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The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) requires prospective students to complete supplemental essays as part of their application. For the 2024-2025 application cycle, UIC has specific essay prompts that applicants need to bear in mind. Let's delve into these prompts and explore tips on how to craft compelling essays for each.
Program Choice Essay: Please provide an essay that explains why you chose your intended program of study. What interests you the most about this major? Please be specific - those evaluating these essays are highly interested in your response. If Undecided, what areas of study do you look forward to studying in college? (Word Limit: 500.0 words)
Writing quality supplemental essays can be challenging, but with strategic planning and introspective responses, you can effectively communicate your passion and suitability for UIC’s programs. Here’s a detailed guide on how to approach UIC's supplemental essay prompts:
The first step in writing a strong Program Choice Essay is to articulate clearly why you have chosen your intended major. Start by reflecting on what sparked your interest in this field. Was it a particular class, project, book, or personal experience? For instance, if you are drawn to Biomedical Engineering, you might narrate an incident where technology had a life-changing impact on someone’s health.
Sups AI can assist you in brainstorming unique personal stories or interests. With help from Sups AI, you can engage in one-on-one chats with current students who have successfully navigated this process. This assistance can provide you with both inspiration and concrete examples to enhance your essay.
Clearly delineate the aspects of your chosen major that captivate you the most. If you are drawn to Social Work because of a desire to impact underserved communities, explain how specific coursework or faculty at UIC can help you achieve these goals. Demonstrate your knowledge of the program by mentioning any specialized labs, projects, or research opportunities that align with your interests.
Even if you’re still undecided, it's vital to identify areas you are enthusiastic about exploring. You can mention multiple disciplines and explain how UIC’s interdisciplinary approach and diverse course offerings will enable you to find your ideal path.
It's important to avoid clichés or broad statements that could apply to any institution. Instead, detail why UIC is the perfect place for your academic journey. Do you appreciate UIC's urban setting and the professional networks it offers? Be specific about why these factors are important to you and how they align with your career aspirations.
Using Sups AI , you can receive targeted feedback on your drafts to ensure your essays are specific and personalized. This tailored guidance is invaluable in honing your responses.
Before submitting your supplemental essays, take the time to revise and proofread multiple times. Ensure that your writing is clear, cohesive, and free of grammatical errors. Getting feedback from peers, mentors, or professionals at Sups AI can help refine your essay's quality and professionalism. They offer reviews that can help you polish your statements to perfection.
The University of Illinois at Chicago's supplemental essays are a crucial component of your application. By thoroughly addressing the prompts and providing detailed, personal responses, you can make a compelling case for your admission. Remember, resources such as Sups AI can offer indispensable support through brainstorming sessions and personalized feedback to enhance your essays.
Good luck with your application to the University of Illinois at Chicago!
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Applicants who have attended another college or university after graduating high school, but before enrolling at UIC. To apply as a Transfer student, please use our UIC Transfer Application . We do not use the Common Application for Transfer students.
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UIC is a part of the Common Application for Undergraduate Admission! In order to apply to the GPPA programs, all applicants must complete the Common Application, complete the UIC First Year Supplement which includes the GPPA Application and the Honors College Application (where required for GPPA), and submit two letters of recommendation.
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UIC has implemented a test optional policy for first year applicants. Our review process will be modified to measure an applicant’s preparation for UIC through additional attention to the information submitted as part of the application. In the General Questions of the UIC portion fo the Common Application, applicants will select their Preferred Testing Plan. This allows applicants to indicate if they would like ACT or SAT test scores to be included in their UIC application or not. Applicants are encouraged to submit their ACT and SAT test scores if available; however, test scores are not required for admission to GPPA. Any ACT, SAT, AP or IB scores will be reviewed if provided.
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Applications must be completed and all materials must be received by the stated deadline. The application deadline is 12:00 midnight Eastern Time (11:00 Central Time). Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials well in advance of the deadline. Submitting applications during business hours is also recommended so any technical issues can be addressed in a timely manner.
