university of florida honors essay prompts

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University of Florida Supplemental Essays 2023-24

September 8, 2023

At the turn of the millennium, the University of Florida welcomed 63% of Gator applicants to Gainesville and functioned as a fairly accessible and highly affordable option for residents of the Sunshine State. However, by 2023, while still extremely affordable, the task of becoming a Gator has become far more difficult. They now receive over 67,000 applications and accept fewer than 30% of those who apply. Incoming freshmen now possess mid-50% weighted GPAs of 4.4-4.6 and ACT scores of 30-34. Another commonality amongst accepted students is that they write an excellent University of Florida supplemental essay.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into UF? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into the University of Florida: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

When applying to an institution like the University of Florida that rejects more than 7 of every 10 applicants, you’ll need to put maximum effort into every area of the application, including the Common App and supplemental essay. Below is the University of Florida’s required supplemental prompt for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with our advice for composing a winning essay.

University of Florida Supplemental Essays – Question 1 (Required)

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

The University of Florida is not necessarily asking you to write about the activity where you earned the most prestigious awards or held the highest position of leadership. The university is going to see all of your activities in that section of the Common App. As such, you want to ask yourself which of your entries is crying out for more explanation and detail? Which one is closest to your heart and most representative of your unique passions? Pick the option that will allow you to deliver additional detail that may be memorable to the admissions reader. Start this process by asking yourself, “What is the most interesting and consequential moment that I have experienced in one of my extracurricular activities?” If you can identify one clear-cut moment, that is likely the activity worth sharing with the UF admissions staff.

University of Florida Supplemental Essays (Continued)

What kind of campus community member will you be?

At the core of this essay prompt, the UF admissions officers are really trying to figure out what you will bring to the Gainesville campus community. Again, what you achieved in a particular extracurricular activity will already be viewable in your Common App Activities Section and the Common App Honors Section , so you don’t want to make that the focus of this essay. Instead, you may want to touch on some of the following areas related to your role as a community member:

• How you function as a member of a team.
• Your leadership ability.
• Your passion, commitment, and drive.
• A commitment to social justice and equity.
• How you respond to challenges and obstacles.
• Illustrate how you have demonstrated maturity and dependability.

How important are the University of Florida supplemental essays?

The University of Florida lists six factors as being “very important” to the admissions committee. They are: GPA, standardized test scores, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, extracurricular activities, and the rigor of your secondary school record and most relevant to this blog—the application essay. It’s important to keep in mind that UF places both the essays and extracurricular involvement in the top tier of importance. Therefore, this essay is something of a two-for-one. Further, the essay is rated as being of greater importance than class rank, standardized test scores, or your state residency status.

Want personalized assistance with your University of Florida supplemental essays?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your main Common App essay and University of Florida supplemental essay, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

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College Essays

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

What Are the University of Florida Essays?

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

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

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

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

The UF Essay Prompt, Analyzed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tips for the UF Essay Prompt

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

#1: Keep Your Answers Concise

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

#2: Show Your Strengths

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

#3: Be Honest and Passionate

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

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

Summary: UF College Essay Examples

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

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

What's Next?

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

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

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

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

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University of Florida (UF) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the University of Florida supplemental essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the University of Florida supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging UF supplemental essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help responding to the UF essay topics, create your free  account  or  schedule a free advising assessment  by calling (844) 343-6272.

University of Florida Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• UF has an acceptance rate of 31.0%— U.S. News  ranks the University of Florida as a  highly selective  school.
• There is  one  school-specific UF supplemental essay required for all applicants. If you are planning to apply to the UF Honors Program, you will complete an additional  two  UF essays. This means applicants to the UF Honors Program will complete a total of three UF supplemental essays.

Does the University of Florida have supplemental essays?

Yes. Whether you apply through the  Common App  or  Coalition App , you will respond to at least one UF essay prompt. Your UF admissions essay lets the admissions team learn more about you as they review your application.

Any freshman applying through the Common App or Coalition App also can apply to FHP, the University of Florida’s First-Year Honors Program. In addition to the required UF admissions essay, students applying to FHP must complete two additional UF supplemental essays.

While some schools handle honors admissions separately, UF includes all application materials for FHP in the standard UF application. This includes every UF admissions essay. Students completing the UF supplemental essays for the Honors Program, therefore, will submit all three UF essays through the Common or Coalition App. This means that you must complete the UF essays for the Honors Program before you submit your final application.

Need some help writing your Common App essay? Get great tips from our Common App essay  guide .

How many supplemental essays does the University of Florida have?

There are  three  total University of Florida supplemental essays included on the 2021-2022 application.

The University of Florida has  one  UF essay prompt every student is required to complete. Additionally, if you choose to apply to their Honors Program, you must write another  two  UF supplemental essays. The first required UF essay prompt asks about your extracurricular engagements. In contrast, the UF essay topics for the Honors Program ask about your interest in the program and your academic priorities.

Before writing your essays, you’ll want to have an idea of your intended major. If you haven’t already, use our College Search Feature to explore the wide range of majors offered at UF!

How do I write the University of Florida supplemental essays?

Here are some helpful tips to help you get started on the University of Florida supplemental essays!

To begin, the University of Florida supplemental essays give you an opportunity to showcase what motivates you, which academic topics interest you, and how you engage with the world around you. Therefore, think of the UF supplemental essays as your chance to introduce yourself to the admissions team on your own terms.

As you brainstorm the UF essay topics, remember your audience. Admissions officers read thousands of UF supplemental essays. Ultimately, if you are vague, superficial, or misleading, your UF essays won’t help the UF admissions team understand who you are. To maximize your UF supplemental essays’ impact, you’ll want to be as specific, genuine, and authentic as possible.

If you’re having trouble finding topics for your UF essays, don’t worry! We will discuss each UF essay prompt individually below. But first, here are some more technical tips to keep in mind when writing your University of Florida supplemental essays.

Overall, the most important thing your University of Florida supplemental essays should do is answer the UF essay prompt. Even if you write a perfect UF admissions essay, it has failed to serve its main purpose if it doesn’t answer every aspect of the prompt.

Each of the University of Florida supplemental essays has a maximum word limit. In each essay, make sure to stick to the word limit and use your space wisely. For example, if you find yourself quoting someone famous or writing about a friends’ experiences, ask yourself how it relates back to you. In fact, the more “you” that you include in your UF admissions essay, the better!

The admissions team reads countless UF essays every year. This makes it particularly important that your UF admissions essay is as clear and polished as possible. Essentially, the more straightforward and refined your writing is, the more easily your ideas and personality will shine through! For this reason, you’ll want to be sure to give yourself enough time to draft, revise, and proofread your University of Florida supplemental essays.

