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4 Tips for Writing Stellar Virginia Tech Essays

College Essays

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

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

Why Does Virginia Tech Require Applicants to Answer Essays?

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

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

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

What Are the Virginia Tech Essays?

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

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

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

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

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

Virginia Tech Essays, Analyzed

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

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

Essay Question 1

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

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

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

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

Essay Question 2

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

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

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

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

Essay Question 3

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

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

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

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

Essay Question 4

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

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

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

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

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

Tips for Answering Your Virginia Tech Essays

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

#1: Demonstrate Growth and Self-Reflection

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

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

#2: Be Honest and Sincere

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

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

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

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

#3: Proofread!

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

#4: Get a Second Opinion

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

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

Recap: Responding to the Virginia Tech Essay Prompts

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

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

What's Next?

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

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

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

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Ut Prosim Profile: 2024-2025 Short Answer Questions

The Ut Prosim Profile is required for all degree-seeking applicants. Each question has a word limit of 120 words for your response. The Ut Prosim Profile is your opportunity to let us get to know you beyond what is on your application or academic materials. We encourage you to use your own voice and answer each prompt as fully as possible. Once you submit your application, your responses to the Ut Prosim Profile questions are final and cannot be updated.

Please take your time to form responses that you feel confident about and help to support your application for admission.

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

Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community supports access and inclusion by affirming the dignity and value of every person, respecting differences, promoting mutual understanding and open expression, and strives to eliminate bias and discrimination.   Have you had an experience when you or someone you know were not being included? Did you reach out to anyone for assistance, direction, or resources? Were you able to affect change and/or influence others? Did this experience change your perspective and if so, how?

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

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

Virginia Tech 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

The Requirements:  4 short essays of 120 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s):   Community ,  Additional Info

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

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

Chances are, you’ve done some community service at some point in your life, and this prompt asks you to reflect on that experience. The prompt is clear about what it wants you to cover and lays out a basic list of questions that we’d expect you to answer regardless: from details about your involvement to the lessons you’ve taken with you. You only have 120 words, so you will have to cut straight to the chase. In some ways, this is a glorified resume entry, but you can bring it to life by devoting more of your word count to concrete, personal details than a verbatim recitation of the organization’s mission and vision (or worse, a bloated list of clichés related to the value of service). Why do you care so deeply about a particular cause or community? What change do you hope to see in the world? Remember that, fundamentally, community service is not about personal glory or achievement. Did you volunteer at a hospital over the summer? Describe how this affected your beliefs about what doctors owe their patients or why bedside manner is as important as medical knowledge. Have you been fundraising for girls’ education in developing countries? Reflect on what drew you to this cause and how you knew your efforts had paid off. Finally, address about how you’d like to continue your service on Virginia Tech’s campus.

Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community supports access and inclusion by affirming the dignity and value of every person, respecting differences, promoting mutual understanding and open expression, and strives to eliminate bias and discrimination. Reflect on a time when you were not able or allowed to express a different or diverse position or opinion (or you witnessed another person or group experience the same situation)? How did you respond or wish you would have responded? Did your viewpoint change in any way after this experience?

The Virginia Tech admissions committee wants to hear about a time when you were (or someone you know was) silent or silenced while adverse opinions were being discussed. Admissions knows that engaging with others in meaningful conversations about important issues is both intimidating and integral to progress, and we’re not always able to get the words out. If you could do it over again, what would you change? What did you take away from this experience? Maybe your relatives were discussing gun control during Thanksgiving last year, and you watched as your cousin was dismissed for having an adverse option. Do you wish you would have added your two cents and offered your solidarity? Maybe you learned that one of your friends was a passive supporter of an organization that you vehemently disagree with. After mulling it over, did you broach the subject? What was the outcome of your conversation? In order to impress admissions, you just need to show that you’re capable of reflection and bravery when it comes to engaging with those who have different opinions than you. College will present you with a plethora of opportunities to meet and interact with people who are very different from you, so show VT that you’re game to listen, learn, call in, and grow.

