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Riverdale, New York

Manhattan College

manhattan.edu
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  • Overview
  • Cost & scholarships
  • Majors
  • Admission Requirements
  • Essay Prompts

Manhattan College's 2020-21 Essay Prompts

Read our essay guide

Select-a-Prompt 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 Admissions Committee to know about you, apart from your academic record? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay.


Option 1

Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?


Option 2

Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?


Option 3

Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community or family.


Option 4

What are your goals for the future and why? How will attending Manhattan College specifically help you to reach them?

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Communications Program Scholarship Essay

Required

To apply, please submit, via e-mail, a letter expressing your interest in the award and outlining your skills and qualifications, along with no more than two samples of your work to the Communications Department Chair.

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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? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don't feel obligated to do so.


Option 1

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.


Option 2

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?


Option 3

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


Option 4

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.


Option 5

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


Option 6

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?


Option 7

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.

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