find x essay prompt

UChicago Supplemental Essay Questions

The University of Chicago has long been renowned for our provocative essay questions. We think of them as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.

Each year we email newly admitted and current College students and ask them for essay topics. We receive several hundred responses, many of which are eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky.

As you can see from the attributions, the questions below were inspired by submissions from UChicago students and alumni.

2024-25 UChicago Supplement

Question 1 (required).

How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

Essay option 1.

We’re all familiar with green-eyed envy or feeling blue, but what about being “caught purple-handed”? Or “tickled orange”? Give an old color-infused expression a new hue and tell us what it represents. – Inspired by Ramsey Bottorff, Class of 2026

Essay Option 2

"Ah, but I was so much older then / I'm younger than that now” – Bob Dylan. In what ways do we become younger as we get older? – Inspired by Joshua Harris, Class of 2016

Essay Option 3

Pluto, the demoted planet. Ophiuchus, the thirteenth Zodiac. Andy Murray, the fourth to tennis's Big Three. Every grouping has something that doesn’t quite fit in. Tell us about a group and its unofficial member, why (or why not) should it be excluded? – Inspired by Veronica Chang, Class of 2022

Essay Option 4

"Daddy-o", "Far Out", "Gnarly": the list of slang terms goes on and on. Sadly, most of these aren’t so "fly" anymore – “as if!” Name an outdated slang from any decade or language that you'd bring back and explain why you totally “dig it.” – Inspired by Napat Sakdibhornssup, Class of 2028

Essay Option 5

How many piano tuners are there in Chicago? What is the total length of chalk used by UChicago professors in a year? How many pages of books are in the Regenstein Library? These questions are among a class of estimation problems named after University of Chicago physicist Enrico Fermi. Create your own Fermi estimation problem, give it your best answer, and show us how you got there. – Inspired by Malhar Manek, Class of 2028

Essay Option 6

And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun!

Some classic questions from previous years…

Exponents and square roots, pencils and erasers, beta decay and electron capture. Name two things that undo each other and explain why both are necessary. – Inspired by Emmett Cho, Class of 2027

“Where have all the flowers gone?” – Pete Seeger. Pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer. – Inspired by Ryan Murphy, AB’21

“Vlog,” “Labradoodle,” and “Fauxmage.” Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match). – Inspired by Garrett Chalfin, Class of 2027

Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History... a full list of unmodified majors ready for your editor’s eye is available here . —Inspired by Josh Kaufman, AB'18

You are on an expedition to found a colony on Mars, when from a nearby crater, a group of Martians suddenly emerges. They seem eager to communicate, but they're the impatient kind and demand you represent the human race in one song, image, memory, proof, or other idea. What do you share with them to show that humanity is worth their time? —Inspired by Alexander Hastings, Class of 2023, and Olivia Okun-Dubitsky, Class of 2026

Who does Sally sell her seashells to? How much wood can a woodchuck really chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Pick a favorite tongue twister (either originally in English or translated from another language) and consider a resolution to its conundrum using the method of your choice. Math, philosophy, linguistics... it's all up to you (or your woodchuck). —Inspired by Blessing Nnate, Class of 2024

What can actually be divided by zero? —Inspired by Mai Vu, Class of 2024

The seven liberal arts in antiquity consisted of the Quadrivium — astronomy, mathematics, geometry, and music — and the Trivium — rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Describe your own take on the Quadrivium or the Trivium. What do you think is essential for everyone to know? —Inspired by Peter Wang, Class of 2022

Subway maps, evolutionary trees, Lewis diagrams. Each of these schematics tells the relationships and stories of their component parts. Reimagine a map, diagram, or chart. If your work is largely or exclusively visual, please include a cartographer's key of at least 300 words to help us best understand your creation. —Inspired by Maximilian Site, Class of 2020

"Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" - Eleanor Roosevelt. Misattribute a famous quote and explore the implications of doing so. —Inspired by Chris Davey, AB’13

Engineer George de Mestral got frustrated with burrs stuck to his dog’s fur and applied the same mechanic to create Velcro. Scientist Percy Lebaron Spencer found a melted chocolate bar in his magnetron lab and discovered microwave cooking. Dye-works owner Jean Baptiste Jolly found his tablecloth clean after a kerosene lamp was knocked over on it, consequently shaping the future of dry cleaning. Describe a creative or interesting solution, and then find the problem that it solves. —Inspired by Steve Berkowitz, AB’19, and Neeharika Venuturupalli, Class of 2024

Joan of Arkansas. Queen Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Babe Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Mash up a historical figure with a new time period, environment, location, or occupation, and tell us their story. —Inspired by Drew Donaldson, AB’16

Alice falls down the rabbit hole. Milo drives through the tollbooth. Dorothy is swept up in the tornado. Neo takes the red pill. Don’t tell us about another world you’ve imagined, heard about, or created. Rather, tell us about its portal. Sure, some people think of the University of Chicago as a portal to their future, but please choose another portal to write about. —Inspired by Raphael Hallerman, Class of 2020

What’s so odd about odd numbers? —Inspired by Mario Rosasco, AB’09

Vestigiality refers to genetically determined structures or attributes that have apparently lost most or all of their ancestral function, but have been retained during the process of evolution. In humans, for instance, the appendix is thought to be a vestigial structure. Describe something vestigial (real or imagined) and provide an explanation for its existence. —Inspired by Tiffany Kim, Class of 2020

In French, there is no difference between “conscience” and “consciousness.” In Japanese, there is a word that specifically refers to the splittable wooden chopsticks you get at restaurants. The German word “fremdschämen” encapsulates the feeling you get when you’re embarrassed on behalf of someone else. All of these require explanation in order to properly communicate their meaning, and are, to varying degrees, untranslatable. Choose a word, tell us what it means, and then explain why it cannot (or should not) be translated from its original language. —Inspired by Emily Driscoll, Class of 2018

Little pigs, French hens, a family of bears. Blind mice, musketeers, the Fates. Parts of an atom, laws of thought, a guideline for composition. Omne trium perfectum? Create your own group of threes, and describe why and how they fit together. —Inspired by Zilin Cui, Class of 2018

The mantis shrimp can perceive both polarized light and multispectral images; they have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. Human eyes have color receptors for three colors (red, green, and blue); the mantis shrimp has receptors for sixteen types of color, enabling them to see a spectrum far beyond the capacity of the human brain. Seriously, how cool is the mantis shrimp: mantisshrimp.uchicago.edu What might they be able to see that we cannot? What are we missing? —Inspired by Tess Moran, AB’16

How are apples and oranges supposed to be compared? Possible answers involve, but are not limited to, statistics, chemistry, physics, linguistics, and philosophy. —Inspired by Florence Chan, AB’15

The ball is in your court—a penny for your thoughts, but say it, don’t spray it. So long as you don’t bite off more than you can chew, beat around the bush, or cut corners, writing this essay should be a piece of cake. Create your own idiom, and tell us its origin—you know, the whole nine yards. PS: A picture is worth a thousand words. —Inspired by April Bell, AB'17, and Maya Shaked, Class of 2018 (It takes two to tango.)

“A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.” –Oscar Wilde. Othello and Iago. Dorothy and the Wicked Witch. Autobots and Decepticons. History and art are full of heroes and their enemies. Tell us about the relationship between you and your arch-nemesis (either real or imagined). —Inspired by Martin Krzywy, AB’16

Heisenberg claims that you cannot know both the position and momentum of an electron with total certainty. Choose two other concepts that cannot be known simultaneously and discuss the implications. (Do not consider yourself limited to the field of physics). —Inspired by Doran Bennett, AB’07

Susan Sontag, AB’51, wrote that “[s]ilence remains, inescapably, a form of speech.” Write about an issue or a situation when you remained silent, and explain how silence may speak in ways that you did or did not intend. The Aesthetics of Silence, 1967. —Anonymous Suggestion

“…I [was] eager to escape backward again, to be off to invent a past for the present.” —The Rose Rabbi by Daniel Stern Present: pres·ent 1. Something that is offered, presented, or given as a gift. Let’s stick with this definition. Unusual presents, accidental presents, metaphorical presents, re-gifted presents, etc.—pick any present you have ever received and invent a past for it. —Inspired by Jennifer Qin, AB’16

So where is Waldo, really? —Inspired by Robin Ye, AB’16

Find x. —Inspired by Benjamin Nuzzo, an admitted student from Eton College, UK

Dog and Cat. Coffee and Tea. Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye. Everyone knows there are two types of people in the world. What are they? —Inspired by an anonymous alumna, AB'06

How did you get caught? (Or not caught, as the case may be.) —Inspired by Kelly Kennedy, AB’10

Chicago author Nelson Algren said, “A writer does well if in his whole life he can tell the story of one street.” Chicagoans, but not just Chicagoans, have always found something instructive, and pleasing, and profound in the stories of their block, of Main Street, of Highway 61, of a farm lane, of the Celestial Highway. Tell us the story of a street, path, road—real or imagined or metaphorical. —Anonymous Suggestion

UChicago professor W. J. T. Mitchell entitled his 2005 book What Do Pictures Want? Describe a picture, and explore what it wants. —Inspired by Anna Andel

“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.“—Miles Davis (1926–91) —Inspired by Jack Reeves

University of Chicago alumna and renowned author/critic Susan Sontag said, “The only interesting answers are those that destroy the questions.” We all have heard serious questions, absurd questions, and seriously absurd questions, some of which cannot be answered without obliterating the very question. Destroy a question with your answer. —Inspired by Aleksandra Ciric

“Mind that does not stick.” —Zen Master Shoitsu (1202–80)

Superstring theory has revolutionized speculation about the physical world by suggesting that strings play a pivotal role in the universe. Strings, however, always have explained or enriched our lives, from Theseus’s escape route from the Labyrinth, to kittens playing with balls of yarn, to the single hair that held the sword above Damocles, to the Old Norse tradition that one’s life is a thread woven into a tapestry of fate, to the beautiful sounds of the finely tuned string of a violin, to the children’s game of cat’s cradle, to the concept of stringing someone along. Use the power of string to explain the biggest or the smallest phenomenon. —Inspired by Adam Sobolweski

Have you ever walked through the aisles of a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club and wondered who would buy a jar of mustard a foot and a half tall? We’ve bought it, but it didn’t stop us from wondering about other things, like absurd eating contests, impulse buys, excess, unimagined uses for mustard, storage, preservatives, notions of bigness…and dozens of other ideas both silly and serious. Write an essay somehow inspired by super-huge mustard. —Inspired by Katherine Gold

People often think of language as a connector, something that brings people together by helping them share experiences, feelings, ideas, etc. We, however, are interested in how language sets people apart. Start with the peculiarities of your own personal language—the voice you use when speaking most intimately to yourself, the vocabulary that spills out when you’re startled, or special phrases and gestures that no one else seems to use or even understand—and tell us how your language makes you unique. You may want to think about subtle riffs or idiosyncrasies based on cadence, rhythm, rhyme, or (mis)pronunciation. —Inspired by Kimberly Traube

In 2015, the city of Melbourne, Australia created a "tree-mail" service, in which all of the trees in the city received an email address so that residents could report any tree-related issues. As an unexpected result, people began to email their favorite trees sweet and occasionally humorous letters. Imagine this has been expanded to any object (tree or otherwise) in the world, and share with us the letter you’d send to your favorite. -Inspired by Hannah Lu, Class of 2020

