university of central florida essay

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

5 Tips to Write an Excellent UCF Application Essay

College Essays

The University of Central Florida, commonly known as UCF, is one of the largest colleges in the United States . Over 60,000 students are enrolled at UCF, but that doesn't mean it's super easy to get in— UCF has an acceptance rate of 36 percent , meaning they accept less than half of students who apply.

To set yourself apart from the crowd, you'll want to write a stellar UCF application essay. Don't think that the fact that these essays are optional means they're not important; they're an additional opportunity to show why you'll be a great addition to the student body!

In this guide, we'll cover all the details of the UCF essay prompts, including how to answer them, what UCF is looking for, and a step-by-step guide to make your essay as strong as it can be.

Feature Image: Kelly Daacon /Wikimedia Commons

What Should You Know About the UCF Application Essay?

Unlike many schools, only freshman students can use the Common Application to apply to UCF. Otherwise, students must use UCF's own application, which is also available to freshman students.

However, there are some differences between the two. UCF's website includes a recommendation , but not a requirement, for a supplemental essay based on two of four prompts, outlined below. However, the instructions for the essay include the phrase, "an essay assists the Admissions Committee in knowing you as an individual, independent of test scores and other objective data," so while they may not actually be required, you should write them as if they are.

The Common Application includes two questions that do not appear on the UCF application , and reports from students suggest that UCF sends a follow-up email with instructions for how to complete the supplemental essays. The essays on the Common Application are flagged as optional, but, as with the UCF application, you should answer them as if they're required to be on the safe side.

What Are the UCF Application Essay Prompts?

Though the UCF essays aren't technically required according to the college's website, it's strongly suggested that you complete them. They're an opportunity to flesh out your application with a more complete picture of yourself, which is valuable to both UCF and you.

UCF has four essay prompts to choose from and instructs students to respond to two. According to previous applicants, UCF accepts those responses in one combined essay or in two separate statements.

The responses, whether in one single essay or in two essays, should total no more than 500 words or 7,000 characters combined . Be sure that your essay or essays fall below both the word and character count.

UCF has four essay prompts for you to choose from, though you only need to answer two of the prompts. The questions can either be answered in one essay or two, depending on which you prefer.

UCF Essay Prompt 1: The Obstacle Prompt

If there has been some obstacle or bump in the road in your academic or personal life, please explain the circumstances.

With this prompt, UCF is giving you an opportunity to explain any parts of your application that may not be as impressive as you'd like them to be. Many students aren't able to commit to extracurriculars as deeply as they'd like because of financial problems or because they need to work or otherwise help out their family. Other times, students may not be able to keep their grades up as well as they'd like due to family illness or other obstacles that can make staying on top of homework difficult.

Circumstances like these are out of your control but can cause hiccups in your education, which might not look good to colleges. This prompt gives you space to explain that, giving UCF a better picture of who you are as a student.

So if you've encountered any hardship that's had an impact on your education, it's smart to take advantage of this essay question and explain it. If your grades dipped in junior year because you had to pick up an after-school job to help your parents out, let UCF know! Not only does that explain changes to your grades, but it also demonstrates responsibility. If you can explain your GPA based on outside circumstances, take advantage of the opportunity and do so.

Be honest about challenges you've faced, and accept responsibility for things that you could have done better. Your answer to this question should demonstrate anything you've learned from the experience and how you've grown rather than just shifting blame to outside circumstances. Don't stop at writing about what happened—continue on to answer what you did about it.

However, be sure that what you write about is an actual hardship. Being bored with your classes or being more invested in something else, such as an extracurricular activity, doesn't qualify—this question is asking for obstacles outside of your control.

UCF Essay Prompt 2: The Family History Prompt

How has your family history, culture or environment influenced who you are?

This is a fairly standard background essay, which asks you to think about your upbringing and how that's shaped the person you've become. Because UCF has a fairly short word limit, be sure to pick one particular element and home in on it rather than spending time painting a complete portrait of your family history.

Information like this helps a college like UCF better understand what you'll be bringing to the student body. Our upbringings often give us unique perspectives and abilities, which contribute to a thriving campus culture. In a school of over 50,000 students, it might feel like there's nothing particularly unique about you, but there is—this essay prompt helps you discuss it.

Don't get too hung up on picking something dramatic to set your family or culture apart from everybody else's. If you grew up in a family that really loves fishing and it's made you a more patient, hands-on person, write about that! On the other hand, if you grew up as part of a traveling circus and that's made you long for a place to put down roots, write about that!

The most important thing with this question is to be honest, thoughtful, and specific. Pick something that really matters to you, and think deeply on what it means.

Provided you are honest, thoughtful, and specific, there aren't a lot of topics you should avoid on this one, though always be aware that, if you choose to write about something potentially inflammatory, the admissions office may not feel the same way about things that you do. Your audience is made up of strangers, so choose something you're comfortable sharing with people who don't know you and deciding whether or not you'll get into college based in part on what you write.

UCF Essay Prompt 3: The "Why UCF?" Prompt

Why did you choose to apply to UCF?

"Why This School?" essays are common in college applications because they require you to think beyond a school's reputation and get specific about why you want to go there. Colleges want to know that your interest goes beyond ticking another box on your college list—you should have a reason to attend beyond that you think you can get in!

To answer this question, try to get specific. What is it about UCF that appeals to you? You can look through their mission statement , course catalog, and clubs to find things that appeal to you, or refer to experiences at a campus visit or college fair. Connect your interest in UCF to something concrete.

For example, UCF has part of its mission statement dedicated to creativity, which should "enrich the human experience." Why does that matter to you? When you attend UCF, how do you hope to use creativity to enrich the human experience, too? If you can, make connections to real-life classes or clubs that you want to belong to, such as the Cypress Dome Society or Elements of Hip Hop . What interests do you have? What are your goals? How will these clubs help connect you to your student body?

The most important things to avoid in this essay response are the things everybody else is already saying—that UCF has a good reputation and that it has a nice campus. Assume that both of those things go without saying. What else does UCF have to offer?

UCF Essay Prompt 4: The Characteristics Prompt

What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that will allow you to contribute to the UCF community?

This prompt is the flip side of the "Why This College?" prompt— instead of asking why you want to attend UCF, UCF is asking why they should want you .

Think beyond everything UCF already knows about you, like your grades and test scores. Assume that every student applying has exactly the same grades and scores as you do, and then decide what it is about you that's different. What else do you have to offer?

Choose something you haven't discussed already, and be sure that you embrace that UCF is asking for what makes you unique. UCF wants to know about you as an individual, which could be anything from how you have the patience to make the perfect tamale to how your time leading a guild in World of Warcraft taught you about leading by example and connecting with people. UCF has lots of people with good GPAs and test scores—does it have enough tamale makers and guild leaders? Aim to fill the unique gaps only you can fill!

Attending college isn't just about attending classes, getting good grades, and moving on with a degree to show it. You'll be part of a thriving campus culture, and UCF wants to know that you'll be participating and enriching it.

Beyond not focusing on things UCF already knows, always be sure that you're presenting your best self. The people reading your essays are strangers, and may not get your sense of humor if you try to be tongue-in-cheek in this section. Be honest and thoughtful in a way that others will understand, especially because this essay will likely be their first impression of you.

What Are the UCF Common Application Essay Prompts?

If you're applying to UCF using the Common Application, the requirements are a little different. The Common Application includes two additional questions that do not appear on the UCF application, which are flagged as optional. Still, there's no reason not to answer them —the word counts are short, they provide extra context for your application, and they're valuable questions for both you and UCF to reflect on.

According to students who've applied to UCF, after finishing the Common Application, UCF will follow up with you with additional requirements, including responding to the additional essay prompts covered above.

Though these essays are optional, it's still a good idea to answer them. Be sure that you don't answer the same prompt twice, as one of the Common Application prompts is almost the same as the one in the UCF application. You only have 250 words each, so be brief and clear rather than spending a lot of time painting a vivid picture.

UCF Common App Essay Prompt 1: The "Why UCF?" Prompt

Why are you interested in UCF?

As in the UCF application essay prompts, this question is asking why you want to attend UCF . Think beyond widely applicable answers like citing their reputation, campus, or weather—assume the admissions office already knows all that. Why UCF over any other good, beautiful, warm-weather school? What specifically draws you there?

UCF wants to know that you're committed to attending not just as somebody who wants a good name on their diploma, but as somebody who's dedicated to UCF's mission and programs. Showing that UCF, not just their credibility or campus, matters to you is a great way to set yourself apart from other applicants.

To do this, you need to get specific. Drill deep into what makes you want to attend UCF, and connect it to specifics. Campus visits are a great way to make these specific connections, but if you can't visit, you can also comb through the course catalog, club list, or mission statement. Show UCF that you don't just see yourself proudly holding a diploma with their seal—show them you see yourself learning, growing, and participating in campus culture along the way.

UCF Common App Essay Prompt 2: The Major Prompt

Discuss your reasons for pursuing the academic program (major) selected above.

Like the first question, this prompt wants to know more about you as an individual student. Think about what draws you to your major beyond prestige or salary. What should UCF know about you and your connection to your program beyond your GPA and extracurriculars?

Questions like this show your dedication, which can be an important factor in admissions. Schools want to know that you're committed to your studies, and an essay that shows a deeper connection to your field is more likely to impress them. Take some time to craft a response that's insightful and honest—this essay will show UCF that you're truly passionate about what you study.

You don't have a lot of space to answer this question—just 250 words—so be sure to focus on one specific thing rather than being comprehensive. Did trying and failing to grow strawberries lead you down the path to becoming a botanist? Did you decide to put your reputation for bossiness as a kid to work as a business major?

Due to the short word count, you're going to want to be brief. Don't pick a topic that's too big, and stay away from using answers that other people might use. It's great if you want to be a doctor because you want to help people, but why a doctor as opposed to a social worker? Your essay should clearly demonstrate why the field you've chosen is the perfect one for you.

Key Tips for the UCF Essay

No matter what school you're applying to, there are some strategies you can always follow to be sure that you have a good, strong essay. Follow these steps as you're writing your UCF essay and you'll have a much easier time wrangling your thoughts and shaping them into something that'll impress the admissions office!

#1: Brainstorm

It'd be nice if you could just sit down and write a perfect draft on your first try, but that's not how most of us work. Instead, start with a little brainstorming. Set a five-minute timer and give yourself free rein to come up with as many possible answers to the prompts as possible, even if the answers are silly or weird or absolutely not in a million years going to work. Don't worry about it! Get everything you can think of down on paper now so you're not trying to herd your thoughts back into shape later on.

#2: Write a Draft

The benefit of getting all your ideas down on paper is that now you can pick and choose the ones that sound the best without getting midway through an essay before deciding the topic isn't working for you.

Cross out the choices that aren't strong enough to support a whole essay, even one as short as UCF's, to get those out of the way. Spend a little more time brainstorming some different points to hit on with the remaining topics and pick the one that feels strongest.

Using your brief outline, flesh the topic out into a full essay. Don't worry about getting it perfect the first time—that's what editing is for!

Editing is tough; it means re-reading your work and dealing with all the flaws that creep in. But editing is what separates the good essays from the bad. Take a day or so away from your essay before diving back in to read it with fresher eyes, and try not to get frustrated as you go.

Read your work aloud to help you find sentences that are too long or lacking in punctuation. Cut out extra words—those "really"s and "very"s aren't doing any work for you—and rephrase to get as much of the essay into passive voice as you can. Read it aloud again, give it another pass, and keep going until you feel like your work is in as good of shape as you can possibly get it.

#4: Get Feedback

Now that you've put in some time in editing, it's time for the next scary step: showing your work to others. Choose a few people who you trust to give you honest, useful feedback —people who know what a good essay looks like, not just people who are going to tell you it's great—and ask them to take a look at it. Leave them with a copy to make notes on so that you can refer to them later.

When you read their feedback, don't take it too hard. Everything they have to say is a suggestion, and it's ultimately up to you whether you want to use it or not. Your essay should always, always, always be your work; don't rephrase things exactly as a teacher or counselor suggests if it isn't how you would say it.

Besides, readers aren't always right about the best way to fix errors. If the people reading your essay are confused about something, take that seriously! But don't feel like their suggestion to fix it is inherently the best way, especially if it contradicts your meaning. It's okay to disagree—it is your essay, after all.

#5: Revise and Submit

Take another break from your essay. Always try to edit with fresh eyes, if you can —trying to make changes when you've already spent a lot of time editing can either mean you miss mistakes or that you get so frustrated you give up. Spend some time away, working on an essay for a different school or doing something else entirely before you come back to it.

Now that you've had a break, take all that feedback you received and use it to spin your essay into gold. Smooth out places where readers were confused, and clean up any lingering grammar errors. Read it for clarity and flow, and tidy everything up.

When you've reached a point where you're satisfied, take one last break. Give yourself a little time away from it, then read it one more time. Are you happy with it? Great! It's time to submit! Send it off to UCF and anxiously wait for your acceptance letter to arrive.

What's Next?

As you're applying to UCF, it's good to be aware of their admission requirements. This guide will walk you through the average GPA and test scores at UCF to help you maximize your chances of getting in!

College essays should always be targeted to the school you're applying to, but there are some essay-writing strategies that work no matter what school you're applying to.

If you're applying to college, it's a good idea to be aware of how to apply for financial aid . Make a plan and stick to it to ensure you get the maximum money available to you!

