Metadata
Title
Essay Questions
Category
undergraduate
UUID
b86697fe0a91400ca4cd541accb9aaf9
Source URL
https://admissions.umd.edu/apply/essay-questions
Parent URL
https://admissions.umd.edu/apply/english-language-proficiency
Crawl Time
2026-03-18T06:24:45+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown

Essay Questions

Source: https://admissions.umd.edu/apply/essay-questions Parent: https://admissions.umd.edu/apply/english-language-proficiency

Home Application FAQs

Essay Questions

Essay Questions

The essay is just one of the 24 factors we use as part of our holistic application review.**

The essay provides you with the opportunity to showcase aspects of your personality and experiences that fit well with the University of Maryland (UMD) community. When considering your approach to your essay, take time to think about your answer, making it creative and succinct.

Freshman Students

Please answer one of the following essay questions. Make sure to include the question itself at the start of your essay. Your essay should be no more than 650 words; the question will not be included in the essay total word count.

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

Transfer Students

Please answer the following question. Students who have been out of school for several years or who have a personal circumstance that affected performance, may wish to address that situation in their essay. Your answer should be no more than 300 words.