does university of alabama require supplemental essays

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University of Alabama Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are University of Alabama's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA requirements
• Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
• Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into University of Alabama and build a strong application.

School location: Tuscaloosa, AL

This school is also known as: Bama, UA

Admissions Rate: 80.1%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at University of Alabama is 80.1% . For every 100 applicants, 80 are admitted.

This means the school is lightly selective . The school will have their expected requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores. If you meet their requirements, you're almost certain to get an offer of admission. But if you don't meet University of Alabama's requirements, you'll be one of the unlucky few people who gets rejected.

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University of Alabama GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 3.77

The average GPA at University of Alabama is 3.77 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 3.77, University of Alabama requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes. This will show that you're able to handle more difficult academics than the average high school student.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

University of Alabama hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to University of Alabama will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

University of Alabama SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1225

The average SAT score composite at University of Alabama is a 1225 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes University of Alabama Competitive for SAT test scores.

University of Alabama SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1090, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1370. In other words, a 1090 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1370 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

University of Alabama has the Score Choice policy of "Highest Sitting."

This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider the SAT score from your single highest test date (the sum of math, reading, and writing).

This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and University of Alabama only considers your highest score on a single test date, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit your strongest score. Your application readers will only see that one score.

Therefore, if your SAT score is currently below a 1090, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it . You don't have much to lose, and you can potentially raise your score and significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

University of Alabama ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, University of Alabama likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 26

The average ACT score at University of Alabama is 26. This score makes University of Alabama Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 22, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 31.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 22 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to University of Alabama, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 22.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

University of Alabama considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is lightly selective, you have a great shot at getting in, as long as you don't fall well below average . Aim for a 1090 SAT or a 22 ACT or higher, and you'll almost certainly get an offer of admission. As long as you meet the rest of the application requirements below, you'll be a shoo-in.

But if you score below our recommended target score, you may be one of the very few unlucky people to get rejected.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

• PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
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• Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
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Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of University of Alabama here.

Application Requirements Overview

• Common Application Not accepted
• Electronic Application Available
• Essay or Personal Statement Required for some freshmen
• Letters of Recommendation 2
• Interview Not required
• Application Fee $40
• Fee Waiver Available? Available
• Other Notes

Testing Requirements

• SAT or ACT Considered if submitted
• SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
• SAT Subject Tests
• Scores Due in Office August 1

Coursework Requirements

• Subject Required Years
• Foreign Language 1
• Social Studies 4
• Electives 5

Deadlines and Early Admissions

• Offered? Deadline Notification
• Yes May 1 Rolling

Admissions Office Information

• Address: 719 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
• Phone: (205) 348-6010 x6010
• Fax: (205) 348-9046
• Email: [email protected]

Our Expert's Notes

We did more detailed research into this school's admissions process and found the following information:

To be considered for scholarships, there is an application you must fill out by December 1st. For everyone else, the deadline for priority admissions consideration is February 1st.

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in University of Alabama, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to University of Alabama.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than University of Alabama. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for University of Alabama, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for University of Alabama, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If University of Alabama is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

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The University of Alabama

Founded in 1831 as the state’s flagship university,  The University of Alabama  has always focused on being the best. Designated one of the top doctoral research universities in the United States by the Carnegie Foundation, UA is leading the way in the development of new ideas and transformative technologies to further the understanding of our world and improve the lives of the people in it. We are dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and service. We offer some of the most generous scholarship opportunities in the country for qualifying in-state and out-of-state students. Connect with your UA recruiter to learn more.

Academic programs.