Below, we have provided the 2021-2022 UF admissions essay prompts. Along with the prompts, you’ll find a breakdown of how to approach each UF admissions essay. As a bonus, we included both the general UF essay prompt and the Honors Program prompts. Additionally, we’ll also discuss tips for narrowing down your UF essay topics. If you follow these tips, you’ll write University of Florida supplemental essays that will help you stand out in admissions.

University of Florida Supplemental Essays – Question 1 (Required)

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

To start, this UF essay prompt asks you to choose your single “most meaningful commitment.” Even if multiple experiences pop into your head, you must narrow your UF essay topic down to just one commitment. The best University of Florida supplemental essays will use one commitment to reveal fundamental aspects of an applicant’s identity.

If you need help choosing your UF essay topics, try making a list using UF’s suggested categories. These include: Extracurricular, Work, Volunteering, Academic Activity, Family Responsibility, Other. While writing, remember that this list can include a sport you’ve played, a job you’ve held, or even a responsibility toward a sibling. Once you’ve completed your list, circle three to five topics that engage you most. Do a five-minute free-write for each. If there’s a topic you can’t stop writing about, there’s a good chance that might be your most meaningful commitment!

Once you’ve selected your essay topic, you can consider the rest of the UF essay prompt. This first UF essay prompt is quite open-ended, which gives you plenty of opportunities to showcase your identity. While “Please provide more details” isn’t very specific, remember that your UF admissions essay is an opportunity for the admissions team to get to know you. As you write, make sure to always connect your topic back to who you are.

Struggling to answer this UF essay prompt? Here are some questions to guide your response:

What did I do?  Be specific. If your topic is a sport, like basketball, discuss details of playing basketball that your reader might not know. For instance, you might describe waking up at 6 am for practice, practicing drills and collaborating with teammates, or performing under the pressure of a crowd.

Why did I do it?  What was the motivation behind your commitment? Let’s continue with the basketball example. Is basketball something you and your little brother grew up playing together? Does playing a sport help with your anxiety? Were you inspired by a certain professional athlete? Including the reason why you pursue the activity will strengthen your response to this UF essay prompt.

What did I take away from this commitment? Learning happens in all places. While this UF admissions essay asks you to describe an activity outside the classroom, asking “what did I learn?” will help take your response to this UF essay prompt from a summary into a story. Maybe you discovered a new passion, a new skill, or a new way of problem-solving. Maybe your commitment to basketball translated into commitment in your classes? Or maybe the teamwork you cultivated in practice changed the way you helped your family at home?

As you expand upon your UF essay topics, think about how your commitment shaped who you are. This will give you a compelling ending to your UF admissions essay.

UF Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does my UF admissions essay reference one (not two, or three) commitment outside of my classes?
• Does my essay show why this is important to me?
• Do I show how I engaged in this activity?
• Does my essay reflect what I gained from this experience?

University of Florida Honors Program Supplemental Essays – Question 1 (Required)

Why is applying for the UF Honors Program important to you? Which aspects of the program’s three pillars of opportunity, community, and challenge pique your interests? How would you engage with the program to exemplify these pillars yourself? How does the program factor into your long-term goals? Please be specific (400 words or less).

The first step in tackling this UF essay prompt is to read about the UF Honors Program’s  3 Pillars of Value . As you think about your UF essay topics, ask yourself what about these pillars draws you to the program. Why are these ideals crucial to your college experience?

If you’re struggling to find specific details to discuss in your UF essays, think about your current situation. What are you missing in your high school academic career that you want to experience in college? If your classes aren’t challenging enough, you might want to talk about “challenge” and why the Honors Program would give you the academic rigor you need to reach your greatest potential. Or, if you feel you haven’t met many like-minded individuals in your high school, you might want to talk about “community” and why the Honors Program would provide opportunities to support and be supported by peers. If you aspire to do research or attend a graduate school, you might want to talk about “opportunity” and how the Honors Program will connect you with advisors to put you on track for those experiences.

Think about the future

While this brainstorm can help you begin choosing your UF essay topics, the Honors Program  Application Tips  reminds prospective students that this UF essay prompt is meant to be forward-facing. This means the admissions team wants to hear about what you imagine for your future rather than what you’ve completed in your past. This is where the second half of the UF essay prompt comes into play.

Imagine the Honors Program as a stepping-stone: what will you do in the Honors Program, and how will that help you reach your goals? Be sure to answer these questions with specific details about the Honors Program. For example, if your dream is to join the medical field, you might reference the Honors Program’s Pre-Health Coordinator and the Professional Development courses you will take to prepare you for medical school.

No matter what draws you to the Honors Program, remember to be specific, answer all four questions in the UF essay prompt, and proofread, proofread, proofread!

• Does my UF admissions essay reference specific details about the Honors Program?
• Do I include both why I am interested in the Honors Program and what I plan to do if I get in?
• Does my essay communicate why the Honors Program is important in reaching my academic goals?

University of Florida Honors Program Supplemental Essays – Question 2 (Required)

Identify two topics you have previously studied that do not traditionally overlap. How do you envision you might bring these topics together during your time in Honors to engage a pressing societal, medical or technological concern? The concern you wish to engage could be of local, national, or global scope, but you should be clear about the issue you want to address. For the purposes of this essay, the topics you identify need not have been formally studied in high school, but you should have studied them since beginning in high school (300 words or less).

This UF essay prompt asks you to think along interdisciplinary lines to express your unique academic goals. This gives you a crucial opportunity to illustrate why you belong in an intellectually rigorous space like UF’s Honors Program.

Choosing a Topic

The first challenge of this UF essay prompt is to choose two topics that do not traditionally overlap. If you are having trouble choosing your UF essay topics, use your transcript and make a bulleted list of your classes divided into basic high school subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, and the Arts. Think about which classes on this list you most enjoyed, and start combining subjects with seemingly little relation. The more unorthodox your combination, the more unique your UF admissions essay will be. For example, if you first choose Statistics and Chemistry, you may want to keep brainstorming as those have quite a bit of overlap. However, if you choose Chemistry and Music, you’ll have a less traditional pair that will make for a fascinating UF admissions essay. Strong UF essays can come from unexpected places!

Choosing a Concern

Next, turn away from your academic interests and choose the societal, medical, or technological concern you’d like to address. Unlike some other UF essays, this UF essay prompt focuses on how you think rather than who you are. As you choose your concern, therefore, focus on how you will engage the topic rather than why it is important to you. Remember, you’ve chosen this topic because it needs to be addressed, and your reader knows that. If you have a specific, personal connection that impacts the way you view the problem (and will ultimately tackle it), keep your justification brief and always connect back to how you will engage with the topic at hand. The best UF essays will offer concrete, specific details on how an applicant plans to tackle their chosen concern.

As you complete your University of Florida supplemental essays, be sure to reference their Application Tips to ensure you have a strong application.

