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How to Write the Virginia Tech 2024-2025 Supplemental Essays

Virginia Tech has released its new essay prompts for the 2024-2025 admission cycle. This year, applicants are required to respond to four short essays, with each response capped at 120 words. Here’s how you can approach them to make your application stand out:

Essay Prompt 1: "Virginia Tech’s motto is 'Ut Prosim' which means 'That I May Serve.' Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech?"

This prompt seeks to understand your sense of duty and community service. Reflect on a significant community you are part of, such as a local charity, school club, or neighborhood project. Highlight not just your role but also the impact of your work. Discuss the skills you have developed and how you plan to continue this service at Virginia Tech.

For personalized feedback, try Sups AI , a unique AI college counseling platform that helps students brainstorm and refine essays. With Sups, you can even chat one-on-one with current Virginia Tech students to get insights.

Essay Prompt 2: "Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community supports access and inclusion by affirming the dignity and value of every person... Have you had an experience when you or someone you know were not being included? Did you reach out to anyone for assistance, direction, or resources? Were you able to affect change and/or influence others? Did this experience change your perspective and if so, how?"

In this prompt, Virginia Tech wants to see your commitment to inclusion and diversity. Think of a specific incident where someone faced exclusion. Describe your actions to address the situation and the resources or assistance you sought. Reflect on how this experience has influenced your understanding and attitude towards inclusivity.

For expert advice on representing your experiences effectively, consider using Sups AI . It has already helped 10,000 students get admitted to top schools and can guide you on this reflective essay.

Essay Prompt 3: "Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time?"

This prompt asks for a specific leadership experience. Choose an instance where your leadership had a tangible impact. Detail the skills you employed and the responsibility you shouldered. Emphasize what you learned about yourself and how you intend to bring these leadership qualities to Virginia Tech.

Brainstorming the perfect incident and refining it can be challenging. That's where Sups AI comes in handy. Sups offers detailed feedback and one-on-one consultations to ensure your leadership story stands out.

Essay Prompt 4: "Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from and how do they support your progress as you work on this goal?"

In this final prompt, describe a meaningful goal and your plan to achieve it. Explain your motivation and set clear steps and a timeline. Mention mentors or peers who provide support and how their guidance helps you stay on track.

For tailored advice on structuring your goals essay, try Sups AI . Their platform provides step-by-step guidance and feedback tailored to your unique experiences and aspirations.

Approach these supplemental essays with introspection, clarity, and authenticity. With Sups AI as your resource, you can enhance your narratives and boost your chances of admission to Virginia Tech. Good luck!

First-year Admissions Requirements

Academic requirements for first-year applicants.

For Fall 2024, we received more than 52,000 applications for approximately 7,000 spaces in our entering class. To be a first-year applicant to Virginia Tech, you must complete:

18 units of high school coursework, including:

• 4 units of English
• 3 units of math (includes algebra I, and algebra II)
• 2 units of laboratory science (chosen from biology, chemistry or physics)
• 2 units of social science (one must be history)
• 3 additional academic units (foreign language is highly recommended)
• 4 elective units

If you have already graduated high school and have attempted 12 or more credits at the college/university level, then you should apply as a transfer applicant. If your credits were attempted or completed in high school, you are still a first-year applicant.

First-year Applicant Holistic Review

When your application is complete, it will be reviewed holistically by our admissions committee. We will look at your achievement inside of the classroom, as well as who you are outside of the classroom. This includes looking at your application within the context of your high school. The committee will consider your school’s course offerings, grading scale, and any other school-related information provided to review your academic achievement. Factors that are considered in the application review process include:

Academic Review:

• Rigor of academic program within context of school
• Grades in courses, including trends over time
• Standardized test scores (if applicable; test-optional for students entering through Fall 2025)
• Major requested on your application as we review by major at Virginia Tech

Personal Review (in alphabetical order, not reflective of order of review):

• Activities outside of the classroom like jobs, clubs, sports, family responsibilities, service, research, etc.
• Disciplinary record
• First-generation college student status
• Interest in the Corps of Cadets
• Participation in Virginia Tech pipeline programs
• Personal statements submitted through the Ut Prosim Profile
• Veteran status

Required Supplemental Information for Application Review

Academic materials.

Applicants who have only attended high school or have been home-educated within the United States:

Must submit a Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) for review. Your SRAR should include all courses and grades received for years 9-11 and all in-progress and planned coursework for year 12. If you choose for your SAT/ACT scores to be reviewed, you must include them on your SRAR.

Applicants who have attended high school or have been home-educated outside of the United States at any point:

Must submit a Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) or copies of your transcript(s). Your SRAR or transcripts should include all courses, grades, and exam results for years 9-11 and all in-progress and planned coursework for year 12. If you choose for your SAT/ACT scores to be reviewed, include them on your SRAR or upload a score report to your Applicant Portal.

In both cases, the Applicant Portal will be a tool for submitting your academic materials. Applicants will be able to either seamlessly log into their SRAR or upload their transcript(s) and standardized test score reports (if applicable).

Standardized Tests

ACT or SAT: Virginia Tech is test-optional for students entering through Fall 2025. On the application for admission, you will be able to select whether or not you would like your scores to be reviewed as part of your application. We do not look at the Writing section of either test. If you do not want to include test scores in the review of your application, it will not impact your admission decision. If you are required to submit the SRAR, you will provide the scores there. If you are attending a high school outside the U.S. and submit transcripts instead of an SRAR, then you can include the test scores on your Common App for review, or upload the score report in your Applicant Portal.

English Language Requirements: If you are applying and your native language is not English, you will need to demonstrate English language proficiency through testing. For more information, please see the international requirements webpage for details .

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are not required or requested. Even if submitted, they will not be considered in the review of your application.

If there is a circumstance that you would like to share that impacted you academically or personally, we encourage you to share this information on your application in the Additional Information writing prompt on Common App. Your counselor may also write a letter of circumstance on your behalf and email it to  [email protected]  to be added to your application for review. Please note that this should not be used to share letters of recommendation.

For a checklist related to applying to Virginia Tech as a first-year, please visit the  first-year application checklist .

Home-Schooled, Home-Educated, and Others in Non-Accredited Programs

In order to be competitive for admission to Virginia Tech, students applying from educational backgrounds other than accredited schools (including home-schooled or home-educated students whose programs are not accredited) must provide the following documentation for review by the admissions committee:

• Application for admission, including the non-refundable application fee
• Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) that includes all coursework completed in high school
• Grades/level of performance
• SAT and/or ACT test scores, if choosing to have scores reviewed

Virginia Tech attracts highly competitive students nationwide and from over 100 countries. An increasing number of these students have unique educational backgrounds that require additional evaluation. The university administration recognizes that students from educational backgrounds other than accredited schools may not study in the traditional classroom environment and that they are unable to provide the traditional documentation needed to evaluate their academic performance. Virginia Tech believes that providing this population the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in their college preparatory curriculum through the above-listed documentation will be beneficial to both the student and the university.

Updated July 2023

How to Write the Virginia Tech Supplemental Essays 2024–2025

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The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (aka Virginia Tech) values interdisciplinary studies, experiential learning , and service to the community. Their educational model produces many accomplished alumni, including numerous CEOs: Jim Buckmaster of Craigslist, Bridget Ryan Berman of Victoria’s Secret, Clifton C. Garvin of Exxon, and Thomas L. Phillips of Raytheon, among others. Looking to join their ranks? First, you’ll need to nail down your Virginia Tech supplemental essays. Let’s break them down.

Virginia Tech’s 2024-2025 Prompts

Here are the four Virginia Tech supplemental essays. Each one is required, and each has a limit of 120 words. Note that 120 words is approximately half of a page, double-spaced.

Virginia Tech’s motto is “Ut Prosim” which means ‘That I May Serve’. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech? (120 words or fewer)

Virginia tech’s principles of community support access and inclusion by affirming the dignity and value of every person, respecting differences, promoting mutual understanding and open expression, and strives to eliminate bias and discrimination.  have you had an experience when you or someone you know were not being included did you reach out to anyone for assistance, direction, or resources were you able to affect change and/or influence others did this experience change your perspective and if so, how (120 words or fewer), share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. what specific skills did you contribute to the experience how did others rely on you for guidance what did you learn about yourself during this time (120 words or fewer), describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. what made you set this goal for yourself what is your timeline to achieve this goal who do you seek encouragement or guidance from and how do they support your progress as you work on this goal (120 words or fewer).

General Tips

The four Virginia Tech supplemental essays ask multi-faceted, in-depth questions. However, you only have 120 words in which to answer all parts of each question. Therefore, it’s important that you write concisely and precisely. In addition, you should continue to re-read the prompts as you work on the essays to make sure that every part of the prompt in question makes it into your essay. There’s no need to re-state the phrasing of the prompts, but you should not leave any aspect of the questions at hand untouched.

Writing concisely is easier said than done. If you’re looking to cut down on your word count in some of the essays, consider the following techniques:

• Avoid passive voice. Although the passive voice is a useful rhetorical technique and often unavoidable, it tends to add extra words to your writing. For instance, the sentence “I was chased by the dog” (passive) requires more words than “The dog chased me” (active).
• Avoid repetition. Avoiding repetition can often be as simple as confirming that each sentence in your essay contains new information. If a given sentence or even phrase contains information communicated elsewhere in the essay, then you might want to consider deleting it. Comb through your essay carefully to find instances of redundancy.
• Avoid descriptive language. Descriptions can make your narrative more vivid and readable, but if they lengthen your essay to the point that you’re over the word limit, then it might be time to cut back. Look for adverbs and adjectives in your essay. Is each one absolutely necessary? If you use multiple descriptive words, is there any way you could get away with just one?
• Read your essay out loud. This strategy is simple but effective. Hearing your words can help you identify illogical transitions and overlong phrases. Additionally, you may notice that you naturally skip over certain words in your writing when reading it aloud. If so, these words may not be necessary for your essay to function.

Virginia Tech Short Essay Questions

The admissions team at Virginia Tech isn’t just seeking to admit intelligent, motivated individuals. Instead, they are seeking to build a well-rounded, diverse community of students. In this essay, you are expected to demonstrate how you have contributed to the communities in your life. An effective essay response will demonstrate to the reader that you will continue to be a contributing community member at Virginia Tech.

