howard university supplemental essay examples

Howard University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Feb 1

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Howard University 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanation

The Requirements: 2 essays of 500 words max

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Diversity

Diversity of all kinds is important to enriching the educational experience at Howard University. Please share with us anything in your background or lived experience that has shaped your perspectives and how that would contribute to the classroom and community at Howard. (500 max)

Odds are that this isn’t the first “diversity” essay prompt you’ve come across this year. If it is, however, please read on. Howard wants to accept students from a range of backgrounds who will contribute to their community, so tell admissions about what makes you you and how you will engage with their campus community. What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? Think about times when people have been intrigued by or curious about your identity, skillset, or background. Maybe you learned to speak Jamaican Patois from your grandparents and you look forward to sharing your culture with your roommates through this unique language. Perhaps you spent your summers working on an organic farm in Northern California and can’t wait to work on The Farm when you arrive in DC. What do you hope to share with others about your lived experience? How will you incorporate this element of your identity to enrich the world around you? Howard wants to know how your personal perspectives, beliefs, and/or lived experiences will affect the conversations you have and the ways in which you engage with the community, so tell them a story that helps them to imagine the kind of student you’ll be on campus next fall.

Please describe the major you intend to study and how you hope to use your Howard education to support you in achieving your passions and goals. Please address your first-choice and second-choice major selections. (500 words max)

Howard University is assuming that you have done your homework on their academic offerings and you’re prepared to prove it. So if you haven’t already, familiarize yourself with Howard’s website. We’re talking courses, clubs, professors, you name it! In order to ace this essay response, you’ll need to not only articulate why your first-choice major is the obvious next step for you in accomplishing your goals, but also explain why you are a great fit for Howard. So why does your intended major pique your interest? What related experiences have you had? When did you start exploring this field? Why do you want to study this subject at Howard specifically? And how do you hope to use this education in the future? Don’t forget to discuss your second-choice major, too, if you have one.

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Extracurriculars.

How to Write the Howard University Essay 2022-2023

Howard University is one of the best-known historically Black universities in the country. Historically Black schools are higher education institutions established before the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and were created to serve members of the Black community. Today, they offer exceptional academic opportunities to students of all genders, religions, and ethnic backgrounds.

At Howard University, students have the opportunity to participate in more than 200 clubs and organizations while learning from top professors. With Washington, D.C. just two miles away, students can easily lead an active political, social, or professional life.

Howard University is a fairly selective school and its acceptance rate has been on the decline. Want to know your chances at Howard University? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Howard University Supplemental Essay Prompt

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. you may express why this activity is important to you, lessons learned from said activity, or any related details that give us more information on your passions, goals and/or experiences. while not required, this section gives our committee further details on your interests outside of the classroom. (250 words).

While this prompt is optional, we strongly encourage you to write this essay since it’ll give Howard more details about who you are, and it’ll demonstrate your interest in the school. “Optional” essays at prestigious schools like Howard aren’t really optional if you want to have the best shot at getting in!

This prompt is similar to the Common App activities section, but it’s asking for the details that aren’t possible to explain in 150 characters. This prompt is extremely common, and is known as the “Extracurricular Essay.” The goal is to get a better understanding of your most important activity and how it shaped you. You can see our complete guide on writing the Extracurricular Essay , but we’ll also provide a breakdown here.

The first thing to do is to pick an activity. The best activities to pick are:

Where you have shown the most commitment
Clubs or groups you founded
Those in which you held a leadership role
One that relates to a personal aspect of your life.

Howard also asks you to indicate up to 5 activities you might be interested in on their campus. This would be another criteria to consider. Do you have any high school equivalents to the university activities you listed there? If so, you might write about one of those high school activities. In any case, make sure that you choose an activity that has had a large impact on your growth and that you are truly passionate about.

Once you have chosen an extracurricular or work experience to write about, describe your topic in a way that is personal and human ─ a story rather than a professional summary. Speak about your accomplishments in terms of how they have shaped and motivated you, not how they’ve padded your resume. Keep descriptions of your activity short as possible and write most of the essay about how your accomplishments in that activity tie into your personal goals and aspirations. Place the focus on you, not the activity itself.

To narrow down your topic, think of a specific experience that was impactful in the arc of your activity. Choose an experience that shaped your decision about which academic and professional directions you want to pursue later on. Perhaps you auditioned for the lead role of a play for the first time and felt nervous excitement at first, but later came to love theater and now aspire to become a dramaturge.

