uchicago personal statement

• Skip to main navigation
• Skip to main content

College Center for Research and Fellowships

• Our Students, Their Stories
• Undergraduate Research
• National Scholars
• Find Fellowships
• Collegiate Honors & Scholars
• CCRF Seminars: The Common Year
• CCRF General Resources for Students
• CCRF Resources for Faculty & Staff
• Connect with Us

Search form

The personal statement.

The Personal Statement is at the heart of most scholarship and fellowship applications and it remains one of the most challenging but rewarding written efforts that you will encounter in the scholarship process. It is, strictly speaking, your story.  It asks you to find a way to articulate who you are because of the what, why, and where.  In other words, the personal statement asks you critically reflect on how you define yourself based on your sense of self, what you value, what you are passionate about, where those passions come from and how they are both manifesting in your current experience and will likely take further shape in your future.  It compels you to drop the pretense, break through any and all previous assumptions of what defined you coming into your undergraduate experience (GPA, test scores, captain of team, etc.) and really begin to dive deep into your own authenticity. 

A strong personal statement not only tells your story, it does so in a way that is both captivating and sincere.  It is focused, clear, concise, and compelling.  In actual fact, it is probably the most difficult writing you will do as a national scholarship applicant, maybe even as an undergraduate.  It is challenging for a variety of reasons:

• A Personal Statement forces you to write in way that conflates your ‘academic voice’ with your ‘personal voice’.  After years of having your ‘personal voice’ trained out of your writing style, a Personal Statement asks you to put it back in given that you are making an effort to tell your particular story;
• A Personal Statement should reflect the level of critical reflection that has both shaped your sense of self and your sense of purpose.  Meaning, you’ve given some time and thought to the effort;
• In addition to telling at least a small part of your larger story, a Personal Statement should reflect your trajectory, detailing where you have come from and how that is shaping the next steps you plan to take;
• It requires you to think about your strengths, achievements and accomplishments and maybe even write about them.  This is perhaps one of the strangest, if not most difficult things for any ‘high-achieving’  individual who also tends to be quite humble when describing themselves;
• It requires a certain level of commitment to your future plans, even though those sitting on a review committee recognize that what you put forward as your future plans (certainly while still an undergraduate) amounts to your best, well-educated guess;
• It is short.  Most Personal Statements are a maximum of 1000 words in length or less.  That means you have to reduce (in the best sense of the word) your story to fit those requirements, hence the necessity of very clear and concise writing.  A Personal Statement does not afford you the opportunity to pad your essay with a long introduction and grand, summative conclusion.  There simply isn’t word-count enough.  So, find a way in your first two sentences to capture your readers’ attention and proceed from there.

But, all that to say, if done well and with adequate time to reflect, write long, edit, revise and refine, your Personal Statement could also be one of the most rewarding pieces of writing you engage in while a student.  It will help you not only develop a strong portfolio for your national scholarship applications; it will also guide you in your efforts toward graduate school, further professional pursuits, even job interviews.  Why? Because you have given yourself a moment to stop, think, and write about what is at the very core of you and how that has and will continue to shape who you are becoming.  If done well, your Personal Statement will be an authentic representation of yourself and will serve you in the best of ways, providing you with a kind of bell-weather as you pursue your next best thing.  In fact, with minor adjustments apropos to your developing life-story, you may find your Personal Statement remains relatively unchanged at its core.  Why? Because, chances are fairly good that your own core sense of self will remain relatively the same.  So, rise to the challenge of the Personal Statement, overcome it, and benefit from the process of thinking and writing about your most authentic self.

And, of course, remember that you have the support of the CCSA staff, who recognize the difficulty of starting to write a Personal Statement.  We all have our own ways of brainstorming and ‘priming the pump’; sometimes one of the best ways to start, is to have a good long chat with someone about what you really (really) care about, why, and where and what you hope to see all those cares move you toward.  That’s precisely what we are available to do with you – chat, listen, draw story-boards, idea webs, you name it – so, contact us to make an appointment.  There is absolutely no reason you should feel you have to tackle the Personal Statement process on your own.

Suggestions and Tips:

• Do your homework and make sure you understand the purpose of the scholarship, fellowship, or nationally competitive experiential learning opportunity for which you are applying.  This will offer some shape to the tone of your writing efforts.  It will also help you identify what is important to those who will be assessing your application and making a determination as to its outcome;
• Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, reflect, and really dig deep into your core.  Use whatever method best suits you to keep track of important ideas, quotes, contacts, plans, connections, dreams, and opportunities so as to have a kind of personal reference collection that will be useful in both planning for your future and crafting a Personal Statement;
• Ask yourself certain key questions, like:
• What hurts you about the world and how do hope to help alleviate that hurt?
• What do you want to be remembered for?
• What gets you about of bed in the morning?
• What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What challenges have your overcome and how have you come understand them as opportunities?
• When have you lost all sense of yourself when involved in a particular activity or experience because it came so naturally to you?
• What do you really care about and why?
• Who do you really care about and why?
• Who has inspired you? Who has helped to shape your academic experience and why? 
• Why are your studying your particular subject and how have you come understand the challenges and unique opportunities within your discipline(s)
• Where have you been in the world that has shaped your sense of self and your place in the world?
• What are your greatest dreams and how do you to intend to build/have you built the foundation from which to launch those dreams?
• What do you hope to contribute to your personal circle, to your local community, to your nation, to the world? And, how do you imagine beginning to do so.

4. Even though your final draft will likely only be 1000 words or less, write long.  You can always edit down and make your drafts tighter as your thinking and writing becomes more focused. 

5. Expect to write a number of drafts, hence the necessity of giving yourself plenty of time to think, reflect, write, and edit. Once you have a draft you are comfortable with, start to peddle it out to friends, family, peers, colleagues, and faculty mentors and advisors for further guidance and suggestions on refining your statement.  Of course, share any and all drafts with CCSA staff as they are happy to help with conceptual challenges right on down to red-lining;

6. Use other parts of your developing application portfolio – like your Curriculum Vita/CV , your project or research proposal, writing samples, research you’ve done on your programs of interest, etc. to help guide your Personal Statement (but, don’t regurgitate your CV);

7. Give examples.  There is tendency when writing about oneself to keep it in the abstract realm of ‘passions’ and ‘dreams’ but your reader needs something concrete to tack down those abstract ideas and understand them in the context of your real-life experience.  So, be specific and identify relevant antidotes that help paint a better picture of the story you are telling;

8. Give yourself plenty of time to edit, revise, spell-check, edit, revise, edit, send out for review by others, read aloud, edit, revise, set the document aside for 24-48 hours, and then edit one last time.   Remember this is the core of your application and it is your chance to articulate your core self and what care about in an authentic way.  It deserves all the time you can give. 

You’ve got the ‘Do’s’, now some ‘Don’ts’

• Don’t include anything in your Personal Statement that you would not be comfortable speaking about in an interview situation.  Remember, every last bit of your application is fair game and if you don’t want to be pressed on an experience, an opinion, or anything else that may find too personal to attend to in actual conversation, don’t put it in your statement;
• Don’t use your Personal Statement as a piece of opinion writing, a journal entry, a position statement, or even a faith statement.  Remember, this a nuanced assessment of who you are as it relates to what you are proposing to pursue on a national scholarship, in graduate school or as a professional;
• Don’t apologize for yourself or your experiences.  This includes undervaluing your undergraduate institution, your personal background, even what state you’ve come from.  Find a way to describe in writing the way you have turned challenges into opportunities;
• Don’t re-hash your CV.  You’ve provided all of the specific details of your actual experiences in your CV.  There is no point in re-telling it; you don’t have space in your word-count and you will surely lose the interest of your readers from the get-go;
• Don’t go hunting for samples of Personal Statements from CCSA staff, other advisors or the internet.  There is a reason they aren’t readily available and it is largely due to the fact that if you are trying to write something that is authentically ‘you’, using someone else’s formula won’t get you very far in that effort toward sincerity.  So, don’t bother hunting anything down.  Talk with CCSA staff on how to get started and then dive in;
• DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! A Personal Statement written the day before the deadline will not be as successful as one that has received a good deal of time and attention.  And, in fact, a poorly written statement may prove a detriment to your success.  So, plan ahead, set a schedule, and then, get to it.