When the admissions team poses this question, they also provide insight regarding Virginia Tech’s values. In short, Virginia Tech values service to others. You can imagine this value broadly, from literal community service and civil service to the intangible impacts of leading your life with empathy and respect for others. In other words, your response to this prompt doesn’t need to be limited to traditional definitions of service.

After you’ve briefly described your service experience, you will need to express what you have learned and how you will bring those lessons to Virginia Tech. Essentially, the admissions team is looking for the ways your service experiences have helped you become a better community member. Consider the times when you have acted in service of others. Who were you before that service, and who were you afterward? Describe that transition in your essay clearly and concisely.

In order to effectively write this essay, you will need to do a bit of research. Read about Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community to prepare yourself to write this essay. In summary, these principles expect mutual respect for all community members. This mutual respect extends diversity, freedom of expression, and, of course, inclusion.

In your essay, you are expected to recount an experience in your life when these Principles of Community were not upheld. In that moment, either yourself or someone else was the victim of exclusion. Define what exclusion means to you, and the context of the exclusionary act.

Ideally, you are the focus of this essay, not someone else. Because this is one of your college essays, it is one of your opportunities to show the reader who you are. Writing about someone else can only give the reader a partial view into your character. That said, if you do not have any experiences that align with the prompt’s expectations, you can describe an occasion when you witnessed someone else’s experience and exercised empathy in understanding their experience. If you were able to actively improve the exclusionary situation, even better. In your essay, be sure to detail the actions you took to resolve or improve the situation.

Note that this narrative can be an experience of failure and/or a time when you learned a lesson. The prompt asks, “Were you able to affect change and/or influence others?” In other words, you need to reflect on this experience and your reaction, and whether your reaction was genuinely impactful. It doesn’t need to have been a perfect response, as long as you learned from the experience. Throughout life, we will all face adversity and make mistakes. What distinguishes people is their response to adversity and ability to learn from their mistakes. That’s what the Virginia Tech admissions team is seeking in your response.

In sum, what was your response to this situation, and what could be improved upon? What were your takeaways? If you wished you behaved differently in that moment, then you have evidently learned a life lesson from the experience. Showing your growth in this essay will evidence your maturity to the reader. As long as you write authentically, this essay will successfully show who you are to the admissions team.

This prompt seeks to understand who you are as a leader. While the prior two prompts sought to understand you as a community member or team player, this essay question seeks a different side of you. Remember, you’re not restricted to discussing traditional leadership roles in this essay. Any occasion when others looked up to you or you guided the trajectory of a project, group, event, etc., could work for this essay.

This is not just one question, it’s three, so you’ll need to budget your words wisely. For instance, you could spend approximately 30 words describing a time when you were a leader or role model, 30 words about the skills you brought to the table, 30 words about how others relied on you, and finish up with 30 words of reflection regarding the lessons you learned.

Of course, if you find that some of these parts of the essay require fewer words, then you’ll have more to devote to the other parts. That said, this multilayered prompt will definitely benefit from some forethought given the amount of content you’re expected to pack in. An outline can help you organize your ideas before you begin writing.

Whether an outline is your speed or not, you should focus on just one moment in your essay. Attempting to squeeze too much into such a short essay will just leave your ideas undeveloped. Moreover, the prompt expects you to share “a time,” versus a few times. If you’re having trouble deciding which experience to write about, make a short list of the ideas you’re torn between. Then, free-write a few different drafts, one for each idea. After doing so, you will likely notice that some ideas speak to you more than others or translate to page more fluidly than others.

As the Virginia Tech admissions team evaluates your application, they look for signs that you will succeed as a college student. Successful college students manage complex, long-term academic assignments alongside their social lives, extracurricular activities, and self-care. In order to identify the best candidates for admission, Virginia Tech’s admissions officers hope to understand how their applicants handle difficult projects.

While brainstorming for this essay, you may want to make a list of the different projects or achievements that have been significant for you in your high school years. Perhaps you learned to play an instrument, wrote a novel, or fixed your mom’s car. Alternatively, you may have completed a meaningful independent research project, won an athletic event, or founded a club at your school. Whatever goal you choose to discuss, make sure it’s something that was important to you.

Like the last prompt, this one may benefit from an outline and careful budgeting of your words. In this essay, you’ll also need to address four topics. First, what did you achieve? Second, why did you pursue this project? Third, how much time did it take to complete this project? Fourth, who has supported you in this endeavor? Note that this project could be ongoing.

Most importantly, be specific in your response. Focus on one project, achievement, goal, or other endeavor in your essay. Budget your words carefully, and be sure to address all aspects of the prompt. You’ve got this!

If you need help polishing up your Virginia Tech supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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4 Tips for Writing Stellar Virginia Tech Essays

College Essays

Are you hoping to be part of Virginia Tech's next matriculating class? If so, you'll need to write strong Virginia Tech essays to supplement your application.

All Virginia Tech applicants are required to answer four short answer questions as part of their application. In this article, we'll break down what the Virginia Tech essays are and what the admissions committee is looking for in your answer.

Why Does Virginia Tech Require Applicants to Answer Essays?

Virginia Tech requires all applicants to answer four short answer questions. If you're applying to the Honors College, your answers will also be shared with the Honors College admissions committee. You don't need to answer any separate questions as an applicant to the Virginia Tech Honors College.

The Virginia Tech essays are designed for the admissions committee to get a better sense of who you are, both as a student and a person. The short answers questions ask about your character, leadership, and goals. The admissions committee will use your answers to better understand you as a person—who are you? What do you care about? How will you fit in on Virginia Tech's campus?

It's important to put some serious effort into your Virginia Tech essays so that you represent yourself well to the admissions committee. These essays are your chance to present a well-rounded version of yourself that makes the admissions committee say, "We have to admit this student!"

What Are the Virginia Tech Essays?

Virginia Tech requires that every applicant answer four short answer questions. These short answer questions are just that—short! Each has a word limit of 120 words. Let's take a look at the 2022-2023 essay questions:

#1: Virginia Tech's motto is "Ut Prosim" which means 'That I May Serve'. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech?

#2: Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt and learn from a difficulty. Reflect on a time that you have exhibited resilience. What growth did you see in yourself after this experience?

#3: Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time?

#4: Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from and how do they support your progress as you work on this goal?

Virginia Tech Essays, Analyzed

Now that we know what the Virginia Tech essays are, let's break down how to answer each one as best as possible.

Since the Virginia Tech essays are so short, the key is to be super targeted in your responses. For each prompt, we'll break down what the essay is asking and how you can tailor your response to make sure it's what the admissions committee wants to hear.

Essay Question 1

Virginia Tech's motto is "Ut Prosim" which means 'That I May Serve'. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech?

This essay question is asking about your involvement or service with a specific community. The admissions committee is looking for you to demonstrate a genuine commitment to a cause —what the cause is doesn't matter as much as the fact that you genuinely care about it.

To start, think about the communities that are important to you. This could be your family, neighborhood, school, place of worship, a club, etc. Then think about how you've worked to have a positive impact  there. Finally, consider the lessons you've learned from helping the community that you'll bring with you to Virginia Tech. 

You should pick a community that you've made real, lasting change at. Don't choose something that sounds the best if you haven't actually done a lot for them. For instance, if you were a member of your school's Habitat for Humanity club but didn't actually attend very many meetings, don't talk about how meaningful it was to build houses for disadvantaged people just because you think it sounds nice. Any insincerity in your application will be very obvious.

Essay Question 2

Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt and learn from a difficulty. Reflect on a time that you have exhibited resilience. What growth did you see in yourself after this experience?

This second question can seem intimidating—you'll need to reflect on a tough time and analyze how you grew as a person because of it.

Fortunately, this doesn't need to be an all-out catastrophe that happened in your life. Anything that you found a challenge but were able to overcome and learn from is fair game. For example, you could discuss not making the school basketball team, even though it was your dream to play on it, then deciding to rededicate yourself to practicing so you wouldn't let this failure define you. 

Your goal isn't to impress the admissions committee with the most tragic tale they've seen, but instead to show how you learn and grow from challenges.  So, as you're writing, keep the actual description of the setback short and focus most of your response on how you showed resilience because of it.

Essay Question 3

Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time?

This prompt wants to know two things: first, have you taken on the responsibility of leading other people? Second, what did it teach you about yourself?

The admissions committee wants to know that you don't shy away from mentorship roles and growth opportunities. You don't have to be president of a club or captain of a sports team to demonstrate leadership. Perhaps you took on the role of project coordinator for a classroom project or are section leader of a few instrumentalists in the band. The size of the role isn't as important as the scope of your influence—how did your choices and actions influence others as well as your perception of yourself?

The question also specifically asks you to explain how you relied on others for guidance, so be sure to make it clear that you weren't just making decisions unilaterally. In this essay, you want to show that you're capable of making decisions, but also that you're capable of cooperation and self-reflection.

Essay Question 4

Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from and how do they support your progress as you work on this goal?

The final Virginia Tech short essay question assesses your commitment to growth. Notice that the question asks about a personal goal—that means you don't have to pick something lofty or world-changing. You just have to pick something that resonates with you.

Maybe you decided to wake up 30 minutes earlier every day so you can meditate or do yoga before school. Maybe you made it a goal to complete all of your essays two days before they were due so you could revise your work. Maybe you made it a goal to try a sport this year when you normally hate sports.

Whatever your goal is, you want to demonstrate that you're capable of self-reflection and of positive growth —that you're constantly assessing how to better yourself.

You also want to show humility in this prompt—that you can rely on or ask for help from others when you need it. The admissions committee doesn't expect that you'll have all the answers yourself. They want to see that you can collaborate with and learn from others when you need to.

Tips for Answering Your Virginia Tech Essays

Follow these general tips for making sure that your Virginia Tech essays are as strong as possible.

#1: Demonstrate Growth and Self-Reflection

Virginia Tech places a strong emphasis on service and self-reflection. These qualities are reflected in the choices of essay topics.

