Supplemental Essays of U Chicago
The University of Chicago has long been celebrated for its provocative essay questions. They consider these prompts a unique opportunity for students to reveal their true selves, preferences, and aspirations. These questions can be tackled with absolute seriousness, whimsical creativity, or a blend of both. Every year, U Chicago reaches out to their newly admitted and current College students, inviting them to contribute topics. The hundreds of responses they receive are often eloquent, thought-provoking, or delightfully eccentric. This process not only showcases the diverse imagination of their student body but also enriches their tradition of intellectual exploration and self-expression. So, brace yourselves for the 2025-26 thought-provoking prompts.
Question 1
In an ideal world where inter-species telepathic communication exists, which species would you choose to have a conversation with, and what would you want to learn from them? Would you ask beavers for architectural advice? Octopuses about cognition? Pigeons about navigation? Ants about governance? Make your case—both for the species and the question. (Inspired by Yvan Sugira, Class of 2029)
If you could uninvent one thing, what would it be — and what would unravel as a result?(Inspired by Eitan Fischer, Class of 2027)
“Left” can mean remaining or departed. “Dust” can mean to add fine particles or to remove them. “Fast” can mean moving quickly or fixed firmly in place. These contronyms—words that are their own antonyms—somehow hold opposing meanings in perfect tension. Explore a contronym: a role, identity, or experience in your life that has contained its own opposite. (Inspired by Kristin Yi, Class of 2029)
The penny is on its way out—too small to matter, too costly to keep. But not everything small should disappear. What’s one object the world is phasing out that you think we can’t afford to lose, and why? (Ella Somaiya, Class of 2028)
From Michelin Tires creating the Michelin Guide, to the audio equipment company Audio-Technica becoming one of the world’s largest manufacturers of sushi robots, brand identity can turn out to be a lot more flexible than we think. Choose an existing brand, company, or institution and propose an unexpected but strangely logical new product or service for them to launch. Why is this unlikely extension exactly what the world (or the brand) needs right now? (Inspired by Julia Nieberg, Class of 2029)
Statistically speaking, ice cream doesn’t cause shark attacks, pet spending doesn’t drive the number of lawyers in California, and margarine consumption isn’t responsible for Maine’s divorce rate—at least, not according to conventional wisdom. But what if the statisticians got it wrong? Choose your favorite spurious correlation and make the case for why it might actually reveal a deeper, causative truth. (Inspired by Adam DiMascio, Class of 2025)
University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun!
collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/essay/
What are you waiting for? Put on your creative hat and start brainstorming! Be fearless and adventurous. Get your funny bone to work, well, metaphorically.
But if you need some help, Ivy Central‘s expert guidance team can help you answer the prompt of your choice.
Read More: How to Write the U Chicago Supplemental Essays | Ivy Central