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

At a glance, this might seem like a question about leadership, but secretly, it’s about collaboration. Which role do you choose in group situations and how do you connect to others? The greatest challenge may be choosing the right story. Any time you worked or engaged with others is fair game, so don’t restrict yourself merely to your science fair project or the baseball team. This is also a great opportunity to write about a professional experience (your first time working as a hostess!) or even community service (organizing the county coat drive!). Since the word limit is relatively tight, you’ll want to zero in on a specific moment or challenge. And remember that this question is about collaboration; it’s not just about how you paved the way or saved the day, but about how you interacted with and supported a larger group. How did your contribution affect your team’s ultimate success (or failure)? In the end, you should be driving at a lesson that you will be able to carry with you into the future. In other words: an experience that will have a positive impact on your collaborative work at Virginia Tech.

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

So many questions! We all have goals we hope to achieve in the future, whether that’s learning how to decorate a cake, running for public office, or leading an expedition to space! Describe a goal that you have set for yourself and then let admissions in on how you plan to make that dream a reality. Your response will demonstrate your grit, tenacity, and determination. No goal is too small, so long as you’re showing admissions that you can follow through and challenge yourself. After all, you’ll be setting new goals and accomplishing them as you earn your degree!

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How to Write the Virginia Tech Supplemental Essays 2024–2025

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

Virginia Tech’s 2024-2025 Prompts

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

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

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

General Tips

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

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

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

Virginia Tech Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How to Write the Virginia Tech 2024-2025 Supplemental Essays

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

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

Virginia Tech Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• Virginia Tech’s acceptance rate is 67% 
• U.S. News considers Virginia Tech a selective school.
• Virginia Tech is ranked #75 on the U.S. News ‘ list of National Universities .

Does Virginia Tech Have any Supplemental Essays?

Yes. In addition to the personal statement that you will write for the Common App or the Coalition App , you’ll also answer four Virginia Tech essay prompts. The Virginia Tech essay questions are designed for the admissions committee to get a better sense of who you are as a student, peer, and person.

Need some help writing your Common App essay? Get great tips from our Common App essay guide .  

How Many Essays does Virginia Tech Require?

You must answer four Virginia Tech essay questions when you complete your application. Each of the Virginia Tech essay questions requires a response of no more than 120 words. It is just as challenging to write a short essay as it is to write a long essay, so take time to brainstorm, outline, draft, and revise each of your four Virginia Tech supplemental essays. There should be a targeted message in each of your Virginia Tech essays. 

What are the Essays for Virginia Tech?

The Virginia Tech application essays for Virginia Tech are about four topics: service, resilience, leadership, and goals. Each of the Virginia Tech essay prompts is relatively broad. This gives you lots of freedom and flexibility to choose your topic and articulate the story you tell in each of your Virginia Tech supplemental essays. At 120 words each, your Virginia Tech essays must be clear and concise. 

How do I Write the Essays for Virginia Tech: Question 1

Prompt 1: Virginia Tech’s motto is “Ut Prosim” which means ‘That I May Serve’. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech? (120 words)

Question #1 of the Virginia Tech supplemental essays is a bit of a twist on the classic community service essay. Since the school incorporates its motto into the prompt, you will also want to look at the school’s core values and mission statement. These will help you learn what should be reflected in your Virginia Tech application essays. 

“Community” is defined very broadly. Successful Virginia Tech essays can be written about families, teams, project groups, neighborhoods, religious groups, or any other group of people with whom you spend your time. The key to writing a strong Virginia Tech supplemental essay is to choose a community that is important to you. The best Virginia Tech supplemental essays show how you have been an active member of your community. Through your Virginia Tech supplemental essays establish clearly how you would be an active member of communities on campus.

Address each part

This prompt asks that you include a few specific details in your Virginia Tech supplemental essays: how long you have been involved, what you learned, and how you would share it at Virginia Tech. The best Virginia Tech essays will not only answer these but also discuss the “why.” Why do you choose to spend time impacting this community in particular? In your Virginia Tech supplemental essays, articulate how what you do has shaped who you are.

