssup, class of 2028.

As language nerds, we at CEA love this prompt, which is perfect for pop culture buffs, linguistics fans, or those of you whose parents think their generation’s slang is “da bomb!” You can approach this either by choosing an old slang term you like and expounding upon it or by identifying gaps in our current English language use and finding a term to fit; what ideas or emotions are we leaving unexpressed without some crucial piece of missing slang? Sure, we can say something is “all that,” but do we need to indicate it’s “all that and a bag of chips ”? Maybe! Note that the prompt also allows you to choose slang from other languages, so those of you with multicultural backgrounds can highlight that through your choice of phrase. Bonus points if you weave in multiple examples as the prompt does so effortlessly!

Essay Option 5

How many piano tuners are there in chicago what is the total length of chalk used by uchicago professors in a year how many pages of books are in the regenstein library these questions are among a class of estimation problems named after university of chicago physicist enrico fermi. create your own fermi estimation problem, give it your best answer, and show us how you got there., – inspired by malhar manek, class of 2028.

Finally, a prompt for the mathematically inclined! The key here is to think of an estimate that is aligned with your interests. If you’re an electrical engineering nerd, maybe you want to estimate the number of circuits in UChicago’s Physics Building. If you love anime, maybe you’ll estimate the number of pen strokes in an episode of your favorite show. If you’re into fashion, perhaps you’ll estimate the number of stitches sewn into Janelle Monáe’s Met Gala gown. As with many questions on your math tests, this prompt asks you to show your work, so be sure to share every step you took to arrive at your answer. Remember, the goal is not necessarily to get the answer right, but rather to learn more about you and how your brain works. Don’t be afraid to get weird!

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.

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! 😊

About Kat Stubing

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Why We Travel: A Writing Contest

First Prize:   “Fuera del hogar, ya estoy aquí (Away from home, I am already here)”   by Sophia Rodriguez-Bell, Class of 2024 (Trinity College Cambridge)

Second Prize:   “Tranquillo”   by Crystina Windham, Class of 2025 (Rome Civ)

Third Prize:    “maybe i will learn.”   by Tiffany Akinyoade, Class of 2026 (Paris: Intermediate French)

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• Photo Contest
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Study Abroad sponsors a travel writing contest for UChicago College students who have completed or are completing a study abroad program. This contest was established in recognition of all the great student writing influenced by time abroad.

We accept works of fiction , nonfiction , and poetry , as well as any other works of writing that your time abroad has inspired you to create. Experiences abroad are myriad, and we are seeking writing that reflects this. You are encouraged to submit a piece that best fits your experience and expresses how your time abroad shocked, delighted, awed, challenged, or changed you.

Eligibility

To take part in this contest you must be a University of Chicago undergraduate student. Your submission must be about an experience that took place at a location outside of the United States for a minimum duration of 3 weeks. All study abroad experiences through the University of Chicago, one of its partner programs, or a College travel grant (FLAG, Research Grants) are eligible.

Please follow all formatting rules (see below). Failure to do so will render your submission ineligible.

Subject Matter

Not sure what to write about? Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Remember that you are free to write in any genre you wish.

• Tell us about the day you will most remember from your time abroad.
• Introduce us to people you met while studying abroad (your host family, language partners, fellow travelers, etc.).
• Describe your sensory experience of a place you visited while studying abroad.
• What is something you learned about yourself or others through your study abroad experience?
• How have your travels changed your perspective on an issue?

Submission Process and Deadline

Works of writing should be submitted in Microsoft Word Document format or in rich-text format (RTF) and must not exceed 16 pages double-spaced in length. Please use standard text size (12 point) and standard margins (1 to 1.5 inches). Send in your submission by attaching the document to your submission email. In your email, please include the following:

• “Travel Writing Contest” in the subject line
• Your name, student ID, and year in the College
• Your desired published name
• Where and when you went abroad and for how long (please also indicate if it was through a Chicago-sponsored program)
• A title and short explanation of your submission
• If your piece has already been published elsewhere, please let us know.

For photo essay submissions: Photographs must be sent digitally at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. Please also include detailed location information for each photograph.

Email submissions to the Study Abroad Communications Manager at [email protected] . The deadline for the 2023–24 contest has been extended to Monday, May 13, 2024.

Study Abroad will award up to three prizes.

• First Prize: $200
• Second Prize: $150
• Third Prize: $100

The prize-winning submissions will be featured on the UChicago Study Abroad website.

Important Advisory

All submissions become the property of the College of the University of Chicago, which will enjoy full, non-exclusive rights of use and circulation (with attribution to the author). If you submit writing it is understood that you have granted this right.

Further Information

Please email any questions about the writing contest to the Study Abroad Communications Manager at [email protected] .