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

University of Central Florida | UCF

• Cost & scholarships
• Essay prompt

Want to see your chances of admission at University of Central Florida | UCF?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

University of Central Florida | UCF’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Why this college essay.

Why did you choose to apply to UCF?

Extracurricular Essay

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences.

Additional Info Essay

What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that will allow you to contribute to the UCF community?

Common App Personal Essay

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.

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.

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?

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

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?

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

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?

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.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

University of Central Florida 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Oct 15

Regular Decision Deadline: May 1

University of Central Florida (UCF) 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations 

Requirements: 2 essays of 500 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s):   Why , Community, Activity  

Why did you choose to apply to UCF? (250 words)

This is one of the most straightforward and common supplemental essay prompts out there. In order to impress admissions, do your research. Explore UCF’s offerings and be able to point to specific programs, departments, and/or organizations that are spurring you on to apply. If you can connect your interests and aspirations to your past pursuits, even better!

What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that will allow you to contribute to the UCF community? (250 words)

By now, you’ve surely seen many versions of this question: UCF wants to know what makes you you and how you will impact their student body. What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? Is there anything you can teach your classmates or peers about your hometown, culture, religion, or identity that they might not already know? Maybe you learned Irish dance from your grandma and look forward to starting a club on campus. Perhaps you were struck by the homeless crisis in Pakistan when you went to visit your family there and hope to make a local impact on this global issue through Hearts for the Homeless Orlando. UCF wants to know how your personal perspectives, beliefs, and/or lived experiences will impact others on campus, so tell them a story that helps them to imagine the kind of student you’ll be. As always, make sure you do your research! Tell them in which specific clubs, organizations, or service opportunities you hope to make a difference. 

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (250 words)

Activity essays like this one are more common than M.C. Escher posters in college dorm rooms. The most strenuous part is selecting the activity you want to write about. So, we return to our favorite mantra: Tell admissions something they couldn’t glean from anywhere else in your application. If you wrote your Common App essay about your time flipping burgers at your local fast food joint, focus on a different activity or work experience that reveals a new aspect of your personality. This can be a great opportunity to highlight your leadership skills and any accolades you may have received. Were you nominated as captain of your ultimate frisbee team? Were you tapped to manage a team of volunteers at the art collective? No matter what you choose, it should probably be something you’ve been involved in for a while, so you can demonstrate your growth and the impact that you have had on others.

About Amanda Amah

View all posts by Amanda Amah »

We have school-specific prompt guides for almost 100 schools.

Contact us for information on rates and more!

• I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
• Name * First Last
• Phone Type Mobile Landline
• Street Address
• Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
• How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
• Common App and Coalition Essays
• Supplemental Essays
• University of California Essays
• University of Texas Essays
• Resume Review
• Post-Grad Essays
• Specialized Services
• Waitlist Letters
• Private School Essays
• General College Counseling
• School list with priorities noted:
• Anything else we should know?
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

School Stats:

• Agnes Scott College
• Alvernia University
• American University
• Amherst College
• Babson College
• Bard College
• Barnard College
• Baylor University
• Bennington College
• Bentley University
• Berry College
• Bethany College
• Boston College
• Boston University (BU)
• Bowdoin College
• Brandeis University
• Brown University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Bucknell University
• Butler University
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• California Lutheran University
• Capitol Technology University
• Carleton College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Catawba College
• Centre College
• Chapman University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Clark University
• Clemson University
• Coastal Carolina University
• College of Charleston
• College of William and Mary
• College of Wooster
• Colorado College
• Colorado School of Mines
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Culver-Stockton College
• D'Youville University
• Dartmouth College
• Davidson College
• Dickinson College
• Drexel University
• Duke University
• Earlham College
• Elon University
• Emerson College
• Emory University
• Flagler College
• Fordham University
• George Mason University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia State University
• Georgia Tech
• Gonzaga University
• Hamilton College
• Hampshire College
• Harvard University
• Harvey Mudd College
• Haverford College
• Hillsdale College
• Hofstra University
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Ithaca College
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kalamazoo College
• Lafayette College
• Lehigh University
• Lewis and Clark College
• Linfield University
• Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
• Lynn University
• Macalester College
• Manchester University
• Marist College
• Mary Baldwin University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Meredith College
• Monmouth College
• Moravian University
• Morehouse College
• Mount Holyoke College
• New York University (NYU)
• North Carolina State
• North Park University
• Northwestern University
• Occidental College
• Oklahoma City University
• Olin College of Engineering
• Pepperdine University
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College
• Princeton University
• Providence College
• Purdue University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rice University
• Roger Williams University
• Saint Anselm College
• Saint Elizabeth University
• Santa Clara University
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Scripps College
• Seattle Pacific University
• Seattle University
• Smith College
• Soka University of America
• Southern Methodist University
• St. John’s College
• Stanford University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Stonehill College
• Swarthmore College
• Syracuse University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas Christian University (TCU)
• The College of Idaho
• The George Washington University
• The New School
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• Tulane University
• UNC Wilmington
• University of California
• University of Central Florida (UCF)
• University of Chicago
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Florida
• University of Georgia (UGA)
• University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Maryland
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Massachusetts Lowell
• University of Miami
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Oregon
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Richmond
• University of San Diego
• University of San Francisco
• University of Southern California (USC)
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Tulsa
• University of Vermont
• University of Virginia (UVA)
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Vanderbilt University
• Vassar College
• Villanova University
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest University
• Washington and Lee University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Wellesley College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Yale University

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

Draft Admission Essay(s)

Purpose: Scholars will learn the rudimentary steps of crafting a personal statement and statement of purpose.

Why Admission Statements Matter

Applications for graduate school solicit personal statements and/or statements of purpose. They are both important elements of any application because they provide a dynamic view of applicants that cannot be obtained from test scores or resumes. Here you demonstrate how your personal and academic experiences make you the ideal candidate.

The Nuances between Statements of Purpose and Personal Statements

Provide admissions committees the specific information that they request to know about you. Understand the prompt and know the subtle differences and similarities between the statement of purpose and personal statement. Below we outline the differences between both.

Statement of Purpose/ Intent

Is a more detailed version of your C.V. Here applicants write about classes, internships, research skills, and experiences that ensure individual success in the graduate program. Applicants outline research interests they want to pursue and highlight reasons why the graduate program will facilitate this pursuit.

Sample Statement of Purpose Prompt

“Outline the key experiences that prepared you for graduate-level studies.”

Personal Statement

Here applicants construct a picture of their place in society. Outline experiences that led you to choose your field and other aspects of your life that demonstrate your potential. Show the graduate program that you are ready in terms of personal life skills and character.

Sample Personal Statement Prompt

“Discuss your career goals and the attributes that you will bring to the XYZ program.”

Important Resources 

Below are invaluable worksheets that outline statements’ components and tips on how to start writing.

• AAP’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy of Graduate School Applications
• General Guidelines for the Personal Statement
• Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School and Scholarship Applications

The Writing Process 

Consider your audience. Admissions committees are interested in applicants who clearly understand the program, demonstrate competence, and whose future goals best benefit from completing the program.

Conduct research on what the graduate program offers in terms of location, faculty, research projects, funding, and student support programs.

Analyze your academic, research, extracurricular, and life experiences for valuable skills and abilities you gained through them that ensure your success in the program of interest.

Content to Include in Your Statements

The details of what to include in your admission statements can vary depending on the writing prompt each school, or program, provides for their application. Browse the videos below for more ways to write your statements.

Developing your Statement of Purpose

The video below is from Academic Advancement Program’s Fall 2020 Grad Prep Week. Dr. Don Brunson, Vanderbilt University’s Assistant Dean of the Graduate School’s Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education Program , presents on Do’s and Don’ts of the Statement of Purpose in an online workshop format.

Need the motivation to start writing your essays?

The video below is about writing your statement for medical school applications, but the same can be true for your graduate school personal statement.

Outlining your Statement

Experts from the University of California, Berkeley share tools you can use to outline and organize content for your written statement.

Editing Your Statements

• Plan and give yourself plenty of time to craft several drafts.
• Use concise language and write in the active voice.
• Respect formatting guidelines like the page and word count limits.
• Use your resources for help, like your faculty mentor, AAP Pre-Grad Advising , and the UCF Writing Center .

Suggested Assignments

Assignment #34

Activity Four: Crafting Your Concept Map

Purpose: Scholars will outline the content and general flow of their statements by constructing concept maps. For assistance schedule a visit with AAP Peer Advisors . Time: 2 hours Instructions: 5d_activity_four Note: that instructions for this assignment are also available in audio format. It can be found here.

Activity 5: Writing a Personal Statement and Statement of Purpose

Purpose: Scholars will write a rough draft of their personal statements and statements of purpose. For assistance schedule a visit with the UCF Writing Center . Time: 1 hour Instructions: 5d_activity_five Note: that instructions for this assignment are also available in audio format. It can be found here.

Instructions for navigation

Prepare for graduate school now by marking this topic complete: click the “ Mark Complete ” button below in the bottom left hand corner to keep track of the topics you’ve completed. Then, click the “ Next Topic ” button below in the bottom right hand corner to move onto the next topic within the lesson.

If you are following the application elements curriculum, follow the Quick Learn icon to the right to the next topic in Personal Statements.

Note: For a refresher on Personal Statements, consult the topic Reflect and Create an Online Portfolio

Personal Statements

Artificial Intelligence

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) for writing (including CoPilot and ChatGPT ) can quickly create coherent, cohesive prose and paragraphs on a seemingly limitless set of topics. The potential for abuse in academic integrity is clear, and our students are likely using these tools already. There are similar AI tools for creating images, computer code, and many other domains. Here’s an overview video (33 minutes) of what AI actually is and how it impacts teaching and learning.

Most of this guide concerns generative AI (GenAI) such as large-language models (LLMs) that function as word-predictors and can generate text and entire essays. As AI represents a permanent addition to society and students’ tools, we need to permanently re-envision how we assign college writing and other projects. As such, FCTL has assembled this set of ideas to consider.

Category 1: Lean into the Software’s Abilities

• Re-envision writing as editing/revising . Assign students to create an AI essay with a given prompt, and then heavily edit the AI output using Track Changes and margin comments. Such an assignment refocuses the work of writing away from composition and toward revision, which may be more common in an AI-rich future workplace. Generative AI (GenAI, such at Copilot or ChatGPT) is spectacular at providing summaries, but they lack details and specifics, which could be what the students are tasked to do. Other examples include better connecting examples to claims, and revising overall paragraph structure in service of a larger argument. Here are some example assignments using GenAI as part of the writing prompt.
• Re-envision writing as first and third stage human work, with AI performing the middle . Instead of asking students to generate the initials drafts (i.e., “writing as composition”), imagine the student work instead focusing on creating effective prompts for the AI, as well editing the AI output.
• Focus student learning on creative thesis writing by editing AI-created theses . The controlling statement for most AI essays can be characterized as summary in nature, rather than analytical. Students can be challenged to transform AI output into more creative, analytical theses.
• Refine editing skills via grading . Assign students to create an AI essay and grade it, providing specific feedback justifying each of the scores on the rubric. This assignment might be paired with asking students to create their own essay responding to the same prompt.
• Write rebuttals. Ask the AI to produce a custom output you’ve intentionally designed, then assign students to write a rebuttal of the AI output.
• Create counterarguments . Provide the AI with your main argument and ask it to create counterarguments, which can be incorporated – then overcome – in the main essay.
• Evaluate AI writing for bias . Because the software is only as good as information it finds and ingests (remember the principle of GIGO: garbage in, garbage out), it may well create prose that mimics structural bias and racism that is present in its source material. AI writing might also reveal assumptions about the “cultural war” separating political parties in the United States.
• Teach information literacy through AI . Many students over-trust information they find on websites; use AI software to fuel a conversation about when to trust, when to verify, and when to use information found online.
• Give only open-book exams (especially online) . Assume that students can and will use the Internet and any available AI to assist them.
• Assign essays, projects, and tests that aim for “application” and above in Bloom’s taxonomy . Since students can look up knowledge/information answers and facts, it’s better to avoid testing them on such domains, especially online.
• Teach debate and critical thinking skills . Ask the AI to produce a stance, then using the tools of your discipline evaluate and find flaws/holes in its position or statements.
• Ask the AI to role play as a character or historical figure . Since GenAI is conversation-based, holding a conversation with an in-character personality yields insights.
• Overcome writer’s block . The AI output could provide a starting point for an essay outline, a thesis statement, or even ideas for paragraphs. Even if none of the paragraphs (or even sentences) are used, asking the AI can be useful for ideation to be put into one’s own words.
• Treat it like a Spellchecker . Ask your students to visit GenAI, type “suggest grammar and syntax fixes:” and then paste their pre-written essay to gain ideas before submission. (Note: for classes where writing ability is a main learning outcome, it might be advisable to require that students disclose any such assistance).
• Make the AI your teaching assistant . When preparing a course, ask the AI to explain why commonly-wrong answers are incorrect. Then, use the Canvas feedback options on quiz/homework questions to paste the AI output for each question.
• Teach sentence diagramming and parts of speech . Since AI can quickly generate text with variety in sentence structures, use the AI output to teach grammar and help students how better to construct sophisticated sentences.
• Engage creativity and multiple modes of representation to foster better recall . Studies show that student recall increases when they use words to describe a picture, or draw a picture to capture information in words. Using AI output as the base, ask students to create artwork (or performances) that capture the same essence.
• Teach AI prompt strategies as a discreet subject related to your field . AI-created content is sure to be a constant in the workplace of the future. Our alumni will need to be versed in crafting specific and sophisticated inputs to obtain best AI outputs.
• Create sample test questions to study for your test . Given appropriate prompts, AI can generate college-level multiple choice test questions on virtually any subject, and provide the right answer. Students can use such questions as modern-day flash cards and test practice.
• View more ideas in this free e-book written by FCTL : “ 60+ Ideas for ChatGPT Assignments ,” which is housed in the UCF Library’s STARS system. Even though the ebook mentions ChatGPT in its title, the assignment prompts work for most GenAI, including CoPilot, our official university LLM.

