university of south florida essay prompts

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Admit-a-bull // official admissions blog, how to draft the college essay.

By Joe Emerson | Last Updated: Jul 15, 2022

A 2016 National Association for College Admission Counseling study of freshman admissions factors ranked the college essay No. 5 in importance. The top four factors involved grades, test scores, and curriculum choices. When good grades and academic choices position you to cross the finish line with the real contenders in a race for limited space in that dream school, knowing how to draft the college essay can make you a winner.

Steps in the Writing Process

In a perfectly organized world, you will have a list of target colleges before your senior year of high school begins. The essay writing process needs to start once you have those targets. The level of urgency for getting them written will depend on your application deadlines, from early action to rolling admissions .

Schools’ essay prompts can be found in that mountain of enrollment paperwork you’re moving, so knowing your topic options won’t be a problem. If you opt for an enrollment tool such as the Common Application, the essay prompts are easy to find , often remaining the same from year to year. The tough part is picking the one that’s a good fit .

Once you have your deadline and topic:

• Brainstorm your essay. Bounce ideas off friends, family, your college counselor (who knows what admissions offices want), or perhaps a favorite teacher. Discussing your ideas will help you visualize what you want to say.
• Once you know what to say, decide how to say it. Style, tone, and voice matter. Online technical help is free from respective schools’ writing centers , and there are for-hire services, too.
• Map your essay. The standard form is opening, body, conclusion. Detail the points you want to make, where you want to make them, and the rhetorical devices you intend to use. It helps to see how others tackle their essays .
• Knock off a first draft. The rewrite is the engine of the art of writing, so a first draft is just a more formal map of your essay. Relax and rev your engine.
• Revise. Then revise again. And again. And again.
• Set your essay aside for a bit once you can read through the essay without feeling the need to rewrite; then proofread.
• Get other sets of eyes on your work. Ideally, recruit someone with editing skills and admissions expertise, perhaps an English teacher or your college counselor. Have friends and family give it a read. Be sure they all read the essay prompt, too, then discuss whether your essay does what is requested. Edit accordingly. Proofread.
• Give your essay one last proofread before submitting it. Your final proofread should be done when you are ready to transmit or mail the essay.

Some Tips on the Writing Process

Some people have a head full of incredible life events to tap. You might be staring at a blank piece of paper because you don’t have a litany of adventures to relate, but you aren’t a blank slate. Experiences don’t have to have movie endings to be mined for shining thoughts and subtle epiphanies.

Serious works, but so does a touch of careful and thoughtful humor. Let the message drive the voice and the tone and the rhetorical flourishes. Above all, don’t sell yourself short, and don’t be too shy to ask others to help you see yourself or help you recall a telling moment or defining circumstances.

As for the writing process itself:

• Make each sentence count , especially the opening. That admissions officer needs reasons to keep reading and put you in the keeper file.
• Don’t say it. Show it. You are painting a picture of yourself with words. “I am a kind and curious person” doesn’t carry as much weight as an anecdote featuring you displaying kindness and curiosity.
• Know your target. You are trying to capture the heart and mind of an admissions officer you don’t know. What you do know is that expectations are different at a religious college compared with a fine arts school.
• Don’t be surprised if the writing process yields an evolution of thought that inspires a complete rewrite after the essay has been in the filing cabinet for weeks or months. Embrace it.
• Don’t strip your voice out of the essay as you rewrite, which can happen when your editors weigh in too heavily.

USF is among the many schools that don’t make essays part of the admissions process. If you want to know more about what it takes to become a Bull, the USF Office of Admissions is always ready with answers. You can  contact us online  or by phone at  813-974-3350 .

About Joe Emerson

Joe Emerson spent 30 years as a magazine and newspaper reporter, editor and copyeditor who turned to freelancing after 20 years with The Tampa Tribune, which closed in 2016 after 125 years of serving the Tampa Bay area. Writing and delivering valuable information remain his passion.

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University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine: USF Secondary Application Tips & Essay Prompts

• Cracking Med School Admissions

The USF Morsani Medical School secondary application with several medium-length essays. The USF medical school admissions committee wants to understand you as a holistic person.  It wants to recruit a diverse, culturally competent, and socially aware class. Read our University of South Florida Medical School secondary application tips below so you can learn how to stand out question by question!

**Important to note: As of early 2024, the USF SELECT program may no longer be accepting students**

Drs. Rachel Rizal and Rishi Mediratta have a track record of helping our mentees receive acceptances to University of South Florida Morsani and other Florida medical schools year after year. Submitting a strong secondary application is critical in getting accepted. Stand out on your USF Morsani Medical School secondary application with our secondary essay editing packages !

• Personally Tailored Essays
• Edits by Stanford & Harvard-trained Doctors
• We study your application strengths to see what unique attributes we’ll bring to the medical school

USF Morsani Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2023 – 2024

• Do you believe the competitiveness (i.e. course requirements, experiences, academic performance, etc.) of your application for medical school has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? If yes, please provide specifics as to how your competitiveness was impacted. If no, type “N/A”. (1,500 characters max)
• What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? (Private Practice, Academic Medicine, Public Health, Health Care Administration, Health Policy, Other)  Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (1,500 characters max)
• The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question: ( Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health ) A. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (1,500 characters max)
• The USF Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but is not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research, and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2,000 characters max)
• If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B”, including B-, or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts). (2,000 characters max)
• Please choose one of the following options. For more information, copy and paste the corresponding URL which will bring you to a new webpage. You can find more information on the programs here: Educational Programs | USF Health Please select the MD program for which you would like to be considered: Core program, SELECT program, or Core and SELECT Program.

Tips to Answer USF Morsani Secondary Application Essays

USF Morsani Secondaries Pre-Writing Guidance: Overall, we think this is a GREAT application to pre-write. Many of our in-state and out-of-state students apply and receive official secondary applications each year. 

** If you are applying as a 2024-2025 applicant, do not pre-write the SELECT essay (last essay prompt). The SELECT program may no longer be accepting students**

• Download  all  our HIGH-YIELD tips for secondary essays:  Cracking Med School Admissions Secondary Essay Guide

USF Secondary Application Tip #1: For the question about USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations:

• Choose a Scholarly Concentration that fits your interests and your background. For example, if you conducted biomedical sciences research in college, you should choose the “biomedical research” scholarly concentration. The most popular scholarly concentrations our students pick are: health disparities, medical humanities, and public health. However, Dr. Mediratta and Dr. Rizal have helped students who have chosen virtually every scholarly concentration. Contact us below if you have questions about USF’s secondary or the application process in general! 
• Discuss specific opportunities within the Scholarly Concentration you want to pursue. For example, discuss specific research and professors you want to work with. All the activities you choose should complement and make sense given the activities you wrote about in your AMCAS primary application. 
• Link the Scholarly Concentration and activities that you discuss with how you see your career in medicine. For example, you can state that you want to be a primary care physician in underserved communities if you pick a Scholarly Concentration in health disparities. Or, you can discuss how you will research or incorporate nutrition if you choose the Scholarly Concentration in “Nutrition Research & Health.” 