You should demonstrate these qualities in your answers. Show that you're constantly working to better yourself. Demonstrate humility and understanding. Virginia Tech wants students who will grow on their campus—not ones who will matriculate already thinking they're perfect.

#2: Be Honest and Sincere

All of the experiences that you outline in your Virginia Tech essays should be real—they need to have actually happened to you.

It can be tempting to lie about or exaggerate your experiences to make them seem more impressive. Don't do this!

First of all, lying on your application is a major ethics violation and can get you in some pretty serious trouble if you're caught.

Second all, insincerity will be super obvious. The admissions committee reads thousands of applications every year. They can easily sniff out people who are lying. Be as honest as possible in your Virginia Tech essays and remember—they WANT to hear about how you've grown.

#3: Proofread!

It should go without saying, but your Virginia Tech essays should be the best examples of your work possible. Don't just write your essays and be done with them. Take the time to formulate an answer and then go back and edit it. Make sure to proofread and run your work through a spelling or grammar checker to ensure it's polished.

#4: Get a Second Opinion

Getting a second opinion on your work can be a helpful way to assess whether your Virginia Tech essays are demonstrating your best qualities. Ask someone to read your work who really knows you, so they can tell you whether or not you're underselling yourself or missing a key feature of your personality that the admissions committee should know.

That being said, there's a fine line between getting a second opinion and plagiarism. It's okay to ask for someone's opinion on your work. It's not okay to steal their ideas and pass them off as your own. Make sure you're doing the former, not the latter.

Recap: Responding to the Virginia Tech Essay Prompts

The Virginia Tech essays are designed to show who you are as a student and how you'll fit in on Virginia Tech's campus.

• Be honest and sincere.
• Highlight opportunities you've taken to grow and change.
• Edit and proofread your work to make sure it's as strong as possible.
• Lie or over exaggerate to make yourself seem better.
• Steal anyone else's ideas.
• Sweat the short answers too much. They're important, but they won't make or break your chances at admission to Virginia Tech.

What's Next?

Want to know how to make your extracurriculars stand out even more? Check out this guide to four amazing extracurricular activities and learn why they're so impressive to colleges.

Thinking of applying to other great schools like Princeton , Brown , or Columbia ? Then be sure to check out our guides to learn how you can write amazing essays for these schools' supplements.

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Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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2022-23 Virginia Tech Essay Prompts and Tips

July 21, 2022

Unlike many other public institutions with notable strengths in the areas of business, computer science, and engineering, Virginia Tech’s acceptance rate does not yet strike fear into the hearts of prospective applicants (although it has fallen from 70% to 58% in the past two years). However, it is important for wanna-be Hokies to be aware that the admissions process at this university is becoming highly-selective. This is particularly true for the aforementioned popular majors. Thus, prospective Virginia Tech students need to take advantage of every component of the application in order to stand out. This includes the Virginia Tech supplemental essays.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into Virginia Tech? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Virginia Tech: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Virginia Tech’s motto “Ut Prosim” is Latin for “That I May Serve”. The school requires all undergraduates to complete the “Ut Prosim Profile” which consists of four service-related essay prompts. These essays are “very important” to the admissions committee. Therefore, it is vital that all Tech applicants dedicate a significant amount of time to these short answer questions.

Below are Virginia Tech’s supplemental prompts for the 2022-23 admissions cycle along with our advice for composing winning essays.

2022-2023 University of Virginia Tech Essay Questions

Prompt 1:  virginia tech’s motto is “ut prosim” which means ‘that i may serve’. share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. how long have you been involved what have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at virginia tech (120 words).

The term “community” can have many meanings. In this instance, it could be an ethnic, religious, or neighborhood community or a group of individuals who gather for a club, sport, or service project. Pretty much everyone applying to Virginia Tech is deeply involved in some semblance of a “community”. Perhaps you are the captain of a team, the editor-in-chief of your school paper, or the president of a club. On the other hand, you may simply be a valuable contributing member. Regardless of whether you are a leading man/woman or a still-essential bit player, make sure that you use your writing ability to show the admissions officer what type of community member you are rather than merely telling them.

You can also discuss how you have engaged with your high school local/community and what you have learned from interacting with people of a different ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual identity, etc. Draw on past evidence of your commitment to being a positive force in your community and speculate how that is likely to manifest on Virginia Tech’s campus. Research and cite Virginia Tech student-run organizations or local nonprofit groups. The admissions committee wants to understand precisely how you will contribute to their campus community of 30,000+ undergrads. Drawing the link between your past efforts and future aims is critical here.

For example, if you’ve done work with Habitat for Humanity throughout your teens, it will be most impactful if you express your commitment to joining Tech’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity in the future.

Prompt 2:  Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt and learn from a difficulty. Reflect on a time that you have exhibited resilience. What growth did you see in yourself after this experience? (120 words)

Colleges like students who demonstrate grit, perseverance, and resilience as these qualities typically lead to success in a postsecondary environment. No matter what type of example you offer, demonstrating these admirable traits can do wonders for your admissions prospects. Challenges can be anything from disabilities, depression, anxiety, or attentional to a tumultuous event like: you moved in the middle of junior year, the COVID-19 pandemic interfered with your activities, your parents got divorced, a grandparent passed away, or any number of other personal/family traumas one can name.

Remember that the problem/roadblock itself is just a prelude to a recounting of your resilient actions. Even with a fairly tight 120-word count, be sure to answer the final part of the question. Sum up how you grew as a result of this experience. Be as emotionally honest and nuanced as possible. Trust us—the admissions reader will appreciate your honest thoughts (even if they are a bit scary to share) more than clichés and platitudes.

Prompt 3:  Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time? (120 words)

Leadership is an admirable quality, but it can manifest in many different forms. This essay is not only for those who captained a varsity team to a state title, started a charitable organization, or made sweeping changes as student body president. Teamwork and collaboration are also valued leadership skills both in academia and in the workplace, and students with strong interpersonal skills and a high EQ can be an asset to any university. Think beyond the title that you may have held and more about the action(s) of which you are most proud.

To sum up, this essay is about leadership, broadly defined. You can chronicle anything from mentoring others on your debate team to a simple instance of conflict resolution within your peer group. Along the way, just make sure that you provide answers to each question embedded in the prompt. This includes what you learned about yourself through this role modeling/leadership moment.

Prompt 4:  Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from as you work on this goal? (120 words)

Through this prompt, Virginia Tech wants to know more about your goal-setting, work ethic, and level of executive functioning. Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that becoming a master or expert at anything takes 10,000 hours of practice. Consider talking about the grind and sacrifice it will take you to become great at a given skill. Further, explain how you see that skill becoming even more finely-tuned/developed over time. If this goal fits into your future academic/career plans, all the better—share that too! As with the other three prompts, #4 packs in a lot of questions into a single prompt.

Ultimately, you’ll need to produce a well-edited, concise piece of writing that chronicles not only your goal, the steps you will take to achieve it, the timeline of the steps, but also who will help you along the way. Answering the last question is key in showing that you are a mature learner who understands that you will need mentorship, assistance, and other resources along the path toward achieving your dreams.

How important are the Virginia Tech supplemental essays?

The essays are “very important” to the Virginia Tech admissions committee. This places them the same tier of importance as the rigor of your coursework, GPA, first-generation status, geographical residence, state residency, and race/ethnicity.

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

• College Essay

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Supplemental Essay Guide 2024-25

What do the 2024-25 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down.

Acceptance Rate

Undergrad population.

• Liberal Arts (51)

* Tuition filtering is based on out-of-state fees

Agnes Scott College 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Alvernia University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide  

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The Admissions Strategist

How to write strong virginia tech essays 2020-2021: the valuable guide.

Virginia Tech has an acceptance rate of 71%.

It is a four-year university with over 34,000 students. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, the school offers 110 bachelor programs in addition to graduate and doctoral degree programs. To learn more about what the college has to offer, check out their website here .

Virginia Tech uses the Common App.

The Virginia Tech application requires four supplemental essays of 120 words each, which is not a lot of space to express yourself. Be concise and original, and follow these tips!

What are the Virginia Tech Essay Requirements?

Interestingly, Virginia Tech does not require you to submit the Common App essay with your application. That being said, there is absolutely no harm in submitting your Common App essay with your application. However, this does let you know that the focus will likely be on your supplemental questions specific to Virginia Tech, so make sure you give these extra attention!

Virginia Tech calls its supplemental questions the Ut Prosim questions, which means “ That I May Serve .” As you may have guessed, the emphasis is on service and your commitment to it on campus and beyond. The official directions for the Virginia Tech essays are as follows:

“Each of the Ut Prosim Profile questions are required with a limit of 120 words in length per answer. Once you submit your application, your responses to the questions are final and cannot be updated.”

Here are Virginia Tech’s essay prompts and a few ideas to get you started. 

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay 1

Virginia Tech’s motto is “Ut Prosim” which means ‘That I May Serve’. We are interested in learning more about your interests and how you have been involved and/or served. Briefly describe a group, organization, or community that you have been involved with. Is this a special area of interest for you, and why? How long have you been involved? What role did you play? What contributions have you made to this group? Were you able to influence others and/or influence decisions for the good of the group?*

Read this prompt carefully: it asks you to write about how service is important to your life. It does not ask you to describe that one time you did community service because it was required for a class, and it does not ask for a laundry list of your volunteer hours.

This question asks you to go deep, as evidenced by the plethora of follow up questions. Virginia Tech wants to understand why a particular area of service is important to you, and you must convince them you “practice what you preach” and have delved into this area. 

• If possible, write about something you’re truly passionate about. It’s better to write on a topic that you believe may not sound as impressive, but to which you are truly devoted, than something fluffy and devoid of true personal meaning. Reflect on why this cause spoke to you and continues to do so. 
• A good example might be a leadership position in Students Against Destructive Decisions where through organized recurring service opportunities, you built up a network of students and organizations to match opportunities, and took the initiative to start multiple service projects to give back to the community appropriately.
• If you had a leadership role, focus on the strength of your leadership in guiding decisions. If you didn’t have a leadership role, focus on the areas in which you developed the organization, such as recruiting new volunteers or holding fundraisers. 
• Consider the internal effect and how this service has changed you or helped you grow. Do not be afraid to cite setbacks that one might call ‘failures,’ as long as you’re able to identify what you learned and how you can serve better in the future.