Category 2 : Use the software to make your teaching/faculty life easier

• Create grading rubrics for major assignments . Give specifics about the assignment when asking the software to create a rubric in table format. Optionally, give it the desired sub-grades of the rubric.
• Write simple or mechanical correspondence for you . GenAI is fairly good at writing letters and formulaic emails. The more specific the inputs are, the better the output is. However, always keep in mind the ethics of using AI-generated writing wholesale, representing the writing as your own words–particularly if you are evaluating or recommending anything. AI output should not be used, for instance, in submitting peer reviews.
• Adjust, simplify, shorten, or enhance your formal writing . The software could be asked to shorten (or lengthen) any professional writing you are composing, or to suggest grammar and syntax fixes (particularly useful for non-native speakers of English!) In short, you could treat it like Spellchecker before you submit it. However, again consider the ethics of using AI content wholesale–journals and granting agencies are still deciding how (or whether) to accept AI-assisted submissions, and some have banned it.
• Summarize one-minute papers . If you ask students for feedback, or to prove they understand a concept via one-minute papers, you can submit these en masse and ask the AI to provide a summary.
• Generate study guides for your students . If you input your lecture notes and ask for a summary, this can be given to students as a study guide.
• Create clinical case studies for students to analyze . You can generate different versions of a case with a similar prompt.
• Evaluate qualitative data . Provide the AI with raw data and ask it to identify patterns, not only in repeated words but in similar concepts.
• What about AI and research? It’s best to be cautious, if not outright paranoid, about privacy, legality, ethics, and many related concerns, when thinking about exposing your primary research to any AI platform–especially anything novel that could lead to patent and commercialization. Consult the IT department and the Office of Research before taking any action.
• Create test questions and banks . The AI can create nearly limitless multiple-choice questions (with correct answers identified) on many topics and sub-topics. Obviously, these need to be proof-read and verified before using with a student audience.

Category 3: Teach Ethics, Integrity, and Career-Related Skills

• Discuss the ethical and career implications of AI-writing with your students . Early in the semester (or at least when assigning a writing prompt), have a frank discussion with your students about the existence of AI writing. Point out to them the surface-level ethical problem with mis-representing their work if they choose to attempt it, as well as the deeper problem of “cheating themselves” by entering the workforce without adequate preparation for writing skills, a quality that employers highly prize.
• Create and prioritize an honor code in your class . Submitting AI-created work as one’s own is, fundamentally, dishonest. As professionals, we consider it among our top priorities to graduate individuals of character who can perform admirably in their chosen discipline, all of which requires a set of core beliefs rooted in honor. Make this chain of logic explicit to students (repeatedly if necessary) in an effort to convince them to adopt a similar alignment toward personal honesty. A class-specific honor code can aid this effort, particularly if invoked or attested to when submitting major assignments and tests.
• Reduce course-related workload to disincentivize cheating . Many instances of student cheating, including the use of AI-writing, is borne out of desperation and a lack of time. Consider how realistic the workload you expect of students is

Category 4: Attempt to neutralize the software

Faculty looking to continue assigning take-home writing and essays may be interested in this list of ideas to customize their assignments so that students do not benefit from generative AI. However, this approach will likely fail in time, as the technology is improving rapidly, and automated detection methods are already unreliable (at UCF, in fact, the office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity will not pursue administrative cases against students where the only evidence is from AI detectors). Artificial intelligence is simply a fact of life in modern society, and its use will only become more widespread.

Possible Syllabus Statements

Faculty looking for syllabus language may consider one of these options:

• Use of AI prohibited . Only some Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as spell-check or Grammarly, are acceptable for use in this class. Use of other AI tools via website, app, or any other access, is not permitted in this class. Representing work created by AI as your own is plagiarism and will be prosecuted as such. Check with your instructor to be sure of acceptable use if you have any questions.
• Use of AI only with explicit permission . This class will make use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various ways. You are permitted to use AI only in the manner and means described in the assignments. Any other use of AI requires explicit permission from the instructor. Any attempt to represent AI output inappropriately as your own work will be treated as plagiarism.
• Use of AI only with acknowledgement . Students are allowed to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools on assignments if the usage is properly documented and credited. For example, text generated from Copilot should include a citation such as: “Copilot. Accessed 2023-12-03. Prompt: ‘Summarize the Geneva Convention in 50 words.’ Generated using http://bing.com/chat.”
• Use of AI is freely permitted with no acknowledgement . Students are allowed to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in all assignments in this course, with no need to cite, document, or acknowledge any support received from AI tools.
• Use of AI will be required . In this course, various assignments require you to complete tasks with the aid of Copilot, while logged in with your NID. When logged in this way, Copilot is safe, private, and free.

If you write longer announcements or policies for students, try to aim for a level-headed tone that neither overly demonizes AI nor overly idolizes it. Students who are worried about artificial intelligence and/or privacy will be reassured by a steady, business-like tone.

AI Detection and Unauthorized Student Use

AI detectors are not reliable and relatively easy for students to beat , so UCF does not have a current contract with any detector. If you use third-party detectors, you should keep in mind that both false positives and false negatives can occur, and student use of Grammarly can return a result of “written by AI.”

• FCTL recommends that you NOT use AI detectors.

Because the detectors don’t work , independent verification is required. If you have other examples of this student’s writing that does not match, that might be reason enough to take action. Evidence of a hallucinated citation is even stronger.

• A confession of using AI by the student is, of course, the gold standard for taking action.
• One approach might be to call the student to a private (virtual?) conference and explain why you suspect the student used AI and ask them how they would account for these facts.
• Another option is to inform them of your intention to fail the paper, but offer them the chance to perform proctored, in-person writing on a similar prompt to prove they can write at this level.

The S tudent Conduct and Academic Integrity office will not “prosecute” a case where the only evidence comes from an AI detector, due to the possibility of false positives and false negatives. A hallucinated citation does constitute evidence.

• They do still encourage you to file a report in any event and can offer suggestions on how to proceed.
• Existing university-level policies ban students from representing work that they did not create as their own, so it’s not always necessary to have a specific AI policy in your syllabus – but it IS a best practice to have such a policy for transparency to students and to communicate your expectations. After all, the lived experience of students is that different faculty have different expectations regarding AI, and extreme clarity is always best.

At the end of the day, the final say about grading remains with the instructor. We recognize that in marginal cases, it might come down to a “gut feeling.” Every instructor has a spectrum of response available to them, from “F” for the term, an “F” or zero for the assignment, a grade penalty (10%? 20%?) applied to the assigned grade, a chance to rewrite the assignment (with or without a grade penalty), taking no grade action but warning the student not to do it again, or to simply letting it go without even approaching the student.

• Be aware that students have the right to appeal academic grades. For that reason, it may be advisable to check with your supervisor about how to proceed in specific cases.

Because of all of these uncertainties, FCTL suggests that faculty consider replacing essay writing with another deliverable that AI cannot today generate (examples include narrated PowerPoint, narrated Prezi, selfie video presentation WITHOUT reading from a script, digital poster, flowcharts, etc.) An alternative is to include AI-generated output as part of the assignment prompt, and then require the students to “do something” with the output, such as analyze or evaluate it.

The Faculty Center recommends that UCF faculty work with Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise) over other large-language model AI tools. The term Copilot is also used by Microsoft to refer to embedded AI in MS Office products, but the web-based chat tool is separate.

Copilot with Commercial Protection is NOT the same thing as “Copilot.” The latter is the public model of Microsoft’s LLM, also available on the web. Copilot with Commercial Protection (if logged in with a UCF NID) is a “walled garden” for UCF that offers several benefits:

• It searches the current Internet and is not limited to a fixed point in time when it was trained
• It uses GPT-4 (faster, better) without having to pay a premium
• It uses DALL-E 3.0 to generate images (right there inside CoPilot rather than on a different site)
• It provides a live Internet link to verify the information and confirm there was no hallucination
• It does not store history by user; each logout or new session wipes the memory. In fact, each query is a new blank slate even within the same session, so it’s not possible to have a “conversation” with Copilot (like you can with ChatGPT)
• Faculty and students log in with their NID
• Data stays local and is NOT uploaded to Microsoft or the public model version of Copilot. Inputs into Copilot with Commercial Protection are NOT added to the system’s memory, database, or future answers

The safe version of UCF’s Copilot is accessed via this procedure:

• If the site doesn’t recognize your UCF email, switch to Bing .
• If it still doesn’t work, switch to the Edge browser.
• Click “sign in” at the top-right
• Select “work or school” for the type of account
• Type your full UCF email (including @ucf.edu) and click NEXT
• Log in with your NID and NID password. (Note: you may need to alter your SafeSearch settings away from “Strict”)
• Note : if image-generation isn’t working, switch to Edge browser and start at Bing and then sign in using NID.

We recommend that faculty approach the AI revolution with the recognition that AI is here to stay and will represent a needed skill in the workplace of the future (or even the present!) As such, both faculty and students need to develop AI Fluency skills, which we define as:

• Understanding how AI works – knowing how LLMs operate will help users calibrate how much they should (mis)trust the output.
• Deciding when to use AI (and when not to) – AI is just another tool. In some circumstances users will get better results than a web-based search engine, but in other circumstances the reverse may be true. There are also moments when it may be unethical to use AI without disclosing the help.
• Valuing AI – a dispositional change such as this one is often overshadowed by outcomes favored by faculty on the cognitive side, yet true fluency with AI – especially the AI of the future – will require a favorable disposition to using AI. Thus, we owe it to students to recognize AI’s value.
• Applying effective prompt engineering methods – as the phrase goes, “garbage in, garbage out” applies when it comes to the kind of output AI creates. Good prompts give better results than lazy or ineffective prompts. Writing effective prompts is likely to remain a tool-specific skill, with different AI interfaces needing to be learned separately.
• Evaluating AI output – even today’s advanced AI tools can create hallucinations or contain factual mistakes. Employees in the workplace of the future – and thus our students today – need expertise in order to know how trustworthy the output is, and they need practice in fixing/finalizing the output, as this is surely how workplaces will use AI.
• Adding human value – things that can be automated by AI will, in fact, eventually become fully automated. But there will always be a need for human involvement for elements such as judgment, creativity, or emotional intelligence. Our students need to hone the skill of constantly seeking how humans add value to AI output. This includes sensing where (or when) the output could use human input, extrapolation, or interpretation, and then creating effective examples of them. Since this will be context-dependent, it’s not a single skill needed so much as a set of tools that enable our alumni to flourish alongside AI.
• Displaying digital adaptability – today’s AI tools will evolve, or may be replaced by completely different AI tools. Students and faculty need to be prepared for a lifetime of changing AI landscapes. They will need the mental dexterity and agility to accept these changes as inevitable, and the disposition to not fight against these tidal forces. The learning about AI, in other words, should be expected to last a lifetime.

“60+ ChatGPT Assignments to Use in Your Classroom Today”

The Faculty Center staff assembled this open-source book to give you ideas about how to actually use AI in your assignments. It is free for anyone to use, and may be shared with others both inside and outside of UCF.

“Teach with AI” Conference

UCF’s Faculty Center and Center for Distributed Learning are co-hosts of the “Teach with AI” annual conference . This is a national sharing conference that uses short-format presentations and open forums to focus on the sharing of classroom practices by front-line faculty and administrators, rather than research about AI. Although this conference is not free for UCF faculty and staff, we hold separate internal events about AI that are free for UCF stakeholders.

AI Fundamentals for Educators Course

Interested in diving deeper in using AI, not just for teaching but also in your own research? Join the Faculty Center for this 6-week course! Held face to face on the Orlando campus, this course includes topics such as:

• LLM models (explore the differences in ChatGPT, Bard/Genesis, CoPilot, and Claude), the art of prompt engineering , and how to incorporate these tools into lesson planning, assignments, and assessments .
• Image, audio, and video generation tools and how to create interactive audio and video experiences using various GenAI tools while meeting digital accessibility requirements .
• Assignment and assessment alterations to include—or combat—the use of GenAI tools in student work.
• Interactive teaching tools for face-to-face AND online courses.
• AI tools that assist students—and faculty—with discipline-specific academic papers and research.
• Teaching AI fluency and ethics to students.

Registration details are on our “ AI Fundamentals page .”

Asynchronous Training Module on AI

Looking for a deeper dive into using AI in your teaching and research, but need a self-paced online option? We’ve got that too! Click on this website to self-enroll in a Webcourse.

Repository of AI Tools

There are several repositories that attempt to catalog all AI tools (futurepedia.io and theresanaiforthat stand out in particular), but we’ve been curating a smaller, more targeted list here .