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It is preferred that letters of recommendation are submitted via the Common Application if possible. Recommenders may also email their letter directly to [email protected] as a PDF or Word document.
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There are some differences in the process depending on whether you are a current UIC student or not. We hope you'll find it all clear as you move through the process.
Application deadline is January 15. Candidate interviews take place from September to February. Final decisions will be sent to applicants between September and April.
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Within the application, you’ll be prompted to answer the following essay questions. We recommend that you draft your responses to the questions before beginning your application. Responses should reflect clear thought and show proper use of grammar and punctuation. Once submitted, you will not be allowed to edit your responses.
The questions:
The application will prompt you to upload your resume, which should reflect the following information, if relevant:
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Whether you decide to apply to UIUC through Common App or myIllini, you’ll have to conquer the dreaded essay portion of the application. Fear not! When writing your essay, you have several options to choose from , so you can select the topic you’re most comfortable with.
For your application, you only need to choose one prompt to complete (along with two major-specific responses). Your essay should be between 250 and 650 words. In this blog, we’ve provided an example response for one of our college essay prompts . The concept we wrote about may seem a little silly, but we hope this example gives you an idea of how to craft your own response. Here we go!
The chicken, or the egg? The hours I’ve spent pondering this question are countless. People frequently debate the seemingly simple idea of which came first. To me, it is more than just a question, but an example of how human beings think.
The question of “Which came first?” captivates me because it is a question without an answer. It has been asked for centuries and no progress has been made, but it still continues to be brought up. I think this is because humans prefer clear-cut answers. Like in any kind of competition, ending with a tie between teams or individuals isn’t a satisfying conclusion. People would rather the competition continue for extra time than admit there’s no real winner, or in this case, no real answer. So even though it’s obvious there will be no agreement, the debate over chickens and eggs continues.
When people label something a “chicken-egg” situation, it means there is no way to establish the order of cause and effect, again leaving a feeling of uncertainty. But human nature is to seek an answer. The chicken-egg question shows humanity’s inability to accept unfinished business, and this fascinates me most. People want closure in all aspects of life, and big questions like this are no exception. I think the question “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” is so interesting because people will always try to answer it knowing they will never find a solution. It shows that humans desire understanding above all else.
When I want to learn more about this concept, I turn to my grandfather. He doesn’t have a degree in philosophy or psychology, yet he’s a reliable source on almost any subject given his extensive years spent at the University of Life. With so many experiences under his belt, he understands unanswerable questions much better than I do. “The only truth is uncertainty,” he tells me when I once again dive deep into the possibility of eggs without chickens or chickens without eggs. In his words, the most beautiful parts of life are the questions we can’t answer but spend out whole life trying to.
My own desire for answers keeps me thinking about this question for hours on end. I think there’s good points to grandpa’s perspective, but as an eighteen-year-old entering college, I don’t know if I can accept that the only answer is no answer just yet. Until I can, I’ll gather my own evidence and continue to spend my days wondering whether Aristotle was eating chicken and waffles or omelettes for breakfast.
Now that you’ve had a chance to mull over your opinion on Aristotle’s breakfast choices, think about what topic you might like to write about in your application. Remember, it’s not about trying to perfectly replicate this example or write what you think the admissions office wants to hear. The essay section of your application is your chance to let colleges get to know you on a more personal level, so show them who you really are! If you take your time and write about what’s important to you, you’ll be writing college essay prompts like a pro in no time.
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Thinking of attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign? Then you've come to the right place. For this highly-ranked public school, you'll need to submit a personal statement with your application. But what should you include in your UIUC essay to make you stand out?
Read on to learn what the current UIUC essay prompt is and how to write a great UIUC essay. We also show you a real UIUC essay example to give you an idea of what a great statement looks like.
Feature Image: Adam Jones /Flickr
All applicants must answer two to three UIUC prompts and one Common Application prompt as part of their application for admission.
