how to write rpi supplemental essays

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2023-24 Application Essay Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words and 1 essay of 300 words

Supplemental Essay Type: Why , Activity

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is not going to make you jump through hoops to submit an application, in fact, RPI asks applicants to apply to two of the most common supplemental essay types out there. Let’s dive in!

Why are you interested in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? (250 words)

This prompt is so run-of-the-mill, but that doesn’t mean response should be. In order to impress admissions, you need to not only demonstrate a solid knowledge of what the school has to offer, but also leverage that knowledge to show that you’ve done your homework and thought your decision to apply through. Try to connect your past intellectual pursuits or extracurricular interests to those available to you at RPI. Which departments, majors, and other opportunities excite you? What do you want to learn? Bone up on the professors and notable alumni in your field—is there any research that you’d like to be a part of? Whatever you choose to focus on, make sure your choices reveal something important about who you are, what you value, and who you will become at RPI.

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (300 words)

Okay, now for the second most common type of supplemental essay prompt: the activity essay. We recommend writing about an activity that you have not already addressed in depth in your application. If you wrote your Common App essay about your time scrambling eggs at the local diner, focus on a different activity or work experience that reveals a new aspect of your personality. This can be a great opportunity to highlight your leadership skills and any accolades you may have received. Were you elected student body president after a strenuous campaign? Were you asked to take the lead on social media marketing for your neighborhood grocer? No matter what you choose to write about, it should probably be something you’ve either been involved in for a while or put a lot of time and heart into.

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The Admissions Strategist

How to write the rensselaer polytechnic institute supplemental essays 2020-2021 (with an example).

Do you need help finding best-fit colleges or writing essays? You can sign up for a free consult here .

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a well-ranked university and has a moderately selective admissions rate at around 44%.

In order to stand out, you need to make sure that every section in your application impresses the admissions office.

This includes writing a knockout personal statement and, if applicable, a powerful program-specific essay.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts the Common Application , the Coalition Application, and the Candidate’s Choice Application. One kind of application is not preferred over the other. However, there are some restrictions on which application you can use depending on what program you are applying to. 

You cannot complete the Coalition Application if you are applying to an accelerated program in law or medicine. The Candidate’s Choice Application, on the other hand, is for students who have expressed an interest in Rensselaer and are first-year applicants only. If you are applying to the accelerated medical program, you cannot use the Candidate’s Choice Application. 

If you plan on submitting your credentials through Naviance, you can only do so by completing the Common Application.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the question and essay prompts offered in Rensselaer’s application to improve your chances of success.

Important Things to Remember For the RPI Essays

While writing your personal statement and essay, you should center your focus on your interest in Rensselaer.

Unlike other colleges, which often offer essay prompts that ask you to elaborate on an important part of your life or what you might want your future roommate to know, RPI’s essay prompts are strictly about Rensselaer or its specific programs.

• That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t inject your personality and interests into the essay.
• You should aim to make your essay personal and use previous achievements or experiences to provide evidence as to why you are interested in the university and the field of study.
• Write about something you haven’t previously mentioned in the Common App essay, or elaborate on a part of your application you’ve only briefly mentioned.

Be authentic in your essay, and let the admissions officers know you as a person and as an academic.

This will help you shine in your essay and prove to RPI that you belong there as a student.

Get personalized advice!

Rpi essays: short-answer questions.

Other than the supplemental essays and personal statement, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute asks one short question:

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences.

While RPI doesn’t specify a minimum or maximum word count, you should keep it at around 300 words or less.

It should be just long enough to fully articulate how the activity or work impacted your life.

Limit your description of the activity to about 100 words.

What’s more important to the university is why you chose that extracurricular and how it affected your personal or professional development.

• Make sure that your development is the focus of your answer.
• Remember, this should be personal to you.

While you may want to write about the National Honor Society or any other activity with high accolades, you should think about an extracurricular activity that has shaped and motivated you.

Writing about an activity that you are passionate about will not only be easier and faster to write but will also more accurately reflect your strengths and interests.

If you’ve started any clubs or organizations, that can be a great topic to write about. It shows ambition and leadership skills, and a drive to create and build communities for your activity.

• Demonstrating that passion for a subject to a college suggests that you will show similar initiative if you are accepted.
• Writing about any sort of leadership position in an extracurricular can also demonstrate your motivation and passion in that club, as well as obvious leadership skills. Maybe you don’t have leadership experience, but you’re at robotics club after school every day for hours.

Perhaps you’re there practicing at marching band rehearsals or doing routines at cheerleading practice.

Activities that take a lot of collaboration, teamwork, and time can be a great topic. Spending a lot of time on an activity shows your dedication and commitment to it, and if you’re part of a team, it can also reflect your interpersonal skills.

Approach it from a unique angle that shows how the skills you developed in the activity can be applied to your college or professional life. Remember that you can write about work experience and not just extracurricular clubs.

If you’ve interned for a company in your field of interest over the summer, or you had a life-changing moment at a part-time job, you can definitely write about those.

Just make sure to tie it back to your personal development and goals in life.

