loyola university maryland supplemental essay

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Loyola University Maryland Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are Loyola University Maryland's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

GPA requirements
Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into Loyola University Maryland and build a strong application.

School location: Baltimore, MD

Admissions Rate: 83.5%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at Loyola University Maryland is 83.5% . For every 100 applicants, 84 are admitted.

This means the school is lightly selective . The school will have their expected requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores. If you meet their requirements, you're almost certain to get an offer of admission. But if you don't meet Loyola University Maryland's requirements, you'll be one of the unlucky few people who gets rejected.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Loyola University Maryland GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 3.66

The average GPA at Loyola University Maryland is 3.66 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 3.66, Loyola University Maryland requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes. This will show that you're able to handle more difficult academics than the average high school student.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

Loyola University Maryland hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to Loyola University Maryland will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

Loyola University Maryland SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1270

The average SAT score composite at Loyola University Maryland is a 1270 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes Loyola University Maryland Competitive for SAT test scores.

Loyola University Maryland SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1185, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1350. In other words, a 1185 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1350 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

Loyola University Maryland ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, Loyola University Maryland likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 29

The average ACT score at Loyola University Maryland is 29. This score makes Loyola University Maryland Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 26, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 33.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 26 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

However, from our research, Loyola University Maryland is understood to superscore the ACT . We couldn't confirm it directly from the school's admissions website, but multiple sources confirm that the school does superscore the ACT. We recommend you call their admissions office directly for more information.

Superscoring is powerful to your testing strategy, and you need to make sure you plan your testing accordingly. Of all the scores that Loyola University Maryland receives, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all ACT test dates you submit .

Click below to learn more about how superscoring critically affects your test strategy.

For example, say you submit the following 4 test scores:

Even though the highest ACT composite you scored on any one test date was 20, Loyola University Maryland will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 20 to 32 in this example.

This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and Loyola University Maryland forms your Superscore, you can take the ACT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.

Therefore, if your ACT score is currently below a 26, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the ACT and retaking it . You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the ACT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

Free eBook: 5 Tips to 4+ Points on the ACT

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

Loyola University Maryland considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is lightly selective, you have a great shot at getting in, as long as you don't fall well below average . Aim for a 1185 SAT or a 26 ACT or higher, and you'll almost certainly get an offer of admission. As long as you meet the rest of the application requirements below, you'll be a shoo-in.

But if you score below our recommended target score, you may be one of the very few unlucky people to get rejected.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
50-80%: More likely than not getting in
20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of Loyola University Maryland here.

Application Requirements Overview

Common Application Accepted
Electronic Application Available
Essay or Personal Statement Required for all freshmen
Letters of Recommendation
Interview Not required
Application Fee $60
Fee Waiver Available? Available
Other Notes

Testing Requirements

SAT or ACT Considered if submitted
SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
SAT Subject Tests
Scores Due in Office None

Coursework Requirements

Subject Required Years
Foreign Language 3
Social Studies 2

Deadlines and Early Admissions

Offered? Deadline Notification
Yes January 15 April 1
Yes November 15 January 15

Admissions Office Information

Address: 4501 Baltimore, MD 21210-2699
Phone: (410) 617-2000 x2000
Fax: (410) 323-2768
Email: [email protected]

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in Loyola University Maryland, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Loyola University Maryland.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Loyola University Maryland. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for Loyola University Maryland, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for Loyola University Maryland, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Loyola University Maryland is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

If You Liked Our Advice...

Our experts have written hundreds of useful articles on improving your SAT score and getting into college. You'll definitely find something useful here.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get FREE strategies and guides sent to your email. Learn how to ace the SAT with exclusive tips and insights that we share with our private newsletter subscribers.

You should definitely follow us on social media . You'll get updates on our latest articles right on your feed. Follow us on all of our social networks:

Make a Gift
Virtual Visits & Info Sessions
Request Information
Graduate Programs
Curriculum and Instruction for Social Justice

Apply to Curriculum and Instruction for Social Justice

Application deadlines.

At the discretion of the department, applications will continue to be reviewed after the deadlines on a space available basis. For application questions, please contact the Recruitment Team in the School of Education at [email protected] or 410-617-2990.

*International applicants are eligible to complete this program fully online outside of the United States. Please note: a Form I-20 cannot be issued for this program.

Application Form

Online application form Track your application

Required Supplemental Materials

In addition to the application form, you must submit the following:

Nonrefundable $60 application fee.
Official transcripts from all degree granting institutions attended. The admission committee reserves the right to request official transcripts from universities where an applicant attended but did not complete a degree. Please note that not submitting all transcripts where courses have been completed could impact course waivers.
All foreign transcripts must be translated and evaluated by an approved international academic record evaluation service. Visit the International Academic Records page for a list of approved services.
Optional Resume
Official English language examination scores are required for applicants who have not earned (or will not be earning) a bachelor's or higher degree from a college or university where English is the sole language of instruction. For additional details and a list of accepted English language exams, visit the English Language Examination Requirements page .

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that a completed application and all supplemental materials are received by the application deadline. Supplemental materials, once received, become the property of Loyola University Maryland and cannot be returned.

We strongly recommend that all applicants have their schools send us official e-transcripts if possible. If your school uses an automated transcript request service, select “Loyola University Maryland” as the receiving institution, and be sure to select “Graduate” or “Graduate Admission” as the receiving office. If your school does not use an automated transcript request service but will still send an official transcript on your behalf via email, have your school send your transcript to [email protected] .

If your school is unable to provide electronic transcripts of any kind, your transcripts must be sent to us by mail in envelopes sealed by the school. Our mailing address can be found on the Graduate Admission webpage .

Non-Discrimination

Loyola University Maryland does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, or any other legally protected classification in the administration of any of its educational programs and activities or with respect to admission or employment. The designated compliance officer to ensure compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, is David Tiscione, Director of Title IX, Compliance, and Assessment, 105 Jenkins Hall, 410-617-5171, [email protected] . Loyola University is authorized under Federal Law to enroll non-immigrant, alien students. This publication does not constitute an express or implied contract. Loyola reserves the right to amend or rescind this publication at any time.

For information about the Title IX Grievance Process, see the Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Procedures for Students and for Employees .

To report any Sexual Harassment or any form of sexual misconduct or related behaviors, please contact any of the Title IX Coordinators .

Accessibility Accommodations

If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission at [email protected] or 410-617-5020.

Undergraduate Programs
Continuing Education
Online Programs
STEM Education

About the Program

Learning Aims

Admission Information

Admission Requirements / Apply
Information Sessions
Tuition Cost and Financial Aid
Scholarships
Graduate Assistantships

Request information and apply

Explore the following links or contact us at [email protected] or 410-617-2990.

Meet Our Community

When students enroll in the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs at Loyola’s School of Education, they are welcomed into a vibrant and diverse community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni who are engaged in ensuring an inclusive educational system that actualizes social justice.

Simone Shook

Application Procedures

Application materials and deadlines.

Prospective applicants may apply for admission via the Loyola online graduate application system ( www.loyola.edu/graduate ) along with a $60 application fee. This fee is non-refundable and is not applied toward tuition, if admitted.

Official transcripts from all degree-granting universities attended must be submitted as part of an application for graduate study. The program committees reserve the right to request official transcripts from all universities where an applicant attended but did not complete a degree. All foreign transcripts must be translated and evaluated by an approved international academic record evaluation service (visit the International Academic Records page for a list of approved services). Applicants may not submit a request for advanced standing or course waivers without providing an official transcript for the coursework in question.

Official English language examination scores are required for applicants who have not earned (or will not be earning) a bachelor's or higher degree from a college or university where English is the sole language of instruction. For additional details and a list of accepted English language exams, visit the English Language Examination Requirements page, www.loyola.edu/admission/graduate/international#EnglishReqs .

In addition to the materials listed above, Loyola graduate programs have specific application requirements and deadlines (Note: Application material requirements listed below are subject to change). For up-to-date information about these application requirements and deadlines, prospective students applying to Loyola's graduate programs should refer to the admission information provided on the graduate program website. Links to each graduate program website are provided below.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their completed application, along with all necessary supplemental materials, is received by the applicable deadline. Applications and supplemental materials received after the stated deadline may not be reviewed. All required admission materials should be submitted as instructed on the website.

Applicants must affirm that the information they have provided on their application form and all other admission application materials is complete, accurate, and true to the best of their knowledge. Applicants must agree to submit other materials that are required for their admission application and understand that furnishing false information on any part of their admission application may result in cancellation of admission or registration or both. Application materials, once submitted, become the property of Loyola University Maryland and cannot be returned.

Admission Decisions

It is the policy of department admission committees to give promising applicants the opportunity to undertake graduate work. A careful examination of an applicant's qualifications precedes every admission decision. Admission committees look for previous academic achievement by considering an applicant's undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate records. The University reserves the right to request additional documentation if deemed necessary for admission purposes.

The number of acceptable candidates may exceed the number of spaces available, and the decision of the admission committee is final.

