university of maryland supplemental essays 2021

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How to Write the University of Maryland Essays 2023-2024

The University of Maryland does not have traditional supplemental essays, but it does have six required “complete this sentence” prompt. Your answers to these questions will need to be within 650 characters, but you’ll have plenty of space to reveal unique and distinctive parts of your personality to the admissions committee.

Make sure you give yourself enough time to craft thoughtful responses to these prompts, as you want to take full advantage of every opportunity you have to share something about yourself with the admissions officers. This unique kind of prompt presents a great opportunity to showcase something that might not be found elsewhere in your application.

Considering how competitive college admissions have become in just a few years, the more your responses stand out to admissions officers, the better your chances of admission will be.

Want to know your chances at UMD? Calculate your chances for free right now.

University of Maryland Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1: If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

Prompt 2: The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

Prompt 3: In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

Prompt 4: My favorite thing about last Thursday was… (650 characters)

Prompt 5: Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

Prompt 6: Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

This is a very straightforward prompt. A strong response will identify a place, and share a little bit about why you’ve picked this particular place.

Keep in mind that your response should be unique to you and should teach your reader something about your personality or interests. If your answer sounds like something any random person might say, you need to work on specificity. Here are some examples to show you what we’re talking about.

Generic response: “Rome, because I’ve always wanted to see the Colosseum.”

Personal response: “Rome, because I’ve studied Latin since middle school. My father, a classics professor, spent so many happy hours teaching me how to read the works of Ovid, Virgil, Cicero, and the other greats, in their original language. Whenever we happen to pass by old churches or college buildings, we stop to read their insignias and mottos, which are most often in Latin. All these fond memories make me feel deeply connected to the Greco-Roman world, and I think that seeing historic sites like the Colosseum in person would augment the reading I’ve done and enrich my understanding of classical antiquity.” (598 characters)

The first response is very generic because just about anybody you ask would probably love to see the Colosseum. The second response answers the crucial question— why? —which should be at the core of your response. Your particular reason for choosing the place you choose is where your personality and individuality will shine through.

Obviously, the source of specificity will depend on you and your personal experiences. If you haven’t studied Latin (or if you studied it but didn’t like it), this response clearly wouldn’t work for you. Think about what truly interests you, then narrow your thinking down to places that are integral to that interest. For example, if you’re really invested in country music and its history, you might be particularly interested in visiting Nashville, the epicenter of that genre.

Finally, remember that this place doesn’t have to be a city. You could also say something like “The Pro Football Hall of Fame” or “Abbey Road Studios.” In fact, you even have the freedom to be a little more creative with your place in history. You might want to travel to a different time period entirely. The prompt posits that you can travel anywhere , but doesn’t specify that it has to be somewhere modern. Perhaps you love early R&B and disco music. You might want to travel to Detroit in the 1960s, when Motown Records was beginning to dominate those genres.

A word of caution: If you are going to get extra creative and pick a different time period, be sure to avoid generic clichés. For example, writing that you want to travel to the future—to give your future self advice, or to drive a flying car, or to see where climate change has gone, etc.—is a cliché and won’t contribute much to your application.

In terms of location, you probably shouldn’t go much bigger than a city. Saying something like “The United Kingdom” or “China” may make you sound clueless, as countries are too large and diverse to understand in their entirety with just one trip. Aiming for something too broad detracts from the specificity that a strong response to this kind of essay requires.

Rather than settling for a generic response, think about the main reason you personally want to go to this place, and narrow your response from there. Instead of “The United Kingdom,” you could write “The Scottish Highlands,” and instead of “China,” you could write “The Great Wall of China.”

The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

If you haven’t done research before, don’t worry. Most high school students haven’t done a serious research project, and nowhere does the prompt say that the research has to be yours.

Your response should show your reader that you are informed about the research that goes on at places like the University of Maryland. Of course, research is not the only thing universities do, but being surrounded by cutting-edge researchers in a wide range of fields is an opportunity that is difficult to find outside of a university campus.

We don’t mean to say you have to cite some dense, obscure study on molecular neuroscience. If that’s what you’re interested in, great! As long as your response is genuine, your chosen topic is fair game. Don’t make the mistake of writing about some deep scientific research if that isn’t what piques your interest, but be careful not to write about something too trivial either.

That being said, research is done in a vast array of subjects, so there’s no pressure to write about any one topic over another. Below are some examples of facts from a variety of fields that would work just as well as something from a hardcore STEM study.

• Consistent physical exercise throughout life correlates with better mental health in old age.
• Sea turtles use magnetoreception to find the same breeding grounds each year.
• The Egyptian pyramids have passages leading up from the burial chamber, which ancient Egyptians believed the dead pharaoh could climb through to join the gods in heaven.

Given the 650 characters you’re allotted, you should also share a short explanation of why you find this particular fact so interesting. For example, for the aforementioned sea turtle fact, you could write:

“[The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…] sea turtles find the same breeding grounds each year with magnetoreception. Magnetoreception is a sense that allows turtles (and other animals) to perceive Earth’s magnetic field. Learning this fact made me truly appreciate nature’s diversity—turtles have an entire sense that we lack! This newfound appreciation created by one fact I just stumbled upon inspired me to embark on an exploratory journey that culminated in an internship at a local environmental center.” (467 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

Try to avoid picking a fact that is so long that you don’t have space to elaborate. 650 characters isn’t the largest amount of space, but simply stating your fact probably shouldn’t take up most of it. That being said, you don’t necessarily have to elaborate at a level as deep as the above example to have an excellent response. You may have a strong and thorough response with just 300 characters or so.

In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

The key phrase here is “in addition to my major.” Remember that you should use these supplemental prompts to share information about yourself that your reader cannot find elsewhere in your application.

So if your intended major is neuroscience, your answer here shouldn’t be “biology.” That is technically a different academic interest, but it doesn’t really tell your reader anything new. If they know you want to major in neuroscience, they can already safely assume you have at least some interest in biology.

Remember that your reader also has your high school transcript and activities list. Maybe math isn’t your intended major, but if you’ve taken AP math classes and done math camps during your high school summers, writing about math won’t be sharing something new with your reader. Your personal experiences already strongly indicate that you’re interested in math.

Your response also shouldn’t just be a list of other interests you have. A laundry list of interests won’t give the admissions committee any sense of why you’re interested in these things. The “why” is where your personality shines through. Without it, your reader won’t really have anything to take away from your response.

Now that we’ve covered what you shouldn’t do, let’s talk about how you should approach this prompt. As noted above, you want to pick an interest that is genuinely different from the things already seen in the rest of your application. As long as you’re honest, there’s no right or wrong way to do this. UMD wants to see that you’re academically inclined and intellectually curious, not that you’re only interested in one particular thing.

The second part of your response is the why . Say you’re a prospective history major and the other area you’re interested in is sports psychology. Your response might read something like this:

“[In addition to my major, my academic interests include…] sports psychology, because I was raised a diehard Miami Heat fan, and I’ve always wondered what helps some players thrive under pressure while others fold. I think that the field is interesting as it explores not only how players play, but also how they act in their personal lives in the spotlight. Even to those not interested in sports, the field is very useful in that its findings can be extrapolated and applied to society at large. After all, everyone wants to be able to perform at an optimal level.” (507 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

Alternatively, say you’re a prospective engineering major and you also have an interest in music theory. A strong response would be:

“[In addition to my major, my academic interests include…] music theory, because I’ve always wanted to know how movie and television composers use sound to enhance the emotional content of a scene. I’ve always been fascinated by the ways music is used to complement cinema. There are videos online in which a song is changed or removed from a scene, and something that simple can have a profound impact on the scene. I have been teaching myself guitar for four years, and even though I’m competent on a technical level, my theoretical understanding is lacking.” (501 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

These responses share interests that are not only not distinct from their respective majors, but that are also probably not discussed anywhere else in the application. It’s an unfortunate reality that college applications often capture only a thin slice of who you are while leaving out things like sports fandom, which may be a huge part of your personality and identity. If you can share one of those things here, your response will be all the better for it.

My favorite thing about last Thursday was… (650 characters)

Only you know what you did last Thursday, so the best advice we can give here is to not overthink your answer. Most people don’t do anything revolutionary on an average Thursday. UMD doesn’t expect you to have cured cancer on a normal day of the week. What they do expect is that you can engage with—and bring energy to—seemingly mundane situations. This is a useful skill that will help you thrive in college and beyond.

In order to address this prompt successfully, all you really have to do is describe the situation and give your reader some sense of what made it your favorite part of the day. Bear in mind that you don’t have to write about last Thursday literally. Think of something eventful that you took part in recently, but don’t feel restricted to the day mentioned in the prompt. UMD’s use of “last Thursday” is figurative. You can write about any average day that didn’t happen too long ago. No one is going to check that your event happened on a Thursday.

Here are some examples of weak and strong responses to this prompt.

Weak: “getting dinner with my friend.”

Strong: “having a picnic at dinnertime with my friend and watching the sunset. There’s nothing like munching on a DIY vegan charcuterie board and drinking sparkling cider at the golden hour. My friend and I grew up together and are as close as sisters. For years we did everything together, from shopping to cooking and from learning to swim to learning to drive. She and I used to hang out a lot before she moved, so I feel lucky whenever I get to spend quality time with her on an otherwise average day.” (495 characters)

For this particular prompt, even a few extra details—like those that are included in the strong example—can go a long way. Most people enjoy getting dinner with friends, but the strong response shows the reader why , for you personally, this particular dinner was so meaningful.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, 650 characters is more than you might assume. Take advantage of the space you have to make your response as personal as possible, but also don’t write more than you need to just to reach the limit. Based on the rest of your application, the admissions committee has some understanding of what you’re like in the classroom or on the basketball court. Now show them what you’re like on a regular old Thursday.

Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

A prompt this open-ended can be overwhelming at first. But as we advised with the previous prompt, don’t overthink your answer! This fun fact doesn’t have to be anything crazy or an attempt to impress the admissions committee—that’s what the rest of your application is for. Just share something unique to you that isn’t already discussed elsewhere in your application.

This last part about being unique is key—if your answer to Prompt 3 (the one about academic interests) was something about liking astronomy, your answer here shouldn’t be something about stargazing every night. Remember that you only have so many opportunities to share information about yourself with the admissions committee, so take advantage of each one.