RPI Personal Statement

Why are you interested in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? (250 words or less)

Notice that Rensselaer gives a 250 word limit to this essay. This is the quintessential “ Why This College ” essay.

That means that you need to be direct, concise, and clear with your answer. The key to being successful with this essay is that it should be short, specific, and not too general. 

No need for fancy phrasings or purple prose. The admissions officers are looking for specific reasons for your interest in this university.

• You need to know why Rensselaer is one of the schools you are hoping to attend. Your essay should touch upon what makes RPI  unique and how those unique attributes can benefit you and your future career.
• First, you should make a list of these reasons, however general or applicable they may be. Once you have compiled your list, you may find that some points are generic.
• Many Rensselaer applicants will likely choose the same reason that you do, and it may be hard to stand out from the crowd. For instance, you may be interested in Rensselaer for its chemical and biological engineering program. Many students are interested in Rensselaer’s engineering programs.

However, maybe you choose to write about its polymer research program, in which scientists work to enhance heat transfer and apply polymer devolatilization (the removal of volatile substances from a solid) technology to unconventional substances.

Lately, you may have noticed news articles that state Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute scientists are finding ways to enhance natural enzymes to break down plastic. If you’ve participated in environmental-related activities, you can link your passion for creating a greener earth with the research being done at Rensselaer.

• By doing a little research into the different events, research, or news coming out of RPI, you can set yourself apart from those who just want to attend Rensselaer because it’s a “good school”.

Remember, when incorporating research into your essay, you should focus on why that aspect makes you want to attend Rensselaer. Make it sound like Rensselaer’s programs support your passions and interests like no other school can.

Why RPI Supplemental Essay Example

We’ve provided this essay example to give you an idea of essay structure. Use it to create your outline. Never plagiarize, seriously. Always write with your own voice.

I am a leading member in The Women for Business, an organization that fundraises microloans to empower businesswomen in Peru. I am interested in studying computer science at RPI so I can apply the skills I learn toward improving the Internet infrastructure of villages in developing countries. My goal is to help break the cycle of poverty by connecting educators to innovators and creators. Furthermore, I want to participate in one of the study abroad programs offered at RPI so I can learn more about the benefits technology can provide in addressing global Internet infrastructure needs.

RPI Program-Specific Supplemental Essays

The first thing you should note is that none of the program essays specifies a word count, but does say the essay should be 1-2 pages long.

In other words, you should aim for about 500-700 words.

Remember, your essay should reflect why you want to attend Rensselaer’s various academic programs.

Many of these are rigorous programs; some of which require portfolios.

This means you should treat them as such and make sure that your essay is detailed but concise.

RPI Accelerated Programs in Law/Medicine Supplemental Essay

  State your reasons for aspiring to a career in law or medicine.

These bachelor-professional programs are lengthy commitments that take 6-7 years to complete.

As such, you want to prove that you are committed to the subject and are willing to study it extensively for those years. To begin your essay, you need to lay out your origin story. This essay should be no more than one or two pages in length. What is it about law or medicine that makes it so interesting that you want to pursue it as a career?

It should be personal to you, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a tragic Batman origin story.

• For instance, maybe you saw your family go through legal trouble and felt that the justice system wasn’t fair, or maybe you like convincing people to see something in a different light during a debate team competition.
• Maybe a disease runs in your family, or maybe you learned about an illness in school and it fascinated you so much that you want to be the one to create a vaccine. Remember to focus on how that sparked a passion for law or medicine, not just the ethos of the story.

Next, write about your aspirations themselves. If you want to be a doctor or a lawyer, you should have already given thought into what kind of medicine or law you want to practice.

Let the admissions officers know if you want to be a pediatrician because you like working with the kids you babysit and want to focus on their health. Tell them how you want to be the state prosecutor to ensure guilty defendants face justice.

• Write exactly what you see yourself doing when you graduate college, and explain the kind of impact you want to make on your patients or clients.

If you can, include as much pertinent experience as possible. Any club or internship experience will show Rensselaer that you are serious about your passion in law or medicine, but also look for out-of-the-box connections.

As stated, babysitting children may be a good example for future pediatricians.

• If a cardiologist mentored you, explain how that informed your interest in treating heart disease.

For future lawyers, you could write about your experience in giving a public speech to persuade people to care about an issue.

Remember to focus on your aspirations, not your achievements. Use your past experiences as evidence of your passion and motivation to reach your goals. RPI wants to see you looking toward your future.

RPI Architecture Supplemental Essay

State your reasons for choosing architecture as your profession. 

This 5-year bachelor-professional program requires a portfolio, although Rensselaer writes that “we would prefer that you do not include architectural drafted drawings in the portfolio.”

Instead, you should demonstrate your creativity through other forms of media. Make sure that your essay reflects both your portfolio and Rensselaer’s program.

As with the law/medicine essay, writing an anecdote about an early childhood event that inspired you – seeing the Coliseum in Rome, working with your parents to build a doghouse, etc. – works as great context for your goals and aspirations.

While you may be interested in architecture just because you enjoy designing structures, think outside of yourself during the essay.

• What can your structures do for your community?
• How will your buildings improve society or the environment?
• Is there a problem you see in today’s housing and buildings that you want to change?