Applicants accepted for graduate work will be notified in writing. If warranted, admitted applicants will be informed of any undergraduate prerequisite or foundation courses that must be completed before commencing graduate work. New students are responsible for discussing any special needs they may have with their advisor. Individuals who may qualify for advanced standing will be granted credit at the time of initial enrollment.

Registration is permitted only after admission to a program or acceptance as a nondegree student (see Academic Regulations and Policies ).

Admission offers are valid only for the specific graduate program and academic start term to which the applicant has been admitted. Admitted applicants seeking to change their graduate program or their start term should contact the Office of Graduate Admission for additional information prior to accepting their admission offer. Applicants who are admitted and accept an offer of admission but do not enroll in the term to which they were admitted will be withdrawn as a student at the university and will need to subsequently reapply for admission.

Loyola College of Arts and Sciences

Communication.

Master of Arts (MA) in Emerging Media Postbaccalaureate Certificate (PBC) in Health Communication

Master of Arts (MA)

Application Deadlines

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/emerging-media/admission/apply , for application deadlines.

Application Materials

In addition to university application requirements, applicants may be required to submit the following:

The admission committee reserves the right to request official transcripts from universities where an applicant attended but did not complete a degree. Please note that not submitting all transcripts where courses have been completed could impact course waivers.
Two professional/academic letters of recommendation.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/emerging-media/admission/apply , for additional information.

Postbaccalaureate Certificate (PBC) in Health Communication

Data science.

Master of Science (MS) in Data Science

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/data-science/graduate/admission , for application deadlines.

One professional/academic letter of recommendation.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/data-science/graduate/admission , for additional information.

Forensic Science

Master of Science (MS) in Forensic Pattern Analysis

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/forensic-studies/forensic-pattern-analysis/admission , for application deadlines.

1-3 academic/professional letters of recommendation

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/forensic-studies/forensic-pattern-analysis/admission , for additional information.

Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Professional Counseling Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology

Master of Science (MS)

Refer to the program website , www.loyola.edu/academics/psychology/admission/requirements, for application deadlines.

Admittance to the master's program in psychology is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Each student recommended for admission into the program will be required to obtain, pay for, and pass a criminal background check. These background checks are routinely required by the Loyola Clinical Centers, schools, hospitals, and other agencies that participate in the clinical education of Loyola students. Failure to pass a criminal background check may make a student ineligible to complete requirements and result in revocation of the student's acceptance into the graduate program. Additional information regarding the criminal background check process will be included in the acceptance letter.

An interview (by invitation only) is requested of all finalists for the CPC program. Interviews occur approximately four weeks after the application deadline.

Three professional/academic letters of recommendation and recommendation form.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/psychology/admission/requirements , for additional information.

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Degree requirements include 131 credit hours for students entering the first year of study (MS-PsyD). In addition to a one-year, full-time internship, all students are required to complete comprehensive examinations and a doctoral dissertation.

Admittance to the doctoral program in psychology is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Each student recommended for admission into the program will be required to obtain, pay for, and pass a criminal background check. These background checks are routinely required by the Loyola Clinical Centers, schools, hospitals, and other agencies that participate in the clinical education of Loyola students. Failure to pass a criminal background check may make a student ineligible to complete requirements and result in revocation of the student's acceptance into the graduate program. Additional information regarding the criminal background check process will be included in the acceptance letter.

An interview (by invitation only) is requested of all finalists for the PsyD program. Interviews occur approximately eight weeks after the application deadline.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/psychology/admission/requirements , for application deadlines.

admission committee reserves the right to request official transcripts from universities where an applicant attended but did not complete a degree. Please note that not submitting all transcripts where courses have been completed could impact course waivers.

Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences

Master of Science (MS) in Speech-Language Pathology

Admittance to the master's program in speech-language pathology is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Each student recommended for admission into the program will be required to obtain, pay for, and pass a criminal background check. These background checks are routinely required by the Loyola Clinical Centers, schools, hospitals, and other agencies that participate in the clinical education of Loyola students. Failure to pass a criminal background check may make a student ineligible to complete requirements and result in revocation of the student's acceptance into the graduate program. Additional information regarding the criminal background check process will be included in the acceptance letter.

Once the deposit is made, students are required to present documentation indicating immunity to communicable diseases. A tuberculin skin test is also required. Health history and immunization forms will be sent after admission notification.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/speech/graduate/apply , for application deadlines.

In addition to the electronic CSDCAS application, applicants must submit the following materials directly to CSDCAS.

Personal Essay. A personal statement of interest must be submitted specifically addressing why you wish to enroll in Loyola University Maryland's graduate program in speech-language pathology.
Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended. Please note that fall grades are required (via transcript or Academic Update). All foreign transcripts must be translated and evaluated by an approved international academic record evaluation service. Visit the International Academic Records page for a list of approved services.
Three academic/professional letters of recommendation. Three letters of recommendation are required and only the first three received will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Please only submit letters from faculty, supervisors, and other professionals who are able to discuss your ability to succeed in a graduate program in speech-language pathology, including academic and personal characteristics that may contribute to your achievement.
Prerequisite Course Information Form. This form is required for all applicants who have not completed an undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology or communication science disorders. Only prospective students who do not have a speech or communication science disorders degree and include a completed Prerequisite Course Information Form and all other required documents will be considered for admission.
International Student Supplemental Forms (required only if a student visa is needed - sent to Loyola directly).

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/speech/graduate/apply , for additional information.

Master of Theological Studies (MTS) Master's Plus Postbaccalaureate Certificate (PBC) in Theology and Ministry

Master of Theological Studies (MTS)

Refer to program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/theology/graduate/apply , for application deadlines.

Two letters of recommendation
Optional résumé
Optional writing sample that emphasizes a student's theological interests and research.

Refer to program website, www.loyola.edu/academics/theology/graduate/apply , for additional information.

Master's Plus

Two professional/academic letters of recommendation

Postbaccalaureate Certificate (PBC) in Theology and Ministry

Optional Résumé

School of Education

Education specialties, curriculum and instruction for social justice.

Master of Arts (MA) in Curriculum and Instruction for Social Justice - Thematic

Master of Arts (MA) in Curriculum and Instruction for Social Justice - Teach English Language Learners

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/curriculum-instruction/apply , for application deadlines.

The admission committee reserves the right to request official transcripts from universities where an applicant attended but did not complete a degree. Please note that not submitting all transcripts where courses have been completed could impact course waivers.
Optional professional/academic letters of recommendation

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/curriculum-instruction/apply , for additional information.

Educational Leadership

Master of Education (MEd) in Educational Leadership

Certificate in Administration and Supervision (Post-Master's Certificate)

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/educational-leadership/apply, for application deadlines.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/educational-leadership/apply, for additional information.

Educational Technology

Master of Education (MEd)

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/educational-technology/apply , for application deadlines.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/educational-technology/apply , for additional information.

Kodály Music Education

Postbaccalaureate certificate (pbc) in kodály music education.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/kodaly-music-education/apply , for application deadlines.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/kodaly-music-education/apply , for additional information.

One professional/academic letters of recommendation

School Counseling

Master of Arts (MA) Master of Education (MEd) Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) Master's Plus

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/school-counseling/apply , for application deadlines.

Two professional/academic letters must be completed on our school counseling recommendation form.
An interview (by invitation only) is requested of all finalists for the MEd program.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/school-counseling/apply , for additional information.

Montessori Education

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/montessori/med/off-site-partners/apply , for application deadlines.

Three professional/academic letters of recommendation
Copy of Montessori Training Diploma for the Post-Diploma program/Master's of Montessori Education program

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/montessori/med/off-site-partners/apply , for additional information.

Teacher Education

Master of Education (MEd), Literacy Teacher for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations Master of Education (MEd), Reading Specialist Certificate in Teaching English Language Learners (TELL)

Literacy/Reading (MEd)

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/literacy-reading/apply , for application deadlines.

Optional professional/academic letter of recommendation
Evidence of Maryland certification or eligibility for Maryland certification is required for literacy program applicants

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/literacy-reading/apply , for additional information.

Teaching English Language Learners Certificate (TELL)

Refer to the program website , www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/tell-teaching-english-language-learners/apply , for application deadlines.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/tell-teaching-english-language-learners/apply , for additional information.

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Elementary (Grades 1-6) Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Secondary (Grades 7-12) Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Secondary (Grades PK-12)

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/mat/apply , for application deadlines.

Official transcripts from all postsecondary colleges or universities attended
One professional/academic letter of recommendation and the MAT recommendation form
Qualifying test scores. Test scores are required only for applicants with an overall GPA below 3.0 in the most recent degree program. Please see the program website for qualifying tests and test scores.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/school-education/academics/graduate/mat/apply , for additional information.

Sellinger School of Business and Management

Master of accounting (macc).

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/sellinger-business/academics/graduate/master-accounting/admission , for application deadlines.

One professional/academic letter of recommendation

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/sellinger-business/academics/graduate/master-accounting/admission , for additional information.

Professional's Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Refer to the program websit e , www.loyola.edu/sellinger-business/academics/graduate/part-time-mba/admission , for application deadlines.

