villanova essay prompts

• Undergraduate Admission /
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• First-Year Writing Supplement

VILLANOVA FIRST-YEAR WRITING SUPPLEMENTS

The Office of Undergraduate Admission seeks applicants with characteristics that reflect our three core values: Veritas (Truth), Unitas (Unity) and Caritas (Love). These values define us as Villanovans. They are indelibly printed on our University seal and are a clear indication of our Augustinian identity.

At Villanova, we view our writing supplements as a unique opportunity for students to move beyond the transcript and introduce the individual behind the application. Villanova requires applicants to submit both their Common Application essay and  two short Villanova Writing Supplements . The two supplemental responses must be different from the response shared in the Common Application essay section.

Writing Supplement #1: Villanova Free Choice (2023-24)

For the first Villanova-specific essay, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose one of the four topics below and submit a written response in  about  250 words.

Prompt One: St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities? 

Prompt Two: As an Augustinian community, we believe that you should see people for who they are. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity or background.

Prompt Three: In the Villanova community, we learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others? 

Prompt Four: At Villanova, we often say "each of us strengthens all of us." In a time of personal challenges, how do you borrow from the strength of others? 

Writing Supplement #2: Why Villanova? (2023-24)

Prompt: Why do you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community? 

Please respond in  about 150 words.

Common Application Essay

Please also submit the essay of your choice from the 2023-24 Common Application Essay Prompts .

Important Note

The Admission Committee expects that each writing supplement be the original work of the applicant, unaided by artificial intelligence. Those found to be submitting writing that is not their own may be denied or have their admission rescinded.

To alleviate the stress and anxiety surrounding the composition of your writing supplements, please consider these tips. We hope they may help guide you as you craft your responses!

Speak Your Truth

Every person has a story to tell. We want to know yours! Your writing supplements are a window into your truest self. Share what makes you unique and express yourself authentically.

This should be fun! Most of your application is largely unchanging. Parts of high school may or may not have gone as planned, but your writing supplements are something you are creating from scratch. When done well, it can show your personality and character. Embrace that!

Make your words count and worry less about counting your words

There are no right or wrong answers.

The questions we craft are done with the intent of getting to know you. There is no magic formula or secret code. We are looking for you to think critically and give us insight to add to your application.

Seriously proofread and proofread seriously

A well-crafted response is usually the product of many revisions. Please review your content and edit your work before you submit it for consideration. You may be surprised to learn how often we come across avoidable typos or grammatical errors. We know you are eager to complete your application, but taking a little extra time to check your work can go a long way!

Ask for a second opinion, not a rewrite

It can be helpful to ask someone to read over your writing to make sure everything makes sense, but also keep in mind that this needs to be your voice. While any suggested improvements can help serve as some guidance, they should not completely change the original content.

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Villanova University Office of Undergraduate Admission 800 E. Lancaster Avenue Villanova, PA 19085

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Villanova University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

You Have: 

Villanova 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words, 1 short response of 150 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball , Community

Essay #1: Villanova Free Choice (2023-24)

For the first Villanova-specific essay, we have offered a range of topics to pique your interest. We hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose one of the five topics below and submit a written response in about 250 words.

Prompt 1: St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities? 

If you choose this prompt, then social justice is probably pretty important to you. And you don’t have to be a protest organizer to impress admissions here. It can be just as bold to engage in a dialogue with family members from older generations on controversial topics or utilize your creativity to draw informative comics breaking down complex issues for Instagram. If you’re feeling stuck, maybe start by thinking about the topics that are most important to you. What keeps you up at night? Gun violence? Corporate greed? Food deserts? Next, think about what steps you’ve taken in your life to create change, inform, and/or organize. Ultimately, the key to writing an excellent response to this prompt is in the details. Don’t just tell Villanova about something you’ve advocated for recently; tell them why you did so, and maybe even share how you would like to continue engaging with or fighting for equity and justice in the future.

Prompt 2: As an Augustinian community, we believe that you should see people for who they are. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity or background.

This prompt will likely stick out to students who know what it’s like to be reduced to one aspect of their background or identity, and odds are, you have a specific memory in mind. As you write your response, you’ll want to make sure you summarize your account as succinctly as possible; that way, you can dedicate most of your words to discussing your feelings and experience. Since you only have 250 words to work with, you won’t be able to write a lengthy thesis on the general public’s preconceived notions about people who appear different from them, but you can reveal more information about your background and experiences. Share what it’s like living in a world where stories are often assigned to you before you have the chance to introduce yourself and offer admissions deeper insight into who you are in the process.

Prompt 3: In the Villanova community, we learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others? 

If you find yourself drawn to this prompt, we’re willing to bet you’ve learned a thing or two in your life that you want to share with others. By all means, lean into your instincts. In order to ace your response, show admissions that you are capable of thoughtful reflection, seeing different sides, adopting a growth mindset, and/or sharing with the world so that others can avoid suffering. Maybe you learned a lesson about the gift of the here and now after losing a relative in an abrupt way. Or, perhaps, you wish to tell your peers, “They’re not judging you! They’re too busy thinking about themselves!” Whatever your life lesson may be, we encourage you to leave some space to share why this lesson is valuable and who you think will benefit from your advice.

Prompt 4: At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” In a time of personal challenges, how do you borrow from the strength of others? 

Life can be difficult—especially during college when you’re becoming a whole adult—and when it is, we often turn to loved ones for support. Borrowing from the strength of others requires humility and vulnerability, which are wonderful traits for any community member to have. After all, even though the word itself isn’t mentioned, “community” is at the heart of this prompt. Many applicants are likely to think of a beloved mentor who has guided them through periods of hardship in the past. It’s important to remember, as you write, that this essay is about you, so don’t spend too many words describing the actions of others. Instead, showcase your ability to connect, to be inspired, to see yourself as part of something bigger than yourself. Ultimately, the kind of person who can borrow from the strength of others is likely to lend strength to others in times of need and will make an excellent addition to any college campus.

Essay #2: Why Villanova?

Why do you want to call villanova your new home and become part of our community (150 words).

A classic short why essay. This is the time to do some research on Villanova’s course offerings and extracurriculars, and then show admissions why this particular university stands out from the crowd for you. Don’t be afraid to go deep! Beyond the classes and professors in your desired academic department, explore the options for other subjects you’ve always wanted to study. Learn about clubs and special events on campus to get a feel for student life. Read over the school’s mission statement to get to know the community both in and around the campus. You might even want to read up on the notable alumni you admire and provide examples as to how they inspired you to attend! By the time you’re done, you’ll have a whole list of reasons for wanting to call Villanova your new home. Now all you have to do is arrange them. Think about telling a story that illustrates your path to Villanova and shows admissions that this community is the perfect place for you to pursue your degree.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 5 tips for writing an amazing villanova essay.

College Admissions

Villanova University is a private, Catholic research university in Pennsylvania. With a 20 percent acceptance rate, it's considered moderately competitive —but even that level of selectiveness has an average GPA just shy of 4.0. But acceptance to Villanova isn't just about your test scores and GPA; you'll also need to nail the Villanova supplement essay, rounding out your application with a strong representation of yourself.

In this guide, we'll cover all of Villanova's essay prompts and how to best answer them, including potential topics and pitfalls.

Feature Image: abbike18 /Wikimedia Commons

What Are the Villanova Essay Prompts?

Villanova University only accepts the Common Application . In addition to the required Common Application essay question, you'll be writing additional supplemental essays specifically for Villanova.

Two more supplemental essays are required as part of your application. The first essay, called Villanova Free Choice, gives you five options, and you only have to answer one. You'll have about 250 words to work with!

No prompt is inherently better than the others—pick whichever appeals to you most. Each one is unique to Villanova, and they all add their own flair to the expected essay format.

The second essay is a "Why This College" essay. Essentially, admissions counselors want to know why Villanova is the perfect school for you...in about 150 words, which isn't very much space!

Now, let's take a closer look at these essay prompts and how to answer them.

For the first essay, you'll get to choose which prompt you answer. Read on to make sure you're picking the Villanova prompt that gives you the best chance of getting in!

Essay Prompt #1: Villanova Free Choice

This section gives you five essay prompts. You'll only have to answer one!

The Villanova website suggests that you answer this essay in 250 words even though you have a maximum of 300 words on the Common App. Our recommendation? Keep your response as close to 250 words as possible!

