University of North Carolina at Greensboro 2020-21 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

University of North Carolina at Greensboro 2020-21 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: Why, Community, Oddball

Supplemental Essay Type(s): 1 essay of 600 words

Optional essay for merit scholarship consideration:

Merit scholarships are limited in number. They are awarded to approximately the top 2 percent of the incoming first-year class. No separate application is required, but students must submit the essay for consideration by the early action deadline. Scholarship recipients will be notified of their awards.

Please answer one of the following essay prompts:

1. Describe a meaningful event, experience or accomplishment in your life and how it will impact your college experience and your contribution to the UNCG community. Consider reflecting on your ideas about student responsibility, academic integrity, campus citizenship, or a call to service.

This prompt is eerily similar to the Common App’s prompt #5, so if you wrote your personal statement about a meaningful accomplishment, event, or realization, we recommend skipping this one and responding to one of the other prompts below. If you didn’t address a meaningful experiment in your personal statement, then by all means, let’s dive in.

UNC Greensboro wants to know about something significant that happened in your life; they want to see you reflect about what that event, experience, or accomplishment meant to you and how the end result of that experience will impact your time on campus. How did you grow? What skills did you develop? What did you learn? Maybe you stepped out of your comfort zone to audition for the school musical and weren’t cast, but you found a supportive group of friends and love for set design when you joined the crew. Perhaps you learned first-hand that great risks can yield great rewards and you plan to take that mindset with you to college. Did you bond with a student you tutored after school as part of a volunteer program? Maybe you continued to help him with his homework long after the program ended, cheering him on when he made Honor Roll for the first time. Whatever your story is, don’t forget to connect it to the type of college experience you hope to have.

2. Explain your choice of academic major and how you plan to use your degree to meet your career goals?

For this essay, let’s go beyond, “I have always been good with photography, so Media Studies makes perfect sense for me.” We get it, Ken Burns is your LeBron, but how might UNC Greensboro’s courses and professors (get specific!) shape you and teach you something new? And what do you hope to pursue upon graduating with your intended degree? In college, you will reach new depths of knowledge you may not have even known existed. After explaining why your major piques your interest, describe the experiences you’ve had with it already. Build a bridge between your past and your future for admissions so they can see your commitment and demonstrated interest in this field. Did you work on a science experiment that taught you about the basics of physics? Maybe you fell in love with music festivals and knew you wanted to be involved in making the magic happen—and UNC Greensboro’s Sustainable Tourism & Hospitality program will help you get there! Throughout your life, you’ve been exposed to so many different subjects and career paths, and UNC Greensboro wants to know why this one has caught your eye. Finally, look ahead five or ten years and imagine how this degree will catapult you into a fulfilling career that you may not have access to otherwise. 

3. What does “global citizenship” mean to you? How do you envision becoming a global citizen through your studies in your future career?

Do you enjoy giving back to your community? Do you feel like a global citizen engaged in matters that affect both the few and the many? If so, you’re exactly the kind of student UNC Greensboro wants to welcome to campus next fall! In order to show admissions that you fit the bill of an engaged, socially aware, and motivated citizen, tell them what “global citizenship” means to you and describe your career goals. Push beyond the basic gratification that comes with “giving back” and try to envision the impact you’d like to have. Maybe you plan to major in International & Global Studies and pursue a lifelong career in humanitarianism, working with world leaders to create educational opportunities for girls worldwide. Perhaps you are interested in the Environment & Sustainability Program and hope to be part of the coalition to combat climate change by 2040. Do you plan to use your degree in Media Studies for a career in film, spotlighting the stories of marginalized and underrepresented communities? Whatever your story may be, make sure to show admissions you have long-term goals and plans that will affect the world as we know it.