That being said, you have free rein to write about pretty much anything! Below are some examples of potential topics you could respond to this prompt with. Your response also may look nothing like these, which is completely fine. We just want to get your mental gears turning by giving you a sense of what a good response might begin with.

Something you might not know about me is…

• I can do a double backflip off a diving board.
• I have every word to Taylor Swift’s album Reputation memorized.
• For my eighteenth birthday, I went skydiving and passed out in the air.
• I’ve won my fantasy football league three years in a row.
• Every New Year’s Day, my dad cracks the ice on the pond near our house and my family does a polar plunge together.

Since you have a longer character count, you should elaborate on your fun fact, whatever it may be. For example, a hypothetical student might extend the above skydiving example and write something like this:

“[Something you might not know about me is…] for my eighteenth birthday, I went skydiving and passed out in the air. As a child, I saw a show about skydiving and became so infatuated with the idea that it became the one thing I had to try. My parents were not thrilled but agreed that I could try when I was 18. The time finally came, and the plane ascended with me finally on it. I was signed up for a tandem jump where I was tethered to an instructor. We jumped, and some combination of excitement, dread, and altitude made me pass out, so I missed most of the experience! By the time I came to, we were near the ground already, so I definitely need to try this experience again someday.” (644 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

You might not use all 650 characters to respond to this prompt, and that’s okay. Don’t try to reach the character limit and end up rambling or writing something confusing. For example, imagine if the backflip example above read like this:

“[Something you might not know about me is…] I can do a double backflip off a diving board. One time I was at the pool and kept making the lifeguard nervous every time I did it. It ended up being fine though, because it’s a skill I had gotten really good at by then.” (221 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

By the end of this response, a reader might not even remember what the original fun fact was, even though it’s only 221 characters.

Finally, the examples above hopefully show that your fun fact can be just that—fun. You don’t have to be super serious with every single supplemental essay prompt you come across. A more lighthearted response can actually be a good thing—college applications are generally quite dry, so it can be a good idea to remind your reader that you’re more than a GPA and a Common App essay you’ve revised 43 times.

Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

This is one instance of the very common diversity prompt . When colleges have a diversity prompt, they want to know about your own personal background and how it has influenced your worldview and perspectives.

In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is the place to discuss that.

In general, such a common prompt can be approached with a traditional answer. You might consider answering this prompt with what you think is the most important part of your identity, then a small discussion about how that aspect of diversity is relevant to you and your general life experiences.

Such a response might be written about one of the following scenarios:

• Using your fluency in another language to help members of a specific community.
• Interpreting a text in class differently from your classmates because of your ethnic culture.
• Having a friend of a different background who has changed your perspective on something important (this speaks to the “been inspired” part of the prompt).
• Having an illness or disability that helps you view accessibility through a different lens than your peers.
• Being part of a niche interest group/fandom and trying to represent the group faithfully when talking to people who aren’t members of it.

Simply listing things that generate diversity should be avoided. Sure, diversity includes different ethnicities/races, gender identities, sexual orientations, countries of origin, and languages, but writing that laundry list out doesn’t contribute much to your application.

Also, bear in mind that the traditional markers of diversity aren’t the only ones you can discuss. There are other aspects of identity that contribute to a diverse campus, including socioeconomic classes, hometowns, illnesses/disabilities, and even interests or hobbies.

Diversity encompasses all the aforementioned attributes, but you should strive for individuality and specificity in your response. This prompt, like all the others, is an opportunity to showcase your unique life perspective. You don’t want to waste this opportunity by writing down some bland dictionary definitions. Think of what diversity means to you and what you consider to be a particularly significant aspect of diversity. From there, think of personal anecdotes or stories about how that aspect of diversity has contributed to your growth or development as a person.

Where to Get Your University of Maryland, College Park Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your UMD essays? After rereading your essays over and over again, it can be difficult to gauge where your writing needs improvement, especially since these prompts are so short. We created our free Peer Essay Review tool to help students like you  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!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Write the University of Maryland Supplemental Essays 2023–2024

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University of Maryland (UMD) is renowned for its innovative research programs and support for entrepreneurship . UMD’s accomplished alumni include Google co-founder Sergey Brin, comedian Larry David, and Carly Fiorina, the first woman to lead a Fortune Top-20 company. Hoping to follow in their footsteps? First, you’ll need to master the UMD supplemental essays. Let’s dive in.

University of Maryland’s 2023-2024 Prompts

If i could travel anywhere, i would go to… (650 characters or fewer), the most interesting fact i ever learned from research was… (650 characters or fewer), in addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters or fewer), my favorite thing about last thursday was… (650 characters or fewer), something you might not know about me is… (650 characters or fewer), because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the university of maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. this includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. we are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. in a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters or fewer).

General Tips

These six prompts are unique among supplemental essay questions asked by universities. Instead of requiring a word count, each prompt has a character count of 650 or fewer. This works out to approximately 90-150 words, depending on how long your words are and how close you come to hitting the character limit. Put differently, these are very short essays. Only a couple sentences will be required for each question.

The admissions officers at UMD ask these questions to learn about who you are as a person. Because of this, you can and should bring your authentic self to the page. Humor is welcome in these responses, as long as you still appropriately answer the question at hand.

In order order to write your UMD supplemental essays effectively, you will need to be concise and precise. Avoid passive voice, roundabout language, and nonessential descriptive language. When possible, use specific details to make your points, and avoid generalizations. Keeping these general tips in mind during your writing and editing process will help bring your UMD supplemental essays to the next level.

University of Maryland Short Essay Questions

All of the UMD supplemental essays are required, so it may be useful to read through the questions before beginning your drafts in order to get a sense of the scope you’re working with. Now, let’s break each prompt down.

For a college essay prompt, this is a relatively fun, light-hearted question. That said, it has more layers than might be discerned at first glance. You don’t have to take the question literally: consider time travel, intergalactic travel, etc. What if you could travel to the interior of the mitochondria? What if you could follow the trajectory of the asteroid that struck the Yucatán Peninsula? Or what if you could travel to the future to see the impact of AI on human society?

In order to bring your most creative, genuine answer to the page, you might want to invest in a brainstorming session. Make a list of 8-10 different places (or times) you could, hypothetically, travel to. Then, narrow down your list to the few that seem most enjoyable to write about. Make sure that the ideas you narrow down to are manageable enough to write about in 650 characters or fewer. Then, write a couple sentences about each idea and choose your favorite for this essay topic.

This brainstorming process might sound like more work than necessary, but the process is likely to produce a much more original and engaging essay than just writing about the first thing that pops into your head. Of course, you can also modify this process to suit your working style. Whatever you do, have fun with it, and don’t hesitate to get creative in this response, perhaps more than any of the other UMD supplemental essays.

This prompt is open-ended, just like the first one. Note the prompt’s usage of the word “research.” In order to narrow down the many interesting facts that you surely know, consider the occasions when you have researched topics. This research counts whether it was big or small, but if you have any larger-scale, higher-commitment research projects under your belt, this essay could be your opportunity to share some of that research with the reader.

The prompt specifically requests one fact that you have learned from research. Therefore, be sure to distill your response’s topic to a single piece of information, even if you describe more details relating to the fact in the essay as well. Given the low character count mandated for this essay, though, you may just want to stick to the fact, brief context as to how you researched this fact, and why you find it interesting.

This response can go in many different directions. If your academic interests are numerous, feel free to list them with only the briefest explanations. On the other hand, if you have fewer, but deeper interests, then you may want to list just two or three additional interests with a bit more explanation.

Regardless of how much explanation you have space to provide, bear in mind the following:

• You list more than one academic interest .
• Your academic interests are distinct from your major .
• This list should not be exhaustive .

To address each of the above points, you might notice that the prompt asks for academic interests , plural. Second, these interests are in addition to your major (thus, they do not include and are not overlapping with your major). Third, you’re asked to list what your academic interests include , meaning that these are not all of your academic interests.

In other words, the admissions team would like to see that you are broadly curious, even outside of your chosen discipline. This is because well-rounded students are often assets to academic communities. These students tend to bring multifaceted perspectives, develop interdisciplinary research, and connect with peers across departments.

Think about all the classes in high school that you have enjoyed, outside the area you’ve chosen to major in. Consider the topics you’ve enjoyed reading about or watching documentaries on. If any of the topics you’ve enjoyed learning about are studied in academic contexts, then they can work for this answer.

This is another question seeking out your personality and individuality. Contrary to popular belief, admissions officers aren’t looking to fill classes with like-minded people. Instead, they seek to build communities full of diversity. This includes diversity of personality and life experience. By describing your favorite thing about last Thursday, you bring a bit of your personality and life experience to your application.

If you’re struggling to see how this essay response fits into the larger picture of your college application, consider the parts of you that haven’t made it into your application. Is it your fun-loving relationship with your younger sister? The joy you find in skateboarding with friends after school? Your excitement when your favorite YouTuber uploads a new video? Think expansively, and see if any of those parts of you fit into last Thursday.

Alternatively, write up a brief list of everything that happened last Thursday. Once you’ve settled on your favorite thing about the day, consider turning your short essay into a narrative (that is, a story). If 650 characters or fewer seems like not enough space to craft a real story with a beginning, middle, and end, look up “Six Word Memoirs” for inspiration. There are thousands available online, and they demonstrate the power you can imbue in just a few words.

This essay question gives you another opportunity to zoom out and consider all the parts of you that have or have not made it into your college application. Although this prompt is set up to expect a surprising conclusion to the sentence, remember that the UMD admissions officers don’t know much about you. The way you would finish this sentence when writing to a friend or family member is very different than the way you would finish it when writing to a stranger.

Therefore, a way to rephrase this prompt is, “Something I would like you to know about me is… ” Phrased this way, the essay becomes less about giving the reader a surprising, exciting piece of information and more about filling in one of your application’s blanks. You can take this essay as an opportunity to explain a confusing part of your academic profile. You could also share a quirky skill you’ve developed. Alternatively, you could describe an aspect of your personality that otherwise wouldn’t come through on the page. The options are almost endless.

Moreover, there might be something that you thought about writing into your last essay (”My favorite thing about last Thursday was… ”), but that didn’t happen last Thursday. If so, this essay response is your opportunity to write about it!

