university of kentucky supplemental essays

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How to Write the University of Kentucky Essays 2020-2021

University of Kentucky is a public research institution located in Lexington, Kentucky. It prides itself on being one of only eight institutions in the US with the full complement of liberal arts, engineering, professional, agricultural, and medical colleges on one contiguous campus. UK has a total enrollment of around 30,500 and its acceptance rate hovers around 90%.

University of Kentucky applicants have the choice of applying via the Common Application, Coalition Application, or a UK-specific application. Students applying to the Lewis Honors College or the UK’s competitive academic scholarships must use either the University of Kentucky-specific application or the Common Application, and respond to an additional prompt. Want to know your chances at University of Kentucky? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Want to learn what the University of Kentucky will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take? Here’s what every student considering UK needs to know.

University of Kentucky Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants, think of a time when you were dealing with a challenge (personal, academic, work related). how did you handle that did you seek support and if so who did you seek support from (250-650 words), for lewis honors college and competitive scholarship applicants only.

Who are three people that you feel have made a significant impact on the world in the last 100 years? Who are they and why did you select them? How would you want them to be recognized or memorialized (for example, with a day, a celebration, or a monument, etc.)? 

For All Applicants

This prompt asks you to address your self-awareness and response to adversity. The challenge you choose to discuss does not have to be something large-scale or grand to effectively answer the prompt. Instead, your topic should allow you to fully answer the questions posed. Try to choose a time when you faced a unique challenge or reacted in a way that brought out your strengths; avoid hackneyed topics about grades or losing a sports game.

For example, an essay that discusses struggling to get a good grade in calculus would not be as effective as an essay that focuses on what it took to develop the mental fortitude to become a runner despite being highly unathletic. A challenging class is simply too common of an experience, and is not considered a substantial enough challenge If you do choose an academic topic, be sure that it is distinctive and significant enough to give admissions a better picture of who you are. For more tips, check out Collegevine’s guide to writing to an overcoming challenges prompt .

Tone is crucial in answering this question. This prompt asks you to reflect on a challenge, so do not be afraid to admit that you struggled at first. Humility is key to successful self-reflection. However, your tone should also not be overly self-critical – resilience is an equally important value. 

So if you were to write about going from hating running to becoming a varsity runner, you could begin with descriptions of your thoughts mid-race before you came to appreciate running. “A mile in and my breath grew ragged; my feet dragged as if I were wearing shoes made of lead. ‘I just can’t wait to finish the season and be done with running forever,’ I thought as I stared at the runner in front of me.”

The first portion of this prompt asks how you handled your challenge. You do not need to focus on only one solution if you relied on multiple mechanisms. Often, there isn’t just one magic solution to our problems. However, you should provide clear methods that you used to address your challenge. 

For example, saying you had a change of heart and suddenly loved running does not explain how you handled the problem in enough detail. What were your methods? Were other people involved in the change? Who were they and how did they help you? Go through the concrete steps and internal processes that led you to a resolution.

Support systems — both peer and faculty-based — will become crucial during your college years. Success during a challenge can largely depend on your ability to know where and when to ask for help. This prompt asks you to explain how you use the support systems in your life. Your challenge should at least be partially addressed by an effective use of your support system. Let’s return to the running example. In that case, you could discuss how you were inspired by an older teammate, or how your coach became a mentor.

Note that your support systems do not need to be official organizations or people in authority. Your friends and family can also serve as a support system. Your support system also doesn’t need to provide you with something tangible, so long as they can provide you with emotional support or good advice.  

Who are three people that you feel have made a significant impact on the world in the last 100 years? Who are they and why did you select them? How would you want them to be recognized or memorialized (for example, with a day, a celebration, or a monument, etc.)? (500 words)

Before you begin to consider your response to these questions, it would be beneficial to briefly assess what Lewis Honors College stands for and why you would like to attend this program (if applicable). If you are applying to Lewis Honors College, you should be prepared to demonstrate your commitment to the College’s values, either directly or indirectly, in your response to this essay prompt. Lewis Honors College’s mission is “to better the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the world by helping students to explore their purpose, develop intellectually, and lead with integrity.” As you can see, leadership is one of the College’s foremost values, and the admissions office wants to understand how you think about leadership and who has been a model of leadership to you.

Another related aspect of the prompt is your values. The prompt itself is asking you to consider who and what you value (within leadership), and then come up with three people who represent those values from the last century. What do you consider a “significant impact”? Is it scientific, humanitarian, athletic, intellectual, political, artistic? 

