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12 UNC Chapel Hill Essay Examples (2024)

If you're trying to get into the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2024, you'll need to write college essays that make you stand out from the crowd.

In this article, I've gathered 12 of the best essays that got students admitted into UNC so that you can improve your own essays and ultimately get accepted to UNC.

What is UNC Chapel Hill's Acceptance Rate?

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the top public universities, which means every year it's more difficult to get accepted into UNC.

Last year over 53,775 students applied to UNC. UNC at Chapel Hill had an overall admit acceptance rate of 19.2%.

University of North Carolina Acceptance Scattergram

What are the unc chapel hill writing prompt for 2022-23.

UNC Chapel Hill requires all applicants to write two short essays of 200-250 words each and answer four fill-in-the-blank questions.

The UNC application also notes: " Carolina aspires to build a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that students can only achieve their best when they learn alongside students from different backgrounds. In reading your responses, we hope to learn what being a member of such a community would mean to you. "

Short Answer Questions

There are four UNC short answer questions to choose from for this year, of which each student must choose two prompts to answer.

Each essay must be between 200-250 words in length.

Describe an aspect of your identity and how this has shaped your life experiences or impacted your daily interactions with others?

Describe a peer who is making a difference in your school or community. What actions has that peer taken? How has their work made a difference in your life?

If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Please explain.

Former UNC-Chapel Hill employee, community service member, and civil rights activist Esphur Foster once said “We are nothing without our history.” How does history shape who you are?

Fill in the Blank Questions

Instructions: Please complete these short fill-in-the-blanks in 25 words or less .

One family, friend, or school tradition I cherish…

If I had an extra hour in every day, I would spend it...

If I could travel anywhere, near or far, past, present or future, I would go…*

The last time I stepped outside my comfort zone, I...

People who meet me are most likely to notice...and least likely to notice...

12 UNC Chapel Hill EssaysThatWorked

Here are 12 of the best essays from admitted students from UNC.

Check out these answers to the UNC short answer questions, as well as several successful Common App personal statement essays , and get inspired.

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #1

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Prompt: Describe a peer you see as a community builder. What actions has that peer taken? How has their work made a difference in your life? (200-250 words)

I only had one class with Tom, but his soapbox made an appearance almost every day. In every class conversation, he would always have a strong opinion that he would vocalize with no fear of judgment. It astonished me. Though I poured much time into developing my own opinions, I had nowhere near the confidence he had to throw them around freely. I doubted if they could hold up to questioning, and if not, how I would be perceived.

As the year progressed, I was validated in that not all of his opinion stood up to scrutiny. However, I also realized that the only way to amend my own ideas was to put them on the line. The only way to withstand discord was to engage in it. And when coupled with my growing dedication to understanding others’ beliefs, I not only reflected on my own, but shared them, so others could internalize mine. Since then, I consistently draw on his intellectual confidence and the tempered thoughtfulness I have always possessed, to strike a balance between dialogue and introspection. Not until he came along had I realized the absolute importance of sharing imperfect ideas. As I have grown to recognize, my engagement in intellectual discourse not only works to refine my views but also works to constructively challenge those of others, fostering a mutually beneficial discussion, which though occasionally contentious, is always underpinned by tact and respect.

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In elementary school, multiplication tables were the ultimate conquest. Each day, students would take their seats, filled with either anticipation or dread of the timed multiplication practice they would inevitably receive. To me, these worksheets were a challenge- an opportunity for me to prove to myself and others that I had mastered the art of third-grade math. However, I did not realize that a fellow classmate would motivate me to achieve ambitions beyond multiplication. Every day, this classmate expertly completed his multiplication with time to spare. As the year progressed, the teachers noticed his mathematical skill and allowed him to attempt the next step—division.

I jealously watched as he attempted division while I continued working through the same monotonous problems, and eventually realized that if he could master multiplication, I could too. I began to practice my multiplication tables at home, and, at school, every timed quiz brought me closer to excellence. Finally, after what seemed like years of hard work, my teacher allowed me to progress to the division worksheets with my classmate. Without realizing it, this classmate pushed me to work my hardest and take my learning outside of the classroom. He motivated me to learn and inspired me to be the best version of myself. Because of this classmate, I work harder in school, always push myself, and, above all, believe that anything is achievable if I try my hardest.

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Julia (I’ve changed her name) had always sat behind me in calculus. We traded snippets of our lives in the five minutes between math problems. One Friday night, I answered an unexpected FaceTime from Julia. She told me about her family, how her dad had committed suicide after her mom threatened to leave him. She described how her brother had physically abused her, leaving her bloody on the bathroom floor. She recounted calling the police after her boyfriend threatened to jump off a window ledge. I was left speechless.

The next morning, I remembered the classic Freudian glacier diagrams with only 10% of a person residing above water. Julia was an avid artist, a budding mathematician, yet she was living with pain most adults would find unbearable. Looking at the jeans she had painted herself in Starry Night’s likeness, basking in the warm glow of her wit, there was simply no way of knowing what obstacles she had to overcome. I had always taken having a supportive family for granted, rarely ever considering that for many, home was a punishment and not a sanctuary. While the mild success I had enjoyed in school existed primarily because of my ever-encouraging parents, hers existed in spite of them, making everything she had accomplished all the more remarkable. My respect for Julia is immeasurable. She taught me not only resilience by example, but never to assume, to never disregard what most likely lies just beneath the surface.

I opened my email on the first day of junior year to these words: “Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Chess Club has returned once more to bless our Halls”. The sender was Donald Hasler, one of the most remarkable people I have ever met. Don and another student decided to revive the dormant Chess Club. Don, however, wanted it to be about much more than chess; he hoped to create a place where all types of students could unite. He succeeded in this goal through a weekly series of hilarious emails and constant outreach to the student body, from the most reserved students to the most rambunctious. A few months into school, Chess Club was not only the most popular club but also one of the most welcoming communities. Regardless of their knowledge of chess, students of different ages and interests come together once a week to play.

Don has become, for me, a model of the take-charge attitude essential to success in today’s world. He has taught me to emulate his leadership with nothing more than determination, a sense of humor, and an open mind, in order to develop a collaborative and cohesive group of students. Over the past year, I have helped bring a host of high school underclassmen into Math Team, helping them find a unique extracurricular interest and a group of fun, caring peers and role-models. Math Team has now joined Chess Club as the only clubs in the school with 100 members.

I am a Democrat, and Jack is as Republican as they come. True friendships are not possible between people with vastly different ideologies. At least that’s what I had originally thought. We have played basketball, done homework, gone out to lunch, laughed at memes, mourned bad grades, gossipped about teachers, and done everything that most friends do.

We have also had some of the most interesting political discussions; passionate, but without rancor or judgment. In the process I have learned many things. All it takes is a mutual willingness to listen intently and not constantly think of a repartee. Productive dialogue is more important than the instant gratification of defeating someone’s argument. The mutual respect Jack and I have for each other’s disparate political opinions is something most people wouldn’t imagine possible.