• Art & Design
• Communication
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Finance/Accounting
• Government/Political Science
• Health Science
• Liberal Arts
• Marine Biology
• Performing Arts
• Social Science
• Social Work
• Visual Arts

Student experience

• Co-op/Internship Opportunities
• Disability Services
• Intramural/Club Sports
• LGBTQIA Services
• Military/Veteran Services
• On-Campus Housing
• ROTC Program
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Research
• Veteran Fee Waiver

Application information

Find out about requirements, fees, and deadlines

​​​​​​You will apply as a first-year student if you have finished, or are set to finish high school, and will be entering college as a first-time freshman. There is a $40 application fee for the first-time freshman application.  The University of Alabama will not require standardized ACT or SAT scores from students applying through the Fall 2024 Semester. Admission consideration for freshman entering through the Fall 2024 Semester will be based on a holistic review. Holistic admissions at The University of Alabama include both academic and non-academic criteria. Academic components considered include high school GPA, performance in core subjects, academic honors and standardized test scores, should a student elect to submit them. Non-academic items include leadership experience, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, employment and non-academic honors. All students must complete the minimum unit requirements. First-time, main-campus freshmen who submit an application and all supporting documents by January 15 will receive priority consideration for admission. After January 15, first-time, main-campus freshmen who submit an application and all supporting documents will receive consideration for admission on a space available basis. Visit admissions.ua.edu for more information regarding deadlines and policies.

Additional Information

The best way to find your place at The University of Alabama is to visit campus. Our student-guided campus tour gives you and your family a firsthand campus experience. Learn about UA’s history as you discover today’s many opportunities the University offers through stellar academics, research possibilities and exciting student life. We currently offer both walking-only tours of campus and a combination bus/walking tour. All campus tours include an Undergraduate Admissions information session and descriptions of each tour are provided on  our campus visits page .

“I've come to understand that UA is a one-of-a-kind university, and you don't just become a part of Alabama, Alabama becomes a part of you.“ Grace, Student, Public Relations and American Studies

Admissions office

203 Student Services Center , Box 870132 Tuscaloosa , AL 35487 , United States of America

Phone number

1-800-933-BAMA (2262)

For first-year students

Admissions website.

admissions.ua.edu

Financial aid website

financialaid.ua.edu

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Category: Admissions , College Admissions , Uncategorized

Tags: Admissions , admissions help , advice , application , applying to college , college application , college applications , college essay advisors , college list , colleges , list

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University of Alabama at Birmingham | UAB

• Cost & scholarships
• Essay prompt

Want to see your chances of admission at University of Alabama at Birmingham | UAB?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

University of Alabama at Birmingham | UAB’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

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

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

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

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

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

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

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

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

• Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Location Location
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• Offices and Divisions
• For Freshmen

Freshman Applicants

Our application for fall is open   — and we can’t wait to read yours!

Complete either the USC Application or the  Common App . Choose the application that you are most comfortable submitting. There is no advantage in the admission process to using one application over the other.   

Planning to apply? 

Download a copy of our step-by-step guide to help you apply to USC. 

USC Application Guide

Required Materials

All freshman applicants must submit the following credentials:  

You'll provide your high school courses/grades for your senior year only, choose your first and second-choice  majors , complete the  essay , and list your extracurricular activities, honors and awards. You will also decide whether you want us to consider your ACT/SAT scores in the review process.  

All information submitted with your application will be used to determine admission and merit-based scholarship award decisions.  

Regardless of which application you select, you must pay the nonrefundable $65 application fee or use an ACT, College Board, NACAC, SCOIR, or Common App application fee waiver, if eligible.

Upload a legible unofficial copy of your high school transcript in JPG or PDF format. After you submit the application, we’ll review your upload ed transcript and let you k now if we need an official one. The unofficial transcript must list grades through the end of your junior year and include your full name and high school name. Do not send an official high school transcript to the admissions office unless it is requested.

If you already graduated from high school, request to have your official transcript sent to USC’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Don't forget to list your senior year courses and credits on the application. You must list the exact amount of credit (full, half, trimester) for each course. You will also need to list all dual enrollment courses you are taking.

We are  test-optional   for the spring, summer and fall 2024 terms. This means you are not required to submit SAT and/or ACT scores for admission or merit scholarship consideration. You will select “Yes” or “No” on the application to indicate whether you want us to review your test scores as part of the admission process.  

