<p>Correct. Essays required are: Common App - 150 word statement about an extracurricular or activity important to you; Personal Statement of at least 250 words on 1 of 5 topics. Chicago Supplement - Extended essay (1) using one of the 5 provided prompts; Why Chicago; Art/Media Essay (OPTIONAL).</p>
<p>To summarize…4 required essays, 1 optional essay. As for the optional essay, I’d say write about something that means something to you, whether it’s a book, some music, a piece of art or some combination of the above. For example my S (Class of 2007) wrote about a particular book and a favorite radio station. My D (Class of 2011) wrote about the “Lives” essay in the weekly New York Times magazine. As with all essays, and Chicago’s in particular, make sure that whatever you write tells the adcoms something about you…it doesn’t need to be explicit, but it should reflect who you are, what you love and how you think.</p>