The University of Chicago tells you that you can be creative (and even wacky) in their essays. Well, with this year's prompts I'm pretty sure that I have definitely hit those two marks. What I'm not sure is whether or not I have managed to create an essay that can also be taken seriously for admittance into their college (and also unsure whether or not I have made grammatical sense as well). There also is no word limit or even suggestion of length. This essay tops out a little over 500 words. Is this acceptable? I have heard of some kids making theirs a little longer, around 750-1000 words. Any thoughts/comments are deeply appreciated. Thanks!
So where is Waldo, really?
Where is Waldo, you ask? Well, to find Waldo, we must understand who, or more accurately what, Waldo is. Some may think of him as a simple fellow in a red-striped shirt just trying to get lost in society, but I think of Waldo differently. In fact, Waldo is hardly a singular word. It is a collective word, used for those among us who are ready to make a difference in the lives of others. Only when we truly understand who--or more accurately what--Waldos are, we can find where they exist.
First, the Waldos are the winners. It may be a simple game of chess or a national scholarship, but every winner can be a Waldo. Winners have put in the hard work and earned their place in the group. They give us something to look up to and be motivated by.
Next, we have the academics. Not just the folks who make a 2400 on their SAT or discover the cure for a terrible illness, but the ones that challenge themselves everyday to discover something new. They are sometimes underappreciated, but are the ones who build the foundation from which we all add on to.
The Waldo spectrum also encompasses the losers. We have to face the facts; not everyone wins, but everyone has the opportunity to try and try again, and achieve something great; eventually, they do win. The losers emanate a positive attitude that says "I will never give up", something we should all strive for.
The losers sometimes correlate closely with the next, and perhaps the biggest groups of Waldos, the determined. They stand for the students who won't stop until they have accomplished what they set out to do: for those in the community, like the exhausted field organizer for a political campaign, who is constantly saying a silent prayer that they meet their daily quotas. And for those in school, who stay up until four in the morning for their calculus exam, absolutely set on achieving the highest grade possible.
Finally, Waldos can be the others. It's for those who can't accurately be described by category, or who find themselves in multiple parts of the Waldo spectrum. Everyone knows a super human who not only wins but is determined, or a friend who is an astounding academic, yet always loses. "The others" also means those who don't fit into any category at all, but are ready to make a change in the world today.
Each of the different kinds of Waldos brings something to the table. Together they form a diverse and exciting community of thinkers and doers; and now that we know what a Waldo is, we can discover where they are. I believe it is possible that many Waldos of the world exist in one community. As you would only expect, it is a community of young students eager to learn and make a difference in their world. I have come to find that Waldos can be found at the University of Chicago.
For such an odd prompt, you nailed this pretty well. Yours is unique compared to the similar ones I've read...and the level of creativity is beyond what I would imagine if I were to write this essay. Sometimes, I feel as though you could simply state what a Waldo is in the beginning, but after reading the essay to the end, you come to a clear, effective conclusion. Overall, this is a fun, insightful essay that you've written and I'd give it a go.
P.S. I strongly recommend that you don't extend this essay for two reasons: one, admission officers get cranky when they have to read essays that are super long (700-1,000 words is too much for one sitting) and they eventually get bored (yours is the exception); two, every good essay has its appropriate length. (Don't believe that just because someone else wrote a longer essay than yours doesn't mean that he/she has a higher chance of getting in.)
Wow I really liked it!! I'm also picking this topic.
For what I've read on "Where's waldo" essays yours is unique, its different and I'd never imagine to write something like that, mine has a different point.
I think the length is perfect, and that you have strongly conclusion and that we can see some of your personality there.
Good luck!
Rosekareen
Thank you! Their essay prompts just kind of drove me crazy for months. I literally spent the whole application season pondering my application to the university. Disappointed in myself, I was actually about to make the decision not to apply because I obviously didn't have the creativity they were looking for, when this idea popped into my head about a week ago. Somehow, I managed to roll with it, and now I'm so glad I submitted an application. I sincerely appreciate your comments :)
your essay has a kind of effect that allows the reader to forget previous essays.
the essay is gold. i have been trying to understand this prompt for a while and you just made it clear..this frustrated me to the extent that i am having difficulty choosing between the arch nemesis and silence essay.
taking waldo has a concept is very brilliant and show you thought hard about it. i am sure you would get, don't worry.
Wow. this was really good! I like how you approached it from such a unique angle!
And sometimes people try to be creative and it comes off very cliche but you nailed this without being cliche. Congrats!
And GOOD LUCK :)
