how to write villanova essays

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Villanova Supplemental Essays 2024-25 – Prompts & Advice

July 8, 2024

Villanova University’s 23.5% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 is less than half of what it was as recently as 2015. Today, admitted students earned a mid-50% SAT of 1450-1530, and you typically need mostly A’s in AP/honors courses to have a serious shot at acceptance. Writing excellent Common App and Villanova supplemental essays is also an incredibly important piece of the admissions puzzle for wannabe Wildcats.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Villanova? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into Villanova University for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In this blog, we will look at the Villanova supplemental essays for the 2024-25 admissions cycle along with tips about how to write essays that will win over admissions officers.

Villanova Supplemental Essays: Free Choice (2024-25)

For the first Villanova-specific essay, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose  one  of the five topics below and submit a written response in  about  250 words.

Prompt 1: St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities? 

Some students may have more direct experience with equity social justice issues than others, but—no matter your background—this is an opportunity to demonstrate that you care about justice and fairness in your local community as well as the global community. If applicable, you can speak about a time when you spoke up for a peer in a moment of need or, alternatively, an instance when you got involved in a larger cause or movement (politics, activism, volunteer work, etc.). If you don’t happen to have a deeply personal story to tell in this realm, you’ll probably want to select a different prompt. While there’s nothing wrong with simply articulating your basic beliefs in the values of inclusion, equity, tolerance, and diversity, it doesn’t necessarily make for the most compelling essay.

Villanova Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Prompt 2: What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others at Villanova?

Prompt #2 is trying to assess what type of community member you would be as part of Villanova’s campus. The university greatly values those who have gained wisdom from their extracurricular involvement and leadership while in high school. In fact, the admitted Class of 2028 cohort included 83% who participated in community service, 66% who held paying jobs, and 81% who played sports. This essay presents the chance to communicate the wisdom you have acquired from participation in your present communities; then, you can switch gears to illustrate how the lessons you have learned will impact your future collegiate community.

Prompt 3: “Villanova” means “new home.” Why do you want to call Villanova your new home?

Villanova wants to know why you desire to pursue your studies at their institution and how you will become part of their campus community. This one is going to require a fair amount of school-specific research. What appeals to you most about Villanova? Is it their mission/values? An aspect of their community? An area of study, academic offering, or particular initiative? Whatever you choose, you’ll want to be sure to explain why it is important to you. This is essentially a “Why Villanova” essay, so if you decide to choose this prompt, see additional guidance in the next section.

Prompt 4: As an Augustinian community, we value recognizing individuals for their true selves. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity, background, experiences or interests.

Have you ever been the recipient of negative comments or hurtful actions, perhaps in regard to relationships, household income level, mental or physical challenges, neurodiversity, gender identity, sexual orientation, cultural background, or personal hobbies, to name a few? If so, answering this prompt could be a good option. While crafting your response, the important thing to keep in mind is that the misjudgment itself is less important than how you handled it, and what that reveals about your character and perspective. How did you react to the misjudgment, and what steps did you take to cope? In what ways has it impacted you? How has it influenced your perspective and the way you engage with the world? Make sure you share what you were feeling and experiencing; this piece should demonstrate openness and vulnerability.

Prompt 5: At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” Please detail a time when someone has borrowed some of your strength in their time of need.

Prompt #5 is also getting at the idea of community, but in a very specific context—how you support your family, friends, acquaintances, or even strangers during times of struggle. So, what is the Villanova committee really getting at here? In short, part of being a good community member is offering help or assistance when needed or perceived, whether it is in the academic, social, or personal realm. Nova wants to see that you a) mature enough to understand when someone else may need a helping hand and b) are the type of person who can offer that help as needed. If you have a story of this nature from your high school experience, this may be an excellent fit for you.

Examples of items that quality “Why Villanova?” essays touch upon include:

• 98% of first-year students live on campus, creating a cohesive atmosphere.
• Students come from roughly 50 foreign countries so you’ll meet people from all over the country/world.
• 300+  student organizations exist on campus. Pick one or two that are of interest to you.
• Students donate 250,000 hours per year to community service. Talk about how you will get involved .
• Talk in detail about the specifics of your academic program whether it is one of the 47 majors in the College of Liberal Arts & Science or part of the business, engineering, or nursing schools.
• Discuss which undergraduate research opportunities at Villanova you plan to pursue.
• How will you take advantage of the school’s location which is 12 miles outside Philadelphia? Think about community service, internships, etc.
• The Office of Education Abroad offers a multitude of semester, summer, and intensive programs abroad . How would you take advantage of these unique opportunities?

Of course, these are just a fraction of the possible features that could be part of a successful essay. As you enter the prewriting stage, you’ll want to avoid some common pitfalls that we observe applicants fall into when attacking the Villanova “Why Us?” essay. We don’t want to label these as “mistakes” (there is nothing inherently wrong with them); they just don’t add any needle-moving value, which is the only goal here!

Common components of a generic “Why Us” essay

• Mentioning Villanova’s US News ranking.
• Showing love for the Villanova basketball team.
• Recycling statements from your other “Why Us?” essays that come across as stale, impersonal, or worst of all–irrelevant/inaccurate.
• Using statements about how Villanova “feels like home,” or you’ve “wanted to attend since kindergarten.” Show this adoration through specifics instead.

How to write a winning “Why Villanova?” essay

• Address a) why Nova is the perfect fit for you and  b) why you are the perfect fit for Nova.
• Cite specific academic programs, professors, research opportunities, internship/externship programs, study abroad programs, student-run organizations, etc. (like the suggestions cited above).
• How will you become an active, contributing member of the student body?
• Show evidence of how your past/current endeavors will carry over onto Villanova’s campus.
• How will you take advantage of the university’s tremendous resources both inside and outside of the classroom?

How important are the supplemental essays?

Three factors are viewed as “very important” to the Nova admissions committee. These are: the GPA earned, the rigor of one’s curriculum, and class rank. Seven factors are rated as “important”: recommendations, essays, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, work experience, and volunteer work. Clearly, the essays are one of the most important application components for any prospective Wildcat.

Villanova Essays – Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Villanova supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

Need additional essay advice? You might consider checking out the following:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• How to Brainstorm a College Essay
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• How to Write the Community Essay
• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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5 Tips for Writing an Amazing Villanova Essay

Villanova University is a private, Catholic research university in Pennsylvania. With a 20 percent acceptance rate, it's considered moderately competitive —but even that level of selectiveness has an average GPA just shy of 4.0. But acceptance to Villanova isn't just about your test scores and GPA; you'll also need to nail the Villanova supplement essay, rounding out your application with a strong representation of yourself.

In this guide, we'll cover all of Villanova's essay prompts and how to best answer them, including potential topics and pitfalls.

Feature Image: abbike18 /Wikimedia Commons

What Are the Villanova Essay Prompts?

Villanova University only accepts the Common Application . In addition to the required Common Application essay question, you'll be writing additional supplemental essays specifically for Villanova.

Two more supplemental essays are required as part of your application. The first essay, called Villanova Free Choice, gives you five options, and you only have to answer one. You'll have about 250 words to work with!

No prompt is inherently better than the others—pick whichever appeals to you most. Each one is unique to Villanova, and they all add their own flair to the expected essay format.

The second essay is a "Why This College" essay. Essentially, admissions counselors want to know why Villanova is the perfect school for you...in about 150 words, which isn't very much space!

Now, let's take a closer look at these essay prompts and how to answer them.

For the first essay, you'll get to choose which prompt you answer. Read on to make sure you're picking the Villanova prompt that gives you the best chance of getting in!

Essay Prompt #1: Villanova Free Choice

This section gives you five essay prompts. You'll only have to answer one!

The Villanova website suggests that you answer this essay in 250 words even though you have a maximum of 300 words on the Common App. Our recommendation? Keep your response as close to 250 words as possible!

Free Choice Option #1: The Equity and Justice Prompt

St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities?

What Is This Essay Asking You to Do?

Essay prompts addressing equity and justice are very common in the college application process. Why? Because equity and justice are core values of many schools! This means that your response needs to show that you value equity and justice too. 

To show that you hold these core values, you’ll need to tell a real story about a time when you advocated for equity and justice in a community you belong to. The community you choose to write about is up to you, but your response should focus on the actions you took to promote the well-being of your “neighbors,” and why.

What Makes A Good Answer?

#1: Focus on your communities. To answer this question well, think about where you come 

from. What communities are you a part of? Who are the people in these communities? Your act of advocating for equity and justice should involve people who you consider to be your “neighbors”--and that ultimately means that your response should be personal. Pick a scenario in which you advocated for equity and justice for people you truly care about. Your passion will definitely shine through in your response!

#2: Explain what equity and justice mean to you. While there's a generally accepted definition of what constitutes "equity and justice," you may have had life experiences that have infused these words with some specific meanings to you. If you have a definition of equity and justice in your own words that you feel is powerful, include it in your response, and explain how you arrived at that definition.

#3: Place yourself at the center of the action. A good response here will highlight how you have been directly involved in or impacted by equity and justice as you understand it. For example, maybe you realized your high school English reading list included no texts written by people of color, so you got with other students to advocate for changes to the reading list. Highlight something you've done or experienced firsthand to showcase how, like Villanova, equity and justice are at the core of who you are.

What Are Some Potential Essay Topics?

In addition to the essay topics above, consider these possibilities: 

• You realized that many students at your school didn’t have a working understanding of what “equity” actually means! You organized a production with your school’s theatre department that put on a dramatic portrayal of what equity looks like in real life. Proceeds from the production went to a nonprofit organization that students in your school collectively chose.
• You worked with the students who are in the top 10 percent of your high school class to offer summer tutoring sessions to lower income elementary school students who struggled with standardized testing.

Are There Pitfalls You Should Avoid?

#1: Avoid shallow answers. This question isn't really asking you to write about the time that someone was left out on the playground and you invited them into your jump rope game. You'll need to think a bit deeper about what "equity and justice" can mean, and you'll have to show that you understand these concepts on a cultural, social, and/or political level. Think about the implications of equity and justice beyond just inviting someone "in" who was on the outside, and your answer will show Villanova admissions that you have a complex understanding of one of the school's core values.