One professional letter of recommendation

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/sellinger-business/academics/graduate/part-time-mba/admission , for additional information.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/sellinger-business/academics/graduate/masters-plus , for application deadlines.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/sellinger-business/academics/graduate/masters-plus , for additional information.

Emerging Leaders MBA

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/sellinger-business/academics/graduate/full-time-mba/admission , for application deadlines.

Two professional/academic letters of recommendation. At least one reference must be academic.
Candidates who meet the minimum admission requirements and complete all documentation will be invited to interview (via Skype/phone) with the program manager as the last step in the admissions process.

Refer to the program website, www.loyola.edu/sellinger-business/academics/graduate/full-time-mba/admission , for additional information.

Request Information
Graduate Admission - Psychology

Graduate Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Select from the list below to access the application requirements for each program:

M.S./Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Master of Science in Clinical Professional Counseling

M.s./psy.d. in clinical psychology, application deadline.

December 1- All application documents must be received by the deadline. (Fall Semester Only)

Degree requirements include 131 credit hours (M.S./Psy.D.). In addition to a one-year, full-time internship, all students are required to complete comprehensive examinations and a doctoral dissertation.

Admittance to the doctoral program in psychology is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Each student recommended for admission into the program will be required to obtain, pay for, and pass a criminal background check. These background checks are routinely required by the Loyola Clinical Centers, schools, hospitals and other agencies that participate in the clinical education of our students. Failure to pass a criminal background check may make you ineligible to complete requirements and result in revocation of your acceptance into the graduate program. Additional information regarding the criminal background check process will be included in your acceptance letter

Important Licensure Information

Loyola University Maryland offers several programs leading to professional licensure within the State of Maryland. States and other jurisdictions vary in what professions they require to be licensed and the requirements for licensure within their borders. Loyola University Maryland programs are designed to prepare students to apply for licensure exams in the state of Maryland. Students planning to become licensed in another state other than Maryland should contact the licensing agency for that state or jurisdiction to determine the appropriate requirements of the state-specific licensing board.

Interview Day

Fall 2024 Interview Day : Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 (by invitation only). The interview day will be held VIRTUALLY.

Accepted Applicant Day : Friday, April 5, 2024. The event will be held IN PERSON.

Required Application Materials

Application form
Nonrefundable $60 application fee.
Official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions attended. The admission committee reserves the right to request official transcripts from universities where an applicant attended but did not complete a degree. Please note that not submitting all transcripts where courses have been completed could impact course waivers.
All foreign transcripts must be translated and evaluated by an approved international academic record evaluation service. Visit the International Academic Records page for a list of approved services.
Essay- Describe your interests and career objectives, how they developed, and how Loyola will enable you to achieve these objectives. Please also include a description of your interests and experiences with people from diverse backgrounds. (The Loyola Psychology Department’s Diversity Statement is located at https://www.loyola.edu/academics/psychology/diversity-inclusion .) (1000 word maximum)
Three professional/academic letters of recommendation and recommendation form are required from all recommenders. Please note you will send the reference form to your recommenders in the application portal.
Official English language examination scores are required for applicants who have not earned (or will not be earning) a bachelor's or higher degree from a college or university where English is the sole language of instruction. For additional details and a list of accepted English language exams, visit the English Language Examination Requirements page .
International Student Supplemental Forms (required only if a student visa is needed).
Important Note: The M.S./Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology program will no longer be considering GRE scores as a part of our application process. Applicants should refrain from sending GRE score reports since they will not be reviewed even if they are received.

If you have any questions or need help with the application process, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission at (410) 617-5020 or email at [email protected] .

An interview (by invitation only) is requested of all finalists for the Psy.D. program. Interviews occur approximately eight weeks after the application deadline.

January 15 - All application documents must be received by the deadline. (Fall Semester Only)

Admittance to the master's programs in psychology is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Each student recommended for admission into the program will be required to obtain, pay for, and pass a criminal background check. These background checks are routinely required by the Loyola Clinical Centers, schools, hospitals and other agencies that participate in the clinical education of our students. Failure to pass a criminal background check may make you ineligible to complete requirements and result in revocation of your acceptance into the graduate program. Additional information regarding the criminal background check process will be included in your acceptance letter.

Fall 2024 Interview Day : Friday, February 23, 2024 (by invitation only). The interview day will be held VIRTUALLY.

Accepted Applicant Day : Friday, April 5, 2024. The event will be held IN PERSON.

Application form.
Nonrefundable $60 application fee.
Official transcripts from all your degree-granting institutions attended.
Essay- Describe your interests and career objectives, how they developed, and how Loyola will enable you to achieve these objectives. Please also include a description of your interests and experiences with people from diverse backgrounds. (The Loyola Psychology Department’s Diversity Statement is located at https://www.loyola.edu/academics/psychology/diversity-inclusion .) (1000 word maximum)
Three professional/academic letters of recommendation and recommendation form are required from all recommenders. Please note you will send the reference form to your recommenders in the application portal.
Professional resume
Important Note: The Master of Science in Clinical Professional Counseling program will no longer be considering GRE scores as a part of our application process. Applicants should refrain from sending GRE score reports since they will not be reviewed even if they are received.

An interview (by invitation only) is required of all finalists for the Master of Science in Clinical Professional Counseling.

Non-Discrimination

For information about the Title IX Grievance Process, see the Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Procedures for Students and for Employees .

To report any Sexual Harassment or any form of sexual misconduct or related behaviors, please contact any of the Title IX Coordinators .

Accessibility Accommodations

For Josie, a dedicated mentor has fostered her academic growth and provided opportunities to conduct meaningful research

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the University of Maryland Essays 2023-2024

The University of Maryland does not have traditional supplemental essays, but it does have six required “complete this sentence” prompt. Your answers to these questions will need to be within 650 characters, but you’ll have plenty of space to reveal unique and distinctive parts of your personality to the admissions committee.

Make sure you give yourself enough time to craft thoughtful responses to these prompts, as you want to take full advantage of every opportunity you have to share something about yourself with the admissions officers. This unique kind of prompt presents a great opportunity to showcase something that might not be found elsewhere in your application.

Considering how competitive college admissions have become in just a few years, the more your responses stand out to admissions officers, the better your chances of admission will be.

Want to know your chances at UMD? Calculate your chances for free right now.

University of Maryland Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1: If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

Prompt 2: The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

Prompt 3: In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

Prompt 4: My favorite thing about last Thursday was… (650 characters)

Prompt 5: Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

Prompt 6: Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

This is a very straightforward prompt. A strong response will identify a place, and share a little bit about why you’ve picked this particular place.

Keep in mind that your response should be unique to you and should teach your reader something about your personality or interests. If your answer sounds like something any random person might say, you need to work on specificity. Here are some examples to show you what we’re talking about.

Generic response: “Rome, because I’ve always wanted to see the Colosseum.”

Personal response: “Rome, because I’ve studied Latin since middle school. My father, a classics professor, spent so many happy hours teaching me how to read the works of Ovid, Virgil, Cicero, and the other greats, in their original language. Whenever we happen to pass by old churches or college buildings, we stop to read their insignias and mottos, which are most often in Latin. All these fond memories make me feel deeply connected to the Greco-Roman world, and I think that seeing historic sites like the Colosseum in person would augment the reading I’ve done and enrich my understanding of classical antiquity.” (598 characters)

The first response is very generic because just about anybody you ask would probably love to see the Colosseum. The second response answers the crucial question— why? —which should be at the core of your response. Your particular reason for choosing the place you choose is where your personality and individuality will shine through.

Obviously, the source of specificity will depend on you and your personal experiences. If you haven’t studied Latin (or if you studied it but didn’t like it), this response clearly wouldn’t work for you. Think about what truly interests you, then narrow your thinking down to places that are integral to that interest. For example, if you’re really invested in country music and its history, you might be particularly interested in visiting Nashville, the epicenter of that genre.

Finally, remember that this place doesn’t have to be a city. You could also say something like “The Pro Football Hall of Fame” or “Abbey Road Studios.” In fact, you even have the freedom to be a little more creative with your place in history. You might want to travel to a different time period entirely. The prompt posits that you can travel anywhere , but doesn’t specify that it has to be somewhere modern. Perhaps you love early R&B and disco music. You might want to travel to Detroit in the 1960s, when Motown Records was beginning to dominate those genres.

A word of caution: If you are going to get extra creative and pick a different time period, be sure to avoid generic clichés. For example, writing that you want to travel to the future—to give your future self advice, or to drive a flying car, or to see where climate change has gone, etc.—is a cliché and won’t contribute much to your application.

In terms of location, you probably shouldn’t go much bigger than a city. Saying something like “The United Kingdom” or “China” may make you sound clueless, as countries are too large and diverse to understand in their entirety with just one trip. Aiming for something too broad detracts from the specificity that a strong response to this kind of essay requires.

Rather than settling for a generic response, think about the main reason you personally want to go to this place, and narrow your response from there. Instead of “The United Kingdom,” you could write “The Scottish Highlands,” and instead of “China,” you could write “The Great Wall of China.”

The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

If you haven’t done research before, don’t worry. Most high school students haven’t done a serious research project, and nowhere does the prompt say that the research has to be yours.