Importantly, this prompt is not asking you to describe the community in your Virginia Tech application essays. Rather, you should discuss your role in the community in-depth. How has your involvement transformed you? How have you transformed the community? Service is inherently about others, but your 120-word Virginia Tech supplemental essays should contain vivid stories that illustrate your qualities and character traits. 

Connecting your cause

What cause are you committed to? This is the essential question that effective Virginia Tech supplemental essays will answer. Then, you can connect your passions to opportunities at Virginia Tech. Perhaps, you could highlight an initiative or two that you would get involved in through VT Engage or in volunteer opportunities in Roanoke in your Virginia Tech supplemental essays.  In your Virginia Tech essays, make an authentic connection between what you do now and what activities and organizations you plan to be involved in at Virginia Tech. 

In this and all your responses to the Virginia Tech essay questions, avoid writing a monologue on the meaning of service in general or using cliche examples and phrases. Also, be sure to hone in on a specific and personal story in your Virginia Tech essays. This should not be a laundry list of your community service endeavors. 

Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Do you answer all parts of the Virginia Tech essay questions in your essay? 
• Does your essay tell a compelling story?
• Do you clearly establish your “why” in your essay?
• Does the reader learn what is important to you through your Virginia Tech application essays?

How do I write the essays for Virginia Tech: Question 2

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

This Virginia Tech application essay is almost identical to the common ‘overcoming challenges’ essay archetype, but with an emphasis on resilience. The best Virginia Tech application essays that answer this prompt will be authentic; the adversity that you overcame does not have to be traumatic or monumental. 

How you handled the challenge is more important than what the challenge was. So, don’t force a topic into your Virginia Tech supplemental essays. Your Virginia Tech essays will be better if you discuss a low-stakes challenge authentically than if you fabricate a high-stakes challenge that doesn’t have implications for your character, skills, or growth. 

Be specific and personal to make your Virginia Tech application essays stand out among the many other qualified applicants. Illustrate the traits and skills that you showed in your resilience. What motivates you? What enabled you to persevere? Your choice of topic is one way to stand out in your Virginia Tech essays, but so is your ability to write about your chosen topic. 

The best Virginia Tech application essays will incorporate elements of vulnerability and transparency. Before drafting your responses to this and each of the Virginia Tech essay prompts, take time to reflect on how your essay conveys your values. Also, remember that rarely do we overcome adversity alone. In your Virginia Tech essays, you can write about how you relied on others as part of being resilient.

Virginia Tech supplemental essays answering this prompt are only 120 words, so let’s talk about structure. In your Virginia Tech essays, take a few sentences to lay the foundation, elaborate descriptively on your story, and emphasize the “so what?” — why does it matter? 

The best way to maximize the 120 word limit in your responses to the Virginia Tech essay prompts is to show instead of tell. Use vivid descriptions instead of simple narration to make the reader feel like they are part of your story. How did you feel? What was your environment like? Who did you interact with? 

Avoid overused cliche examples such as losing a sports game or getting a bad grade unless you can make them extremely unique and personal. 

• Do you show instead of tell your message in your Virginia Tech supplemental essays?
• Is your choice of topic specific and personal?
• Do you focus more on your resilience in handling the challenge than the challenge itself?
• Did you thoroughly proofread your Virginia Tech essays for grammar and content?

How do I write the essays for Virginia Tech: Question 3

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

When choosing your topic to write about for this Virginia Tech supplemental essay, you can discuss being a role model through one of several avenues: influencing others, leadership, resolving a dispute, or contributing to group goals. You have a lot of freedom when answering the Virginia Tech essay prompts! Think about a situation in which you took an active role in a group setting among peers, adults, or your family. In your Virginia Tech essays, highlight how your leadership demonstrates your problem-solving abilities and other character traits. 

