Applicants will choose one of the three prompts below to respond to. We recommend keeping your response under 800 words. You don’t need to reach the word limit; what matters most is that you express ...

Before You Begin Your Essay... Like the Honor Scholar Program itself, these essays address a variety of topics and represent different kinds of opportunities for thought. The topics may touch on ...

The Common App will retain its seven essay prompts for the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, continuing its emphasis on personal storytelling. The decision allows students to work with familiar questions ...

Beyond the personal statement, many top schools require applicants to submit supplemental essays answering various questions, like why they chose their intended major or why they are applying to a ...

Even in a typical year, Aug. 1 is a big day for college admissions. It’s launch day for the Common App, the 1,000-member platform for college applications, and the beginning of many months of ...

Whether it is finding where Waldo really is, considering who Sally sells her seashells to or exploring what can actually be divided by zero, every University of Chicago undergraduate since the 1980s ...