Your response should show your reader that you are informed about the research that goes on at places like the University of Maryland. Of course, research is not the only thing universities do, but being surrounded by cutting-edge researchers in a wide range of fields is an opportunity that is difficult to find outside of a university campus.

We don’t mean to say you have to cite some dense, obscure study on molecular neuroscience. If that’s what you’re interested in, great! As long as your response is genuine, your chosen topic is fair game. Don’t make the mistake of writing about some deep scientific research if that isn’t what piques your interest, but be careful not to write about something too trivial either.

That being said, research is done in a vast array of subjects, so there’s no pressure to write about any one topic over another. Below are some examples of facts from a variety of fields that would work just as well as something from a hardcore STEM study.

Consistent physical exercise throughout life correlates with better mental health in old age.
Sea turtles use magnetoreception to find the same breeding grounds each year.
The Egyptian pyramids have passages leading up from the burial chamber, which ancient Egyptians believed the dead pharaoh could climb through to join the gods in heaven.

Given the 650 characters you’re allotted, you should also share a short explanation of why you find this particular fact so interesting. For example, for the aforementioned sea turtle fact, you could write:

“[The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…] sea turtles find the same breeding grounds each year with magnetoreception. Magnetoreception is a sense that allows turtles (and other animals) to perceive Earth’s magnetic field. Learning this fact made me truly appreciate nature’s diversity—turtles have an entire sense that we lack! This newfound appreciation created by one fact I just stumbled upon inspired me to embark on an exploratory journey that culminated in an internship at a local environmental center.” (467 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

Try to avoid picking a fact that is so long that you don’t have space to elaborate. 650 characters isn’t the largest amount of space, but simply stating your fact probably shouldn’t take up most of it. That being said, you don’t necessarily have to elaborate at a level as deep as the above example to have an excellent response. You may have a strong and thorough response with just 300 characters or so.

In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

The key phrase here is “in addition to my major.” Remember that you should use these supplemental prompts to share information about yourself that your reader cannot find elsewhere in your application.

So if your intended major is neuroscience, your answer here shouldn’t be “biology.” That is technically a different academic interest, but it doesn’t really tell your reader anything new. If they know you want to major in neuroscience, they can already safely assume you have at least some interest in biology.

Remember that your reader also has your high school transcript and activities list. Maybe math isn’t your intended major, but if you’ve taken AP math classes and done math camps during your high school summers, writing about math won’t be sharing something new with your reader. Your personal experiences already strongly indicate that you’re interested in math.

Your response also shouldn’t just be a list of other interests you have. A laundry list of interests won’t give the admissions committee any sense of why you’re interested in these things. The “why” is where your personality shines through. Without it, your reader won’t really have anything to take away from your response.

Now that we’ve covered what you shouldn’t do, let’s talk about how you should approach this prompt. As noted above, you want to pick an interest that is genuinely different from the things already seen in the rest of your application. As long as you’re honest, there’s no right or wrong way to do this. UMD wants to see that you’re academically inclined and intellectually curious, not that you’re only interested in one particular thing.

The second part of your response is the why . Say you’re a prospective history major and the other area you’re interested in is sports psychology. Your response might read something like this:

“[In addition to my major, my academic interests include…] sports psychology, because I was raised a diehard Miami Heat fan, and I’ve always wondered what helps some players thrive under pressure while others fold. I think that the field is interesting as it explores not only how players play, but also how they act in their personal lives in the spotlight. Even to those not interested in sports, the field is very useful in that its findings can be extrapolated and applied to society at large. After all, everyone wants to be able to perform at an optimal level.” (507 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

Alternatively, say you’re a prospective engineering major and you also have an interest in music theory. A strong response would be:

“[In addition to my major, my academic interests include…] music theory, because I’ve always wanted to know how movie and television composers use sound to enhance the emotional content of a scene. I’ve always been fascinated by the ways music is used to complement cinema. There are videos online in which a song is changed or removed from a scene, and something that simple can have a profound impact on the scene. I have been teaching myself guitar for four years, and even though I’m competent on a technical level, my theoretical understanding is lacking.” (501 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

These responses share interests that are not only not distinct from their respective majors, but that are also probably not discussed anywhere else in the application. It’s an unfortunate reality that college applications often capture only a thin slice of who you are while leaving out things like sports fandom, which may be a huge part of your personality and identity. If you can share one of those things here, your response will be all the better for it.

My favorite thing about last Thursday was… (650 characters)

Only you know what you did last Thursday, so the best advice we can give here is to not overthink your answer. Most people don’t do anything revolutionary on an average Thursday. UMD doesn’t expect you to have cured cancer on a normal day of the week. What they do expect is that you can engage with—and bring energy to—seemingly mundane situations. This is a useful skill that will help you thrive in college and beyond.

In order to address this prompt successfully, all you really have to do is describe the situation and give your reader some sense of what made it your favorite part of the day. Bear in mind that you don’t have to write about last Thursday literally. Think of something eventful that you took part in recently, but don’t feel restricted to the day mentioned in the prompt. UMD’s use of “last Thursday” is figurative. You can write about any average day that didn’t happen too long ago. No one is going to check that your event happened on a Thursday.

Here are some examples of weak and strong responses to this prompt.

Weak: “getting dinner with my friend.”

Strong: “having a picnic at dinnertime with my friend and watching the sunset. There’s nothing like munching on a DIY vegan charcuterie board and drinking sparkling cider at the golden hour. My friend and I grew up together and are as close as sisters. For years we did everything together, from shopping to cooking and from learning to swim to learning to drive. She and I used to hang out a lot before she moved, so I feel lucky whenever I get to spend quality time with her on an otherwise average day.” (495 characters)

For this particular prompt, even a few extra details—like those that are included in the strong example—can go a long way. Most people enjoy getting dinner with friends, but the strong response shows the reader why , for you personally, this particular dinner was so meaningful.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, 650 characters is more than you might assume. Take advantage of the space you have to make your response as personal as possible, but also don’t write more than you need to just to reach the limit. Based on the rest of your application, the admissions committee has some understanding of what you’re like in the classroom or on the basketball court. Now show them what you’re like on a regular old Thursday.

Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

A prompt this open-ended can be overwhelming at first. But as we advised with the previous prompt, don’t overthink your answer! This fun fact doesn’t have to be anything crazy or an attempt to impress the admissions committee—that’s what the rest of your application is for. Just share something unique to you that isn’t already discussed elsewhere in your application.

This last part about being unique is key—if your answer to Prompt 3 (the one about academic interests) was something about liking astronomy, your answer here shouldn’t be something about stargazing every night. Remember that you only have so many opportunities to share information about yourself with the admissions committee, so take advantage of each one.

That being said, you have free rein to write about pretty much anything! Below are some examples of potential topics you could respond to this prompt with. Your response also may look nothing like these, which is completely fine. We just want to get your mental gears turning by giving you a sense of what a good response might begin with.

Something you might not know about me is…

I can do a double backflip off a diving board.
I have every word to Taylor Swift’s album Reputation memorized.
For my eighteenth birthday, I went skydiving and passed out in the air.
I’ve won my fantasy football league three years in a row.
Every New Year’s Day, my dad cracks the ice on the pond near our house and my family does a polar plunge together.

Since you have a longer character count, you should elaborate on your fun fact, whatever it may be. For example, a hypothetical student might extend the above skydiving example and write something like this:

“[Something you might not know about me is…] for my eighteenth birthday, I went skydiving and passed out in the air. As a child, I saw a show about skydiving and became so infatuated with the idea that it became the one thing I had to try. My parents were not thrilled but agreed that I could try when I was 18. The time finally came, and the plane ascended with me finally on it. I was signed up for a tandem jump where I was tethered to an instructor. We jumped, and some combination of excitement, dread, and altitude made me pass out, so I missed most of the experience! By the time I came to, we were near the ground already, so I definitely need to try this experience again someday.” (644 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

You might not use all 650 characters to respond to this prompt, and that’s okay. Don’t try to reach the character limit and end up rambling or writing something confusing. For example, imagine if the backflip example above read like this:

“[Something you might not know about me is…] I can do a double backflip off a diving board. One time I was at the pool and kept making the lifeguard nervous every time I did it. It ended up being fine though, because it’s a skill I had gotten really good at by then.” (221 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

By the end of this response, a reader might not even remember what the original fun fact was, even though it’s only 221 characters.

Finally, the examples above hopefully show that your fun fact can be just that—fun. You don’t have to be super serious with every single supplemental essay prompt you come across. A more lighthearted response can actually be a good thing—college applications are generally quite dry, so it can be a good idea to remind your reader that you’re more than a GPA and a Common App essay you’ve revised 43 times.

Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

This is one instance of the very common diversity prompt . When colleges have a diversity prompt, they want to know about your own personal background and how it has influenced your worldview and perspectives.

In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is the place to discuss that.

In general, such a common prompt can be approached with a traditional answer. You might consider answering this prompt with what you think is the most important part of your identity, then a small discussion about how that aspect of diversity is relevant to you and your general life experiences.