Your UIUC prompt will change based on whether you 1) are applying to a major, 2) are applying to UIUC's Undeclared Program, or 3) have selected a second-choice major (including Undeclared). Each response should be about 150 words.
Here are this year's UIUC prompts:
If you're applying to a major:
Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.
If you're applying to UIUC's Undeclared Program:
If you've selected a second-choice major (including Undeclared):
Students are also required to select one Common application essay prompt from a range of choices and write a response.
You can view the full list of Coalition application essay prompts here and all of the Common Application essay prompts here.
The University of Illinois essay is an important part of your application since it's the only personal essay you'll write for the school. This makes it the only area on the UIUC application in which you can show off your personality, academic passion, and storytelling skills.
The overall point of this statement is for UIUC to learn more about you as a person and what qualities you'll bring to the school if you enroll.
In addition, UIUC has a YouTube series on admissions counseling that includes some useful videos with tips on how you can write an effective UIUC essay:
Now that you have a general sense of what UIUC will be looking for in your application essay, let’s break down each UIUC application essay prompt one by one.
Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you've taken, or through something else.
Here's your chance to show your passion for your first-choice major! You have a lot of leeway here: maybe you took a class that lit a fire inside you, maybe you joined a club related to the subject, or maybe you participated in a related activity. Be careful, though. You only have 150 words, and UIUC is asking for an experience related to your major, not why you selected it in the first place. This is a time for you to show that you're already taking steps toward engaging with your chosen major!
Choose a story that is meaningful to you, and remember to be as detailed as you can within the constraints. Show the UIUC admissions counselors that you care about your chosen major, and you're already engaging with it.
Unlike the first essay, which asks you about your past experience, this is where you get to dream big and show UIUC what you want to do with your degree. Remember to write this as if you've already been accepted to UIUC—they want to know how you'll represent them in the world! You only have 150 words, but you can do a lot in that space. If, for example, you want to be an aerospace engineer, you should check out UIUC's Aerospace Engineering website and connect their specific courses, professors, and extracurriculars to your post-degree goals. Maybe you want to work for NASA, and the UIUC robotics team will aid you in successfully applying. Be as specific as you can! And show UIUC that they are the best school for you to achieve your goals.
What are your academic interests and strengths? You may also include any majors you are considering. Much like the Major-Specific Prompt #1, this prompt asks you to share what you're passionate about, and where you excel academically. Be specific! Rather than saying "I've always been good at English and I like it," go into detail: perhaps you won an essay contest, or your op-ed was featured in the school paper. Maybe writing poetry is the best way you can connect your outer and inner worlds. If you have a few majors in mind, definitely mention them here! It's always good to show that you have a specific plan for your college career , even if you're not 100% sure what you want to major in yet.
What are your future academic or career goals? This question mirrors Major-Specific Prompt #2, and asks you to talk about your ideal future. Maybe you know you want to get a graduate degree in sociology, or you're certain that you want to spend a few years with the Peace Corps before working with the U.S. Department of State. The key here is to remember that undeclared doesn't mean unplanned. Many students have specific career goals, but they see multiple paths to achieve them. This is your chance to show the future self you want to be, and how UIUC will get you to your goal.
Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals. You'll only need to answer this question if you've applied to a second-choice major! This prompt should look pretty familiar: you can choose to answer either the Major-Specific Prompt #1 or the Major-Specific Prompt #2. The trick here is to show that your second-choice major is deliberate and useful for your future goals. You're not just picking a second-choice major because you really, really want to get into UIUC in any way, shape, or form. If you have a secondary interest that's almost as strong as your first-choice major, consider answering the first prompt. If you have a very strong career goal that multiple majors could feed into, consider answering the second.
Whichever choice you make, remember to clearly state why UIUC is the best schoo l for your major or career path!
To help give you a better idea of what your own UIUC essay could look like, here is one real UIUC essay example we found online, written by an admitted student.
