University of Chicago Essay Guide

The University of Chicago is located in Hyde Park, which is just a short bus ride on the 6 from Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago.

  The University of Chicago is highly respected institution both in the United States and around the world. The University of Chicago is world-renowned for its Department of Economics, and you will be able to tell from the large number of economics majors you will encounter in many of your undergraduate classes, but the University also boasts a wide variety of majors that are equally as rigorous and have equally notable professors. In fact, many Nobel Laureates have been affiliated with The University of Chicago, most notably Milton Friedman, Barack Obama, and James Watson.

In many students’ experiences at The University of Chicago, many have greatly enjoyed the Core, which requires that all students, regardless of major, must take a certain number of courses in the Humanities, STEM, Arts, and Social Sciences. Someone who is uncertain of what they wish to major in will find the Core to be extremely helpful in narrowing down what they wish to study, and this is actually a large factor in many students’ decisions to apply to The University of Chicago. Although at times students complain about the Core since they are required to take courses outside of their preferred area of study, many find that overall it allows students to bring in knowledge from other areas that will help them in their intended majors.

In order to apply to The University of Chicago, students are required to complete the Coalition or Common Application, the UChicago supplemental essays, their transcript, two teacher evaluations, and their mid-year report. The University of Chicago is standardized test-optional. UChicago has four different application options: 

1. Early Action: Early Action allows students to apply on November 2nd and learn of their admissions decision in Mid-December but does not bind the student to UChicago in any way unless they choose to attend by May 3rd.
2. Early Decision I: Early Decision I is also due on November 2nd and students will learn of their decision Mid-December, but this is a binding decision and if accepted, the student is required to attend UChicago, withdraw any applications from other schools, and reply by Mid-January.
3. Early Decision II: Early Decision II is also binding, but the deadline to apply is January 4th and the student will learn of their admissions status in Mid-February and must reply by Early March.
4. Regular Decision: Finally, Regular Decision is also due on January 4th, but it is non-binding and the student will get their decision in Late March and must reply to the decision by May 3rd.

Since The University of Chicago encourages students to think outside of their majors, it’s no surprise that they look for essay prompts that encourage students to think outside the box. Although the new essay prompts for 2021-2022 have not been released yet, advice can still be offered using the prompts from this this year and the one prompt that remains the same each year of why you chose The University of Chicago. This article will begin by giving some general advice on approaching the essays but then also provide some examples and discuss how these essays are effective in their approach.

•  · Make sure the applicant had done their research on the school for the “Why UChicago?” Essay! They want to discuss specific things that drew them to this school, whether it be the Core Curriculum, The Blue Chips, Scav, University Theater, etc. The person reading your essay wants to see that the applicant researched the school and that the applicant really wants to be accepted and attend. Make sure the essay isn’t just some generic, cookie-cutter thing that the admissions officer reading the essay can just substitute “UChicago” for any other university.
• · Think creatively but stay on topic and answer the prompt! The other essays are more creative, so they should be written as such. However, do not get so carried away in writing creatively that the essay fails to get to the point or answer what the prompt is asking.
• · Make sure the applicant’s personality shines through, but also remember to write academically. The applicant wants to make sure they convey who they are and what they’re interested in but also that the applicant is a great student, and their writing should reflect this. The essay should walk the line between telling a story to friends and writing a paper for a class.
• · Although this is not really related so much to the writing itself, try to find at least one other person to help with the essays. This person should be someone to help you proof-read or someone to bounce ideas off of, since it’s good to have some outside perspective. This person can be a teacher, counselor, parent, older sibling or cousin, really anyone who would be a good help to the applicant.
• · Another word of advice is making sure the applicant makes a schedule for themselves and manages their time wisely when it comes to writing their application responses, especially if the applicant plans on applying to more than twelve schools. Make sure to finish writing before the deadlines, so there remains enough time to revise and improve. Do not leave this to the last minute!

Essay Example:  

 The University of Chicago satisfies my desire for a particular kind of learning through how it offers a way to specialize in genetics as an undergraduate student and through the various study abroad offerings for students in STEM majors. I also appreciate being able to have access to one of the country’s oldest student-run theaters and being able to take advantage of such resources that it may provide regardless of whether or not I major in theater.  

Ever since I took biology as a freshman in high school, genetics has been an area of the field that has fascinated me. I find it amazing how there is so much that can be learned from what we already know about our genetic code, and yet there still remains so much that is left to be discovered. Additionally, I enjoy seeing the different ways in which genetics can applied to solve a variety of issue in our lives, such as finding out if someone is predisposed to a certain illness with genetic testing or to find out who committed a crime through forensic analysis. It is encouraging to me how genetics can be used to solve the mysteries behind what puts someone at risk for certain diseases, and I look forward to being able to specialize already as an undergraduate student in the field. I appreciate that the University of Chicago allows me as a biology major to specialize in genetics, which is not something that many other schools allow, and fulfills what I am looking for and hope to get out of my undergraduate experience. I also hope to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that the University of Chicago provides to participate in undergraduate research in the field of genetics. 