USF Secondary Application Tip #2: For the COVID-19 question, incorporate your personal experiences as well as healthcare current issues you noticed throughout the COVID pandemic. We have an entire  healthcare current events  blog post here, where you can read more about healthcare disparities and COVID-19.

USF Secondary Application Tip #3: For the USF secondary application diversity question, “The USF Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but is not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research, and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? ” remember that diversity does not necessarily mean your ethnic diversity. We recommend students write about their strengths, including exceptional extracurricular activity endeavors. 

Our students have talked about the following topics:

• Immigrant background and their cultural values and experiences
• Community service work around Florida
• Underserved patients they took care of and insights about the inequities of the healthcare system

USF Secondary Application Tip #4: Talk about Florida, particularly any experiences in South Florida. If you have lived in southern Florida, discuss ways in which you have already been involved with the community. If you are interested in community health during medical school, write specific organizations you want to work with or research projects you want to conduct. 

USF Secondary Application Tip #5: Don’t forget to incorporate a little bit about “Why USF Morsani” throughout the USF Morsani Medical School secondary application questions. 

• Write why you are interested in attending USF Morsani. Write specific reasons. You definitely need great reasons if you are an out-of-state applicant – it’s your job to convince the Admissions Committee that they should interview you as an out-of-state applicant. 
• Talk about clinical opportunities and mentorship opportunities you will pursue at USF Morsani.
• Discuss any community projects you want to pursue in South Florida. 
• Read our blog post why this medical school to gain insights on how to incorporate a strong “Why USF Morsani Medical School” to help you craft a STRONG essay and stand out!

USF Secondary Application Tip #6: Get our help to edit your USF Morsani Medical School secondary application essays. We can help you through our secondary essay packages . Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below.

USF Secondary Application Tip #7: If there are optional questions, you should answer as many optional questions as you can.

USF Morsani Tip:  Many of our out-of-state students receive interview invitations! Start prepping for medical school interview questions: How To Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” and Common Interview Questions

[ Read more secondary essay tips: Florida State University College of Medicine, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University ]

Your medical school application Coaches, Mentors, & Cheerleaders

We Personally Advise Every Student We Work With.

Rachel Rizal, M.D.

Changing the trajectory of people’s lives.

Undergraduate Princeton University, cum laude

Medical School Stanford School of Medicine

Residency Harvard, Emergency Medicine

Awards & Scholarships Fulbright Scholar USA Today Academic First Team Tylenol Scholarship

Rishi Mediratta, M.D., M.Sc., M.A.

Advising students to attend their dream schools.

Undergraduate Johns Hopkins University, Phi Beta Kappa

Residency Stanford, Pediatrics

Awards & Scholarships Marshall Scholar Tylenol Scholarship Global Health Scholar

stand out from other applicants with our secondary essay edit packages

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Use this essay guide and workbook to write standout secondaries.

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USF Morsani Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023

• (Optional) The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question: ( Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health ) A. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (1,500 characters max)
• What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Private Practice, Academic Medicine, Public Health, Health Care Administration, Health Policy, or Other. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (1,500 characters max)
• If you have chosen the SELECT program or BOTH, please explain how your experiences and career goals match with the mission of the SELECT program. ( MD SELECT Program | USF Health ) (1,500 characters max)

USF Morsani Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022

Usf morsani medical school secondary application questions: 2020 - 2021.

• Do you believe the competitiveness (i.e. course requirements, experiences, academic performance, etc.) of your application for medical school has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? If yes , please provide specifics as to how your competitiveness was impacted. If no, type “N/A”. (1,500 characters max)
• Private Practice
• Academic Medicine
• Public Health
• Health Care Administration
• Health Policy
• Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (1,500 characters max)
• The University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2,000 characters max)

USF Morsani Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2019 – 2020

• Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (1,000 characters max)
• If you have chosen the SELECT program or BOTH, please explain how your experiences and career goals match with the mission of the SELECT program. ( MD SELECT Program | USF Health ) (1,000 characters max)

USF Morsani Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2018 – 2019

• Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (2,000 characters max)
• Describe your ideas about how the medical profession can best respond to disparities in healthcare. (2,000 characters max)
• There are also various questions about participating in SMPs or Post Baccs, crimes, and IAs that you have to answer if applicable. (All 2,000 characters max)

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USF Morsani Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2017 – 2018

University of south florida secondary application questions: 2016 – 2017.

• (Optional) Please describe your disadvantaged circumstances and/or life obstacles and how they affected your academic performance (positively and/or negatively). Please be specific. (2,000 characters max)

USF Morsani Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2015 – 2016

• Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (2,000 characters max)

USF Morsani Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2014 – 2015

• Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? (2,000 character limit)
• (Optional) The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question: ( Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health ) A. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (1,500 character limit)
• Describe a time in your life when you felt you were “at your best.” Why did you choose this event, and how does it reflect your potential as a physician?
• Who is the best leader you have known in your life? Describe what made her or him so effective and how they made you feel when you were around them.
• The University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2,000 character limit)
• Describe your ideas about how the medical profession can best respond to disparities in healthcare. (2,000 character limit)

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University of South Florida College of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

These are the secondary application essay prompts for University of South Florida College of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page .

About University of South Florida College of Medicine

Secondary Deadline :  Secondary Fee :  FAP Waiver :  CASPer Required :  Screens Applications :  Accepts Application Updates : 

The mission of the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida is to provide for the education of students and professionals of the health and biomedical sciences through the creation of a scholarly environment that fosters excellence in the lifelong goals of education, research activity and compassionate patient care.

We promise aspiring, passionate students an open culture of accessibility to faculty, patients and technology through a challenging curriculum with diverse educational experiences. Transcending old paradigms, we are empowered by a fresh perspective on learning. We foster an environment where students realize their own creativity and innovation to make a difference in the lives of patient and their community. Upon graduation, our students will possess the skills and confidence as leaders in the ever-changing business of healthcare without ever sacrificing their initial inspiration to care for patients.

High Standards Respect for Individuals Advancing Knowledge Personal Development and Leadership Commitment to Health

1. Do you believe the competitiveness (i.e. course requirements, experiences, academic performance, etc.) of your application for medical school has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? (1500 character max)

2. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career (Private Practice, Academic Medicine, Public Health, Health Care Administration, Health Policy, or Other)? Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (1500 character max)

3. (optional) The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question: ( Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health ) a. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (1500 characters)

4. The USF Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but is not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research, and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2000 characters)

5. If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B”, including B-, or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts). (2000 characters)

6. If you have chosen the SELECT program or BOTH, please explain how your experiences and career goals match with the mission of the SELECT program. ( MD SELECT Program | USF Health ) (1500 characters)

1. Do you believe the competitiveness (i.e. course requirements, experiences, academic performance, etc.) of your application for medical school has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? If yes, please provide specifics as to how your competitiveness was impacted. If no, type “N/A”. (1500 characters)

2. The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question: ( Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health ) a. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (1500 characters, optional)

3. The USF Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but is not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research, and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2000 characters

4. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Private Practice, Academic Medicine, Public Health, Health Care Administration, Health Policy, or Other. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (1,500 characters)

6. Please choose one of the following options. For more information, copy and paste the corresponding URL which will bring you to a new webpage. You can find more information on the programs here: Educational Programs | USF Health . Please select the MD program for which you would like to be considered.