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Overall, this essay should give you an opportunity to elaborate on a passion project of yours that perhaps appears on your resume, but with limited detail. Avoid listing, repeating what’s already on other parts of your application, or gloating. Remember to write with humility and a lens of personal reflection. 

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay 2

Describe a situation where you were involved or witness to an act of discrimination. How, or did, you respond? Do you wish you would have responded differently? Did this situation cause any change to happen based on this event and did you have a role in that change? What did you learn from this experience? *

This is a tough question that evokes an immediate emotional response in many applicants. You may have been a victim of discrimination, or you may have been a witness to an act of discrimination. You may have even been a perpetrator. 

There are two basic guidelines for this question.

• Be honest. This may be the greater challenge for some applicants. For example, if you were a witness to an act of discrimination in years past, and said or did nothing, you may feel ashamed to say as much. However, a response in which you describe that feeling, what you have learned, and how you have or did or would handle it differently in the future is a more authentic and meaningful response than describing an invented moment of activism in which you are the hero.

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay 3

Briefly describe a personal goal you have set for yourself. Why this goal, what is your timeline to achieve this goal, what precipitated this goal? Have you turned to anyone for advice or help, what was their role, what did you learn about yourself, are you still working toward this goal?*

There’s a lot to unpack here in just 120 words. Virginia Tech is looking to see if you’re a goal-oriented person and how you handle challenges and setbacks in pursuit of a goal. Let’s start by picking a goal: 

• Don’t assume the goal needs to be academic. In fact, try to choose something not reflected in your application elsewhere. 
• The size of the goal is not important. It could be something as simple as saving some money for college. The important element is the journey. 

Once you’ve established what your goal was and is, reflect on the details. 

• What is it about this goal that’s so meaningful to you? If there was a catalyst or specific moment you knew you needed to set this goal, discuss that. 
• Reflect on the goal-setting process you went through. If you set milestones or timelines, examine their connection to the long term goal. 

Now comes unpacking what you’ve learned from the process. Try to spend the bulk of your essay in this section. 

• If you experienced any setbacks or challenges, talk about how you approached and overcame them. 
• If there was anyone influential in inspiring or supporting you in pursuit of your goal, discuss their role and what you have learned from them personally. What do you hope to replicate or emulate in your future? 
• Finally, how has this changed you? What will you use from this experience in goal setting that you’ll apply to achievement in your future, perhaps even at Virginia Tech?

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay 4

Describe an example of a situation where you have significantly influenced others, took on a leadership role, helped resolve a dispute, or contributed to a group’s goals. What was your role, what responsibilities did you take on? Did you encounter any obstacles, and if so how did you respond, were you able to overcome them? What would you do differently?*

Similarly to the service essay, Virginia Tech is looking for a time you’ve successfully worked towards a greater cause. In this case, they want to see a clear demonstration of your leadership ability. 

Once again, try to avoid referring to something you already discussed in your service essay or in another part of your application. Ensure you address each part of the question. 

First, identify the leadership role and situation. 

• Remember that this does not have to be broad in scope. Depth is better than breadth. If you happen to have been the captain of a sports team or president of a club, fantastic. If not, consider smaller roles you may have had. The skills and qualities are the essences of the essay, not the situation. 
• Clearly identify and give context to the situation and role, but do not spend more than 1-2 sentences. The bulk of your essay should be spent elsewhere. 

Once you’ve provided a backdrop, focus on a problem or challenge you encountered and how you responded. 

• If there were ever disputes within your group that you were able to resolve, this is a great chance to show your people skills or strength in moving a group forward towards a greater cause. Clearly identify the action you took to resolve the problem. 
• If the problem was logistical, focus on concrete steps you took to tackle the issue at hand, and how you harnessed the commitment of others to support you. Focus on what you achieved together as a result of your leadership rather than personal accomplishments alone. 

To round out the essay, identify any areas for improvement, but don’t end the topic on a low. Focus on what you learned and how you would apply this to leadership roles in the future, perhaps at Virginia Tech. 

Conclusion: Writing the Virginia Tech Essays

As mentioned previously, the 120 word limit makes for a very short essay. Here is some general advice for making the most of your word count:

• Provide context, but remember that your essay is addressing the prompt.
• Use specific detail instead of vague statements. Those details should tie in your personal stories.
• Include your personality in your essay; it shouldn’t sound like it could belong to any student interested in attending Virginia Tech.
• Express enthusiasm at the possibility of getting admitted to Virginia Tech.
• Read aloud, revise, and share with a friend . Editing is your best friend.

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Virginia Tech Admissions

Virginia tech admissions – introduction.

Virginia Tech University is a public land grant research university located in Blacksburg, Virginia. Also known as VA Tech, Virginia Tech was founded in 1872. The Virginia Tech enrollment consists of over 36,000 students, including 29,300 undergraduates and 7,000 graduates. Despite this large enrollment, the Virginia Tech admissions team has high standards, admitting only 56% of applicants. 

In this guide, we will discuss the following topics to help you decide if Virginia Tech should be on your college list :

• Virginia Tech admissions requirements

Is Virginia Tech hard to get into?

• Virginia Tech GPA requirements

What is the Virginia Tech admissions deadline? 

Virginia tech admissions vs. uva admissions.

While the Virginia Tech acceptance rate is below average, understanding VA Tech admissions requirements is the first step in assessing whether or not Virginia Tech University is the best-fit university for you. Therefore, if you are wondering how to get into Virginia Tech, this guide is perfect for you.

What are the Virginia Tech admissions requirements?

The Virginia Tech admissions requirements are very specific. According to the Virginia Tech admissions office, first-year applicants must have 18 units of high school coursework, including: 

• 4 units of English
• 3 units of Math (including Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra II)
• 2 units of Laboratory Science (chosen from Biology, Chemistry, or Physics)
• 2 units of Social Science (one must be History)
• 3 additional academic units (Foreign Language is highly recommended)
• 4 elective units

In addition to a rigorous academic program, VA Tech admissions looks for engagement outside of the classroom. So, highlight your extracurriculars within your Virginia Tech application. 

Supplemental materials

After you complete your application , you must then submit some additional materials. These will depend on your academic history. 

• First-year applicants who have only attended high school or been home-educated in the U.S. must submit a Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) for review. If you choose for your SAT/ACT scores to be reviewed, then you must include them on your SRAR.
• First-year applicants who have attended high school or been home-educated outside of the U.S. at any point must submit their transcript(s) for review. If you choose for your SAT/ACT scores to be reviewed, then include them on your application for admission or upload a score report in your Applicant Portal. 
• First-year applicants whose native language is not English will need to demonstrate English language proficiency through testing. For more information, please visit the international requirements webpage.

Additionally, VA Tech admissions does not require college interviews. However, many competitive universities do. To prepare, read our College Interview Guide .

Yes, Virginia Tech is relatively hard to get into.

Virginia Tech admissions is considered selective. The Virginia Tech acceptance rate is 56% for Regular Decision applicants. For Early Decision applicants, however, the VA Tech acceptance rate is 64.3% —slightly higher. Additionally, on average, students admitted to VA Tech receive an SAT score between 1210 and 1410 or an ACT score between 26 and 32. 

That said, VA Tech admissions seeks well-rounded students who shine both inside and outside of the classroom. Once you apply, the VA Tech admissions office will place your Virginia Tech application under an academic and personal review.

VA Tech admissions’ academic review includes:

• Rigor of your academic program within the context of your school
• Grades in courses, including trends over time
• Standardized test scores (if applicable; test-optional for students entering through Fall 2025)
• Your intended major, as Virginia Tech admissions reviews by major

Virginia Tech admissions’ personal review includes:

• Activities outside of the classroom like jobs, clubs, sports, family responsibilities, service, research, etc. 
• Disciplinary record
• First-generation college student status
• Interest in the Corps of Cadets
• Legacy of parents, guardians, or siblings
• Participation in Virginia Tech pipeline programs
• Personal statements submitted through the Ut Prosim Profile
• Race and/or ethnicity
• Veteran status

Essentially, like other top schools, VA Tech admissions uses a holistic review process. So, each year, the Virginia Tech enrollment includes diverse students from across the nation. 

What GPA do you need to get into Virginia Tech?

In order to get into Virginia Tech, you may think you need to have a certain GPA to meet the cutoff. However, Virginia Tech admissions does not report a minimum GPA requirement.

That said, admitted students still have an average GPA of 3.9 . So, when preparing your application, you’ll want to aim for a high GPA while taking rigorous courses. 

For first-year students, Virginia Tech admissions has three application types: Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision.

• For Early Action , the VA Tech application deadline is November 15. All additional materials are then due by December 1. 
• For Regular Decision , the VA Tech application deadline is January 15. All additional materials are then due by January 31. 

Once you submit your VA Tech application, you can check the status of your application through the Virginia Tech admissions portal. 

Demystifying the Virginia Tech Admissions Process

Whether you are a first-generation college student or come from a line of college graduates, the Virginia Tech Admissions process can be complex.

Next, let’s look at 8 steps to help you complete your VA Tech application. That way, you can develop a clear strategy as you plan for the admissions process.

8 Steps to the Virginia Tech Admissions Process

Learn more about Virginia Tech by visiting the admissions website or using our VA Tech resources from CollegeAdvisor.com . 

Use the Virginia Tech undergraduate admissions website to learn more about the first-year Virginia Tech admissions requirements . You can also check out the Virginia Tech admissions blog.

Then, schedule a campus visit to view Virginia Tech in person and ensure the school is the right fit. While on campus, if you have any questions, stop by the Virginia Tech admissions office. If you do not have time to stop at the Virginia Tech admissions office, you can still contact a VA Tech admissions representative online. 

Apply to Virginia Tech using the Common App. You should also ensure your supplemental essays are on point by checking out CollegeAdvisor’s “How to” Guide on writing Virginia Tech supplemental essays.

Then, submit your academic and extracurricular information through the Common App platform.

Ensure you submit all materials by the application deadline . You can check the status of your application through the Virginia Tech admissions portal.  

