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How to Write the UNC Chapel Hill Essays 2024-2025

The flagship institution for the University of North Carolina is consistently ranked as one of the best public universities in the country. Because of its exceptional academics, wide array of extracurricular activities, internship and research opportunities in the Research Triangle of North Carolina, and renowned Tar Heel athletics program, it’s no wonder tens of thousands of highly qualified applicants apply each year.

In order to stand out from the crowd, you will need to write exceptional essays that blow the admissions committee away. This year, UNC Chapel Hill requires all applicants to submit two short responses under 250 words. We’ll cover how to write each of these essays in detail, with lots of expert tips on how to stand out.

Read these UNC Chapel Hill essay examples written by real students to inspire your own writing!

UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1: Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (200-250 words)

Prompt 2: Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college. (200-250 words)

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (200-250 words)

This prompt puts a spin on the traditional community service essay that asks about your involvement and impact on a community you are a part of. While you still need to address your impact on a community, you have to do it through the lens of a personal characteristic.

In order to fully answer this question, you will need to pick a character trait and a community you are part of and then find a story that blends the two together. There are two main ways you could go about brainstorming.

The first method is to start with a personal trait and work outwards to find an example that demonstrates that characteristic. This is a good approach if you have a character trait that contributes to your application theme. For example, if the theme of leadership is running throughout your application, you might want to write about your leadership and then find an example of a time when you exhibited it in one of your extracurricular or volunteer communities.

The other approach is to pick a community that is important to you and work backwards to find a characteristic. This method will require more introspection as you will need to consider the role you play in the community, how you typically act, how you interact with other community members, etc. If you have a community that is a foundational part of your personality, this might be the approach for you.

As you go about brainstorming, remember that there is no right or wrong character trait or type of community. In fact, you could even spin a “negative” trait like being impulsive or anxious into a positive story—if you go down this road, be careful to show how you had a positive impact on the community and maybe how you fixed the negative trait through being part of the community.

Once you’ve thought of a characteristic and a community you want to focus on, the next step is to come up with a story that highlights how your chosen personality trait led to a positive outcome in your chosen community. Ask yourself some guiding questions to remind yourself of important details that will make your story more engaging:

• Where were you?
• Who was involved?
• What types of conversations took place?
• Did you feel confident in your contribution or did you go outside of your comfort zone?
• What actions did you take? What were you hoping to accomplish?

Now it’s time to start writing! Since you only have 250 words, you’ll want to get right to the heart of the story. A good tactic to accomplish this is to start in media res , or in the middle of the action. For example:

“‘A little more to the right. Up a little. No, dow—there! Perfect!’ The large white tarp hung over the gym entrance, prepared to greet every student attending the rally, perfectly straight thanks to my razor-sharp eyesight and impeccable judgment.”

As you write, make sure you emphasize the story—after all, the prompt explicitly asks for a story or anecdote—by showing the reader through vivid imagery. Place the reader in the moment with active language (“running” instead of “I ran”), use sensory descriptors (“the sweet smell of cinnamon and clove warmed the biting chill in the air”), and avoid generic adjectives like “happy” or “excited.”

Another crucial thing to show (not tell) in this essay is your character trait. Readers like to feel like they are playing an active role in a story, meaning they want to pick up on clues and come to conclusions by themselves. If a student starts her essay by saying, “My positive attitude inspired my lacrosse teammates to play our best even in terrible weather,” we immediately know exactly what her trait is, which leaves us less engaged.

Instead, she can hint at her positivity without explicitly stating it by saying something like this:

“As fat raindrops started splattering on the windshield of the bus, a chorus of grumbles rose from my lacrosse teammates. ‘Another rain game, really?’ someone moaned. She had a point: our last three games had left us all wondering if we had accidentally tried out for the swim team. The drizzle quickly turned into a downpour, while Taylor Swift sang into my airpods ‘It’s a cru-u-u-u-el su-u-mmer….’ Wait, Taylor Swift? The artist famous for performing some of her best shows in the rain? Suddenly, I had an idea.”

This is a much more immersive opening, which places us right alongside this student as she first commiserates with her teammates, and then thinks of a way to lift the mood. We get a lot more detail, which keeps us invested as we wait to see where the story is going, compared to the example above where we check out before the story even starts.

It’s important that your reader be able identify what your character trait is and how it enabled you to positively impact your community. Looking at your essay, it should be easy to point to a change in the community for the better as a result of your involvement. Once you think you’re done writing, go back and ask yourself if that change is obvious. If not, keep revising until it’s clear.

Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college. (200-250 words)

While you might be tempted to approach this prompt in the way you would approach a traditional “Why This Major?” essay , hold on for a second and reread the prompt. Rather than being asked why you are pursuing a particular major or area of study, you’re being asked about “an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college.”

Yes, you will probably be most excited to study the topic of your major, but this prompt gives you the chance to look beyond your major and demonstrate the nuances of your interests.

A Good Response Versus a Great One

A good response will focus on a student’s major—”biology,” for example—but a great response will either home in on a specific facet of the major or delve into interdisciplinary interests.

For instance, a student who wants to home in on a specific topic within biology might discuss her fascination with CRISPR genome editing and its ability to potentially cure leukemia. Although her major is technically just “biology,” she is able to focus her essay on this niche topic within biology because this prompt doesn’t box you into discussing your major as merely a school curriculum.

A different student might go down the interdisciplinary route by writing about his interest in gene expression and how environmental factors caused by housing and urban policy can influence what genes are turned on and off. While this essay would still be discussing concepts related to the student’s biology major, it would also demonstrate to the admissions committee the student’s multifaceted interests and his ability to connect seemingly unrelated topics.

Whether you choose to drill down into a specific topic or to make connections between different topics, your essay should still be related to your major. If you’re deciding to major in biology but submit an essay to UNC about your love for American history without a single mention of science, it might raise some questions from the admissions committee.

Find an Anecdote

One of the best ways to show admissions officers your passion for a subject is through a story—in fact, when it comes to college essays, the best way to show anything is through a story!

Anecdotes provide a natural and captivating introduction to your essay, can be used as supporting details for a point you are trying to prove, and can give the essay a common unifying theme. Whether you use your anecdote as a hook in the beginning or write the whole essay around it, it’s important to have a strong personal story when using an anecdote to demonstrate your interest in a topic.

Some good sources of inspiration to get you started might include:

• Your first experience with the topic
• An independent project you conducted on the subject
• A time you struggled with the subject material
• Key questions you have about the topic
• A piece of media you consumed (podcast, book, TV show, etc.) that discussed or challenged your ideas on the topic
• Your personal connection to the topic

Demonstrate Your Interest

The next important part of this essay is demonstrating your interest to show the admissions committee why you want to study this topic in further detail. Your anecdote will help accomplish this goal, but let’s break it down a little more.

In order to successfully demonstrate your interest, you will need to show what, in particular, excites you about this topic. Is it a personal connection? Perhaps your goal is to cure a disease your family member suffers from. Alternatively, is it a chance for you to let your imagination and creativity run wild? If so, how does that feel? Will understanding this topic open doors for you to tackle even more complex issues? Whatever your point of interest in the topic is, you need to make it clear to the reader.

A generic way of demonstrating your interest might look like this:

“I first learned about CRISPR technology in my freshman year biology class. The thought of modifying genes to fight diseases was so exciting to me. Ever since then, I’ve been interested in curing diseases like leukemia.”

Those sentences tell us very little about the interest, and they don’t really show us anything. Saying it was “exciting” and that she was “interested” isn’t descriptive enough to show the reader why the student is pursuing it. Compare that with this example:

“A blue and red helix swirled around the screen as nucleobases were cut and spliced. Within minutes the sequence was inserted and the DNA began replicating without a second thought to its new appendage. My eyes shot open and my jaw grew slack. Images of pristine, white hospital walls clouded my vision. The strong smell of disinfectant permeated the air. All those hours sitting with my mom, holding her cold hands through the chemo, and it could have been solved in minutes with CRISPR?”

This version shows the reader infinitely more about the wonder and disbelief surrounding the topic with imagery like “my eyes shot open and my jaw grew slack.” Then, by detailing the images, smells, and feelings of sitting with their mom through chemotherapy, the student fully conveys her personal stake in this technology and why she is drawn to the topic.

Why Should UNC Care?

Okay, so you know what topic you are interested in studying in college and you have a good story to go with it. So what? Why should the UNC admissions officers care? The final step is to connect your interest to the academic and extracurricular offerings at UNC Chapel Hill.

Although this isn’t a “Why This School” essay that specifically asks for you to mention school resources, the best way to make your essay stand out is to go beyond what you are explicitly asked for and demonstrate the level of research you have done.

The word count is limited for this essay, so the majority of your focus should be on telling the story and demonstrating your interest in your chosen topic. However, try and reserve a sentence or two to weave in school-specific offerings.

When you are including these opportunities, it’s important to ensure that they are both unique and supported by your personal connection. In other words, don’t just say you’re excited to take Biology 101 at UNC, since every university offers that class—instead, find a more distinctive offering that would be harder to find elsewhere, like Molecular Genetics .

Similarly, tie each resource you mention back to yourself. Don’t just say that you want to work with a specific professor; add what you hope to learn from their work with gene replication in mice and how you think you might apply that work to humans, for example.

The UNC admissions officers will read thousands of essays where students simply tell their stories and forget to connect their previous experiences to their future ones. When they come across an essay that is able to tell the student’s story and incorporate the school’s offerings, they will be impressed. Everyone loves a little flattery—even colleges.

That said, make sure that the one or two school resources you mention naturally flow in the essay. The easiest solution is to add a sentence at the end about how you’ll explore your interests on campus, but this tends to disrupt the flow of the essay and make it feel forced. Below is an example of how to make this idea less jarring:

“If only I could tell my mom about the hours I’ll have spent researching with faculty at the CRISPR Screening Facility at Chapel Hill to develop a new drug that would make chemotherapy a bad dream, and not a reality, for those suffering from leukemia.”

If you can successfully unite the topic you’re interested in with the classes, professors, programs, or extracurriculars at UNC, your essay will likely resonate more with the admissions committee.

Where to Get Your UNC Chapel Hill Essays Edited For Free

Do you want feedback on your UNC Chapel Hill essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. 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.

Need feedback faster? Get a  free, nearly-instantaneous essay review  from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

University of North Carolina (UNC) 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

You Have: 

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC) 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 2 essays of 250 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community , Activity

How to Write UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays

UNC Chapel Hill asks two questions in their supplement, so you can “show [them] your authentic self,” and recommends that you “share specific details” in your essay responses. So don’t disappoint! Use this space to share personal stories that demonstrate aspects of your personality and values that haven’t come through elsewhere in your application. Read on to discover our UNC Chapel Hill supplement essay tips!

