honors college essay examples

• Have your assignments done by seasoned writers. 24/7
• Contact us:
• +1 (213) 221-0069
• [email protected]

Honors College Essay: Tips, Prompt examples and How to Write

Writing honors college essay

An honors college essay is an academic paper that students typically complete to establish entrance into an honors college, program, or division. An honors paper seeks to test students’ research skills and focus their analytical abilities on a subject of academic interest. 

Due to the specialized focus of the paper, students benefit from serious attention to the college essay topics, which are vital in developing the essay.

An Honors College essay is unique in terms of its requirements, structure, and background. The purpose of this article is to provide advice on writing and structuring an Honors College essay.

Which Universities do Ask for Honors College Essay

1) uci (university of california irvine) .

The UCI has two programs, the Academic Honors Program and the Honors Program. Both are popular with many members. They are not mutually exclusive, but they have different requirements and different goals.

The Academic Honors Program is for students who want to get recognized by their professors for academic achievement. It does not require an essay but several letters of recommendation from faculty members.

You should not apply to either program if you are only interested in one or the other because there is no guarantee that either program will accept your application or that you will gain acceptance into either program.

2) VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University)

The applicants must complete the 500-word Essay on Honors. The essay should address the following topics:

• Your interests and goals, especially as they pertain to your intended major(s) and career path(s). How do you feel about being a lifelong learner?
• Your ideas about leadership, including h
• How you would define leadership, what your leadership style is, how you would use your abilities as a leader to positively impact your community in and out of college, and how you would lead if given the opportunity.

3) NJT (New Jersey Institute of Technology)

NJT requires you to write an essay and submit it along with your application.

These honors college essays usually focus on your intellectual interests and experiences, using specific examples to illustrate your points. It’s essential to select an area you are interested in and know about. 

You should also pick something that you can write about easily; it will be evident if you are writing a research paper or other academic work instead of an honors college essay, so don’t try to fake it!

4) Purdue University

Purdue University’s Honors College focuses on scholarship, leadership, research, and engagement by integrating residential and co-curricular learning opportunities with academic classroom experiences.

Your college application essay needs to breathe life into your application. It should capture your genuine personality, explaining who you are beyond a series of grades, test scores, and after-school activities. 

Take a minute and think about the college or university admission officers who will be reading your essay.

5) Stony Brook University

The Stony Brook Honors College provides an exceptional opportunity for students who want to pursue a challenging course of study in the company of talented peers. Your essay should be no longer than three double-spaced pages and should address certain questions.

It is an opportunity to explain an event that took place on any day in history; what would that event be? Discuss why you chose this particular day. Also, as this question, what do you hope to learn/experience by being present?

How to Write a Good Honors College Essay

Honors college essays follow a formal style with a clear structure. To get your honors college essay, follow these tips:

• Think about the prompt and what you want to say.
• Brainstorm.
• Organize your thoughts into a logical outline.
• Write your introduction.
• End with a conclusion that sums up the main points of your argument and connects those points back to the prompt.

Technically, the honors college essay can be a five-paragraph essay, but it should be more than that.

It should be closer to a 10-paragraph essay, with an introduction and conclusion paragraph that are each about four or five sentences long.

The introduction and conclusion paragraphs should be about the same size. The middle of the essay should be about three paragraphs long, and each of them should be about four to five sentences long.

1. Introduction 

The introduction should have a hook which is a catchy sentence or two that gets the reader interested in reading your essay. Furthermore, it should have an explanation of why you want to go to Honors College: This is usually possible in one sentence. 

Also, there should be a thesis statement. This is usually evident in one sentence at the end of the paragraph. The thesis statement tells the reader what you plan to write about in your essay. For example: “I want to attend honors college because of their strong pre-med program.”

Write the body of your paper using transition words to connect your ideas and explain the connections between them.

The middle paragraphs should include an explanation of why you have chosen your career path and why you are interested. 

3. Conclusion

End with a strong conclusion that ties together everything you discussed within your paper, providing important takeaways for readers as well as leaving them feeling satisfied with what they just read.

Takeaways 

• You are writing an essay, not a text message. In other words, please use complete sentences and correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. If proper English is not your strong suit, enlist someone proficient at it to help edit your essay.
• Be specific about what you want to study and why. Do not just say that you want an education; tell the reader what kind of education you want and why. This is particularly important if you plan to study something that you did not find at your high school. 
• The readers do not expect you to know everything about the field you plan to enter. They expect that you give serious consideration to it and explain why you want to pursue it beyond the fact that “it sounds interesting” or “it pays well.”
• Proofread your essays before sending them in. Errors will distract from whatever else is in those essays and may give us a negative impression of your abilities.

Things to Remember about Honor Essays

The honors essay is one of your best chances to stand out in a meaningful way from other applicants, so be sure to invest time in crafting a great response.

The admission office is looking for the following:

• The office wants to know that you understand what makes the honors program special. We have a diverse group of students and faculty who are passionate about learning and interacting across disciplines.
• What do you think this will mean for you? How will you take advantage of being in an environment that values interdisciplinary thinking?
• Your accomplishments. Let the audience know your talents. Have you excelled academically? What leadership roles have you taken on, or awards have you won? They want to discover what drives your passion for learning, leadership, and service.
• Your plans for the future. The honors program will prepare you for success beyond your skills, whether that’s graduate school or medical school, or a career in a completely different field. 

Examples of Honors College Essay Topics

• Considering your lifetime goals, explain how your present and future academic activities will assist you in achieving your goals. 
• Settle for an issue of importance to you, whether it is political, personal, local, or international related. Then, craft an essay to explain the significance of that issue to yourself, your community, and your generation. 

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

Related posts

How To Write A 4000 Words Essay

How to Write a 4000-word Essay: Score A Fast in 1 or 2 Days

zoom random questions

Zoom Exam cheating and Prevention: Is it Proctored on Camera

How to Write a NJHS Essay

NJHS Essay: How to Write a Winning Piece from Ideas to end

Albert Dorman Honors College

Tips for Writing an Honors College Essay

Writing an Honors College Essay (Max. 400 words)

A college essay is a chance for you to tell us what all your records cannot: who you really are, how you think, and how well you write. It is not an invitation to tell a story, write a novel, or write about other people's experiences. The main point of your essay is to tell us what you have to offer and how you will take advantage of what we have to offer .

• Write an essay that addresses the topic specified  on the application form. A general essay about yourself or an experience you had is not acceptable.
• Do not write your essay as if it were a novel. "The baby cried until it had to be comforted by its mother;" "I could not believe as I walked into my first class that this was the beginning of my engineering career." These tell us nothing about yourself. Regardless of what you may have been told in school, write a straightforward descriptive essay that directly addresses the question asked.
• Avoid clichéd, generic, and predictable writing, such as "I want to help people." This is particularly applicable to essays for accelerated program candidates.
• Do not quote our own description of our program. We know what we have to offer; we are interested in knowing what you have to offer and how you will use what we offer . Tell us about your interests and why the Albert Dorman Honors College is the right place for you.

Purdue Supplemental Essay 2022-2023

Purdue Supplemental Essay: Quick Facts

• Purdue University acceptance rate: 67%— U.S. News ranks Purdue as a more selective school.
• Purdue application: Purdue only accepts the Common Application , not the Coalition Application.
• 2 (100-word) required essays
• 2 (500-word) Purdue Honors College essays (required if applying to the Honors College)
• Purdue Essay Tip: We recommend answering both Purdue University supplemental essays comprehensively and thoughtfully, highlighting in each of your Purdue essays why Purdue is the perfect school for you.

