Penn State
Essays.
Master Penn State and Schreyer Honors essays. Demonstrate leadership, ethical thinking, and commitment to community.
Penn State: The Power of Community
Penn State is built on a massive, loyal alumni network. Your essays should demonstrate that you want to contribute to that community, not just benefit from it. The "optional" personal statement is actually required if you want to be competitive.
Schreyer Honors College: The Real Challenge
The Schreyer prompts focus on three pillars: Ethics, Leadership, and Global Perspective.
The Leadership Prompt
Schreyer doesn't want to know that you were "President of the French Club." They want a story of crisis management and collaborative problem-solving.
STAR Framework
- Situation: What was the context?
- Task: What was your role?
- Action: What did you do? (Emphasize collaboration)
- Result: What was the outcome? (Quantify if possible)
Key Phrase: "Collaborative problem-solving"
The Global Issue Prompt
This prompt asks you to identify a problem facing the world and propose a solution.
❌ Don't Choose
Climate Change, World Hunger (too broad)
✓ Choose Instead
"Microplastics in PA waterways" (specific, local)