university of pittsburgh supplemental essay prompts

Personal Statement

The personal statement is your opportunity to communicate directly with the Admissions Committee. Applicants are welcome to submit anything that helps tell their story, being mindful and thoughtful about the quantity and quality of information shared. Share information not included elsewhere in your application.

A personal statement or the Common Application essay is required to be considered for scholarships or if applying test-optional. It may increase the likelihood that you are considered for guaranteed admission programs or given special consideration due to extenuating circumstances.

The personal statement can be submitted with your application. This can be the University of Pittsburgh Application or the Common Application - we do not prefer one over the other. If you have already completed the application, you may complete the personal statement here.

All international applicants are required to complete a Short Answer Question in lieu of a personal statement.

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You may upload a PDF containing your statement, or you may enter your statement directly on this form.

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Brainstorm all your experiences in high school that you believe will show that you will be successful in college and beyond. The strongest ones will be the foundation of your personal brand .

Highlight Your Strengths

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University of Pittsburgh Secondary Essays: Tips & Prompts

• Cracking Med School Admissions Team

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine cares deeply about social issues and recruiting a student body that solves healthcare issues through innovation . Pitt Med champions the fight against healthcare disparities. But, it wants medical students who approach these problems through out-of-the-box thinking and creative approaches. The University of Pittsburgh Medical School secondary application essay prompts reflects these values. Read all our University of Pittsburgh secondary essays tips below!

We would strongly recommend submitting the University of Pittsburgh early and it should be one of the first secondaries you submit. The prompts barely change each year, so we would also recommend pre-writing your Pitt Med secondaries. Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta have strong a track record of helping our mentees receive acceptances to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.  Read our tips below and contact us if you need help with your UPitt Med secondary essays.  

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University of Pittsburgh Medical School Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2023 – 2024

University of pittsburgh secondary essays: md prompts.

• Tell us about a challenging problem you faced and how you resolved it. (250 words max)
• At UPSOM, diversity and inclusion are measures of distinction, integral to achieving institutional excellence, and essential to the development of future physicians who become leaders in medicine. Describe how you have demonstrated a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the past, and how you hope to grow that commitment in medical school. (250 words max)
• Please write about anything else you would like to add to your application, or anything you would like to emphasize to the Admissions Committee. (250 words max)

University of Pittsburgh Secondary Essays: MSTP (MD/PhD) Essay Prompts

• Choose current graduate program of interest, choose 3 faculty from a given list, provide up to 2 additional faculty you could see yourself working with in graduate school, and then:
• Briefly describe what appeals to you about the faculty member(s) in your selection, and how the selected graduate program and our MSTP match your interests.

Tips to Answer UPitt Secondaries

University of Pittsburgh Secondaries Pre-Writing  Guidance:  We would strongly encourage medical school applicants to pre-write their University of Pittsburgh seconadries. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Admissions Committee reviews applications on a rolling basis and gives interviews on a rolling basis. But, it’s still important that you submit a strong University of Pittsburgh secondary application that is aligned with the school’s mission of innovation to improve health & society. If you need help with brainstorming or editing your secondary essays, contact us below!

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

University of Pittsburgh Secondary Essays Tip #1:  First, it’s important to know what UPitt looks for. These are qualities we’ve seen in medical school applications that receive interviews:

• Any background in engineering or math. 
• Innovation and creativity – especially shown in the problem-solving essay.
• Desire to improve healthcare and medicine through analytical thinking (not necessarily through research; you could have a desire to invent a new medical device!) throughout one’s medical career.
• Experiences solving problems in teams – shown in your primary application, letters of recommendation, and University of Pittsburgh secondary essays

This is the mission of University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine:

One needs to be creative as a clinician because, despite all of the advances of modern medicine, each patient is unique, and diagnoses are not always obvious. One needs to be creative as an investigator because research, by its very nature, involves a quest for that which is unknown and, if discovered, constitutes the next piece of the vast, intricate puzzle we call life.

Compassion is a core principle of all the healing professions and should be the constant “north star” for any health care provider. One will be seeing people who are sick, at their most vulnerable, most freighted and dependent state. In that encounter, beyond any specific prescribed treatments for their illnesses, compassion is the most powerful healing act we can perform.

One needs leadership skills if one hopes to address the extremely complicated problems that we face in the delivery and financing of our nation’s health care. As a leader, one needs to embody the principles of justice and fairness and constantly strive to reduce health disparities in our society. Clearly, on this matter in particular, not to be part of the solution is to be part of the problem, which makes good leadership skills essential. 