Then, it’s time to await your admissions decision and acceptance letter. Depending on your application type, your decision may arrive in either December, February, or March.

Once you receive your college acceptance, complete your college enrollment by May 1. 

Students considering Virginia Tech may also consider The University of Virginia (UVA). The University of Virginia is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, UVA is considered highly selective, with an acceptance rate of 21% . 

Still, the Virginia Tech admissions process is very similar to the University of Virginia admissions process. You’ll also use the Common Application to apply to both schools. Furthermore, both schools use a holistic approach to the admissions process. So, you should pursue a variety of extracurriculars to strengthen your application. Lastly, as of the Fall 2023 application season, both schools are test-optional. 

Differences in admissions requirements

As a more selective university, UVA has higher standards than Virginia Tech admissions. On average, those admitted to UVA have an SAT score between 1390 and 1530 or an ACT score between 32 and 35. Furthermore, while Virginia Tech does not use recommendation letters for admissions decisions, the University of Virginia requires applicants to submit one letter of recommendation from a core academic content teacher.

Lastly, the University of Virginia has different application deadlines than Virginia Tech admissions. Therefore, UVA admissions decisions are different from Virginia Tech admissions decisions.

Let’s take a look: 

While Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia are on the East Coast, you may find that a school on the West Coast is a better fit. If you want to learn more about western schools, then check out our “The Best Colleges in California” guide for some recommendations.

When do Virginia Tech decisions come out?

Virginia Tech admissions decisions are released at three different times, depending on your application type. 

Virginia Tech Admissions Decisions

• The official site says applicants will receive notifications “TBD” . However, here are some general time frames other students have noted.
• Early Action applicants are notified of their admissions decision by late February . If admitted, students must reply by May 1st. 
• Regular Decision applicants are notified of their admissions decision by early March . If admitted, students must reply by May 1st. 

You can check the status of your application through the Virginia Tech admissions portal. 

Virginia Tech Admissions Requirements – Five Takeaways

If you were wondering how to get into Virginia Tech, we hope this guide clarifies things. Here are five key takeaways from this article about Virginia Tech admissions.

Five Takeaways for Virginia Tech Admissions

1. do your research.

There is a lot to learn about VA Tech admissions. Luckily, there are many resources available. You can complete your research online through the Virginia Tech admissions blog or website. You can also schedule a campus visit or check in with the VA Tech admissions office. Regardless, get as much information about the school as possible. 

2. Ask For Help

While a lot of information is available online, you’ll likely run into some questions. Therefore, while completing your application to Virginia Tech, be sure to ask for help. Virginia Tech admissions office does a great job ensuring their admissions representatives are accessible. You can find your admissions counselor information here . 

3. Have a Strong Academic Resume

While Virginia Tech admissions complete a holistic application review, you still need a strong academic resume. Therefore, ensure you take rigorous courses and maintain an above-average GPA and SAT/ACT scores. Also, remember that Virginia Tech is currently test-optional. So, if you choose not to submit your SAT or ACT scores, be sure to have a high GPA. 

4. Be More Than Smart

VA Tech admissions uses a holistic review process. As a result, ensure you have a variety of extracurricular involvements. Extracurricular activities include jobs, sports, clubs, family responsibilities, and research. Your extracurricular activities should also align with your intended major and profession if possible.

5. Pay Attention to Deadlines

Once you have met the requirements of VA Tech admissions, it’s time to submit. The key thing that will stand in the way of a perfect application is missing the deadline. So, ensure you identify whether you plan to apply Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision. Then, check the Virginia Tech application deadlines. Finally, make sure you submit your application and supplemental materials on time. You can also check the Virginia Tech admissions portal to view the status of your application.

So, best of luck with your application cycle. If you need more help, then check out our resources for additional guidance.

This guide to Virginia Tech Admissions was written by Senior Advisor Ashley Hollins . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, getting started on virginia tech essays: examples.

Hey everyone, I'm starting to work on my application for Virginia Tech, and I'm kinda stuck. Does anyone have any examples of successful Virginia Tech essays to give me some inspiration? Looking for stuff related to the Ut Prosim part as well.

Hey! Working on the Virginia Tech essays is an excellent step in showing your interest and fit for the school. The Ut Prosim part is important as it reflects the school's motto, 'That I May Serve,' so it's good to focus on that.

CollegeVine can help you find everything you're looking for. Here are four strong essay examples by real accepted students, along with feedback on what works and what could be improved: https://blog.collegevine.com/virginia-tech-essay-examples

In addition, check out CollegeVine's guide that breaks down each supplemental prompt to help you write the best essays you can: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-virginia-tech-essays

Finally, check out their article all about the "Ut Prosim" essay: https://blog.collegevine.com/virginia-tech-ut-prosim-essay

Make sure your essay reflects your personality and writing style. Focus on clear, concise storytelling, and connect the dots between your experiences and the values of Virginia Tech. By doing this, you'll be able to create a unique and engaging essay that will set you apart.

Best of luck, and remember to proofread and revise your essays before submission!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

4 Strong Virginia Tech Essay Examples by Accepted Students

Virginia Tech combines a wide range of academic offerings with a reputation for athletic excellence, a combination that many students find attractive. Since you’ll be competing against many other qualified students, you want to make sure your essays will set you apart from applicants who may have similar grades and extracurriculars.

In this post, we’ll break down four essays that helped real students gain acceptance to Virginia Tech. We’ll talk through what each essay did well, and any areas for improvement.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Virginia Tech essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Essay Example 1 – Leadership

“Sorry, I don’t have my lines memorized yet.” When I heard the phrase for the third time two weeks out from the first state high school theater competition, where my high school was entering a 30-minute version of Hamlet in the Klingon language, I knew I had to take charge.

Spending hours constructing a line-by-line guide to the script and seeking out the actors having trouble, I stepped beyond my roles as a mere translator and dialogue coach to tutor the cast. Rapidly learning my part, I aided other actors’ preparations during rehearsals as much as I practiced mine. Despite our third place finish, I discovered how to commit whatever’s necessary to ensure a good showing.

What the Essay Did Well

One of this essay’s primary strengths is its thoroughness. The prompt asks you to not only describe a particular situation, but also answer three specific questions related to it, all in less than 120 words. Being both comprehensive and efficient is far easier said than done, but this writer does an excellent job of striking that balance:

• The lines “I stepped beyond my roles as a mere translator and dialogue coach to tutor the cast” and “I aided other actors’ preparations” answer the prompt’s first two questions, by explaining which skills the writer contributed and how others relied on them for guidance
• The final line tells us what the writer learned about themselves, namely that they “discovered how to commit whatever’s necessary to ensure a good showing”

Additionally, the writer answers the questions in a way that isn’t heavy-handed. They trust that they have described the situation well enough that their point will be clear the first time, which means that they can keep things moving, rather than throwing a wrench in the flow of the story by spending a bunch of words hammering home a point that readers already understand.

The essay’s other biggest strength is its originality. While you don’t want to twist yourself into knots trying to pick a topic admissions officers have absolutely never seen before, as that’s practically impossible, you do want to tell a story that they haven’t heard a million times before.  

Because not too many applicants have performed “a 30-minute version of Hamlet in the Klingon language,” we don’t just learn about the student’s leadership skills, but also get a more general idea of their personality, and what makes them different from other 18 year olds. Unfortunately, college applications are by their nature usually quite dry, so telling a more unusual story like this one can help humanize you more than a more “typical” response centered on, for example, volunteering as a tutor for middle schoolers. 

That being said, honesty is crucial in the college essay, so if your most authentic response is about a more conventional topic, that’s completely fine! Just don’t be afraid to pick something unusual, if the opportunity presents itself.

What Could Be Improved 

Overall, the writer makes great use of the space given to them. However, the last two lines aren’t as strong as the rest of the essay, and so things unfortunately end on a relative down note.

The line “Rapidly learning my part, I aided other actors’ preparations during rehearsals as much as I practiced mine,” doesn’t really teach us anything that isn’t already communicated by the previous sentence. And the line “Despite our third place finish, I discovered how to commit whatever’s necessary to ensure a good showing” is clear, but a pretty bland way of phrasing the essay’s final takeaway.

To keep momentum going through the finish, the first sentence could be rewritten to something more descriptive, so that we stay fully immersed in the story’s development. That might look something like: “By the time the curtains opened on the big day, our pronunciation was indistinguishable from Spock’s.”

Then, to make the final line more personal, the writer could more explicitly tie the takeaway to their story, with a something like “Despite our third place finish, to this day I smile whenever I think of my actors spending those extra hours with me, doing gymnastics with their tongues to try and master a particularly challenging vowel, all in the name of putting on a show we could be proud of.”

This version’s specificity makes the takeaway more personal to this particular student, and thus more impactful, rather than it just feeling like a variation of something cliché.

Essay Example 2 – Community, Scholastic Bowl Style

Despite having been a member of the Scholastic Bowl team since entering high school, even a year ago, I could contribute little more than an understanding of the sciences and esoteric medieval history. However, when I became one of the team’s senior members, I realized that wasn’t enough. 

After working hard to ensure that my teammates can depend on me, I’ve learned to recognize figures as various as Rodin, Coltrane, and Hegel. During games, I’ve gained the confidence to step forward when it’s time to choose a captain and the experience needed to make quick decisions. At Virginia Tech, in the Academic Competition Organization, I will continue to use the skills I’ve acquired to bring those around me to victory.

In this “Community Service” essay, the student does an excellent job of concretely describing how they have grown through their involvement in Scholastic Bowl. We learn that they have gone from “contribut[ing] little more than an understanding of the sciences and esoteric medieval history” to “recogniz[ing] figures as various as Rodin, Coltrane, and Hegel,” which is a specific, engaging way of framing their development.

Additionally, the writer lists increased confidence and an ability to make quicker decisions as general skills that they have taken away from this experience. In any college essay, you want to make sure you don’t just tell your reader about something you did, but also show how the lessons you learned are relevant to your personality as a whole. Otherwise, admissions officers may not understand how your story is supposed to help them envision you as a member of their campus community.

There are a couple of places in this essay where the writer’s points are somewhat vague, which makes it hard for us to understand the concrete ways this activity has helped them grow. As noted above, we do learn about two particular skills they have learned from Scholastic Bowl, but what’s missing is a description of how they developed those skills.

