How to Write the University of Florida Essays 2024-2025
The University of Florida has one required prompt for all applicants that asks about your biggest commitment outside of the classroom. There are three prompts for all applicants that are only required if you answer “yes” to specific questions. It also has one required prompt for applicants to its Honors Program, as well as one for applicants to its Innovation Academy.
Since UF receives thousands of applications from academically-strong students, your essays are your chance to stand out. In this post, we’ll discuss how to craft an engaging response to each of these options.
Read this UF essay example written by a real student to inspire your own writing!
University of Florida Supplemental Essay Prompts
All Applicants
Prompt 1: Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. This could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity. (100-250 words)
Prompt 2 (optional): Do you have any employment or family obligations that limit your participation in extracurricular activities? If so, please describe. (250 words)
Prompt 3 (optional): Have you participated in or been assisted in your college preparation and search by programs outside of the classroom, such as Educational Talent Search, Take Stock in Children, Upward Bound, Boys and Girls Club, etc.? If so, please provide the name of the program, details/benefits of your involvement, and how long your experiences continued. (250 words)
Prompt 4 (optional): Is there any additional information or extenuating circumstances the Admissions Committee should know when reviewing your application? If so, please provide more information in less than 250 words.
Honors Program
As Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Reflecting on this, what academic subjects, learning opportunities, or extracurricular activities are you most excited to engage in during your college experience? How do you imagine or hope the UF Honors Program will help feed your curiosity and help you achieve your aspirations? (150-400 words)
Innovation Academy Applicants
Discuss why you are interested in becoming a UF Innovation Academy student and how it will influence your professional career path. (150-300 words)
All Applicants, Prompt 1
Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. This could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity. (250 words)
This prompt is a variation of the common Extracurricular Activity prompt since it’s asking you to write about a meaningful commitment you have outside of the classroom.
Brainstorming your topic:
First, you’ll need to narrow down your list of extracurricular activities to just one to write about. It’s important to choose an activity that you’re passionate about, that you’ve been involved in for a while, and that has helped shape you into the person you are today.
Here are some ideas of the types of topics you might write about:
- Activities where you’ve shown significant commitment
- Clubs or groups that you’ve created, or where you’ve had a leadership role
- Activities that have helped to shape a specific personal aspect of your life
- Experiences that relate to your future goals
- Unique extracurriculars that require an explanation for people to thoroughly understand them
Once you’ve chosen a topic, think about the following questions before you begin writing:
- What is the strongest emotion you feel about this activity?
- What do you think about when you participate in the activity?
- Has the activity helped you strengthen or develop any personality traits?
- Are there any specific skills you’ve developed from participating in this activity?
- How does this activity impact the rest of your life?
Tips for writing your essay:
A good response will explain what your activity, responsibility, or experience is, what it entails, and why it is important to you. Make sure to address each of these points, as they are either stated in or implied by the prompt.
Here’s an example of an excellent response to this prompt from Sara, a prospective management major:
“During my sophomore year, I started creating charcuterie boards for parties, events, and other occasions for my friends and family. I loved finding the perfect assortment of crackers, fruit, cheeses and jams to arrange into beautiful boards, but more importantly, I enjoyed networking with people at each event I worked.
After a few months, I began to receive so many referrals that I decided to start a small business. Managing my schoolwork, sports schedule, leadership roles, and my small business required me to develop excellent time management skills. I also learned about the financial aspects of running a business—managing cash flow, balancing costs, and paying taxes—and the marketing aspects of running a business—leveraging social media, paying for ad space, and utilizing other channels to promote my business.
Prior to my sophomore year, I had dreams of becoming a doctor. However, after starting my charcuterie business, I realized that my interests in finance, marketing, and business lent themselves to a future in entrepreneurship. I’m grateful for the opportunities my business has given me, and I’m excited to watch my business—and other businesses I might start—grow in the future!”
This example is strong because it very clearly states what the activity is. It then branches off into a discussion of the student’s business, something that was created as a result of the activity. The student also describes her roles in her activity/business throughout the essay, and then ends with a strong argument as to why this passion has become so meaningful to her.
Mistakes to avoid:
Choosing the wrong activity. Don’t choose to write about an extracurricular just because you think it sounds impressive, or even just because you’re skilled at it. This essay is a chance to write about an extracurricular that is meaningful to you, so it’s important that you select an activity you’re really passionate about!