Such a response might be written about one of the following scenarios:

Using your fluency in another language to help members of a specific community.
Interpreting a text in class differently from your classmates because of your ethnic culture.
Having a friend of a different background who has changed your perspective on something important (this speaks to the “been inspired” part of the prompt).
Having an illness or disability that helps you view accessibility through a different lens than your peers.
Being part of a niche interest group/fandom and trying to represent the group faithfully when talking to people who aren’t members of it.

Simply listing things that generate diversity should be avoided. Sure, diversity includes different ethnicities/races, gender identities, sexual orientations, countries of origin, and languages, but writing that laundry list out doesn’t contribute much to your application.

Also, bear in mind that the traditional markers of diversity aren’t the only ones you can discuss. There are other aspects of identity that contribute to a diverse campus, including socioeconomic classes, hometowns, illnesses/disabilities, and even interests or hobbies.

Diversity encompasses all the aforementioned attributes, but you should strive for individuality and specificity in your response. This prompt, like all the others, is an opportunity to showcase your unique life perspective. You don’t want to waste this opportunity by writing down some bland dictionary definitions. Think of what diversity means to you and what you consider to be a particularly significant aspect of diversity. From there, think of personal anecdotes or stories about how that aspect of diversity has contributed to your growth or development as a person.

Where to Get Your University of Maryland, College Park Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your UMD essays? After rereading your essays over and over again, it can be difficult to gauge where your writing needs improvement, especially since these prompts are so short. We created our free Peer Essay Review tool to help students like you get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Admissions -->

Personal statement (essay) topics.

meet our staff

Tell us about yourself

The purpose of the essay portion of the Loyola application is to give you the opportunity to make a personal statement and to demonstrate your creativity and ability to organize and express your thoughts.

In 500 words or less, write about one of the following topics. Please note: these prompts are the same as the Common Application Essay Topics :

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

You will be prompted to include your essay when completing the online application. Please type your essay and include it as a part of your Application for Undergraduate Admissions . If emailing, mailing or faxing your essay, include your name , birthdate , and the date on the essay. This essay will be used as an important document in scholarship consideration.

Email: [email protected]

Mailing Address: Loyola University New Orleans, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Campus Box 18, New Orleans, LA 70118

Fax: (504) 865-3383

To learn more, call 1-800-4-LOYOLA or schedule your visit online .

504-865-3240 or 1-800-456-9652
Thomas Hall, 1st Floor | 6363 St. Charles Avenue | New Orleans, LA 70118
Admissions Intranet | Contact Us

2023-24 University of Maryland (UMD) Supplemental Essays – Prompts and Tips

September 8, 2023

umd supplemental essays, university of maryland

With more than 56,000 applicants per year, you might think that the University of Maryland—College Park admissions committee would want to create a fast-paced assembly line for application reviews that is 99% based on the hard numbers like GPA and SAT scores. Yet, in addition to those important data points and the 650-word Common App essay, prospective Terrapins are also asked to complete six short “Complete this Sentence” University of Maryland supplemental essays as part of a genuinely holistic admissions process. Today, we’ll explore the UMD supplemental essays.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into the University of Maryland—College Park? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into the University of Maryland: Admissions Data and Strategies for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

As the University of Maryland becomes more selective—the acceptance rate was just 34% last year—applicants need to find ways to stand out from the competition. Fortunately, these six short answer essays provide just such an opportunity. Below are the UMD supplemental essays for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address each one.

UMD Supplemental Essays – 2023-24 Prompts

Applicants must complete each of the following fill-in-the-blank responses in 650 characters (not words!) max each:

1) If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

There’s nothing wrong with simply naming a popular and/or exotic city if you wish, but don’t feel like that is your sole option with this essay. For example, you could travel to see a particular painting in an art gallery in Finland. You could travel through time to have a conversation with 19th century women’s right’s hero Elizabeth Cady Stanton. You could travel to Montana’s Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument to dig for dinosaur fossils alongside paleontologists. There is no shortage of ways to create an answer that contains more depth and meaning than simply saying “Paris, because it has beautiful architecture.”

2) The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

“But wait, I’m a 17/18-year-old who has done some experiments in Chemistry class, but I didn’t exactly win a Nobel Prize for learning how to safely use a Bunsen burner.” Applicants sometimes panic when they first read this question. However, the only expectation is that you cite a finding from someone else’s research that you found meaningful and enlightening. If you aren’t interested in the hard sciences, that’s perfectly fine! There is plenty of research that takes place outside of the STEM realm. Some ideas include:

The Environment

UMD Supplemental Essays (Continued)

3) in addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters).

Note the operative phrase here—“In addition to my major.” This is a chance to talk about one or more of your academic passions that are a) an extension of your major b) separate from your major or c) part of an interdisciplinary connection between your major and another discipline.

Of course, the second key word here is “academic” so you’ll want to make sure that the subject or subjects you wish to discuss are at least somewhat related to an area that could be studied in college. Use this prompt to showcase your diverse interests and intellectual passions and remember that “academic” in a college setting means more than just straight subjects like high school biology, geometry, or world history. In a collegiate setting, there are academic offerings in psychology, art, criminal justice, philosophy, artificial intelligence, and hundreds of other expansive and intriguing options so don’t feel overly-constrained!

4) My favorite thing about last Thursday was… (650 characters)

You could look back at your Google Calendar or old texts in a quest to uncover whether last Thursday was the day you reheated beef stroganoff for dinner or whether that was the night you ordered Uber Eats from Chipotle while studying for a Calculus final. However, there is another way to reimagine the question which removes “last Thursday’s” random and limiting presence altogether. Instead, change the question to, “What is something that has happened to me recently that may have seemed small/everyday-ish, but truly mattered to me and communicates something about my character/personality?”

Think of this prompt as a chance to show off your skills of observation and reflection. Even in 650 characters, try to paint a picture of your appreciation for one of life’s small moments.

5) When I think of diversity, I think of.. (650 characters)

Try to avoid going the stale “the dictionary definition of diversity is…” route. Get personal and share what being a part of a diverse community means to you. Remember, diversity can apply to race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, and gender. Even diversity of thought and political ideology are on the table here. The goal is to sincerely communicate your feelings toward being a member of a diverse Terrapin campus. In fact, 47% of current undergraduates identify as students of color.

6) Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

Remember, diversity can apply to race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, and gender. Even diversity of thought and political ideology are on the table here. The goal is to think about your experiences and observations in this realm—is there a particular situation, challenge, or aspect of your own (or someone else’s) identity that has enabled you to learn or grow in this area? Perhaps you’ve learned how to advocate for yourself or someone else, been exposed to a new way of thinking, learned how to have difficult conversations, educated others, or been inspired by a peer’s story. Bottom line: there are many possible options here, and UMD wants to understand how you would contribute to and/or support diverse spaces on campus.

How important are the UMD supplemental essays?

The essays at the University of Maryland are an “important” factor in their evaluation process, alongside class rank, recommendations, talent/ability, first-generation status, and state residency. This ranks higher than factors such as extracurricular activities, legacy status, race/ethnicity, or work experience.

Want personalized assistance with your UMD supplemental essays?

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

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).

2-Year Colleges
Application Strategies
Best Colleges by Major
Best Colleges by State
Big Picture
Career & Personality Assessment
College Search/Knowledge
College Success
Costs & Financial Aid
Dental School Admissions
Extracurricular Activities
Graduate School Admissions
High School Success
High Schools
Law School Admissions
Medical School Admissions
Navigating the Admissions Process
Online Learning
Private High School Spotlight
Summer Program Spotlight
Summer Programs
Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

Zip Code Area(s) s of Interest Select... Business Computer Science Engineering Fine/Performing Arts Humanities Mathematics STEM Pre-Med Psychology Social Studies/Sciences Sign Up Now

University of Maryland 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 20

You Have:

University of Maryland 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 6 short answers of 650 characters

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Short Answer , Additional Information

“At the University of Maryland, we encourage our students to go beyond the classroom to engage in opportunities that further both their academic and personal growth.”

The University of Maryland application is all about budgeting your words and energy. With a list of rapidfire short answer questions at the heart of this supplement, prepare to make every character count!

To tell us more about yourself, please complete the following sentences using only the space provided. (650 characters)

* if i could travel anywhere, i would go to…, * the most interesting fact i ever learned from research was…, * in addition to my major, my academic interests include…, * my favorite thing about last thursday was…, * something you might not know about me is…, * because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the university of maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. this includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. we are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. in a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity..

The key to nailing this section is brainstorming. When you see fill-in-the-blanks like these, it’s easy to assume that admissions is looking for a specific response, but (surprise!) they’re not. To avoid falling into this trap, free your mind and spend a few minutes jotting down as many answers as you can think of for each prompt. Literally set a timer and force yourself to keep your pencil moving (or fingers typing) for the entire time. No idea is too silly! The more you go with your gut, the more likely you are to come up with a unique and truly personal answer, and in the end, that’s really what admissions is looking for. Short answers like these present a great opportunity for you to show off your creativity, ingenuity, and sense of humor. When curating your brainstormed ideas, aim for breadth and variety. If you’ve always wanted to travel to Easter Island to measure the moai (🗿) and perform engineering experiments, then your interesting fact had better not be located anywhere near the Pacific Ocean. As with any other essay type, each micro answer should tell admissions something new about you.

