How to Write the Virginia Tech Essays 2024-2025
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, more commonly known as Virginia Tech, is a public land-grant university located in Blacksburg Virginia. It is one of 6 U.S. senior military colleges. With over 200 undergraduate and graduate programs and over 30,000 students, Virginia Tech is the largest university in Virginia.
Since Virginia Tech is a fairly selective school, writing strong essays is essential to standing out as an applicant. At first glance, completing these essays might seem like no easy task. However, we at CollegeVine are here to provide guidance on how to approach Virginia Tech’s supplements!
Read these Virginia Tech essay examples to inspire your own writing.
Virginia Tech Supplemental Essay Prompts
Prompt 1: Virginia Tech’s motto is “Ut Prosim” which means ‘That I May Serve’. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech? (120 words)
Prompt 2: Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community supports access and inclusion by affirming the dignity and value of every person, respecting differences, promoting mutual understanding and open expression, and strives to eliminate bias and discrimination. Reflect on a time when you were not able or allowed to express a different or diverse position or opinion (or you witnessed another person or group experience the same situation)? How did you respond or wish you would have responded? Did your viewpoint change in any way after this experience? (120 words)
Prompt 3: Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time? (120 words)
Prompt 4: Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from as you work on this goal? (120 words)
Prompt 1:
Virginia Tech’s motto is “Ut Prosim” which means ‘That I May Serve’. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech? (120 words)
This prompt is an example of the Impact on Community/Community Service archetype—the point is to see how you have been an active member of a particular community so admissions officers can get a sense of your passions and how you will embrace the Virginia Tech community. With a word count of only 120 words, there is little room to be too detailed, but it’s still enough to fully and effectively answer the prompt.
When brainstorming for this prompt, you’ll want to consider the extracurricular activities and community service activities that have been the most meaningful for you. Think about any longstanding involvements you have with a service-based club, organization, or activism project, situations in which you showed true altruism, activities you do that have a positive impact on your community, and your dedication to social change or justice.
However, make sure to avoid short-term projects and stand-alone events. Deep involvement, ideally over several years, is what reflects genuine commitment to your cause. A weeklong Habitat for Humanity trip or an afternoon working at the local food bank don’t pack much of a punch on their own. That said, sometimes a shorter term involvement, or even a single-day event, can make a big impact on you. If that’s true for you, you can discuss those experiences— just make sure to clearly connect them to your deeper commitments and values.
Then, demonstrate how your involvement in this specific community has shaped your development. A great way to do this is to show who you were (through thoughts, feelings, emotions, or physicalities) before you joined this community, and who you are now as a result.
Finally, include how your values will continue shaping your life in the future, and maybe even demonstrate how you would positively contribute to the Virginia Tech community; admissions officers should be able to clearly see why this story matters for understanding what kind of college student you’ll be. This final piece is where you will convince admissions officers you are the right fit for the campus community. There is not one right answer, as this is highly personal to each individual.
The way to approach this is to be as specific as possible about what you want to do on campus. Make sure, however, that you can back up whatever you say with the rest of your application. You do not have to find a unique program that you think would make you stand out if it’s not something that connects to the community you were previously a part of.
Avoid the following common mistakes made with this archetype:
Don’t use a privileged or pretentious tone. You don’t want to cast yourself as some kind of savior, or the people you helped as existing only to help you learn about yourself.
Don’t come to a cliché conclusion. Be original in sharing your experience. Cliché messages like “I learned that people can be happy with so little” or “I learned the importance of giving back” are red flags of inauthenticity.
Don’t be detached or impersonal. Make sure to write about the impact you made, what you felt, and your personal experience throughout. Being vulnerable, and acknowledging and uncertainty or discomfort you felt, typically makes your essay stronger, and those sentiments are evidence of true growth.
Don’t focus too much on the “what,” but rather the “why” and “how.” More than just what you did, describe why you did it, and how it connects to your learning and personal growth.
Don’t use a generic or overused example like volunteering at a soup kitchen or picking up litter unless you have a genuinely unique perspective or narrative. For example, maybe you started doing deliveries from the soup kitchen on your bike, to reach people who were unable to travel there, or you started creating found art with some of the pieces of litter you found.
