Examples of Character-Focused Essay Questions in College Admission

This document is a collection of real colleges’ current character-focused essay questions found in applications. This is designed to inspire new ideas.

The sample essay questions in this document prompt applicants to reflect on their character, values, non-academic skills and experiences, with many questions encouraging applicants to think through how they might create healthy, inclusive communities for everyone.

This resource is part of Character Assessment in College Admission Guide. Read more →

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What does the full Character Assessment in College Admission guide include?

• Character Assessment in College Admission Guide Overview

• Definitions of Key Character/Non-Cognitive Terms and Skills for Use in Admission

• The Thrivers Study: A Tool for Understanding the Characteristics of Successful Students

• Character Assessment Readiness: An Audit Tool for College Admission Offices

• Sharing Institutional Values: Examples from College Admission Websites

• Examples of Character-Focused Essay Questions in College Admission

• Examples of Language that Articulate the Importance of Family Responsibilities in College Admission

• Exploring Character through Recommendation Forms: New Ideas for College Admission Leaders

• Ideas Worth Testing: Innovation in Character Assessment In College Admission

• Examples of College Admission Character Assessment Tools

• Deans Commitment Letter

• Character Assessment in High Schools: Recommendations for the College Admission Process and Beyond (for high schools)

• Writing Character-Conscious Letters of Recommendation: Tips for High School Counselors and Teachers (for high schools)

We welcome feedback as you engage with this resource and in this meaningful work. If you develop additional tools or wisdom to share, we hope you will tell us, so that we can share widely and better guide others. Please email collegeadmissions@makingcaringcommon.org to connect with our team.