Applying as a Transfer or Current KU Student

Essays should be intellectually curious, thoughtful, well-organized, proofread, and limited to 500 words. We will evaluate the quality of your writing and your ability to provide an expansive yet focused response. Current-student applicants and transfer applicants choose one of the following three prompts:

• Option 1: Dr. Cora Downs, who in 1924 became the first woman to earn a doctoral degree at KU, was a renowned microbiologist whose work advanced the detection and treatment of infectious diseases. Downs remarked that she was not motivated by fame and publicity but was rather someone “who had done something she very much wanted to do, that’s all.” Tell us about something that you very much want to do and what motivates you. How will you go about pursuing this interest?
• Option 2: Each year, KU’s honors program hosts Common Cause, an interdisciplinary symposium that focuses on one of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Choose an SDG that you are passionate about, explain your personal connection to it, then describe the specific ways your time at KU will prepare you to make a meaningful difference in that area. (Goals and details can be found at sdgs.un.org.)
• Option 3: KU graduate and Olympic champion Billy Mills said: “Find your passion, develop your talent, create the magic.” What “magic” do you hope to create and why? What are your plans for developing the skills and experience you’ll need to make it happen?

In a single Word or PDF document, please upload your responses to all four of the following short-answer questions:

• Question 1: Which major(s) and minor(s) are you pursuing, and when is your anticipated date of graduation (i.e. Spring 2025)?
• Question 2: Help us learn about you, your life, and your experiences.  List no more than three items — clubs and organizations, employment, community service, awards and recognition, extra-curricular interests, personal or family obligations — in descending order of significance, with the most significant item first. For each, explain your role, time commitment, length of involvement, and responsibilities. You may include one activity from high school, but the primary focus should be on your life and experiences since starting college.
• Question 3: The honors program intends to attract students who make the most of the opportunities available to them. What goals and objectives shaped your selection of courses and experiences? Is there anything else you want the admissions committee to know about your academic record or activities?
• Question 4: Have you already taken any honors-designated courses or completed an Enhanced Learning Experience (ELE) at KU or another university?  If so, list them below. Up to three courses and two ELEs may be retroactively counted toward your completion requirements. Note: Previous honors coursework and experiences are not required for admission.