University of Chicago Supplemental Essays 2024-2025

University of Chicago has introduced a new cohort of supplemental essay prompt options for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. I discuss these, the other supplemental essay prompt on the UChicago supplement, and other topics in this informative video.

2024-25 UChicago Supplement
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.

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

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

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

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 Name an outdated slang from any decade or language that you'd bring back and explain why you totally “dig it.”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

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

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!

Bonus 1: How to Differentiate Your Common App Essay
Best & Worst 2024-2025 Common App Essay Prompts:    • Best & Worst 2024-2025 Common App Ess...  
Most & Least Popular Common App Essay Prompts:    • Most Popular & Least Popular Common A...  
Why Your Common App Essay Is Awful:    • Why Your College Application Essay is...  
Why Your Common App Essay Is So Bad:    • Why Your College Application Essay is...  
Common App Essay: Size Does Matter: https://admissions.blog/common-applic...

Bonus 2: How to Get Into University or Chicago
   • How to get into University of Chicago  

Bonus 3: "No Harm" Testing at University of Chicago
   • "No Harm" Testing at University of Ch...  

Bonus 4: University of Chicago Students On Campus
   • University of Chicago Students On Campus  

When you’ve finished your Common App for UChicago and want to know if it’s as strong as possible, get My Pre-Read at http://MyPreRead.com/

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