• Core program
• SELECT program
• Core and SELECT Program

7. If you have chosen the SELECT program or BOTH, please explain how your experiences and career goals match with the mission of the SELECT program. ( MD SELECT Program | USF Health ) (1500 characters)

1. Do you believe the competitiveness (i.e. course requirements, experiences, academic performance, etc.) of your application for medical school has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? If yes, please provide specifics as to how your competitiveness was impacted. If no, type “N/A”. (1,500 characters max)

2. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career?

• Private Practice
• Academic Medicine
• Public Health
• Health Care Administration
• Health Policy

3. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (1,500 characters max)

4. (Optional) The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question: ( Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health ) A. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (1,500 characters max)

5. The University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2,000 characters max)

6. If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B”, including B-, or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts). (2,000 characters max)

7. If you have chosen the SELECT program or BOTH, please explain how your experiences and career goals match with the mission of the SELECT program. ( MD SELECT Program | USF Health ) (1,500 characters max)

1. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career?

You will need to introspect in order to answer this question. Consider your career goals. Do you plan to be a full-time clinician or do some research as well? Are you interested in global health and medical work abroad? Do you see yourself performing community outreach here in the US? Be realistic but optimistic. You are not bound to your answer, so it is ok to have reasonable but lofty goals. Make sure to focus on your career in medicine. Detailing your goals in other professional spheres (if you have them) does not necessarily show your strength as a potential doctor and will not specifically answer this question.

a. Please choose the single answer that best describes your career goals: Private Practice Academic Medicine Public Health Health Care Administration Health Policy Other

Choose as appropriate based on your preferences.

b. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in question 4a. (2000 Characters)

Based on your answer above, create a cohesive overview of the attributes which make you a qualified candidate to realize that goal. The challenge here is to not repeat experiences discussed on your primary application. This will likely be inevitable, but when touching on those experiences, discuss a new aspect and approach them from a different angle. Think specifically about which traits you want to highlight. Create an outline prior to writing. Consider using anecdotes and stories from those experiences so that you can shine a new light and not be repetitive.

2. (Optional) The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation.

Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question. ( Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health )

a. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (2000 characters)

The first step is to review the available concentrations on the program website, of which there are 11. Next, reflect on your personal goals and aspirations. If applicable to you, discuss how one of these concentrations would help you achieve your career goals. What specific skills would you gain that would allow you to advance your career toward your goals. Be specific in this answer.

3. The University of South Florida, College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2000 characters)

Start by brainstorming what is unique about you and your background. Is it your place of birth, your family, your culture, or you path to medicine? Also consider prior adversity you have had to overcome and how that has shaped your values. Next consider your personal strengths and attributes. Consider 1-2 of these characteristics to focus on. Discuss them in detail, providing specific examples as to how you demonstrate these qualities. Weave a story which shows how your unique characteristics will contribute to your medical school class. Consider the effect you might have on your peers, professors and patients.

4. Describe your ideas about how the medical profession can best respond to disparities in healthcare (2000 characters)

This question will require some creativity, as this is a dilemma which is not easy to fix. The most basic part of this prompt is acknowledging that significant disparities in healthcare exist and it is our duty as physicians to try to bridge these gaps. Consider focusing on the following themes: empowering underserved populations through education, sustainable strategies to provide more medical care to the underserved, preventative medicine to help reduce the burden of chronic disease which occurs in patients who do not have access to medical care which can prevent the development of such diseases.

5. If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B” (including B-) or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts). (2000 characters)

Do not feel compelled to answer this question, but if there is a portion of the application which needs clarification it is reasonable to do so. Be sure to not sound like a victim and not to make excuses, but be honest in description of the circumstances and reasons for this academic issue. One possible example is if you had any health issues requiring you to withdraw from a class and receive an incomplete. State what you learned from the experience and how you improved upon it thereafter. The prompt specifically ask for explanation of all grades lower than B, so be sure sure to follow this.

There are also various questions about participating in SMPs or Post Baccs, crimes, and IAs that you have to answer if applicable. All 2000 characters

Answer these questions as applicable to your prior history.

b. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in question (2000 character count)

2. OPTIONAL: The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation.

3. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question.

4. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (2000 character count)

(2000 character count for these as well) 1. The University of South Florida, College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine?

2. Describe your ideas about how the medical profession can best respond to disparities in healthcare.

3. If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B” (including B-) or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts).

b. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in the previous question. (2000 character count)

2. The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation.

Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question. (http://health.usf.edu/medicine/mdprogram/scp/index.htm)

a. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals?(2000 character count)

3. The University of South Florida, College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2000 character count)

4. Describe your ideas about how the medical profession can best respond to disparities in healthcare. (2000 character count)

5. Please describe your disadvantaged circumstances and/or life obstacles and how they affected your academic performance (positively and/or negatively). Please be specific. (2000 character count) (Optional)

6. If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B” (including B-) or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts). (2000 character count)

Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on the medical school’s website. Med School Insiders does not guarantee the accuracy of the information on this page.

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Secondary Deadline : January 4, 2019 Secondary Fee : $30 FAP Waiver : Full Fee Waived CASPer Required : No Screens Applications : No Accepts Application Updates : Yes Post Interview

1. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Select One.

2. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attributes you have developed in preparation for the career path you have chosen in question (2000 Characters).

3. (Optional) The USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question. (Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health) How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (2000 characters)

4. The University of South Florida, College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2000 characters)

5. Describe your ideas about how the medical profession can best respond to disparities in healthcare (2000 characters).

6. If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B” (including B-) or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts). (2000 characters)

3. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question. (http://health.usf.edu/medicine/mdprogram/scp/index.htm)

4. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals?(2000 character count)

1. The University of South Florida, College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2000 character count)

2. Describe your ideas about how the medical profession can best respond to disparities in healthcare. (2000 character count)

3. Please describe your disadvantaged circumstances and/or life obstacles and how they affected your academic performance (positively and/or negatively). Please be specific. (2000 character count) (Optional)

4. If you have experienced academic difficulties, please explain the situation and how it was resolved. (Please explain all grades less than a “B” (including B-) or any “withdrawal” on your transcripts). (2000 character count)

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Extracurriculars.

How to Write the University of Florida Essays 2023-2024

The University of Florida has one required prompt for all applicants that asks about your biggest commitment outside of the classroom. There are three prompts for all applicants that are only required if you answer “yes” to specific questions. It also has one required prompt for applicants to its Honors Program—this prompt asks about a subject or topic you find intellectually stimulating, and about how you think the program’s resources will support this interest.

