<p>I’m trying to answer the “something you outgrew” essay. I chose to write about a relatively recent, embarrassing fear that I conquered/outgrew. Then I noticed that the prompt offers a choice of “a friend, a political philosophy, a favorite author, or anything that has had an influence on you.”</p>
<p>Now I’m worried that my topic may seem to frivolous. It was a fear that, while only retrospectively pretty humorous, still wasn’t really life-changing. Might I be choosing too flippant a subject?</p>
<p>I was actually thinking of writing to the same prompt…seeing as I have quite a personal experience fitting the deed, however I think it might end up being too generic so alas I am back to square one…</p>
<p>Whoops, back to you! Sorry, you must bear with me a bit. I tend to distract easily. Anyways, I don’t think they necessarily mean that your essay topic has to fit within the confines of “a friend” or a “Political philosophy” etc etc. I think they were trying to give the applicanies (Yes I think I definitely just made up a word there) a few ideas to get the brain musing.</p>
<p>About the influencing jawn. (I apologize if I offend anyone with my slang, unfortunately it is a curse from growing up around here D: ) Well. It doesn’t have to necessarily be life-altering. I think I actually read somewhere that UofC understands that we are still young and that not everyone of us had some “Life-changing existential epiphany” that changed who we are for the better (Or worse as some may have it). Influence can range from the tiniest almost unnoticeable changes to ofcourse what I just said. </p>
<p>The fact that you changed and outgrew your fear is a change in itself, somewhat like an influence. Perhaps you could say what caused you to suddenly outgrow your fear…and how you feel now that you are no longer hindered by the fear. </p>
<p>I can’t imagine them caring too much, considering they allow you to write your own prompt. I think they provide those to get the “ideas flowing” and hopefully spawn an unique essay.</p>
<p>Good luck with your essay and application (to both of you)!</p>
<p>As one parent on CC who is also a college counselor often says, the question isn’t what you are going to write about, the question is what about yourself are you trying to express with this essay. If the essay does a good job of communicating something important about you (something that will be attractive to a college like the University of Chicago), then it’s great. If the essay is just an essay that fits the prompt, go back to the drawing board.</p>
<p>This is where other people can be really helpful. If you show it to your friends, or your parents, and they say, “Yeah, that’s YOU!”, then it’s good. Just make sure the “YOU” that it reflects is a smart, thoughtful, expressive YOU – someone a bunch of other smart, thoughtful people who don’t already know you would like to hang with.</p>
<p>Just to be clear: The essay shouldn’t say in so many words “I am smart. I am thoughtful. I spend 20 hours a week reading to terminally ill children.” That would be boring, and presumably your test scores and ECs are adequately covered elsewhere in the application. The essay should be like talking to you when you are on, telling a story or riffing about things that are important to you.</p>