In honor of getting to hang out with my brother all weekend, a few words on applying to his alma mater, U Chicago, the brain-hive known for its Core, devotion to the free market (sort of), innovative undergrads, pirate professor (crazy like a fox), and Latke-Hamantash Debate. (U of C is also the former stomping ground and/or alma mater of much of the White House inner circle, and the possible location of the eventual Obama Presidential Library.)
U of C has a reputation for being no fun–among its grad students people who don’t get what its students consider “fun.” A postcolonial-themed costume party is fun. Drinking coffee with professors is fun. A recent protest against visiting loons hatemongers was fun (according to the Chicago Maroon), turning into a “celebration” that “raised about $500 for charity.” As one junior recalls, “When…[the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity brothers were] dancing around in their underwear, me and Rabbi Ruthie [Gelfarb] and this priest started dancing…”
Understanding this “let your freak flag fly” mindset is key to filling out the U of C’s Common App supplement, a painful document that forces undergrads to write an entirely new batch of creative essays applicable only to this application. When writing them, you must be as unself-conscious as a half-dressed frat brother dancing with a rabbi for charity. Via the excellent folks at Collegewise (who today wrapped up a 30 colleges in 30 days feature):
“For those of you who decide to take on the optional essay [about favorite books, movies, and music], all I can say is this. Geek out. Geek out like you have never geeked out before…
“If you have watched every single one of the Star Wars movies more than a dozen times, this is the place to celebrate it. If you’ve read “One Hundred Years of Solitude” over and over again, tell them why. If you read US Weekly because celebrity gossip is like an addictive substance to you, say so. If you think there should be a national holiday honoring Bruce Springsteen, or that you’re pretty sure you will break down and cry if The New York Times ever stops publishing [its] Sunday edition, or that “The Godfather”…or “Crash” or “Tommy Boy” is a DVD you’d save if your house were on fire (I would save “Tommy Boy,” by the way”), say so!
“Students who would love the University of Chicago experience celebrate what they read, watch and listen to without apology. Show them you can do it, too.”
BREAKING UPDATE (1/15/10): Congratulations to the readers of this blog entry! You all applied to U of C, creating an applications uptick of 42%.
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