The Wall Street Journal highlights new application essay prompts on disagreement and tolerance, showing the desire of many college administrations to try and avoid students who might instigate the wrong kind of publicity on campus. It is a pivot from the boilerplate "overcoming obstacles" essay, which seems to have mostly run its course.
In light of this, it's good to be prepared for this type of question. Big or small, portray the disagreement as neutrally as possible and focus on what was done to resolve it peacefully. It's not about who was ultimately right. What did you realize about the other person's perspective, or your own?
Some have expressed cynicism about such methods, saying that students will just pretend to have the values needed to gain admission. However, others have pointed out that these essays are meant to test the applicant's self-awareness and provide an opportunity to express their personal values.