AI Glossary

• Canva – a “freemium” online image creating/editing tool that added AI-image generation in 2023
• ChatGPT – the text-generating AI created by OpenAI
• Claude – the text-generating AI created by Anthropic (ex-employees of OpenAI)
• Copilot – a UCF-specific instance of Microsoft’s LLM, using UCF logins and keeping data local (note: confusingly, this name is ALSO used by Microsoft for AI embedded in Microsoft Office products, but UCF does not purchase this subscription).
• DALL-E – the image-generating AI created by OpenAI
• Gemini – an LLM from Google (formerly known as Bard)
• Generative AI – a type of AI that “generates” an output, such as text or images. Large language models like ChatGPT are generative AI
• Grok – the generative AI product launched by Elon Musk
• Khanmigo – Khan Academy’s GPT-powered AI, which will be integrated into Canvas/Webcourses (timeline uncertain)
• LLM (Large Language Model) – a type of software / generative AI that accesses large databases it’s been trained on to predict the next logical word in a sentence, given the task/question it’s been given. Advanced models have excellent “perplexity” (plausibility in the word choice) and “burstiness” (variation of the sentences).
• Midjourney – an industry-leading text-to-AI solution (for profit)
• OpenAI – the company that created ChatGPT and DALL-E
• Sora – a text-to-video generative AI from OpenAI

University of Central Florida Undergraduate College Application Essays

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

Join Now to View Premium Content

GradeSaver provides access to 2365 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11012 literature essays, 2781 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.

• Browse College Application Essays
• Undergraduate

College Application Essays accepted by University of Central Florida

A journey through perdition hilary jewel lange, university of central florida.

I stood on the ground where millions of innocent people perished. I walked into a gas chamber, and I walked out. I saw the scratch marks on the walls where people were clawing their way to the top, trying to get one last gasp of oxygen as the...

Warmth of a Smile Anonymous

My annual trips to Pakistan can be summarized with the use of a few basic words, including eating, sleeping, shopping, and complaining. If the car didn't have a fully-operating AC system, I'd curse the people and their lack of technological...

My Life Jordan Williams

“Jooooorrrrddddannnnn,” my mom screamed with utter fear and panic in her voice. Surprisingly, amongst all of the chaos, her voice was all that I heard. I’m not sure if I was disoriented, bewildered or just in complete shock but at that particular...

I have been; I am no longer Julia Ann Reed

I am a seventeen year old mother. Every single day after completing seven hours of rigorous Advanced Placement classes, I am ready to take on the responsibility of caring for a boy who desperately needs my help in order to grow up. I meet him at...

Bookstores Are My Home Savannah Fleming

Whispered book titles and authors' names fill the air, full of ancient information and endless imagination. The smell of my coffee fills the tiny corner in which I curl myself up and open a book to the pleasure of a thousand word combinations to...

St. Elmo's Fire Anonymous

As a child, I was obsessed with 80’s movies. I admired Ferris Bueller’s infectious charisma and fearless confidence. I dreamed of having my own Jake Ryan waiting outside the church, grinning an impish smile while standing by his cool red Porsche....

Mi Orgullo--My pride Anonymous

Having been born and raised in the multicultural hub that is Miami, I was always in the midst of so much diversity. Growing up, I was immersed in my hispanic roots. Arroz con pollo y frijoles, rice with chicken and beans, was a staple in my...

Moving Perspectives Alicia Marie Cotto

As I shoulder my bedroom door open, the cardboard box once secure in my hands flops to the ground. The resulting thud echoes off the walls, but my attention has already shifted. I start a calculated walk around the room, taking it in from multiple...

Outside Influence on My Internal Personality Mujahid Rizwan Jaffer

When some hear my name, Mujahid, the first thing that may come to mind is the Mujahideen, the Afghan warriors in the Cold War era who later became extremist jihadists. Some are taken aback upon hearing it, but I don’t blame them for their...

The Spelling Bee Anonymous

At 9 years old, I thought I would never have to wrap my head around any words more challenging than the one that caused me to come in second place at the county’s spelling bee. Of course, I was a fourth-grader, not a psychic, and just one year...

The Creation of Adam Anonymous

As my family has traveled, a reproduction of one artwork has traveled with us: The Creation of Adam by the Italian Renaissance painter Michelangelo. The composition depicts the Biblical anecdote of God breathing life into man, who was created to...

Quietly Fail, Loudly Win Anonymous

What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that would allow you to contribute to the UCF community? At first, I didn’t know how it could be done. Transforming six sheets of white foam board into a ‘Warhol-esque’ abstract version of a...

Quiet Anonymous

"Why are you so quiet?"

"Do you speak?"

Those few words would make the color of my pale cheeks turn to the brightest shade of red because they always sounded so judgemental. To many, it's only a simple question. Steaming curiosity formed from the...

Trying to Become a Master Photographer Anonymous

Photography is like magic; they’re both about deceiving people. Since I was 14, I explored the world with my best friend, my Nikon D3400. I took thousands of photographs. Each one with less glare, less blur than the one before, but with the same...

Future Nurse Anonymous

I have fallen in love with Thursdays. Why? Because I volunteer in the ER at Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida, constantly madcap organization, a symphony of coughing and wheezing, as well as electric energy. Whether it is consoling patients or...

Recent Questions about University of Central Florida

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

In order to truly produce catharsis - the commingling of fear and pity in an audience - the suffering must be a consequence of reversal or recognition. And indeed, the more surprising the reversal or recognition - as in the case of Oedipus - the...

platos republic

I'm not sure what all your readings have been.

I'm not an expert on Plato but I would go with:

Poetry provides a counterpoint to politicians and critiques their policies.

• About Our Consultations
• Online Consultations
• Policies & Procedures
• Become A Consultant
• For Students
• For Faculty
• Refer a Student
• Request a Presentation

Schedule a Consultation in TracCloud

Find Writing Resources

For Graduate Students

Drafting Lab

Our Mission

The Writing Center is guided by six valued principles—respect, compassion, inclusion, adaptability, collaboration, and learning—with the purpose of:

• providing members of the UCF community free individual and group peer consultations at any stage of the writing process.
• serving as a campus resource for the ongoing cross-disciplinary learning about writing through events and workshops.
• promoting the growth of peer tutors with a rich teaching and learning experience and ongoing professional development in writing center research, theory, and practice to encourage them as leaders, scholars, and teachers.

Win $20,000 for med school tuition from Blueprint MCAT!

University of Central Florida College of Medicine Mission:

The University of Central Florida College of Medicine educates and inspires individuals to be exemplary physicians and scientists, leaders in medicine, scholars in discovery, and adopters of innovative technology to improve the health and well-being of all.  Our patient-centered mission is achieved by outstanding medical care and services, groundbreaking research, and leading edge medical and biomedical education in an environment enriched by diversity.

University of Central Florida College of Medicine Vision:

The University of Central Florida College of Medicine aspires to be the nation’s premier 21st century college of medicine.  The UCF College of Medicine will be a national leader in education, research, and patient care, recognized for supporting and empowering its students and faculty to realize their passion for discovery, healing, health, and life, and for its ability to create partnerships to transform medical education, health care, and research.

Older Essays:

• If you are NOT a Florida resident, please describe any connection to UCF COM, UCF, or Florida. (2000 char)
• If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time. Otherwise write N/A. (500 char)
• Have you experienced academic difficulties, had any grades below “B minus,” or any course withdrawals while in college? In this space, provide brief details regarding academic difficulties, grades below “B minus,” or course withdrawals. (2000 char) How to Write About Your Obstacles, Challenges, and Problems in your Secondary Essays
• What breakthrough in clinical or research medicine would you like to see occur within the span of your career in medicine? Why?  (750 char)
• The complexity of healthcare delivery increasingly requires interdisciplinary teamwork. What lessons have you learned from sports, music, business or other experiences have prepared you to succeed in this environment? (750 char) How To Answer Secondary Prompts About Current Challenges in Health Care
• What profession would you choose if not medicine? (750 char)
• Please share with the Admissions Committee why you are interested in UCF COM. (750 char) How to Answer Secondary Prompts about “Why Us”
• Were you required to work during your college years? If you answer yes, they ask you provide a brief description of why employment was necessary. Also, include an estimated hours per week that you were required to work. (750 char)
• Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general. (two pages maximum, single-spaced, no margins) How to Write About Diversity in Your Secondary Essays

OTHER SCHOOLS

Florida atlantic university charles e. schmidt college of medicine secondary application, florida state university college of medicine secondary application, herbert wertheim college of medicine at florida international university secondary application, lake erie college of osteopathic medicine bradenton campus secondary application, morsani college of medicine at the university of south florida secondary application, nova southeastern university kiran c. patel college of allopathic medicine secondary application, nova southeastern university kiran c. patel college of osteopathic medicine secondary application, university of central florida college of medicine secondary application, university of florida college of medicine secondary application, university of miami leonard m. miller school of medicine secondary application, search site.

5 MOST POPULAR PODCASTS

Secondary Essay Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

5 Common Med School Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Medical Ethics Questions You Can Expect In Your Interview

The MMI: Everything You Need to Know About the Multiple Mini Interview

Common Medical School Interview Mistakes and How to Fix Them

© Medical School Headquarters - All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Website by MAP

Grammar and Writing

• UCF Writing Center
• Avoiding Plagiarism

Guides for Writing Application Essays

Ebscohost ebooks about cover letters and application essays.

• APA Style This link opens in a new window
• MLA Style This link opens in a new window
• Other Styles This link opens in a new window
• EndNote This link opens in a new window
• RefWorks This link opens in a new window

UCF University Writing Center --  Graduate Resources

• Personal Statement for Graduate School
• Thesis & Dissertation
• Grant Writing
• Writing Conference Papers

The following books focus on various types of essays and cover letters, but much of the guidance provided may be useful for other applications as well.

See also Resumes, Cover Letters & Interviews

Search the UCF Library Catalog for other books on college admissions essays , including:

• Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way into the Graduate School of Your Choice Call Number: Reference LB 2351.52 .U6 A74 2008
• How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate & Professional School Call Number: Reference LB 2351.52 .U6 S74 1997
• Accepted! 50 Successful College Admission Essays Call Number: Reference LB 2351.52.U6.T3 2002
• Ca$h for College's Write It Right: How to Write the Essay They'll Love and Get the Cash You Need Call Number: Reference LB 2351.52.U6.M36 2000
• Money-Winning Scholarship Essays & Interviews Call Number: Reference LB 2351.32.U6.T36 2002
• Business School Essays That Made a Difference Call Number: General Collection HF 1131.G555 2003

• Essays That Worked for Business Schools: 40 Essays from Successful Applications to the Nation's Top Business Schools Call Number: General Collection HF 1131.E87 2003
• College Essays That Made a Difference Call Number: General Collection LB 2351.52.U6.C65 2003
• 50 Successful Harvard Application Essays: What Worked for Them Can Help You Get into the College of Your Choice Call Number: General Collection LB 2351.52.U6.A13 2005

NOTE: EBSCOhost eBooks are limited to one user at a time.

• 15-minute Cover Letter: Write an Effective Cover Letter Right Now
• The Guide to Basic Cover Letter Writing
• 201 Killer Cover Letters

• College Applications Made Easy
• Essays That Will Get You Into College
• Essays That Will Get You Into Law School

• Essays That Will Get You Into Medical School

• << Previous: Avoiding Plagiarism
• Next: Citations >>
• Last Updated: Apr 12, 2022 8:55 PM
• URL: https://guides.ucf.edu/grammar

Student Outreach Services Student Success and Well-Being

Does UCF require an Essay or Personal Statement?

Although not required by the Admissions Office, students enrolled in  the Downtown Scholars Initiative (DSI) are strongly recommended to submit the Essay (or Personal Statement) portion of the admissions application. This allows the university to know more about you and your experiences that are separate from test scores or GPA. Click here to connect with your UCF Coach for essay topics!

University of Central Florida College of Medicine Secondary Essay Tips

• Cracking Med School Admissions

The University of Central Florida College of Medicine secondary application takes a lot of work and time to complete well, so  start early.   The most notorious essay prompt on the UCF medical school secondary is the last essay, which is an open-ended prompt to tell the admissions committee who you are. Our Cracking Med School Admissions team strongly suggests to read our blog post about “ how to write an autobiography .” But, keep scrolling down and read our UCF medical school secondary application tips below.  

Our  Cracking Med School Admissions team has a track record of helping our mentees receive acceptances to University of Central Florida College of Medicine and other Florida medical schools year after year. Get our help with writing UCF COM secondary application essays that stand out with our secondary essay editing packages . 

• 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

University of Central Florida Secondary Application Questions: 2023 – 2024

• The first field of your answer will help us understand course content delivery and examinations. Please start a line with: ALL, if all course content was delivered online and exams were also completed online; start a line with TST, if all course content was delivered online and exams were proctored at a test facility or school; or start a line with CLS, if course content was delivered online, required in-class instruction at least three times and exams were proctored either in-class or in a university testing center.
• Next, an abbreviated school name (e.g. UCF)
• The course prefix and number (e.g. BIOL101).
• The abbreviated course title (e.g. General Biology 1).

Here is an example of what your entry should look like: ALL, UCF, BIOL101, General Biology 1, 3.0. Finally, you many add a short comment at the end if there is something that you feel is important for us to know by way of explanation. This would include any courses that were transitioned to online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• If you are NOT a Florida resident, please describe any connection to UCF COM, UCF, or Florida. (500 characters max)
• If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time. (500 characters max)
• In the space below, profived brief details about academic difficultes, gades below “B minus,” or course withdrawals. (500 characters max)
• A commercial test preparation service (Kaplan/Princeton Review, etc.);
• A review course created by an undergraduate institution;

Your answer should look something like: 30/30/40 = 100%

• What breakthrough in clinical or research medicine would you like to see occur within the span of your career in medicine? Why? (750 characters max)
• The complexity of healthcare delivery increasingly requires interdisciplinary teamwork. What lessons have you learned from sports, music, business or other experiences have prepared you to succeed in this environment? (750 characters max)
• Worded a little bit differently this year We often hear that students want to pursue medicine to help people. Why did you choose medicine and not some other field where you can help others, such as nursing, physical therapy, pharmacology, psychology, education, or social work?  (750 characters max)
• Please share with the Admissions Committee why you are interested in UCF COM. (750 characters max)
• Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general. (4,000 characters max)

Tips to Answer UCF Secondaries

UCF Secondaries Pre-Writing Guidance:  We definitely think you should pre-write this secondary. This is long and tough. Since UCF is a state school, we would aim to submit your UCF secondaries by mid-August at the latest.

