The Ohio State University (OSU) is known for its commitment to community engagement, over 200 majors and programs, and being the #1 university in producing Fulbright Scholars. With over $1 billion dedicated to research every year, an outstanding NCAA football team, and active student life, it’s no wonder over 50,000 undergraduate students enroll at OSU every year. Their accomplished alumni include R. L. Stine, Jayaprakash Narayan, Jesse Owens, and Urban Meyer. Hoping to join their ranks, with a scholarship to boot? You’ll need to nail the Ohio State supplemental essay. Let’s dive in to the Morrill Scholars Program Essay.
Ohio State’s 2024-2025 Scholarship Prompt
Ohio State has not set a required essay prompt for applicants in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. That said, for eligible applicants, a scholarship is available. Here are the types of scholarships that are awarded by this program:
- Distinction: Equals the value of the cost of attendance for both Ohio residents and nonresidents
- Prominence: Equals the value of in-state tuition plus the nonresident surcharge for nonresidents
- Excellence: Equals the value of in-state tuition for Ohio residents
Now, let’s break down the Ohio State supplemental essay prompt itself.
Morrill Scholars Program Essay
- In what ways have your life experiences and/or endeavors prepared you to be an active Morrill Scholar who will champion OSU’s Shared Values of “diversity and innovation” and “inclusion and equity” while investing in our culture of service reflective of our land grant mission? Please answer fully, and when possible, provide specific examples. (350-500 words)
General Tips
Ohio State’s admissions team provides some context to this scholarship program. Here’s the first part: “MSP seeks academically talented student leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing diversity, inclusion, service and social justice.” From this information, it’s clear that MSP doesn’t just seek good students to fill their scholarship class. Instead, additional values, traits, and strengths are expected of the MSP students.
Therefore, demonstrating your capacity for leadership, activism, community service, and academics will help your case. Be sure to describe your experiences with those qualities in your extracurriculars list, your Common App essay, and/or your Ohio State supplemental essay.
Then, Ohio State notes that “MSP scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to students admitted to the Columbus campus for the autumn semester following high school graduation. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States.” In other words, not all applicants are eligible to apply for this scholarship. In addition, if you do apply and are awarded the scholarship, you must matriculate at Ohio State without taking any gap years after graduating from high school. If you do not fit these criteria, then it won’t be worth your time to write the Ohio State supplemental essay.
Morrill Scholars Program Essay
In what ways have your life experiences and/or endeavors prepared you to be an active Morrill Scholar who will champion OSU’s Shared Values of “diversity and innovation” and “inclusion and equity” while investing in our culture of service reflective of our land grant mission? Please answer fully, and when possible, provide specific examples. (350-500 words)
This prompt expects some research from applicants before they embark upon their response. To be specific, you should read up on OSU’s Shared Values so that you can either write about them eloquently and accurately, or so that you can bear them in mind while writing your response to this prompt.
Note that Ohio State’s scholarship admissions team specifically note “diversity and innovation” and “inclusion and equity” as values. Therefore, in your essay, you should focus on the experiences you have had that have involved these values. If you have engaged in community service, share this information here. You should also share why this service work is important to you and what you learned from the experience. Be as specific as you can.
In addition, try to envision yourself as a student at Ohio State. As a Morrill Scholar, who will you be? What further activism, community service, or other contributions to society do you hope to make while in college? After researching the opportunities available to undergraduates at Ohio State, consider mentioning a specific initiative, opportunity, or other program you hope to get involved in. If the existing opportunities at OSU don’t fully meet your vision for your college experience with regard to service work, provide specific details regarding the new initiative(s) you hope to spearhead. All of this information will help the admissions team see you as a student at Ohio State!
If you need help polishing up your Ohio State supplemental essay, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.
