virginia commonwealth university essay prompt

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Virginia Commonwealth University | VCU’s 2024-25 Essay Prompts

Honors college essay.

The personal education paper should address the following question: How will membership in the VCU Honors College assist you in pursuing your academic and career goals while also helping you become an active citizen in the community?

The paper should be 2-3 pages double spaced. Essays may include, but are not limited to the following:

Major influences on your intellectual and personal development, such as curricular and extracurricular experiences, community service or important people, events or ideas Your immediate educational goals and plans for achieving them Your goals and dreams for the future

Select-A-Prompt Short Response

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so. (The application won‘t accept a response shorter than 250 words.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you're ready to apply to VCU, you're in the right place. Find your application path by reviewing the options below, which will lead you to requirements and a checklist designed to walk you through the process.

Apply as an undergraduate

If you will be a first-time college student, are transferring in credits from another institution, or are applying under unique circumstances as an undergraduate, this is the path for you.

International students , apply here

Are you a non-U.S. citizen or non-U.S. resident? Find out how to apply as an international student for undergraduate or graduate study.

Apply for graduate or professional study

If you're a master's, Ph.D. or professional program applicant, take this route.

For nondegree-seeking applicants

If you're interested in completing courses as a nondegree-seeking, undergraduate- or graduate-level student, follow this path.

Important dates

Check out upcoming application deadlines, when students can expect to hear back about admissions decisions and more.

Find answers in our  FAQs

Have questions about the application process? Explore our frequently asked questions.

The one thing that made me come to VCU was the feel of the campus and how comfortable it made me.

Other types of undegraduate applicants include returning or reapplying students, permanent U.S. residents and post-baccalaureate undergraduates.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

These are the secondary application essay prompts for Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page .

about Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine

Secondary Deadline : January 30, 2025 Secondary Fee : $80 FAP Waiver : Yes CASPer Required : No Screens Applications : Yes Accepts Application Updates : Yes

The mission of the School of Medicine is to provide preeminent education to physicians and scientists in order to improve the quality of health care for humanity. Through innovative, scholarly activity and a diverse educational context, the School seeks to create and apply new knowledge, and to provide and continuously improve systems of medical and science education. Furthermore, it is our mission to develop more effective health care practices to address the needs of the diverse populations we serve, and to provide distinguished leadership in the advancement of medicine and science.

The VCU School of Medicine will build on its excellence in the basic, clinical and behavioral sciences to improve human health by advancing the prevention and treatment of diseases. Training programs will incorporate commitment to diversity and the advancement of healthcare yielding a quality diverse workforce in a welcoming and accepting environment.

1.The last couple of years have been challenging for us all in various ways (i.e., dealing with the impacts of COVID, social unrest and injustices). Please describe a particular challenge you faced. What are some challenges others may have experienced? What did you learn about yourself and others during this time?

2.Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education that are not explained in your application.

3.Please briefly explain any low GPAs or poor grades.

4.If not addressed in your application, what are you currently doing now?

All above prompts have a 2000 character limit.

MD/PhD applicants:

1. Describe your motivation for obtaining a dual degree. (3000 characters)

2. Describe your significant research experience(s) and your role in any publications. (10,000 characters)

3. Describe scientific topics and/or labs at VCU that appeal to your future research aspirations. (1,000 characters)

1. You are living in a world experiencing the ravages of the Corona Virus which has impacted millions of people since December 2019. Please discuss how the COVID 19 pandemic has affected you personally. What have you learned from your experiences? Please discuss what you perceive may have been some realities that others may have experienced. How has COVID 19 experience influenced your desire to become a physician? (2000 characters)

2. Please briefly explain any lapses in your undergraduate education; include any in enrollment during your undergraduate education and/or any gaps between undergraduate education and applying to medical school. (example: poor grades, multiple withdraws, health reasons, etc.)

Medicine is a lifelong learning career where new understandings of diseases are constantly changing and new medications are continuously being added, yet motivating patients continues to be a stimulating challenge. Please discuss in 2000 characters or less ways physicians address this issue. You may use resources to answer this question, mention them but foot notes are not necessary.

The crux of this question is how to maintain a career of lifelong learning, which is crucial for success as a physician. Try to describe processes to achieve this and then tie them into your plans as a future physician. There are many ways physicians can continue to learn lifelong. Consider discussing the following points which may be relevant to you:

1. Physicians must maintain an inherent intellectual curiosity for medicine. Describe how you embody this trait.

2. Research is one way to stay at the cutting edge of medicine. Not only will you know what is new in your field and have a deep understanding of existing knowledge, you may add to this body of knowledge.

3. Keeping up on current medical knowledge through reading is key. Physicians ca use medical journals, online resources, and much more.

4. Attending conferences and lectures as well as workshops to expand your skillset even once you are a successful attending physician.

5. If you are interested in academic medicine, staying in this environment for lectures, conferences, and even teaching students will help you continue to learn.

