tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36839142.post-34571397612585150422015-06-08T13:41:00.000-04:002015-06-08T13:41:14.260-04:002015-2016 First Year UVa Application EssaysTowards the end of every reading season, we gather to talk about which
essay questions elicited great responses, which ones could be tweaked to
be better, and which essays we'd like to retire. We often pull students
into our discussions to get their perspectives. There are some questions on our application that prompt students to
write interesting essays year after year, so we don't feel the need to
change them. Conversations we have at Days on the Lawn and other admitted student events sometimes come into play as well. <br />
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You'll write one essay for the general Common Application and then
you'll write two short responses to these prompts along with
other questions that are specific to UVa. <a href="https://appsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33013/Article/1694/2015-16-Common-Application-Essay-Prompts" target="_blank">The Common App folks posted the main essay questions a while ago</a>. Here are ours:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>2015-2016 First-Year Application Essay Questions</b></u></div>
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1. We are looking for passionate students to join our diverse
community of scholars, researchers, and artists. Answer the question
that corresponds to the school/program to which you are applying in a
half page or roughly 250 words. <br />
<ul>
<li><b>College of Arts and Sciences</b> - What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>School of Engineering and Applied Sciences</b> - U.Va. engineers
are working to solve problems that affect people around the world, from
our long-term water purification project in South Africa to continuing
to research more efficient applications of solar power. However, most
students start small, by using engineering to make a difference in daily
life. If you were given funding for a small engineering project that
would make your everyday life better, what would you do?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>School of Architecture</b> - Describe an instance or place where you have been inspired by architecture or design.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>School of Nursing </b>- Discuss experiences that led you to choose the School of Nursing.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Kinesiology Program </b>- Discuss experiences that led you to choose the kinesiology major.</li>
</ul>
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2. Answer one of the following questions in a half page or roughly 250 words.<br />
<ul>
<li>What’s your favorite word and why? </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>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.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Student self-governance, which encourages student investment and
initiative, is a hallmark of the U.Va. culture. In her fourth year at
U.Va., 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?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>U.Va. 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? </li>
</ul>
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<b>A note about word limits:</b><br />
We aren't counting words on these. The word limits are
there so you know that we are expecting short statements, not term papers. The boxes where you
paste in your essay will cut you off at some point, but there is a little bit of
leeway. Be concise and thoughtful in your statement statement and try to convey your voice and style in your words. This is the one spot on your application where your personality gets to shine, so don't treat this like a formal school assignment.<br />
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We are looking
forward to seeing what applicants for the Class of 2020 do with these questions! Good luck with your writing!<br />
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As always, I'm happy to answer your questions in the comments.<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post originally appeared on Notes from Peabody, the UVA admission blog at http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/ .</div>Dean Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03515254534444061855noreply@blogger.com