Additional resources to help with writing your Personal Statement:

• CCSA Information Sessions and Personal Statement Workshops – see our current CCSA Calendar for details about current offerings.
• UChicago Writing Center
• Writing Personal Statements online manual by Joe Schall

Food for Thought: Good writing takes time and practice.  Consider adding Strunk and White’s iconic text, ‘The Elements of Style,’ to your collection:  ‘Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell’.  

• Candidate Statement
• Application Materials
• Transcripts
• Letters of Recommendation
• Writing Sample
• GRE General Test
• English Proficiency Requirements
• Application Fee

A candidate statement should discuss your academic and career objectives in a concise, sharply-focused, and well-crafted essay. Within the online application you will find specific instructions for what should be included in your essay; these are listed below as well. Generally speaking, this should include what you plan to research, how you plan to research it, how your work fits within the department or program, and how you have prepared for further graduate study. MA programs are also interested to know how the MA program fits with your future academic or professional goals.

Typically, a statement is 2 to 4 pages in length, depending on spacing and formatting. The exception to this is our Economics PhD program, which prefer statements no longer than one page.

Candidate Statement Prompts

PhD Programs

Anthropology : In evaluating candidates, faculty are interested in a candidate statement that clearly and specifically describes: (1) the candidate’s topics of research interest (as pertains to a future dissertation project), (2) what has brought you to those specific research interests (e.g., intellectually, personally, etc.), and (3) why the University of Chicago’s Department of Anthropology is a good fit for you to pursue your dissertation work. The candidate statement should be limited to 1,500 words.

Comparative Human Development: The admissions committee is interested in candidate statements which clearly and specifically address: 1) your specific research interests, questions, and academic objectives; 2) the personal and educational trajectory which has brought you to these interests and prepared you to address them; 3) why the Department of Comparative Human Development’s PhD program is a particularly good fit for you to pursue your interests. Please limit your statement to 1500 words.

Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science : The candidate statement provides us with vital insight into the intersection of your intellectual goals and personal trajectory. It should communicate: 1) the ambitions you wish to pursue through doctoral work in the historical and conceptual studies of science; 2) your envisioned pursuits in the history, philosophy, anthropology, or sociology of science through your doctoral studies; 3) the personal and intellectual trajectory that has guided you to those themes and questions and prepared you to pursue them; and 4) the rationale behind your belief that the University of Chicago and its faculty are well-matched to your doctoral plans. The statement should be a concise, sharply focused and well-crafted essay; depending on formatting, it should be around two to four pages in length.

Economics : Admissions committees are particularly interested in the candidate statement. Please be as specific as possible in discussing your academic objectives and research interests. The statement should be a concise, sharply focused and well-crafted essay. Please limit your statement to one page.

History : The candidate statement provides us with vital insight into the intersection of your intellectual goals and personal trajectory. It should communicate: 1) the ambitions you wish to pursue through doctoral work in history; 2) the specific questions and themes that will shape your dissertation research; 3) the personal and intellectual trajectory that has brought you to those themes and questions and prepared you to pursue them; and 4) the reasons that the University of Chicago and its faculty are well-matched to your doctoral plans.

Political Economy : Faculty on the admissions committee are interested in a candidate statement that clearly describes 1) your research interests and academic objectives, 2) relevant educational and professional experience, and 3) why Chicago’s PhD Program in Political Economy is a good fit for you. The statement should be between one and three pages, single-spaced.

Political Science : The statement should address relevant aspects of your educational experience, the focus of your academic interests, and reasons for applying to our program. Please be as specific as possible in discussing your academic objectives and research interests. The statement should be a concise, sharply focused and well-crafted essay. Applicants are encouraged to include a description of a challenge you have overcome that highlights skills and strategies that you can use to be successful during graduate school.

Psychology : In evaluating candidates, faculty are interested in a candidate statement that clearly and specifically describes: (1) your research experiences that have contributed to your intellectual goals and skills, (2) your topics of research interest, (3) why the University of Chicago’s Department of Psychology is a good fit for you to pursue your research interests.

Social Thought : The candidate statement required by the University application should take the form of a letter to the Committee which addresses the following questions: What intellectual interests, concerns, and aspirations lead you to undertake further study and why do you want to pursue them with the Committee? What kind of work do you propose to do here? If you can, include your intentions for the Fundamentals requirement, further language study, and dissertation research. How has your education to date prepared you? The candidate statement must be limited to 2,500 words.

Sociology : The Department of Sociology has two required statements:

• The admissions committee is interested in candidate statements which clearly and specifically address: 1) your specific research interests, questions, and academic objectives; 2) the personal and educational trajectory which has brought you to these interests and prepared you to address them; 3) why the Department of Sociology’s PhD program is a particularly good fit for you to pursue your interests. Please limit your statement to 750 words.
• Write a concise, well-articulated 750-word research proposal for what might become your dissertation project. We understand that, after taking more courses, you may or may not actually undertake this project. Make sure to have a clear question. Reflect on a) the relevance of your subject for sociology and society, b) potential methods their advantages and disadvantages, c) theories brought to bear on your question, and d) potential data sources you could use.

MA Programs

Computational Social Science (General) : Please provide a 2-4 page candidate statement, outlining your research interest, your relevant training, your prior academic accomplishments, as well as your career plans and why you think MACSS is the program that will best help you advance those plans.

Computational Social Science (Economics) : Please provide a 2-3 page candidate statement that discusses your post-graduation plans and how the resources that MACSS-Econ will make available to you will help you achieve them. You may want to discuss the coursework you would like to complete in the context of your career goals and your prior background.

Your statement should also discuss the research plan you wish to develop while a student in the MACSS-Econ program:

• Provide a description of 1 or 2 research topics that you would like to pursue and explain how your prior research background supports them. 
• Place the research questions in context of the coursework that you plan to complete during your MAPSS-Econ year.

Provide the name of a member of the research faculty who you believe will be the ideal advisor and explain why.

International Relations : In evaluating candidates, faculty are eager to read a candidate statement that clearly and specifically describes: (1) your topics of research interest, (2) the personal, professional, and intellectual trajectory that has brought you to those topics; and (3) why the University of Chicago’s Committee on International Relations is a good fit for you to further your academic and professional development. The candidate statement should be limited to 1,500 words.

Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS) : You must submit a 2-4 page candidate statement outlining your research interests and potential methodological approaches, relevant training, and your prior academic distinctions. You should also identify one or more UChicago departments or programs whose faculty have research interests that align with yours.

Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS) Economics : Please provide a 1-page candidate statement that discusses your post-graduation plans and how the resources that MAPSS-Econ will make available to you will help you achieve them. You may want to discuss the coursework you would like to complete in the context of your career goals and your prior background.

If applying to the research intensive track, please submit an additional 1 to 2 page statement that discusses the research plan you wish to develop while a student in the MAPSS-Econ program:

Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS) QMSA: You must submit a 2-4 page candidate statement outlining your research interests and potential methodological approaches, relevant training, and your prior academic distinctions. Applicants to Quantitative Methods and Social Analysis should indicate a strong interest in seeking rigorous quantitative training, identifying a domain of substantive interest in the social or behavioral sciences, outlining their intended research, and naming two QMSA faculty members they most hope to work with.

This Website Uses Cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

UChicago Law students and a dean of admissions explain how to nail your interview and personal statement to land a spot at the elite law school

• The University of Chicago Law School is one of the most prestigious law schools in the world.
• While it's advantageous to apply earlier in the admissions cycle, it's not too late. Applications for the 2021 academic year close on March 1.
• Insider spoke with the assistant dean of admissions and three first-year students at UChicago Law, who offer their top tips on writing a stand-out personal statement, acing the LSAT, and impressing interviewers.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

First-year law school enrollment hardly budged this year despite the pandemic. New data shows that the number of new students at nearly 200 American Bar Association-approved schools fell by only 0.21% from the previous year.