If you choose to report your scores on the application, enter the highest scores for the ACT composite and/or the SAT total.  If you took either test more than once, we will super score using all tests taken.    

USC’s deadline for receipt of test scores is based on the credentials deadline associated with your application type. If test scores are not received by the credentials deadline, your application will be considered on a space-available basis. We require official scores only if you enroll in USC. Our SAT code is 5818 and our ACT code is 3880.  

USC will be test-optional through the fall, spring and summer 2024 . Review frequently asked questions about USC's test-optional policy. 

Important Dates

Freshman applications must be submitted by the following deadlines:

Early Action Application Deadline

Apply by Oct. 15 and have a complete application filed by Nov. 1 to get an admissions decision in mid-December.

Honors College Supplement Deadline

Apply by Nov. 15  and have a complete application filed by Dec. 1 to be considered for Top Scholars awards and the SCHC.

Regular Application Deadline

Apply by Dec. 1 and have a complete application filed by Jan. 15 to get an admissions decision by mid-March.

Application Review

Freshman admission is based primarily on a student’s academic performance. This includes grades earned in core classes in high school, class standing or class rank (if available) and rigor of coursework. The admissions committee evaluates each applicant in that year’s pool and selects applicants based on the following factors:

Students seeking admission as freshmen are expected to meet the minimum college prep high school core course curriculum required by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

• 4 units with strong reading, writing, communicating and research
• Recommended that 2 of the 4 units are literature based, including American, British and World literature
• College prep English I, II, III and IV meet requirement
• Fourth higher level unit selected among Algebra III, pre-calculus, calculus, probability and statistics, discrete mathematics, or computer science**

*Foundations in algebra and intermediate algebra may count together as a substitute for Algebra I if a student successfully completes Algebra II.

**Computer science should involve significant programming content, not simply keyboarding or using applications.

• 2 units from different fields: biology, chemistry, physics or earth science
• 1 additional unit from biology, chemistry, physics or earth science or any other laboratory science with biology, chemistry, physics and/or earth science as a prerequisite*

*Courses in general science or introductory science for which one of these four units is not a prerequisite will not meet this requirement.

• 1 unit U.S. history
• ½ unit economics
• ½ unit government
• 1 unit world history or geography strongly recommended
• Both units must be in the same language
•   Art appreciation, art history or performance in one of the fine arts
• 2 units of college-preparatory coursework*
• Computer science with significant programming content recommended

*Alternative electives include college-preparatory courses in English, fine arts, foreign languages, social science, humanities, mathematics and laboratory science (for which biology, chemistry, physics or earth science is a prerequisite).

High school grades are the most important factor in determining a student's ability to compete for admission to USC. We look for demonstrated academic achievement by reviewing courses and grades, recognizing  that different high schools provide different levels of opportunity.   

We recommend taking the most challenging coursework available at your high school, provided you can be successful. This includes programs like honors, AP, IB and dual enrollment. Many of these courses also provide opportunities to earn college credit while attending high school.

We suggest reviewing our academic profile as you consider your preferred testing plan. The profile shows the ranges for standardized test scores, high school GPA and class rank for general admission, Capstone Scholars and the South Carolina Honors College. 

Part of our review process includes your choice of major. Some majors are more competitive than others based on student interest among the applicant pool and available capacity. That’s why we ask students to list a second-choice major. If you are unsure of your major, you can select “Undeclared” in the College of Arts and Sciences.  

The essay is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already in your application. The purpose is to get to know you better. The best essay topic is going to be the one you are most excited to write about and one that reflects on a personal experience. Make it less about the topic and more about you!  

There is one required essay on the application that is reviewed as part of our holistic admissions process. You will choose an essay prompt from the list provided in the application, regardless of application type. 

