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The University of Chicago has officially released its 2025-2026 Essay Questions in the Common App Portal.
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.
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
2. If you could uninvent one thing, what would it be — and what would unravel as a result? – Inspired by Eitan Fischer, Class of 2027
3. "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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
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 the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun!
Unlike many other schools, UChicago asks students to upload their responses rather than typing them directly into the application.
Take a look at what the UChicago Admissions Office has to say about this year's questions:
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.Each year we email newly admitted and current College students and ask them for essay topics. We receive several hundred responses, many of which are eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky. As you can see from the attributions, the questions below were inspired by submissions from UChicago students and alumni.
UChicago definitely takes a unique approach to their application. For that reason, it’s important that your answers match their energy, quirkiness, and spirit of intellectual play. Here are some tips to help you get on the right track:
Embrace the weird.
UChicago's prompts aren't just for fun—they're a test of your creativity and intellectual playfulness. They want to see how you think, not just what you've accomplished. Don't be afraid to take a risk and choose a prompt that truly lets your personality and unique thought process shine. The most important thing is to have fun with it.
Be specific.
Don't just say you're passionate or curious about something. Show it through concrete examples and real stories. If you're answering the prompt about a mind-blowing fact, don't just state the fact; explain why it fascinates you and what it makes you think about. Help the reader understand the person behind your achievements and ideas.
Build a Cohesive Story.
A strong narrative turns your application from a list of accomplishments into a memorable story about what drives you. It helps admissions officers understand not just what you’ve done, but why it matters — and where it’s all heading. Not sure what a narrative looks like? Check out this blog post!
Make each answer distinct.
Each question is a chance to reveal something new about yourself. Remember that your Common App personal statement will be read alongside your UChicago supplement, so try to avoid repeating the same themes or stories. For example, if you write about your love of science in your first essay, use the second essay to explore a completely different side of your personality, like your sense of humor or your artistic interests.
Answer the question. Seriously.
This sounds obvious, but it's a common pitfall. Take the time to truly understand what each prompt is asking, and make sure your response clearly and directly addresses it. For a "create your own prompt" response, make sure your response is both interesting and well-structured, as if you're answering a prompt that you've just been given.
Proofread your work.
Typos and grammatical mistakes can distract from your message and suggest a lack of care. Take the time to triple-check your work—even better, have someone else proofread it for you.
Looking for additional guidance or application review support? Feel free to reach out. We’re here to support you through every step of the process!
The University of Chicago has officially released its 2025-2026 Essay Questions in the Common App Portal.
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.
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
2. If you could uninvent one thing, what would it be — and what would unravel as a result? – Inspired by Eitan Fischer, Class of 2027
3. "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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
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 the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun!
Unlike many other schools, UChicago asks students to upload their responses rather than typing them directly into the application.
Take a look at what the UChicago Admissions Office has to say about this year's questions:
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.Each year we email newly admitted and current College students and ask them for essay topics. We receive several hundred responses, many of which are eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky. As you can see from the attributions, the questions below were inspired by submissions from UChicago students and alumni.
UChicago definitely takes a unique approach to their application. For that reason, it’s important that your answers match their energy, quirkiness, and spirit of intellectual play. Here are some tips to help you get on the right track:
Embrace the weird.
UChicago's prompts aren't just for fun—they're a test of your creativity and intellectual playfulness. They want to see how you think, not just what you've accomplished. Don't be afraid to take a risk and choose a prompt that truly lets your personality and unique thought process shine. The most important thing is to have fun with it.
Be specific.
Don't just say you're passionate or curious about something. Show it through concrete examples and real stories. If you're answering the prompt about a mind-blowing fact, don't just state the fact; explain why it fascinates you and what it makes you think about. Help the reader understand the person behind your achievements and ideas.
Build a Cohesive Story.
A strong narrative turns your application from a list of accomplishments into a memorable story about what drives you. It helps admissions officers understand not just what you’ve done, but why it matters — and where it’s all heading. Not sure what a narrative looks like? Check out this blog post!
Make each answer distinct.
Each question is a chance to reveal something new about yourself. Remember that your Common App personal statement will be read alongside your UChicago supplement, so try to avoid repeating the same themes or stories. For example, if you write about your love of science in your first essay, use the second essay to explore a completely different side of your personality, like your sense of humor or your artistic interests.
Answer the question. Seriously.
This sounds obvious, but it's a common pitfall. Take the time to truly understand what each prompt is asking, and make sure your response clearly and directly addresses it. For a "create your own prompt" response, make sure your response is both interesting and well-structured, as if you're answering a prompt that you've just been given.
Proofread your work.
Typos and grammatical mistakes can distract from your message and suggest a lack of care. Take the time to triple-check your work—even better, have someone else proofread it for you.
Looking for additional guidance or application review support? Feel free to reach out. We’re here to support you through every step of the process!
Former Admissions Officer, Harvard University
Former Assistant Dean, Stanford University
As a College Counselor I help students navigate the college admissions process. My goal is to help students stand out and get accepted to their top-choice schools.
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