This is an expansive essay question that asks you to explore the role diversity has had in your life. However, like the more light-hearted essay questions above, you’re still restricted to 650 characters or fewer. In other words, this prompt, perhaps more than the rest of the UMD supplemental essays, presents a tall order.

If you’re stuck on ideas, here a few mini-prompts to get you started:

• Describe a conversation you’ve had that was influenced by the differences between you and your conversation partner. In other words, if you are your conversation partner shared all the same identities, the conversation would have gone differently.
• Describe an occasion when an aspect of your identity impacted a significant decision in your life.
• Explain how you gained a new perspective through encountering diversity.
• Explain how you have changed as person after encountering different types of people.
• Describe a travel experience you have had that significantly impacted on your worldview.

Note that UMD defines “diversity” broadly, writing that it “includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation.” Therefore, if you hold an identity that isn’t covered by the most standard definition of diversity, that doesn’t mean you can’t write about it.

That said, because of the limited space in which to answer this essay question, don’t feel pressure to write about a very complex identity or life experience. This essay question should be taken seriously, but you don’t have to cover a lot of ground to write an effective essay. Keep your answer focused and specific!

If you need help polishing up your UMD supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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However, if you are still interested in attending the University of Maryland but need more time to enroll, please email our admissions office at [email protected] with “Confirmation Deadline Extension” in the subject line.

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

Freshman Applicants

All the information you need, in one place, to apply to the University of Maryland (UMD) as a freshman.

APPLY AS A FRESHMAN

If you are a high school student or a student with fewer than 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours of university-level credit beyond secondary school, you should apply as a freshman applicant.

Below you will find information on freshman application requirements and deadlines, a complete list of required application materials and more.

Applicant Requirements

As prescribed by the Board of Regents , the university expects you, at a minimum, to have completed the following coursework by high school graduation.

The most competitive freshman applicants exceed these minimum requirements, earning a strong A-/B+ or better average in their high school coursework while taking several honors and/or Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses and additional academic electives.

Years of English

Years of foreign language

Years of history or social science

Years of science in at least 2 different areas

With at least 2 lab experiences

4 Years of math, including Algebra I, Geometry & Algebra II

If you complete Algebra II prior to your final year, you must complete the 4-year math requirement by taking a course that utilizes non-trivial algebra, such as Trigonometry, Precalculus, Calculus, Statistics, College Algebra.

Choosing a Major

Whether you know exactly what you want to study or are still figuring it out, we encourage you to explore UMD's academic programs . As you explore you may see that some of our majors are considered Limited Enrollment Programs (LEP). These programs have limited space and, therefore, have more competitive admission criteria.

On the UMD application, you'll select a preferred major. This information will not impact whether or not you are admissible to the university. If you selected an LEP, you will also be reviewed by the specific program to determine admission to your preferred major.

While most students are admitted to their preferred major, some LEP applicants may not be. Students who are undecided or undeclared (working on getting into an LEP) will work with Letters & Sciences advisors to explore their interests or complete LEP gateway requirements.

Benefits of Applying Early Action

We strongly encourage you to apply early action to receive priority consideration for admission, merit-based scholarships and invitations to special programs . UMD's November 1 early action deadline is non-binding and students who submit a completed application by this date will receive an admission decision by February 1. By applying for admission to the fall semester, you will also be automatically considered for admission to the spring semester.

Application Platforms

Freshman students can apply to UMD using either of the following platforms:

• StandOut Admissions Network

The application platform you choose will not make a difference on how your application will be reviewed. Choose the platform you are comfortable using.

Application Checklist

Utilize our application checklist to ensure you're submitting all required freshman application materials.

Before you get started, consider the following questions:

• Are you an international student?  | If you are a non-U.S. citizen or non-permanent U.S. resident you apply as an international applicant .
• Do you need to provide proof of English proficiency?  | If English is not your native language, regardless of your citizenship, or if you have taken English Second Language courses in high school, you must provide verification of your proficiency in English .
• Do you have non-U.S. academic records?  | If you have non-U.S. academic records for post-secondary/university work, please review our international applicant requirements for instructions on submitting these records.

Completed online application

The freshman application can be submitted online via the Common App or StandOut Admissions Network . The online application only needs to be submitted once, so choose the platform you are most comfortable using.

As part of the online application you will be required to submit a(n):

Essay |   This is your opportunity to share your personality and experiences with the Admission Committee. Get inspired by one of our essay questions .

Activities and awards list or resume | Tell us how you spend your time outside the classroom! Please start by sharing the two experiences outside of academics that are most important to you. Whether community involvement, the arts, sports, work experience, research opportunities, family involvements or other activities and hobbies, you should share only what has been particularly meaningful (up to a maximum of eight).

Nonrefundable application fee of $75 | When submitting your application you will be required to pay a $75 application fee on our secure website with a credit card unless you have received a fee waiver . Fee waivers must be submitted prior to application submission for consideration. We cannot accept cash or check payments.

Two letters of recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required: one from your school counselor and one from a teacher. Recommendations must be sent to us directly from the recommender. Learn how recommendation letters can be submitted on our Submitting Documents  page.

Official copy of your high school transcripts

Each high school you've attended must submit an official copy of your high school transcript(s) listing all courses you attempted/completed. Learn how transcripts can be submitted on our Submitting Documents  page.

Official copy of your college transcripts (if necessary)

If you have completed any collegiate coursework, each institution you've attended must submit an official copy of your college transcripts listing all courses you attempted/completed. Learn how transcripts can be submitted on our Submitting Documents  page.

If you have non-U.S. academic records for post-secondary work, please review our international applicant requirements as they might apply to you.

Official standardized test scores (optional)

UMD is currently test-optional through to the Spring and Fall 2025 application cycles. Students can choose whether or not to submit SAT/ACT scores with their application. As part of the online application, you will be able to indicate your test-optional status. If you choose to include your test scores, learn how to submit them on our Submitting Documents  page.

If you would like to receive credit toward your degree for successfully completing Advanced Placement (AP) , International Baccalaureate (IB) , A/AS level examinations or certain other standard exams, you must submit those official scores upon receiving an offer of admission.

School of Music application (School of Music applicants only)

In addition to the above items, students seeking enrollment into the School of Music must submit an  online application supplement and  audition . These items will only be used to determine your eligibility for admission into the School of Music and will not be used in the review of your eligibility for admission to UMD.

Making Sure Your UMD Application is Complete

Applications are considered complete when the online application and all required documents have been submitted electronically or postmarked by the appropriate deadline .  It is your responsibility to confirm receipt of all materials.

To do so, you will need to create a Terps Application Portal (TAP) account. You'll receive an email with instructions on how to create a TAP account within two business days of submitting your online application. Through your TAP account, you can:

• Track your application status.
• Confirm receipt of required materials.
• Receive your admission decision when it becomes available.

Keep in mind:  It may take up to 10 business days for recently submitted materials to be listed as received within TAP

Application FAQs

If questions come up as you're filling out the UMD application, be sure to reference our frequently asked questions. We've gathered answers about the application platforms, required materials, what to do after you've applied, and more.

Submitting Documents

Find details on the best way to submit all of your required application materials.

Admission Review Process & Factors

Familiarize yourself with our holistic review process and the many factors we consider when reviewing applications.

There is a lot more to learn about UMD, so let's stay in touch!

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University Of Maryland Admission Essay Writing Guide

Application Guide

Essay examples, what you need to write a university of maryland application essay.

Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland-College Park, also known as Maryland or UMD, is the flagship institution of the public university system and is also a public land-grant research university in Maryland. Through the years, the institution has multiplied across the states and is one of the most revered higher learning institutions in America. The university has a graduation rate of 85% and a 51% acceptance rate.

If you're in the application process for the University Of Maryland and are up against a tight essay deadline, StudyMoose offers a quick and reliable academic writing service to meet your specific needs.

Admission Requirements for Bachelor and for Graduate School

Admission requirements for bachelor and for graduate school include:

• Graduate school application form; this can be in the generic form either in paper format or submitted digitally. The application form should reflect a resume with personal details, academic record, and the chosen program.
• Academic transcripts include the results of any tests taken and the names of the referees.
• University of Maryland admissions essay or statement of purpose
• Reference letters for support purposes
• Grad school test scores; in this case, standardized and internationally recognized tests such as PTE, GMAT, GRE, or TOEFL are most preferred.
• Grad school application fees will cover the application process costs. For scholarship, students are to contact the admissions office directly to avoid being locked out.
• Applicants must have a score at least 50% for four other modules excluding life orientation.
• Applicants must also acquire a 30% score in LOLT (Language of Learning and Teaching) for college.
• Applicants must also pass at least 6 out of the 7 subjects.

University of Maryland is a competitive institution, which explains the strict admission requirements. A bachelor’s degree is the surest way to proceed for master’s degree at the University of Maryland, thus the institution sets rigorous processes that must be followed to the satisfaction of the university. If you are looking for essay inspiration, our site has several samples that you can access online for guidance. You can also get a professional writer to offer the service at a cheap price if you would like to pay for a great application letter.

Why Write an Essay for University of Maryland

University of Maryland College Park supplement essay is a requirement for admission. The institution is a competitive ground and therefore applicants for bachelor degree courses are required to be equally competitive. Writing an essay can determine the selection process of an applicant seeing that the admission is most selective going by its 49% acceptance rate, and a 59.3% early acceptance rate. Half the successful applicants at the university have a 1270 and 1480 SAT Score range or an ACT score between 29 and 34. Given this level of competitiveness, a college park essay is meant to give an edge to the most ideal students who can combine academia and personability to make a sum of their personality.

For professor essays submitted by students are better placed to provide a conviction why a particular student is best suited for the course for university of Maryland. Thus, an essay, also known as a personal statement briefly sells the applicant as the ideal fit for the particular institution. These essays are evaluated together with high school transcripts to provide the complete competitiveness of an individual.

University of Maryland admissions essay follows specific prompts that are crafted to provide an engaging platform with the applicants. The idea is to ensure that a candidate provides a compelling personality through multiple related points. You may want to check the samples on our site written by expert essay writers.

