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12 UNC Chapel Hill Essay Examples (2026)

Published on Last updated
Ryan Chiang
Written by Ryan Chiang

If you're trying to get into the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2026, you'll need to write college essays that make you stand out from the crowd.

In this article, I've gathered 12 of the best essays that got students admitted into UNC so that you can improve your own essays and ultimately get accepted to UNC.

What is UNC Chapel Hill's Acceptance Rate?

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the top public universities, which means every year it's more difficult to get accepted into UNC.

Last year over 53,775 students applied to UNC. UNC at Chapel Hill had an overall admit acceptance rate of 19.2%.

University of North Carolina Acceptance Scattergram

What are the UNC Chapel Hill Writing Prompt for 2022-23?

UNC Chapel Hill requires all applicants to write two short essays of 200-250 words each and answer four fill-in-the-blank questions.

The UNC application also notes: "Carolina aspires to build a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that students can only achieve their best when they learn alongside students from different backgrounds. In reading your responses, we hope to learn what being a member of such a community would mean to you."

Short Answer Questions

There are four UNC short answer questions to choose from for this year, of which each student must choose two prompts to answer.

Each essay must be between 200-250 words in length.

  1. Describe an aspect of your identity and how this has shaped your life experiences or impacted your daily interactions with others?

  2. Describe a peer who is making a difference in your school or community. What actions has that peer taken? How has their work made a difference in your life?

  3. If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Please explain.

  4. Former UNC-Chapel Hill employee, community service member, and civil rights activist Esphur Foster once said “We are nothing without our history.” How does history shape who you are?

Fill in the Blank Questions

Instructions: Please complete these short fill-in-the-blanks in 25 words or less.

  1. One family, friend, or school tradition I cherish…

  2. If I had an extra hour in every day, I would spend it...

  3. If I could travel anywhere, near or far, past, present or future, I would go…*

  4. The last time I stepped outside my comfort zone, I...

  5. People who meet me are most likely to notice...and least likely to notice...

12 UNC Chapel Hill EssaysThatWorked

Here are 12 of the best essays from admitted students from UNC.

Check out these answers to the UNC short answer questions, as well as several successful Common App personal statement essays, and get inspired.

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #1

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #2

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #3

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #4

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #5

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #6

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #7

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #8

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #9

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #10

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #11

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #12

What Can You Learn From These UNC Chapel Hill Essays?

Getting into UNC Chapel Hill in 2022 is difficult, but you can maximize your chances of acceptance by writing essays that help you stand out.

These 12 UNC essays that worked show exactly how real students got accepted into UNC recently by responding to the UNC short answer questions and Common App personal statement.

What did you think of these UNC Chapel Hill essays?

23 College Essay Tips to Stand Out
Free Guide:
23 Tips To Make Your College Essays Stand Out

What do outstanding essays have in common?
Here are our 23 most effective strategies based on lessons from admitted students.

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