Keep in mind that this essay was written for an old prompt that's no longer on the MyIllini application. However, this essay is still a great example of how college counselors want to see students talk about their interests and passions.
Here is the prompt:
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? (250 to 650 words)
And here is the essay:
The chicken, or the egg? The hours I’ve spent pondering this question are countless. People frequently debate the seemingly simple idea of which came first. To me, it is more than just a question, but an example of how human beings think. The question of “Which came first?” captivates me because it is a question without an answer. It has been asked for centuries and no progress has been made, but it still continues to be brought up. I think this is because humans prefer clear-cut answers. Like in any kind of competition, ending with a tie between teams or individuals isn’t a satisfying conclusion. People would rather the competition continue for extra time than admit there’s no real winner, or in this case, no real answer. So even though it’s obvious there will be no agreement, the debate over chickens and eggs continues. When people label something a “chicken-egg” situation, it means there is no way to establish the order of cause and effect, again leaving a feeling of uncertainty. But human nature is to seek an answer. The chicken-egg question shows humanity’s inability to accept unfinished business, and this fascinates me most. People want closure in all aspects of life, and big questions like this are no exception. I think the question “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” is so interesting because people will always try to answer it knowing they will never find a solution. It shows that humans desire understanding above all else. When I want to learn more about this concept, I turn to my grandfather. He doesn’t have a degree in philosophy or psychology, yet he’s a reliable source on almost any subject given his extensive years spent at the University of Life. With so many experiences under his belt, he understands unanswerable questions much better than I do. “The only truth is uncertainty,” he tells me when I once again dive deep into the possibility of eggs without chickens or chickens without eggs. In his words, the most beautiful parts of life are the questions we can’t answer but spend out whole life trying to. My own desire for answers keeps me thinking about this question for hours on end. I think there’s good points to grandpa’s perspective, but as an eighteen-year-old entering college, I don’t know if I can accept that the only answer is no answer just yet. Until I can, I’ll gather my own evidence and continue to spend my days wondering whether Aristotle was eating chicken and waffles or omelettes for breakfast.
To wrap up, here are four essential tips to keep in mind as you write your U of I application essay.
At first glance, some of the UIUC essay prompts may seem like an invitation to list all of your amazing accomplishments. But none of these prompts actually want you to do that! Instead, you need to use expertly crafted stories to convey everything you have to offer as an applicant to UIUC.
The point of the UIUC essay is to give the admissions committee more detailed and personal commentary on why you've chosen their school and why you would be a great addition to their student community. Leave the list of accomplishments for your resume. Telling a genuine story is the best way to show how your life experiences have shaped you into the perfect candidate for admission to UIUC.
While the essay prompts all have a different focus, the main goal of each one is to draw out what you’re passionate about and why. With each prompt, what you're really trying to do is demonstrate your passion to the UIUC admissions committee.
In other words, what motivates you to learn? What drives you more than anything else? And why are you so enthusiastic about bringing your ideas, experiences, and character to UIUC?
By highlighting your passions and interests, you're also showing the UIUC admissions committee who you are and what's important to you, both academically and more broadly.
To really make your passion stand out in your University of Illinois essay, take the following steps:
My final tip is to give yourself plenty of time to polish and proofread your UIUC essay.
In your rough draft, keep an eye out for obvious typos and technical mistakes, such as errors in punctuation, grammar, and spelling. Also, look for any areas that are awkward, incomplete, out of place, or unclear.
Once you've edited your essay on your own, give it to someone else to read, such as a parent, teacher, or tutor. Ask them to make technical corrections as needed and to offer you advice on what you might be able to improve in terms of story, cogency, and overall effectiveness.
Applying to other colleges in the midwest? Check out our expert guides to how to write the UChicago essays , the Notre Dame essays , and the Michigan State essay .
If you're using the Common App to submit your college applications, you'll need to figure out which essay prompt is the best one for you .
