villanova university essay prompts

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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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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 Villanova Supplemental Essay Prompts

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Villanova University is a stunning university located just a 20 minute drive from the historic city of Philadelphia. Villanova is a medium-sized school with a tight-knit community of nearly 7,000 undergraduate students. So, how can you become a Villanova wildcat? One of the best ways is to make your Nova application stand out from the crowd through your responses to the Villanova supplemental essays.

The Villanova supplemental essays

You have the freedom to answer the Villanova supplemental essays in a way that reveals your striking personality and how well you will fit in the Wildcat community at Villanova. So, read our guide for answering the Villanova supplemental essay prompts in order to make your Villanova supplemental essay answers stand out from the rest! 

The first of the Villanova supplemental essays provides applicants with a choice between five essay prompts. Therefore, select a topic from the list below that truly interests you! You’ll want to choose an option that will reveal pieces of your personality that have not yet been revealed in your application. 

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)

If you are an avid supporter of social justice, then this prompt is the perfect one for you to answer. This question reveals some of Villanova’s core values, including making their community safe and equitable for everyone to thrive within. Therefore, your response should demonstrate how your values align with Villanova’s. 

To answer this question in the best way, you should detail a specific example of a time when you advocated for equity and justice in a community. This community can be anything big or small that you are a part of. 

For example, you can write about being a part of your hometown or about being a part of the track and field team in your high school. The community itself does not matter; rather, it is important to choose a community where you made an impact and advocated for social justice. 

Questions to consider:

• Why did you take action? 
• What was your motivation to take this action?
• How did you feel after having taken the action? 
• How is your community better/changed from this action? 

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. (250 words) 

To begin answering this prompt, generate a list of ideas regarding what people may assume about you based on your outward appearance or identity. While addressing stereotypes or exploring issues related to racial diversity is a valuable approach, you can also delve into various aspects of your appearance or background. For example, perhaps because you have blonde hair you have been labeled a dumb blonde at school. 

Narrate a personal account of such misconceptions in a story format, enabling the admissions committee to gain an understanding of your innermost feelings during this experience. 

The critical element in your response is to describe how you overcame this misjudgment. Emphasize the toll that these misconceptions took on you to showcase your resilience and your capacity to conquer adversity. It’s crucial to provide details, allowing the admissions committee to grasp not only what you did but why you did it! 

• Do you think that misjudgments happen often? 
• How did you feel when you were misjudged? 
• What did you learn from this misjudgment? 

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? (250 words)

Villanova is a tight-knit community that values learning from experiences. To help you brainstorm your response to this prompt you should think about the following questions: 

• Do you have a motto you follow? 
• Who are the most influential people in your life and what have you learned from them
• Are there any moments, big or small, that have taught you a lesson? 
• What is your most influential wisdom? 

You should select a life lesson that you continue to follow throughout your life. Once you have selected a life lesson, detail how you came to learn this lesson. Did you learn that perseverance is key after falling off a bike when you were learning how to ride a bike? The key is to demonstrate the value of perseverance and how that trait serves us well in life. 

Be detailed in your response. Tell a narrative about what led up to this point in your life where you learned a valuable lesson and how that lesson has helped you since learning it. The ultimate question to ask yourself is why do you want others to learn from your experience? How will the life lesson you learned serve 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? (250 words) 

To begin, try and think about who you turn to with certain issues or for advice. This could be a close friend, family member, school personnel etc. Once you have selected this important person, you should detail a narrative or story about coming to that person with a challenge. 

Once you have described your support system and your difficult situation, you should spend the rest of your response detailing what you have learned from this encounter. Focus your response on detailing how having someone close to you can make you stronger. 

• Have you adopted some traits from people that you admire? 
• How does talking to someone help you get through tough times? 
• Do you give your strength to others? 

Also see: How to write an essay about yourself

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

This is a typical “why us” essay. The most important thing to do when responding to a “why us” essay is to ensure you have done your research prior to answering the question. 