Since UF receives thousands of applications from academically-strong students, your essays are your chance to stand out. In this post, we’ll discuss how to craft an engaging response to each of these options.

Read this UF essay example to inspire your own writing.

University of Florida Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. This could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity. (250 words)

Prompt 2: Do you have any employment or family obligations that limit your participation in extracurricular activities? If so, please describe. (250 words)

Prompt 3: Have you participated in or been assisted in your college preparation and search by programs outside of the classroom, such as Educational Talent Search, Take Stock in Children, Upward Bound, Boys and Girls Club, etc.? If so, please provide the name of the program, details/benefits of your involvement, and how long your experiences continued. (250 words)

Prompt 4: Is there any additional information or extenuating circumstances the Admissions Committee should know when reviewing your application? If so, please provide more information in less than 250 words.

Honors Program 

American novelist henry miller once said, “my hunger and curiosity drive me forward in all directions at once.” students in the university of florida honors program are known for pursuing multiple interests and passions., tell us about a subject or topic that you find intellectually stimulating and are curious to learn more about while in college. which direction(s) do you imagine your hunger for that subject or topic will take you while at uf how do you envision the honors program’s academic and extracurricular resources will support you along the way, please use a maximum of 400 words in your essay for full consideration., all applicants, prompt 1, please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. this could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity. (250 words).

This prompt is a variation of the common Extracurricular Activity prompt since it’s asking you to write about a meaningful commitment you had outside of the classroom.

Brainstorming your topic:

First, you’ll need to narrow down your list of extracurricular activities to just one to write about. It’s important to choose an activity that you’re passionate about, that you’ve been involved in for a while, and that has helped shape you into the person you are today.

Here are some ideas of the types of topics you might write about:

• Activities where you’ve shown significant commitment
• Clubs or groups that you’ve created, or where you’ve had a leadership role
• Activities that have helped to shape a specific personal aspect of your life
• Experiences that relate to your future goals
• Unique extracurriculars that require an explanation for people to thoroughly understand them

Once you’ve chosen a topic, think about the following questions before you begin writing:

• What is the strongest emotion you feel about this activity?
• What do you think about when you participate in the activity?
• Has the activity helped you strengthen or develop any personality traits?
• Are there any specific skills you’ve developed from participating in this activity?
• How does this activity impact the rest of your life?

Tips for writing your essay:

A good response will explain what your activity, responsibility, or experience is, what it entails, and why it is important to you. Make sure to address each of these points, as they are either stated in or implied by the prompt.

Here’s an example of an excellent response to this prompt from Sara, a prospective entrepreneurship major:

“During my sophomore year, I started creating charcuterie boards for parties, events, and other occasions for my friends and family. I loved finding the perfect assortment of crackers, fruit, cheeses and jams to arrange into beautiful boards, but more importantly, I enjoyed networking with people at each event I worked.

After a few months, I began to receive so many referrals that I decided to start a small business. Managing my schoolwork, sports schedule, leadership roles, and my small business required me to develop excellent time management skills. I also learned about the financial aspects of running a business—managing cash flow, balancing costs, and paying taxes—and the marketing aspects of running a business—leveraging social media, paying for ad space, and utilizing other channels to promote my business.

Prior to my sophomore year, I had dreams of becoming a doctor. However, after starting my charcuterie business, I realized that my interests in finance, marketing, and business lent themselves to a future in entrepreneurship. I’m grateful for the opportunities my business has given me, and I’m excited to watch my business—and other businesses I might start—grow in the future!”

This example is strong because it very clearly states what the activity is. It then branches off into a discussion of the student’s business, something that was created as a result of the activity. The student also describes her roles in her activity/business throughout the essay, and then ends with a strong argument as to why this passion has become so meaningful to her.

Mistakes to avoid:

Choosing the wrong activity. Don’t choose to write about an extracurricular just because you think it sounds impressive, or even just because you’re skilled at it. This essay is a chance to write about an extracurricular that is meaningful to you, so it’s important that you select an activity you’re really passionate about!

Writing a shallow response. ​​It’s not effective to give a detailed history of your participation, or to tell an enticing story about the extracurricular you’ve chosen if you forget to explain how the activity has affected or changed you. It’s crucial to explain your personal development from participating in the activity.

Listing your accomplishments. Simply listing out your accomplishments with no elaboration will make for an unengaging response that reads like a laundry list. Instead, provide a unique perspective by sharing how the activity impacts your current life as well as your aspirations for the future.

A Note About Prompts 2-4

You are only required to respond to each of the following all applicants prompts if you choose the “Yes” option offered in the first half of each prompt, respectively. If any (or all) of the prompts don’t apply to you, you can choose the “No” option for that prompt, and will not need to respond to it.

All Applicants, Prompt 2

Do you have any employment or family obligations that limit your participation in extracurricular activities if so, please describe. (250 words, optional).

This question is similar to the Additional Information section listed in the Common App, as well as the exceptional personal circumstances prompt you might see during the application process. Check out the linked guides for tips for writing an essay like this!

One quick tip: Be sure to at least explain what the employment/obligation entailed, and why you had to take it on, as well as the results of you taking on this extra responsibility. Obligations you might write about include working to contribute financially to your family, taking care of an ill relative, or frequently babysitting younger siblings.

Consider the following example to see what a good response might include:

“Last year, my single mother was let go from her job at an insurance company when it was struggling financially and going through a period of transition. As a result, we both had to take on additional jobs to make ends meet, so I briefly left my school’s robotics team throughout the second semester and summer following junior year. Instead, I worked at a local grocery store after school and on the weekends, learning how to work efficiently under pressure while supporting my family.”

All Applicants, Prompt 3

Have you participated in or been assisted in your college preparation and search by programs outside of the classroom, such as educational talent search, take stock in children, upward bound, boys and girls club, etc. please provide the name of the program, details/benefits of your involvement, and how long your experiences continued. (250 words, optional).

This prompt is straightforward and simple. It requires you to list your involvement in programs that have helped you with your college search (outside of school), and it also asks you to list the details and benefits of your involvement in the program(s).

Here’s a sample response:

“During my junior and senior years of high school, I participated in the Take Stock in Children Program. While I was involved in the program, I was paired with a volunteer mentor and received frequent college readiness coaching. My mentor, James, was an undergraduate student at the University of Florida. Before participating in the Take Stock in Children program, I wasn’t interested in attending college, and I was planning to work at my local grocery store after high school to support my hobby, music production. James helped me understand the importance of college and he encouraged me to pursue a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Florida. I am grateful for how my involvement with Take Stock in Children has impacted my future education and aspirations.”

This student does a great job at answering the prompt. He lists the program name (Take Stock in Children) and the duration (junior and senior year) that he participated in the program. He also includes the details of his involvement (volunteer mentor and college readiness coaching) and most importantly, the benefits of their involvement (how his relationship with James inspired him to apply for college as a music major).