UNC Chapel Hill Prompt Breakdowns

Short answer prompts: we’d like to know how you’d contribute to the carolina community and ask that you respond to each prompt in up to 250 words., discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged..

UNC Chapel Hill wants to hear about an aspect of your personality that has enabled you to contribute to a community you cherish. Your answer doesn’t have to be connected to your academic goals in any way, so feel free to let your mind wander. Maybe you’ve always been an animal lover, so you bring your therapy dog to your local hospital once a month to spread joy (and dopamine). How do the patients respond? Which of your personal qualities has made this possible? Perhaps you challenged your fear of public speaking to deliver an address at a town hall to advocate for greener public transportation options. Did your local government leaders take what you said to heart? Are you courageous, determined, or creative? When have you gotten involved for the greater good? Take this opportunity to provide admissions with more information about yourself and your contributions to any community to which you belong.

Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college.

Admissions wants to learn more about a topic that has monopolized your thoughts. When was the last time you went down an internet rabbit hole trying to research something? When were you extremely motivated to solve a problem or create something new? What topic are you hoping to be an expert on by the time you graduate college? Discuss an example of what truly fascinates you—the more specific you can be, the better. For example, instead of saying you’re interested in Biomedical Engineering, can you dive deeper? Perhaps you’re really interested in the future of smart prosthetics. Once you identify a topic that is more niche than general, go the extra mile by researching UNC and building a bridge between the topic you’d like to explore and their academic offerings. You’d also be wise to provide some examples of how you’ve already interacted with this area of interest. Did you attend a seminar about the topic? Have you read every book you can find on it? Do you have a personal connection to it? The bottom line here is to write about something that really fascinates you while also touching on how attending this specific school will help you explore your associated academic goals.

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UNC Supplemental Essays 2024-2025

Unc supplemental essays 2024-25, unc supplemental essays: quick facts.

• UNC Chapel Hill acceptance rate: 19%— U.S. News ranks the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill as a most selective school.
• 2 short answer (~250 word) essays 
• UNC application note: Students applying to UNC Chapel Hill can do so via the Common Application . In addition to the UNC Chapel Hill essays, students will also be required to complete one Common App essay. 
• #1 UNC Chapel Hill Essay Tip: We recommend answering all of the UNC Chapel Hill essays carefully and authentically. This will help maximize your admissions odds.

How many essays does the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill require?

This year there are only two UNC supplemental essays. They are short answer UNC application essays that have a word limit of 250. These are required essays. Therefore, every student wishing to attend UNC Chapel Hill will need to complete both of the UNC supplemental essays.

Additionally, students will also need to write one personal statement from the Common App essay prompts. In all, students will write a total of three UNC essays: two UNC supplemental essays and one Common App personal statement.

What are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supplemental essays?

UNC requires all applicants to complete several UNC supplemental essays in addition to the personal statement found on the Common App . You can find the full prompts for the UNC application essays on the UNC website and in the Common App. We’ll also break down each of the UNC supplemental essays in this guide. 

The two short answer prompts and personal statement that each applicant must submit form part of UNC-Chapel Hill ’s holistic evaluation process. According to UNC, the university’s goal is to build a diverse and inclusive community. They hope to learn from each candidate what membership in a community means to them.

Highlighting community

In reading the prompts for the UNC supplemental essays below, you’ll notice that first one asks about aspects of community. As we break down how to address each prompt, we’ll show you how to think through your definitions of community. The best answers to these UNC essays will show that the student has a thorough understanding of what community means to them. They will also address how community impacts them. Successful UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays will also discuss how students’ actions in a community affect others.

If writing the UNC Chapel Hill essays sounds like a lot to think about, don’t be discouraged! Instead, view the UNC supplemental essays as your chance to introduce yourself to the UNC admissions team. With the UNC supplemental essays to write , you have two opportunities to showcase what makes you unique. Use each response to show UNC admissions why UNC-Chapel Hill should admit you.

UNC Supplemental Essays: Short Essays

As a part of the UNC admissions requirements, all applicants to UNC will write two UNC Chapel Hill essays. Each student will write their UNC essays on the same two prompts. While each of these UNC essays has a maximum of just 250 words, these are the longest UNC supplemental essays you’ll write!

UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays- Short Answer Prompts

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged., discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. why does this topic interest you topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college..

As you may have noticed, the first prompt focuses on identity and community. When considering how to write UNC Chapel Hill essays, you’ll need to think about your communities and how they’ve shaped you. Long before the UNC application deadline, start your brainstorming for these essays. That way, you can make sure that you choose the most meaningful topics possible. 

The second of the UNC essays focuses on your academic interests. You’ll want to think about what truly ignites your academic curiosity. However, you’ll need to show why you want to pursue that interest at UNC Chapel Hill specifically.

Both of the UNC supplemental essays are fairly typical college essays. In fact, you might have seen similar prompts as you apply to other schools. So, it’s good to understand how to best write the UNC supplemental essays. It will help you with not only your UNC application, but also with other college applications!

Now, let’s further break down each of these prompts so that you know just how to tackle them. 

UNC Supplemental Essays # 1

The first of the short answer UNC supplemental essays revolves entirely around you and one of your communities. The category of “community” is quite broad. So, successful UNC essays will look quite different for each applicant. 

When approaching this essay, you could focus on a number of qualities that may shape your personality: leadership, perseverance, humor, creativity, innovation, etc. While other things may be important to your identity—such as a love of reading or a deep-seeded interest in classical music—these interests might not belong in this UNC supplement essay unless they connect back to your communities. Successful UNC Chapel Hill essays will need to show just how this aspect of your personality has impacted one of the communities you belong to or have engaged with.

Getting started

As you begin the first of the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays, think about how your personal qualities affects the ways you relate to the world. After all, while everyone occupies a variety of personality traits, these identities will impact every person in different ways.

Indeed, “personal qualities” is a broad topic. You could choose to focus on aspects of your identity. For example, maybe you’ve faced difficulties as a disabled student working in a field not designed for you; maybe you’ve encountered challenges as a BIPOC student working to cross systemic barriers and access educational opportunities. Whatever you discuss, make sure it feels unique to you and your experience.

On the other hand, you could focus on personality traits. For example, do you view the world through a comedic lens? Or are you extremely innovative and love finding unique solutions to different problems? Maybe you’re a compassionate and empathetic person and those qualities have affected how you relate to and improve your communities. There are certainly plenty of ways to write the first of the UNC supplemental essays. The key is finding the best topic for you!

And of course, make sure to avoid any bigotry or offensive language. The only exception is if you are describing an incident where you’ve experienced bigotry. Then, you could use this incident as a starting point to draw your reader in. However, it shouldn’t be the focus of your response.

Community essays

It’s important to note that in the first of the UNC supplemental essays, community is a huge theme. Of course, you need to relate a personal quality of yours to a positive impact in a community to which you belong or have engaged with. Like “personal qualities,” “community” encompasses many things. This may feel overwhelming at first. However, in reality, this just means you can write on a myriad of topics.

The community essay is a favorite among colleges; therefore, understanding how to best respond to this prompt will help you with many college application essays. But, let’s focus on the UNC supplemental essay prompt.

First, consider the communities to which you belong or have engaged with. In this particular prompt, you need to specifically share a story or anecdote that shows the impact you have made on that community. In this case, it may be easier to first think of a specific story. Either way, you’ll need to show how you personally made a positive impact. What did you bring to the table that brought about positive change?

Consider that admissions teams look for students that will engage with the community campus. Therefore, you need to show that you are an active participant in your community and are looking to better the world with which you interact. In fact, you might even mention a story where you positively impacted a community other than your own. Share a story that shows what you would potentially bring to UNC Chapel Hill’s campus.

Complete answers

Be sure to answer this prompt in its entirety. The personal quality and anecdote that you mention doesn’t matter as much as its positive impact it has on one of your communities. So, when choosing which personal quality and story to focus on, make sure that you can expand on its influence on the communities with which you engage. 

If you have a couple of options, try brainstorming each quality or story’s impact. Then, choose the one that feels the most important to you. Additionally, make sure you have an engaging and interesting story or anecdote to share that relates to that personal quality. Most importantly, you need to actually be excited about what you choose to write on. If you’re passionate about your topic, your essay will have a better chance of impressing UNC admissions. Remember that successful UNC essays will do more than just check another box off on your UNC admissions requirements. It will further show the admissions committee who you are.

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Reflection Questions:

• Do you discuss a personal quality that has positively impacted one of your communities?
• Do you share a relevant and engaging story or anecdote?
• Is your essay free of any bigotry or offensive language?

UNC Supplemental Essays #2

The second of the UNC supplemental essays is a fairly common college essay topic: academic interest essay. Obviously, UNC admissions wants to admit students that are passionate about learning, particularly at their school. Therefore, successful UNC supplemental essays will show not only that you are academically motivated and curious, but also that UNC is the perfect place for you to explore those particular interests.

Academic topic

You might have an academic topic or interest that comes immediately to mind. If so, write on that! The academic area that most excites you will make for the best UNC supplemental essays. However, if no area immediately comes to mind, you’ll need to do some brainstorming.

Consider your different high school classes: which did you most enjoy? Were there any that had you exploring on your own time, outside of the classroom? Being academically curious and motivated are important qualities that college admissions teams look for in their applicants. Therefore, successful UNC supplemental essays to this second prompt will need to show that students have a passion for learning.

Now, the prompt particularly asks students to share an academic topic that they are excited to explore in college. Therefore, you could write on an academic topic that you haven’t yet had the opportunity to explore. But, one that you will be able to learn more about during your time at UNC. In summary, successful UNC supplemental essays could expand upon a current academic interest or delve into a new area.

Don’t feel limited to only talk about a major that you plan to pursue. Many students applying to colleges are undecided on their major and course of study. That’s perfectly ok! In fact, this essay isn’t a “why major” essay. It’s much broader than that. You are free to speak about any academic interest! Showing intellectual curiosity is the key in writing this essay, as well as mentioning specific programs only found at UNC.

Sharing an academic topic and why it interests you is important but only partially answers this prompt. The second of the UNC supplemental essays gives students an opportunity to show that they have done their research and know exactly why they want to attend UNC. Therefore, you’ll need to show what opportunities only available at UNC will allow you to explore the academic topic that you’ve explained.

You may already know exactly what you want to write about. For example, perhaps UNC made the top of your college list because of its Center for the Study of the American South . As a history buff, from the south, hoping to further explore where you’ve come from and maybe even apply it to a future career, this center will allow you the unique opportunity to do so. Of course, this is just an example, however, you get the idea! The more specific, the better!