Free Choice Option #1: The Equity and Justice Prompt

St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities?

What Is This Essay Asking You to Do?

Essay prompts addressing equity and justice are very common in the college application process. Why? Because equity and justice are core values of many schools! This means that your response needs to show that you value equity and justice too. 

To show that you hold these core values, you’ll need to tell a real story about a time when you advocated for equity and justice in a community you belong to. The community you choose to write about is up to you, but your response should focus on the actions you took to promote the well-being of your “neighbors,” and why.

What Makes A Good Answer?

#1: Focus on your communities. To answer this question well, think about where you come 

from. What communities are you a part of? Who are the people in these communities? Your act of advocating for equity and justice should involve people who you consider to be your “neighbors”--and that ultimately means that your response should be personal. Pick a scenario in which you advocated for equity and justice for people you truly care about. Your passion will definitely shine through in your response!

#2: Explain what equity and justice mean to you. While there's a generally accepted definition of what constitutes "equity and justice," you may have had life experiences that have infused these words with some specific meanings to you. If you have a definition of equity and justice in your own words that you feel is powerful, include it in your response, and explain how you arrived at that definition.

#3: Place yourself at the center of the action. A good response here will highlight how you have been directly involved in or impacted by equity and justice as you understand it. For example, maybe you realized your high school English reading list included no texts written by people of color, so you got with other students to advocate for changes to the reading list. Highlight something you've done or experienced firsthand to showcase how, like Villanova, equity and justice are at the core of who you are.

What Are Some Potential Essay Topics?

In addition to the essay topics above, consider these possibilities: 

• You realized that many students at your school didn’t have a working understanding of what “equity” actually means! You organized a production with your school’s theatre department that put on a dramatic portrayal of what equity looks like in real life. Proceeds from the production went to a nonprofit organization that students in your school collectively chose.
• You worked with the students who are in the top 10 percent of your high school class to offer summer tutoring sessions to lower income elementary school students who struggled with standardized testing.

Are There Pitfalls You Should Avoid?

#1: Avoid shallow answers. This question isn't really asking you to write about the time that someone was left out on the playground and you invited them into your jump rope game. You'll need to think a bit deeper about what "equity and justice" can mean, and you'll have to show that you understand these concepts on a cultural, social, and/or political level. Think about the implications of equity and justice beyond just inviting someone "in" who was on the outside, and your answer will show Villanova admissions that you have a complex understanding of one of the school's core values.

#2: Don’t brag. Yes, you need to make your actions the centerpiece of your response to this question. But don’t exaggerate the effects of your efforts! Just be truthful about what you accomplished and what the outcome was. There’s no need to brag about your advocacy. The facts of your active participation in efforts for equity and justice will speak for themselves in your response.

Free Choice Option #2: The Truest Thing Prompt

What is the truest thing that you know?

Everyone has principles that guide their life, and this free choice essay prompt is asking you to describe one of yours. In about 250 words, you'll need to respond to this prompt--if you choose it--by selecting the one truest thing you know, and explaining how you came to that conclusion.

Now, don't get bogged down worrying about whether Villanova admissions will agree that your "truest thing" is actually the truest: the prompt asks about the truest thing that you know because they want to see what values guide your life to make you who you are. To "justify" your answer, you'll just need to tell the story of how you came to the conclusion that your truest thing is true.

#1: Tell a story. Think about an experience or situation that showcased the truth of the thing you decide to write about. For example, say you decide that your truest thing is Mr. Rogers' claim: "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Maybe there was a situation where your community was hit hard by a natural disaster and you were encouraged by working alongside the helpers who worked to restore your community. Whatever truest thing you choose to write about, telling the story of how you saw the truthfulness of it in a real situation from your life will make this response memorable.

#2: Pick something that 's t otally you. There are probably a lot of things you find to be true that guide your life, but for this response, write about the one that is most likely to showcase one of your core qualities or values. For instance, maybe you've been working hard to practice meditation, and you've become known for your ability to keep calm in tough times. So your truest thing is that through mindfulness, we can find peace in the world around us. Whatever the case may be, write about a "truth" that exemplifies who you are.

#3: Think outside the box. Consider "truest things" that aren't necessarily super serious. Can funny things be true? Can truest things be said with a touch of sarcasm? Yes, and yes. Remember that the point of these free choice essays is to show the person behind the application. As long as you can provide meaningful context for your "truest thing," it's totally fine if yours is funny, ironic, or just kind of kooky.

On top of the essay options above, consider these potential topics:

• You pick a quote from your favorite literary character and tell the story of how that quote became true to you. Maybe that happened through a tough situation with a friend, but it taught you the value of learning from literature...and the insight helped you patch up the situation!
• You tell the story of how you went into a challenging situation believing one thing to be true, but came out on the other side of the situation with a whole new perspective. You explain why that new perspective informs your everyday life choices in the present.

#1: Don't get too cheesy. Your "truest thing" can be something basic to human existence, an ironic quote from Friends, or a principle taken from a philosophical or religious perspective that guides your life, but don't get too cheesy if you're picking a quote. Maybe leave the Dr. Seuss quotes for graduation ceremonies and try putting your "truest thing" into your own words instead.

#2: Don't obsess about finding a quote. Instead of getting caught up trying to think of some pithy quote to talk about, let your memories of meaningful moments in your life guide you to what to write about here. Your "truest thing" doesn't have to be some flowery statement from Bill Gates or John F. Kennedy. You can use your own experiences as your "truest thing," too!

This prompt is all about your relationship with technology!

Free Choice Option #3: The Second Chances Prompt

One of the themes in St. Augustine's book, Confessions, is the idea of redemption. Tell us your story of being given a second chance.

This essay prompt is asking you to explain your understanding of the idea of redemption based on your personal experiences and/or observations.

This question is tied to Villanova's core values, so it's going to be important to them to see that you're a person who has thought through the value of second chances. Telling a story about your experiences with second chances will show admissions counselors that you understand the positive potential of mistakes.

#1: Tell a personal story. The prompt is explicit here: you’re being asked to tell a story about a time you were given a second chance . For instance, maybe you got super busy in high school and neglected your younger sister. When she told you her feelings were hurt, you apologized and made a commitment to spend more time with her. In your response, you could explain how receiving a second chance from a family member taught you that not all hurt is intentional, and you now give others the benefit of the doubt when you're upset.

#2: Reflect on your experience. Like with most of the essay prompts here, you also need to explain what you learned from the experience. Specifically, you need to reflect on what your experience of being given a second chance taught you about redemption. You don’t have to get too philosophical, but you should tie in some explanation of what redemption means to you after being given a second chance in your life.

On top of the possible topics mentioned above, here are two more sample topics to consider:

• You decide to describe your first ever memory of being given a second chance when you were a young child. You describe how that experience laid the foundation for your current definition of redemption.
• You had an experience when you let your team down, but when you came to apologize, the team welcomed you back with open arms. You explain how the experience taught you the transformative power of unconditional love and how second chances make communities stronger.

#1: You forget the personal aspect. Yes, there are plenty of stories about second chances in religious literature and folklore, but chances are that Villanova admissions is already familiar with those stories. You need to tell a story that is more personal or current than that—a real experience or observation of a second chance that has impacted you.

#2: Keep it personal, but not too personal. If you choose to tell about a time that you were given a second chance or that you gave someone else a second chance, don't go too far into the gory details. While you want your response to be genuine and personal, you also want to leave out any details that may put the other people involved in an uncomfortable position.

Free Choice Option #4: The Lessons Learned Prompt

In the Villanova community, we believe that we all learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others?

Do your core values and life choices line up with Villanova's values? If yes, can you prove it? That's basically the crux of what this free choice prompt is asking. Villanova has strong community values that they want to see their future students exhibiting in their own lives. This is your time to show that the lessons you’ve learned in your life have led you to similar values--and that you’re willing to share them with others.

Specifically, this prompt is asking you to tell your story through the lens of a lesson you’ve learned. In other words, you'll need to explain what you learned, how you learned it, and back that up through a description of your real life experiences.

#1: Focus on your background. To answer this question well, dig into your experiences with others in your life. This question emphasizes the idea of learning from your community. Think of a time in your life when you learned something meaningful from a person in your community, whether that’s a friend, mentor, or even someone you didn’t necessarily connect with previously. Use your personal experience as a way to answer this prompt.