Look on Villanova’s website for any extracurricular activities, classes, majors, traditions, sporting events and much more that stick out to you. Once you have accumulated an impressive list, select the aspects of Villanova that you love to write about.

The most important thing is that you are being authentic. If you could care less about basketball, do not write about their basketball program! They want to get a good sense of their applicants and what drew them to apply to Villanova. 

Try to avoid writing about the following: 

• Writing about Villanova’s acceptance rate or ranking 
• The mascot name or school colors
• Restating Villanova’s website

Be sure to become familiar with Villanova’s rich history, culture, and values aside from the more “superficial” aspects of Villanova. 

Do not just make a list of every aspect of Villanova that excites you. Rather, you should be detailed in your response to show how you will use the opportunities and experiences Villanova offers to your advantage. Describe what you are excited about participating in and how it will aid your future goals. 

Don’t miss: 10 tips for successful college applications

Final thoughts on responding to the Villanova supplemental essays

After reading our guide for responding to the Villanova supplemental essays, it is time to choose your option for Essay 1 and write your essays! 

Brainstorming and outlining are the most important part of the writing process. Therefore, take your time and plan out every detail. In addition, be sure that you are selecting an option for Essay 1 that stands out to you. First and foremost, make sure that you are being authentic to yourself. 

Be careful not to repeat yourself and to evenly distribute bits of personality and interests throughout your responses. Thanks to our guide, you will be able to ace the Villanova supplemental essays! Good luck! 

Additional resources

After you’ve completed the Villanova supplemental essays, give yourself a pat on the back. But remember – your journey is not over. The college application process is a tricky one, but have no fears because Scholarships360 is here! Have you completed the ACT or SAT ? If you are wondering about whether or not to send your SAT/ACT scores to test optional schools, check out our guide! Are you wondering if your Coalition Application and Common Application essays are perfect? Maybe you want to know how many colleges should you apply to?   If so, we have answers! Be sure to also check out our free scholarship search tool to help you finance your education. Best of luck in the college admissions process from Scholarships360! 

Additional supplemental essay guides

• Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)
• Boston University (Boston, MA)
• Pennsylvania State University (Throughout PA)

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How to Write the Villanova University 2024-2025 Supplemental Essays

Villanova University, an Augustinian Catholic university, is looking for students who demonstrate a commitment to their communities and align with the institution's values. The supplemental essays for the 2024-2025 application cycle are a unique opportunity to showcase your personal experiences, values, and aspirations. Here are the new prompts:

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 a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others at Villanova?

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

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.

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.

Each of these essays has a word limit of 300 words, offering just enough space to provide a compelling narrative. Here’s how to approach each prompt:

Prompt 1: Advocating for Equity and Justice

Villanova deeply values community and service. In your response, highlight specific actions you’ve taken to promote equity and justice. Whether through volunteer work, school clubs, or personal initiatives, demonstrate your commitment and the impact you've made. If you’re struggling to brainstorm, Sups AI can help refine your ideas and hone your message.

Prompt 2: Sharing a Life Lesson

This prompt is about personal growth and the wisdom gained from your experiences. Choose a lesson that has shaped your outlook and could resonate with the Villanova community. Use Sups AI to receive feedback and ensure your narrative is both engaging and genuine.

Prompt 3: Why Villanova is Your New Home

Research the unique aspects of Villanova that align with your goals and interests. Discuss academic programs, extracurricular activities, and the community’s ethos. Personalize your reasons to make them heartfelt and specific. For detailed insights from current students, consider chatting on Sups AI .

Prompt 4: Misjudged Based on Identity or Background

This prompt allows you to reflect on a time when you faced stereotypes or misunderstandings. It’s a chance to highlight your resilience and how these experiences shaped you. Crafting a nuanced and empathetic narrative can be challenging— Sups AI offers support to help articulate your story effectively.

Prompt 5: Lending Strength to Others

Share an instance where your support made a significant difference for someone else. Focus on your empathy, actions, and the outcome of your assistance. To ensure you communicate the essence of your strength clearly, leverage the brainstorming and feedback tools on Sups AI .