Types of Essays for Students

While does not adhere to the traditional rules, it has certain categories that must be adhered to. For instance, the students are required to write essays that are persuasive, unique, descriptive, narrative, and expository. For graduate school students, the essays must have a capturing story that shows lessons learned from life’s challenges and obstacles. Furthermore, applicants must challenge a belief by countering and aligning their arguments. More so, the essays must indicate the applicant’s problem-solving skills and personal growth after overcoming challenges.

University of Maryland essay examples include prompts that question what captivates candidates, the topic of choice, and an applicant’s role model. The types of essays for students wishing to join the institution therefore include;

Personal Essays

These essays are used to determine the personality of an applicant and if they are a fit for the institution. These essays are used to bring out the focus on something that has impacted the applicant in the past, or the present and provide a broader outlook on how these experiences have shaped the applicant today.

Political Essays

These essays are used to determine the applicant’s feelings of present circumstances while proposing solutions to these circumstances. Often, political essays are used to gauge a candidate’s expository or persuasive skills.

Analytical Essays

University of Maryland application essays often apply this method when gauging applicants. Through analytical thinking, the admission board is in a better position to gauge an applicant’s ability to narrow down to the core components of an argument and provide thorough conclusions. Analytical essays are used to showcase expository writing and thinking.

Compare-and-contrast Essays

These are common essays that are used to weigh a student’s ability to provide similarities and differences between two subjects by comparing and contrasting them against each other. In such instances, an applicant may be asked to compare and contrast two historical figures.

Argumentative Essays

College Park essays may include argumentative topics for or against a particular conviction. In this case, these types of essays are used to defend or argue about raging policies. In some instances, these essays are used to point out the correlation between two contrasting policies.

Humorous Essays

For college students, humorous essays are used to showcase their sense of humor and overall their personality. In this case, applicants may be asked to write essays meant to elicit laughs and entertainment for professor, through a recount of a funny event in an applicant’s life. Satire and sarcasm can be applied in this case to provide humor.

Regardless of the type of essay, applicants need to proofread and get rid of grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and use the correct tone throughout the essay. University of Maryland admissions essay must be persuasive and apply writing techniques that will vividly express the point of view. Tonal variation, words used and presentation can make the ideal difference of an essay structure.

Pointers when Writing an Essay for College

University of Maryland application essay requires candidates to use the right words to provide a concise presentation. In this case, applicants are required to answer some rapid-fire questions that can put them at an advantage to join the university. Some of these questions include;

• If you could travel anywhere, where would you go to?
• What is the most interesting fact that you have learned from research?
• Aside from your major, what are your other academic interests?
• Your favorite thing about last week was?
• Something interesting about you is?

These rapid questions are meant to help applicants budget their words and energy. With a word limit of 160 characters, the University of Maryland essay encourages applicants to make every word count and to shed off unnecessary details and information for students.

University of Maryland essays that worked required applicants to brainstorm and have a clear mind when applying. These rapid questions are not looking for a specific answer. Rather, they challenge the applicants to be creative and authentically showcase their personalities. For college students, it is important to have a free and imaginative mind to write down as many things as possible. It is also important to set a timer and write as many words as the character limit allows within a specific time.

Often, students limit themselves thinking that their ideas are too silly and senseless. However, there is no such thing and it is advisable for students to just trust their gut and go with the flow when writing University of Maryland essays. Writing these essays with a clear mind can help applicants come up with unique and authentic answers, which are a key advantage to getting admission for university.

University of Maryland College Park supplement essay seeks to test an applicant’s authenticity, creativity, ingenuity, and sense of humor. All these summed up can paint a clear picture of an applicant’s personality. As such, applicants must aim for breadth and top-notch creativity when applying for college.

University of Maryland admissions essay encourages applicants to stretch their imagination and creativity beyond the classroom and engage opportunities that can not only improve their academic lives but also their personal growth long after they are done for graduate school. The aim is to ensure that students have a fulfilling academic and personal life and this can only be achieved through provoking minds beyond academia. The rapid-fire questions are also meant for university applicants to showcase the speed of their thought process when put under pressure, and the authenticity of their answers within a short time and with limited words. This helps with the elimination process especially for competitive courses at the institution.

Main Faculties at the University Of Maryland

There is a total of 2,615 faculties at the University of Maryland. Out of the total, 1,843 are full-time, and 772 are part-time. While there are various faculties at the institution, the three main faculties are; tenured faculty, on tenure, and not on the tenure track. The University of Maryland-College Park has a balanced student to faculty ratio, with both full-time instructors and adjunct professors. The university’s faculty listings indicate the name for professor, graduate faculty status, academic credentials, and positions. The most popular majors for students at the university include;

• Computer Science
• Criminology
• Political Science
• Finance, Biology/Biological Sciences
• Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
• Mechanical Engineering.

Once an applicant is sure of the course they wish to pursue at the university, it is important to go through a list of University of Maryland college park essay requirements and understand what will make them stand out from the rest. The trick is to avoid a lackluster Maryland essay and instead write authentic, humorous, and ingenious essays that can make an applicant stand out from the rest. For bachelor courses, these essays are used to determine a candidate’s personality and if they are a match for the institution. These positions are highly competitive; therefore, it is important for applicants to write equally competitive essays. If writing isn’t your strongest suit, you can buy a sample from our site as we have several that will suit your application.

History of the University Of Maryland

The University of Maryland-College Park has eleven campuses, in addition to two major research and service components. As the twelfth largest university in the US, the institution has continued to attract applications not only from across the country but also across the globe. Today with its twelve schools and colleges, the institution has over 40,000 students representing all fifty states and a global alumnus of over 388,000. Maryland is a likable institution because it offers over 200 degree-granting courses, which include 92 undergraduate majors, over 105 programs for master’s degree or for internship, and 83 doctoral programs. As an active member of the Association of Universities, UMD has continued to receive research funding from various agencies such as NASA, FDA, and the Department of Homeland Security, giving it an edge over many higher learning institutions in the US.

In 2016, UMD, College Park, and the University of Maryland-Baltimore managed to formalize their strategic partnership. The University of Maryland Baltimore is the founding institution of all of Maryland’s public university system. The institution is home to nationally recognized programs such as law, social work, dentistry, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. The strategic partnership with UMD created more innovative medical, scientific, and educational programs, making it a more attractive institution for students looking to join higher learning institutions.

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How to Get Into the University of Maryland: Acceptance Rate & Strategies

July 12, 2024

Prior to the turn of the new millennium, the University of Maryland, College Park welcomed 75% of the applicant pool into the Terrapin family. In recent years, the University of Maryland’s acceptance rate has been as low as 44% and the number of applicants has more than doubled since the end of the Clinton Presidency. A generation ago, many Maryland freshmen possessed solid but unspectacular academic credentials; in 2024, first-year Terrapins sport a median SAT score of 1450 and an average weighted GPA of nearly 4.5. Yes…it’s really THAT competitive. No wonder the UMD acceptance rate has been trending sharply downward.

Given this sharp rise in selectivity, the intent of this article is to give those considering applying to the University of Maryland an understanding of the following topics:

• University of Maryland, College Park acceptance rate
• UMD in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rate
• University of Maryland’s Early Action acceptance rate
• GPA, SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted University of Maryland applicants
• Admissions trends
• University of Maryland’s system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of current University of Maryland undergraduates
• The percentage of accepted students that attend the University of Maryland (yield rate)
• Tips for applying to the University of Maryland
• UMD Supplemental Essay Advice
• How to assess whether applying to the University of Maryland is even worth the $75 application fee (for you)

Let’s begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data.

University of Maryland, College Park Acceptance Rate — Class of 2027

There were 59,369 applications for admission into the Terrapin Class of 2027. Only 26,623 students, or 45% of that group, were accepted to the College Park campus.

Historical UMD acceptance rates are as follows:

University of Maryland In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rate

Maryland does grant favor in the admissions process to in-state applicants. For the Class of 2027, the UMD in-state acceptance rate was 54% while the out-of-state acceptance rate was 42%.

University of Maryland, College Park Early Action Acceptance Rate

Based on the most recent data available, applying to the University of Maryland during the Early Action round is almost a requirement. The Class of 2025 saw 61% of EA applicants accepted and just 38% of Regular Decision applicants achieving the same positive result. A stunning 90%+ of that incoming class was accepted via Early Action. For reference, the overall acceptance rate for that cohort was 52%.

What GPA do you need to get into UMD?

Among enrolled 2023-2024 first-year students, the average GPA was 4.45. Moreover, 94% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above, while 3% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. Only 3% of students had a GPA under 3.75.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to UMD?

72% of enrolled Class of 2027 students hailed from the top 10%, while 91% earned a place in the top quarter. A whopping 99% placed in the top half.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for the University of Maryland?

Nearly half of enrolled Class of 2027 freshmen submitted test scores. The mid-50% SAT range was 1380-1510, and the mid-50% ACT range was 32-35.

Admissions Trends & Notes — Class of 2027

• Firstly, 68% of the incoming class were Maryland residents.
• In the student body as a whole, there are international students from 127 countries.
• The number of applicants rose 46% over the past few years.
• 35% of the Class of 2027 were the first in their families to go to college.

How the University of Maryland Rates Applicants

The University of Maryland considers only three factors as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load, GPA, and standardized test scores. Items that are “important” as part of the admissions process are: class rank, first-generation status, essays, recommendations, talent/ability, first-generation status, and state residency. “Considered” factors are: geographical residence, extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, alumni relation, racial/ethnic status, work experience, and volunteer work.

Diving a bit deeper, the university does list additional factors that are considered during their review process. Some of these are identical to those listed above, but many are different, shedding a bit of additional light on how holistic application reviews are conducted:

UMD Acceptance Rate (Continued)

Holistic reviews include:.

• Progression of performance
• The breadth of life experiences
• Recognition of special achievements
• Extenuating circumstances
• Socio-economic background
• Written expression of ideas (as demonstrated in the essay)
• Community service
• Demonstrated leadership
• Learning differences
• Family educational background
• English as a second language/Language spoken at home

Straight from the UMD admissions office: “The undergraduate admissions process is rigorous and individualized. As the university must make fine distinctions among large numbers of highly qualified applicants, the ability to assess consistently all information presented in the application becomes increasingly important. Therefore, the university employs a holistic review process that engages the expertise of professional educators whose judgments—based upon consideration of each applicant’s credentials measured by all admissions criteria—build an entering class that will best complement the existing student body and meet the university’s mission objectives.”

