University of Florida 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
Early Action: Nov 1
Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15
The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words
Supplemental Essay Type(s): Activity
Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. This could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity. (250 words)
What would your life be mundane without? Elaborate on an activity, responsibility, or passion that is meaningful to you. Unlike an activities resume entry, this should be expanded to reflect your priorities, worldview, and sense of purpose. Do you babysit your cousins when your aunt gets called into work? How does it feel to support your family members in this way and what does the phrase, “it takes a village,” mean to you? Do you foster rescue cats until they find their forever homes? What does this hobby mean to you? Maybe you inherited your animal love from your dad who used to work as a farmhand. Use your experiences to tell admissions something about you they wouldn’t already know from your list of extracurriculars. What gives your life meaning? Why do you wake up in the morning? What are you working toward?
Honors College Only:
As albert einstein once said, “the important thing is not to stop questioning. curiosity has its own reason for existing.” reflecting on this, what academic subjects, learning opportunities, or extracurricular activities are you most excited to engage in during your college experience how do you imagine or hope the uf honors program will help feed your curiosity and help you achieve your aspirations (400 words).
This is a classic Why Essay even if it’s not incredibly obvious, although rather than asking only about your interest in the university in general, UF also wants to know why you are applying for the Honors Program. This essay calls for—say it with us now—research! Block off a solid hour or two to noodle around UF’s website , looking at the courses, clubs, research opportunities, study abroad experiences, musical ensembles, intramural sports teams, or anything else about the school that attracts you. The prompt focuses on curiosity, so mention every aspect that appeals to you in a college experience, even if they don’t connect elegantly into one major or focus. Take some time to learn about the Honors Program in particular, noting which courses, student activities, teaching assistantships, or retreats will help quench your thirst for discovery and prime you to reach your personal, academic, and professional goals. How does UF in general and the Honors Program in particular fit your hopes, dreams, and expectations for your college experience and beyond?
About Amanda Amah
View all posts by Amanda Amah »
Check out our YouTube channel!
Contact us for information on rates and more!
- I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
- Name * First Last
- Phone Type Mobile Landline
- Street Address
- Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
- Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
- How did you find CEA? Internet Search Podcast New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Perks at Work Other
- Common App and Coalition Essays
- Supplemental Essays
- University of California Essays
- University of Texas Essays
- Resume Review
- Post-Grad Essays
- Specialized Services
- Waitlist Letters
- Private School Essays
- General College Counseling
- School list with priorities noted:
- Anything else we should know?
- Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
School Stats:
- Agnes Scott College
- Alvernia University
- American University
- Amherst College
- Babson College
- Bard College
- Barnard College
- Baylor University
- Bennington College
- Bentley University
- Berry College
- Bethany College
- Boston College
- Boston University (BU)
- Bowdoin College
- Brandeis University
- Brown University
- Bryn Mawr College
- Bucknell University
- Butler University
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- California Lutheran University
- Capitol Technology University
- Carleton College
- Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
- Catawba College
- Centre College
- Chapman University
- Claremont McKenna College
- Clark University
- Clemson University
- Coastal Carolina University
- College of Charleston
- College of William and Mary
- College of Wooster
- Colorado College
- Colorado School of Mines
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Culver-Stockton College
- D'Youville University
- Dartmouth College
- Davidson College
- Dickinson College
- Drexel University
- Duke University
- Earlham College
- Elon University
- Emerson College
- Emory University
- Flagler College
- Fordham University
- George Mason University
- Georgetown University
- Georgia State University
- Georgia Tech
- Gonzaga University
- Hamilton College
- Hampshire College
- Harvard University
- Harvey Mudd College
- Haverford College
- Hillsdale College
- Hofstra University
- Howard University
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Illinois Wesleyan University
- Ithaca College
- Johns Hopkins University
- Kalamazoo College
- Lafayette College
- Lehigh University
- Lewis and Clark College
- Linfield University
- Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
- Lynn University
- Macalester College
- Manchester University
- Marist College
- Mary Baldwin University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Meredith College
- Monmouth College
- Moravian University
- Morehouse College
- Mount Holyoke College
- New York University (NYU)
- North Carolina State
- North Park University
- Northwestern University
- Occidental College
- Oklahoma City University
- Olin College of Engineering
- Pepperdine University
- Pitzer College
- Pomona College
- Princeton University
- Providence College
- Purdue University
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Rice University
- Roger Williams University
- Saint Anselm College
- Saint Elizabeth University
- Santa Clara University
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Scripps College
- Seattle Pacific University
- Seattle University
- Siena College
- Smith College
- Soka University of America
- Southern Methodist University
- Spelman College
- St. John’s College
- Stanford University
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Stonehill College
- Swarthmore College
- Syracuse University
- Texas A&M University
- Texas Christian University (TCU)
- The College of Idaho
- The George Washington University
- The New School
- Trinity College
- Tufts University
- Tulane University
- UNC Wilmington
- University of California
- University of Central Florida (UCF)
- University of Chicago
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia (UGA)
- University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- University of Maryland
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Lowell
- University of Miami
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota
- University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
- College of Mount Saint Vincent
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Oregon
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Richmond
- University of Rochester
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California (USC)
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Tulsa
- University of Vermont
- University of Virginia (UVA)
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Vanderbilt University
- Vassar College
- Villanova University
- Virginia Tech
- Wake Forest University
- Washington and Lee University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Wellesley College
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
- Yale University
Want free stuff?