What are Purdue University’s essays?

In addition to the Common App essay , students must also complete the Purdue supplemental essay prompts. 

Required Purdue supplemental essay prompts:

• How will opportunities at Purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom? (100 words)
• Briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing the major you have selected. (100 words)

Required Purdue supplemental essay prompts for Honors College applicants are:

• One Purdue supplemental essay about your vision for your honors experience at Purdue (500 words)
• An additional Purdue supplemental essay about the interdisciplinary nature of your chosen field of study (500 words)

These Purdue application essays represent the final step in the Purdue application process. Strong responses to the Purdue supplemental essays can help your Purdue application stand out among the almost 60,000 applications the university receives each year.

So, if you want to get into Purdue, it’s important to spend time on your responses to the Purdue essay prompts. A solid set of Purdue application essays can make a major difference in the Purdue admissions process.

In this guide, we’ll break down each of the Purdue essay prompts and provide expert tips on how to make sure your Purdue application essays shine. Keep reading to learn how to approach your Purdue University supplemental essays!

Purdue application essay requirements

Many selective colleges require supplemental essays beyond the standard Common App essay, also known as the Personal Statement . The Purdue application requirements are no exception to this. 

There are two Purdue essay prompts required of all applicants. Additionally, Honors College applicants must complete two additional Purdue University supplemental essays. Pay close attention to which Purdue supplemental essays you should complete, as it varies by program. 

So, if you are applying to Purdue University, you must complete at least two 100-word Purdue essay prompts. Each Purdue supplemental essay is designed to give you a chance to show Purdue admissions officers who you are, beyond the rest of your application. You should treat each Purdue supplemental essay as an opportunity to showcase a part of yourself that isn’t highlighted elsewhere within the Purdue application requirements.

Honors College essay requirements

Like many schools, Purdue has additional requirements for the Purdue Honors College. If you apply to the Purdue John Martinson Honors College, you must complete two more 500-word Purdue Honors College essays. These additional prompts help Purdue Admissions ensure that Purdue Honors College applicants go above and beyond the typical Purdue application requirements. 

You should be sure to set aside more than enough time to craft strong Purdue Honors College essays and Purdue supplemental essays.

Purdue Supplemental Essay- Prompt 1 ( Required )

How will opportunities at purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom (100 words maximum).

The first Purdue essay asks applicants to reflect on their academic and personal interests. Then, it asks them to explain how Purdue will help them pursue those interests. In other words, the first of the Purdue essay prompts asks why you want to attend Purdue over any other school. 

You’ve probably encountered similar “why this college?” essay prompts on other applications. So, as you might expect, this Purdue application essay must be specific to Purdue. You won’t be able to copy and paste another school’s essay to answer this Purdue supplemental essay. 

Brainstorming your topic

Before starting to write this Purdue supplemental essay, think about your interest in Purdue. Write down a list of reasons why Purdue made your college list. Does Purdue offer a particular program that interests you? Or does Purdue’s campus culture fit your vision for your college experience? The best responses to the Purdue essay prompts will include specific details.

Building your narrative

Once you have created your list of interests, identify several that you would like to write about in your Purdue supplemental essays. This Purdue supplemental essay doesn’t give you much space; picking one or two interests, therefore, will help you stay within the word count and give your essay some structure. 

When deciding which interests to focus on, remember your other Purdue essay. You can discuss your intended major in the second of the required Purdue essay prompts. With this in mind, make sure you don’t delve into topics better suited for other Purdue essay prompts. Instead, use this Purdue supplemental essay to talk about interests that you have not discussed in other areas of your application. After all, you want each Purdue supplemental essay to showcase a different part of your identity.

Making it specific

Next, research Purdue to see how your interests overlap with opportunities Purdue offers. The Purdue essay prompts are a chance to show off the research you’ve done; for example, talking to Purdue admissions representatives or visiting campus. If any of these interactions relate to one of your chosen themes, mention them in this Purdue supplemental essay. This shows your knowledge of Purdue’s strengths as a university. 

For example, a prospective student could use this Purdue application essay to discuss the state-of-the-art kinesiology labs she visited and how they would help her pursue her interest in physical therapy. Make sure you discuss what you experienced along with how it relates to your interests. Once again, the best Purdue University supplemental essays will use specific details to show why you belong at Purdue.

Writing your essay

Now that you’ve done the brainstorming and research for this Purdue supplemental essay, you can start writing. Because you only have 100 words for this Purdue supplemental essay, you need to make each one count. Avoid unrelated topics, vague wording, and forms of “to be.” Instead, use clear language and strong action verbs in each Purdue essay. Compare these two sentences below:

“There is no school that is a better fit to support my interests than Purdue University.” (16 words)

“Purdue possesses the resources to support my interests.” (8 words)

The second sentence conveys the same message as the first, but it uses much stronger language and fewer words. Specific details and short, powerful sentences will help your Purdue essay stand out. 

Purdue Supplemental Essay Reflection Questions:

• Does your Purdue essay refer to 2-3 strong interests from your list?
• Do you present information not found in other areas of your application?
• Does your Purdue supplemental essay contain specific information about Purdue based on your research?
• Do you clearly explain to Purdue admissions how Purdue will help you pursue your interests?

Purdue Supplemental Essay — Prompt 2 ( Required )

Briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing the major you have selected. (100 words maximum).

The second of the Purdue supplemental essays is the typical “why major essay.” The “why major essay” is a common supplemental essay question that many schools require. Purdue is no different—they want to understand why you aim to pursue the field you’ve indicated on your application. 

The reality of the “why major essay” question is that schools want to know you’ve done your research on their programs. As a result of this, your “why major essay” for each school must relate to that school’s unique offerings. While you can include some general details, you should make sure this essay remains school-specific. 

Not all students know what they plan to major in. Choosing your college major is a big decision, and it requires plenty of forethought. This Purdue supplemental essay can be especially daunting if you’re unsure of your major, so let’s explore how to get around that. 

Brainstorming your major

Before starting to write this “why major essay,” think about the school subjects you enjoy. You may already identify as a lover of math or know you have the most fun in English class. However, Purdue University offers more than 200 different undergraduate majors across their 11 different colleges, so check the full list for options. This research will also help you show demonstrated interest in this Purdue supplemental essay.

When selecting a major for this Purdue application essay, think about the career you might want to pursue. You might consider the topics you have liked learning about, both inside and outside the classroom. If you’re having trouble selecting one major for this Purdue supplemental essay, choose the major you have the most compelling reasons to pursue.

Selecting a field of study for this Purdue supplemental essay might feel daunting. However, don’t be stressed about choosing a major. Instead, as you write your Purdue supplemental essay, focus on showing your intellectual curiosity and engagement with your studies. You can always change your major once you arrive on campus.

Using details

In order to write the best essay possible, include experiences that have made the biggest impact on your academic career. Have you had a teacher who drove you to explore more about their subject? Have you had work or volunteer experience that inspired you to pursue a particular major? Do you have a burning passion to support a specific cause? 

Your Purdue application essay should tell a story. So, highlight stories where you’ve engaged deeply with your chosen subject, whether directly or indirectly. In doing so, you’ll help readers understand why your chosen major excites you. This can help your Purdue supplemental essay showcase your intellectual curiosity.