• Download our  Cracking Med Secondary Essay Workbook and Examples .

UCF Medical School Secondary Application Tip #1: For the UCF secondary application question, “ What breakthrough in clinical or research medicine would you like to see occur within the span of your career in medicine? Why? ” Drs. Rizal and Mediratta suggest that you pick a breakthrough that is related to your interests, past experiences, or an aspect of your personal life. For example, if your parent had cancer, you may want a breakthrough related to cancer. Alternatively, if you did diabetes research, you can discuss how the breakthrough would be related to diabetes or nutrition. 

UCF Medical School Secondary Application Tip #2: To answer the  UCF secondaries question, “ We often hear that students want to pursue medicine to help people. Why did you choose medicine and not some other field where you can help others, such as nursing, physical therapy, pharmacology, psychology, education, or social work? ” choose a profession that has some relation to medicine. For example, if you like teaching patients about health education, you may want to choose a profession that involves teaching others.  The best essays for this prompt include a specific example of a patient experience or clinical experience. 

UCF Medical School Secondary Application Tip #3: Link your UCF secondaries to Central Florida and your ideas to improve the health of Central Floridians. For example, you can discuss a story of a patient you met and helped in Florida. You can also discuss what unique aspects about your personal background will contribute to the M.D. program. 

UCF Medical School Secondary Application Tip #4:  For the UCF secondary application question, “ Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general ,”

Read our HIGH-YIELD blog post How To Write An Autobiography For Medical School.   One of our pieces of advice is to choose anecdotes carefully that convey to the admissions committee who you are. 

You should highlight the following:

• What is unique about your journey to medicine? 
• Unique academic experiences during college
• Stories about community service and involvement
• Stories about patient care

Basically, whatever you choose to write, you have to cover “Why Medicine,” patient experiences, and how you want to contribute to University of Central Florida’s medical school. 

UCF Medical School Secondary Application Tip #5:  Start early and get our help. The U of Central Florida College of Medicine secondary application is extremely long, and so are a majority of the other Florida medical school secondaries. We can absolutely help you tailor and tackle each medical school’s secondary while teaching you how to highlight your strengths! Work with us through our secondary essay editing packages . Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us  below. 

[ Read Other Secondary Essays:  University of Miami ,  Florida State University (FSU), Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine (FAU),   Florida International University (FIU) ] 

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.

• First Name *
• Best Email *
• Year Applying to Medical School *
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

University of Central Florida Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023

• Have you experienced academic difficulties, had any grades below “B minus,” or any course withdrawals while in college? (500 characters max)
• What profession would you choose if not medicine? (750 characters max)
• Please use the space below for anything you might wish to discuss related to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Possible topics might include, for example: your biggest lessons and insights from the pandemic; creative ways in which you were able to serve your community during the crisis; academic or personal hardships you may have faced as a result of the virus or quarantine, etc. (750 characters max)
• Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general. (2 pages max)

Our students successfully receive interviews at their reach schools.

Stand Out From Other Applicants

School Secondary Editing Packages

Why choose us.

Your acceptance can be just one essay away…

University of Central Florida Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022

Here is an example of what your entry should look like: ALL, UCF, BIOL101, General Biology 1, 3.0. Finally, you many add a short comment at the end if there is something that you feel is important for us to know by way of explanation. This would include any types of courses that were transitioned to online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

University of Central Florida Secondary Application Questions: 2020 - 2021

• Self-study with books and or online resources (Khan Academy, AAMC, etc.). Your answer should look something like: 30/30/40 = 100%

University of Central Florida Secondary Application Questions: 2019 – 2020

• Were you required to work during your college years? If you answer yes , provide a brief description of why employment was necessary. Also include an estimated hours per week that you were required to work. (750 characters max)

University of Central Florida Secondary Application Questions: 2018 – 2019

• In this space, describe your anticipated coursework for the academic year. (2,000 characters max)
• Do you have any information that you would like to share with the UCF COM Medical Student Admissions Committee that has not already been addressed in your AMCAS application? You may also use this section to include information about your family, hobbies, and travels, personal interests, interests in the UCF COM, or relationship to Florida, that have not already been discussed in your AMCAS application. (2,000 characters max)
• Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different from your AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the broad diversity of our students within the classroom. We believe the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general. (2,000 characters max)

University of Central Florida Secondary Application Questions: 2017 – 2018

University of central florida secondary application questions: 2016 – 2017.

• If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time. (2,000 characters max)
• Please provide details regarding academic difficulties, grades below B minus, or course withdrawals. (2,000 characters max)
• Do you have any information that you would like to share with the UCF COM Medical Student Admissions Committee that has not already been addressed in your AMCAS application? You may also use this section to include information about your family, personal interests, hobbies, and travels that have not already been discussed in your AMCAS application. Please provide details about NEW information for the Committee to consider to include information about your family, personal interests, hobbies, and travels that have not already been discussed on your AMCAS application. (2,000 characters max)
• Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different than you AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the diversity of our students within the classroom and believe that the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general. (2 pages max)

University of Central Florida Secondary Application Questions: 2015 – 2016

University of central florida secondary application questions: 2014 – 2015.

• Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different than you AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the diversity of our students within the classroom and believes that the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general. (2 pages max)

Contact Us With Questions

We'll answer any and all your questions about medical school we typically respond within 1 business day..

• Your Name *
• Your Email *
• Phone (optional)
• Leave us a Message or Question! We will email and call you back. *
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Start typing and press enter to search

• Communities Pre-Med Medical Resident Audiology Dental Optometry Pharmacy Physical Therapy Podiatry Psychology Rehab Sci Veterinary
• What's new Trending New posts Latest activity
• Support Account Help Confidential Advising
• Vision, Values and Policies

• PreMed Communities
• Pre-Medical (MD)
• MD Medical School-Specific Discussions Prior Years

2023-2024 University of Central Florida

• Thread starter wysdoc
• Start date Mar 23, 2023
• Tags ucf ucfcom ucfmedicalschool

Plain-spoken Texan

• Mar 23, 2023

LaurelePoole

Director, m.d. admissions.

• Jun 21, 2023

Welcome to this thread and to the Lake Nona Medical City. This program has rapidly grown into the leader in the state in M.D. Program outcomes with upper-upper-quartile board scores and research, as well as the state's strongest match lists in the upper echelon specialties (18%) with placements at top residencies across the U.S. These are a product of our very diverse student body that come from around the country (~40 of 120 seats for non-Floridians), our truly integrated curriculum, and collaboration among our students and faculty. The 7,000 acre Lake Nona Medical City continues to expand rapidly with housing, retail, commerce and the first and only Leed Gold hospital in FL the UCF Lake Nona Hospital . We have joined with Sarah Cannon Cancer to open our own UCF Cancer Research Institute adjacent to the UCF Hospital. We will continue to partner our clinical training with approximately 20 hospitals in the general Central Florida vicinity as well as opportunities in St Petersburg, Naples, Ocala, and Gainesville. Merge this with the second largest and busiest VA Hospital in the U.S. , the highly ranked Nemours Children's Hospital , the National VA SimLearn Center for Simulation, the Rosen School for Hospitality, the USTA HQ tennis complex, and the Lake Nona Human Performance Institute. We have all partnered to raise the bar with simulation, nutrition, and Health and Wellness. Finally, we have created and filled approximately 620 residency positions in what is one of the largest academic M.D. Graduate Medical Education programs in Florida. The UCF COM has an award winning Career Advising and Wellness Program, innovative curriculum and student-centered facilities for learning and studying. In addition, UCF is also one of the least expensive M.D. program in the nation and the best value in Florida. We look forward to partnering with you during this application year as we continue to provide you with transparency throughout the admissions year. Please visit www.med.ucf.edu/admissions for additional information.  

Full Member

• Jul 3, 2023

Secondary received, OOS  

docbach14 said: Secondary received, OOS Click to expand...

lovemydog said: can you post it? Click to expand...

LaurelePoole said: Welcome to this thread and to the Lake Nona Medical City. This program has rapidly grown into the leader in the state in M.D. Program outcomes with upper-upper-quartile board scores and research, as well as the state's strongest match lists in the upper echelon specialties (18%) with placements at top residencies across the U.S. These are a product of our very diverse student body that come from around the country (~40 of 120 seats for non-Floridians), our truly integrated curriculum, and collaboration among our students and faculty. The 7,000 acre Lake Nona Medical City continues to expand rapidly with housing, retail, commerce and the first and only Leed Gold hospital in FL the UCF Lake Nona Hospital . We have joined with Sarah Cannon Cancer to open our own UCF Cancer Research Institute adjacent to the UCF Hospital. We will continue to partner our clinical training with approximately 20 hospitals in the general Central Florida vicinity as well as opportunities in St Petersburg, Naples, Ocala, and Gainesville. Merge this with the second largest and busiest VA Hospital in the U.S. , the highly ranked Nemours Children's Hospital , the National VA SimLearn Center for Simulation, the Rosen School for Hospitality, the USTA HQ tennis complex, and the Lake Nona Human Performance Institute. We have all partnered to raise the bar with simulation, nutrition, and Health and Wellness. Finally, we have created and filled approximately 620 residency positions in what is one of the largest academic M.D. Graduate Medical Education programs in Florida. The UCF COM has an award winning Career Advising and Wellness Program, innovative curriculum and student-centered facilities for learning and studying. In addition, UCF is also one of the least expensive M.D. program in the nation and the best value in Florida. We look forward to partnering with you during this application year as we continue to provide you with transparency throughout the admissions year. Please visit www.med.ucf.edu/admissions for additional information. Click to expand...

Same prompts as last year  

YodaPineapple

Does anybody know what the character limits are? I don't see them defined on the secondary. Are they the same as last year?  

• Jul 5, 2023

Secondary received OOS  

cranberrylimeade

I’m going to be a doctor.

AnonymousAnt said: Does anybody know what the character limits are? I don't see them defined on the secondary. Are they the same as last year? Click to expand...

AnonymousAnt said: Are you positive why UCF was 1000? I feel like it only let me put like 800. If it was 1000 then I goofed 🥺 Click to expand...

Questvine94

Hey everyone, I noticed that UCF says their letters should have contact info for the recommenders. I'm not sure if letter writers usually also include their contact info in their letters. I am submitting a committee letter packet, which I think has the contact of the dean of my school who complied the packet. Is that acceptable?  

dandy101 said: Is anyone else having issues uploading their picture? Click to expand...

Questvine94 said: Hey everyone, I noticed that UCF says their letters should have contact info for the recommenders. I'm not sure if letter writers usually also include their contact info in their letters. I am submitting a committee letter packet, which I think has the contact of the dean of my school who complied the packet. Is that acceptable? Click to expand...

cranberrylimeade said: i’m not positive but i’m pretty sure. Click to expand...

cranberrylimeade said: 750 for first few essays, 4000 for personal essay, 1000 for why UCF ◡̈ I had to copy/paste my longest essay and then copy/paste it into a character counter to figure it out lol. Click to expand...

AnonymousAnt said: @LaurelePoole First off, thank you for being so active and transparent in this thread, it really helps! With regard to the re-opened secondary application, it appears there are now no word limits at all. Should we take this as a hint to write significantly more than we previously submitted at 750 characters each? Click to expand...

Lifeisabeach1

• Jul 6, 2023

Hey guys! I contacted their admissions office for clarification on the character count and this is what they said: "the character count is 750 characters for the three shorter questions and a 4000-character limit for the final essay." Why UCF is still 750 character limit I believe. They said that they are going to add the character counts to the secondary app today.  

SultanateIV

Lifeisabeach1 said: Hey guys! I contacted their admissions office for clarification on the character count and this is what they said: "the character count is 750 characters for the three shorter questions and a 4000-character limit for the final essay." Why UCF is still 750 character limit I believe. They said that they are going to add the character counts to the secondary app today. Click to expand...

SultanateIV said: (3.1) Please list each course you have taken, or are projected to take, in an online environment. (500 characters) Do you know if this question is part of the secondary? I do not see it for this cycle. Click to expand...

docbach14 said: I Dont see it on there Click to expand...

BarrBodyGuy

IS received, can confirm that there was no online courses question  

AnonymousAnt said: Yikes. If that is the case then I would need to resubmit it again, as I had gone back in to make "why UCF" longer Click to expand...

albb28 said: Just updating everyone. They added character limits to every essay besides the gap year essay as far as I can see. Click to expand...

wysdoc said: Are the numbers I used in the top post correct? Let me know if I need to change any please Click to expand...

• Jul 7, 2023

Dear All. The character limits are just that, limits. Just because we set a limit doesn't mean you need to hit it exactly for it to be a quality answer. Some people may need more space than others and some may only need to respond succinctly and that is suffice. Neither is right or wrong. This is YOUR secondary application and you should respond to the questions (character limit or not) so that your answer best provides the information asked, and so we may understand who you are and where you have come from.  

coffeemachine

• Jul 15, 2023

Has anyone had their letter of references section show as completed?  