For example, “working hard to ensure that my teammates can depend on me” doesn’t say anything about the specific steps they took to grow their knowledge base. A more informative line would read something like:

“I was determined to become a reliable member of the team, and so I spent countless hours scrolling through museum’s online inventories, and giving myself papercuts from making hundreds of flashcards to learn the difference between Kant and Hegel’s philosophies.”

By seeing what exactly the student did to become a more dependable team member, we get a more concrete sense of what actions they might take in a similar situation in college.

The last line of the essay is another place where the writer needs to get more specific. While they are clearly trying to explicitly tie their past experience to their potential future at Virginia Tech, that link feels forced. They have done a good job of finding a particular club at Virginia Tech that they would like to join, but the line

“I will continue to use the skills I’ve acquired to bring those around me to victory”  

doesn’t say anything concrete about how the student would fit into the Academic Competition Organization. Just looking up a club that fits what you did in high school isn’t enough. You need to also spell out how your past experiences would make you an asset to that club, and, by extension, the school as a whole. In this case, that might look something like:

“At Virginia Tech, in the Academic Competition Organization, I look forward to planning pizza parties to both teach my teammates about the intricacies of early modern philosophy, and continue learning how to distinguish Raphael from Michelangelo, a distinction which remains infuriatingly beyond me.”

This version paints us a much clearer picture of how this student will contribute to this organization at Virginia Tech, and in turn how they see the organization being integral to helping them grow and develop in college.

Essay Example 3 – Community, Dog Walking Style

I moved to my neighborhood seven years ago, and ever since I’ve been heavily involved with all the dogs in the neighborhood. My favorite resident was Spot, an older dog, who belonged to a blind man. While her owner was in the hospital where he passed away, I watched her full-time. He could no longer pay me, but I didn’t mind. I cared for Spot until she passed as well. The neighbors refer to me as the dog whisperer, because I was able to get a leash on a lost dog who is typically very aggressive and find his owners. Through this, I’ve learned great responsibility, that I intend to spread to my peers at Virginia Tech.

In responding to the same “Community Service” prompt as above, the writer does a fantastic job of providing two concrete examples of how they have helped their community: taking care of a blind man’s dog while he was sick and even after he passed away, and finding a lost dog’s owners. 

Additionally, along the same lines as the “Hamlet in Klingon” story from Essay Example 1, one of this essay’s strengths is that it focuses on a story not many other applicants are likely to tell. In response to this prompt, many students will likely talk about more formal service work they have done, through an organization or school club. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that approach–the example above shows how you can do it successfully.

However, describing something you did in a more casual, everyday context can sometimes make your points even more impactful, as admissions officers get a sense of who you are “when nobody’s watching.” Taking care of your neighborhood dogs isn’t something that’s likely to make it onto your resume, which means there’s no doubt that your dedication is coming from your heart, rather than from a desire to impress anybody.

What Could Be Improved

This essay’s biggest weakness is that, after a detailed, endearing story, the last line is incredibly generic and impersonal. “Through this, I’ve learned great responsibility, that I intend to spread to my peers at Virginia Tech” could be about anything from doing beach cleanups to a part-time waitressing job–there is no connection to the wonderful story we’ve just been told, nor to the writer’s goals for their potential future at Virginia Tech. A more cohesive, satisfying ending might look something like: 

“The sense of responsibility I feel while mushing up an elderly dog’s wet food, or picking a thorn out of a paw, is something I will take with me to Virginia Tech. I will dedicate myself to helping my peers in whatever way I can, whether that’s walking someone’s dog through the streets of Blacksburg, or bringing a friend dinner from Burger ‘37 in Squires Food Court when they’re too busy studying to get food themselves.”

This version both personalizes the takeaway about responsibility to this particular story, and connects that takeaway to this student’s potential life at Virginia Tech. As a result, admissions officers can much more easily understand why this story is relevant to the student’s application.

One last point: on a structural level, it would be a good idea to split this essay into two paragraphs. Even though this is a short supplement, it’s long enough that the writer makes multiple points, and breaking up those points by paragraph (for example, starting a new one after the Spot ancdote) makes the essay feel more organized.

Essay Example 4 – Setting Goals

I have a goal to go D1 for cheerleading. I’ve been cheering since I was eight, and this has always been my dream. I currently attend weekly tumbling classes on top of my daily practices, and after this season I plan to spend my time working on my skills. I want to start cheering my freshmen year, so I have under a year to get ready. Until recently, I didn’t know much about college cheer, so I consulted with my coach. She helped me gather a list of colleges and told me what I needed to work on. She has helped me attend multiple cheer clinics. Those clinics confirmed my desire and started me on the path to my dream.

This writer does a great job of explicitly addressing each question in this prompt. Just like the prompt from Essay Example 1, Virginia Tech is asking you to pack a lot into just 120 words, but this writer manages to use those words efficiently enough to answer everything that is being asked.

Additionally, we get concrete examples of this writer’s dedication to their goal of cheerleading at a D1 level, such as “attend[ing] weekly tumbling classes” and “consult[ing] with [their] coach.” These actions show us that the student is proactive and has a strong work ethic, which are two of the qualities admissions officers are hoping to see highlighted in responses to this kind of prompt.

The number one thing that could improve in this essay is the tone, as it currently feels more like a list of bullet points than a piece of reflective writing. While the student is wrestling with a low word count, with a little extra effort they could make their phrasing much more engaging.

For example, the lines “I have a goal to go D1 for cheerleading. I’ve been cheering since I was eight, and this has always been my dream” could be rewritten to something like: “Since I was eight, I’ve had a vision of myself in a sparkly leotard, with my college’s name splashed across my chest.” This version is actually shorter than the original (22 vs 23 words), and gets readers much more invested in the writer’s pursuit of their goal.

It is important to note that the essay as is would be a completely fine first draft. When you start writing a college essay, the most important thing is getting your thoughts down. But once you have a basic framework in place, taking the time to phrase your ideas in more creative, descriptive ways is often what will take your essay from good to great.

Additionally, as also noted with Essay Example 3, this essay is long enough that splitting it into two paragraphs would make sense. For example, if the writer started a new paragraph with the line “Until recently,” we would have one paragraph focused on steps the writer has already taken towards achieving their goal, and one focused on things they are planning on doing moving forward. That would break the essay into two distinct pieces, rather than throwing everything in together.

Where to Get Feedback on Your Essay 

Want feedback on your Virginia Tech essay before you submit? That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Get Into Virginia Tech: Admission Requirements + Tips

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 7/8/24

If you’ve ever hoped to attend an advanced technical college in small-town Virginia, read on to find out how to get into Virginia Tech!

Located in Blacksburg and established in 1872 , Virginia Tech is a prestigious research university that offers advanced education in more than 180 programs of study . The school excels in technical areas such as engineering and computer science. 

At Virginia Tech, students are able to tailor their education to fit their needs with interdisciplinary studies. With developed co-op options, this institution can set you on your path to future success. To make the most of these opportunities, it’s important to fine-tune your application so you can get accepted to Virginia Tech. 

Over the years, some of the school's requirements have changed. Keeping up to date on the latest trends with their admissions process will help get you ahead of the curve. Below, we’ll outline everything you need to know about how to get into Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech Acceptance Rate: 57%

The Virginia Tech acceptance rate was 57% for the most recent incoming class. Just under 27,000 students were accepted out of roughly 47,000 applicants. 

These statistics make Virginia Tech a moderately competitive school, but with a quality application and the right tips and strategies, you can gain acceptance to Virginia Tech!

If you want more information about how hard it is to get into Virginia Tech, take a look at the table below with acceptance rates from the past few years:

Source: Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 50%

Virginia Tech’s Early Decision acceptance rate is about 50%. This is roughly the same as the Regular Decision acceptance rate, but if you choose to apply Early Decision, you will receive your admissions decisions far earlier. 

For more admissions data, here is a table with Virginia Tech’s Early Decision acceptance rates from the past few years:

Source: Virginia Tech Common Data Sets

How Hard Is It to Get Into Virginia Tech? 

With an acceptance rate of 57%, Virginia Tech is moderately selective with its students. The average applicant maintained a 4.06 GPA, which is significantly higher than the national average. With high grades, your admission chances are good! 

Making use of all your resources, and asking the right questions to college admissions officers , can give you critical information about your application and school of interest. As always, preparation goes a long way , and just because you don’t meet every metric, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply.

In our webinar on how admissions are decided , admissions expert Maisha offers advice on how to plan well for college applications.

“Planning is super, super, super important… You want to take advantage of all the time that you have in between your busy schedules, between classes and studying and extracurriculars, to actually dedicate that time to preparing your application… That means deciding what extracurriculars to do, dedicating that time to studying well to get really good grades, taking time to study and prepare for the SATs.” 

Take our interactive quiz below to find out how likely you are to get into Virginia Tech .

Virginia Tech Admissions Statistics 

To help you put together the best application possible, here are some statistics from Virginia Tech’s most recent incoming class! 

Virginia Tech Average GPA: 4.0

The average Virginia Tech applicant has a 4.0 GPA. You’ll need to study hard to compete with this average number! 

Don’t forget to check out how colleges look at your weighted GPA and know how to stay on top of your studies to get a 4.0 .

Virginia Tech Average SAT Score: 1330

The 50th percentile of Virginia Tech applicants’ SAT scores was 1330. If you want to be considered a competitive applicant, you should aim for an SAT score equal to or higher than this average number. 

However, Virginia Tech is currently operating under a test-optional policy until 2025, meaning that you’re not required to submit standardized test scores. If you still choose to take the SAT despite this, don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you feel stressed or overwhelmed!

Virginia Tech Average ACT Score: 29

The median ACT score at Virginia Tech is about 29. If you want to be an extremely competitive applicant, having a strong ACT study plan can help you score as high as possible.

What Is Virginia Tech Looking For In Applicants? 

Virginia Tech seeks to admit applicants who are not only academically strong but are also committed to knowledge, discovery, and creativity, as seen in its mission statement . They look for leadership qualities and problem-solving skills in applicants.