All Applicants, Prompt 4

Is there any additional information or extenuating circumstances the admissions committee should know when reviewing your application (250 words, optional).

​​This also resembles the Additional Information section listed in the Common App and the exceptional personal circumstances prompt . This is essentially your shot to either explain a lapse in your performance somewhere or to introduce something new about yourself that isn’t evident elsewhere in your application. 

You may elaborate further upon an extracurricular activity you feel isn’t clearly explained throughout your application (For example, say you were a Head Designer for your town’s Environmental and Aesthetic Initiative, and admissions officers may not know what that is). You could also talk about a personal story or history that has affected you greatly. You may even discuss a previously unmentioned extracurricular activity that says a lot about you.

This is a wonderfully free space for you to dive into whichever information you feel will give the admissions team the most complete version of your identity. If you don’t think this space is necessary for you, that’s fine too! Just leave it blank.

Honors Program Applicants Prompt

This prompt is meant to gauge who you are beyond your grades and test scores. It’s primarily about a subject that interests you, but there are multiple parts of the prompt that you’ll need to address:

• Identifying the subject or topic of interest
• Describing the direction you imagine that interest taking at UF
• Detailing how you envision the honors program’s resources supporting the direction you just described

Before you begin writing, it’s important that you select a strong topic. Of course, you need to be sincere. Don’t write about a topic you’re not that interested in just because you think the admissions committee wants to read about it. Good essays are always about authentic topics rather than disingenuous ones. To help you think, make a list of your the subjects that are most interesting and meaningful to you, and consider the following questions:

1) Which subject on your list have you shown the most commitment to? Which has been most influential in your development?

2) What is the strongest emotion you feel about this subject?

• Why do you feel this emotion?
• Has that emotional response changed over time? If so, how and why?
• What emotions do you feel when you’re actively engaging with this subject?

3) What thoughts and feelings go through your mind when you’re actively studying or learning about this subject?

4) Have you developed or strengthened any personality traits as a result of your engagement with this subject? If so, what are they and how have they evolved over time?

5) Have you developed any skills while studying this subject? These can include soft skills such as critical thinking, public speaking, work ethic, and teamwork, or hard skills, which are specific to whatever domain your subject is a part of.

6) What impact has your interest in this subject had on the rest of your life (activities, social life, academics, etc.)?

Once you’ve chosen your topic, think about how you want to structure your essay. You have up to 400 words, and you’ll probably need that space to address each part of the prompt. The prompt specifically asks how you see the UF Honors Program fostering that interest, so you’ll definitely want to include a response to that question.

You have some flexibility in the way you respond to this prompt. There are a few ways to introduce the subject you’re interested in. You might explicitly state what you enjoy about the subject, or perhaps you’ll talk about some of the experiences or outcomes related to the subject that have brought you fulfillment. Consider the following examples of opener styles you might use:

• Stating the subject explicitly: “For the last three years, I have filled every moment of free time I’ve had with videos and books about psychology.”
• Beginning with an anecdote: “My eyes widened with fascination as the colors climbed my chromatography paper. This was my first chemistry lab, and a moment that would completely change my desired career path forever.”
• Describing an experience and delaying naming the subject: “ ‘So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.’ With that sentence, I finished The Great Gatsby, the fifth novel I read that month.”

Since you have some space to work with, you can be creative when describing the subject you’re writing about. Use imagery to your advantage, be specific when discussing your emotions, and try to describe your emotional response to the subject in a way that reveals something about your personality.

Next, you’ll want to describe the direction you imagine this interest taking at UF. There are really no wrong answers here, since you can’t exactly predict the future. Luckily for you, this question is less about what you actually imagine and more about what you plan. That’s where it ties into the third question, how you see the program’s resources supporting your interest.

To do this effectively, you need to do some research on UF and its Honors Program. To start, look around on the UF Honors Program website to find resources that are particularly appealing to you. These might include particular classes or professors, research groups, program traditions, and extracurricular opportunities or programs. Honors students also enjoy access to internships and research opportunities. For example, a student who is interested in homesteading might mention how they’re excited to take the Honors Program’s beekeeping classes to expand their knowledge and skills.

Everything just mentioned is a good way to establish a tangible connection to the program, but you might also try to establish an intangible connection as well. An intangible connection involves discussing how the program’s values might align with your own.

You want to craft an effective essay, so you should note a few common mistakes to avoid:

• Don’t pick the wrong topic! Bad subjects include: those you’ve already written about somewhere else in your application, impressive-sounding subjects you don’t actually have experience or an interest in, and subjects you haven’t actually put that much time into.
• Don’t just describe your interest without elaborating on its impact on you. You might get caught up in an anecdote when writing, but don’t forget to explain the subject’s significance.
• Don’t just list your accomplishments within the subject. You shouldn’t simply provide a list of things that make you look good superficially. You want to show your personal perspective and growth by discussing your emotional response to your chosen subject and the ways in which the subject impacts your life.
• Don’t forget to answer each part of the prompt. You are asked to discuss a subject that you’re curious about, the direction you see that interest going in at UF, and the ways in which UF’s Honors Program will help you along the way.

Structurally, take a reflective approach and really analyze your thoughts and feelings about the subject. You have 400 words to work with, so you can really get into detail about each part of the prompt. As long as you can provide a good reflection, describe your subject well, and detail the role the UF Honors Program will play in fostering your interest, you will be fine.

Where to Get Your University of Florida Essays Edited

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

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

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Latest essay prompts for the top 100 schools.

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

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

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Who Are the Far-Right Groups Behind the U.K. Riots?

After a deadly stabbing at a children’s event in northwestern England, an array of online influencers, anti-Muslim extremists and fascist groups have stoked unrest, experts say.

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By Esther Bintliff and Eve Sampson

Esther Bintliff reported from London, and Eve Sampson from New York.

Violent unrest has erupted in several towns and cities in Britain in recent days, and further disorder broke out on Saturday as far-right agitators gathered in demonstrations around the country.

The violence has been driven by online disinformation and extremist right-wing groups intent on creating disorder after a deadly knife attack on a children’s event in northwestern England, experts said.

A range of far-right factions and individuals, including neo-Nazis, violent soccer fans and anti-Muslim campaigners, have promoted and taken part in the unrest, which has also been stoked by online influencers .

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to deploy additional police officers to crack down on the disorder. “This is not a protest that has got out of hand,” he said on Thursday. “It is a group of individuals who are absolutely bent on violence.”

Here is what we know about the unrest and some of those involved.

Where have riots taken place?

The first riot took place on Tuesday evening in Southport, a town in northwestern England, after a deadly stabbing attack the previous day at a children’s dance and yoga class. Three girls died of their injuries, and eight other children and two adults were wounded.

