Catawba College

1. At Catawba, the ideals of Scholarship, Character, Culture and Service are central to the mission and life of the college. Which of these ideals do you find most compelling in your own life and why?
2. Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first choice major? (If you selected undecided, please share what academic areas you wish to explore at Catawba and why.)
3. Describe how your experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities (at your school, job, community, or within your family) will help you to make an impact both in and out of the classroom while enrolled at Catawba College.

Catawba’s essay-prompts page says short answers should be “approximately 100-250 words per question” and the one-essay option “approximately 250-600 words (about a page in length)”; the first-year page gives no length. Catawba's essay-prompts page says: “you are required to submit either one essay or three short answer responses. You’re welcome to complete both if you would like to share more about yourself, but only one option is required.” Its one-essay option is one of the three Catawba prompts shown in the separate “Catawba-specific questions” item (not the three questions on this item), or “the Common Application Essay instead of one of the Catawba Essay prompts.” Confirm with Catawba Admissions which option applies to your application: the Common App lists its personal essay and the three Catawba-specific questions as optional, and Catawba's essay-prompts page still shows the 2025-2026 Common App prompts.

1. What specific class experience (reading, project, conversation, teacher, course, etc.) led you to have a new understanding about yourself or the world around you? In your answer, please describe both the experience and how you were changed by the experience (answer both the what and the how). To help you brainstorm, you may wish to recall experiences in previous classes that led you to reconsider your preferred future lifestyle or career or your beliefs about an issue, person, place, or event.
2. Describe: (a) a time where you became keenly aware that other people saw the world (or an aspect of it, perhaps even you) very differently from the way you see the world, (b) how this revelation way made you feel, and (c) your understanding of how different people can have different versions of what is essentially the same thing (event, person, etc.).

The page says to respond in either a 500-word essay or a 3-minute video. Only if you apply to the Honors Program (offered in the admissions portal to eligible students).

1. For over 173 years, Catawba College has been recognized for its rich legacy and traditions, sometimes even referred to as a best-kept secret. Could you please share how you first learned about Catawba and what motivated you to apply to our institution?
2. What are your future plans, and why are you interested in the academic program or major you selected? If you are undecided, please share which academic areas you wish to explore at Catawba and why.
3. Catawba is deeply invested in the greater good, cultivating a thriving and livable world for all. Our students, faculty, and staff learn, create, research, explore, and grow. Our good goes far. What good" do you hope to make at Catawba and beyond?"

The Common App gives each question its own box of up to 250 words and lists all three as optional. Catawba's essay-prompts page lists these same three questions as the choices for its one-essay option (“Select from one of the prompts below”), which that page presents as an alternative to the Writing sample's three short answers. Confirm with Catawba Admissions which option applies to your application. Applicants who apply with the Common Application.