You’re on a voyage in the thirteenth century, sailing across the tempestuous seas. What if, suddenly, you fell off the edge of the Earth? -Inspired by Chandani Latey, AB'93

The word floccinaucinihilipilification is the act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant or of having no value. It originated in the mid-18th century from the Latin words "floccus," "naucum," "nihilum," and "pilus"—all words meaning “of little use.” Coin your own word using parts from any language you choose, tell us its meaning, and describe the plausible (if only to you) scenarios in which it would be most appropriately used. -Inspired by Ben Zhang, Class of 2022

Lost your keys? Alohomora. Noisy roommate? Quietus. Feel the need to shatter windows for some reason? Finestra. Create your own spell, charm, jinx, or other means for magical mayhem. How is it enacted? Is there an incantation? Does it involve a potion or other magical object? If so, what's in it or what is it? What does it do? -Inspired by Emma Sorkin, Class of 2021

Imagine you’ve struck a deal with the Dean of Admissions himself, Dean Nondorf. It goes as follows: you’re guaranteed admission to the University of Chicago regardless of any circumstances that arise. This bond is grounded on the condition that you’ll obtain a blank, 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, and draw, write, sketch, shade, stencil, paint etc., anything and everything you want on it; your only limitations will be the boundaries of both sides on the single page. Now the catch… your submission, for the rest of your life, will always be the first thing anyone you meet for the first time will see. Whether it’s at a job interview, a blind date, arrival at your first Humanities class, before you even say, “hey,” they’ll already have seen your page, and formulated that first impression. Show us your page. What’s on it, and why? If your piece is largely or exclusively visual, please make sure to share a creator's accompanying statement of at least 300 words, which we will happily allow to be on its own, separate page. PS: This is a creative thought experiment, and selecting this essay prompt does not guarantee your admission to UChicago. -Inspired by Amandeep Singh Ahluwalia, Class of 2022

Cats have nine lives, Pac-Man has three lives, and radioactive isotopes have half-lives. How many lives does something else—conceptual or actual—have, and why? -Inspired by Kendrick Shin, Class of 2019

If there’s a limited amount of matter in the universe, how can Olive Garden (along with other restaurants and their concepts of food infinity) offer truly unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks? Explain this using any method of analysis you wish—physics, biology, economics, history, theology… the options, as you can tell, are endless. -Inspired by Yoonseo Lee, Class of 2023

A hot dog might be a sandwich, and cereal might be a soup, but is a ______ a ______? -Inspired by Arya Muralidharan, Class of 2021 (and dozens of others who, this year and in past years, have submitted the question “Is a hot dog a sandwich,” to which we reply, “maybe”)

“Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures.” – Jessamyn West -Inspired by Elizabeth Mansfield, Class of 2020

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One of the University of Chicago's college essay prompts has really interested me lately. Not only because I am going to apply in the coming months but also because it is just so intriguing. The prompt is very simple. "Find X" or "Define X". Obviously, this is the University of Chicago's way of finding out how creative their applicants are. Rather than give a traditional essay prompt, they gave this thing. There are a lot of different ways to go about answering this question. I figured this question would be something fun to discuss. Find X.

It's all coming back to me now

I know someone who actually drew a Pythagorean theorem problem like that for the prompt. Also, I'm pretty sure they have other prompts to do. You know, in case creativity isn't your thing.

I Like Chopin

"So you're not accepting autists this year?"

before x comes w, after x comes y, then z

give a history of the letters w, x, y and z and their roots and you got yourself an essay

X. I found it.

THE_IRON_...KENYAN?

Banned deucer..

y dont you go fuck yourself masterful

cookie said: before x comes w, after x comes y, then z Click to expand...

Rather than be a smartass about it I'd probably look into the symbolism of the letter X, research its effects across history, and write a detailed analysis about it. Or if I didn't think I'd get accepted I'd nerd out about X-men :P

Are they asking for a mathematical pronumeral 'x' and its history, or the damn letter. 'x' and 'squiggly x'

their essay questions are confusing. i mean if you give a response thats a picture of a triangle with a hypotenuse circled what does that really tell them about you? maybe you have a sense of humor and don't have a stick up your ass. but maybe it means you have a rebellious streak that will make you hard to work with in a team/classroom setting. what about a response that nerds out about the history of the letter x? it could mean you're really intellectually curious, or it could mean you're completely socially inept and cannot read between the lines in communication. i guess they want to get a "feel" for you with the essay but they also want to get you out of your comfort zone and away from pre-polished/bullshitted prompts. based on that, my recommendation would be to answer it in a way that you feel shows off the aspect of you that is most appealing to a college (obvious, no?). it's pretty hilarious to tell your friends "hahahaha check out this picture i drew for my uchicago essay" but i wouldn't take that risk because i don't know what the admissions officer will think when they see my badassery on their computer. these are just my thoughts on the matter; obviously not canon and should be taken with a grain of salt. but i do go to the school :) anyways i know that wasn't the point of the thread, so... i'd probably write something about all the different ways to interpret "find x", more of a metadiscussion of the question rather than actually answering the question. that's just because i feel like i wouldn't be able to actually write a page on actually "finding x" without sounding like a boring history paper. maybe discuss how the varying ways to interpret the statement show that there is lots of "knowledge" in the world that has yet to be discovered. or something about intellectual curiosity and "finding the next x". that's actually similar to the prompt i chose when i applied (unfortunately i can't find the exact prompt; this is the third time i've wanted to see what i wrote after i submitted the app). so what's your interpretation of the question? and why are you looking at applications so early o_ o

X-scissor is a bug type move with 80 base power and 15 PP. It has a higher critical hit ratio than most attacks. X-men are homosexuals if homosexuals had amazing superpowers. X marks the spot. X is a letter of the alphabet. X is commonly used in math.

bearsfan092

I actually wrote this essay. In about 1.5 MS word pages double spaced, I wrote how I couldn't find x without a context. It was an odd bit of writing as it was written in an academic style, yet incorporated (shitty) bits of humor. The main thing I can remember is that "without an alphabet, (something), or treasure map, I am incapable of finding x." I was accepted, but they offered me literally nothing in financial aid, and I'll be damned if I pay 60000 a year.

THE_IRON_KENYAN said: y dont you go fuck yourself masterful Click to expand...

supermarth64

Here i stand in the light of day.

Several of my friends this year applied to UChicago and a few got in. I would never actually go because it is "where fun goes to die." Anyway, if I were to have applied, I probably would've wrote something about Pokemon and what it takes to win, something with the combination of a team + luck + a few more items + X and the conquest to find X (which is probably the community but w/e). Never actually applied though so it's all moot.

Alan said: b cause that is quite a task. but i can c where you are c um ing from. Click to expand...

i would probably weave a tale about Letterbeard The Pirate or some such drivel and how he goes for buried treasure and only ends up finding a stupid letter

whistle said: their essay questions are confusing. i mean if you give a response thats a picture of a triangle with a hypotenuse circled what does that really tell them about you? maybe you have a sense of humor and don't have a stick up your ass. but maybe it means you have a rebellious streak that will make you hard to work with in a team/classroom setting. Click to expand...

Da Letter El

Officially internet famous.

I'd write a story about star wars and how luke's lightsaber / crosses with darth vader's \ Or do something else imagery based, since i'd find that the most fun way to approach the prompt.

I would write a whole essay on a random topic, and then at the end state: "there is one letter x in this essay. Find it. The answer is on the next following page." The x, of course, is in the last sentence.

i got an x for you right here actually it's not an x, it's my penis

Mysterious Trainer

Just tell them insufficient data was given.

Obsessed said: X-scissor is a bug type move with 80 base power and 15 PP. It has a higher critical hit ratio than most attacks. X-men are homosexuals if homosexuals had amazing superpowers. X marks the spot. X is a letter of the alphabet. X is commonly used in math. Click to expand...

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

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Posts:

"to find x as the lost function" Elusive - University of Chicago - Find x.

divvya23 3 / 7 Dec 29, 2010 #2 hey really liked ur paragraph about X s symmetry.. thats innovative and nice :) If u have the time pls have a look at my essays too

map18 1 / 6 Dec 29, 2010 #3 Hey I wrote this essay too! I think you took a very creative approach to this prompt. Your last paragraph would be stronger if you got rid of a few of the questions. You need to tell the reader what's what. By adding so many questions your giving the reader a chance to disagree with you. You could modify a few of them by saying "The question we're left with is..." or something similar. I like how it seems as if you are talking to the reader. Overall it's a great essay. If you could look at my syracuse essay that would be awesome. The prompt isn't as difficult as this one is, but it is awkwardly phrased.

/ /

With the release of universities 2022-23 supplemental essay prompts, we take you through some of the most unusual and bizarre US college supplemental essay prompts of all time, featuring universities such as UChicago, Tufts University and UPenn.

To get into a top US college , you’re going to need more than stellar grades, test scores, common application and extracurricular achievements. You’ll have to demonstrate, in your supplemental essays, that you are the kind of mature, driven, interesting person that would thrive at the particular university. This is much easier said than done — standing out from the crowd with a unique college essay can be very difficult.

Luckily, over the years some colleges have given their applicants a helping hand on this point by providing some really bizarre essay prompts. These warrant truly inventive responses, and let applicants really show off their writing prowess, creativity, and individuality.

Here’s out our list of some of the most creative, unusual and bizarre supplemental essay prompts from all time. How would you have responded to these questions? Check it out below!

Bizzare Supplemental Essay Prompts in 2022

We thought that it would be a good idea to include some of the more creative supplemental essay prompts from this year’s admission cycle (2022-23). We hope that this gets the creative juices flowing and helps you get a good early start to the essays!

University of Chicago

What advice would a wisdom tooth have?

Chapman University

Name one dish you would cook for the school’s admission team.

Pomono College

Marvel or DC? Pepsi or Coke? Instagram or TikTok? What’s your favorite ‘this or that’ and which side do you choose?

University of Vermont

Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you?

In approaching these essays, it's essential to keep in mind why they are important and how they add context to your application. Admissions officers at top universities look for candidates that display creativity, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, and a unique perspective.

Interested in learning more? Attend one of our free events

Former harvard and stanford admissions officers walk through the evaluation process step-by-step.

Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:00 AM CUT

Learn exactly how Harvard and Stanford evaluate applications using their school-specific, point-based rating systems, directly from the experts!

Unusual Supplemental Essay Prompts From Previous Years

When it comes to asking creative and wacky essay prompts, the University of Chicago is the leader. To come up with the best and most creative prompts, the college takes suggestions and inspiration from their own students, who are allowed to email their ideas annually. If you look on the UChicago website you can even see who submitted each essay prompt.

UChicago also allows you to answer a past prompt making these options for you to choose.

Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History…

This prompt was an excellent opportunity for students to show their creativity and humour, as well as their academic interests. The best ideas that we could find online were probably Visual Arms (Visual Arts) and Pig Problems (Big Problems).

Have you ever walked through the aisles of a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club and wondered who would buy a jar of mustard a foot and a half tall? We’ve bought it, but it didn’t stop us from wondering about other things, like absurd eating contests, impulse buys, excess, unimagined uses for mustard, storage, preservatives, notions of bigness…and dozens of other ideas both silly and serious. Write an essay somehow inspired by super-huge mustard.