Writing a shallow response. It’s not effective to give a detailed history of your participation, or to tell an enticing story about the extracurricular you’ve chosen if you forget to explain how the activity has affected or changed you. It’s crucial to explain your personal development from participating in the activity.
Listing your accomplishments. Simply listing out your accomplishments with no elaboration will make for an unengaging response that reads like a laundry list. Instead, provide a unique perspective by sharing how the activity impacts your current life as well as your aspirations for the future.
A Note About Prompts 2-4
You are only required to respond to each of the following all applicants prompts if you choose the “Yes” option offered in the first half of each prompt, respectively. If any (or all) of the prompts don’t apply to you, you can choose the “No” option for that prompt, and will not need to respond to it.
All Applicants, Prompt 2 (optional)
Do you have any employment or family obligations that limit your participation in extracurricular activities? If so, please describe. (250 words)
This question is similar to the Additional Information section listed in the Common App, as well as the exceptional personal circumstances prompt you might see during the application process. Check out the linked guides for tips for writing an essay like this!
One quick tip: Be sure to at least explain what the employment/obligation entailed, and why you had to take it on, as well as the results of you taking on this extra responsibility. Obligations you might write about include working to contribute financially to your family, taking care of an ill relative, or frequently babysitting younger siblings.
Consider the following example to see what a good response might include:
“Last year, my single mother was let go from her job at an insurance company when it was struggling financially and going through a period of transition. As a result, we both had to take on additional jobs to make ends meet, so I briefly left my school’s robotics team throughout the second semester and summer following junior year. Instead, I worked at a local grocery store after school and on the weekends, where I learned how to work efficiently under pressure while supporting my family.”
All Applicants, Prompt 3 (optional)
Have you participated in or been assisted in your college preparation and search by programs outside of the classroom, such as Educational Talent Search, Take Stock in Children, Upward Bound, Boys and Girls Club, etc.? Please provide the name of the program, details/benefits of your involvement, and how long your experiences continued. (250 words)
This prompt is straightforward and simple. It requires you to list your involvement in programs that have helped you with your college search (outside of school), and it also asks you to list the details and benefits of your involvement in the program(s).
Here’s a sample response:
“During my junior and senior years of high school, I participated in the Take Stock in Children Program. While I was involved in the program, I was paired with a volunteer mentor and received frequent college readiness coaching. My mentor, James, was an undergraduate student at the University of Florida.
Before participating in the Take Stock in Children program, I wasn’t interested in attending college, and I was planning to work at my local grocery store after high school to support my hobby, music production. James helped me understand the importance of college and he encouraged me to pursue a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Florida. I am grateful for how my involvement with Take Stock in Children has impacted my future education and aspirations.”
This student does a great job at answering the prompt. He lists the program name (Take Stock in Children) and the duration (junior and senior year) that he participated in the program. He also includes the details of his involvement (volunteer mentor and college readiness coaching) and most importantly, the benefits of their involvement (how his relationship with James inspired him to apply for college as a music major).
All Applicants, Prompt 4 (optional)
Is there any additional information or extenuating circumstances the Admissions Committee should know when reviewing your application? (250 words)
This also resembles the Additional Information section listed in the Common App and the exceptional personal circumstances prompt. This is essentially your shot to either explain a lapse in your performance somewhere or to introduce something new about yourself that isn’t evident elsewhere in your application.
You may elaborate further upon an extracurricular activity you feel isn’t clearly explained throughout your application (For example, say you were a Head Designer for your town’s Environmental and Aesthetic Initiative, and admissions officers may not know what that is). You could also talk about a personal story or history that has affected you greatly. You may even discuss a previously unmentioned extracurricular activity that says a lot about you.
This is a wonderfully free space for you to dive into whichever information you feel will give the admissions team the most complete version of your identity. If you don’t think this space is necessary for you, that’s fine too! Just leave it blank.
Honors Program Applicants
As Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Reflecting on this, what academic subjects, learning opportunities, or extracurricular activities are you most excited to engage in during your college experience? How do you imagine or hope the UF Honors Program will help feed your curiosity and help you achieve your aspirations? (150-400 words)
This prompt is a hybrid of the Academic Interest/Why This Major and Why This College essay archetypes. You’re being asked to do two things: reflect on your intellectual curiosity, and connect it to your aspirations and the University of Florida Honors Program. Your response should demonstrate a deep understanding of the Honors Program’s offerings and how they align with your academic and personal goals.