This section allows you to list and explain up to 10 extracu rricular activities you’ve been involved in throughout high school. In the description, include your duties , recognitions or leadership roles. Explain the activity and your specific involvement . It’s more about quality than quantity in this section!  

All South Carolina students who are ranked in the top 10% of their high school graduating class will be admitted to the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus starting with the Fall 2024 application cycle. 

To be eligible students must:

• Graduate from a SC public high school or be a South Carolina resident graduating from an independent school with a graduating class of 20 or more students.
• Apply as an entering first-time freshman by the December 1 application deadline.
• Complete the required college preparatory high school course curriculum with no grade below a C.

Program details:

• Class rank is determined at the end of the junior year in high school as indicated on the high school transcript provided when students apply.
• Admission to the first-choice major indicated on the admission application is not guaranteed.
• Students enrolled in dual credit or college courses may also have to meet minimum transfer requirements.
• Non-traditional high school students and mid-year graduates may qualify on a case-by-case basis.
• If a high school does not rank, a school profile displaying senior class GPA percentile data will be requested from the high school to determine eligibility.

Academic Profile

These ranges reflect the middle 50% of the students who were admitted in 2023 and give you a general idea of where you fall within each academic range.

Standardized Test Scores* Middle 50%

*Test score ranges only include students who chose to have their test scores considered in the admission and scholarship process.

High School Academic Performance* Middle 50%

* Class rank ranges only include students whose high school provides a ranking. 

After You Apply

After you submit the application, you can check your application status on your   USC Admissions Portal . You can also request changes to your application. Once we've made a decision on your application, you will receive an email instructing you to check your portal.

USC Admissions Portal

Decision Types

Admit - Admitted freshmen have until May 1 to decide to enroll. 

Bridge to Carolina - A select group of students will be invited to participate in one of our bridge programs,   Gamecock Gateway   and   Palmetto Pathway . 

Waitlist - A limited number of students will be offered a place on the waitlist.

Deny - While freshman admission to USC is not an option, students can become a Gamecock by transferring to USC in a future semester.

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

2023 Application Essays

  david graves        june 3rd, 2022 in blog.

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
• The shorter essay prompt will continue to be the following – “The college admissions process can create anxiety. In an attempt to make it less stressful, please tell us an interesting or amusing story about yourself from your high school years that you have not already shared in your application.”

As I have done in the past, I am including an essay from an enrolling student for Fall 2022 that our office believes is an extremely strong writing sample. Why is this essay strong? It is personal, it gives details and emotions, and it gives insight into the person. It also well written, shows that the student is able to stretch out beyond her comfort zone, and that she is not afraid to grow and learn. And lastly, I now know a great deal more about the student. When you write your essays, let us know more about you and less about the event (The Rocky Horror Picture Show in this case), as it lets us better understand you as an individual.

I am a very basic person, at least when it comes to my personal appearance. If you run across me any day of the week you’ll find I’m usually in a t-shirt, leggings, and some sneakers. That wasn’t the case one Friday night last fall. My outfit consisted of fishnet stockings and Doc Martens, a t-shirt so big I wore it as a dress, a comically large pearl necklace, and bright pink rubber gloves that went up to my elbows. I was way out of my fashion comfort zone.

My friend Emma had convinced me to go see a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with her, and I decided to defy my usual caution and go all in on the experience. I listened to the movie soundtrack beforehand and spent weeks planning my costume: a toned-down version of Dr. Frank N. Furter.

Emma is my opposite in many ways. She loves horror movies and classic rock, wears all black, and chops off her hair every couple of weeks. Where I’m socially anxious and worried about how others might perceive me, she is bold and unforgiving and a fierce protector of her family and friends. We all need friends like Emma who can challenge our assumptions and help us overcome our fears. And who spark us to create some great memories.