We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!
One-On-One Advising
Common App Essay Prompt Guide
Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
- YouTube Tutorials
- Our Approach & Team
- Undergraduate Testimonials
- Postgraduate Testimonials
- Where Our Students Get In
- CEA Gives Back
- Undergraduate Admissions
- Graduate Admissions
- Private School Admissions
- International Student Admissions
- Common App Essay Guide
- Supplemental Essay Guide
- Coalition App Guide
- The CEA Podcast
- Admissions Stats
- Notification Trackers
- Deadline Databases
- College Essay Examples
- Academy and Worksheets
- Waitlist Guides
- Get Started
How to Write the University of Florida Supplemental Essays 2024–2025
Subscribe to our newsletter for college app advice!
The University of Florida (UF) is a top-rated public university located in the city of Gainesville. Their many accomplished alumni include football player Tim Tebow Senator Marco Rubio; sportscaster Erin Andrews; and former Senator, current NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. If you’re looking for an acceptance letter, you’ll need to nail down your University of Florida supplemental essays. This article will take you through each prompt, including the honors program application prompt.
University of Florida’s 2024-2025 Prompts
There are a few different types of essays required by UF. However, there is only one prompt required for all applicants. That said, there are also three optional prompts that all applicants can elect to answer. You could choose to answer none of the three optional prompts, all of them, or any other combination. Lastly, there is one prompt that is required for applicants to the honors program. Note that this prompt has a longer word count than the others.
In this article, we’ll explain all of the University of Florida supplemental essays. If you’re only answering some of the prompts, feel free to skip around. All of the prompts are listed below. Let’s dive in!
All Applicants
Required : please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. this could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity. (250 words or fewer), optional : do you have any employment or family obligations that limit your participation in extracurricular activities if so, please describe. (250 words or fewer), optional : have you participated in or been assisted in your college preparation and search by programs outside of classroom, such as educational talent search, take stock in children, upward bound, boys and girls club, etc. please provide the name of the program, details/benefits of your involvement, and how long your experiences continued. (250 words or fewer).
- Optional : Is there any additional information or extenuating circumstances the Admissions Committee should know when reviewing your application? Please provide more information in less than 250 words. (250 words or fewer)
Honors Program Applicants
As albert einstein once said, “the important thing is not to stop questioning. curiosity has its own reason for existing.” reflecting on this, what academic subjects, learning opportunities, or extracurricular activities are you most excited to engage in during your college experience how do you imagine or hope the uf honors program will help feed your curiosity and help you achieve your aspirations (400 words or fewer), we’ll review your essay.
Receive edits in as little as 24 hours
General Tips
Supplemental essays are never easy to write, but there are some general rules-of-thumb that can make the process a little easier. Here, we’ll dive into two tips in particular. The first is research, the second is authenticity.
Research is key to nailing your University of Florida supplemental essays. Any applicant who has a thorough understanding of the opportunities available to them at the University of Florida will fare better in the application process than any applicant who has thrown UF on their college list after simply reading their website. In your essays, you should mention, by name, specific programs, professors, extracurriculars, and so on that interest you.