• Does my essay include two topics that I will combine to solve a problem (not one, not three)?
• Do I show how my two chosen topics inform and relate to one another?
• Does my essay reflect how I plan to engage with this topic (not just why I am interested)?

How hard is it to get into the University of Florida honors program?

The University of Florida Honors Program is a highly challenging and therefore highly competitive program. Last year, the acceptance rate was 13%—well below the University’s acceptance rate. Students who are accepted have excellent scholarly credentials, are leaders in their communities, and plan to push themselves alongside their fellow Honors Gators.

It is important your University of Florida supplemental essays showcase why you belong in the Honors Program. Students accepted to the UF Honors program also have high test scores and GPAs as well as strong UF supplemental essays. You can read more about the 2020 Admitted Student Profile, the Honors review process, and the timeline for the 2021-2022 application cycle  here .

What are the requirements to get into the University of Florida?

Your University of Florida supplemental essays are only one element of your UF application. The University of Florida’s Admissions page provides a list of minimum  requirements for freshman applicants . That means you need to meet or exceed the following benchmarks to have a competitive application outside of your UF supplemental essays:

• Graduation:  You must be on track to graduate from a regionally accredited or state-approved secondary school or the equivalent (G.E.D., etc.).
• Academic Credits:  You need 16 academic units distributed across English, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Foreign Language.
• Grade Point Average:  Your cumulative GPA must be at least a C.
• Conduct:  You must have a record of good conduct. Any major issues may disqualify your application from being considered, regardless of your academic credentials.
• SAT or ACT:  You must submit test scores from the SAT and/or the ACT. If you have taken a test multiple times, UF will take the highest scores for each subsection and superscore to create the highest possible total score.

University of Florida Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

As you think about the University of Florida supplemental essays, remember that no single element of your application will determine your admissions results. The UF admissions team uses a  holistic review process , meaning they take everything into consideration: your grades, test scores, extracurriculars, background, and UF supplemental essays. Admissions will consider your UF supplemental essays alongside your other academic credentials to better understand who you are as a student and how you will enrich the University of Florida community. While your transcript and test scores reflect the kind of student you already are, your UF essays will help them see what kind of student you can become.

While writing the University of Florida supplemental essays can be time-consuming, remember your UF essays—including both your Personal Statement and your UF supplemental essays—are the one part of your application where you have complete control. Be sure to take your time and make your University of Florida supplemental essays as strong as they can be! Give yourself time to think about the UF essay topics before you get started. Consider what you’ve already included in the rest of your application and use the UF essays to share something new about who you are.

If the thought of distilling yourself into a few short essays seems daunting, spend some time daydreaming about what going to the University of Florida could mean to your future. Think about the possibilities and opportunities you are excited to take on. Let that excitement shine through in your UF supplemental essays. Good luck!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on UF was written by Stefanie Tedards. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources, click  here . Want help crafting your University of Florida supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a no-cost advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

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How to write the university of florida essays: the easy-breezy guide.

Apply to the University of Florida with powerful essays.  Apply to college with your admissions advantage by  enrolling in one of our college application boot camps .

Does your college fantasy include reading outside in the sunshine underneath a palm tree? What about sipping 100% all-natural orange juice on your way to math class? Okay, I might be pushing the Florida stereotype a little hard here.

In all seriousness, if you are craving some sunshine and an incredible academic environment, the University of Florida might be the place for you.

The University of Florida has an acceptance rate of 38%.

While not located directly adjacent to the ocean, Gainesville is a close enough drive to the beach that you can flip through a good chunk of your psych flashcards on the way there (in the passenger seat, of course).

According to their website , the University of Florida is ranked as one of the top ten public colleges in the United States. Their student body is made up of students from the United States and all over the world.

What are the University of Florida essay requirements?

Prospective students must apply for admission via the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success application. Personal essays are limited to 2,500 characters, and there are five options to choose from.  To learn more about writing the Coalition essays, check out our guide here .

In addition to the personal essay, the University of Florida requires that you answer five short-answer questions.

These responses can be no longer than 950 characters. With this limitation, it’s especially important for you to carefully craft your responses and make every word count.

List and describe your community service activities. Please include your role in the activity and level of responsibility. List and describe each job you’ve had, including dates of employment, job titles and hours worked each week. Do you have any employment or family obligations that limit your participation in extracurricular activities? Please describe. List any programs or activities that helped you prepare for higher education, such as University Outreach, Talent Search, Upward Bound, etc. Is there any other information for the Admissions Committee to consider when your application is reviewed?

These questions are fairly straightforward but also incredibly important, as they allow the admissions committee to gain a deeper understanding of your day-to-day life and journey to college.

While few of these questions may not apply to you, you should still read each of the following paragraphs carefully in order to get the most out of your answers.

Community Service

List and describe your community service activities. Please include your role in the activity and level of responsibility.

The first short-answer question asks you to list your community service activities, including your roles and level of responsibility. Let’s first clarify what constitutes as community service.

• Of course, volunteering for an organization such as the American Red Cross or the Boys and Girls Club certainly is community service.
• However, community service is also any time you willfully volunteer your time or resources in order to do good for the public.
• If you have used your skill sets to help an organization in your community, be it a business or community outreach nonprofit, it is community service.
• You might have built an app for a local environmental protection group.
• You might have used your skills in photography to help document some events for a brochure for a nonprofit organization. These types of activities are community service.

For example:

• Have you ever helped to organize a Thanksgiving canned food drive at your school?
• Have you collected clothing donations at your church or other religious institution?
• Do you volunteer to help your dad out at work, where he cares for elderly patients?
• Have you volunteered to tutor the neighbor’s children in Mandarin?

All of the above examples would be appropriate to list.

There is one caveat:

• Perhaps you volunteered at Goodwill in order to meet the requirements of a court order to have a crime expunged from your record.
• While that’s a good outcome for you, it is not an appropriate example for this short-answer question.

Next, you should list your role and level of responsibility.

This provides more context about how you interact during your volunteer work.

• This doesn’t mean that your role as an entry level volunteer is “useless.”

Admissions officers know that volunteers at all levels are important to the success and mission of any organization or cause.

When listing your role, try to be specific. Instead of listing “volunteer,” try a title similar to one of the following:

• Volunteer Coordinator
• Front Desk Volunteer
• Research Assistant
• Community Relations Volunteer
• Bookshop Assistant
• Food Donation Manager
• Social Media Manager
• Graphics Consultant

These examples are much more specific than “volunteer” and can give the committee a hint to the type of work you were doing in your position.

The term “level” refers to whether you had any standing in the hierarchy of the organization.

• For example, “manager” and “assistant” are terms that indicate level.

In this prompt, the University of Florida specifically uses the term “list” and “describe” in the directions.

This is important because it means you should do both (albeit briefly). For example, your response might start with:

• Social Media Coordinator, Asheville Arts Foundation: shared articles about new exhibits, posted Facebook event pages, and created graphics to promote those events.

