Chicago Application

[vanishingpoint]

Has anyone else who's applying to Chicago looked at the online application? They're saying that your personal statement should be no longer than 5000 words, although "the best candidate statements are often half that length." Still, 2500 words? That's far longer than any of the others I've seen.

Sorry, I just needed to grouse about this. I guess Chicago is the school that asks their undergraduate applicants to write all sorts of bizarre essays, so maybe it stands to reason.

[lurkingnomad]

btw UMich says

Statement of Purpose (1000-1500 words)

Personal Statement (1000 words maximum)

so seems like it would be around (little less than) 2500 total as well...

When they ask for longer statements like this, I'm guessing they want both the gradschool-ish "research proposal" section AND the more personal/casual part like the undergrad admission?? hmm

[tisch63]

Has anyone else who's applying to Chicago looked at the online application? They're saying that your personal statement should be no longer than 5000 words, although "the best candidate statements are often half that length." Still, 2500 words? That's far longer than any of the others I've seen.

Sorry, I just needed to grouse about this. I guess Chicago is the school that asks their undergraduate applicants to write all sorts of bizarre essays, so maybe it stands to reason.

You're lucky in a way- the NELC program at Chicago has a maximum of 1000 words. Question: how specific are you getting with your research plan (as in, are you giving lots of details or being more general to show there is room for professors to give insight?)...