These should be qualities of UF that aren’t just generally interesting, but are of particular interest to you. In other words, look up programs related to your intended major, professors who teach courses you might take, clubs you would want to join, etc. Researching UF before you begin to write these essays won’t just boost your level of detail on the page. It’ll also give you genuine reasons to be excited about attending the University of Florida. While less tangible, your motivation will shine through in your essays as excitement and passion. Moreover, it will be easier to get yourself to work on these essays if you’re genuinely excited about attending the University of Florida, because you understand what great opportunities will be available to you if you’re lucky enough to become a student there.
Authenticity
Authenticity is a word that’s thrown around a lot in the context of college essays. But what does it mean in practice? Following upon the point made about research in the section above, you need to have genuine motivations under your belt when you’re writing these essays. Moreover, you need to write about your real interests, experiences, and curiosities.
Admissions officers are highly capable readers who will be able to tell, in most cases, if a student is faking their interest in physics or the depth of their involvement in student government. It’s not worth your or anyone else’s time fabricating an interest or life experience that sounds good. Instead, think deeply about who you are, how you spend your time, and what you’ll bring to the table at UF. Then, write about these honest parts of yourself, with the requisite details included. Authenticity is the only way you can truly stand out from the crowd in the application process.
Now let’s break down the University of Florida supplemental essays specifically, prompt by prompt.
University of Florida Supplemental Essays: All Applicants
The following prompts apply to all applicants, but only the first is required.
As the one required prompt for all applicants, this is probably the most important of your University of Florida supplemental essays. For many applicants, this is the only prompt you’ll answer. When you read the prompt, it can be helpful to go phrase by phrase to break it down.
The prompt begins with, “Please provide more details.” The “more” in this phrase implies that you have already provided details. In this case, the prompt is referring to your activities list. The prompt continues, “Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school.” Evidently, the admissions team at UF wants to hear more about a commitment that appears elsewhere in your application .
Note that in the first sentence of this prompt, the word “meaningful” is used twice. Therefore, it’s your job to show the reader how and why the commitment you choose to explore in this essay is meaningful. To express this meaning, you need to be specific and personal. Why is this commitment meaningful to you ?
Notice how expansive the parameters of this prompt are. You can take the word “commitment” liberally. Not only could this commitment be “related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity,” but it could also be another type of commitment that has been meaningful to you in your high school years. If you’re having trouble coming up with the right commitment to explore, consider how you’ve spent the hours of your high school years. What did you spend the most time on outside of school? This is likely your ideal essay topic.
After answering the last essay question, you may feel that there are some parts of your life left untouched in your application. For instance, you may have spent meaningful time throughout your high school years caring for a younger sibling or working a part-time job. If that is the case, you may have also struggled to find time to take up a sport or join a club. Here is your opportunity to explain these obligations.
Some of the qualities admissions officers look for in applicants include maturity, work ethic, and empathy. If you worked a job or took care of family responsibilities for any significant amount of time in high school, you likely displayed (and continue to display) one or more of these qualities. With humility, consider the ways that you can demonstrate those qualities in this essay, like your other University of Florida supplemental essays.
This question only applies to applicants who have experience with the programs listed above. If so, you’ll want to be as specific as possible in your response. Not only should you name the program, but you should provide as many details as you are comfortable (and can fit in 250 words or fewer) regarding your involvement. The prompt also asks for the duration of your experience.
In addition, if you have strong opinions about your experience with the program, whether positive, negative, or something in between, you’ll may want to provide those opinions as well. Doing so will add layers to your short essay that may help the admissions team better understand you as a person.
Overall, this essay shouldn’t require any added pressure. Instead, it’s a useful opportunity for the admissions team to understand how their applicants navigate high school, choose to apply to UF, and put their applications together. As long as your response is honest and specific, you’ll give the admissions officers what they’re looking for.
Optional : Is there any additional information or extenuating circumstances the Admissions Committee should know when reviewing your application? If so, please provide more information in less than 250 words. (250 words or fewer)
For many applicants looking back at their applications, something seems missing. If there was a drop in your grades during sophomore year and nowhere else in your application did you have the opportunity to explain this situation, this essay is your chance.
