Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
University of San Diego supplemental essays.
All 4 essay questions University of San Diego asks this year, word for word, with the word limits and how to approach each one.
Checked against sandiego.edu and the Common App application on October 17, 2026
What you write: Answer the first question and one of the three options, about 200–250 words each.
How you found USD
How did you first learn about the University of San Diego, and what inspired you to apply?
USD suggests about 200–250 words.
How to approach it
- Name things you could only find at this college: a class, a professor, a program, a tradition.
- Tie every detail to something true about you.
- Swap test: if another college’s name fits your sentence, it’s too general.
community
USD is committed to fostering a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and purpose. Reflecting on your own experiences, what does community mean to you? How have you helped create inclusive, welcoming spaces for others, and what have you learned from those efforts?
Pick one of the three options.
How to approach it
- Say plainly what the community is.
- Show your place in it with one real scene.
- End with what you’d bring to campus.
a challenge facing humanity
As a Changemaker Campus, USD challenges students to utilize their learning to actively pursue a more just, sustainable and equitable world. What is a challenge facing humanity today and why does it matter to you?
Pick one of the three options.
How to approach it
- Say plainly what the community is.
- Show your place in it with one real scene.
- End with what you’d bring to campus.
faith or spirituality
As a contemporary Catholic university, students from all backgrounds and faith traditions are welcomed and celebrated. Share an experience that highlights the ways faith or spirituality–either your own or someone else’s–have influenced your life.
Pick one of the three options.
How to approach it
- Pick one moment and stay there. Readers remember a scene, not a summary.
- Spend at least a third of the essay on what you thought and how you changed.
- Read it out loud. If a line doesn’t sound like you, it isn’t done yet.
Want a mentor on your essays?
Clarity Prep members get a mentor who reads every draft with them, knows their whole application and checks in every week until it’s done.