University of Pittsburgh Secondary Essays Tip #2: For the University of Pittsburgh secondaries question, “ Tell us about a challenging problem you faced and how you resolved it. Include how the experience contributed to the person you are today, ” do not talk about difficulties with transitioning to college or learning how to study for difficult premed classes. These are too common and will not allow you stand out! 

Topics of strong UPitt essays Dr. Rachel Rizal & Dr. Rishi Mediratta have read:

• Research challenge
• Engineering project at school
• Public health challenge and developing a new program to tackle a public health issue

University of Pittsburgh Secondary Essays Tip #3: You should ideally incorporate an example from your own life about how you have already contributed in combating systemic discrimination or how you’ve already tackled healthcare disparity issues, “ At UPSOM, diversity and inclusion are measures of distinction, integral to achieving institutional excellence, and essential to the development of future physicians who become leaders in medicine. Describe how you have demonstrated a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the past, and how you hope to grow that commitment in medical school .” Some students have successfully discussed a story through patient care or from a clinical experience. 

University of Pittsburgh Secondary Essays Tip #4: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is a very community-oriented medical school. Talk about how you want to engage at University of Pittsburgh and around the Pittsburgh community as a medical student. How will you bring in problem solving, research, and innovative thinking to improve the Pittsburgh community? You can include your ideas in your various UPitt secondaries. 

• Read our Cracking Med School Admissions Top 10 Current events to gather ideas about how you can help communities!

University of Pittsburgh Secondary Essays Tip #5: Don’t forget to incorporate a little bit about “Why University of Pittsburgh Medical School” throughout the essay(s) you respond to. Talk about projects and research you want to do at UPitt Med. 

• Read out helpful blog post:  Why this Medical School? Secondary Essay Example

University of Pittsburgh Secondary Essays Tip #6: Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below. If you want help with editing your UPitt Med secondary application, we can help you through our secondary essay packages . 

[ Read Essay Tips From Other Innovative Medical Schools:  Yale School of Medicine; Stanford School of Medicine; Duke School of Medicine; Mount Sinai Icahn Medical School ]

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University of Pittsburgh Medical School Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2022 – 2023

• Worded slightly differently. At UPSOM, diversity and inclusion are measures of distinction, integral to achieving institutional excellence, and essential to the development of future physicians who become leaders in medicine. Describe how you have demonstrated a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the past, and how you hope to grow that commitment in medical school.  (250 words max)

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University of Pittsburgh Medical School Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2021 – 2022

• UPSOM is committed to building a diverse and talented community that will train physicians in delivering culturally competent, person-centered care, and promoting a supportive, collaborative learning environment. To achieve this, we want our fellow students to recognize health disparities and advocate for health equity. We are interested in combating all forms of systemic barriers, and would like to hear your thoughts on opposing specifically: systemic racism, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, and misogyny. How will you contribute? (250 words max)

University of Pittsburgh Medical School Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2020 – 2021

University of pittsburgh medical school secondary application essay prompts: 2019 - 2020, university of pittsburgh medical school secondary application essay prompts: 2018 – 2019, upitt md application essay prompts.

• UPSOM is a culturally diverse and talented community. How would you enrich/enliven the UPSOM community? (250 words max)
• Is there anything additional that you would like to address that is not already reflected in your application? (250 words max)

University of Pittsburgh Medical School Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2017 – 2018

University of pittsburgh medical school secondary application essay prompts: 2016 – 2017, university of pittsburgh medical school secondary application essay prompts: 2015 – 2016, contact us with questions, we'll answer any and all your questions about medical school we typically respond within 1 business day..

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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.

Acceptance Rate

Undergrad population.

• Liberal Arts (59)

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

How to Approach Supplemental Essays

When our students dig into the college application process, they are often surprised to encounter not only the main Common Application’s personal statement , but also a host of supplemental essay questions. These assignments are often school-specific writing prompts for which a student must also craft thoughtful, well-written replies.

Supplemental essays are often more focused than the Common App assignment, though they vary in length and scope. Their prompts tackle subjects that range from deeper explorations of a student’s background to their collegiate and academic interests.

We often encourage our students to nail down their personal statement topic first, then ask them to approach their supplemental essays in priority order, according to submission deadlines. Many schools will offer prompts that are similar in theme and content to one another (for example, many institutions now ask about a student’s most important activity ), so it is helpful for students to gather and review all supplemental questions before beginning the brainstorm process to see where they might naturally overlap.

Elite institutions often have extensive supplemental sections, as do some honors programs, so students should keep this in mind as they hunt for their essay questions and map out their plan of attack.

All supplemental essays should be given the same time and care as the main Common Application essay. These supplements not only are an excellent opportunity to show a school both your competence and level of devotion to their institution, but also offer opportunities to paint some personality into your application. So embrace supplements, use your unique voice, and show these schools what you’re made of!