My political beliefs have only become stronger through our friendship, but so too has my understanding of divergent perspectives. I think that milk should go in before cereal, and that Lebron James is clearly better than Kobe Bryant; but it’s not a big deal if someone disagrees with me. So why is politics an exception? If friendships can only be formed between like-minded people, then democracy is in peril. Let us build that bridge. Jack and I did. It makes a difference.

I have been blessed with so many fantastic friends. I was going to write about my best friend in this essay. But no friendship has taught me more than the one Jack and I share.

Prompt: Describe an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc.). How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far? (200-250 words)

Thanksgiving is a special time for many in America. It is a celebration of American traditions. Growing up, with parents from Bangladesh, we never celebrated Thanksgiving – my parents always told me it was an American holiday, and we weren’t Americans. Now, we do celebrate Thanksgiving, albeit different from the traditional American holiday that most celebrate.

The cuisine we eat is unique to us – the turkey has spices such as turmeric, giving it a hint of the perceptible Bengali flavor. The mashed potatoes in our house aren’t topped with gravy – they are topped with curry. There are slight nuances to everything we have at the dinner table that combines the essence and cultures of the traditional American style with our own Bengali culture.

I believe that these meals, and our Thanksgiving, describes me personally. The combination of the American society in which I live and Bengali household I reside have a strong influence in my whole being. This clash of cultures blended together for me is something I would in turn contribute to the UNC community.

I also believe that my background gives me a unique perspective on social justice, which allows me to contribute to conversations that others might struggle to contribute to. Because of our Thanksgiving and how it shapes me, I will carry that with me to college where it will provide a model for myself and my peers at UNC.

Prompt: If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Why is it important and how would you contribute to this change? (200-250 words)

As a global citizen and more literally an American citizen, I hope we find common ground. World affairs, as I understand them, veer wildly between extremes. Though this change can occur over decades, the world as a whole, and our country specifically, experiences radical swings between populism and elitism, far left and far right doctrine.

The natural reaction to an extreme ideology is the rise of its opposite: the process is cyclical. This extreme swing means constant division; one group vehemently fighting to keep their ideas in power and the other willing to sacrifice anything to destroy them. Rarely is their moderation, rarely is their compromise.

This lack of general balance in a countries dogma means little long-term change. Substantive action from one group is later demolished when the other gains power. Nationalism is used to attack the opposition, not to unify the country, and simulated existentialism disenfranchises many. For the good of us all, it’s time for change.

Admittedly this is idealistic, and amending this issue is not in the power of any one world-leader or bureaucrat. But I’m optimistic. In The United States, there is a vocal minority urging compromise, and though their voices are in danger of being drowned out, they have a far more compelling argument than those advocating the extremes. I hope for this change with the understanding that my community is rational and reasonable, and that with mutual respect and moderation, we can make the practical changes that best serve our world.

New England. Apple Cider, Lobster Rolls, Clam Chowder, Fall Foliage. Dead Leaves, N’oreasters, Blizzards.

The unique corner of America where I live raises conflicting feelings in me. New England is a place where beautiful colors envelop you when autumn appears but also where bitter blizzards leave you in despair when winter takes hold. A place with strong values rooted in its deep history but also where change is often rejected in favor of tradition.

As much as I love the possibility of a white Christmas, I despise the sight of muddy slush on the roadside as I drive to school. There is nothing I would love more than to be rid of the biting cold and terrible snowstorms. Of course, we couldn’t do that without discovering some outrageous new technology to shut down Earth’s natural phenomena. But that would create bigger problems, so maybe we should stay away from that idea and just hope for some forgiving weather this year!

Blizzards aside, one of my biggest issues with New England lies in its lack of decent public transportation. Our weather is worse than that of many parts of Europe, but Europe solves this problem with phenomenal public transportation including modern metros, efficient bus systems, and high-speed rail networks. One day, I hope we can emulate that level of interconnectedness and convenience in New England and throughout America. I hope this historically significant region might serve as a catalyst for technological and infrastructural change throughout America, changing history once more.

There aren’t many places where everyone is free from prejudice. One exception is a basketball court. The first time I stepped on a basketball court, I was expecting the usual joke about my race or the judgmental questions about my culture. But they never came. Everyone I met had unique perspectives on everything, from basketball itself to politics, and they were open and willing to share.

I began to open up more about my background – how I couldn’t tie my own shoes until I was 10 and that I’m the only person in my family who loves hip-hop music. I was willing to share my experiences because there were no judgments made about me. Despite living in an ethnically homogenous area, on the court, I met and connected with people who have different backgrounds and interests. Coleman, now one of my best friends, who is in love with Greek architecture, or Gavin, who is the only member of his family who isn’t a Packers fan.

The culture of unity and acceptance that is fostered is not due to the courts themselves, but due to the common goal everyone shares. I hope my community will find ways to build more places that promote what I have experienced on the basketball court – areas where everyone is respected for their perspectives rather than judged by their race, religion, or beliefs.

“Kings have riches widely lain, Lords have land, but then again, We have friends and song no wealth can buy.” - “Here’s to Song” by Allister MacGillivray

Whether it was french horn, singing, or piano, music has been integral to my mental development, and has provided me an enriching outlet to immerse myself in outside the classroom. Sadly, 1.3 million American elementary school students lack access to music classes due to funding cuts. Music should not belong solely to children in privileged, affluent schools; during my college experience, I aim to tackle this issue.

During my UNC visit, I fell into conversation with a current student, Evan Linnett, about Musical Empowerment, an organization that he leads. UNC’s commitment to equipping the next generation with the power of music is inspiring; my vision is to take this a step further. Aspiring applicants attend college-run summer programs for the experience of staying on campus; however, almost all of these programs are academic.

I envision a service-based UNC Music summer program, one that fills up dorms over the summer, provides a service opportunity to high school students from all over the country, and free basic music education to children in the RTP area, who perhaps can’t afford summer camp or music lessons. As a musician, I feel that it is our duty to use the opportunities we have been blessed with to make music accessible to children of marginalized communities across the country.

This isn’t an RTP problem; it’s a national problem. But it starts with one.

Prompt: What is one thing that we don’t know about you that you want for us to know? (200-250 words)

Sharp ambition recedes to a dull afterthought under the vast blue sky. There is nothing to prove, only a trail to be hiked. Human worries have no place here, are as alien as concrete and WiFi. Thoughts of chemistry competitions, English essays, and college loans fade into nonexistence. A stream gurgles nearby, white noise in the greenest of places. Surrounded by unassuming simplicity, I am home.

I started hiking before I could read the trail signs. I’ve been skiing for 12 years. Nature presents an opportunity not just for individual tranquility, but for being with family free from modern distractions. A tradition as ingrained as making cozonac at Christmas, the commitment to spending time outdoors is a rare source of common ground for my family. After eight hours on the trail, we eat at the same cafe, our legs streaked with dried mud. My mom predictably orders the Reuben while my dad orders salad and steals our fries. There is something warmly comforting in our routine; no matter the arguments that inevitably arise after four of us are stuffed in a car together, everything else recedes away once we step outside, slowly disappearing with the fading whoosh of cars on the highway.