You may choose to mention a major, professor, research opportunity, or even an extracurricular club. As long as it relates to an academic topic of interest and is an opportunity unique to UNC, then it will work perfectly for your essay!

Reflection Questions for UNC Supplemental Essays:

• Do you describe an academic topic of interest?
• Does your essay clearly show why you’re interested in that academic topic?
• Do you use specific examples to show how you would explore your academic interest at UNC Chapel Hill?

Choosing topics for your UNC essay prompts

As you consider your UNC essays, think about what stories make you who you are. Essentially, the UNC supplemental essays ask you to discuss your community and academic interests. However, there are plenty of potential ways to respond to the two UNC supplemental essays. If one topic for the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental essays particularly speaks to you, follow your instinct! However, if you’re struggling to choose topics for you UNC supplemental essays, then it might be time for a structured free-write.

Here’s how it works: choose a potential topic and set a ten-minute timer. Write about that topic for the full ten minutes without editing, revising, or reading over your work. Once you finish your first topic idea, move to the next. Do this for both of the UNC supplemental essays. If you find yourself with a lot to say about a given topic—or you just enjoy writing about it—you’ve found the topic for your UNC supplemental essays.

The power of free-writing

If you still feel stuck after your free-write , don’t worry! Look over your free writes for each of the UNC supplemental essays and think about how an admissions officer might view them. Which of these stories tell the reader the most about you? What narratives are the most engaging? Which responses showcase your unique traits? The most authentic stories will make the strongest UNC supplemental essays.

Once you’ve chosen your topics for your UNC supplemental essays, it’s time to start drafting. Reference the previous sections, as we broke down each of the short answer UNC essays. Remember, while we discussed both of the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay prompts, you will only choose two of these UNC supplemental essays to complete.

If you’re still struggling with choosing topics for the UNC supplemental essays, look over (or write) your college application letters . You may recall important moments within those letters that could trigger some ideas for the UNC Chapel Hill essays. 

Passion and relevance

The key to choosing the best topics for the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays are finding the topics that you are most passionate about. And, there’s no faking passion and interest in these UNC essays. Therefore, take the time to choose a topic that really resonates with you. If you have many, then choose the one that shares something new about yourself that hasn’t yet been mentioned in your UNC application.

While passion is important, your topics also need to be relevant to the prompts at hand. While you may be extremely passionate about singing, if it doesn’t relate to either of the UNC essay prompts, then it’s not worth mentioning here. Therefore, brainstorming a list of potential topics for each of the UNC supplemental essays will help you get started. Just make sure that each item on your list is relevant to the prompts. Can you write a UNC essay on the topic and will it fully respond to the prompt?

How do I answer the supplemental essays at UNC-Chapel Hill?

Your UNC supplemental essays should complement the rest of your UNC application to help the admissions team understand who you are and why you belong at UNC.

Wondering what it looks like to build a personal narrative in your application? Check out our expert’s dive into the personal narrative .

Remember to use dynamic, descriptive language in each of your UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays. Your reader should be able to sense your passion and enthusiasm in your UNC supplemental essays. As a rule, authentic, genuine responses make for the strongest UNC Chapel Hill essays. The UNC admissions team read thousands of applications—it’s easy to spot shallow responses meant only to impress admissions officers.

Show, don’t tell

The golden rule of writing applies to your college essays. The best UNC supplemental essays will engage the reader from the start, and take them on a narrative journey. Of course, you only have 250 words to do so. Therefore, you’ll need to use your words wisely. Finding the perfect balance of being descriptive, yet concise, will lead to the most successful UNC Chapel Hill essays.

You’ve probably heard your English teachers talk about showing rather than telling in narrative writing. However, let’s look at this example provided by Reedsy’s blog on the topic:

Tell: Michael was terribly afraid of the dark.

Show: As his mother switched off the light and left the room, Michael tensed. He huddled under the covers, gripped the sheets, and held his breath as the wind brushed past the curtain.

Which has the greater impact and engages the reader? It’s clear that showing is the best way to truly hook your reader and take them on a narrative journey. Remember, you can still be creative and show off your writing skills in college essays. In fact, you absolutely should do so!

Just remember to find the perfect balance when writing your UNC supplemental essays. You need to engage the reader, tell a narrative, and also completely respond to the prompt. Oh, and you only have 250 words to do so! Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to write your UNC supplemental essays. We can assure you that the best college essays weren’t written overnight. They most certainly required multiple drafts to get to their best version. So, do yourself a favor and start preparing your UNC essays early so you can write the best essays possible!

Unsure of where to start when it comes to the UNC Chapel Hill essays? Figuring out how to get into UNC Chapel Hill will require a strong overall UNC application. Start by reading this how to get into UNC Chapel Hill guide . After you understand the process as a whole, then reference this guide as it will give you the tools to craft strong responses to the UNC supplemental essays.

Common App Personal Statement

When applying to UNC, you’ll not only write two UNC supplemental essays, but you’ll also need to write the personal statement found in the Common Application. Luckily, the personal statement can be used for various schools. Most schools will in fact require that you complete the personal statement and their school-specific supplemental essays.

Unlike the UNC supplemental essays, where students write on the same two prompts, the personal statement allows students 7 different prompts to choose from. Here are the prompts found on the Common App for 2024-25:

Common App Essay Prompts

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

If one of these prompts jumps out to you and excites you, then that is the prompt you should write on! However, if you’re between a few prompts or are completely unsure of which prompt to choose, you can use our previous tips on choosing a topic for the UNC supplemental essays. Brainstorming and free-writing will allow you to choose the prompt that you have the most to say about.

Additionally, consider any gaps in your overall UNC application. Ideally, your UNC essays will fill in those gaps, adding new information to your application. You most certainly should not simply repeat what’s already been stated. Use the Common App personal statement and the UNC supplemental essays as opportunities to show a new part of your personality, values, and interests to admissions. In the case of UNC, you have three opportunities to do so: two UNC supplemental essays and the personal statement.

Indeed, you can recycle the personal statement. That is to say, you can send the same essay to various schools. In fact, you should do this in order to streamline the application process. The only case in which we wouldn’t recommend reusing your personal statement exactly as it is, is if it repeats information from one of the UNC supplemental essays. However, you can reuse parts or adjust your UNC supplemental essays accordingly. That is to say, if you choose to write your personal statement on prompt #6, and speak about an academic interest, you’ll want to write the second of your UNC supplemental essays on a completely different academic topic. Don’t use the same theme or topic in various essays as this will waste a valuable opportunity to share more about yourself to UNC admissions.

The personal statement is an important part of your UNC application as well as your other college application. Check out this article on how to write the personal statement. In addition to providing you with in-depth information on writing the essay, it also includes 5 personal statement essay examples. Reading these examples can help you see what impresses college admissions. But remember, don’t try to copy essay examples. Simply use them as inspiration to write your own unique story.

5 Tips for Writing the UNC Supplemental Essays

The UNC supplemental essays are in integral part of your overall UNC application. The UNC admissions team has a holistic evaluation process when considering potential applicants. This means they don’t simply look at grades or standardized test scores. They look at the big picture. So, yes, your grades are important, but so are your UNC supplemental essays.

Indeed, your UNC essays are opportunities to share new information about yourself not seen elsewhere in your application. As such, you should place importance on writing the best UNC essays possible! Let’s take a look at some tips you can follow in order to write your best UNC supplemental essays.

5 UNC Essays Tips

Start early..

There are two UNC supplemental essays you’ll need to write. In order to write the best versions possible, you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to prepare. Brainstorming, writing, revising, rewriting, and editing will take you some time. Additionally, you have other parts of the application to prepare, such as getting letters of recommendation. Therefore, plan your time wisely and start crafting your UNC essays long before the application deadline.

Be authentic.

Of course, you want to impress UNC admissions with your UNC supplemental essays. However, that doesn’t mean your essays should read as something you think will impress admissions. Your UNC supplemental essays should share more information about who you are and what you’ll bring to the campus. Therefore, be authentic and genuine when writing your essays.

Choose topics wisely.

The topics you write on should excite you. If they don’t, then consider choosing a different topic. The UNC essays are purposefully rather open-ended. This means that students can tailor their responses to what they are truly most passionate about. There is no right or wrong essay topic. In fact, there are thousands of possible topics that students can write on. The best topic for you will be one that shows your passion and authentic self.

Answer the prompt.

Choosing a topic is important, but remember that you need to fully respond to the prompt. Find the balance between writing creatively and comprehensively responding to every part of the prompt. At the end of writing your drafts, be sure to ask yourself, “Did I fully and completely respond to the prompt?” This may seem obvious, but when trying to meet the word limit, show your passion, and engage the reader, it’s possible that you may forget the main purpose at hand: responding to the UNC essay prompts.

Draft, revise, and repeat.

You’re not going to get the best versions of your UNC essays on your first draft. Instead, you’ll need to write multiple drafts. Give yourself the time to do so! Editing and rewriting are an important part of the writing process, so factor that into your timeline. Additionally, enlist the help of friends, families, or mentors when editing. Having an extra set of eyes on your work can help to avoid careless grammatical and spelling errors. Your UNC essays should be engaging and impeccably written. Just remember to maintain your unique voice when implementing the feedback of others.

Use these 5 tips to help you write your best UNC supplemental essays. And, keep in mind that these tips can be applied to all of your college essay writing. Staying organized is key when it comes to applying to colleges. Essay writing is a time-consuming task, so you’ll need to plan your time accordingly. However, don’t discount the importance of the UNC application essays! They could be what makes or breaks your admissions decision.

Are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supplemental essays important?

Yes! As #27 on U.S. News’ Best Colleges list and with a competitive acceptance rate , UNC Chapel Hill places plenty of emphasis on the UNC supplemental essays. It is in fact one of the most important UNC admissions requirements, especially since UNC has extended their test-optional policy for this admissions cycle. However, effective Fall 2025 some students will be required to submit standardized test scores; it will depend on your GPA. Students with a weighted GPA between 2.5-2.8 will be required to submit standardized test scores. Students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or higher will continue to have the option to submit standardized test scores.

Whether you have excellent grades or not, don’t let the UNC Chapel Hill essays intimidate you. Think of the UNC Chapel Hill essays as your chance to address the admissions team on your own terms. Use this opportunity to show them what you’ll bring to UNC! Indeed, the UNC supplemental essays are an important factor in the UNC admissions process. Since admissions uses a holistic evaluation process, every part of your application matters. Therefore, you’ll want to do everything you can to craft the best application narrative possible, including writing your best UNC supplemental essays!