#2: Don’t brag. Yes, you need to make your actions the centerpiece of your response to this question. But don’t exaggerate the effects of your efforts! Just be truthful about what you accomplished and what the outcome was. There’s no need to brag about your advocacy. The facts of your active participation in efforts for equity and justice will speak for themselves in your response.

Free Choice Option #2: The Truest Thing Prompt

What is the truest thing that you know?

Everyone has principles that guide their life, and this free choice essay prompt is asking you to describe one of yours. In about 250 words, you'll need to respond to this prompt--if you choose it--by selecting the one truest thing you know, and explaining how you came to that conclusion.

Now, don't get bogged down worrying about whether Villanova admissions will agree that your "truest thing" is actually the truest: the prompt asks about the truest thing that you know because they want to see what values guide your life to make you who you are. To "justify" your answer, you'll just need to tell the story of how you came to the conclusion that your truest thing is true.

#1: Tell a story. Think about an experience or situation that showcased the truth of the thing you decide to write about. For example, say you decide that your truest thing is Mr. Rogers' claim: "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Maybe there was a situation where your community was hit hard by a natural disaster and you were encouraged by working alongside the helpers who worked to restore your community. Whatever truest thing you choose to write about, telling the story of how you saw the truthfulness of it in a real situation from your life will make this response memorable.

#2: Pick something that 's t otally you. There are probably a lot of things you find to be true that guide your life, but for this response, write about the one that is most likely to showcase one of your core qualities or values. For instance, maybe you've been working hard to practice meditation, and you've become known for your ability to keep calm in tough times. So your truest thing is that through mindfulness, we can find peace in the world around us. Whatever the case may be, write about a "truth" that exemplifies who you are.

#3: Think outside the box. Consider "truest things" that aren't necessarily super serious. Can funny things be true? Can truest things be said with a touch of sarcasm? Yes, and yes. Remember that the point of these free choice essays is to show the person behind the application. As long as you can provide meaningful context for your "truest thing," it's totally fine if yours is funny, ironic, or just kind of kooky.

On top of the essay options above, consider these potential topics:

• You pick a quote from your favorite literary character and tell the story of how that quote became true to you. Maybe that happened through a tough situation with a friend, but it taught you the value of learning from literature...and the insight helped you patch up the situation!
• You tell the story of how you went into a challenging situation believing one thing to be true, but came out on the other side of the situation with a whole new perspective. You explain why that new perspective informs your everyday life choices in the present.

#1: Don't get too cheesy. Your "truest thing" can be something basic to human existence, an ironic quote from Friends, or a principle taken from a philosophical or religious perspective that guides your life, but don't get too cheesy if you're picking a quote. Maybe leave the Dr. Seuss quotes for graduation ceremonies and try putting your "truest thing" into your own words instead.

#2: Don't obsess about finding a quote. Instead of getting caught up trying to think of some pithy quote to talk about, let your memories of meaningful moments in your life guide you to what to write about here. Your "truest thing" doesn't have to be some flowery statement from Bill Gates or John F. Kennedy. You can use your own experiences as your "truest thing," too!

This prompt is all about your relationship with technology!

Free Choice Option #3: The Second Chances Prompt

One of the themes in St. Augustine's book, Confessions, is the idea of redemption. Tell us your story of being given a second chance.

This essay prompt is asking you to explain your understanding of the idea of redemption based on your personal experiences and/or observations.

This question is tied to Villanova's core values, so it's going to be important to them to see that you're a person who has thought through the value of second chances. Telling a story about your experiences with second chances will show admissions counselors that you understand the positive potential of mistakes.

#1: Tell a personal story. The prompt is explicit here: you’re being asked to tell a story about a time you were given a second chance . For instance, maybe you got super busy in high school and neglected your younger sister. When she told you her feelings were hurt, you apologized and made a commitment to spend more time with her. In your response, you could explain how receiving a second chance from a family member taught you that not all hurt is intentional, and you now give others the benefit of the doubt when you're upset.

#2: Reflect on your experience. Like with most of the essay prompts here, you also need to explain what you learned from the experience. Specifically, you need to reflect on what your experience of being given a second chance taught you about redemption. You don’t have to get too philosophical, but you should tie in some explanation of what redemption means to you after being given a second chance in your life.

On top of the possible topics mentioned above, here are two more sample topics to consider:

• You decide to describe your first ever memory of being given a second chance when you were a young child. You describe how that experience laid the foundation for your current definition of redemption.
• You had an experience when you let your team down, but when you came to apologize, the team welcomed you back with open arms. You explain how the experience taught you the transformative power of unconditional love and how second chances make communities stronger.

#1: You forget the personal aspect. Yes, there are plenty of stories about second chances in religious literature and folklore, but chances are that Villanova admissions is already familiar with those stories. You need to tell a story that is more personal or current than that—a real experience or observation of a second chance that has impacted you.

#2: Keep it personal, but not too personal. If you choose to tell about a time that you were given a second chance or that you gave someone else a second chance, don't go too far into the gory details. While you want your response to be genuine and personal, you also want to leave out any details that may put the other people involved in an uncomfortable position.

Free Choice Option #4: The Lessons Learned Prompt

In the Villanova community, we believe that we all learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others?

Do your core values and life choices line up with Villanova's values? If yes, can you prove it? That's basically the crux of what this free choice prompt is asking. Villanova has strong community values that they want to see their future students exhibiting in their own lives. This is your time to show that the lessons you’ve learned in your life have led you to similar values--and that you’re willing to share them with others.

Specifically, this prompt is asking you to tell your story through the lens of a lesson you’ve learned. In other words, you'll need to explain what you learned, how you learned it, and back that up through a description of your real life experiences.

#1: Focus on your background. To answer this question well, dig into your experiences with others in your life. This question emphasizes the idea of learning from your community. Think of a time in your life when you learned something meaningful from a person in your community, whether that’s a friend, mentor, or even someone you didn’t necessarily connect with previously. Use your personal experience as a way to answer this prompt.

#2: Emphasize the experience that taught you the lesson. A good response to this question will show the lesson you learned rather than telling. Did you learn that it’s okay to lean on others when you’re struggling? Did you learn how to find contentment despite difficult circumstances? Whatever you choose to write about, you need to focus on your feelings and actions surrounding what you learned . Delving into the details of the experience that taught you the lesson--and how you felt about it--rather than waxing philosophic about the lesson itself will make a compelling response to this question. 

#3: Pivot to Villanova at the end. Like most of these prompts, this one is asking you to provide some insight into what kind of a student you’ll be at Villanova. This means that part of your response must include your thoughts on why you’d want to share your lesson with the Villanova community. So, think about more universal applications of your lesson. If you were sharing your lesson with fellow students at Villanova, how would you make it relatable to their lives as well?

If you're looking for topic ideas, in addition to the two mentioned above, try these on for size:

• You tell the story of a time when you pushed for a change that would make a policy or experience inclusive of a group who was being left out … but despite your efforts, the change didn’t happen. Then you explain what that experience taught you about how inclusion/exclusion affects people's lives.
• You tell the story of a lesson you learned due to your life circumstances in your home. You explain how those conditions helped form your core outlook on persevering through difficult life circumstances in your response to this prompt.

#1: Avoid cliches. This essay isn’t the place to write about how you learned to never judge a book by its cover or that a penny saved is a penny earned. Don’t invoke idioms or common catchphrases here--they’ll come across as shallow and insincere. The best way to avoid this is to come up with a real example from your life and put what you learned in your own words.

#2: Avoid answers where you aren't an active participant. There have probably been times in your life when you learned something, but you weren’t an active participant in the situation. But this isn't the time to write about situations where you were just a passive observer. Instead, think about a time in your life where you were involved in the action and explain how you participated. This free choice option is your chance to show Villanova that you are willing and able to learn in a wide range of circumstances.

Free Choice Option #5: The Technology Prompt

Augustine's “Miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature.” Tell us about a societal issue that you believe the wonder of technology is well-poised to help solve.

This essay prompt is a classic problem-and-solution question, but with a twist: it’s asking you to think of a problem affecting society on a broad scale and explain how you think technology could help solve it. 

This prompt isn’t just for tech experts, though. If you choose this prompt, this is your opportunity to write about a societal issue that you truly care about and use the knowledge you have about technology to imagine a solution . Yes, you want your response to be grounded in reality, but this is also your chance to dream about how real technologies could bring about a better future.

#1: Write from the heart. The best response to this question will be rooted in things you’re already familiar with. Choose to write about a societal issue that’s close to your heart, whether that’s something that affects your local community, a cultural community you’re a member of, or an issue affecting people all over the world. Writing about an issue you truly care about will help your response read as genuine and sincere.

#2: Focus on what you know. The second piece of your response should propose a solution to the societal problem you care about--a solution that involves technology. The technology you propose as a solution to that problem should be something you have experience with in some way. For instance, maybe you’ve spent hours researching cutting edge tech for renewable energy, or you brought a little joy to your high school by doing the daily announcements on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic. Choosing an application of technology that you can write about with confidence will make a convincing response to this question.

In addition to the examples above, consider the following possible topics:

• You explain how the limitless connectivity on social networking sites has given you a global perspective on art and culture. You describe how you've connected with other teens from different parts of the world to collaborate on art projects and share them online, and how you would scale this collaboration up for teens around the world.
• You describe how seeing hashtags used in the #MeToo movement and the movement to end gun violence helped you understand a whole new way to create social change. You explain that these examples have motivated you to explore channels for political activism through social media in your own life, and how you would use hashtags to mobilize your peers for political action in the future.

#1: Don't trash social media. Everyone knows that technology has its drawbacks. But this free response question isn't the place to harp on the ethical issues wrapped up in social media. Instead, focus your response on the potentials of social media and other technology to solve real problems.

#2: Don't lose track of your goal. You don't want to waste your response by talking on about all the different ways you use social media and technology in your life. That's not the point of this question. Instead of focusing on technology itself, focus on explaining how a particular condition created by technology could be applied to existing societal problems.

(Sophia J/ Wikimedia )

The "Why Nova" Essay

The second Villanova essay you'll have to write for your Villanova supplement is the " Why This College " essay. Here's the prompt:

Why do you want to call Villanova your new home and how will you become part of our community? (About 150 words)

You'll need to get to know the Villanova community in order to respond to this required essay prompt. In approximately 150 words, you need to do one main thing in your response here: explain what it is about Villanova that makes you want to call it "home."