I’ve trekked hundreds of miles in the mountains of upstate New York, fished in the cold, salty waters of Talkeetna, marvelled at the sun setting over Arches National Park. No matter the landscape, be it red rocks or blue ocean, I am continually humbled by the natural world and its capacity for fostering human connection.

Prompt: We hope you’ll share with us the activities that you’ve found especially worthwhile. We also hope you won’t feel compelled to tell us everything you’ve ever done or, worse yet, to do things that mean little to you just because you think we expect them.

Low-profile pursuits can be just as meaningful as ones that draw more attention, and fewer activities can be just as good, and sometimes even better, than more activities. For example, although starting a new club can be a great experience and helpful to others, so can caring for siblings, parents, or grandparents, working outside the home to put food on the table, or being a good and caring friend.

For these reasons, although we’re glad to receive complete résumés, we don’t require or encourage them. Instead, if you choose to submit something that goes beyond what you’re providing through your Common Application, keep it brief; focus less on including everything and more on choosing and explaining the things that have meant the most to you; and upload it here. (650 words max)

Everywhere I looked, I saw a sea of white coats and scrubs; there was constant beeping of the heart monitors, and the smell of disinfectant was strong.

There I stood - a diminutive, awkward high school kid - lacking in experience and confidence, ready to begin volunteering at Vidant Medical Center. Perhaps the very same qualities that made me nervous were what put patients at ease. Many patients, especially younger ones who were uncomfortable speaking with medical professionals, seemed much more comfortable in my presence. I have learned this quality is how I have been able to make a difference - by connecting with many of the younger patients who were nervous just like me. I’ll always remember the two eight-year-old brothers who were waiting as their father got an MRI.

In some ways, they were also like me - they loved sports, and had an interest in math and science. As they were waiting, we talked about everything, from who they thought would win the NBA championship title to me giving them tips on how to remember their multiplication tables. This interaction put them at ease and kept them from becoming restless.

Every time I step into the hospital, I strive to connect with people. I find that I am able to make a difference not strictly due to my tasks of escorting and discharging patients but because of connection and rapport that I establish with them.

My initial nervousness about whether or not I would be able to assist sick and injured patients soon gave way to relief and gratification as I learned that I was indeed able to help them, by bringing a smile to those I escort, discharge, or deliver meals . I’ve met people I might never have met otherwise, and we’ve shared our thoughts and talked about our experiences. I have come to look forward to their company, who, despite their conditions, are still able to smile every day and enjoy engaging in conversation with me - and vice versa.

Even when volunteering in areas of the hospital where I’m not in contact with patients as often, such as doing food preparation, I always make sure to visit the patients I escort after my shift, to talk to them and uplift their spirits. Volunteering at a hospital reminds me every day how fortunate I am to be in good health and of the rewards of helping those who aren’t. While my job as a volunteer at the hospital may not result in the discovery of a cure for cancer, I am happy to have had an opportunity to contribute to improving the experiences of the children and young adults coping with their hospital stays.

What Can You Learn From These UNC Chapel Hill Essays?

Getting into UNC Chapel Hill in 2022 is difficult, but you can maximize your chances of acceptance by writing essays that help you stand out.

These 12 UNC essays that worked show exactly how real students got accepted into UNC recently by responding to the UNC short answer questions and Common App personal statement.

What did you think of these UNC Chapel Hill essays?

Meet the Author

Ryan Chiang

I'm Ryan Chiang and I created EssaysThatWorked.com - a website dedicated to helping students and their families apply to college with confidence & ease. We publish the best college admissions essays from successful applicants every year to inspire and teach future students.

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2 Strong UNC Chapel Hill Essay Examples

What’s covered:, essay example #1 – topic of interest, essay example #2 – change one thing about where you live.

• Where to Get Your UNC Chapel Hill Essays Edited

UNC Chapel Hill is the flagship institution of the University of North Carolina system and is often regarded as a “ Public Ivy ” because of its academic excellence. Not only that, UNC Chapel Hill has a spirited fan base that loves to support the Tar Heels, especially in basketball. 

In this post, we’ll go over two essays that real students submitted to UNC Chapel Hill, and we’ll discuss the strengths and some potential areas of improvement. (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 UNC Chapel Hill es say breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college. (250 words)

Armed with pink playdough, I transformed my bedroom into a dimly lit laboratory. Every squish and mold orchestrated the crinkled folds into an organ capable of choreographing life. 

As I grew older, the brain’s complexity surpassed what I had explained to my stuffed-animals. Volunteering alongside OB/GYNs, I witnessed newborns’ painful prelude to existence with their fragile bodies scarred from incomplete neural tubing and spinal cysts. Between infancy and old age, the brain fades into memory loss. The severity of Alzheimer’s draped a cruel fog over events I organized in a senior home as residents kept forgetting where they were. Playdough was no longer enough to mend the brain’s crinkled folds. 

“Apples in a tree, cars in a garage,” a simple saying that bridges the natural world with genetic expression. When apple trees don’t bloom and adenine fails to bind with thymine, both landscapes and DNA become distorted. By examining the mechanisms of DNA damage through a neurobiological lens, I can develop targeted treatments focused on enzymes that untangle molecular threads in neurons. Learning to genetically map expecting mothers for fetal defects opens avenues for proactive interventions before NICU visits. As I experiment with CRISPR alongside Professor Dowen, I’ll be able to modify altered DNA sequences seen in Alzheimer’s. The intersection between genetic variation and neural pathways drives me to translate my knowledge into technology capable of diagnosing psychological illness from nerve activity. 

Using my pink playdough, I hope to construct genetic blueprints that build a brighter future amid neurological disorders. 

What the Essay Did Well

The student who wrote this essay is able to convey two critically important things: their passion for and knowledge of this topic. As a result, we get a complete picture of how captivated this student is with neurobiology, and how they will be an engaged neurobiology student on campus.

Their passion is conveyed right from the start. The introduction is short and sweet—just long enough to get the reader hooked, without wasting precious words on recounting their entire childhood. Thanks to the descriptive details of “ pink playdough ” and complex concepts “ explained to my stuffed animals ,” within the first three sentences we immediately understand the child-like fascination this student has had for neurobiology for most of their life.

Once the early spark of passion is established, they provide details on their extracurricular involvements related to this topic, to show how they furthered their interest. Although the prompt doesn’t specifically ask you to discuss your extracurriculars, in any college essay you want to use examples to illustrate your points.

For this student, their activities–working with an OBGYN and at a senior center–allow them to show how passionate they are about going into medicine. This strategy is far more effective than the student simply telling us “ I am fascinated by this topic .”

To further establish their interest in this field, and why their passion would make them a good addition to the UNC campus, the student displays their knowledge of the topic. Again, they don’t accomplish this by saying “ I’ve read countless books on this topic and have learned a lot about Alzheimers.”