Whatever it is that you want to continue doing in college, try to find the corresponding club or organization within Virginia Tech that you would join. Once again, this will help tie your individual goals with that of the university and show that you really spent time looking into them. Having more information about Virginia Tech will not only help you solidify your own reasons for applying, but it will also show the admissions team that the school is a good fit for you. See potential examples below:
Good example: “For the last three years, I’ve been volunteering at a local animal rescue by fostering dogs that need extra care before adoption. My most memorable experience was rehabilitating a severely anxious dog named Luna. Through patience and consistency, I helped her overcome her fears and find a loving home. She became more friendly throughout the process and even wagged her tail at strangers. This taught me the power of empathy and dedication in transforming someone who needs companionship. At Virginia Tech, I’m eager to join the Animal Welfare Club to advocate for rescue animals and educate others on responsible pet ownership.”
This example is specific and highlights a concrete, impactful experience. The student clearly explains what they learned and how they plan to apply these lessons at Virginia Tech, making the response memorable and connected to their future goals.
Bad Example: “I’ve always loved helping others in my community. I’ve participated in various volunteer activities, such as working at food banks and participating in clothing drives. These experiences have shown me how rewarding it is to serve others. I hope to continue serving others when I attend Virginia Tech.”
This example is too vague and general, lacking specific details about the community served or the nature of the student’s contributions. It doesn’t indicate any long-term service or regular volunteering but instead seems to be about work they did every once in a while. It doesn’t provide insight into the lessons learned or how these experiences will translate into meaningful action at Virginia Tech.
Overall, this prompt wants to know how you have improved the lives of others in your community. To do so, provide a narrative that shows how you used some sort of knowledge to take on a leadership role in an act of service, and make sure to explain your motivations, contributions, and values related to this experience.
Prompt 2:
Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community supports access and inclusion by affirming the dignity and value of every person, respecting differences, promoting mutual understanding and open expression, and strives to eliminate bias and discrimination. Have you had an experience when you or someone you know were not being included? Did you reach out to anyone for assistance, direction, or resources? Were you able to affect change and/or influence others? Did this experience change your perspective and if so, how? (120 words)
This prompt is a version of two very common essays: the Diversity archetype, which wants to know more about your personal background and its impact on your worldview, and the Overcoming Challenges archetype, which seeks to understand your approach to adversity and its impact on your development.
Virginia Tech is looking for a reflection on how you’ve navigated issues of inclusion and bias, either personally or by helping someone else. They want to see your problem-solving and leadership skills, as well as how this experience shaped your understanding of inclusion.
When considering an experience of exclusion or discrimination, think about common markers of identity, such as race, ethnicity, culture, gender and sexual orientations, socioeconomic classes, illnesses and disabilities, or even interests and hobbies, in addition to aspects like language barriers and personal dispositions. Did any of these have an impact on how or why you or someone else was being excluded?
Remember, your essay does not have to be about a serious or severe incident to be good. If you have experienced a profound instance of discrimination, then you can absolutely write about that and how you worked to overcome it. However, it can also be something more routine or accidental, like a student at your school who struggled with English or a quiet friend who is sometimes left out of conversations.
Then, think about how you reacted to the situation and what you did to try to resolve it. Finally, demonstrate how this experience and your subsequent actions impacted your perspective and your understanding of inclusion, equity, and diversity.
Read the example excerpts below:
Good example: “In middle school, my best friend was often left out of group activities because she wore a hijab. I approached our teacher and suggested we hold a cultural awareness day. The event was a success, fostering a better understanding among students, and we learned about her culture and religion in addition to others represented in our class. This experience taught me the importance of standing up against exclusion using education and engagement. At Virginia Tech, I plan to join the Muslim Student Association to continue promoting cultural understanding and inclusion.”
This response is specific and personal. It identifies an issue of exclusion and then clearly outlines the steps taken to address it. Finally, it ends with a commitment to fostering inclusion at Virginia Tech by joining a relevant student group.
Bad Example: “In eighth grade, one of my classmates wasn’t included in a group project. I felt bad, so I tried to speak to them more and encouraged others to involve them. This situation made me realize how important it is to include everyone. I hope to continue promoting inclusion at Virginia Tech by being friendly to my classmates.”
This example is vague and lacks detail about the situation or the actions taken. It applies a cliché that could have happened to anyone without specific or meaningful elaboration. It does not engage in any personal reflection, which makes the response less impactful.
Overall, this prompt is an opportunity to tell a story about who you are, where you come from, and what you have learned because of those things. Be specific and genuine, and show how you’ll contribute to Virginia Tech’s diverse community.
Prompt 3
Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time? (120 words)
At first glance, this prompt seems quite broad, as you have the choice between discussing one of several options: influencing others, leadership, resolving a dispute, or contributing to group goals. However, while these may seem different, each of these is centered around the idea of leadership.
