The University of Connecticut requires all applicants to submit a Common App, which includes a personal essay. In addition, some applicants may be asked to submit supplemental essays.
Supplemental Essays
Supplemental essays are short essays that are used to supplement your personal essay. They give you an opportunity to provide additional information about yourself and your experiences that may not be covered in your personal essay.
UConn has two types of supplemental essays:
- Program-specific essays: These essays are required for applicants to certain academic programs, such as the Honors Program or the School of Business.
- Optional essays: These essays are not required, but they give you an opportunity to provide additional information about yourself that may not be covered in your personal essay or other application materials.
Program-Specific Essays
The following academic programs at UConn require applicants to submit program-specific supplemental essays:
- Honors Program
- School of Business
- School of Dental Medicine
- School of Engineering
- School of Fine Arts
- School of Law
- School of Medicine
- School of Nursing
- School of Pharmacy
The specific prompts for the program-specific supplemental essays vary from program to program. You can find the prompts on the UConn website.
Optional Essays
UConn offers two optional supplemental essays:
- Why UConn?
- Additional Information
The “Why UConn?” essay gives you an opportunity to explain why you are interested in attending UConn. You can use this essay to discuss your academic interests, your extracurricular activities, or your personal connection to UConn.
The “Additional Information” essay gives you an opportunity to provide additional information about yourself that may not be covered in your personal essay or other application materials. You can use this essay to discuss your work experience, your volunteer experience, or your research interests.
Tips for Writing Supplemental Essays
Here are some tips for writing supplemental essays:
- Start early. Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, write, and revise your supplemental essays.
- Read the prompts carefully. Make sure you understand what the prompts are asking for before you start writing.
- Be specific. Use specific examples to support your claims.
- Be concise. Supplemental essays should be no more than 250 words each.
- Proofread carefully. Make sure your essays are free of errors in grammar and spelling.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when writing supplemental essays:
- Don’t repeat information from your personal essay. The supplemental essays should provide new information about yourself that is not covered in your personal essay.
- Don’t be generic. Don’t just restate the prompts in your essays. Use specific examples to show how you meet the criteria for the program or essay.
- Don’t make excuses. If you have a low GPA or a low test score, don’t make excuses for it. Instead, focus on your strengths and what you can bring to the program.
- Don’t be negative. Supplemental essays should be positive and upbeat. Don’t dwell on your weaknesses or failures.
- Don’t submit essays that are not proofread. Make sure your essays are free of errors in grammar and spelling.
Conclusion
Supplemental essays can be a great way to supplement your personal essay and provide additional information about yourself to the admissions committee. By following these tips, you can write supplemental essays that will help you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of admission to UConn.