Since the prompt uses words like "home," "community," and "history," you want your response to show that you've done your research about Villanova . This means that your response should go beyond praising Villanova's great academics or religious affiliation to highlight specific things that you've learned about the school's history, culture, and identity that make you feel like you'll fit right in as a student there.

#1: Go into specifics about "Nova." This prompt is inviting you to show what you know about Villanova by touching on specific aspects of the school that appeal to you . For example, maybe your research revealed that undergraduate students at Villanova can partner with faculty for research projects, and that makes you feel like you'll be welcomed into a community of scholarly collaboration. Think about who you are and who you hope to be at Villanova, then write about one or two aspects of Villanova that make you think, "This is a place where I can achieve my goals."

#2: Explain the why. In addition to describing specific aspects of Villanova's offerings that appeal to you, you want to explain why those things are appealing. For example, maybe you're thrilled to find out that the English department offers an annual Literary Festival, so you explain that that aspect of Villanova is appealing to you because you're an aspiring author. Pairing your "what" with a "why" shows that your decision to apply to Villanova is based on thoughtful reflection.

#3: Connect everything to the future. Picture yourself at Villanova in the context of the things that appeal to you about the school. If you're excited about the Literary Festival, mention in your response that you can't wait to help organize the festival when you are a student. Positioning yourself as an active future member of the Villanova community in your response will help admissions see that you're serious about your education and about Villanova.

In addition to the examples above, here are a couple of potential essay topics:

• Your research reveals that Villanova has come out strong in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. You write about how this stance for justice makes you feel that your dedication to racial justice will be supported by the school when you are a student there.
• Your research reveals that Villanova lives out the Christian Mission by engaging in tangible, ongoing service toward creating a more equitable society. You write about how you feel excited about participating in these efforts as a member of the Nova Nation.

#1: Avoid talking about academics only. This essay is your chance to show that you're attracted to Villanova for more than just its stellar academics. Take this chance to show that "education" means more to you than just sitting in a classroom making good grades. Think about things about Villanova community life that foster learning outside of the classroom and write about them here.

#2: Don't include too many talking points. Yes, Villanova's athletic programs, and their outreach programs, and their undergraduate research opportunities might all be things that draw you to the school, but it's best to pick just one thing here and write about it. This will keep your response from being chaotic and all over the place. Consider choosing the one thing about Villanova that gets you the most excited and go all in for explaining why and how you'll fit into that niche once you get to campus.

Key Tips for Writing the Villanova Essay

Though Villanova's essay prompts are targeted specifically for their school, there are quite a few guidelines you can follow to make your essay strong regardless of what school you're applying for.

Brainstorming doesn't have to be an intensive process. Beginning a project is often the hardest part; taking a minute or five to get a bunch of ideas down on paper, regardless of their quality, lets you get to work without pressure. Take a deep breath, set a timer, and start jotting down as many ideas as you can think of. Once you're done, pick the ones that sound most appealing and move on to the next step.

Now that you have some ideas, you can start spinning them into outlines. Take a few of the ideas that are most appealing to you and start answering the supplemental questions that should come up in your essay. For example, if you're answering the first prompt, you should not only be thinking about your personal experiences with diversity, but also how you hope to support equity at Villanova.

Sketch out a brief plan for each topic. If you find you don't have enough points to make, it's probably not the right idea. Repeat until you have a few outlines to choose from, and then choose the one that you feel strongest about.

Now that you already have an outline, it's far easier to actually write your essay. On your first draft, don't worry too much about staying within the page limit. Don't even worry about word choice or having something you're ready to show somebody else. Just focus on getting all of your ideas down on the page so that you have something to do for the next stage.

Now comes the point where you start taking what you've done and turning it into gold. Editing isn't just about fine-tuning your grammar and spelling ; read your draft aloud to find places where your sentences run on too long, or places where you've used the wrong word. Cut extra words and take out sections that aren't serving your thesis. Be brutal; you can always add things back in if you find you miss them!

Get Feedback

Once you've done a few editing passes on your essay, it's time for the scariest part: showing it to others. Ask a few people who are invested in your success but who aren't likely to be too harsh or overly kind in their suggestions—teachers, coaches, and other authority figures are generally good choices—to take a look at your essay and let you know what they think.

Let them mark up your draft with any mistakes that they find, and set all that feedback aside for a bit. It's a good time to take a break from your essay so that you can come back to it with fresh eyes.

Now that you've had some time away from your essay, it's time to revise. Take all that feedback you received and consider it. You don't have to fix anything that doesn't feel right to you, but do consider why your reviewers may have made that suggestion. Does your essay lack clarity? Could you have chosen a better word? Why are they confused?

Always be sure that your essay sounds like you wrote it, though. Remember: your essay is meant to showcase the things that make you unique. If it reads like every other student's application, it's not working right! If one of your readers has made big suggestions that don't sound like something you'd say, rephrase them until they do, or just don't use them. It's more important that your essay represents you.

What's Next?

A great essay is just one part of a successful Villanova application. Find out what ACT scores and GPA the admissions office is looking for with this handy guide !

If you're seeking financial aid from Villanova, this guide to their tuition and financial aid will help you figure out how much you need and how much you can expect to get .

Though Villanova has some unique considerations for their essays, there are some common tricks and strategies you can use to write your college essay . This guide covers some of the best ways to ensure your application essay is a success!

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Villanova University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action/Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

Villanova 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball , Community

For the Villanova-specific essay, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose one of the five topics below and submit a written response in about 250 words.

Prompt one: st. augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” how have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities .

If you choose this prompt, then social justice is probably pretty important to you. And you don’t have to be a protest organizer to impress admissions here. It can be just as bold to engage in a dialogue with family members from older generations on controversial topics or utilize your creativity to draw informative comics breaking down complex issues for Instagram. If you’re feeling stuck, maybe start by thinking about the topics that are most important to you. What keeps you up at night? Gun violence? Corporate greed? Food deserts? Next, think about what steps you’ve taken in your life to create change, inform, and/or organize. Ultimately, the key to writing an excellent response to this prompt is in the details. Don’t just tell Villanova about something you’ve advocated for recently; tell them why you did so, and maybe even share how you would like to continue engaging with or fighting for equity and justice in the future.

Prompt Two: What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others at Villanova?

If you find yourself drawn to this prompt, we’re willing to bet you’ve learned a thing or two in your life that you want to share with others. By all means, lean into your instincts. In order to ace your response, show admissions that you are capable of thoughtful reflection, changing your mind, and/or adapting to new circumstances. Maybe you learned a lesson about the gift of the “here and now” after losing a relative in an abrupt way. Or perhaps you wish to tell your peers, “They’re not judging you! They’re too busy thinking about themselves!” Whatever your life lesson may be, share why it is valuable and who you think will benefit from your advice.

Prompt Three: “Villanova” means “new home.” Why do you want to call Villanova your new home?

A classic Why Essay. This is the time to do some research on Villanova’s course offerings and extracurriculars, and then show admissions why their university stands out from the crowd for you. Don’t be afraid to go deep! Beyond the classes and professors in your desired academic department, explore the options for other subjects you’ve always wanted to study. Learn about clubs and special events on campus to get a feel for student life. Read over the school’s mission statement to get to know the community both in and around the campus. If you’ve been on a campus visit, highlight the architecture, culture, city, or special traditions that speak to you. Since this is a Catholic school, feel free to talk about what it means to you to join a faith-based community. You might even want to read up on the notable alumni you admire and provide examples as to how they inspired you to attend! By the time you’re done, you’ll have a whole list of reasons for wanting to call Villanova your new home. Now all you have to do is arrange them. Think about telling a story that illustrates your path to Villanova and shows admissions that their community is the perfect place for you to pursue your degree.

Prompt Four: As an Augustinian community, we value recognizing individuals for their true selves. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity or background.

This prompt will likely stick out to students who know what it’s like to be reduced to one aspect of their background or identity, and odds are, you have a specific memory in mind. As you write your response, you’ll want to make sure you summarize your account as succinctly as possible; that way, you can dedicate most of your words to discussing your feelings and what you took away from the experience. Since you only have 250 words to work with, you won’t be able to write a lengthy thesis on the general public’s preconceived notions about people who appear different from them, but you can reveal more information about your background and outlook. Share what it’s like living in a world where stories are often assigned to you before you have the chance to introduce yourself and offer admissions deeper insight into who you are in the process.

Prompt Five: At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” Please detail a time when someone has borrowed some of your strength in their time of need.

Life can be difficult—especially during college when you’re becoming a whole adult—and when it is, we often turn to loved ones for support. Lending your strength to others requires compassion and vulnerability, which are wonderful traits for any community member to have. After all, even though the word itself isn’t mentioned, “community” is at the heart of this prompt. Think about how you have supported others in your daily life, whether that be a sibling, a classmate, or a fellow volunteer at the soup kitchen. Maybe you started staying late at your barista job when your colleague’s partner was in the hospital and they needed to leave early. Perhaps you held a friend’s hand when they came out to their parents. Showcase your ability to connect, to identify others’ needs, and to see yourself as part of something bigger. Ultimately, the kind of person who can lend strength to others in times of need will make an excellent addition to any college campus.

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How to Write the Villanova Supplemental Essays

Essay #1: villanova free choice (2022-23), please select one of the five essay prompts listed below to fulfill the writing requirement and respond in about 250 words (min 225 & max 300)., prompt 1: st. augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” how have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities.

If you choose this prompt, you should be prepared to speak about your own personal experience getting in the trenches and working to create a more equal and accepting community. While engaging in dialogue and thinking deeply about issues is an important part of advocacy, the strongest answers will be tied to the actual steps you’ve taken that have had an impact on those around you. As always, don’t forget to talk about the reason you decided to advocate for this cause. Why is it important to do so, and why has this cause resonated with you personally? Is it something you plan to continue doing in the future?

Prompt 2: What is the truest thing that you know?

