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Minnesota

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

One 150-word essay about what you want to study, where saying something specific beats saying something grand.

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Required essays

1 (all applicants)

Word limit

150 words

Extra essays

3 for nursing

Test policy

Test-optional through Fall 2027

What Minnesota rewards

University of Minnesota Twin Cities keeps its writing requirement short and pointed. Every first-year applicant writes one supplemental essay of 150 words or less about what they want to study, on top of the Common App or Golden Gopher personal statement. Nursing applicants write three more essays of 250 words each. That is the whole list, which means the pressure is concentrated: you have very little room, and the reader learns almost everything about your academic fit from this one paragraph.

Minnesota is test-optional through Fall 2027, so for many applicants the essay carries more weight than it would at a test-required school. The core challenge is resisting the urge to be impressive in the abstract. A hundred and fifty words is barely a paragraph, so a vague answer about "exploring my passions" disappears. The winning move is to name a real subject, a real curiosity, and ideally a real Minnesota path, and to do it in plain, specific language.

01Concrete academic direction. With 8 freshman-admitting colleges and 150-plus majors, Minnesota wants to route you to the right place. An essay that names a field, a problem, or even a favorite class reads as someone ready to use the catalog, not someone hoping the catalog will inspire them later.
02Honest curiosity over polish. The prompt literally invites your favorite subjects and the career paths that interest you. Readers reward a genuine reason you lean toward something, even a small one, far more than a grand mission statement you clearly assembled for the application.
03Efficiency. At 150 words, every sentence is real estate. Minnesota rewards writers who can be specific fast, who skip the throat-clearing windup and land on the actual idea in the first line.
04Fit with what the U actually offers. Mentioning a real major, lab, sequence, or college within the U signals you have looked past the brochure. You do not need to name-drop ten things; one accurate, well-chosen detail does the work.

Essay prompts for 2026-2027

1 prompt for Minnesota, each broken down with annotated examples.

What you want to study150 words

The U of M has 8 freshman-admitting colleges and more than 150 majors. Please share a few words about what you'd like to study in college, career paths that interest you, or your favorite subjects in school.

See all 1 prompt and get a read

Your chance

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Add your GPA, test scores, and profile to estimate your odds at Minnesota and build a balanced list.

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Deadlines

Early Action INovember 1
Early Action II / PriorityDecember 1
Final deadlineJanuary 1
EA I decision byJanuary 31

Cost

Sticker price$31,076
Avg net after aid$17,200
Meets full needPartial
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Explore Minnesota
How to get inAcceptance rate, the GPA and SAT profile, and what Minnesota weighs most Supplemental essays1 prompt, each broken down with annotated examples Cost & financial aidAverage $17,200/yr after aid · net price by income + calculator InterviewDoes Minnesota interview? Format, tips, and practice The Minnesota Reader ProScore your draft against Minnesota's exact prompts
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Minnesota FAQ

What is Minnesota's acceptance rate?

~77% (most recent cycle; lower for selective majors). At Minnesota, a strong application essay and a well-balanced school list matter alongside your grades and test scores.

What supplemental essays does Minnesota require?

Minnesota requires 1 supplemental essay on its application. On EssayLens each prompt is broken down with annotated examples, and you can get a free admissions-style read of your draft against the exact prompt.

How much does Minnesota cost?

Minnesota's published sticker price is about $31,076 per year, but the average family pays $17,200 after financial aid. Your net price depends on your family income; use the calculator to estimate yours.

Does Minnesota require SAT or ACT scores?

Minnesota is test-optional: you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and strong scores are just one factor among many when you do submit them.

When are Minnesota's application deadlines?

Minnesota's application deadlines are Early Action I November 1; Early Action II / Priority December 1; Final deadline January 1; EA I decision by January 31. Add Minnesota to your plan on EssayLens to track its deadlines automatically.

Campus photo via Wikipedia.

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