The above example is brief, descriptive, and follows the directions. It may be true that you have more community service activities to list than the character count allows.

As such, you should only write about the experiences that you have participated in the longest, are most invested in, and demonstrate your uniqueness.

Work Experience

List and describe each job you’ve had, including dates of employment, job titles and hours worked each week.

The work experience section has very similar requirements to the community service short response. You might be thinking, “Hey! This sounds just like a resume.” It is similar to writing a resume, except you don’t have to mess with pesky formatting.

Beyond listing and describing your work experience, you should also mention how many hours you work a week, how long you have been with a company, and your job title.

Check out this example:

• January 2018-Present, Chic-Fil-A, Team Member: Work 15 hours a week running the cash register, refilling customer drinks, and assisting drive-thru.

If you only have one job to list, you have room to be a bit more descriptive. If you have had multiple jobs, you will need to be consistently brief.

When listing your jobs, consider whether it is appropriate to list every job.

• Perhaps you worked for three days at Urban Outfitters and then quit because you found out you couldn’t take off during Spring Break.
• This is not an appropriate job to list because, to the admissions committee, it would appear that you are not committed.

To streamline your response, list your work experience starting with the most recent. If you still work in a position, you can note “present” for the end date.

If you simply haven’t had any work experiences, enter “Not Applicable.”

By taking the time to write “Not Applicable,” the committee understands that you are not refusing to answer the question but that it does not apply to you.

Obligations

Do you have any employment or family obligations that limit your participation in extracurricular activities? Please describe.

In the third question, you should list any work or home obligations that have interfered with your ability to participate in extracurricular activities. If you have a list of activities that is a mile long, type in “Not Applicable” and move on to the next question.

However, not everyone is able to participate in extracurricular activities. The following list includes obligations that may have interfered with your participation:

• Helping parents to run a family restaurant
• Working full-time to be able to afford bills
• Having a young baby to care for at home
• Caring for younger siblings
• No or limited access to transportation
• No or limited access to funds to pay for the extras associated with extracurricular activities, such as cleats for soccer or canvas for the art club
• Caring for disabled or elderly parents/family members

Don’t be hesitant to list this information.

There is no shame in needing to put family obligations above extracurricular activities. However, admissions can’t read your mind, and it is important that you describe these obligations so that they can have a broader context when considering your application.

For this section, you are asked to describe the obligation. Be cautious here.

The admissions committee doesn’t need to know the entire backstory that led up to an obligation. Instead, briefly discuss the obligation(s), how you are involved, and why this prevents you from participating in extracurricular activities.

Preparing for Higher Education

List any programs or activities that helped you prepare for higher education, such as University Outreach, Talent Search, Upward Bound, etc.

There are a variety of organizations that help students to attain their dreams of higher education.

• If you participated in groups such as Advance via Individual Determination (AVID), Upward Bound, Talent Search, University Outreach, or any others, you should list them.

Sometimes, universities reserve spots or give preference to students who have participated in these programs. Colleges also like to see that you have been planning ahead for college.

Although it’s not stated explicitly, if you have enough room, briefly describe in what way you worked with the organization. This information will be helpful to admissions, especially if you participated in a program for multiple years.

• From 6th-12th grade, I participated in the AVID program during the school day. While I had to give up an extracurricular class, it was worth it because by participating in the program, I learned…

It’s important to be honest on your application. If you’ve heard that a program exists in your school but you didn’t participate, you should not list it.

If the question does not apply to you, write “Not Applicable.”

Other Considerations for the Committee  

Is there any other information for the Admissions Committee to consider when your application is reviewed?

In the final section, you are provided the opportunity to add additional comments that you believe admissions should consider with your application. This is a chance to provide background information on anything that might look “off” on your application.

• For example, perhaps you attended four different high schools because your parents serve in the military.
• If that information did not appear anywhere else in your application, it would be appropriate to list that here.
• If you sustained a serious injury while playing sports and missed 40 consecutive school days, list that information in this section.
• You should explain to admissions that you were participating in physical therapy and on bed rest during this time.

If there is space, it wouldn’t hurt to mention that you Skyped into class and submitted work digitally in order to stay up-to-date with your schoolwork.

Another appropriate example would be if you had to take a class online because it was not offered at your school.

• Some schools do not have enough students demonstrate interest in AP courses, such as Computer Science A or the Physics C courses.
• If you took the initiative to be the only person in the school taking such a course through an online program, that deserves to be highlighted to the admissions committee.

As with all other responses above, simply list “Not Applicable” if you have nothing to write in a section.

Conclusion: Writing the University of Florida Essays

While responding to the above questions, remember that you are limited in your character count.

Since these are short-answer questions, the admissions committee does not want to know why you volunteer with Meals on Wheels or what you get out of the experience. Instead, focus briefly on what you do for the organization.

Overall, you should only elaborate when absolutely necessary. It’s important to show the committee that you can explicitly follow directions. While there is so much more you might have to say, save it for the personal essay! Remember, you can read more about how to write that essay here .

As with any writing, be sure to proofread and have another person review your work. You want to put your best foot forward on every application.

Short-answer responses are just as important to review as your personal essay.

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University of Florida 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Regular Decision Deadline: Sept 3

You Have: 

The Requirements:  1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Activity

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

What would your life be mundane without? Elaborate on an activity, responsibility, or passion that is meaningful to you. Unlike an activities resume entry, this should be expanded to reflect your priorities, worldview, and sense of purpose. Do you babysit your cousins when your aunt gets called into work? How does it feel to support your family members in this way and what does the phrase, “it takes a village,” mean to you? Do you foster rescue cats until they find their forever homes? What does this hobby mean to you? Maybe you inherited your animal love from your dad who used to work as a farmhand. Use your experiences to tell admissions something about you they wouldn’t already know from your list of extracurriculars. What gives your life meaning? Why do you wake up in the morning? What are you working toward?

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University of South Florida

Judy Genshaft Honors College

Tampa | St. Petersburg | Sarasota-Manatee

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Honors admissions, first time in college (ftic) admission, how to apply.

• Submit your application to USF.
• Activate your USF NetID and password. You will need your USF-issued UID (for example, U12345678) that you receive via email within 48 hours after you apply to the university.
• Submit your Honors application . You don't need to wait for your admissions decision to apply!

ELIGIBILITY

The Judy Genshaft Honors College is open to all majors across all three USF campuses. All interested students must submit an application. Special consideration will be given to national recognized students in the following categories:

• Semifinalists
• African American or Black
• Hispanic American or Latinx

The Judy Genshaft Honors College reviews applications in two main pools: a priority pool and a regular pool. Decisions are not rolling. Each pool has a specific timeline with a separate application deadline, decision notification date, and final confirmation deadline. Deadlines for each pool are listed below. Because the Judy Genshaft Honors College accepts a limited number of students each year, students should submit their application as early as possible.