The screening was being held at Ciné, a local Athens art house theater, and there were butterflies in my stomach at the thought of venturing downtown in my get-up. As Emma and I walked into the theater, no one spared us a second glance. But we were clearly the coolest kids in attendance. Well, we were the only “kids” in attendance, the only high schoolers there in an audience made up mostly of people who looked well over thirty. Nevertheless, we danced in the aisle, shouted at the screen and had a blast. I’m saving that costume and will be ready to do the “Time Warp” again and again.  – Ella J.

Tags: essays , freshman admission

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How to Write the University of Richmond Essays 2023-2024

The University of Richmond has one, required supplemental essay, which allows you to choose one of three prompts. You can write about a societal issue you’re passionate about, an unexpected lesson you learned, or some aspect of your identity that speaks to your potential as a University of Richmond student.

Although you only have to write one essay, the 650-word limit means it’s probably one of the longest supplements you’ll be writing, so make sure you leave yourself ample time to brainstorm, draft, and revise. In this post, we’re going to break down each prompt for you, so that you can be sure you’re approaching each one in the right way.

Read these University of Richmond essay examples to inspire your writing.

University of Richmond Supplemental Essay Prompts

We want to hear your voice and your story, as well as provide space for you to share more about your interests, passions and experiences. Please select one of the following prompts to address (350-650 words): 

• Option 1: You have a platform to create change. What is an action or policy you might propose to address an issue of social injustice in your school or local community, or on a national or global scale? 
• Option 2: Tell us about a time you learned something unexpected. What did you learn, and what happened next? 
• Option 3: Richmond welcomes students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. What is at least one way you will contribute to our community that is not already mentioned in your application?

You have a platform to create change. What is an action or policy you might propose to address an issue of social injustice in your school or local community, or on a national or global scale? (350-650 words)

Brainstorming Your Topic

This is a good example of the “Global Issues” essay, which has become an increasingly common supplement in recent years. This kind of essay typically asks you to do two things: talk about an issue you’re passionate about, and explain what your interest in that issue has taught you about yourself, or how it has helped you develop certain attributes.

The first thing you’ll want to do is pick an issue to write about. Note that this issue can be something close to home, in your own community, or one that affects the entire world. If you do pick a global issue, however, make sure you identify something specific within that broad issue to focus on. 650 words is a lot for a college essay, but if you’re writing about, say, climate change, professional scientists dedicate years of their lives to writing entire books intended to provide just a general overview of the issue. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Instead, think about which element of climate change you are most motivated to tackle. Are you heartbroken about the loss of habitat for species that live at the poles? Are you worried about increased cases of heat exhaustion and heatstroke exacerbating the flaws in the American healthcare system? Or are you concerned that the partisanship in the United States government will prevent any bill geared towards promoting greener energy from ever passing?

These potential topics are zoomed in on one tiny part of the huge beast that is the climate crisis. That narrower focus will provide more structure for your thoughts, which will result in a more cohesive, easier to follow essay.

If you instead want to write about a local issue, think about which headlines in your local newspaper grab your attention, or recent conversations you’ve had with your family or neighbors about things going on in the area. Maybe your town, like many in the United States, doesn’t have good public transportation, and you dislike how much space is taken up by parking lots. Or maybe a nearby puppy mill was recently discovered and shut down, but now the animal shelters are overwhelmed.

Whatever issue you choose to write about should be one you feel some genuine personal connection to. Maybe your dad is a real estate agent and always complains about an illogical quirk in your town’s zoning laws. You might know a lot about this issue for someone your age, but if you don’t really care about it, your essay will come across as dry and impersonal. 

So, don’t structure your brainstorming around what will make you seem smart or impressive, as the thing that will actually convey those attributes is highlighting an issue that admissions officers can feel is truly near and dear to your heart.

Tips for Writing Your Essay

The #1 key to writing a strong response is describing your issue in a way that is personal , so that your readers don’t just learn about how the issues of climate change and healthcare intersect, or about overwhelmed animal shelters in your community, but also learn what your investment in these issues says about you . You’re not a journalist, you’re a college applicant, so ultimately the most important thing to do is teach Richmond admissions officers something substantive about how you would fit into their campus community.

