For First Year students applying to UGA for Fall 2026, we will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App. The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic will also remain the same as last year, with the following essay prompt:
“The transition from middle to high school is a key time for students as they reach new levels of both academic and personal discovery. Please share a book (novel, non-fiction, etc.) that had a serious impact on you during this time. Please focus more on why this book made an impact on you and less on the plot/theme of the book itself (we are not looking for a book report).”
- FYI – We are not restricting you to the exact years of 8th-9th grades, but rather the general timeframe of the middle to high school transition, which can extend somewhat further than one year on each end. Feel free to use your discretion in your choice of the timeline focused on the shift to your high school years. As well, while we list word count suggestions/limits, we give a little bit of additional leeway on the actual application essays so students don’t have to stress.
As always, we also share an essay from an enrolling First-Year student that we believe shows great writing skills (she used Common App essay prompt one):
Adjacent to the door of my room, hanging roughly seven inches from the floor, rests a mirror. It looms over me, rising six and a half feet. To all, it holds a mere reflection, to me a world of possibilities. I see two cases, ten double-lined shelves within, stacks scattered across the floor, and dozens of little mementos and trinkets create an air of pure comfort. Cracked spines rest hidden in the back of the bookcase, with painted edges highlighted in the front. A seven-book series, well-loved and read four times over, weighs down the wood, and dozens of worn-out children’s stories are jammed on the bottom shelves. Everybody has a passion, while seemingly meaningless to some, holds immense significance. This hidden room, a book nook, an aspiring library of 337 books and counting, holds my priceless obsession, for here, I pursue invaluable lessons and acquire a love for life and all that comes with it.
Religiously waiting for the next book to come out, fifth grade me ensured I knew everything about the Keeper of the Lost Cities. Moving at the end of elementary school made it difficult to meet new people and make friends. Sophie Foster, the main character, became my closest confidant as she showed the comfort in being alone, feeling different, and thriving nonetheless. This series was an easy escape, the everlasting impact yet unknown. Similarly, my sophomore year of high school, the first year I started struggling in my classes, I analyzed American Dirt, a fictional story based on real journeys from Mexico to America. It taught me the real meaning of hardships and highlighted the importance of courage and perseverance. Most recently, as Junior finals season approached, I sought a break from stress and devoured The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes prequel. Reminiscing over the first time I read The Hunger Games trilogy during the uncomplicated phase of sixth grade reduced me to tears, and embraced me with the gentle reminder even though life might not wind up how you intend, it might be for the better.
I have developed personally through reading and, surprisingly, advanced my interpersonal skills and relations with others at the same time. While I could acknowledge and accept my own emotions and flaws, I also recognized a growth of empathy for others. These books gave me insight into the lives and morals of different characters, thereby teaching me to reflect on how and why people behave in certain ways in the physical world. I absorbed these words and forced them outwards towards others. Learning to shape them as I will, constructing letters into an eloquent turn of phrase. I found myself complimented for my speech and skills in conversation which I knew did not belong to me, but were simply snippets and guidance, drawn from those stories that raised me.
When my parents began building our new house, they asked after any preferences for my room. My only response was to ask if creating a mini library to hold all of my books was at all possible. At the time, I understood this to be the most vital necessity for a teenage girl. A gateway to the kingdom of Visidia, arranged Indian weddings, the Fae lands, Korean work rivals, and considerably more. Every book holds a story, a lesson. They mark major changes and developments in my life, from the fantasy books I read as a preteen, the dystopian rage in middle school, beginning high school with contemporary romance, and all of the reading slumps in between. Reading endlessly fuels my passion for learning, instills empathy for others, and alters the way I view the world. – Kennedy W., Oconee County HS
- This essay gives us insight into the student’s feelings and thoughts, and she shares her ideas through descriptive word choice and specific details. This is an excellent essay, but please know that we are not expecting this level of writing from the applicant pool overall. This essay example is meant to show our applicant pool how to express themselves through examples, personal growth and feelings. When we are reviewing essays, we are looking more at the student’s voice coming through and less on technical writing skills.