Tackling Villanova’s supplemental essays might seem daunting, but with careful reflection and the right guidance, like that from Sups AI , you can craft essays that truly represent your best self. Remember, authenticity and sincerity are your greatest assets in these essays. Good luck!

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Villanova University Essay Example by an Accepted Student

Villanova University is a selective private school, so it’s important to write strong essays to help your application stand out. In this post, we’ll share an essay a real student has submitted to Villanova University. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Villanova University es say breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: 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” (300 words).

“Y’all who’s loofa is in the middle of the hallway?? Someone finessed my pizza but I’ll let it slide… Guys, if anyone took my blue scooter from outside my room could u plz make sure to put it back when ur done?”–G-House

These are all real text messages from my dorm group chat. I am one of the senior leaders in an all freshman-girl dorm, and through the trials and tribulations of 32 girls living together, we developed social norms such as labeling your food in the fridge (so your food isn’t “finessed”) and our cut-throat first-come-first-serve shower policy. We know that if someone leaves the common room too messy, that could mean a lecture for all of us so we try our best to collectively keep the dorm tidy. We also know the importance of our Sunday dorm jobs– to leave a well-kept dorm for the cleaning faculty creating a mutual level of respect between us and them. They are included in the community too. But we also have Friday night dorm bonding filled with lots of fun and laughter due to the well-functioning community we have been able to build– the benefits of inclusion.

Inclusion means to be a part of something. In this case, being a part of the dorm community, and an acknowledgment of each and everyone’s role in the community allows for things to run smoothly. Through the concept of inclusion, I have learned the invaluable skill of how to best participate in a community of people I did not choose, nor control and I hope to bring my experiences to Villanova next fall.

What the Essay Did Well

The sample quotes at the beginning made for a really strong hook for this essay. It immediately started the essay off with action and had the reader asking questions about how these statements would relate to the rest of the essay. The beginning of any essay sets the tone for what follows, so drawing in the reader with such bold statements kept the reader engaged as they went through the essay. These quotes also provided some humor which helped to keep the essay casual and fun.

This essay also did a good job of explaining how this student has experienced inclusion. Describing the daily routines and rules of her dorm gave a very tangible depiction of how she has learned to find her place among 32 other girls. Not only does this student discuss how these experiences have made her understand the importance of inclusion, she also mentions other important characteristics that help foster inclusion: collective action, respect, and bonding.

Highlighting these other traits in the examples of how she helped build an inclusive community shows that this student values these characteristics and knows how to foster an inclusive environment. This essay shows that this student has both an understanding of the word inclusion and that she knows tangible steps to take to create an inclusive environment. Showcasing both of these is proof to admissions officers that this student would have a large positive impact on the campus community because she would recognize the importance of inclusion at Villanova and take action to ensure it exists on campus.

What Could Be Improved

The main way this student could improve this essay is by including stories that show her actively creating an inclusive environment, rather than telling us policies that fostered inclusion. The essay currently relies on telling the reader what the community did—”We know that if someone leaves the common room too messy, that could mean a lecture for all of us so we try our best to collectively keep the dorm tidy.”—rather than telling a story and letting the reader see inclusion happen right before their eyes. Telling the reader what happened makes them feel more removed from the story, while showing puts them in the center of the action.

Much of the first paragraph could be rewritten to show inclusion in the dorm community. For example, the sentence above might look something like this: “After our Halloween movie marathon, my friends and I pushed the common room couches back into their rightful places and picked up the popcorn we spilled during countless jump-scares, happy we could save the entire floor an hour long lecture with just five minutes of clean up.” This sentence still shares the same facts as the one currently in the essay, but there’s more detail, revealing this student’s personality, and it is more engaging since the narration is putting the reader in the common room with the student and her friends. Employing this same tactic to rewrite sentences to be more descriptive and engaging would make the entire essay much stronger.