More CollegeAdvisor resources

In addition to this UNC Supplemental Essays guide, CollegeAdvisor has plenty of valuable resources to help you write your best UNC essays. Take advantage of these free resources to give you some guidance on writing college essays. Especially if you are in the beginning stages of the college application process, understanding how to write a college essay will only help ease your application journey.

Remember, a well-crafted set of UNC Chapel Hill essays can make a huge difference in admissions. There are many UNC admissions requirements, but the UNC supplemental essays are the best way to show your personality and impress admissions. Take your UNC essays seriously—you’ll be glad you did. You may even find inspiration in reading college essay examples . Remember not to mimic other essays, but use them in order to understand how to write your own successful UNC supplemental essays. 

As we mentioned, the UNC supplemental essays center around common college essay prompts. For example, the first of the UNC supplemental essays asks students to talk about how they’ve positively impacted one of their communities. Well, “community essays” are a favorite among colleges. Reading community essay examples can help you prepare to write not only your best UNC supplemental essays, but also other college essays.

We gave you some ideas on choosing an essay topic in this essay guide, however, choosing a topic is arguably the most important part of your college essay writing process. The topic you choose will set the tone for the entire essay. Therefore, you’ll want to be sure you choose the best topics for your UNC supplemental essays. Read our Essay Writing Topics article to help you get started. This will help you with not only your UNC supplemental essays, but also your other college essays.

Finally, sometimes learning about what not to do can provide valuable information in the college essay writing process. Watch our webinar on College Essay Mistakes When Writing About Yourself in order to avoid some common errors that students make. In addition to reviewing some common mistakes, you’ll also learn more about what admissions looks for in essays and how to best tell your story in your unique voice.

Using these free CollegeAdvisor resources, in addition to this essay guide, will give you even more guidance when writing the UNC supplemental essays.

More details about UNC Chapel Hill

UNC Chapel Hill is not only a high ranking national university, but is also ranked #1 in value amongst public universities. To many applicants trying to figure out how to pay for college , quality yet affordable universities are at the top of their lists. Check out UNC’s scholarships and financial aid opportunities.

To learn more about how the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays fit into the UNC application, visit their admissions page for a list of the UNC admissions requirements. When considering how to get into UNC Chapel Hill applicants will need a strong overall UNC application, including the UNC supplemental essays. 

Be sure to check the UNC application deadline and UNC admission requirements in addition to your UNC supplemental essays. The UNC essays are important, but at a selective school like UNC Chapel Hill, every part of the application matters. 

UNC Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

Before diving into the UNC supplemental essays, first do your research on UNC Chapel Hill . It may be exciting to think about getting your college acceptance letter and figuring out the college enrollment process, but first make sure to be passionate about the schools you apply to . When considering how to write UNC Chapel Hill essays, understanding the university’s mission and values is key. From there, you can build strong essays that focus on who you are and why you want to attend UNC Chapel Hill. 

Remember that completing the two 250-word UNC Chapel Hill essays are an important part of your application. The UNC application essays are opportunities to share new information about yourself with the admissions team. Indeed, your UNC supplemental essays are your time to show off what makes you unique. Don’t be intimidated by the UNC application essays. Rather, take advantage of the chance to shine!

Don’t forget to revise

Finally, don’t forget to revise your UNC application essays multiple times. In fact, you’ll want to start your writing process for these UNC application essays early, a least a few months before the UNC application deadline. Once you’ve completed a draft, you might also ask a trusted adult to proofread your UNC Chapel Hill essays for spelling, grammar, and clarity. However, it’s best to stay away from heavy edits that erase your voice from the UNC supplemental essays. Remember, the admissions officers want to know more about you, not the person who helped you edit your UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays.

After reading this UNC Supplemental Essays guide we hope that you feel better prepared to tackle writing the UNC application essays. However, we know that college essay writing can be a stressful task for many students. If you’re feeling like you need extra help or personalized attention to get started, then College Advisor has plenty of experts that can guide you along the way. From essay writing to applying for financial aid, our advisors are here to help students and families through every step of the application process. Reach out to learn more!

This 2024-2025 essay guide on UNC – Chapel Hill was written by Sarah Kaminski. Want help crafting your UNC supplemental essays? Click here to create your free  account , or call (844) 343-6272 to  schedule your free advising consultation  with an Admissions Specialist.

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How to Write the UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays: Guide + Examples 2024/2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What are the unc chapel hill supplemental essay prompts.

• How to write each supplemental essay prompt for UNC Chapel Hill
• Prompt #1: "Community" essay
• Prompt #2: "Why major?" essay
• Prompt #3: Global Opportunities Prompt

The UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays give you a few different ways to help the school understand what you bring to the campus and community and why the two of you belong together.

Want to get a better sense of what UNC Chapel Hill is looking for before you start writing? You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set . For deep insights into how this public research university envisions student success (and how it wants to grow and evolve), read its strategic priorities . Reading through this will give you a strong idea of UNC Chapel Hill’s values.

UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essay Prompt #1

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (250 word limit)

UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essay Prompt #2

Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college. (250 word limit)

UNC Chapel Hill Global Opportunities Prompt

Why do you want to participate in the global opportunities you’ve selected, and in what ways are you hoping to grow through the experience(s)? (250 word limit)

( Note: This short answer question is only available to students who select to participate in "Global Opportunities" in the CommonApp)

How to Write Each Supplemental Essay Prompt for UNC Chapel Hill

Unc chapel hill supplemental essay prompt #1.

As a public university, UNC Chapel Hill puts a lot of value in people and the diverse experiences they bring to the table. School officials want to understand how you relate to and engage with the world around you. The Common App personal statement offers an opportunity to help schools see a big part of who you are as a person, while supplemental prompts like these give you a chance to show another side of yourself, something else you bring to the table with the college. 

For a full guide to community essays , check out that guide. Here’s the short version:

General Tips:

Don’t repeat what’s in your personal statement. The prompts are explicitly asking you to talk about something new. Take advantage of the opportunity to do so.

Brainstorm a list of communities and see which ones you would be the most excited to write about. Here are different ways to approach the idea of community:

Place: Groups of people who live/work/play near one another

Identity: Groups of people who share a common race, sexuality, ethnicity, or other marker of identity 

Action: Groups of people who create change in the world by building, doing, or solving something together (ex.: Black Lives Matter, Girls Who Code, March for Our Lives)

Interest: Groups of people coming together based on a shared interest, experience, or expertise

Circumstance: Groups of people brought together either by chance or external events/situations

Get specific. Share specific moments, experiences, and actions. Be creative and use details that give you a distinctive/memorable voice.

Use the space they give you. You only get about 250 words per answer, so try to use it all up. If you don’t have 200-250 words to say about something, consider writing about something else.

When you can, try to make your answers school-specific. Because it’s a big public school, UNC Chapel Hill receives a ton of applications. The more you can do to demonstrate that you’ve done your research, the better chance you have of standing out. Universities want to feel wanted. While the prompt doesn’t explicitly mention UNC, you have the option of adding a bit of “Why us?” at the end, showing how you want to engage with the UNC  community.

With community, clarify impact. Why does impact matter? It helps the reader understand why they should care. Hopefully, the topic you’ve chosen is something you’re already pretty jazzed about. The key here is getting your reader to be just as jazzed as you, and showing impact is the way to do it. Here are some ways to think about impact:

Numbers. Perhaps what you choose to talk about has a particularly shocking statistic. Maybe your interest in that topic inspired you to do something that had a significant numerical effect. Consider adding specific numbers to bolster your claims and give your readers a sense of magnitude.

Anecdotal evidence of impact, or quotations. Impact doesn’t have to be quantitative to convey urgency, importance, or power. The more of you that you put in your essay, the better.

Personal impact (on you, the author) in the form of lessons learned, skills gained. It’s especially interesting to note if these skills transferred to other areas of your life. 

Write it long first, then cut it. In our experience, this tends to be easier than writing a very short version and then trying to figure out what to add.

Here’s a great example essay.

You wouldn’t think an American Asian Affinity Space would be diverse, after all its whole premise is centered around one specific identity. However, members of the affinity space at my high school come from several different grades, genders and ethnicities. The group included a sophomore from China, a junior from Pakistan, and members from Korea, Japan, and even Israel. We each had unique stories of living as an Asian-American, yet, we had all chosen to come to this affinity group. As we spent time together, we were able to find shared experiences, like our parents preparing packed lunches for us from our country and being too embarrassed to bring them to school. Whether eating humbow or biryani, we all knew what it was like to feel out of place.  My work with the AAAS got me thinking about what diversity can look like, and what it means to embrace diversity. On the one hand, you can find diversity even when people appear to be alike. By exploring our differences, we can continue learning from each other even when it seems we have shared backgrounds and values. At the same time, people who seem really different may have shared human experiences, feeling like the "other" or being embarrassed by their parents, that can bring them together. Moving forward, I want to learn about people’s differences, hearing their stories and learning about their backgrounds while also creating spaces for people to have shared experiences that bring people together. — — —

Tips + Analysis

Challenge a misconception or generalization. This applicant does a great job of subverting expectations when it comes to her American-Asian identity. She highlights how her affinity group was more diverse than one might generally expect. By doing this, she demonstrates a compelling ability to self-reflect and see nuance within important cultural spaces. The idea that diversity is more than what meets the eye is a mature and complex insight that makes this essay stand out. This is a prompt that allows you to show off your ability to “see behind the curtain,” so to speak, when it comes to a specific community or identity. Acknowledging an assumption and then challenging it is an excellent way to do this.

Highlight growth. When you answer this prompt, it’s great if you can create a narrative arc by showing how you developed within a specific identity. In this case, the author talks about her growing ability to find common ground with other members of her affinity group. In this way, she’s showing her values of inclusion, culture, and diversity. Although this is a short essay, having a “story” is very helpful. Think of the narrative arc as a rope that you can use to pull your reader through your answer. Showing how you changed over time or learned more about yourself compels people to keep reading.

Use paragraph structure to clarify your main points. The author here uses her first paragraph to expand on a part of her identity (being Asian American) and the second paragraph to expand on how that part of her identity has shaped her values and perceptions. She also touches on how this ties into her ongoing interest in creating inclusive spaces and embracing difference. This is a really nice way to answer the prompt because it’s very clear which part of the question she’s answering in each paragraph. The first paragraph sets the scene of the past, and then the second one speaks more to the present and future. Having a paragraph break also gives the reader a chance to breathe before moving right into the second half of the answer. Try to use the structure of your piece to amplify your content.

Connect to the future. As we mentioned, the author does a nice job of segueing into how the lessons she learned from her American Asian Affinity group have inspired her interest in creating more inclusive spaces. This is something you should do in your essay too. You don’t have to be super specific about what you want to do (although you definitely can!), but giving your reader a sense of how this aspect of your identity would impact what you do or who you’d interact with in college helps them better understand what kind of student you’d be.