Writing Contest Winners

• First Prize    “Fuera del hogar, ya estoy aquí (Away from home, I am already here)” by Sophia Rodriguez-Bell, Class of 2024 (Direct enrollment program at Trinity College Cambridge)   This is a chronological set of moments exploring my identity as a Chicana in an environment where there are few to no people with the same cultural background. Each piece has some reference to Chicano history, culture, or iconography, although some references are far more transparent than others. I have done a lot of thinking about what it means to be from a culture not present where I am right now. How does my relationship to my culture change when I am distanced from it? How can I continue to engage with it from afar? Each moment is also accompanied by a short commentary on a related linguistics or language phenomenon. I came to Cambridge specifically for the linguistics curriculum, so this serves as a grounding motif not only within this piece but also in my overall experience here.
• Second Prize    “Tranquillo” by Crystina Windham, Class of 2025 (The Bernard J. DelGiorno Civilization Program in Rome)   My time abroad floods back in an assortment of fragmented memories, blurry iPhone photos, and never-ending journal entries. But what has remained unshakeable is the profound contentment that I experienced over those 10 weeks. It was the first time in my life that I had felt such a feeling. Meeting so many people, absorbing so much knowledge, and embracing a culture completely different from my own brought me pure happiness and gratitude. My hope with this piece is to convey even a morsel of these sentiments to whoever reads it.
• Third Prize    “maybe i will learn.” by Tiffany Akinyoade, Class of 2026 (Intermediate French in Paris)   In this piece, I recount the lessons learnt, sights seen, and memories made throughout the 2 months I spent in Paris, in the form of a response to the first person I conversed with upon arrival – the immigration officer at the Paris-CDG Airport. In a way, I ascribe some level of ownership to her as she is the one who, both technically and literally speaking, opens the door to Paris for me; I see her as a piece that represents a whole, and refer to many things Parisian or French as ‘hers.’ Thus, as I write the letter to her, though less explicitly, I am also writing the letter to the city, Paris, and as I thank her in this letter, I am also thanking Paris – for the treasures of a lifetime it gifted me with.
• First Prize   “Si tu voudrais te sentir chez toi (If you would like to feel at home)” by Hilary Shi, ’24   “What’s study abroad like?”   Throughout the past month, I have gotten asked this one particular question several times—during an internship onboarding meeting, in text messages with classmates, while Zoom calling my friends back home. In between these forms of communication, however, I felt like the answers I gave never did justice to reality. Now, in writing, this is my attempt to answer in a way that better encompasses the myriad of emotions I’ve experienced over the past few weeks.
• Second Prize   “Amaranth” by Makayla MacGregor, ’24   My piece is a nonfiction reflection on the connection between some of the travel I had the opportunity to do while in England, and the British literature I read for my classes. Jane Austen, George Eliot, and the Brontë sisters are some of my absolute favorite authors, so the privilege of reading their works while exploring the landscapes that they describe in their writing was a phenomenal experience. My understanding and appreciation of British literature was vastly impacted by the travel that I did while here, and I’m so grateful for the new perspective that I have on the relationship between place and the novel. Above all, my time studying abroad has made me hope that in the future I can travel to the settings of my other favorite books, all over the world.
• Third Prize   “The Places I’ve Carved Out For Myself” by Emma Janssen, ’24   In this creative nonfiction piece, I describe vignettes of notable places in my time at Trinity College, Cambridge. These aren’t the ‘typical’ places a visitor to Cambridge would see; instead, they are windows into my specific routines and the communities that I’ve become a part of. My piece explores the significance of place and nature, and the joys of study and conversation within beautiful and meaningful places.
• First Prize   “Bitter Sweet” by Jerusalem program participant   I wrote a poem called “Bitter Sweet.” The setting is a backyard in the Israel suburb Modi’in, where I visited my roommate’s family and family friends for Pesach. Her uncle showed me his garden, which he was so proud of, and it was filled with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. In my poem I aim to contrast sweet moments like these, with the bitter and constant back and forth in my head about the political situation here in Israel. I reference the Holocaust, the establishment of the state of Israel, and the 6 Day War as a way of including tragedies that affect/ed both sides of the conflict. In my time here I feel like I’ve come to empathize with both sides and I hope my poem reflects that. It’s meant to show the impossibility of the situation and the sweet and bitter moments that go on despite that.
• Second Prize   “Bus 40, forever” by Esme Hernandez, ’23   On a chilly morning on the last week of study abroad in Paris, two girls decide to catch the sunrise in Montmartre and then ride the bus. At the time, it was a whimsical sort of carpe diem moment, but now it ranks as one of my favorite memories to draw upon.
• First Prize   “El intercambio” by Cinque Carson, ’21   A microwave room discussion of race and identity in Spain and reflections upon an unforgettable exchange.
• Second Prize   “Pork Belly Prayer” by Maya Osman-Krinsky, ’21   It is the story of a night I spent in Oaxaca with a friend I’d made on a market walking tour, discussing Mexican food and drink systems. It is also the story of how I began to think about the relationship of Mexico to the United States through my own lens of a food-obsessed writer and American student in this particular moment in space and time.
• Third Prize   “Ndànk-ndànk, mooy jàpp golo ci ñaay” by An Trinh, ’22   For a long weekend, two of my closest friends and I went to Kédougou, a little town on the other side of Senegal from Dakar. This is a story about us. And this is also a story about more than just us.
• Honorable Mention   “El amor en los tiempos de corona (Love in the Time of Corona)” by Sarah Kwon, ’22   My piece details how I fell in love with Oaxaca and its people, and how this love, like all others, was at times painful. In particular, it explores how I reckoned with my Asian-American identity abroad at a time of heightened xenophobia as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.