About Kat Stubing

View all posts by Kat Stubing »

Check out our videos!

Contact us for information on rates and more!

I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
Name * First Last
Phone Type Mobile Landline
Street Address
Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
Common App and Coalition Essays
Supplemental Essays
University of California Essays
University of Texas Essays
Resume Review
Post-Grad Essays
Specialized Services
Waitlist Letters
Private School Essays
General College Counseling
School list with priorities noted:
Anything else we should know?
Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Agnes Scott College
Alvernia University
American University
Amherst College
Babson College
Bard College
Barnard College
Baylor University
Bennington College
Bentley University
Berry College
Bethany College
Bishop’s University
Boston College
Boston University (BU)
Bowdoin College
Brandeis University
Brown University
Bryn Mawr College
Bucknell University
Butler University
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
California Lutheran University
Capitol Technology University
Carleton College
Carnegie Mellon University
Catawba College
Centre College
Chapman University
Claremont McKenna College
Clark University
College of Mount Saint Vincent
College of William and Mary
College of Wooster
Colorado College
Colorado School of Mines
Columbia University
Cornell University
Culver-Stockton College
D'Youville University
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Drexel University
Duke University
Earlham College
Elon University
Emerson College
Emory University
Flagler College
Fordham University
George Mason University
Georgetown University
Georgia State University
Georgia Tech
Gonzaga University
Harvard University
Harvey Mudd College
Haverford College
Hillsdale College
Hofstra University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Wesleyan University
Indiana University Bloomington
Ithaca College
Johns Hopkins University
Kalamazoo College
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
Lewis and Clark College
Linfield University
Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
Lynn University
Macalester College
Malone University
Manchester University
Marist College
Mary Baldwin University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Meredith College
Monmouth College
Moravian University
Morehouse College
Mount Holyoke College
New York University (NYU)
North Park University
Northwestern University
Occidental College
Oklahoma City University
Olin College of Engineering
Pepperdine University
Pitzer College
Pomona College
Princeton University
Providence College
Purdue University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rice University
Saint Elizabeth University
Santa Clara University
Sarah Lawrence College
Scripps College
Seattle Pacific University
Smith College
Soka University of America
Southern Methodist University
St. John’s College
Stanford University
Stonehill College
Swarthmore College
Syracuse University
Texas A&M University
Texas Christian University
The College of Idaho
The George Washington University
The New School
Trinity College
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of California
University of Central Florida (UCF)
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of Notre Dame
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Richmond
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
University of Southern California (USC)
University of Texas at Austin
University of Tulsa
University of Vermont
University of Virginia (UVA)
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Villanova University
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest University
Washington and Lee University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wellesley College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
Yale University

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

loyola university maryland supplemental essay

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

YouTube Tutorials
Our Approach & Team
Undergraduate Testimonials
Postgraduate Testimonials
Where Our Students Get In
CEA Gives Back
Undergraduate Admissions
Graduate Admissions
Private School Admissions
International Student Admissions
Common App Essay Guide
Supplemental Essay Guides
Coalition App Guide
The CEA Podcast
Admissions Stats
Notification Trackers
Deadline Databases
College Essay Examples
Academy and Worksheets
Waitlist Guides
Get Started

University of Maryland Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Wondering how to write your University of Maryland supplemental essays? If so, you’re in the right place. The UMD essay prompts are unique, both in length and style. In fact, all of the UMD supplemental essays are actually short-answer questions. So, applicants need to be strategic about their responses to the UMD prompts if they want to make their application stand out.

In this guide to the UMD essays, we’ll go beyond just introducing you to the UMD essay prompts. You’ll find tips for building your short answer responses and for writing your all-important personal statement. If you are considering transferring to UMD, we also go over the UMD supplemental essays for transfer students. Finally, we will connect you to several other resources that can aid you in your essay writing journey.

By the end of this guide, we hope to have answered most of your questions about applying to UMD. Then, you’ll have the tools you’ll need to write excellent University of Maryland supplemental essays. But, before we jump in, let’s start with some UMD Admissions Quick Facts.

UMD Supplemental Essays: Quick Facts

University of maryland admissions quick facts.

University of Maryland Acceptance Rate: 44% – If you’re considering applying early, note that the early acceptance rate at UMD is 47.7%.
1 (~650 word) personal essay
6 (~650 character) short answer questions
University of Maryland Application: Students must submit their UMD application through the Common Application or the StandOut Admissions Network . Prepare your required application materials , including your University of Maryland supplemental essays, before applying .
Early Action: November 1
Regular Decision: January 20
University of Maryland Essay Tip: Don’t overthink your responses to the University of Maryland supplemental essays. Go with an answer that feels authentic and then write concise and clear answers to the prompts.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

Does the University of Maryland have supplemental essays?

Yes – there are six University of Maryland supplemental essays. However, the UMD supplemental essays are very different from most other schools’ essay prompts. Let’s look at a few ways they differ.

Short Essays

First, the University of Maryland supplemental essays are very short. On average, supplemental essays range in word count from 150-300 words. The University of Maryland supplemental essays are described as short answer questions, and rightly so. The maximum length is 650 characters, which amounts to anywhere from 92 to 163 words, depending on your word length. With such limited space, you’ll need to be concise in your answers to the UMD College Park supplemental essays.

Quirky Questions

Secondly, the University of Maryland supplemental essays are focused on understanding who you are through different snapshots of your life. Many supplemental essays focus on your academic interests or why you want to attend a given college. However, the UMD supplemental essays ask seemingly random questions like “What did you do last Thursday?”. While the UMD essay prompts might seem random, they’re there for a reason: to take the pressure off! These fun prompts allow students to showcase a realistic and holistic perspective on who they are beyond being a student.

Six Prompts

Finally, there are six UMD supplemental essays. Most commonly, schools have one to two required supplemental essays and potentially an optional one. By offering six University of Maryland supplemental essays, UMD seeks to give students many ways to showcase who they are. And, since they’re all required, applicants have no choice but to make the most of their responses.

Next, let’s look at each of the UMD College Park supplemental essays and talk about how you might respond to each one.

UMD Supplemental Essay Requirements

As we shared above, there are six required University of Maryland supplemental essays. The word limit for each is 650 characters (between 92 and 136 words). In this section, we will start by breaking down what each of the UMD essay prompts is looking for. Then, we’ll get into how you can provide an answer that will impress University of Maryland admissions officers.

Here are the six UMD essay prompts, followed by some guidance about how to respond.

University of Maryland Prompt 1

If i could travel anywhere, i would go to….

The first of the UMD supplemental essays is a fun one. With this question, the school is looking to see your adventurous spirit come through. Answer authentically, while being specific. Avoid being too general by stating the name of a continent or a country. Instead, choose a city, town, or even neighborhood. And, avoid cliches that are overused, such as “I would travel to another time period.” You can generally avoid falling into the trap of cliches if you’re specific and answer in a heartfelt, honest manner.

University of Maryland Prompt 2

The most interesting fact i ever learned from research was… .

In the second of your University of Maryland supplemental essays, UMD is looking for evidence of your curious mindset. Feel free to interpret the word “research” broadly. While actual scientific research is valid to highlight, it’s not the only avenue to choose. You could also talk about a topic you did a deep dive on the internet to learn more about. Again, be specific about why this fact interested you.

Second, connect your interest back to a personal value or an academic subject you enjoy. For example, maybe you were fascinated to learn that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch contains enough trash to fill 500 Jumbo Jets. You’d want to then speak to why this was important to you and if learning it had any impact on your future thoughts or actions.

University of Maryland Prompt 3

In addition to my major, my academic interests include… .

The third of your UMD supplemental essays is focused on your academic interests. The key to this prompt are the words, “In addition to my major.” This question is looking for insight into other fields of interest besides your stated major. The University of Maryland supplemental essays create space for you to highlight your various interests and demonstrate your intellectual curiosity.

To answer this question, consider other academic subjects that interest you. Note that you do not have to list a field, like mechanical engineering or business. Instead, you can provide specific topics that interest you. For example, maybe your academic interests include reading Shakespearean plays or learning Italian. Include a few sentences about why you are interested in this topic. Do you have fond memories of acting out Shakespearean plays in sophomore English? Maybe you have plans to one day travel to Florence, so learning Italian inspires you. Whatever you choose, be genuine.

University of Maryland Prompt 4

My favorite thing about last thursday was… .

Some students may read this UMD supplemental essay prompt and wonder why the school wants to know what happened last Thursday. The answer is simple – they want to know what you really value in your daily life. Don’t overthink your response. Rather, try to reflect upon your previous Thursday with wonder. What did you enjoy about that day? What was exciting, inspiring, or special? Maybe the weather was so cool and crisp that you felt inspired to go for a run. Or perhaps, you found out a friend won an award, and it made you happy to see that person honored.