The University of Chicago Law School saw the same trend: 188 1L students enrolled this year, only a slight dip from the 197 in the year before.

The school consistently ranks among the most prestigious graduate law programs in the world, with an acceptance rate of 18%. Unlike some of the other top 14 schools, UChicago Law has an especially small class size, at just over 600 full-time students. (Columbia, which shares its number-four US News ranking , has double the number.)

"It makes such a close community where you're going to have meaningful engagement with your classmates and faculty," said Ann Perry, associate dean of admissions. "You're starting your legal network right there."

The small class sizes also mean close faculty engagement. Professors' offices are located in the main law library, making it easy for students to drop by for office hours.

Also central to UChicago Law is the emphasis it places on ideas — "the life of the mind," as it calls it.

"As cheesy as it might sound, it really lives up to the reputation of being a place where ideas matter," said Daniel Mozley, a first-year student at the school. "Some other schools can be more about, 'this is what you need to pass the bar.'"

It's midway through the application season — applications for this cycle opened September and the deadline is March 1 — but it's not too late to apply, despite some drawbacks.

Here's the advice that Perry, the associate dean of admissions, and three 1L students have for upping your chances of landing a spot at UChicago Law.

To early decision or not to early decision?

When it comes to the timing of applying to the program, Perry said it ultimately hinges on whether UChicago Law is your first choice or not, since early decision is a binding commitment.

All three first-year students that Insider spoke with applied in the regular decision cycle.

Alessandro Clark-Ansani briefly considered applying early through the school's Chicago Law Scholars program, a special ED application exclusively for current students and alumni of UChicago undergrad, but wanted to open up the opportunity to attend another university. He sent his application over Thanksgiving break last year, as did Mozley, though they both recommend applying as early as possible, since admissions are on a rolling basis.

That said, Stella Park, another 1L student, said that she applied in early January, so it's still not too late.

For those who end up on the waitlist, Perry said that applicants should show their continued interest, within reason. For example, if they're still in school, they can send updated transcripts or an additional letter of recommendation, though they should refrain from bombarding the admissions team with emails.

Related stories

Get personal and specific with your statement.

The personal statement is a great way for an applicant to make a good first impression with the admissions committee, said Perry, and "is an important piece of the application puzzle."

The statement should not only showcase good writing — one of the most important lawyer skills is communication, after all — but should also give a compelling story of why you want to be a lawyer.

Park said that it's important to "be honest and passionate," and to really let your interest in law shine through.

A good personal statement might talk about a family experience or a law-related job, for example. Clark-Ansani said that he wants to pursue public interest law, and wrote about his stint working at a public defender's office.

Fret not if you don't have previous job experience in the legal field. Clark-Ansani advises that applicants think about a moment or person that sparked their interest in law, while Perry said that writing about non-academic contributions, like being an athlete, living abroad, or raising younger siblings, can make for an interesting and meaningful statement.

On the flip side, a personal statement shouldn't be a resume rewritten in paragraph form, which would be redundant and a wasted opportunity, Perry cautioned.

The UChicago Law website has some examples that Mozley found especially useful.

Pick the LSAT study style that works for you

While a great personal statement can potentially smooth out any less-than-stellar grades or test scores, numbers do play a big role in law school.

Though the school is seeing more applications with GRE and GMAT scores — especially with the increasing interest in joint programs, like UChicago's recently launched JD-MBA program — the LSAT is still the most popular among law school applicants, said Perry.

When it comes to prepping for the notoriously tough test, "my best advice is to make it your priority when you're studying for it," whether it's during your senior year of college or taking a summer to double down on prep, said Mozley.

According to Clark-Ansani, success in the LSAT boils down to finding a study style that works for you. Both he and Mozley, for instance, signed up for a Testmasters prep course, which has a more structured approach. Park studied using 7Sage, which leans more toward self-studying.

Whichever path you take, it's crucial to take lots of practice tests, especially since nailing down the timing is one of the hardest parts of the exam, advised Clark-Ansani.

Ask people who know you and your interests in law to write your recommendation letters

Letters of recommendation can also help round out an application. Clark-Ansani suggests finding professors or a manager at work who know you, your specific interests in law, and your career goals well. 

"You don't need a celebrity reference. You just need someone who can speak to the quality of your work and your contributions, and do it in specific terms," added Mozley.

If you feel like you may not have established that close relationship with a professor during college, it can be helpful to send a writing sample to help jog their memory, Park said.

Prepare for the virtual interview with research and practice

After a candidate submits their application, they're likely to be invited to a video interview, which Perry said a "vast majority" of applicants do.

"The point of these interviews is to get to know a student more beyond the application, or if we have a question on their application that we want to get further information on," she said.

According to Perry and students, some questions asked during the interview include:

• Why UChicago?
• Why law school? Why now?
• If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
• What's your favorite book or author, and why?

The best way to prepare for these questions is to do research into the specific culture or clinics offered by the school, and tying these points to your specific interest in law, said Park.

UChicago Law has a Virtual Welcome Center that contains a wealth of information about the school, including a Sidebar option, where candidates can sign up for individual Zoom meetings with the admissions team, who can then set them up with current students.

It's also helpful to review your personal statement and resume to refresh your memory ahead of the interview. "You want to make sure you present a consistent image of yourself through these different parts of your application," said Clark-Ansani.

Since it's a video interview, Mozley recommends that applicants practice with a friend. "Let your natural personality shine through," he said. "A friend can tell you if you're too stiff or too casual, or if you have a weird camera angle."

Making the most of the school

Whether they begin the school year in-person or remotely, admitted students should take advantage of the resources available to them, from academic resources like professors to career services.

"These are people who will take the time to speak with you about academics or your career. Actively engage with those resources — don't just read the emails," Mozley said.

While law school can be an infamous trial by fire for many students, it's also helpful to not get caught up in stress and competition.

"Don't have preconceived ideas of what you're supposed to do. Law school students hype themselves up and stress themselves out too much," Park said. "There are lots of different paths out there for someone with a law degree."

Watch: Why college textbooks are so expensive

• Main content

Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Personal statement resources.

The personal statement is an important part of the graduate school application. This document allows the admission committee to get to know the applicant better and to directly connect the applicant’s interests and pursuits to our department. The applicant is free to address a wide range of topics. There are no rules or specific requirements. The personal statement is generally 2-3 pages in length. As guidance, personal statements often address the following questions:

• What motivates you to pursue a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics? What field(s) of astronomy/astrophysics excites you?
• What are your interests and goals?
• What skills, experience, personal characteristics do you have that will help you succeed in graduate school (e.g. coursework, leadership roles, teaching/mentoring experience computer programming, employment, research experience, etc.)?
• What challenges have you overcome in your path toward applying to graduate school?
• Why would the University of Chicago in particular be a good fit for you?

These questions are intended to serve as guidance. They should not prevent the applicant from sharing other information or highlighting other experiences or aspects of their application.

• Skip to Content
• Catalog Home
• Institution Home
• Applicant Information
• Financial Information
• Programs of Instruction
• Program Requirements
• Significant Achievements
• Student Body
• Student Services
• Officers and Faculty
• Faculty Scholarship
• Funds and Endowments

Information for Applicants

Preparation for the study of law.

Each entering class includes a diverse range of undergraduate majors and we generally do not prefer certain majors over others, but we do value a well-rounded education that has exposed applicants to the humanities and sciences, with a particular emphasis on writing and reasoning skills, as well as foreign languages. For more information, please consult the Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools, prepared by the Law School Admission Council (“LSAC”) and the American Bar Association. This book includes information about pre-law preparation, applying to law schools, and the study of law, as well as information about most U.S. law schools. It is available in many college bookstores and also online at www.lsac.org .