If you faced a significant hardship in your personal life, perhaps you want to explore that hardship here. Or if you faced a financial or other barrier to participating in certain extracurricular activities (for instance, you were accepted into a selective academic summer camp but couldn’t afford to attend), then you may wish to provide those details in this essay.
The above are just a few of the many examples of topics you could write about in this essay. Before beginning your draft, think about your application as a whole. Does it truly show you as you are? As a student, classmate, friend, and family member? If so, then remember, this prompt is optional. But if not, you’ll want to provide details here. “Details” is a key word. You’ll need to be specific for the admissions team, who doesn’t necessarily know you very well, so they can fully understand the situation you choose to describe. Once again, be genuine and specific, and this essay has the potential to strengthen your application.
University of Florida Supplemental Essay: Honors Program Applicants
Note that this prompt is only required for honors program applicants.
Applicants to the honors program at the University of Florida are expected to be a level above the general applicant pool. These students are especially intellectually curious, motivated, and accomplished. In order to prove that you deserve a spot in the honors program, you are asked to write this additional essay.
Although it’s more work for the applicant, a successful honors program essay will pay off in the long run by giving the student access to greater resources and more individualized academic attention. Before you write this essay, you should read up on the particular opportunities available to you through the UF honors program . In this essay, you may want to mention specific opportunities at UF that will help you pursue your intellectual hunger further. Doing so will demonstrate to the admissions team your sincerity and commitment.
When the admissions team asks the above questions to honors program applicants, they are expecting to hear from students who know their interests and know how they will take advantage of UF’s resources once enrolled. Thus, it can be helpful to structure your essay around those elements.
For instance, you can start by describing one subject or topic that is intensely interesting to you. Then, envision how this interest will motivate your academic studies in college. Be specific and open-minded in your answer by naming particular resources you’ll seek support from without limiting yourself to a certain path. Whatever topic and essay structure you choose, do your research and let your words exude your passion. You’ve got this!
If you need help polishing up your University of Florida supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.
Sign Up for More College App Tips
Subscribe to the Next Admit newsletter, a weekly newsletter where you'll receive our best college essay and college app advice. You can unsubscribe at any time!
Students Also Read
University of Florida (UF) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022
Not sure how to approach the University of Florida supplemental essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the University of Florida supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging UF supplemental essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help responding to the UF essay topics, create your free account or schedule a free advising assessment by calling (844) 343-6272.
University of Florida Essay Guide Quick Facts:
- UF has an acceptance rate of 31.0%— U.S. News ranks the University of Florida as a highly selective school.
- There is one school-specific UF supplemental essay required for all applicants. If you are planning to apply to the UF Honors Program, you will complete an additional two UF essays. This means applicants to the UF Honors Program will complete a total of three UF supplemental essays.
Does the University of Florida have supplemental essays?
Yes. Whether you apply through the Common App or Coalition App , you will respond to at least one UF essay prompt. Your UF admissions essay lets the admissions team learn more about you as they review your application.
Any freshman applying through the Common App or Coalition App also can apply to FHP, the University of Florida’s First-Year Honors Program. In addition to the required UF admissions essay, students applying to FHP must complete two additional UF supplemental essays.
While some schools handle honors admissions separately, UF includes all application materials for FHP in the standard UF application. This includes every UF admissions essay. Students completing the UF supplemental essays for the Honors Program, therefore, will submit all three UF essays through the Common or Coalition App. This means that you must complete the UF essays for the Honors Program before you submit your final application.
Need some help writing your Common App essay? Get great tips from our Common App essay guide .
How many supplemental essays does the University of Florida have?
There are three total University of Florida supplemental essays included on the 2021-2022 application.
The University of Florida has one UF essay prompt every student is required to complete. Additionally, if you choose to apply to their Honors Program, you must write another two UF supplemental essays. The first required UF essay prompt asks about your extracurricular engagements. In contrast, the UF essay topics for the Honors Program ask about your interest in the program and your academic priorities.
Before writing your essays, you’ll want to have an idea of your intended major. If you haven’t already, use our College Search Feature to explore the wide range of majors offered at UF!
How do I write the University of Florida supplemental essays?
Here are some helpful tips to help you get started on the University of Florida supplemental essays!