The prompt also emphasizes curiosity and enthusiasm, so make sure to convey some emotion with your writing. Use imagery to your advantage, be specific when discussing your thoughts and feelings, and describe your emotional response to the subject in a way that reveals something broader about your personality.
In terms of topic, this essay should be about a genuine, relevant interest – something you can discuss with passion at length. Don’t try to choose an overly serious or complex topic just to impress admissions officers – they’ll be able to tell this thing isn’t genuinely meaningful to you. Your writing should reflect true excitement and an authentic connection to your interest.
You’ll also want to describe the direction you imagine this interest taking at UF. To do this effectively, you need to do some research on UF and its Honors Program. To start, look around on the UF Honors Program website to find resources that are particularly appealing to you.
These resources might include particular classes or professors, research groups, study abroad programs, extracurricular opportunities, or Honors traditions. For example, a student who is interested in homesteading might mention how they’re excited to take the Honors Program’s beekeeping classes to expand their knowledge and skills.
Make sure that the resources you cite are truly specific to the University of Florida, and the Honors Program specifically. You don’t want to mention a course that’s available to the university as a whole, and you especially don’t want to mention something that you could do anywhere, like study abroad in England.
Instead, mention the “Medieval Studies in King Arthur’s England” program specifically, and explain how this opportunity, where you would explore what the legend of King Arthur reflects about medieval English society more broadly, connects to your experiences in your school’s book club. That is a concrete bridge between your interests and a resource that you can find only at the University of Florida.
Consider the following questions to help you brainstorm your response:
- What subjects or fields of study fascinate you the most? Why are these areas so interesting to you?
- Have you participated in any specific activities, projects, or classes that helped spark a deep interest in this particular subject?
And for connecting your topic to the Honors Program:
- What unique academic opportunities (e.g., research projects, internships, study abroad programs) at UF Honors are you most excited about? How do they align with your goals?
- Are there any specific UF Honors professors or courses that intrigue you? How do they connect to your academic or career aspirations?
- What extracurricular activities do you plan to join or start at UF? How will these activities feed your curiosity and contribute to your personal development?
- How do you see the UF Honors Program helping you grow intellectually and personally over the next few years?
A compelling essay will be detailed and specific, and demonstrate the writer’s intellectual curiosity and commitment to UF. Use a narrative approach to show how your curiosity has shaped your academic journey so far, and include relevant personal anecdotes that show your passion for learning, and how you have proactively sought out opportunities to satisfy your curiosity.
From there, you’ll want to describe how you have already engaged with these interests or activities in high school, and how you plan to continue doing so at UF by mentioning specific academic subjects, programs, or courses at UF that excite you, and explain why they are meaningful to you and how they align with your goals.
Discuss how the UF Honors Program’s offerings will help you explore your interests in greater depth, and how this exploration will help you achieve your future aspirations. Show how your interests and goals will not only benefit you, but also contribute to the UF Honors community. If applicable, discuss how you might collaborate with peers or bring new ideas and perspectives to the Honors Program.
Everything just mentioned is a good way to establish a tangible connection to the program, but you might also try to establish an intangible connection as well, which involves discussing how the program’s values–which are listed as opportunity, community, and challenge–might align with your own.
Now, let’s take a look at a weak example, and then see how we could revise and improve it.
“I’m excited to attend UF because it’s a prestigious school with many opportunities. I’ve always been curious about many subjects, and I know UF will provide the resources I need to explore them. Growing up in Florida, I’ve always felt connected to the environment and hope to study marine conservation to preserve the beautiful beaches in my state. I’m particularly interested in the Honors Program because it will allow me to challenge myself academically and grow as a person, especially with the different options the program has. I look forward to taking advantage of all that UF has to offer.”
This example is too vague. There’s no personal connection or clear demonstration of how the student’s curiosity drives their academic and extracurricular interests. Additionally, it doesn’t mention any particular subjects, courses, or opportunities at UF, nor does it explain how the Honors Program specifically will help the student achieve their goals. A better version is below.
“As a budding marine biologist, the sight of coral reefs bleaching off the coast of my hometown in Key West ignited a passion for understanding and protecting our oceans. I am eager to dive (no pun intended) into UF’s Honors courses like ‘Marine Conservation Biology,’ which will allow me to explore the mechanisms behind ecosystem degradation.
I’m particularly drawn to the Honors Program’s research opportunities with faculty like Dr. David Julian, whose work on coral resilience aligns perfectly with my goal of restoring Florida’s reefs. Beyond the classroom, I plan to go on kayaking, canoeing, and surfing trips through the Center for Outdoor Recreation Education, where I’ll initiate discussions with my peers about how environmental activism benefits human and non-human animals alike.”