And here’s another example essay:

When I met Bella, my ears didn’t work. I could hear, but not listen. When I conversed with friends, we were in our own universes. There was little empathy, just interruptions and distractions. And because nobody around me seemed to have the desire to listen, I gave up on it too. From the moment Bella and I were crowned co-winners of a middle-school cup-stacking competition, each winning half of a coveted cookie cake, things changed. I soon realized how perceptive Bella was to people’s feelings.  Our chats morphed into meaningful conversations and fits of laughter. She was the first friend I came out to as bi. After telling her, I waited nervously for the uncomfortable acceptance and frantic search for other conversation topics. But instead, she looked me in the eye and said she loved me no matter who I loved. Then, she asked curious questions rather than trying to ignore my identity. And I was there for Bella too. When she told me about the emotional distance she felt growing up far away from her dad who lives in South Korea, I supported her, not trivializing her pain with dismissive reassurances. Since our cup-stacking battle, we’ve been strong for each other. Bella unplugged my ears. That’s why she was the first person I interviewed for my podcast, Portraits, about people in my life. I know that as an empathetic listener, I am more vulnerable now, but, thanks to Bella, I understand how to communicate love. (246 words)  — — —

Tips + Analysis:

Consider starting with a punchy first line. This author’s first line is super strong. All she says is, “When I met Bella, my ears didn’t work.” This raises lots of questions. Who’s Bella? What do you mean your “ears didn’t work?” How did you meet this Bella person? This is the best kind of hook because it elicits more questions than answers. It’s also short and to the point. It’s not overly convoluted. And don’t worry, it’s okay to disorient your reader a bit in the first line. It intrigues people and makes them want to keep reading, particularly when the essay focus isn’t directly on yourself.

Highlight your values. Though this essay does focus some on another person, the author shows us that she cares about empathy and open dialogue. You’ll need to talk about other people to some degree for this prompt. Just remember to be sure that, ultimately, you’re still the main character here.

Embrace vulnerability. This essay is chock full of vulnerability. The author talks about her sexuality and her journey toward a greater sense of empathy. A great essay isn’t just about showing off all your great accomplishments. In fact, reflecting on how you’ve changed over time shows that you’re introspective and adaptable. Nobody is perfect, and oftentimes it works to your advantage to embrace that. A great question to ask yourself if you’re writing for this prompt is: How did this community/experience help me grow? Think of the answer to that question as the frame for your essay and fill the details in with the words you have left.

And here’s another example.

My earliest memory of orchestra wasn’t about the orchestra, but what happened after. I was ten, and a kind retirement community resident was so enamored by our performance, she invited my family to her apartment for cookies. This was a glimpse of what was to come: standing ovations, the tears in my neighbor’s eyes when my music reminded her of her hometown, the community my fellow string members and I formed over nervous glances before the curtain went up. I knew my peers could benefit from these rewards, so I started a strings club at my high school. The school band teacher agreed to conduct, and I spread the word through social media and flyers. The club started off as a small-but-mighty group of four, but grew as we tutored beginner violinists. At the end of our first concert, I was moved by the shared hugs, the high-fives, and the satisfaction on the students’ faces as they saw a teary family member in the audience.  I’m proud of our strings club, but I still have the nagging sense that it isn’t enough. Our school was only the third out of thirty in the county to begin an orchestra club, so there are still hundreds of students who can benefit from being a part of the orchestra community. It would require school administrators to recognize the impacts orchestral music can have on teens’ growing brains, but I hope to one day see many more string clubs at schools across our county. — — —

Be positive about a negative. This applicant skillfully addresses the need for orchestral music while not criticizing administrators or bashing the school for not having a strings club. She paints positive pictures of cookies with a retiree, students bonding over high-fives, and the tearful support of parents. Depending on your topic, it can be useful to acknowledge what’s already good or working, then frame your experiences or actions as a way to make your community even better.  

Show your advocacy or activism streak. This prompt is an invitation to all those with drive to serve a cause. Maybe you’re an advocate for the environment—have you pushed for safer crosswalks or more bike racks to encourage pedestrian traffic? Think about ways you’ve engaged to better your community. What do you care about that hasn’t been addressed elsewhere in your application? Whatever you choose, whether it stems from a cause or a hobby, expressing genuine interest by flexing your values and conveying your enthusiasm will make the reader care too.

UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay prompt #2

This is a pretty standard “Why Major” prompt. For a larger guide to the “Why Major” essay, click here . Below is a condensed version.

One possible approach:

Think of this as a quick origin story.

Step #1: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest and create a simple, bullet-point outline.

Step #2: Put your moments (aka the “scenes” of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it’ll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions.

Step #3: You’ll likely want to include a specific thesis that explicitly states your central argument—in this case, what you want to study and why. This thesis can come at the beginning, middle, or end of your essay.

Once you have those pieces, you have a few structural options:

A. A quick hook that thematically sets up where you’ll take us, and, ideally, shows an aspect of your intellect/personality (If you do this, it can be stylistically effective to bookend—to end the essay by linking back to what you opened with.)

B. An initial moment that sparked your interest

C. Your thesis

Body (but to clarify, this essay can be a single paragraph if you choose)

The moments of your mini-movie, illustrating both the development of your interest and some of your core values

One option: Go narrower—perhaps link to specific aspects of Yale that will help you continue on your path toward a future goal.

Another option: Go wider—name the road you hope to follow (for example, career path, organizations you’d like to work with, the greater value/implications of studying what you want to).

And last, a quick tip: Be sure this essay is consistent with your personal statement if you’ve mentioned aspects of your major/career there.

Here’s an example essay (written for a Why Major prompt with a smaller word count) to point you in the right direction.

After attending a three-week summer camp researching epigenetics, I knew that molecular biology was what I wanted to study as the next step towards a research-oriented biotech career. However, research for research’s sake isn’t what I’m interested in. Molecular biology has huge implications for human health, with the ability to alter gene expression or protein function as a possible avenue for the treatment of almost any disease.   Because of these potential impacts, molecular biology is a field that’s ripe for unethical exploitation, as seen in Gattaca or Brave New World. I want to make sure that research is conducted with everyone’s best interests in mind, so that the benefits from discoveries will be able to help more than just those that can afford it, and so that they can be used safely and effectively. — — —

Identify the relevant movie moments. This student’s “movie moment” is their time at summer camp, when they knew they wanted to study molecular biology. Note that it can be useful to get even more detailed and cinematic, but you’ll want to avoid simply repeating the activities list. And with the prompts fairly small word count, spending less time on the what allows for more word count space to focus on why this is important to them.  

A step towards a larger goal. This student writes about how they want to study molecular biology as a next step towards a research-oriented biotech career—a great, direct reason for their why. If you already know what you want to pursue careerwise, a great way to frame it is by talking about how a certain major will help you achieve those goals. If  you don’t know what you want to do in or after college, you can still take inspiration from this by talking about how this major will help you achieve a different goal, like learning about something you’re curious about or exploring an issue that matters to you. 

Discuss larger scope, impact, and your role in it. While already within the first sentence/paragraph, we know the what and why (step towards research-oriented biotech career), the rest of this essay goes into greater depth to explain this direction, especially in relation to research. They talk about the big picture for how molecular biology can impact human health, but the golden nugget is when they talk about where they see themselves fitting into that picture: making sure that research is beneficial to everyone and discoveries can be used safely and effectively. 

Sprinkle in points of connection. This wasn’t necessary, but definitely a nice touch—this student sprinkled in references to Gattaca and Brave New World, which does a few things: (1) tells us a tiny bit more about the student and maybe some of the media they like to engage with, (2) that they’re able to make connections between things they’ve read/watched and what they’re learning about in real life, and (3) creates an aha moment for the reader, especially if they’ve read/watched these things; it creates even more of a visual without the student having to explain exactly what those unethical exploitations are.

Here’s another example from an applicant with an impressive depth of exploration:

Over the past summer, I conducted research as a full-time intern at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The primary purpose of my research was to engineer a more efficient halogenase enzyme. This enzyme was designed to decrease costs and increase the yield of halogenated products used to create a novel biomaterial for F-35 aircraft. Applying all the knowledge I’d gained throughout high school to figure out this problem was an incredible introduction to the world of multidisciplinary science. I built on my years spent studying organic chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology, both in school and Science Olympiad, with a focus on utilizing engineering principles in order to create a product. Throughout the summer, I enjoyed being able to apply my knowledge collaboratively, pulling from a vast range of scientific fields. It’s this experience that has greatly influenced my decision to continue applying myself interdisciplinarily and continue my undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering. — — — 

And as a bonus, here’s a good example of a strong Why Major essay that was written for Yale but offers a solid framework to emulate (note, though, that you’ll get over double the space for your Why Major).

Storytelling has shaped me. At four, I read The Lion King until I’d memorized it. I’d snuggle in bed as my dad read Wilderness Champion or Tom Sawyer. Later, I found audio and visual storytelling, mesmerized by This American Life and Whiplash. Now, I create my own stories through newspaper satire, podcasting, and locally-broadcasted radio.  My major at Yale would be the next chapter in my life of storytelling. I’d explore past narratives and how they can be digitally innovated. Whether exploring media’s disfiguration of truth, developing screenplays, or analyzing mise-en-scene, I hope to pioneer new networks of connection. (99 words) — — —

Why do you want to participate in the global opportunities you’ve selected, and in what ways are you hoping to grow through the experience(s)? (250 word limit) (Note: This short answer question is only available to students who select to participate in "Global Opportunities" in the CommonApp)

In the Common App portal, UNC offers several opportunities for students to engage in what they call “Global Opportunities.”

Here’s what they say:

Carolina’s Global Guarantee provides access for all Carolina students to a transformative global education, with opportunities to learn from cultures and societies around the world—and to learn about the ways our world is interconnected. Whether through study abroad or through rich global content and experiences incorporated into the Carolina curriculum, our students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills fundamental to their success as they become the next generation of global leaders. Your selections won’t affect your admission to the University in any way and there is no limit to the number of programs you can express interest in in this section. If we are able to offer you one of these opportunities, it will appear in MyCarolina at the same time as your admissions decision.  More information can be found at https://admissions.unc.edu/apply/special-opportunities/

We’ll list out the different programs below. For general guidance, you can treat this essay essentially as a combo “Why Major/Why X Subject Area” and “Why us?” essay—show what in your academic or personal background connects to the program, and how it will help you to continue on your path.

For the “Why Major” aspects, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to writing this essay at this link , but here’s the short version:

Step #1: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest and create a simple, bullet point outline.