Whatever major you choose, don’t just discuss the basic reasons why you enjoy it in this Purdue essay. Instead, go deeper. Think of this Purdue essay as a short narrative where you share moments in your life that have influenced you. A student who wants to major in electrical engineering might talk about getting a circuitry kit for Christmas and watching his dad repair wires around the house. She might then share how she helped the school robotics club win a competition. Find those formative moments in your life and use them as the foundation of your Purdue supplemental essay. Again, the best Purdue supplemental essay will be the most specific!

• Does your Purdue essay focus on the major that most interests you?
• Do you use specific details about how you came to love that major?
• Does your Purdue supplemental essay help your reader learn something new about you?

Purdue Honors College Essay Requirements

The Purdue Honors College is a separate program within Purdue University specifically designed for high-achieving students. Recently, the Purdue Honors College became formally known as the John Martinson Honors College. According to their website , “Martinson supports new programmatic initiatives which promote undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity, leadership and professional development, global and community engagement, and innovative pedagogies.” 

You should research the Purdue Honors College thoroughly before deciding if you want to apply. Once you make the decision that the Purdue Honors College is right for you, it’s time to crack down on the Purdue Honors College essays.

The Purdue Honors College supplemental essay requirements are:

• 1 (500-word) Purdue supplemental essay about your vision for your honors experience at Purdue
• 1 (500-word) Purdue essay prompt about the interdisciplinary nature of your chosen field of study

Now, let’s break down each of the Purdue supplemental essays for the Purdue Honors College and talk about strategies to tackle each one. 

For more help on writing supplemental essays, click here . For help standing out in the college admissions process, read this article .

Purdue Honors College Essays- Question 1 

Explain your vision, ideas, or goals for how you hope to shape your honors experience while at purdue. please put this in the context of the four pillars which are the foundation of the john martinson honors college. (500 word maximum).

In order to answer the first of the Honors College Purdue essay prompts effectively, you need to reflect on your reasons for applying to the Honors College. Then, you need to connect those reasons to the four pillars that express the Honors College’s values. The best Purdue application essays will directly connect an applicant’s academic goals with the four pillars of the Purdue Honors College.

Understanding Purdue

Before starting this Purdue supplemental essay, you need to have a firm understanding of the four pillars mentioned in the prompt. These pillars are: community and global engagement, undergraduate research, leadership development, and interdisciplinary academics. Reviewing the Honors College mission statement will give you more information about the four pillars. You do not need to reference all four of these pillars in your Purdue essay; instead, focus on whichever ones best fit with your future plans.

Researching the Honors College beyond the four pillars can also help strengthen your Purdue supplemental essay. Start by browsing this year’s Honors College course list . Review some of the research projects done by past Honors students. As you brainstorm for your Purdue admissions essays, look for programs and projects that connect to your interests. You might see a course or research project that lines up with one of your passions. You can use that as evidence in your Purdue essay that the Honors College will provide an ideal learning environment to nurture your interests.

Making it about you

This Purdue essay prompt asks you to imagine how you would spend your time as a Purdue Honors student. That future will likely be rooted in your past experiences. Strong Purdue application essays, therefore, should use the four pillars of Purdue Honors to connect your past experiences to your future at Purdue. 

When you talk about your future, try to be as specific as possible. For instance, saying that you want to travel to India to study their culture is not as powerful as saying that you want to travel to India to research how native fashions have changed due to modern technology in this Purdue essay.

You can begin brainstorming for this Purdue supplemental essay by doing a fr e e-write based on this prompt: “If I could have any academic experience I want in college, what would it be?” Think about the questions you might explore or problems you would like to solve if you had the freedom to choose. Don’t limit yourself—the best way to start writing is to free yourself from any perfectionism. 

Use this Purdue admissions essay to share the subject that you could stay up all night researching or the idea you cannot get out of your head. Let your ambition come across in your writing, using the four pillars of the Honors College as the foundation for achieving your goals. Finally, help your reader envision how you would contribute to the Honors College in this Purdue supplemental essay.

• Does your Purdue essay clearly describe your goals for attending the Honors College?
• Do you include references to at least one of the four pillars of the Honors College?
• Does your Purdue supplemental essay indicate specific projects you might undertake or resources you might use as an Honors student?

Purdue Honors College Essays — Question 2

Please describe the interdisciplinary nature of your chosen field of study and how it complements or supports other fields. (examples: you might describe how your work in a liberal arts career may impact or inform the work of an engineer.) (500 word maximum).

The second of the Purdue application essays asks how your chosen subject connects to other fields. At first, this Purdue essay can seem daunting. After all, most high school classes are separated by subject without much room for interdisciplinary work. However, with a little creative thinking, you can develop relationships between just about any set of subjects and use those relationships to write a strong Purdue essay.

Finding an intersection

To get you started, here are a few examples of interdisciplinary study that would make good material for Purdue application essays:

• Creating a business plan for a health care clinic combines medicine with economics
• Volunteering at a music therapy provider combines Psychology and Music into an interdisciplinary field grounded in helping those with mental illnesses
• A project about the evolution of manufacturing technology combines history with engineering

These example topics for a Purdue supplemental essay represent a tiny fraction of the ways you could answer this prompt. Each of these potential Purdue application essays could also tie in with some of your activities from high school. 

You might also use your Purdue essay to consider what you have learned working with people who have different interests than yours and how you could bring that knowledge to your studies. Strong Purdue admissions essays can come from anywhere, so don’t limit yourself. 

Getting creative

If you struggle to form connections between academic fields based on your personal experience, you can use your imagination to come up with hypothetical situations that might foster collaboration across fields. These imaginary situations can still make for a great Purdue supplemental essay. 

For instance, as a lover of computer science, you might imagine its applications in the world of digital art to create vivid settings for a video game. The best Purdue supplemental essays will be unique and creative. Additionally, strong Purdue application essays will tell a story. The more you can use narratives to illustrate the wide range of uses for your discipline, the more successful your Purdue admissions essay will be.

Essays Reflection Questions for Purdue Honors College :

• Does your Purdue supplemental essay demonstrate your enthusiasm for your chosen field?
• Do you include a variety of possible connections between your chosen fields and other fields?
• Does your Purdue admissions essay use stories and examples to illustrate the connections between fields?

Want more helpful tips on how to approach your Purdue supplemental essays and other aspects of Purdue University’s application process? Check out this video below from Purdue’s senior assistant director of admissions! 

What does Purdue University look for in essays?

Your Purdue supplemental essays help the admissions team get to know you beyond your demographics, transcript, and activities list. Each Purdue essay also provides valuable insight into what kind of student you would be.

These specific Purdue essay prompts help the Purdue admissions committee understand how you will use your education at Purdue. Purdue looks for students who can articulate their interests and describe how Purdue’s resources will help them pursue these interests. Your Purdue application essays, then, should show the Purdue admissions team how Purdue would help you meet your goals.

Demonstrated Interest

The committee wants to see you show demonstrated interest (DI) in Purdue. DI is a gauge that universities use to determine how interested a student is in attending their school. To take advantage of this, use your Purdue application essays to explain exactly what about Purdue interests you. You don’t need to physically visit the campus to write strong Purdue supplemental essays. However, if you don’t visit , it helps to find other ways of showing your interest. These include contacting admissions officers, reviewing the school’s website, or attending a virtual information session/webinar.

The Purdue admissions team also wants to know if you can write clearly and concisely—an important skill for succeeding in college. So, ensure your writing is strong, clear, and free of any errors. Your Purdue application essays also show your attention to detail and passion for learning. Students who use the Purdue essay prompts to showcase their passions will definitely impress the admissions team.

How do I get into Purdue University?

