flight23

"The letter would energize some students because they'd realize that their quirky way of thinking would be welcome at Chicago."

Though my essay was not so odd that it would be labeled "quirky", I still wrote an essay that definitely didn't hold fast to the standard essay (the most I can tell you about it, is that it was a dialog). And it's really all thanks to this thread. I thought that University of Chicago only meant the uncommon essay to be an unorthodox expression of the applicant's character, but seeing this, I was convinced that the Why Chicago? essay offered an opportunity to write this sort of essay as well.

I'll drop my two cents for bartleby, though he might be entirely sick of reading complaints by now (or reveling in the commotion that he's caused). I can only say that this essay shows a lot more "personality" than any serious essay I've ever read, and even if it is implicit, he still manages to reveal his academic promise. I really don't think that Chicago's admission criteria is 'idiotic' as you believe; they just want a certain type of person to attend the university because he/she would fit in the atmosphere that it has created. There are several people capable of making full use of UChicago's vast resources, but I doubt that such a number would be available when you search for people who would actually enjoy university of chicago's proudly nerdy vibe. And from what I've gathered from anecdotal evidence that the students who are admitted and enroll are extremely happy. Obviously, the University of Chicago's Admissions team must be doing something right!

Thehorizoncomes

NSM, I'm sure you mean well but you are coming off as very righteous. Surely you aren't serious that UofC only is interested in students if they're witty bonvivants? Any school that has foisted Milton Friedman and the "Chicago School' of economics upon America is not best known for its lighthearted students! Serious applicants, feel free to apply!

DriftwoodParty

I understand why the UC Dean wanted to publish an example of a successful essay. But he should have selected one, or better yet, several, from the previous admission cycle. By publishing a current candidate's essay at such a late date in the admission process, he only INCREASED applicants' stress, for both those who had already completed their applications and those who had little time remaining. After all, every candidate should have had the opportunity to benefit from the example.

In contrast, take a look at the admissions website for Johns Hopkins. As the 2014 admission cycle began, their AdCom published four successful essays of the class of 2013 and briefly explained why each of them worked. Each essay was distinct, and after reading them I had the impression that Hopkins is looking for diverse personalities and that their community wouldn't be made up of all the same types of people. I only wish they had been available last year to show my son. I sent them to friends who had students in the process this year because these essays demonstrated voice and how voices can be so different. And I didn't only send them to students applying to Hopkins. And yes, I think these essays decreased the stress because they emphasize there is no one "right" personality, voice, essay. (Of course, some schools may choose all the same types ... but that is another issue.) And every applicant had the opportunity to see them before they began their essays.

So three errors on the part of UC:
1. publishing only one example
2. at such a late date
3. using a current candidate (the most harmful -- here's an example of someone who is successful THIS VERY YEAR...writer's block, anyone? Or if you don't naturally have a Rohan personality, feeling that this personality is the successful one to have.... )

And as for the essay, I understand why it was appreciated, particularly this late in the admission process, but I wonder if it would have been chosen to represent the successful UC essay after all the essays of the class of 2014 were considered. And just a nagging feeling, but I don't think "you'd be so expensive to keep around" is from a collegebound mind. Not my very bright son's anyway. Made me smile though but I am the parent paying. Hmm.

Northstarmom

"NSM, I'm sure you mean well but you are coming off as very righteous. Surely you aren't serious that UofC only is interested in students if they're witty bonvivants?"

Of course not. However having smarts and a quick wit is a plus for people in almost any situation. It's also a combination that few people have.

JFK had a quick wit. Sportscaster James Brown of ESPN is a quick witted Harvard grad. Sen. Al Franken is a Harvard grad who was a comedian.

Being able to write a smart, witty college essay would make an applicant stand out in a good way at probably all top schools.

Northstarmom

"Any school that has foisted Milton Friedman and the "Chicago School' of economics upon America is not best known for its lighthearted students! "

It's a fallacy that bright people lack senses of humor. In Googling "Milton Friedman" and "humor," I found plenty of examples of the wit of that revered late economist. Here's one:

"I remember when his 10-part television serious Free to Choose ran on PBS. It was in a time of national malaise, when recession and high unemployment was combined with double-digit inflation. Inflation had persisted for mre than a decade. From the conventional liberal point of view, the problem was intractable. In one of the episodes of Free to Choose, Milton Friedman walked through a government monetary printing plant. As he approached the gigantic press turning out US currency, Friedman reached out and hit the red emergency STOP button. The press’s operation instantly came to a halt. Milton Friedman twinkled at the camera, and announced: “I have just stopped Inflation.” And the viewing audience understood that he was perfectly right."

flight23

NSM, while an interesting story, it's not very humorous.

yaganon

It's not clever or funny. I'm not impressed man, get a girlfriend and use your time for something better.

lyc0r1s

For the record, he does have a girlfriend. Or at least a girl who claims to be his girlfriend, right here on CC. =P

radiokvetch

haha, no really, i'm actually his girlfriend

treeami

No, personally thought this is not really that good of an essay...

ambaturkey11

i loved it! i kinda teared up =]
very original and definitely rememberable
i wish i wrote like this lol

sskiller

This essay is absolute brilliance. Well, it's been remarked by a veteran who read probably tens of thousands of essays right?

Now, did UChic made a mistake in sending this out? Well, I bet that they'll receive many essays down the line of this one and...this makes the selection, or rejection, process a heck lot easier. This is supposed to be an INSPIRATION. Uchicago is desperately trying to appeal as a creative institution, so it's only normal that the Dean would send something like this. I think that the institution has made absolutely no mistake in spicing a prospective students' break by sending this purely brilliant essay.

That being said, I think that Rohan might not have not read the instructions, or purposely avoided them, since this short answer is clearly limited to 1 or 2 paragraphs...obviously the admission's office didn't mind that.

vonnegut24

Haha, that kid seems awesome. I really admire the UChicago admissions people and almost applied based solely on their mail.

To be honest, I don't this is the best written essay...but just when it might get awkward and cliche, the author manages to pull off a clever turn of phrase. Props to him.

iPacman

There's somethign I don't quite understand. Rohan never actually mentioned any facts as to why Chicago? He could have sent this essay to any other school, and the essay would apply just as well.

Coin123

There seems to be a pervasive assumption on the part of most of the contenders here, that an essay can only communicate explicitly-written content. It is true that the essay does not contain any credit-worthy content that reflects an effort to think deeply. Yet one must remember, as the person who thought so highly of China ought to know, that there are subtler points in communication that one easily misses out on without careful thought.

It is one thing to say in an essay, 'I am a good fit with the UofC because, blah, blah blah, ' and quite another to demonstrate a good feel for the cultural climate of the university with a simple elegant exercise in writing that captures the specific kind of humour prevalent throughout the campus.

If one fails to see the humour in this, then one should feel gratified that the selection process has accorded so much respect to one's decency as to prevent oneself from trying to partake of an intellectual orgy that demands more than one feels adequate for.