Another area that is important to me is the opportunity to study abroad. My father always speaks fondly of his time studying abroad in college and highly encourages me to take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad. However, as someone who is interested in majoring in a STEM field, I often find it hard to come across study abroad programs that are catered to students majoring in these fields and have heard from students in these fields that major requirements and time constraints provide a barrier to being able to study abroad. I was excited to find that the University of Chicago offers study abroad programs for students in STEM, such as the Paris: Neuroscience program and the Paris: Global Health Program, and look forward to the possibility of participating in such programs without having to worry about fulfilling major and pre-med requirements. Furthermore, I am interested in the Summer International Travel Grants and the opportunity that would provide for intensive study of a language or research abroad and look forward to being able to apply for and take advantage of this program. I feel that it would be interesting to research a topic such as genetics in another country to see the different ways in which different countries research and seek to apply a certain topic.  

Finally, from a young age I have always been interested in the performing arts, specifically theater, and this interest has only grown throughout high school. I greatly enjoyed Shakespeare’s Hamlet for example and even performed in one of my school’s thespian productions. As I apply to college, I look forward to being presented with the chance to continue to pursue this interest and possibly minor or double major in theater. The University of Chicago’s University Theater would provide me with a way to continue pursuing my interest in theater regardless of what I wish to study, which is something that I value as some other schools do not afford me this opportunity. The school’s location in the city of Chicago also in and of itself provides me with opportunities in this area, as Chicago is a major cultural and performing arts hub. 

Analysis: 

• The reader should first focus on the first underlined portions of the essay located in the first paragraph. Here, the writer goes straight to the point of what she wishes to speak about in the response to the prompt, which the reader in admissions will likely appreciate after reading through thousands of applications. Furthermore, even though the writer says what she wishes to discuss, she is specific enough to have it not be easy to replace UChicago for another school, but she is still broad enough to expand in the rest of her response. This will be good in establishing that the applicant has done their research, but will also entice the reader to continue reading, since they want to see the what and how of that research in the response.  
• In the next section, she begins by focusing on the learning aspect of the prompt by discussing her desire to pursue an area of study that is unique to The University of Chicago. She begins the paragraph by discussing her interest in the field of genetics, and then ties it back to the prompt by saying this is how and why UChicago will allow her to fulfill this interest. She then slides in the desire to partake in undergraduate research if accepted, which shows that she has not only given a lot of thought to this area of study, she can also see herself researching in this area at The University of Chicago. 
•  In the next section, the writer discusses another aspect of studying at The University of Chicago that she is interested in that is specific to the school. She mentioned that she has had issues finding those opportunities at other schools, and The University of Chicago will not force her to compromise on her interests, and she does this by name-dropping specific study abroad programs that the school offers that work with her intended area of study. 
• Finally, the applicant branches out from the strictly academic and discuss her non-academic passion, and how the college will allow her to nurture that in addition to her academics. Once again, she is very specific in her response and name-drops some more, which further shows that she has done her research into the school and thus demonstrates a high interest, which in theory will earn her some points with the admissions officers. Not only does she display her research she did into the school, she also says why this is important to her in choosing UChicago, since she illustrates why this is unique to that school.  

Creative Prompt 1: In 2015, the city of Melbourne, Australia created a "tree-mail" service, in which all of the trees in the city received an email address so that residents could report any tree-related issues. As an unexpected result, people began to email their favorite trees sweet and occasionally humorous letters. Imagine this has been expanded to any object (tree or otherwise) in the world, and share with us the letter you’d send to your favorite. Inspired by Hannah Lu, Class of 2020 

Essay Example:

Dear Tuto, 

I first met you when I was a baby and out of all of my blankets, and you became my favorite. Although I had quite a few Winnie the Pooh blankets, you were special. My Chilean babysitter gave you the name “Tuto”, which is a Chilean term for security blanket. For the first few years of my life, it was rare for me to be seen without you by side; at the time, my mother was in pediatric residency and often had to spend the night at the hospital, so the comfort that you provided helped me get through those nights when I missed my mother. Other blankets did not come close to providing the same comfort, even the ones with similar patterns. You had a distinct softness, which probably came from the number of times you were washed since I would eat with you, and I could not fall asleep without you by my side. One time I made my father drive back to my grandmother’s apartment in New York City from our house in New Jersey at night because I realized that I had left you there and refused to go to sleep without you.  

Over time, due to the number of times you were washed, chewed, had food dropped on you, and were bled on, you began to fall apart. My mother suggested that we throw you out and buy a new Tuto from Toys R Us. Needless to say, I was not thrilled at the prospect of parting with you and refused to let my mother throw you out. Thankfully, my aunt intervened and offered to sew you back together and add a thick border around you so your edges would not fray as easily. Though the end result was not the prettiest, I still felt that you were so special and comforting, almost like a large patchwork quilt. Although I eventually outgrew you, I will never forget you. You were always there for me throughout my early childhood when I would cry because I missed my mother or father or when I would laugh because of my father’s impression of Jafar from Aladdin, and for that I thank you.  