The suspect, Axel Rudakubana , was born in Britain, but in the hours after the attack, disinformation about his identity — including the false claim that he was an undocumented migrant — spread rapidly online . Far-right activists used messaging apps including Telegram and X to urge people to take to the streets.

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Essays uplift in annual writing center contest.

Written By: Judith Hansen

The experience is so satisfying that people who judge the Writing Center’s annual writing contest routinely ask Dr. Mary Lutze to invite them to judge again.

Each year, writing prompts ask students – students in any major, students who use the Writing Center or don’t – to consider and write about their experiences at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith and the insights they have gained.

“It’s really an uplifting experience all around,” Lutze, Writing Center director, said. “It’s really heartwarming to hear from students how much they value UAFS and how much they value the community they formed here. … For the students, it’s uplifting to think back on their experiences here. It’s definitely uplifting for faculty and staff members who participate in judging to hear … what UAFS has meant to its students.”

The annual competition, now in its fourth year, was the brainchild of UAFS Chancellor Dr. Terisa Riley when the Writing Center opened in October 2020. Riley offered the prompt the first year. Since then, the Writing Center staff, including the student peer tutors, offered the topics.

This year, the panel of judges considered 15 essays written in response to the prompt: Describe the most transformative relationship you’ve made while at UAFS.

The Grand Prize winner is Sophia McLain , a senior rhetoric and writing major when she submitted her essay. Sophia wrote about how a chance meeting with a non-traditional student caused her to rethink her attitude about attending her hometown college. In “UAFS, said like Doofus,” Sophia acknowledges she was a “judgmental idiot” who came to understand that “UAFS itself was an opportunity; it wasn’t a limit.”

As a tutor at the Writing Center, Sophia had the opportunity to talk with many students and learn about the unique challenges each student faces.

“I’d leave these sessions thinking, what a wonderful thing it is to hear a perspective different from your own,” she wrote. “Then I’d pause and think how ironic it is that I’ve learned it from a small regional school in Arkansas, and that really, that is what UAFS is.”

Sophia won $500 for her grand prize-winning essay.

Mitchell Collins , a junior political science major, wrote the second-place essay. Mitchell wrote about his chaotic life as the son of a “soldier father” who moved the family from place to place far too quickly to learn how to develop friendships. Finally, Mitchell, his mother, and his brother landed in Fort Smith “in our 15 th move of the past decade.”

In Fort Smith and especially at UAFS, Mitchell learns to form connections, starting with the Bell Tower, which was under repair, the campus green, and the unchanging bricks of Lion Pride Square. From there, he learned to build human relationships, transforming people from “superficial conveniences to genuine friends.”

“My life has changed forever due to the relationships I’ve had the privilege to grow at UAFS, and these two years have taught me more than all the days that came before,” he wrote. “The mentors, friends, and colleagues I’ve found will remain with me always as I choose to fight ever-onward for both my family and for my new family at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.”

Mitchell was awarded $250 for his entry.

A senior English major, Lyla Flint, wrote the third-place essay about her sometimes challenging but ultimately transformative relationship with literature.

Lyla admits that for years, if she didn’t like something or didn’t understand it, she would dismiss it, as she dismissed “Ethan Frome,” a work she “loathed” and considered “a ‘bad book.’” But now, she says, she has “adopted the idea of studying written works as an opportunity for growth, not an educational obligation.”

She talks about learning to value an author’s life, especially the environment in which they lived, how it is transformed into the book’s setting, and how the work’s characters define it.

She has undertaken this sea change because of her experiences as a university student.

“I’ll always be grateful for qualified educators that treat learning as an earned privilege instead of a monotonous burden by providing their students with relevant reading material in place of unwanted pieces that discourage readers from exploring all that the literary world has to offer.”

Lyla received $100 for her essay.

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Individual Project - 2024 entry

This module will provide you with extensive practical work experience in a business or commercial setting that is of direct relevance to your development as an experienced professional. You will get the chance to apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired from taught modules to authentic problem solving in the work place. Collaborating with your industrial and academic supervisor, you will identify an engineering-based project that will constitute your stage three individual project.

The Individual Project module will enable you to put into practice your research, project management and engineering skills, engaging you in the development of your own real world solution to an engineering problem or challenge. From clearly articulating the rationale for your project, to scoping and refining the design and finished product, you will work individually to apply the knowledge gained from other modules in your degree programme. You will be expected to innovate, create and present your engineering solution, honing your entrepreneurial as well as academic and practical skills.  In this way, the module will enable you to develop valuable transferable skills for future employment in industry.

In this module, you will apply the knowledge and skills obtained from taught modules to devise a real engineering solution at a professional level. You will be encouraged to use initiative, imagination and creativity during the management of your project, devoting around 300 hours of independent study towards its completion.  You will study with greater levels of autonomy than in previous taught modules.

Discipline and Module Intended Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

1 demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding for your chosen engineering project;

2 use project management software, to plan and manage the progress of the project, from generation of the idea to finished product;

3 apply practical solutions to engineering problems, based on understanding of mathematical, scientific and/or computer based principles.

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

4 investigate and define a problem and identify constraints including environmental and sustainability limitation;

5 assess and manage risk, demonstrating awareness of codes of practice, health and safety requirements and other professional practices;;

6 choose and utilise ICT based tools for analysis, design and communication of designs;

7 analyse and present data to support decision making.

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge

8 demonstrate self management skills, identifying and meeting targets within time constraints (with the support of a project supervisor);

9 analyse and implement problem-solving approaches;

10 produce a written report conforming to a specified format and to a professional standard.  

By individual negotiation with supervisor.

Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment.. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 4 0%.

If your Referral or Deferral relates to

Coursework Preliminary report – A similar coursework that assess the Intended Learning Outcome would be set

Coursework Final report and verbal interview – A similar coursework that assess the Intended Learning Outcome would be set

Basic reading:

ELE: vle.exeter.ac.uk

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Please note that all modules are subject to change, please get in touch if you have any questions about this module.

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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.

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2023-2024 Florida

• Thread starter wysdoc
• Start date Mar 23, 2023

Plain-spoken Texan

• Mar 23, 2023

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Click to expand...

“If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death, human life cannot be complete.” Click to expand...

“A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the 'why' for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any 'how.'” Click to expand...

“Being human always points, and is directed, to something or someone, other than oneself - be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter. “ Click to expand...

ishouldnotbehere

Full member.

• Jun 23, 2023

Is anyone prewriting last year's secondary? How did you guys approach the second prompt about the students' reflections?  

scaredapplicant23

ishouldnotbehere said: Is anyone prewriting last year's secondary? How did you guys approach the second prompt about the students' reflections? Click to expand...

YodaPineapple

• Jun 24, 2023

UF is one of the few schools where I would not pre-write, as their prompts tend to change every year.  

scarletblaze

• Jul 15, 2023

Has anyone received secondaries yet?  

• Jul 16, 2023

scarletblaze said: Has anyone received secondaries yet? Click to expand...