If you can’t remember what you did last Thursday, then pick any recent day you do remember. The school does not actually care about Thursday in particular, but rather the way in which you reflect upon your life. Use sensory details and explain why your answer is meaningful to you. Remember, even the little things can give your University of Maryland supplemental essays extra flair.

University of Maryland Prompt 5

Something you might not know about me is… .

For some students, the most challenging of the UMD College Park supplemental essays is this one because of its open-endedness. However, rather than stress about trying to guess what might impress University of Maryland admissions officers, simply be yourself. This prompt allows you to highlight something that does not fit into any of the other prompts. So, you might wish to answer this question last.

Indeed, there is no “right” answer to this question. But you should still take time to think of something about yourself that is actually meaningful to you. Maybe you love waking up early on Saturdays to have pancakes with your family because it reminds you of how much you are loved. Maybe you paint portraits of your favorite hip-hop artists because you admire their music so much. As with all the UMD supplemental essays, being genuine and explaining why you chose your answer will be key.

University of Maryland Prompt 6

Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the university of maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. this includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. we are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. in a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. .

The last, but certainly not least important, of the UMD College Park supplemental essays is the diversity question. The first step in answering this question is to remember that diversity is a broad term. Diversity can include things like your race, culture, or socioeconomic status. But it can also include where you grew up, unique childhood experiences, or challenges you may have faced.

The key is to reflect upon your life experiences and how they have shaped you. For example, maybe you grew up in a family of self-starters, and this shaped your own desire to one day own a business. Or perhaps you were very sick as a child, and overcoming your illness taught you about patience and self-care. Whatever you choose, be sure to explain what this aspect of your life experience taught you.

Besides your six University of Maryland supplemental essays, you will also submit a personal statement. Keep reading to learn more about what goes into your personal statement.

University of Maryland Personal Statement

In contrast to the six UMD College Park supplemental essays, your personal statement can be up to 650 words long. As such, you have much more space to express your thoughts. Your essay will respond to one of the seven Common App essay prompts.

To clarify, your University of Maryland personal statement is the same as your Common App personal statement. As such, your UMD personal statement will not be school-specific, but will instead contribute to your overall college application brand . So, think of your personal statement as a chance to write about a key part of your identity.

A well-written personal statement usually contains a story-like approach. This includes engaging elements like a hook and a story arc with a beginning, middle, and end. Many personal statements also include reflective moments where the student shares what they learned from the experience they are sharing. Read more about how to begin in this CollegeAdvisor resource on How to Start a Personal Statement.

UMD Essay Requirements – Transfer Students

If you are a transfer student, your University of Maryland supplemental essays will include a college transfer essay. What constitutes a transfer student? A transfer student is:

Any student that has at least 12 semester or 18 quarter hours after high school graduation AND
Is applying for admission at a new college

Your transfer application must accomplish a slightly different task of explaining to UMD why you wish to transfer schools.

Instead of a personal statement, transfer students will write a college transfer essay for their transfer application. Below is the prompt:

University of Maryland Transfer Students Essay Prompt

Please describe your past academic experiences and your reasons for wishing to enroll at umd at this point in your academic career. (300 words or less).

To effectively answer this question, transfer students must be clear about what specific aspect of studying at UMD appeals to them. Students who have been out of school for some time or have faced academic challenges should share more about those experiences in their responses. While there may be numerous reasons why you want to transfer, avoid speaking poorly of another school. Instead, focus on what makes you believe you will thrive at UMD.

Please note that your transfer application can only be submitted through the StandOut Admissions Network platform. The early action deadline for submitting a transfer application is:

March 1 of the spring before the fall semester in which you wish to enroll OR
August 1 of the summer before the spring semester you wish to enroll

Next, we will explore some tips for writing your UMD supplemental essays.

Tips for approaching the UMD Supplemental Essays

Without a doubt, it can be daunting to see the six UMD essay prompts you have to respond to. After all, that’s a lot of UMD supplemental essays! Below are some tips for ensuring your responses are interesting and showcase the best version of yourself to UMD Admissions.

1. Be authentic

As always, authenticity is key. With these UMD College Park supplemental essays, the school is really trying to get to know multiple sides of you. If you try too hard to impress them, you are defeating the purpose of the UMD essay prompts. Ask friends and family to double-check your ideas and see whether they sound like you. Those who know you best can give valuable input.

2. Write first, then edit down

Some students feel frozen when they see the word count, not knowing how they can respond with only 650 characters. However, don’t worry about the length of your University of Maryland supplemental essays. Instead, write drafts that are as long as you need them to be. Then, go through your drafts and find the most critical ideas. These can be interesting details or insights that you believe are important.

3. Avoid repetition

Since there are six UMD supplemental essays, you might be tempted to repeat topics or ideas. However, each 650-character essay is valuable real estate. Show something new about yourself in each of your UMD supplemental essays. Remember, Admissions is reading all six as a collection, not each one individually!

4. Share your why

For each of your University of Maryland supplemental essays, answer the question directly but be sure to share your why . Indeed, sharing why you chose an answer can often say as much or more about you than the answer itself. If I tell you my favorite color is blue, you’ve learned one simple fact. Now let’s say I add that my grandmother always wore blue at Sunday dinner and it reminds me of her. Now, you’ve learned that I value my family, miss my grandmother, and am nostalgic for dinners with her.

Next, we will take a deeper look at what the University of Maryland – College Park is known for. With this knowledge, you can write University of Maryland supplemental essays that demonstrate qualities that align with the school’s values.

What is the University of Maryland – College Park known for?

If you are considering applying to the University of Maryland, there is a lot you should know about the school. For one, the University of Maryland – College Park is a competitive public institution. According to U.S. News , the UMD acceptance rate is 44% and the school ranks #19 among top public universities . Similarly, Forbes ranked UMD #34 amongst its top colleges for 2023. As such, writing strong UMD supplemental essays is important to stand out against other qualified applicants.

The University of Maryland – College Park is known for being the first campus in the UMD college system . The school is located in the suburb of College Park, Maryland. However, students also have easy access to the big cities of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. With over 30,000 undergraduates, UMD is a large campus with 12 colleges and more than 800 clubs and organizations. UMD is known for its excellent James Clark School of Engineering and Robert H. Smith School of Business, as well as its research initiatives. Lastly, UMD is known for its sustainability initiatives, with a plan in place to be carbon neutral by 2050.

As such a large school with so many resources, UMD College Park is likely to be a great fit for your studies . If you want to attend, keep reading to learn more about how to make your UMD supplemental essays stand out.

How to make your University of Maryland Essays stand out!

If you want to beat the UMD acceptance rate, you’ll want your UMD supplemental essays to stand out from the pack. Here are a few tips for ensuring that they do:

1. Edit them well

Your UMD College Park supplemental essays are a chance to showcase who you are. But, they are also a chance to showcase your writing skills. Be sure to spend time editing for proper grammar, varied sentence structure, and clear transitions. Consider reading your essays out loud to catch errors. Also, ask a trusted advisor, like your CollegeAdvisor admissions expert or a teacher, to review your essays.

2. Include specific details

In each of your responses, include details that bring your response to life. Only having 650 characters for your UMD supplemental essays may feel limiting. But you can still include vivid imagery that helps to add some color to your essays.

3. Showcase your unique personality

As you write each of your UMD supplemental essays, make sure your voice is coming through. Avoid letting someone else edit your essays to the point where the voice no longer sounds like yours. The University of Maryland admissions officers want to know who you are, not an uncle or a friend.

Next, we have even more places to find expert advice on how to write your University of Maryland supplemental essays.

More supplemental essay resources from CollegeAdvisor

Below are three CollegeAdvisor resources that might help you as you write your UMD College Park supplemental essays.

8 College Essay Topics : This resource covers the most common types of supplemental essays. Two of the types described in this article – the personal statement and the diversity essay – are ones you will have to write for your UMD College Park supplemental essays.
How to Write Better Essays : This article provides tips for how to write essays of all kinds. From tips about your writing approach to ideas for how to choose topics, this article covers a lot of essay-writing ground. Review it before writing your University of Maryland supplemental essays.
Common App Essay Examples : Looking for examples of strong personal statements? This article will highlight ten of them and explain why each one was successful. Understanding what makes an essay strong can help you write even stronger University of Maryland supplemental essays.

Continue browsing through CollegeAdvisor’s resources to find lots of free advice for your University of Maryland supplemental essays.

The University of Maryland Supplemental Essays – Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve read this guide on the University of Maryland supplemental essays, you should be ready to start writing. In this article, we reviewed the UMD essay prompts, both for a freshman UMD application and a transfer UMD application. We also broke down tips for writing your UMD College Park supplemental essays.

Inevitably, the college process has a lot of unknowns, which can be stressful. However, writing good University of Maryland supplemental essays is entirely in your control. With this guidance and support from trusted advisors, you can beat the UMD acceptance rate and pursue your college dreams.

This essay guide was written by senior advisor, Courtney Ng . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

Advisor Application
Popular Colleges
Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
Student Login
California Privacy Notice
Terms and Conditions
Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Want more information about our majors?

Want to learn more about life as a Terp?