For more information on how Virginia Tech evaluates applications, see the table below:

Source: Virginia Tech Common Data Set

Key Takeaways from Virginia Tech’s Common Data Set

The most important factors in Virginia Tech’s admission process, ranked as “Very Important,” include the rigor of your high school record, your academic GPA, and your application essay. These are the elements of your application you should focus on the most! 

Be sure to write compelling, meaningful essays and strive to keep your GPA as high as possible. Take advanced and rigorous courses to demonstrate your academic potential. 

Here’s what Maisha had to say about the importance of course rigor and why it matters for schools like Virginia Tech: 

“Colleges want to see that you really made an effort, that you took advantage of what your high school offered, whether it be AP/IB courses or honors level courses, what extracurriculars you took advantage of. They really want to see what you did with what you had and how you made an effort to stand out.”

The Common Data Set also shows that Virginia Tech strives at admit applicants who are first-generation college attendees as well as Virginia residents. If either of these criteria apply to you, your chances will be increased! 

Note that although in previous years, Virginia Tech has considered applicants’ ethnic status and legacy relations, they are eliminating these categories from the basis for selection.  

Virginia Tech Admissions Requirements

To secure admission to this school, strive for an SAT score of 1330 or higher or an ACT score of 29 or above. Top Virginia Tech applicants also have GPAs of at least 4.06. For added competitiveness, pursue advanced coursework through AP or IB courses!

To apply to Virginia Tech , you’ll need to submit your transcripts or a self-reported academic record (SRAR) with at least 18 units of courses in high school, which include:

• Two social science units, with at least one history course
• Four English units
• Three math units including geometry, algebra I, and algebra II
• Three additional units ( foreign language recommended)
• Two laboratory science units (must be from chemistry, biology, or physics)
• Four units of electives

In addition, you may consider taking AP classes to make yourself a more competitive applicant.

You also may choose to submit the following for consideration: 

• Activities outside of the classroom like jobs, clubs, sports, family responsibilities, service, research, etc.
• Disciplinary record
• First-generation college student status
• Interest in the Corps of Cadets
• Participation in Virginia Tech pipeline programs
• Personal statements submitted through the Ut Prosim Profile
• Standardized test scores
• Veteran status

Virginia Tech does not require recommendation letters and will not consider them if they are submitted. 

Virginia Tech Application Deadlines

Here are some of the most important dates and deadlines you’ll need to know to apply to Virginia Tech:

Source : Virginia Tech

For help with navigating the Common App, check out our downloadable guide! These college guides make the application process simple and easy. 

Your self-reported academic record must be submitted before the academic materials' deadline. If you’ve attended school outside the US, you’ll need to submit your transcripts for review. This is also where you’ll submit your SAT/ACT scores if you choose to do so.

After you’ve submitted your application before the specified deadlines, it’s important to monitor your email for any additional instructions. It’s encouraged to use a personal email address as school email accounts may not be able to receive messages from all senders. 

Virginia Tech Regular Decision Deadline

The Regular Decision deadline to apply to Virginia Tech is January 15. However, you have until January 31 to submit your transcript or SRAR. 

Virginia Tech Early Action Deadline

Virginia Tech’s Early Action deadline is November 15. Your high school transcripts or SRAR are due a bit later, on December 1. 

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Into Virginia Tech

If you’re intimidated by the task of getting into Virginia Tech, here are some tips to help make the application process easier for you! 

Focus On Your Grades

Gaining admission to Virginia Tech requires discipline and hard work, especially related to academics. Virginia Tech considers the rigor of your high school academic report very important in their admissions decisions. 

So, make sure you study hard and maintain high grades. Securing excellent grades and test scores will ensure that you impress the admissions committee. Doing advanced coursework, such as IB and AP , can also make your application more appealing, especially when it aligns with your area of interest in college .

In our Ivy League acceptance webinar , admissions expert Jennifer advises taking calculated risks with rigorous coursework. 

“... [B]e in as many AP courses as you can successfully pull off, but you don’t want to push yourself so hard that your GPA is going to drop. So, that’s something that you have to work out with your college counselor… to figure out what is going to be the best pathway for you to show both academic achievement and that you’ve taken these risks and extra challenges that show that you’re up to the rigor of the academic coursework that’s going to be expected from you.” 

Create a Well-Rounded Application 

Virginia Tech believes in reviewing applicants holistically. This means that you have a chance to show you’re more than just the numbers. Being involved with your community, and maybe even starting a club , can help demonstrate valuable leadership skills.

All things considered, it’s really important to play to your strengths in your application. Since Virginia Tech takes the whole picture when it comes to admissions, candidates should have at least some qualities out of the personal review that can highlight their responsibility and discipline. 

Keep the School’s Culture In Mind

Virginia Tech is very committed to its motto, Ut Prosim , which means “That I May Serve.” It’s a good idea to tailor your application to show how you suit the school’s community and culture. 

In our webinar on how to answer “Why This College?” , our expert Darryl Tiggle offers this advice: 

“Being able to demonstrate that you’re interested in a college is essential. That’s how your output is going to come out, so make sure that you know about the schools that you’re looking at. The admissions officers want to know that you’ve done the research. And your competition, those who are winning? They’re doing research.” 

As with any college application, communicating who you are and how you got to where you are today will help give insight into how you best fit into the community and student body.

Virginia Tech Essay

Each Virginia Tech applicant is required to submit responses to several short-answer supplemental essay questions. These questions are related to Virginia Tech’s motto, which is Ut Prosim, meaning “That I May Serve” in Latin. Each of your responses should be no longer than 120 words. 

Here are the short-answer essay prompts for Virginia Tech: 

• Virginia Tech's motto is "Ut Prosim" which means 'That I May Serve'. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech?
• Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community support access and inclusion by affirming the dignity and value of every person, respecting differences, promoting mutual understanding and open expression, and strives to eliminate bias and discrimination. Reflect on a time when you were not able or allowed to express a different or diverse position or opinion (or you witnessed another person or group experience the same situation)? How did you respond or wish you would have responded? Did your viewpoint change in any way after this experience?
• Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time?
• Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from and how do they support your progress as you work on this goal?

Writing admission essays can be challenging, but remember that the most important thing is to show Virginia Tech who you are through your words. Jennifer offers this advice on writing essays: 

“You want to find something that is going to stick in someone’s head and really reflect whatever you want to show. Think about some really fun stories that are going to be unique to you that you can work on with your college counselor and make the best portrait of yourself through those words.” 

If you’re having difficulty answering these questions, it may be helpful to look at others’ work! Try checking out our database of college admission essays for inspiration. 

FAQs: How to Get Into Virginia Tech

For any further unanswered inquiries, check out the FAQs below on how to get into Virginia Tech.

1. What Is the Easiest Way to Get Into Virginia Tech?

While getting admitted to Virginia Tech isn’t easy, certain factors can boost your chances of admission. A strong GPA is going to be one of the most deciding criteria. Other than that, your personal review can tilt chances in your favor. 

The personal review is where you can show extenuating circumstances that make you a motivated student. If you’ve had significant familial responsibility, engagement with jobs or clubs, or even if you’re a first-generation college student, these factors can be taken into consideration when deciding your acceptance. 

Admissions committees understand that not everything comes down to GPA. How you’ll grow as a student and contribute through research opportunities are both important. 

Dealing with outside circumstances responsibly through your academic journey can show time management and interpersonal attributes, which are defining characteristics in a college environment. 

2. Can You Get Into Virginia Tech With a 3.5 GPA?

While you can still apply to Virginia Tech with a 3.5 GPA, it will be much more difficult to gain admission. The average applicant has around a 4.0, meaning that you’ll have to make up for it in other ways. Keep in mind that the competition is different depending on which major you apply to. 

Since Virginia Tech is test-optional, having stellar SAT/ACT scores can show your academic capabilities. Also, make sure you join clubs and have diverse extracurriculars. Getting research experience can also present you as a more serious candidate.

3. Can I Get Into Virginia Tech With a 1300 SAT Score?

Yes. Virginia Tech is test-optional, meaning you could get in without taking the SAT at all. A 1330 score would put you right in the middle 50% of applicants. Having a good SAT study plan can help you achieve this. A strong SAT score can be a great way to improve your application if there are other areas that are lacking. 

Remember, you can take the SAT as many times as you want. As long as you’re mindful about dates and deadlines, having multiple attempts can play to your advantage. Many students even plan in advance to take the test more than once. This way, there isn’t an all-deciding pressure on a single testing session.

Also, if you excel in sciences, taking the ACT is something to consider. Finding out which one is easier will let you show your potential most effectively. Getting accepted at Virginia Tech is multi-faceted, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to admissions. 

Taking time to figure out which application criteria are most applicable to you is in your best interest. This way, you’ll be able to show the admissions committee what areas you excel in. 

Final Thoughts

Getting accepted to Virginia Tech is certainly no easy feat. Planning out your journey can help put your best foot forward and increase your chances of success. With the tools and insights this guide provides, you’ll surely be able to devise a college preparation plan that works for you. 

In short, your best method of securing admission to Virginia Tech is to maintain a competitive GPA and to make sure to communicate factors relevant to your situation. Should your GPA be less than stellar, you can supplement your application with strong SAT/ACT scores. 

Virginia Tech offers advanced education in a range of majors, especially science, technology, and engineering. Getting into Virginia Tech can help you advance in your career, and it also offers a rich network of more than 240,000 living alumni . 

Although choosing which college is right for you is never an easy process, Virginia Tech is consistently highly ranked . Not only has it propelled the success of many Americans but also people from all over the world.

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How to Write a Strong Extracurricular Activity Essay

How To Tackle The Weirdest Supplemental Essay Prompts For This Application Cycle

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Writing the college essay

How do you write a letter to a friend that shows you’re a good candidate for the University of Pennsylvania? What reading list will help the Columbia University admissions committee understand your interdisciplinary interests? How can you convey your desire to attend Yale by inventing a course description for a topic you’re interested in studying?