Step #2: Probably put your moments (aka the “scenes” of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it’ll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions.

For the “Why Us?” aspects, spend some time further researching what the program offers, and show why and how those opportunities connect to your interests and values.

Global Gap Year Fellowship

The Global Gap Year Fellowship allows students to defer their enrollment at Carolina to complete a year of service abroad. The fellowship includes mentoring, global networking, and an $8,000 stipend to help students complete their service commitment.

Joint Degree Program with National University of Singapore

The Joint Degree Program allows students to expand their global network and gain cultural awareness through two to four semesters in Singapore while earning a dual degree from the National University of Singapore and Carolina. This program requires students to major in Economics, English Literature, Geography, History or Political Science. 

Russian Language Flagship Program  

The Russian Language Flagship Program provides students a competitive edge for their career through opportunities to develop a professional level of proficiency in Russian, a language deemed critical to U.S. national security. Beyond coursework, students can participate in individualized tutoring and cultural programming, spend a summer of intensive Russian language study in a Russian-speaking country, and complete a Capstone academic year in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Summer Study Abroad Fellowship  

The Summer Study Abroad Fellowship provides students with a one-time award of $5,000 to fund study abroad experiences after their first, second, or third year of study at Carolina in over 80 programs offered by the UNC Study Abroad office as well as programs with course credit offered through academic departments. 

Carolina Spring Forward

Carolina Spring Forward provides the opportunity to study abroad in Costa Rica, Ireland, Scotland, South Korea, or Spain with other Carolina students during the spring semester of their first year. Students will take pre-approved courses that fulfill UNC requirements and will be eligible for scholarship funding.

Want advice on dozens of other supplemental essays? Click here

Special thanks to Jon for writing to this post

Jon (he/him) knows the value of writing from a place of personal truth. As a classically trained theater artist, he is committed to crafting authentic stories that reflect the range of human experience. 

Top Values: Mindfulness | Adaptability | Self-Expression

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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Supplemental Essay Prompts: 2024-2025

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has released its supplemental essay prompts for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle . In addition to The Common Application ’s Personal Statement, UNC applicants are asked to respond to two short answer prompts in up to 250 words.

2024-2025 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Essay Topics and Questions

The instructions for the two UNC essays read as follows:

We’d like to know how you’d contribute to the Carolina community and ask that you respond to each prompt in up to 250 words.

1. Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged.

While the United States Supreme Court outlawed the practice of Affirmative Action , Chief Justice John Roberts wrote somewhat of a loophole in the high court’s majority opinion.

As Chief Justice Roberts wrote, “At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

In the wake of the ruling, more of America’s highly selective universities than ever chose to pose a “community” essay to applicants to the Class of 2029. This UNC essay prompt is such an example.

The word  community  can, of course, be interpreted loosely. It can be a student’s geographical community. It can be an ethnic community. It can be a religious community. It can be a community of political activists. UNC’s admissions officers wants to see how they’re agitating for change — for the better — within a chosen group of people. 

2. Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college.

Ideally, an applicant’s response will relate to their hook since UNC seeks to admit singularly talented students who together form a well-rounded class. What UNC’s admissions committee is  not  looking for is a well-rounded student.

As such, this essay presents an opportunity for a student to showcase how they think about their intended field of study and how they wish to leave their mark on the discipline. Ideally, a student will incorporate an activity — either research-based or otherwise — that relates to their hook. But maybe the research fell short. There may still be questions left unanswered. It’s all precisely what you want to explore more in college.

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How to Write the UNC Supplemental Essays 2024–2025

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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , also known as UNC or simply “Carolina,” is known as the nation’s first public university. These days, UNC has two Noble Laureate faculty members, an acceptance rate below 17% , and a #4 ranking among public US universities, according to the US News & World Report . Their accomplished alumni include James K. Polk, Michael Jordan, Thomas Wolfe, and Mia Hamm. Hoping to join their ranks? First, you’ll need to nail your UNC supplemental essays. Let’s dive in.

UNC’s 2023-2024 Prompts

UNC only requires two short essays. Both essays must be 200-250 words. See the prompts below.

UNC Short Essay Questions

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (200-250 words), discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. why does this topic interest you topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college. (200-250 words), we’ll review your essay.

Receive edits in as little as 24 hours

General Tips

A significant challenge many college applicants face when writing their essays is nuance. Many college essays tend toward black-and-white conclusions, make blanket statements, or switch unrealistically between negative and positive perspectives. However, this kind of writing sounds less mature and thoughtful to the admissions officer and is generally not reflective of real life. Thus, it’s important to compose a balanced, nuanced college essay. Here are a few tips to help you along in your drafting process:

Don’t feel compelled to end your essay with a lesson.

Many applicants feel that their essays must be summed up by a particular moral or lesson learned. However, college essays can simply conclude with a restatement/rewording of the essay’s overall thesis, which need not be moralistic. You can also end your essay on a light-hearted note that references an idea previously mentioned in the essay. Regardless, don’t feel pressure to squeeze in a moral or piece of wisdom at the essay’s closing unless such a line fits in naturally in your essay.

Avoid superlatives when possible.

Writing that something was the “most interesting idea in the world,” “the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me,” “the lowest point in my life,” can backfire in an essay. If this superlative phrasing is truly accurate to your experience, then it may be necessary in your essay. But if it is not, don’t use superlative phrasing. And think deeply about whether there is a softer way to communicate your idea, and whether the superlative is truly used appropriately in this particular instance. If you overuse superlatives or don’t provide enough evidence for why the superlative is being used, you risk giving the reader the impression that your essay’s claims are exaggerated in general.

Don’t exaggerate.

Following on that last point, avoid exaggerating in your college essays. Remember, just exaggerating is different from using hyperbole (also known as overstatement), which is an effective rhetorical device. Of course, you don’t want to overdo it on the hyperbole, either, and in order to be effective, it tends to require sparing usage.

Exaggerating even occasionally in your essay calls the rest of your essay into question. Thus, it’s advisable to represent events as accurately as you can. Blanket statements (meaning in this case, statements that apply to many categories of people, things, events, or concepts, particularly those unrelated to your unique individual experiences) should be avoided for the same reason.

This essay prompt shares similarities with some of the Common App essay prompts, but your response should be completely distinct from your Common App essay. Moreover, this essay should focus on your community impact. Whether you’re a part of the community you impacted or not, you should share with the reader what this community means to you. Sharing this information will help make your essay more compelling.

Ultimately, this essay is not about the community you impacted, but about who you are. The essay should revolve around “one of your personal qualities,” which could include a character trait, identity, talent, skill, or even a weakness you’ve turned around. Whatever personal quality you choose to highlight in this essay, name it specifically in the essay. Be careful to maintain a humble tone as you describe this quality. Then, share a single story about how this quality helped you impact a community. The prompt isn’t looking for a series of vignettes or varied anecdotes, but rather a single unified narrative.

In summary, focus on one community that is important to you, one personal quality that helped you impact this community, through one story that is portrayed humbly. Use specific, concrete details when possible while telling this story. Clarify when this impact occurred and what it means to you. Lastly, let your empathy shine through!

This is a pretty standard supplemental essay prompt asked by many other schools, so you may already have an essay written that you can repurpose here. Note that this prompt does not ask you about why you want to study this subject at UNC, but only about why you want to study it more generally. Although you need not bring up UNC at all in this essay, you absolutely can bring up why you want to study this subject specifically at UNC if you like.

You may not have a unique origin story behind this academic interest. That said, you likely have at least a few prior experiences with this topic that you can draw upon here. Have you always been excited by science class experiments, building an interest in chemistry over time? Have current events inspired your interest in artificial intelligence? What books have you read that have solidified your interest in the origins of democracy? Regardless of your topic of interest, describe at least one occasion when that interest was fostered, sparked, nurtured, or otherwise impacted. Then, share that experience with the reader, using specific details to illustrate your narrative(s).

If you need help polishing up your UNC 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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How to Write the UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays (with Examples!) [UPDATED FOR 2024-2025] (Copy)

Let’s talk about how to write University of North Caroline (UNC) Chapel Hill supplemental essays (with examples!)...

How do you write the University of North Carolina’s (UNC) Chapel Hill’s supplemental essays, Lisa?  I don’t understand what these essays prompts are asking, and I don’t know where to start!

The Early Action deadline for the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill is coming up!  And I am getting questions on how to write the UNC supplemental essays left and right!

Since UNC is such a popular school and I get so many questions about their supplemental essays, I’ve put together this guide to help you as you start tackling the UNC essays, with examples to help you along the way as well.

But first, a little on the University of North Carolina (or “UNC” as it’s often called)…

Why Should You Apply to UNC Chapel Hill?

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) is one of the oldest public universities in the United States, founded in 1789. Nestled in the picturesque town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, it boasts a vibrant campus that blends historic architecture with modern facilities. Renowned for its commitment to academic excellence, UNC offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines, including liberal arts, sciences, business, and law. The university’s distinguished faculty and extensive research initiatives contribute to its reputation as a leading institution in higher education.

We'll also be taking a look at examples of UNC's supplemental essays...

A cornerstone of the university’s identity is its strong emphasis on research and public service. UNC is home to several research centers and institutes that address critical issues such as health, environment, and social justice. The university consistently ranks among the top institutions for federal research funding, enabling groundbreaking studies that benefit both local communities and the global population. Students are encouraged to engage in research from their early years, fostering a culture of innovation and inquiry that prepares them for future careers.

In addition to its academic prowess, UNC is known for its spirited campus life and rich traditions. The university hosts a variety of student organizations, cultural events, and athletic programs, most notably the Tar Heels , whose basketball team has achieved national acclaim. The vibrant arts scene, combined with a commitment to diversity and inclusion, creates an enriching environment for students. Whether participating in a spirited debate, attending a performance, or cheering on their teams, students at UNC experience a dynamic and fulfilling college life that extends beyond the classroom.

What Is the Acceptance Rate at the University of North Carolina (UNC)?

Getting into UNC is tough!  UNC accepts only 17% of its applicants, but that number is very deceiving.  UNC accepts a whopping 40+% of its in-state applicants but only about 8% of its out-of-state applicants which makes it a challenging college to get into for most people!

Now that I’ve set the stage, let’s start taking a look at UNC’s supplemental essay prompts…

What are the UNC Supplemental Essay Prompts?

For the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, UNC has two required supplemental essay prompts:

UNC Supplemental Essay Prompt #1: Your Personal Quality + Community Essay

The first UNC supplemental prompt asks you to tell a story one of your personal qualities and how it’s helped you make an impact on your community:

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (250 words)

UNC Supplemental Essay Prompt #2:  

Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college. (250 words)

Let’s start unpacking UNC’s supplemental essays…

Let's take a look at how to write UNC's supplemental essay on your personal quality and community impact (with an example!).

