<p>@LearningLover: Your comment really made my day! My Waldo essay went through numerous drafts, plot ideas, etc. (I literally have been working and re-working it for almost 6 months to find something I felt “fit” just right). Fingers crossed for May!</p>
<p>@ThePaperMonster for your second essay, I wrote it in a similar format, so I wouldn’t be too worried about it. Good luck! I’m waiting, too. I enjoyed your essays. Thinking about posting mine, but idk.</p>
<p>Hey guys!
I found this thread and saw there was no one posting this year’s essays?
Let’s start using this thread again! I think it’ll be very useful if we keep posting essays or ideas up here. Or just bump it up so that people can look at past essay :D</p>
<p>Looking at these have been really helpful. Right now I’m working on the finishing touches to my first draft. I decided to use the joke prompt :)</p>
<p>I’m really scared about my essays - my “Why UChicago” answer is really lame. I could do with some advice ASAP. Can some one please read it?? :S</p>
<p>Some, no MOST of these essays are amazing! They’re original, thoughtful, and beautifully written. I applaud you, and you’re right, the kids of 2012/2013 SHOULD read this, and they are :)</p>
<p>These essays are so great! Quick question: on the common app, U of C asks for the why UChicago and the optional essay to each be about 250 words, but most of the ones I’ve seen on here are much longer, more like a full essay length. Do you think it’s better to treat it as a full essay or a shorter response?</p>
<p>It took me about 450 words for why UChicago, and all 500 words for the favourite things… I know it’s tight, but I don’t think I could have fit all that I wanted to say in only 250. Plus if you’re allowed 500 words, it means that some of us surely need them.</p>
<p>No essays from this year?
I am completely stumped on all of them. I’m leaning more towards the “comparing apples to oranges” since i’m interested in nutrition but that’s all i’ve got so far haha D:</p>
<p>Thanks Mashoo, mine’s not quite finished yet but it’s already more than 250, I was getting worried 
@yalesoon this year’s questions were definitely tricky, I ended up writing my own because I didn’t like any of the ideas I came up with. Personally I think the apples to oranges one sounds like it’d be a good one for you though, it’d be an opportunity to demonstrate interest in your potential major.</p>
<p>@EnoughNerve Which Uncommon Essay are you writing?</p>
<p>I was so pumped, I kinda already submitted my application. So much for revision. :/</p>
<p>I wrote on my own topic, but I haven’t actually written the question to go with it yet…I when I finally got an idea I liked I wanted to make sure I got it on paper, so now I’m trying to write a Chicago-style prompt to go with it. I did use the joke one to help with my main Common App essay, though, but my idea for it wasn’t quite wacky enough for the Uncommon App. Which did you write? Gaaa my app still is no where near ready to submit yet, I’m such a procrastinator</p>
<p>I wrote about the Mantis Shrimp… And yes, the joke prompt is too dangerous to attempt. No one can guarantee that another person shares your taste in jokes. </p>
<p>And chill out. You still have a week. Think of a great name - could help you if you want!</p>
<p>I’m not going to dare post any of my essays on here, but I hit inspiration for my main one tonight. I chose to write my own prompt. Good luck to everyone who is applying. From what I’ve read, things are going to be competitive.</p>
<p>I wrote about the second prompt: “You are you and your ___” Just submitted my entire application for EA, now it’s time to wait…</p>
<p>@yangmaster: Good Luck!
Hopefully we’ll all make it. Somehow.</p>
<p>Anyone else did the mantis shrimp prompt? lol Now I feel like doing the “you are you and your ___” because the mantis shrimp prompt seems a little impersonal in comparison to that other prompt. Although I have no clue how to answer the “you and your” question lol</p>
<p>I’m really curious what’ll be the favorite topic this year (like Waldo last year). @Debater1996 does that mean you’ve seen the class profile for class of 2017? I’ve only found 2016’s so far.
@International95 I think that’s totally fine, they can infer a lot about your personality from your writing style and how you interpret the prompt. I’d guess that’s especially true with Chicago’s supplement, since they value intellectualism so highly–they want to see how you think. It seems like the best essays are normally the ones that feel the easiest to write, so I wouldn’t sweat it trying to force something for the “you and your” prompt. </p>
<p>Does anyone know if they’re pushing back the decisions for ea since they extended the deadline?</p>
<p>Hi folks!
I’ve finished my second draft of the apple and orange essay, and just started writing the why Chicago one. (i’ll post my essay after it’s done and submitted. 
)
At first i thought my apple and orange idea was quite good and creative, but a really brilliant guy in my school just exchanged his ideas with me, and i just thought, oh well, his will certainly be better (more “Chicago-like”) than mine. sigh.</p>
<p>Oh and, good luck @yangmaster! i only hope i’ll finish all the writing before the deadline.</p>
<p>@EnoughNerve i haven’t seen anything about them changing time for decisions, but i guess it’s natural if decisions come out one week later.</p>
<p>BTW, if the deadline is extended, why hasn’t the commonapp changed that also? the little clock beside the date 11/1/2013 makes me sort of shiver a little every time i see it on my dashboard. :/</p>
<p>Haha, ‘better’ would entirely depend on the way the ideas are conveyed. Chill! lol</p>