To do that, you’ll want to rely on personal anecdotes you have related to the issue you’ve selected. By seeing you in action, so to speak, admissions officers will learn something about how you think, how you work with others, what your primary values are, and so on.

If you’ve chosen a local issue, explaining it through specific examples from your own life should hopefully be pretty straightforward. Maybe you write about how your own dog was a rescue, which motivates you to help the puppy mill dogs find forever homes, as you know that bringing in a rescue dog may present unique challenges, but also brings an unparalleled form of companionship.

For a larger scale issue, your example might be more tangentially related, as it’s possible this issue is something you’ve become passionate about just through observation, rather than a direct link to your own life. That’s okay, so long as it’s still clear how we’re getting from A to B. For example, maybe you’re from Seattle, and write about how the increasingly frequent heat waves, and lack of equal access to something as simple as a fan during these periods, makes you worry about what the future, with consistently extreme heat having more and more severe consequences, will look like.

Finally, note that Richmond isn’t just asking you to describe an issue you care about, but also to propose “an action or policy” to help address it. This requirement may seem intimidating at first, but don’t worry–admissions officers aren’t expecting you to enact world peace overnight. They just want to see that you’re able to think critically about an issue and be creative in identifying potential ways to make the world a little better, as that’s a huge part of what you’ll be asked to do in your classes once you arrive on campus.

In coming up with your solution, it’s not a bad idea to see if you can draw on your other interests, to both demonstrate your creativity and subtly teach Richmond admissions officers something new about you. For example, maybe you’re a big baseball fan, and propose collaborating with the local team to host a meet-and-greet with players where puppies are also available for adoption. 

Or, perhaps you’re interested in learning about other cultures, so to offset the negative health effects of extreme heat, you propose a drastic change to the American work schedule–the implementation of a siesta, to allow people to relax when the heat is most intense, like they have long done in many places that are closer to the equator.

If you’re feeling stuck, take a step back from your actual essay, and ask yourself honestly: what would you like to do about this issue? Remember, this is a college essay, not a congressional bill, so you don’t have to worry about other people agreeing with you. You want your solution to make sense, and acknowledge the complexity of your issue–you wouldn’t want to, for example, say that to combat the health consequences of extreme heat we should simply force more people to go to medical school–but as long as you do those two things, there really aren’t any rules about what you can and can’t do.

Mistakes to Avoid

As we touched on in the “Tips” section above, the biggest pitfall with this kind of essay is accidentally making it too much about the issue, and not enough about yourself. Particularly if you’re writing about something you’re already extremely knowledgeable about, pay attention to make sure your essay doesn’t turn into a newspaper article. 

While it’s okay to include some background context about your topic, to prove that you are truly passionate about it, this is still a reflective piece of writing. So, don’t cite a million facts and figures, as, while that may be educational for Richmond admissions officers, it won’t give them a clearer sense of how you’ll fit into their campus community. Instead, make sure that your discussion of your issue always connects back to something you have learned about yourself as a result of your interest in it.

You also want to be careful that you don’t accidentally offend your admissions officer with your discussion of the issue. Higher education as a whole leans much further left than society in general, but you still never know what perspectives your particular reader will have. So, avoid blaming one group or another for causing the issue or obstructing its resolution, and instead keep the focus on you and your own potential to help.

Tell us about a time you learned something unexpected. What did you learn, and what happened next? (350-650 words)

This is a good example of an open-ended prompt that can be very appealing at first blush, because of the freedom you have to write about nearly anything: any time you learned something unexpected is a possible topic. When you sit down to figure out what you actually want to say, however, you may realize that more structure could actually be kind of nice.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities, you can try to organize your thoughts with slightly more direct questions, like the following:

• What’s one of the most important things you’ve ever learned about yourself? How did you learn it?
• Think about the big pivot moments in your life–times when you felt fundamentally different afterwards. What triggered that massive change in your understanding of yourself?
• If you don’t want to write directly about yourself, what are some things about the world that shocked you to learn? As a child, were you amazed to realize that life exists even at the very bottom of oceanic trenches?

