vt college essay prompt

Virginia Tech 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

You Have:

The Requirements: 4 short essays of 120 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community , Additional Info

How to Write Compelling Virginia Tech Essays

Short answers dominate the Virginia Tech application. So, in brief, they’re looking for confidence. When an essay must clock in at under 120 words, you don’t have time to waffle or circle your main idea with broad statements. The successful applicant will get straight to the point and bring vivid details to life while highlighting your overall intelligence. Keep reading to learn how to write winning VA Tech supplemental essays!

Virginia Tech Essay Prompt Breakdowns

Each of the ut prosim profile questions are required with a limit of 120 words in length per answer. once you submit your application, your responses to the questions are final and cannot be updated., virginia tech’s motto is “ ut prosim ” which means ‘that i may serve’. share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. how long have you been involved what have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at virginia tech.

Chances are, you’ve done some community service at some point in your life, and this prompt asks you to reflect on that experience. The prompt is clear about what it wants you to cover and lays out a basic list of questions that we’d expect you to answer regardless: from details about your involvement to the lessons you’ve taken with you. You only have 120 words, so you will have to cut straight to the chase. In some ways, this is a glorified resume entry, but you can bring it to life by devoting more of your word count to concrete, personal details than a verbatim recitation of the organization’s mission and vision (or worse, a bloated list of clichés related to the value of service). Why do you care so deeply about a particular cause or community? What change do you hope to see in the world? Remember that, fundamentally, community service is not about personal glory or achievement. Did you volunteer at a hospital over the summer? Describe how this affected your beliefs about what doctors owe their patients or why bedside manner is as important as medical knowledge. Have you been fundraising for girls’ education in developing countries? Reflect on what drew you to this cause and how you knew your efforts had paid off. Finally, address about how you’d like to continue your service on Virginia Tech’s campus.

Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community supports access and inclusion by affirming the dignity and value of every person, respecting differences, promoting mutual understanding and open expression, and strives to eliminate bias and discrimination. Reflect on a time when you were not able or allowed to express a different or diverse position or opinion (or you witnessed another person or group experience the same situation)? How did you respond or wish you would have responded? Did your viewpoint change in any way after this experience?

The Virginia Tech admissions committee wants to hear about a time when you were (or someone you know was) silent or silenced while adverse opinions were being discussed. Admissions knows that engaging with others in meaningful conversations about important issues is both intimidating and integral to progress, and we’re not always able to get the words out. If you could do it over again, what would you change? What did you take away from this experience? Maybe your relatives were discussing gun control during Thanksgiving last year, and you watched as your cousin was dismissed for having an adverse option. Do you wish you would have added your two cents and offered your solidarity? Maybe you learned that one of your friends was a passive supporter of an organization that you vehemently disagree with. After mulling it over, did you broach the subject? What was the outcome of your conversation? In order to impress admissions, you just need to show that you’re capable of reflection and bravery when it comes to engaging with those who have different opinions than you. College will present you with a plethora of opportunities to meet and interact with people who are very different from you, so show VT that you’re game to listen, learn, call in, and grow.

Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time?

At a glance, this might seem like a question about leadership, but secretly, it’s about collaboration. Which role do you choose in group situations and how do you connect to others? The greatest challenge may be choosing the right story. Any time you worked or engaged with others is fair game, so don’t restrict yourself merely to your science fair project or the baseball team. This is also a great opportunity to write about a professional experience (your first time working as a hostess!) or even community service (organizing the county coat drive!). Since the word limit is relatively tight, you’ll want to zero in on a specific moment or challenge. And remember that this question is about collaboration; it’s not just about how you paved the way or saved the day, but about how you interacted with and supported a larger group. How did your contribution affect your team’s ultimate success (or failure)? In the end, you should be driving at a lesson that you will be able to carry with you into the future. In other words: an experience that will have a positive impact on your collaborative work at Virginia Tech.

Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from as you work on this goal?

So many questions! We all have goals we hope to achieve in the future, whether that’s learning how to decorate a cake, running for public office, or leading an expedition to space! Describe a goal that you have set for yourself and then let admissions in on how you plan to make that dream a reality. Your response will demonstrate your grit, tenacity, and determination. No goal is too small, so long as you’re showing admissions that you can follow through and challenge yourself. After all, you’ll be setting new goals and accomplishing them as you earn your degree!

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Virginia Tech Essays

We have been reading Virginia Tech 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 (don’t waste your words), trying to sound like an academic (admissions wants to hear your authentic voice!), and using cliches (they’re ineffective and—let’s face it—lazy).

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for Virginia Tech Essays

We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for the Virginia Tech supplements for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to these short essays, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm, draft, and revise winning short essays. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful Virginia Tech 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 .

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