It is also worth highlighting that recruited athletes enjoy a huge edge. This is because the University of Maryland takes great pride in its 19 NCAA Division I sports teams . Overall, more than 700 student-athletes are presently attending the university. Lastly, for advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

Who Actually Gets Into UMD?

Let’s take a look at the demographics of the University of Maryland undergraduate student body.

The states that typically send the highest number of students to UMD are:

• Pennsylvania

The fewest students come from the following states:

• North Dakota
• South Dakota

Historically, the greatest number of international students come from the following countries:

• South Korea

In terms of ethnic identity, the breakdown for the Class of 2027 was as follows:

• Hispanic: 9%
• Black or African American: 12%
• Two or More Races: 5%
• International: 3%

A look at the gender split reveals that the university enrolled an even split of men and women into the Class of 2027:

University of Maryland’s Yield Rate

University of Maryland’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who chose to enroll—is 23%, significantly lower than other powerhouse state universities like the University of Florida, University of Michigan, and UVA. However, the in-state yield rate (50%) is much higher than the out-of-state yield rate (11%), which also helps to explain why the in-state acceptance rate is higher as well.

Tips for Applying to the University of Maryland

If you plan on joining the 59,000+ University of Maryland hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• Firstly, APPLY EARLY by November 1! This one is in all caps in case you are skimming and missed our previous look at EA vs RD acceptance rates.
• UMD will continue to be test-optional through fall 2025.
• The University of Maryland does not use interviews as part of its evaluation process.
• Additionally, the University of Maryland does not consider “ demonstrated interest ” so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
• Prospective Terrapins can apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application.
• In short, the preferred major you list is not a factor in the general admissions process. However, applicants to majors that are “Limited Enrollment Programs” will face additional departmental scrutiny due to limited space. For a full list of LEPs, click here .
• Lastly, make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the short responses required by the University of Maryland. In the 2023-24 cycle, they were as follows:

At the University of Maryland, we encourage our students to go beyond the classroom to engage in opportunities that further both their academic and personal growth.

To tell us more about yourself, please complete the following sentences using only the space provided (650 characters).

• If I could travel anywhere, I would go to…
• The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…
• In addition to my major, my academic interests include…
• My favorite thing about last Thursday was…
• Something you might not know about me is…
• Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms.  This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation.  We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences.  In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity.  

For College Transitions’ advice on how to address all six University of Maryland-College Park essays, visit our blog: University of Maryland Supplemental Essay Prompts and Tips .

Should i apply to the university of maryland.

Those with SAT/ACT scores within the mid-50% mark for the University of Maryland who are also at the very top of their respective high school class are absolutely viable candidates to this excellent institution. As the school states, “Admitted freshman students have a strong A-/B+ or better average in their high school coursework and are enrolled in the most challenging courses available to them including honors, Advanced Placement, or International Baccalaureate courses.”

UMD Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts

Of course, it goes without saying that all teens applying to a school of the University of Maryland’s caliber also need to also have a proper mix of “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here .

Ready to start crafting your applications? You might find the following resources helpful:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• How to Complete the Common App Activities List
• Common App Essay Prompts
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topic Ideas
• Application Strategies

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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How to Write the University of Maryland Supplement Essays 2023-2024

In this article, we’ll be discussing how to write the University of Maryland supplement essays. This guide will help you write essays that will stand out in UMD’s admissions pool.

And, that’s important. Very important!

Why? Well, the campus is rather selective. All University of Maryland supplement essays need to be stellar for an application to stand out from the rest of the competition.

Here are the details:

UMD’s Fall 2022 admissions cycle saw 56,637 students apply. Out of that, 25,201 were accepted. That means UMD had an acceptance rate of 44.49%. That’s less than a coin toss. Now, here’s the good news: This is not much different from their admissions history from a few years ago. It’s stayed relatively stable.

Below we’ve visualized UMD’s acceptance rate over time over the past 9 years. It’s low; but, at least it’s stable!

Below is the itemized admissions stats for your reference.

• 2022-23: 56,637 applied, 25,201 accepted 44.49%
• 2021-22: 50,146 applied, 26,072 accepted 51.99%
• 2020-21: 32,211 applied, 16,437 accepted 51.02%
• 2019-20: 32,987 applied, 14,560 accepted 44.13%
• 2018-19: 33,461 applied, 15,760 accepted 47.09%
• 2017-18: 33907 applied, 15081 accepted 44.47%
• 2016-17: 30272 applied, 14538 accepted 48.02%
• 2015-16: 28301 applied, 12637 accepted 44.65%
• 2014-15: 26268 applied, 12556 accepted 47.79%

Fingers crossed you’ll be applying to UMD with a stable (and, if you’re lucky, higher) acceptance rate that hasn’t dipped compared to the past few years.

Now, in order to get accepted into a school with such a low acceptance rate, it’s safe to say you’re going to need strong essays. Specifically, you’ll need to have strong responses to UMD’s Short Answer Questions.

Below, we’ll be showing you exactly that. So, let’s get right to it!

Table of Contents

• If I could travel anywhere, I would go to…
• The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…
• In addition to my major, my academic interests include…
• My favorite thing about last Thursday was…
• Something you might not know about me is…
• Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity.
• Please describe your past academic experiences and your reasons for wishing to enroll at UMD at this point in your academic career.

Professional College Application Help.

Contact us. we'll get to you within 24 hours. , university of maryland freshman supplement essays (short answer questions).

Below you’ll find all the listed University of Maryland freshman supplement essays, also known as the short answer questions. And boy are the short answer questions… well, short.

Here’s what the Common App has to say:

“To tell us more about yourself, please complete the following prompts using only the space provided (650 characters). “ Common Application: University of Maryland Short Answer Question Instructions

650 characters. Not words, characters.

That gives you very, very little space to really answer each question. Additionally, the small word count is no reason not to have a decent response. UMD still expects your responses to be thoughtful and demonstrate positive attributes about you.

Let’s go over each one at a time.

1. If I could travel anywhere, I would go to…

Remember: places are not limited to the names of countries or City States.

You’re not limited to London, Taiwan, Greece, or New York. You can mention travel to places outside of the conventional norms. As an example, one answer that could be creative would be…

“The surface of Mars, both to satisfy my scientific curiosity and spite against Elon Musk.”

But, let’s say you truly wish to travel to a popular place like Paris or Japan.

Just because you have a generic answer doesn’t mean the reasons and details behind it must be generic. Remember, you still have 650 characters to provide a unique response. You can choose to connect your choices to your ideologies, beliefs, personality, and even your intended major.

Be creative, and don’t be afraid to make a list where you experiment with your answers. The more you experiment and test out different answers, the more unique answers you’ll have.

2. The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…

How can you answer the UMD research fact prompt if you’ve never done any research at a lab or worked under a professor? Are you screwed?

Just because you didn’t don the white cloak doesn’t mean you can’t answer this question. “Research” can mean everything from a quick Google search on salad recipes to a deep dive into a crime mystery.

Of course, if you want to create an answer that stands out, you’ll hopefully have an answer that is exciting.

One of the things we recommend doing is translating the interesting fact you learned into something that outsiders can read and still find compelling. This is a difficult thing to do, especially since students often nerd out about topics without realizing their admissions officers are most probably outside their topic’s community.

For example: the lore behind Star Wars plots may be understandable to other fellow Star Wars fans; but, not every admissions officer is a Star Wars fan. Your answer should read simply yet beautifully enough such that a non-Star Wars fan would be compelled to read more, let alone understand it.

Additionally, think of what your research topic actually says about you.

Are you looking up fashion tips for men? Perhaps you’ve discovered color theory in clothing; and, as a man who has not updated your wardrobe in centuries, the world of men’s fashion is fascinating in just how much you could “glow up.” This demonstrates not just a sense of self-care, but also a great intellectual curiosity to pursue learning outside of your original comfort zone.

3. In addition to my major, my academic interests include…

This is the perfect time to demonstrate to admissions officers your intellectual curiosity.

Most admitted students demonstrate a level of interest in things outside of their intended field of study. It doesn’t mean they must be compelled to like every subject out there. After all, it’s totally normal for Liberal Arts students to fear Math!

You just need to demonstrate openness and curiosity in other fields outside your comfort zone.

Here’s an example.

Most mechanical engineers may be interested in the material world and the relevant subjects surrounding it. Chemistry. Aerospace. Physics. Anything in that realm.

However, we can be sure that there are a good number of said engineers who love video games (especially tasteful game design and development.) Sure, milling a block of steel and having the right design to reduce weight is probably not going to have anything to do with video game design, digital concept art, and software development. However, it’s still an interest people can have. We’re multi-faceted creatures, after all.

So, don’t be afraid to nerd out and share your interests that may be wildly outside your intended major.

We’ve had students who were passionate about the world of business and finance gush over Korean history. We’ve also had students who were in engineering fall in love with the world of dermatology, primarily due to videos from Dr. Pimple Popper herself !

4. My favorite thing about last Thursday was…

Well, you probably already know this; but, we’re going to say it anyway: what you put in this prompt does NOT have to be from last Thursday. The college admissions police aren’t going to be checking to see if you really did have froyo for breakfast last Thursday. So, don’t worry!

Now, here’s the thing.

What makes this prompt so cool is that it can really show a lot about your character depending on what you really write about. But, it’s not only WHAT you write about. It’s also about HOW you choose to portray it.

I’m going to give you two examples.

• Parking the Lamborghini I just bought into my million-dollar studio.
• Spending $20 on an overpriced brunch restaurant (they justified the price with apostrophes and French adjectives.)

Notice how the first option is trying too hard to impress admissions officers?

Of course, a few students are going to be parking a Lamborghini on a random Thursday. But, you get the point. It’s trying too hard to emphasize how impressive they are.

Meanwhile, the second answer talks about the smaller things in life such as having brunch. Of course, brunch is often a posh and fancy thing to have, especially at a brunch-specializing restaurant. So, the applicant is able to sneak in some sarcasm and clever wit to make things interesting. This makes the answer much more exciting and shows what kind of world the applicant lives in.