When writing your Virginia Tech application essays, don’t worry if you don’t have an official leadership title such as president of a club or student council representative. Virginia Tech does not expect that every leader has a title. The impact you had in your role is significantly more important to discuss in your Virginia Tech supplemental essays than the title or size of the role you held. 

Different kinds of leadership

The leadership you discuss in your response to the Virginia Tech essay questions can be academic, professional, social, or otherwise. Regardless of the type of leadership you choose to discuss, the best Virginia Tech essays will reveal what role you play in group settings and how you build connections with those around you. 

The secret to this one of the Virginia Tech essay prompts is that it’s about collaboration more than leadership. After all, what is a leader without people to lead and other leaders to work with? The stories you select to write about for your Virginia Tech application essays should reveal how your leadership is cooperative in nature; you’re not in it alone!

Though you will inevitably write about other people in your Virginia Tech essay prompts, make sure that you are focusing on your own redeeming qualities and traits. 

• Do you discuss leadership in a collaborative way in your Virginia Tech supplemental essays?
• Do your Virginia Tech admissions essays reveal redeeming qualities about your character?
• Does your choice of topic enable you to highlight your leadership style?
• Do you fully answer all parts of the Virginia Tech essay prompt?

How do I write the essays for Virginia Tech: Question 4

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

In your Virginia Tech supplemental essays for this prompt, you can write about many types of goals. You are not limited to just academic goals! Perhaps you have career goals, personal goals, or others. Interestingly, this prompt asks you for a goal that you are currently working toward achieving. Therefore, in your Virginia Tech essays, you must be able to articulate the steps that you are taking — not ones you plan to take or already took.

Another consideration when choosing which goal to write about for your Virginia Tech supplemental essays is the message that the goal and your progress send about what type of person, peer, and student you are. How does what you strive for show who you are?

Don’t forget the “why”

The Virginia Tech essay prompts you with guiding questions: What is your motivation? What is your timeline? Who do you seek help from? But, the most important question is implied: Why? In your Virginia Tech essays, fully answer each of these questions while demonstrating your commitment to learning and growing. 

You should not feel pressure to talk strictly about your academic and career goals in any of your Virginia Tech essays. However, of these Virginia Tech essay questions, that discussion likely fits in this one the most seamlessly. Nevertheless, you should not choose to write about your future plans if they are not clearly articulated or you are applying relatively undecided. With more than 150 majors and 130 minors to choose from, one likely aligns with your interests and goals. Investigate which clubs , classes , and research opportunities could fit your goals.

Whether you choose to write about an academic, personal, social, or another goal in your Virginia Tech essay questions, tell a compelling story about your motivations and aspirations. Help the admissions committee learn more about who you are in a way that your other Virginia Tech essays have not yet revealed.

• In your Virginia Tech essays, do you clearly articulate your goal?
• Is your goal one that you are currently pursuing?
• Do you clearly and concisely answer all parts of the question in 120 words or less?

Additional tips for Virginia Tech essays

In each of your responses to the Virginia Tech essay questions, strive to be honest and sincere while demonstrating growth and reflection. You only have 120 words to use in your response to each of the Virginia Tech essay prompts, so carefully consider the purpose of each word and sentence. Ultimately, aim for your Virginia Tech essays to be meaningful and memorable.

In combination with your Common App or Coalition App personal statement, your Virginia Tech essay prompts will round out the full package of your application. Consider how you can reveal another side of yourself in each of your essays responding to the Virginia Tech essay prompts. If you are applying to the Honors College, that admissions committee will also review your Virginia Tech supplemental essays. 

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essays — Final Thoughts

Before submitting your application, re-read your application and think about how the Virginia Tech admissions team will perceive each aspect of it. Make sure that your Virginia Tech supplement essays say something about you that the reader doesn’t learn in other parts of your application. 