To begin, the University of Florida supplemental essays give you an opportunity to showcase what motivates you, which academic topics interest you, and how you engage with the world around you. Therefore, think of the UF supplemental essays as your chance to introduce yourself to the admissions team on your own terms.
As you brainstorm the UF essay topics, remember your audience. Admissions officers read thousands of UF supplemental essays. Ultimately, if you are vague, superficial, or misleading, your UF essays won’t help the UF admissions team understand who you are. To maximize your UF supplemental essays’ impact, you’ll want to be as specific, genuine, and authentic as possible.
If you’re having trouble finding topics for your UF essays, don’t worry! We will discuss each UF essay prompt individually below. But first, here are some more technical tips to keep in mind when writing your University of Florida supplemental essays.
Overall, the most important thing your University of Florida supplemental essays should do is answer the UF essay prompt. Even if you write a perfect UF admissions essay, it has failed to serve its main purpose if it doesn’t answer every aspect of the prompt.
Each of the University of Florida supplemental essays has a maximum word limit. In each essay, make sure to stick to the word limit and use your space wisely. For example, if you find yourself quoting someone famous or writing about a friends’ experiences, ask yourself how it relates back to you. In fact, the more “you” that you include in your UF admissions essay, the better!
The admissions team reads countless UF essays every year. This makes it particularly important that your UF admissions essay is as clear and polished as possible. Essentially, the more straightforward and refined your writing is, the more easily your ideas and personality will shine through! For this reason, you’ll want to be sure to give yourself enough time to draft, revise, and proofread your University of Florida supplemental essays.
Below, we have provided the 2021-2022 UF admissions essay prompts. Along with the prompts, you’ll find a breakdown of how to approach each UF admissions essay. As a bonus, we included both the general UF essay prompt and the Honors Program prompts. Additionally, we’ll also discuss tips for narrowing down your UF essay topics. If you follow these tips, you’ll write University of Florida supplemental essays that will help you stand out in admissions.
University of Florida Supplemental Essays – Question 1 (Required)
Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. This could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity (250 words or less).
To start, this UF essay prompt asks you to choose your single “most meaningful commitment.” Even if multiple experiences pop into your head, you must narrow your UF essay topic down to just one commitment. The best University of Florida supplemental essays will use one commitment to reveal fundamental aspects of an applicant’s identity.
If you need help choosing your UF essay topics, try making a list using UF’s suggested categories. These include: Extracurricular, Work, Volunteering, Academic Activity, Family Responsibility, Other. While writing, remember that this list can include a sport you’ve played, a job you’ve held, or even a responsibility toward a sibling. Once you’ve completed your list, circle three to five topics that engage you most. Do a five-minute free-write for each. If there’s a topic you can’t stop writing about, there’s a good chance that might be your most meaningful commitment!
Once you’ve selected your essay topic, you can consider the rest of the UF essay prompt. This first UF essay prompt is quite open-ended, which gives you plenty of opportunities to showcase your identity. While “Please provide more details” isn’t very specific, remember that your UF admissions essay is an opportunity for the admissions team to get to know you. As you write, make sure to always connect your topic back to who you are.
Struggling to answer this UF essay prompt? Here are some questions to guide your response:
What did I do? Be specific. If your topic is a sport, like basketball, discuss details of playing basketball that your reader might not know. For instance, you might describe waking up at 6 am for practice, practicing drills and collaborating with teammates, or performing under the pressure of a crowd.
Why did I do it? What was the motivation behind your commitment? Let’s continue with the basketball example. Is basketball something you and your little brother grew up playing together? Does playing a sport help with your anxiety? Were you inspired by a certain professional athlete? Including the reason why you pursue the activity will strengthen your response to this UF essay prompt.
What did I take away from this commitment? Learning happens in all places. While this UF admissions essay asks you to describe an activity outside the classroom, asking “what did I learn?” will help take your response to this UF essay prompt from a summary into a story. Maybe you discovered a new passion, a new skill, or a new way of problem-solving. Maybe your commitment to basketball translated into commitment in your classes? Or maybe the teamwork you cultivated in practice changed the way you helped your family at home?
As you expand upon your UF essay topics, think about how your commitment shaped who you are. This will give you a compelling ending to your UF admissions essay.
UF Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:
- Does my UF admissions essay reference one (not two, or three) commitment outside of my classes?