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for Supplemental Essay Support

College Essay Advisors has over twenty years of experience guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for school-specific supplements. We take a holistic approach to these essays and short answers, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful supplemental essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances . 

Agnes Scott College 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Alvernia University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide  

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guide, ithaca college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, johns hopkins university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, kalamazoo college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, lafayette college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, lehigh university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, lewis and clark college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, linfield university 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, loyola marymount university (lmu) 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide , lynn university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, macalester college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, manchester university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, marist college 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, mary baldwin university 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, meredith college 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, mit 2024-25 application essay prompt guide, monmouth college 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, moravian university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, morehouse college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, mount holyoke college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, frequently asked questions.

It really depends. Typically, the more competitive the university, the more arduous the supplemental essay requirements. Most top universities ask for at least three supplemental essays, but some only require one short essay.

The most common supplemental essay topics are:

• The Why Essay , which asks applicants to discuss their interest in their intended major and/or the school in question.
• The Activity Essay , which asks applicants to describe their involvement in an activity that is meaningful to them.
• The Community Essay , which asks about a community the applicant belongs to and the role that community plays in their life (and vice versa!).
• The Diversity Essay , which often asks applicants to explore how they champion diversity and inclusion in their communities and/or how they engage with people from different backgrounds or who hold opposing views. 
• The Short Answer , which asks applicants to answer prompts in very few words (or characters) to add context to their application and a splash of personality.
• The Oddball Essay , which asks applicants to tap into their creativity to connect curveball questions to their lives and interests.

Just like with the Common App personal statement, you’re going to want to write authentically about yourself while addressing all parts of each supplemental essay prompt. Many schools want to better understand how you see yourself contributing to their campus community and/or diversity and inclusion efforts along with how you hope to use your education to achieve your goals. So, be honest and forward-thinking, and don’t forget to customize each supplemental essay so it’s specific to each school you’re submitting to. That means doing research and weaving information into your essays that demonstrates the amount of time and thought you’ve put into your application. 

We have a few successful supplemental essay examples in our Free Resources section.

Each admissions department has their own process for reviewing applications, and some admissions committees put more weight on supplemental essays than others, but all admissions departments that offer applicants the opportunity to pen additional essays are doing so for a reason: to better understand the applicant and compare similarly qualified candidates. It’s in the applicant’s best interest to not only provide admissions with as much information regarding their candidacy as possible, but also go the extra mile. At highly competitive institutions, admissions officers are looking for reasons to remove students from the applicant pool—don’t let poorly written or (*gulp*) incomplete supplemental essays work against you!

Absolutely not. Please do not reuse content from your Common App essay in your supplements. Although it’s possible for you to expand upon an idea, activity, or community that you mention in your Common App essay in your supplements, you should never recycle content or any phrasing word for word.

Start by reading through all the prompts. Next, jot down ideas that come to your mind (no matter how silly they may seem!). Everyone has a story to tell, and we’re willing to bet you’re more interesting than you think. Give yourself plenty of time to consider different topics and revise, revise, revise! Also, our handy dandy Supplemental Essay Guides are sure to help you on your writing journey.

We have been reading supplemental essays for over twenty years now, so we know a thing or two about the most common mistakes students make. The most common mistakes to avoid are:

• Repeating the prompt in your essay.

You want to make sure every word counts, and repeating the prompt in your essay is a huge waste of space. Rest assured that admissions officers know which prompt you’re responding to. Instead, start your essay off with a strong hook that pulls your reader in (rather than puts them to sleep!). 

• Trying to sound like an academic.

Time and time again, schools post advice on their websites encouraging students to speak in their authentic voices and let the admissions officers reading their applications get to know them. Aaaand time and time again, we read essays students have written in which they go to great lengths to elevate their vocabulary, and in the process, they lose their own voice.

• Using cliches.

Cliches are not your friends when it comes to writing supplemental essays. You may feel like a diamond in the rough, that the world is your oyster, or that love conquers all, but even reading those, did you feel your eyes glazing over? All cliches do is make your essay blend in with the thousands of others in the pile. Emphasize your uniqueness with concrete examples and personal anecdotes, because cliches are rather ineffective, boring, and—let’s face it—lazy.

