how to write the villanova supplemental essay

Villanova University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

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Villanova University 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball , Community

How to Write a Compelling Villanova Essay

VIllanova offers five (5) prompts to choose from for your one (1) supplemental essay, so there’s something for everyone! They’re seeking students with “intellectual courage, global perspective and resolution in thought with mind and heart.” This may sound like a tall order, but by carefully considering your options and writing an essay that’s honest, detailed, and heartfelt, you’ll be right on track. Read on to discover our Villanova application essay tips!

Villanova Essay Prompt Breakdowns

For the villanova-specific essay, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. choose one of the five topics below and submit a written response in about 250 words., prompt one: st. augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” how have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities .

If you choose this prompt, then social justice is probably pretty important to you. And you don’t have to be a protest organizer to impress admissions here. It can be just as bold to engage in a dialogue with family members from older generations on controversial topics or utilize your creativity to draw informative comics breaking down complex issues for Instagram. If you’re feeling stuck, maybe start by thinking about the topics that are most important to you. What keeps you up at night? Gun violence? Corporate greed? Food deserts? Next, think about what steps you’ve taken in your life to create change, inform, and/or organize. Ultimately, the key to writing an excellent response to this prompt is in the details. Don’t just tell Villanova about something you’ve advocated for recently; tell them why you did so, and maybe even share how you would like to continue engaging with or fighting for equity and justice in the future.

Prompt Two: What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others at Villanova?

If you find yourself drawn to this prompt, we’re willing to bet you’ve learned a thing or two in your life that you want to share with others. By all means, lean into your instincts. In order to ace your response, show admissions that you are capable of thoughtful reflection, changing your mind, and/or adapting to new circumstances. Maybe you learned a lesson about the gift of the “here and now” after losing a relative in an abrupt way. Or perhaps you wish to tell your peers, “They’re not judging you! They’re too busy thinking about themselves!” Whatever your life lesson may be, share why it is valuable and who you think will benefit from your advice.

Prompt Three: “Villanova” means “new home.” Why do you want to call Villanova your new home?

A classic Why Essay. This is the time to do some research on Villanova’s course offerings and extracurriculars, and then show admissions why their university stands out from the crowd for you. Don’t be afraid to go deep! Beyond the classes and professors in your desired academic department, explore the options for other subjects you’ve always wanted to study. Learn about clubs and special events on campus to get a feel for student life. Read over the school’s mission statement to get to know the community both in and around the campus. If you’ve been on a campus visit, highlight the architecture, culture, city, or special traditions that speak to you. Since this is a Catholic school, feel free to talk about what it means to you to join a faith-based community. You might even want to read up on the notable alumni you admire and provide examples as to how they inspired you to attend! By the time you’re done, you’ll have a whole list of reasons for wanting to call Villanova your new home. Now all you have to do is arrange them. Think about telling a story that illustrates your path to Villanova and shows admissions that their community is the perfect place for you to pursue your degree.

Prompt Four: As an Augustinian community, we value recognizing individuals for their true selves. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity or background.

This prompt will likely stick out to students who know what it’s like to be reduced to one aspect of their background or identity, and odds are, you have a specific memory in mind. As you write your response, you’ll want to make sure you summarize your account as succinctly as possible; that way, you can dedicate most of your words to discussing your feelings and what you took away from the experience. Since you only have 250 words to work with, you won’t be able to write a lengthy thesis on the general public’s preconceived notions about people who appear different from them, but you can reveal more information about your background and outlook. Share what it’s like living in a world where stories are often assigned to you before you have the chance to introduce yourself and offer admissions deeper insight into who you are in the process.

Prompt Five: At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” Please detail a time when someone has borrowed some of your strength in their time of need.

Life can be difficult—especially during college when you’re becoming a whole adult—and when it is, we often turn to loved ones for support. Lending your strength to others requires compassion and vulnerability, which are wonderful traits for any community member to have. After all, even though the word itself isn’t mentioned, “community” is at the heart of this prompt. Think about how you have supported others in your daily life, whether that be a sibling, a classmate, or a fellow volunteer at the soup kitchen. Maybe you started staying late at your barista job when your colleague’s partner was in the hospital and they needed to leave early. Perhaps you held a friend’s hand when they came out to their parents. Showcase your ability to connect, to identify others’ needs, and to see yourself as part of something bigger. Ultimately, the kind of person who can lend strength to others in times of need will make an excellent addition to any college campus.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in the Villanova Essay

We have been reading Villanova essays for over twenty years now, so we know a thing or two about the most common mistakes students make. The most common mistakes to avoid are repeating the prompt in your essay (don’t waste your words), trying to sound like an academic (admissions wants to hear your authentic voice!), and using cliches (they’re ineffective and—let’s face it—lazy).

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for the Villanova Essay

We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for the Villanova supplement for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to this short essay, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm, draft, and revise winning essays. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful Villanova essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances .

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Villanova Supplemental Essays 2024-25 – Prompts & Advice

July 8, 2024

Villanova University’s 23.5% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 is less than half of what it was as recently as 2015. Today, admitted students earned a mid-50% SAT of 1450-1530, and you typically need mostly A’s in AP/honors courses to have a serious shot at acceptance. Writing excellent Common App and Villanova supplemental essays is also an incredibly important piece of the admissions puzzle for wannabe Wildcats.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Villanova? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into Villanova University for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In this blog, we will look at the Villanova supplemental essays for the 2024-25 admissions cycle along with tips about how to write essays that will win over admissions officers.