#2: Emphasize the experience that taught you the lesson. A good response to this question will show the lesson you learned rather than telling. Did you learn that it’s okay to lean on others when you’re struggling? Did you learn how to find contentment despite difficult circumstances? Whatever you choose to write about, you need to focus on your feelings and actions surrounding what you learned . Delving into the details of the experience that taught you the lesson--and how you felt about it--rather than waxing philosophic about the lesson itself will make a compelling response to this question. 

#3: Pivot to Villanova at the end. Like most of these prompts, this one is asking you to provide some insight into what kind of a student you’ll be at Villanova. This means that part of your response must include your thoughts on why you’d want to share your lesson with the Villanova community. So, think about more universal applications of your lesson. If you were sharing your lesson with fellow students at Villanova, how would you make it relatable to their lives as well?

If you're looking for topic ideas, in addition to the two mentioned above, try these on for size:

• You tell the story of a time when you pushed for a change that would make a policy or experience inclusive of a group who was being left out … but despite your efforts, the change didn’t happen. Then you explain what that experience taught you about how inclusion/exclusion affects people's lives.
• You tell the story of a lesson you learned due to your life circumstances in your home. You explain how those conditions helped form your core outlook on persevering through difficult life circumstances in your response to this prompt.

#1: Avoid cliches. This essay isn’t the place to write about how you learned to never judge a book by its cover or that a penny saved is a penny earned. Don’t invoke idioms or common catchphrases here--they’ll come across as shallow and insincere. The best way to avoid this is to come up with a real example from your life and put what you learned in your own words.

#2: Avoid answers where you aren't an active participant. There have probably been times in your life when you learned something, but you weren’t an active participant in the situation. But this isn't the time to write about situations where you were just a passive observer. Instead, think about a time in your life where you were involved in the action and explain how you participated. This free choice option is your chance to show Villanova that you are willing and able to learn in a wide range of circumstances.

Free Choice Option #5: The Technology Prompt

Augustine's “Miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature.” Tell us about a societal issue that you believe the wonder of technology is well-poised to help solve.

This essay prompt is a classic problem-and-solution question, but with a twist: it’s asking you to think of a problem affecting society on a broad scale and explain how you think technology could help solve it. 

This prompt isn’t just for tech experts, though. If you choose this prompt, this is your opportunity to write about a societal issue that you truly care about and use the knowledge you have about technology to imagine a solution . Yes, you want your response to be grounded in reality, but this is also your chance to dream about how real technologies could bring about a better future.

#1: Write from the heart. The best response to this question will be rooted in things you’re already familiar with. Choose to write about a societal issue that’s close to your heart, whether that’s something that affects your local community, a cultural community you’re a member of, or an issue affecting people all over the world. Writing about an issue you truly care about will help your response read as genuine and sincere.

#2: Focus on what you know. The second piece of your response should propose a solution to the societal problem you care about--a solution that involves technology. The technology you propose as a solution to that problem should be something you have experience with in some way. For instance, maybe you’ve spent hours researching cutting edge tech for renewable energy, or you brought a little joy to your high school by doing the daily announcements on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic. Choosing an application of technology that you can write about with confidence will make a convincing response to this question.

In addition to the examples above, consider the following possible topics:

• You explain how the limitless connectivity on social networking sites has given you a global perspective on art and culture. You describe how you've connected with other teens from different parts of the world to collaborate on art projects and share them online, and how you would scale this collaboration up for teens around the world.
• You describe how seeing hashtags used in the #MeToo movement and the movement to end gun violence helped you understand a whole new way to create social change. You explain that these examples have motivated you to explore channels for political activism through social media in your own life, and how you would use hashtags to mobilize your peers for political action in the future.

#1: Don't trash social media. Everyone knows that technology has its drawbacks. But this free response question isn't the place to harp on the ethical issues wrapped up in social media. Instead, focus your response on the potentials of social media and other technology to solve real problems.

#2: Don't lose track of your goal. You don't want to waste your response by talking on about all the different ways you use social media and technology in your life. That's not the point of this question. Instead of focusing on technology itself, focus on explaining how a particular condition created by technology could be applied to existing societal problems.

(Sophia J/ Wikimedia )

The "Why Nova" Essay

The second Villanova essay you'll have to write for your Villanova supplement is the " Why This College " essay. Here's the prompt:

Why do you want to call Villanova your new home and how will you become part of our community? (About 150 words)

You'll need to get to know the Villanova community in order to respond to this required essay prompt. In approximately 150 words, you need to do one main thing in your response here: explain what it is about Villanova that makes you want to call it "home."

Since the prompt uses words like "home," "community," and "history," you want your response to show that you've done your research about Villanova . This means that your response should go beyond praising Villanova's great academics or religious affiliation to highlight specific things that you've learned about the school's history, culture, and identity that make you feel like you'll fit right in as a student there.

#1: Go into specifics about "Nova." This prompt is inviting you to show what you know about Villanova by touching on specific aspects of the school that appeal to you . For example, maybe your research revealed that undergraduate students at Villanova can partner with faculty for research projects, and that makes you feel like you'll be welcomed into a community of scholarly collaboration. Think about who you are and who you hope to be at Villanova, then write about one or two aspects of Villanova that make you think, "This is a place where I can achieve my goals."

#2: Explain the why. In addition to describing specific aspects of Villanova's offerings that appeal to you, you want to explain why those things are appealing. For example, maybe you're thrilled to find out that the English department offers an annual Literary Festival, so you explain that that aspect of Villanova is appealing to you because you're an aspiring author. Pairing your "what" with a "why" shows that your decision to apply to Villanova is based on thoughtful reflection.

#3: Connect everything to the future. Picture yourself at Villanova in the context of the things that appeal to you about the school. If you're excited about the Literary Festival, mention in your response that you can't wait to help organize the festival when you are a student. Positioning yourself as an active future member of the Villanova community in your response will help admissions see that you're serious about your education and about Villanova.

In addition to the examples above, here are a couple of potential essay topics:

• Your research reveals that Villanova has come out strong in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. You write about how this stance for justice makes you feel that your dedication to racial justice will be supported by the school when you are a student there.
• Your research reveals that Villanova lives out the Christian Mission by engaging in tangible, ongoing service toward creating a more equitable society. You write about how you feel excited about participating in these efforts as a member of the Nova Nation.

#1: Avoid talking about academics only. This essay is your chance to show that you're attracted to Villanova for more than just its stellar academics. Take this chance to show that "education" means more to you than just sitting in a classroom making good grades. Think about things about Villanova community life that foster learning outside of the classroom and write about them here.

#2: Don't include too many talking points. Yes, Villanova's athletic programs, and their outreach programs, and their undergraduate research opportunities might all be things that draw you to the school, but it's best to pick just one thing here and write about it. This will keep your response from being chaotic and all over the place. Consider choosing the one thing about Villanova that gets you the most excited and go all in for explaining why and how you'll fit into that niche once you get to campus.

Key Tips for Writing the Villanova Essay

Though Villanova's essay prompts are targeted specifically for their school, there are quite a few guidelines you can follow to make your essay strong regardless of what school you're applying for.

Brainstorming doesn't have to be an intensive process. Beginning a project is often the hardest part; taking a minute or five to get a bunch of ideas down on paper, regardless of their quality, lets you get to work without pressure. Take a deep breath, set a timer, and start jotting down as many ideas as you can think of. Once you're done, pick the ones that sound most appealing and move on to the next step.

Now that you have some ideas, you can start spinning them into outlines. Take a few of the ideas that are most appealing to you and start answering the supplemental questions that should come up in your essay. For example, if you're answering the first prompt, you should not only be thinking about your personal experiences with diversity, but also how you hope to support equity at Villanova.

Sketch out a brief plan for each topic. If you find you don't have enough points to make, it's probably not the right idea. Repeat until you have a few outlines to choose from, and then choose the one that you feel strongest about.

Now that you already have an outline, it's far easier to actually write your essay. On your first draft, don't worry too much about staying within the page limit. Don't even worry about word choice or having something you're ready to show somebody else. Just focus on getting all of your ideas down on the page so that you have something to do for the next stage.