Where to Get Your Villanova University Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Villanova University  essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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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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Breaking Down the Villanova Essay Prompts

Written by Zaragoza Guerra on October 12th, 2018

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• writing college essays ,
• Option A: We believe that all members of our community should be committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. How would you contribute to this at Villanova? Don’t be fooled, this prompt isn’t asking you if you fit any preconceived notions of diversity as defined by race, sexual orientation, gender, ability, socioeconomic status, faith, religion, or citizenship. So you don’t get a pass simply because you can’t check off the “ diversity ” box. Villanova’s explicitly asking “all members of our community,” not a preconceived few, about their commitment to Villanova’s ideals. So how do you welcome those whose backgrounds might not look like yours? How do you go about including others in your friendships, in your conversations, in your overall interactions with the world? How are you making diversity, equity, and inclusion a part of your life?
• Option B: Saint Augustine believed in the essential connection between the mind and the heart. Tell us about a time that your mind and heart were in conflict and how that was resolved. Villanova is not quiet about their love for Saint Augustine—he’s their foundational cornerstone. But you don’t have to be Catholic or steeped in Catholic tradition to understand the mind and the heart. In Augustinian practice, intellectual and spiritual growth often work in tandem. The search for Truth is not an egocentric exercise; it makes us aware of our place in the world, of our interconnectedness with others; it brings wisdom. So when did your mind ever veer from your heart? Have you ever chosen one over the other? Has your search for knowledge ever superseded community? Has your community ever shunned Truth? How did you reconcile the two?
• Option C: "Each of us strengthens all of us" is a concept that resonates deeply in the Villanova community. While this phrase may mean many different things, one aspect is that Villanovans rely on each other. Share a situation when you have needed help and what you have taken away from this experience. Interesting: Villanova isn’t asking you to highlight when you’ve been of service to others or when you’ve problem solved around the obstacles in your path. They’re asking for vulnerability here. But don’t stop there: what did the experience teach you about community? They’re giving you a big hint: “Each of us strengthens all of us.” What did you discover during your hour of need? What were the lessons learned and how are you applying those lessons moving forward? Do you view your relationship with others any differently as a consequence of your experiences?

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How to Write Villanova’s Supplemental Essays for 2024-2025

How to write villanova supplemental essays for 2024-2025.

Bonus Material: PrepMaven’s 50+ Real Supplemental Essays for Ivy+ Schools

During the last application cycle, Villanova had an acceptance rate of 23% , making it a very selective school. 

That means a good way of standing out from the 20,000+ other applicants is to write a compelling and successful essay for Villanova. 

Fortunately, at PrepMaven, we’ve helped thousands of students craft compelling college application essays. 

It doesn’t hurt that many of our expert tutors have been admitted to elite schools like Princeton, Yale, and Harvard themselves, and so they know exactly what works for the most selective schools. 

In this guide, we’ll break down how to write the Villanova supplemental essay for the upcoming admissions cycle, explaining how to maximize your chances of acceptance. 

As you read on, check out our free resource linked below: it contains real, successful examples of supplemental essays written for Ivies and other top schools!

Download 50+ Real Supplemental Essays for Ivy+ Schools

Jump to section: Villanova’s 2024-2025 Essay Prompts How to Choose Which Prompt to Answer 9 Tips for Writing Villanova’s Supplemental Essay Next steps

Villanova’s 2024-2025 Supplemental Essay Prompts

Good news! For this admissions cycle, Villanova has only 1 supplemental essay. 

For Villanova, you’ll have to choose which of 5 supplemental essay questions you want to respond to. 

The word count for this essay is around 250 words .

Here all of the prompts for Villanova’s 2024-2025 supplemental:

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?  Prompt Two: What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others at Villanova?  Prompt Three: “Villanova” means “new home.” Why do you want to call Villanova your new home? 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, background, experiences or interests. 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.

Below, we’ll dive deep into how to approach this supplemental essay, laying out the tips, tricks, and strategies to help your essay stand out from thousands of others. 

As you read on, we’ll often be encouraging you to spend time looking through as many real supplemental essays for Ivy League schools as possible. Writing is easiest when you have a model! 