Gormeh Sabzi

• Jul 17, 2023

gogogonza said: Has anyone had their letter of references section show as completed? Click to expand...

kaleidoscope1202

Gormeh Sabzi said: I received an email this morning informing me of the completion of my app and verification of my letters. This is also reflected in my application portal. Submitted my secondary on 7/16 Click to expand...

• Jul 24, 2023

Is anyone going to the "UCF COM: Virtual Information Session" on Thursday? Does anyone know if we have to wear business professional/casual for it?  

• Aug 10, 2023

IS secondary received  

• Aug 12, 2023

Hey guys, current M1 at UCF and just recently through the whole application process you guys are going through. Feel free to drop any questions I could help answer!  

satdixon said: Hey guys, current M1 at UCF and just recently through the whole application process you guys are going through. Feel free to drop any questions I could help answer! Click to expand...

demetriusclair

• Aug 15, 2023

when does ucf typically start sending IIs?  

sunberry said: when does ucf typically start sending IIs? Click to expand...

• Aug 18, 2023

I'm starting calls today and will continue to call/email with interview invitations through the first half or so of February.  

LaurelePoole said: I'm starting calls today and will continue to call/email with interview invitations through the first half or so of February. Click to expand...

Upstairs_Syllabus781

• Aug 20, 2023

IS II received yesterday by phone. LM 82. Complete 7/16. Super excited!  

• Aug 21, 2023

Will UCF also email regarding interviews or just phone call? I am out of the country and can't make international phone calls. I'm worried I'll miss their call while I'm traveling.  

• Aug 22, 2023

dandy101 said: Will UCF also email regarding interviews or just phone call? I am out of the country and can't make international phone calls. I'm worried I'll miss their call while I'm traveling. Click to expand...

• Aug 23, 2023

24applicant24 said: Dear Dr. Poole, Is there an increased MCAT minimum for OOS applicants? I do not see anything about it on the school's website, but I just want to make sure before I submit with a 509. Click to expand...

thefruitfulone said: Hello Laurel! first off thanks so much for your transparency and active involvement in the forums. I wanted to ask, does UCF look at the highest total MCAT or most recent MCAT? Click to expand...

applied2toomanyschoolsxd

• Aug 28, 2023

OOS II !  

applied2toomanyschoolsxd said: OOS II ! Click to expand...

letitbemd said: Congratulations!! When were you complete? Click to expand...

• Sep 4, 2023

Good morning Dr. Poole Regarding secondaries and interview invites, do interview invites to people who submitted at a later time compared to you indicate that you are out of the running? Thank you very much  

• Sep 6, 2023

is ii received today, complete 7/10  

wysdoc said: ahem @thefruitfulone address the Admissions Director as Dr. Poole Cool tip: Nobody should stroll into any med school interview and address their interviewer by their first name in real life either Click to expand...

Similar threads

• Mar 21, 2023

• Mar 15, 2023
• Mar 17, 2023

• This site uses cookies to help personalize content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies and terms of service . Accept Learn more…

UCF Extracurriculars, resume or essay?

My son told me UCF only considers SAT score and GPA in admissions. Is this true??? If not, how does he submit a resume or portfolio of his tech work when there is nowhere in the Future Knight portal to submit anything?

This is not true. If his GPA and SAT are competitive, they will then read his essay. (Common app.) I can not express adequately how important the essay is! Also please note it’s not the length of the essay that’s important…it’s the content.

I don’t know for sure, but I suspect Victor is correct above. If you call Undergraduate Admissions, they can probably help you. I have found them to be very helpful in the past.

On the essay, I agree the content is critical. I also think it is very important to go beyond what the applicant did, focusing a great deal on whatever lessons they learned that they will carry forward in life.

Are you a Florida resident Florida students in the top 10% are guaranteed admission Top 10 Knights | UCF Undergraduate Admissions

The application itself has a spot to add extra curriculars, so you can put that work there. UCF has two essay prompts of their own, not the usual Common App one, that they say is not required, but highly encouraged. They may call them personal statements, but they are basically essays.

This may help answer some questions. Application Process FAQs | UCF Undergraduate Admissions

I would follow this advice from the FAQs There are really no optional parts in a a college application. What is required is the bare minimum and most colleges that have optional parts are looking for applicants who will separate themself from the applicant pool

The only exception if you are a Florida High School student guaranteed admission under the top 10% rule but even then they don’t guarantee which semester you will start Summer, Fall, or Spring. Spring is the worst because they want you to go somewhere in the fall online or community college etc.

The application for admission provides space for a listing of extra and co-curricular activities; this portion of the application should be completed in lieu of submitting supplemental materials.

The essay is an optional component of the application for admission. If you elect to submit an essay, please select a topic within the application form and submit it within your completed application.

I chimed in on the other post, but I will reply here as well. I have a daughter who is a senior. So what is on the application today could be different. There was no place to really put a resume, just a place to list a few ECs. I always recommend that kids do the essay. My D chose why UCF. With all that, kids need the GPA and SAT/ACT to be at a certain level.

I do know some kids that when they were deferred, they called admissions and sent in extra materials. Please apply ASAP. They are rolling admission and it is getting late in the application season.

Details for the Commemoration of Jackie Robinson Day in 2024

The annual recognition of the trailblazing american icon will highlight his impact on the sport and contributions to society through the mlb together pillars.

Major League Baseball, in coordination with the Robinson Family, MLB Clubs and various partners, has announced Baseball’s efforts to celebrate the legacy of Jackie Robinson through the MLB Together platform ( www.MLBTogether.com ) on Jackie Robinson Day – Monday, April 15 th .

IN BALLPARK

NUMBER ‘42’ IN DODGER BLUE – As is tradition, players, managers and coaches will once again wear Robinson’s iconic number on April 15 th , with all teams using Dodger blue “42” jersey numbers (regardless of their primary team colors).

• Additionally, Players, coaches, managers, and umpires will have New Era caps with a “42” side patch. Nike Breaking Barriers t-shirts also will be worn during batting practice.
• Commemorative base jewels and lineup cards will be used for each game.
• Stance socks with commemorative “42” logo, as well as Jackie Robinson products available for purchase at retail.

“PASADENA FIELDS” TRIBUTE VIDEO – A special tribute video, titled “ Pasadena Fields,” will be shown in all ballparks on Jackie Robinson Day. The video also will be played extensively on MLB.com, MLB Social Platforms, MLB.tv and more. The video can be viewed HERE .

In the spirit of the pillars of MLB Together, below are different ways Jackie Robinson Day will be commemorated throughout Major League Baseball:

VOLUNTEERISM

• On April 15 th , MLB will host a volunteer event at the Jackie Robinson Museum in collaboration with Foster Love . Volunteers, comprised of MLB Central Office employees, will assemble superhero gift boxes and sweet cases that will be donated that afternoon to children at a local foster care agency. By building awareness and volunteer opportunities, Foster Love hopes to better the lives of children in foster care and provide them with a sense of normalcy and comfort through a turbulent time in their lives.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

• JRF SCHOLARS – MLB and the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) have continued their longstanding partnership, primarily to provide students from under-represented communities with college scholarships. Many of the current JRF Scholars, as well as JRF Scholars alumni, will be recognized by Clubs. MLB and JRF have partnered on MLB and Club internships, full-time job opportunities, and exposure to MLB careers. MLB has also set aside summer internship slots specifically for JRF Scholars. Historically, MLB and its Clubs have contributed approximately $20 million to the Jackie Robinson Foundation, including supporting college scholarships for more than 150 JRF scholars.
• TRAILBLAZER SERIES – This weekend at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla., MLB and USA Baseball will host the 2024 Trailblazer Series . This annual youth baseball experience for young women, ages 13 and under from across the country, is a three-day event serving as both instructional and developmental. The event has been held in conjunction with Jackie Robinson Day since it launched in 2017. Sonya Pankey , the first grandchild of Jackie and Rachel Robinson, once again will attend to observe and speak to the young athletes.
• A special PLAY BALL event will be held at the JRTC on Saturday, April 13 th in celebration of Jackie Robinson Day, featuring hundreds of children from throughout Indian River County, Florida.
• MLB ID TOUR – MLB is continuing its 18-city MLB ID Tour with the goal of discovering the best athletes within diverse and under-served communities across the country to invite them to future baseball development programs, such as the Breakthrough Series , DREAM Series or Hank Aaron Invitational , many of which will be held at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex. The MLB ID Tour event during Jackie Robinson Day weekend will take place Saturday, April 13 th in Charlotte, NC and Sunday, April 14 th in Anderson, SC.
• For The Kids – Printable education activities aimed at providing kids information on Jackie’s life and legacy will be found at MLBTogether.com/42 . This includes fun activities such as word scramble, word search and coloring pages.
• Nike RBI Day at Jackie Robinson Museum – Participants of local Nike Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) programs and their families will have an opportunity to visit the Jackie Robinson Museum in NYC on Saturday, April 13 th and learn about Robinson’s legacy in fun ways with JRF and MLB staff.

MLB CLUB & PARTNER ACTIVATIONS

MLB CLUBS – See separate attachment for Club Activations (with more to be announced leading up to April 15 th )

CAPITAL ONE – Since becoming the Official Bank and Credit Card Partner of Major League Baseball in 2022, and establishing the Capital One Walk-Off program, Capital One has committed over a million dollars to the Jackie Robinson Foundation in support of its programs. Once again, Capital One is supporting JRF and donating $1,000 for each “Capital One Walk-Off” (game-winning play) this year, committing to a total donation of $250,000 for the season.

GAMING – Major League Baseball’s award-winning video game franchise MLB The Show will continue to support the legacy of Jackie Robinson through its "Storylines: Negro Leagues Season 2" storytelling content. Sony Interactive Entertainment and San Diego Studio will once again sell a Jackie Robinson Foundation Pack that will support the JRF/MLB The Show Scholars program, supported by PlayStation Career Pathways Program, to help reduce the achievement gap in higher education.

MULTIMEDIA & BROADCAST

MLB NETWORK & MLB.com – MLB Network and MLB.com will highlight Jackie Robinson related programming and content throughout Jackie Robinson Day. MLB.com and all 30 Club sites will have extensive editorial content and coverage highlighting each team's special connection with Jackie, as well as special features that explore his impact as a baseball pioneer and his influence over today's players.

SOCIAL MEDIA – MLB Social Media platforms in both English and Spanish will demonstrate the many ways Jackie inspired baseball and society – not just as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers, but most importantly, his character and what he represented before, during and after his career. Highlights include custom illustrations, collages, classic Jackie Robinson highlights and infographics.

Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball.

JACKIE ROBINSON DAY BACKGROUND

Robinson played his first Major League game at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947 as a first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Major League Baseball has celebrated Jackie Robinson’s legacy in an extensive and unified League-wide show of support over the years, including retiring his number throughout the Majors in 1997, dedicating April 15 th as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004, and requesting that every player and all on-field personnel wear his Number 42 during games scheduled on Jackie Robinson Day since 2009. Major League Baseball aims to educate all fans about Jackie Robinson, his life’s accomplishments and legacy, while spearheading initiatives that support communities and meaningfully address diversity and inclusion at all levels of our sport. For more information, please visit MLBTogether.com .

Contact: Steve Arocho or Aby Goodman, Major League Baseball, (212) 931-7800, mlbpressbox.com , @MLB_PR .

JACKIE ROBINSON DAY 2024 – CLUB ACTIVATION EXAMPLES

Atlanta Braves

• The Atlanta Braves will commemorate Jackie Robinson Day at Truist Park on April 19 as the team takes on the Texas Rangers. In honor of the day, the Braves will host 55 children and chaperones from the Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls Club in Cairo, Georgia, the birthplace of Robinson, for a special day of celebration and activities at Truist Park. Before the game, the kids of the Jackie Robinson Boys and Girls Club will enjoy carnival games, a rock wall and zip line inside Truist Park at the Hope and Will’s Sandlot. As part of the Braves’ Jackie Robinson Day pregame ceremony, Ella Elbeck, the Atlanta Braves and MLB Jackie Robinson Scholar, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and the club members will stand in line with Braves players during the National Anthem. Additionally, the Atlanta Braves Foundation will make a charitable contribution to the Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls Club, bolstering their ongoing mission to offer a secure after-school environment where children can connect, develop essential skills, and cultivate the confidence necessary for successful futures.

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Jackie Robinson Day will be celebrated league-wide and the Diamondbacks special pregame ceremony will salute those in the community who are making a positive impact and carrying on the legacy of Jackie Robinson. Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church Choir will perform the National Anthem as well as the Black National Anthem. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Valley-native Raven Gibson, the founder of Legendary Rootz, a Phoenix business that sells apparel and gift items celebrating the Black community and was one of Target’s featured businesses for Black History Month. The team will recognize the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year as well as the East Valley United Black Firefighters, who focus on involvement and development in African-American communities, fostering promotion and advancement and promoting overall well-being. Fans with the special event ticket package will receive an exclusive hat featuring Robinson’s number “42.” Tickets: dbacks.com/jackierobinson

Baltimore Orioles

• In honor of Jackie Robinson Day, the Orioles and Nike will host 150 youth baseball and softball players from the Jackie Robinson Baseball League at Monday’s game. Allison Alston, a senior at the University of Virginia and Baltimore’s Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch in a custom No. 42 jersey, provided by Nike. The Orioles and Nike will also donate 12 copies of “Testing the Ice: A True Story about Jackie Robinson” to students at Harlem Park Elementary Middle School. The book, which was written by Robinson’s daughter, Sharon, talks about what it was like growing up with Robinson as her father and his career in Major League Baseball.
• The Orioles and Harlem Park Elementary Middle School recently announced a long-term partnership, in which the Orioles will use their platform to provide Harlem Park with various resources and opportunities, standing as a committed partner to positively impact West Baltimore students for years to come.