New York University (NYU) 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

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prompt guide, syracuse university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, texas a&m university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, texas christian university (tcu) 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, the college of idaho 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide  , the new school 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, trinity college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, tufts university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, tulane university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, unc wilmington 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of california (uc) 2024-25 essay prompt guide, university of central florida 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of chicago 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of cincinnati 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of colorado boulder 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of florida 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of georgia (uga) 2024-25 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university of notre dame 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of oklahoma 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of oregon 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of pennsylvania (upenn) 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of pittsburgh 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of richmond 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, university of rochester 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of san diego 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of san francisco 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of southern california (usc) 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, university of texas at austin 2024-25 essay prompt guide, university of tulsa 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of vermont 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of virginia (uva) 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of washington (uw) 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of wisconsin-madison 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, vanderbilt university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, vassar college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, villanova university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, virginia tech 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, wake forest university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, washington and lee university 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, washington university in st. louis 2024-25 supplemental essay guide, wellesley college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, worcester polytechnic institute (wpi) 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, yale university 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide.

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• How to Write Great Supplemental College Application Essays How to Write Great Supplemental College Application Essays

Updated: Wednesday, November 06, 2024

How to write great supplemental college application essays.

Aside from grades, standardized test scores, and your high school courses, one of the most important elements of the college application is the essay. Supplemental essays give admissions officers the chance to get to know students, and they’re also great gauges for demonstrated interest. So how can students master college admission essays?

What Is a Supplemental Essay?

While the Common Application and the Coalition Application each have a required essay, many colleges include their own school-specific essays, known as writing supplements. These supplemental essays are designed to help the admissions committee gain a better understanding of who you are and how you will fit in on campus.

Tell Admissions Officers Something They Don’t Already Know

Admissions officers want to get to know applicants. There’s only so much that application readers can deduce from your extracurricular activities, transcripts, test scores, recommendation letters, and other application materials. Many times the best way to get a clear picture of a student’s goals, accomplishments, and character is to hear it directly from the student themself.

Instead of using the essay to regurgitate the information that’s already available, reveal something that can’t be found anywhere else in the application. For example, if captain of the school’s soccer team is on the activity list, don’t write an essay about the biggest game of the season. The admissions officers already know soccer is an interest, so choose a deeper topic that reveals something meaningful.

One example: A student’s top activity on her activity list was horseback riding. Instead of writing an essay about riding, she instead wrote about her faith and how she reconciled that with what she was learning in her advanced science courses.

Approaching “Quirky” Essay Prompts

It’s a college admissions trend that keeps growing in popularity: the quirky college application essay question . From questions about what advice a wisdom tooth would have to inquiries about how students would design their own courses, many colleges are asking applicants some strange questions. For many students, these wild and wacky application prompts can be extremely intimidating. Many struggle with the balance between writing creative, witty responses and sounding cheesy and forced.

When tackling these odd application essay prompts, remember the main goal of the admissions essay — to reveal something not obvious about yourself. These essays are about you, not what you think the college wants to hear, so keep your interests in mind! The same applies to the “short-take” supplement questions (those that seek a one-word or one-sentence response). Dig deep, but remember that your answer doesn’t have to be as strange as the prompt — it just needs to reflect your character and passions.

The Common “Why This College?” Essay

One of the most common supplemental essays that students will come across is the infamous “ Why This College? ” essay. Whether it’s simply “Why XX University?” or a more specific question about how a student plans to contribute to the campus, colleges are looking for detailed and well-researched responses.

It’s not enough to say, “I want to go to XX University because it’s a great school,” or “XX College is my favorite.” When evaluating these responses, colleges want to know that a student has done their homework on the institution and has really thought about how they will fit into the campus community. If supplemental essays are good gauges for demonstrated interest , this particular type of essay is the most important.

When answering this essay question, use specific details. Mention courses and professors of interest. Students should elaborate on campus organizations or programs that fit certain goals, and specific aspects of the campus community that make it a good social and academic fit. Be as detailed as possible, but be sure to relate these details to specific goals and interests. Don’t just rattle off some course names and expect to wow the admissions committee.

The best writing supplements will add great context and personality to a student’s application, and elevate their chances of admission. Often it can be the difference between the ‘no’ and the ‘maybe’ pile. Research and preparation are key to writing stand-out supplements, so don’t wait until the last minute! If you’re still unsure about how your essay could come across to admissions officers, it’s not too late for our team of expert counselors to review your supplements and give guidance on how to draft and revise your essays. Contact us to learn more.

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How to Write the University of Pittsburgh Application Essays 2018-2019

The University of Pittsburgh (colloquially known as Pitt) is a large research university established in 1787. Located in the industrial city of Pittsburgh, Pitt is home to 17 schools and over 19,000 undergraduate students.

With an acceptance rate of 60%, Pitt was ranked 26th out of all public universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report in 2018. The university has a thriving academic community, over 350 student clubs and organizations, and is known for its positive campus atmosphere; in 2010, it was rated as having one of the top 10 happiest student bodies in the country.