Getting accepted into Purdue starts with filling out the Common Application and meeting the Purdue application requirements. On the Common Application, you will report your GPA, list your high school activities, and write a 250-650 word Common App essay. 

For the fall and spring of 2023, Purdue is test flexible . This means if you have the opportunity to take the SAT or ACT, Purdue admissions would prefer you do. This is different from test optional because test optional schools truly have no preference for test scores. Purdue, however, makes it clear that they would like to review test scores as part of your application if possible. Strong scores will only enhance your application . 

Purdue application requirements

Your GPA , course schedule, test scores, Common App essay, letters of recommendation , supplemental essays, and extracurricular activities comprise the Purdue application requirements and will all factor into the committee’s decision.

Last year, approximately 60,000 students applied to Purdue University. The median GPA range of accepted applicants was 3.5-3.9, the median SAT was 119-1410, and the median ACT was 26-33. As you can see, Purdue admits students with high scores, which contributes to the U.S. News Purdue University ranking.

Purdue Application

In 2022, U.S. News assigned its Purdue University ranking among national universities at #51 overall. US News also named Purdue as one of the Top 10 most innovative universities in the last four years. Among public universities , the Purdue University ranking is #18 in the country. Purdue University’s top academic programs include Aerospace Engineering (where the Purdue University ranking is #5) and Biological/Agricultural Engineering (where the Purdue University ranking is #2). This makes Purdue a great fit for students specifically interested in those fields.

Finally, the Purdue University ranking attracts many applicants who view Purdue’s rankings as a sign of prestige. This means that Purdue supplemental essays will be used to determine which students are interested in attending for reasons beyond the Purdue University ranking. Remember, your Purdue supplemental essays are your chance to show the admissions team your genuine interest in the school. 

Looking to put your best foot forward when filling out the Common Application and writing the Common App essay? Check out this guide for helpful tips.

Top 5 Purdue Supplemental Essay Tips

How to write an outstanding purdue supplemental essay:, #1 – start early.

Be sure to leave yourself time to edit and revise each of your Purdue University supplemental essays. You don’t want to be drafting and editing a Purdue supplemental essay down to the wire.

#2 – Look at the big picture

When writing your Purdue supplemental essays, consider your application as a whole. Make sure that each Purdue supplemental essay explores something new about you. 

#3 – Be authentic

Don’t lie or exaggerate on your Purdue University supplemental essays. Each Purdue application essay is a chance for you to showcase who you are.

#4 – Show your unique self

These Purdue supplemental essays are an opportunity for you to stand out to Purdue admissions. Don’t generalize in your responses to the Purdue essay prompts. Instead, get specific about your experiences. Use the opportunity to not only demonstrate who you are, but also to show off your writing style.

#5 – Proofread, proofread, proofread!

Edit your essays . You don’t want to craft a stellar Purdue supplemental essay, only to have it marred by poor grammar or a spelling mistake. Have another person look over each Purdue supplemental essay before you submit it. 

Purdue Supplemental Essay — Final Thoughts

Although each Purdue supplemental essay is short, they are also incredibly important. Don’t think that a short essay will take you less time to write—often, short essays are the hardest to write. Given the Purdue University ranking, you should use every chance you get to stand out. This includes crafting strong Purdue supplemental essays.

Be yourself

The Purdue essay prompts help the admissions committee get to know the person behind the grades and test scores. Make sure that your Purdue supplemental essays are full of anecdotes and stories that show why you will succeed as a Purdue student! Let your readers know in each Purdue supplemental essay that you have done your research and thought about why you want to attend Purdue.

Ask for help!

And finally, seek help from trusted sources with editing your Purdue supplemental essays; sometimes a second opinion can help you improve your Purdue essays in unexpected ways.

This Purdue supplemental essays guide was written by Laura Frustaci.   Looking for more admissions support? Click  here  to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how  CollegeAdvisor.com  can support you in the college application process.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Search this site

Clark honors college menu, clark honors college, essay tips & prompt, the clark honors college essay requirements for admission .

Applying to the Clark Honors College requires two different essays:

• One using the Honors College prompt
• One from either the Oregon Application Personal Statement or the Common Application*

The UO general essay topic cannot be used to fulfill the Clark Honors College essay. You must complete both of them. 

(*Note: On the Common Application, the Honors College essay prompt will appear immediately below the honors question on your screen when you answer “yes” to apply.) 

Clark Honors College essay instructions: 

The Honors College strives to be a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive place. When faculty and staff review the applications, they are looking to see how you think and how your mind works. The best essays: 

• demonstrate effective storytelling 
• include thoughtful analysis 
• synthesize themes in a meaningful way 
• give a sense of your personality and unique perspective 

The CHC essay prompt:

Curiosity and breadth of interests are defining characteristics of Clark Honors College students. We value originality and want to learn more about your unique journey and the nature and breadth of your intellectual curiosity.

Please tell us about a specific enthusiasm that showcases your curiosity and intellectual engagement with the world. Your chosen enthusiasm or passion can be from any domain—academic, artistic, scientific, cultural, or any other area that has captivated your interest. Be thoughtful and provide concrete examples to support your response.

Please limit your response to a maximum of 500 words.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 70+ academic honors examples for your college application.

College Admissions

College applications are all about showing off to the admissions committee, and what better way to do so than to lead with your most impressive academic awards.   What are the best academic honors and awards to put on a college application?

In this guide, we give you 7 0+ academic honors examples to give you an idea of what types of achievements colleges like to see most on applications.   In addition, we explain what counts as an academic honor or award, go over different impressive academic honors and awards examples you can get, and give you useful tips for effectively talking about awards on your application.

What Is an Academic Honor or Award?

First things first, what counts as an academic honor or award?

Generally speaking, an academic honor or award is any major achievement you’ve made and been recognized for in some way.   The form of recognition can range from an actual object, such as a trophy or plaque, to prize money, a title, or verbal recognition.

Typically, an academic honor will fall into one of the following categories:

• Distinction, honor, or honorable mention  for which you won’t usually receive a physical object or award—just the title
• A diploma or certificate indicating the completion of a program or recognizing an accomplishment in a program or other activity
• Prize or award won from a contest, competition, or tournament
• Scholarship given in recognition of an outstanding (academic) accomplishment
• Membership in a highly selective and competitive group or society

If you’ve won any awards for specific activities such as a sport you play or a club you’re part of, it’s better to list these in the extracurricular activities section of your application instead of in a separate awards section.

So what are some honors and awards to put on a college application? Up next, we'll take a look at more than 70 academic honors examples.

Academic Honors and Awards Examples

Here, we give you a list of 70+ academic honors and awards examples you could include on your own college application, from prizes won in national and international contests to school-based distinctions and awards.

All the academic honors examples below are grouped by category and listed alphabetically.

Note that this is not an exhaustive list of all academic honors and awards you could possibly have, so if you have an achievement that doesn’t exactly match one of the examples below, don’t worry—you can still put it on your college application!