The Virginia Tech essay prompts are only slightly altered from last year’s version, so it is clear that the school values the responses you write in each of your Virginia Tech supplemental essays. Clearly and concisely show the admissions readers who you are through your Virginia Tech essays. Highlight what will make you a star college student. Good luck!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on Virginia Tech was written by Caroline Marapese , Notre Dame ‘20. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on Virginia Tech, click here . Want help crafting your Virginia Tech supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

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2022-23 Virginia Tech Essay Prompts and Tips

July 21, 2022

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

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

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

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

2022-2023 University of Virginia Tech Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How important are the Virginia Tech supplemental essays?

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

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 Virginia Tech supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

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The Ultimate Guide to the Virginia Tech Supplemental Essays

If you’re here looking for a guide on how to write the Virginia Tech supplemental essays, you’re in luck! This guide deconstructs everything you need to know to answer each of the Virginia Tech prompts well and stand out from the rest of the admissions pool.

But, before we get to that, we’ll need to cover some important statistics.

In particular, we want to demonstrate just how important the Virginia Tech supplemental essays are to the admissions process.

Here’s a hint: it’s more important now than ever before.

We’ll be using two points: the acceptance rate through the Data Commons and the Common Data Set.

First, let’s see what the VT Data Commons has to say about acceptance rates over time.

Within the past 5 years, the admissions rate for Virginia Tech decreased by 13.1%. They also received 17,898 more applications.

In the past 2 years, the number of students applying has spiked up significantly; so, you can be sure that you’ll be competing against more students now than ever before.

With that said, the essays are going to be one of the only parts of the application where you can truly use your words to stand out from the admissions process.

Think about it like this: practically every part of your application is going to be based on numbers and letter grades. One of the only parts showing who you are beyond grades is your VT supplemental essays and descriptions in your extracurricular list.

If you want to have a solid shot at getting accepted, you’re going to need to write solid essays. And, we’re going to show you exactly how to do that below.

Table of Contents

Virginia Tech Essay Prompts

How to answer virginia tech’s ut proism prompt., how to answer virginia tech’s resilience prompt., how to answer virginia tech’s role model and leadership prompt., how to answer virginia tech’s goal and plan to achieve it prompt., virginia tech essay examples..

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One of the interesting things you’ll notice is that Virginia Tech has a very, very short word count for each of its essay prompts.

This limits you in how much you can really say.

Now, does that detract from its importance in the application process? No. Does it mean you’ll have a much harder time writing an essay that will stand out from the rest of the admissions pool? Yes.

That’s why you can’t stand out in the Virginia Tech supplemental essays without also writing something creative and unique for each of the prompts.

It’s going to take a little bit of work. But, it’s certainly worth it.

Each of the  Ut Prosim  Profile questions are required with a limit of 120 words in length per answer. Once you submit your application, your responses to the questions are final and cannot be updated. Virginia Tech’s motto is “Ut Prosim” which means ‘That I May Serve’. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you.  How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech? Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt and learn from a difficulty. Reflect on a time that you have exhibited resilience.  What growth did you see in yourself after this experience? Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership.  What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time? Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it.  What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from as you work on this goal? Virginia Tech Ut Prosim Supplemental Essay Prompts.

Tips on How to Write Each of the Virginia Tech Supplemental Essays.

The keywords here are “serve” and “community.”

Often, students will approach this far too simply. They’ll think of “serve” as “helping” and “community” as their physical location’s population such as their residential city or town.

But, remember: you need to approach the admissions essays from an unconventional and unorthodox perspective in order to stand out. This is the best way to stand out.

So, perhaps “serving” can mean more than just planting trees or donating to the homeless. You may want to think of some of the other ways your activities come to “serve” the community. Chances are, your actions have served the community more than just what you’ve done on the outside.

For instance, if you planted trees, you’ve served your community not just saving the environment. You’ve also beautified your city and contributed to the artistic vision of your area. In addition, your work also helps the overall atmosphere feel more alive and positive for students, parents, business owners, and future residents to come. Think and consider all the dimensions that your work benefits the community.

Secondly, there’s the word “community.”