Have you ever written an essay about a giant jar of mustard? In 2004 UChicago applicants had their chance, and while there are absurd elements to the prompt, there are many creative and serious directions essays took.

The elusive goal of mathematics, but with no context. What is “x”, and how did prospective UChicago students find it? We’re sure the students brought in a novel discussion of a diverse array of mathematical theory, as well as philosophical and personal matters.

Elvis is alive! OK, maybe not, but here in the Office of College Admissions we are persuaded that current Elvis sightings in highway rest areas, grocery stores and Laundromats are part of a wider conspiracy involving five of the following: the metric system, the Mall of America, the crash of the Hindenburg, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, lint, J.D. Salinger and wax fruit. Help us get to the bottom of this evil plot by constructing your own theory of how and why five of these items and events are related. Your narrative may take any form you like, but try to keep your theory to under two pages.

If there were any conspiracy theorists applying to UChicago in 1999-2000, they would certainly have been in luck with this prompt. Who would have been the mastermind behind your evil plot?

Tufts University

If UChicago is the champ of creative college essay prompts, Tufts might be considered a close second. Check out their unique prompts below.

Kermit the Frog famously lamented, 'It's not easy being green.' Do you agree?

This prompt is inspired by a Muppets song, whereby Kermit laments how green seems to blend in with so many other ordinary things and how he thus fails to stand out from the crowd. Of course, many students in their essays took this quote in a totally different direction, demonstrating their critical thinking and creativity.

The ancient Romans started it when they coined the phrase “Carpe diem.” Jonathan Larson proclaimed “No day but today!” and most recently, Drake explained You Only Live Once (YOLO). Have you ever seized the day? Lived like there was no tomorrow? Or perhaps you plan to shout YOLO while jumping into something in the future. What does #YOLO mean to you?

Back when this prompt was released, Tufts’ #YOLO question caused quite a stir. Lee Coffin, the dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Tufts admitted that the question was inspired by his affinity for pop music and his desire for applicants to have some fun when they introduce themselves to Tufts.

It’s been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can cause a typhoon halfway around the world. History is filled with such linchpins – small events or decisions that have huge effects on the future. Make your own change somewhere in history and show us the effects on the world.

This is one for fans of alternative history, perhaps invoking visions of a distorted universe where life as we know it has taken a turn for the better or worse. Again, a challenge for applicants would have been how to say something about themselves and their interests in a creative way.

University of Southern California

(Short Answer) Hashtag to describe yourself

It is common for college essay prompts to have a few short answer questions to get to know the student. For a few years starting in 2017 USC adopted a unique question, making students describe themselves with a #hashtag as they would on twitter or instagram. But what a difficult task that is - how would you describe yourself with a single hashtag?

Wake Forest University

Give us your top ten list.

Many Buzzfeed enthusiasts applying to Wake Forest in 2017-18 would have enjoyed the opportunity to make a top-ten list about anything of their choosing. What topic would you have written about, and what does this say about you?

UC Berkeley

If any of these three inanimate objects could talk, how would your room, computer or car describe you?

Imagine all of the time you’ve spent in your room, at your computer or behind the wheel; these objects might be the only things in the world that know your real identity. This question would have certainly prompted some deep reflection from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business applicants.

University of Notre Dame

You have 150 words. Take a risk.

Students could have taken this anywhere - so long as what they wrote was risky. There are even reports that some students took the ultimate risk and wrote nothing at all.

University of Pennsylvania

You have just finished your 300-page autobiography. Please submit page 217.

This is an iconic prompt that UPenn asked for about 20 years. It encourages students to consider their story, and to use this to introduce themselves to UPenn. For added realism, many students liked to start their responses in the middle of a sentence.

So, How Do I Write the Essay?

Since more than three quarters of US universities no longer require students to take standardized tests, college essays are becoming increasingly important in your application.

The key piece of advice we give to our students is to start on these essays early. If you are applying to several universities, you will have many different supplemental essays to complete, as well as the common application essay . Many of our students attest that writing all of their essays is by far the most stressful part of the application, and a part of the application that is easy to neglect.

Our other key piece of advice is to make the content of each supplemental essay very specific to the university you are applying to. You need to do your research about what each university looks for in a candidate and show a clear desire to attend that particular university.

As the world’s leading university admissions support company, we at Crimson know how to approach each supplemental essay and maximise your chances of gaining admission to a top university.

If you want to feel confident when submitting your college application essay, get your essay reviewed by us at Crimson. Our experts have assisted students who have gained admission to Harvard , Yale , Princeton , Stanford , Oxford , Cambridge and many other top universities!

What Makes Crimson Different

Everything you need to know about the supplemental essays.

Big Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement: What You Need to Know

10 Great Common App Essay Examples From Accepted Students

CollegeVine's essay prompt database

Find your college’s application essay prompts for 2023-24

Latest essay prompts for the top 100 schools.

At CollegeVine, our goal is to make the college application process a little less stressful, so we’ve compiled the latest essay prompts for the top 100 schools in one easy, searchable database.

Also, every year we create free guides on “ How to Write X School’s Essays ” for the top 100 schools. In these guides, we give you tips and tricks on how to approach each prompt. As such, our prompt database also contains a link to each school's Essay Breakdown.

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University of Chicago

Find x anonymous, it is a creative response to the famous "find x" question from uchicago. it is written from the point of view of x which is trying to figure out it's identity in different ways..

I’m the heart of a million questions in your math textbook. Universally cursed, universally appreciated. I’m immensely thankful to have the privilege of enjoying a timeless celebrity status -the king of the Hollywood of mathematics. Don’t roll your eyes or cringe. I’m not a black and white outdated guy. I have made it to Hollywood several times - for instance, Captain Jack Sparrow’s map. SpaceX , IphoneX, and countless big brands have embraced me, placing me at the forefront of technology.

I’m not pretentious, self exaggerating. I’m honest and open to my insecurities and vulnerabilities. I face an existential crisis. I’m notoriously famous for being something that is not there. The problem was easy if I could just be a vacuum. But no, I’m 2 or 3 or 0.6666 or maybe even 3.141 depending on the circumstances. I don’t change my colors. It’s just that I don’t have a true color. Who am I? Why do you want to find me? And even if you’ve found me, have you?

As if the invisible cloak on me wasn’t enough, I even have the power to cast an invisibility charm on the numbers on your report card if I appear- clothed in red, on your answer sheet. Although I know you do hate me for this, try not to. I’m the symbolic equivalent for “NO” and...

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College Essay Prompts: Complete List, Analysis, and Advice

College Admissions , College Essays

When talking about college essays, we tend to focus on the Common Application prompts , and it's true that many students will need to write a Common App essay. However, there are actually quite a few schools, including both public and private universities, that don't use the Common App and instead ask applicants to respond to their own college essay prompts.

Luckily, college essay prompts tend to be pretty similar to each other. In this guide, I'll list all the college essay questions for popular schools in the US (and a few abroad) and then break down the patterns to help you brainstorm topics and plan how to approach multiple essays efficiently. After reading this guide, you'll be able to strategize which essays you'll write for which colleges.

Feature image: Mayr /Flickr

Why Do Colleges Ask For an Essay?

The short answer: the essay gives admissions committees a sense of your personality beyond the statistics on the rest of your application. The essay is your chance to show the committee your unique perspective and impress them with your maturity and insight.

College application essay prompts are written with this goal in mind. Admissions officers want to give you the chance to share your interests, aspirations, and views on the world, so most prompts ask about how your experiences have shaped you or what you're excited about studying or doing in college. I've collected a ton of examples below and provided some analysis to help you begin planning and crafting your own essays.

Keep in mind that the personal statement alone won't be enough to get you in— your grades and test scores are still the most important factors in your application . That being said, a stellar essay can help bring a borderline applicant over the top or give an excellent but not extraordinary student the opportunity to stand out in a competitive applicant pool.

As such, the essay tends to matter most for very competitive schools. Non-competitive schools generally don't ask you to submit an essay.

Complete List of College Essay Prompts

This list collects the 2022 college essay prompts for major state universities, top-50 schools, and other popular schools which have their own unique questions. They're divided by region, with all optional essays listed at the end.

I left off the Common App supplements, as those often require a substantially different approach. I also stuck to four-year schools, meaning I didn't include special two-year programs, such as Deep Springs College or Miami Dade College's Honors Program (both of which require essays).

Finally, note that these prompts are for freshman applicants, so the requirements might be different for transfer students .

General Applications

There are three general applications you can use to apply to many different schools at once:

Common Application

Universal college application, coalition application.

Each application has its own personal statement requirement. Some schools will ask for additional supplemental essays.

Many more schools accept the Common App than they do the UCA or Coalition Application , though some will accept more than one of these applications.

For the Common App essay, you pick one of the prompts and write 250-650 words about it. Here are the prompts for the 2022-2023 school year:

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma—anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

The UCA essay prompt is completely open ended and has a 650-word limit. Here is the 2022-2023 prompt:

Please write an essay that demonstrates your ability to develop and communicate your thoughts. Some ideas include: a person you admire; a life-changing experience; or your viewpoint on a particular current event.

For the Coalition Application, you'll pick one of five prompts listed below. While there is no hard word limit, the range guidelines are 500-650 words. Here are the prompts for 2022-2023:

What interests or excites you? How does it shape who you are now or who you might become in the future?

Describe a time when you had a positive impact on others. What were the challenges? What were the rewards?

Has there been a time when an idea or belief of yours was questioned? How did you respond? What did you learn?

What success have you achieved or obstacle have you faced? What advice would you give a sibling or friend going through a similar experience?

Now that you know the essay requirements for the three general applications, let’s look at the application essays for specific schools . To keep things organized, we’ve grouped schools based on the region of the US in which they’re located.

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic

The Great Dome at MIT

Georgetown University

Georgetown asks applicants to write one short essay (about half a single-spaced page) and two longer essays (approximately one single-spaced page each). Each applicant must respond to the first two prompts and can choose among the other four based on the specific program she's interested in.

Short Essay: Briefly (approximately one-half page, single-spaced) discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.

All Applicants: As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.

Applicants to Georgetown College: What does it mean to you to be educated? How might Georgetown College help you achieve this aim? (Applicants to the Sciences and Mathematics or the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics should address their chosen course of study).

Applicants to the School of Nursing & Health Studies: Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. Please specifically address your intended major (Global Health, Health Care Management & Policy, Human Science, or Nursing).

Applicants to the Walsh School of Foreign Service: The Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders to solve global problems. What is motivating you to dedicate your undergraduate studies to a future in service to the world?

Applicants to the McDonough School of Business: The McDonough School of Business is a national and global leader in providing graduates with essential ethical, analytical, financial and global perspectives. Please discuss your motivations for studying business at Georgetown.

For more Georgetown application tips, check out our articles on the Georgetown essays and how to get into Georgetown .

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT doesn't ask for a single personal statement but rather asks applicants to respond to a series of questions with just a paragraph or two of about 200 words each .

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.

Describe the world you come from (for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town). How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?

MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds and experiences together to better the lives of others. Our students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way you have collaborated with people who are different from you to contribute to your community.

Tell us about a significant challenge you've faced (that you feel comfortable sharing) or something that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?

