How should I approach the UB Honors College essay?

The UB Honors College essay is a great opportunity to give the committee a sense of who you are beyond your GPA and test scores, so it’s important to find a balance between your academic achievements and your personal motivations or interests.

Rather than just listing awards or leadership positions, try to use your essay to tell a story about why you’re passionate about your intended major (Biomedical Sciences) and how your experiences—like your community service with the Red Cross—have helped shape that passion. Think about a specific moment where your interest in science intersected with your service activities. For example, maybe assisting at a blood drive made you curious about blood types, or you met someone whose experiences inspired you to learn more about public health.

If their prompt is broad (such as asking why you want to join Honors, or what you’ll contribute), use it to honestly reflect on how you would benefit from or add to the UB Honors community. UB Honors wants students who are not only strong academically, but also intellectually curious and eager to be active participants in service and learning outside the classroom. Show them how you’ll bring those qualities.

For structure, start with a hook—a short, vivid anecdote or a question that leads into your main point. Then devote the main body to how your experiences connect to your goals as a UB Honors student, with at least one specific example. End with a brief reflection about why UB Honors is the right fit for you.

One pitfall to avoid is making the essay only about what you’ve done, rather than what you’ve learned. Admissions readers are looking for insight into your character and how you think. For instance, if you write about your Red Cross service, don’t just describe your duties—instead, focus on how these moments challenged you, changed your perspective, or influenced your decision to study Biomed.

A successful essay example: A student wrote about how organizing a local health fair revealed the challenges of health education in their city, then explained how that experience motivated their interest in both science and serving others. This tied together their personal story, academic interests, and their commitment to community—all qualities UB Honors values.

Let your individuality come through, stay authentic, and don’t be afraid to dig a bit deeper into what really matters to you. That’s what will make your essay memorable.