University of Richmond 2025-26 Supplemental Essay Guide

University of Richmond 2025-26 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 350-650 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Oddball

Get ready! The University of Richmond supplement was made for the intellectually curious. All three prompts ask you to think on your feet and get creative in different ways. So be prepared to get a little messy, brainstorm, and give admissions a deeper look into the way your brain works.

We want to hear your voice and your story, as well as provide space for you to share more about your interests, passions and experiences. Please select one of the following prompts to address:

You have a platform to create change. What is an action or policy you might propose to address an issue of social injustice in your school or local community, or on a national or global scale?

This prompt will likely stick out to the activists among you, and we encourage you to follow your instincts. What actions or policies would you like to see taken or implemented to address an issue of social injustice? Maybe after marching in protests in the wake of police violence, you’d like to see new anti-racist training programs roll out for law enforcement officers. Perhaps a rise in gas prices has made you more concerned about fossil fuels vs. renewable energy (and affordability for marginalized groups), and you want to petition for alternate energy sources in your town. Show admissions that you’re thinking about and committed to being part of positive change on a local, national, or global scale.

Tell us about a time you learned something unexpected. What did you learn, and what happened next?

This prompt is fabulous because a ton of ideas/stories yet to be included can be backed into it. Have you been itching to write an essay about one of your favorite activities? Or maybe you have an idea for a diversity and inclusion essay that speaks to your ability to connect and reflect. So long as you can write about the topic through the lens of learning something new and digesting and/or applying that knowledge, you’re on the right track. 

If you have already drafted an essay that you’d like to mold to meet the needs of this prompt, we recommend adapting it, reading it over, then sharing it with a trusted mentor or family member to make sure it successfully addresses the question posed. It would be silly to miss the mark on a prompt with so much potential!

Richmond welcomes students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. What is at least one way you will contribute to our community that is not already mentioned in your application?

College applications are rampant with essay questions about community, so this essay is ripe for recycling (how eco-friendly of you!). If you haven’t already written a Community Essay that you plan to adapt and recycle here, we recommend considering the things that make you unique. What about your history, experiences, perspectives, or talents might be worth highlighting for an admissions officer? And how can the experience, perspective, or talent you choose enrich the learning environment at the University of Richmond for others? Maybe you have always been an organizer and the glue that holds your summer camp community together during the school year. How will you bring people together on campus? Maybe you were raised on a farm and developed a strong work ethic at a young age as you helped your parents tend to the fields. Will you be a natural leader in group projects and take initiative in the many clubs you’d like to join? Be sure to connect your personal story to a future vision of yourself at Richmond. The most important thing to remember for this prompt is that your experience, perspective, or talent is dynamic and makes you stand out from the crowd.