Learn more about how to get into the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by visiting our UIUC admission requirements page .
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Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.
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Early Action/Decision: Nov 1
Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2
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?
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.
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.
“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.
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!
“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!
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!
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! 😊
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Choose one of the seven extended essay options and upload a one- or two-page response. Please include the prompt at the top of the page.
Exponents and square roots, pencils and erasers, beta decay and electron capture. Name two things that undo each other and explain why both are necessary. —Inspired by Emmett Cho, Class of 2027
“Where have all the flowers gone?” – Pete Seeger. Pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer. —Inspired by Ryan Murphy, AB‘21
“Vlog,” “Labradoodle,” and “Fauxmage.” Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match). —Inspired by Garrett Chalfin, Class of 2027
A jellyfish is not a fish. Cat burglars don’t burgle cats. Rhode Island is not an island. Write an essay about some other misnomer, and either come up with and defend a new name for it or explain why its inaccurate name should be kept. —Inspired by Sonia Chang, Class of 2025, and Mirabella Blair, Class of 2027
Despite their origins in the Gupta Empire of India or Ancient Egypt, games like chess or bowling remain widely enjoyed today. What modern game do you believe will withstand the test of time, and why? —Inspired by Adam Heiba, Class of 2027
There are unwritten rules that everyone follows or has heard at least once in their life. But of course, some rules should be broken or updated. What is an unwritten rule that you wish didn’t exist? (Our custom is to have five new prompts each year, but this year we decided to break with tradition. Enjoy!) —Inspired by Maryam Abdella, Class of 2026
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!
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.
The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.
Extracurriculars.
UIUC is one of the best public universities in the USA, so writing strong essays is important to making your application stand out. UIUC has two required short prompts and two optional ones, and we’re here with expert advice on how to respond to all of them!
All applicants, required.
Prompt 1: Explain, in detail, an experience you’ve had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you’ve taken, or through something else. (150 words)
Prompt 2: Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them. (150 words)
Prompt 3: Explain any challenges (outside of COVID-related) you have faced throughout your academic career, including the dates or timeline below. (300 words)
Prompt 4: If you have a low grade or a drop in grades that you have not already explained, do so below. (300 words)
At first glance, this prompt seems pretty straightforward, and there isn’t much space for extraneous storytelling.
However, what gives this prompt its difficulty is the necessity of going above and beyond. Not only do you need to identify the experiences that shaped your interest in your selected major, but you need to provide deeper reflections as to why those experiences impacted you in the way they did.
For that reason, it’s not enough to simply list the experiences that led you to your chosen major. For example, you shouldn’t just say:
“I first discovered my passion for film in English class, when I had to write a take home essay about the movie adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray . I furthered my interest in film by making my own home documentary alongside a couple friends. I also started volunteering at a local arthouse cinema to understand a more commercial perspective on film…”
Rather, it’s better to go deeper with a given example and provide insights into what motivates your passions. Instead of simply listing experiences related to film, you might say:
“My English teacher assigned our class a take-home essay, where we analyzed the movie adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray . Looking at the movie through a closer lens gave me a deeper appreciation for the small decisions directors make and the big impacts they can have…”
The admissions readers at UIUC want to see that you have the necessary experiences under your belt to thrive in your chosen course of study, and they also want to see that you will be passionate and motivated while doing so! Make sure to show them both your experiences and your deeper insights about those experiences, and you’ll have a strong essay on your hands.
The trick to this prompt is making sure you convey a clear personal or career goal, while also relating your intended course of study to that goal.
Thus, you should acknowledge the following main points while answering this prompt:
Let’s address each of these points separately.
The prompt plainly states that your response needs to identify your future personal or career goals. If you have a clear idea of what your goals are, that will make this part easy. In that situation, you would have presumably chosen a course of study that will serve as a stepping stone towards your longer-term ambitions.