This prompt is conducive to a more creative answer than the first. Of course, you could answer this prompt quite literally, but that wouldn’t be nearly as memorable as pushing the boundaries of truth a little bit and letting readers get a sense of your personality. Admissions officers aren’t looking to prove you wrong or fact-check you, they are more interested in how you think about the world and how you defend your argument. If the “truest thing you know” is that your little brother has the most annoying laugh in the world, show them exactly how you know that, and make sure to include some anecdotes!

Prompt 3: One of the themes in St. Augustine’s book, Confessions, is the idea of redemption. Tell us your story of being given a second chance.

This prompt is all about overcoming challenges. If you have already responded to prompt 2 for your personal statement, you may want to consider choosing a different prompt in order to strike a different tone. However, if you have a setback that you have yet to write about, this is the perfect time to get reflective and show admissions that you are a mature, thoughtful person. The truth is that everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have second chances, and how we learn from our failures and what we do with those second chances can say a lot about us. Remember not to spend too much time talking about your misstep in this essay, the majority of your writing should focus on how you responded and what you learned!

Prompt 4: In the Villanova community, we believe that we all learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others?

This is your chance to write about a wonderful lesson or piece of advice that you received and pay it forward. By selecting this prompt, you are already indicating that you are the type of person who invests in others. Be cautious not to be too evangelical in your tone; through reflection and anecdotes, show readers how their understanding of the world, others, or themselves can be improved by adopting this wisdom. The lesson does not need to be entirely unique, it can be a simple reminder, but the story of how you learned it should be. It will be easiest to write about your life lesson through a specific story or anecdote. Some students try to be humorous here, but it’s very difficult to strike the right balance. It’s best to stick to a more thoughtful and straightforward response if you choose this prompt!

Prompt 5: Augustine’s “Miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature.” Tell us about a societal issue that you believe the wonder of technology is well-poised to help solve.

If you are a STEM student, a tech enthusiast, or a dreamer, this prompt will probably inspire you. At any given moment, there are many societal ills that technology is just on the cusp of addressing. Scientific advancements and the people who work to achieve them help propel us to new heights as a society, and we owe them gratitude. If you feel this way, this is likely the prompt for you. It’s best to approach this essay with an idea in mind, something that you’ve been following closely and are already aware of. Grounding your answer in specific knowledge of a subject is essential, and answers that address broad societal issues such as hunger or poverty and make sweeping claims about technology’s power to solve them will not be very strong. Focus on a specific issue and a specific technology that is currently being used to solve this problem but hasn’t quite gotten there yet. What’s the breakthrough that will finish the job and why are you convinced it will happen? Good luck!

Essay #2: Why Villanova?

In addition, the admission committee would like to know why you want to call villanova your new home and become part of our community please respond in about 150 words. (min 125 & max 200).

This is a classic ‘why this school’ essay. It requires you to research Villanova and paint a picture of how you and the university are a good fit for one another. Be careful not to simply list opportunities offered at the school. Instead, write about a few of the aspects of the school that most interest you. Maybe it’s a particular degree program, perhaps it’s the campus culture, or maybe it’s a specific lab that is conducting unique research in one of your areas of interest. Regardless, you should weave a cohesive story through this essay that explains how your high school accomplishments align with Villanova’s values, as well as what you plan to do on campus to make the most of your college experience and add to the campus community. Remember that you don’t have much space, so make sure you are going for quality over quantity with the particular feature (or two) of Villanova you choose to feature in your writing.

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Villanova University Supplemental Essay Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the Villanova essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Villanova supplemental essays will show you how to write engaging Villanova essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help crafting your Villanova supplemental essays, create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272 .

Villanova Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• According to U.S. News , Villanova University is considered a most selective school with an acceptance rate of 31%.
• The Villanova University ranking is #49 in National Universities .
• We recommend answering all Villanova supplemental essays comprehensively and thoughtfully.

What is Villanova ranked?

Villanova is a private Catholic university located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. They are also the only Augustinian university in the United States. Every year, U.S. News & World Report publishes its rankings of the Best Colleges in the United States. Each of the 1,466 bachelor’s degree-granting institutions in the U.S. is evaluated based on 17 performance indicators of academic quality. These include application requirements, student-to-faculty ratio, campus life, and more.

The Villanova University ranking is currently tied at #49 with Lehigh University, Northeastern University, Ohio State University (Columbus), Pepperdine University, and Purdue University. The Villanova University ranking undoubtedly contributes to their current acceptance rate of 31%. However, don’t let the Villanova University ranking deter you from applying.

Remember, the Villanova University ranking won’t directly impact your admissions results. To maximize your admissions odds, then, don’t focus on the Villanova University ranking. Instead, just try to write the best Villanova application essays you can. After all, strong Villanova essays can make a major difference in the admissions process.

Similarly, the Villanova University ranking shouldn’t be your only reason for applying. As a Top 50 school, Villanova receives many applications from students who only apply for reasons of prestige. As you build your college list , focus on finding the best schools for you . The Villanova University ranking can be a useful tool; however, you shouldn’t base your decision to apply on the Villanova University ranking alone.For a deeper understanding of the Villanova University ranking, and college rankings in general, check out CollegeAdvisor.com’s expert guide .

Does Villanova University have any supplemental essays?

Yes. Villanova University requires two short supplemental essays in addition to the Common App Personal Statement. One of the Villanova supplemental essays lets you choose from five Villanova essay prompts.Your Villanova supplemental essays must be different than your Common Application essay. All applicants must complete two Villanova supplemental essays. However, you can choose which Villanova essay prompts to answer.Not sure how to choose a Common App essay prompt? Get some helpful tips from our essay guide .

How do I write the Villanova supplemental essay?

Consider your options.

First, read the five Villanova essay prompts. Then, think about what you want to convey in your Villanova supplemental essays. Consider each option, since the Villanova essay prompts are quite unique. We’ll list out the Villanova essay prompts later in this guide.Don’t choose a prompt at random—your Villanova application essay will be strongest if your topic matters to you. So, make sure you remain deliberate as you choose a prompt for your Villanova application essay.

Try freewriting

Still not sure how to start your Villanova essays? Start with a reflection exercise . First, sit quietly with your thoughts for five to ten minutes. Looking at the Villanova essay prompts, do any topics come up that connect to your identity, experiences, or values? What thoughts stand out to you? Additionally, how might this thought reveal some aspect of your identity or interests? Then, connect your reflections to the Villanova essay prompts. Is there a part of your identity that you can highlight with one of the Villanova essay prompts? Do you have an extracurricular activity, leadership role, or life experience that connects to one of the Villanova supplemental essays?

Consider your application narrative

Additionally, think about how each topic fits into your application narrative. Your personal narrative plays a crucial part in the college application process, and the Villanova essays help form this narrative. As you write, then, look for themes across your responses. These themes will make up your candidate profile, so make sure they’re clear.

Trust your instincts.

If you instantly feel a connection to one of the Villanova application essay prompts, then choose that one. You will write stronger Villanova essays if you feel attached to your topics, and thoughtful essay responses will increase your admissions odds.Still having trouble choosing from the Villanova supplemental essay prompts? Need some extra motivation to help you get through the process? If so, read our article for more tips on how to write a great essay.

What are Villanova University’s essays?

There are two required Villanova supplemental essays in the 2021-2022 Common App. We have listed the prompts for the Villanova supplemental essays below. We’ve also included tips on how to complete each of the Villanova essay prompts.Each of the Villanova essays is short—less than 250 words. However, don’t let the length of the Villanova essays intimidate you. Instead, jump right in, get to the point, and make every word count.For a full list of application requirements aside from the Villanova essays, please visit Villanova’s website .

Villanova Supplemental Essay – Question 1 (Required):

For the first Villanova-specific essay, we have offered a range of topics to pique your interest. We hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose one of the five topics below and submit a written response in about 250 words. Prompt 1: St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities? (250 words recommended.) Prompt 2: What is the truest thing you know? (250 words recommended.) Prompt 3: One of the themes in St. Augustine’s book, Confessions, is the idea of redemption. Tell us your story of being given a second chance. (250 words recommended.) Prompt 4: In the Villanova community, we believe that we all learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others? (250 words recommended.) Prompt 5: Augustine’s “Miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature.” Tell us about a societal issue that you believe the wonder of technology is well-poised to help solve. (250 words recommended.)

Choosing a prompt

As you read through the Villanova application essay prompts, do any topics stand out to you? Can you highlight part of your identity with a specific Villanova supplemental essay prompt? Or, can you link an extracurricular activity, leadership role, or life experience to one of the Villanova supplemental essays? Each of the Villanova essay prompts lets you share something different about yourself. Spend some time with the Villanova essay prompts, then, to determine which is right for you.

If you are having trouble choosing a prompt, then start with a writing exercise. First, choose 2-3 of the Villanova essay prompts that interest you and set a timer for 10 minutes. Then, write as much as you can about that topic. Once your timer goes off, review your work. Couldn’t stop writing about one specific topic? If so, choose that topic as your Villanova application essay prompt. Remember, your Villanova application essays should be authentic, cohesive, and different from your Common Application essay.

Starting your draft

Now that you’ve chosen your prompt, it’s time to start drafting! Below, we’ve broken down some questions to think about for the Villanova essay prompts. Whichever prompt you choose, though, make sure you use specific details to tell your story.

If you pride yourself on your sense of equity and justice, then you might pick the first Villanova supplemental essay prompt. Perhaps you founded your school’s first LGBTQ+ student club, or you saw a need and fundraised to start a youth-oriented organization in your community. Whatever your story, always include specific details. Additionally, always write about the “why.” Why did you choose this particular form of activism? What does it mean to advocate for yourself or for another person/community? Finally, why do equity and justice matter to you? Bonus points, also, if you can connect your Villanova essays back to the university’s core values.

Do you consider yourself to be humble, honest, and unafraid to admit when you have made a mistake? Then maybe prompt #3 is more your speed. This Villanova essay prompt is twofold. First, it asks you to describe the challenge or failure you faced. Then, it asks you to discuss how you redeemed yourself. As you draft, avoid just focusing on your failure. Instead, emphasize how you redeemed yourself. What did you learn from this situation? How did it make you feel? Don’t be nervous about being vulnerable—it’s okay to show your reader that you aren’t perfect. After all, perfection is boring. Use your Villanova application essay to reflect on your experience and how you created positive change from a less-than-ideal situation.

