The college process is messy. Try spending some time parsing through the forms, essays, tests, and more forms, and that much is obvious. My own experience with the process, still in fresh memory, was no different. It felt like something of a balancing act: getting an A on a calc test, then running to lead a Model UN meeting while finding new people to talk to and new experiences to write about. It sometimes felt like an act, a rigorous image I was supposed to fit.
That’s where UChicago seemed to stand out. It wasn’t looking for a model or an ideal, but at me. It wanted creativity, passion, critical thinking—skills to help mold my education and guide my life after college. That interest in the person, not the image, manifests most famously in the Uncommon Essay, which pushes applicants to write from one of several thought-provoking prompts or make up a new one. When I wrote my essay on groups with unofficial members and why they should/shouldn’t be included, I faced a dual challenge: first, to fully explore the applications of different ideas, and second, to have confidence in my answer. I expected the first of those challenges, but not the second. Indeed, after several rewrites, I began to see that to complete the essay I had to break down my own mental barriers. That process helped me realize that UChicago’s approach wasn’t just about showcasing knowledge, but about pushing boundaries, both intellectually and personally.
The essay certainly isn’t the only thing that drew me to UChicago, not even close. In addition, the broader focus on the development of the whole person caught my attention. Core classes that would ground my knowledge of the world, interdisciplinary majors and classes suited to my career aspirations as someone who seeks to pursue law, a community that is interested in taking the next step towards achieving something greater than themselves—these are what really made me want to come to UChicago.
All of these factors flow nicely into UChicago’s “Life of the Mind” mantra. I wanted a university that would allow me to explore, to problem-solve, and to expand my knowledge of myself and the universe. Plainly-put, UChicago seemed to be the strongest performing university in those areas, at least from what I could understand from the other side of the college application process.
Bearing all of that in mind, I have no doubt that UChicago will present plenty of challenges. Some may feel insurmountable. But I think (key word, think—I’m aware that I’m very new here) that UChicago is the place where I want to face those challenges.
In the end, UChicago’s unique approach to learning, its focus on intellectual growth, and its emphasis on individuality resonated with me in a way that no other school’s culture did. I believe I’m going somewhere that will challenge me to grow intellectually and personally, pushing me to explore new ideas and expand my understanding of the world. I look forward to the journey, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the next four years shape me.