Advanced Placement (AP) Awards

• AP International Diploma (APID)
• AP Scholar with Distinction
• AP Scholar with Honor
• DoDEA AP Scholar
• International AP Scholar
• National AP Scholar
• State AP Scholar
• IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Certificate

National Awards

• Governor’s Volunteer Award
• National Student Volunteer Award
• President’s Award for Educational Achievement
• President’s Award for Educational Excellence
• President’s National Service Award

PSAT Awards

• National Hispanic Scholar
• National Merit Commended Student
• National Merit Finalist
• National Merit Scholar
• National Merit Semifinalist
• School-based National Merit Scholarship winner

School-Based Awards

• Foreign language award
• High class rank (e.g., top 10%)
• Honor roll/GPA award
• National Honor Society membership
• Perfect Attendance Award
• School-specific award
• School subject-specific award
• Student of the Month/Term/Year
• Subject-specific Honor Society membership (e.g., Science Honor Society)

Competitions and Contests

• AAN Neuroscience Research Prize
• Academic Decathlon
• Academic Triathlon
• American Regions Mathematics League (ARML)
• B.E.S.T. Robotics Design contest
• Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge
• Davidson Fellows Scholarship
• Doodle 4 Google
• Google Science Fair
• Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
• International BioGENEius Challenge
• International Chemistry Olympiad
• International Mathematical Olympiad
• International Photography Awards (IPA)
• Kids Philosophy Slam
• Microsoft Imagine Cup
• MIT INSPIRE
• MIT THINK Scholars Program
• National Academic League
• National Academic Quiz Tournament
• National Economics Challenge by CEE
• National Geographic Bee
• National Geographic Student Photo Contest
• National High School Mock Trial Championship
• National Science Bowl
• National Science Olympiad
• PhysicsBowl
• Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
• Regional/National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
• Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
• Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards
• University Interscholastic League (UIL)

Miscellaneous Awards

• Boy Scouts/Eagle Scouts awards
• Employee of the Month
• Girl Scouts awards
• Merit scholarships for college
• Musical performance award
• National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) winner
• National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo) winner
• Publications (such as short stories, art pieces, essays, etc.)
• Volunteer award
• Work award or promotion

The Best Honors and Awards to Put on a College Application

Of the dozens of academic honors examples above, which ones will look the most impressive on a college application?  Here, we explain the top four qualities a truly impressive academic honor will have. 

Note that an honor doesn’t need to have all  these qualities, though if it does, then it is definitely an excellent one to put on your application!

#1: It’s Highly Selective

One quality you want to highlight on your application is the selectivity of the award or honor you’ve won.  In other words, the academic award will be one that a lot of students try to win, making it difficult to achieve.

For example, because national and international contests and competitions draw so many student competitors, winning an award like these would certainly impress the admissions committee.

The more selective an academic honor or award is, the more impressive it’ll look on your college application.

Academic Honors Examples of Highly Selective Awards

• Google Science Fair winner

#2: It’s Unique

Admissions committees see a lot of honor roll and National Society honors on college applications (not that these are bad — they’re just fairly common). So if you've won a particularly unique or rare award, definitely include it on your application, as this will  help you stand out from the crowd.

A unique award can be highly selective; it can also be one that is less well known or that highlights something creative, surprising, or impressive about you.

For instance, maybe you won the Most Innovative Employee award at your part-time job after you pitched the idea to create and manage a social media page for the company.

Academic Honors Examples of Unique Awards

• Specific school-based awards (e.g., Most Confident Speaker in Chinese Class)
• Local or community-based awards 

#3: It’s Relevant to Your Academic Interests and Strengths

Another academic award or honor that's  great to include on your college application is one that’s relevant to your academic interests and strengths.  These are typically subject- or field-specific awards, such as English or writing awards, math awards, etc.

For example, if you’re planning to major in engineering, you'd want to detail any awards you might have won in science, math, or engineering contests.

Relevant awards indicate to the admissions committee not only that you’re truly committed to the field you want to study, but also that you’re one of the most promising students in your field.

Academic Honors Examples of Relevant Awards

• Writing award or publication (if you’re an English or creative writing major, for example)
• STEM award (if you’re a STEM major)
• Model UN (if you’re a political science or IR major, for example)

#4: It Highlights Your Leadership Potential

An impressive academic honor or award will also emphasize your leadership potential.  These are typically   awards that involve group or collaborative work.  S o if you ever led others to success — as a captain or president, for instance — this kind of honor would look great to potential colleges.

Just make sure that you explain on your application what kind of role you had and how your leadership specifically led your team to success.

Academic Honors Examples of Leadership/Group Awards

• Volunteer awards
• Girl Scouts or Eagle Scouts awards

How to Talk About Honors on Your College Application: 4 Tips

Since you likely won’t have a lot of room to write about academic honors and awards on your application, it's important that   you present your academic achievements in an effective, impressive way.  Here are some tips on how to talk about the awards you've won.

Tip 1: Open With Your Most Impressive Awards

Admissions officers don’t usually spend a lot of time with each application they get, so you want to make sure that you’re catching their eyes right away by starting with your most impressive honors and awards.  These will generally be awards that are highly competitive and required a lot of work and commitment on your end.

Tip 2: Focus on Your Spike

A "spike" is a particular academic passion you have.   For example, if you’re a science buff who plans to major in chemistry, you'd want to emphasize your spike on your application by focusing primarily on your chemistry- and science-related activities and awards.

Having a spike will ultimately help you stand out from other applicants.  To learn more about how you can develop a spike, check out our guide on how to get into Harvard and the Ivy League .

Tip 3: Describe Awards That Are Vague or Unclear

Not all academic awards and honors are well known or obvious, especially if they’re unique to your school or area. Therefore, m ake sure that you’re using the space you have in the awards section of your application to describe any academic honors that the admissions committee is probably unfamiliar with.

The last thing you want an award to do is confuse admissions officers, so be clear about what it is, how you won it, and what makes it impressive.

Tip 4: Explain the Competitiveness of the Award

For each academic award or honor you’ve won, you want to clarify its level of competitiveness by explaining the scope of the competition.  For example, was the science tournament you won a national one? A local one? A school-based one?

Note that if the award has the word "national" or "international" in it, you shouldn’t have to add much explanation to its description since it'll be obvious that the award is fairly selective.

The overall point here is to show off!

Recap: Honors and Awards to Put on a College Application

As you can see, there's a huge variety in the types of academic honors and awards examples you can put on your college application. The 70+ academic honors examples listed above are just some of the possible honors you could include.

In general, the best academic honors to include on your application will have some or all of the following qualities:

• They’re highly selective/competitive
• They’re unique
• They highlight your academic interests and strengths (your "spike," that is)
• They emphasize your leadership skills/potential

You won’t have a ton of space on your application to explain the academic awards you’ve won, so it’s important to use the room you have wisely. To reiterate, h ere are our four best tips for how to talk about your academic awards and honors on your application:

• Open with your most impressive awards and honors
• Focus on your spike —i.e.,  your biggest academic passion and commitment
• Describe any vague, unclear, or lesser-known awards/honors you've received
• Explain the competitiveness of the award

Now get out there and win some awards!

What’s Next?

Lots of colleges use the Common App . If you're going to be using this platform to apply to college, make sure you know what to expect with the Common App honors section .

Planning to take AP tests in the spring? If you're hoping to snag a distinguished AP award , read our guide to get tips on how you can do this.

Honors can prove that you're a serious and ambitious college applicant.  Check out our expert guide to learn what high school honors is and how you can achieve honors status at your own high school.

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

• Scholarships

Why Honors College Essay Examples

• 5 minute read

• December 5, 2023
• No comments

Examples of Why Honors College Essays It’s an exciting trip to begin the process of applying to honours colleges, and one of the most crucial steps in the process is producing a strong essay. This article examines the importance of honours college essay samples and how they may provide guidance, inspiration, and a better knowledge of the expectations established by these esteemed universities.

This is your opportunity to tell a compelling tale that showcases your voice, objectives, and prospective contributions to the academic community. By accepting the lessons from examples and appreciating the subtleties of the writing process, applicants may approach their essays with confidence, knowing that a well-crafted piece can have a huge influence on their honours college admissions journey.