With your narrowed down topic, you can begin to write the essay in the format of a one or two paragraph anecdote. Incorporate reflection into your storytelling ─ it’s easy to get caught up in the details of your anecdote without showing how the activity shaped you. Let the Howard admissions readers know what skills you have developed because of your activity, what personality traits you have strengthened, and whether the activity impacts the way you live other parts of your life.

Here is an example of an essay that balances out storytelling with substance. The writer explains a specific moment of them playing piano, but goes on to reflect on why the activity is important to them, what it has taught them, and how it relates to their future plans:

My fingers raced across the keys, rapidly striking one after another. My body swayed with the music as my hands raced across the piano. Crashing onto the final chord, it was over as quickly as it had begun. My shoulders relaxed and I couldn’t help but break into a satisfied grin. I had just played the Moonlight Sonata’s third movement, a longtime dream of mine. Four short months ago, though, I had considered it impossible.

The piece’s tempo was impossibly fast, its notes stretching between each end of the piano, forcing me to reach farther than I had ever dared. It was seventeen pages of the most fragile and intricate melodies I had ever encountered. But that summer, I found myself ready to take on the challenge. With the end of the school year, I was released from my commitment to practicing for band and solo performances. I was now free to determine my own musical path: either succeed in learning the piece, or let it defeat me for the third summer in a row. Over those few months, I spent countless hours practicing the same notes until they burned a permanent place in my memory, creating a soundtrack for even my dreams. Some would say I’ve mastered the piece, but as a musician I know better. Now that I can play it, I am eager to take the next step and add in layers of musicality and expression to make the once-impossible piece even more beautiful.

1. This supplemental essay is not only an opportunity for the Howard admissions committee to learn more about you ─ it’s also a way to evaluate your writing skills and your ability to directly respond to a given prompt. Always be aware of grammar and spelling conventions, vary your sentence structure, avoid the passive voice, and be creative (although not excessively gaudy) with your word choice.

2. Try to avoid a cliche topic like a sports injury or challenge. These follow the predictable arc of a challenge, working hard to overcome it, and then a success. You can still write about sports, but do so in a way that is more unique. You could even still cover a sports injury or challenge, as long as the plotline is different. For instance, a unique “sports injury story” would be getting injured and deciding to start a podcast while recovering, and how that led to your professional interest in digital media.

Where to Get Your Howard University Essay Edited

Do you want feedback on your Howard essay? 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!

The Art of the Admission Essay

A close-up of a student's hand gripping a pencil over a piece of paper.

The admission essay is your chance to showcase who you are, and is a major component of our review process. Please note the tips included below so that you can hone in on your voice, and showcase why you should join our Bison community.

USE YOUR VOICE

Each applicant is different: you have different intellectual interests, academic backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses, and life goals. These differences are what make you individually intriguing to our admission counselors. Your application essay is your most important opportunity to show us who you are in your own voice. That means, we want to hear your unique story. People will always have similar life experiences, but your reactions to and feelings about them are as unique as your fingerprint. So, tell us what drives you, what is important to you, what your goals are, and how you plan to achieve them.

BE HONEST, DO NOT EMBELLISH, AND STAY FOCUSED

Remember that your application essay is not a list of every reason you should be admitted nor is it a history report on Howard University and our influential alumni. The essay is about you. Before you start writing your essay, take time to brainstorm people who inspire you, events that have shaped you, and issues that matter to you. Then choose one idea or two connected ideas to write about. If you want to tell us a story, that’s great! Everyone loves a good story, at least our admission counselors do. One rule of creative writing that is useful for your admission essay is, wherever possible, show not tell. This means, instead of telling us that you are compassionate and determined, recount an event or conversation that shows us these attributes. However, you cannot tell stories without adding your opinion and reflection! This is what shows us that you are a critical thinker and an informed, ethical applicant. Furthermore, don’t be afraid to write about simple things. For example, a good essay may be about how you became interested in botany from helping your grandmother meticulously maintain her tiny backyard garden when you were young. Such an essay could easily show our admission counselors that you are a family-oriented, disciplined, and self-motivated student – and this is what we are looking for! Not all great essays are about volunteering abroad or overcoming chronic illness. Finally, ignore the urge to use “how to” books and websites that promise you can write the “perfect” essay if you follow their formula. We believe that if there is one rule to writing the best application essay, it ought to be this: The essay is YOURS! Stay in control of it! It is good to ask your teachers and friends to proofread it, but don’t let them overtake it! Everyone will have different ideas about what will make your essay more effective. But if you take everyone’s advice, you risk losing your own voice.

