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How to Respond to the Rutgers University 2024-2025 Essay Prompts

Cece Gilmore is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cece earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University. While at ASU, she was the education editor as well as a published staff reporter at Downtown Devil. Cece was also the co-host of her own radio show on Blaze Radio ASU.

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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Rutgers University essay prompts are ready and waiting! If your goal is to become a Scarlet Knight, then read on because we have a handy dandy guide on how to best respond to the Ru tgers’ application prompts. Starting with the 2024-2025 application cycle, the questions for the Rutger’s specific application and the Common Application are the exact same. Ok, let’s get started! 

First, some background on Rutgers University

Rutgers University is the state university of New Jersey. As a diverse public research university. Rutgers offers three regional campuses in the following cities in New Jersey: 

• New Brunswick

Rutgers offers more than 150 undergraduate majors throughout their schools and colleges across all three campuses. Therefore, Rutgers has something for everyone! Let’s break down the Rutgers essay choices to make responding as clear as possible. 

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The rutgers prompts (same as the common application).

“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.”

This is your chance to talk about the people, places, and experiences that have shaped you as a person. The great thing about this prompt is that it’s very broad in scope and can be molded to fit nearly any story. Think about the most important moments in your life and their impact. What parts of your upbringing or personality are essential to who you are as a person? If you’re having trouble, try completing the following sentence: “I wouldn’t be who I am today without…” 

Questions to consider : 

• What sets you apart from others? 
• Do you have any hobbies, interests, or talents that your life revolves around? 
• What experiences or people have impacted the way you view the world? 

“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?”

Failure facilitates growth. The hardest moments in our lives are often the ones in which we develop the most as people. Think back to some of the major turning points in your life – the moments when you adapted to a new environment, coped with loss, or tried a new activity. Chances are these moments weren’t exactly easy. But in spite of the adversity you faced, you came out the other side new and improved. Think about these difficult moments, how you overcame them, and what you learned from the experience. As you’re writing, remember to focus on the positive side of things instead of lingering on the negative.  

• Have you ever moved to a new town, grieved the loss of a family member, or struggled in school?
• How have you responded to challenges in your life?
• What have you learned about yourself in the process? 

Related:  Should you submit the FAFSA before or after acceptance?

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

Admissions officers love to see candidates who are independent thinkers. If you’re passionate about certain ideas that don’t exactly align with popular beliefs, this is your chance to share them. Maybe your essay pushes back against beliefs instilled in you from an early age, or perhaps you’d like to point out injustices you see in society. Whatever the case may be, try to shape your story in a positive and productive fashion. Steer clear of coming across as preachy, angry, or arrogant. Rather, you should aim to strike a humble, yet confident tone. This can be a tricky prompt, but if done well it can demonstrate your ability to stand up for what you believe in. 

Question to consider : 

• When have you had an unpopular belief? 
• At what times in life have you had to defend your point of view?
• What beliefs do you consider essential to who you are as a person?

Also see: What looks good on a college application?

“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?”

Oftentimes, we obsess over the problems in our lives and forget to be thankful for the good things. In this new prompt recently added to the Common App’s selection, students are asked to write about a time they felt grateful. The key here is to discuss an event that opened your eyes to a new perspective. Maybe it was the kindness of a stranger, or perhaps it was the action of a friend or family member. Talk about how you felt prior to the event, then discuss how the event changed your point of view. Did you gain a newfound sense of hope or appreciation? Given the uncertainty and anxiety many people have felt as a result of the pandemic, this timely prompt is an excellent chance for students to look on the bright side. 

• What makes you step back and appreciate the good things in your life? 
• How do you express gratitude? 
• What are some of your favorite acts of kindness you’ve witnessed?

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

Similar to the other prompts, this one asks students to describe something they learned from a specific event. Just as you would for prompt #2, think back to the major turning points in your life as you’re brainstorming for this question. What accomplishments are you most proud of? What events transformed you as a person? If you’re having trouble, keep in mind that your particular event doesn’t have to be something as big as winning an award or moving to a new town. It could be something as small as making a new friend or helping your parents complete a task. The event or accomplishment itself doesn’t matter too much. What’s important is the realization it sparked and the period of personal growth that followed. 

Questions to consider :

• How have you changed as a person over time? 
• What moments or events sparked that change? 
• Have you ever had a “lightbulb moment” during which you came to an important realization?

Also see: How to write an essay about yourself  

“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?”

Now’s your chance to talk about the ideas and topics that excite you most in this world. It’s also a great opportunity to connect your intended area of study to your personal passions. For instance, let’s say you plan on majoring in film. Use this prompt to discuss your interest in cinematography and how you’re eager to produce your own short films once you enroll in school. Whatever you choose to write about, just make sure it’s something you’re genuinely passionate about. If it’s something you truly love, you should have no trouble writing an entire essay about it. 

Questions to consider:  

• What’s a topic or idea that you never get bored of? 
• What are the things that make you most excited?
• When you’re interested in something, how do you typically seek more information about it? 

“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.”

If none of the other prompts are to your liking, there’s always the handy create-your-own option. This prompt gives students the enormous freedom to write about literally anything. While this may seem exciting to some students, it can be daunting to others. If you choose to pursue this prompt, there’s a few things you should keep in mind. First of all, you should find a focus and stick with it. Avoid letting your essay become too broad and freewheeling. Rather, write about one or two specific moments in your life and how they relate to your topic. And although you can write about anything, it’s best to discuss something that relates to your own personal growth, what you’ve learned in life, or what you hope to accomplish in the future. 

• What should admissions committees know about you that they wouldn’t learn about from the rest of your application?
• Are there any stories from your past that provide insight into who you are as a person?
• If you had to give an elevator pitch describing yourself, what would you talk about? 

Also see:  Can you use the same essay for multiple colleges?

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Wrapping up

Try to pick the topic that most appeals to you–the one that makes you feel you could  write a novel about! Also, remember if none of the topics appeal to you, you can choose to write an essay on a topic of your choice. Remember, Rutgers is viewing your application as a whole, so it is important to be authentic and avoid repetition. Best of luck! 

Additional resources

Scholarships360 is a great source that offers an abundance of assistance in the college application process! Check out our other helpful guides on how to write a great supplemental essay , how to respond to the Common App prompts , how to write an essay about yourself , and how to write 250 or 500 word essays. 

Other colleges to consider

• University of Delaware (Newark, DE)
• Cornell University (Ithaca ,NY)
• New York University (New York, NY)

Frequently asked questions about responding to the Rutgers supplemental essay prompts

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I'm starting to work on my Rutgers application and I'm trying to find the essay prompts for 2023-2024. Can anyone help me out? Also, any advice on how to approach these prompts would be greatly appreciated!

I understand you're looking for the Rutgers essay prompts for the 2023-2024 application cycle. While I don't have the exact prompts in front of me, I recommend checking the Rutgers University undergraduate admissions website for up-to-date information on their essay requirements. Keep an eye out for updates, as they typically release essay prompts during the summer months before the application cycle begins.

As for advice on how to approach writing your essay, consider the following tips:

1. Read and understand the prompt carefully: Take time to fully understand what the essay question is asking, and ensure that your essay addresses all aspects of the prompt.