Again, you’re not just limited to the physical community in you’re area. It can also include the community in abstraction. Do you belong to a group of people who all enjoy or like a certain group of musicians such as K-pop groups? Or, perhaps, you belong to the gaming community. They may be more abstract and span across the whole world. But, they’re still a community and not limited to the physical restraints that so commonly constitute college essays.

Also, if you do in fact belong to these two communities, you may want to consider reading our sister articles on writing your college essays about K-Pop here and gaming here .

This essay prompt is more straightforward. However, we believe this is one of the stronger essay prompts to answer.

We would argue that this topic is an easier one to write about compared to the other ones because it gives you both a moment of adversity and growth to write about. This is fantastic, as the admissions office can therefore see how you adapt to challenges over time and use that as a measurement of your success in their school.

Now, that also presents you with a problem. Other students will also write fantastic resilience essays.

Therefore, the question is this: how do we show our resilience is stronger than that of other students?

Well, you don’t!

Resilience is not an objective measurement that can be compared in the same way that the level of adversity and difficulty can’t be compared between others. Everyone endures adversity differently.

For instance, one may find cleaning their room to be a simple mundane chore; but, a person with depression may see it as a monumental task that requires an overwhelming level of mental fortitude.

With adversities being incomparable in magnitude due to their relativity, it’s important to know that you’ll need to instead explain what your resilience felt like in as specific of a manner as you can. This can be a bit hard. But, you’ll need to find the right words which describe the feeling you went through when overcoming obstacles.

For some, it’s like a physical level of excruciating. For others, it’s a matter of mental fortitude. And, if you want to get creative, it can be a mental obstacle so difficult it hurts you physically.

As with the other Virginia Tech essay prompts, the role model and leadership prompt can be approached creatively through the choice of diction.

What does being a role model mean? To whom? What does being a leader mean?

You can get creative with what these words mean in the prompt.

Does being a leader mean that you need to be the smartest in a group, and therefore take the front rows whilst others follow your lead? Or, could it also mean that you’re the least competent; and, therefore rely on others’ talents whilst they rely on your management skills?

You’ll find that there are a lot of directions you can take with this prompt.

But, if there’s one element we would highly recommend incorporating into the application essay, it’s humility.

Often, students have a hard time answering the leadership or role model essay without being too humble or not being humble enough.

We get it: the balance is hard. But, you need to know how to answer the prompt in a manner that balances your strengths and humility in a manner that is impressive (especially to admissions officers who will also be judging you for your character and compatibility with the VT community.)

To do this, we recommend tying the definition of humility into your words. So, for instance: one cannot be a role model unless they are humble. Or, one cannot truly lead without first being humble. This is but one way of balancing between bragging and being humble. How you decide to keep that balance is up to you.

This is perhaps one of the most important Virginia Tech supplemental essay prompts.

For one, the Virginia Tech Goal and Plan supplemental essay prompt answers one of the questions AOs are vying to know. When an admissions officer is thinking about your application, they want to know about your future plans.

Note: this does NOT mean you have to know what you want to do for certain. Instead, they want to know that you have a mature and wise form of planning.

Now, why is this? Wouldn’t admissions officers value students who know what they want for their futures more than those who don’t?

Well, sort of.

It’s a bit more complex than that.

Sure, college essays that have a clear goal or career path in mind will intrinsically be more impressive than those that don’t have a clear goal.

However, there’s a lot you can write about in your Virginia Tech supplemental essay even if you don’t know what you want to do in the future.

For instance, there are some who don’t know what kind of major they want to get into. But, they are determined to get into a career that has a good work-life balance, scalability, and intellectual challenges. So, students may make the plan and goal of networking with other students and exploring their curiosity whilst in college.

This is a fantastic response because it is honest. It’s open to the idea that students your age can still be uncertain about what they want; and, they don’t have to pretend otherwise.

In addition, it’s a great way of showing intellectual curiosity for things beyond your initial interest. This is a fantastic trait for admissions officers and shows AOs that you have the kind of character they need to constitute a good incoming class.

