The University of Maryland

Supplemental Essay Prompts
for First-Year Applicants in the
High School Class of 2025

‣ 6 Short Answer Questions
‣ 650 Characters Each

Slide to See All Essay Prompts
Scroll for Successful Examples!

Prompt 1: If I could travel anywhere, I would go to…

Prompt 2: The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…

Prompt 3: In addition to my major, my academic interests include…

Prompt 4: My favorite thing about last Friday was…

Prompt 5: Something you might not know about me is…

Prompt 6: Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity.

Simplify Your Supplemental Essay Process

See targeted guidance to help you stand out,
essay inspiration from our own accepted students,
and proven methods to help you start and succeed (from an Ivy Alum with 300+ student success stories!).

‣ Slide for Essential Planning Information
‣ Scroll for Successful Student Examples

The Upgraded Way

Most college admissions resources guide students through one primary college essay, but we know from experience that supplemental essays change lives—and planning for these projects is embedded into our work with students from the start.

Each summer, we help students make tangible progress toward their college-specific supplemental content well before August 1st—with strategic framework-building steps that make the entire application process more simple, sustainable, and successful.

We keep track of supplemental essay prompts, changes, and trends for our community—so we can help students start making tangible progress on their supplemental essay content during the summer.

We unite prompt projections with our experience-driven supplemental essay approaches to guide new applicants through strategic framework-building steps.

This foundational framework helps students build clarity in their messaging, confidence in their strengths, a more balanced schedule, and a process that unfolds with much more ease.

Many colleges will ask students in the Class of 2025 to respond to the same prompts our admitted students addressed in our Successful Examples.

Most colleges have required the same prompts for 2 years in a row, and many have required the same prompts for 3 years or more. Some colleges change their prompts more frequently—and those prompts tend to be the most creative.

Plan to check in on changes August 1st, 2024. That’s when colleges will publish their official Supplemental Essay Prompts for undergraduate applicants—you can find them under the My Colleges section of the Common Application.

Whether you are navigating the supplemental essay process independently, with a family member, with a teacher, or with a mentor from our team, having a strategic supplemental essay approach is immensely helpful for all students.

That change can trim your entire application process in half, help you toward a more sustainable schedule, and give you more clarity and confidence throughout the entire process. For our past students, our team members, and for our founder, this method has opened doors to life-changing opportunities—and it’s one of the reasons we’re here today.

Below, you can read inspiring example essays from our admitted students, explore success-proven approaches, and find ways to launch your own supplemental essay success.

Check in for our latest updates, innovative resources, and all things College-Specific Supplemental Essays. We’ll keep you on the path to UMD this year, so we can hear about your success story next year!

Successful Supplemental Essay Examples:

Want to see the types of responses that are appreciated by admissions readers? In this section, you can read several successful supplemental essay responses from our students that helped them get accepted to The University of Maryland!

University of Maryland Supplemental Prompts:

See each of Maryland's Supplemental Essay Prompts for High School Class of 2025 Students above! The following essay examples address the University of Maryland's supplemental essay prompts from the most recent admissions year, for Class of 2024 High School Applicants.

‣ Successful Essay Response (Prompt 1)

If I could travel anywhere, I would go to…

Bayeux, France.

At the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux, I’d have the chance to see a piece with a history both rich and controversial. The museum houses a tapestry depicting the Norman Conquest of 1066. The piece was long criticized for its unconventional aesthetics, but is now recognized for its meaning—capturing a time pivotal in changing language and culture for the rest of history.

I’m interested in art not only for the images that come together from perfectly-blended watercolors. I appreciate art for its history, its diversity, and for every story it has to tell us.

‣ Successful Essay Response (Prompt 2)

The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…

Over four million households lack consistent access to computers.

While conducting research for a Debate Club discussion on technology in education, I saw this staggering metric—a pervasive inequality in our current world. In recent years, I’ve thought of how technology impacts the younger students I’ve mentored, and I hope to explore solutions during my time in college.

At UMD, I plan to explore metrics that pinpoint educational disparities through data science, and to seek solutions through mentored research. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to bridging the technology gap in education—and to create equal learning opportunities for all.