Below, we’ve collected over 50 real supplemental essays that got students accepted to Ivy+ schools. Many of those essays are similar to the one you’ll have to write for Villanova!

You can download that collection for free by clicking the link below. 

How to Choose Which Prompt to Answer 

When you have 5 different prompts to choose from, it’s reasonable to wonder whether there’s a “right” choice. 

In fact, there is! But the right prompt depends entirely on you. Here’s how to think about it:

Your goal with all college essays, as we’ve written elsewhere , is to tell the most interesting, most compelling story from your life. 

When it comes to choosing what you’ll write your Villanova essay about, think about the story you’d like to tell . 

These prompts are broad enough that you can make one of them fit for almost any story. So, start with what you want to convey, then simply pick the prompt that matches best. 

Are you active in your community, with a meaningful service experience you’d like to recount? Pick Prompt 1. 

Do you instead want to tell the story of an artistic pursuit? Great: with a little tweaking, you can make that work for Prompt 2. 

The other consideration here is what other supplemental essays you have to write for other schools. 

We always recommend reusing large parts of your supplemental essays to send to other schools. So, is there another supplemental essay you’ve written that you already love? If so, find a way to make it fit (with minor changes) one of the prompts here. 

 9 Tips for Writing Villanova’s Supplemental Essay

Before even writing, take some time to get to know Villanova. What are their values, what does the university pride itself on? You can find a lot of that information here: Villanova’s Values . 

Then, as you think about how to connect your story to those values, consider the advice Villanova’s admissions department offers applicants: 

• Speak your truth
• There are no right or wrong answers
• Seriously proofread and proofread seriously
• Ask for a second opinion, not a rewrite. 

All of this advice is a bit general, but it does show you what Villanova wants. Like most universities, Villanova is looking for honest, informal, and engaging stories. Well-written and carefully proofread, sure, but most importantly interesting ! 

Here are our 4 biggest tips for how to accomplish that: 

• Make sure your essay is introspective

Whatever story you tell, be sure that it shows you thinking critically about your life and your place in the world. 

If your essay is introspective, admissions officers at Villanova should actually be able to track your thought process as you reflect on the experiences you recount. 

It’s not just the story that matters: it’s what you make of it, and how you interpret it!

• Use your own voice

It’s not just about telling your story; it’s about telling it in your voice!

A big problem in college essays, whether supplemental essays or personal statements, is that many students try to sound like someone they’re not. 

Read your Villanova supplemental out loud. Does it sound like you? Are the words in the essay words you’d actually use? Do the sentences flow the way your speech does? 

Don’t try to sound overly smart or mature: too many students try that, and so too many college application essays sound the same. 

Admittedly, writing in your own voice can be tough if you’re not used to it. If you’re struggling, we recommend working with one of our college essay tutors, who will help you capture your unique style without making you sound like someone else. 

Vulnerability can work wonders in this essay. Villanova’s admissions committee makes that clear when they tell you to “speak your truth.”  

Instead of writing what you think they want to hear, write that truth, even if it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes, admitting something about yourself that might not put you in the best light can actually be a strong, advantageous move in college admissions. 

• Don’t be generic or cliche

Nothing sinks an essay faster than it being boring or cliche. 

As soon as you catch yourself writing a sentence, description, or reflection that someone else could have written, delete it. You need every sentence here to be specific to you, using the details from your life that only you can provide. 

Rule number 4 can be rephrased more bluntly: don’t be boring. 

For over 50 examples of supplemental essays that do this successfully, check out the free collection below–it includes essays written for Ivy+ schools, organized by university and prompt. 

  Download 50+ Real Supplemental Essays for Ivy+ Schools

Once you’re ready to start writing supplemental essays for Villanova and your other schools, we have two main pieces of advice. 

First: read real, successful sample supplemental essays that helped get students into elite schools like Villanova.

Most people don’t really know what college admissions officers actually want from the supplemental essays, and the best solution is to spend lots of time reviewing real essays. We’ve collected over 50 of these essays in the free resource below. 

Second: get expert help. Whether you’re a brilliant writer or just an okay one, you’ll benefit tremendously from the advice of someone who’s already successfully navigated the high-stakes college application process. 

