Essay About University

[Eilene Balque]

Asstudents consider how they will contribute to the University of Michigan campus community and respond to question and essay prompts, they may wish to highlight things that had an impact on them such as: their involvement in clubs, competing as a student-athlete, studying abroad, going on a mission trip, being engaged in debate, participating in the performing or visual arts, having alumni ties to the institution, making a difference in their community, serving in a leadership capacity, being an entrepreneur, and many others.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don't feel obligated to do so. (The application won't accept a response shorter than 250 words.)

The University of Chicago has long been renowned for our provocative essay questions. We think of them as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.

How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.

Lost your keys? Alohomora. Noisy roommate? Quietus. Feel the need to shatter windows for some reason? Finestra. Create your own spell, charm, jinx, or other means for magical mayhem. How is it enacted? Is there an incantation? Does it involve a potion or other magical object? If so, what's in it or what is it? What does it do?

-Inspired by Emma Sorkin, Class of 2021

University essays differ from school essays in that they are less concerned with what you know and more concerned with how you construct an argument to answer the question. This means that the starting point for writing a strong essay is to first unpick the question and to then use this to plan your essay before you start putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).

A really good starting point for you are these short, downloadable Tips for Successful Essay Writing and Answering the Question resources. Both resources will help you to plan your essay, as well as giving you guidance on how to distinguish between different sorts of essay questions.

You may find it helpful to watch this seven-minute video on six tips for essay writing which outlines how to interpret essay questions, as well as giving advice on planning and structuring your writing:

The main body of the essay should elaborate on the issues raised in the introduction and develop an argument(s) that answers the question. It should consist of a number of self-contained paragraphs each of which makes a specific point and provides some form of evidence to support the argument being made. Remember that a clear argument requires that each paragraph explicitly relates back to the essay question or the developing argument.

There are many other resources at Oxford that can help support your essay writing skills and if you are short on time, the Oxford Study Skills Centre has produced a number of short (2-minute) videos covering different aspects of essay writing, including:

Longer pieces of writing like extended essays and dissertations may seem like quite a challenge from your regular essay writing. The important point is to start with a plan and to focus on what the question is asking. A PDF providing further guidance on planning Humanities and Social Science dissertations is available to download.

Try not to leave the writing until close to your deadline, instead start as soon as you have some ideas to put down onto paper. Your early drafts may never end up in the final work, but the work of committing your ideas to paper helps to formulate not only your ideas, but the method of structuring your writing to read well and conclude firmly.

Although many students and tutors will say that the introduction is often written last, it is a good idea to begin to think about what will go into it early on. For example, the first draft of your introduction should set out your argument, the information you have, and your methods, and it should give a structure to the chapters and sections you will write. Your introduction will probably change as time goes on but it will stand as a guide to your entire extended essay or dissertation and it will help you to keep focused.

Approaching each chapter of a dissertation as a shorter essay can make the task of writing a dissertation seem less overwhelming. Each chapter will have an introduction, a main body where the argument is developed and substantiated with evidence, and a conclusion to tie things together. Unlike in a regular essay, chapter conclusions may also introduce the chapter that will follow, indicating how the chapters are connected to one another and how the argument will develop through your dissertation.

At UM, we pride ourselves on a holistic review process that considers every aspect of your application. Beyond transcripts and test scores, we carefully examine your extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and personal statements to understand your potential for success.

We value the "softer" parts of your application, which highlight your unique talents and contributions to our community. Most importantly, we evaluate your achievements and challenges within the context of your background, environment, and experiences.

Be sure you use the same email address for every part of the application process, including registering for standardized tests. We recommend using a personal email address to ensure we can communicate with you throughout the admission cycle.

Students are required to respond to one of seven Common App prompts in a personal statement of 650 words or less. Remember, this essay will be visible to any school you submit an application to, not just UM.

In the Common App, there will be a section where you can add extracurricular activities. These can include things like sports, clubs, service trips, involvement in politics, even babysitting! Be sure to include a thorough list of your extracurricular activities as they are part of our holistic review process.

You will not need to Superscore your own results or recalculate your scores. Simply enter your scores exactly as you receive them. Students self-reporting scores will be required to submit official score reports only if they are admitted and choose to enroll.

The deadline for opting in or out of having your test scores considered as part of your application and for self-reporting your test scores is the Final Credentials Deadline of your chosen admission plan.

All students whose native language is not English are required to submit official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo English Test (DET).

You are required to submit one letter of recommendation/evaluation, which can be from either a school counselor or a teacher. The most expedient way to submit your letter electronically is through the Common Application, Slate.org, Scoir, or Parchment.

The School Report should be completed by your high school guidance counselor and can be found on the Common Application. It is often submitted along with your high school transcript and information about your high school.

Official high school/secondary school transcripts should be sent directly from your school. A school official may submit them electronically via the Common Application, Slate.org, SCOIR, or Parchment. They can also be emailed directly from your school official to mydoc...@miami.edu.

An English translation of your official high school/secondary school transcript must be issued by a school official or by an accredited translation agency and sent directly to the University of Miami.

Translated transcripts must be sent in their original form (we cannot accept photocopies/screenshots/etc.) via the Common Application, Slate.org, SCOIR, or Parchment. They can also be emailed directly from your school official to mydoc...@miami.edu.

Accredited U.S. based translation agencies include International Education Evaluations (IEE), Josef Silney & Associates International Education Consultants, or The Evaluation Company (TEC). You can also connect with the EducationUSA office for options in-country.

For detailed information, be sure to review the Applying for Aid page. There you will find the dates and details about the required documents that must be submitted in order to be considered for need-based financial aid.

If you are interested in applying for need-based financial aid you must submit the FAFSA, CSS Profile (for both custodial and noncustodial parents), and relevant tax documents. All items need to be submitted by the due dates listed for the admission plan to which you apply.

All prospective first-year foreign national students who apply for admission to UM must submit an International Financial Certification Form, which can be accessed via the Applicant Portal after you have submitted your application.

Did you know? All students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships upon submitting an application and do not need to complete a separate application for merit-based scholarships.

Supplemental applications will be available in the Applicant Portal beginning mid-September. Be sure to submit the additional documentation as soon as possible, but no later than the Final Credentials Deadline.

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