The University of Richmond is not a large public university, though we understand why the name might have had you fooled. It is actually a relatively small liberal arts school in Richmond, Virginia. With a truly eye-catching campus, a popular business school, and high academic standards, U Richmond is an excellent choice for those looking for southern liberal arts schools. Currently, they are test-optional and have around a 23% acceptance rate. One note: they took over 60% of their class last year during ED/EA (46% during ED specifically)… so if you are serious about becoming a Spider, considering ED is not a bad choice here. The University of Richmond is remaining test option for this application cycle.
No matter how you apply, you’ll need to write an A+ supplement. So let’s break it down. They only ask for one essay between 350-650 words and give three prompts to choose from. However, some prompts are easier to answer than others.
You have a platform to create change. What is an action or policy you might propose to address an issue of social injustice in your school or local community, or on a national or global scale?
We don’t love this question, mainly because it sounds like a hypothetical but it really shouldn’t be. If you only have a hypothetical, you won’t have enough substance to write a good essay based on the prompt. We all want world peace, but if you just say that, it will sound like a joke from Ms. Congenialtiy.
You should only answer this question if you have already put in the work and can tell a story about why the work is essential to you. TBH you do have a platform to create change in your community. This isn’t a hypothetical. You should write about the next action/policy that you will be taking, but you need to back it up with the previous actions you have already taken.
For example, if you are the president of your school’s GSA, you could write about upcoming plans to petition the school for gender-neutral bathrooms. You are already doing the work with the club, so you can say a lot about past actions and what you hope to accomplish. We also generally advise against writing about work on the “global scale.” It gets really general, really fast. Think about your community, start there, and bring us in.
Tell us about a time you learned something unexpected. What did you learn, and what happened next?
We like this question because anyone can answer it. Our big tip here is it is best to avoid things you have learned in class. We know something might have blown your mind, but very little in an APUSH class would shock the adult reading your supplement. Furthermore, it is more fun to see who you are outside of class. You can write about something you found in your research, a podcast you love, something a friend told you about themselves, or even a Wikipedia rabbit hole, but honestly, our favorite answer to this question isn’t about a fact; it is about a lesson. What is an unexpected lesson you have learned? This will probably give you a lot more to write about.
Also, don’t miss the arguably more important part of this question, “What happened next?” They want you to tell a story. What did you do with this new information? If it's a lesson, how did it change you? If it's a fact, what did you do with that fact? If it was a shocking thing you learned about someone in your life (very telenovela of you), how did that change or grow your relationship? This essay is a story and thus needs to have a beginning, middle, and end.
Richmond welcomes students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. What is at least one way you will contribute to our community that is not already mentioned in your application?
This isn’t a bad question; it is just really broad, which can be hard to answer. The big trick here is not mentioning something that appears anywhere else in your application. This means you will probably have to go through your application and double-check that whatever you write about can’t be gleaned from your activities section, personal statement, demographics, transcript, etc.
Say it with us: this should also be a story. They want you to bring us into your world. You should write about an experience that was essential to you. Think about times that you learned a new skill or solidified a personal quality. Again, this question is broad, so we could see you writing anything from how you make breakfast every morning to the time you organized a hiking trip with your friends. It is your job to sell why this story is important to you and why this experience will help you during your time at U Richmond in their community.
This supplement has only one question, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your time to write a great essay. The word limit here is 650 words… it’s like writing a second Common App. Don’t try to rush it; give yourself time to choose the right prompt for you.
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