Undergraduate Admission Resources

Prepare for Your Application Essay

Tell us your story. Essays are not made to weed you out. They are designed to give a little glimpse of the human being behind the application. In your own words, tell us who you are and where you hope your UW degree will take you.

Common Essay Prompt

Many UW universities require or accept an essay using this common prompt.

Each student is unique. Please tell us about the particular life experiences, talents, commitments, and/or interests you will bring to our campus.

Campus-Specific Essay Prompts

In addition to the common prompt, the following UW universities require a second, campus-specific essay.

UW-Eau Claire:
Tell us why you are interested in attending UW-Eau Claire and what aspects of the campus (academics, activities, experiences, etc.) are especially important to you.

UW-La Crosse:

Please respond to ONE of the following:

  1. Tell us about any circumstances that may have had an impact on your academic performance.
  2. Tell us why you are interested in attending UW-La Crosse and what aspects of the campus are especially important to you.

UW-Madison:

Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided, please describe your areas of possible academic interest.

Tips for Writing a Great Essay

Write honestly. Write clearly. Write as yourself. To help you get started, review the information below.

Before You Begin

  • Give yourself time. Brainstorm. Draft. Get feedback. Revise.
  • Write your essay in a document (such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word) so you can edit and save it easily before pasting it into the application.
  • Keep your essay between 250 and 650 words. UW-Madison requires essays to follow these word limits exactly.
  • Ask someone you trust to review your essay for inconsistencies, grammatical mistakes, and typos.
  • Proofread it more than once. You do not want some small mistake to accidentally make it look like you don’t care.

Questions to Get You Started

  • What are your two biggest academic achievements?
  • What are your two biggest personal achievements?
  • What are your two biggest strengths?
  • What were your two biggest challenges?
  • What are the two biggest obstacles you’ve overcome (and how did you do it)?
  • What are your two biggest failures (and what did you learn)?
  • What beliefs have you challenged (why, and what did you learn)?

Essay Tips

  • Say something meaningful that is not already clear in your application.
  • Be real. Do not write what you think colleges want to hear. Let your UWs know about what drives you.
  • Use your authentic voice—ask someone if your essay “sounds like you.”
  • Be short and sweet. Clear, concise writing matters more than length.
  • Write about your actual life. Do not exaggerate or embellish (you would be surprised at how well your UWs can tell if you do).
  • Show, do not tell. Be specific and factual. Use real examples.
  • Avoid hedging language like “I think,” “sort of,” or “maybe.” Be confident and clear.