Although this prompt is similar to the first prompt, make sure you choose a new topic. With that being said, you want to describe a situation in which you took an active role, as this will highlight your leadership and problem-solving abilities. As you only have 120 words, focus on a single event in which your leadership had a clear impact. Mention the particular skills you used, like communication, organization, or problem-solving, and then reflect on how this experience shaped your understanding of what it means to be a leader.
You could discuss your role in a group project and how you and your team worked together to execute your goals, but this is quite cliché. Instead, you want to consider a scenario with a little more weight; while your school project may have seemed important at the moment, it usually isn’t accompanied with any larger implications. However, you could spin this trivial moment to talk about how you had to assume one of the hardest responsibilities of a leader, which is confronting team members who don’t pull their weight. By discussing your thought process and how you learned how to skillfully get your point across without offending your group members, you can turn an insignificant group project into a turning point in your development. An example excerpt is included below:
Good example: “As president of the debate club, I led our team to victory in a regional tournament. I organized extra practice sessions, developed new strategies, and mentored less experienced members. My team relied on me for guidance during tense moments. Through this, I learned that leadership means empowering others to reach their full potential. I plan to apply these skills at Virginia Tech by joining the Public Speaking Club and helping others build their confidence.”
This response is focused on a specific event, clearly outlines the student’s leadership role and contributions, and connects the experience to future activities at Virginia Tech. It provides personal reflection on the experience, which makes the essay more meaningful.
Bad Example: “I was the leader of my group project in history class. I divided up the tasks, made sure everyone knew what they were doing, and helped whenever someone had questions. This experience showed me that groups need leadership to make their work effective and efficient. I plan to take on more leadership roles in my classes and extracurricular groups at Virginia Tech.”
This example lacks depth and detail. It doesn’t describe specific skills or challenges faced, and the connection to future leadership roles is vague. Again, the group project scenario is cliché without any unique spin on it.
As long as the focus of this essay is on you—specifically your skills and character traits—this essay will accomplish its goal of proving to admissions officers you are capable of being a leader. Make sure you include the circumstances that required you to step up, you highlight two or three skills you demonstrated by describing your actions and thought process in the situation, and you finish by articulating how this experience helped you grow as a leader.
Prompt 4
Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from and how do they support your progress as you work on this goal? (120 words)
In this prompt, Virginia Tech is interested in your goal-setting process, the steps you’re taking to achieve your goal, and the support system that helps you stay on track. Your goal could be from any aspect of your life—an academic goal, a career goal, or something more personal. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be as long-term as a career goal if there is something more immediate you feel more passionately about. Here, the key is to demonstrate why the goal is important to you by describing the motivations you have for setting it.
Make sure you clearly state the goal you’re writing about – be specific and don’t leave any room for vagueness. Prioritize focusing on one goal, as you only have 120 words and don’t want to overload the essay at the expense of your writing. Then, describe specific actions you’ve taken or plan to take, along with a realistic timeline. Finally, mention the people who encourage you or provide guidance, showing that you value collaboration and support. Check out the examples below:
Good example: “I plan to become fluent in Mandarin by the time I graduate college. I set this goal after a cultural exchange trip to China, where I struggled to communicate. To achieve this, I’m taking Mandarin classes, practicing daily with language apps, and joining a language exchange group. My Mandarin teacher provides guidance, and my friend who is a native speaker helps me with conversation practice. I plan to achieve fluency by the end of my junior year.”
This response is clear, specific, and outlines a detailed plan with a realistic timeline. The goal is personally meaningful, and the student has identified a support system to help them succeed.
Bad Example: “I want to improve my public speaking skills. I plan to take classes and practice in front of my friends. This goal is important to me because I want to be more confident when speaking. I’ll seek advice from my teacher and friends as I work on this goal.”
This example is vague and lacks specificity in both the steps and the timeline. It is abstract in its end state, meaning that there is no clear marker of achievement. The goal isn’t deeply connected to a personal experience, making it less compelling.
Overall, with all these essays, you want to give the admissions committee a glimpse into your individuality. Although all these essays are short, a brief, meaningful paragraph can give the reader the insight needed to gauge your personality, values, and ambitions. Remember, make your writing personal!
We hope this guide has allowed you to approach Virginia Tech’s application with the utmost confidence. Happy writing!
Where to Get Your Virginia Tech Essays Edited
Do you want feedback on your Virginia Tech essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool, where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.
Need feedback faster? Get a free, nearly-instantaneous essay review from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!