Virginia Tech Resilience Essay Example:

Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt and learn from a difficulty. Reflect on a time that you have exhibited resilience.  What growth did you see in yourself after this experience? “We often hear from the victories; but, what of the defeats? My most significant challenge: having it easy. Homework? Minimal effort. Tests? Minimal studying. Sports? Long legs compensated. Life was good. That is, until I met Diana. Diana would be my Speech and Debate tournament competitor; and, she was proof I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was. She had a counter to everything… and more. She saw angles I never even conceived… and more. Despite how terrifying it was, this experience made me both resilient to failiure and even excited about meeting other equally interesting people. I’ve never felt so impassioned to meet others like Diana; and, I plan to do so at VT.” Virginia Tech Resilience Essay Example: PenningPapers

Virginia Tech Role Model and Leadership Essay Example:

Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership.  What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time? “My first management heuristic: channel Wednesday Addams. S he’s the embodied cool, collected, and scary intelligence of Netflix’s show Wednesday. Last year, we were at an impasse. Club members couldn’t agree on a worthy business project. Digital marketing research? Great. Social media affiliate? Fair. I too was in doubt. But, I channeled Wednesday Addams. Slow breathing. Lowering the chin. Think. Funnily enough, it’s the calm amongst a storm of ideas that got everyone to settle. It’s that calm during uncertainty that helped me decide. It’s that calm that showed me logic is one thing; but, personality is another. “Organic Search Engine marketing it is, then; we’ll test AI copywriting efficacy along the way. Oh, and no piranhas.” “No what?” “What?”” Virginia Tech Role Model and Leadership Essay Example: PenningPapers

Got any more questions about the Virginia Tech supplemental essay prompts? Don’t worry; we’re here to help. Schedule a free consultation with us , and our expert college admissions advisors and editors will help you craft a winning essay that stands out from the rest of the admissions pool. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours!

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

Virginia Tech has an acceptance rate of 71%.

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

Virginia Tech uses the Common App.

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

What are the Virginia Tech Essay Requirements?

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

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

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

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

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay 1

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

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

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

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

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

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay 2

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

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

There are two basic guidelines for this question.

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

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay 4

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

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

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

First, identify the leadership role and situation. 

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

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

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

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

Conclusion: Writing the Virginia Tech Essays

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

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

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how important are virginia tech supplemental essays.

Hey guys, I'm applying to Virginia Tech this year and I was wondering how important VTech supplemental essays are? Are they a make-or-break part of the application? Would appreciate any advice, thanks!

Supplemental essays, including those for Virginia Tech, play a significant role in the college application process. While they may not be a complete make-or-break factor, they certainly hold substantial weight in determining your candidacy for admission. The primary reason that supplemental essays are important is because they provide admissions officers insight into your personality, interests, and goals that aren't necessarily reflected in your grades, test scores, or extracurricular activities. Especially when so many applicants have stellar transcripts and test scores, essays are one of the primary ways admissions officers can differentiate applicants.

Virginia Tech's supplemental essays are an opportunity for you to showcase your individuality and passion for the school, as well as explain why you would be a strong match for their programs. The essays also help the admissions committee get a sense of whether you'd be a good fit within the Virginia Tech community.

Overall, while a strong supplemental essay may not guarantee admission on its own, it can certainly improve your chances and help you stand out from the competition. Invest time and effort into crafting thoughtful, well-written responses that best represent you and highlight your fit for Virginia Tech. Good luck!

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How to Write the Virginia Tech “Ut Prosim” Essay

The Virginia Tech essay prompt touches on the essence of its motto “Ut Prosim” – ‘That I May Serve’. This is your chance to showcase your commitment to service and how it ties into your vision for your future at Virginia Tech.

Let’s break this prompt down step by step. If you’re looking for more advice on the VT essays, check down our Virginia Tech essay breakdown .

Understanding the Prompt

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

The first thing to recognize is the importance of the motto. It isn’t merely words; it’s a philosophy. It represents an ethos of service, of contributing to the larger good, of leaving a positive imprint on society.

