Sample College Essay Questions
You should think about and even start writing some of these over the summer…
• • • • • • • • • • • • Discuss your academic goals and interests Discuss one leadership position you have held and explain what you learned from your experience. Discuss a situation that posed a significant challenge for you, how you handled the situation and what you learned. In your opinion, what is the greatest challenge your generation will face? What are your ideas on solving this challenge? Pick any Hollywood actor, living or dead, to play you in a movie about your life. Who do you choose and why? People who are willing to take risks often discover important things about their lives, good or bad, that help them make a significant change. Describe a risk you’ve taken that has helped your in your life as a student or a person. Referencing any book you have read, select one that was written between 1900-1999. Explain how the book’s themes and/or topics impacted your personal and/or intellectual growth. Select one of the following: 1) literature & the arts, 2) politics & business, 3) science and technology. Discuss one specific aspect of its importance (including benefits and problems) in today’s global society, and describe how it has impacted your generation. If you had the opportunity to have a conversation with a significant contemporary or historical figure, whom would you choose? What would you say to that person and explain your reasoning. Comment with any additional information that is important to convey to the admissions committee. Information that may be important might include your aspirations, work experience, academic record, or why you are applying to this school. Describe a person who has had a significant influence on you and describe the influence. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you. Tell us about yourself and why you’d be a good fit at this school. If someone new came to your town, what three things would you show him/her that would make you proud about your town? What is an experience that has affected your life? In your personal statement, indicate your interest in our school and explain circumstances that may affect our admission decision and that are not readily apparent from academic records.
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Actual College Essay Questions…
University of Massachusetts In 500 words or less, describe any personal circumstances or academic experiences (positive or negative) that you feel are important for us to know about you. American International College What is the single most important characteristic about AIC that prompted you to apply and why is that characteristic important to you? Elms College Choose one of the following: 1. Elms College prepares students for ‘careers with conscience’. Discuss how this appeals to you. 2. Describe a character from a book or a movie that had an influence on you and explain that influence. 3. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national or international concern and its importance to you.