Maybe you are a think-outside-of-the-box type who is concerned about our society’s future. If so, consider Villanova supplemental essay prompt #5. First, select a societal issue you want to solve. No issue is too big or too small! Then, describe how technology can solve the issue. You might discuss how certain technologies could make the world a better place. This can give your reader insight into your knowledge and experience. It can also highlight your curiosity and problem-solving skills. If possible, highlight your academic interests and how they might complement your studies.

Villanova Supplemental Essays Draft Key Questions:

• Did you choose a topic that connects to your identity and interests?
• Does your response highlight an important aspect of your identity that supplements your application?
• Does your response showcase your values and how they relate to those of the Villanova community?

Villanova Supplemental Essay – Question 2 (Required):

You may be aware that our community, which we have affectionately named “Nova Nation,” is an exciting place to be. With a legacy spanning nearly 180 years, there is rich history to look back on, and an abundant future to look forward to. The Admission Committee would like to know why you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community? (150 words recommended.)

This second of the Villanova supplemental essay prompts is their version of the “Why Us” essay. If you are not familiar with this type of essay, we recommend reading our Supplemental Essays FAQ guide before you start writing.

Do your research

For this Villanova application essay, you need to explain why you want to join the “Nova Nation.” First, familiarize yourself with the Villanova website and social media pages. Then, research what about the university excites you the most. Make a list of majors, programs, or activities that stand out.

Get specific

As you approach this Villanova application essay, make sure you include as many specific details as possible. Avoid statements that might apply to any school. Rather, focus on what makes Villanova unique. What do you like about Villanova? What part of the Villanova community do you most want to join? Don’t just list the things you love about Villanova. Instead, choose a few specific examples to discuss in detail.Perhaps you are a stargazing enthusiast who loves service and social justice. Describe how Villanova’s astronomy and astrophysics major aligns with your academic interest as well as how you plan to work for the common good in their campus ministry.

Essentially, your Villanova application essay should describe, in specific terms, how you will take advantage of what Villanova has to offer.Also, be sure your Villanova application essay indicates how you would fit into the Villanova community. What will you add to Villanova’s campus? How will you embody Villanova’s core values? Remember, you have limited space in your Villanova essays, so be thorough yet concise.

Villanova Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does your Villanova essay discuss what you love most about the Villanova community?
• Do you reference programs, majors, and activities by name?
• Does your essay explain what makes you a good fit for Villanova?

What does Villanova University look for in essays?

Villanova seeks students who reflect the school’s three core values: Veritas (Truth), Unitas (Unity), and Caritas (Love). The Villanova supplemental essays assess how well you’ll fit into the “Nova Nation.” The Villanova essay prompts also help the admissions team understand your opinions, thoughts, and experiences.Villanova’s website lists six tips for writing a strong Villanova application essay. They are:

1. Speak your truth.

Allow your honesty to come through in your Villanova application essays. Each of your Villanova essays should show the admissions office who you truly are.

Have fun with the Villanova supplemental essays! Celebrate how much you have learned about yourself as you write your essays.

3. Make your words count and worry less about counting your words.

These Villanova essay prompts are quite short. Review your Villanova essays to confirm that each word matters.

4. There are no right or wrong answers.

Write about what is true to you. The rest will fall into place.

5. Seriously proofread and proofread seriously.

Nobody likes a run-on sentence or grammatical error. Take some extra time to proofread to ensure your Villanova essays are ready to submit.

6. Ask for a second opinion, not a rewrite.

A second set of eyes is always helpful. However, don’t let your voice get lost in the mix. Your reader wants to learn about you, not your best friend.Need more helpful tips on writing your Villanova supplemental essays? Check out this virtual Essay Workshop below featuring Villanova University’s Assistant Director of Admissions.

Villanova Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

Writing short yet thoughtful Villanova supplemental essays can seem stressful. However, don’t let the Villanova essays stop you from applying! Instead, use the Villanova supplemental essays to show who you are outside the classroom. Reference this guide as you tackle the Villanova application essays. Good luck!

This essay guide on Villanova was written by Claire Babbs , UT Austin ‘12. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources, click here . Want help crafting your Villanova supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

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Villanova University’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short response.

Please select one of the four essay prompts listed below to fulfill the writing requirement and respond in about 250 words.

St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities?

As an Augustinian community, we believe that you should see people for who they are. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity or background.

In the Villanova community, we learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others?

At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” In a time of personal challenges, how do you borrow from the strength of others?

Why This College Short Response

Why Villanova? Why do you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community?

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Supplemental Essay Guides

Supplemental essays are additional pieces of writing required by many highly-selective universities, and they can be just as revealing and important as your personal statement. Read on for how-to guides with essay examples & analysis on tackling these essays for some of the most popular colleges and universities.

• Yale University

How to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours)

I’ve developed a pretty simple, step-by-step process to help you see which essay prompts can overlap. Follow my lead and it may not only save you dozens of hours of writing, it could improve the quality of those essays.

The "Why This College" Essay

Seems pretty natural that a school wants to know why you chose them, right? Read this step-by-step guide on writing the infamous “Why Us” essay.

The "Extracurricular Activity" Essay

In this post, I’ll share some practical tips for how to write about your extracurricular involvement in your college essays.

The "Why X Major" Essay

Tons of colleges require a supplemental essay that asks something like, “Why did you choose your major?”

The Community Essay

These essays are a chance to say: “Here’s how I connect with folks in my community. And if accepted to your college, I’ll probably be active in getting involved with that same community and others on your college campus.”

the Short Answer Questions

Dive into eleven do's and dont's for how to ensure your short answer questions are doing their job of highlighting your genius, your experience, your talents, and your personality.

How to Write the Stanford Roommate Essay

This is a must read for anybody writing the Stanford roommate essay: included is an example essay, a detailed breakdown, helpful tips along the way, and a section on how to revise your essay too.

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Villanova University Admission Essay Writing Guide

Application Guide

Essay examples, villanova application letters and admission process.

All prospective students applying to Villanova have to submit all the required documents according to one of the four application plans. And since Villanova University works both with its application process and the Common Application format, all students have to prepare both admission papers. Still, it’s essential to review some Villanova essay examples to know how to get ready to write one.

Villanova University Cover Letter Types

As we briefly mentioned earlier, Villanova is not a flexible place when it comes to the admission procedure. All students have to choose a Common Application form, which has its essay requirements, and the Villanova Member School Section with its essays. Please note that you cannot change the format of the Villanova supplement task. Either way, we’re here to help shed some light on how to cope with both of these essay tasks. Take a closer look to understand what format suits you more.

Villanova Entrance Letters via Member School Section

When it comes to the university-based admission process, it is organized differently than in other educational institutions. For students wanting to apply outside the Common Application, there’s no viable alternative. Instead, all students are required to:

• Complete the Common Application essay
• Prepare exclusive Villanova essays via the Member School Section

Let’s start with the latter ones, which are unique to this educational institution and cannot be reused for other universities. Each year the university explicitly shows what essay topics should be used for application. Please note that Villanova’s essay responses must be different from those shared via the Common Application section.

The first assignment that Villanova University will ask all prospective students to complete is a Villanova Free Choice essay. This essay requires students to write about 250 words and demonstrate their thinking in one of five prompts. All of them are somehow related to the Villanova community or St. Augustine, encompassing the topics of redemption, life lessons, societal issues, honesty, and equity. It’s generally great that applicants have a chance to choose from these topics to complete a Villanova essay on their own. Still, if you feel that you’re too overwhelmed by an assignment related to St. Augustine, feel free to browse our Villanova supplemental essay sample collection on this page.

As for the second paper, it’s more or less a familiar type of written assignment, which is a “Why” essay. In particular, all prospective students are required to submit a 150-word essay specifying why they want Villanova to become their new home. More precisely, applicants are expected to elaborate on what makes the community appealing and how they can become a part of it.

For college students, this essay won’t be a big deal, but high-schoolers might struggle to form a precise statement on this one. That’s why you can buy an affordable paper help from one of our writers. This way, your particular ideas would be formulated into a top-notch piece of writing, which will be a good match for Villanova’s admission commission. As you can see, upon completing the mentioned two papers, the first part is done. Now, all students have to proceed with the next step, which is to prepare one of the Common Application essays.

Common Application Statement Letter

As our service team emphasized early on, Villanova is an educational institution that requires both internal and Common Application essays during admission. If you have no prior experience with the Common App, it enlists its supplementary essay topics early. Right now, this network has published information on what essay prompts are available for the 2021/2022 academic year.

All prospective students have to choose one of seven prompts and write a maximum of 650 words on a given topic. This year’s topics vary, ranging from accomplishment descriptions to an essay of your choice (a seventh option). It’s generally complicated to give any detailed recommendations on what topic to choose for this assignment.

If you’re confident enough, you can easily choose the seventh option of the Common App essay, which is a topic of your own. As for the word count guidelines, the Common Application essays should be anywhere at the 250-650 limit. Please remember that all prospective students of Villanova are expected to complete the Common App assignment alongside the two earlier mentioned tasks.

Applying to Villanova University: Further Steps

When it comes to general admission guidelines, Villanova has all the detailed information on its website. Once you know about the essay part, you should also be aware of other documents you should prepare. For instance, first-year students can apply to Villanova variously, with two binding and two non-binding options. Early Action and Regular Decision are non-binding options, while Early Decision I and Early Decision II are, in turn, binding for students. Binding means that the accepted individuals would have to reject applications to all other universities and choose Villanova instead.

Besides the flexibility in application plans, one should not forget about other documents required for submission. Right now, Villanova University requires applicants to submit the following documents:

• Essays (Villanova and Common Application)
• Non-refundable $80 fee
• Secondary school report and transcript
• Counselor recommendation
• Teacher recommendation
• Mid-year report (only for specific application plans)

In turn, there are also two optional documents you might submit, such as:

• ACT or SAT scores
• Financial Assistance Application

As you can see, Villanova essays are not the only types of assignments and documents you have to prepare during the entire admission procedure. For more information on particular dates or application routes, kindly visit Villanova’s website. Also, if you’d like to check the Villanova applicant status, you’re welcome to do so on the official site.