How to Write the UNC Essay on Your Personal Quality and Community Impact (with an Example!)

Okay, the first UNC supplemental essay, the one about “discuss one of your personal qualities” and “how it helped you make a positive impact on a community” is one I get a lot of questions on!

A lot of students struggle with how to effectively talk about a personal quality and then link it up to a positive impact on a community, and end up spending way too much time on this essay.

Let me make this A LOT easier for you…

Why Does UNC Ask the Personal Quality/Community Impact Question?

What is the most critical piece of answering this supplemental essay prompt?

Well, this essay prompt is a little misleading.  As you read along, it seems  like it’s asking you to describe one of your personal qualities with a story, and that’s how a lot of students approach it.  (Spoiler alert: this is the hard way to try to answer the question).

if you take a step back and think about it, while UNC definitely wants to know about all your good qualities (e.g. hard-working, creative, resourceful, etc.), the crux of this supplemental essay prompt is the actually the impact you make on a community.

Really, this is a bit of twist on a pretty standard “community” essay, of the type which many colleges ask for.  Admittedly, UNC’s is a slight variation on it in asking for you to connect to a personal quality, but at its heart, this essay wants to know to about how you interact with a community, the impact you’ve made and how you think of your place in it.

As I’ve said before, colleges and universities are are communities.  Yes, they’re institutions, but they’re communities of students, faculty, and staff coming together under the big college community umbrella.  So UNC, like most colleges and universities, really want to find out about you is how you interact as a member of a community, contribute to your community, and how you think about your role in a community.

In UNC’s case, they’re adding a slight variation to it in that that’s asking for you to connect it to a personal quality of yours, but really, you can pick any personal quality and relate it to what you’ve done for your community.

Now that that’s clear, let’s talk about how to write this essay!

Let's breakdown how to write the UNC personal quality and community impact essay (and I'll show you an example!)...

How to Write the UNC Personal Quality + Community Impact Essay (with an Example!)

Now, to be clear, you may have already written a “community” essay for another school, and if that’s the case, you may just want to tweak that essay to suit this question.  

But whether you already have a community essay that you like that you’re going to work with or if you’re from scratch, there are 5 major points to hit in your answer:

UNC Supplemental Essay on Community/Personal Quality Point #1: Your Community

At heart, this is a “community” question.  UNC wants to know about how you think about your community, your place in it, and how you interact with your community.

So, right off the bat, you need to identity the community you’re writing about.  Of course, there’s the obvious communities you belong to: your hometown, your school, your church, your neighborhood, and/or the racial, ethnic, or religious groups you belong to.  

But you may also want to write about a community in a more expansive sense, such as a community you belonged to in the past, a community that’s formed around an activity you participate in, or even an online community.  One student of mine grew up in a family that had moved internationally several times in his childhood, and he wrote about the beachside communities  his family frequented as a collective “community” in this expansive sense. 

In writing the UNC supplemental essay on community, it's important to discuss how you made your community better.  Here are examples!

UNC Supplemental Essay on Community/Personal Quality Point #2: The Issue You’re Solving For Your Community

This is an “impact” essay, and to me, whenever I see an essay that asks for your impact on your community, it automatically means that you need to write about how you made your community better in some way.

In other words, there needs to be a “before” and “after”:  Here’s what my community was like before.  Then I did [something], which made this impact.

So, for your essay, a key point that you need to make is that there was an issue that you wanted to solve for your community.  That does not mean that you’ve solved a global issue.  UNC does not need to know that you’ve climate change or global hunger.  But to answer this supplemental essay prompt well, you need to show you recognized that there was a problem and you decided to do something about it. 

UNC Supplemental Essay on Community/Personal Quality Point #3: What You Did and the Personal Quality You Used

The next key point in writing about your impact is what you did to fix the issue:  Did you lead a fundraising drive?  Join a group doing beach clean-up?  Organize a conference addressing climate change issues? 

UNC’s does add its own spice to this “community” supplemental essay prompt by asking you to connect it to a personal quality, so whatever you did, think about your personal qualities that were involved in this.  You may want to ask a parent or teacher what qualities they saw coming out of you in addressing this issue.

Now, as I mentioned, a lot of students read the prompt, come up with a personal quality they want to talk about and then start racking their brains to come up with something they did in the community that illustrates that quality.

I think that’s the hard way to write the essay, and it ends up being a frustrating and time-consuming exercise that way. 

I think it’s much easier to think about the things you done in your community, come up with one that shows a strong community impact, and then identity the personal qualities that it demonstrates, and go from there:

I had to think creatively to solve this problem…

Leading our food and clothing drive was a test of my organizational skills…

In launching our climate change conference, I developed my skills as someone who builds relationships in our community…

For the UNC supplemental essay on your personal quality and community impact, relfect on how you made your community better!  (Here are some examples1)

UNC Supplemental Essay on Community/Personal Quality Point #4: What Was the Impact?

As I mentioned, with “impact” essays, there needs to be a “before” and “after”.  At this point in the essay, you need to address the “after”:  So what was your impact on your community?

Sometimes this can be something tangible (“We raised $X in our campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society”), but it may be something smaller or intangible as well (“We’ve been able to start having those difficult conversations at our school now…”).

For this essay, the impact doesn’t have to be big and it doesn’t have to be measured in money.  What matters is that there a change of some kind and that you’re able to identify it!

Okay, but what does an example of this UNC essay look lie?  Let’s take a look…

Example :  UNC Community/Personal Quality Essay

Serving on my city’s Youth Commission, I have championed opportunities that would directly impact my peers in my hometown of _________. 

One challenge that we had to address this year was whether we could continue funding a scholarship program for local students to help with college expenses.  The scholarship fund was launched out of an unexpected budget surplus during COVID when many events and programs were canceled, and with programs returning, the money just was not there.

I fiercely advocated for its continuation, recognizing the value that the scholarships bring, but understood the concerns about costs.  I thought creatively about our spending, and proposed a new budget, stretching each dollar, one that would make the scholarship fund sustainable.  

After a lot of persuasive chats over boba, the city council embraced the vision and approved the proposal unanimously.  Applications poured in, and we had to quickly sift through them all to make our deadline.  Each application was a window into a student’s life, struggles, and dreams. It took a lot of work from the entire council and the team at city hall, but the heartfelt letters of thanks from our award recipients were powerful affirmations of our efforts and purpose.

On to UNC Supplemental Essay #2!

Let's talk about how to write the second UNC suupplemental essay, the academic topic that excites you (with an example1)

How to Write UNC’s Supplemental Essay #2:  The Academic Topic that Excites You

As a reminder, here’s the second UNC supplemental essay prompt:

This is a pretty straightforward “Why this major?” kind of an essay. and a rather short one at that.  If you’re still relatively early in your college essay-writing process, you’ll probably be writing more than a few of these types of essays and if you’ve already been at, you may already have one that’s written that you’ll want to re-use.

Still, let’s take this apart for a minute…

Why Does UNC Ask This Question?

Well, as I’ve said, this is a pretty common and straightforward question.  In this question, UNC wants to get an idea of why you’re interested in what you’re saying you want to study.

How did your interest in this subject come about?  What are you intellectual motivations and aspirations in this area?  What are you curious about?  And do you already have an idea of how you’d like to pursue it in college?

How to Write UNC’s Supplemental Essay #2:  The Academic Topic that Excites You (Why this major?)

This is a pretty straightforward question that many colleges ask, and there are 3 key points that you need to make to write a successful essay…

UNC “Why This Major?" Point #1:  Origin of Your Interests

The first question that you need to answer for this essay is all about you:  how did you get curious about this subject .

Tell the origin story of your interest in this topic.  And to help you along with this (because the deadlines are approaching!), there are generally 2 ways for this to go:

The first likely possibility is this is something you’ve always been interested in.  As long as you can remember, you’ve been interested in this topic.  Think:  

I’ve been bringing home sick puppies and kittens as long as I can remember.  I would patch up their wounds and nurse them back to health and that’s why I want to become a veterinarian…

(Please don’t write that as an essay.  It was for illustrative purposes only). 

The second likely possibility is that there’s a specific moment in which you knew that this was what your interest was.  Think:

… my grandfather suffered a heart attack, and as I was watching the doctors saving her life, I knew my calling in life was to become a cardiologist…  

(Again, please don’t write that for your essay).

So, do think back.  How did you become interested in this area?  Were you the child always starting businesses in your neighborhood that now dreams of going to school to study finance?  Was there a moment on a field trip to a NASA lab where you knew you wanted to study aerospace engineering?  

What sparked this desire to study this particular subject?

Above all, UNC needs to know that your curiosity comes from you as opposed to your parents, teachers, coaches, etc.!

UNC's second supplemental essay prompt is really a "Why this major?".  (I have an example below).

UNC “Why This Major?” Point #2:  How Have You Pursued the Interest?No

Okay, now that you’ve established where your interest comes from and that it comes from you, how have you demonstrated that interest over time.

This could come in a variety of ways: taking college classes, doing research, shadowing professionals, interning and/or paid work, volunteering in the area, organizing a student conference, etc.  

What’s important is that you can show that you can show that you’ve put in time developing the interest.  It’s not something you thought sounded cool a week ago and/or you’re putting this down as your intended major because you heard it was less competitive.

UNC “Why This Major?” Point #3:  Your Conclusion, The Big Picture or How UNC Fits In

After establishing where your interest comes from and how you’re pursued it this far, it’s time to finish off this short essay, and you have two options:

The first way to conclude the essay is by giving he Big Picture:  Can you put this into a framework of where this is going?

I often tell students that this is not a question of signing your life away for the next fifty years, but UNC does want to get some sense of how you think of this subject as a whole.  For example, is your interest in Classics leading you to one day working on archaeological digs in Greece?

Or are you interested in biomedical engineering because you think that this is an are that is going to revolutionize medicine?

Whatever it is, think about how your interest fits into the greater scheme of you!

The second option for the conclusion is give a concluding sentence or two of how UNC fits into your continued pursuit of this interest.  Think:  “UNC would be the ideal place for me to continue my studies because…”

If there something really specific and unique about why UNC is a good fit for your studies, this is the place to mention it!  So if UNC is the only place that offers a specific language that you want to study or if UNC is one of the only places in the country that has a research lab in this topic that you’re really interested in, this is the place to say something!

An Example of the UNC “Why This Major?” Essay:

Again, this is a short essay, but here’s an example of what one could be like:

I have been passionate about history since childhood. Driving through the French countryside to visit my grandparents as a child, I would imagine what it had been like to be on the battlefield in 1940 or to fight alongside the French Resistance.

