Turning the Tables on Ted O'Neill: Chicago Admissions Dean Answers One of His Questions

Theodore A. O'Neill, the long-serving director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Chicago, is stepping down after many years at the helm of an office best known for the thoughtful — and vexing — essay questions it poses to applicants. At The Chronicle's invitation, Mr. O'Neill took a few minutes on Tuesday to answer a question on this year's application.

The Question: Chicago author Nelson Algren said, "A writer does well if in his whole life he can