Instead, this essay shows us they know what they are talking about by providing technical details like “ neural tubing and spinal cysts ,” “ adenine fails to bind with thymine ,” and “e nzymes that untangle molecular threads in neurons. ” Seamlessly including technical details, in a way that feels accessible even to people who don’t know much about this topic, conveys a sense of confidence in your knowledge and shows admissions officers you are prepared for college-level coursework.

Finally, although not explicitly asked for in the prompt, this student accomplishes one of the higher level goals of a “ Why Major ” essay and tells the reader what they hope to accomplish with their degree. (Note: this prompt is a little different from a typical “Why Major?” prompt, in that you have the freedom to write about a topic other than your intended major, but many of the same general principles apply.)

A forward-looking ending like this is always a smart move, as showing the admissions committee that you already have longer term dreams for how you’ll use your degree gives them confidence that you’re ready to take full advantage of the resources their school has to offer. Even better, this student alludes to a specific professor they want to work with to help make those dreams a reality, thus bringing UNC into the picture as an integral player for achieving their goals.

What Could Be Improved 

A 250 word limit is fairly restrictive, so we don’t want to nitpick too much, but one area that could have been expanded on in this essay is how the student hopes to engage with the UNC community. 

As mentioned above, they do tie their goals back to UNC by mentioning a professor, but the conclusion would have been even stronger if they went farther than just name dropping one professor. This could have been done in a few ways:

• Including one or two classes that are unique to UNC (so, not neurobiology 101) that they are excited to take, and a specific lesson or piece of information they hope to take away from their coursework.
• Mentioning a club or research lab on campus they hope to join and what they will learn/achieve through it.
• Elaborating on the professor’s research or lab they are involved with–that extra detail shows they’ve done their homework and didn’t just pick a random name.

While the details they include earlier on in the essay to prove their knowledge of neurobiology are certainly effective, they could afford to sacrifice one or two, to buy themselves some extra space at the end. Their point would still come across, and doing one of the things listed above would make an already excellent essay even better, by further building their case for why they need to attend UNC, specifically, to make their aspirations reality.

Prompt: If you could change one thing about where you live, what would it be and why? (200-250 words).

Sitting behind the loaded plates on our dinner table, I predicted my mom’s first question with 100% accuracy: “So, how did you do on the trigonometry test today?” Notorious for failing math classes, my brother paused from chewing his chicken wing. 

I knew he’d be in trouble. 

Indeed, after hearing his grade, my mom scolded: “Look at our neighbor’s kid; then look at you! She never gets anything below a 90!”

There it is again: “the neighbor’s kid,” a Chinese concept that I wish would serve a different purpose. Upon learning about their children’s unsatisfactory academic performance, Chinese parents often bring up a so-called perfect neighbor’s kid for comparison. It saddens me to see individuals raised under the shadow of “the neighbor’s kid” not able to simply enjoy exploring knowledge. They toil through years of schooling for good grades and a prestigious college’s acceptance letter at the cost of their mental well-being. Worse, some measure their self-worth by grades alone: my brother believes he’s not good enough, despite all his admirable traits outside of academics. 

Instead of “the neighbor’s kid who got a good grade” at the dinner table, I suggested my parents discuss “the neighbor’s kid who sells bracelets to raise money for charity”  or “who had a hot discussion with the teacher about whether animals have consciousness.” I look forward to a more vibrant and colorful dinner conversation, where families talk about their roses and thorns of the day, rather than a neighbor’s kid defined by numbers.

This essay does a great job of opening with a strong anecdote and seamlessly transitioning the anecdote into an answer to the prompt. The reader feels the suspense of sitting at the dinner table with the student and their family waiting for the response to their mom’s question, and might even relate to hearing the student’s parents complain about their grade. It’s a simple and quick story, but everyone can find something in it they relate to, which makes the reader want to keep reading.

The essay was also successful at transitioning from a personal anecdote to a broader topic that addresses the prompt. The anecdote is connected to the larger issue the student has with their home environment and provides context for their reasoning that growing up surrounded by this mentality is harmful. The use of the anecdote bolsters the entire essay by perfectly setting up the student’s response to the prompt, rather than being an out-of-place inclusion to add some empathy or imagery, which is a common mistake with anecdotes.

Another positive aspect of this essay is how the student’s passion for the issue shines through. The reader learns a good deal about the student’s family life and familiarity with the “the neighbor’s kid.” The student’s sadness and disapproval at not being able to enjoy learning because the immense amount of stress their parents place on them to get good grades is evident when they say, “ They toil through years of schooling for good grades and a prestigious college’s acceptance letter at the cost of their mental well-being.”

The inclusion of the student’s brother also shows how close this issue is to the student’s heart, because they are watching stereotypes harm someone they love. The details and direct language included provide strong evidence for why the student wants to change this aspect of where they live, which is the most important part of the prompt to address.

What Could Be Improved

For the most part, this is a great essay. The one thing that could be improved is the last paragraph that explains what the student wants to change. As far as the reader knows, the suggestions the student makes to discuss “the neighbor’s kid who sells bracelets” or “the neighbor’s kid who had a hot discussion with the teacher” are random topics the student chose to contrast with the idea of valuing a kid for a numerical grade. Since these appear as random topics, it distracts from other qualities the student and their brother might possess and want to showcase to their parents.

In an essay that is focused on changing the norm of equating worth with a grade, it would reveal more about what the student wants to be recognized for if they mentioned topics of conversation that related back to their interests. For example, if the student liked to ice skate and play the trumpet they could say:

“Instead of the dreaded question about my grades, my parents would ask about how my axel is coming along or what new song I’m considering for the winter concert.”

An ending more like this, that discusses the student’s interests rather than randomly mentioning other students, still achieves the same goal of the student not wanting to solely be measured by a number, but conveys the idea while also providing more insight into the student and what they value.

Where to Get Your UNC Chapel Hill  Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your UNC Chapel Hill 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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University of North Carolina (UNC) 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

You Have: 

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC) 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 2 essays of 250 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community , Activity

How to Write UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays

UNC Chapel Hill asks two questions in their supplement, so you can “show [them] your authentic self,” and recommends that you “share specific details” in your essay responses. So don’t disappoint! Use this space to share personal stories that demonstrate aspects of your personality and values that haven’t come through elsewhere in your application. Read on to discover our UNC Chapel Hill supplement essay tips!

UNC Chapel Hill Prompt Breakdowns

Short answer prompts: we’d like to know how you’d contribute to the carolina community and ask that you respond to each prompt in up to 250 words., discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged..

UNC Chapel Hill wants to hear about an aspect of your personality that has enabled you to contribute to a community you cherish. Your answer doesn’t have to be connected to your academic goals in any way, so feel free to let your mind wander. Maybe you’ve always been an animal lover, so you bring your therapy dog to your local hospital once a month to spread joy (and dopamine). How do the patients respond? Which of your personal qualities has made this possible? Perhaps you challenged your fear of public speaking to deliver an address at a town hall to advocate for greener public transportation options. Did your local government leaders take what you said to heart? Are you courageous, determined, or creative? When have you gotten involved for the greater good? Take this opportunity to provide admissions with more information about yourself and your contributions to any community to which you belong.

Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college.

Admissions wants to learn more about a topic that has monopolized your thoughts. When was the last time you went down an internet rabbit hole trying to research something? When were you extremely motivated to solve a problem or create something new? What topic are you hoping to be an expert on by the time you graduate college? Discuss an example of what truly fascinates you—the more specific you can be, the better. For example, instead of saying you’re interested in Biomedical Engineering, can you dive deeper? Perhaps you’re really interested in the future of smart prosthetics. Once you identify a topic that is more niche than general, go the extra mile by researching UNC and building a bridge between the topic you’d like to explore and their academic offerings. You’d also be wise to provide some examples of how you’ve already interacted with this area of interest. Did you attend a seminar about the topic? Have you read every book you can find on it? Do you have a personal connection to it? The bottom line here is to write about something that really fascinates you while also touching on how attending this specific school will help you explore your associated academic goals.

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UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays 2024-25 – Prompts and Advice

July 26, 2024

Those hoping to enter the Tar Heel Class of 2026 faced tougher competition than at any previous time in UNC Chapel Hill history. To quantify this assertion, there were 57,219 first-year applicants for the Class of 2026 and the overall acceptance rate was just 16.8%—less than half the figure seen two decades ago. North Carolinians continue to enjoy a sizable advantage. In fact, in-state applicants were accepted at roughly a 40% clip while out-of-state applicants experienced just a 10% admit rate. The mid-50% SAT range for North Carolinians was 1340-1500 while the range for out-of-staters was a more intimidating 1400-1540. For all applicants, the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental essays will be of great importance.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into UNC–Chapel Hill for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

If you want to have your strongest shot at donning the Carolina blue and white, you’ll need to stand out on your application. Through its two short answer prompts, the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental section affords applicants an opportunity to showcase what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below are the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill’s supplemental prompts for the 2024-25 admissions cycle. We also include tips about how to address each one.

UNC-Chapel Hill Short Answer Prompts—2024-25

You’ll respond to each of the following two prompts in 200-250 words:

1) Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged.

This essay starts with an invitation to share a personal quality that you feel is essential for the admissions committee to know about. Next, you need to take that personal quality, situate it in a true story that involves the larger world, and explain how you made a positive impact on others. You may wish to “work backward” on this one. Think about how you positively helped a community in your life and then try to nail down which quality of yours ultimately had the most impact. This way, the audience will be able to clearly see your favorable quality in action versus you just explaining that you are empathetic, versatile, loyal, trustworthy, resilient, etc.

Additionally, as you consider your approach to this essay, it’s important to look at “community” as a broadly defined concept. Community can encompass anything from your high school, your neighborhood, a place of worship, your family, or even a club or sports team. Some words of warning with this one: this doesn’t need to be a grandiose vision. Be honest about your level of impact.

UNC Supplemental Essays (Continued)

2) Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college.

Here, Chapel Hill is asking you to share your story of how you became interested in your selected discipline. You can structure the narrative of this essay as a soup-to-nuts chronicle of your entire journey toward your discipline of interest. Contrarily, you could share one or two vignettes that illustrate your burgeoning passion for engineering, history, French, computer science, business, psychology, etc. As you begin the prewriting phase, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is your first strong memory relating to your future area of study?
• What fills you with wonder?
• What books have you read on the subject?
• Do you consume podcasts or documentaries related to your passions?
• Have certain online or print publications helped to fuel your interests?
• What subtopics of your prospective discipline most intrigue you?
• Did a teacher excite you about this topic or was it a parent/relative or outside mentor?

How important are the UNC Supplemental Essays?

There are eight factors that UNC-Chapel Hill considers as “very important” and the essays are among them. In addition to the essays, UNC-Chapel Hill gives the greatest consideration to the rigor of one’s academic record, standardized test scores, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, and state residency.

UNC-Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays – Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

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

Need additional writing resources? Check out the following:

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• Should I Complete Optional College Essays?
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• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• How to Write the Community Essay
• College Essay

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UNC Supplemental Essays 2024-2025

Unc supplemental essays 2024-25, unc supplemental essays: quick facts.

• UNC Chapel Hill acceptance rate: 19%— U.S. News ranks the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill as a most selective school.
• 2 short answer (~250 word) essays 
• UNC application note: Students applying to UNC Chapel Hill can do so via the Common Application . In addition to the UNC Chapel Hill essays, students will also be required to complete one Common App essay. 
• #1 UNC Chapel Hill Essay Tip: We recommend answering all of the UNC Chapel Hill essays carefully and authentically. This will help maximize your admissions odds.

How many essays does the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill require?

This year there are only two UNC supplemental essays. They are short answer UNC application essays that have a word limit of 250. These are required essays. Therefore, every student wishing to attend UNC Chapel Hill will need to complete both of the UNC supplemental essays.

Additionally, students will also need to write one personal statement from the Common App essay prompts. In all, students will write a total of three UNC essays: two UNC supplemental essays and one Common App personal statement.

What are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supplemental essays?

UNC requires all applicants to complete several UNC supplemental essays in addition to the personal statement found on the Common App . You can find the full prompts for the UNC application essays on the UNC website and in the Common App. We’ll also break down each of the UNC supplemental essays in this guide. 

The two short answer prompts and personal statement that each applicant must submit form part of UNC-Chapel Hill ’s holistic evaluation process. According to UNC, the university’s goal is to build a diverse and inclusive community. They hope to learn from each candidate what membership in a community means to them.

Highlighting community

In reading the prompts for the UNC supplemental essays below, you’ll notice that first one asks about aspects of community. As we break down how to address each prompt, we’ll show you how to think through your definitions of community. The best answers to these UNC essays will show that the student has a thorough understanding of what community means to them. They will also address how community impacts them. Successful UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays will also discuss how students’ actions in a community affect others.

If writing the UNC Chapel Hill essays sounds like a lot to think about, don’t be discouraged! Instead, view the UNC supplemental essays as your chance to introduce yourself to the UNC admissions team. With the UNC supplemental essays to write , you have two opportunities to showcase what makes you unique. Use each response to show UNC admissions why UNC-Chapel Hill should admit you.

UNC Supplemental Essays: Short Essays

As a part of the UNC admissions requirements, all applicants to UNC will write two UNC Chapel Hill essays. Each student will write their UNC essays on the same two prompts. While each of these UNC essays has a maximum of just 250 words, these are the longest UNC supplemental essays you’ll write!

UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays- Short Answer Prompts

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged., discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. why does this topic interest you topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college..

As you may have noticed, the first prompt focuses on identity and community. When considering how to write UNC Chapel Hill essays, you’ll need to think about your communities and how they’ve shaped you. Long before the UNC application deadline, start your brainstorming for these essays. That way, you can make sure that you choose the most meaningful topics possible. 

