UVa announces essay prompts for 2019-20

The University of Virginia announced this week that essay prompts for fall 2020 applicants will be looking pretty much the same as those in previous years, with only a few minor tweaks to keep things interesting.

“Our prompts aren't changing too much,” said Jeannine Lalonde, “Dean J” of the UVa Admissions Blog. “Our staff is really happy with the essays we've been getting and the student feedback we've gotten has been positive.”

In addition to a required personal statement, UVa applicants will be asked to write two short responses to prompts specified in the application.

As in past years, UVa is “looking for passionate students” to join a “diverse community of scholars, researchers, and artists.” Applicants are asked to answer in a half page or approximately 250 words one of a series of questions corresponding to the school/program to which they are applying:

• College of Arts and Sciences: What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way?
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: If you were given funding for a small engineering project that would make everyday life better for one friend or family member, what would you design?
• Kinesiology Program: Discuss experiences that led you to choose the kinesiology major.
• School of Nursing: School of Nursing applicants may have experience shadowing, volunteering, or working in a health care environment. Tell us about a health care-related experience or another significant interaction that deepened your interest in studying Nursing.
• School of Architecture: Describe an instance or place where you have been inspired by architecture or design.

For the second essay, applicants are asked to pick one of five questions to answer in a half page or roughly 250 words:

• What’s your favorite word and why?
• We are a community with quirks, both in language and in traditions. Describe one of your quirks and why it is part of who you are.
• Student self-governance, which encourages student investment and initiative, is a hallmark of the UVA culture. In her fourth year at UVA, Laura Nelson was inspired to create Flash Seminars, one-time classes which facilitate high-energy discussion about thought-provoking topics outside of traditional coursework. If you created a Flash Seminar, what idea would you explore and why?
• UVA students paint messages on Beta Bridge when they want to share information with our community. What would you paint on Beta Bridge and why is this your message?
• UVA students are charged with living honorably and upholding a Community of Trust. Give us an example of a community that is important to you and how you worked to strengthen that community.

In her advice to students, Dean J gently suggests, “A good essay conveys the voice and personality of the writer. A good essay shares something that hasn't come through in the other parts of the application. A good essay has made it to its final form after a round or two of editing.”

Students applying to the University of Virginia will be using the Common Application, which goes live on August 1, 2019.

 

In the meantime, the early release of essay prompts will give prospective ‘Hoos months to consider their topics carefully and write compelling essays in time to meet even the new October 15 early decision deadline, should they choose to go that route.