For more details on how to get into MIT , read our other articles on the MIT application process , tips for MIT essays , and an example of a real MIT acceptance letter !

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Indiana University Bloomington

IU asks for 200-400 words on your plans and interests.

Describe your academic and career plans and any special interest (for example, undergraduate research, academic interests, leadership opportunities, etc.) that you are eager to pursue as an undergraduate at Indiana University. If you encountered any unusual circumstances, challenges, or obstacles in pursuit of your education, share those experiences and how you overcame them. Please note that this essay may be used in scholarship consideration.

University of Illinois

The University of Illinois asks for two essays (or three only if you selected a second-choice major other than what's noted on your application). All responses should be approximately 150 words.

You'll answer two to three prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program, and if you've selected a second choice. Each response should be approximately 150 words. If You're Applying to a Major: 1. Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you’ve taken, or through something else. 2. Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them. If You're Applying to Our Undeclared Program in the Division of General Studies: 1. What are your academic interests and strengths? You may also include any majors you are considering. 2. What are your future academic or career goals? If You've Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared): Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals.

If you're applying to UIUC, check out our UIUC essay tips article as well!

University of Wisconsin–Madison

All applicants must complete two essays for UW–Madison. The essays should be 250-650 words in length and may be used for scholarship and campus program review.

If you apply through the Common Application, you’ll be asked to reply to one of the freshman Common Application essays in lieu of the first essay prompt below, but you’ll be required to respond to the second prompt below.

If you apply through the UW System Application, the following two essays are required:

This part is all about you. Tell us about something you've done — academically or personally — and what you've learned from it. Was it a success or a challenge? Did it represent a turning point in your life? How did this particular moment in your life influence you, and how will it continue to influence you as you pursue your college education?

Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided please describe your areas of possible academic interest.

Want to write the perfect college application essay? We can help. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will help you craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay to proudly submit to colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

Kyle Field at Texas A&M ( Ed Schipul /Flickr)

The ApplyTexas application is used by all Texas public universities and some private colleges. There are four ApplyTexas essay prompts. Which ones you need to respond to will depend on where you're applying. UT Austin, for example, requires applicants to submit at least one essay responding to Topic A on the ApplyTexas application. .

While there's no set word limit, the online application will cut off each essay at 120 lines (~1000 words).

Topic A: Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Topic B: Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.

Topic C: You've got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

Topic D: Please Note: The essay in this section is specific to certain college majors and is not required by all colleges/universities that accept the Apply Texas Application. If you are not applying for a major in Architecture, Art, Art History, Design, Studio Art, Visual Art Studies/Art Education , you are not required to write this essay.

Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study (architecture, art history, design, studio art, visual art studies/art education), describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space effected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?

We go into all the ApplyTexas prompts in detail here !

University of Georgia

For UGA, applicants must write two essays, one 200-300 words and one 250-650 words . Both essays are required for all applicants. The longer personal essay uses the Common Application prompts for 2023 ; the prompt for the shorter essay is as follows:

The c ollege admissions process can create anxiety. In an attempt to make it less stressful, please tell us an interesting or amusing story about yourself from your high school years that you have not already shared in your application.

For a more detailed discussion of the UGA essays, read this article .

The Campanile at UC Berkeley

University of California

Students applying to the UC system must respond to four out of eight short personal insight questions. The maximum word count for each response is 350 words.

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.
Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

Learn more about the UC essays , the UC application , and how to choose which UC schools to apply to with our complete guides .

University of Oregon

Applicants to the University of Oregon are required to submit one essay of 650 words or fewer. You also have the option to write a second essay (maximum of 500 words), but it’s not required.

The essay prompts are as follows:

The UO is interested in learning more about you. Write an essay of 650 words or less that shares information that we cannot find elsewhere on your application. Any topic you choose is welcome. Some ideas you might consider include your future ambitions and goals, a special talent, extracurricular activity, or unusual interest that sets you apart from your peers, or a significant experience that influenced your life. If you are applying to the UO's Robert D. Clark Honors College, feel free to resubmit your honors college application essay.

Optional second essay: As you've looked into what it will be like to attend Oregon, you've hopefully learned what makes Ducks Ducks. No two are alike, though, so tell us what makes you you, and how that connects to our campus community. We are interested in your thoughts and experiences recognizing difference and supporting equity and inclusion, and choosing one of these two options will guide you in sharing those thoughts. You can learn more about equity and inclusion at Oregon by visiting the Equity and Inclusion website . Maximum statement length is 500 words. This statement is not required.

University of Washington

In addition to its specific prompts, the University of Washington gives specific advice about what its admissions officers consider to be good writing before the prompts:

"At the UW, we consider the college essay as our opportunity to see the person behind the transcripts and the numbers. Some of the best statements are written as personal stories. In general, concise, straightforward writing is best, and good essays are often 300-400 words in length.

Essay Prompt (Required): Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped shape it. Maximum length: 650 words.

Short Response (Required): Our families and our communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW. Maximum length: 300 words

You can also find more tips on the University of Washington essays in this blog article .

International

Generally speaking, international schools are less likely to ask for an essay, since admission tends to be heavily focused on grades and test results. However, a few popular international schools do ask for a personal statement as part of their application.

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UK Schools)

UCAS is a general application for UK schools (similar to the Common App in the US). There's no specific prompt for the personal statement—instead, applicants are required to write an essay describing what they want to study, why they want to study it, and what they bring to the table. There is a 4,000-character/47-line limit.

University of British Columbia

UBC asks applicants to fill out a personal profile consisting of five to seven short-answer questions that vary depending on the program you're applying to. Answers should be 50-200 words.

Depending on which degree program you apply to, you’ll be asked to answer some or all of the following questions on the UBC application:

Tell us about who you are. How would your family, friends, and/or members of your community describe you? If possible, please include something about yourself that you are most proud of and why.
What is important to you? And why?
Family/community responsibilities
Creative or performing arts
Work/employment
Service to others
Tell us more about one or two activities listed above that are most important to you. Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response.
Additional information: You may wish to use the space below to provide UBC with more information on your academic history to date and/or your future academic plans. For example: How did you choose your courses in secondary school? Are there life circumstances that have affected your academic decisions to date? What have you done to prepare yourself specifically for your intended area of study at UBC?
Please submit the names of two referees who know you well and can comment on your preparedness for study at UBC. Examples of referees include an employer, a community member, a coach, a teacher/instructor, or anyone who knows you well. One of the referees you select must be able to speak to one of the activities/experiences described in one of your long-answer responses above. For applicants who are currently attending a high school, one of your referees must be a school official (e.g., Grade 12 or senior year counsellor, teacher, or IB coordinator). Neither referee should be a friend, family member, or paid agent.

Some programs of study may ask applicants to respond to the questions above and some additional, program-specific questions when completing the personal profile.

University of Cambridge

Optional Essays

Some schools don't require an essay from all applicants but do recommend or require an essay for certain programs. I've listed a selection of those prompts below.

Arizona State University

Students applying to the Barrett Honors College at ASU must submit one essay of 300 to 500 words in response to one of the following prompts (your response may be critical or creative):

Prompt 1 Discuss how a specific piece of art (painting, literature, photograph, etc.) or popular culture (song, comic book, etc.) helped you realize something new about yourself or the world. What was that realization, and how did the piece of art or pop culture bring about this change in your thinking? Do not simply describe the piece of art or pop culture; instead, focus on its effect on you and how it makes you a good fit for the Barrett Honors College experience. Prompt 2 Tell us about a habit or way of thinking that others would recognize as “uniquely you.” This is something you value and would hesitate to give up because it is a distinct part of who you are or what makes you different - why is it so? Be sure to share how this aspect of your identity makes you a good fit for the Barrett Honors College experience.

City University of New York

Applicants to Macaulay Honors College must write two essays: an “about you” essay, and an essay describing your plans for college. Each response should be around 500 words, give or take a few within reason.

Essay 1: About you. (Select one of the options below.) Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. OR Tell us about an area or activity, outside of academics, in which you have invested a lot of time and effort. Tell us why. What did you learn? How was it meaningful?

Essay 2: About your plans for college. Please discuss all points below. Why do you want to go to an honors college ? There are many benefits of being a Macaulay student, such as the Macaulay community, special courses, Honors advisement, cultural passport, opportunities funds, and other financial benefits. Please describe how these features will shape you and your college experience, including, what you expect to bring to the college community and what you expect to get out of your college experience.

Florida International University

Only applicants who don't meet the criteria for automatic admissions and whose applications undergo holistic review will need to submit a 500-word essay:

Students requesting appeal or additional review of their admission status must submit a written statement including:

Your goals and educational or professional objectives

A summary/explanation of past academic performance

Information and/or circumstances that may have affected past academic performance

Any other information the student wishes to have considered

Ohio University

For the Ohio University application, students who've been out of school for more than a year must submit an essay explaining what they've done in their time off from school.

Applicants who have been out of high school for more than one year must submit an essay detailing activities since graduation.

Additionally, applicants to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism are encouraged, though not required, to submit an essay detailing how they want to help shape the future of journalism.

For all other applicants, submitting an essay here is optional; however, if you do wish to write an essay, the application suggests that you describe any academic challenges you’ve faced, academic and career objectives, or involvement in community affairs (recommended length is 250-500 words).

Those interested in Ohio University's OHIO Honors Program (including the Cutler Scholars Program) are required to answer the following essay prompt (limit 250 words):

Students in the OHIO Honors Program represent all majors on campus and take engaging honors courses while applying what they learn outside of the classroom. Students choose from classes and experiences across three pathways: community engagement, research and creative activity, and leadership . Students in OHP can move among the three pathways as their interests evolve and they develop their goals. What pathway is most exciting to you right now, and why?

Finally, those interested in the Honors Tutorial College are must answer the following two essay prompts (in about 500 words each):

HTC Question 1: Please explain why you have chosen your particular program(s) of study.

HTC Question 2: We expect that one reason you seek a tutorial education is for the one-on-one interaction with faculty, but other than that, what interests you about pursuing a tutorial-based undergraduate education? What aspects of your education and life experience have prepared you for a tutorial education with its emphasis on research and creative activity?

Type 1: Questions About a Meaningful Experience

This type of college essay question is the most common. The exact focus of these prompts can vary quite a bit, but they all ask you to reflect on an important experience. Some questions specify a type of experience whereas others don't, simply opting to have applicants write about whatever matters to them.

There are three basic sub-types that you'll see when dealing with these prompts. Let's look at an example of each.

#1: Overcoming a Challenge

These prompts ask about how you dealt with a particular challenge or solved a problem. Below is a typical example of this question type from the MIT application:

Tell us about the most significant challenge you've faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?

To address a question like this, you need a topic that has real stakes —that is, something that you genuinely struggled with. Even though it can seem as though you should only discuss positive experiences and feelings in your college essay (you want to impress your readers with how awesome you are!), unwavering positivity actually hurts your essay because it makes you seem fake.

Instead, be honest : if you're writing about a negative experience, acknowledge that it was unpleasant or hard and explain why. Doing so will just make your overcoming it that much more impressive.

#2: Engaging With Diversity

Questions about diversity ask how you interact with those who are different from you . See an example below from the Common Application:

When approaching this type of question, you need to show that you're thoughtful about new ideas and perspectives. Colleges are full of students from all kinds of backgrounds, and admissions officers want to know that you'll be accepting of the diversity of other students, even if you don't necessarily agree with them.