The second of the UNC essays focuses on your academic interests. You’ll want to think about what truly ignites your academic curiosity. However, you’ll need to show why you want to pursue that interest at UNC Chapel Hill specifically.

Both of the UNC supplemental essays are fairly typical college essays. In fact, you might have seen similar prompts as you apply to other schools. So, it’s good to understand how to best write the UNC supplemental essays. It will help you with not only your UNC application, but also with other college applications!

Now, let’s further break down each of these prompts so that you know just how to tackle them. 

UNC Supplemental Essays # 1

The first of the short answer UNC supplemental essays revolves entirely around you and one of your communities. The category of “community” is quite broad. So, successful UNC essays will look quite different for each applicant. 

When approaching this essay, you could focus on a number of qualities that may shape your personality: leadership, perseverance, humor, creativity, innovation, etc. While other things may be important to your identity—such as a love of reading or a deep-seeded interest in classical music—these interests might not belong in this UNC supplement essay unless they connect back to your communities. Successful UNC Chapel Hill essays will need to show just how this aspect of your personality has impacted one of the communities you belong to or have engaged with.

Getting started

As you begin the first of the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays, think about how your personal qualities affects the ways you relate to the world. After all, while everyone occupies a variety of personality traits, these identities will impact every person in different ways.

Indeed, “personal qualities” is a broad topic. You could choose to focus on aspects of your identity. For example, maybe you’ve faced difficulties as a disabled student working in a field not designed for you; maybe you’ve encountered challenges as a BIPOC student working to cross systemic barriers and access educational opportunities. Whatever you discuss, make sure it feels unique to you and your experience.

On the other hand, you could focus on personality traits. For example, do you view the world through a comedic lens? Or are you extremely innovative and love finding unique solutions to different problems? Maybe you’re a compassionate and empathetic person and those qualities have affected how you relate to and improve your communities. There are certainly plenty of ways to write the first of the UNC supplemental essays. The key is finding the best topic for you!

And of course, make sure to avoid any bigotry or offensive language. The only exception is if you are describing an incident where you’ve experienced bigotry. Then, you could use this incident as a starting point to draw your reader in. However, it shouldn’t be the focus of your response.

Community essays

It’s important to note that in the first of the UNC supplemental essays, community is a huge theme. Of course, you need to relate a personal quality of yours to a positive impact in a community to which you belong or have engaged with. Like “personal qualities,” “community” encompasses many things. This may feel overwhelming at first. However, in reality, this just means you can write on a myriad of topics.

The community essay is a favorite among colleges; therefore, understanding how to best respond to this prompt will help you with many college application essays. But, let’s focus on the UNC supplemental essay prompt.

First, consider the communities to which you belong or have engaged with. In this particular prompt, you need to specifically share a story or anecdote that shows the impact you have made on that community. In this case, it may be easier to first think of a specific story. Either way, you’ll need to show how you personally made a positive impact. What did you bring to the table that brought about positive change?

Consider that admissions teams look for students that will engage with the community campus. Therefore, you need to show that you are an active participant in your community and are looking to better the world with which you interact. In fact, you might even mention a story where you positively impacted a community other than your own. Share a story that shows what you would potentially bring to UNC Chapel Hill’s campus.

Complete answers

Be sure to answer this prompt in its entirety. The personal quality and anecdote that you mention doesn’t matter as much as its positive impact it has on one of your communities. So, when choosing which personal quality and story to focus on, make sure that you can expand on its influence on the communities with which you engage. 

If you have a couple of options, try brainstorming each quality or story’s impact. Then, choose the one that feels the most important to you. Additionally, make sure you have an engaging and interesting story or anecdote to share that relates to that personal quality. Most importantly, you need to actually be excited about what you choose to write on. If you’re passionate about your topic, your essay will have a better chance of impressing UNC admissions. Remember that successful UNC essays will do more than just check another box off on your UNC admissions requirements. It will further show the admissions committee who you are.

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Reflection Questions:

• Do you discuss a personal quality that has positively impacted one of your communities?
• Do you share a relevant and engaging story or anecdote?
• Is your essay free of any bigotry or offensive language?

UNC Supplemental Essays #2

The second of the UNC supplemental essays is a fairly common college essay topic: academic interest essay. Obviously, UNC admissions wants to admit students that are passionate about learning, particularly at their school. Therefore, successful UNC supplemental essays will show not only that you are academically motivated and curious, but also that UNC is the perfect place for you to explore those particular interests.

Academic topic

You might have an academic topic or interest that comes immediately to mind. If so, write on that! The academic area that most excites you will make for the best UNC supplemental essays. However, if no area immediately comes to mind, you’ll need to do some brainstorming.

Consider your different high school classes: which did you most enjoy? Were there any that had you exploring on your own time, outside of the classroom? Being academically curious and motivated are important qualities that college admissions teams look for in their applicants. Therefore, successful UNC supplemental essays to this second prompt will need to show that students have a passion for learning.

Now, the prompt particularly asks students to share an academic topic that they are excited to explore in college. Therefore, you could write on an academic topic that you haven’t yet had the opportunity to explore. But, one that you will be able to learn more about during your time at UNC. In summary, successful UNC supplemental essays could expand upon a current academic interest or delve into a new area.

Don’t feel limited to only talk about a major that you plan to pursue. Many students applying to colleges are undecided on their major and course of study. That’s perfectly ok! In fact, this essay isn’t a “why major” essay. It’s much broader than that. You are free to speak about any academic interest! Showing intellectual curiosity is the key in writing this essay, as well as mentioning specific programs only found at UNC.

Sharing an academic topic and why it interests you is important but only partially answers this prompt. The second of the UNC supplemental essays gives students an opportunity to show that they have done their research and know exactly why they want to attend UNC. Therefore, you’ll need to show what opportunities only available at UNC will allow you to explore the academic topic that you’ve explained.

You may already know exactly what you want to write about. For example, perhaps UNC made the top of your college list because of its Center for the Study of the American South . As a history buff, from the south, hoping to further explore where you’ve come from and maybe even apply it to a future career, this center will allow you the unique opportunity to do so. Of course, this is just an example, however, you get the idea! The more specific, the better!

You may choose to mention a major, professor, research opportunity, or even an extracurricular club. As long as it relates to an academic topic of interest and is an opportunity unique to UNC, then it will work perfectly for your essay!

Reflection Questions for UNC Supplemental Essays:

• Do you describe an academic topic of interest?
• Does your essay clearly show why you’re interested in that academic topic?
• Do you use specific examples to show how you would explore your academic interest at UNC Chapel Hill?

Choosing topics for your UNC essay prompts

As you consider your UNC essays, think about what stories make you who you are. Essentially, the UNC supplemental essays ask you to discuss your community and academic interests. However, there are plenty of potential ways to respond to the two UNC supplemental essays. If one topic for the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental essays particularly speaks to you, follow your instinct! However, if you’re struggling to choose topics for you UNC supplemental essays, then it might be time for a structured free-write.

