How to Write the Supplemental Essays for University of Chicago

Cracking the Code: How to Write Top-Tier University of Chicago Supplemental Essays

When you apply to the University of Chicago, you’re not just submitting test scores and a GPA. You’re being asked to reveal your mind—and not just any mind, but one that thrives in an environment known for eccentricity, intellectual boldness, and an unabashed love of ideas. UChicago’s supplemental essays are the admissions office’s favorite window into your soul, and your best shot at showing that you belong in a school where curiosity is currency and originality is the norm.

Let’s unpack what makes these essays so distinctive, and how you can write one that truly stands out.

Understanding the UChicago Essay Prompts

Each year, UChicago offers students two supplemental prompts:

1. The “Why UChicago?” Prompt – This is the more conventional question. It asks why you’re interested in attending the University of Chicago.

2. The Extended Essay – This is where UChicago shines. The school gives you a selection of wildly creative prompts (or lets you make up your own) and invites you to interpret, reflect, philosophize, joke, argue—whatever suits your style.

How to Write a Standout “Why UChicago?” Essay

What They’re Looking For:

They want evidence that you’ve done your research, have clear academic and intellectual interests, and are a great fit for UChicago’s unique culture. Vague praise like “I love Chicago’s location and reputation” won’t cut it. You need to be precise.

Strategies for Success:

• Be Specific: Mention particular classes, professors, Core curriculum elements, RSOs (Registered Student Organizations), research centers, or even quirky traditions like Scav or Kuviasungnerk.

• Show Fit: Connect your personality and goals with UChicago’s values: rigorous inquiry, interdisciplinary learning, quirky curiosity.

Strong Example:

“When I read the syllabus for Professor Shadi Bartsch’s ‘Ancient Self and Soul’ seminar, I immediately imagined the late-night debates I’d have in the Reg, discussing Cicero with a peer in astrophysics. UChicago is one of the few places where I can explore both classics and quantum computing without feeling like I need to choose between them.”

This example shows academic specificity, personal excitement, and UChicago’s interdisciplinary appeal.

Tackling the Extended Essay Prompt: Embrace the Weird

What They’re Looking For:

This essay reveals your mind at play. UChicago wants students who are unafraid to take intellectual risks, who can think deeply but also with a sense of humor. There is no “right answer”—only honest, creative thinking.

Sample Prompts (from past years):

• “What’s so easy about pie?”

• “Where is Waldo, really?”

• “UChicago has international campus centers around the world, but we don’t have one on the moon—yet. Propose an academic program or center that would be most beneficial for students if it were located on the moon.”

Successful Approaches:

• Philosophical Approach: Interpret the question on a symbolic level. For example, for “Where is Waldo, really?” you could explore identity, conformity, and the challenge of finding oneself in a crowded world.

“Waldo is not lost; he is hiding—in plain sight. Like all of us, he performs normality to avoid disruption. But what if, in truth, Waldo has been searching for himself all along?”

• Personal Anecdote: Connect the prompt to a meaningful experience. For “What’s so easy about pie?” a student might recall learning to bake with a grandparent and reflect on how something “easy” is actually layered with emotional complexity.

“I once thought pie was easy—flour, butter, fruit, done. But standing in my grandmother’s kitchen, hands sticky with dough and grief after her diagnosis, I learned that pie is love in a crust: simple to say, hard to perfect.”

• Humorous Take: UChicago loves wit. A comedic essay can work brilliantly if it’s also thoughtful.

“I propose a lunar center for naps and noodles: the Moon Snoodle Center. Combining my love for ramen and REM cycles, students will examine the physics of noodle elasticity in low gravity, while also exploring sleep cycles when circadian rhythms are disrupted by, you know, space.”

Writing with Emotion and Depth

Emotion isn’t about melodrama—it’s about honesty and insight. Even an essay filled with jokes can carry emotional weight if it reveals how you think or feel about something that matters to you.

Use moments of vulnerability, reflection, or joy. Consider writing passages that make your reader feel something real:

“When I first debated whether Waldo was hiding or just being overlooked, I thought about my own place in a bustling high school. I wore red stripes, metaphorically speaking, to stand out—but sometimes, I just wanted to blend into the page.”

This kind of writing doesn’t just answer a question—it reveals character.

How to Sound Like a Perfect Fit for UChicago

1. Embrace Intellectual Playfulness: Let your curiosity roam. Don’t be afraid to use advanced vocabulary, quote philosophers, reference obscure facts, or make clever jokes.

2. Value the Core: Mention your interest in the Core curriculum and the way it will challenge and broaden you.

3. Celebrate Diversity of Thought: Show that you’re not just book-smart, but that you thrive in discussion and disagreement.

4. Be Original: Risky ideas, bold metaphors, and strange interpretations are welcome. Avoid clichés and formulas.

Final Example of a Strong Opening:

“I once spent three hours arguing whether a sandwich is a form of cake. We never reached consensus, but we did discover that food is philosophy, friendship, and friction. UChicago, I suspect, would be the perfect kitchen.”

This beginning shows voice, quirkiness, and passion for complex thought—very on-brand for UChicago.

Final Tips

• Revise like crazy. These essays should be polished, sharp, and memorable.

• Avoid “trying too hard.” Let your voice shine—don’t force references or complexity.

• Read past examples. UChicago posts selected essays from admitted students each year.

• Have fun. It shows when you do.

Writing UChicago’s supplemental essays is a chance to unleash your creativity and demonstrate the kind of mind you’ll bring to a place that prizes imagination as much as intellect. Be bold. Be weird. Be real. That’s the UChicago way.

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