Also, make sure to pick a specific instance to focus on. Writing a general essay about how you accept others won't impress admissions officers—you need to show them an example of a time that you did so.

#3: Growing Up

Finally, this type of prompt asks about a transitional experience or rite of passage that made you feel like an adult. I've reprinted another example from the Common App:

For these types of prompts, you want to show personal growth. Explain to the reader not just who you are but also how you've changed . (Really, this is a good idea no matter which prompt you're addressing!)

College can be challenging, so admissions officers want to know that you have the maturity to deal with (likely) living on your own, managing your own life, and planning for your future.

Regardless of the exact prompt, the key to this type of college essay is to show what you've learned from the experience. Admissions officers don't care that much about what happened to you—they care about what you think and feel about that event. That's what will give them a sense of who you are and what kind of college student you'll make.

Be Careful About Reusing Essays

A common question students have is whether you can just write one essay and submit it to every school. The answer is, unfortunately, no. As you can see, college essay questions differ enough that there's no way you could use the same essay for every single one (not to mention the fact that many schools require two or more essays anyway!).

However, it does sometimes work to reuse an essay for more than one school. The key is that the prompts have to be asking about basically the same type of thing.

For example, you could use the same essay for two prompts that both ask about a time you solved a problem, but you probably wouldn't want to use the same essay for one prompt that asks about a problem you solved and one that asks about a time you interacted with someone different from yourself.

You can also reuse an essay by submitting an essay originally written for a specific prompt for a more general prompt as well. For example, you could submit your ApplyTexas topic A app (how your family, home, neighborhood, or community shaped you as a person) for the Coalition essay prompt (the one about a meaningful story from your life and what you learned). In that case, you might want to tweak the essay slightly to address the question of what you learned more explicitly, but you could likely use the same personal statement with minimal changes.

The other reason this instance of essay recycling works is because the ApplyTexas and Coalition applications have compatible word limits. In general, you can't reuse a 600-word essay for a prompt with a 250-word limit. Why? Because by the time you've cut out that many words, you'll usually be left with something that either doesn't make much sense or that doesn't show much about you (since you've only left enough of the story to explain what happened).

Although, technically, you could use a short essay (200-300 words) for an application with a higher word limit (say, 500-650 words), I strongly advise against doing this. If you have the space to tell a more in-depth story and explain your perspective and feelings in more detail, you should take it.

Reusing a much shorter essay out of laziness is a waste of an important opportunity to impress the admissions committee. (You can, however, write a longer essay on the same topic.)

Ultimately, whether you can use a recycled essay for a given prompt will depend on the specific prompts involved and your chosen topic. However, I've outlined some general guidelines below.

Once you write a first draft, put it in a drawer for a week. Taking some time away from it will allow you to come back to it with fresh eyes. Then, try to read your essay from the perspective of someone who knows nothing about you. Would they be able to understand the story? Do you explain clearly what you learned? Does your intro grab the reader's attention?

It can also be helpful to ask someone you trust, such as a parent, teacher, or peer, to read your essay and give you feedback. Really listen to what they say and think about how you can improve your writing.

Finally, try reading your essay aloud. This will help you catch any weird or awkward phrasings.

What's Next?

If you're struggling with how to approach your personal statement, consider looking at some college essay examples .

The essay is just one part of the college application process. Check out our guide to applying to college for a step-by-step breakdown of what you'll need to do.

Finally, if you're planning to take the SAT or ACT , consider taking a look at our expert test-prep guides for some helpful advice on whatever you might be struggling with.

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Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Questions on everything from mental health and sports to video games and dating. Which ones inspire you to take a stand?

By The Learning Network

Note: We have an updated version of this list, with 300 new argumentative writing prompts .

What issues do you care most about? What topics do you find yourself discussing passionately, whether online, at the dinner table, in the classroom or with your friends?

In Unit 5 of our free yearlong writing curriculum and related Student Editorial Contest , we invite students to research and write about the issues that matter to them, whether that’s Shakespeare , health care , standardized testing or being messy .

But with so many possibilities, where does one even begin? Try our student writing prompts.

In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts , all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column . Now, we’re rounding up 130 more we’ve published since then ( available here as a PDF ). Each prompt links to a free Times article as well as additional subquestions that can help you think more deeply about it.

You might use this list to inspire your own writing and to find links to reliable resources about the issues that intrigue you. But even if you’re not participating in our contest, you can use these prompts to practice the kind of low-stakes writing that can help you hone your argumentation skills.

So scroll through the list below with questions on everything from sports and mental health to dating and video games and see which ones inspire you to take a stand.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing in Literature: Writing the Prompt Paper

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Whether you are given a selection of prompts to choose from or just one, knowing something about the various sorts of writing prompts can help you understand what your teacher expects and how you should approach the project.

“Compare and Contrast”

This classic writing prompt can be quite challenging because it sounds almost as if you are being asked to compile a list of similarities and differences. While a list might be of use in the planning stage, this prompt asks you to use what you discover to arrive at a conclusion about the two works under discussion.

Example: “Compare and contrast the two endings for Dickens’ Great Expectations paying special attention to the situation of Stella at the close of the novel.”

Find three or four elements from the texts upon which to base your comparison.
Examine possible connections and determine a thesis.
Base your outline around the elements you’ve chosen, remembering to give equal coverage to each side.

“Discuss the theme of x as it appears in works a, b, and c.”

This is an extended or re-named compare and contrast prompt. In this situation, you are given a general theme, such as “loss of innocence” or “self-revelation.” Your job is to use the instances of that theme to arrive at some general conclusions regarding how the theme works in the text you are analyzing.

Example: “Discuss the ways in which Shakespeare talks about the passing of time in three of the sonnets we read for class.”

Re-read carefully the selected works looking specifically for the theme or motif in question. Then research the ways in which other critics have examined this theme.
Determine your argument. Will you make a claim for similarity (“A, b, and c use x in much the same way.”), difference (“A, b, and c, when dealing with x, take highly individual approaches.”), or superiority (“While a and b deal with x, c clearly demonstrates a richer, more nuanced treatment.”)?
Organize your paper around the works, making each point deal thoroughly with a discrete work. Remember that connections are of the utmost importance for this paper, so pay close attention to your transitions.

“What is the role of women/the role of class/the role of the Other as presented in this work?”

All three examples above serve as first steps to the larger world of literary theory and criticism. Writing prompts like this ask you to examine a work from a particular perspective. You may not be comfortable with this new perspective. Chances are that since your instructor has given you such an assignment, the issues in question will be at least partially covered in class.

Example: “Discuss the ways in which the outsider or Other is dealt with in James Joyce’s story “The Dead.”

Categorize the persons or characters in the piece. What are they in the most general, stereotypical way? Male or female? Lower or upper class? Natives or foreigners? Strangers or friends?
Examine the ways in which the characters you’ve categorized fit or don’t fit into the boxes you’ve assigned them. Do they support or undermine the categories, and what do others (including the author) say about them and their place in the world?
Write your paper as if you were giving a new definition (or an amended definition)of the category in question using the text as your guide. Your main points should highlight the ways in which the text uses or discards the accepted categories.

“Critic A has famously said “B” about this work. In light of our study of the piece in question, would you agree or disagree, why or why not?”

This sort of question is often asked as an in-class essay, but can appear as a prompt for larger papers. The goal of a question like this is to give you the opportunity to deal with the critical voices of others in your own writings.

Example: “C.S. Lewis has said that Chaucer is “our foremost poet of joy” in the English language, and in this field he “has few equals and no masters.” Discuss how this applies to the ending of “The Knight’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales.”

Read and re-read the quote from the prompt several times. Ask yourself what seems to be the quote’s central claim.
Apply that claim to the relevant passage or work. In a way, you are being asked not to examine the literature so much as the claim about the literature. Does it hold up to scrutiny in light of the actual text?
Your instructor would be equally pleased whether you agree or disagree with the critic’s views as long as you do so in a scholarly fashion. Structure your paper around the claims made by the quote and use lines from the text to support your own reaction.

University of Chicago Essay Prompts

Why Us - Example 1
Other - Example 2
Dreamer - Example 3

Read our complete Application Guide for The University of Chicago

The University of Chicago requires two supplemental essays. One is a straightforward “Why Us” essay. The other is somewhat infamous, as UChicago asks strange questions for their second essay. The prompts are different every year and are submitted by current and former UChicago undergraduates.

These questions are difficult to answer. This is done on purpose, as the school is hoping applicants will self-select. If you are not the sort of person who enjoys thinking about and answering this prompt, you likely will not enjoy the overall experience at the school. Due to the nature of this prompt, it is difficult to give concrete advice about answering any specific question they ask. Instead, we will provide some examples of well-written answers and try to give general guidelines for answering these sorts of questions.

Why Us - Example

Multispection (seeing from many angles) was never my strong suit. Instead, my innate desire to solve problems as efficiently as possible often gave me tunnel vision. It wasn’t until disaster struck my street during Hurricane Harvey that I learned the value of analyzing a subject from all sides.

I used the three weeks trapped in my house to wade into the muddy waters of public policy. It was only by scouring a vast array of disparate sources that I was able to painstakingly piece together the concrete consequences of decades-old decisions. How can we learn from disasters like Harvey to develop sustainable crisis response methods that prioritize personal safety?

UChicago’s emphasis on engaging with a wide range of perspectives from various disciplines when tackling pressing social issues will enable me to answer such questions. As a Public Policy Studies major, I am eager to dive into the dialectical relationship between economic pursuits and moral responsibility. While classes like Modern Political Thought and Liberalism: Origins and Challenges will fuel my curiosity about how political systems can advocate for social justice, courses like Urban Economics and Industrial Organization will ground my lofty ideals in concrete data.

Hyde Park is more than just a group of English Gothic buildings filled with endless classrooms. Organizations like the Chicago Journal of Public Policy and Environmental Research Group will allow me to apply what I’ve learned in the classroom in a real-world urban setting. Furthermore, while engaging with Lean on Me and Camp Kesem, I will have the opportunity to add a little sweetness to The Windy City. I can’t wait to immerse myself in UChicago’s vibrant atmosphere as I munch on signature deep-dish pizza, stifling a laugh as I watch Off Off Campus’ latest set.

Why Us - Analysis

This is a straightforward question, especially compared to the other UChicago asks. Many schools want to know why you want to attend there in particular, and UChicago is no different. They do consider demonstrated interest, and this essay is one of the best places to demonstrate that you have considered the merits of the school, and show how they align with your interests.

The goal of the essay is not just to discuss why you like the school, but to explain why its offerings make it the best possible place for you to go to college. All top schools have impressive academic offerings, but this does not mean that they are the same in all ways. Focus on what a school offers that you can’t find elsewhere.

In the example above, the author does a good job by discussing why UChicago’s philosophy of learning appeals to them, along with more concrete academic and community offerings. While this is not necessary, it does show admissions officers that you are serious about the school, and that you will fit in with the kind of learning community they want to create. UChicago cares greatly about students’ intellectual vitality, and that they care about learning and discovering for their own sake. Showing how these aspects of UChicago appeal to you in this essay demonstrates your own love of learning.

The author also does a good job specifically describing what aspects of life both inside and outside the classroom appeal to them. The specificity is key, as it is with every why us essay. By being this specific, the author shows that they cared enough about the school to properly research it, and discover which elements spoke to them.

