Essay Questions on College Applications – Part 10

Hey there. We’ve been talking on the blog about finding the perfect college fit for your kiddo.  This is part 10 in the series. If you want to start reading at the beginning of the series, click here!    One of the questions I receive all the time is “What kinds of  essay questions do you have to answer on college applications?”  Here is the link to the Common App Essay questions for 2019 applications.

So today, I thought I would give you an idea of all the different types of questions my daughter recently had to answer on her college and scholarship applications.  I tried to keep a running list of the questions she had to work on. I may have missed some along the way, but you’ll get the general gist of it.  Once you see the types of questions you might be facing, you could take some time during the summer between 11th and 12th and work on some rough drafts for any of these topics.

Essay Questions on Applications:

1. If you had a theme song, what would it be?
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. Choose a stanza from this poem that is meaningful to you (poem provided).  Using that stanza, tell us how you would live this out as a freshman.
4. If you were going to create a new Mount Rushmore, who would you put on it, where would you put it and how would it be created?
5. How does this program and its curriculum align well with your goals and how do your academic and personal experiences make you a good candidate for the program?
6. 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?
7. The college admissions process can create anxiety. In an attempt to make it less stressful, please tell us an interesting or amusing story about yourself from your high school years that you have not already shared in your application.
8. Our commencement speaker told a story from his youth about what he refers to as blackberry moments. He has described these as “the sweet moments that are right there to be had but we’re just too focused on what we’re doing…, and we see things that are right there within our reach and we neglect them. Blackberry moments can be anything that makes somebody else’s day, that makes your day, that are just sweet moments that you always remember.” Tell us about one of your “blackberry moments” from the past five years.
9. What would you describe as a unique or special skill or trait that differentiates you from everyone else? How does your unique skill or trait bring an interdisciplinary perspective to the classroom?
10. In an autobiographical sketch, describe your career goals and plans for the future. Include reasoning for your interest in a particular major and/or profession as well as why you are considering or have decided to attend this college.  (500 word maximum)
11. Reflect on a time when you learned something new and unexpected. How did that discovery affect you? What have you learned? Has this newfound knowledge changed you in any way? (500-1000 words)
12. Tell us why you are interested in our Honors College. (150-250 words)
13. Provide a statement indicating why you should be selected as a scholarship recipient. Include any information regarding financial barriers that may be a factor in your ability to attend college. (500 word maximum)
14. In approximately 500-750 words, please address these three prompts in your response:
    • What major would you like to study and why? How does this relate to your professional goals?
    • Where do you want to study abroad? How will this trip help your professional goals?
    • What leadership or service activity are you looking to pursue at our college and why?