Unfortunately, not all college essay tutors are created equal: picking the right one can be the difference between getting into your dream school or just wasting your money. 

That’s why we had our experts come up with the definitive ranking of the 14 Best College Essay Services , evaluating everything from tutor credentials to customer reviews. Check out that list, and make sure you only work with the best.

And when you’re ready to work with our team of college essay experts–who earned admission to elite schools like Princeton and Yale before undergoing a rigorous training process– contact us to get matched with a tutor! 

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, villanova supplemental essays advice.

Hello everyone! I'm applying to Villanova, and I want to make sure I do a great job on my supplemental essays. Can anyone share some advice on what topics or themes work well for Villanova's supplements? Any help is appreciated!

Hello! It's great that you're working on your supplemental essays for Villanova. I'm happy to give you some advice on how to make your essays stand out. Villanova is a Catholic university, so they value intellectual curiosity, community service, and personal growth. Here are some strategies to consider for Villanova's supplemental essays:

1. Intellectual curiosity: Essays focusing on intellectual growth often demonstrate your passion for learning and ability to think critically. You could write about a challenging course or a project that sparked your interest in a particular subject. Provide specific examples of how you applied your learning to explore the subject further or made connections with other disciplines.

2. Community service: Villanova encourages its students to be responsible citizens who contribute positively to their communities. You could write about a meaningful community service experience and how it changed your perspective or taught you valuable life lessons. Reflect on the impact you made through this experience and how it aligns with Villanova's values.

3. Personal growth: Personal essays that show self-awareness and growth can be powerful. You might describe an event or turning point that challenged your beliefs or forced you to re-evaluate yourself. Explain how this experience has transformed you as a person, and how it will help you contribute to the Villanova community.

4. Connection to Villanova's values and culture: Research Villanova's mission and values, as well as aspects of their campus culture and community that resonate with you. Discuss how your values align with those of the University and how your experiences prepare you to thrive at Villanova.

Also check out this CollegeVine article for tips on writing all the Villanova supplemental essays: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-villanova-university-essays

Remember to be genuine, reflective, and specific in your writing. Focus on explaining the depth of your engagement with the topic and how it has shaped you as a person or your perspective on the world. Lastly, proofread your essay carefully to ensure clarity and avoid typos or grammar mistakes. Good luck on your Villanova supplemental essays!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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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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FAQ about Villanova University

Villanova University 2018-19 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Villanova 2018-19 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: Choose one out of three prompts. 1-2 pages.

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Oddball , Community

Please select and respond to ONE of the following questions in an essay of at least one typewritten page (double spaced). This essay should be distinct and different from the essay submitted through the Common Application.

We believe that all members of our community should be committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. how would you contribute to this at villanova.

Ah, the infamous “community” essay. Many schools ask students about their communities because they want to know how said students relate to the people around them, forge connections, and commune with their peers. In this particular instance, the question emphasises diversity, equity, and inclusion. What do these words mean to you and how do they relate a community that you’re involved in? Maybe you’re very involved in your local church youth group that celebrates its members differences, including trans and nonbinary members. Perhaps friends you made at salsa dancing club have introduced you to a new culture and language that you love. Maybe there are different languages spoken by the volunteers in your community garden and now you know how to say tomato in five different dialects. How do you see diversity and inclusion play out in your community? How would you keep those values alive at this school? Villanova wants to know about your life beyond the classroom and how you will contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion on their campus.

Saint Augustine believed in the essential connection between the mind and the heart. Tell us about a time that your mind and heart were in conflict and how that was resolved.