The author includes some aspects in this essay which read like a why major essay. This is entirely acceptable, as UChicago does not ask this question. The key is to frame your answer as why you want to study this major at UChicago specifically. While this isn’t necessary, if you are certain about what you want to major in, it can be a useful inclusion. The key, regardless of what you discuss, is to show genuine passion for whatever you’re writing about.

Other - Example

Find x. –Inspired by Benjamin Nuzzo, an admitted student from Eton College, UK

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Have you found X? If so, read on.

An X is made of two lines, two different parts that intersect. I see myself the same way – my life is composed of two parts and defined by the intersection of those parts. The first part of me can be found in the laboratory, study hall, and office hours. She finds new opportunities to gain knowledge through learning from her mistakes. The other part is out dancing, attending yoga classes, and playing the clarinet wildly; she’s spontaneous and creative in her ability to explore new modes of expression.

The ability to learn from my mistakes defines one part of me; my time researching the neurodegenerative disease Friedreich Ataxia (FA) has taught me to value it. After my first experiment went awry—I should have taken extra steps against cross-contamination—I was terrified to admit my error to the team, but I never would have guessed that I was actually going through a rite of passage for every scientist. I was stunned when a senior researcher beat me to the punch at our weekly lab meetings, telling us that she made the same error and discussing the protocol she should have followed. The small moment changed my perspective; I began to see research not only as living up to expectations, but as discovering new and improved techniques. Ultimately, what made the difference was a paradigm shift: beginning research afraid of mistakes, I finished with the Zen acceptance that these mistakes were an opportunity to self-correct. Now, I’ve become transparent, overcoming the awkwardness of admitting my own mistakes and freely sharing my learning experiences with others.

My other side holds my ability to comfortably step out of my comfort zone and into new, unfamiliar areas. Growing up as a classically trained dancer in the Indian style of Kathak, I was used to the familiarity of the beats, bells, and bhols (a sound used to identify rhythms). When I moved to the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, I left my former dance guru behind and prepared a radical change by signing up for modern studio dance. Initially, I struggled with hip-hop – popping and locking didn’t really blend with my classical upbringing – but giggling at myself as I swung my arms and jumped with my friends helped me enjoy the new style. This made for the perfect end to my junior year, when I rallied my creative juices, choreographed my take on a Bollywood dance, and performed with my floormates for our school talent show. I spun to the beat, remembering my roots and exhibiting my Kathak-hip-hop rendition of Andy Grammer’s “Good to be Alive.” Since then, I’ve explored even more forms of dance, and come to appreciate that inexperience is just an opportunity to find new interests.

X is found by sharing. In the intersection between a mistake and its solution or a habit and a new experience, there’s a moment we decide to take the parts of ourselves we understand and incorporate something novel. It’s always a bit scary; whether I’m sharing with my lab group or performing in front of my class, growing is at least as demanding as it is fun. Over the last year, I’ve come to embrace that intersection of effort and recreation. I’m no longer the girl who hesitates. Novel situations no longer flood my body with nerves—rather, I’m excited to face new situations and embrace the unfamiliarity they bring, as epitomized by the intersection of the two lines of the X.

Other - Analysis

There are several ways to answer these questions. The first, and perhaps easiest, is to answer it in the style of other college essays. When you do this, you display multiple aspects of your personality and background to the school, let them know what you’ve experienced, and what you’ve learned from these experiences. With a bit of creativity, you can even reuse other essays you’ve had to write when assembling the UChicago essay, even if all of the framing will need to be done anew.

The other way to answer these questions is to lean into it. Give an answer to the question at hand, no matter how absurd, and in so doing demonstrate how you think logically and approach the problems ahead of you. This is more difficult, as many of these questions do not, at first appearance, have reasonable answers. Therein lies the challenge, and doing this well demonstrates your ability to think critically about difficult topics.

In the example above, the author opts for the first approach. They use the first paragraph to frame how they will answer the question, and they do so cleverly. By making the question reflexive, and then finding the “x” which represents them, they are able to both answer the question, and tell admissions officers more about who they are and what they’ve done.

The first branch of their X talks about an academic extracurricular, performing research in a lab. They show what they have learned from the experience, maturing enough to own their mistakes, and acquiring a new perspective on their purpose while pursuing research. The material used here would work well in another essay, and has merely been reformatted to answer a question they asked themselves.

The second branch of their X is about who they are outside of the classroom, and discusses how they transferred from traditional Indian dance, to stepping outside of their comfort zone and attempting new styles. In many ways, this resembles a community essay, and while the message has been changed to fit, they were likely able to reuse material between essays.

Finally, they tie the strings together, covering the convergence of both strands into the X which is them. This is a strong conclusion, and demonstrates their desire to continue learning and growing, expanding upon who and what they are.

The point of this essay is to demonstrate how you think and approach a novel problem. The questions are esoteric on purpose; how else will they deliberately provoke the sorts of answers they wish to see? If you decide to take the more esoteric approach to answering the question, then know that your reasoning and logic matter far more than the answer you give. There is no right answer to a question such as this, which means that they are not looking for rightness in a response. Instead, admissions officers want to see how you think, and how you apply your thinking.

There are a variety of prompts each year, some more like this, others geared towards letting you discuss your own achievements more easily. When deciding which prompt to answer, and how to answer it, consider your strengths, and how to play to them. If you have fantastic achievements in extracurriculars you long to share, you can find a way to work those in. If your extracurriculars were worn out from the personal statement, and you long to write and reason for their own sakes, then consider answering the prompts in their own style, and respond as you have been asked. We’ll give an example of how to do that below.

Dreamer - Example

Spanish poet Antonio Machado wrote, Between living and dreaming there is a third thing. Guess it. Give us your guess.

Inspired by Jill Hampshire, AB 08

Between the living and dreaming is a world of ideas. These ideas come as we are falling asleep, or just beginning to wake, and often flee with the remnants of dreams. But this state of ideas between dreams and reality is where the truly fantastical ideas come from. It is where anything is possible and nothing is forbidden, this strange landscape of our minds is where we come up with our most incredible ideas. This place cannot be called a dream, for you aren’t asleep, but you are not completely awake either. Technically it could be called daydreaming, but this is not quite correct. In daydreams we purposefully change our situations in ways we know will never happen, but wish were true. In the world of ideas between dreams and wakefulness are ideas that seem impossible, and yet just within our reach, if we only stretched out a little further.

Ideas exist between dreams and life because they combine elements of both. Like dreams they can be incredibly unrealistic or even magical, but like life you have some control over what happens. In dreams you are nothing more than a passenger, along for the ride, hoping it ends well. Ideas, on the other hand, can be changed or rearranged or even destroyed outright, if they do not suit our purposes as they are. In real life there are many things we are unable to control, but with our ideas, in the world of our minds, every detail and aspect can be made perfect. Transferring ideas to reality is much harder, but is not always impossible. Often the hardest part is coming up with a good idea in the first place, but that is where dreams come in.

In life, it seems everything that can be invented already has, and all else else is physically impossible. In dreams, however, anything and everything is possible, and flying cars are real and present as lightbulbs. In ideas, we combine the possibilities presented in dreams with knowledge from life experience. Before we could fly, someone dreamt of flight, saw the mechanics of birds, and combined the two into an idea of powered flight. Obviously this idea was not practically applied when it was first conceived, but the idea was there, and ideas have power. In the place between dreams and life, the ideas of others act as seeds in fertile soil, and give fruit to new ideas. The more knowledge and dreams there are, the more ideas can be conceived, and from them even more ideas. Ideas combine the impossibility of dreams with the practicality of life to bring new things out into the world. If we only had dreams, then nothing would be accomplished, because dreams are often impractical to the point of impossibility. If we only had life, and did not dream, we would have no inventions, and no sense of wonder. Ideas are the meeting place of the two, where impossible dreams are made practical enough to be able to succeed in life. Between living and dreaming are ideas, and from ideas the world as we know it was born.

Dreamer - Analysis

This essay seems to tell us nothing about the author. We do not learn what activities they did, where they succeeded or failed, what their life is like; indeed, this essay goes against most advice you will see on how to write college essays.

Yet the essay still works, because you do learn about the author through reading it, and because of what UChicago is looking for in these essays. The author shows us how they think, how they form an argument, and how they reach conclusions. Most importantly, they show how they fit into the ethos of UChicago. Among other jokes, UChicago is known as one of the most theory-focused universities. They did not add an engineering department until 2011, and it still serves grad students primarily, with undergrads an afterthought.

Thus an essay glorifying theory regardless of practicality fits quite well into how UChicago sees itself, and shows that the author would fit into what they are trying to build. By showing their ability to form and argue an opinion on a very weird topic, the author shows their intellectual capabilities. UChicago cares deeply about having students who are able to express themselves clearly through writing; a large part of the core curriculum is devoted to ensuring this. Thus demonstrating your ability to think and argue, especially on an esoteric topic like their essays provide, goes a long way towards showing your fit for the school. While the essay tells us nothing about what the author has done, it does demonstrate some of who the author is, and how they think. A perfect essay would likely cover all three, but an essay of logic alone is enough here.

We should note that essays of this kind only work for UChicago. They ask weird questions in order to elicit weird and interesting responses, due to the kind of students they are trying to attract and admit. You should not write essays of this kind unless schools are clearly asking for them, and even then you do not have to. There is nothing wrong with writing a more standard college essay and making it fit the prompt. That said, if you want to write about something weird, and are capable of doing so at a high level, you can do so for these essays, so long as you demonstrate how you think.

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Effective Writing Assignments

Six parts of an effective prompt.

One of the most common challenges in designing a prompt is determining how much information to include. We recommend that you limit the information provided on the prompt to the unique requirements for this assignment and that you provide students with writing guides distinct from the prompt that outline your expectations for different types of assignments and different disciplines.

Of course, the following is just one model for arranging a prompt. We encourage you to adapt it as you see fit to best provide your students with the guidance that will help them produce the kinds of papers you want to read.

1. Articulation of purpose

This section explains the significance of the assignment itself by explaining what skills students will display in their writing and why they are important.

This section may also identify the audience of the assignment. If the assignment has real-world applications (for example, if students are asked to construct a business memo), this section may present students with a scenario that their writing will address.

De Paul Teaching Commons identifies nine of the most common purposes for writing, including encouraging students to engage course material, to develop scholarly skills, and to bridge academic and real world understanding. On their site, they include a helpful chart that breaks each of these purposes into smaller goals and suggests which types of writing assignments engage each.

Below is a sample articulation of purpose. You can find the full prompt from which this example is drawn here .

2. Summary of assignment

Essentially, this is the “thesis statement” of the prompt. Assignment summaries tend to work best when limited to a few sentences in which you provide students with the genre of the assignment, the most important components of the assignment, and the audience for their paper.

You can find the full prompt from which this example is drawn here .

3. Logistics

This section provides students with the basic information about your requirements, including the specific length, the due date, the method of submission, formatting requirements, and citation style.

You can find the full prompt from which this example is drawn here .

4. Key components of the paper or important sections

This is a where you might provide a brief synopsis of the genre , or type of assignment,in which students are writing and address the types and number of sources they should use . You might also use this space to refer students to a writing guide.