2. Be genuine and authentic: Write about something that is meaningful to you, and share your unique perspective. Avoid cliché topics and focus on conveying a personal story that says something significant about who you are.

3. Stay organized: Create an outline to ensure that your essay has a clear structure and logical flow. This will help you stay focused on addressing the prompt while maintaining coherence.

4. Show, don't tell: Use specific examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points, rather than relying on generic statements. This will create a more engaging and memorable essay.

5. Edit and proofread: This is a key step in the writing process. Make sure to review your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation, as well as clarity and coherence. It is a good idea to have someone else read your essay to provide feedback and catch any errors or areas for improvement.

Remember that your essay is an opportunity to showcase your personality, strengths, and interests to the admissions committee. It is important to be honest, engaging, and thoughtful. Lastly, don't forget to give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, write, and revise your essay. The more time and effort you put into your writing, the better your essay will be. Good luck with your application!

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Rutgers University Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the Rutgers essay prompts? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Rutgers supplemental essays will show you how to write engaging Rutgers essays and maximize your admissions odds.

For more help crafting your Rutgers supplemental essays, click here to create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

Rutgers Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• According to U.S. News , the Rutgers University Ranking is #63 in National Universities.
• Rutgers has an acceptance rate of 66.9%.
• Rutgers requires one essay of 3800 characters through the Coalition Application or their Rutgers portal.
• We recommend completing the Rutgers supplement essay cohesively and thoroughly to maximize your admissions odds. Strong Rutgers essays can make a huge difference!

Rutgers University wants students who will be active members of their academic community and the Global Rutgers network . Rutgers looks for students who can clearly articulate their beliefs and values to others. This is why the Rutgers application essay is so important.

Ready to get started? Let’s talk Rutgers essays.

Does Rutgers have a Supplemental Essay?

Yes. Rutgers accepts applications through the Rutgers Application Portal or the Coalition Application. All applicants must complete one Rutgers supplement essay, which can be submitted either through the Coalition Application or through the Rutgers Application Portal.

The Rutgers-specific essay prompts are the same as those listed on the Coalition Application.

Check out the Rutgers admissions website for more specific details, including information about the Rutgers application essay and tips on how to write strong Rutgers essays.

How Many Essays does Rutgers Require?

Good news! There is only one Rutgers supplemental essay.

Rutgers requires one essay of 3800 characters including spaces (around 500 words). This essay should address one of four topics . Your Rutgers application essay can also be on a topic of your choosing.

Does Rutgers Care about Supplemental Essays?

Yes—all schools care about supplemental essays, and Rutgers is no exception.

The Rutgers essay is a great chance for applicants to show who they are and why they should be admitted. Additionally, your Rutgers application essay is your only chance to address the admissions team on your own terms. The Rutgers admissions team will read thousands of Rutgers essays, and you want yours to stand out. In your Rutgers supplement essay, then, you should do all you can to show what makes you unique.

How do I Write the Rutgers College Essay?

We have provided the prompts for the Rutgers supplemental essays 2021-2022 below. You’ll find a breakdown of how to approach the Rutgers essays as well as tips for creating a strong application narrative.

In your Rutgers supplemental essays, you’ll want to keep your application narrative in mind. An application narrative is the story that your application tells. Ideally, each part of your application will work together to form a full picture. For example, a student looking to study architecture may seek out recommendation letters from their math teachers. That student may also highlight a summer internship at a local architecture firm. Finally, they may write an essay on the moment that they discovered their interest in building design.

Unsure of what an application narrative would look like for you? Check out CollegeAdvisor’s article A Deep Dive into the Personal Narrative .

What are the Essays for Rutgers?

The Rutgers supplemental essays 2021-2022 are available on the main Rutgers website along with a full list of application requirements. You can also find the Rutgers application essays on the Coalition Application.

Additionally, we’ve outlined each of the Rutgers supplemental essays below. We’ve also included strategies on how to respond to each of the Rutgers essay prompts.

Have questions about how to approach supplemental essays for other applications? Then check out our FAQs on all things Supplemental Essays .

Let’s break down the Rutgers essay prompts!

Choosing one of the Rutgers essay prompts is one of the most important parts of the essay process. There are five Rutgers essay prompts. Not sure which to choose? Try thinking about the following questions as you approach each potential Rutgers supplemental essay topic.

For each potential Rutgers application essay topic, ask yourself:

• Do I have a specific story to tell?
• Why am I telling this story?
• How does my story connect to my interest in Rutgers?
• Can I address what I like about Rutgers that I can’t find anywhere else?

If you can answer these questions clearly, then you are ready to write your Rutgers application essay!

Need more inspiration? Then, check out CollegeAdvisor’s article 39 essay tips from Admissions Experts .

Rutgers Supplemental Essays – Topic 1 (Optional)

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

The Rutgers essay prompts are designed to help you introduce yourself to the admissions committee. In your Rutgers supplemental essay, you want to discuss an experience that is about YOU. This prompt asks you to tell a story about who you are or who you have become.

Consider what values and personality traits you hold. What story might reflect these traits? For example, you might have plenty of stories about going fishing with your grandpa. However, if none of these stories emphasize your patience or your passion for family, then we won’t learn much from your Rutgers application essay.

The first of the Rutgers essay prompts asks you to tell a “story.” This story should be a full narrative with a beginning, middle, and end. However, the most important part of this story is that it revolves around you. Don’t spend so much time in your Rutgers application essay discussing what happened that you don’t have the space to tell your reader why it mattered and how it relates to your identity.

In addition, you’ll want to connect this story with the kind of student you’d be at Rutgers. Among other things, the Rutgers essay prompts are designed to assess how you’d “fit” at Rutgers. You should use your Rutgers application essay, then, to show how your priorities align with Rutgers’ offerings and values.

Have you read the Rutgers mission statement? Check out their about page for more info.

Rutgers Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does your essay emphasize your core identity?
• Do you clearly showcase your values and personality traits?
• Does your essay show how you would embody Rutgers’ ideals?

Rutgers Supplemental Essays – Topic 2 (Optional)

Describe a time you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

This Rutgers supplement essay topic has two parts. Firstly, it asks you to describe a meaningful contribution you made to others. This contribution can be large or small-scale. What matters most is that the contribution you discuss in your Rutgers application essay reflects something important about you.

With prompts like this, writing can sometimes feel like bragging—this makes some students downplay their achievements out of self-consciousness. In your Rutgers supplement essay, however, don’t discount the value of your contribution. Your Rutgers application essay should show that you care about the common good and have actively dedicated yourself to others. In your Rutgers supplement essay, you should foreground what’s important to you and how you’ve served the world around you.

The second part of this Rutgers supplement essay question asks you to discuss the challenges and rewards of your contribution. When you talk about challenges, don’t undermine yourself. Avoid sentences that start with “I didn’t do…” or “I failed at…” Instead, focus on how you solved these challenges or how you would have solved them if you were to do it over again. The strongest Rutgers essays will use specific details to discuss how you contributed to your community, the impact you made, and any complications that you faced.

• Does your essay respond to both parts of the question?
• Do you clearly state the impact of your contribution?
• Do you avoid fixating on the challenges and shortcomings of your contribution?

Rutgers Supplemental Essays – Topic 3 (Optional)

Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

As you approach this Rutgers supplement essay, start by finding a clear and concise way to describe your belief. A belief can be anything as serious as your religion or as simple as the belief that hot dogs are also sandwiches (controversial, I know). In both scenarios, your readers need to understand what your belief is and where it came from.