Villanova Supplemental Essays: Free Choice (2024-25)

For the first Villanova-specific essay, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose one of the five topics below and submit a written response in about 250 words.

Prompt 1: St. Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities?

Some students may have more direct experience with equity social justice issues than others, but—no matter your background—this is an opportunity to demonstrate that you care about justice and fairness in your local community as well as the global community. If applicable, you can speak about a time when you spoke up for a peer in a moment of need or, alternatively, an instance when you got involved in a larger cause or movement (politics, activism, volunteer work, etc.). If you don’t happen to have a deeply personal story to tell in this realm, you’ll probably want to select a different prompt. While there’s nothing wrong with simply articulating your basic beliefs in the values of inclusion, equity, tolerance, and diversity, it doesn’t necessarily make for the most compelling essay.

Villanova Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Prompt 2: What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others at Villanova? 

Prompt #2 is trying to assess what type of community member you would be as part of Villanova’s campus. The university greatly values those who have gained wisdom from their extracurricular involvement and leadership while in high school. In fact, the admitted Class of 2028 cohort included 83% who participated in community service, 66% who held paying jobs, and 81% who played sports. This essay presents the chance to communicate the wisdom you have acquired from participation in your present communities; then, you can switch gears to illustrate how the lessons you have learned will impact your future collegiate community.

Prompt 3: “Villanova” means “new home.” Why do you want to call Villanova your new home?

Villanova wants to know why you desire to pursue your studies at their institution and how you will become part of their campus community. This one is going to require a fair amount of school-specific research. What appeals to you most about Villanova? Is it their mission/values? An aspect of their community? An area of study, academic offering, or particular initiative? Whatever you choose, you’ll want to be sure to explain why it is important to you. This is essentially a “Why Villanova” essay, so if you decide to choose this prompt, see additional guidance in the next section.

Prompt 4: As an Augustinian community, we value recognizing individuals for their true selves. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity, background, experiences or interests.

Have you ever been the recipient of negative comments or hurtful actions, perhaps in regard to relationships, household income level, mental or physical challenges, neurodiversity, gender identity, sexual orientation, cultural background, or personal hobbies, to name a few? If so, answering this prompt could be a good option. While crafting your response, the important thing to keep in mind is that the misjudgment itself is less important than how you handled it, and what that reveals about your character and perspective. How did you react to the misjudgment, and what steps did you take to cope? In what ways has it impacted you? How has it influenced your perspective and the way you engage with the world? Make sure you share what you were feeling and experiencing; this piece should demonstrate openness and vulnerability.

Prompt 5: At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” Please detail a time when someone has borrowed some of your strength in their time of need.

Prompt #5 is also getting at the idea of community, but in a very specific context—how you support your family, friends, acquaintances, or even strangers during times of struggle. So, what is the Villanova committee really getting at here? In short, part of being a good community member is offering help or assistance when needed or perceived, whether it is in the academic, social, or personal realm. Nova wants to see that you a) mature enough to understand when someone else may need a helping hand and b) are the type of person who can offer that help as needed. If you have a story of this nature from your high school experience, this may be an excellent fit for you.

Examples of items that quality “Why Villanova?” essays touch upon include:

98% of first-year students live on campus, creating a cohesive atmosphere.
Students come from roughly 50 foreign countries so you’ll meet people from all over the country/world.
300+ student organizations exist on campus. Pick one or two that are of interest to you.
Students donate 250,000 hours per year to community service. Talk about how you will get involved .
Talk in detail about the specifics of your academic program whether it is one of the 47 majors in the College of Liberal Arts & Science or part of the business, engineering, or nursing schools.
Discuss which undergraduate research opportunities at Villanova you plan to pursue.
How will you take advantage of the school’s location which is 12 miles outside Philadelphia? Think about community service, internships, etc.
The Office of Education Abroad offers a multitude of semester, summer, and intensive programs abroad . How would you take advantage of these unique opportunities?

Of course, these are just a fraction of the possible features that could be part of a successful essay. As you enter the prewriting stage, you’ll want to avoid some common pitfalls that we observe applicants fall into when attacking the Villanova “Why Us?” essay. We don’t want to label these as “mistakes” (there is nothing inherently wrong with them); they just don’t add any needle-moving value, which is the only goal here!

Common components of a generic “Why Us” essay

Mentioning Villanova’s US News ranking.
Showing love for the Villanova basketball team.
Recycling statements from your other “Why Us?” essays that come across as stale, impersonal, or worst of all–irrelevant/inaccurate.
Using statements about how Villanova “feels like home,” or you’ve “wanted to attend since kindergarten.” Show this adoration through specifics instead.

How to write a winning “Why Villanova?” essay

Address a) why Nova is the perfect fit for you and b) why you are the perfect fit for Nova.
Cite specific academic programs, professors, research opportunities, internship/externship programs, study abroad programs, student-run organizations, etc. (like the suggestions cited above).
How will you become an active, contributing member of the student body?
Show evidence of how your past/current endeavors will carry over onto Villanova’s campus.
How will you take advantage of the university’s tremendous resources both inside and outside of the classroom?

How important are the supplemental essays?

Three factors are viewed as “very important” to the Nova admissions committee. These are: the GPA earned, the rigor of one’s curriculum, and class rank. Seven factors are rated as “important”: recommendations, essays, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, work experience, and volunteer work. Clearly, the essays are one of the most important application components for any prospective Wildcat.

Villanova Essays – Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

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

Need additional essay advice? You might consider checking out the following:

Common App Essay Prompts
10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
How to Brainstorm a College Essay
25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
“Why This College?” Essay Examples
How to Write the Community Essay
College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).