Admission Letters for Transfer Students at Villanova

For any university, including the one at Villanova, transferring is a great way to get students willing to pursue their educational endeavors there. That’s why the admission procedure for transfer individuals is slightly different. Not only the official deadlines are different, but also the packs of documents should be changed. At the moment of writing t5his guide, Villanova University requires students to submit the following papers:

• Transfer application form
• All official transcripts from high schools and colleges
• Transfer conduct form
• Optional tests (SAT or ACT)
• $80 application fee
• TOEFL or IELTS results for international transfers
• Admission essay

What’s peculiar in this list is that another admission essay might be needed, the information about which is undisclosed. Based on the experience of a few last years, Villanova application essay for transfers is usually a “Why” assignment. If you’re a transfer student, feel free to follow similar guidelines for ordinary applicants if you’ve got a “Why” essay prompt.

Recommendations for Villanova Introductory Essays

Sometimes, for University, how the essay is crafted is almost a direct sign of whether a prospective candidate is a good match for the academic environment. For that sole reason, students compete hard against each other to produce the best assignments out there. That’s why our first recommendation is to get acquainted with all Villanova essay prompts on our page. We’ve hand-picked these prompts to give the best understanding of how the assignment should be written. If you feel that a mere look won’t be enough to help you out, kindly request our writer to help with your paper. After all, getting additional help will only boost your admission chances, especially once you’re ready for all the essays beforehand.

Except for our help, our team strongly advises against plagiarism or stealing one’s ideas. On our website, you can use the Plagiarism Checker to review your assignment before submission. As a credible educational institution, Villanova won’t accept a student with plagiarized essays. That’s why it’s always crucial to bring your original ideas to the front and use them in the wisest way possible.

Since Villanova University requires both exclusive and Common App assignments, try to prioritize the former ones. In most cases, the essays of the Common App category are generic and show not that much value for the university. On the contrary, specialized papers are more focused on analyzing the applicant’s skills and motivations to join the Villanova community. If you don’t have enough time to cope with all three tasks, feel free to drop our team a line, and we’d help with a personalized assignment. After all, these two essays best show why applicants would like to study exactly at this university.

Some other tips on motivational letters and related statements are to be concise and precise. While some assignments have enough room for hundreds of words, you don’t want to spam your essay with all the imaginable information. Instead, elaborating your ideas in detail in one of the Villanova essays is necessary to accomplish the desired goal. If you feel that you’re lacking ideas, you should reassess your approach to working with an assignment.

After all, for thousands of students, Villanova is a dream place to be. That’s why you should do your best and stay as close to the topic as you can. If you follow all the mentioned recommendations, the odds are high that Villanova will be your new alma mater. On our side, we once again remind you that we have this university’s admission essay prompts readily available for free. Take a look at them to understand how to write and achieve the best possible results. Good luck!

About Villanova University

Villanova University is indeed a unique educational institution in the United States. It started its operations in 1842 and has been the only existing Augustinian university across the country. It is also the oldest Catholic educational institution in Pennsylvania, making it a truly unique place to study. Besides its historical and religious roots, it is often deemed as one of the most selective educational institutions in the entity country. It means that all prospective students have to do their best to make it all the way to Villanova.

As for the organizational structure, this university has six distinctive schools, namely College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Business, Charles Widger School of Law, College of Engineering, M. Louize Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, and College of Professional Studies.

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Navigating USAJOBS & Introduction to Federal Resume Writing (15 AUG 2024)

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Army Civilian Careers invites you to participate in a virtual informational session on federal resume writing, navigating USAJOBS website, including paid internships and fellowships in the federal government. We are a values-based community of nearly 300,000 federal civilian employees, much like those in other U.S. Federal Agencies, e.g., State, NASA, Commerce, Justice, and Education. These are strictly civilian positions. Applying for employment on USAJOBS can be a challenging process, but we are here to help! In this session we will walk through the application process to include the questionnaire, discuss resume formats, preferences, required documents to include, and how to align your experience with the job qualifications. This class is designed specifically to help you develop your federal resume and address key areas in the job announcement to make you an eligible applicant. In this session we will cover:  The Army Student Intern Program  The Army Fellows Program  How to create a USAJOBs account Applying for federal jobs  How to navigate USAJOBS Application announcement information – what the words really mean.  Beginning steps to writing a federal resume Note: This session will be conducted via MS Teams, and you will need to download the application to view the session in its entirety. It is not recommended to utilize cellphone unless able to view the slide presentation. 

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How to Write the Villanova University Application Essays 2017-2018

Villanova is a highly competitive research university with an admissions rate of about 40%. On a weighted 4.0 scale, the middle 50% of GPAs range from 4.00 to 4.44 and the middle 50% of test scores are 1360-1480 for the SAT and 31-34 for the ACT.

Beyond the numbers, however, probably the most important thing to know about Villanova as an institution is its deep connection to the Order of Saint Augustine in the Roman Catholic Church. As one of many Catholic universities in the United States, Villanova is proud of its religious affiliation. As their website states:

Villanova University was founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. To this day, Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition is the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. Villanova prepares students to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them.

The strength of the Villanova experience comes in part from the University’s welcoming community. All members are bonded together by a shared responsibility to uphold the ideals of Saint Augustine and let the principles of truth, unity and love guide their lives. The Villanova community helps students grow intellectually, professionally and spiritually, and challenges them to reach their full potential.

As this mission statement suggests, Villanova strives to be an inclusive university, no matter what faith tradition its students come from. There are no requirements to attend Mass beyond one convocation ceremony at the beginning of your first year. There are, however, some program requirements that ask all students to engage with the tradition of Catholic thinking like the university’s required “ Augustine and Culture Seminar .” Before applying to Villanova, you should review those course requirements and ask if they seem right for you.

Since this is an article about how to write your personal statement for Villanova, you may have some questions about what role your faith (or lack thereof) should or should not play in your admissions essays. As a general principle it is worth saying that Villanova’s prompts, like those of most applications, are looking to get to know you as a person. If your faith is an important part of your story, you should feel free to talk about it.

If not, keep in mind that Villanova is most interested in those students who demonstrate the capacity to “think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others.” You need not write about being Catholic in order to exemplify those qualities.

One final note on word length: For its personal essay, Villanova asks for a “minimum 1 page double-spaced.” While they do not state a maximum word length, you should probably aim for 1.5 pages double-spaced, or 500 words. Longer is not better; the admissions officials have a lot of essays to get through and they will appreciate comprehensiveness and getting to the point.

Villanova Application Essay Prompts

Choose one of the following, minimum 1 page double-spaced.

Essay Option 1

At villanova, we believe that it is our similarities that make us strong, but our differences that make us stronger. please tell us about a relationship that you have with someone who is different from you and how that has changed who you are today..

This is a version of the “diversity” essay that appears on the Common Application in the form of the prompt which asks, “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful, they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

The difference here is that rather than focusing on the particularities of your own background or identity, Villanova’s essay is asking you to reflect on your relations to others rather than just on your relation to yourself. This means that you might very well be talking about your own background, but that you will be connecting that history to the histories of others.

For example, maybe your parents emigrated from Vietnam. If you were responding to the Common Application’s prompt, you might write about navigating a world where you spoke Vietnamese at home and English at school. This essay would focus on your own personal struggles, perhaps the challenges of trying to translate a letter from your school to your parents. But your response to Villanova’s prompt should have a slightly different focus. You might talk about the time you spent as an after-school tutor for a middle school in your neighborhood that serves a large number of Latinx students. How was their experience similar to or different from your own?

Another way of thinking about this essay is to recognize that “difference” can mean a lot of things: not just racial or ethnic identity, but also differences in age, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, musical taste, political beliefs, and ability or disability. Of course, not all of these differences are parallel and equivalent: Musical taste is a matter of your own personal preferences, but a racial identity is something that you are hailed into regardless of your preferences.

If you are Catholic, you could write a meaningful essay about a conversation you had with a Muslim friend about what Ramadan meant to them. When does it sound like they are describing a kind of practice and experience similar to what you feel during Lent? And what is different about how you each live these rituals?

If your aunt uses a wheelchair, you might write about going to lunch with her. What did you learn about how your community helps (or falls short of helping) those with different mobility needs gain access to public facilities.

A few last words: The way this prompt is worded, it might seem to be suggesting you write a narrative where you, an unmarked “normal” person, encounter someone who is “different” and then are somehow enlightened by that encounter. But people who are “different” do not just exist to be constantly educating those whose bodies pass for normal in their communities. A less clichéd and more nuanced essay might focus less on the moment in which you were suddenly enlightened and more on the process of continuous study that you’ve undertaken as part of your relationship with someone who is different from you.

Maybe one of your friends came out as trans and you left that conversation convinced that you needed to do some reading. Perhaps some internet browsing led you to Beatriz Precaido’s book, Testo Junkie. How did that text help you hear what your friend was trying to tell you about the way they experience their body?

Essay Option 2

‘become what you are not yet.’ – saint augustine, when you daydream, who do you hope to become in the future.

The trick to answering this question is to recognize that they are not just asking for your idyll speculations about the future. A strong answer will talk about how your dreams are grounded in your life experience. Remember: When you are writing an admissions essay, you have the opportunity to share something with the admissions committee that they would not be able to get from your grades and test scores. Since Villanova only asks for one essay, you should try to use it to tell them something about your experience.

For example, you might write an essay about how you loved playing French horn in orchestra, and that you one day hoped to dress in a black gown every night and perform in the Walt Disney Concert Hall. But maybe your dreams changed when you spent some time as a volunteer music instructor at your local children’s hospital. Maybe you were not working on the most complicated songs, but you were teaching the children about rhythm and movement, how to sing (somewhat) in tune, and giving them something to think about apart from their sickness. Inspired by the program’s founder, maybe the person you hope to become in the future is one who finds a way to combine music with healthcare, especially for young people.

Another way to approach this prompt is to write about someone you admire.  Maybe you have always looked up to your grandfather who put his life on the line to march with the National Farm Workers Association . If you do talk about someone who you admire (a popular approach to this essay) be sure that you speak about what you have done to start following their footsteps. This is, after all, ultimately an essay about your own dreams. Maybe you have recently marched in support of DACA ? What do you hope to do in order to advance the cause of immigrant rights in the future?

