How to Write the High Point University Essays 2025-2026
For the 2025-2026 application cycle, High Point University has three required short responses all applicants must respond to. At only 50 words each, these responses need to be concise and well-thought out to make the most of the limited space. In this post, we’ll share our advice for writing High Points short response questions to help you put your best foot forward on your application.
High Point University Supplemental Essay Prompts
Prompt 1: At High Point University, we often describe our students as “doers.” Over 25% of your work as an HPU student will involve putting ideas and theory into practice. To help us understand your interest in this style of learning, please describe a hands-on project or experience that was meaningful to you. (50 words)
Prompt 2: Our research shows that employers and graduate programs seek students who demonstrate life skills such as motivation, coachability, strong communication, emotional intelligence, a growth mindset, and many others. Many of these skills are related to how we connect with other people. Please share a story of a meaningful travel experience where you connected with people from a different background than your own. (50 words)
Prompt 3: Inspired by our Innovator in Residence, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, we define creativity as doing things differently and innovation as doing things better. From what you’ve learned during your college search, where have you seen innovation at HPU, and why does that make you want to attend? (50 words)
Before You Begin
Before we dive into the prompts themselves, we want to take a moment to talk about the nature of these responses. Supplemental essays tend to fall into the essay category (100+ words) or the short response category (sentences, phrases, or words), but the in-between length of 50 words is less common.
We would still consider High Point’s supplements to fall into the short response category, however you might be surprised with how much you can convey in 50 words. Your ideas will have to be straight-to-the-point, but you can add a level of detail you wouldn’t have been able to do in a typical short response. There isn’t the same room for reflection as there is in full-length essays here, so don’t worry about getting too “deep” in your essays—focus more on answering the prompt in detail and if there is space, then provide reflection.
You should strive to use up all 50 of your words to make the most of your response. It’s always better to start above the word count and cut back until you hit it, rather than shooting for less to begin with.
Prompt 1
At High Point University, we often describe our students as “doers.” Over 25% of your work as an HPU student will involve putting ideas and theory into practice. To help us understand your interest in this style of learning, please describe a hands-on project or experience that was meaningful to you. (50 words)
For the first question, you need to describe a time when you were a “doer” by learning in a hands-on way. The first step you should take is to brainstorm a list of ways you’ve engaged in hands-on learning. Remember, hands-on projects are not limited to science experiments! The following are all ways you could apply theoretical knowledge to learn something better:
- Building a scale model or prototype
- Acting out an event from history or literature
- Participating in a debate or socratic seminar
- Creating a piece of artwork
- Simulations
- Attending a field trip
You might want to choose an experience that relates to your intended major, however that is not required by any means. Doing so would allow you to show the admissions officers more of your interest in that field though, so if you have an example that connects to your major, it could be a good idea.
In your response, you will need to both describe what the project or experience was, but you also cannot neglect to explain why it was significant for you. Did it help you understand a concept you were struggling with? Did it change your perspective on the topic, and if so, what was it before and after? Did it make you fall in love with this topic and want to pursue it? Make sure the deeper meaning behind your chosen experience is clear.
Let’s look at a few different examples from students:
“The judge’s timer started, and I straightened my “manager” name tag, pitching ideas to transform my struggling hotel—rooftop movie nights, personalized welcome gifts, and community partnerships. When the timer cut through my torrent of ideas, I realized I’d found a new passion: I’m going to work in the hospitality industry.” (50 words)
“At the beginning of sophomore year, chemical bonds were a foreign language to me. That was until atoms became cotton balls and covalent and ionic bonds became fuzzy pipe cleaners. It was like I could hear the plush molecules unlock something in my brain, and suddenly chemistry wasn’t so bad.” (50 words)
“The first time my 3D-printed prosthetic arm flexed its fingers, I couldn’t stop grinning. Weeks of trial, coding errors, and melted plastic finally led to motion. Watching my design move, turned engineering from abstract equations into a living, breathing challenge I wanted to chase.” (44 words)
“‘Shakespeare isn’t English.’ I whispered to my friend before the performance began. The lights dimmed and Iago strolled on stage. By the end of Act I, I was perched on the edge of my seat, drinking in each line. Seeing Othello live showed me Shakespeare was meant to be felt.” (50 words)
All of these examples have details that bring the hands-on experience to life (i.e., “cotton balls and fuzzy pipe cleaners”, “flexed its fingers”, dialogue, and concrete suggestions for the hotel). Additionally, they all show why the experience was meaningful, whether it was finding a new passion and potential career, developing an understanding for a concept, or just appreciating something in a new light.