The University of Pittsburgh strongly encourages applicants to write three short essays, granting potential students a great opportunity to showcase multiple facets of their personality, experiences, and interests. Read on for tips to help you master these essays and boost your chances of acceptance into one of the happiest and highest-ranking public schools in the country!

How have you made an impact at your high school? Choose one example and tell us about it. (Responses preferred in 200-300 words)

This prompt provides you the space to demonstrate your  passions ,  initiative , and  desire to help others . Whether the impact you have made is large or small, the essay should show how you possess each of these qualities.

Some good example topics for this essay:

• You have always been passionate about reducing the stigma surrounding mental health (be sure to give some brief background as to what stimulated this passion). You also noticed that a lot of students at school are always anxious about school work or seem to be struggling with depression. You decide to create an app that allows peers to share mental health resources, ask for advice from other students, or share memes/art/poetry/etc. that cover issues of mental health. You found that the majority of the student body downloaded the app and many have come to you saying how much it has helped them feel less alone and has given them the courage to seek help for their struggles.
• A new student who began attending your school was bullied by some kids in your grade. Even some of your own friends were mean to him or would make fun of him. He would sit alone at lunch and, one day, you decided to sit down next to him, introduce yourself, and start a conversation with him. You realize you have many of the same interests and end up becoming good friends with him. You stand up to the bullies and they stop bothering him. The student tells you that he dreaded coming to school every day until you started hanging out with him. Later in the year, he makes a similar impact on you by being there for you during a rough time.

While the first example is on a “macro” scale, the second, more “micro” example can be equally as powerful if told well. If you decide to go with a smaller-scale impact, make sure it is written as a  story ; use descriptive details that really make the reader feel as though they were also there.

While you should be descriptive and  show instead of tell  no matter what you are writing about (see guide to the prompt below for more details on showing vs. telling), it is especially important when writing about an experience that could seem trivial if it is not well-described. Be sure to also illustrate the impact; for instance, for the second example above, the writer could incorporate dialogue between herself and the student when he expresses his gratitude for her reaching out to him.

What makes you stand out from the crowd? What experiences have you had, good or bad, that make you unique? (Responses preferred in 200-300 words)

As briefly discussed in our guide  How to Write the Common Application Essays 2018-2019 , the best response to this question should demonstrate how the intersection of your personality, interests, skills, and analytical-thinking abilities creates a distinctive combination — one that would allow you to contribute in an idiosyncratic way to the college to which you are applying.

Taking it one step farther, UPitt is also looking for your ability to reflect. What evidence do you have of your uniqueness? What experiences can you point to that showcase your individuality? You will likely be doing some storytelling here, so it’s extremely important to  show and not tell. Here’s an example of the difference between the two:

• Telling —  I am unique because I want to combine my lifelong love of riding horses and my philanthropic aspirations to open an equestrian therapy academy.
• Showing —  The feeling I get when riding is incomparable: the gentle leaps of the horse, the clicks of its hooves against the dirt, the briskness of the wind against my face; it gives me an overwhelming sense of freedom and power and tranquility. It’s this feeling that has helped me through all of the inevitable blemishes of adolescence, and it is my dream to help those who are struggling experience the uplifting sensation of riding.

Note that the “showing” example also  avoids using any overused adages or clichés , as such sayings can diminish the strength of the experience or emotion you are trying to convey. For example, when explaining the difficulties that come with growing up, writing “the inevitable blemishes of adolescence” is more distinct and illustrative than saying something like “the rollercoaster that is high school.”

For some of you, this essay will be easy to start – maybe you’ve got an odd family tradition, an uncommon identity, a niche hobby, or even a peculiar birthmark that you could write about. In that case, be sure to point to specific experiences; you could focus on just one moment and tell the story with rich detail, or skillfully connect a few experiences together into one cohesive narrative. The key is to demonstrate your uniqueness through real-life examples and show how this uniqueness will translate into helping you excel at UPitt.

But what if you don’t have some extraordinarily special aspect of life to point to? Don’t worry – most of the world doesn’t. The key is to remember that you are still unique! Your specific life experiences, background, personality, interests, and a million other things form a special combination that really cannot be found in anyone else. Try writing out all of your interests, skills, and passions, and then lift out a few from the list.

Next, think about how these things come together and make you special. Are there any experiences that show how you, having your distinctive mixture of these separate identities or interests or abilities, were able to meet a challenge, relate to a stranger, help a peer, or learn something new about yourself? Really dig deeply into what you believe is truly unique about you, weave a story that features an experience or two demonstrating that uniqueness, and then show how this will help you contribute something distinctive to UPitt that nobody else can.