The story you tell in your Rutgers supplement essay should reveal something deep about your character and values. The best Rutgers essays, then, will use an instance of a belief being challenged to reveal something essential about how a student deals with conflicting perspectives.

Once you’ve established your belief, then discuss how it felt for this belief to be challenged. How did this conversation affect you? Did it force you to reconsider your perspectives? Did it create an emotional response? As you write, describe how you felt specifically. Ask yourself if you felt attacked by this challenge or if it opened your eyes to the viewpoints of others. Finally, describe how your belief system changed. Discuss any realizations you had and how you changed as a result of the situation. Overall, your Rutgers supplement should discuss what kind of student or thinker this conversation helped you become.

• Do you describe your belief and its origins?
• Does your Rutgers supplement essay describe how you were emotionally affected by this situation?
• Do you share how this challenge changed you as a student and thinker?

Rutgers Supplemental Essays – Topic 4 (Optional)

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

This Rutgers essay may seem difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. The key to this Rutgers supplemental essay is to be honest. You don’t need to spend your Rutgers supplemental essay describing big-picture issues. Instead, just make sure your Rutgers supplement essay speaks clearly and deeply about something that matters to you.

Additionally, make sure you describe how these issues directly impact your life and shape the person you’re becoming. Discuss both the positives and the negatives, and make sure you use clear language.

Finally, remember that your Rutgers supplemental essays should be about you. In this Rutgers supplement essay, don’t just focus on general struggles and triumphs that teenagers face. Instead, make sure you tie these experiences to your own development. The best Rutgers essays will use a student’s view of the world to relate to their own experiences.

• Do you speak honestly about your experiences?
• Does your Rutgers supplement essay clearly define the positives and negatives of the teenage experience?
• Do you focus equally on the positives and negatives?
• Is your essay about you?

Rutgers Supplemental Essays – Topic 5 (Optional)

Submit an essay on the topic of your choice.

Not interested in any of the other Rutgers essay prompts? This is a perfect chance to show Rutgers who you are on your own terms.

However, make sure you don’t use this Rutgers application essay to tell a story about someone else. If you choose your own topic for your Rutgers supplement essay, make sure that it reflects an important aspect of yourself that you can’t discuss anywhere else. If you read your essay and it can apply to any other topic above, choose another of the Rutgers essay prompts.

Moreover, if your essay says a lot about a topic but nothing about you, then you should change your topic. This comes from the scope of your question. If your topic is something like “why I like bread,” then your reader will learn a lot about bread and nothing about you. However, if your topic is “why baking bread with my grandma taught me to value patience,” then your reader will learn about your experiences and insights. The strongest Rutgers essays will use specific details to tell a story that your reader couldn’t learn from any other part of your application.

• Does your Rutgers application essay topic reflect something not shown elsewhere in your application?
• Does your topic not fit with any of the other Rutgers essay prompts?
• Do you discuss what kind of student or person you are?

Additional tips for writing your Rutgers Supplemental Essays

Choose your topic wisely.

Do not choose a Rutgers application essay topic that does not speak to you. At the end of the day, your response to the Rutgers essay prompts needs to connect to your own experiences. Many essays might be well-written, but they would still be ineffective if they tell us nothing about the writer. In your Rutgers essays, the admissions team wants to understand what kind of person and student you are. Don’t make up a story in order to seem more interesting. Instead, just be yourself and thoroughly explain why your topic matters to you.

Do Your Research

Don’t forget to read the official Rutgers materials. In these materials, the school explains what makes Rutgers unique. This should be in your mind while you write your essay. Ultimately, your answers to the Rutgers essay prompts should work in conversation with Rutgers’ own values.

Connect it back to Rutgers

Although you are writing an essay about yourself, remember that this is a school-specific application. For this reason, you should probably mention Rutgers at least once. Your responses to the Rutgers essay prompts should describe something specific about Rutgers you couldn’t find elsewhere.

Rutgers Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

Your Rutgers application should connect yourself to the school. Remember that Rutgers wants to admit students who have a clear definition of why they need to be at Rutgers specifically. Spend time on the Rutgers website, and focus your essay on values related to the school. Finally, don’t forget to proofread your work. Good luck!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on Rutgers was written by Joy Nesbitt , Harvard ’21. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources, click here . Want help crafting your Rutgers supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

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A Good Rutgers Essay Example

What’s covered:, essay example , where to get feedback on your essay .

With over 60,000 students, Rutgers University is the largest higher education institution in New Jersey. With such a large school, there is something for everybody, which is why it might seem that everybody applies. In order to make your Rutgers application stand out from the crowd, you need to have well-written essays. In this post, we’ll share a real essay a student submitted to Rutgers, and outline its strengths and areas of improvement. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Since the Rutgers essay prompts are the same as the Coalition Application prompts, we recommend checking out our guide to the Coalition Application essays for a comprehensive breakdown on how to write these supplemental prompts.

Prompt: Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs? (No word count given)

I was about to eat the last cookie when I heard a low growl. I looked up at my friend, her cheeks flushed red, and her brow pinched in a tight dip. She didn’t make eye contact with me when I extended my hand to give her the cookie. She pushed it away, and I kept insisting until she finally gave in. Growing up, family was extremely important to me. I was taught to treat others like my family, a mantra we would repeat. Sharing that cookie, despite not having lunch that day, was like sharing the last tortilla with my brother.

As much as I would like to say family is important to me now, it’s not. At least not the accepted concept of family which is the people you are related to by blood. The problem with this concept of family is that you don’t get to choose the people in your family, no matter how good or bad of a person they are. 

Unfortunately, I learned this through my dad’s death. Before this tragedy, my family was inseparable. We would have parties every weekend to celebrate the big game or just see each other. Now, those parties only frequent the occasional birthday. It was weird for me to lose my closeness with my family, but this closeness was quickly replaced by relationships with my friends. I’ll never forget the heartfelt discussions I had with my friend Nick, who would give his shoulder for me to cry on and tell a joke that would make me wheeze in laughter.

Two years have passed, and I stand towering over my dad’s grave. There’s a flag pierced in the dead grass, and my hands are frozen. It’s quiet, and I think about the detrimental truth my mom whispered in my ear. It took me so long to realize this, blind to the hints he left behind. He would have improved his chances of surviving cancer if he took care of himself. He didn’t care about my brother and me, and at his grave I accepted that. I talked to him genuinely one last time, touched his tombstone, then walked away. I moved on.

This truth of my dad not caring for his health dawned the realization that my family was just a bunch of people who didn’t know me. I coped through isolation as I was comfortable being alone, but my family tried to force me out to go places and surround myself with people who weren’t emotionally available. In response, I instead surrounded myself with the people I chose to be my family, such as Nick. We would often go to the mall and browse each store or go to the Rollercade and spend hours falling. I would steal sips from his red ICEE, and he would always try to catch me but slip on the floor. These moments meant more than scarce instances I had with my dad. 

Every day I message my friends, some new and others old. I cherish these people who are not bound by blood, but for my personality, my laughter, my jokes, and my intelligence. I’ll never forget how my reformed belief of family allowed me to make friends who have made long lasting impressions and positive influences in my life.