Application Procedure and Admissions Policy

Admission to the Law School is based on a careful review of each application by one or more members of the Admissions Committee. While we do have a very strong applicant pool numerically, the non-numerical factors in an application are also extremely important. Our admitted students have a wide range of GPAs and LSAT scores.

Completing the Application . Applicants must submit their applications electronically through the LSAC Electronic Application, available at www.lsac.org . The application fee is $75 and may be paid electronically by credit card or by check or money order made payable to the University of Chicago Law School. Applications can be submitted starting September 1.

Early and Regular Decision . Applicants may choose to apply for Early Decision or Regular Decision.

• Early Decision. Applicants who wish to be considered for Early Decision must submit their applications and all supporting materials by December 1, and will be notified of the Admissions Committee's decision by the end of December. If admitted, Early Decision applicants must commit to enrolling at the Law School and must withdraw all applications at other law schools. Some Early Decision applicants who are not admitted during the Early Decision cycle may be reevaluated during the Regular Decision cycle.
• Regular Decision. Applicants who wish to be considered for Regular Decision must submit their applications by February 1. Applications received for Regular Decision will be considered on a rolling basis once all required materials have been received. Any applications received after February 1 will be considered on a space-available basis. We consider applications in the order that they are completed.

The LSAT . Applicants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and submit all current LSAT scores before their applications will be considered. An LSAT score is deemed current if it has been earned within five years of the date that the application is submitted to the Law School. The LSAT is administered four times a year in many locations throughout the world. Early Decision applicants must take the LSAT no later than the late September/early October administration. For information about the LSAT, contact LSAC at 215/968-1001 or www.lsac.org .

Letters of Recommendation . We require two letters of recommendation, but will accept up to four. We prefer that at least one recommendation be academic, but we realize that academic recommendations can be difficult to procure for applicants who have been out of school for several years. We require applicants to submit their letters through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service Letter of Recommendation Service.

Personal Statement and Résumé . Applicants must submit a personal statement and résumé in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the application instructions.

The Credential Assembly Service . All applicants are required to register with LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (“CAS”) for processing undergraduate and graduate transcripts, as well as letters of recommendation. For information about the CAS, please contact the LSAC at 215/968-1001 or www.lsac.org . For more information and guidance on the required application materials, please visit www.law.uchicago.edu/prospective .

Financial Aid . The Law School provides generous financial aid in the form of loans and scholarships to our students. Applicants who wish to have financial need factored into their evaluation for scholarship aid must complete the Need Access Application online at www.needaccess.org . For questions about Need Access, contact the Access Group at 800-282-1550. Please visit http://www.law.uchicago.edu/prospective/financialaid for applicable deadlines.

Interviews . The Admissions Committee may invite applicants to interview, but does not grant requests for interviews.

Visits . We encourage all prospective applicants to visit the Law School. In the fall, we conduct information sessions for prospective applicants and have student-led tours throughout the academic year on Mondays and Fridays; please call ahead for the schedule (773-702-9484) and check our website ( www.law.uchicago.edu ) for more details.

Applicants with Disabilities . Disabled applicants in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should contact the Admissions Office at 773-702-9484 or by emailing [email protected] with their request. Applicants with disabilities should contact the Dean of Students as soon as possible after their admission in order to coordinate accommodations at the University.

Transfer Applications

Students in good standing at other law schools may apply for transfer to the Law School for their second and third years of law school. Transfers must spend two academic years in residence at the Law School to qualify for the J.D. degree. In making transfer decisions, the Admissions Committee relies heavily on first-year grades and the quality of the student cohort at the law school attended. Transfer students are eligible to participate in all activities of the Law School, including law journals and clinics. They are also eligible for honors at graduation based on their two years of academic work at the Law School. Transfer applicants must apply electronically using the LSAC electronic application. Please visit our website at www.law.uchicago.edu/prospectives/transfer for more information on transferring to the Law School and for an outline of the application process and relevant deadlines.

© 2014 The University of Chicago

5801 S. Ellis Ave. Chicago, IL 60637 United States

Accessibility

Print Options

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

The personal statement consists of 5,300 characters or less (including spaces) and gives you the opportunity to explain why you have pursued the experiences you have, and what they have taught you about your interest and values in medicine. 

BASIC DO’S AND DON’TS 

recognize that you won't be able to, nor should you, discuss a significant portion of the ways you have explored medicine. This is already shown in other parts of your application.  

merely summarize your resume or your work and activities section. This is your opportunity to share your why, not rehash what you have done.  

be wary about relying heavily on childhood or personal experiences with medicine. Admissions committees are interested in your mature reflections and motivations.  

read examples online. Relying on examples from other applicants can hinder more than help, particularly in this step where authenticity is most important.  

work with your CIH adviser early and often throughout your brainstorming, drafting, and writing process. Get your own thoughts down on paper, and work with us to craft an essay that is effective, professional, and truly personal. 

MD/PHD ESSAYS 

MD/PhD applicants are required to submit two additional essays: 

MD/PhD essay:

Why do you want to be a physician scientist? How do you imagine your clinical career informing and enriching your research and your research shaping how your care for patients?   

Significant Research Experiences:

An essay outlining your research experiences, describing what you did, how it contributed to the lab and the field more broadly, and what it taught you about your research interests going forward.  

CASS RESOURCES 

Personal Statement Lab : A three-week interactive series that walks applicants from brainstorming to a personal statement draft. Each week, participants will work together to brainstorm ideas, narrow down their theme or narrative, and write a first draft for review. Held in February and March each year. 

Personal Statement Review appointments are available with your CIH adviser February through May each year. 

OTHER RESOURCES

Personal Statement 101   

AAMC’s Advisor Corner: Crafting Your Personal Statement

Schedule an Appointment with a Healthcare Adviser

UChicago Essay Examples (And Why They Worked)

The following essay examples were written by several different authors who were admitted to University of Chicago and are intended to provide examples of successful UChicago application essays. All names have been redacted for anonymity. Please note that CollegeAdvisor.com has shared these essays with admissions officers at University of Chicago in order to deter potential plagiarism.

For more help with your UChicago supplemental essays, check out our UChicago Essay Guide ! For more guidance on personal essays and the college application process in general, sign up for a monthly plan to work with an admissions coach 1-on-1.

Question 1 (Required; Choose one) How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.

When I visited UChicago, a friend invited me to step into her Comparative Literature class: Monstrosity and the Monstrous. Desperate for refuge from the cold (as a Bay Area resident, I hadn’t packed for the Chicago winter), I quickly obliged. I expected to silently observe, but when I mentioned that I’d read Antigone , her professor was thrilled–he immediately invited me into the discussion. For an hour and a half, we weighed the pros and cons of civil disobedience: did Antigone’s actions permanently destabilize Thebes, and in the modern day, when does protesting against a government cross the line? Was Antigone justified in interpreting the will of the gods? And, if so, would Sophocles support pardoning well-intentioned criminals? Beyond the enthralling analysis of the play, I was captivated by the spirit of UChicago: a campus that invites everyone (including a loitering high school student) to contribute and develop their ideas.

Now, it’s surreal to imagine taking “The Economics of Crime” from someone as renowned as Professor Levitt (I’ve been a fan since reading Freakonomics ) and staying after class to clarify the finer points of the latest Freakonomics podcast (I particularly enjoyed “Speak Softly and Carry Big Data,” on using data analysis to perfect foreign policy decisions). I hope to add to UChicago’s legacy of pushing the boundaries of our economic understanding by participating in undergraduate research, and perhaps put my findings to use through crafting social policy for the Harris School’s Public Policy Practicum. Prior to graduating, I’ll sample tastes of future careers through the Fried Public Policy and Service Program or the Trott Business Program. Simultaneously, as someone who enjoys conversing and respectfully challenging ideas, I look forward to immersing myself in the Core Curriculum and obtaining a strong foundation of knowledge. Above all, I appreciate that UChicago teaches students how to think, encourages dialogue, and prompts students to question norms.