Boston Red Sox

• The Boston Red Sox will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day in pregame ceremonies preceding their traditional Patriots’ Day game at 11:10 a.m. on Monday, April 15. During the ceremonies, Jackie Robinson Scholars will be recognized on field, and Red Sox players will wear their home jerseys featuring “Boston” on the front, with ‘42’ in blue on the back to mark the 77 th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.
• Earlier this year, the club paid tribute to Jackie Robinson with a “Celebration of Life” on January 31, what would have been the 105 th birthday for the Hall of Famer. Now in its 21 st year, the event included a visit from Red Sox Hall of Famer Tommy Harper and 2007 World Series Champion Manny Delcarmen with students at Tech Boston Academy to speak about Robinson’s impact on Major League Baseball and his connection to the Boston Red Sox. The event was also attended by Jackie Robinson Foundation Vice President of Community Engagements and Partnerships Ivo Philbert, Red Sox Vice President/Club Counsel and Red Sox Hall of Fame Inductee Elaine Steward, and Red Sox Foundation Executive Director Bekah Salwasser; both Steward and Salwasser are Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars.

Chicago Cubs

• The Chicago Cubs will celebrate the life and legacy of baseball legend Jackie Robinson at Wrigley Field Thursday, April 18. For Jackie Robinson Night, the Cubs will recognize The Support Group , a Chicago-based organization that inspires and educates underserved youth in Chicago with after-school programs, on the field pregame, as well as include both the Black national anthem and national anthem in the pregame festivities. JRF Scholars will sing the seventh-inning stretch.
• Cubs fans interested in attending the April 18 game are encouraged to purchase a ticket through the Jackie Robinson Night Special Ticket Offer which comes with a special-edition Jackie Robinson “42” hat. A portion of the proceeds from the Special Ticket Offer will be donated to The Support Group.

Chicago White Sox

• The White Sox will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day by honoring baseball’s trailblazers and empowering local youth as leaders in the classroom, on the field and beyond. The organization launched its eighth annual Jackie Robinson Student Contest, inviting students to submit a creative work that celebrates former Negro Leagues greats or Black baseball pioneers. Dozens of young artists found unique ways to spotlight unsung heroes who greatly contributed to the history and legacy of the sport. All contest participants received tickets for the game and an opportunity to participate in a pregame parade, while three grand prize winners will receive a VIP experience, including tickets to a suite and recognition during a special pregame ceremony. The White Sox also will welcome more than 250 players and family members from the organization’s Amateur City Elite (ACE) program, created to reverse the declining interest and participation in baseball among Black youth, and ten Little League teams served by the club’s RBI Jersey program to enjoy a pregame parade on the ballpark’s warning track. The ACE invitees, four of whom the Sox welcomed to a Negro Leagues Baseball Museum tour in Kansas City in early April, and the youth teams, including notable clubs like Jackie Robinson West and Rosemoor Little League, received a total of 1,300 game tickets for the evening. Chicago Bears offensive assistant coach Jennifer King will throw the game’s ceremonial first pitch. She is the first female coach in Bears history and the first full-time Black female coach in the NFL. Several 12U ACE players will take the field alongside the 2024 Sox lineup, as well as announce “play ball” to start the game. Additional resources and content surrounding Black baseball pioneers and the White Sox connection to the Negro Leagues is available at whitesox.com/negroleagues .

Cincinnati Reds

• The Reds will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on April 19 at Great American Ball Park (Reds vs. Angels) with pregame ceremonies and events in the Cincinnati community.
• Throwing out a ceremonial first pitch will be Cincinnati Cyclones hockey team head coach Jason Payne, one of the two Black head coaches of the ECHL. The Cyclones made history on March 30 th when Black players Landon Cato, Elijah Gonsalves, Jalen Smereck, Kyle Bollers, and Josh Burnside took the ice as the starting lineup.
• Members of the AACE LLC ownership group, Reds shareholders since 2005, will be recognized during pregame ceremonies. The AACE group was one of the first Black ownership groups in American sports history.
• Fans in attendance will receive a Jackie Robinson Baseball Card, presented by LifeCenter.
• In the community, the Reds have the following events planned:
• Reds players Hunter Greene, Will Benson and Bubba Thompson are scheduled to visit Cincinnati Public School’s Woodward High School on April 19 to speak to the baseball and softball teams about their journey to the major leagues.
• HBCU schools Wilberforce University and Kentucky State University are playing in the annual Joe Morgan Classic on April 17 at the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy. Players from both teams will be wearing authentic replica Negro Leagues jerseys and will receive custom baseball cleats from Nike.
• The Skyline Chili Reds Futures High School Showcase presented by Cincinnati Children’s Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on April 13 & 14 by hosting Cincinnati Public Schools baseball and softball teams. In honor of Robinson, all baseball and softball players will wear “42” jerseys provided by Nike.
• In conjunction with Jackie Robinson Day, the Reds Country Cares initiative for April focuses on the message that “Reds Baseball Welcomes All” to highlight the Reds commitment to diversity, inclusion and disability awareness. More information on Jackie Robinson Day activities and how the Reds promote positive change and inclusiveness through Reds Country Cares and other initiatives is available at reds.com/Unity .

Cleveland Guardians

• The Guardians will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on April 19 at Progressive Field with pregame ceremonies and community events. Ahead of JRD, Germaine Harvey, who is a Jackie Robinson Scholar currently enrolled at Case Western Reserve University, will be throwing out a first pitch. National anthem will be performed by Michael Williams on Sax, an inspirational saxophonist who began playing as a church musician for the Family Baptist Church in Ohio. Jackie Robinson information and education will be incorporated into inning break scoreboard features like our jersey number challenge.

Detroit Tigers

• On Jackie Robinson Day, the Detroit Tigers will host 42 local baseball and softball players from two local high schools at Comerica Park for a “Breaking Barriers” educational panel. The panel will feature Tigers front office staff providing background on their careers and the path they took to become successful, focusing on Robinson’s nine core values (courage, determination, commitment, persistence, integrity, justice, teamwork, citizenship and excellence). Tigers Nike RBI baseball player Jordan Spencer will throw out a ceremonial first pitch. Prior to the panel, attendees will also be invited to watch batting practice and are scheduled to meet with Tigers players, coaches and broadcasters.

Houston Astros

• The Astros Foundation distributed 100 copies of the book “I Never Had It Made” an autobiography written by Jackie Robinson to high school students from the Mickey Leland College Prep and students from the Astros Youth Academy. Those students wrote an essay on Jackie Robinson and are invited to the game on April 15 and a special pregame reception in his honor.
• During the Jackie Robinson Day pregame reception, held in the 42 Room at Minute Maid Park (a meeting space that celebrates the legacy of Jackie Robinson), the students will get a chance to hear from J.C. Hartman, Houston’s first Black major leaguer, who played for the Colt .45s from 1962-63. The students will also hear from Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars during this pregame reception and assistant GM Gavin Dickey. There will also be a celebration of J.C. Hartman’s 90 th birthday during the reception, which is April 15, 1934.
• In an on-field pregame ceremony in honor of Jackie Robinson Day, Hartman will throw out a ceremonial first pitch. A portion of the proceeds from LDI Homes Share2Care 50/50 raffle on Monday will go to the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

Kansas City Royals

• In honor of Jackie Robinson Day, the Kansas City Royals hosted close to 80 high school students on Thursday, April 11 th as part of Club 42. The students listened to a panel made up of front office staff before enjoying lunch and watching as the team took on the Houston Astros.
• For the remainder of the month the public can stop by the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy (KCUYA) to view a Jackie Robinson exhibit. The exhibit includes replicas of three jerseys Robinson wore during the early days of his baseball career - before he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 breaking the color barrier in the then-established Major Leagues. Jerseys include the 1945 Kansas City Monarchs, the 1945 Kansas City Royals, and the 1946 Montreal Royals.
• On Monday, April 15 th , the media is invited to sit and talk to Emmanuella Alawode, the Royals’ Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar who hopes to break barriers in the medical field. The now senior attends the University of Missouri- Kansas City (UMKC) and is set to throw out the first pitch on Friday, April 19 th .

Los Angeles Dodgers

• The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will host multiple events throughout Los Angeles to celebrate the 77 th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
• On Thursday, April 11 th , students from Alma Fuerte Public School, located on the campus of Jackie Robinson’s elementary school, learned about the legacy of Jackie Robinson from Dodger historian Mark Langill. The 190 students grades TK-8 helped prepare care packages for troops in honor of Jackie’s military service.
• On Sunday, April 14 th , in partnership with Nike and the Los Angeles Dodgers, LADF will release a Dodgers Dreamteam Coaches Playbook, the first of its kind in the program’s history. This playbook will incorporate Jackie Robinson’s nine values and is a direct investment from the 2022 MLB All-Star Game Legacy. The playbook will expand the curriculum Dodgers Dreamteam coaches currently use, which focuses on providing the highest level of sport skill while also focusing on social and emotional development. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will join the group to unveil the new playbook and provide guidance on coaching skills.
• On Monday, April 15 th , the Dodgers and Dodgers Foundation will host a youth baseball and softball clinic at UCLA in Jackie Robinson Stadium.  Youth participants are coming from Dodgers Dreamteam, Orville Wright Middle School and Westchester High School. Attendees will participate in a baseball and softball clinic, in addition to a College & Career Panel that will include members of the Los Angeles Dodgers leadership team. 
• Also on the 15 th , the Dodgers will be joined by the Washington Nationals as they host their annual team meeting at the Jackie Robinson statue in the Center Field Plaza as the teams reflect on Robinson’s continued impact on today’s game.
• On Tuesday, April 16 th , in partnership with Mookie and Brianna Betts’ 5050 Foundation, LADF will host a ceremony to celebrate renovations and upgrades for John Muir’s baseball field. These renovations continue Jackie Robinson’s legacy at his alma mater in Pasadena and include a rebuilt pitcher’s mound and batter boxes, updated infield mix, updated fence signage, and updated scoreboard signage. Additionally, the dugouts are being updated, along with backstop padding, installation of a home plate halo, and an updated windscreen.

Los Angeles Angels

• The Angels Baseball Foundation is hosting their 4th annual “Angels JR42 Clinic, Presented by Nike” on Monday, April 15 th . Taking place on Jackie Robinson Day at the Anaheim Family YMCA Community Complex, the clinic will provide an outlet for children in Anaheim and the surrounding community to participate in a youth baseball and softball event to learn more about Jackie Robinson’s impact on the game and society. Approximately 75-100 pre-registered children, aged 6-12, will participate in a station-rotation event, learning skills such as: hitting, throwing, fielding, baserunning and the mental focus necessary to be an athlete and successful in life. Orange County Health Care Agency, an Angels partner, will provide games and activities at one of the stations to teach the kids teamwork, leadership and confidence, all skills shared by the clinic’s namesake, Jackie Robinson. Each child participant will receive an Angels hat and t-shirt.
• In addition, the Los Angeles Angels and the Anaheim Ducks hosted a screening of the documentary film “Beyond Their Years” on April 4 th for their staff members. The film depicts the lives of two Black athletes, Herb Carnegie playing hockey, and Buck O’Neil playing baseball. Although these two icons were excluded from playing at the highest professional level of their sport because of their race, the positive attitude they carried throughout their lives allowed them to overcome the hardships they faced. Through their involvement in the Future Aces (Carnegie) and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (O’Neil), they continued to inspire others long after their playing careers were over. The screening was followed by a panel discussion with Angels Manager Ron Washington, Bernice Carnegie (Herb’s daughter), and the film’s producer Bryant McBride, as they discussed their own experiences and the importance of educating others by continuing to tell the story of these pioneers.
• On Saturday, April 6 th , the Angels welcomed former NHL player Willie O’Ree to Angel Stadium. O’Ree, the first Black player in the National Hockey League, is regarded as the “Jackie Robinson of hockey.” He was greeted by Angels Manager Ron Washington, Special Assistant to General Manager Torii Hunter, Outfielders Mike Trout and Jo Adell, as well as other players and staff members during batting practice. He shared his compelling story of breaking the NHL color line as a Boston Bruin on January 18, 1958.

Miami Marlins

• For the third consecutive year, the Marlins and loanDepot park hosted the Jackie Robinson Classic presented by Nike on Tuesday, April 9 th . The game, organized by the Miami Marlins Foundation, featured two predominantly black local high schools, Booker T. Washington & Boyd Anderson, providing them with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play a game at a Major League ballpark. On Wednesday, April 10 th , a member from the Jackie Robinson Museum in NYC hosted a Kahoot! trivia game on Zoom about the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson for Marlins employees.
• On Jackie Robinson Day, April 15 th , mentors and mentees from the Miami-based 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project will learn about the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson, as part of a pregame event at the ballpark. 5000 Role Models is a dropout prevention, mentoring program committed to closing the minority male achievement (access) gap by guiding minority male students along a carefully charted path through grades K-12 and college or ensuring the attainment of other post-secondary credentials, and increasing their employability in higher wage, high skills jobs within high demand industries. The mentors and mentees will greet fans at the gates with signs featuring Jackie Robinson’s Nine Values. The mentees will line up between Marlins players during the National Anthem.
• Additionally, the Marlins will honor the organization’s 2023 Jackie Robinson Award winners with a special pre-game on-field ceremony. The honorees include one from Baseball Operations (Joe Caro, Special Assignment Scout) and one from Business Operations (Daniel Hernandez, Director of Facilities). They were selected by their colleagues for best demonstrating Jackie Robinson’s Nine Values not only as professionals, but as people too.A Jackie Robinson Foundation Legacy Scholar from the University of Miami (Nasir Grant) will throw out the first pitch.