• Jul 17, 2023

schools taking their sweet time to send secondaries this year💀  

BetterLateThanNever.

ishouldnotbehere said: Nope Click to expand...

• Jul 19, 2023

IS Received 7/18  

Xqcowadwo said: IS Received 7/18 Click to expand...

AnonymousAnt said: Can you share prompts please? I’m assuming they’re new from last year. Click to expand...

OreoLover365

Xqcowadwo said: Same prompts Click to expand...

dopaminedoc

IS received 7/19  

• Jul 20, 2023

dopaminedoc said: IS received 7/19 Click to expand...

Can you plz post the secondary instead of saying “same as last year” lol @Xqcowadwo  

Xqcowadwo said: 1) Please limit your response to 250-500 words If you are not a full-time student during this application cycle, in particular at any time between August 2023 and July 2024, please detail your current and planned activities below. 2) The medical profession is frequently described as being both a science and an art. One could summarize this by saying that patients must “be well cared for” (science) but they must also “feel well cared for” (art). We work to teach our students not only the scientific principles of medicine, but also the core values of medicine, often called “professionalism”. Toward this end we keep patients at the center of our education and often reflect on their stories with our students. The exciting advances in our understanding of the biological basis for disease have led to the emergence of a host of targeted therapies and amazing technologies improving the duration and quality of our patients’ lives. The better a physician knows his/her patient, the better decisions they will make together as they approach important healthcare related questions. This so-called shared decision-making model is one key feature of patient centered care. Practicing the art of medicine in this way yields a physician patient relationship (PPR) that is both therapeutic and mutually enriching. However, many of these same technologies have the unintended consequence of separating us from our patients, both literally and figuratively. In addition, the industrialization of medicine and use of electronic health records have led to a decrease in the time physicians spend with their patients further eroding the strength of the PPR. At the UFCOM, we have many strategies to equip our students to preserve their own humanity and that of their patients. One of the most important is the ability to make connections with and get to know their patients. Frequently such connections become the student’s first taste of the joy of medical practice. In fact, the UFCOM version of the Hippocratic Oath includes the following affirmation. “I will remember with gratitude and humility those whose illness or injury provided examples from which I learned, and, in their honor, I will continue the pursuit of knowledge.” In our polarized society, the importance of such virtues as humility and gratitude have perhaps never been greater. Over the last two decades, the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California Berkeley has offered strong scientific support for the importance of such virtues as gratitude and humility in human well-being. But it should also be remembered that philosophers and theologians have cherished these virtues for centuries. For example, when mounting a legal defense for a friend, Cicero observed, “while I wish to be adorned with every virtue, yet there is nothing which I can esteem more highly than the being and appearing grateful. For this one virtue is not only the greatest, but is also the parent of all the other virtues.” Offering a similar endorsement for the virtue of humility, Augustine of Hippo observed, “Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” Students at UFCOM regularly write about and discuss encounters with patients that shape their professional identity in important ways. In so doing, we all learn to become better physicians and human beings. Here are two such reflections, by our students, one a poem and the other an essay. Read and reflect on both and then choose one and describe how the writer grew from the experience. Consider the affirmation from the Hippocratic Oath in your response. 3) The profession of medicine has always had an explicit contract with society about our expertise and competence but it also includes an important affirmation. Namely, that we will subordinate self-interest to patient interest when the needs of our patients require us to do so. This does not mean we do not take care of ourselves and one another, but it does mean we willingly take on risks to ourselves that many others would not. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought this commitment to light as many medical professionals labored on the front lines caring for the sick despite the potential dangers. When we consider medical practice and hence, medical education, one could ask what sorts of virtues or character traits equip young medical professionals for such a noble calling. Many come to mind including courage, compassion, intellectual honesty and integrity. But recently attention has been given to the ability to stay with a task or course even when one is tired, discouraged and the work is daunting and laborious. Terms such as “resilience”, “endurance”, “perseverance”, “determination” or “grit” describe this character trait. Dr. Angela Duckworth has explored this in detail in her book “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” ( Angela Duckworth ). Cultivating this virtue, in ourselves and one another, offers a tangible means to lean against the depersonalizing and emotionally exhausting forces at work in healthcare. As physicians, we have the privilege of caring for people who are in the most difficult places of their lives. Being present during these times can be both a source of joy as we help our patients, but can also challenge our own emotional health and resilience. Struggling to make sense of suffering induced by disease, social forces and human agency has brought an occasion for growth among many of us who work in healthcare. As you grow into your new identity as a physician, you will come face to face with the suffering of other human beings. In fact, we will all have to face our own losses as we go through medical training and practice. Put simply, none of us is exempt from suffering. As the Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) once observed, “When suffering knocks at your door and you say there is no seat for him, he tells you not to worry because he has brought his own stool.” Holocaust survivor and renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, (1905-1997) wrote an account of his time in the concentration camp called, “Man’s Search for Meaning”. It has sold more than 10 million copies in 24 languages and offers profound insights into how finding meaning in suffering sustains us during our darkest times. Below are several quotes from Dr. Frankl that deal with finding purpose and meaning in suffering. After reading and thinking about his insights, chose one or two and tell us about experiences where you have seen these principles at work either in your own life, or in the lives of others. Click to expand...

OreoLover365 said: Thank you @Xqcowadwo ! Is there no “additional information” question this year? Last year it was “ Optional: If you think there is any additional information that would help the admissions committee in its review of your application, including any disruptions in your academic/volunteer/work/personal life related to COVID-19, please use the space below.”(750 words). Click to expand...

spongebobdoc

• Jul 21, 2023

does the "please limit ur response to 250-500 words" apply to questions 2 and 3? also, we have to reply to only one prompt for question 2 right, bc it says reflect on both.  

• Jul 22, 2023

Anyone else get a secondary?  

ishouldnotbehere said: Anyone else get a secondary? Click to expand...

• Jul 23, 2023

IS verified 5/31 no secondary yet  

AnonymousAnt said: I don't mind these secondary questions at all but am I the only one who thinks they read more like an analytical english assignment rather than having anything to do with one's candidacy for medical school? Click to expand...

floridaresident said: does the "please limit ur response to 250-500 words" apply to questions 2 and 3? also, we have to reply to only one prompt for question 2 right, bc it says reflect on both. Click to expand...

lolitachiquita

IS, verified 7/13 still no secondary, I have completed and submitted every other FL school  

kaleidoscope1202

lolitachiquita said: IS, verified 7/13 still no secondary, I have completed and submitted every other FL school Click to expand...

OOS reapplicant verified 6/27, still no secondary  

MusicalMangoMan

kaleidoscope1202 said: +1. I’m a re-applicant to this school and did my undergrad here. I have finished the secondaries for FSU, USF, FAU, UCF, and FIU. I don’t know what they’re doing Click to expand...

MusicalMangoMan said: Dang man, I'm not even verified yet and only barely started pre-writing. Do you think I could finish all FL schools (besides Miami) in under a week? In total I'm applying to 25 MD schools, but I want to prioritize my in state. Click to expand...