You should select people whose contributions span a few different areas you value or are interested in. The people you choose do not have to be universally popular or known; the only requirement is that they have made a significant impact on the world in your view. For example, if you’re scientifically inclined, you might choose Rosalind Franklin, the chemist who discovered that DNA has a double helix structure. Or maybe you believe the Percy Jackson series changed the world, in which case you might choose Rick Riordan. As long as the person represented or directly created change on a global scale in the past century (and you can back it up), they’re a valid choice.

This prompt then goes a step further by asking you to discuss how you would choose to commemorate each person. In last year’s honors prompt, applicants were asked to create a “new Mount Rushmore” with four different individuals. This year’s prompt challenges you to think critically about what memorialization means and come up with your own means of recognizing your chosen figures. There are a few suggestions embedded in the prompt – a day, a celebration, or a monument – but don’t feel like you must choose one of these options. Think creatively: what is the best way to remember your chosen figures? Here are a few ideas:

• Time – Is this person best remembered by setting aside time? Perhaps a moment of silence, a day, a week, or a month dedicated to remembrance of this figure. Is there a specific time (in the day or year) during which this person has special significance?
• Object – Is this figure best remembered with a permanent object? For example, a monument, a museum, or a cenotaph. Is there something about this person’s contribution that can be permanently displayed?
• Event – Is this person best represented by a social act or gathering in their name? Possibly a celebration, a vigil, a ritual, or a festival. Is there something about this person’s achievement or path to re-enact, enjoy, or grieve in conjunction with others?

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what are the university of kentucky essay prompts.

I've been looking into University of Kentucky and I'm curious to know what the essay prompts are for their application. I want to make sure I put my best foot forward. Can someone provide me with the prompts or direct me to the right resources?

Unfortunately, it's hard to give a universal answer to this question, as recently there have been some years when University of Kentucky requires additional, school-specific essays, and others when they require only your main Common App essay. To be sure you know what all the requirements will be for you, check Kentucky's website, or their profile on the Common App, on August 1st before your senior year, as that's when any supplemental prompts for the coming applications season are released.

If there are any Kentucky-specific supplements, it's important to answer these prompts honestly and authentically. Show the admissions team who you are and what you're passionate about, and let your personality shine through so they can see exactly why you'd be such a good fit for their school.

Additionally, if you want help refining any of your essays, whether your personal statement or a school-specific supplement, consider utilizing CollegeVine's Free Peer Essay Review Tool, or submitting your essay for a paid review by an expert college admissions advisor through CollegeVine's marketplace. A more objective set of eyes can often help you identify any typos or grammatical errors, as well as give you a more objective sense of whether your ideas are coming across clearly.

Good luck with your application to Kentucky!

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Freshman Admission

The Early Action Track is encouraged for all freshmen – especially if you wish to be considered for the Lewis Honors College, competitive and academic scholarships or if you plan to live on campus.

This is our Regular Decision Track, which allows you to be considered for admission to UK but you may not be considered for Lewis Honors College or Competitive and Academic Scholarships if applying after December 1.

Enrollment deposit deadline, orientation fee, scholarship offer acceptance deadline. *Considering the delays that have likely impacted students’ college decision process, the University of Kentucky is still accepting confirmations for the Class of 2028. Limited spots remain; interested students should confirm their spot by registering for Big Blue Nation Orientation.

Join the Wildcat Community

Welcome, future Wildcat, to the University of Kentucky. Below you will find helpful information pertaining to deadlines, application requirements and pre-college curriculum. 

Admission Requirements

Completed applications include an official high school transcript, application fee ($50 domestic/$60 international) and official ACT/SAT score (optional – the University of Kentucky is  test-optional for admission and scholarships  through the 2028-29 academic year).

Our community is eager to show you where a UK education can take you. Visit campus. While you’re here, talk to the team behind the academic program you plan to pursue. Head to the Visitor Center website, and with a few clicks, you’ll have crafted a visit that will help you explore your individual interests. 

You can also consider our upcoming Open Houses and Events !

Come See Us

Apply for Aid

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2024-25 is now open. All students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA. Use UK's school code - 001989 - on the form. Learn more about financing college and other opportunities for grants, loans and Federal Work Study at financialaid.uky.edu .