WRITING SUPPLEMENTS

In addition to your main Common Application essay, supplemental essays may also be submitted as part of your application. While not required, a supplemental essay allows you to expound on why you may be interested in a particular school/college or program. It also gives our admission committee another chance to see who you are, and get a better sense of how you can contribute to the legacy of the university. To ensure you write a thoughtful essay, we highly encourage you to thoroughly research your desired school/college or program of interest. Please note, your writing supplement(s) must be submitted separately from your Common Application. After your application has been submitted, you may then review and submit your writing supplement(s) under the “Writing Supplement” heading. All writing supplements must be submitted by our stated application deadline.

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Howard University’s 2024-25 Essay Prompts

Diversity essay.

Diversity of all kinds is important to enriching the educational experience at Howard University. Please share with us anything in your background or lived experience that has shaped your perspectives and how that would contribute to the classroom and community at Howard.

Why This Major Essay

Please describe the major you intend to study and how you hope to use your Howard education to support you in achieving your passions and goals. Please address your first-choice and second-choice major selections.

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

Home — Application Essay — National Universities — Diversity and Social Justice at Howard University

Diversity and Social Justice at Howard University

University: American University

About this sample

Words: 602 |

Published: Feb 15, 2024

Words: 602 | Pages: 1 | 4 min read

The power of diversity, commitment to social justice, pursuit of academic excellence, community engagement.

Introduction As an aspiring college student, I am drawn to educational institutions that not only cultivate academic excellence but also foster a deep sense of community and social justice. Howard University, with its rich history, commitment to diversity, and passion for empowering underserved communities, is the perfect institution for me to embark on my journey of self-discovery, growth, and service. This supplemental essay aims to demonstrate my unwavering dedication to promoting inclusivity, advocate for social justice, and contribute positively to the vibrant tapestry of Howard University.

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'Diversity and Social Justice at Howard University'

Diversity lies at the heart of Howard University, and I wholeheartedly embrace this principle. Growing up in a multicultural environment, I have learned to appreciate the richness that diversity brings to our society. At Howard, I eagerly anticipate interacting with students, faculty, and staff from various backgrounds, providing me with unique perspectives and strengthening my ability to thrive in a globalized world. I believe that this exposure to diverse experiences and ideas will broaden my horizons and enhance my ability to solve complex problems. Additionally, I am excited about bridging cultural gaps, celebrating differences, and creating an inclusive environment where every voice is heard and valued.

Howard University's legacy of social justice activism deeply resonates with me. I firmly believe that education is a powerful tool to dismantle systems of oppression and create positive change. Howard's emphasis on social justice aligns perfectly with my own passion for advocating for underrepresented and marginalized communities. As a college student, I intend to leverage my education to tackle pressing social issues through community engagement, research, and policymaking. By immersing myself in Howard University's vibrant network of student organizations and service opportunities, I aim to make a tangible impact on local, national, and global levels. I aspire to be an agent of change, using my knowledge and skills to empower those whose voices have been silenced.

At Howard University, I am excited to embrace an education that is both rigorous and transformative. I look forward to challenging myself academically and pursuing my passions in the field of [insert field of study]. The comprehensive curriculum at Howard will allow me to explore diverse disciplines, equipping me with a well-rounded education that transcends traditional boundaries. Furthermore, I am eager to learn from distinguished faculty members who are not only experts in their respective fields but also dedicated mentors. I am confident that Howard's academic resources and engaged learning environment will provide me with the necessary tools to excel academically and become a lifelong learner.

Howard University's commitment to community engagement resonates deeply with my personal values. I firmly believe that education should extend beyond the classroom walls and have a positive impact on society. I am excited to actively participate in service initiatives, internships, and research opportunities offered by Howard. By engaging with local communities, I intend to understand their needs and work collaboratively to address them, leveraging the skills and knowledge gained through my studies. I am confident that Howard's emphasis on service-oriented learning will enable me to develop into a socially responsible leader equipped with the ability to make meaningful contributions to society.

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Conclusion In conclusion, I am thrilled to apply to Howard University, an institution committed to diversity, social justice, academic excellence, and community engagement. By choosing Howard, I hope to immerse myself in a vibrant campus atmosphere that embraces the power of diversity, fosters academic growth, and empowers communities. I look forward to contributing to Howard's rich legacy and being a catalyst for positive change. Together, we can create a more equitable and inclusive society, one that echoes the values and achievements of Howard University.

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