<p>So, I have attended multiple information sessions with UChicago and have visited campus in the past. I know they emphasize creativity and freedom when it comes to their supplement essay. My question is, though, how zany can I be? I love that you can craft your own prompt and write an essay on truly anything you wish. My idea is honestly, is something I feel will be completely unique. It’s quite bizarre, but it reflects the way my mind works, which I want to get across to the officers reading my essay. It’s (at least meant to be) humorous and is meant to be taken as a complete satire of the topic I’m writing about. Is this okay to do? I don’t want them to think I’m just being ridiculous and submitting a worthless essay if they don’t get it the weird humor in it. I feel it’ll risk having Monty Python syndrome—they’ll either get it and completely love it or not get it and think I’m totally nuts. Is it worth the chance? Thanks for any advice! </p>
<p>It is absolutely worth the chance to present something truly original to the U of C essay prompt. This is why they keep putting these prompts out there - they hope to find smart, creative people who will take up the challenge! </p>
<p>My only caveat would be that satire can be difficult to pull off. Be careful if you are heading in a direction that could be construed as arrogant or negative. Zany is awesome. Mean or biting satire can be problematic. </p>
<p>The way I’m approaching it is completely light-hearted, not offensive or pompous in the least. It is a fun essay, something I hope will show the way I as a person approach life–with humor. I was just concerned because I heard many other applicants taking the essay from a deep, heavy point of view and I didn’t want to seem as if I was taking it too lightly. Thanks!!</p>
<p>it’s definitely worth it to take a risk, but i would caution against trying to be funny just because you think it’s what they want. if you’re naturally a funny writer than keep doing what works for you. if not, don’t try to be funny. fwiw, i wrote a completely serious essay, got in, class of 2018 :)</p>
<p>I also wrote a completely serious essay claiming that mathematics is superior to certain other fields. You can take the route of simply arguing something and displaying your thought process throughout. (Edit: I was accepted.)</p>