Here’s how it works: choose a potential topic and set a ten-minute timer. Write about that topic for the full ten minutes without editing, revising, or reading over your work. Once you finish your first topic idea, move to the next. Do this for both of the UNC supplemental essays. If you find yourself with a lot to say about a given topic—or you just enjoy writing about it—you’ve found the topic for your UNC supplemental essays.

The power of free-writing

If you still feel stuck after your free-write , don’t worry! Look over your free writes for each of the UNC supplemental essays and think about how an admissions officer might view them. Which of these stories tell the reader the most about you? What narratives are the most engaging? Which responses showcase your unique traits? The most authentic stories will make the strongest UNC supplemental essays.

Once you’ve chosen your topics for your UNC supplemental essays, it’s time to start drafting. Reference the previous sections, as we broke down each of the short answer UNC essays. Remember, while we discussed both of the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay prompts, you will only choose two of these UNC supplemental essays to complete.

If you’re still struggling with choosing topics for the UNC supplemental essays, look over (or write) your college application letters . You may recall important moments within those letters that could trigger some ideas for the UNC Chapel Hill essays. 

Passion and relevance

The key to choosing the best topics for the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays are finding the topics that you are most passionate about. And, there’s no faking passion and interest in these UNC essays. Therefore, take the time to choose a topic that really resonates with you. If you have many, then choose the one that shares something new about yourself that hasn’t yet been mentioned in your UNC application.

While passion is important, your topics also need to be relevant to the prompts at hand. While you may be extremely passionate about singing, if it doesn’t relate to either of the UNC essay prompts, then it’s not worth mentioning here. Therefore, brainstorming a list of potential topics for each of the UNC supplemental essays will help you get started. Just make sure that each item on your list is relevant to the prompts. Can you write a UNC essay on the topic and will it fully respond to the prompt?

How do I answer the supplemental essays at UNC-Chapel Hill?

Your UNC supplemental essays should complement the rest of your UNC application to help the admissions team understand who you are and why you belong at UNC.

Wondering what it looks like to build a personal narrative in your application? Check out our expert’s dive into the personal narrative .

Remember to use dynamic, descriptive language in each of your UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays. Your reader should be able to sense your passion and enthusiasm in your UNC supplemental essays. As a rule, authentic, genuine responses make for the strongest UNC Chapel Hill essays. The UNC admissions team read thousands of applications—it’s easy to spot shallow responses meant only to impress admissions officers.

Show, don’t tell

The golden rule of writing applies to your college essays. The best UNC supplemental essays will engage the reader from the start, and take them on a narrative journey. Of course, you only have 250 words to do so. Therefore, you’ll need to use your words wisely. Finding the perfect balance of being descriptive, yet concise, will lead to the most successful UNC Chapel Hill essays.

You’ve probably heard your English teachers talk about showing rather than telling in narrative writing. However, let’s look at this example provided by Reedsy’s blog on the topic:

Tell: Michael was terribly afraid of the dark.

Show: As his mother switched off the light and left the room, Michael tensed. He huddled under the covers, gripped the sheets, and held his breath as the wind brushed past the curtain.

Which has the greater impact and engages the reader? It’s clear that showing is the best way to truly hook your reader and take them on a narrative journey. Remember, you can still be creative and show off your writing skills in college essays. In fact, you absolutely should do so!

Just remember to find the perfect balance when writing your UNC supplemental essays. You need to engage the reader, tell a narrative, and also completely respond to the prompt. Oh, and you only have 250 words to do so! Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to write your UNC supplemental essays. We can assure you that the best college essays weren’t written overnight. They most certainly required multiple drafts to get to their best version. So, do yourself a favor and start preparing your UNC essays early so you can write the best essays possible!

Unsure of where to start when it comes to the UNC Chapel Hill essays? Figuring out how to get into UNC Chapel Hill will require a strong overall UNC application. Start by reading this how to get into UNC Chapel Hill guide . After you understand the process as a whole, then reference this guide as it will give you the tools to craft strong responses to the UNC supplemental essays.

Common App Personal Statement

When applying to UNC, you’ll not only write two UNC supplemental essays, but you’ll also need to write the personal statement found in the Common Application. Luckily, the personal statement can be used for various schools. Most schools will in fact require that you complete the personal statement and their school-specific supplemental essays.

Unlike the UNC supplemental essays, where students write on the same two prompts, the personal statement allows students 7 different prompts to choose from. Here are the prompts found on the Common App for 2024-25:

Common App Essay Prompts

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

If one of these prompts jumps out to you and excites you, then that is the prompt you should write on! However, if you’re between a few prompts or are completely unsure of which prompt to choose, you can use our previous tips on choosing a topic for the UNC supplemental essays. Brainstorming and free-writing will allow you to choose the prompt that you have the most to say about.

Additionally, consider any gaps in your overall UNC application. Ideally, your UNC essays will fill in those gaps, adding new information to your application. You most certainly should not simply repeat what’s already been stated. Use the Common App personal statement and the UNC supplemental essays as opportunities to show a new part of your personality, values, and interests to admissions. In the case of UNC, you have three opportunities to do so: two UNC supplemental essays and the personal statement.

Indeed, you can recycle the personal statement. That is to say, you can send the same essay to various schools. In fact, you should do this in order to streamline the application process. The only case in which we wouldn’t recommend reusing your personal statement exactly as it is, is if it repeats information from one of the UNC supplemental essays. However, you can reuse parts or adjust your UNC supplemental essays accordingly. That is to say, if you choose to write your personal statement on prompt #6, and speak about an academic interest, you’ll want to write the second of your UNC supplemental essays on a completely different academic topic. Don’t use the same theme or topic in various essays as this will waste a valuable opportunity to share more about yourself to UNC admissions.

The personal statement is an important part of your UNC application as well as your other college application. Check out this article on how to write the personal statement. In addition to providing you with in-depth information on writing the essay, it also includes 5 personal statement essay examples. Reading these examples can help you see what impresses college admissions. But remember, don’t try to copy essay examples. Simply use them as inspiration to write your own unique story.

5 Tips for Writing the UNC Supplemental Essays

The UNC supplemental essays are in integral part of your overall UNC application. The UNC admissions team has a holistic evaluation process when considering potential applicants. This means they don’t simply look at grades or standardized test scores. They look at the big picture. So, yes, your grades are important, but so are your UNC supplemental essays.

Indeed, your UNC essays are opportunities to share new information about yourself not seen elsewhere in your application. As such, you should place importance on writing the best UNC essays possible! Let’s take a look at some tips you can follow in order to write your best UNC supplemental essays.

5 UNC Essays Tips

Start early..

There are two UNC supplemental essays you’ll need to write. In order to write the best versions possible, you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to prepare. Brainstorming, writing, revising, rewriting, and editing will take you some time. Additionally, you have other parts of the application to prepare, such as getting letters of recommendation. Therefore, plan your time wisely and start crafting your UNC essays long before the application deadline.

Be authentic.

Of course, you want to impress UNC admissions with your UNC supplemental essays. However, that doesn’t mean your essays should read as something you think will impress admissions. Your UNC supplemental essays should share more information about who you are and what you’ll bring to the campus. Therefore, be authentic and genuine when writing your essays.