- Does my essay show why this is important to me?
- Do I show how I engaged in this activity?
- Does my essay reflect what I gained from this experience?
University of Florida Honors Program Supplemental Essays – Question 1 (Required)
Why is applying for the UF Honors Program important to you? Which aspects of the program’s three pillars of opportunity, community, and challenge pique your interests? How would you engage with the program to exemplify these pillars yourself? How does the program factor into your long-term goals? Please be specific (400 words or less).
The first step in tackling this UF essay prompt is to read about the UF Honors Program’s 3 Pillars of Value . As you think about your UF essay topics, ask yourself what about these pillars draws you to the program. Why are these ideals crucial to your college experience?
If you’re struggling to find specific details to discuss in your UF essays, think about your current situation. What are you missing in your high school academic career that you want to experience in college? If your classes aren’t challenging enough, you might want to talk about “challenge” and why the Honors Program would give you the academic rigor you need to reach your greatest potential. Or, if you feel you haven’t met many like-minded individuals in your high school, you might want to talk about “community” and why the Honors Program would provide opportunities to support and be supported by peers. If you aspire to do research or attend a graduate school, you might want to talk about “opportunity” and how the Honors Program will connect you with advisors to put you on track for those experiences.
Think about the future
While this brainstorm can help you begin choosing your UF essay topics, the Honors Program Application Tips reminds prospective students that this UF essay prompt is meant to be forward-facing. This means the admissions team wants to hear about what you imagine for your future rather than what you’ve completed in your past. This is where the second half of the UF essay prompt comes into play.
Imagine the Honors Program as a stepping-stone: what will you do in the Honors Program, and how will that help you reach your goals? Be sure to answer these questions with specific details about the Honors Program. For example, if your dream is to join the medical field, you might reference the Honors Program’s Pre-Health Coordinator and the Professional Development courses you will take to prepare you for medical school.
No matter what draws you to the Honors Program, remember to be specific, answer all four questions in the UF essay prompt, and proofread, proofread, proofread!
- Does my UF admissions essay reference specific details about the Honors Program?
- Do I include both why I am interested in the Honors Program and what I plan to do if I get in?
- Does my essay communicate why the Honors Program is important in reaching my academic goals?
University of Florida Honors Program Supplemental Essays – Question 2 (Required)
Identify two topics you have previously studied that do not traditionally overlap. How do you envision you might bring these topics together during your time in Honors to engage a pressing societal, medical or technological concern? The concern you wish to engage could be of local, national, or global scope, but you should be clear about the issue you want to address. For the purposes of this essay, the topics you identify need not have been formally studied in high school, but you should have studied them since beginning in high school (300 words or less).
This UF essay prompt asks you to think along interdisciplinary lines to express your unique academic goals. This gives you a crucial opportunity to illustrate why you belong in an intellectually rigorous space like UF’s Honors Program.
Choosing a Topic
The first challenge of this UF essay prompt is to choose two topics that do not traditionally overlap. If you are having trouble choosing your UF essay topics, use your transcript and make a bulleted list of your classes divided into basic high school subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, and the Arts. Think about which classes on this list you most enjoyed, and start combining subjects with seemingly little relation. The more unorthodox your combination, the more unique your UF admissions essay will be. For example, if you first choose Statistics and Chemistry, you may want to keep brainstorming as those have quite a bit of overlap. However, if you choose Chemistry and Music, you’ll have a less traditional pair that will make for a fascinating UF admissions essay. Strong UF essays can come from unexpected places!
Choosing a Concern
Next, turn away from your academic interests and choose the societal, medical, or technological concern you’d like to address. Unlike some other UF essays, this UF essay prompt focuses on how you think rather than who you are. As you choose your concern, therefore, focus on how you will engage the topic rather than why it is important to you. Remember, you’ve chosen this topic because it needs to be addressed, and your reader knows that. If you have a specific, personal connection that impacts the way you view the problem (and will ultimately tackle it), keep your justification brief and always connect back to how you will engage with the topic at hand. The best UF essays will offer concrete, specific details on how an applicant plans to tackle their chosen concern.
As you complete your University of Florida supplemental essays, be sure to reference their Application Tips to ensure you have a strong application.