Applications submitted to the Judy Genshaft Honors College after the final application deadline will be reviewed on a space available basis. Available space in the incoming class may vary across the Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee campuses. Decisions for applications received past the deadline will be released to students on individual timelines, but all applicants will be informed of their decision by May 13, 2024.

PRIORITY ADMISSION DEADLINES

Priority application deadline.

January 8, 2024

Students must apply by 11:59 p.m. (EST) to be eligible for priority admission.

PRIORITY DECISION DATE

February 16, 2024

Students who applied prior to the Jan. 8 deadline will be notified of their Honors admission decision via email. Accepted students must confirm their spot through a Confirmation Form included in their acceptance email.

PRIORITY CONFIRMATION DEADLINE

April 1, 2024

Students notified of their acceptance on Feb. 16 must confirm their spot by 11:59 p.m. (EST).

REGULAR ADMISSION DEADLINES

Final application deadline.

March 4, 2024

Students must apply by 11:59 p.m. (EST) to be eligible for admission.

FINAL DECISION DATE

April 12, 2024

Students who applied prior to the March 4 deadline will receive their decision via email. Accepted students must confirm their spot through a Confirmation Form included in their acceptance email.

FINAL CONFIRMATION DEADLINE

May 3, 2024

Students notified of their acceptance on April 12 must confirm their spot by 11:59 p.m. (EST).

APPLICATION CRITERIA

The Judy Genshaft Honors College First Time in College (FTIC) application asks students to submit a short essay (Application Criteria 1) and a list of extracurricular activities (Application Criteria 2). Please read through the criteria below to learn more and apply.

APPLICATION CRITERION 1

SHORT ESSAY

Students will be asked to submit a double-spaced 500-750 word essay , selecting from one of three possible prompts. Each essay prompt is paired with one of our College’s core values for you to learn more about us and our philosophy. We created these essay prompts for you to think creatively and critically and to learn more about your ideas, passions, and how you think. We want to learn about YOU, not the “college admissions” version of you. So be authentic and answer honestly!  

ACADEMIC DIVERSITY AND INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY

In the Judy Genshaft Honors College, our small, discussion-based interdisciplinary classes combine knowledge and methods from several fields of study to create unique solutions to real-world ideas and problems. For example, in our course  Experience Japan - From Hospitals to Hospitality (Omotenashi) , students explore Japan through the disciplines of architecture, psychology, cultural studies, and medicine as perspectives on the concept of “care” and how it is expressed and experienced in Japanese culture.

PROMPT 1: If you were to teach a course as part of the Honors curriculum, what would you name it, what topics would be covered, and how would the class be taught? For more examples, you can view our full class list here .

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

We believe that learning does not just take place within a classroom. First Time In College students in the Judy Genshaft Honors College are required to complete two Experiential Learning Activities in the course of their academic career. These activities provide students with opportunities for development and self-reflection in order to complement their academic curriculum. 

PROMPT 2:  Reflect on a situation or experience that you've encountered outside of your standard coursework. What knowledge or observations were you able to gain from that experience? How would you plan to incorporate Experiential Learning in your undergraduate education?

GLOBAL AWARENESS

In this increasingly globalized world, we believe it’s vital for every Judy Genshaft Honors College graduate to be exposed to diverse people, places, and ideas. The college is committed to making global citizenship a critical element in the education of 21st-century leaders. Our students develop cultural competence during their time at USF through activities that range from studying abroad, learning a new language, completing internationally-focused research or internships, and more.

PROMPT 3: The Judy Genshaft Honors College encompasses students from different cultures, nationalities, and majors, challenging their peers to think in new ways. Describe a time when you encountered a culture, belief, or value system different from your own. How did you respond and what did you learn from the experience?

APPLICATION CRITERION 2

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Students will be asked to list  up to five  extracurricular activities you were involved in during high school, either inside or outside the classroom. For each activity you provide there is an option to add additional supporting information such as; titles or roles, duration of involvement, frequency of activity, total cumulative hours, certificates, documentation, photos, portfolios, or other files. 

These activities can include, but are not limited to:

• Clubs or organizations
• Jobs or internships
• Volunteer opportunities or care-taking responsibilities
• Awards or distinctions
• Religious involvement 

Nailing the UF Supplemental Essays for the 2023-2024 Admissions Cycle

The college application process is a crucial period in any student's life, and when it comes to the University of Florida (UF), this process includes crafting a captivating set of supplemental essays. In this blog post, we will offer targeted, step-by-step guidance to ace each University of Florida essay prompt.

General Prompt

Please submit a personal essay about who you are. We suggest a limit of 500 words.

This is your opportunity to tell your story in your own unique voice. Who are you as an individual? What experiences have shaped you, and what do you value most? Be sure to weave in your personality, values, and motivations. This essay is broad, but the key is to be authentic and introspective.

Example Essay

I come from a vibrant cultural melting pot nestled within the sun-kissed landscapes of Miami, Florida, where my Cuban heritage and American upbringing intersect. The enchanting salsa music echoing down the streets, my grandmother's tantalizingly spiced arroz con pollo, and the passionate baseball debates at the local café - these elements of my Cuban heritage provide a rhythm and warmth to my everyday life. Simultaneously, the annual traditions of roasting a Thanksgiving turkey or watching the Fourth of July fireworks paint the canvas of my American identity. These diverse cultural threads have woven the tapestry of my values and perspective, celebrating resilience, diversity, and tradition.

As I anticipate my journey at the University of Florida, I aim to contribute to the rich diversity of the campus community. I am particularly intrigued by the Multicultural & Diversity Affairs Program. The prospect of fostering meaningful cross-cultural dialogues through this initiative aligns closely with my personal goals and cultural background.

Optional Prompts

Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution. (450 words)

Here, UF wants to understand your community involvement and ethical values. Choose a specific moment when you positively impacted others. Discuss the challenges faced, solutions found, and the rewarding outcomes. Demonstrate your growth and commitment to contributing to the greater good.

When Hurricane Irma mercilessly ripped through my hometown of Miami in 2017, it left in its wake a trail of destruction. The poorer neighborhoods, including my own, bore the brunt of the calamity. Amid the chaos, I felt a deep-rooted urge to contribute to my community. Using my high school as a platform, I coordinated a relief drive, urging my peers to donate food, clothes, and their time.

Organizing such an endeavor was not without its hurdles. Power outages disrupted communication, making coordination a significant challenge. Despite the logistical problems, the community response was astounding. We gathered a sizable amount of supplies, enough to assist over 100 families. Witnessing my community unite in the face of adversity and knowing my role in facilitating that unity was a reward in itself. This endeavor reaffirmed my commitment to community service and is a value I intend to bring to the University of Florida, especially through initiatives like the Gator Good.