On the other hand, UIUC knows that your interests will change over the next four years, and that nothing is set in stone. If you’re uncertain about your career goals, it’s also okay to identify a few possible career paths that interest you. Another option is to discuss the type of work you wish to do (e.g. helping deliver aid to marginalized communities) as opposed to the specific career title.
Keep in mind that UIUC gives you the option of specifying your personal goals as well, and not just your career goals. Your personal goals should still be related to your major, but don’t have to be as career-focused. For instance, some solid personal goals to mention would be things like becoming a stronger public speaker, learning to program in a certain coding language, doing research on a specific topic, or writing a novel.
As long as you can make a compelling case as to how your chosen major relates to your future ambitions, you will be in good shape for this essay.
Once you have identified your personal or career goals, you also need to indicate what aspects of your chosen course of study will help you achieve those goals.
This will mean both speaking about your major in broad terms, as well as identifying some features of UIUC’s course of study that serve you particularly well. This is not a “why UIUC” essay, so showing depth of research is not the top priority, but it will strengthen your response nonetheless.
While this essay does not require personal reflections in the way that many other college essays do, it is still important for your voice to come through in deeper analyses that show you understand the significance of your major-goal combination at a deeper level.
To accomplish this, make sure you are always stating why a particular aspect of your intended major serves your goals. For instance, it is not enough to say, “I hope to be a lawyer for the United Nations, so I want to take the course Governing Globalizations.” You might instead write:
“Courses such as Governing Globalizations, which explore the historical, moral, socio-economic, and political dimensions of an emerging global society, will provide me with the interdisciplinary background to thrive as an international lawyer.”
This second version goes the extra mile, by showing exactly what you hope to learn from this course and why that knowledge is relevant to your future ambitions, to truly give UIUC admissions officers the information they’re looking for.
Explain any challenges (outside of covid-related) you have faced throughout your academic career, including the dates or timeline below. (300 words).
While we encourage applicants to respond to most optional prompts, this prompt and the following one are truly optional. You should only respond to them if you have exceptional circumstances that apply.
This prompt is not the typical Overcoming Challenges essay, where you’re asked to share examples of your resilience through a story. This is truly for major challenges that negatively impacted your academic or extracurricular history, and it should be written in a straightforward format, not narrative form.
Some examples of challenges that may apply include:
You don’t need to take up the full word count; only use the space you need. Here’s an example:
“During my entire high school career, I had to babysit for my two younger siblings right after school because my family couldn’t afford daycare. As a result, I was unable to do sports or other extracurriculars, however, these many afternoons prepping snacks and coming up with new games to play were valuable in teaching me responsibility and creativity.”
While you don’t want to go into a ton of descriptive detail like you would in a typical supplement, you should ideally touch briefly on what you learned from this experience, like this example does. That positive framing shows maturity, and that you would bring a perspective to campus that not many other students have, both of which will be attractive to admissions officers.
If you have a low grade or a drop in grades that you have not already explained, do so below. (300 words).
The same advice for the previous prompt applies here too, however, this is specific to grades. Again, don’t use this space for that one class you got a B. This is for grades that are truly out of the norm from your academic record or abilities.
Make sure you also don’t blame others for your lower grade (i.e. “the teacher was bad”). If there were factors outside of your control, explain the situation as diplomatically as possible.
“In September 2022, I was diagnosed with ADHD and started taking medication for it. Prior to that, during freshman year, I was not able to do my best academically because I was unable to focus. After starting ADHD medication, I was able to follow along in class and complete all my assignments, and my grades rose significantly as a result.”
Note that, like in the example for Prompt 3, this response shows growth, by touching on how you overcame your low grades freshman year. That will give UIUC admissions officers confidence that you’re prepared to thrive in the more rigorous academic environment you’ll encounter in college.
Do you want feedback on your UIUC essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.
Need feedback faster? Get a free, nearly-instantaneous essay review from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!
The University of Chicago has long been renowned for our provocative essay questions. We think of them as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.
COMMENTS
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Option 7. 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 ...
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