Complete the FAFSA

Find Your Home

Your success at UK starts every single day – beginning the moment you get up. When you start your day in  our residence halls , you’re already a part of a creative, connected, active campus community. Take your experience one step further and join a  Living Learning Program . An LLP will help you form connections through specialized programs and intentional interactions with UK faculty and staff – all focused on your success. 

Apply for Housing

Connect with Your Recruiter

Admitted Students

Academic Programs

Check out these additional resources.

We are offering new options for students in the two required essays for this certificate. Please note that all essays should be submitted at least  one month  before you graduate, to allow time for the director to read and offer feedback and for you to complete necessary revisions. You will submit your essays on Canvas ; please add yourself to the site by following this link . Please title your files as follows: LastName_FirstName_CGS_EssayNumber: for example, Dawson_Bess_CGS_Essay1 , then submit it under the correct assignment (Essay 1 or Essay 2) in PDF format.

You are required to submit two essays, chosen from the following options (you may do one of each, or both in the category of your choice):

Option 1: Essays you have written for a globally-focused course that match one of the following descriptions:

• Analyze and interpret key characteristics of a culture outside the United States, including its cultural products, traditions, and institutions . A successful essay in this category will demonstrate a detailed, sophisticated understanding of the target culture, its institutions, tradition and products. Analysis/interpretation reflects a nuanced understanding of the context(s)/ways(s) in which meanings are negotiated in the target culture and takes varying perspectives from within the target culture into account. Relevant/related social and/or historical examples and/or artifacts are discussed to support claims. Analysis/interpretation also reflects a high degree of cultural self-awareness. Student provides pertinent examples and is able to contextualize interpretations within broader cultural narratives.
• Relate cultural products, traditions, and institutions of your own culture(s) to those of a culture outside the United States . A successful essay in this category will demonstrate a high degree of awareness of similarities and/or differences between cultural institutions in target culture and their own cultural background and articulate these in detail using specific, relevant examples and personal experience. Comparison and/or analysis demonstrates a detailed, sophisticated understanding of the target culture, its institutions, tradition and products. Student demonstrates a high degree of cultural self-awareness. They provide appropriate examples and are able to contextualize personal experience within broader cultural narrative.

Option 2: Short reflective essays tying together the following components (1-2 pages each):

• Your globally-focused coursework, your experiences learning a new language, your time abroad, and an international activity  in the U.S.
• See below for more pointers for this type of essay.

_____________________________________________________________________________

GUIDELINES FOR REFLECTIVE ESSAYS (Option 2 listed above)

Each of the two essays must be between  400-600 words in length (1-2 pages) , and each must weave together the following elements ( keep in mind that you must tie the elements together in a way that flows well and creates one cohesive essay, rather than disparate sections ):

• One  approved internationally-focused activity  you have attended in the U.S.
• Your experiences during your education abroad program
• Language acquisition and/or comprehension
• Something you learned in a globally-focused course you have taken

If one or more of these elements is missing, you will be required to revise your essay.

You may wish to consult class notes, your journal, your photographs, and messages you wrote to family and friends as you gather ideas for this essay.  You may decide to focus on a positive experience that has inspired you, such as an insight gained in a class discussion, or an experience you enjoyed abroad; or you may be willing to share a dilemma you faced, or a fundamental question raised by an unexpected confrontation.  Please organize each of your essays in this way:

1.   Open your essay  by describing an actual experience, a reaction, an issue or a problem you encountered because you were living, studying, or working in an international context. Please note that this must be factual, not fictional.*

2.  Offer a comparison, or extend that description, by referring to  all of the following  in the next few paragraphs: the  event or activity in which you participated in the U.S. ; your  education abroad experience ; the world  language (s) in which you have learned to communicate; and what you have learned in  a course .  Remember that this is an opportunity for you to highlight the work you have done as an undergraduate in a way that allows you to tie together the skills, knowledge, and interests you have acquired.

3 .  Close your essay  by explaining how the experience, reaction, issue or problem was resolved or how it affected you, and by evaluating its impact upon your education, your personal goals, or your worldview.

* Please note : Descriptions of courses, education abroad, and language acquisition in your essay will be compared to those recorded on your transcript.  For this reason, we will be worried about plagiarism if you describe a scene in a courtroom in Mexico even though you were granted credit for working in a clinic in Guatemala.

Students who plan to use this essay as a rough draft of an application for further study, for a graduate fellowship, or for a volunteer position, and who will therefore stress the skills, knowledge, and practical experience they have gained abroad, may want to look at  this useful website .