Now comes the point where you start taking what you've done and turning it into gold. Editing isn't just about fine-tuning your grammar and spelling ; read your draft aloud to find places where your sentences run on too long, or places where you've used the wrong word. Cut extra words and take out sections that aren't serving your thesis. Be brutal; you can always add things back in if you find you miss them!

Get Feedback

Once you've done a few editing passes on your essay, it's time for the scariest part: showing it to others. Ask a few people who are invested in your success but who aren't likely to be too harsh or overly kind in their suggestions—teachers, coaches, and other authority figures are generally good choices—to take a look at your essay and let you know what they think.

Let them mark up your draft with any mistakes that they find, and set all that feedback aside for a bit. It's a good time to take a break from your essay so that you can come back to it with fresh eyes.

Now that you've had some time away from your essay, it's time to revise. Take all that feedback you received and consider it. You don't have to fix anything that doesn't feel right to you, but do consider why your reviewers may have made that suggestion. Does your essay lack clarity? Could you have chosen a better word? Why are they confused?

Always be sure that your essay sounds like you wrote it, though. Remember: your essay is meant to showcase the things that make you unique. If it reads like every other student's application, it's not working right! If one of your readers has made big suggestions that don't sound like something you'd say, rephrase them until they do, or just don't use them. It's more important that your essay represents you.

What's Next?

A great essay is just one part of a successful Villanova application. Find out what ACT scores and GPA the admissions office is looking for with this handy guide !

If you're seeking financial aid from Villanova, this guide to their tuition and financial aid will help you figure out how much you need and how much you can expect to get .

Though Villanova has some unique considerations for their essays, there are some common tricks and strategies you can use to write your college essay . This guide covers some of the best ways to ensure your application essay is a success!

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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Villanova Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts & Advice

July 28, 2023

Villanova University’s 20.5% acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 is less than half of what it was as recently as 2015. Today, admitted students earned a mid-50% SAT of 1450-1520, and you typically need mostly A’s in AP/honors courses to have a serious shot at acceptance. Writing excellent Common App and Villanova supplemental essays is also an incredibly important piece of the admissions puzzle for wannabe Wildcats.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Villanova? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into Villanova University for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In this blog, we will look at the Villanova supplemental essays for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with tips about how to write essays that will win over admissions officers.

Villanova Supplemental Essays #1: Free Choice (2023-24)

For the first Villanova-specific essay, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose  one  of the five topics below and submit a written response in  about  250 words.

Prompt One: St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities? 

Some students may have more direct experience with equity social justice issues than others, but—no matter your background—this is an opportunity to demonstrate that you care about justice and fairness in your local community as well as the global community. If applicable, you can speak about a time when you spoke up for a peer in a moment of need or, alternatively, an instance when you got involved in a larger cause or movement (politics, activism, volunteer work, etc.). If you don’t happen to have a deeply personal story to tell in this realm, you’ll probably want to select a different prompt. While there’s nothing wrong with simply articulating your basic beliefs in the values of inclusion, equity, tolerance, and diversity, it doesn’t necessarily make for the most compelling essay.

Prompt Two: As an Augustinian community, we believe that you should see people for who they are. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity or background.

The wide-open nature of this prompt is appealing to many applicants, but the high degree of freedom can easily turn intimidating if you don’t keep this one simple. This is a great space in which to communicate about what you care most about in life whether that happens to be historical political patterns, differential calculus, subatomic particles, Peruvian culture, or metaphysical poetry. The bottom line is that you want to convey your passion for a given concept, belief, or philosophy and reveal a bit about the core of your soul in that process.

Villanova Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Prompt Three In the Villanova community, we believe that we all learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others?

Prompt #3 is trying to assess what type of community member you would be as part of Villanova’s campus. The university greatly values those who have gained wisdom from their extracurricular involvement and leadership while in high school. In fact, the admitted Class of 2026 cohort included 83% who participated in community service, 64% who held paying jobs, and 82% who played sports. This essay presents the chance to communicate the wisdom you have acquired from participation in your present communities; then, you can switch gears to illustrate how the lessons you have learned will impact your future collegiate community.

Prompt Four At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” In a time of personal challenges, how do you borrow from the strength of others?

Prompt #4 is also getting at the idea of community, but in a very specific context—how you lean on your family, friends, and social & religious organizations during times of struggle. So, why did they add this brand-new prompt? What is the Villanova committee really getting at here? In short, every college freshman is going to encounter some significant challenge, whether it is in the academic, social, or personal realm. Nova wants to see that you a) mature enough to acknowledge your own human frailty and b) are the type of person who can seek out help when needed. If you have a story of this nature from your high school experience, this may be an excellent fit for you.

Essay #2: Why Villanova? (2023-24)

Prompt: Why do you want to call Villanova your new home and how will you become part of our community? 

Please submit a written response of about 150 words.

Villanova wants to know why you desire to pursue your studies at their institution and how you will become part of their campus community. Answering both components of this question in less than 150 words is no easy task. This one is going to require a fair amount of school-specific research. Additionally, you may need a good deal of editing to tighten up your essay to stay under the word count.

Examples of items that quality “Why Villanova?” essays touch upon include:

• 98% of first-year students live on campus creating a cohesive atmosphere.
• Students come from roughly 50 foreign countries so you’ll meet people from all over the country/world.
• 300+  student organizations exist on campus. Pick one or two that are of interest to you.
• Students donate 250,000 hours per year to community service. Talk about how you will get involved .
• Talk in detail about the specifics of your academic program whether it is one of the 47 majors in the College of Liberal Arts & Science or part of the business, engineering, or nursing schools.
• Discuss which undergraduate research opportunities at Villanova you plan to pursue.
• How will you take advantage of the school’s location which is 12 miles outside Philadelphia? Think about community service, internships, etc.
• The Office of Education Abroad offers a multitude of semester, summer, and intensive programs abroad . How would you take advantage of these unique opportunities?

Of course, these are just a fraction of the possible features that could be part of a successful essay. As you enter the prewriting stage, you’ll want to avoid some common pitfalls that we observe applicants fall into when attacking the Villanova “Why Us?” essay. We don’t want to label these as “mistakes” (there is nothing inherently wrong with them); they just don’t add any needle-moving value, which is the only goal here!

Common components of a generic “Why Us” essay

• According to  US News , Villanova University is a top 50 school.
• Showing love for the Villanova basketball team.
• Recycled statements from your other “Why Us?” essays that come across as stale, impersonal, or worst of all–irrelevant/inaccurate.
• Statements about how Villanova “feels like home”, or you’ve “wanted to attend since kindergarten”; show this adoration through specifics instead.

How to write a winning “Why Villanova?” essay

• Address a) why Nova is the perfect fit for you and  b) why you are the perfect fit for Nova.
• Cite specific academic programs, professors, research opportunities, internship/externship programs, study abroad programs, student-run organizations, etc. (like the suggestions cited above).
• How will you become an active, contributing member of the student body?
• Show evidence of how your past/current endeavors will carry over onto Villanova’s campus.
• How will you take advantage of the university’s tremendous resources both inside and outside of the classroom?

How important are the Villanova supplemental essays?

Three factors are viewed as “very important” to the Nova admissions committee. These are: the GPA earned, the rigor of one’s curriculum, and class rank. Seven factors rate as “important”: recommendations, essays, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, work experience, and volunteer work. Clearly, the essays are one of the most important application components for any prospective Wildcat.

Villanova Supplemental Essays – Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Villanova supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

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Villanova University’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short response.

Please select one of the four essay prompts listed below to fulfill the writing requirement and respond in about 250 words.

St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities?

As an Augustinian community, we believe that you should see people for who they are. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity or background.

In the Villanova community, we learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others?

At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” In a time of personal challenges, how do you borrow from the strength of others?

Why This College Short Response

Why Villanova? Why do you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community?

Common App Personal Essay

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.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 Villanova Supplemental Essay Prompts

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Villanova University is a stunning university located just a 20 minute drive from the historic city of Philadelphia. Villanova is a medium-sized school with a tight-knit community of nearly 7,000 undergraduate students. So, how can you become a Villanova wildcat? One of the best ways is to make your Nova application stand out from the crowd through your responses to the Villanova supplemental essays.

The Villanova supplemental essays

You have the freedom to answer the Villanova supplemental essays in a way that reveals your striking personality and how well you will fit in the Wildcat community at Villanova. So, read our guide for answering the Villanova supplemental essay prompts in order to make your Villanova supplemental essay answers stand out from the rest! 