As I mentioned above, just because this prompt begins with a quote from St. Augustine, that does not mean you have to address the religious aspect of your daydreams or hopes for the future. On the other hand, if your faith is important to you, you should not be shy talking about how it helps you imagine “what you are not yet.”

One last note: The prompt may drop in a quote from a philosophical heavy-hitter, but you should not take that as a cue that you should drop in a quote from some fancy person. Admissions officers are tired of reading potential applicants misquote Gandhi as they say that they hope to “be the change they want to see in the world.”

Essay Option 3

Describe a book, movie, song, or other work of art that has been significant to you since you were young and how its meaning has changed for you as you have grown..

This prompt is about more than just your favorite novel. At its heart, this prompt is asking you to tell a story about your own personal development through your relationship to a work of art.

It might be tempting to choose a fancy piece of literature in order to show off your intellectual prowess. But you should not feel pressured into claiming that you’ve read Gravity’s Rainbow every summer since you were eight years old. The admissions committee is more interested in seeing that you are a thoughtful person who is capable of reflecting on how you have changed. If you can tell that story best by writing about Pokémon, Episode 70, “ Go West Young Meowth ,” so be it.

You might say that as a child you were mostly drawn to the flashy drawings and silly cartoons. But maybe when you saw that episode again in your high school years, you were fascinated with how it imagines that an animal might learn to speak “human language.” This might have been one piece of your growing interest in the philosophy of human-animal relations and the different ways that species communicate with each other.

Of course, not everything that we read as a child ages well. One way to approach this essay is to talk about something that you might have once loved, and perhaps still love, but has come to seem more problematic. For one example of what such an essay might look like, you might turn to Daniel Jose Ruiz’s essay on Brian Jacques’s Redwall series. For Ruiz, the fantasy world where mice and badgers were good guys and weasels and ferrets were bad guys was a place where he felt included as a child:

I felt a kinship with the badger characters. They were large, strong, a bit stubborn, with big tempers, but they were good guys and heroes. Redwall seemed to say that I could be a good guy and a hero even though I was big for my age, stubborn, and volatile.

But as Ruiz grew older and read more, parts of the Redwall books called out for critique:

You can do a pretty thorough Marxist reading of Redwall as a parable of the righteous nature of bourgeois property relations. The mice, hares, and badgers are metaphors for the inherent superiority of the ruling class, while the vermin are symbols of the degenerate nature of the proletariat.

In the real world, however, few people just decide to become bandits unless their situation dictates that this is one of the better options for survival. I can’t recall a single time where the [mice and badgers try] to establish a mutually beneficial agreement with the vermin, as opposed to occasional acts of charity that don’t address systemic issues.

However you choose to write about your changing relationship to a piece of art, your focus should be on how you and your interpretation of that work have changed over time. You do not want to get bogged down with lots of plot summary. Notice how, as you read Ruiz’s essay, no sentences are given over to just describing the plot: Every sentence weaves summary and analysis together, with constant references to his own personal story.

Finally, there is one last possibility for how you might approach this prompt that is a little bit more experimental. The prompt asks you to address how your developmental story changed the way you understand a work of art. But what if you reversed the prompt and asked how a work of art changed the way you understood your own developmental story? Perhaps a relevant essay in this vein is Ashon Crawley’s poetic meditation on Barry Jenkins’s Oscar winning 2016 film, Moonlight .

“Sometimes fiction functions to produce memory,” Crawley says, and then goes on to tell the story of how he grew through three different nicknames (Berry Berry, Cookie, and Ashon) parallel to, but not exactly the same as, the film’s main character who is known as “Little,” then “Chiron,” then “Black.”

Even if you end up structuring your essay in a more traditional manner, it is worth noting how Crawley zooms in on precise details that might have been mundane but vibrate with meaning in the force of his prose — a change in email address, a choir membership card, a Walter Hawkins song…

As you respond to Villanova’s prompt, you will not be able to tell the admissions committee every twist and turn in the story of your maturation, but your essay might become bland if you only speak in vague general terms. Ashon slices through this dilemma by focusing on precise details, little snippets from his life, that tell some, but not all, of his story. As you write, it is worth considering what little moments you might choose from your own life’s story to represent how you’ve changed.

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Villanova Writing Center

• Writing Guide
• Online Resources

The Villanova Writing Center provides a comfortable atmosphere for your one-to-one session with a qualified tutor. Bring your paper, assignment, and an open mind and we'll do our best to help you improve your writing. 

• Aid students in a collaborative effort of creating their "ideal texts" and producing their best quality work.
• We are NOT a "fix-it shop" and seek to "produce better writers, not better texts."
• We encourage multiple, independent visits for all types of students, in all stages of their writing.
• We cater to individual student needs and rely on the effective relationship of peer tutoring. All are welcome.  

Fall 2023 30-Minute Workshops

• Wednesday, Sept. 13 — Brainstorming
• Wednesday, Sept. 20 — The Debatable Thesis
• Monday, Sept. 25 — The Importance of Conclusions
• Wednesday, Oct. 4 — Integrating Quotations
• Wednesday, Oct. 18 — Pesky Punctuation
• Wednesday, Oct. 25 — What's A Good Word?
• Wednesday, Nov. 1 — The Five Fatal Errors of Introduction
• Wednesday, Nov. 8 — Transitions
• Wednesday, Nov. 15 — APA Style
• Wednesday, Nov. 29 — Who’s Afraid of the MLA?

All workshops are at 7:30 p.m. in 210 Falvey Library, The Writing Center. Students receive a certificate of attendance and a handout for future reference.

Writing Center appointments are scheduled for  50 minutes . For lengthy papers (generally over ten pages), we suggest you schedule a block of 2 sessions for your appointment.

The Writing Center is located in 210 Falvey Library. Our hours of operation for the Fall 2022 semester are:

• Monday-Thursday: 11:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
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• Sunday: 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

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Want to write a college essay that sets you apart? Three tips to give you a head start

1. Keep it real. It’s normal to want to make a good impression on the school of your choice, but it’s also important to show who you really are. So just be yourself! Compelling stories might not be perfectly linear or have a happy ending, and that’s OK. It’s best to be authentic instead of telling schools what you think they want to hear.

2. Be reflective . Think about how you’ve changed during high school. How have you grown and improved? What makes you feel ready for college, and how do you hope to contribute to the campus community and society at large?

3. Look to the future. Consider your reasons for attending college. What do you hope to gain from your education? What about college excites you the most, and what would you like to do after you graduate? Answering these questions will not only give colleges insight into the kind of student you’ll be, but it will also give you the personal insight you’ll need to choose the school that’s right for you.

Have questions about college prep? We're here to help.

Written by CU Boulder Office of Admissions

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The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. You may  view the list of ADA and Title IX coordinators  and  review the Regent policy .

As a student or prospective student at CU Boulder, you have a right to certain information pertaining to financial aid programs, the Clery Act, crime and safety, graduation rates, athletics and other general information such as the costs associated with attending CU Boulder. To view this information visit  colorado.edu/your-right-know .

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Villanova University Early Action / Early Decision for Fall 2025 Admission

This is the official thread for those applying EA/ED to Villanova University.

List your unweighted GPA, any SAT /ACT scores, and ECs. What majors are you going into? Ask your questions, the CC community is here to help!

Hello! I am a female from Long Island NY who is applying to VSB ED 1. I am from a small public high school, high income family and I am white. Do you guys think I have a good shot of getting in?

I took 8 APs, 3 College Corses (all business corses) and 5 Honors classes. (with senior year)

I don’t know if this matters but only took 1 honors class my freshman year and by junior year I was in 3 APs, 2 College Corses and 1 Honors. I think this demonstrates major academic growth. I had a high average all throughout high school. My wighted average is about a 96. My school ranks us by percent (ex: top 10%, top 20%) I am in the top 20%. My school weighs Honors, APs and College Corses all the same and only by 5% so I think that majorly impacted my class rank negatively.

Took Chorus all throughout high school.

Test Optional

Not submitting AP scores

AP Scholar Award

Marketing Award

Received an A+ on Level 5 NYSMA (2x)

Good essays (I think?)

Varsity XC, Winter Track, and Spring Track (4 years)

• Team Captain senior year (all seasons)

Service Club (4 years)

• Event Coordinator junior year and Treasurer senior year

Future Business Leaders of America (4 years)

• President Senior Year

Student Government (4 years)

Book Club (4 years)

Church Choir (4 years)

Babysitter (4 years)

MPHOA Volunteer (3 years)

Prom Committee (2 years)

National Honor Society (2 years)

National Music Honor Society (2 years)

CVS Store Associate (2 years)

All County Vocal Jazz (1 year)

Thanks for reading my stats! I feel I did the best I could with what I was offered. Let me know if you think there is a chance!

Also to my knowledge I am the only one applying to Villanova ED 1!

87% are in the top 10% of their class, what is your uwgpa? The average is 3.9. About half were TO this year, but an act score in the 75th % is a 34. ED could work?

Does anyone know if there is a boost if you apply to Villanova Early Action or does that only pertain ED 1 and ED 2?

Also, does anyone know if there was a big gap between the acceptance rate for ED1 and ED 2?

I think the early action acceptance rate and regular decision acceptance rate are pretty much the same.

How to Write the Villanova Supplement Essays 2020-2021

Villanova University is a private Catholic school in Villanova, Pennsylvania. There are 6,500 full-time undergraduate students, and a Villanova degree is considered one of the best economic values in the United States.

Villanova is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars and puts a significant emphasis on community service. To maintain and grow their nurturing and caring community, they look for applicants who exemplify the three core values of the university: Truth, Unity, and Love. The acceptance rate is 27.5%

This year, Villanova has completely switched up their supplement with new prompts and new expectations. The supplement is comprised of two short essays, one 250-word essay, and one 100-word essay, but they aren’t too strict on work counts. When it comes to sticking to the limit, they emphasize their flexibility . However, we advise students to aim to be within 10% of the total word limit — and never go above it. This means that for a 250-word supplement, you should aim for 225-250 words. 

Select one of the following prompts and respond in 250 words or less:

A)   what is the truest thing that you know how did you come to this conclusion.