• Jul 24, 2023

+ 1 IS verified 6/13 finally  

+1 IS recieved, verified 7/18  

for the activities section, do we just include what we are currently doing or everything from our activities section? the form specifies what we're doing prior to attending UF, but the " University Admissions cannot see your AMCAS and they use this activity timeline for residency review " from the email makes it seem like they have access to none of our activities on our application  

thegazette said: for the activities section, do we just include what we are currently doing or everything from our activities section? the form specifies what we're doing prior to attending UF, but the " University Admissions cannot see your AMCAS and they use this activity timeline for residency review " from the email makes it seem like they have access to none of our activities on our application Click to expand...

OOS secondary received  

@wysdoc Here are some additional questions on the UFCOM secondary: 1. *REQUIRED If you are not a legal resident of Florida according to your AMCAS application, write a statement describing your association with the State of Florida below. This statement is required even if you have no ties to the State of Florida. (no apparent word count) 2. (optional) Reflect upon your life experiences, values and/or personal background. Do any or all of these help frame how you envision your future contributions to the health and wellbeing of others as a physician and if so, how? (500 words max) 3. There is a page for selecting introversion and extroversion traits/statements but no essay associated with it  

Purple&Gold8

Medical school applicant.

amdocahe said: OOS secondary received Click to expand...

IS, received this morning too  

So we just have to wait until we get our UFID# in 36-48 hours before we can submit our secondary application??  

SultanateIV

• Jul 25, 2023

For the extraversion / intraversion section, can you pick statements from both sides? Or are we limited to just picking from one side  

SultanateIV said: For the extraversion / intraversion section, can you pick statements from both sides? Or are we limited to just picking from one side Click to expand...

OreoLover365 said: I think you can pick statements from both sides. That's what I am going to do unless someone tells me otherwise Click to expand...

DougEFreshh

Is it pointless to apply as an OOS applicant with no ties to the state of Florida? I wanna know that im not wasting my time writing this lengthy secondary?  

Dougieb said: Is it pointless to apply as an OOS applicant with no ties to the state of Florida? I wanna know that im not wasting my time writing this lengthy secondary? Click to expand...

HopefullySomewhere

• Jul 26, 2023

AnonymousAnt said: If you have the 30$ and some time to spare, why not. But keep in mind they only interviewed 80 out of 2200 OOS applicants, and I’d bet that those 80 either went to UF or have connections to the state in other ways. Click to expand...

HopefullySomewhere said: Out of the new class only 2/120 were OOS. It’s basically pointless to apply to FSU as OOS with no ties Click to expand...

Has anyone gotten their UF ID?  

SultanateIV said: Has anyone gotten their UF ID? Click to expand...

OreoLover365 said: Yeah I got mine last night. Took about 36 hours Click to expand...

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3 Writing Tips for the University of Florida Essay Prompts

College Essays

Are you applying to the University of Florida? You'll need to answer some essay prompts as part of your application.   Read this guide to learn what the University of Florida essay prompts are, what admissions officers are looking for in your response, what you should include and avoid in your answers, and what strong UF college essay examples look like.

What Are the University of Florida Essays?

The University of Florida accepts both the Common Application and the Coalition Application, and applicants must answer one of the Common Application prompts. 

As part of your application, you'll also need to answer an additional UF-specific essay prompt, and you'll have the option of answering three additional essay prompts. Your answer to each prompt can be up to 250 words. Here's the prompt:

• Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. This could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity

We'll go over how to best answer this supplement question in the next section.

The UF Essay Prompt, Analyzed

In this section, we explain what the prompt is asking for, why UF is interested in this information, what information you should include (and what information to avoid), and what a strong example answer could look like.

Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. This could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity.

What the prompt is asking for: A description of the one extracurricular you feel is most important to you.

Why UF is interested: Students who are dedicated to something show they are passionate, interested in learning, and have a strong work ethic. These are all characteristics colleges want their students to have, so having something you're committed to is a major boost to your application. Seeing what you choose also gives UF a better sense of who you are and what you value.

Potential topics to discuss: What the extracurricular, is how long you've involved with it, how much time per week/month/etc. you dedicate to it, what activities your involvement includes, why you consider it meaningful. 

Topics to avoid: Listing multiple activities or simply describing the extracurricular without explaining why it's important to you.

Example: "The extracurricular most important to me is my involvement in my high school's Model UN team . I've been involved for four years, since I was a freshman. We meet once a week during the school year to prepare for the four conferences we participate in each year. As a Model UN member, I research different political events and international relations topics, then debate the issues with other team members to build my skills in those areas. Model UN is so important to me because, not only did it solidify my choice to major in International Relations, it strengthened me personally. As a result of my participation, I've improved my debate skills, become a more confident public speaker, and have much more experience finding a compromise even between very different groups."

Tips for the UF Essay Prompt

Follow these three tips when completing the University of Florida supplement essays to make sure your answers are as strong as possible.

#1: Keep Your Answers Concise

You only have 250 words per prompt. That isn't that much! This means your responses need to be brief and to the point if you're trying to fit a lot of information in. You likely have a lot of reasons why a particular extracurricular is the most important to you.

#2: Show Your Strengths

Even though the prompt is short, it’s still an opportunity for you to impress the admissions committee. You can dive into how you've been involved in your extracurricular, as well as any leadership roles you may have had. Try to include themes you've mentioned in other parts of your application , such as your longer essay. For example, if you mentioned that your dream is to be a doctor, try to highlight experiences that reflect that, such as volunteering at a hospital.

#3: Be Honest and Passionate

Sometimes students think they need to tell a story that the admissions committee wants to hear...so they make things up. Do not lie in your college essay—admissions counselors are  great  at sniffing out fibs! 

Instead, lean into the passions and experiences that make you unique . For instance, maybe you made a quilt and entered it in the fair. That's awesome! Just make sure you're explaining why it's meaningful for you! Maybe your grandmother taught you how to quilt and you worked on it together, which taught you the importance passing knowledge down from one generation to the next. 

Summary: UF College Essay Examples

There is one main University of Florida essay, and it'll be the Coalition or Common Application (depending on which application you use) prompt of your choice. But there are also additional UF essay prompts to answer. These shorter prompts are a way for the UF admissions committee to learn more about you and have the most accurate look at your application.

Here is where you can discuss extracurricular activities, anything that prevented you from participating in extracurriculars, certain programs you took part in, and anything else you think is important for the people reviewing your application to know. As you answer these UF essay prompts, remember to keep your responses short, don't feel pressured to answer every prompt, and highlight your strengths.

What's Next?

Considering the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship? Our guide to Bright Futures Scholarship programs answers all the questions you're wondering about.

Want to bring up your GPA? Read about four ways to bring up your high school grades fast .

Interested in community service ideas? Check out our guide to 129 great community service projects .

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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