Essay guide · 2026–27 cycle
The goals essay
Schools ask this to see whether you have thought past admission. They are not holding you to the plan. They are checking that there is a direction, that it grew out of something you have already done, and that this school is a sensible next step rather than a trophy.
No card. Paste a draft and Admitify reads it line by line against the question it has to answer. It never writes for you.
What the question is really asking
Whether you've thought past admission. The school wants a direction and the reasoning behind it, not a guaranteed career plan.
A job title with no reasoning, or a mission so large it can't be checked ("change the world"). Plans that don't connect to anything you've done.
The problem or kind of work that pulls you, one thing you've already done toward it, and what you'd need next that the school provides. It's fine to say the plan might change; say what wouldn't.
How to write it, in order
Name the problem or the kind of work that pulls you, not a job title. “The gap between what clinics know and what patients understand” is a direction; “doctor” is a word.
Say one thing you have already done toward it, however small. This is what makes the goal believable.
Say what you would need next and which specific thing at this school provides it.
State what might change and what would not. A plan that admits uncertainty reads as thought through.
Keep the scale checkable. “Change the world” cannot be verified; “get one clinic's intake forms rewritten” can.
Before you submit
- The goal is a problem or a kind of work, not just a title.
- There is one concrete past action toward it.
- One specific resource at this school is named.
- One sentence admits the plan may change.
- The phrase “make a difference” does not appear.
Every school that asks it
12 schools, 13 prompts. Click a school for all of its supplements, word counts and a prompt-by-prompt guide. Schools marked with a cycle year show last year's wording; the 2026–27 version was not yet published when verified.
- Harvard Universityup to 150 words
“How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?”
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology100-200 words
“While some reach their goals following well-trodden paths, others blaze their own trails achieving the unexpected. In what ways have you done something different than what was expected in your educational journey?”
- Yale Universityup to 35 words
“What is one aspect of yourself that you hope to grow or develop during college?”
- Georgetown Universityup to 500 words
“Describe your primary motivations for studying public policy at Georgetown University and dedicating your undergraduate studies toward a future related to public service.”
- University of Notre Dameup to 150 words
“Everyone has different priorities when considering their higher education options and building their college or university list. Tell us about your 'non-negotiable' factor(s) when searching for your future college home.”
- Lehigh Universityno stated word limit
“What makes the Integrated Business & Health (IBH) Program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals?”
- Fordham Universityup to 300 words
“At Fordham, we have a tradition of having our graduating seniors send a message to their younger selves. What will the future 'you' tell the 'you' of today about what you accomplished as a Fordham student?”
- Virginia Techup to 120 words
“Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from and how do they support your progress as you work on this goal?”
- Texas A&M Universityup to 100 words
“In a few words, what are some of your life goals and objectives?”
- Texas A&M Universityup to 100 words
“Briefly describe any educational plans you have beyond earning your bachelor's degree.”
- University of Oklahomaup to 650 words
“What is your career area of interest, and why do you have the desire to work in this particular field?”
- University of Cincinnatiup to 500 words
“What motivated you to choose your first-choice academic program? In your response, please share personal insights, interests, goals, or experiences—especially those not already included in your application.”
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaignup to 150 words · 2025-26
“What are your future career or academic goals?”
Common questions
- What if I do not know what I want to do?
- Write about the question you want college to help you answer, and the two or three directions it might go. Honest uncertainty with a method beats a confident plan with no evidence.
- Should I mention graduate school?
- Only if it follows from the direction you described. Mentioning medical or law school as a destination without a reason reads as a default, not a plan.
- How is this different from the “why major” essay?
- The major essay looks back at how the interest started. The goals essay looks forward to what you would do with it. Do not tell the origin story twice.
Prompts verified September 2026 against each school's published application. Browse all schools A–Z. Spotted a change? Tell us.