This is a fascinating prompt, and we’re all here for it. It offers so many different avenues for exploration, guiding without pigeonholing you into one particular perspective or type of answer. 

If you should choose this prompt, you can go soft or hard on it — a soft truth or a hard fact. For example, a hard fact would be gravity, whereas a soft truth may be the importance of community. Whatever you select to dive into, you need to be careful not to get up on a high horse. Your college application is not a debate stage, and you shouldn’t try to convince someone to agree with you. Instead, tell a story. They’ve already emphasized that they want to see your journey, so share it with them. 

One last thought on this one. Despite Villanova being a Catholic school, we recommend not talking about God here. If you were to say that the thing you know to be true is biblical, you’re going to fall into a mass of essays that will do just that to a monotonous effect. If you were to write about another religion, it might read as an attempt to stir up discontent for no good reason. 

B)   Villanovans are known for "holding doors open" because inclusion is at the core of who we are. Take us on a journey through your background and describe how your life experience has shaped your understanding of the word "inclusion."

Attention: This is not a request for an autobiography. Please do not run through the last 16 years of your life in 250 words. Focus on one specific activity or thread in your life and follow it over a few years. As you brainstorm an area of your life to focus on, keep the word “inclusion” in the front of your mind. For us, inclusion links closely to community, so we are driven to look for the perfect answer in the communities that we value and hold most closely, whether they are family-centered, cultural, religious, academic, athletic, social, or a structured extracurricular. 

C)   Generation Z is arguably the most technologically savvy cohort in history. They find answers to questions, discover troves of new music, or even start the next global social movement, all within seconds. How has this seemingly limitless connectivity influenced the person you have become?

TBH: We don’t love this question. We think most students who answer it will end up with pretty similar responses. They will say that tech is complicated, but “yay!” for connection. They will lament how much we all look at our phones before telling a story about keeping their face down on the table when out with friends. Maybe they built an app to help their peers disconnect more. While each student who picks this prompt may feel like their answer is unique, it’s unlikely that they won’t blur together into one generalized narrative that makes an application reader’s eyes glaze over.

Our two cents? Skip this one. It reads more like a rhetorical question posed by the New York Times editorial board than a helpful metric to determine your spot at Villanova.  

D)   In St. Augustine's book  Confessions , one of the themes is the idea of redemption and second chances. Tell us a story about second chances. It can be your experience or one that you have come across through others or through media.

We suspect that many students will try to use this prompt as a way of explaining away things such as poor grades, disciplinary action, or another blemish on their record. This is absolutely not the place to address those things. That is what the additional information section is for.

If you insist on trying out this prompt and your answer is akin to an apology, stop and try a different one. Preferably A or B, please.

The Why Nova Essay (100 words):  Why do you want to call Villanova your new home and become part of our community?

This is a classic (albeit short) “Why Us?” supplement with a community-focused twist. Try to fit your major, a professor you’d like to study under, a class you’d like to take, and a specific reference to a part of the Villanova community (a club, non-academic program, or residential community) all in 100 words or less. Is that a lot to ask? Yes. If you have to cut something, cut the mention of a specific course — but try your hardest to get it in!

If you aren’t sure how to apply to a religiously-affiliated school or are wondering if a Catholic college could be right for you, send us a note . We help students navigate the complex web of college options to find their perfect fit.

Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Field Hockey 8/13/2024 2:05:00 PM

Villanova Lands 390 Student-Athletes on 2023-24 BIG EAST All-Academic Team

This is the ninth consecutive academic year in which the wildcats earned more than 300 selections to the conference all-academic team; this year’s total is a 15 percent increase from 2022-23.

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UGA, Ohio St. and Oregon lead preseason poll

🏈 South Dakota St. leads preseason FCS Coaches' Poll

👀 Newcomers that could win their conference

Stan Becton | NCAA.com | August 12, 2024

Two-time defending champs south dakota state lead 2024 preseason fcs coaches' poll.

Back-to-back FCS national champion South Dakota State is No. 1 in the preseason FCS Coaches’ Poll. The top-ranked Jackrabbits received all but one first-place vote.

Rounding out the top five are No. 2 North Dakota State, No. 3 Montana, No. 4 Montana State, and No. 5 South Dakota. North Dakota State and Montana’s rankings place three of last year’s four FCS semifinal teams in the top five.

Here's the complete preseason FCS Coaches’ Poll.

2024 Preseason FCS Coaches’ Poll

Others receiving votes: Weber State, 66; North Carolina Central, 53; Eastern Illinois, 50; UT Martin, 38; Austin Peay, 35; Northern Iowa, 33; Harvard, 32; Yale, 31; Mercer, 27; Holy Cross, 20; Howard, 20; Alabama State, 17; Northern Arizona, 17; Elon, 16; Alcorn State, 9; Duquesne, 7; North Carolina A&T, 6; Fordham, 5; Gardner-Webb, 4; Indiana State, 3; Missouri State., 3; Butler, 2; Eastern Kentucky, 2; Southeast Missouri State, 2; Eastern Washington, 1; Murray State, 1; Samford, 1; Utah Tech, 1.

BIG TIME:  47 players to know for the 47th season of FCS football

Preseason Poll by conference

The Big Sky leads all conferences with four top-10 teams. Here's a breakdown of the entire top 25 by conference:

AWARDS:  Ranking the top FCS preseason award contenders

Breaking down the preseason polls

No. 1 South Dakota State enters the 2024 season on a 29-game win streak and as the two-time defending FCS champions. However, the path to keep the win streak alive and repeat won’t be easy for the Jackrabbits. SDSU faces six opponents ranked in the preseason, including No. 15 UIW in Week 2. In conference, South Dakota State has a three-game stretch in October with No. 23 Youngstown State, No. 2 North Dakota State and No. 5 South Dakota State and plays No. 22 North Dakota and No. 11 Southern Illinois in November.

In the Big Sky, the Brawl of the Wild to close the end of the season will likely again be a highly-ranked matchup when preseason No. 3 Montana and No. 4 Montana State meet. The depth of the conference should again be on display with two more top-10 teams in No. 7 Idaho and No. 10 Sacramento State. No. 17 UC Davis should also be one to watch.

UPSET ALERT:  12 potential FCS-over-FBS upsets in 2024

Elsewhere in the top 10 of the poll, defending conference champions No. 6 Villanova and No. 9 Furman make appearances. Interestingly, No. 8 Chattanooga ranks ahead of Furman, even though the Paladins won the conference last fall.

No. 25 Florida A&M is the only HBCU ranked in the preseason poll. The Rattlers also stole the lone first-place vote that didn’t go to South Dakota State. FAMU won the Celebration Bowl last year and finished atop the NCAA.com HBCU football power rankings.

2024 HBCU football:  Following the 2024 HBCU football season from start to finish

Also outside the poll are Austin Peay, Drake, Duquesne, Gardner-Webb, Mercer and North Carolina Central. ​​Each team made the 2023 FCS playoffs, but missed out on a spot in the preseason FCS poll.

Non-conference matchups to watch

There might not be any top-five FCS matchups until conference play starts, but there are still intriguing matchups to keep on your radar during the non-conference slate.

Here are some nonconference FCS games to watch featuring top-25 teams during the first few weeks. Click or tap here for a complete list.

• Week 1 — No. 23 Youngstown State at No. 6 Villanova
• Week 2 — No. 15 UIW at No. 1 South Dakota State
• Week 2 — No. 3 Montana at No. 22 North Dakota
• Week 3 — No. 14 UAlbany at No. 7 Idaho
• Week 3 — No. 24 Nicholls at No. 10 Sacramento State
• Week 3 — No. 15 UIW at No. 11 Southern Illinois
• Week 4 — No. 9 Furman at No. 16 William & Mary
• Week 4 — No. 19 Western Carolina at No. 3 Montana

• 5 potential first-time FCS champions in 2024

Earthquake Games: On the curious relationship between seismology and college football

AP Top 25 rankings: Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon lead preseason poll

Fcs football news.

• Two-time defending champs South Dakota State lead 2024 preseason FCS Coaches' Poll
• Ranking the top 3 HBCU football players at every position entering 2024
• Stan Becton's Preseason Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll ballot
• Ranking the top FCS preseason award contenders
• The Road to Atlanta: 2024 Preseason HBCU football power rankings
• 47 players to know for the 47th season of FCS football
• 12 potential FCS-over-FBS upsets in 2024
• Here is every FCS vs FBS game scheduled for 2024
• The 25 biggest FCS football stadiums in the country

Follow FCS Football

Schools with the most FCS national championships

These are the 'Bluebloods' of FCS football

The best nicknames and mascots in the FCS

7 of the most unbreakable records in FCS football history

The 9 winningest FCS programs of all time

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Knicks Named Landing Spot for Suns Center

Jeremy brener | aug 13, 2024.

• New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are thinking of ways to pivot at the center position if their current setup fails to work the way they hope it does.

After losing Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, the Knicks settled on re-signing Precious Achiuwa and having Mitchell Robinson step back into his spot as the team's starting center.

But Robinson has often been stung by the injury bug — he was limited to 31 games last season — and isn't the same kind of floor stretcher that Hartenstein was, putting the Knicks in a precarious position looking for other center options.

The Athletic's John Hollinger and Fred Katz recently had a discussion and Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic was floated as a potential trade target for the Knicks.

Nurkic, who turns 30 later this month, averaged 10.9 points and 11.0 rebounds per game for the Suns this past season, proving that he can still be a key contributor in the league. It was Nurkic's first season in Phoenix after he was acquired via trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, where he played from 2017-23, making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

Nurkic and the Suns struggled to reach their sky-high expectations last season, finishing an underwhelming sixth place in the Western Conference before getting swept in the first round of the playoffs by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Suns have hardly any future assets and will have to look to blow it up if they want to move forward. However, the way they can do that without completely tearing the operation apart is by offering Nurkic to a team like the Knicks in need of a center to help them take that next step.

The Suns would likely ask for Robinson and/or point guard Miles McBride in any trade, but the Knicks should consider any possible deal that improves their center rotation at this point.

Nurkic may be costly, but the Knicks have a duty to set Jalen Brunson up for success, and a move like this could be exactly what New York needs.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email [email protected].