Understanding Honors College Essays

Goal and Significance: Honors college essays provide insights into the character, goals, and distinctive attributes of potential students. They offer a comprehensive perspective that admissions committees find invaluable, going beyond academic accomplishments.

Distinctive Features of Honors College Essays : Unlike standard application essays, honours college essays often have specific prompts that demand a more sophisticated methodology. They aim to identify individuals who not only excel academically but also contribute meaningfully to the academic community.

Why Examples Matter

Learning through Illustration: Examples serve as practical guides, offering a tangible representation of what makes an honours college essay exceptional. Analyzing well-crafted essays provides insights into structure, tone, and the effective use of language.

Gaining Insight into Expectations: By studying examples, applicants gain a clearer understanding of the expectations of honours colleges. This insight helps align personal narratives with the values and goals of the institution.

Showcasing Individuality

Emphasizing Personal Experiences: Examples illuminate the power of personal narratives. They showcase how applicants can draw from their unique experiences, challenges, and triumphs to create compelling narratives that set them apart.

Conveying Passion and Ambition: Honors college essays are an opportunity to convey passion and ambition. Examples demonstrate how successful essays passionately articulate individual goals and aspirations.

Key Elements of a Strong Honors College Essay

Clear Articulation of Goals: Successful examples illustrate how applicants articulate their academic and career goals coherently. The clarity in expressing how an honours education aligns with these goals strengthens the essay.

Academic and Extracurricular Achievements: Effective essays balance academic achievements with extracurricular involvement. Examples demonstrate how to highlight accomplishments without overshadowing the broader narrative.

Addressing Challenges Creatively

Overcoming Potential Pitfalls: Honors college essays may present challenges, such as avoiding clichés or steering clear of generic statements. Examples showcase creative approaches to addressing these pitfalls.

Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Instead of shying away from challenges, examples demonstrate how applicants can turn them into opportunities for personal growth and reflection.

Diversity in Honors College Essays

Varied Approaches to Narratives: Examples underscore the diversity in approaches to storytelling. They show that there is no one-size-fits-all formula, encouraging applicants to embrace their individuality.

The Role of Diversity in Strengthening Essays: Honors colleges often seek diverse perspectives. Examples emphasize the importance of incorporating personal experiences that contribute to the rich tapestry of the academic community.

Impact of Honors College Essays on Admissions

Elevating Overall Application: An exemplary honors college essay can elevate the entire application. Examples reveal how a well-crafted essay contributes to a positive impression, enhancing the likelihood of admission.

Standing Out in the Selection Process: Competition for honors college admission is intense. Examples demonstrate how a standout essay can make an applicant memorable in a crowded pool of high-achieving individuals.

Strategies for Crafting Compelling Honors College Essays

Planning and Brainstorming: Examples showcase the importance of thorough planning and brainstorming. They highlight how a well-thought-out strategy enhances the coherence and impact of the essay.

Refining the Writing Process: Applicants can learn from examples how to refine their writing through multiple drafts. The journey from initial ideas to polished prose is a crucial aspect of crafting a compelling essay.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Generic Statements and Clichés: Examples serve as cautionary tales against generic statements and clichés. They emphasize the importance of originality and authenticity.

Overemphasis on Achievements: While achievements are essential, examples show that overemphasizing them can detract from the personal narrative. A balanced approach is crucial.

Analyzing Successful Honors College Essay Examples

Breakdown of Noteworthy Essays : This section analyzes specific examples of successful honours college essays. By breaking down these essays, applicants can extract valuable lessons and apply them to their writing.

Extracting Lessons for Application: Each example provides unique insights. Extracting lessons from successful essays empowers applicants to make informed decisions in their application process.

The Power of Storytelling

Weaving a Narrative Thread: Examples demonstrate the power of storytelling. Crafting a narrative thread that runs through the essay captivates readers and leaves a lasting impression.

Making an Emotional Connection: Successful essays make an emotional connection. Examples reveal how vulnerability and authenticity foster this connection, creating a memorable reading experience.

Addressing Specific Honors College Prompts

Tailoring Responses to Prompts: Honors colleges often pose specific prompts. Examples illustrate how applicants can tailor their responses to these prompts while still weaving in a cohesive narrative.

Aligning Essays with Institutional Values: Understanding an institution’s values is crucial. Examples show how to align personal narratives with these values to create a strong fit.

Resources for Crafting Honors College Essays

Writing Workshops and Guidance: Examples are not the only resources available. This section discusses the value of writing workshops and guidance from mentors in honing essay-writing skills.

Seeking Feedback from Mentors: Feedback from mentors is invaluable. Examples highlight the iterative nature of essay writing and the importance of seeking constructive feedback.

Writing an honours college essay is a special chance to demonstrate your uniqueness, ambition, and sincere love of learning. Applicants can write with confidence knowing that a well-written essay is a powerful tool in the competitive world of honors college admissions by exploring examples and appreciating their significance.

Examining why honours college essay examples can help prospective students navigate the cutthroat world of admissions. It is evidence of the narrative’s transformational power and the significance of authenticity in creating tales that appeal to admissions committees. As candidates begin this writing journey, they are urged to value their distinctive stories, take inspiration from role models, and establish themselves as valuable members of the active academic communities of honours colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do you believe you will be a good fit for your preferred honours program example?

Honor College Admission Essay Sample Not only will I receive great care and attention by getting a tailored education from professors who are experts in their field, but I will also have the privilege of networking with like-minded peers and possible mentors.

2. What makes an honors student?

Typically, it entails obtaining a specific Grade Point Average (GPA) that accurately represents the work. It is scored using a 4-point system, and each school may have its own unique set of circumstances. Still, 3.5 or above is typically the minimum GPA needed to be admitted as an honours student.

Amarachi Agwu

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You May Also Like

What To Wear On A College Tour

• December 4, 2023

• 4 minute read

Is Rollins College A Party School? 15 Mind-Blowing Facts

• September 8, 2023

• 6 minute read

How To Masturbate In College

• December 6, 2023

How To Apply For Clarendon Scholarship

• November 30, 2023

What Colleges Give Scholarships For Esports

What Colleges Accept 1300 SAT score? Full List

• August 24, 2023

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, rutgers honors college essay examples.

Hey everyone, I'm applying to Rutgers Honors College and I'd like some help with the essay. Any examples of successful essays or tips on writing them would be super helpful! I really want my application to be strong. Thanks a lot!

Hi! It's great that you're aiming to make your Honors College application as strong as possible. While I can't share specific examples of successful essays (partly because sharing someone's unique essay may breach their privacy), here are some general tips on writing a stand-out Honors College essay for Rutgers. Keep in mind that the purpose of the essay is to showcase your abilities, accomplishments, and depth of thought in a way that separates you from other applicants.

1. Read the prompt carefully: Ensure you understand what the prompt is asking of you. Address all aspects of the prompt and use it to shape your essay’s narrative.

2. Be genuine: Be honest about your experiences, goals, and passion. Your genuine voice will resonate with the admissions committee, making your essay more memorable.

3. Show, don't tell: Instead of listing your accomplishments, delve into one or two meaningful experiences and describe them in detail—what happened, your role, and how it impacted you. Use descriptive language and examples that paint a vivid picture for the reader.

4. Connect your experiences: Draw connections between your achievements, experiences, or skills, and the values or qualities required for success in the Honors College. Demonstrate how these experiences have prepared you for the challenges and opportunities within the program.