Has there been a time when you've had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs? (450 words)

This prompt seeks to gauge your ability to handle intellectual challenges and personal growth. Choose a belief, explain why you held it, discuss the event that challenged it, and delve into the aftermath. This essay showcases your ability to adapt, learn, and evolve.

As a product of a devout Catholic family, my religious faith was an integral part of my identity. However, a close friendship with an agnostic classmate put my long-cherished beliefs under a new lens. Our stimulating dialogues revolving around faith, science, and morality invoked in me a sense of discomfort, yet these conversations were enlightening.

To reconcile my faith with the emerging questions, I turned to literature, reading about theology and secular humanism. Rather than eroding my faith, this intellectual journey deepened it, lending it a nuanced, empathetic, and more tolerant nature. I learned the significance of open dialogue, the strength in acknowledging differences, and the beauty of diversity. I aim to bring this attitude of acceptance and respect for differing viewpoints to UF's multicultural campus.

Prompts for Specific Schools

Each college within UF has its own prompt. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your clear interest in your chosen field and how studying it at UF will benefit you.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Describe a problem in your life. Include how you dealt with it and how it influenced your growth. (400 words)

For this prompt, think about a significant challenge or problem in your life, how you approached it, and how it influenced your personal development. It allows you to display your problem-solving skills and resilience. Link this back to your academic pursuits within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

When my younger brother was diagnosed with dyslexia, my family and I found ourselves navigating a maze of challenges. In addition to managing my school work, I found myself tutoring my brother, researching his condition, and grappling with my feelings of helplessness. Instead of being overwhelmed, I chose to confront the problem proactively. I dedicated myself to understand dyslexia and developed a personalized learning plan for my brother.

This incident provided me with first-hand experience of the power of personalized learning and ignited my interest in psychology and cognitive science. I look forward to delving into these subjects at UF’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Cognitive Psychology and Developmental Science courses seem particularly interesting, aligning perfectly with my academic aspirations.

College of the Arts: Describe an experience that has shaped your artistic practice. (400 words)

UF wants to understand your artistic journey. Describe a significant artistic experience, how it shaped your craft, and why it matters. Connect this to the offerings of the College of the Arts, highlighting specific programs or opportunities that you are excited about.

Witnessing Frida Kahlo's "The Two Fridas" for the first time was an experience of profound artistic awakening for me. Kahlo’s raw portrayal of emotional pain and inner turmoil resonated deeply with me, inspiring me to view art as a potent vehicle for personal expression and social commentary. This interaction with Kahlo's masterpiece was transformative for my artistic style and approach, leading me to explore themes of identity and cultural dichotomy through vibrant colors and symbolic elements.

The University of Florida's College of the Arts offers the ideal environment for me to further hone my artistic skills and broaden my conceptual understanding. The Art and Social Change course is particularly appealing to me, promising a rich exploration of the interplay between art, society, and transformation.

The key to excelling in these UF essays is to be reflective, personal, and precise. Illustrate why you are an ideal fit for UF and how UF is the perfect environment for you to achieve your goals.

Good luck, future Gators!

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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

By Joe Emerson | Last Updated: Jul 15, 2022

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

Steps in the Writing Process

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

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

Once you have your deadline and topic:

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

Some Tips on the Writing Process

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

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

As for the writing process itself:

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

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

About Joe Emerson

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

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Types of Undergraduate Majors in College

Does UCF have specific essay or personal statement topics?

Although optional, an essay can assist the Admissions Committee in knowing you as an individual, independent of test scores and other objective data. If you would like to submit an essay, please select from one of the topics below. Your response should be no longer than a total of 500 words or 7,000 characters.

• Why did you choose to apply to UCF?
• What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that will allow you to contribute to the UCF community?

University of South Florida | USF

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University of South Florida | USF’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?

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

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Extracurriculars.

How to Write the Florida State University Essays 2021-2022

Located just west of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a suburban public university that hosts over 41,000 students on its campus. FSU offers its students a wide selection of 351 programs, including 107 undergraduate majors across various disciplines.

Florida State is well known for its vibrant social scene and its top varsity athletic programs. The beloved “Seminoles” have won many Atlantic Coast conferences and national championships. The intensity of the football team’s rivalry with the University of Florida’s Gators spreads throughout the entire student body and reaches a climax at the annual Sunshine Showdown.

Approximately 37% of applicants gain admission. Calculate your chances of acceptance to FSU using our free chancing engine.

Florida State accepts its own FSU Application, the Common Application, or the Coalition Application. For the FSU and Coalition Applications, there are 5 essay topics you can choose from. You only need to choose one and write a 650-word essay. We’ve broken those 5 down below. For the Common Application, you can choose from the Common App prompts .  

FSU Application Essay Prompts

Essay prompt instructions.

Candidates are to compose one 650-word essay after deciding on one of the five prompts published on the school’s website.

The purpose of the essay is to help the admissions committee learn more about you as a person. Although the essay is described as only “highly recommended,” in reality admissions officers are expecting serious applicants to submit an essay (unless under extenuating circumstances). Your writing will paint a personal picture for the admission officers and demonstrate serious interest in the school.

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

The first prompt asks for you to discuss a memory or story of a situation that either showcased or affected you personally. FSU’s goal here is to assess your storytelling ability and better understand your values and character through a specific example.

It is crucial for you to connect your story and its effect on your character to who you are as a person. It would be an easy mistake to use all 550 words to discuss this important narrative and ignore the crux of the question: its “demonstration of your character.”

Impactful essays do not have to be based on extreme physical or mental experiences. In fact, it is the accumulation of small experiences that defines how we react during turbulent times. An act of any scale that was especially memorable to you can work; it’s about how you analyze the incident, not what the incident was.

For instance, you might choose to write about being friends with someone who faced mental health issues and how that changed your feelings toward such illnesses and led you to participate in a campaign for raising mental health awareness. You could take it a step further, explaining how the experience shaped your behavior not only around that particular friend, but also around everybody else you know.

Keep in mind that the scope of the question also includes experiences that helped shape your character, so you can even choose to write about something you’ve witnessed others do. Remember to use concise but vivid imagery to describe the situation in the first 150-250 words and then devote the rest of the words to analyzing its impact on character.

It may be wise to write longer drafts at first (in the 700-word range). This allows the editing process to filter for the essence of the writing, instead of trying to add more content, thereby ensuring the fluency of the writing.

Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

This question appears to be more challenging than the previous one, as you have to detail a selfless act of sacrifice while explaining your motivations and avoiding corny wording.

Note that this “greater good” contribution does not limit you to instances in which you interacted with groups of “great” numbers. No matter the scale of your impact, if there existed a beneficiary to your actions, then you can write about it. Remember that “greater good” excludes class assignments or other activities that were required of you.

The key to this essay is making sure your motivations for the contribution are portrayed as personal and unique to you.