‣ Successful Essay Response (Prompt 3)

In addition to my major, my academic interests include…

I’m interested in learning how computing and data science can unveil the threads that weave together aesthetic norms, cultural biases, and the prevailing trends that contribute to growing divisions in our society.

Our world is more connected than ever, yet many hold even more tightly to shutting others out—whether intentionally to stifle opportunity, or due to thinking that no one cares what we have to say.

I hope to look for the stories told by data that can more effectively identify where the barriers are and why they persist—and how to foster creative environments of empathy and understanding to slowly break them down.

‣ Successful Essay Response (Prompt 4)

My favorite thing about last Thursday was…

Sharing insights from prior Science Olympiad experiences with younger teammates—especially the mishaps and eye-opening learning lessons.

During my first build event, “It’s About Time,” I learned to turn an unfortunate sand spill into a learning experience. By adapting to unforeseen challenges, my partner and I grew through collaboration, even going on to success at the [State Level]. My inspiring coach and supportive teammates have taught me to embrace the unexpected and to look for the lessons in every mishap or mistake.

With our community, I have become a more curious student, a more daring problem-solver—and a more confident creator.

‣ Successful Essay Response (Prompt 5)

Something you might not know about me is…

Despite growing up in a “beach town,” I can't swim.

In a town lacking racial diversity, I’m one of the few Indians in our predominantly white neighborhood—and one of the very few who can’t swim. I am fortunate for so many resources, but our differences come up in snap judgements and comments. Peers have taunted me for not being able to step into the deep end of a pool, but I have learned to embrace my differences.

Rather than criticize others when I hear comments about culture or ability, I aim to show acceptance for difference. I hope we can work toward a world in which differences aren't “strange”—they just are.

‣ Successful Essay Response (Prompt 6)

In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity.

The first day I volunteered for the [Local Arts Non-Profit Organization], I couldn’t help but notice the elephant in the room. Amongst the sea of older white volunteers, I was the only person of color, and the youngest by several decades.

However, I embraced lessons from other spaces throughout my life where I’ve had to adapt to being different. Instead of shying away due to my differences, I worked to introduce novel ideas and diverse cultural influences in the work that I have been able to do with the NPO.

Through enriching creative discussions and a broader appreciation for the arts, I learned the importance of diversity in fostering creativity and understanding—essential to art and to our world.

Below, you can explore success-proven approaches, access more essay inspiration, and find ways to launch your own supplemental essay success.

Check in for our latest updates, innovative resources, and all things College-Specific Supplemental Essays. We look forward to seeing your outstanding story!

The Class of 2025 Essentials:
Supplemental Essay Foundations

With all of our resources for the Class of 2025,
you’ll discover effective strategies that are student-approved and success-proven.

Our approaches are much more than one-size-fits-all—because our methods were built with tools from education research, findings from positive psychology, and insights from over a decade of college admissions success stories.

Our resources are created by an expert with:

‣ 10+ years of college application consulting success
‣ Insights from 300+ successful application journeys
‣ Teaching experience in high-achieving classrooms
‣ Research experience in student achievement
‣ An Ivy League education—and her very own college acceptances to Penn and Yale!

Ivy Inspired. Success Proven.

When students begin their application-building process, they’ll come across excellent online resources, inspiring sample essays, and many up-and-coming creators.

We want our students to explore every idea that motivates them throughout their journey, and we want every mentor who truly cares about students to grow and succeed.

When students or mentors need to know the best next step, we’re here to provide clarity and confidence—because experience is essential when it comes to your future.

The best way to know you’ll have all the right answers? Start with all the right questions.

The way we start the process is what makes the difference for our students—and it’s why we’ve seen so many incredible success stories unfold. Throughout over a decade of inspiring application journeys, these framework-building questions have launched the process for students who gained admission to even their most-selective dream schools.

This resource was built directly by an Ivy Alum, curated while guiding highly-successful students, and refined with research and inspiration from this year—just for the Class of 2025.

Welcome to Our Community!

Whether you got started or simply scrolled through today, your future self thanks you—and we’re glad to have you as part of our community!