If you could create a new product, process, business, or organization, what would this entity look like? (Responses preferred in 200-300 words)

With this prompt, UPitt wants to see your creativity and problem-solving skills. In other words, you should show the admissions office how you think . The key is to think small when answering this question: what’s a problem you see, and how would you fix it?

We suggest you stay away from big national or global issues like “zero hunger” or “world poverty.” However, you may be able to concentrate on smaller, more specific issues within these broad zones, and most likely, the problem you’re interested in solving will be somehow related to family or interests or specific life experiences. (Bonus points if you can combine multiple areas of specialty together, drawing on your skills and experiences from two or more different academic or extracurricular areas!)

Some examples:

• You edit for your high school newspaper, and you’re passionate about educational inequities in your city. You want to form a new publication with editors from other schools that highlights specific student experiences, with the hope of eventually attracting the attention of city officials.
• You’re a dedicated ballerina who also loves biochemistry. You and your friends often suffer from painful calluses on the balls of your feet, and you have an idea for a home-made, inexpensive balm that would be more effective than usual drugstore remedies.
• You regularly volunteer at the local soup kitchen, and you have just a tiny change you’d like to make to the process of forming and organizing lines on weekend mornings, specifically. You think that your proposal will really speed up the distribution process without dramatically affecting current procedures.

The key takeaway here is that this prompt does not require a well-tested research project that’s been presented at multiple conferences — just pick any problem you see in your daily life and come up with a creative solution for it!

As a word of caution, the only constraint is the word limit. While you have 750 words, the UPitt admissions office likely prefers the 200 to 300 range that they’ve suggested. In your answer, you should aim to have a brief background of what inspired your idea, an explanation of your idea, and the potential impact you’d like to see it cause. If you present something that requires a great deal of highly technical explanations, try your best to simplify it down so that any person walking down the street can understand your proposal. And worse comes to worst, pick something else!

Remember: your actual product, process, business, or organization doesn’t matter so much as your inspiration and process – the story of your creativity, problem-solving, and compassion.

General Reminders:

• Be sure to highlight distinct, separate aspects in each of these three essays, but also make sure each essay topic fits into the overall theme of your application.
• Don’t worry too much about the word limit when writing the first draft. It’s better to just get all of your ideas out on the page from the get-go and cut down during the editing process.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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August 12, 2022

University of Pittsburgh Medical School Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022 – 2023]

UPSOM places special emphasis on their collaborative problem-based curriculum and the fact that their medical students begin interacting with patients in their first year of medical school. Providing the best care to patients through research, education, leadership and diversity is central to their mission .

They seek future medical students who demonstrate high academic achievement, the attributes of curiosity and self-discovery, and an empathic will to serve others.

University of Pittsburgh 2022-2023 secondary application essay questions

Pitt med secondary essay #1.

Tell us about a challenging problem you faced and how you resolved it. Include how the experience contributed to the person you are today. (250 words or less.)

Given UPSOM’s focus on one-on-one patient interactions, use an experience in which you were able to resolve a professional conflict. Emphasize the role that you played in finding a solution and the skills you employed to identify and implement a positive outcome that was mutually beneficial for all parties involved. I recommend using an issue that has a clear positive resolution.

The challenging problem you write about must have been important enough to you that it contributed to your maturity and growth. Rather succinctly, you’ll have to articulate the integration of this experience with “who you are today,” and explain how this challenging problem and its resolution imprinted you for the better, triggered growth, sensitivity, insight, understanding – or any other quality that is a mature attribute .

Pitt Med secondary essay #2

At UPSOM, diversity and inclusion are measures of distinction, integral to achieving institutional excellence, and essential to the development of future physicians who become leaders in medicine. Describe how you have demonstrated a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the past, and how you hope to grow that commitment in medical school. (250 words or less.)

This prompt replaces a broader prompt about diversity that asked applicants to address “opposing” racism, gender and identity discrimination, and misogyny. This new prompt flips the approach to your narrative about this relatively standard “diversity” secondary prompt . Instead of writing about “the fight” inherent in opposition, this prompt speaks to the higher order of diversity and inclusion as values of character and leadership. Also, they ask you not to speak to these values as ideals, rather, they ask for action – how have you demonstrated a commitment to these values? They seek a story, not a manifesto. The story should resonate with what others can expect to see from you in the future. What have you done to combat this problem? How have you advocated for diversity and inclusion?

Pitt Med secondary essay #3

Please write about anything else you would like to add to your application, or anything you would like to emphasize to the Admissions Committee. (250 words or less.)

