Hey everyone, so I’m applying for University of Chicago soon, and I’m kind of freaking out about their supplemental essays. Could someone please provide some guidance on how to approach them?
The University of Chicago is renowned for its intellectually rigorous core curriculum, the beauty of its Gothic campus, and, perhaps most notably, its quirky, intellectual essay prompts. Rightly so - the prompts can often seem daunting, but they’re also a unique chance to reveal your intellectual curiosity and love of learning.
Start with a close reading of each prompt: what are they really asking? A lot of prompts essentially ask "how do you think?" - they want to see your thought patterns and how you engage with complex ideas.
Next, choose a prompt that genuinely excites you. You don’t have to pick the most "intellectual" one or the one that you think will make you seem the smartest. Your passion will shine through if you pick a topic that genuinely intrigues you, and your enthusiasm is going to be far more convincing than any attempt to sound sophisticated.
The key to these quirky prompts is they want you to think creatively and critically. Do not hesitate to take risks (within reasonable bounds) on these essays—you're meant to think outside the box! Be analytical, be argumentative, see all the possible sides and nuances of the prompts. UChicago loves to see applicants who are not afraid to reflect on and challenge their own ideas.
One UChicago essay that stood out in the past was a student who used the "I am not a bot" checkbox prompt to write about the Turing test and the nature of artificial intelligence. The essay dove deep into A.I. philosophy, while also showing Minsky's insight into the conversation. It can help to think of demonstrating your interest in academics through these essays.
Lastly, be sure to revise, revise, revise. Your first draft will likely be rough, but that’s okay. The more you work on it, the more refined and articulate your argument will become. Good luck!
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