The first of the Villanova supplemental essays provides applicants with a choice between five essay prompts. Therefore, select a topic from the list below that truly interests you! You’ll want to choose an option that will reveal pieces of your personality that have not yet been revealed in your application. 

St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities? (250 words)

If you are an avid supporter of social justice, then this prompt is the perfect one for you to answer. This question reveals some of Villanova’s core values, including making their community safe and equitable for everyone to thrive within. Therefore, your response should demonstrate how your values align with Villanova’s. 

To answer this question in the best way, you should detail a specific example of a time when you advocated for equity and justice in a community. This community can be anything big or small that you are a part of. 

For example, you can write about being a part of your hometown or about being a part of the track and field team in your high school. The community itself does not matter; rather, it is important to choose a community where you made an impact and advocated for social justice. 

Questions to consider:

• Why did you take action? 
• What was your motivation to take this action?
• How did you feel after having taken the action? 
• How is your community better/changed from this action? 

As an Augustinian community, we believe that you should see people for who they are. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity or background. (250 words) 

To begin answering this prompt, generate a list of ideas regarding what people may assume about you based on your outward appearance or identity. While addressing stereotypes or exploring issues related to racial diversity is a valuable approach, you can also delve into various aspects of your appearance or background. For example, perhaps because you have blonde hair you have been labeled a dumb blonde at school. 

Narrate a personal account of such misconceptions in a story format, enabling the admissions committee to gain an understanding of your innermost feelings during this experience. 

The critical element in your response is to describe how you overcame this misjudgment. Emphasize the toll that these misconceptions took on you to showcase your resilience and your capacity to conquer adversity. It’s crucial to provide details, allowing the admissions committee to grasp not only what you did but why you did it! 

• Do you think that misjudgments happen often? 
• How did you feel when you were misjudged? 
• What did you learn from this misjudgment? 

In the Villanova community, we learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others? (250 words)

Villanova is a tight-knit community that values learning from experiences. To help you brainstorm your response to this prompt you should think about the following questions: 

• Do you have a motto you follow? 
• Who are the most influential people in your life and what have you learned from them
• Are there any moments, big or small, that have taught you a lesson? 
• What is your most influential wisdom? 

You should select a life lesson that you continue to follow throughout your life. Once you have selected a life lesson, detail how you came to learn this lesson. Did you learn that perseverance is key after falling off a bike when you were learning how to ride a bike? The key is to demonstrate the value of perseverance and how that trait serves us well in life. 

Be detailed in your response. Tell a narrative about what led up to this point in your life where you learned a valuable lesson and how that lesson has helped you since learning it. The ultimate question to ask yourself is why do you want others to learn from your experience? How will the life lesson you learned serve others? 

At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” In a time of personal challenges, how do you borrow from the strength of others? (250 words) 

To begin, try and think about who you turn to with certain issues or for advice. This could be a close friend, family member, school personnel etc. Once you have selected this important person, you should detail a narrative or story about coming to that person with a challenge. 

Once you have described your support system and your difficult situation, you should spend the rest of your response detailing what you have learned from this encounter. Focus your response on detailing how having someone close to you can make you stronger. 

• Have you adopted some traits from people that you admire? 
• How does talking to someone help you get through tough times? 
• Do you give your strength to others? 

Also see: How to write an essay about yourself

Why do you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community? (150 words) 

This is a typical “why us” essay. The most important thing to do when responding to a “why us” essay is to ensure you have done your research prior to answering the question. 

Look on Villanova’s website for any extracurricular activities, classes, majors, traditions, sporting events and much more that stick out to you. Once you have accumulated an impressive list, select the aspects of Villanova that you love to write about.

The most important thing is that you are being authentic. If you could care less about basketball, do not write about their basketball program! They want to get a good sense of their applicants and what drew them to apply to Villanova. 

Try to avoid writing about the following: 

• Writing about Villanova’s acceptance rate or ranking 
• The mascot name or school colors
• Restating Villanova’s website

Be sure to become familiar with Villanova’s rich history, culture, and values aside from the more “superficial” aspects of Villanova. 

Do not just make a list of every aspect of Villanova that excites you. Rather, you should be detailed in your response to show how you will use the opportunities and experiences Villanova offers to your advantage. Describe what you are excited about participating in and how it will aid your future goals. 

Don’t miss: 10 tips for successful college applications

Final thoughts on responding to the Villanova supplemental essays

After reading our guide for responding to the Villanova supplemental essays, it is time to choose your option for Essay 1 and write your essays! 

Brainstorming and outlining are the most important part of the writing process. Therefore, take your time and plan out every detail. In addition, be sure that you are selecting an option for Essay 1 that stands out to you. First and foremost, make sure that you are being authentic to yourself. 

Be careful not to repeat yourself and to evenly distribute bits of personality and interests throughout your responses. Thanks to our guide, you will be able to ace the Villanova supplemental essays! Good luck! 

Additional resources

After you’ve completed the Villanova supplemental essays, give yourself a pat on the back. But remember – your journey is not over. The college application process is a tricky one, but have no fears because Scholarships360 is here! Have you completed the ACT or SAT ? If you are wondering about whether or not to send your SAT/ACT scores to test optional schools, check out our guide! Are you wondering if your Coalition Application and Common Application essays are perfect? Maybe you want to know how many colleges should you apply to?   If so, we have answers! Be sure to also check out our free scholarship search tool to help you finance your education. Best of luck in the college admissions process from Scholarships360! 

Additional supplemental essay guides

• Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)
• Boston University (Boston, MA)
• Pennsylvania State University (Throughout PA)

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How to Write the Villanova University Essays 2020-2021

Villanova’s student body consists of approximately 7,000 undergraduates, plus 4,000 graduate students. The acceptance rate is 29% , with the middle 50% of SAT scores for the Class of 2024 falling between 1380-1500, and ACT scores between 31-34. In 2020, the university was ranked #46 by US News.

Villanova requires two supplemental essays. Writing strong essays can certainly help your application stand out, and improve your chances of acceptance. Want to know your chances at Villanova? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Villanova University Application Essay Prompts

All applicants:.

Prompt 1: Please select one of the four essay prompts listed below to fulfill the writing requirement (250 words)

• Option A: What is the truest thing that you know? How did you come to this conclusion?
• Option B: Villanovans are known for “holding doors open” because inclusion is at the core of who we are. Take us on a journey through your background and describe how your life experience has shaped your understanding of the word “inclusion”.
• Option C: Generation Z is arguably the most technologically savvy cohort in history. They find answers to questions, discover troves of new music, or even start the next global social movement, all within seconds. How has this seemingly limitless connectivity influenced the person you have become? 
• Option D: In St. Augustine’s book Confessions, one of the themes is the idea of redemption and second chances. Tell us a story about second chances. It can be your experience or one that you have come across through others or through media.

Prompt 2: In addition, the Admission Committee would like to know why you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community? (100 words)

How to Write the Villanova University Supplemental Essays

You should be thoughtful about which prompt you select here. You want to take advantage of the fact that Villanova is giving you some flexibility, particularly since all four options are fairly different from the standard supplemental prompts. 

First, read all of the options carefully, even if you think you are sure about which one you will choose. Second, note which one(s) stick out — for example, perhaps Option D reminds you of a meaningful reconciliation with a friend. If you immediately feel an emotional connection to one of the prompts, that can be a good sign that you’ll be able to write a strong response. 

Finally, think about how each prompt would add to your application as a whole, and make sure that the prompt you choose won’t lead to redundancies. For example, say you are drawn to Option B. If, however, your Common App essay is about finding a sense of belonging on your volleyball team, you might be better off with one of the other options so you don’t repeat yourself. If you do still choose Option B, make sure that you approach the topic from a new perspective, such as, for example, by describing how being part of a large family has taught you to be empathetic.

Prompt 1, Option A

What is the truest thing that you know how did you come to this conclusion (250 words).

This may sound more like a question for an upper-level philosophy class than a college essay, but there are a variety of approaches to this prompt, and you definitely don’t have to be Aristotle to write a great essay. If you have a set of core values that are deeply important to you, this prompt provides an opportunity for you to show that.

