UPenn: The Admissions Committee would like to learn why you are a good fit for your undergraduate school choice (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, The Wharton School, or Penn Engineering). Please tell us about specific academic, service, and/or research opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania that resonate with your background, interests, and goals. (400-650 words)

 

Dartmouth: If you would like to submit a brief abstract of a significant independent research project, please upload it below.

 

JHU: Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1876 on a spirit of exploration and discovery. As a result, students can pursue a multi-dimensional undergraduate experience both in and outside of the classroom. Given the opportunities at Hopkins, please discuss your current interests—academic or extracurricular pursuits, personal passions, summer experiences, etc.—and how you will build upon them here. (300-500 Word limit).

 

UC—Berkeley: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

 

492-word version
Like any other Fridays, my cousin and I were excited to go home after school at the back seat of my mom’s car as we planned another adventurous weekend in Saipan, where we used to go to school together. Just as my mom reached an intersection at the top of a hill, however, our excitement for the weekend instantly turned into a horrific delirium...

 

Rice: The quality of Rice's academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice? (500 word limit)

 

498-word version
Like any other Fridays, my cousin and I were excited to go home after school at the back seat of my mom’s car as we planned another adventurous weekend in Saipan, where we used to go to school together. Just as my mom reached an intersection at the top of a hill, however, our excitement for the weekend instantly turned into a horrific delirium...

 

Harvard: You may wish to include an additional essay if you feel that the college application forms do not provide sufficient opportunity to convey important information about yourself or your accomplishments. You may write on a topic of your choice, or you may choose from one of the following topics:
- Unusual circumstances in your life
- Travel or living experiences in other countries
- What you would want your future college roommate to know about you
- An intellectual experience (course, project, book, discussion, paper, poetry, or research topic in engineering, mathematics, science or other modes of inquiry) that has meant the most to you
- How you hope to use your college education
- A list of books you have read during the past twelve months

 

517-word version
Like any other Fridays, my cousin and I were excited to go home after school at the back seat of my mom’s car as we planned another adventurous weekend in Saipan, where we used to go to school together. Just as my mom reached an intersection at the top of a hill, however, our excitement for the weekend instantly turned into a horrific delirium...

 

Common Application: 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. (The application won't accept a response shorter than 250 words.)

 

- Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
- Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
- Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
- Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
- Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

 

Please write an essay (250-650 words) on the topic selected.

 

638-word version
Like any other Fridays, my cousin and I were excited to go home after school at the back seat of my mom’s car as we planned another adventurous weekend in Saipan, where we used to go to school together. Just as my mom reached an intersection at the top of a hill, however, our excitement for the weekend instantly turned into a horrific delirium...

 

782-word version
Like any other Fridays, my cousin and I were excited to go home after school at the back seat of my mom’s car as we planned another adventurous weekend in Saipan, where we used to go to school together. Just as my mom reached an intersection at the top of a hill, however, our excitement for the weekend instantly turned into a horrific delirium. A huge SUV crashed into and drove over our car, crushing the entire front section of the car and jolting everyone toward the direction of impact...