This question is deep, but not that deep. We promise. If you take a few minutes to ponder it, you might even notice it’s similarities with Common App prompt 3 (about a time when you challenged a belief or idea) and prompt 4 (about problems of personal importance, including ethical dilemmas). In other words, think of this supplemental question from Villanova as an opportunity to tell a story that illuminates your values. What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever made? Or the biggest risk you’ve ever taken? Mine your memory for moments when the stakes felt high, and the mind/heard structure will follow. If it was really hard to stand up to someone who made a racist or homophobic comment, why was that so? Maybe you were worried about provoking or exacerbating an already-tense situation. Or perhaps you didn’t cope well when you learned a dear friend had a terminal illness. You wanted to be there, but you couldn’t. How did you make your peace with the situation? How did you change? You may end up telling a story of personal triumph, but it isn’t a requirement. This prompt is designed to create space for vulnerability. So if you choose to dig into a situation that you wish you had handled differently or long-standing regret, just remember that no matter what, your story should demonstrate personal growth, self-awareness, and reflection.

“Each of us strengthens all of us” is a concept that resonates deeply in the Villanova community. While this phrase may mean many different things, one aspect is that Villanovans rely on each other. Share a situation when you have needed help and what you have taken away from this experience.

If you’re once again feeling a sneaking sense of déja vu as you read this prompt, we get it. Does this ring a bell: “Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?” It should. It’s the second prompt on this year’s Common App and it asks essentially the same question Villanova asks here, if in a less pointed way. So if you’ve already described a personal challenge or moment when you needed to seek outside help, avoid this prompt. Otherwise, consider the same basic advice we offered on the Common App version. Writing about a time when you felt defeated or needed help requires vulnerability and perspective, but at the end of the day, you should still aim to tell a positive story about yourself. As we’ve said before, a question about failure is really an opportunity for you to tell a story of resilience and success. But in this case, it’s also your chance to demonstrate your level of maturity, and your ability to appreciate others for their strengths and life experience. So as you zero in on a key moment, ask yourself: At what point did you know you couldn’t do it alone? Who did you choose to lean on and why? What did you learn about yourself and the person or people who helped you?

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Philly-area colleges see dips in Black, Latino students post Supreme Court decision on race-conscious admissions

Penn, Haverford, and Swarthmore all saw declines in students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.

Colleges were bracing for a decline in Black and Latino freshmen at many of the nation’s elite institutions following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last year to ban race-conscious decisions.

Nationally, so far, that appears to be the case at some schools: Amherst College, a small liberal arts school in Massachusetts, reported an 8-percentage-point drop in the number of Black students, while the decline at Massachusetts Institute of Technology among Black, Latino, and American Indian and Pacific Islander students was 9 percentage points. Other colleges, including Tufts and the University of Virginia, have experienced declines, too.

» READ MORE: What Philly-area schools are saying about the SCOTUS ruling to end race-based admissions in colleges

Though the dips appear to be smaller, the same is true for local schools.

The University of Pennsylvania , which published its statistics Friday, said 23% of its incoming class were U.S. citizens and permanent residents from underrepresented groups, including Black, Latino, and American Indian and Pacific Islander. That’s down 2 percentage points from last year. Penn did not provide a breakdown of Black and Latino students specifically.

“We typically do not post details about the racial subcategories represented among our first-year students,” said Whitney Soule, Penn’s dean of admissions. “Rather, we hope that the information we do provide demonstrates our commitment to the breadth of diversity, including first generation to college, Pell eligibility, broader categories of race/ethnicity, international, etc. in Penn’s first-year enrollment.” Pell grants are geared toward lower-income students.

While acknowledging the decline in students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, Soule said: “Our class continues to represent similar proportions of students who are first generation to college, Pell eligible, and students of color.”

Overall, the class includes 57% students of color, the same as last year. Asian students also are in that category.

Sean Vereen, copresident of Heights Philadelphia , an organization that helps students from city schools get to and through college, acknowledged Penn’s efforts in considering socioeconomic factors and geography to help ensure diversity in the wake of the court’s decision.

“We don’t know how all of this will play out over time,” he said. “We are really in the beginning stages of understanding what the impact of the decision is. … There are ways for us to address racial diversity when we think about this in a more broad term around socioeconomic equality and inclusion at schools.”