Milwaukee Brewers

• The Milwaukee Brewers partnered with Sharp Literacy to launch the Jackie Robinson Art Contest encouraging Milwaukee Public School students to use their creativity and imagination to submit an original artistic expression that captures the spirit of one or more of Jackie Robinson’s values of citizenship, commitment, courage, determination, excellence, integrity, justice, persistence, and teamwork. On April 15, the top three artists will receive a fan pack filled with Brewers memorabilia, the book “Who Was Jackie Robinson” and on-field pre-game recognition with their artwork displayed on the scoreboard during the presentation. The 1 st place artist will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Minnesota Twins

• The Minnesota Twins will honor and celebrate Jackie Robinson’s enduring impact on our game and society across the club’s digital platforms, along with activations in the Twin Cities. Twins social platforms will share a video sponsored by Nike that features personal comments from centerfielder Byron Buxton, who reflects on Jackie’s legacy and how it has influenced his own journey. On Tuesday, April 16, Twins mascot T.C. and front office staff will visit a local elementary school as part of the club’s “Reading is Powerful” program – which promotes the fun of reading and shares life lessons through the telling of baseball-themed stories – to entertain and educate students on Jackie’s Nine Values. Additionally, Chelsey Falzone, the Twins’ Manager of Youth Engagement, will be assisting MLB and USA Baseball at the 2024 Trailblazer Series.

New York Mets

• The Mets will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on April 15 with their second-annual Black Legacy Game, honoring former Black players and Jackie Robinson throughout the day. Beginning at 5:45 p.m., the team will host a Black Legacy panel featuring world renown rappers and recording artists, DJ Webstar & Mims to discuss the impact of Jackie Robinson’s legacy on the world of rap – the panel will be attended by Queensboro College students. Pregame ceremonies begin at 6:45 p.m., with the Canaan Baptist Youth Choir singing the Black National Anthem and Renee Neufville from the R&B Group Zhane performing the National Anthem. Jackie Robinson Scholar’s, fourth-year Harvard university student, Olusola Babalola will throw out the Honorary first pitch. Pregame festivities also include special appearances by the Robinson Family . David Robinson, Jackie’s son , will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, caught by Butch Huskey . Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s 101 year-old wife, will also be in attendance for the game and will be presented with flowers from Mookie Wilson and Manager Carlos Mendoza as well as a special video tribute. Additional recognition of former Mets and MLB Black players will continue throughout the game and the Amazin’ Mets Foundation will be supporting the Jackie Robinson Foundation with their 50/50 raffle for the game.

Oakland Athletics

• The A's will commemorate Jackie Robinson Day at the Coliseum on April 15 as the team hosts the St. Louis Cardinals. In honor of the day, early arriving fans will receive a special Jackie Robinson T-shirt giveaway. Additionally, partial proceeds from all special event tickets purchased will benefit the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship and leadership development programs.

Philadelphia Phillies

• The Phillies have several special happenings surrounding Jackie Robinson Day on Monday, April 15. Before that night's game against the Rockies, the club will officially unveil Pioneers in Pinstripes, a new area in the Hall of Fame Club at Citizens Bank Park created to honor the trailblazers of Phillies integration and racial/ethnic diversity, focusing mostly on the time from when Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier to when Dick Allen became the Phillies’ first Black superstar. Pioneers in Pinstripes pays tribute to both the well- and lesser-known figures who helped pave the way for future generations of Black and other minority athletes on the Phillies and in the city, while also educating the public and serving as a home base for collections and research on the subject of Phillies integration. Taking part in the unveil will be Tazena Kennedy (daughter of John Kennedy, the first Black Phillies player), Terry Washington (son of pioneer Ted Washington - the first Black player signed by the Phillies), Ruben Amaro Jr. (whose dad, Ruben Amaro Sr., was part of the first wave of players of color in the 1960s), Willa Allen (widow of Phillies great Dick Allen), and alumni Gary Matthews and Milt Thompson. Family members of pioneers featured in the new area will also be recognized at the event. As part of the team's on-field tribute to Jackie Robinson, there will be a ceremonial first pitch by Gail Quarles, daughter of pioneer Hank Mason (who in 1955 was one of the first Black players to appear in games in the Phillies minor league system), who will be accompanied by Phillies Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer John Middleton. In addition, the on-field tribute will include the Phillies honoring their 2024 Jackie Robinson Foundation scholar Julian Fields-Jackson from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as their Phillies Charities grant recipient Rukudzo Taruwinga, also a Nike RBI softball player. A portion of that night’s 50/50 Phillies Charities Raffle will benefit the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Earlier in the day, the Phillies will also be participating in a Jackie Robinson Day Celebration at the Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park, a free outdoor event honoring the legacy of Jackie Robinson and the Philadelphia Stars.

San Diego Padres

• The Padres continue to honor the legacy of Johnny Ritchey for his role as the “Jackie Robinson of the West Coast” for breaking the Pacific Coast League’s color barrier in 1948 while playing for the San Diego Padres. His debut came just one year after Jackie Robinson broke the major league color barrier, with Ritchey playing the position of catcher for the Padres in 1948 and 1949. On Monday, April 8, the Padres presented 10 high school seniors with the Johnny Ritchey Scholarship award worth $10,000 each during the pregame ceremony. The Johnny Ritchey Scholarship is designed for students that have encountered and, more importantly, have overcome significant personal adversities in his or her life and have used these challenges to strengthen themselves in their pursuit of higher education. Follow the ceremony, the students took the field with Padres starters prior to the game. The next day on April 9, the Padres hosted the Breaking Barriers Forum on the Sycuan Stage in Gallagher Square at Petco Park prior to Tuesday’s game. Three hundred students attended the panel that featured three prominent females who have “broken barriers” in the world of professional sports.

Seattle Mariners

• The Mariners will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on April 15 with their game beginning at 6: 42 pm. Pregame festivities include a Ceremonial First Pitch thrown by Cassius Culpepper , Rainier Beach High School and Baseball Beyond Borders Nike RBI student-athlete and descendant of Jackie Robinson, and national anthem performance by Dr. Richard Hodges , Western Washington University Assistant Professor of Music. The club will also celebrate Hometown All-Star, Omari Salisbury (founder of Converge Media) for his work to create culturally relevant content across the Pacific Northwest for urban audiences, as well as recognize the Hometown Nine Fellow Class of 2028 as Honorary Mariners for the evening. The first 10,000 fans at T-Mobile Park that evening will receive a Ken Griffey Jr. “Home Run Robbery” bobblehead.

St. Louis Cardinals

• The St. Louis Cardinals will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, April 24. The festivities will include an honorary pitch ceremony featuring a local Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar. The team will also recognize CommunityAmerica for their support of both the Jackie Robinson Foundation and Cardinals Care, with a pregame check presentation ceremony. In partnership with Nike, Cardinals Care will recognize nonprofits who represent at least one of Jackie Robinson’s 9 Values. And the team will provide educational activities about Jackie Robinson for kids in Ford Plaza.

Tampa Bay Rays

• The Tampa Bay Rays will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on Monday, April 15 when they host the Los Angeles Angels. A special pregame presentation will highlight the five recipients of the Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund’s fifth annual Racial Equity Grants. The program was launched in 2020 to build power in communities that have been historically overlooked because of systemic racism. The grants support organizations making an impact in the areas of housing, workforce development, health equity, criminal justice reform, education and youth development. This year’s recipients will each be given $20,000 and will be recognized on the field before the game and hosted in a suite with local community leaders: AMIKids, The Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women, James B. Sanderlin Neighborhood Family Center, Sing Out and Read and Where Love Grows Inc.
• In addition, the Rays will host students from The Write Field Program, a Poynter Institute writing and mentoring program for African American and Hispanic students from middle and high schools in Pinellas County. The students will have the opportunity to interview local community leaders including State Champion Boys Basketball Coach Larry Murphy of Gibbs High School and Roosevelt ‘Bubba’ Swinton who was recognized by the City of St. Petersburg in January for his more than 50 years of service to youth baseball as a coach, mentor, scorekeeper, umpire and commissioner of the Wildwood Dodgers youth baseball club. The students’ stories written from the interviews will be published in the Tampa Bay Times . Dr. Alex Harris, CEO and Co-Founder of the Arts Conservatory for Teens, will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” National Football League wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a graduate of St. Petersburg’s Lakewood High School, will get the game started with the ceremonial first pitch.

Texas Rangers

• While the Rangers will be in Detroit on April 15, the club plans to have related programing at its Rangers MLB Youth Academy in Dallas next week. The Rangers Baseball Foundation will also make its annual contribution to the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

Toronto Blue Jays

• The Blue Jays will honor the legacy of Jackie Robinson and his impact on sport and society with a Blue Jays “42” hat giveaway to fans, spoken word tribute produced by a local Toronto artist and musician that will run in-stadium and on social, and various activations throughout the ballpark including a memorabilia display from the Canadian Negro League and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. All of the team’s in-game “42” items (player jerseys/hats/socks, commemorative bases, lineup card) will be authenticated and auctioned with proceeds going to Jays Care Foundation educational programs for kids across Canada.

Washington Nationals

• While in Los Angeles on the 15 th , the Nationals will join the LA Dodgers in their annual team meeting at the Jackie Robinson statue in the Dodger Stadium’s Center Field Plaza to reflect on Robinson’s continued impact on today’s game.
• Closer to home in Washington D.C., Washington Nationals Philanthropies, the official charitable arm of the Washington Nationals, are hosting a week of programming at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy to educate and inspire scholar athletes through Jackie Robinson’s legacy. The programming includes Jackie Robinson “character trait” jersey creation, viewing and discussion of the movie “42”, and baseball/softball activities themed around overcoming adversity.
• Additionally, the Nationals will be donating signed, game-worn apparel from the day, which will be auctioned off to fans by the team’s charitable arm. Proceeds will benefit the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, supporting its mission is to help children, families, and communities thrive through sports-based youth development and access to healthy food.

Most Innovative University in Florida

Our people and ideas continue to foster life-changing research, impactful industry partnerships and technology-driven innovation.

Top 20 In Innovation

With more than 220 degree programs in 13 colleges, UCF provides an education for your future, today.

Find Your Degree Program

• Bachelor’s
• Master’s

Positively Impacting the World

When the world looks to answer the questions facing today’s most challenging programs, our world-renowned faculty are sought for their expertise . Here are some of our recent contributions to the news that shapes our world, and worlds we’ve yet to discover.

“Launch pads are as complex as rockets are” — Phil Metzger , Associate Scientist, Planetary Physicist   The Verge

“Nature has a very different way of creating color than we do” — Debashis Chanda , Researcher and Professor of Physics   Wired

“[…] have people get in contact with what we call the triggers” — Deborah C. Beidel, Ph.D., ABPP , Trustee Chair and Pegasus Professor   WSJ – The Future of Everything

We unleash the potential of people and ideas to positively change the world.

Expert Faculty & Researchers

Our faculty and researchers are focused on solving the biggest problems facing humanity . Discover their stories and explore the groundbreaking research that’s creating meaningful change for today, and for the future.

From space technologies , simulation and immersive experiences to healthcare , energy and national security — learn more from thought leaders in each field of study.

Making Lasers Faster and More Efficient .

Featuring .

Dr. Peter Delfyett explains how his research with optics and lasers can improve technology for the future.

learn more.

Finding Water on the Moon .

Jillian Gloria ’22 explains how her research helps find water on the moon to better understand where astronauts can live and work safely.

Quantum Physics for Technologies of Tomorrow .

Enrique Del Barco , explains quantum physics that propel us toward future technologies – in a simple way!

In-demand Degrees Empowering Student Success

With top-ranked programs taught by world-renowned experts, UCF prepares graduates for the tech-focused jobs of today and the emerging industries of tomorrow.

Bachelor’s Degrees

Majors designed with your future in mind.

• Aerospace Engineering (BSAE)
• Digital Media (BA)
• Data Science (BS)
• Health Informatics and Information Management (BS)

Graduate Degrees

Master’s programs to help advance your career.

• Computer Science (MS)
• Interactive Entertainment (MS)
• Nursing (MSN)
• Optics & Photonics (MS)

Graduate Certificates

Graduate certificates to help you get ahead.

• Applied Photonics
• Emergency Management and Homeland Security
• Smart Cities
• Hospitality and Tourism Technologies

Nationally recognized, fully-online degrees.

• FinTech (MS)
• Health Services Administration (BS)
• Systems Engineering (MSSE)
• Travel Technology and Analytics (MS)

Find the degree that’s right for you

Check out more stories

View Upcoming Events

Discover even more ways to get involved on social media:

Thirteen colleges. Unlimited possibilities.

At UCF, we offer an array of academic options for just about every interest. Check out our 240+ degree programs , award-winning faculty and groundbreaking research. You’ll quickly discover all there is to experience and learn at one of the nation’s most innovative universities.