Connect all of these to how you plan to use those strategies to succeed in your career.

The secondary application essay prompts from this medical school application cycle are the same as above.

Imagine that you are a volunteer premed working in a free clinic that serves a large immigrant population. Your duties include taking the patients’ medical history. Today you are working with an elderly patient who does not speak English and the adult son is translating for his mother. You notice that he is answering many of the questions for her without translating. During the conversation, the son tells you that if his mother has cancer he does not want her to know because the news “will kill her”. He says that in his family he speaks for the elderly mother and does not want a translator. How will you approach this situation? (You may seek help to answer this question.)

There’s also a re-applicant essay (if applicable) and fmSTAT essays (if you want to do Family practice):

1. Describe the doctor you want to be and discuss how a career in family medicine will help you achieve that. (2500 characters)

2. Describe your concept of what Family Medicine is and tell us what specific influence led you to this understanding? (2500 characters)

1. Imagine that you are at a social gathering and your neighbor comes over to congratulate you on your acceptance to medical school. She goes on to ask you about your opinion on childhood vaccinations. She is worried about vaccinating her baby because of some of the things that she has read about vaccines. How would you respond to her? (You may use any resources for your answer) (2000 charactersº

Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on the medical school’s website. Med School Insiders does not guarantee the accuracy of the information on this page.

We're here to help

The secondary application is just as important as the primary. We'll make sure you get it right.

VCU Career Services

Strategic enrollment management and student success, personal statements.

A personal statement is your opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants. It is often one piece of an application process for graduate school, scholarships, professional school/program and much more. It is the part of an application where you can share who you are and what is important to you, so insert your own style and take advantage of that! Highlight and detail relevant experiences that demonstrate your interest, motivation, and preparation for the opportunity you are applying for. Use your personal statement to provide depth into why you are pursuing a particular academic/career path.

Types of personal statements

• A general, comprehensive essay that allows you to write about a wide variety of topics and experiences related to the prompt . This approach is often used for admission to specific types of professional programs such as medical or law school.
• Responding to very specific questions. Often graduate programs ask specific questions and your essay should respond directly to the question(s) being asked. You may also have multiple essays asking distinct questions. 

About the process

Brainstorming.

Brainstorming is an important part of the writing process and can help in the planning/outlining process. Below is a list of questions you can use to help create an outline, especially for a general statement.

• Why are you interested in your chosen academic/career path? Why not other similar areas?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals? How do they overlap with the opportunity you are applying for?
• What skills or characteristics do you possess that would contribute to your success?
• Why are you applying for this opportunity? (Do some research on it and be specific)
• How have your academic, life, and professional experiences prepared you for this opportunity?
• How have your experiences and choices influenced your decision to pursue your path?

Writing your personal statement

• Identify a theme that is specific to you and tailored to the application. 
• Start with a story to draw the reader in. There is no singular narrative path or style to write your story. 
• Take your experiences and develop them into more detailed anecdotes with reflections.
• Write a rough draft to get your ideas out of your head and into a document. Don’t worry about the length yet. This draft doesn’t have to be ready to submit on the first try. You will have plenty of time to edit and refine.
• Write different versions of specific parts of the essay or the whole essay. Try a variety of ways of telling stories and reflections.
• Revise, rewrite and repeat. Your final draft will never be "perfect," but you should be comfortable and satisfied with the result. 

Personal statement do's 

• Follow any instructions or formatting guidelines that are required.
• If there are no instructions or guidelines, use 10-12 point font, one-inch margins and standard fonts (e.g., Calibri, Times New Roman or Arial).
• Review for grammar and punctuation.
• Avoid using passive voice when writing (e.g., "I was able to volunteer during my spring semester" is passive, and "I volunteered during my spring semester" is active).
• Use first-person throughout the essay, but try not to use "I" too much. 
• Provide specific examples.
• Write a new and different personal statement for each application. Every opportunity will be different and you should tailor your essay to it as much as possible.

Personal statement don’ts

• Don’t use contractions. Personal statements are considered formal writing so you should avoid contractions (e.g., say "I have" instead of "I’ve").
• Don’t have run-on sentences. Break up long sentences and use appropriate punctuation to keep the essay flowing. 
• Don’t include filler/empty words to use characters or fill a page (e.g., sort of, kind of, very, basically, absolutely).
• Don’t include quotes from others unless it is a first-person account of a story (like something your coach or family member told you). It is typically a cliche overall, but especially if you start your essay with it.
• Don’t rely too heavily on overused or vague language such as "lifelong dream" or "passion."
• Don’t vary your verb tenses throughout the essay, especially when telling the same story.
• Don’t use the same essay for different applications. Also do not "recycle" essays. If you are reapplying, you should write a new draft with any appropriate updates. 