5. Framing questions

This section is designed to provide students with further guidance . Depending on the type of assignment, you might include either an overview of important sections or framing questions or both. The length of this section will depend on the degree to which you expect students to develop their own framing questions.

6. Evaluation criteria

This section could refer back to your rubric , but it’s also a good idea to include those general categories on your prompt as well. Precise language is particularly helpful in this section. For examples of alternatives to criteria like “assignment is well-written,” you may want to check out our examples of precise language .

Bonus: References to Resources, Tips for Approaching the Project, Common Missteps & Models

References to resources.

As its name suggests, this section directs students to resources that will help them with their assignment. You might include links to websites or information about library resources available to them, suggestions for visiting the DEWC or departmental tutors, or other useful information.

Tips for Approaching the Project

Perhaps you want students to write their papers in a particular order or take notes in a certain way. By separating that information from the rest of the prompt, you can offer them with an easy way to reference your suggestions.

Common Errors

This can be a particularly helpful section to include – if students in your Business Writing class often lapse into poetic language or students in your Art History class tend to want to make value judgments about the works they’re analyzing, you can warn them off here.

Reproductions

We recommend providing models for writing in your class throughout the semester. Providing a model of an exemplary paper for students when you distribute the prompt can go a long way toward producing the kind of papers you want to be grading.

Better Assignments. Writing Center. Yale College. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014.

Boye, Allison. How Do I Create Meaningful and Effective Assignments? Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center. Texas Tech University. 2014. 1 June 2014.

Brewster, Glen et al. Formal Biology Lab Reports. Writer’s Guide. Westfield State College. Web. 1 June 2014.

Creating Effective Assignments. Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. University of New Hampshire. 2004. Web. 1 June 2014.

Gardner, Traci. Ten Tips for Designing Writing Assignments. Pedablogical. 2001. Web. 1 June 2014.

Gately, Maeve. Writing an Art History Paper. Writing Resources. Hamilton College Writing Center. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014.

Guidelines for Analysis of Art . Department of Art. University of Arkansas at Little Rock. n.d. Web. 1 June 2014.

Jehn, Tom, and Jane Rosenweig. Writing in the Disciplines: Advice and Models: Supplement to accompany Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference, Sixth Edition. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s. 2007.

Matching Learning Goals to Assignment Types. De Paul Teaching Commons. DePaul University. n.d. Web. 1 June 2014.

Pop, Andrei. How to Do Things with Pictures: A Guide for Writing in Art History. Disciplinary Writing Guides. Harvard Writing Project. 2008. Web. 1 June 2014.

Writing Assignments . Center for Teaching and Learning. Hobart and William Smith Colleges. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014.

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Extracurriculars.

3 Excellent Brown “Joy” Essay Examples

What’s covered:, essay example #1 – latin, essay example #2 – driving.

Essay Example #3 – Drawing
Where to Get Your Brown Essays Edited

Brown is one of the most selective schools in the country, which means grades and test scores won’t get you in on their own. You also want to show off your more intangible personal qualities, so that admissions officers get a complete picture of who you are beyond the numbers.

The “joy” prompt, which Brown has had for several years, is a fantastic opportunity to do exactly that, by sharing something about yourself with admissions officers that wouldn’t appear on any resume, but is a fundamental part of who you are. College applications can feel quite dry, so when you get the chance to liven things up with this kind of prompt, make sure you take full advantage of it!

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized.

If you want detailed guidance on how to tackle the “joy” prompt, and Brown’s other supplemental essays, check out our Brown essay breakdown !

Brown “Joy” Prompt

The following essays respond to this prompt:

Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)

Since this prompt doesn’t fit neatly into one of the classic supplemental essay boxes (like “Why School?” or “Why Major?” ), you may not be quite sure where to start. To help you out, we’ve compiled three responses real students wrote to this prompt. You can read the essays below, and get our breakdowns of each one’s strengths and weaknesses.

I remember being a fourth-grade “puella”, discovering the joy of chanting declensions with my classmates. Since then, my passion for Latin and mythology has expanded by reading books like Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods to Homer’s The Odyssey. I’ll never embody a character as well as I played the mythological Psyche in my fifth-grade Latin presentation.

I’ve always compared my Latin homework to my math homework. It’s very methodical, translating each phrase and then trying new ways to create a coherent sentence. Whenever I’d spent a good twenty minutes sorting through the puzzle of words to make a sentence, that moment where it finally made sense was euphoric.

These translation and mythology skills I’d developed over the years would become essential about halfway through my freshman year Latin class when I was introduced to the revolutionary game of Certamen. Certamen is like Latin jeopardy with questions themed after classical history, mythology, translation, and grammar. A familiar feeling of competition surges through me each time my teammate of three years and I start a game of Certamen. With our handy doorbell buzz button and endless knowledge of Latin derivatives, we currently maintain a three-year Certamen win streak that I intend to keep until I graduate. The light-bulb that goes off in my head whenever I finally grasp the meaning of a Latin passage has become addicting throughout the years, and I hope to continue experiencing that joy at Brown University.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay does a great job of answering the prompt! Brown wants to know about something that brings you joy, and the student shared multiple responses, “chanting declensions with my classmates,” “sorting through the puzzles of words to make a sentence,” and “Certamen.”

While this student shares several things that bring them joy, they all fall under the theme of Latin which reveals the student’s broad interest in the subject. Further, the student does well making their interest relevant to Brown by hinting in the last sentence that this is something they want to continue to experience at Brown University. The reader learns not only about the writer’s interests but also that they’re going to bring this interest in Latin to their time at Brown. It’s always great when the reader can get an idea of what you want to do as a student on campus at their university!

The writer also describes the game of “Certamen” well by showing and not telling. For example, sentences like, “With our handy doorbell buzz button and endless knowledge of Latin derivatives…” and “A familiar feeling of competition surges through me,” paint a picture of the game. The reader understands that the writer loves the game of Certamen just by these descriptions; the student doesn’t have to directly say “I love Certamen.” Showing, rather than telling, makes an essay more immersive and shows off your writing skills.

What Could Be Improved

The second paragraph of this essay shares a bit about why the writer likes their Latin homework, but other than being about Latin, this paragraph doesn’t fit in well with the rest of the essay. Latin homework and puzzles aren’t mentioned in either of the other paragraphs, and the transitions between paragraphs could be stronger.

Right now, the writer connects the second paragraph to the third by saying just, “These translation skills.” This transition could be improved by the student writing a stronger transition sentence from the first to the second paragraph. They could say, “In middle school I started getting more homework for Latin, but I didn’t mind because I’ve always compared it to my math homework.” This would emphasize their love for Latin and show that it’s a subject they’ve studied throughout the years. Transition sentences are important so that each paragraph contributes to the essay.

The writer could also improve the essay by focusing more on recent stories and examples of their love for Latin and mythology. They spend the first two paragraphs starting with fourth grade and going through the years until they reach high school in the final paragraph. It’s okay to share an interest or something that’s brought you joy for a long time, but when you mention the distant past, it’s best to keep that part limited. The reader wants to learn more about who you are now and your current interests. The writer could have instead given examples of recent translation projects or recent mythology books they’ve read.

Sitting behind the steering wheel, with the low hum of my music and the engine as background noise, I breathe in the familiarity of the 5-mile radius I generally commute within. My windows are rolled down and my sunroof is wide open, weather permitting, as the wind threatens to defenestrate my possessions. But I enjoy it immensely. The drive is refreshingly liberating: it feels like I can do anything and go anywhere I desire. As someone who frequently feels overwhelmed by the idea that most of my life is outside my control, a drive will often cure that feeling. The freedom of driving dissipates those worries.

My most frequent destination is Starbucks, not the one closest to my home, but rather the franchise that is a mile or two further. It allows me to enjoy the drive for longer than just a few minutes, extending an otherwise hasty experience to offer more time in reflection. Upon arriving and picking up my mobile order, I return to my car and savor my coffee, all while appreciating the music and experience. The coffee is an impeccable companion, both in its rich taste and the endeavor of acquiring it.

During my most stressful weeks, I can rely on my trips to get coffee as an outlet to forget my assignments and worries. The solitude of the activity is a rare opportunity for reflection: a joyful adventure all around.

It isn’t easy to make a mundane topic like driving to get coffee interesting, but this student was able to do just that! They did a great job of beautifully describing an outing that gives them joy. Specifically, the writer uses imagery well in sentences like: “My windows are rolled down and my sunroof is wide open, weather permitting, as the wind threatens to defenestrate my possessions.” It’s easy for the reader to imagine the possessions about to fly away!

Other strong description words help with this, as well. The writer describes the “rich taste” of the coffee and the “engine of background noise.” By painting a picture of some of the five senses, the writer is able to bring the reader into the moment and create a compelling story.

The writer does a great job of sharing why the act of driving to Starbucks brings them joy. These details help this essay go beyond just a pretty story by helping the reader to learn about the student.

From moments like, “As someone who frequently feels overwhelmed by the idea that most of my life is outside my control, a drive will often cure that feeling,” readers learn one of the reasons why driving brings the student joy. Additionally, readers learn that this is a joyous moment for the writer because it serves as a time for reflection. These small details are great to include because they show why the reader is joyful!

While the writer does a good job of inserting details that explain why they love driving to Starbucks, the reader still only learns a limited amount about the writer. The only interests shared are that the reader enjoys driving and Starbucks.

Supplemental essays like this are a great chance for students to share interests that they don’t have a chance to include anywhere else on their application. For example, the writer could have written about their love for photography and how taking photographs of dogs brings them joy. That would teach the reader more about who the writer is as a person and what they would bring to Brown University.

Some sentences do a great job of sharing details and painting a picture of the scene; however, there are a few places where the author could provide even further details. For example, what kind of coffee are they drinking? Is it a grande iced white mocha, or a venti java chip frappuccino ? What music are they listening to on the radio? Sharing these kinds of details would allow the reader to learn more about the author and their interests, which is great for a topic like this, where the goal is for the student to share an interest they have not mentioned in their application.

Essay Example #3 – Drawing

My dusty sketchbook must dread the moments I decide to take it off my desk. Every time I pick it up to use, it results in piles of graphite and eraser shavings everywhere in my room. I’ve gone through so many boxes of pencils, I think Ticonderoga must know me by now. The sketchbook of mine has seen better days – days where it looked pristine and without blemish.

I love to draw. Yes the final result provides fantastic amusement to my eyes, but the process of the entire drawing allures me to this hobby. The second the fine point of my pencil hits the devoid paper, wonders only comparable to music begin to formulate. Each stroke of the pencil leaves a mark surpassing in magnificence to the one before. The freedom to pour out my thoughts into a sheet of paper astonishes me and provides me with a feeling of bliss and comfort.

Each sheet of paper is brimmed with portraits; my loved ones, friends, even strangers take up the space in my book, but for good reason. After I finish each drawing, I simply give it to them. I do cherish the journey I take with my art, but the smile on their faces when I give them my art is nothing less than beautiful. Even the most majestic of artists wouldn’t be able to capture the raw nature of that smile. For that is where I am given the most joy, in the smiles of others.

What The Essay Did Well

This essay does a superb job of using particularly sophisticated and vibrant language! The word choice is memorable and striking, which both keeps readers engaged and demonstrates the author’s broad vocabulary. Vivid images like the dusty sketchbook and the eraser shavings, or the notebook brimming with drawings, draw us in, before phrases like “wonders only comparable to music” and “the raw nature of that smile” drive home the applicant’s deep personal connection to their topic.