At Haverford College, 7.2% of U.S.-based students in the first-year class identified as Black, compared with 8.3% last fall. The percentage of Hispanic students declined from 11.5% to 10.2%. Overall, Haverford’s domestic students of color declined by 1.6 percentage points; that also includes a 0.8-percentage-point drop in Asian students.

Swarthmore College, another small, private, highly selective school, did not provide a breakdown of its first-year students by race, saying that was not yet available. But college spokesperson Alisa Giardinelli said 52% of Swarthmore’s first-year class are domestic students of color, compared with 56% last year, though she cautioned that numbers are preliminary and would not be confirmed until October.

» READ MORE: Penn offers no demographic information on its admitted class but does tout one of largest cohorts from Philadelphia

At Princeton, the number of Hispanic students declined by one percentage point to 9%, and Black students by just 0.1% to 8.9%.

The largest drop there actually came in Asian American students, which fell from 26% to 23.8%. The Ivy League institution did not respond to questions about its numbers. Neither did Haverford.

Many colleges, including Villanova and Bryn Mawr , have not yet released a racial breakdown of their classes.

The reasons for the dip

Some college officials blamed the court decision for their decline.

“Following the [Supreme Court] decision, we are unable to use race in the same way, and that change is reflected in the outcome for the Class of 2028,” Stu Schmill, dean of admissions at MIT, told MIT News last month. “Indeed, we did not solicit race or ethnicity information from applicants this year, so we don’t have data on the applicant pool. But I have no doubt that we left out many well-qualified, well-matched applicants from historically underrepresented backgrounds who, in the past, we would have admitted — and who would have excelled.”

The declines around the country were not a surprise to Adam Nguyen, whose company, Ivy Link , advises students on getting into the most elite colleges. He predicted numbers would fall over the next three to five years, and he sees the declines reported so far as an indication of what likely will become a larger trend.

» READ MORE: Students will hear from Ivies on Thursday. Will demographics change since the Supreme Court ruling against race-conscious admissions?

“Schools don’t want to run afoul of the law,” he said.

After the court decision, colleges were looking at ways of broadening their applicant pools, targeting certain zip codes to ensure greater diversity, opening access more broadly to students from lower socioeconomic groups, and reconsidering policies, such as giving preferences to children of alumni, known as legacies.

But Nguyen said those efforts likely will take time.

“Whether those will achieve racial diversity remains to be seen,” he said.

He said that among his clients, he has seen a drop in Black and Latino students applying to Penn and Swarthmore, more notably at Swarthmore and other small, private colleges. Fewer of those accepted also are choosing to enroll, he said.

» READ MORE: Penn appears to have its most selective year on record, accepting 5.4% of applicants

The court decision

The court ruled in June 2023 that colleges could not consider the race of applicants as a factor in deciding whether students should be admitted, with the exception of it being raised, for example, in a college essay on how race affected an applicant’s life.

That overturned more than 40 years of admissions policy at many of the nation’s campuses, raising concern that it would reduce the number of often marginalized Black and Latino students at many elite colleges and harm schools’ efforts to create diverse classes.

The lawsuits were brought by Students for Fair Admissions, a group founded by Edward Blum, a conservative activist who has spent years battling affirmative action policies. Plaintiffs had accused both Harvard and the University of North Carolina of discriminating against Asian and/or white students through the use of race-conscious admissions policies.

Even before the court’s decision, considering race was already barred in certain states, including California and Michigan . In those two states, some colleges have reported a decline in Black and Latino students as a result.

In its announcement, Penn also provided other statistics about its incoming class of 2,396 students, including that, overall, 19% are first-generation college students and 21% are estimated to be eligible for Pell grants.

Nearly 150 come from Philadelphia and, overall, students represent 47 states and 92 nations.

Penn admitted 5.4% of its 65,236 applicants, representing the university’s most selective year on record.

Penn, in Friday’s note to future applicants, addressed diversity.

“It’s impossible to truly quantify the diversity and vibrancy of our community in numbers,” Penn said, “The below percentages in no way translate into your individual ‘chances’ of being admitted to Penn. We are, above all, interested in who you are, and the many things that make you unique ….”