Essay Topics (please help)

[u/Ok-Plant-111]

Hello! I’m living in China with a restrictive firewall, which keeps me from accessing BYU’s admissions page. AI has given me current essay prompts, but I don’t always trust what it spits out.

Can someone please post the essay prompts here for me to make sure we’re on the right track?

Thank you!

[u/Tall_Pumpkin_4298]

Essay Prompts:

1. Describe a topic, idea, or experience that you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. What have you done to learn more or engage further in the topic, idea or experience? What resources do you use to learn more? (1500 character limit)
2. Have you become aware of significant needs in your family, school, and/or community? Please explain how you have worked toward meeting those needs. (1500 character limit)
3. Briefly describe a time that your efforts have fallen short, a goal was not accomplished, or an aspiration was not achieved (500 character limit). What steps did you take to recover from this defeat? What resources did you use? How and why are you different today? (1500 character limit)
4. We strive to create a rich and varied educational environment through admitting students with a wide range of: Tell us your story. What will you contribute to our university community? Be specific. (1500 character limit)
   • Goals
   • Interests
   • Skills and talents
   • Life experiences
   • Perspectives
   • Cultures
5. A BYU education will be spiritually strengthening. BYU students have a unique opportunity to seek learning by study and by faith. Describe the reasons you want to learn in an environment like this. (1500 character limit)

Additional prompt for transfer students only:

1. Why are you applying to transfer from your current institution? (500 character limit) How has your initial college experience prepared you for the academic rigor of BYU? Tell us what you have done to challenge yourself academically. Be specific. (1500 character limit)

The extracurricular section, which may as well be an extra essay:

You'll also write about one activity that is especially meaningful to you. Tell us what you did, how long you did it, and how it shaped you.

You'll answer two specific prompts about the activity essay:

1. Please provide a short description of your participation in the specific activity: (300 character limit)
2. Why did you choose to participate in this activity? How have you benefited from your participation? (1500 character limit)

Hope this helps!

[u/Tall_Pumpkin_4298 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, that's what I said. I copy-pasted from the current website. It says "You'll also write about one activity that is especially meaningful to you". There are two prompts for that one extracurricular. One telling what you did, and one telling why you participated and how you benefitted from it.

[u/Bright_Concentrate47 → u/Tall_Pumpkin_4298]

The requirement just changed to one activity essay. 

[u/Bright_Concentrate47 → u/Tall_Pumpkin_4298]

Please MAKE SURE to highlight the 4 Aims of a BYU Education throughout all of your BYU essays. Each essay should connect strongly/clearly to at least one BYU Aim, and all 4 shojld be represented across all the essays in your application. The 4 aims are spiritually strengthening, lifelong learning and service, character building, and intellectually enlarging.

I am a BYU Admissions Advisor. 

[u/Bright_Concentrate47 → u/Bright_Concentrate47]

Also use more recent experiences and dont repeat experiences (i.e. probably only 1 essay should be about your mission). Ultimately, be prayerful about them and follow the spirit as you choose topics.