Ready to apply?

Need more information on cost of attendance at UMD, financing your education and merit scholarships?

Update to Enrollment Confirmation Deadline

Due to the shifted FAFSA 2024-2025 timeline;

1. We have extended our 2024-25 FAFSA filing priority deadline to April 1, 2024 .

2. We have extended our freshmen Fall 2024 enrollment confirmation deadline to May 15, 2024

Essay Questions

The essay is just one of the 24 factors we use as part of our holistic application review.

The essay provides you with the opportunity to showcase aspects of your personality and experiences that fit well with the University of Maryland (UMD) community. When considering your approach to your essay, take time to think about your answer, making it creative and succinct.

Please answer one of the following essay questions. Make sure to include the question itself at the start of your essay. Your essay should be no more than 650 words; the question will not be included in the essay total word count.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Please answer the following question. Students who have been out of school for several years or who have a personal circumstance that affected performance, may wish to address that situation in their essay. Your answer should be no more than 300 words.

Please describe your past academic experiences and your reasons for wishing to enroll at UMD at this point in your academic career.

There is a lot more to learn about UMD, so let's stay in touch!

Join Our Mailing List

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, loyola marymount university supplemental essays 2024.

Hey guys, I'm starting my college apps and have Loyola Marymount on my list. Does anyone know what the supplemental essay prompts are for LMU this year? And any tips on how to approach them would be appreciated! Thank you!

Hi there! Keep in mind that the essays for LMU can change from year to year, so always check their website and the Common App before you begin brainstorming to make sure you are working with the up-to-date prompts. That being said, I've found that collegevine does a great job of updating their posts each year with the accurate prompts, so you might also want to check out their [LMU post] ( https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-loyola-marymount-university-essays) for this year's prompts.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Free essays categories

Eloise Braun

IMAGES

2023-24 University of Maryland Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
College Supplemental Essay Examples for a Successful Paper
Loyola University Maryland Full Tour
Loyola University Maryland
Loyola University Maryland Rankings, Tuition, Acceptance Rate, etc
Professionally Composed University of Maryland Application Essay Sample

VIDEO

April's Loyola Story
Stanford 2023-24 Prompts Guide
Loyola Maryland Sellinger Scholar Video- Lucas Novero
WIN 20240314 18 44 36 Pro
Yale 2023 24 Prompts Guide

COMMENTS

First-Year Admission
We also consider demonstrated character strengths, leadership ability, and potential as evidenced in essays, recommendations, and extracurricular involvement. ... Loyola University Maryland. Undergraduate Admission 4501 N. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21210 [email protected] 410-617-5012 Request Info Visit Apply.
Loyola University Maryland's 2023-24 Essay Prompts
Common App Personal Essay. Required. 650 words. The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores?
Admission
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that a completed application and all supplemental materials are received by the application deadline. Supplemental materials, once received, become the property of Loyola University Maryland and cannot be returned. Application form. Nonrefundable $60 application fee. Essay/personal statement.
How to Write the Loyola Marymount University Essays 2023-2024
Prompt 1 (optional): An LMU education forms ethical leaders compelled to tackle the world's most pressing challenges. How do your personal experiences and educational goals align with this mission? (500 words) Prompt 2 (optional): Please provide a detailed explanation, in 250 words or less, regarding any break or interruption in your academic history throughout high school (secondary school ...
Supplemental Essay Guide 2023-24
What do the 2023-24 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down. ... Loyola Marymount University (LMU) 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide ... University of Maryland 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide.
Loyola University Maryland Admission Requirements
The average GPA at Loyola University Maryland is 3.66. (Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 3.66, Loyola University Maryland requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's.
Apply to Curriculum and Instruction Master's Program
Supplemental materials, once received, become the property of Loyola University Maryland and cannot be returned. We strongly recommend that all applicants have their schools send us official e-transcripts if possible. If your school uses an automated transcript request service, select "Loyola University Maryland" as the receiving ...
Admission
Loyola University Maryland | 4501 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210 410-617-2000 | Weather Line: 410-617-2223
Loyola Marymount University 2020-21 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
The Requirements: 2 essays of 500 words. Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community, Oddball. Please briefly state your reason for wishing to attend LMU and/or how you came to select your major. (500 words) You've probably seen this before: the why essay. Clocking in at 500 words, LMU's take on this classic prompt is on the long side.
Graduate Admission Requirements and Deadlines
If you have any questions or need help with the application process, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission at (410) 617-5020 or email at [email protected]. An interview (by invitation only) is required of all finalists for the Master of Science in Clinical Professional Counseling.
2023-24 Loyola Marymount University Supplemental Essay Guide
Loyola Marymount University (LMU) 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations. The Requirements: 1 essay of 500 words Supplemental Essay Type(s): Leadership An LMU education forms ethical leaders compelled to tackle the world's most pressing challenges.
How to Write the University of Maryland Essays 2023-2024
University of Maryland Supplemental Essay Prompts. Prompt 1: If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters) Prompt 2: The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters) Prompt 3: In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters) Prompt 4: My favorite thing about last Thursday ...
Personal Statement (Essay) Topics
If emailing, mailing or faxing your essay, include your name, birthdate, and the date on the essay. This essay will be used as an important document in scholarship consideration. Email: [email protected]. Mailing Address: Loyola University New Orleans, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Campus Box 18, New Orleans, LA 70118. Fax: (504) 865-3383.
2023-24 UMD College Park Supplemental Essays
2023-24 University of Maryland (UMD) Supplemental Essays - Prompts and Tips September 8, 2023 With more than 56,000 applicants per year, you might think that the University of Maryland—College Park admissions committee would want to create a fast-paced assembly line for application reviews that is 99% based on the hard numbers like GPA and ...
University of Maryland 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
University of Maryland 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations. The Requirements: 6 short answers of 650 characters Supplemental Essay Type(s): Short Answer, Additional Information "At the University of Maryland, we encourage our students to go beyond the classroom to engage in opportunities that further both their academic and personal growth."
University of Maryland Supplemental Essays 2023-24
First, the University of Maryland supplemental essays are very short. On average, supplemental essays range in word count from 150-300 words. The University of Maryland supplemental essays are described as short answer questions, and rightly so. The maximum length is 650 characters, which amounts to anywhere from 92 to 163 words, depending on ...
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Essay Questions. The essay is just one of the 24 factors we use as part of our holistic application review. The essay provides you with the opportunity to showcase aspects of your personality and experiences that fit well with the University of Maryland (UMD) community. When considering your approach to your essay, take time to think about your ...
Loyola Marymount University Supplemental Essays 2024
Loyola Marymount University Supplemental Essays 2024. Hey guys, I'm starting my college apps and have Loyola Marymount on my list. Does anyone know what the supplemental essay prompts are for LMU this year? And any tips on how to approach them would be appreciated! Thank you! Hi there! Keep in mind that the essays for LMU can change from year ...
Loyola University Maryland Supplemental Essay
Loyola University Maryland Supplemental Essay - 4093 Orders prepared. 4.9/5. Bathrooms . 2. Custom Essay Writing Service Professionals write your essay - timely, polished, unique. User ID: 109231. Nursing Management Business and Economics Psychology +113. Charita Davis ...

Loyola University Maryland Requirements for Admission

Admissions Rate: 83.5%

Loyola University Maryland GPA Requirements

Average GPA: 3.66

SAT and ACT Requirements

Loyola University Maryland SAT Requirements

Average SAT: 1270

Loyola University Maryland SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

SAT Score Choice Policy

Loyola University Maryland ACT Requirements

Average ACT: 29

ACT Score Sending Policy

ACT Superscore Policy

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Final Admissions Verdict

Admissions Calculator

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Application Requirements

Application Requirements Overview

Testing Requirements

Coursework Requirements

Deadlines and Early Admissions

Admissions Office Information

Other Schools For You

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If You Liked Our Advice...

Apply to Curriculum and Instruction for Social Justice

Application Form

Required Supplemental Materials

Non-Discrimination

Accessibility Accommodations

About the Program

Admission Information

Request information and apply

Meet Our Community

Simone Shook

Application Procedures

Admission Decisions

Loyola College of Arts and Sciences

Master of Arts (MA)

Postbaccalaureate Certificate (PBC) in Health Communication

Forensic Science

Master of Science (MS)

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences

Master of Theological Studies (MTS)

Master's Plus

Postbaccalaureate Certificate (PBC) in Theology and Ministry

School of Education

Educational Leadership

Educational Technology

Kodály Music Education

School Counseling

Montessori Education

Teacher Education

Sellinger School of Business and Management

Professional's Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Emerging Leaders MBA

Graduate Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Master of Science in Clinical Professional Counseling

Important Licensure Information

Interview Day

Required Application Materials

Non-Discrimination

Accessibility Accommodations

What are your chances of acceptance?

Your chancing factors

How to Write the University of Maryland Essays 2023-2024

University of Maryland Supplemental Essay Prompts

If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

My favorite thing about last Thursday was… (650 characters)

Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

Where to Get Your University of Maryland, College Park Essays Edited

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Admissions -->

Tell us about yourself