Here’s another example.

• Playing the piano perfectly on a song that I just learned.
• Finally, after days of rumination, having a Eureka moment about where one of the Ikea screws was supposed to go into the bunk bed setup for my younger siblings.

Again, same principle. The first answer is attempting to shove in impressive feats into the personal essays. In reality, your admissions officers already have your resume, grades, and listed feats readily available to be impressed by.

Remember: these essays are meant to demonstrate more of your personal character and temperament. So, impressing them with feats will need to be subtler than that.

Take the second answer: it impresses admissions officers by showing that the applicant can help their siblings days after the scheduled Ikea furniture building process. It shows a level of concern and care for their younger siblings. And, this Eureka moment with Ikea furniture is a very human and relatable experience that practically anyone can relate to; this makes the applicant closer to the reader and much more easy to accept on a personal level.

5. Something you might not know about me is…

This is one of those questions that stumps a lot of applicants applying to UMD.

“What am I even supposed to say?!” is often what we hear!

Don’t worry! This question is not supposed to have a right or wrong answer. The key to answering it well is to make sure that what you write is something that reveals something about you that the admissions officers may enjoy.

The keyword here is enjoy.

That doesn’t mean it MUST be impressive.

It CAN be impressive; but, it may also just be something related to your personal life, something you find meaningful, something funny, or even just a cool thing you want to nerd out about!

Here are a few examples.

• I used to think I was the only one who could lick their elbow; boy, how naive I was!
• I thought I was the most evil person in the world for secretly mixing soda drinks I got from burger places; I still am quite nefarious!
• Despite dedicating most of my life to the world of medicine, I actually have an unceasing fascination for medieval French history.
• I published a romance Webtoon series online; but, I can only draw and update it in secret because my family wishes I would only work on academic affairs.
• I’ve been connecting the dots of lore in the game Elden Ring, and become too deeply invested to the point of scouring item descriptions to create my own interpretation of a canonical lore.

6. Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity.

The key to answering the UMD diversity question is to recognize that not everyone’s experience with diversity is the same. Some people are neurodivergent. Others come from different socio-economic backgrounds.

Sometimes, student backgrounds are disadvantaged in ways that they may not otherwise understand. One such example of this is students who are mixed race: they may not belong to one race or the other; and, thus, not feel that they have a community to belong to.

Another is actually living in a sheltered bubble. For instance, Irvine CA is considered to have what they call the Irvine Bubble, where most residents are sheltered, wealthy, and live a rather unassuming life outside of conflict and general discontent. This may keep students from genuine conflict that every individual needs in life to properly grow and develop as a human being, as it plays a crucial role in the development of the mind into maturity.

Chances are, you’re probably approaching the UMD diversity question with a general idea of where your place in diversity lands. But, you most probably don’t know everything about your place in diversity and where both your privileges and oppression may be.

If you don’t know how to fully answer this question or brainstorm unique ideas for it, consider speaking with us over a free consultation . Our professional college admissions consultants can help you write a fantastic diversity essay for UMD that helps you stand out, no matter your background.

University of Maryland Transfer Supplement Essays

This question just applies to students who are applying for the transfer application for UMD. If you’re an aspiring freshman, don’t worry about this section.

Of course, if you’re a transfer applicant, the UMD transfer essay still plays a crucial role. It’s importance still cannot be understated; so, take it seriously! We’ll show you how to approach it in the next section below.

1. Please describe your past academic experiences and your reasons for wishing to enroll at UMD at this point in your academic career.

Compared to the other University of Maryland supplement essays, this question is a bit more serious than the previous ones.

In this prompt, UMD is asking that you document what your previous academic experiences were like, and why you want to attend UMD now.

In other words, you can think of this as a “why is your current institution insufficient for your long-term goals” question. You should think about the kinds of resources available at UMD. What do they have that your current school lacks? It doesn’t just have to be in academics; but, keeping it related to academics would certainly help!

Additionally, think of what you’re going to be doing in your career in the future. What role would UMD have in helping you achieve this goal? This would help you answer the UMD transfer prompt in a much more thorough and comprehensive way. It also demonstrates to admissions officers that you actually took the time to consider UMD in your future and have done the necessary planning to make the right decision to transfer.

This is important. After all, transfer decisions can have a lasting impact on your future career.

Speaking of important and lasting impacts, don’t let a bad set of University of Maryland supplement essays get in the way of your acceptance. Contact us for a free consultation , and our expert college admissions consultants will help you craft a set of essays that will impress admissions officers and set you apart from the rest of the admissions pool.

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UMD Supplementals

So for the UMD supplementals, it says to "complete the sentence. " I wrote it with a short phrase completing the sentence, but I also have another sentence following to provide more detail. Should I change it to be one sentence or is it fine as it is?

Supplemental Essay Guide 2024-25

What do the 2024-25 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down.

Acceptance Rate

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• Liberal Arts (52)

* Tuition filtering is based on out-of-state fees

Agnes Scott College 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Alvernia University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide  

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, umd supplements advice.

I am a high school junior, and I'm starting to work on my UMD application. I'm curious if anyone has any suggestions on how to tackle the supplemental essays successfully? Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi there! It's great that you're planning ahead to tackle the UMD supplemental essays. Fortunately, CollegeVine has an article breaking down each of the school's prompts, which you can find here: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-maryland-essays

Remember, the supplemental essays are an opportunity to show admissions officers who you are beyond your grades and test scores. Make sure your passion, personality, and growth shine through in your writing. Good luck!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Parents, can you please let me know information on some or all of below questions:

If parents or family is not qualified for financial aid, then is FAFSA needed? can you please let me know if you filled out a FAFSA form for Banneker Key scholarship?

Does UMD have supplemental essays? D says she could not find it on coalition app or on their website. Does UMD have any supplemental essays or honors essays?

for one of the scholarships (not Banneker Key), the website says they will consider following “academic achievement, extracurricular activities, awards, honors, and an essay.” https://admissions.umd.edu/finance/freshman-merit-scholarships

can you please let me know how to find that essay topic for this scholarship?

@learning19

It’s a;ways good to fill out the FAFSA, even if you are not qualified for financial aid, because you never know your family’s situation may change over the next several years.

UMD does require an essay. Here is a list of essay questions that I found on the following link

https://admissions.umd.edu/apply/application-faqs/essay-questions

Instructions

Please answer one of the following essay questions in your application. Make sure to include the question itself at the start of your essay. Your essay should be no more than 550 words; the question will not be included in the essay total word count. 1.Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. 2.Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution. 3.Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs? 4.What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)? 5.Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

These may be last year’s questions. The questions should appear at some point when you are filling out the Coalition App. I cannot give more detail, since the Coalition App was not in use when my D applied back in 2014. UMD also had several short answer questions back then.

• As far as I know, none of the Merit Scholarships require an additional essay and none of the Special Programs (Honors, Scholars, etc.) require an additional essay.

It is Very Important to submit you application by the Priority Deadline (Nov !) to be considered for Merit Scholarships and Special Programs.

@SoofDad , Thank you for the reply.

for #2 , Those 5 essay options exactly match the coalition app essay options.

Our high school guidance counselor asked us not to work on coalition app for the time being. So do not know if there are any short answer questions or supplementary questions in the coalition app this year.

It would be very helpful if anyone who has already started or completed coalition app can confirm if there are any short answer questions.

As an aside, my daughter hated using the coalition app and it was not as user friendly as the common app. Unfortunately UMD was the only school she applied to not on the common app. She especially had trouble getting the LORs uploaded (or the teachers did) so leave yourself enough time if there are glitches.

I thought there was a supplemental essay last year but don’t remember (and my daughter is already away at school so I can’t ask her).

FWIW, we opted not to fill out the FAFSA. I ran a ton of NPC and knew we’d qualify for zero aid anywhere and many of the schools dd applied to were need aware.

There are short answer questions (160 words) for the UMD application. They are on the Coalition App. If I could travel anywhere, I would go… The most interesting fact I learned from research was… In addition to my major, my academic interests include… My favorite thing about last Wednesday was… Something you might not know about me is…

@firstwavemom ,

Thank you so much for posting the essay questions. Are these 5 essay questions mandatory or optional? how many are students required to write (is it 2 out of 5 or something like that)

are these questions for a specific major or common questions for all majors?

are there any additional questions for honors?

I apologize for asking for this information. This is mainly because the school as asked us to stop using coalition app. My kid already created an account and added colleges, but received an email from school to stop working on coalition app.

@learning19 The questions, I believe, were optional (2 years ago, they were labeled as “supplementary questions” on UMD’s own application portal). But, if you’re given the option to answer them, why wouldn’t you?

You should answer all of them. I’ve heard that the short answer questions help UMD admissions get a better sense of what kind of person you are and that can influence what programs you get into, scholarships, etc. There’s no separate or individual application/questions/etc for Honors/Scholars/FIRE/majors/any other program.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

I am not sure the reason why your school counselor asked you to stop working on coalition. My D is the freshman at UMD this year. I recall the coalition or the common apps became live starting August 1. What we did was to create an account and fill out the profile (personal info) areas, as well as look at the prompt questions before the end of summer last year. She would work on the essay offline until she was ready to copy and paste onto the coalition app. To her, it was helpful to know what the essay questions and the requirements were before working on them. If your child wants to be considered for any merit based scholarship, make sure you apply by Nov. 1. No additional essays required for merit scholarship consideration. Good luck.

I do not think they are optional. Your child should answer all of them since they are not long. I don’t think s/he needs to spend a lot of time on them. I agree with @whenyoubelieve that the answers are meant to give the AOs insight into the applicant’s personality and interests.

The MD responses are limited to 160 characters not words, not including spaces. Should be relatively painless.

You don’t have to have long, elaborate answers to all of the questions either. In my son’s year, one prompt was something like “something you didn’t expect from volunteering was” and his answer was “money” (that’s it, one word). Another was something about a day of the week, and his answer was “I got my driver’s license.” A friend told me to a prompt like “I feel empowered (or invincible?) when” her daughter’s answer was “I eat chocolate.”

Thank you all parents for answering questions. to all who asked why applying with coalition app was stalled earlier: our teachers were not able to upload recommendations using coalition app due to technical difficulties in app…they are now using naviance to send the recommendations.