5. Keep it concise: While you may have a lot to share, focus on the most relevant examples and ensure that you maintain a clear structure throughout the essay. You want the reader to easily follow your thoughts and grasp the key points you’re making.

6. Proofread and revise: Allow yourself enough time to revise your draft multiple times. Ask friends, family, or teachers to review your essay, provide feedback, and check for errors. This will not only help you polish your essay, but it will also demonstrate your commitment to submitting a quality application.

Remember to maintain your unique voice while writing and focus on demonstrating your genuine interest in the Honors College at Rutgers. By showcasing what makes you stand out and connecting your experiences to the program, you'll build a compelling essay that will leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee. Good luck!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

Want free help with your college essay?

UPchieve connects you with knowledgeable and friendly college advisors—online, 24/7, and completely free. Get 1:1 help brainstorming topics, outlining your essay, revising a draft, or editing grammar.

Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student Story: Admissions essay about a formative experience

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org.

University of South Florida

Judy Genshaft Honors College

Tampa | St. Petersburg | Sarasota-Manatee

Main Navigation

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 

College Scholars Program

Fall 2024 honors seminars.

HONS 1810W-84                             “Pop Music and its Meanings”                  TR 1:15-2:30 pm Professor Emily Lordi, Department of English AXLE: Humanities & the Creative Arts (HCA)

In this class, we’ll treat pop songs—from pop to rock to rap–not simply as mere entertainment but as texts we can decode to better understand our world. We’ll hone this way of listening in part by reading the work of America’s finest, most influential music scholars and critics. These writers will teach us to read song lyrics as poetry, and to assess how other aspects of music contribute to—and complicate—a song’s overall meaning. We’ll also explore what makes certain artists such celebrated, insightful and controversial interpreters of contemporary life. How do they capture fleeting feelings, nuanced identities, and new realties? Assignments will include several short essays, longer papers, a presentation, and lots of close listening. No prior musical expertise is necessary, although a love of music will enhance students’ experience of this course.

HONS 1820W-43 “Exposed: Early French Photography from Portraiture to Pornography” TR 11 am-12:15 pm Professor Raisa Rexer, Department of French and Italian AXLE: Perspectives (P)

No invention has changed the way we perceive and reproduce the world around us more dramatically than the photograph. Focusing on France, where photography was officially invented in 1839, this class surveys the first six decades of photography in thematic modules including portraiture, colonial photography in North Africa, pornography, the transformation of Paris, crime scene photography, and the rise of the personal camera. Looking at photographs, fiction, non-fiction, and visual works in other media, it explores how the invention of photography raised fundamental questions about our relationship to reality and its representation that continue to resonate in the age of social media nearly two centuries later.

HONS 1850W-34 “Murmurations and Emergence TR 2:45-4 pm Professor John Wikswo, Department of Physics AXLE: Math and Natural Sciences (MNS)

A flock of starling careening over Rome is an example of a murmuration, as is a swirling school of sardines avoiding a marine predator. These are popular examples of emergent phenomena, wherein a collection of entities with agency exhibits a group behavior that no entity can possess on its own. This student-driven seminar will explore the science of emergence, spanning the origins of multi-cellular life, the thermodynamics of evolution, the appearance of intelligence within populations of neurons, the creation of societies and religion, and, as a subject of in-class experimentation, the emergence of a collective consciousness as the seminar participants learn how to minimize competition, enhance mutual trust and respect, and work together to identify and answer intellectual questions of common interest.

HONS 1860W-32 “Food in Chinese History” TR 4:15-5:30 pm Professor Peter Lorge, Department of History AXLE: International Cultures (INT)

This course examines the history of food in China, from its earliest times to the present, including its spread abroad.  The culture of food extends from changes in agriculture to regional variations in practice, and the social differentiation of eating habits.  Food played a prominent role in literature, philosophy, and religion.  Imports of new products like chili peppers dramatically changed regional cuisines.  The course will include some sessions in Vanderbilt’s demonstration kitchen.

HONS 1860W-33 “Jewish Diaspora in Mexico through Literature and Art” MWF 10:10-11 am Professor Christina Karageorgou-Bastea, Department of Spanish & Portuguese AXLE: International Cultures (INT)

Claudia Sheinbaum: do you know that she will probably be the next president of Mexico? Do you know that Dr. Sheinbaum, former mayor of Mexico City, a physician, and now the candidate with more favorable prediction for her election in the rally of June 2, is Jewish? Do you know that she is of both Ashkenazi and Sephardic origin? The answer to these questions is yes. Now, can you imagine how, in the course of a century, a Jewish woman, whose ancestors arrived in Mexico between the 1920s and the 1940s from Lithuania and Bulgaria, can become the public, national and international face of a majorly catholic nation, known internationally for the toxic male character of the macho ? If you can’t imagine, but you do want to know, this seminar will lead you to explore the long line of Jewish diaspora in Mexico which includes obscure although fundamental figures persecuted by the Inquisition such as Luis de Carvajal, el Mozo, to women whose names and work you know and admire, such as the iconic painter Frida Kahlo. On the way to mapping the presence of Jews in Mexico we will learn from history, sociology, diaspora, gender, migration, and Jewish studies, linguistics, Mexican literature, visual arts, film. In this course we will also analyze the effect of Jewish diaspora in Mexican society as seen by non-Jewish artists. Grading system includes quizzes, mini essays, oral presentations, and a final piece of research.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

2 Successful Penn State Essay Examples

What’s covered:, essay example 1 – calligraphy, essay example 2 – collaborative learning, where to get feedback on your essay .

Penn State University is a selective research university. Writing a strong essay can help your application stand out. In this post, we’ll go over an essay a real student submitted to Penn State University and outline their strengths and areas of improvement. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Penn State essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. (500 words)

When I started high school, I often had crumpled wads of paper sprinkled around my room and pens all over my desk. I was learning how to write in calligraphy but clearly, it was not going well. One stroke up and one stroke down to form each letter. It seemed very easy but my letters looked lopsided. I kept working on it and ruined many envelopes but for some reason, it was just not clicking. I decided to stop practicing and leave it alone. It was just an extra skill anyway so, no harm done.

Much later, I was really bored on a rainy Saturday with nothing to do. I figured “hey, maybe I’ll give calligraphy another shot”. I busted out more paper from the printer and my favorite Tombow Fudenosuke pens to get to work. I kept practicing the upstrokes and downstrokes but now, I was thinking less and feeling more. My hands started to move gracefully across the page with beautiful lettering left behind. My block had been mental and now finally, I could write in calligraphy. I have many experiences like this and they have all shaped me to realize that I want to become the most beautiful version of myself, like calligraphy is compared to regular writing.

At Penn State, I will strive to become more polished and refined. College will not be my final draft, rather it will consist of more editing. I know that I love science but now is the time for me to refine my interests. I can put my up and down strokes together to form letters. I look forward to taking advantage of the unique classes PSU has such as Science, Ethics, Policy, and Law, or Biology of Aging. These will create words.

I can intern at the Fox Chase Cancer Center to understand the ins and outs of a career in medicine and to interact with patients. I can be responsible for others besides myself in a different light and learn from other healthcare professionals. These experiences will help me form elegant sentences.

I will learn to make time for other things besides schoolwork to make my letters varied. I will be cheering in the stands on Football Saturdays, decked out in white for the white-out game. I can spend time with friends outside of Berkey Creamery in between classes. I can have dinner with my roommate on the other side of Pollock Road. I aim to have a holistic experience at Penn State and focus on more than just academics because I am more than my grades.  