Many students will choose to write about a volunteer experience they participated in. If you choose to discuss a community service activity, make sure you differentiate your experience by highlighting your motivations and your emotions during the experience (rather than describing simply the activity you participated in).  

For example, you might choose to write about a mission trip to another country that you took in your sophomore year of high school. However, rather than discussing the trip as a whole, it would be more effective to focus on a particular moment or problem that you encountered during the trip.

For instance, you could elaborate on the experience of visiting one of the children’s homes and the feeling of speaking to his parents directly. Describing a particular moment, as well as the specific emotions you felt and how your perspectives changed because of it, would help the essay stand out in a pile of volunteering essays.

In addition, focus on the process of the contribution and how you felt emotionally throughout the act.

Try to answer the following questions:

• What would have happened if you did not make that sacrifice/contribution? How would you have felt then?
• How did the contribution make you feel? How did it make others around you feel? How did it make the beneficiaries feel?
• What did you learn?

Emphasizing the internal development that occurred during your experience is key to making this essay shine.

Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

This third prompt asks to hear about a philosophical difference you have had with a family member, teacher, peer, society at large, or even yourself. In a sense, this prompt is similar to the previous one about the “meaningful contribution.” In both cases, FSU wants to learn about a process occurring in your mind. The previous prompt emphasizes actions and their effects, while this focuses more on an ideological struggle.

For example, though you’ve believed in religion all your life, perhaps you learned of a different viewpoint while reading a research paper and began questioning the validity of adhering to the religion in which you grew up. The research paper may have been the stimulus that led you to develop your own feelings toward particular values or even the presence of the supernatural.

An average essay would discuss an incident in which you completely disregarded the challenging viewpoint or, on the other end of the spectrum, completely threw away your previous tenet and grasped onto the new idea. Such an essay does not show any meaningful growth or internal re-evaluation. Instead, a great essay would elucidate the internal struggle stemming from confronting a new viewpoint and the difficulties associated with challenging your own beliefs.

As with the first prompt, remember to focus the essay on your response to someone/something’s questioning of your tenant. Using too much of the essay for a description of the conundrum will render it ineffective in answering the latter two parts of the question.

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

This prompt is the wild card. It allows more room for creativity and “fun” writing than any of the other questions. FSU’s goal here is not only to evaluate your ability to reflect on experiences, but also to understand what you value in life.

This essay can be particularly difficult to write well because it requires additional effort to compose an engaging, intriguing, fun, but also appropriate essay. There are universal challenges to being a teenager: arguments with parents; teenage angst; finding one’s place in school, family, and life, etc. It is completely fine to write about “common” obstacles, but you need to be able to differentiate your stories from others.

Humor and style of writing will play large roles in this essay, so we recommend this prompt if you sincerely enjoy creative writing, particularly short stories, novels, and comedies. Keep in mind, however, that the majority of admissions officers reading these essays are going to be in a generation older than you. It is not a bad idea to consider what kinds of teenage experiences would be relatable to them.

Additionally, the essay is asking for the “hardest part” as well as the “best part;” answering both of those separately in 550 words can make both answers short and ineffective. We recommend that you choose one single story that can relate to both of those questions. For example, you could use stories from your part-time job at Dairy Queen to connect the difficulties of adjusting to added responsibility in conjunction with the increased respect you received from your parents.

Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

This last question is a catch-all.

Do not let your guard down because you can write about anything here. Unless you already have a great essay prepared from answering another school’s prompts, without a prompt here your creative idea may lose focus. Oftentimes, candidates are so engrossed in telling the story that they lose sight of what is really important: selling yourself.

As with the previous essays, you should decide and write down concretely what exactly you want the admissions officers to think about you upon finishing this essay. Build the rest of the essay around how you want them to perceive you, and dedicate more than half of the writing to demonstrating that main point through various anecdotes, not general statements.

We here at CollegeVine wish you the best of luck on your FSU essay!

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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Florida State University

FSU | University Honors Program

University Honors Program

Division of Undergraduate Studies

Honors in the Major

Students do not need to be part of the University Honors Program in order to start their HITM project. In fact, any FSU student officially admitted to their major who has at least a 3.200 GPA (both FSU and Cumulative, not rounded to the third decimal place) and will have at least 60 completed credit hours by the start of their HITM project are welcome to apply. Additional requirements are in place for specific majors, so be sure to consult your department's liaison for more details.

To learn all about applying to and preparing for the Honors in the Major Program, read the Honors in the Major Handbook . The handbook provides a thorough, more in-depth overview of the information provided below.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be a current FSU student
• Must be formally accepted into your major at the time of application
• Must have a 3.200 GPA (FSU and Cumulative, not rounded to the third decimal place) at the end of the semester of application
• Must have at least 60 completed college credits at the end of the semester of application
• Must have at least 12 completed FSU credits at the end of the semester of application
• Must have at least 2 semesters remaining until graduation

BEFORE SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION:

1. Finding a Faculty Director

The first step in beginning your application will be finding your faculty director. Your faculty director will be a full-time tenured, tenure-track, or specialized FSU faculty member in your major. If a specialized faculty member, they must have a terminal degree in the field or must have graduate faculty status. You may already have a faculty member in mind, but if you're not sure who in your department might be a good fit, you can reach out to the liaison for your department. Most departments at FSU also have faculty research interests listed on their website.

2. Choosing a Topic

Once you have recruited your faculty director you will work together to clarify a working title for your research. Although this title may be changed, it should give a clear idea of what your research will be about.

Your faculty director may also be able to share valuable insights on broadening or narrowing the scope of your research to make sure you are able to conclude your project within your anticipated timeline.

3. Setting Your Timeline

You will also need to discuss your timeline with your faculty director. You are required to complete a minimum of two semesters and six credit hours in order to earn Honors in the Major. These semesters should be consecutive, with the exception of the summer semester if you will not be on campus. You can take up to nine credit hours of HITM project work over three semesters if necessary. In addition, some departments have additional requirements students must meet, and students should consult with their departmental academic advisor for clarification about these departmental requirements. All requirements must be met and your project must be successfully defended before graduation from FSU with your bachelor's degree.

4. Project Approval

In order to officially start work on your project you must fill out the application and have it approved and signed by your faculty director, the liaison for your major, and your department chair. Once it has been approved by your department you must turn it in as a PDF via the online portal by the application deadline.

• Click here for a PDF of the HITM application.
• Use one of the three electronic signature options explained below.
• Submit the application through the HITM online portal.

The deadline to apply to begin an Honors in the Major project in either Summer or Fall 2023 is Friday, April 14, 2023, by 4:30 pm Eastern. All students planning to begin their HITM project in Summer or Fall 2023 will submit their application through the HITM online portal as early as the first day of the Spring 2023 semester. Hard copies of the application will not be accepted. Only after students have been approved to begin the Honors in the Major Program can they register for the required honors thesis credit hours.

ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE OPTIONS

You must secure all signatures on one form. Do not submit three different PDF files, each with one signature. Also, because of how the online portal reads e-signed PDFs, you should "print" the e-signed and completed application as a new PDF before submitting so that all signatures will remain visible once you have uploaded to the online portal.

Your options for securing electronic signatures include:

• HelloSign - An e-signature platform with a free option to receive three signatures per month, or a free trial to receive unlimited signatures. Please note that if you opt for the free trial, you should choose the monthly option ($15/month) instead of the annual option ($180/year) in the event the trial ends and you are charged.
• DocuSign - An e-signature platform free to use for FSU faculty and staff. You may either ask your faculty director to circulate a form on your behalf for signatures, or you may pay $10/month for a single user account for sending out up to five documents a month.
• Electronic signatures on a PDF - All HITM forms have been formatted for electronic signatures. If your faculty director and committee members are able to sign a PDF electronically, you may circulate the same PDF file to each individual. 

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Seven yalies to hone leadership skills as knight-hennessy scholars.

Top row, from left, Daviana Berkowitz-Sklar, Tilly Brooks, and Gabe Malek. Second row, Qusay Omran, Henry Smith, Lina Volin, and Barkotel Zemenu.

A Yale College senior and six Yale alumni are among 90 scholars from 30 countries to be named Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University. The scholars were selected for their independent thought, leadership, and civic-mindedness.

At Stanford, the cohort will pursue graduate degrees in 45 degree programs across all seven schools.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars is a multidisciplinary, multicultural graduate scholarship program that helps develop future leaders. The scholars receive up to three years of financial support to pursue graduate studies at Stanford while also engaging in experiences that prepare them to tackle global challenges.

The seven Yale affiliates named to the 2024 cohort of Knight-Hennessy scholars follows:

Daviana Berkowitz-Sklar ’23, who studied ecology and evolutionary biology as an undergraduate at Yale College, will pursue a Ph.D. in oceans at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Raised in Costa Rica and California, Berkowitz-Sklar aspires to develop collaborative, science-based solutions to improve the health of ecosystems and the people who depend on them. She is interested in marine spatial ecology and socio-ecological systems and has conducted research in Costa Rican fishing communities with the DynaMAR Project at Stanford. She was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship as well as a Yale postgraduate fellowship to research whale migrations at OKEANOS-University of the Azores and a Rohr Reef Resilience Fellowship to study coral reef resilience at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Berkowitz-Sklar is the co-founder and president of a nonprofit organization, Nature Now International, through which she leads programs to engage youth in community-based science and conservation, including hands-on work with wildlife, citizen science, and STEM education.

Tilly Brooks  ’23, who was a linguistics major as a Yale College undergraduate, will concurrently pursue a Ph.D. in linguistics at Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences and a J.D. at Yale Law School. Brooks, who is from New Haven, studied Indo-European philology at Yale before discovering an interest in action-based research and the relationship between language and law. Focusing both on the effects of law and policy decisions on marginalized linguistic communities and the application of linguistic theories, research methods, and tools to interpretive legal processes, she researches what she calls “the law of language and the language of law.” In the long term, Brooks aims to draw communities of legal scholars, linguists, and legal practitioners together with the common goals of advancing linguistic justice in the practice of law, and refining the use of linguistic evidence and tools for law and policy purposes.

Gabe Malek ’20, who was a double major in American studies and anthropology at Yale, will pursue a J.D. at Stanford Law School. He aspires to leverage commercial law, financial regulation, and tax policy to accelerate the clean energy transition. Malek has served as chief of staff at Fervo Energy, a next-generation geothermal power developer, and deputy chief of staff to Mark Carney, co-chair of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero and former governor of the Bank of England. He began his career at Environmental Defense Fund, where he helped formalize and scale the organization’s investor engagement strategy. At Yale, Malek received the Edward Sapir Prize for his research on international climate finance and the Institute for Social and Policy Studies Director’s Fellowship for his commitment to public service.

Qusay Omran ’21, who studied chemistry as an undergraduate at Yale College, will pursue an M.D. and Ph.D. in genetics at Stanford School of Medicine. He aspires to develop innovative therapies for cancers and immunologic disorders through research in chemical and synthetic biology. In college, he studied nucleic acid chemical biology at Yale and the National Cancer Institute, publishing his senior thesis on a novel self-splicing assay. Omran also led the Yale Review of International Studies, where he edited and published academic essays on global affairs solicited from around the world. Originally from Bahrain, Omran is a passionate advocate for displaced populations. He worked at Havenly, a nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty for refugee women. He earned a Dwight Hall Community Response Fellowship and the Berkeley College Fellows’ Prize for his contributions to the greater community.

Henry Smith  ’22, who was a double major in mathematics and statistics at Yale, is pursuing a Ph.D. in statistics at Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. Through his Ph.D., Smith, who is from Hanover, Pennsylvania, aims to improve statistical understanding of machine learning algorithms so they can be more confidently applied across various domains. After graduating from Yale, he spent a year conducting research at the University of Cambridge, where he and a team developed a novel machine learning algorithm to solve a challenging problem in multi-drone flight. At Yale, Smith served as a leader of the Yale Votes Coalition to strengthen university voting policy and managed data for numerous political campaigns. He also spent three years preparing taxes for low-income New Haven residents. At Yale, Smith received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, an award for the best undergraduate thesis, and Yale’s Emerson Tuttle award for scholastic achievement.

Lina Volin ’19, who studied history at Yale, is pursuing a J.D. at Stanford Law School. Volin, who is from Hollywood, Florida, also holds a Master of Science degree in modern Middle Eastern studies from the University of Oxford. She aspires to advance access to health care and improve health outcomes through policymaking that centers equity and addresses intersecting social, economic, and legal issues. For three years, she served at the White House Gender Policy Council, most recently as director for health policy, where she worked on policy development and litigation response related to reproductive rights and helped to launch a new White House initiative aimed at closing critical research gaps in women’s health. Volin previously served as the council’s chief of staff and led efforts to advance pay equity and strengthen worker protections.

Barkotel Zemenu , an intensive physics major will graduate from Yale College this month, will pursue a Ph.D. in physics at Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. Zemenu, who is from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has conducted in research on three continents, including work that has spanned particle physics, quantum gravity, and observational astronomy. At Stanford, he plans to leverage this background to investigate fundamental questions in cosmology, with a focus on the elusive neutrinos and the hidden dark sector. As a Yale undergraduate, Zemenu was selected to join the 73rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Physics, named Top Oral Presenter at the annual international conference hosted by the American Physical Society, and awarded multiple national scholarships by the American Institute of Physics. At Yale, he enjoyed being a physics tutor and studying numerous foreign languages.

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