- Does my essay include two topics that I will combine to solve a problem (not one, not three)?
- Do I show how my two chosen topics inform and relate to one another?
- Does my essay reflect how I plan to engage with this topic (not just why I am interested)?
How hard is it to get into the University of Florida honors program?
The University of Florida Honors Program is a highly challenging and therefore highly competitive program. Last year, the acceptance rate was 13%—well below the University’s acceptance rate. Students who are accepted have excellent scholarly credentials, are leaders in their communities, and plan to push themselves alongside their fellow Honors Gators.
It is important your University of Florida supplemental essays showcase why you belong in the Honors Program. Students accepted to the UF Honors program also have high test scores and GPAs as well as strong UF supplemental essays. You can read more about the 2020 Admitted Student Profile, the Honors review process, and the timeline for the 2021-2022 application cycle here .
What are the requirements to get into the University of Florida?
Your University of Florida supplemental essays are only one element of your UF application. The University of Florida’s Admissions page provides a list of minimum requirements for freshman applicants . That means you need to meet or exceed the following benchmarks to have a competitive application outside of your UF supplemental essays:
- Graduation: You must be on track to graduate from a regionally accredited or state-approved secondary school or the equivalent (G.E.D., etc.).
- Academic Credits: You need 16 academic units distributed across English, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Foreign Language.
- Grade Point Average: Your cumulative GPA must be at least a C.
- Conduct: You must have a record of good conduct. Any major issues may disqualify your application from being considered, regardless of your academic credentials.
- SAT or ACT: You must submit test scores from the SAT and/or the ACT. If you have taken a test multiple times, UF will take the highest scores for each subsection and superscore to create the highest possible total score.
University of Florida Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts
As you think about the University of Florida supplemental essays, remember that no single element of your application will determine your admissions results. The UF admissions team uses a holistic review process , meaning they take everything into consideration: your grades, test scores, extracurriculars, background, and UF supplemental essays. Admissions will consider your UF supplemental essays alongside your other academic credentials to better understand who you are as a student and how you will enrich the University of Florida community. While your transcript and test scores reflect the kind of student you already are, your UF essays will help them see what kind of student you can become.
While writing the University of Florida supplemental essays can be time-consuming, remember your UF essays—including both your Personal Statement and your UF supplemental essays—are the one part of your application where you have complete control. Be sure to take your time and make your University of Florida supplemental essays as strong as they can be! Give yourself time to think about the UF essay topics before you get started. Consider what you’ve already included in the rest of your application and use the UF essays to share something new about who you are.
If the thought of distilling yourself into a few short essays seems daunting, spend some time daydreaming about what going to the University of Florida could mean to your future. Think about the possibilities and opportunities you are excited to take on. Let that excitement shine through in your UF supplemental essays. Good luck!
This 2021-2022 essay guide on UF was written by Stefanie Tedards. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources, click here . Want help crafting your University of Florida supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a no-cost advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.
Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.
- Advisor Application
- Popular Colleges
- Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
- Student Login
- California Privacy Notice
- Terms and Conditions
- Your Privacy Choices
By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Note that students cannot go back and complete the Honors essay after submitting their UF application. Students must apply to the Honors Program to be considered for the Lombardi and Stamps Scholarships. Only students who apply to the University of Florida by the November 1 deadline will be considered for the Honors Program. Timeline for 2023 ...
Here are some ideas of the types of topics you might write about: Activities where you've shown significant commitment. Clubs or groups that you've created, or where you've had a leadership role. Activities that have helped to shape a specific personal aspect of your life. Experiences that relate to your future goals.
The UF Honors Program is structured in two parts: the First-Year Honors Program (FHP) for first-year students and the University Honors Program (UHP) for upper-division students. At every level of the program, we provide tailored advising, opportunities for community-building and interdisciplinary engagement. The hallmarks of each program are ...
From my understanding, most people want to be in the Honors College because of perceived prestige, when that is not really the case. The only discernable benefit is the early registration, which I wager is not the driving force behind most peoples drive to apply to the Honors College. More often than not, not being in the Honors College is no ...
The essays are reviewed by Honors Program faculty and hold the greatest weight in the review process. We do not consider high school activities, test scores or GPAs in this process. Please note that any student found responsible for a UF Honor Code violation or issued probation or higher due to a UF Student Conduct Code violation will be ...