Editing tips

• Read your essay out loud. Read it backward (the last sentence first then work your way up the essay). These strategies will help you catch any awkward or clunky sentences. 
• Have more than one person read your essay. You will get different perspectives and types of feedback that you can combine into an essay you are confident submitting. 
• Take your time writing drafts. If you can always set the essay aside for some time and come back to it. 

Elevating your personal statement

• Focus on your opening paragraph. Aim to grab the reader’s attention and pull them into the rest of the essay. Sometimes it can help to write your opening paragraph last. 
• Address and explain any perceived failure, flaws or inconsistencies that you want to make sure are understood more clearly by the reader, sharing your insights to avoid assumptions  (e.g., poor academic performance, legal issues or gaps in education). 
• Do your research. If you are submitting your essay to an individual school/program, do some research to find out what sets the school/program apart from others. Also consider specific faculty, curricular highlights or program offerings that made you want to apply.
• Share unique experiences and reflections the best you can. The more distinct and tailored your experiences and reflections can be, the more personal the essay will be to you as an individual candidate, which should be your goal. 
• Personal Statement Guide
• Writing a Personal Statement
• Personal Statement Worksheet
• Personal Statement Rubric

VCU career advisors are available to answer your questions and review your personal statement. 

Make an appointment

Honors College

Incoming freshmen.

The Honors College offers opportunities for you to discover your passions and connect with a diverse student body to develop a standard of excellence. We encourage students from all disciplines and backgrounds to apply to the Honors College.

Admission Guidelines

Admission into the VCU Honors College is competitive, and all applicants are expected to have challenged themselves in high school through their course selections. The Honors College conducts a holistic review on all applicants with the following recommended admission guidelines:

• Unweighted high school grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• Combined SAT score of at least 1330 (writing not included) OR an ACT composite score of at least 29.

Students who do not meet these criteria but feel an exception should be made remain eligible to apply as other components (extracurricular, honors, leadership, etc.) will be used in the holistic review and may offset lower quantitative scores.

Please note : For the 2024-2025 application year, test scores will not be required for general admission into the Honors College. Applicants who are able to take a standardized test and would like the scores to be used in our holistic application review may still submit scores. Students without test scores will receive a holistic review on all other portions of the application. Submission of test scores remains a requirement for all Guaranteed Admission Programs. 

If you are a high school student interested in joining the Honors College, consider registering for an information session via Zoom. Questions about the information sessions can be directed to the Honors Recruitment and Enrollment Counselor, Will Gilbert ( [email protected] ). 

Register for an Info Session

Application Process

In addition to the submission of your VCU Common Application, prospective students must submit an Honors College application. As a first-time user, you will be prompted to create a username and password on the Honors College website. Once you have created a username and password, your application can be saved and completed at a later time. Upon submission of your Honors College application you will receive a confirmation email.

The Honors College will confirm your test scores and grade point average through the materials sent in with your Common Application. You do not need to send additional transcripts or scores to the Honors College.

As you prepare to apply, please consider these application components:

Submission of VCU Honors College application. You will need the following information to complete the application:

• Your unweighted high school GPA.
• Date(s) and score(s) for your SAT and/or ACT (optional for 2024-2025 admissions cycle).
• Date(s), subject(s) and score(s) for any Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests you have taken or plan to take.
• List any extracurricular involvement (leadership, service, honors, awards, etc.).
• Major influences on your intellectual and personal development, such as curricular and extracurricular experiences, community service or important people, events or ideas
• Your immediate educational goals and plans for achieving them
• Your goals and dreams for the future

Honors Application Portal

Important Dates & Deadlines

The VCU Honors College application will be available in early August.

Applications to the Honors College from incoming freshmen are accepted through April 15 of the senior year in high school. However, students are encouraged to apply by our priority deadline of February 1 . All prospective freshmen who apply to the Honors College by February 1 will be notified of our admissions decision by April 1.

Applications received after the priority deadline of February 1 will be considered on a space-available basis. All admissions decisions will be made no later than June 15. Applications received after 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 15 will not be considered.

Incoming Freshman Honors students are also eligible to apply for Honors College scholarships. Honors College scholarships require a supplemental application. Students will be emailed more information regarding scholarships. Students who wish to be considered for the University-wide scholarships from the Office of Admissions must also submit their Common Application by November 1.

Are you applying for an Honors College Guaranteed Admission Program?

Students interested in applying to the Honors College Guaranteed Admission Programs should begin the Honors College incoming student application and select which Guaranteed Admission Program they are interested in when prompted. Selecting a Guaranteed Admission Program will open the second half of the application, which is only for students applying to a Guaranteed Admission Program. This application must be completed in full with supporting documents by November 1  for consideration for the Guaranteed Admission Program. Students will be evaluated for both admission into the Honors College as well as into the selected Guaranteed Admission Program. Incoming freshmen who are interested in Guaranteed Admission do not need to complete a personal education paper. To learn more about the Guaranteed Admission Program requirements visit the link below.

Honors Guaranteed Admission Program