Can someone let me know the following doubts:

once the coalition app shows complete status of application, should student create an UMD account or contact undergraduate admissions to see if anything is pending?

so far there is no email from UMD about portal where application decision can be checked.

Where and how does UMD announce about application decision?

DD received an email saying to check the coalition app website at a certain time to see the admission decision. It was horrible because it took over an hour to connect with the website. (I’m sure the system was overwhelmed with all the applicants checking). Then it took another hour to connect to the scholars program site where she was also accepted. She was very underwhelmed and frustrated with the coalition app in general and the communication with UMD.

I honestly don’t remember if she had portal for UMD.

PS Her recommenders also had issues uploading the LORs.

University of Virginia (UVA) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the UVA essay prompts? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the UVA supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging UVA essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help crafting your UVA supplemental essays, create your free  account  or  schedule your no-cost advising consultation  with an Admissions Specialist by calling (844) 343-6272.

UVA  essay guide quick facts:

• With an acceptance rate of 23%,  US News  ranks UVA as the #25 research university in the nation.
• US News categorizes UVA as a  most selective  university.
• We recommend answering all UVA essay prompts—optional UVA essays included—thoroughly and thoughtfully.

Does the University of Virginia have supplemental essays?

Yes—all students must complete several UVA supplemental essays to be considered for admission. Accordingly, UVA requires all applicants to complete two required UVA essays in addition to the personal statement that you’ll encounter within the  Common App  or the  Coalition App .

One of your UVA supplemental essays will relate to the specific college where you have chosen to apply, such as UVA’s  College of Arts and Sciences ,  School of Architecture ,  School of Engineering ,  School of Nursing , or  School of Kinesiology . Your other UVA essay will relate more to your own identity.

How many essays are required for the University of Virginia?

There are two required UVA supplemental essays. The first of the UVA essays addresses your chosen field and major. The second of the UVA supplemental essays centers around your own identity. Both required UVA supplemental essays can make a major difference in admissions.

Are the University of Virginia essays important?

Yes, the University of Virginia supplemental essays are an important aspect of your application. In fact, all of the UVA essays give admissions officers a different perspective on what you’ll bring to UVA. So, think of the UVA essay prompts as an opportunity for you to show the admissions team what makes you unique and why you belong at UVA.

With an acceptance rate of just 23%, UVA is a competitive school. The UVA essay prompts give you the chance to stand out from the crowd by offering AOs a glimpse into who you are and what matters to you. To maximize your admissions odds, you’ll want to spend as much time perfecting your UVA supplemental essays as possible!

How do I write a supplemental essay for the University of Virginia?

The best UVA supplemental essays will do two things. First, they will showcase your personality, identity, and values. Second, they will draw connections between your interests and UVA itself. In short, admissions officers should finish reading your UVA supplemental essays with a clear understanding of who you are and why you belong at UVA.

Remember, your UVA supplemental essays are your chance to help admissions officers get to know you. A strong sense of personality and voice, therefore, will make your UVA essays shine. As you consider the UVA supplemental essays 2021, look for the unique stories you can tell that will help your application stand out.

In order to prepare for the UVA essay prompts, you might research UVA’s extracurricular offerings, courses, traditions, and campus culture. As you look through UVA’s website, think about what specific opportunities UVA could offer you. For example, if you are interested in medicine, you might discuss your desire to do research at UVA’s nationally recognized hospital. You could also strengthen your University of Virginia supplemental essays by describing one of UVA’s 800+  student groups . Or, you might also choose to focus on a tradition like the  Lighting of the Lawn  that you witnessed years ago and that made you excited to apply.

Whichever topic you address in the UVA essay prompts, make sure to emphasize why you want to attend UVA over any other school. By describing the specific reasons why UVA interests you, you can show the admissions team that you’ve thought carefully about your application. These details will also make your UVA essays more authentic.

How do you answer the University of Virginia essays?

In a word—authentically!

As you approach the UVA essay prompts, make sure you center your answer around your unique perspective. Avoid vague or broad statements; instead, focus on specific details about UVA (and about you!) that matter most. The strongest UVA essays will give readers a window into an applicant’s inner life while also showing them how this applicant would fit into the UVA community.

Let’s break down the UVA supplemental essays and discuss strategies to help your essay stand out. We’ll begin with the first set of prompts, of which you will choose  one .

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021 – Question 1

What is your favorite word and why? (250 words max)

At first glance, this UVA essay prompt might seem frivolous. Remember, however, that the UVA supplemental essays are intended to help the admissions team learn more about who you are. So, if you choose this question, use the first of the UVA essay prompts to show the admissions officers what makes you unique!

As you approach the UVA supplemental essays, you should think less about the actual word you choose and more about what this choice of word reveals about you. In other words, think about words that are unique, appropriate, and significant to you. Don’t choose a word just because it will stand out. Instead, focus on why a specific word matters to you. For example, you shouldn’t choose the word “lullaby” if it had no deeper meaning to you. Remember, your goal in this UVA essay is to help the admissions team learn more about your identity.

Begin your response to the first of the UVA essay prompts by stating your favorite word. Then, offer some context on why this word—and the ideas that it represents—matters to you. Finally, end the first of your UVA essays by applying your chosen word to your identity, background, or values.

UVA Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Have you conveyed your favorite word in a clear manner?
• Does your chosen word represent your curiosity and depth?
• Have you conveyed to the reader why this word is important to you?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021- Question 2

We are a community with quirks, both in language and in traditions. Describe one of your quirks and why it is part of who you are. (250 words max)

In the UVA supplemental essays, you have the chance to emphasize parts of your personality that the admissions team would not normally see. So, how do you make your University of Virginia supplemental essays memorable and genuine? If you choose this second of the UVA essay prompts, you’ll have a great chance to showcase what makes you unique.

This UVA essay should help your reader envision you—quirks and all—as a member of the UVA community. Think about something special that defines you. For instance, you might wear a lucky jersey before every game or always draw hearts over your lowercase i’s. Like the first of the UVA essay prompts, the success of this UVA essay depends less on what you discuss and more on how you discuss it.

All of your UVA supplemental essays should help your reader learn something new about you. So, whatever quirk you describe in your UVA essay, make sure this quirk reveals something important about your identity. Don’t include meaningless details; instead, focus on specific and significant things you do that make you unique.

• Does the quirk you describe reveal something important about you?
• Does your essay convey your quirk in a clear manner?
• Have you conveyed to the reader why it is part of who you are?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021- Question 3

Student self-governance, which encourages student investment and initiative, is a hallmark of the UVA culture. In her fourth year at UVA, Laura Nelson was inspired to create Flash Seminars, one-time classes which facilitate high-energy discussion about thought-provoking topics outside of traditional coursework. If you created a Flash Seminar, what idea would you explore and why? (250 words max)

This third of the UVA essay prompts asks you to think about your interests through the lens of UVA’s culture. Like the other UVA supplemental essays, the third of the UVA essay prompt asks you to illustrate both your own identity and how you would fit in at UVA. If you’re invested in joining an intellectual community, then, you might choose this prompt!

While this UVA essay might seem purely academic, you don’t need to approach it this way. According to the prompt, UVA’s Flash Seminars revolve around “thought-provoking topics outside of traditional coursework.” The term “thought-provoking” can mean many things. As you prepare for this UVA essay, think about which topics you would love to discuss with a room full of intellectually engaged UVA students.

Complementary topics

The topic you choose for the third of your University of Virginia supplemental essays should complement the other aspects of your application. This doesn’t mean you can’t describe an interest that you haven’t already addressed! However, keep in mind that your responses to the UVA essay prompts should work together to give the admissions team a complete understanding of your identity, background, interests, and values. Every topic you discuss in your University of Virginia supplemental essays, therefore, should contribute to this understanding. This means that if you’ve spent your whole application describing your interest in poetry and desire to study literature, you might want to think twice before writing an essay about neuroscience (unless, of course, this topic appears elsewhere in your application).

Once again, make sure this third of your UVA essays focuses on why your chosen topic matters to you. As you structure your response, first, describe the topic that you’d explore in a Flash Seminar. Then, discuss why this topic matters to you. What about this topic excites or inspires you? What about it would you want to discuss in a Flash Seminar? How might the UVA community deepen your understanding of this topic?

In this UVA essay, you don’t necessarily have to discuss your opinion on your chosen topic. However, you can focus on how you would contribute to class discussions at UVA. The UVA supplemental essays are meant to exhibit your personality and individuality. In reading your UVA essay, therefore, the admissions team should understand how you will positively contribute to your UVA cohort.

• Do you choose a unique topic to discuss in a Flash Seminar?
• Does your chosen topic enhance the rest of your application?
• Do you clarify why this topic matters to you?
• Does your essay show how you would contribute to the intellectual life of UVA?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021 – Question 4

UVA students paint messages on Beta Bridge when they want to share information with our community. What would you paint on Beta Bridge and why is this your message? (250 words max)

Like the other University of Virginia supplemental essays, the fourth of the UVA essay prompts asks you to use UVA’s traditions to showcase what makes you unique. For this UVA essay, it might help to do some research: you might look up the  Beta Bridge  to get inspiration. However, don’t get hung up on the messages other students have painted; instead, choose a message that represents who you are.

Your topic should reflect your core values and identity. It might even relate to the qualities you’ve shown in your other University of Virginia supplemental essays. Maybe you want to share advice to future students or a phrase that connects to you. So, whatever message you choose for this UVA essay, make sure that you explain the meaning and reason for your choice. Additionally, keep in mind that Beta Bridge is used to “share information with [UVA’s] community.” The message you describe, therefore, should be impactful to a broader audience than just yourself.

Begin the fourth of your UVA supplemental essays by stating your chosen message. Then, describe the reasons why this message matters to you and what you think it would contribute to the UVA community. Don’t be tempted by clichés—the best responses to the fourth of the UVA essay prompts will be genuine and unique.

• Does your chosen message reflect your identity and values?
• Do you describe the significance of the message you would write on the Beta Bridge?
• Do you detail what this message means and what would it mean to others that view it?
• Does your essay reveal the kind of community member you would be at UVA?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021 – Question 5

Rita Dove, UVA English professor and former U.S. Poet Laureate, once said in an interview that “…there are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.” Describe a time when, instead of complaining, you took action for the greater good. (250 words max)

Of all the University of Virginia supplemental essays, this might be the most conventional. Simply put, this UVA essay asks you to describe a time when you chose to act to solve a problem and, in doing so, served your community.