What the Essay Did Well

The first thing that jumps out at you is how vulnerable this essay is. The author wasn’t afraid to let the reader into their personal life, and because of that, the essay is stronger. So much more is revealed about who this student is and how they respond to difficult situations because they were honest with us.

Another thing that this essay does well is describing what family means to this student. Taking an accepted concept like family and boiling it down to the little moments helps us see what they value. For them, seeing each other frequently, celebrating together, having a shoulder to cry on, sharing the last bite of food, and losing track of time by just being in each other’s company is what makes a family. Sprinkling in all these examples and anecdotes shows us what their definition of a family is, without explicitly needing to tell us.

There’s a nice balance in this essay between what this student accepted as the traditional idea of family and how they now see family. For this prompt, it’s important to have that balance so you can show what the long-cherished belief was, as well as how a challenge to that belief changed your perspective. This essay does a good job of encompassing both.

What Could Be Improved

Although a really vulnerable topic can be great for revealing personal details and creating empathy, it can also backfire and make the reader uncomfortable. This isn’t a guarantee, but it’s something to keep in mind when choosing a deeply personal and somewhat traumatic topic. For the most part, the author did a good job of keeping the story focused on themselves and their emotions, but it’s always a possibility that someone reading the essay lost someone close to them and finds this essay too hard to read.

In terms of the structure of the essay, it wavered back and forth between focusing on the student’s dad and their friends. To make it a little easier to follow, they should have started with how their traditional family was important to them until their dad died, and then explain how they found a new definition of family among their friends. This structure is more concise and clearer than starting with the dad, jumping to Nick, going back to the dad, and then going to Nick once again.

Want feedback like this on your Rutgers essay before you submit? We offer expert essay review by advisors who have helped students get into their dream schools. You can book a review with an expert to receive notes on your topic, grammar, and essay structure to make your essay stand out to admissions officers.

Haven’t started writing your essay yet? Advisors on CollegeVine also offer expert college counseling packages . You can purchase a package to get one-on-one guidance on any aspect of the college application process, including brainstorming and writing essays.

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Rutgers University Undergraduate College Application Essays

These Rutgers University college application essays were written by students accepted at Rutgers University. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written. Please use these sample admission essays responsibly.

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College Application Essays accepted by Rutgers University

A simple smile merudh vijay patel, rutgers university.

"Merudh, get up, get up!" It was four in the morning, and I was four years old. The heart-pounding sound of my dad's voice woke me out of a deep sleep. As I peeked through my bedroom door, I saw my father bolt out of our house with my mother in...

A Commitment to Change Anonymous

For most of my adolescent life, I had always hidden behind the somewhat comforting excuses for my weight: "You're just big boned," "You just have a slow metabolism," "Someday you'll grow into your body." But there was no denying the obvious truth:...

How Multiculturalism Shaped Me Anonymous

I grew up overseas, frequently visited my home country of Bangladesh, and have interacted with a great variety of people – all experiences that have shaped the person I am today. I have traveled to over twenty countries and lived for an extended...

How I Will Contribute to Rutgers University Anonymous

Though I am a white male who has grown up in the predominantly uniform communities of Englishtown and Monroe, my life experiences have been far from homogeneous or commonplace. My deep commitments to different clubs and organizations have deeply...

Diversity Anonymous

Although I may appear to be a typical male suburbanite from the predominantly white Monroe Township, I have intimately known and collaborated with a most diverse group of staff members through my experiences with the Monroe Falcon newspaper. As...

Lesson Well Learned Anonymous

The black and white keys mesmerized me, as always. They were of another ancestry - Steinway – different from the Yamaha I owned; but as I sat on the meticulously handcrafted ebony bench, I felt at home. My hands floated effortlessly upward, and...

Culture Shocked in Monroe Anonymous

In the summer before high school started, my family completed the year-long process of moving from our apartment in Brooklyn to the quiet suburbs of New Jersey. This extreme culture shock during such an important and transitory phase of my life...

A Month in Ghana Anonymous

For the first time, I was an outcast. The minority. The one who didn’t fit in. I was a speck of white in a sea of black, and everyone around me made sure that I realized that. I was in an unfamiliar country, across the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded...

Finding Purpose as a Nanny Anonymous

As I watch the edges on the shiny four-by-six memories that I pinned to my wall warp and curl, I cannot help but feel my heart ache. I spent an entire school year and summer investing my time, energy, and love into my job as a nanny for six...

Modesty. Simplicity. Practicality. Anonymous

I could not understand. There was no sign of trash on the streets. There was no trace of graffiti on the benches or walls. Everything was impeccably clean and simple in the middle of Stockholm, Sweden, with its 780,000 inhabitants. It is still a...

It’s a typical week during the autumn season. After school on this short Wednesday, I stay at school to lead the community service group, A.R.T.E., with my friend. We plan and organize for the upcoming “Fall Fest” at our school. After a short but...

Success In Humiliation Anonymous

It was May 3, 2007, a warm, bright day. Every field was filled with blooming flowers and all the trees were covered with lime green leaves; everything seemed beautiful and normal besides this madness. I was in the back seat of a police car that...

David Wolkoff's eBay Store David Wolkoff

When I was fifteen I borrowed $200 from my father, bought a broken Sidekick phone on eBay, watched YouTube videos to learn how to repair it, and re-sold it for an $80 profit. That was the start of David Wolkoff’s Store, an eBay business, which has...

My Greatest Influence Rebecca Seibert

My greatest inspiration, and my greatest influence, comes from not just one person but from a group. This group is my non-biological family, and happens to be a small, homegrown nonprofit organization. Without this group, I would not be the person...

A Vibrant Student for a Vibrant Community Kelvin Yao

I am an Asian, upper middle class, suburban kid, and I am not really that diverse if one simply looks at skin color, race, ethnicity, place of origin, or religion. But diversity is more than simple geography or socioeconomic status, especially in...

The Depth of Life Anonymous

Although I woke up that morning and most likely performed my usual routine, I cannot recall what was going through my mind. I can tell you for sure that I had no idea that day would end up altering the way I value life. Before the sun ruptured the...

A Dream Benjamin Gordon

I had a dream last night that my most revered mentors came together to weave their unique threads into the fabric that ultimately became my Common Application essay.

Kurt Vonnegut, my favorite novelist, was in charge of the introduction to this...

Experience is Key Anonymous

As I walk down the bustling streets, merchants are shouting for me to buy their various goods and children zoom by me as they play with one another. I attempt crossing the busy street to be confronted by the incessant honking of horns. I smile...

Looking Past the Rearview and into the Future Anonymous

Computers, video games, iPhones. Fuel injected, cereal box import rice rockets dominate the streets. Hybrid cars and green technology. Pop, rap and screamo. For better or for worse, times have changed. While modern applications serve their...

Excellence Anonymous

Excellence: a virtue, an ideal, a lifestyle. Excellence has not only come to embody myself; my actions, from their very core, induce excellence. A misconception exists that success is an indication of excellence—in fact, excellence is an...

The Climb Anonymous

People’s cultures are like fingerprints--no two are ever the same. Although I was born in the United States, I can truly say that I have grown up with two different cultures. My family originates from Egypt, and I am the first generation to be...

Never give up so easily Anonymous

Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity.

--Hippocrates

I am fortunate to have grown up in a medical family: my grandfather and his brothers are traditional Chinese medical doctors. In fact, since my parents took...

My Intertidal Inspiration Ana Amalia Calvo

I stare out from the bay, my hip waders sunken into the mushy sand as I admire the smooth and confident glide of a blue heron landing on a rusted rack off the next sandbar. My father and I share an affinity towards nature, as well as an...

Space. The Final Frontier Anonymous

These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before ...

People sit on their couches awaiting the first-ever episode...

Recent Questions about Rutgers University

The Question and Answer section for Rutgers University is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Would This Be a bad idea for a College Essay?

I think this really depends on the context of what is expected for your essay. Unfortunately this is only a short-answer space about specific literature.

Do my quotes strongly support the author's purpose which is to inform us on the importance of finding a purpose, path, and journey in your life?

I'm not sure what novel your quotes pertain to, but I would say that they seem to fit in with the categories you've cited.

How does the apartment building itself create problems for the Younger family as they begin the day? Since the family has to share a bathroom they fight over the bathroom.

From the text:

Moreover, a section of this room, for it is not really a room unto itself, though the landlord's lease would make it seem so, slopes backward to provide a small kitchen area, where the family prepares the meals that are eaten in the...

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions & Tips

• Cracking Med School Admissions

Most of our medical school applicants who receive interview invites and acceptances to Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School either have a home residency in New Jersey, grew up in New Jersey for a large portion of their childhoods, or attended a school in New Jersey like Princeton University. Robert Wood Johnson does value strong academic numbers, but other than a strong academic background, the way to differentiate yourself is through submitting a phenomenal Robert Wood Johnson secondary application essays and performing well on the RWJ Multiple Mini Interview . Rutgers wants to recruit medical students who want to serve the New Jersey community in the future. Additionally, as reflected by RWJ secondaries questions, the medical school wants students who reflect on the issues and communities around them. They want to recruit a civically-engaged class. Read all our Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School secondary application tips  below. 

Essays change every year, so we would not pre-write the RWJ secondaries before the official release of the secondary. You should work on it soon after you receive the official secondary though! 

Our  Cracking Med School Admissions team  has a track record of helping our mentees receive acceptances to both Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School each year. We do this by helping students tailor their Rutgers Medical School secondary questions and ace their medical school interviews.  Contact us  if you want help with your  secondary essay edits  and  mock interviews . 

• Personally Tailored Essays
• Edits by Stanford & Harvard-trained Doctors
• We study your application strengths to see what unique attributes we’ll bring to the medical school

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions: 2023 – 2024

Rutgers robert wood johnson secondary application questions – md prompts.

R — Respect, dignity and humanism for the diverse population we serve

W — Wellness and resilience

J — Joining learners hand in hand with care delivery

M — Making patients first with safe, compassionate, high-quality care

S — Science to advance human health

• Discuss a difficult or challenging situation you have encountered and how you dealt with it. Be sure to include the skills you called upon to resolve the dilemma, and the support person(s) from whom you sought advice.  (250 words max)
• Please feel free to comment on any course grades, GPA trends, or MCAT scores and what you have learned about yourself.  (No Word Limit)
• Please use this space if you would like to provide additional information to the admissions committee.  (No Word Limit)

Tips to Answer Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions

RWJ Secondaries Pre-Writing Guidance: The RWJ secondaries are not ones we would recommend pre-writing because they change each year! However, Rutgers medical schools are all time sensitive, so you should fill out the Robert Wood Johnson secondary application and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School secondary application as soon as you receive them!

>> Download our Cracking Med Secondary Essay Workbook and Examples .

Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Tip #1:  First, know what to emphasize in your RWJ secondaries and elements among medical school applicants we’ve noticed stand out to the RWJ admissions committee.

• Experiences and commitment to the New Jersey community, particularly any community service work and patient experience you’ve had in New Jersey. The Admissions committee is looking to recruit medical students who know how to work with New Jersey’s diverse population and engage in the surrounding New Jersey communities.
• Ample clinical experience and direct patient care experience.
• Research is a plus for Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, but not a requirement. Many medical students at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School pursue research, and the medical school has financial resources to support your research interests. 

If you have questions about how to stand out, get your secondary essays edited by Dr. Rizal and Dr. Mediratta.

Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Tip #2: For the RWJ secondaries question, “ Please select a RWJMS core value that resonates the most with you. In two paragraphs or less, reflect on one of your experiences to discuss how you have built a foundation for this value and how it will contribute to our community of learners ” we think you should include the following elements:

• 1-2 stories regarding your community service, leadership, patient care
• You should have 1 story be about patient care. Reflect on your clinical experience and discuss how this has shaped your values.
• Why you want to go to Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson medical school. 

Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Tip #3: Answer as many Rutgers Medical School secondary questions as possible. Take advantage of the no word limit as well. Of course, don’t submit a 2-page response. But, elaborate on your activities and details for each question.  For example, for the RWJ secondaries question, “ Please use this space if you would like to provide additional information to the admissions committee ,” you should write about all the elements in tip #1 above – Why Rutgers, experiences in New Jersey, patient care, and research.

Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Tip #4: How to answer Rutgers MCAT secondary question? This is the most common question we get asked, and here’s our advice. First, be frank and discuss your study skills in terms of acquiring the content.How did you study the content? Did you use certain books? Did you look about YouTube or the Khan Academy? Second, everyone improves as they take more practice MCAT tests, so then you should discussed how you improved your score throughout the weeks to months of studying. Did you approach practice tests a certain way? Did you study certain questions or topics you were studying on? Which question banks or practice materials did you use? Finally, if you took the MCAT more than once, you need to discuss how your preparation was different the second time around versus the first time around. Contact us if you have questions regarding your Rutgers MCAT secondary response.

What should you discuss in the Rutgers grades question?

When discussing any “bad” grades, it’s important to put yourself in the perspective of a medical school admissions officer. They are worried that you may struggle with the rigorous and fast medical school curriculum. Therefore, your explanation should ease the minds of admissions committee members and you need to convince them that rigorous academics will not be a problem in medical school. When discussing grades lower than a “B,” it’s important to note the following:

• Rationale as to why you received lower than a “B” in the class
• Did you improve your study skills during the course? Did you apply these new study skills to future science courses?
• What did you learn from the struggles in the class and what you would do differently?
• How you will thrive in medical school, particularly at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School? Make sure to look at its pre-clinical curriculum . 

You may also want to discuss a lower-than-average semester.  You should explain why you struggled that semester AND calculate the rest of your GPA without that semester.

Robert Wood Johnson School Secondary Application Tip #5: Throughout the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School secondary application, don’t forget to incorporate”Why Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson.” Talk about projects and research you want to do at Rutgers and the surrounding New Jersey area.

• Read an example “why this medical school” response and tips to incorporate “why Rutgers:”  “Why This Medical School? Secondary Essay Example  

Robert Wood Johnson School Secondary Application Tip #6:  Start preparing for your Rutgers Multiple Mini Interview right after submitting your RWJ secondaries. The best way to prepare is through Dr. Rachel Rizal’s Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course . 

[Other Secondary Essay Tips:  University of Pennsylvania Perelman (UPenn); Rutgers New Jersey Medical School ; Mount Sinai (Icahn); Cooper Medical School of Rowan University ]

Your medical school application Coaches, Mentors, & Cheerleaders

We Personally Advise Every Student We Work With.

Rachel Rizal, M.D.

Changing the trajectory of people’s lives.

Undergraduate Princeton University, cum laude

Medical School Stanford School of Medicine

Residency Harvard, Emergency Medicine

Awards & Scholarships Fulbright Scholar USA Today Academic First Team Tylenol Scholarship

Rishi Mediratta, M.D., M.Sc., M.A.

Advising students to attend their dream schools.

Undergraduate Johns Hopkins University, Phi Beta Kappa

Residency Stanford, Pediatrics

Awards & Scholarships Marshall Scholar Tylenol Scholarship Global Health Scholar

stand out from other applicants with our secondary essay edit packages

Download your secondary essay guide.

Use this essay guide and workbook to write standout secondaries.

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Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023

• Please use this space if you would like to provide additional information to the admissions committee. You may choose to elaborate on or clarify details you have previously provided. (1,250 characters max)
• Are you interested in participating in PACCE? (Yes/No) If yes, please provide a short paragraph explaining how you know a primary care focused specialty is your preference. (1,250 characters max)
• Please feel free to comment on any course grades, GPA trends, or MCAT scores and what you have learned about yourself. (1,250 characters max)
• If you are applying with a state of legal residence that is not NJ, please indicate your connection to NJ (mark all that apply) and explain this connection. (1,250 characters max)

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Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022

Rutgers medical school secondary questions – md prompts.

• More than a year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, what do you believe are major needs in health care and how have your expectations for your role as a doctor changed? (250 words max)
• Discuss a time you tried to right a perceived wrong, felt moved to speak up for someone, or took a stand against a situation you felt was unjust. (250 words max)
• Were you, or are you, employed during the school year? If so please let us know the type of work, hours worked, etc. (No word limit)
• 4. If you have taken time off during your undergraduate training or if you have already graduated, please provide information to explain this time by providing a bulleted list of activities or explanation delineated by month/year to month/year. (250 words max) 5. If you would like, feel free to explain any impact that COVID-19 may have had on your educational/research/volunteering or employment plans. (250 words max) 6. If applicable, please comment on any science grade(s) listed on your application for which you received grades lower than a B. If applicable, please comment if there is a downward trend in your science and/or total grade point average (GPA). (250 words max) 7. Please let us know how you prepared for your most recent MCAT. If you have taken the MCAT more than once let us know if you prepared differently for prior tests. (250 words max)

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions: 2020 - 2021

• How has COVID 19 impacted your expectations for your medical education experience and your future work as a doctor? (No word limit indicated)
• Were you, or are you, employed during the school year? If so please let us know the type of work, hours worked, etc. (No word limit indicated)
• If you have taken time off during your undergraduate training or if you have already graduated, please provide information to explain this time by providing a bulleted list of activities or explanation delineated by month/year to month/year.
• If you would like, feel free to explain any impact that COVID-19 may have had on your educational/research/volunteering or employment plans. (No word limit indicated)
• If applicable , please comment on any science grade(s) listed on your application for which you received grades lower than a B. If applicable, please comment if there is a downward trend in your science and/or total grade point average (GPA). (No word limit indicated)
• Please let us know how you prepared for your most recent MCAT. If you have taken the MCAT more than once let us know if you prepared differently for prior tests. (No word limit indicated)
• If you are applying with a state of legal residence that is not NJ, please indicate your connection to NJ (mark all that apply) and explain this connection: (checkbox and then a box to explain further) (No word limit indicated)
• Please indicate if you and/or your parents are/were employed by RWJMS or other connections to Rutgers University. (No word limit indicated)
• Have you ever been subjected to disciplinary action by any college or university? Have you ever been charged or convicted of a criminal offense? Are there any disciplinary or criminal charges pending against you? If the answer is yes, please specify the details. (No word limit indicated)
• Is there anything you would like to share or anything you would like to clarify on your application? (No word limit indicated)

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions: 2019 – 2020

• If applicable , please comment on any science grade(s) listed on your application for which you received grades lower than a B. If applicable, please comment if there is a downward trend in your science and/or total grade point average (GPA).  (No word limit indicated)
• Please let us know how you prepared for your most recent MCAT. If you have taken the MCAT more than once let us know if you prepared differently for prior tests.  (No word limit indicated)
• Were you, or are you, employed during the school year? If so please let us know the type of work, hours worked, etc. In addition, please indicate if you and/or your parents are/were employed by RWJSM. (No word limit indicated)
• If you have taken time off during your undergraduate training, or if you have already graduated, please please provide information to explain this time by providing a line-by-line description of activities or explanation delineated by month/year to month/year. (No word limit indicated)
• If you’re applying with a state of legal residence that is not New Jersey, please indicate your connection to New Jersey and explain this connection. (No word limit indicated)

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions: 2018 – 2019

• If applicable , please comment on any science grade(s) listed on your application for which you received grades lower than a B. If applicable, please comment if there is a downward trend in your science and/or total grade point average (GPA).  (250 characters max)
• Please let us know how you prepared for your most recent MCAT. If you have taken the MCAT more than once let us know if you prepared differently for prior tests. (250 characters max)
• Provide a very short reflection of what you have learned about your preferred strategies for pursuing knowledge in areas of interest to yourself. (250 characters max)
• (Optional) Is there anything you would like to share to clarify your application? (500 characters max)

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions: 2017 – 2018

• If you applied as a non-resident (i.e., your legal residency is a state other than NJ), please let us know if you grew up in NJ, attended school in NJ, have parents who reside in NJ, work in NJ, etc. (No word limit indicated)
• (Optional) Is there anything you would like to share to clarify your application? (No word limit indicated)
• Integrity and Ethics
• Reliability and
• Dependability
• Desire to Learn
• Commitment to serving others/volunteering
• Social Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills
• Cultural Competence
• Resilience and Adaptability

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Secondary Application Questions: 2016 – 2017

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Rutgers University Admission Essay Writing Guide

Application Guide

Essay examples.

When faced with the task of crafting a compelling personal statement for admission to Rutgers University, consider seeking guidance from StudyMoose's expert team. A well-crafted personal statement is crucial in showcasing your experiences, goals, and suitability for the university. StudyMoose's skilled professionals specialize in creating personalized and impactful statements that resonate with admissions committees. With their assistance, you can effectively navigate the process of presenting your unique attributes and aspirations, significantly enhancing your prospects of gaining acceptance to Rutgers University.

Why Rutgers university?

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, offers lots of study programs for bachelors and for master’s degree students. It is one of the most diverse high schools in the USA that has a broad experience of interdisciplinary studies and courses. Rutgers is also famous with its great opportunities for scholarships.

According to their site, 74 percent of the enrolled students receive financial aid. The Rutger’s diplomas quickly pay back: the survey of the alumni community shows that 83% of the fresh bachelors are being employed during six months after graduation. The median starting salary of more than 58 000 US dollars, which is a decent start for internship or first job. The University states that the cost-benefit analysis of their study shows that it is one of the optimal places for the student to be. Having such a salary without a significant tuition debt may give young adults great advantages at the start of their independent life.

Another important thing both for students and for professors is a powerful research base. Rutgers University is a leading health care provider in the state and public research facility. It allows the students to get rich practical experience and become valuable specialists after their graduation. The custom requirements don’t allow you to use any other essay — Coalition or Common App — to copy and paste it. Still, you may use the ideas of those prompts to recombine them. If you have any doubts, our writers are ready to help and make a perfect and tailor-made paper for you in a couple of days. We do hope that our collection of Rutger application essay examples will help you to create an excellent text.

The mission of the University consists of the three main theses:

• providing for the instructional needs of New Jersey’s residents through its undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs;
• conducting the innovative research that contributes to the medical, environmental, social, and cultural well-being of the state, as well as aiding the economy and the state’s businesses and industries;
• performing public service in support of the needs of the residents of the state and its local, county, and state governments.

Rutgers University harbors more than 530 000 students in the three major cities of the state. This division is one of its main peculiarities: you have to check the differences between the different campuses and decide which one is the best for you.

The Rutgers undergraduate application process and admission essays

The three universities of Rutgers are situated in Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick. Be very attentive while choosing the right one, don’t just pick the closest to your home. Though they share a single application form, with Rutgers application essay and a list of documents, they have different admission terms, different majors, and other slight differences. So, if you are prepared for College Camden, it doesn’t mean that it will do for Newark without any adjustments.

To get started you have to create the profile at the Rutgers application portal. Lots of people wonder does Rutgers use the Common App for enrollment, but, unfortunately, the answer is no. It has its own admission system, so if you apply to several different universities, you’d have to write your Rutger admission paper from scratch. The good news is that the Rutgers essay prompts are very similar to Common App or Coalition ones, so, with a few adjustments, you may use your previous text.

The application process may look tricky, but we’ll try to explain each of them. Here’s what you need to get enrolled:

• Create your Rutgers Community ID (remember, there is no such thing as Rutgers University Common App account, but you still can copy and paste all the relevant information)
• Rutgers University will need your Self-Reported Academic Record (or SRAR). You have to list all your courses and grades from 9 to 11. It’s a good idea to list the 12 th -grade courses even if they aren’t finished yet and you don’t have the final grades. Remember, that you should add an official transcript to your SRAR if you have already finished high school. Any differences between them may result in your application being banned. Double-check all the figures before submitting them!
• If you have earned a GED, the Rutgers admission commission will need its results, too.
• SAT/ACT test results are optional because no one can be sure of test dates. We don’t know how the presence or absence of the test results may influence the graduation process (we still recommend submitting the test result if you can do it though), but the Rutgers university site states that full admission is still available for students without tests. The admission committee states that they accept the official tests, sent directly from the agency only. The writing components are not required, the internal Rutgers application essay will be evaluated instead. Rutgers doesn’t have any preferences for SAT or ACT, both test results are equal.
• Advanced Placement tests aren’t required until the admission is accepted by the student. But if you have the results, save them for later.
• The admission commission expects you to write a single Rutgers supplemental essay. Again, it’s very similar to the Common App essay, just with a slightly less word limit, around 500 words. The essay is optional for students who transfer from other universities.
• You may list your extracurricular activities, volunteering, and other relevant personal experiences in the corresponding field. The admission committee states that any papers about extracurricular activities sent separately won’t be considered.
• When your application is submitted it’s time to pay your application and enrollment fees. Keep in mind that some fees may be non-refundable and you won’t get the money back if you are not enrolled.
• Check your application at the Rutgers Community site. They may still need some credentials except the main ones listed here. Fill them and wait for the official admissions announcements.
• You should accept an admission offer, so don’t plan long vacations while you are waiting for the decision.

The internal Rutgers entrance essays

The Rutgers supplement essay is mandatory for first-time applicants and optional for the transferring students, as a possibility to tell more about their personalities. They should be included in the application form together with all the documents. The papers submitted separately won’t be considered. Rutgers University asks to clear the formatting before copying and pasting the text into the application form field. Writing right at the site may shift the formatting and punctuation and your Rutger admission essay may look worse than it should be.

The Rutgers college essay prompt is so similar to the yearly Coalition and Common App ones that we wonder why isn’t Rutgers on the Common App. The main difference is the word limit. Rutgers undergraduate application maximum character amount is 3800. It is roughly about 500 words. Be careful with the character limit, because the admission form may discard any extra characters and your Rutgers essay will look unfinished.

A smaller word limit might be a challenge. You can’t just take your Common app paper and use it as is if you have used all the 650 words there. Cutting down an already proofread and finished text is always a tricky task, because every sentence seems polished and right where it needs to be. If you have troubles with it, you may use a wide variety of our Rutger essay examples gathered at our site. Or, you may ask our professional writers to shorten your Common App paper or create the shining Rutgers admission essay from scratch, using the personal information you provide.

If you are determined to write your Rutgers college essay by yourself, here are some hints and tips that will help you create a magnificent paper:

Make it personal

Don’t try to describe the abstract principles even if they fully align with your mindset. They want to know about your personal experience and the practical proof that your values are important to you. Find a good illustrative case, show its premise, tell what you felt during it and the lessons you learned from it.

Reflect on this case from your current vantage point

Who would you have been without that event? Did it help to shape your feats or skills that you can use in your future life? Did it reinforce your beliefs or made you doubt them?

Be careful with humor

Cracking a joke or two can make your essay stand out, but don’t try to impress the admission officers too much with them. Don’t use the memes and tropes that are funny for your generation only: the admission committee usually consists of tired people who are slightly older then you. If you have some doubts, try to let someone of their age read your Rutger admission essay.

Motivation Letter Requirements

It may take a bit more time, but you are constrained by your word limit. You have enough space for one idea only. If you have more than one, just write down every possible variant and let them cool down for a day or two. Then read it again and take the most appealing draft to turn it into a full-fledged paper.

The golden rule for the short texts is one idea — one sentence

Each phrase should move the plot further and tell the reader something new about the subject. You don’t have extra space for sentences that are just beautiful, but not practical. Don’t try to repeat yourself. If you want to underline a pivotal idea, use stronger words or stress this with a kind of punchline, but repeating it twice isn’t a great way to express yourself in such a short essay.

Ask your friends to become the test audience

Find at least a single person to read your essay and give you feedback. Don’t try to get reassurance from them and try to take critics well. The more errors you’ll correct before submitting the better chances you’ll have when the actual admission officers will read it.

Rutgers application process isn’t very tough. The hardest part is gathering documents, but the requirements and deadlines are pretty lenient. You don’t have to run circles and hurry up the test agencies, the admission committee will understand if the text isn’t ready yet. The hardest part, as always, is the Rutgers admission essay you have to submit at the university’s admission portal.

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FAQ about Rutgers University

Essay Questions?

<p>Okay, so I had been expecting to get the typical Rutgers essay (explain what you can contribute and what you will gain, blahblah) but it seems transfers get a different essay? More of a "personal statement: Please use the space below to tell us how you believe a Rutgers education will help you achieve your personal enrichment or career goals.</p>

<p>Now, I’ve always heard NOT to go on on and on about the school but to pull from personal experience and what you can contribute… but I am at a loss with the essay. Any ideas/experience?</p>

<p>Nobodyyy? I would really appreciate it :)</p>

<p>Rutgers seems to pride inself on its diversity. Perhaps you could write on how this dynamic university will give you exposure not only to great academics but also to people from all different walks of life, ethnic backgrounds etc., making you a better more well rounded individual and able to interact with different races, cultures,etc., -</p>

<p>Thanks… that gave me an idea to expand on. I appreciate it!</p>

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Rutgers Honors Essay

I have been writing, editing, drafting and re-drafting the essay for Rutgers Honors. I have atleast 6 different essays by now. I keep re-thinking the concept of "Educational Challenge", and am not sure waht they mean by it. Are there any Rutgers Honors students here who would like to help me out by explaining the meaning of what is being asked? What was it that you wrote and were accepted to RU Honors college? I have 24 hours before the deadline, any help will be much appreciated.

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Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Secondary Questions

Here are Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s secondary questions.

We are committed to supporting our NJMS community by enhancing collaboration between students, staff, and faculty, with a dedicated focus on humanism, health equity and social justice. How do you envision yourself contributing to the NJMS community?

We seek students who are respectful, self-aware, humble, resilient, team-oriented, and adaptable. Discuss a personal or professional challenge you have experienced and share insight on what you learned about yourself and how the challenge was resolved.

If you have chosen to pursue any “growth/gap” time prior to applying or prior to your intended matriculation to medical school, please share insight on your decision for growth/gap time:

If you will not be a full-time student between July 2024 and July 2025, please describe in detail your planned activities, including projected time commitment for each activity during that time:

If you are a re-applicant, please share what you have done to enhance your candidacy and re-application?

Please elaborate on challenges not thoroughly addressed anywhere else in your application (Please feel free to address any or all of the following if applicable: Institutional Actions, Academic and/or MCAT inconsistencies, personal challenges,):

• Please discuss any additional information you feel may help us in our review of your candidacy:

ED SPECIFIC ESSAYS Please share why you have decided to apply as an Early Decision applicant, as well as insight on your Motivation for NJMS:

As an Early Decision applicant, how do you intend to enhance your preparation for a successful transition into NJMS over the next year:

All 1500 characters.

1. We are committed to supporting our NJMS community by enhancing collaboration between students, staff, and faculty, with a dedicated focus on humanism, health equity and social justice. How do you envision yourself contributing to the NJMS community?

2. We seek students who are respectful, self-aware, humble, resilient, team-oriented, and adaptable. Discuss a personal or professional challenge you have experienced and share insight on what you learned about yourself and how the challenge was resolved.

3. If you will not be a full-time student between June 2023 and August 2024, please describe in detail your planned activities, including projected time commitment for each activity:

4. If you have chosen to pursue one or more “growth” years prior to your planned matriculation to medical school in 2024, please share insight on your decision

5. If you are a re-applicant, please share what you have done to enhance your candidacy and re-application?

6. Please elaborate on challenges not thoroughly addressed anywhere else in your application (Please feel free to address any or all of the following if applicable: Institutional Actions, Academic and/or MCAT inconsistencies, personal challenges,):

7. Please discuss any additional information you feel may help us in our review of your candidacy

2021-2022  

• We are committed to an environment which fosters collaboration, humanism, equity and social justice. With this in mind, how will you contribute to the NJMS community? (1500 character limit)
• We seek students who are self-aware, resilient and adaptable. Discuss a personal or professional challenge you’ve experienced and how you resolved it. Please include insight on what you learned about yourself as a result: (1500 character limit)
• If you will not be a full time student between June 2021-August 2022, please describe in detail your planned activities, including projected time commitment for each activity: (1500 character limit)
• If you chose to pursue one or more growth years prior to applying to medical school, please share insight on your decision: (1500 character limit)
• If you are a re-applicant, please share what you have done to enhance your candidacy and re-application? (1500 character limit)
• Please elaborate on challenges not thoroughly addressed anywhere else in your application (Please feel free to address any or all of the following if applicable: impact of COVID, institutional actions, academics, MCAT, personal difficulties, etc.): (1500 character limit)
• Please discuss any additional information you feel may help us in our review of your candidacy: (1500 character limit)

1500 character limit on all prompts.

• We seek students who are self-aware, resilient and adaptable. Discuss a personal or professional challenge you’ve experienced and how you resolved it. Please include insight on what you learned about yourself as a result:
• We are committed to an environment which fosters collaboration, cohesiveness, equity and social justice. With this in mind, how will you contribute to the NJMS community?
• If you will not be a full-time student between June 2020-August 2021, please describe in detail your planned activities, including projected time commitment for each activity:
• If you chose to pursue one or more gap years prior to applying to medical school, please share insight on your decision:
• If you are a re-applicant, what have you done to enhance your re-application?
• Please elaborate on any academic challenges (including MCAT), institutional actions, and/or personal difficulties not thoroughly addressed anywhere else in your application:

If you have participated in any program(s) affiliated with NJMS (i.e. summer programs, research, high school programs, internships, volunteering, graduate school, etc.), please indicate below. Please provide name(s) and date(s) of program participation:

If you have any relatives currently enrolled or who have graduated from NJMS please provide name(s), relationship to you and graduation year in the space provided below:

If you have any other connections to NJMS, or Rutgers University, please provide details below:

If you previously applied to NJMS through AMCAS or an accelerated program, please provide the following: Program name(s) and Application year(s):

Please indicate below if you previously met with either Dr. Heinrich or Ms. Rivero (prior to July 1, 2018). With whom did you meet and date(s):

NJMS recognizes the importance of diversity in the medical profession. We understand that the applicant pool is multidimensional and as such we would like to learn more about you:

How do you self-identify Racially

How do you self-identify Ethnically

How do you self-identify Culturally

Integrity is a core value at NJMS. Please share your thoughts on Integrity. Additionally, we seek students who are self-aware, resilient and adaptable. Discuss a personal or professional challenge you have experienced and how you resolved it.

NJMS is committed to fostering a collaborative and cohesive environment. With this in mind, how will you contribute to our medical school community?

Please discuss any additional information you feel may help us in our review of your candidacy. Feel free to elaborate on any gaps (educational or experiences), discrepancies in academic history, institutional actions, etc.

2017 – 2018

Same as previous year

2016 – 2017

1.) We value qualities of integrity, humanism, diversity, and cultural competency in our student body. What would you bring to our medical school community? 1500 characters

2.) Please discuss additional information not addressed in your application that you feel is important for the screening committee to know in reviewing your application (i.e. personal experiences, examples of resilience, discrepancies in academic history, etc…).

3.) If there is any other information you feel enriches your candidacy, please feel free to share it here.

4.) If you don’t currently reside in NJ, please share connections (if any) you may have.

5.) If you will not be a full time student between June 2016-August 2017, please describe in detail your planned activities, including chronology and time commitment.

2015 – 2016

We value integrity, humanism, cultural competence in our student body. What would you bring to our school?

If your legal residence on your AMCAS application is not NJ, please discuss specific reasons you have applied to NJMS and include connections you may have (if any) to New Jersey.

Please discuss any additional information that you feel is important to your candidacy for medical school.

If you are not attending college/university full-time as of fall 2014 or during the rest of the academic year, please describe your planned activities from June 2015 – August 2016.

2014 – 2015

Please discuss any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for medicine, as well as a good fit for NJMS.

If you are not attending college/university full-time as of fall 2014 or during the rest of the academic year, please describe your planned activities from June 2014 – August 2015.

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