Choose topics wisely.

The topics you write on should excite you. If they don’t, then consider choosing a different topic. The UNC essays are purposefully rather open-ended. This means that students can tailor their responses to what they are truly most passionate about. There is no right or wrong essay topic. In fact, there are thousands of possible topics that students can write on. The best topic for you will be one that shows your passion and authentic self.

Answer the prompt.

Choosing a topic is important, but remember that you need to fully respond to the prompt. Find the balance between writing creatively and comprehensively responding to every part of the prompt. At the end of writing your drafts, be sure to ask yourself, “Did I fully and completely respond to the prompt?” This may seem obvious, but when trying to meet the word limit, show your passion, and engage the reader, it’s possible that you may forget the main purpose at hand: responding to the UNC essay prompts.

Draft, revise, and repeat.

You’re not going to get the best versions of your UNC essays on your first draft. Instead, you’ll need to write multiple drafts. Give yourself the time to do so! Editing and rewriting are an important part of the writing process, so factor that into your timeline. Additionally, enlist the help of friends, families, or mentors when editing. Having an extra set of eyes on your work can help to avoid careless grammatical and spelling errors. Your UNC essays should be engaging and impeccably written. Just remember to maintain your unique voice when implementing the feedback of others.

Use these 5 tips to help you write your best UNC supplemental essays. And, keep in mind that these tips can be applied to all of your college essay writing. Staying organized is key when it comes to applying to colleges. Essay writing is a time-consuming task, so you’ll need to plan your time accordingly. However, don’t discount the importance of the UNC application essays! They could be what makes or breaks your admissions decision.

Are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supplemental essays important?

Yes! As #27 on U.S. News’ Best Colleges list and with a competitive acceptance rate , UNC Chapel Hill places plenty of emphasis on the UNC supplemental essays. It is in fact one of the most important UNC admissions requirements, especially since UNC has extended their test-optional policy for this admissions cycle. However, effective Fall 2025 some students will be required to submit standardized test scores; it will depend on your GPA. Students with a weighted GPA between 2.5-2.8 will be required to submit standardized test scores. Students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or higher will continue to have the option to submit standardized test scores.

Whether you have excellent grades or not, don’t let the UNC Chapel Hill essays intimidate you. Think of the UNC Chapel Hill essays as your chance to address the admissions team on your own terms. Use this opportunity to show them what you’ll bring to UNC! Indeed, the UNC supplemental essays are an important factor in the UNC admissions process. Since admissions uses a holistic evaluation process, every part of your application matters. Therefore, you’ll want to do everything you can to craft the best application narrative possible, including writing your best UNC supplemental essays!

More CollegeAdvisor resources

In addition to this UNC Supplemental Essays guide, CollegeAdvisor has plenty of valuable resources to help you write your best UNC essays. Take advantage of these free resources to give you some guidance on writing college essays. Especially if you are in the beginning stages of the college application process, understanding how to write a college essay will only help ease your application journey.

Remember, a well-crafted set of UNC Chapel Hill essays can make a huge difference in admissions. There are many UNC admissions requirements, but the UNC supplemental essays are the best way to show your personality and impress admissions. Take your UNC essays seriously—you’ll be glad you did. You may even find inspiration in reading college essay examples . Remember not to mimic other essays, but use them in order to understand how to write your own successful UNC supplemental essays. 

As we mentioned, the UNC supplemental essays center around common college essay prompts. For example, the first of the UNC supplemental essays asks students to talk about how they’ve positively impacted one of their communities. Well, “community essays” are a favorite among colleges. Reading community essay examples can help you prepare to write not only your best UNC supplemental essays, but also other college essays.

We gave you some ideas on choosing an essay topic in this essay guide, however, choosing a topic is arguably the most important part of your college essay writing process. The topic you choose will set the tone for the entire essay. Therefore, you’ll want to be sure you choose the best topics for your UNC supplemental essays. Read our Essay Writing Topics article to help you get started. This will help you with not only your UNC supplemental essays, but also your other college essays.

Finally, sometimes learning about what not to do can provide valuable information in the college essay writing process. Watch our webinar on College Essay Mistakes When Writing About Yourself in order to avoid some common errors that students make. In addition to reviewing some common mistakes, you’ll also learn more about what admissions looks for in essays and how to best tell your story in your unique voice.

Using these free CollegeAdvisor resources, in addition to this essay guide, will give you even more guidance when writing the UNC supplemental essays.

More details about UNC Chapel Hill

UNC Chapel Hill is not only a high ranking national university, but is also ranked #1 in value amongst public universities. To many applicants trying to figure out how to pay for college , quality yet affordable universities are at the top of their lists. Check out UNC’s scholarships and financial aid opportunities.

To learn more about how the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays fit into the UNC application, visit their admissions page for a list of the UNC admissions requirements. When considering how to get into UNC Chapel Hill applicants will need a strong overall UNC application, including the UNC supplemental essays. 

Be sure to check the UNC application deadline and UNC admission requirements in addition to your UNC supplemental essays. The UNC essays are important, but at a selective school like UNC Chapel Hill, every part of the application matters. 

UNC Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

Before diving into the UNC supplemental essays, first do your research on UNC Chapel Hill . It may be exciting to think about getting your college acceptance letter and figuring out the college enrollment process, but first make sure to be passionate about the schools you apply to . When considering how to write UNC Chapel Hill essays, understanding the university’s mission and values is key. From there, you can build strong essays that focus on who you are and why you want to attend UNC Chapel Hill. 

Remember that completing the two 250-word UNC Chapel Hill essays are an important part of your application. The UNC application essays are opportunities to share new information about yourself with the admissions team. Indeed, your UNC supplemental essays are your time to show off what makes you unique. Don’t be intimidated by the UNC application essays. Rather, take advantage of the chance to shine!

Don’t forget to revise

Finally, don’t forget to revise your UNC application essays multiple times. In fact, you’ll want to start your writing process for these UNC application essays early, a least a few months before the UNC application deadline. Once you’ve completed a draft, you might also ask a trusted adult to proofread your UNC Chapel Hill essays for spelling, grammar, and clarity. However, it’s best to stay away from heavy edits that erase your voice from the UNC supplemental essays. Remember, the admissions officers want to know more about you, not the person who helped you edit your UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays.

After reading this UNC Supplemental Essays guide we hope that you feel better prepared to tackle writing the UNC application essays. However, we know that college essay writing can be a stressful task for many students. If you’re feeling like you need extra help or personalized attention to get started, then College Advisor has plenty of experts that can guide you along the way. From essay writing to applying for financial aid, our advisors are here to help students and families through every step of the application process. Reach out to learn more!

This 2024-2025 essay guide on UNC – Chapel Hill was written by Sarah Kaminski. Want help crafting your UNC supplemental essays? Click here to create your free  account , or call (844) 343-6272 to  schedule your free advising consultation  with an Admissions Specialist.

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