First, of course, you must identify the “truest thing that you know.” This is no small task, so if you choose this prompt make sure you give yourself enough time to brainstorm what you want to say and exactly how you want to say it. We have a few guiding questions that will hopefully help you with your brainstorming process.

1. What is important to you? This may seem just as broad as the prompt itself, but listing your values can be a good first step towards developing the more refined statement the prompt is asking for. Try to go beyond the obvious: pretty much everyone values their family and friends, so try to think of things that are more personal. Perhaps you have a passion for photography, or are proud of your sense of humor.

2. Which experiences have been most formative for you? This is also incredibly broad, but try to think of moments in your life that stick out as significant, and then go a step further and think about why they were significant. If you have a list of experiences you considered writing about for your Common App, look over that list again.

3. Who are your role models? By thinking about what you admire in others, you may realize something about what guides your own life. Again, try to think outside the box. You may admire how hard Beyoncé works on her music, but hard work is a universal value. If you shift your focus to how she uses her platform to raise awareness for issues that are important to her, you are more on track towards something unique to you.

4. What are some of your favorite quotes? Although we discourage you from directly quoting someone else, as you should express your truth in your own words, quotes that have impacted you may show you something about how you look at life.

Once you have a pretty clear sense of what your truth is, you want to figure out how to say it in a clear, concise way. 250 words isn’t very many, and the bulk of the essay should be focused on how you have learned your truth, not on stating the truth itself. 

If turning your ideas into a compact sentence or two sounds daunting, remember the purpose of this essay: to show your reader something about yourself. Nobody is going to get this tattooed, so focus less on sounding wise and more on communicating something you genuinely believe.

Here are a few examples of how to go about packaging your ideas:

1. Say you’re a photographer, and you value the patience and awareness of your surroundings that photography has taught you. Your truth could be something like “The world would be a better place if we all spent just five minutes a day appreciating the beauty around us.”

2. Say there are many people who have made an impact on your life, from your parents and teachers to the residents at the nursing home you volunteer at. You might say that “Nearly everyone you meet can tell you something about the world, so long as you’re open to listening.”

3. Say you love to drive, and have gone on a lot of road trips with your family and friends. You could tell your reader that “On the open road, I’ve realized just how big the world is, and how important it is to keep my life in perspective.”

Once you have identified your truth, the hard part is over. The rest of the essay should be about specific moments in your life that illustrate for your reader how you learned this truth, and why it is so meaningful to you. Hopefully, all the brainstorming you did will make this relatively easy.

Our hypothetical photographer, for example, could write about the time he spent an entire day trying to photograph a bald eagle in the mountains. Even though he didn’t end up even seeing one, he still remembers this day fondly because he got to spend it in a beautiful place.

Or our driver might describe a road trip she took with her dog. Partway through the trip, her dog chewed up her hotel bed sheets, and she had to pay to replace them. At first, she was furious with her dog, but by that night she had totally forgotten it even happened: she could only remember the towns she had visited, the food she had tried, and the people she had met.

We also want to address a few things not to do with this prompt, or at least to be very cautious about doing.

• Keep your audience in mind. It’s very hard to predict if humor will land with an admissions officer, who is a total stranger. Say your truth is “The movie Mean Girls taught me to push all of my problems in front of a bus.” Although your friends might find this joke very funny, your admissions officer may have been recently involved in a bad car accident, and you never want any of your essays to offend.
• Avoid political statements. As just mentioned, you have no idea who will be reading your essay, and if your truth espouses a particular policy, you run the risk that one of your readers will vehemently disagree.
• Be careful with unconventional approaches. Say your truth is that “LeBron James is the greatest athlete of all time.” This will certainly make your essay stand out, and you may be able to write a great response by describing how watching LeBron has taught you about hard work, leadership, and success. But if your essay ends up turning into an opinion piece about why LeBron is better than Michael Jordan, you should probably start over; this sort of topic focuses too much on other people, and the goal of college essays is to share more about yourself. The bottom line: only pursue unconventional approaches if you’re an extremely confident writer; don’t do it just to be edgy.

Prompt 1, Option B

Villanovans are known for “holding doors open” because inclusion is at the core of who we are. take us on a journey through your background and describe how your life experience has shaped your understanding of the word “inclusion.” (250 words).

If you have a unique aspect of your identity and want to share that with the admissions committee, this is a good prompt for you. Your identifying feature could be your race, gender, or sexuality, or something more unconventional, like your membership in a neighborhood book club.

This prompt may remind you of other supplemental essays you have written on diversity, but we strongly discourage you from copying and pasting something you have already written. Villanova wants you to approach diversity specifically from the perspective of inclusion, so while you can reuse parts of a traditional Diversity Essay , you should frame it so it answers Villanova’s prompt specifically.

Once you have selected the aspect you want to focus on, you should choose a couple of experiences that illustrate what this part of your identity has taught you about inclusion.

For example, let’s take the unconventional example mentioned above: your membership in a neighborhood book club. Perhaps your parents started taking you when you were little and they couldn’t find a babysitter, and initially you felt out of place amongst a bunch of adults reading books way beyond your level.

Once you got a little older, however, you started to view these advanced books as a challenge, and you asked your parents if you could read along with them. Your comprehension slowly improved, and eventually you even felt comfortable speaking up during the meetings. 

The adults were impressed, and even asked if you had recommendations of books the club could read that you might enjoy more. Over time, other neighborhood kids started to join, and now there are almost as many young people in the club as adults.

To conclude, you want to summarize your story with a takeaway message. Be careful not to be too cliche–even if you are expressing a common sentiment, express it in a way that directly connects to your experience. For this example, that might be something like “This experience made me realize that, even when you’re intimidated by trying something new, there are always other people who want to try it too. Sometimes you just have to jump in first.”

A final note on this prompt is that many people unfortunately experience more exclusion than inclusion due to certain aspects of their identity. If you are comfortable doing so, you can certainly talk about discrimination you have faced. Although the prompt asks you to write about your understanding of the word “inclusion,” this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to write about a time you felt included.

For example, say you are in Math Club and also on the soccer team, and have never fully felt like you belonged in either group. Your soccer friends make fun of you for liking math, and your math friends look down on you because you also like soccer, which has made it hard for you to find a supportive friend group.

Although you may not have felt included at any point in this particular story, you could still tell your reader what not being included has taught you about true inclusion. For example, your takeaway might be something like “Including someone is about accepting all parts of their identity, not just the ones you share with them.”

Prompt 1, Option C

Generation z is arguably the most technologically savvy cohort in history. they find answers to questions, discover troves of new music, or even start the next global social movement, all within seconds. how has this seemingly limitless connectivity influenced the person you have become (250 words).

If you are interested in computer science, engineering, or technological development, this is a great prompt for you. This prompt doesn’t require you to be super sciencey, however. As long as you feel that growing up in the Internet Age has shaped who you are, you can write a great response.

As the prompt itself says, there are seemingly limitless approaches you can take here. To narrow your focus, you should identify two things. First, a particular technology. This could be anything: Google, FaceTime, Spotify, Twitter, or something else. Don’t hesitate to choose a non-mainstream technology, as that will make your essay stand out, but also don’t pick an obscure app you’ve never used before just to seem unique — pick something that has genuinely influenced your life.

The second thing you need to identify is one or two ways this technology has directly impacted you. Of course, technology has impacted many people in similar ways. For example, just about everyone would agree FaceTime helps them keep in touch with their friends. But that’s okay! You don’t have to come up with something crazy, so long as you illustrate technology’s impact on your own life with tangible examples.

For example, perhaps your parents’ jobs require your family to move around a lot, so FaceTime has been not only helpful, but actually essential for developing and maintaining friendships. Alternatively, everyone with Spotify has assuredly discovered a new artist thanks to the algorithm. But perhaps some of the new music you discovered inspired you to start writing your own music.

Particularly if you’re extremely interested in tech, make sure the personal connection is clear. Perhaps you’re fascinated by the Netflix algorithm, and could easily write a 250 word essay just about its nuances. This essay might be fun to write, but your reader won’t learn anything about you.

You can still write about the algorithm, of course, but connect it to your own life. For example, you could write about how the algorithm guides people with similar interests to the same shows, and how you ended up making a new friend when you learned she watched one of your favorite shows.