Prompt 2
Our research shows that employers and graduate programs seek students who demonstrate life skills such as motivation, coachability, strong communication, emotional intelligence, a growth mindset, and many others. Many of these skills are related to how we connect with other people. Please share a story of a meaningful travel experience where you connected with people from a different background than your own. (50 words)
High Point’s second prompt might seem like it’s asking for a lot, but just focus on the last part: share a story of where you connected with people from a different background while traveling.
Now, before you get nervous because you haven’t travelled to 20 different countries, remember that travel experience could be as simple as going to the next town over. A student who travelled 30 minutes to play a team in a soccer match could write a stronger response than a student who just talks about the monuments they saw on their trip to Paris.
The focus of your story should be on the people you encountered and what you took away from the experience more than it should be on the travel itself. You want to make it clear to the reader how your backgrounds differ, in what way you connected with them, and what you learned/realized/discovered/etc..
This is a lot for just 50 words, but hopefully these examples can give you an idea of what that might look like:
“I always felt out of place visiting my dad’s family in Puerto Rico—my broken Spanish leaving me quiet. Then my cousin Carla invited me to paint beside her. We mixed colors and laughter until silence became comfortable. I realized connection doesn’t happen through words; sometimes it’s brushed across canvas.” (49 words)
“Sydney was my opponent at the state debate tournament. I was confident about my stance that public funds were better served in education than public transportation, but when Sydney shared her experiences relying on subways and buses in the city, I recognized my residential bias and opened my mind.” (49 words)
“They play peekaboo in Japan. Japan was full of the unfamiliar—the language, food, and customs. It was exciting, but also mentally exhausting. But sitting on the bus next to a mom and her baby, a smile spread across my face as I recognized the same game I’d grown up on.” (50 words)
As you can see, the focus here is on the interpersonal connections and how they impacted the student. While each response discusses the travel experience, it isn’t the main focus.
Prompt 3
Inspired by our Innovator in Residence, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, we define creativity as doing things differently and innovation as doing things better. From what you’ve learned during your college search, where have you seen innovation at HPU, and why does that make you want to attend? (50 words)
The final prompt is a take on the “Why This College?” prompt. High Point wants to understand why you are drawn to their college over others. However, unlike most “Why This College” prompts, this one wants you to specifically focus on High Point’s emphasis on innovation.
The key here is to not just talk about how High Point is an institution that values innovation—you need to pick a concrete example that shows that. Spend time researching the unique programs, resources, labs, classes, and clubs High Point offers to gain a better understanding. Every student will have their own interpretation of innovation and find different resources to highlight.
What’s important is that you choose something that genuinely excites you about the school and makes you want to attend. Don’t choose their Human Biomechanics Lab as an example of innovation if you aren’t interested in STEM.
Here are a few examples:
“As a self-proclaimed foodie, High Point’s three fine dining restaurants are a sign that this school is rethinking college cuisine. Meals are where I laugh with my friends, unpack my day, and dream about the future. I love that High Point recognizes the importance of a good meal.” (48 words)
“The School of Pharmacy’s dedication to not just teaching technical skills, but the soft skills required to provide the best patient care through the Longitudinal Patient Experience program, aligns perfectly with my volunteer work at a local clinic, where I learned the importance of empathy and communication in patient care.” (50 words)
“I’ve always been fascinated by game theory and how strategic decisions shape markets. High Point’s Mathematical Economics program stands out for its unique approach, integrating rigorous mathematical modeling with real-world economic scenarios, allowing me to see economic concepts not just in theory, but as they operate in practice.” (48 words)
Your response to this prompt will likely be less narrative than the other prompts, but even without focusing on your experiences, you can see how in each of these examples we still learn information about the student. It’s important you have some sort of tie in back to you even in this response about High Point.
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