The author’s confident, unique voice is another strength here. From the playful tone in the beginning of the essay, to the impassioned description of the student’s process, and finally, the reflection on the humanity of drawing, we get to know the author’s personality. They come across as funny, thoughtful, and generous, thanks to the details they include and the tone they use when presenting them.

Most importantly, the command of language and the personal tone come together to convey the author’s true passion for drawing, and the joy they find in that activity. Ultimately, any college essay needs to address the prompt, which this one does clearly and comprehensively. The mastery of language and vibrant personality are what take the essay from good to great, but the real key to this essay’s success is its connection to the prompt, as without that, Brown admissions officers wouldn’t get the information they’re looking for.

What Could Be Improved

With an essay this strong, it’s tough to imagine what could make it better. At this point, changes would mainly make the essay different, not necessarily better or worse. However, considering alternative approaches can still be productive, since everyone has a slightly different way of telling their story.

For example, the student could have spent a little more time explaining their decision to give their portraits away. Right now, the essay ends with something of a plot twist, as we learn that what brings the student the most joy is in fact not the act of drawing, but the smiles of others after receiving their work.

This “cliffhanger” ending is striking and memorable, but we also miss out on learning more about the student’s personality. Drawing is usually a solitary pursuit, but for this student, it’s clearly a more social activity, and they could have spent a bit more time exploring this aspect of their art to further set themselves apart from other applicants.

Again, though, this suggestion is more likely to subtly shift the tone of the essay than make it drastically better. Calling a college essay “done” can be stressful, but this essay is a good reminder that, at a certain point, your energy is going to be more productively spent on other aspects of your application.

Where to Get Your Brown Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Brown essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Columbia University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 1

Columbia University 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 lists of 100 words; 4 essays of 150 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community , Why, Short Answer

List questions

For the list question that follows, there is a 100 word maximum. please refer to the below guidance when answering this question:, your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons., items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order., it is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications., no author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed., list a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy. (100 words or fewer).

How do you pursue intellectual development outside of the classroom? You’ll need to be careful to avoid self-aggrandizing or pandering choices. Don’t top your list with 1984 unless you genuinely picked it up of your own accord, read it from start to finish, and meditated on Orwell’s intentions (while staring out the window, jaw agape). Think of not just the most recent media you’ve consumed, but also the old classics you can’t help revisiting (anything by Jenny Han, the podcast you binged in two weeks, the film you saw in theaters three times). Play with the sequencing here: how would you set these up in your library? Chronologically? Alphabetically? Thematically? Maybe you can make an entertaining leap from the sublime to the ridiculous by placing a heart-wrenching play alongside a goofy satire. Have fun with it! After all, this list is, at its core, about what you consume for the pleasure of it.

Short answer questions

For the four short answer questions, please respond in 150 words or fewer., a hallmark of the columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to columbia’s diverse and collaborative community. (150 words or fewer).

Ah, the infamous “community” essay. Many schools ask students about their communities because they want to know how you relate to the people around you, forge connections, and commune with your peers. In this particular instance, the question emphasizes equity, inclusivity, diversity, and collaboration. What do these words mean to you and how do they relate to your perspective or lived experience? Maybe you’re very involved in a progressive church youth group that celebrates its members differences, including trans and nonbinary members. Perhaps the friends you made at the skatepark have introduced you to a new culture and mindset of “try and try again” that you love. Maybe there are different languages spoken by the volunteers in your community garden, and now you know how to say “basil” in four different dialects (BTW in Italian it’s “ basilico ,” #funfact). How do you see equity, inclusivity, diversity, and collaboration play out in your community? And, looking forward, how would you keep those values alive at Columbia next fall?

In college/university, students are often challenged in ways that they could not predict or anticipate. It is important to us, therefore, to understand an applicant’s ability to navigate through adversity. Please describe a barrier or obstacle you have faced and discuss the personal qualities, skills or insights you have developed as a result. (150 words or fewer)

This prompt is incredibly similar to the Common App’s Prompt #2, which asks applicants to recount a time when they faced a challenge, setback, or failure. Our advice is similar: isolate an incident of trial in your life and illustrate how you learned from it. Writing about a difficult time in your life requires both vulnerability and perspective. Instead of focusing on the barrier or obstacle you were up against, spend most of the words at your disposal on how you rose to the occasion to overcome the challenge at hand. This is your opportunity to show admissions that you are a developing, maturing young adult with resilience and work ethic. As you zero in on a key moment, ask yourself the following questions: What healthy coping mechanisms or communication skills did you develop? Who, if applicable, did you choose to lean on and why? What did you learn about yourself? How will you approach difficult situations moving forward? Be honest and open, and we’re sure admissions will be impressed.

Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (150 words or fewer)

This brief assignment is Columbia’s version of the classic Why Essay , and the key to every good Why Essay is solid, specific research. Spend some quality time with the Columbia website or, if you can, on a campus tour. Ask questions, take notes, and dig to find specific people, organizations, and experiences that excite you. Don’t dig too deep into majors or classes just yet; you’ll have an opportunity to write about your academic interest in a little bit, so for now, focus on the Columbia experience as a whole. Once you have some notes on the page, try to weave together a story that pairs your interests with Columbia’s offerings. Reveal new information about yourself while also showing that you’ve done your homework.

What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? (150 words or fewer)

This prompt gives you a chance to geek out about your intended area(s) of study. Whether you’re hoping to study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering, the assignment is the same: offer admissions insight into your academic interests and pursuits. Whether your goals are intellectual, professional, or somewhere in between, your reasoning should be grounded in what Columbia has to offer. 150 words isn’t a lot of space, but that doesn’t mean you can’t provide a detailed response. Get ambitious and aim to answer these two key questions: What intrigues or excites you about your intended major? And why is Columbia the ideal place for you to study it? Do a little research to identify classes you’d like to take, professors you’d like to work with, and alumni you’d like to network with; then, get to drafting—and leave yourself plenty of time to edit and revise!

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Write an essay somehow inspired by super-huge mustard. Have you ever written an essay about a giant jar of mustard? In 2004 UChicago applicants had their chance, and while there are absurd elements to the prompt, there are many creative and serious directions essays took. Prompt 3. Find x. The elusive goal of mathematics, but with no context.
The 7 UChicago Essay Prompts: How to Write Stellar Responses
Pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer. Essay Option 3: "Vlog," "Labradoodle," and "Fauxmage.". Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a "patch" (perfect match). Essay Option 4: A jellyfish is not a fish.
Over 1,000 Writing Prompts for Students
Note: We have 300 new argumentative writing prompts to add to this list.. Sign up for our free Learning Network newsletter. Receive new writing prompts in your inbox every week. _____ Of all the ...
2,000+ College Essay Prompts for 2023-24 and How-To Guides
Latest essay prompts for the top 100 schools. At CollegeVine, our goal is to make the college application process a little less stressful, so we've compiled the latest essay prompts for the top 100 schools in one easy, searchable database. Also, every year we create free guides on "How to Write X School's Essays" for the top 100 schools ...
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College Essay Prompts: Complete List, Analysis, and Advice
The UCA essay prompt is completely open ended and has a 650-word limit. Here is the 2022-2023 prompt: Please write an essay that demonstrates your ability to develop and communicate your thoughts. Some ideas include: a person you admire; a life-changing experience; or your viewpoint on a particular current event.
What is a Writing Prompt?
A prompt can be a passage of text, a word, or even an image. A writing prompt is a type of assessment or activity that directs individuals to write about a given topic in a certain way. Writing ...
130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing
Try our student writing prompts. In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts, all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column. Now, we're rounding up 130 more we've ...
The Prompt Paper
Base your outline around the elements you've chosen, remembering to give equal coverage to each side. "Discuss the theme of x as it appears in works a, b, and c.". This is an extended or re-named compare and contrast prompt. In this situation, you are given a general theme, such as "loss of innocence" or "self-revelation.".
UChicago Essay Guide
University of Chicago Essay Prompts Why Us - Example 1 Other - Example 2 Dreamer - Example 3 Read our complete Application Guide for The University of Chicago Application Guide Intro The University of Chicago requires two supplemental essays. One is a straightforward "Why Us" essay. The other is somewhat infamous, as UChicago asks strange […]
44 Essay Prompts for College That Will Get You Inspired
Here are a few of the most popular college essay prompts: Describe a time when you faced a challenge and how you overcame it. This prompt is a great way to show the admissions committee your resilience and determination. Tell us about a person who has inspired you and why.
PDF Deciphering Essay Prompts
Important Words in Essay Prompts " below to help you understand which tasks your instructor expects you to accomplish in the essay. • Technical guidelines: Your prompt will provide you with the guidelines for the assignment, including essential information like expected length and due dates.
Writing Prompts: 52 Places to Find Them When You Need Inspiration
25. Creative Nonfiction Prompts. The 50 prompts on this list are pulled from Melissa Donovan's book, "1200 Creative Writing Prompts.". The list is made up of strings of questions that ask writers to recall various types of memories, or to engage with emotional or intellectual responses to music, art, and media. 26.
Unpacking Academic Writing Prompts
Compare: explain the similarities between two or more things. Contrast: illustrate the differences between two or more things. You'll often see "compare" and "contrast" appear together in assignment prompts. Critique: evaluate an argument, theory, or work, providing a detailed assessment to support your reasoning.
PDF Essay Planning
essay prompt states the type of essay that the writer is being asked to construct. By understanding what an essay prompt is asking, one can write a more coherent, unified, and organized essay. To write an essay, one must consider the essay type, essay goal, supporting details, form of the conclusion, and appropriate conclusion information. The ...
Six Parts of an Effective Prompt • Southwestern University
You can find the full prompt from which this example is drawn here . 5. Framing questions. This section is designed to provide students with further guidance. Depending on the type of assignment, you might include either an overview of important sections or framing questions or both. The length of this section will depend on the degree to which ...
3 Excellent Brown "Joy" Essay Examples
Brown "Joy" Prompt The following essays respond to this prompt: Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)
2024-25 Columbia University Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
Columbia University 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations. The Requirements: 1 lists of 100 words; 4 essays of 150 words each Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community, Why, Short Answer. List questions For the list question that follows, there is a 100 word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering this question:
Free Writing Prompt Generator
ProWritingAid is a digital toolkit that helps you craft your story and bring it to life. ProWritingAid helps you unlock the full potential of your story by fixing grammatical errors, improving sentence clarity, and creating more engaging prose. Plus, it integrates with any writing app, so you can get support in whichever one you use.

UChicago Supplemental Essay Questions

2024-25 UChicago Supplement

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

Essay Option 2

Essay Option 3

Essay Option 4

Essay Option 5

Essay Option 6

Some classic questions from previous years…

It's all coming back to me now

I Like Chopin

THE_IRON_...KENYAN?

bearsfan092

supermarth64

Da Letter El

Mysterious Trainer

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"to find x as the lost function" Elusive - University of Chicago - Find x.

Bizzare Supplemental Essay Prompts in 2022

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Unusual Supplemental Essay Prompts From Previous Years

Tufts University

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University of Pennsylvania

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Type 1: Questions About a Meaningful Experience

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