If you would like, and you have the space, you can also talk about how your experience with technology has inspired your plans for college or your career. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a STEM track — as mentioned above, perhaps your love for exploring Spotify has developed into the pursuit of a career in music. It’s completely fine if technology hasn’t impacted your academic or professional plans, but if it has that can be a good way of concluding the essay.

Prompt 1, Option D

In st. augustine’s book confessions, one of the themes is the idea of redemption and second chances. tell us a story about second chances. it can be your experience or one that you have come across through others or through media. (250 words).

This prompt is quite different from those you normally come across, so unless you immediately feel a connection to it, it will likely be the hardest to brainstorm for. On the other hand, it gives you a chance to write a genuinely unique essay that can take your application to the next level.

If you choose this prompt, the first and most important thing to do is pick the story you want to tell. Notably, the prompt is incredibly open-ended, as the story doesn’t have to be about you, or even someone you know. Below, we will outline three different approaches based on the story you choose: a story about you, about someone you know, or about someone you don’t.

If you write about yourself, you don’t have to worry about personal connection, since the story obviously happened to you. Thus, the most important thing is to pick a story that is genuinely about redemption. For example, getting a B+ on one test and an A on the next is not redemption. The prompt is asking you to write about a genuine low point in your life, not a success disguised as a failure. If you’re having trouble being vulnerable because you’re worried about not looking good, remind yourself that you have the rest of your application to show off!

Here are some examples of true low points: being overconfident for a debate tournament and not preparing properly, a losing your best friend’s trust , or getting rejected for a job you really wanted. Whatever you choose, you should tell your reader not only what happened, but also what you were feeling: disappointment, frustration, embarrassment, etc. At the same time, pick something you’re comfortable writing about. If your emotions about something are too raw, you probably won’t be able to write a strong essay about it.

The second half of your essay is where you show that this story is about redemption, not failure. Show your reader not only what you learned, but also what you did differently with your second chance.

Take the example of being overconfident for a debate tournament. Because of the opposing team’s poor reputation, you barely prepared, and fully expected to wing it and win the debate. But your opponent ended up being incredibly skilled, and you stumbled all over your words. As a result of your loss, your team didn’t advance to regionals. While there was nothing you could do about that, you organized a tournament for all the teams that didn’t make it, so your team could still compete. You didn’t win over your teammates quite then, but you came back the next season and fully prepared for each tournament.

If you choose to write about somebody you know who isn’t you, most of the essay will be roughly the same. Tell your reader about this person’s mistake or failure, and how they bounced back. For example, maybe your sister accidentally broke your mom’s favorite necklace, and to make it up to her she saved up money for a year to buy her a new one.

The key difference is that this didn’t happen to you, so you need to explicitly show what you learned from watching this happen to someone else. Rather than just saying “My sister taught me that we can’t always control what happens, but we can control the responsibility we take afterwards,” tell your reader about a time when you used this lesson in your own life.

For example, maybe you did something that really upset your best friend. At first, you were angry at her, but after talking to your sister and being reminded of her experience you realized that you had to take accountability for your actions, so you baked her a cake and took it to her house.

This anecdote will likely be short, since you will probably be getting close to the word count, but a specific example will really drive home to your reader that this story made an impact on you, even though it happened to somebody else.

If you choose to write about someone who isn’t you and also isn’t anyone you know, the essay structure will be similar as for someone you do know: describe the failure, the rebound, and connect the story to your own life.

If you choose this approach, however, it’s extremely important that you know a lot about the person and that their story is important to you. For example, you should only write about Tom Brady’s 25-point Super Bowl comeback if you love the Patriots. Alternatively, you should only write about Taylor Swift’s comeback album reputation if you love Taylor Swift.

Otherwise, if you know nothing about sports and try to write about Brady, it will be very difficult to show that you have a personal connection to his redemption. Remember that, although the prompt gives you the option to write about someone else, this still has to be an essay about you. At the end of the essay, you want your reader to have learned something about you, not Brady.

In addition, the Admission Committee would like to know why you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community? (100 words)

Although this is a fairly straightforward “Why School?” essay, the 100 word limit is a challenge. Rather than using your limited space to list everything you like about Villanova, zero in on one particular quality, resource, or opportunity that you have a personal connection to.

For example, perhaps you have a passion for screenwriting. You could write about how Villanova will allow you to cultivate this passion through its Creative Writing freshman living community, and through particular courses offered in the Creative Writing Department.

There are two reasons why this example would make a strong response. First, the opportunities mentioned are specific to Villanova. If you write generally about Villanova’s English department, that won’t tell the admission committee anything about why you want to go to their school, since every school has an English department. Specificity gives the committee a much clearer sense of what you hope to accomplish at Villanova.

Now, when you begin brainstorming, you may not know much about the specific opportunities Villanova offers. That’s completely fine! Just hop on the website and do some research — the student organizations page is often a great place to start.

The second strength of the above example is the personal connection. By focusing on screenwriting, something you are genuinely passionate about, and describing how you will pursue it at Villanova, you are showing the committee how you will fit into their community. The focus shouldn’t be on the opportunity itself, but on how you will take advantage of it.

This personal connection is what will make your essay stand out, because Villanova receives over 20,000 applications per year. As a result, it’s very likely that someone else is writing about the same thing as you. That’s okay! The committee isn’t reading these essays to learn what opportunities their school offers — they’re reading them to learn about how you specifically will take advantage of these opportunities.

In summary, there are two main things to focus on in this essay: specificity to Villanova, and the connection between Villanova and you. And remember, you only have 100 words, so every sentence should be showcasing one of these things. If it isn’t, you probably don’t need it.

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Villanova University Supplemental Essay Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the Villanova essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Villanova supplemental essays will show you how to write engaging Villanova essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help crafting your Villanova supplemental essays, create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272 .

Villanova Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• According to U.S. News , Villanova University is considered a most selective school with an acceptance rate of 31%.
• The Villanova University ranking is #49 in National Universities .
• We recommend answering all Villanova supplemental essays comprehensively and thoughtfully.

What is Villanova ranked?

Villanova is a private Catholic university located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. They are also the only Augustinian university in the United States. Every year, U.S. News & World Report publishes its rankings of the Best Colleges in the United States. Each of the 1,466 bachelor’s degree-granting institutions in the U.S. is evaluated based on 17 performance indicators of academic quality. These include application requirements, student-to-faculty ratio, campus life, and more.

The Villanova University ranking is currently tied at #49 with Lehigh University, Northeastern University, Ohio State University (Columbus), Pepperdine University, and Purdue University. The Villanova University ranking undoubtedly contributes to their current acceptance rate of 31%. However, don’t let the Villanova University ranking deter you from applying.

Remember, the Villanova University ranking won’t directly impact your admissions results. To maximize your admissions odds, then, don’t focus on the Villanova University ranking. Instead, just try to write the best Villanova application essays you can. After all, strong Villanova essays can make a major difference in the admissions process.

Similarly, the Villanova University ranking shouldn’t be your only reason for applying. As a Top 50 school, Villanova receives many applications from students who only apply for reasons of prestige. As you build your college list , focus on finding the best schools for you . The Villanova University ranking can be a useful tool; however, you shouldn’t base your decision to apply on the Villanova University ranking alone.For a deeper understanding of the Villanova University ranking, and college rankings in general, check out CollegeAdvisor.com’s expert guide .

Does Villanova University have any supplemental essays?

Yes. Villanova University requires two short supplemental essays in addition to the Common App Personal Statement. One of the Villanova supplemental essays lets you choose from five Villanova essay prompts.Your Villanova supplemental essays must be different than your Common Application essay. All applicants must complete two Villanova supplemental essays. However, you can choose which Villanova essay prompts to answer.Not sure how to choose a Common App essay prompt? Get some helpful tips from our essay guide .

How do I write the Villanova supplemental essay?

Consider your options.

First, read the five Villanova essay prompts. Then, think about what you want to convey in your Villanova supplemental essays. Consider each option, since the Villanova essay prompts are quite unique. We’ll list out the Villanova essay prompts later in this guide.Don’t choose a prompt at random—your Villanova application essay will be strongest if your topic matters to you. So, make sure you remain deliberate as you choose a prompt for your Villanova application essay.