Eventually, my curiosity evolved into a deeper exploration of that war: its causes, consequences, and the figures involved. As I started studying history in school, my interest expanded beyond the borders of World War II to the Romans, the Aztecs, the Chinese Civil War, and others. 

By the time I was in middle school, my passion for history was insatiable. If there was a book to read, a documentary to watch, or a museum to visit, I did. 

When choosing the topic for my International Baccalaureate Extended Essay (EE), I made the decision to choose a lesser-known topic and provide the most comprehensive analysis possible. 

I chose to write my EE on the internal domestic policies of Pakistan during the 1960s.  Besides reading all available books and articles on the period, I was also able to reach out to individuals with firsthand knowledge of the period and people involved. Conducting these interviews was an invaluable experience, and I gained unfiltered insights into this period of Pakistan’s history that I would never have learned from any book or classroom. 

It also introduced me to a deeper and more nuanced understanding of history which transcended what I had learned previously, and which I desire to continue to explore in college.

Need more help with your college essays?  

Check out my college essay coaching !  

And for additional help with your college applications, check out my college admissions consulting and college interview preparation and coaching .

Are you applying to NYU? Check out my blog on How to Write the NYU Supplemental Essay (with an Example!) .

Or check out How to Write the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Supplemental Essays (with examples) [UPDATED for 2024-2025]

Check out my blogs on popular college admissions topics like:

How to Write the Perfect Hook for Your College Essay

How to Write a College Essay about Leadership (with Examples!)

9 Good Questions to Ask During Your College Interview

What Not to Write About in Your College Essay

How to Write a Medical School Interview Thank You Letter or Email

How to Write the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Supplemental Essays (with Examples!) [UPDATED FOR 2024-2025]

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UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays 2024-25 – Prompts and Advice

July 26, 2024

Those hoping to enter the Tar Heel Class of 2026 faced tougher competition than at any previous time in UNC Chapel Hill history. To quantify this assertion, there were 57,219 first-year applicants for the Class of 2026 and the overall acceptance rate was just 16.8%—less than half the figure seen two decades ago. North Carolinians continue to enjoy a sizable advantage. In fact, in-state applicants were accepted at roughly a 40% clip while out-of-state applicants experienced just a 10% admit rate. The mid-50% SAT range for North Carolinians was 1340-1500 while the range for out-of-staters was a more intimidating 1400-1540. For all applicants, the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental essays will be of great importance.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into UNC–Chapel Hill for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

If you want to have your strongest shot at donning the Carolina blue and white, you’ll need to stand out on your application. Through its two short answer prompts, the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental section affords applicants an opportunity to showcase what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below are the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill’s supplemental prompts for the 2024-25 admissions cycle. We also include tips about how to address each one.

UNC-Chapel Hill Short Answer Prompts—2024-25

You’ll respond to each of the following two prompts in 200-250 words:

1) Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged.

This essay starts with an invitation to share a personal quality that you feel is essential for the admissions committee to know about. Next, you need to take that personal quality, situate it in a true story that involves the larger world, and explain how you made a positive impact on others. You may wish to “work backward” on this one. Think about how you positively helped a community in your life and then try to nail down which quality of yours ultimately had the most impact. This way, the audience will be able to clearly see your favorable quality in action versus you just explaining that you are empathetic, versatile, loyal, trustworthy, resilient, etc.

Additionally, as you consider your approach to this essay, it’s important to look at “community” as a broadly defined concept. Community can encompass anything from your high school, your neighborhood, a place of worship, your family, or even a club or sports team. Some words of warning with this one: this doesn’t need to be a grandiose vision. Be honest about your level of impact.

UNC Supplemental Essays (Continued)

2) Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college.

Here, Chapel Hill is asking you to share your story of how you became interested in your selected discipline. You can structure the narrative of this essay as a soup-to-nuts chronicle of your entire journey toward your discipline of interest. Contrarily, you could share one or two vignettes that illustrate your burgeoning passion for engineering, history, French, computer science, business, psychology, etc. As you begin the prewriting phase, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is your first strong memory relating to your future area of study?
• What fills you with wonder?
• What books have you read on the subject?
• Do you consume podcasts or documentaries related to your passions?
• Have certain online or print publications helped to fuel your interests?
• What subtopics of your prospective discipline most intrigue you?
• Did a teacher excite you about this topic or was it a parent/relative or outside mentor?

How important are the UNC Supplemental Essays?

There are eight factors that UNC-Chapel Hill considers as “very important” and the essays are among them. In addition to the essays, UNC-Chapel Hill gives the greatest consideration to the rigor of one’s academic record, standardized test scores, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, and state residency.

UNC-Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays – Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

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

Need additional writing resources? Check out the following:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• How to Quickly Format Your Common App Essay
• Should I Complete Optional College Essays?
• How to Brainstorm a College Essay
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• How to Write the Community Essay
• College Essay

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what are admission requirements for university of north carolina.

Stressed junior here, looking at University of North Carolina as a potential fit. Can someone break down their admission requirements for me?

Sure, I'd be happy to give you a detailed rundown! For University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill), the admission requirements quite straightforward.

1. Common Application or Coalition Application: You will need to fill out one of these online applications, both of which require personal information about your background and experiences.

2. High School Transcript: Your high school transcript provides information about the courses you've taken and the grades you've received.

3. Letters of Recommendation: UNC Chapel Hill requires one letter of recommendation from a school counselor and one from a teacher. These letters should ideally provide insights into your academic abilities and personal attributes.

4. Application Essays: You’ll need to complete UNC-specific supplemental essays. These often change year to year, so be sure to check what the prompts are for the year you are applying.

5. Activity List: You will be asked to list and describe your extracurricular activities. The key here is to focus not only on your participation, but also your impact and level of commitment to these activities.

As for standardized test scores, UNC Chapel Hill is currently test-optional for the 2024-2025 application cycle. This means you are not required to submit an ACT or SAT score, though you still have the option to do so if you believe it will benefit your application.

Also, if you're an out-of-state student, you should be aware that UNC Chapel Hill is a public university and therefore gives preference to students who are residents of North Carolina. Typically, the out-of-state acceptance rate is significantly lower than the in-state acceptance rate.

Lastly, remember application deadlines! For UNC Chapel Hill, the Early Action deadline is October 15th and the Regular Decision deadline is January 15th. Generally, students hear back from Early Action in January and Regular Decision in late March. However, specific dates might slightly vary year to year so, it could be really helpful to stay attuned to their website for the most accurate information and dates.

Let me know if you need any more information about UNC Chapel Hill's admissions process!

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Last updated June 20, 2023

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Blog > Essay Advice , State School , Supplementals > How to Write the UNC Supplemental Essays

How to Write the UNC Supplemental Essays

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Alex McNeil, MA Admissions Consultant

Key Takeaway

Applying to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill? You’ll be writing two short supplemental essays and completing five fill-in-the-blank responses. In total, you’ll be writing up to 625 words—that’s about as long as your personal statement !

Let’s take a look at the prompts.

Short answer prompts

You’ll pick two out of the following four prompts to answer. Your responses should be 200-250 words long.

Describe an aspect of your identity and how this has shaped your life experiences or impacted your daily interactions with others?

If there’s an essential part of your identity that you think UNC admissions officers ought to know about, then this might be a good prompt to choose. It might be an identity related to your culture, gender, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, or more. You’re free to choose any identity you hold deeply. Once you’ve explained your identity, focus in on answering the second part of the prompt. Use specific examples if appropriate, and don’t forget to reflect on the “so what”: why is it meaningful that your identity has shaped your experiences or interactions? What do you want an admissions officer to take away from your essay?

Describe a peer who is making a difference in your school or community. What actions has that peer taken? How has their work made a difference in your life?

Now this is an interesting prompt. One of the biggest college essay mistakes is writing an essay that focuses too much on someone other than yourself. This prompt is practically begging you to do just that! But you can write an excellent essay without making that mistake. The key is finding a balance between describing the peer you admire and using that admiration to reveal something vulnerable about yourself.

Let’s say that you really respect one of your peers who is standing up against your school’s dress code because it has a gender bias. You could spend your entire essay describing their actions in detail. That would make for an okay essay. But if you want to write an outstanding essay, you’d explain your peer’s actions and then reflect meaningfully on why they have inspired you: “I’ve learned to have the confidence to stand up for what I believe in, even when people in power disagree” or “I felt empowered and cared for by my peer’s actions. I hope to make someone else feel that way someday, too.”

If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Please explain.

In this community essay , you have the opportunity to do double duty: you can draw back the curtain and give admissions officers a glimpse into where you come from, and you can show your community care and problem-solving skills.

The community you focus on and the change you choose to implement will reveal a lot about your values. Remember that UNC admissions officers are looking for new students they want to invite to their community, so take a gander through UNC’s website, motto, and mission statement to find some areas where you align with UNC’s own principles.

Former UNC-Chapel Hill employee, community service member, and civil rights activist Esphur Foster once said “We are nothing without our history.” Her words are memorialized on the  Northside Neighborhood Freedom Fighters monument.  How does history shape who you are?

Your answer to this prompt could go in a lot of different directions. You could take an academic interest approach and respond in a way that shows your intellectual curiosity in history, politics, culture, art, etc. If you go that route, just be sure to still answer the question: how does history shape who you are?

You could also take your response in a more personal direction and write about your family history or a moment in history that has impacted you as an individual. The more specific, the better.

Fill-in-the-blank responses

Once you’ve got your two short essays down, you’ll have to answer all of the following five questions. You have up to 25 words for each of your responses.

The trick to short answer questions like these is fitting a lot of personality and information into very few words. You can mix up your tone through each of the questions to show a range of your personality.

As you’re deciding how to approach each fill-in-the-blank, I’d urge you to think about your application narrative . Is your narrative cohesive? What parts of you are best represented across your application? What parts are missing? Do you want to emphasize anything in particular? Do you want to be more vulnerable or show some humor?

• One family, friend, or school tradition I cherish:
• If I had an extra hour in every day, I would spend it:
• If I could travel anywhere, near or far, past, present or future, I would go:
• The last time I stepped outside my comfort zone, I:
• People who meet me are most likely to notice, and least likely to notice:

Assess your application and use the fill-in-the-blank questions to fill in any gaps and strike a balance across your narrative.

You’ve got a lot to write for UNC Chapel Hill, so you’ll want to take your time deciding which short answer prompt you want to answer. And as you think about your fill-in-the-blank questions, don’t be afraid to show some personality.

Remember to check out our supplemental essay guide for more tips on writing standout supplements.

Liked that? Try this next.

The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application

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How to Write a Community Supplemental Essay (with Examples)

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