Your friend, 

Ale 

Analysis: 

• The applicant wrote her response in the form of a letter, since that is what the prompt called for. Always make sure to do what the creative prompts call for, since they can be unconventional for the standard college essay.  
• This letter is definitely less of an academic writing piece and is more casual in its tone, but  this is not a hindrance to the response. Once again, this is what the prompt is asking, since it is a letter to a favorite or significant object, which is definitely going to be a bit more casual than a response regarding something else.  
• Finally, what makes this response effective is that because it is so casual and a letter to an object that is significant to the writer, it really gives the applicant a chance to provide the admissions officer reading your response a glimpse into their personal life. Since everyone’s personal lives are unique to them, this helps the applicant to stand out as a person, rather than just another applicant. 

Essay Example: 

Both ethnically Greek and a student of Latin, I have always been fascinated by the etymology of words. This background has been useful when I might not know a word’s meaning, and I find pleasure in ferreting out a definition using my knowledge. I fondly recall the time I was the only child in Ms. Luken’s seventh-grade math class who could answer the extra-credit geometry question, “What is a dodekagon?” (a 12-sided figure, from the Greek “δώδεκα” or “twelve”), and I’m sure many other Greek kids can attest to similar moments of “Eureka!” (which comes from the Ancient Greek word “εὕρηκα” or “I have found it!”). 

Perhaps the word that Greeks take the most pride in, however, is the word “Philotimo,” or “φιλότιμο.” Unlike other Greek-rooted words, such as “philanthropy” (“phil,” lover/friend of “ανθρωπος,” or mankind), Philotimo cannot be straightforwardly defined. The word’s roots similarly start with “phil,” or lover/friend, yet the ending “timos,” means “honor.” Thus, technically, Philotimo should translate to “love of honor.” Yet in Greek, Philotimo means so much more and has so many layers of nuance that it’s basically untranslatable. To try and define it almost limits its essence and potential. 

The ideals of Philotimo encompass a complex set of positive values: duty, honor, family, courage, hospitality, sacrifice, compassion, generosity, and a higher calling and duty to do “what is right.” Philotimo is love of not just one’s self or family, but love of one’s country, community, and of humanity in general. The ancient Greek philosopher Thales wrote, “Philotimo to the Greek is like breathing. A Greek is not a Greek without it.” At its core, Philotimo symbolizes the notion that all of humanity is worthy of liberty, honor and respect – the foundational ideals of democracy first espoused by the ancient Greeks. 

The word Philotimo appears frequently in the New Testament as well. Indeed, many Christian ideals of charity, philanthropy, and accountability to others are at its core. Even the 

“Golden Rule” – to give without asking for anything in return and to respect and think of others – represents Philotimo. 

There are also many modern examples of Philotimo. Greeks speak of Philotimo and how its representative ideals of duty, loyalty, courage, and safeguarding freedom were exhibited by Greeks during World War II. Every year our Greek community celebrates “Oxi Day” (“No Day”), commemorating the day when Greece united to cry “NO!” to Axis forces demanding passage through Greece, a refusal that historians say positively changed the trajectory of the war. Similarly, the people and clergy of Greece bravely took a stand against the Holocaust when occupying Nazis demanded a list of Jews on the Greek island of Zakynthos. The Greeks hid their Jewish citizens and offered the Nazis a list with only two names: those of the Greek bishop and the mayor. Greeks say it’s the ideal of Philotimo that led to this display of courage and defiance when faced with racism, injustice, hatred, and totalitarianism. 

Even today, Greece is taking in countless refugees from war-torn areas of the Middle East. The Nobel Prize Committee recently nominated two elderly Greek women for their efforts to help refugee families found struggling along the coast of their island of Kos. “What special am I doing [sic]?” one asked in surprise. “Wouldn’t you do the same?” 

Philotimo: perhaps it’s the ideal of living for something larger than one’s self – a sense of duty to others and fighting for the greater good of humankind – that also draws me to work in social justice. Greek or non-Greek, we all have the potential to live by the ideals represented by Philotimo, and through both small and large gestures we can help humanity while paying respect to the honor within us all. 

Analysis: 

• This essay does a great job of answering the prompt by how the writer chooses a word to focus on and explaining what it means and why it cannot be translated, since she discusses the short-comings of such translation and how it is comprised of many layers that cannot be fully translated.  
• Furthermore, the writer weaves in personal tidbits, which is best exemplified in the first paragraph, where she describes her Greek background and how that has influenced her study of the etymology of words. Not only does this allow her unique perspectives and person to shine through in this essay, it also demonstrates how she is as a student. She writes about one of her academic interests, and weaves in her personal experiences, which is a very effective way to write an admissions essay, since it shows how the applicant is both as an academic and as a person.  
• She also demonstrates a great knowledge of the word she chose and its historical implication through how she describes the actions of Greek citizens during World War II and in the current day. She discusses how this word that cannot be translated because of the layers of cultural significance it has in the original language has integrated itself into the very hearts of the Greek people.  

Again, make sure to be creative, memorable, and express who you really are. Feel free to have a parent, teacher, or friend read over your essays when you finish. Extra eyes can catch typos and offer great advice. Most of all, stay true to yourself and what you will add to the Stanford community. You’ve got this, and PathIvy is always here to help. Good luck!