Try freewriting

Still not sure how to start your Villanova essays? Start with a reflection exercise . First, sit quietly with your thoughts for five to ten minutes. Looking at the Villanova essay prompts, do any topics come up that connect to your identity, experiences, or values? What thoughts stand out to you? Additionally, how might this thought reveal some aspect of your identity or interests? Then, connect your reflections to the Villanova essay prompts. Is there a part of your identity that you can highlight with one of the Villanova essay prompts? Do you have an extracurricular activity, leadership role, or life experience that connects to one of the Villanova supplemental essays?

Consider your application narrative

Additionally, think about how each topic fits into your application narrative. Your personal narrative plays a crucial part in the college application process, and the Villanova essays help form this narrative. As you write, then, look for themes across your responses. These themes will make up your candidate profile, so make sure they’re clear.

Trust your instincts.

If you instantly feel a connection to one of the Villanova application essay prompts, then choose that one. You will write stronger Villanova essays if you feel attached to your topics, and thoughtful essay responses will increase your admissions odds.Still having trouble choosing from the Villanova supplemental essay prompts? Need some extra motivation to help you get through the process? If so, read our article for more tips on how to write a great essay.

What are Villanova University’s essays?

There are two required Villanova supplemental essays in the 2021-2022 Common App. We have listed the prompts for the Villanova supplemental essays below. We’ve also included tips on how to complete each of the Villanova essay prompts.Each of the Villanova essays is short—less than 250 words. However, don’t let the length of the Villanova essays intimidate you. Instead, jump right in, get to the point, and make every word count.For a full list of application requirements aside from the Villanova essays, please visit Villanova’s website .

Villanova Supplemental Essay – Question 1 (Required):

For the first Villanova-specific essay, we have offered a range of topics to pique your interest. We hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose one of the five topics below and submit a written response in about 250 words. Prompt 1: St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities? (250 words recommended.) Prompt 2: What is the truest thing you know? (250 words recommended.) Prompt 3: One of the themes in St. Augustine’s book, Confessions, is the idea of redemption. Tell us your story of being given a second chance. (250 words recommended.) Prompt 4: In the Villanova community, we believe that we all learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others? (250 words recommended.) Prompt 5: Augustine’s “Miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature.” Tell us about a societal issue that you believe the wonder of technology is well-poised to help solve. (250 words recommended.)

Choosing a prompt

As you read through the Villanova application essay prompts, do any topics stand out to you? Can you highlight part of your identity with a specific Villanova supplemental essay prompt? Or, can you link an extracurricular activity, leadership role, or life experience to one of the Villanova supplemental essays? Each of the Villanova essay prompts lets you share something different about yourself. Spend some time with the Villanova essay prompts, then, to determine which is right for you.

If you are having trouble choosing a prompt, then start with a writing exercise. First, choose 2-3 of the Villanova essay prompts that interest you and set a timer for 10 minutes. Then, write as much as you can about that topic. Once your timer goes off, review your work. Couldn’t stop writing about one specific topic? If so, choose that topic as your Villanova application essay prompt. Remember, your Villanova application essays should be authentic, cohesive, and different from your Common Application essay.

Starting your draft

Now that you’ve chosen your prompt, it’s time to start drafting! Below, we’ve broken down some questions to think about for the Villanova essay prompts. Whichever prompt you choose, though, make sure you use specific details to tell your story.

If you pride yourself on your sense of equity and justice, then you might pick the first Villanova supplemental essay prompt. Perhaps you founded your school’s first LGBTQ+ student club, or you saw a need and fundraised to start a youth-oriented organization in your community. Whatever your story, always include specific details. Additionally, always write about the “why.” Why did you choose this particular form of activism? What does it mean to advocate for yourself or for another person/community? Finally, why do equity and justice matter to you? Bonus points, also, if you can connect your Villanova essays back to the university’s core values.

Do you consider yourself to be humble, honest, and unafraid to admit when you have made a mistake? Then maybe prompt #3 is more your speed. This Villanova essay prompt is twofold. First, it asks you to describe the challenge or failure you faced. Then, it asks you to discuss how you redeemed yourself. As you draft, avoid just focusing on your failure. Instead, emphasize how you redeemed yourself. What did you learn from this situation? How did it make you feel? Don’t be nervous about being vulnerable—it’s okay to show your reader that you aren’t perfect. After all, perfection is boring. Use your Villanova application essay to reflect on your experience and how you created positive change from a less-than-ideal situation.

Maybe you are a think-outside-of-the-box type who is concerned about our society’s future. If so, consider Villanova supplemental essay prompt #5. First, select a societal issue you want to solve. No issue is too big or too small! Then, describe how technology can solve the issue. You might discuss how certain technologies could make the world a better place. This can give your reader insight into your knowledge and experience. It can also highlight your curiosity and problem-solving skills. If possible, highlight your academic interests and how they might complement your studies.

Villanova Supplemental Essays Draft Key Questions:

• Did you choose a topic that connects to your identity and interests?
• Does your response highlight an important aspect of your identity that supplements your application?
• Does your response showcase your values and how they relate to those of the Villanova community?

Villanova Supplemental Essay – Question 2 (Required):

You may be aware that our community, which we have affectionately named “Nova Nation,” is an exciting place to be. With a legacy spanning nearly 180 years, there is rich history to look back on, and an abundant future to look forward to. The Admission Committee would like to know why you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community? (150 words recommended.)

This second of the Villanova supplemental essay prompts is their version of the “Why Us” essay. If you are not familiar with this type of essay, we recommend reading our Supplemental Essays FAQ guide before you start writing.

Do your research

For this Villanova application essay, you need to explain why you want to join the “Nova Nation.” First, familiarize yourself with the Villanova website and social media pages. Then, research what about the university excites you the most. Make a list of majors, programs, or activities that stand out.

Get specific

As you approach this Villanova application essay, make sure you include as many specific details as possible. Avoid statements that might apply to any school. Rather, focus on what makes Villanova unique. What do you like about Villanova? What part of the Villanova community do you most want to join? Don’t just list the things you love about Villanova. Instead, choose a few specific examples to discuss in detail.Perhaps you are a stargazing enthusiast who loves service and social justice. Describe how Villanova’s astronomy and astrophysics major aligns with your academic interest as well as how you plan to work for the common good in their campus ministry.

Essentially, your Villanova application essay should describe, in specific terms, how you will take advantage of what Villanova has to offer.Also, be sure your Villanova application essay indicates how you would fit into the Villanova community. What will you add to Villanova’s campus? How will you embody Villanova’s core values? Remember, you have limited space in your Villanova essays, so be thorough yet concise.

Villanova Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does your Villanova essay discuss what you love most about the Villanova community?
• Do you reference programs, majors, and activities by name?
• Does your essay explain what makes you a good fit for Villanova?

What does Villanova University look for in essays?

Villanova seeks students who reflect the school’s three core values: Veritas (Truth), Unitas (Unity), and Caritas (Love). The Villanova supplemental essays assess how well you’ll fit into the “Nova Nation.” The Villanova essay prompts also help the admissions team understand your opinions, thoughts, and experiences.Villanova’s website lists six tips for writing a strong Villanova application essay. They are:

1. Speak your truth.

Allow your honesty to come through in your Villanova application essays. Each of your Villanova essays should show the admissions office who you truly are.

Have fun with the Villanova supplemental essays! Celebrate how much you have learned about yourself as you write your essays.

3. Make your words count and worry less about counting your words.

These Villanova essay prompts are quite short. Review your Villanova essays to confirm that each word matters.

4. There are no right or wrong answers.

Write about what is true to you. The rest will fall into place.

5. Seriously proofread and proofread seriously.

Nobody likes a run-on sentence or grammatical error. Take some extra time to proofread to ensure your Villanova essays are ready to submit.

6. Ask for a second opinion, not a rewrite.

A second set of eyes is always helpful. However, don’t let your voice get lost in the mix. Your reader wants to learn about you, not your best friend.Need more helpful tips on writing your Villanova supplemental essays? Check out this virtual Essay Workshop below featuring Villanova University’s Assistant Director of Admissions.

Villanova Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

Writing short yet thoughtful Villanova supplemental essays can seem stressful. However, don’t let the Villanova essays stop you from applying! Instead, use the Villanova supplemental essays to show who you are outside the classroom. Reference this guide as you tackle the Villanova application essays. Good luck!

This essay guide on Villanova was written by Claire Babbs , UT Austin ‘12. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources, click here . Want help crafting your Villanova supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

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