This excerpt utilizes more vivid storytelling, and explains more personally why the writer is drawn to their course of study. There is a clear bridge between the student’s past experiences and their future aspirations, and we can clearly see how the UF Honors Program specifically will help them achieve those goals, as well as how the student plans to contribute to the UF community.
Innovation Academy Applicants
As Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Reflecting on this, what academic subjects, learning opportunities, or extracurricular activities are you most excited to engage in during your college experience? How do you imagine or hope the UF Honors Program will help feed your curiosity and help you achieve your aspirations? (150-400 words)
This prompt is a narrowed down example of a “Why This College” essay archetype, as the focus is on the University of Florida’s Innovation Academy (IA) specifically. The admissions committee wants to know two things: why you’re interested in IA in particular, and how it will influence your future professional career. The key is that your essay should be about IA, not UF at large.
As a reminder, UF’s Innovation Academy is a specialized minor program with a hands-on, collaborative curriculum that operates on a spring/summer schedule. Its most recent admissions profile included a total of 644 students, which means that only about 5% of UF is also part of the Innovation Academy.
The uniqueness of IA should be reflected in your essay: emphasize the aspects of the program that can’t be found at any other school, including UF more broadly, and explain how they align with your interests and goals. Think about the following questions to help you get started:
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What about the Innovation Academy appeals to you?
- Are specific programs, opportunities for interdisciplinary or experiential learning, or the Innovation minor particularly interesting to you?
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What excites you about innovation and entrepreneurship?
- Have you participated in any projects, competitions, or courses related to innovation or entrepreneurship?
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Why is interdisciplinary learning important to you?
- How do you envision blending different fields of study to create something new and impactful?
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How does the Innovation Academy align with your career goals?
- Which aspects of the IA’s curriculum, like the Innovation minor or spring/summer schedule, are relevant to your future plans and long-term goals?
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What specific opportunities or resources within the Innovation Academy will help you grow?
- Are there particular classes, faculty, or events that excite you?
- How will the program’s resources, opportunities, and environment help you prepare for your desired career?
A strong essay will demonstrate a clear, personal connection to IA. It should show that you’ve done your research, and that your interest in the program is genuine, not that you just want another thing to put on your resume.
Highlight specific aspects of the program that align with your goals, such as the unique spring/summer schedule, the emphasis on innovation, or the opportunity to work on real-world projects, in order to illustrate how IA will help you achieve your career goals. Be concrete about how the skills, experiences, and connections you’ll gain from IA will help you in your future profession.
It’s also a good idea to include personal anecdotes or experiences that have led you to your interest in innovation, entrepreneurship, or interdisciplinary studies. That will help your passion for this field come across as deep and authentic.
Now, let’s look into a potential, rough draft example, and explain how it could be strengthened.
“I’m interested in joining UF’s Innovation Academy because it will give me the skills I need to succeed in marketing and brand creation. I’ve always been creative, and the program’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship seems like a good fit to equip me with the abilities and knowledge to market tech products in a unique way. IA will provide the opportunities I’m looking for to fit my personal interests, and I’m also excited to work with other students who share my interests in marketing and technology.”
This response is generic and lacks depth. It doesn’t explain why the Innovation Academy specifically is the right program for the writer, or how it will help her achieve her career goals, so it seems like it could apply to almost any school/program. Let’s read an improved version below.
“My fascination with how technology shapes consumer behavior has driven me to explore innovative marketing strategies that captivate audiences, for example through the social media campaign I launched to market the homemade masks I designed during the pandemic. When I discovered UF’s Innovation Academy, I was thrilled by the program’s unique approach to blending creativity with real-world problem-solving, which aligns perfectly with my goal to use tech to develop cutting-edge marketing campaigns.
I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to work on projects through the Innovation in Action course, and present them at the Catalyst showcase. This is a chance for me to pitch my ideas to both my peers and a broader audience, which will give me a more concrete sense of how to incorporate new technology with traditional marketing approaches once I enter the professional world.”
This response, on the other hand, clearly connects the student’s interest in marketing and technology with specific aspects of the Innovation Academy (a particular course and showcase). It demonstrates that she has not only a concrete vision for her future, but also a deep understanding of how the program will help her achieve her professional goals.
Where to Get Your University of Florida Essays Edited For Free
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