Beyond an unparalleled education, UChicago boasts an incredible student body. Whether it’s over $1 milkshakes, at a desk beneath the stunning glass dome of the Mansueto library, or over a game of pick-up basketball, students at UChicago have a reputation for cultivating the most interesting conversations, both miscellaneous and profound. I hope that culture will only intensify within groups like the student government, Muslim Student Association, or the (undefeated) Model United Nations team. Though I look forward to Scav, the prospect of another scavenger hunt is even more enticing; over the next four years, my peers and I will discover the impact we intend to have on the world. Whether I end up delving into politics, finance, or the nonprofit sector, I know UChicago will guide me through that process–more importantly, as a member of a campus of visionaries, I hope to learn how I’ll change any field I enter. I look forward to four life-changing years–this time, with a warm winter coat.

Why this UChicago essay worked, from an ex-admissions officer

The author of this essay did a great job highlighting their familiarity with the faculty’s research and the university’s traditions. In doing so, admissions officers know that this student conducted the necessary research and is not solely interested in the university based on its rankings and reputation but rather the intangibles- the things that set UChicago apart, from other colleges/universities.

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of visiting UChicago’s campus. What I found was exactly what I’d hoped for: an absurdly specific and drawn-out debate over which poem was better, The Iliad, or The Odyssey.

It happened in a dorm. After my official tour, a good friend of mine, Lizzie, who I’d met two summers ago on a writer’s retreat offered to show me around campus. The insider tour: coveted by many, enjoyed by few. As we were leaving the common space on her floor in Max P., we were discussing our respective class schedules. We came to find that we were doing similar coursework with regard to Classical studies, and with a simple groan at my mention of the adventures of Achilles in Ilion, the battle began.

Quickly, I found myself drawing my spear—the initial jab: “The portrayal of Odysseus in The Odyssey is lackluster and inconsistent with prior descriptions at best.”

She dodged, “Maybe, but The Iliad is just a bunch of gore. I want a real story.” The phalanxes were starting to form; war cries echoing, bouncing off doors which held the empty beds of students wintering at Mansueto, I stopped.

“Listen,” I said, with a ring reminiscent of a sword being gloriously drawn from its sheath. “Homer may not have even been the mind behind much of The Odyssey . On top of that, how do you reconcile Odysseus’ supposed military genius spanning ten years with his seemingly cavalier attitude towards his men’s safety on the voyage home?” In turn, she threw her arms up with a sigh of exasperation—a shield, a deflection.

“Maybe, but Achilles’ melodramatic fits aren’t worth reading. If I wanted to witness overwrought pouting, I’d go find a four-year-old. Besides, an inconsistency doesn’t damn a story to the pits of inadequacy.”

Round and round we went, like Achilles and Hector around the city of Ilion, neither of us gaining an inch, and neither of us drawing nearer escape. But then, for us, escape wasn’t the point, was it? It was the chase. The Iliad would have been far less exciting had Achilles settled for glory, fought for Agamemnon, and killed Hector immediately. Likewise, The Odyssey is nothing but a story of a journey, and therefore wouldn’t have a leg to stand on without the chase. From my point of view, this is what UChicago is all about—the chase; the journey—the questions asked and examined, not only those answered. Lizzie and I never came to a conclusion about which poem is better (thankfully we could agree that The Aeneid was objectively well written, and well told), but we had a riveting, impassioned conversation on a dime. My favorite part of this? It happened on the way to her Physics discussion.

That’s why I love UChicago; this is what I crave. The perpetual hall pass to unapologetically geek out with fellow cats whom curiosity didn’t kill, but strengthened. To walk by the chapel, and hear the bells playing Kiss the Girl, to sit in the Reading Room and write, to marvel at the marketing genius behind the naming of Grounds of Being ; to have conversations with poetry nerds, language lovers, people who can rant about the beauty of the C7 chord or the curvature of a parabolic function. I can only see myself in a place that emphasizes interdisciplinary studies, that offers a slew of majors, minors, and career courses—that not just allows, but encourages exploration—that finds its students discussing Homer on the way to a physics class. I would not be able to function without the camaraderie that comes with the $1 shake, or the friendships born of mutual vitriol at the notion of their disappearance. This community is not tied, but melded together—one that challenges, one that nips stagnancy in the bud. So, paint me maroon and point me towards Axelrod; I’m ready to join this Odyssey-loving, manhole-cover-thieving, Royal Tenenbaum-esque family.

In this essay, the writer connected her seemingly random conversation with a friend to the interdisciplinary focus of the university and the ways in which, others challenge her views. Oftentimes, when we think of a college education- there is so much focus on the rankings, reputation, and major, career opportunities, return on investments, and salary– all of which, are very important; however, one could argue that that true purpose of college is to challenge yourself, to step outside of your comfort zone, meet new people and challenge others as well. This writer understands those values are paramount to an education at UChicago. The admissions officer reading this essay, knows this student will thrive at UChicago, but most importantly, this student will leave UChicago in a better place than where they found it by challenging those around them.

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

Editor’s Note: The UChicago supplemental essays change each year, as the University is known to reach out to newly admitted and current students for essay prompts. These are examples of previous successful approaches to essay prompts.

2017-2018 UChicago Essay Prompt

What’s your armor.

I won’t knock on wood for luck if the wood isn’t demonstrably pure as the waters of the Piscine Molitor. When I say I won’t, I don’t mean that I will knock on a table, or a bench occasionally through gritted teeth if I’m in dire need of cosmic intervention, no, I mean I will not, under any circumstance, on a train, a plane, or even in Spain, knock on anything other than natural, uncoated in any way, wood. I recognize the scientific irrationality, not just of superstitions, but of being picking nits within a particular superstition. I have my reasons.

Two years ago, while scrolling through my Instagram feed, I stumbled across a disconcerting “fact” that probably wasn’t a fact . The post asserted that more than ninety-percent of all wooden tables, benches, chairs, etc are not, in fact, strictly wooden. Rather, they are a mix of synthetic materials and wood. Granted, in most cases, the synthetic is likely just a coat of protective varnish, but you see, that tarnishes the product for the superstitious. It was a moment of earth-shattering ramifications. In a matter of three seconds, I questioned every bit of trust I’d ever placed in the universe. It all seemed futile, meaningless. Now, I’m not knocking on wood, I’m knocking on wood that has been coated once, twice, ninety-six times with preservative varnish. At that point, it’s just a synthetic graveyard with a foundation of wood. There is no luck to be found in an ungodly cemetery of bones like that. I might as well knock on glass, or grass, or a plastic container. It surpasses trivial in the scheme of things, but imagine I were to have something especially important looming, something that has the potential to frame the context of the rest of my life, something like college applications. Why would I take a chance on something that merely resembles pure wood for luck? I wouldn’t. I’d run straight outside, find the nearest tree (the only real guarantee), and knock until my knuckles resembled shredded calf-liver. It’s really not worth the risk.

Why does it even matter, though? Who, and/or what enforces frivolous matters like outdated pseudo-religious compulsions? I like to imagine that there is a being in charge of each superstition, both the common and obscure. The Being of Repetition would oversee all attempts to cheat one’s destiny by uttering a word thirty-seven times, the Being of Self-Induced Discomfort would superintend those who hold their breath while they cross bridges or drive past cemeteries, and the Being of Sylvan Knocks would assure that not a single soul who bops their knuckles on a tarnished, synthetic-wood abomination receives their prize of favor. This being watches and keeps tabs on those foolish enough to put their faith in the preternatural equivalent of fool’s gold, and shames them by leaving their worlds deservedly unaltered. However, those who are devoted enough to search out the nearest tree and give it a few raps for good measure, will find magnificent rewards from their generous karmic sugar daddy. Call me a purist, call me ridiculous, but I’m convinced that this is the indisputable truth.