These are the challenges students must overcome when writing their supplemental essays . Supplemental essays are a critical component of college applications—like the personal statement, they provide students with the opportunity to showcase their authentic voice and perspective beyond the quantitative elements of their applications. However, unlike the personal essay, supplemental essays allow colleges to read students’ responses to targeted prompts and evaluate their candidacy for their specific institution. For this reason, supplemental essay prompts are often abstract, requiring students to get creative, read between the lines, and ditch the traditional essay-writing format when crafting their responses.

While many schools simply want to know “why do you want to attend our school?” others break the mold, inviting students to think outside of the box and answer prompts that are original, head-scratching, or downright weird. This year, the following five colleges pushed students to get creative—if you’re struggling to rise to the challenge, here are some tips for tackling their unique prompts:

University of Chicago

Prompt: We’re all familiar with green-eyed envy or feeling blue, but what about being “caught purple-handed”? Or “tickled orange”? Give an old color-infused expression a new hue and tell us what it represents. – Inspired by Ramsey Bottorff, Class of 2026

What Makes it Unique: No discussion of unique supplemental essay prompts would be complete without mentioning the University of Chicago, a school notorious for its puzzling and original prompts (perhaps the most well-known of these has been the recurring prompt “Find x”). This prompt challenges you to invent a new color-based expression, encouraging both linguistic creativity and a deep dive into the emotional or cultural connotations of color. It’s a prompt that allows you to play with language, think abstractly, and show off your ability to forge connections between concepts that aren’t typically linked—all qualities that likewise demonstrate your preparedness for UChicago’s unique academic environment.

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How to Answer it: While it may be easy to get distracted by the open-ended nature of the prompt, remember that both the substance and structure of your response should give some insight into your personality, perspective, and characteristics. With this in mind, begin by considering the emotions, experiences, or ideas that most resonate with you. Then, use your imagination to consider how a specific color could represent that feeling or concept. Remember that the prompt is ultimately an opportunity to showcase your creativity and original way of looking at the world, so your explanation does not need to be unnecessarily deep or complex—if you have a playful personality, convey your playfulness in your response; if you are known for your sarcasm, consider how you can weave in your biting wit; if you are an amateur poet, consider how you might take inspiration from poetry as you write, or offer a response in the form of a poem.

The goal is to take a familiar concept and turn it into something new and meaningful through a creative lens. Use this essay to showcase your ability to think inventively and to draw surprising connections between language and life.

Harvard University

Prompt: Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.

What Makes it Unique: This prompt is unique in both form and substance—first, you only have 150 words to write about all 3 things. Consider using a form other than a traditional essay or short answer response, such as a bullet list or short letter. Additionally, note that the things your roommate might like to learn about you do not necessarily overlap with the things you would traditionally share with an admissions committee. The aim of the prompt is to get to know your quirks and foibles—who are you as a person and a friend? What distinguishes you outside of academics and accolades?

How to Answer it: First and foremost, feel free to get creative with your response to this prompt. While you are producing a supplemental essay and thus a professional piece of writing, the prompt invites you to share more personal qualities, and you should aim to demonstrate your unique characteristics in your own voice. Consider things such as: How would your friends describe you? What funny stories do your parents and siblings share that encapsulate your personality? Or, consider what someone might want to know about living with you: do you snore? Do you have a collection of vintage posters? Are you particularly fastidious? While these may seem like trivial things to mention, the true creativity is in how you connect these qualities to deeper truths about yourself—perhaps your sleepwalking is consistent with your reputation for being the first to raise your hand in class or speak up about a cause you’re passionate about. Perhaps your living conditions are a metaphor for how your brain works—though it looks like a mess to everyone else, you have a place for everything and know exactly where to find it. Whatever qualities you choose, embrace the opportunity to think outside of the box and showcase something that admissions officers won’t learn about anywhere else on your application.

University of Pennsylvania

Prompt: Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge.

What Makes it Unique: Breaking from the traditional essay format, this supplement invites you to write directly to a third party in the form of a 150-200 word long letter. The challenge in answering this distinct prompt is to remember that your letter should say as much about you, your unique qualities and what you value as it does about the recipient—all while not seeming overly boastful or contrived.

How to Answer it: As you select a recipient, consider the relationships that have been most formative in your high school experience—writing to someone who has played a large part in your story will allow the admissions committee some insight into your development and the meaningful relationships that guided you on your journey. Once you’ve identified the person, craft a thank-you note that is specific and heartfelt—unlike other essays, this prompt invites you to be sentimental and emotional, as long as doing so would authentically convey your feelings of gratitude. Describe the impact they’ve had on you, what you’ve learned from them, and how their influence has shaped your path. For example, if you’re thanking a teacher, don’t just say they helped you become a better student—explain how their encouragement gave you the confidence to pursue your passions. Keep the tone sincere and personal, avoid clichés and focus on the unique role this person has played in your life.

University of Notre Dame

Prompt: What compliment are you most proud of receiving, and why does it mean so much to you?

What Makes it Unique: This prompt is unique in that it invites students to share something about themselves by reflecting on someone else’s words in 50-100 words.

How to Answer it: The key to answering this prompt is to avoid focusing too much on the complement itself and instead focus on your response to receiving it and why it was so important to you. Note that this prompt is not an opportunity to brag about your achievements, but instead to showcase what truly matters to you. Select a compliment that truly speaks to who you are and what you value. It could be related to your character, work ethic, kindness, creativity, or any other quality that you hold in high regard. The compliment doesn’t have to be grand or come from someone with authority—it could be something small but significant that left a lasting impression on you, or it could have particular meaning for you because it came from someone you didn’t expect it to come from. Be brief in setting the stage and explaining the context of the compliment—what is most important is your reflection on its significance and how it shaped your understanding of yourself.

Stanford University

Prompt: List five things that are important to you.

What Makes it Unique: This prompt’s simplicity is what makes it so challenging. Stanford asks for a list, not an essay, which means you have very limited space (50 words) to convey something meaningful about yourself. Additionally, the prompt does not specify what these “things” must be—they could be a physical item, an idea, a concept, or even a pastime. Whatever you choose, these five items should add depth to your identity, values, and priorities.

How to Answer it: Start by brainstorming what matters most to you—these could be values, activities, people, places, or even abstract concepts. The key is to choose items or concepts that, when considered together, provide a comprehensive snapshot of who you are. For example, you might select something tangible and specific such as “an antique telescope gifted by my grandfather” alongside something conceptual such as “the willingness to admit when you’re wrong.” The beauty of this prompt is that it doesn’t require complex sentences or elaborate explanations—just a clear and honest reflection of what you hold dear. Be thoughtful in your selections, and use this prompt to showcase your creativity and core values.

While the supplemental essays should convey something meaningful about you, your values, and your unique qualifications for the university to which you are applying, the best essays are those that are playful, original, and unexpected. By starting early and taking the time to draft and revise their ideas, students can showcase their authentic personalities and distinguish themselves from other applicants through their supplemental essays.

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I need help with my Virginia tech Goals essay supplemental idea

" Briefly describe a personal goal you have set for yourself. Why this goal, what is your timeline to achieve this goal, what precipitated this goal? Have you turned to anyone for advice or help, what was their role, what did you learn about yourself, are you still working toward this goal?" (120 words)

I just have no idea at all how to answer this question. Personal goal? Are they looking for me becoming more confident or something? Or some goal for the future like traveling the world or getting a job at x place? I can't figure out what they want. I've been thinking about this for almost a month and its due in less than a week.

Like "are you still working towards this goal." What does that even mean? If its a goal shouldn't it be a given that everyone is working towards it, since that's what a goal is?

The only things I can think of are generic stuff like traveling the world and career-oriented stuff for the future. I feel so many people are just going to write a variation of "I want to travel to x and x" that its not even worth writing since it is not unique. Career oriented stuff is just like " I want to do x", which still seems generic. I can't think of any goals I could write that would work well. I thought of trying to be funny with something like living to read the final volume of a series still being published, but that's only 10ish years away and theres not really much to say about it.

Any advice/examples???

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ESPN Analyst Lists Virginia Tech As A “Breakthrough” Candidate For the 2024 Season

Rj schafer | aug 10, 2024.

• Virginia Tech Hokies

Brent Pry has led the Hokies through low expectations and high expectations during his tenure as head coach. In his first season as head coach in 2022, the Hokies struggled, finishing with only three wins on the year. Since that year, Virginia Tech has dealt with a complete turnaround. The Hokies won seven games last year, including the program’s first bowl win since 2016. The team from Blacksburg has certainly shot themselves into conversations they were never in before: ACC contenders, dark horse candidates, and even CFP long-shots.

All of these arguments have merit. This is the most talented Virginia Tech team in a while. The Hokies have a cornerback room that is probably the best in the ACC, a strong defensive line with multiple NFL level players, and the most versatile offense in the ACC. The list of pure NFL talent is just ridiculous: Dorian Strong, Mansoor Delane, Aeneas Peebles, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Ali Jennings, John Love, Bhayshul Tuten, Kyron Drones, and the list goes on. There’s no weakness anywhere on this roster, and Brent Pry has spent a great amount of time making sure that is the case. 

That’s why ESPN+ listed Virginia Tech in their “breakthrough and bounce-back” candidates list.

“Brent Pry's Hokies are obvious candidates for a list like this: They surged over the second half of 2023 and return most of the reasons for said surge. Quarterback Kyron Drones and running back Bhayshul Tuten give Tech a dynamic run game, and 19 overall starters return. Contending in the ACC will require further improvement in the trenches -- never guaranteed -- but per SP+ the Hokies are projected underdogs in only two games (at Miami in Week 5, Clemson at home in Week 11).

After so much consistent success in the 1990s and 2000s, virginia tech has found life a little rockier of late. the hokies haven't finished in the sp+ top 30 since 2017, and they've done so only twice in the past 12 seasons. they lost 12 of pry's first 17 games in charge, but they won five of seven down the stretch, and drones gives them legitimate star power behind center., there's serious reason for optimism in blacksburg.”.

I don’t think it’s unrealistic to think that Virginia Tech is not far from re-entering their name in ACC contention. Virginia Tech is a long and storied program, which doesn’t stay losing for long. There is no reason for fans to not put their faith in Brent Pry, it’s finally time for the Hokies to compete in the ACC again, and this year is just another stepping stone getting closer and closer to glory.

RJ Schafer joined the SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.

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