The prompt is also emphasizing your involvement in a community – which can be interpreted in a broad manner. This could be your local neighborhood, school, a club, religious organization, online community, or any group to which you feel a deep connection.

Virginia Tech also specifically asks about the duration of your involvement, as duration can indicate dedication, consistency, and evolving impact. It’s one thing to volunteer for an event; it’s another to be committed long-term.

The final element concerns reflection. It’s about understanding the depth of your experience and how that can be translated into a shared experience at Virginia Tech.

Crafting Your Essay

Here’s how to start writing your essay.

1. Introduce Your Community: Begin with a vivid description of the community you’re referencing. Use sensory details and anecdotes to place your reader in the setting. This helps create an emotional connection.

2. Narrate Your Journey: Discuss how you became involved, mentioning how long you’ve been part of this community. Describe your evolution within the community – did you start as a passive member and eventually take on a leadership role? Were there pivotal moments that intensified your commitment?

3. Detail Your Contributions: This is where “Ut Prosim” comes to life. Describe your specific contributions, the challenges you faced, and the impact you made. Did you initiate a new project? Or perhaps you brought a fresh perspective or solved a long-standing problem?

4. Reflect on Your Learnings: Highlight what you’ve learned from these experiences. Go beyond surface-level lessons and dig deep. How did it change your worldview, or how you interact with people? What skills did you gain?

5. Integrate Virginia Tech: This is your bridge to the future. Discuss how you plan to bring these learnings and experiences to Virginia Tech. Are there specific programs, clubs, or initiatives at VT where you see yourself contributing? How do you plan to integrate the spirit of “Ut Prosim” into your college journey?

Ut Prosim Essay Example

From age 12, every Saturday I’ve been at our local library, gravitating towards the overlooked kids’ section. In four years, I transitioned from shelving books to leading lively story hours, sparking enthusiasm in young listeners. One boy, Ben, initially hesitant, grew into an animated participant. This transformation underscored the value of patience and adaptability for me. It wasn’t just about books; it was cultivating a space where kids felt valued. At Virginia Tech, inspired by “Ut Prosim,” I’m driven to establish similar environments through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, demonstrating that impactful service intertwines growth, community, and sharing experiences.

Overall Feedback

Your essay effectively highlights your commitment to serving your community through your involvement at the local library. It demonstrates your ability to create a positive impact on young readers and your dedication to cultivating supportive environments. I would rate this essay a 9 out of 10. The strength of your essay lies in the specific example and your genuine passion for service. However, there is room for slight improvement in expanding on your plans at Virginia Tech.

• Your essay provides a clear narrative of your long-term involvement at the local library and the impact you’ve made on young readers.
• You effectively convey your passion for service and your dedication to creating a welcoming environment for children.
• The essay demonstrates your ability to reflect on the lessons you’ve learned and your desire to apply them at Virginia Tech.

Suggestions

• Consider including a brief sentence on how your experience at the library has shaped your personal growth and how this will contribute to the Virginia Tech community. (Small impact)
• If possible, expand your essay by a few words to share more about the impact you made at the library and how it relates to the “Ut Prosim” motto. (Small impact)

What admissions would take away

Admissions officers would view you as a dedicated, compassionate, and service-oriented student with a long-term commitment to making a positive impact on your community. Your experience demonstrates your ability to create welcoming environments and your eagerness to continue serving at Virginia Tech.

• Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of just saying you were a leader, show how you led. Maybe you organized events, resolved conflicts, or motivated others.
• Stay Focused: With limited word count, resist the urge to list everything you’ve done. Instead, focus on a few impactful experiences that best represent your commitment.
• Proofread: Ensure your essay is free from grammatical and punctuation errors. Also, make sure it flows smoothly and maintains a coherent narrative. You can get your essay reviewed for free by CollegeVine’s AI, Ivy .

Remember, the goal isn’t just to show that you’ve served, but to convey how this service is a core part of who you are and how you see your role in the larger Virginia Tech community.

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