So convinced, in fact, that those closest to me have picked up on my idiosyncratic neurosis. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy the friendship of observant souls, one of whom, named Jack, happens to be a skilled woodworker. Upon confessing to him my cognitive dissonance of being vehemently non-superstitious, while also controlled like a marionette by this irrational belief, he took it upon himself to, at the very least, ease the inconvenience of finding a tree in my panic. He gave me a teardrop-shaped, knuckle-sized piece of pure wood. Not just that, but he put a small hole in it so that it would fit on my keychain. I carry it everywhere. I give it a little knock every now and then just for the extra luck. Knowing that no matter the place, no matter the scenario, I’m always in the good graces of the Being of Sylvan Knocks means that I never again have to add “find a tree” to my mental to-do list. It means release—means freedom.

Maybe one day I’ll get over my manneristic malady, but until that day comes, I’ll keep carrying my teardrop everywhere I go, and hope that Jack never tells me that my charm is anything less than Piscine pure, unadulterated luck. Knock on wood, right?

2013-2014 UChicago Essay Prompt:

The mantis shrimp can perceive both polarized light and multispectral images; they have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. human eyes have color receptors for three colors (red, green, and blue); the mantis shrimp has receptors for sixteen types of color, enabling them to see a spectrum far beyond the capacity of the human brain. seriously, how cool is the mantis shrimp:  mantisshrimp.uchicago.edu . what might they be able to see that we cannot what are we missing.

The red and purple hues of the sunset warm the chilly summer evening; the soft pastels blend perfectly under my fingers to emanate the photograph; each Van Gogh and Renoir mesmerize me as I creep through the brightly lit museum. Photographs and paintings capture the beauty that we see with our eyes. Our almighty sense of sight allows us to be immersed by the extraordinary, but at the same time, it hinders us.

Although breath-taking to witness, the mantis shrimp, majestic as a unicorn or narwhal from the outside, relates more closely to a soul-sucking dementor. Its mighty claws enable it to chomp nearby prey instantaneously. Is it possible that the violent behavior of a mantis shrimp is related in someway to its heightened abilities of sight?

Segregation, discrimination, isolation; so many “tion”s can be attributed to our sense of vision. In elementary school, the concept of being popular is already engrained in our minds. As a first grader, I got my first glimpse of this when a girl was forced to tell her best friend that they couldn’t hang out anymore because she “wasn’t cool enough.” And what deems someone to be popular? Of course, attitude and self-confidence are key, but popularity is equally derived from having the newest backpack and sparkly shoes that light up with each step. In the 1940s, having “the look” meant blonde hair and blue eyes with the emanating threat of concentration camps and execution. America, the land of the free, cannot forget its very own history of segregation that nearly split the nation in two. People were belittled and harassed due to the color of their skin. Throughout history, mankind has associated superiority with skin color and race. Our sense of sight has limited us oftentimes to fixate on seeing instead of understanding.

The kaleidoscopic exoskeleton of the mantis shrimp indicates its very own evolutionary emphasis on beauty. Why else would one attempt to look so radiant if not to mate and produce heirs? I would probably be pretty picky too if I had such a powerful pair of eyes—fixating on each segment, each tentacle, each antenna. Over the centuries, the selectivity of the mantis shrimp possibly eliminated less attractive members from the gene pool. It never thought “Oh well, maybe she has a nice personality and a good sense of humor.” In a world of plastic Barbie dolls and glossy magazine covers, I would hate to see an even greater emphasis on aesthetics.

As a child, I read A Wrinkle in Time and journeyed to the planet Ixchel where Madeline L’Engle’s fictional character Meg tries to explain the concept of seeing to a creature with no eyes. In response the beast states, “We do not know what things look like, as you say… We know what things are like. It must be a very limiting thing, this seeing.” As a child, I pondered the difficultly of explaining sight to someone incapable of it and all the words that a person wouldn’t understand—light, dark, colors, shades. When I initially read this prompt about the mantis shrimp, I was reminded of this passage. The difficulty of imagining all that the mantis shrimp can see is possibly just as difficult as it is for someone who is blind to imagine the red of a robin’s belly, the illustrious light blue sky, or the shades of skin tones. I was originally perplexed by the idea that seeing can be “a very limiting thing.” Over half a decade later, as I reread Madeline L’Engle’s words, I find the truth in this phrase. We do not need sight. It is convenient being able to color coordinate files and match shoes with shirts, but the ability to see can often overpower our other senses. We judge and make first impressions by the way a person dresses, often neglecting what that person says or thinks or knows.

Perhaps the mantis shrimp’s eyes allow it to see further than our color spectrum, into infrared, ultraviolet, or radio waves. Maybe this allows it to see its predators inching closer before they devise an attack. The shrimp’s vision could possibly replace its sense of feeling and hearing—observing sound waves in the wavy, salty sea or having thermal imaging abilities. However, the extent to its abilities is far greater than we can perceive. It would be impossible to imagine the full capabilities of the mantis shrimp without having a “Freaky Friday” moment and switching brains. As humans, we have become too accustomed to our perception of superiority that it is difficult to imagine abilities greater than our own. What we lack, we attempt to compensate for with technology and scientific advancements. We have escaped the mentality of our cavemen and cavewomen ancestors—scavenging for food and hiding from predators. Machine guns and others weapons of mass destruction have given humans the mindset that we are on the top of the food chain.

The short novel Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott was enforced upon my Geometry class over spring break. Although initially a lesson about the multiple dimensions, Flatland also explores the challenge of explaining higher realms to those who cannot experience it. The king of Pointland is so narrow-minded and insular that he refuses to believe that there are objects larger than he is. When confronted with a square, all he sees is another point. As humans, our abilities are limited as well. We do not have the innate skills of the mantis shrimp with its sixteen receptors; however, centuries of innovation have made us inept to fully perceive the skills we are incapable of.

The mantis shrimp can see a greater spectrum of rays and waves and possibly some great unknown, but perhaps, it is better that its abilities remain a mystery. At this time, we are probably not ready for such visual capabilities; our current ones have already proven to be overbearing. Maybe the best things in life are not meant to be seen because they must be felt or understood.

These UChicago essay examples were compiled by the advising team at CollegeAdvisor.com . If you want to get help writing your UChicago application essays from CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts , register with CollegeAdvisor.com today.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

The University of Chicago The Law School

Program info, application requirements.

Candidates applying for admission to the LLM Program must use the LSAC LLM Credential Assembly Service .

Chicago requires both the Document Assembly Service (DAS) and the International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES).

Applicants must submit all of the following required materials through LSAC:

Application for Admission 

You must submit an application for admission through LSAC . Chicago requires both the Document Assembly Service (DAS) and the International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES).

Application Fee

An application fee of $85 is required to be paid through LSAC. Unfortunately we are unable to waive the application fee.

Transcripts

You are required to submit academic transcripts from all higher education institutions attended (this includes undergraduate, graduate (if applicable) and law school)

Letters of Recommendation

You must submit at least two and no more than four.  These letters can come from academics or professionals.  The most important aspect of these letters is that they come from someone that is able to truly speak to your qualities and ability to succeed in an elite and rigorous law program.  Therefore, you should ask individuals that have first hand experience working with you or as your supervisor. 

TOEFL or IELTS

All candidates to the LLM for whom English is not a native language must submit either a TOEFL or IELTS score (TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition will also be accepted).   The minimum score required on the TOEFL is 104 and the minimum on the IELTS is 7.5. Please note that we do not accept the TOEFL MyBest Score.

If you wish to request a waiver of the English proficiency exam you may do so in your application under the "English Proficiency" section, which requires you to indicate your level of English. Do not email the office of graduate programs requesting a waiver of the TOEFL or IELTS.

Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)

You are required to submit an up to date resume or CV which details your educational and professional background.

Personal Statement

All applicants are required to submit a 1-3 page personal statement (sometimes referred to as a letter of motivation). The personal statement should go beyond just the black and white already available to the committee in your transcripts and resume.  This is your opportunity to tell the committee something about you that could not otherwise be known from your application materials. 