Keep in mind that whatever unexpected lesson you choose to write about will need to sustain a pretty long essay, so the moment you choose needs to have been genuinely meaningful. Maybe when you were nine you learned that your grandfather once worked for J. D. Rockefeller, but that information, while initially surprising, didn’t do anything to shape your life going forward.

Instead, focus on something that had, and continues to have, a real impact on how you understand yourself and the world. This thing doesn’t have to be earth-shattering, as our lives aren’t Netflix series, just significant to you. 

Maybe that means you write about learning that your childhood home used to be the dining hall for a logging company, which gave you a different understanding of how places evolve and influence people differently over time. Or perhaps you describe your shock when you learned that your elderly neighbor consulted on Oprah’s show when she was first starting out, as this revelation gave you a different appreciation for how interconnected all people are.

Your brainstorming process is going to be focused on identifying a moment that taught you something both unexpected and meaningful. The writing process is going to be focused on answering the prompt’s actual question: what did you learn from this experience, and what happened next?

While you are being asked to reflect on a moment that happened in the past, your goal here is still the same as in any college essay:to  explain why this moment is important to understanding what you’ll be like as a college student. So, you need to connect your realization from your past to who you are now, and who you hope to become in the next four years.

As usual, the best way to make that connection is through specific anecdotes and experiences that illustrate what you’re trying to say, as that approach is both more meaningful and more engaging than simply stating, for example, “After learning about my home’s history, I became more aware that the world is a lot bigger than just me.”

Instead, this student could write about how, after their realization, they researched the histories of other buildings in their hometowns, and the backstories of famous buildings elsewhere in the country and the world. They could then describe how this process gave them a different awareness of the vastness of the world, but also the power of one person or a group of people to give a certain meaning to a particular place.

This much more fleshed out response will show Richmond admissions officers that this student is motivated, curious, and able to draw sophisticated takeaways from complex information, which are all qualities colleges value in their applicants. 

If you have the space, you can even go a step further, and directly connect the broader lessons you learned to something specific you hope to do at Richmond. For example, this student may write about how they see Richmond’s study abroad program in Rome as the perfect opportunity for them to continue refining their ideas about the connect between individuals and the place they live, as the program includes the course “Ancient City,” which involves “includes many site visits in and around Rome.”

This prompt doesn’t explicitly ask for this school-specific connection, and you can write a strong response without it. But showing Richmond admissions officers that you already have a concrete sense of how you’d like to take advantage of their school’s opportunities may well be the thing that takes your essay from great to outstanding.

As we noted in the “Brainstorming” section, this question is in some ways the least structured of the three, so if you’re really struggling to come up with a good topic, or to describe it in a way that makes sense, don’t beat yourself up. The beauty of option prompts is that you have, well, options . So, there’s no shame at all in pivoting to one of the other two prompts, if this one proves to be too tricky.

Richmond welcomes students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. What is at least one way you will contribute to our community that is not already mentioned in your application? (350-650 words)

This is a classic example of the common “Diversity” essay, which you’ll likely come across more than once as you knock out your supplements. Or maybe you’ve already responded to this kind of prompt for another school, and are thinking of repurposing that essay here. While you can certainly write about the same topic, and your previous work will streamline your brainstorming and writing processes, this essay is likely quite a bit longer than the one you’ve already written, so you’ll still need to generate some new content.

If this is your first time tackling this kind of essay, don’t worry–we’re here to help you figure out exactly what you want to write about!

The first thing to note is that the way colleges evaluate race in the admissions process will be different this year, and moving forward, after the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in June. Schools are now only allowed to consider a student’s race in the context of their overall story and background, and the essay is the perfect place to show how your race fits into the broader context of who you are. 