While the other UVA supplemental essays focus on your interiority, the fifth of the UVA essay prompts allows you to share a distinct story of a time you made a difference. Choose an event that illustrates your commitment to helping others. The event you choose should also help your readers visualize how you will continue to enrich your community within UVA. Begin your UVA essay by explaining the problem you faced and how you solved it. How did solving this problem contribute to your community? What challenges did you face? How did this experience influence the broader ways you operate as a leader and community member?

If you haven’t done a lot of community organizing or leadership work, this prompt might seem intimidating. However, it doesn’t have to be. Strong UVA supplemental essays can address a wide variety of topics! You might have done something as large-scale as organizing a protest against police brutality or something as small-scale as lobbying your school district to serve meals during the pandemic. When it comes to the UVA supplemental essays, the most important thing is that you show your commitment to serving others in your community—whatever the scale.

• Does your essay describe how you helped others by solving a problem?
• Do you reveal how you’ll be an impactful community member at UVA?
• Do you clarify why your solution to this problem influenced the greater good?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021– College-Specific (Arts & Sciences)

What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way? (250 words max)

Generally speaking, the college-specific University of Virginia supplemental essays should show the UVA admissions team why you belong in a particular college at UVA. The best college-specific UVA supplemental essays will help the admissions team envision you on their campus. In short, use this UVA essay as your chance to show off your thoughtfulness, intellect, and dedication to your chosen field.

Pay attention to the specific language used in the first of the UVA essay prompts. UVA asks you to discuss an intellectual concept that has “surprised, unsettled, or challenged you.” This UVA essay isn’t asking you to describe your favorite book or song; instead, it asks you to discuss how you engaged on an analytical level with a particular idea or piece of work.

Keep it concise

First, describe your topic. Since you only have 250 words, you shouldn’t feel obligated to include a longwinded anecdote about your interests (though you can always include a brief story to help engage your reader). Then, move into why and how this topic “surprised, unsettled, or challenged you.” For instance, you could discuss how a novel by an author from another cultural background made you think about global issues in a different light. Or, you might discuss how a particular scientific discovery challenged your understanding of the world. Strong UVA essays will help the UVA admissions team understand how a student engages intellectually with the world.

Finally, while you can mention UVA’s specific offerings, don’t feel obligated to answer this prompt as you would a “Why UVA” essay. With only 250 words, don’t focus on the classes you hope to take at UVA or the reasons you think you’d be a good fit. Instead, show the admissions team why your thoughtfulness and intellect would make you an asset to their campus.

• Does your UVA essay describe one (and only one) concept or piece of work that surprised, unsettled, or challenged you?
• Do you explain why this concept surprised, unsettled, or challenged you?
• Does your essay foreground your intellect and critical thinking skills?
• Does your essay show why you’d be a good fit at UVA’s College of Arts and Sciences?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021– College Specific (Kinesiology)

Discuss an experience that led you to apply to the kinesiology major. (250 words max)

When trying to choose your topics for any of the University of Virginia supplemental essays, do some research. The college-specific UVA supplemental essays address why you want to attend a particular college at UVA. Students who know specific details about the programs they’ve chosen will write the best UVA essays!

This particular UVA supplemental essay prompt asks what specific experience sparked your interest in  kinesiology  at UVA. Avoid general statements, such as “I’ve always been interested in kinesiology and that’s why I want to pursue a major in the field.” This UVA essay prompt asks you to “discuss an experience”—that is, you’ll want to cite a specific event or circumstance that made you interested in kinesiology. For instance, you might talk about how being a dancer made you interested in the body’s ability to create fluid movements. The strongest UVA supplemental essays will address the specific reasons why kinesiology interests you.

To enhance your response to this prompt for the University of Virginia supplemental essays, research what makes UVA’s kinesiology program unique. For example, you might relate the program to your own experiences to emphasize a personal connection to the program and to UVA. Avoid repeating general information—everything you share should come back to your own interests and experiences. However, with only 250 words, don’t spend the majority of this UVA essay describing UVA. Instead, focus your UVA essay on the specific reasons why you want to study kinesiology.

• Does your UVA essay illustrate the specific reasons why you want to study kinesiology?
• Do you discuss a particular experience that sparked your interest in kinesiology?
• Does your essay help your reader envision you in UVA’s kinesiology program?
• Is your essay about you?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021– College Specific (Architecture)

Describe a significant experience that deepened your interest in studying in the School of Architecture. (250 words max)

Like the other college-specific University of Virginia supplemental essays, the UVA essay prompt for the College of Architecture asks what experience provoked your interest in the major.

Start by doing some research on the  College of Architecture . Think about any experiences you’ve had that align with UVA’s architecture program. If you do not have vast established experience with architecture, don’t worry! UVA doesn’t expect you to have a full architecture portfolio; instead, the admissions team just wants to know what experience has sparked your interest in architecture.

Think about what sparked your interest in studying architecture at UVA. To get some ideas for your UVA essay, you might brainstorm on any experiences you’ve had that relate to architecture. Strong UVA supplemental essays can come from a wide variety of places, so don’t discount any of your experiences! Perhaps you often binge shows on HGTV, or maybe you have every copy of Architectural Digest. Maybe you had an inspiring internship with a designer or structural engineer that made you want to pursue architecture. Whatever topic you choose, make sure you emphasize your personal connection to architecture alongside your desire to study in UVA’s program.

Want some extra help creating your UVA School of Architecture application? Check out CollegeAdvisor.com articles on  choosing an architecture program  and  applying to architecture schools . Listen to the UVA School of Architecture’s Dean discuss their strengths and values in this video below.

• Does your UVA essay describe a specific experience that sparked your interest in architecture?
• Do you use specific details to tell your story?
• Do the interests you describe in your essay align with UVA’s offerings?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021– College Specific (Nursing)

Describe a healthcare-related experience or another significant interaction that deepened your interest in studying nursing. (250 words max)

Like the other college-specific University of Virginia supplemental essays, the College of Nursing prompt asks you to describe an experience that fostered your interest in healthcare.

As you choose a topic for this UVA essay, try to highlight an experience that shows depth. For example, avoid superficial experiences like watching Grey’s Anatomy; instead, you might focus on a shadowing experience you had in a lab or a meaningful conversation you had with a healthcare provider. You may also research the opportunities available at UVA to see what aligns with your interests. While you shouldn’t spend your whole essay discussing UVA’s programs, you should still have a strong sense of the school’s offerings to make your UVA essay as strong as possible.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to discuss formal medical experience in this UVA essay. On the other hand, think about any ways you’ve interfaced with the medical profession. This could be through formal classes, informal conversations, or anything in between; anything that piqued your interest in healthcare can make a great topic for this UVA essay. For instance, if you took a public policy course that showed you the disparities within the current healthcare structure, highlight that in your essay. Finally, remember that while your choice of topic matters, the most important element of your UVA essay is how your topic relates back to you and your interests. The best UVA supplemental essays will be the most authentic!

• Do you cite specific experiences that fostered your interest in nursing?
• Does your essay clearly represent your inspiration for pursuing nursing?
• Do you illustrate a deep engagement with the healthcare field?

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021– College Specific (Engineering and Applied Sciences)

Describe an engineering feat that serves the common good and why it inspires you to study engineering. (250 words max)

The Engineering and Applied Sciences portion of the UVA supplemental essays ask you to describe an engineering venture that serves the common good and why it inspires you. In evaluating this UVA essay, therefore, the admissions team wants to see that you’ve thought deeply about how engineering can contribute to the world.

Think about why you want to study engineering. What do you want to make, and how will the things you make help improve the world? What feats have shown you what engineering can do for the world? Remember, the engineering feat you choose doesn’t need to be large-scale. Also, if you’re struggling to find a topic, perhaps look at engineering projects that have made an impact on your own community.

Once you’ve chosen your topic for this UVA essay, it’s time to start drafting. Remember that the most important aspect of this UVA essay is  why this engineering feat inspires you . Don’t get sidetracked by describing the intricate methodologies behind your chosen topic; instead, tie your essay back to you. Like the other University of Virginia supplemental essays, this UVA essay should connect to your experiences and emphasize your desire to study engineering at UVA.

• Does your essay make it clear why you want to study engineering?
• Do you explain why your chosen feat contributed to the public good?
• Does your response clarify why engineering matters to you?

Additional Tips for Writing your University of Virginia Supplemental Essays

• Create a checklist for your UVA essays.  Try and keep an outline handy as you write each supplemental essay. Make sure that you answer each of the UVA essay prompts in full by breaking down each question.
• Prepare in advance.  UVA’s Regular Decision deadline is January 3rd, which is coming up soon! You should begin looking at the UVA essay prompts as early as possible to ensure enough time for careful editing.
• Avoid overthinking.  Since most of the UVA essay prompts give you the freedom to express yourself, many students overthink what they should write. This can impede students’ ability to craft authentic University of Virginia supplemental essays.
• Get multiple perspectives.  It’s always good to have a second pair of eyes checking your UVA essays for tone, grammar, and clarity. For example, you might ask your counselor, teacher, or a CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Expert to read over your University of Virginia supplemental essays to help make them as strong as possible.

UVA Supplemental Essays 2021 – Final Thoughts

Completing the UVA supplemental essays can seem like a daunting challenge, but don’t be discouraged from applying. Instead, view these UVA supplemental essays as an opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions team. Well-written UVA essays can make a huge difference in admissions, especially if you’re applying with lower grades or test scores.

While doing your research on UVA consider reading the not-so-secret  blog  written by the Associate Dean in the Office of Admissions.  Dean J  shares important application information, as well as tips and tricks on completing your UVA supplemental essays.

Use resources like the blog and this guide to help you approach the UVA essay prompts with a solid strategy and a timeline that gives you a few months to create a draft and allow for revisions. Good luck!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on UVA was written by  Arianna Lee , Dartmouth ‘17. Want more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on UVA or help crafting your UVA essays? Create your free  account  or  schedule a complimentary advising assessment  by calling (844) 343-6272.

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