It is perfectly acceptable to talk about why you chose to apply to the University of Chicago but you should do so in the context of how you plan to leverage your experience here in the broader context of your personal and professional goals.  Remember, the personal statement is about you. 

Conduct Explanation (if applicable)

If you answered yes to any of the Character & Fitness questions on the Application for Admission, you are required to submit an explanation along with the rest of your materials

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

Sample Essay: University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is famous for quirky and complex essay prompts. UChicago also places a relatively high weight on the essays when making admissions decisions. Submitting outstanding essays to UChicago can help you recover from a few poor grades, or even a slightly lower SAT/ACT score. UChicago always allows its applicants to submit their own essay prompt and corresponding essay, which is a particularly attractive option if you’re relatively creative. Because UChicago is one of the most popular schools amongst our students, and because we have generated so many acceptances to the school, we have decided to release one of our accepted essays to the University of Chicago to aid in helping you think about how to craft your essay. This student chose to submit a unique prompt, and specific details in the essay have been changed to preserve anonymity:

Prompt (Self-Written): Is there any value to popular culture? Or should society attempt to better itself with more refined art forms?”

Popular culture encompasses an expansive spread of art forms ranging from popular sitcoms to “gangsta rap.” And as with broader society, in cultural spheres such as film and literature there exists an amorphous “elite”- primarily academics and critics in each field and their sycophants. This elite’s response to each movie’s release is predictable: Transformers 2’s stellar 19% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes does not surprise anyone who understands film critics, who decry the “mindlessness” of big budget films while praising “smart” and complex independent films that have vibrant symbolism and social commentary. In short, they’d rather you watch Little Miss Sunshine than waste your time on Transformers 6, Iron Man 2, or the latest R-rated comedy featuring Will Ferrell. Such criticism misses two essential points, at least in my personal relationship with culture. The first is that when I watch a film, I am actually seeking precisely the banal and idiotic entertainment provided by big budget Hollywood film that they so vehemently disparage. I admit there are times when I can appreciate vibrant social commentary or hidden symbolism layered into a movie. But mostly, I just want to relax and be entertained for two and a half hours as I enjoy hackneyed humor. Those who religiously eschew mainstream films deny themselves the joy of one’s visceral reactions to the exploding buildings and slapstick comedy of big budget blockbusters.

Even more important is the social bond that emanates from shared cultural experiences.  I recognized this seemingly tenuous link when I visited my family in Chiang Rai, Thailand last September. As huge fans of Thai dramas, my cousin and I decided to binge-watch a romantic comedy called Thara Himalaya, the story of a common villager who fell in love with a wealthy heir. After we finished the drama, I fell into the very trap that I caution against in this essay. Upon Googling Thara Himalaya, I was stunned to discover that a formulaic drama with (what I considered) terrible acting had become one of the highest rated dramas in Thai television history. When I asked my cousin about this seemingly paradoxical outcome, she had a simple explanation: “These types of dramas are so popular because there are a lot of rural and poor women who dream of that kind of ‘happily ever after’.” As I pondered the implications of her statement, the full weight became apparent. Thai women, especially rural ones, live a difficult life. And these sappy dramas release them from these stressors, if only temporarily. They serve the same purpose for me. Even though I may never find out exactly what the lives of these women are like, the fact that we both enjoy the same dramas allows us to bridge the gap between our disparate circumstances.

The same is true in the United States. In recent years, the gulf between college educated Americans and the rest of society has widened. While part of this divergence is driven by economics, there is a cultural gap as well, which drives misunderstandings and exacerbates conflict. How can one expect to understand the mindset of the proverbial “other half” if there are no shared experiences to draw upon? Therein lies the value of embracing the mainstream; when I share experiences with the average American, I am more likely to understand his or her mindset, dreams, and desires. The resultant social cohesiveness is extremely valuable – a characteristic lost when elites isolate themselves in the embrace of haute culture.

The broader implications of this epiphany did not truly become apparent until I returned to the US, when I ate dinner at my mother’s friend’s house. After dinner, I was forced to spend time with her kids, whom I had never met before, and came from completely different circumstances. Initially, we sat around in awkward silence. After a few minutes of painful small talk, almost by chance, we began to discuss the Seattle Sounders, and their prospects for the upcoming season. We had finally found some common ground. For the next four hours, we discussed sports of every variety, from the NBA to the Cricket World Cup. The initial awkwardness had completely vanquished, and we found that we enjoyed each other’s company. The connection between that evening and the value of the mainstream was elucidated later that night, when I reflected on similar experiences that I had had in the past. Whenever I’m at a party or social gathering where I meet new people, the way that I connect with others is by talking about popular sports, movies, or TV shows. Many of my peers decry the perceived sexism or Darwinism in sport. And indeed several of my closest friends scoff at the four major American athletic pastimes. Yet knowing about sports (a cornerstone of American culture) has often come in handy during new and unfamiliar situations – it is my tool for connecting with new people. In fact, one of my best friends in the whole world is from a completely different social, economic, and racial background. When we met five years ago at camp, we bonded over our love of basketball. For me, embracing the mainstream allows me to empathize with and engage with people from completely different social circumstances. Were we to apply this principle to broader society, rather than pursuing the intellectual for its own sake, some of the adverse effects socioeconomic divergence might be halted, and perhaps even reversed. So yes, there is much value to popular culture.

Want to learn what University of Chicago will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take?  Here’s what every student considering University of Chicago needs to know.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Just one more step to start saving colleges!

Sign up for an account or login to start your college list.

UChicago Essays: Tips from Admissions

October is in full swing and we’re deep into the college admission process now. High school seniors are putting the final touches on personal statements , supplemental essays, and college applications, ready to submit early applications. Or are they? Maybe you’re on the other end of this. A blank google document staring back at you with the clock ticking down.

Have no fear! If you have no idea where to begin, there’s still help. On October 12th, Schoolhouse and UChicago hosted a webinar to help you get started with your essay writing.

Domenic Lamberti , Senior Associate Director of Admissions * Director of Faculty Engagement at the University of Chicago

Akshay R. , founding tutor on Schoolhouse

Brennan Barnard , M.Ed, director of College Counseling at Khan Lab School

Why Write an Essay?

When sitting down to complete applications, the question most students ask is, “Why do I even have to write this? Does it even matter?”

Lamberti says that although many students regard the essay as the most dreaded part of the application (and often leave it for the very last minute) it is actually the most important part. Not only is it an introduction for admissions officers to get excited about what’s to come in your application, but it also is an opportunity to show them you have an active brain. A strong essay demonstrates that you can engage beyond a basic level and write clearly and concisely, and that you are passionate about a subject and able to do the work to put together a strong application.

Personal vs. Supplemental Essays

There are two different types of essays that you may be submitting for your application: A personal statement/essay and a supplemental essay . What makes the two different? Are there certain aspects that belong in one essay, but not the other?

The personal statement is the most common college essay you will come across. It’s known for being a part of the Common and Coalition Application , and must be submitted through these platforms for any school that requires it.

If using the Common App, applicants have an option to choose between seven different prompts and can answer the question in as few as 250 words and no more than 650 words. The panelists stress that your personal statement should be a simple, engaging story that centers around YOU. As much as they would love to hear about the tenacity of your grandma or siblings, they opened your application to learn more about you, not them.

Four rules of thumb to remember when crafting your essay are:

• Be mindful of your audience and pay attention to detail. Avoid offensive topics or crossing the “TMI line”
• Don’t try to be someone you aren’t. Stop highlighting your vocabulary and replacing it with complicated vocabulary you don’t use. Admissions officers can tell.
• Your personal statement isn’t a brag sheet or resume. Give new information beyond what admissions can find out later on your application
• Ask yourself the question: “So what? Why should the reader care?”

The supplement essay is an extra section that may be included on your college application. Not all colleges require them, but even if they are optional, panelists strongly recommend you seriously consider doing them. Supplement essays vary in subject, but each one is only seen by the institution that requires/recommends it. Therefore, this means your essay should only be applicable to that college, especially if a college is asking “Why Us?”