What this means is that, if your race is an important part of your identity, we’d encourage you to think hard about focusing this response on it, as otherwise Richmond admissions officers will be incredibly limited in their ability to factor your race into their admissions decision.

Of course, if you don’t think your race is quite the right topic for you, that’s completely fine. There are many things that comprise our identities, as Richmond underscores by saying that they welcome “students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences.”

So, you could write a strong essay about a different aspect of your identity that people typically associate with “diversity,” like your gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and so on. But you could also write about something more unconventional, like a hobby you’re unusually passionate about, or a particularly formative experience. Topics in this vein could include:

• The countless hours you’ve spent researching how analytics has changed how baseball teams evaluate their players
• Your experience driving the Pacific Coast Highway on your own last summer
• Your encyclopedic knowledge of where different cacti species grow, and how large they  can become

So long as the thing you choose is genuinely important to understanding who you are overall, you’ll be able to write a strong response about it.

The first step to writing a strong response is explaining why this feature of your identity is fundamental to who you are. You should do that using specific anecdotes that show , rather than merely tell, Richmond admissions officers why this quality of yours matters. If you just say “Coming to terms with my sexuality was hard, but ultimately joyful,” they may feel sympathy or pride towards you, but won’t understand anything about how this process inspired your growth or development.

Instead, describe the anxiety you felt at any family gathering when your relatives would ask you if you had a girlfriend yet, and how you felt like a failure when your older brother got engaged to his long-term girlfriend. Then, you can transition into talking about how, during a backpacking trip with him and his fiancée, being away from the world for a few days made you feel comfortable enough to come out for the first time, and their immediate acceptance and love helped start to wash away your feelings of inferiority. 

Because this is an unusually long supplement, take the time to really let your story breathe. Don’t just give an overview of what happened. Instead, use strong descriptive language to fully flesh out your thoughts and feelings. Depending on what you’re writing about, some of those thoughts and feelings may still be quite raw, so keep in mind that, while showing vulnerability speaks well of your self-awareness and overall emotional maturity, you don’t need to bare your soul to a bunch of strangers. Only go as deep as you’re comfortable with.

You also want to make sure you’re addressing both pieces of the prompt. You don’t want to just describe this one feature of your identity, but also explain how it will help you contribute to Richmond’s campus community. That means admissions officers need to understand not just that your identity encompasses this one feature, but also what this one feature says about who you are as a whole.

Because you have a lot of space to work with, ideally you should also connect what you’ve learned from having this particular quality to a specific club, program, or even academic offering at Richmond. Your goal in this essay is to describe how one particular aspect of your identity has been especially important in shaping who you are, and who you will become at Richmond, and the best way to do that is by making a concrete connection between this feature of yourself and the school.

For example, the hypothetical student described above may talk about how his experience coming out to his brother taught him how empowering it is to have even one person on your side. And because he also knows how risky it feels to take that first step, at Richmond he hopes to become an URWELL Peer Educator, so that he can help promote “healthy behaviors through outreach and educational programs.”

If he were to instead just say something general, like “I will draw on this experience whenever I interact with my peers, to ensure they feel supported even if I don’t know what they’re going through,” most of the work of envisioning him as a Richmond student is being left up to the admissions officers, as what he described is something he could do at any college. By instead citing a school-specific resource that will help him achieve this goal of supporting his peers, he paints a clear picture of himself as an empathetic, engaged member of the Richmond community.

The main thing that can sometimes happen in this kind of essay is your response only focuses on the one aspect of your identity you’re highlighting, and doesn’t take that next step of zooming out to how this one feature impacts who you are as a whole. That should be less of an issue with this particular prompt, as with a much higher word count, you’ll likely end up making that connection naturally. Once you have a strong working draft, just take a second to double check the broader significance is addressed, as otherwise your response won’t be as informative for admissions officers as it should be.

Where to Get Your University of Richmond Essay Edited

Do you want feedback on your University of Richmond 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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