My experiences at PSU will make me refined just like the sophisticated letters on my graduation invitations. I can picture it now: PSU in huge writing. The only question is, blue or white?

What the Essay Did Well

This essay is brilliantly written like a “ Why This College ” essay, where the writer shares specific information about activities they would get involved in if they were a student at Penn State University. Sharing details specific to Penn State University, such as “Berkey Creamery” and “Pollock Road,” shows that the student has done their research about the school and is excited about the possibility of attending. The writer also shares a variety of things about the school that they like. They share potential classes, internships, and events they’d participate in as a student. All of this helps the admissions committee see the writer as a student at Penn State University–which, as a hopeful student, is a great thing!

The language at the beginning is beautiful and pulls the reader into the story. Imagery like “crumpled wads of paper sprinkled around my room” and “one stroke up and one stroke down” paint a picture for the reader that clearly shows what the writer is saying. It also helps highlight a student’s talent at writing. 

Finally, by referencing calligraphy throughout the essay, the writer connects the two parts of the prompt together, an activity they like and how they’re going to succeed at Penn State University. This creates great continuity and flow throughout the essay. When you write your essay, reflect on how all the pieces and answers to each part of the prompt (if there are multiple) work together to contribute to your overall message.

What Could Be Improved 

This essay has a lot of sentences that start in a similar manner. There’s a lot of “I can…”, “I will…”, or “I” followed by another verb. It’s important to vary your sentence structure so that the essay flows better and doesn’t sound repetitive. Instead of ”I can intern at the Fox Chase Cancer Center to understand the ins and outs of a career in medicine,” the writer could have said something like, “Interning at the Fox Chase Cancer Center would help me to understand the ins and outs of a career in medicine.” This isn’t a big change, but it will help improve the overall style of the essay. This is a common problem in a “ Why School? ” essay when students write about what they would do as a student at a particular college, so make sure to look out for it. 

While this essay does a great job overall of being specific, there are moments where the writer could have provided more details. For example, they wrote: “I have many experiences like this… ” It would have been better if the writer had briefly specified these experiences. They could have written: “This experience and others like learning photography and to play the piano have shaped me to realize that I want to become the most beautiful version of myself.” This would provide more information about the writer’s interests and life that the reader wouldn’t otherwise learn. 

The clock ticked 09:25 a.m., exactly an hour left for my exam. Unlike other exam days, I was nervous. Well, it was understandable, I had spent a whole 2 months in a hospital bed and another week or two recovering and flushing out the heavy doses of medicines out of my body. Dizziness was still there, however platelet count has only crossed the bare minimum mark. My attention span dropped drastically and I found it hard to focus for longer hours.

Only I knew how I managed to climb up the stairs to the 3rd floor and walk across the classroom in midst of all the concerning and questioning gazes of “Where Have You  Been?” 

I was just setting up my books and stationary, when my friend came up and asked for my help in some topic related to the exam. It was in no means new, we usually discussed after our lectures and cleared our doubts. I’ve always believed that peers understand our perspective better than teachers, because they are as new to the topic as myself.  

I spent another 20 minutes explaining and making her understand the concepts. It turned out 2 more classmates had the same doubts and we ended up revising the whole chapter, along with quick summaries of other chapters as well.

The bell rang and it was time for the exam. We followed the same ritual for the following exams. We were 9 classmates; discussing problems, giving explanations and finding solutions, and giving our 100% in exams. Unknowingly we formed this study group that continued the whole academic session and helped us in the best way possible.

I wonder if it was my instinct for feeling responsible and agreeing on helping out my classmates or I was grateful that she helped me in escaping the questions coming my way that day.

This experience didn’t only help me in accelerating my studies, but also as I listened and asked questions, I soon noticed a variety of viewpoints and approaches to the same idea and problem. This helped me in developing critical thinking skills and collaboration abilities. 

This is an excellent practice for when I’ve finished school and out where I will find myself in similar group dynamics.

This type of prompt is extremely open-ended: tell us something (anything!) that shows that you could succeed at Penn State. While you have the freedom to say whatever you want, it is imperative that you pick a focus for your essay and stick to it. You don’t want to confuse or overwhelm your reader by going in a million directions at once. 

This writer does an excellent job of keeping their essay cohesive and easy to follow by structuring everything around one particular experience they had doing some last-minute studying before a test. Through their discussion of this experience, we learn that:

• They are REFLECTIVE — With the line “I wonder if it was my instinct for feeling responsible and agreeing on helping out my classmates or I was grateful that she helped me in escaping the questions coming my way that day,” the student shows their capacity for mature reflection after an experience.
• They are CARING — The fact that this student did not hesitate to help other students (who are presumably competition) shows kindness and selflessness.
• They are INSIGHTFUL — The sentence “I’ve always believed that peers understand our perspective better than teachers, because they are as new to the topic as myself” shows that this student observes the world around them thoughtfully, and trusts their powers of observation, even when they lead them to somewhat unconventional realizations.
• They are A LEADER — As the student describes the events of the morning, they position their informal leadership role as extremely natural. They are not a leader because it will improve their resume or win them awards, but because they want to share their skills with others.
• They are OPEN-MINDED — The collaborative approach to learning they describe doesn’t work without open-mindedness. This student recognizes the importance of diverse viewpoints.

While this essay is focused, the student also cashes in on the prompt’s suggestion that they tell admissions officers something that can’t be found elsewhere in their application. For this student, it’s their medical struggles during high school. 

We finish this essay with a much clearer understanding of what traits define this student, which helps humanize them in our eyes and better envision them as a member of the Penn State community.

While this student successfully seizes the opportunity to enlighten admissions officers about the medical adversity they have faced, the connection between their first few paragraphs (about medical struggles) and their later paragraphs (about collaborative learning) could be established earlier and more clearly.

It is not until the sentence “I wonder if it was my instinct for feeling responsible and agreeing on helping out my classmates or I was grateful that she helped me in escaping the questions coming my way that day” that things start to come together. Here, readers have this moment where we think: “Oh, the impromptu tutoring session helped the student to avoid questions about their medical situation. I get it now.” If the student had teased this connection earlier, confusion would have been avoided.

For example, after “I was just setting up my books and stationary, when my friend came up and asked for my help in some topic related to the exam,” the student could add:

“‘She saved me,’ I thought to myself.”

Or, after the sentence “I spent another 20 minutes explaining and making her understand the concepts,” the student could add:

“It had been months since I had gone more than 20 minutes without worrying about my legs.”

Additionally, the words that are allocated to the last two paragraphs could be used more strategically. In college essays, you are always wrestling with limited words, so it is important to use the words you do have wisely (and memorably). 

The paragraphs beginning with “This experience didn’t only…” and “This is an excellent practice for…” fall into the unfortunate trap of telling rather than showing. At this point in the essay, we already understand that the student listens, is open-minded, and works well in collaborative group dynamics. 

Rather than reiterating what we already know, the student could have more effectively used those 65 words elsewhere in the essay. For example, they could have given us specific bits of dialogue from conversations they had with their peers, or expand on the specific feelings they have during a collaborative learning experience.

Want feedback on your Penn State essay before you submit? That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. One expert advisor on CollegeVine, Alexandra Johnson , provided commentary on the first essay in this post, to give you a sense of how useful expert advice can be. Advisors offer one-on-one guidance on everything from essays to test prep to financial aid. If you want help writing your essays or feedback on drafts, book a consultation with Alexandra Johnson or another skilled advisor to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts