TCU, or Texas Christian University, is a private research university in Fort Worth, Texas. The school is popular for its Greek life, sports culture, and school spirit. While the school is Christian (c'mon, it’s right in the name,) you do not have to be Christian to attend. You are not required to go to the on-campus Chappel or participate in school Christian events; however, you must take one religious studies course to graduate. The school has about 10k undergrads and has extended its test-optional program through 2025. Last year, they had a 41% acceptance rate.
Their supplement has two required questions and one optional area. We have previously written about TCU, but we wanted to revisit their supplement and share our tips for approaching it.
At TCU, it is our vision to be a world-class, values-centered university. We value academics, intellectual inquiry, creative expression, leadership, service, diversity, and the appreciation of the human experience. With which one of TCU’s core values do you most align and why? (Maximum length: 200 words) *
The first step to answer this question is to choose which of their values that you want to speak to. If one immediately stands out, feel free to choose it, but if you are unsure, some are easier to write about than others.
Whichever one you choose to write about, you must tell a good story about a time in your life when you interacted with that value. For example, if you choose “creative expression,” you could tell a story about taking a pottery class for the first time or writing poetry in your free time. Honestly, the easiest value to write about is creative expression or leadership. Almost every student has done something that has let them express themselves creatively; the same is true of leadership. All you need to do is condense that experience into a personal story.
We also like intellectual inquiry. However, we have found that it can be harder to write about if you haven’t done research or other out-of-school academic activities. For this one, it’s best to write about something you pursued on your own and not something you had to do for a class. That being said, we don’t love “academics.” It feels like a great value to have when applying for college, but it is hard to write about. You want to tell a personal story, and we have found that it can be hard to make “academics” feel personal.
We also caution against choosing “service” or “diversity” if you haven’t put in the work. What do we mean by that? Well, some students dedicate themselves to these values, and others work at a soup kitchen once every two months. If you choose to write about these, you should be someone dedicated to the cause.
The last value, “appreciation of the human experience,” usually just stumps students. If you feel moved by it or have the perfect story, go for it. But if you are drawing a blank, go back to an earlier value.
TCU is committed to creating an inclusive campus culture for all people. We have a shared responsibility to enhance our community by encouraging inclusive environments through learning opportunities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Describe how you have already contributed to creating an inclusive environment in your community or how you plan to contribute to an inclusive college environment in the future. (Maximum length: 200 words)*
We suggest answering the first part of the prompt: what have you already contributed? It is hard to write about the future in a focused and story-based way. It is much easier to talk about something you have already done.
The word inclusion can feel really big, but it doesn’t have to be here. If you are fighting the good fight for minority inclusion, great! Write about that. But for most students, this question could be about inviting your friends to a club you are a part of or taking notes for a girl who broke her arm. We want to hear that story: emphasis on story. Your answer should have a beginning, middle, end, and takeaway.
Freedom of Expression
Completion of the questions below is optional. TCU values individuality and believes students are more than just a GPA and test score. To help us get to know you even better, consider this opportunity to further express yourself. The only limitations are the boundaries of your imagination. Please upload an essay, poem, work of art or a URL that showcases another side of you.
The last question is optional, and ideally, you should already have the “thing” you upload here. Sometimes, students feel like they should make a work of art for questions like this, and we are here to tell you, don’t. If you aren’t someone who makes art already, this might not be the question for you. For example, if the only time you have painted was in one art class years ago, we don’t suggest trying to paint something, so you can upload it here. Similarly, if you are an artist, you don’t have to paint something new. Upload something you have already done and are proud of.
Some things that work well here are musical performances, research abstracts, photography portfolios, short films, poems (from poets), articles, etc. If you don’t have something like this, don’t try to throw something together (they will usually be able to tell.)
TCU has short word counts. This might seem easier, but many students will need to edit their work to make it fit. Make sure you give yourself enough time.
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