Application to the honors program is open to anyone who got in to UF, and acceptance into the program is much more reliant on the three short essays you will write than it is on your grades and extracurriculars (application opens soon so if you're interested start looking into it).
We've updated this post! Check out the 2021-2022 UF essay guide. The University of Florida is a top public research university in the suburban center of vibrant Gainesville, Florida. Known for its abundant research opportunities, business programs, and engineering school, the university is widely considered the strongest public school in Florida.
American novelist Henry Miller once said, "My hunger and curiosity drive me forward in all directions at once.". Students in the University of Florida Honors Program are known for pursuing multiple interests and passions. Tell us about a subject or topic that you find intellectually stimulating and are curious to learn more about while in ...
Our experienced Essay Advisors provide the exclusive tips you need to write a winning 2024-25 University of Florida Supplemental Essay. The time to start is now. COLLEGE ESSAY ADVISORS ... UF also wants to know why you are applying for the Honors Program. This essay calls for—say it with us now—research! Block off a solid hour or two to ...
Honors College Essay. Admissions. Hi, looking for some inspo for the following prompt for honors college essay: Why is applying for the UF Honors Program important to you? Which aspects of the program's three pillars of opportunity, community, and challenge pique your interests? How would you engage with the program to exemplify these pillars ...
If you're looking for an acceptance letter, you'll need to nail down your University of Florida supplemental essays. This article will take you through each prompt, including the honors program application prompt. University of Florida's 2024-2025 Prompts. There are a few different types of essays required by UF.
I'm applying to the UF Honors Program, and I'm looking for some guidance or examples of successful essays. Any advice on how to make my essay stand out and improve my chances of getting in? 9 months ago
The UF Honors Program offers smaller, enriched classes taught by leading faculty and provides an array of opportunities beyond the classroom. Honors Gators benefit from specialized advising and coaching. The Honors Village is the Honors Living Learning Community on UF's campus. If you are interested in the Honors Program, you should indicate ...
Currently, more than 70% of all honors students are majoring in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. The top 10 enrolled majors among honors students include: computer science, biology, psychology, mechanical engineering, chemistry, microbiology, finance, biomedical engineering, economics, and ...
Applying to an Honors College? Odds are you have to write an honors college essay, so let's practice writing about those today live on the Score channel. Mus...
The University of Florida is a large public university in Gainesville that is known for both its academics and party scene. You have to really stand out in order to gain admission to this selective university, which is why your essays have to shine. In this post, we'll share a real essay a student submitted to the University of Florida, and ...
For all undergraduates at UF, there are two different kinds of honors program: The University Honors Program. The University Honors Program is a university-wide program structured in two parts: the Freshman Honors Program (FHP) for first-year students and the University Honors Program (UHP) for upper-division students.. Prospective freshmen are encouraged to apply to the Freshman Honors ...
Under the supervision of Honors Program Director and Associate Professor Sheryl Kroen, honors students wrote 40-60 page papers based on research from archives near and far. For some honors students, research meant weeks of work in UF's Special Collections.
University of Florida Essay Guide Quick Facts: UF has an acceptance rate of 31.0%— U.S. News ranks the University of Florida as a highly selective school. There is one school-specific UF supplemental essay required for all applicants. If you are planning to apply to the UF Honors Program, you will complete an additional two UF essays.
The members of our Honors Program office team. General contact information. Apply to Honors. Visit Honors. Give to Honors. FAQs. University of Florida. Gainesville, FL 32611. UF Operator: (352) 392-3261.
Program Overview. Learn more about: Milestone I: First-Year Requirements must be completed by the end of the first spring semester at UF. At the conclusion of spring, all first-year honors students will be reviewed to ensure they have completed these requirements. FHP Entrance Survey: Distributed to incoming students in July, due in August.
For UF undergrads interested in doing a Senior Thesis on a historical subject, consider the History Honors Program. It might not be the School of Athens, but it's pretty close. And you don't even have to be a history major to apply! For more details, you can either visit our webpage link.
Fall and Spring Graduation Info. Honors Completion deadlines are October 25 (fall), March 7 (spring), July 2 (summer). Medallion Ceremonies are December 13 (fall) and May 1 (spring)