Applicants may write about a hardship they encountered, if it is not addressed in another part of the application. Some applicants might explain a circumstance associated with an aberrant grade on a transcript, without blame, without complaint. 

Other applicants may write about a job opportunity or volunteer commitment that arose since submitting their AMCAS application. You may even respond with a positive situation. Perhaps explain some aspect of your talent that is not represented in the primary application and is not associated with medicine: will you judge a 4H competition, ride a bull, officiate at a wedding, play in a summer orchestra, run a marathon, have paintings displayed at a gallery opening, publish a short story, travel to provide humanitarian relief?

Applying to University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine? Here are some stats:

UPSOM average MCAT score: 516

UPSOM average GPA: 3.83

UPSOM acceptance rate: 3.5%

U.S. News  ranks UPSOM #14 for research and #10 for primary care.

Check out the Med School Selectivity Index for more stats.

Has this blog post helped you feel more confident about approaching your UPSOM secondary application? We hope so. It’s our mission to help smart, talented applicants like you gain acceptance to your top choice medical school. With so much at stake, why not hire a consultant whose expertise and personalized guidance can help you make your dream come true? We have several flexible consulting options— click here to get started today !

UPitt School of Medicine application timeline 2022 – 2023

Source:  University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s website

Related Resources:

• How to Create Successful Secondary Applications , a free webinar
• Writing About Overcoming Obstacles in Your Application Essays
• Simple Steps to Writing an Excellent Diversity Essay

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Everything You Need To Know About Supplemental Essays

Are supplemental essays second-class citizens in your mind? I wouldn’t blame you. They’re shorter and far easier to write than the Common App essay and you need to write so many of them, even for target and safety schools. They’re pesky little obligations, probably buzzing around your mind but flying just outside of your immediate range of concern.

However, if you treat your supplemental essays as an afterthought, you’re overlooking a prime opportunity in your college applications. Because many students apply to several schools and leave supplements for last, they write them without much thought or attention.

The thing is, colleges care about supplements . Admissions officers created the supplemental questions specifically for their school’s admissions process, and they want to learn more about you from your responses. Sure, the Common App essay allows you a whopping 650 words while some supplements may give you as few as fifty. But that’s fifty more words to show who you are, to show another side of you, or to double down on an existing personality trait you’d like to highlight. That’s fifty more words to advocate for you. There’s a lot you should do in that space, along with a lot you shouldn’t, so let’s explore all of that today.

How to write your supplements

First, we recommend writing down all the supplements (and their word counts) that you’ll need to write across all your colleges. There will be many overlaps and it’ll be helpful to know which supplements can basically be copied from another one with minor tweaks.

Once you do that, it’s time to get writing! Here’s our comprehensive guide to tackling four common types of supplements.

1. "Why Us?"

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

What do admissions officers want here?

They want to see evidence that you've done your research and have a genuine interest in their institution. They also want to see that you're a good fit for their campus.

How to approach these

Research the school thoroughly and go beyond the surface level. Look into specific professors, classes, student organizations, unique programs, and campus initiatives. Try reading the school’s Strategic Plan or campus newspapers, or go down rabbitholes starting from the college’s website. Jot down names that you might want to “namedrop” in your essay and the contexts around them.

In addition, remember that this essay is about you, too. Once you have the college-specific names, find ways to link the school's offerings to your personal experiences and goals. This is extremely important; your namedrops mean nothing if they don’t relate clearly back to you. If you have a higher word limit, you could even dive into anecdotes of your own experiences before linking them with a college-specific opportunity.

Elements you should include

• Specific opportunities at the school: professors, classes, student organizations, unique programs, campus initiatives, etc.
• How each opportunity aligns with your interests or goals. This should also hint at what you'll bring to the campus community

Example excerpt

On my high school’s Energy Committee, we brainstormed ideas for the homes of the future: solar panels, high-efficiency insulation, gray water systems… At X University, I would love to bring those ideas to life at the Urban Design Lab. After reading Professor Y’s publication on the future city of Neoluna, I have an ever-growing list of questions about the city’s solar capacity and its reliance on other alternative energy sources. I can’t wait to take his class, ENV 341: Alternative Energy Infrastructure to learn more and answer some of these questions.

2. "Why (Major)?”

Pomona College: What do you love about the subject(s) you selected as potential major(s)? If undecided, share more about one of your academic passions.

They want to see your passion for your chosen field and a demonstration that you’ve taken initiative to explore it. They also want reassurance that you’ll succeed in this field that you’ve chosen once you come to campus.