Some examples of supplemental essays include UChicago’s Uncommon Prompt and Rice’ s “The Box” Project. When it comes to writing your supplemental essay, Lamberti recommends having the "Goldilocks Mentality"–crafting your essay so that it’s just right!

• Don’t be overly focused on one aspect
• Be wary of a “listy essay”
• DO YOUR RESEARCH!!
• Admissions officers know their school’s rankings–no need to repeat them

Lamberti also recommends performing the White Out test after completing your "Why This College" essay. Cross out the college name. Can your essay be applied to other colleges? If your answer is yes, then you may want to rethink your essay and personalize more towards your college of choice.

The Writing Process Recipe

Now that you know what college admissions officers are looking for and what each essay should contain, it’s time to get to writing! If you still have no idea where to start, here’s a simple recipe to make the process a little easier.

• Read and re-read the question. Make sure you know exactly what the prompt is asking you. If you still aren’t sure, ask around!
• If you are given an option of many prompts, brainstorm several of the choices. Choose the one that call to you the most.
• Make sure to answer the prompt.
• Have the right frame of mind when you sit down to right. You won’t be able to produce your best work if you aren’t emotionally prepared. Think of this essay as your own creative project, rather than just for a college application.
• If you’re still struggling on what to put on paper, just write down whatever comes to mind. Disregard proper grammar and coherence–just write anything that comes to mind about the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can read what you’ve written and see if you can scope out a clear topic to expand upon.

And that’s pretty much it when it comes to writing your essays for college ! Some final tips the panelists offer at the end of the webinar include:

• Turn negatives into positives–if you’re writing about a negative experience, don’t solely focus on what went wrong, talk about what you learned from the situation
• Analyze and evaluate experiences, don’t describe
• Use appropriate fonts, spacing, and margins
• Be an active, not passive, writer
• Proofread! And let others proofread as well (two at most). Too many cooks spoil the pot when it comes to college essays.
• Give yourself time to answer supplemental questions! You’ll do your best work if you give yourself ample time before the submission date. If you write your essay, 12 hours before it’s due, it won’t turn out as good as if you gave yourself a good two weeks to a month to write your essay, proofread, and edit it.

And that’s it! You’ve got all the information you need to go and write your best personal statement and supplemental essays ever.

Don’t forget to have fun! If you need anymore college essay help, check out the Schoolhouse Community or the College Confidential Forums for more tips. You’ve got this!

Interested in UChicago?

Visit UChicago's CC school page , learn more about the University's focus on research , connect with others in the UChicago community , and watch the 30 second video below.

Gabby Alphonse

Gabby is a freshman attending Case Western (Go Spartans!). She will be majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Sports Medicine. In high school, she was involved in Student Government and National Honor Society and was on the Varsity Cross Country, Soccer, and Track Team. She currently is on the CWRU Women's Track & Field Team and the Freshman Secretary of the Class Officer Collective. She is super passionate about helping others reach their goals and especially helping those who want to go down a similar path as she does. She's super excited to be a part of the College Confidential Fam!

• CC name: @galphonse1
• Instagram: @yo_gabbygabby15
• TikTok: @gabby_ia

More on Applying to College

Authentic Voice in College Essays

That’s why you want to use your authentic voice when writing any college essay .

So what’s the problem? A student has shared an ess…

College Interview Prep Tips: Brainstorm, Research, Analyze, Generalize

I recently visited Washington University in Saint Louis and was lucky enough to set up an interview. By speaking with peers of mi…

Academic Index Scores: Why They Matter and How They're Calculated

Note: Click here for 10 Summer Programs You Can Still Apply For or keep reading to learn more about academic index scores.

7 Podcasts for Students Going Through the Admissions Process

Podcasts can offer a wealth of information to busy students, particularly when it comes to the college admissions process. We…

Avoid College Application Regrets: Tips For Getting It Right the First Time

Decision Day occurs each year on May 1st and is the deadline for students to inform the college of their choice of their intent t…

Get a student loan that goes beyond tuition.

Ascent offers cosigned and non-cosigned student loans with exclusive benefits that set students up for success.

Find Your Scholarship

Want to find money for school that doesn’t need to be paid back? Access insights and advice on how to search and apply for scholarships!

The Fall 2025 Graduate Program Application is open! Apply by the early action deadline on October 3, 2024.

Tips for Writing Your Motivational Statement and Essays

While it’s one of our favorite parts of the application reading experience, we know that writing essay components can be anxiety-inducing for applicants. As you start or continue your application , we hope you find this guidance on the motivational statement and essays helpful.

Motivational Statement

All students applying to the Master of Public Policy (MPP) , MA in Public Policy (MA) , MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) , and MA in Public Policy with Certificate in Research Methods (MACRM) programs are required to submit a 300-word motivational statement answering the questions: Why policy? Why Harris? (Or a version of these questions more specific to your program).

Some suggestions as you are thinking about your answers to these questions:

Answer the prompt. Don’t worry about using precious space to introduce yourself—jump right into answering the question. 

Write first, edit later. Get your ideas onto the page—whether that means bullet points, idea webs, or a journal entry. Don’t worry about crafting the perfect opener, meeting the word count, or checking grammar when you are first getting started.  

Reflect. Think about the professional, personal, or academic experience that has inspired you. 

Be specific. When answering Why Harris? , be specific to the University of Chicago and Harris. Analyze why certain programs, centers, classes, or professors made you want to apply here. 

Optional Essay Questions

Although the Motivation Statement is required, the essay questions are optional. For all optional essay questions, we aren’t just interested in the “right answer,” but how you are thinking about and approaching these complex questions.

Students applying to the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program may pick any of the three questions below. Completing question three will allow you to be considered for Pearson fellowships open only to MPP students.

Students applying to the MA in Public Policy (MA) , MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) , and MA in Public Policy with Certificate in Research Methods (MACRM) programs may choose to complete optional essays 1 and

Option 1: Challenge—Describe briefly the biggest challenge you have ever faced. How did you tackle it and what did you learn? (max 300 words)

Tip: In essay one, you may write about a personal, professional, or academic challenge when answering this question. Perhaps more than the challenge itself, we are interested in how you tackled the challenge, and what you learned in the process.

Option 2: Community—Where do you see yourself getting involved in the community during your time at Harris—either at the University of Chicago or in the city of Chicago? (max 300 words)

Tip: If you are answering essay two, please make sure to speak specifically to Harris or UChicago.

Option 3: Pearson—If you would like to be considered for  The Pearson Fellowship , please answer the following: In reflecting on the complexities of past and present protracted global conflicts, please analyze what singular global conflict most puzzles you personally, and discuss why.

Tip: Please note that “global conflict” can refer to a range of conflicts (i.e. inter/intra state; those involving non-state actors, etc.) and a range of issues associated (i.e. refugee crises, religious conflict, gang violence, drug wars, domestic violence, etc.). Remember to consider: Is the conflict actually puzzling? For example, does it involve actors acting against their own best interest, or operating irrationally?​ And finally, for the purposes of this essay, you will not need to cite sources.

We hope you find these tips helpful as you move your application forward.

Upcoming Events

Coffee chat in madison, wi.

Valencia Coffee 799 University Ave Madison , WI 53715 United States

Get to Know Harris! Public Sector Scholarship

Drop-in application consultation.

• How to Apply
• Why Public Policy
• Financial Aid
• Academic Advising
• Disability Resources
• Room Reservations
• Academic Calendar
• Faculty Resources
• Faculty Access
• Human Resources
• News and Events
• Alumni Directory
• Get Involved

University of Chicago

UChicago Earns Three Postgraduate Scholarships

9/17/2024 12:18:00 PM

Thanks for visiting !

The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy.

We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here.

Thank you for your support!

was not found

UChicago Personal Statement Session

The personal statement is a common requirement of applications to many US colleges and universities. During this session we will review some basic do’s and don’ts, share some insight into how personal statement essays can add an important perspective to your application, and explain how they are considered in a holistic review process.