How to Write the Michigan State University Essays 2018-2019
Located in East Lansing, Michigan State University is a large public institution with over 50,000 enrolled students. Michigan State offers an education focused on bettering the common good and everyday life, while also providing research and study-abroad programs in popular fields such as business, agriculture, and engineering.
Outside the classroom, Michigan State boasts of numerous student clubs and organizations, including Greek life. The university’s strong performance in NCAA Division I athletics — especially in football and basketball — makes the high-spirited green-and-white Spartans nationally well-known.
Michigan State accepted around 66% from the applicant pool this past year. For applicants, MSU requires two personal statements, a task that may initially seem challenging. CollegeVine has prepared this guide to help you tackle these prompts with success!
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MSU Application Essay Prompts
For those of you also applying to other schools, this question may seem very similar to the second Common Application prompt about overcoming a challenging experience. Essentially, the admissions officer reading your application wants to know how you deal with and grow from difficulty.
To write this essay, first brainstorm moments in your life, specifically challenging ones. Try to aim for experiences that troubled you at first, but you were able to overcome through your own efforts or with the help of others. This will display your capacity to face challenges, no matter how big or small, at Michigan State.
While the prompt asks for a statement that could potentially be large, the 200-word limit forces you to be concise and straightforward. Focus on three aspects in the essay: the challenge, the steps you took, and your reflection. Avoid including extra, unnecessary details. Overall, aim to write about a challenge that was significant to you and served as a defining moment for your personal growth.
Like the first prompt, this question helps to unearth more of your personality; this time, however, the idea is centered around the concept of justice. What do you believe is fair? How do you proceed to maintain it? If something unjust occurs, how significantly does it affect you? These are the questions you should consider when approaching this essay.
Similar to the previous prompt, this moment should have a heavy weight on your defining identity, regardless of how big or small the actual experience was. Essentially, this moment shaped the way you perceive, process, and deal with injustice.
The 200-word limit can be difficult to follow, since this prompt is also a hefty topic. As such, be concise and follow this structural format: the unfair treatment, the response, and your reflection. Be critical of the unfairness, but also express a sense of appreciation for the experience, especially if it significantly impacted your identity. Show readers that you have had encounters with injustice and are ready to tackle them at your time at Michigan State University.
In these personal statements, if you’re honest and reflective, then your personality will shine brightest. We wish you good luck on these essays and a successful application process!
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