Like the “why us?” essay, this isn’t purely about the college. It’s about you, too. Describe how your passion for the subject developed and what feelings and experiences led to you realizing that you were interested in this field. Show your genuine excitement about the field and show why exactly it excites you so much.

Make sure to link your previous experiences with your future goals in this field and what you want to investigate further, in college or beyond. You should mention school-specific opportunities here as well (professors, classes, etc.), and make sure to link them to your goals.

• The origin of your interest in the field and any relevant experiences or projects
• Your future aspirations in this field
• How this major at this specific school will help you achieve your goals

My interest in neuroscience began when my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She went from the loud woman who taught me to bake my own bread to someone who struggled to recognize her own children. As I watched her memories slip away, I wanted to understand how exactly the brain stores memories and why her disease was causing them to fade. In junior year, I conducted a science fair project on the biomarkers of memory decline. X University's Cognitive Neuroscience Lab would be my dream environment to continue this research and work towards developing new therapies for diseases like Alzheimer’s.

3. "A Community You're a Part Of"

University of Michigan: Everyone belongs to many different communities and/​or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.

They want some more insight into your background and values that your Common App essay may not provide. They want to gauge your ability to engage with diverse groups and contribute to the campus community.

Select your community wisely: don’t automatically choose the one you’ve spent most time with. Choose the community where you've made a meaningful contribution or where you’ve learned the most from. Choose the community that’s given you a good story to tell.

Make sure to describe your role within this community and focus on how you’ve changed it and how it’s changed you. If possible, relate what you’ve learned from this community to how you'll engage with others in college. Show that you’ll apply your growth from this community to all other communities you’ll join in the future.

• Description of the community, your role, and your contributions
• Lessons learned or personal growth
• How you’ll use these lessons/growth in your college communities

I first joined the Web Warriors Club because I wanted to make a public website displaying my favorite influencers. I didn’t realize this club would ignite my interest in both creating technology and empowering others… When I became president in junior year, I started structuring our meetings like mini-hackathons: first demonstrating a concept, then partnering experienced members with beginners for hands-on practice. I loved watching our members make their first websites about all sorts of things, from their pet hamster to their basketball team. It’s now my passion to build the communities that get people excited about technology, even if they’ve never seen a line of code before.

4. Fun Supplements

Stanford: Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate—and us—get to know you better.

Dartmouth: Celebrate your nerdy side.

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

They want to see your personality and interests. They’re just making sure that 1. you’re a real person and not just a list of accomplishments, and 2. you would be a fun and active peer and student on campus.

Don’t overthink it! We know these are hard to start. As a first step, list out all your initial thoughts/answers to whatever the prompt is.

Then, choose carefully from your list and try to show something new about you that isn’t shown in the rest of your application. Try to balance seriousness with levity: share both meaningful aspects of your character and fun quirks.

Most importantly, make sure you don’t come off as arrogant or obnoxious or someone that might be difficult to deal with. These can be huge red flags to admissions officers.

• Interesting personal details or personality traits that aren’t anywhere else in your application
• A mix of serious and lighthearted information, if applicable

Dear future roommate,

Don't be alarmed if you hear me saying goodnight to Pixie before bed. No, Pixie isn't a secret pet or an imaginary friend — she’s my trusty camera, a well-worn Canon EOS R100 that's been my constant companion for three years.

Why did I name her Pixie?

• It’s short for Pixel. Not short, but… you get what I mean. In Adobe Lightroom where I edit my photos, just a few pixels can dramatically alter the impact of a shot. From the hours I’ve spent obsessing over pixels, I’ve learned to find the beauty in small details.
• Like her namesake fairy, Pixie has a knack for capturing magic in ordinary moments. It might be a laugh between my friends, or the way sunlight catches morning dew on a leaf outside my window, or the split second when a hummingbird hovers nearby. She’s taught me that anything ordinary can be turned extraordinary with some creativity and sparkle…

Last thoughts

The key to all these supplements is to be authentic while strategically showing new sides of yourself that are not represented elsewhere on your application.

Have fun with them and good luck! If you’d like a professional opinion on any essay, we’re happy to help. At Essay Cafe, we have an amazing team of essay consultants from Stanford, UPenn, Columbia, and other top schools. Sign up here and you'll see the option to book a brainstorm session or essay review with us today! ✨

About Kelsey

Kelsey Wang is an essay consultant at Essay Cafe with a B.S. in Data Science and a minor in Creative Writing from Stanford University. She approaches essay editing from both a data perspective (applying successful patterns from hundreds of essays read) and a creative perspective (making each individual student stand out) and has personally helped students get into top schools like Princeton, Yale, Brown, UCLA, Duke, Stanford, Columbia and many more.