All colleges, including Rensselaer, are looking for those who will give back using the education they received.

Your essay should reflect on how you will better your community, your country, or even your world as an architect. Whatever the case, you should make sure that your intent is clear.

Tie in some of your art pieces from your portfolio into your essay if you want so that the admissions officers can see your visions of your work. 

Again, this essay should be no more than one or two pages in length.

RPI Electronic Arts Supplemental Essay

Discuss your interests in the field of electronic arts and state how this is reflected in your portfolio.

Rensselaer’s EA program seeks students who want to use technology to create evocative art. It requires a portfolio of 10-20 pieces of your best creative work.

While they accept all forms of media, you should include at least a few pieces of art using technology. Try to make sure these pieces align with each other and ensure that it is reflected in your essay.

Write about your pieces like you have been featured in an art gallery.

How do you tie these pieces together, and how does technology enable you to amplify that message in a way that traditional mediums might be unable to?

Maybe your art is primarily of nature, but you use unnatural materials and mediums to portray that work of art. You could approach it as an environmentalist – your art doesn’t use paper or you use biodegradable materials with a 3D printer.

You may also approach it as a futurist – the future harmony of nature and technology when before, industrial technology often meant the destruction of nature.

The people reading your essay should be able to see your portfolio holistically, rather than as a collection of random pieces you have assembled.

• Guide them to the raison d’être (reason for existence) of your portfolio.

You also may want to talk about the future of electronic arts as well.

• Are there new forms of media to invent, and how might they change the way we look at art?

How have the current new forms changed the way we think and interact with art?

Use your portfolio to provide evidence for your arguments. As with the other majors, this essay should only be one to two pages in length.

RPI Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences Supplemental Essay

State your reasons for choosing the field of games and simulation arts and sciences, making reference to your portfolio if one has been submitted.

While no portfolio is required, you should submit one if you are able.

Because this is an art-related field, your application will perform much better if you can demonstrate some of your creative talents. However, if you can’t assemble a portfolio, your essay becomes that much more important.

• While video games encompass a large part of this field, it also includes a broad spectrum of training and simulation arts as well.

These forms of technology can teach people skills or show people a perspective they couldn’t experience otherwise.

Perhaps you want to build more advanced piloting or aeronautics simulations for future pilots and astronauts. Maybe you just want the chance to bring people together and tell a meaningful story through the medium of video games.

• Whatever the reason, make sure that your intent and your vision is clear.
• Include any experience you have in the field as well.

For instance, maybe you created a simple point-and-click game as a fun and innovative way for your classmates to study.

That can demonstrate your technical skills as well as a desire to use such skills to educate. The essay should be one to two pages long. 

RPI Electronic Media, Arts, and Communication Supplemental Essay

Discuss your interests in the field of electronic arts, and state how this is reflected in your portfolio, if one has been submitted.

This program synthesizes the arts with communication and media, encouraging new and unique ways to communicate and express ourselves.

Like with the gaming arts application, a portfolio is not required, but you should submit one if you can. Electronic media is an open-ended area for exploration, and it changes rapidly throughout the years.

Narrow your scope to a particular way in which you’d like to use it to communicate ideas or ways in which electronic media can be used in the future, and frame your portfolio and essay around that theme.

• In your essay, you should be striving to answer a question or solve a problem in electronic media.
• For instance, what are some new ways that people can communicate ideas through?
• Is there a way to streamline communication between people of all languages without rigorous language study, but rather through symbols such as emojis?

On the other side, are there any ramifications to the rapid spread of information? What structural changes need to happen to fix those issues?

Your essay will demonstrate your eagerness to look toward the future of electronic media and be a part of that change. It should be one to two pages long.

RPI Music Supplemental Essay

Describe your interest in the music major and your goals. Please include completed course work in music, private music instruction, musical performance and production experience, or completed independent projects.

Because this program’s application does not include live auditions, you have to make your essay showcase your musical talent and drive.

A portfolio is required.

• As you write this essay, picture yourself as the musician you want to become.
• Maybe you’re playing in Carnegie Hall alongside an entire symphony as a professional violinist.
• Perhaps you’re in a studio, creating new synthesized sounds to play over someone’s radio.

Maybe you’re composing a score for a new feature-length film.

Clearly state your ambitions in the music world. Include as much of your experience as possible.

Whether through private tutoring in a music store, playing in a school orchestra, performing with a band, or recording a song for download, you should demonstrate your initiative to create and perform music for others.

Tie your experiences to your future vision as a musician, and you will be on the right track. Again, the essay should be one to two pages long. 

Transfer Applicants

For students who have completed four or more semesters of college work and are applying to RPI, only a personal statement is required if you are completing the Common Application or Coalition Application. 

Conclusion: RPI Supplemental Essays

Rensselaer’s questions and program-specific essays give you the opportunity to intricately describe your future goals and plans as a professional and as an academic at RPI.

Remember to showcase your personality and potential to the admissions office.

You have to answer a short answer question on your  extracurricular activities , as well as a 100-word personal statement on your intent to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

If you are applying to a specific, rigorous program, you may also have to submit a 500-700 word essay on why you are interested in that field of study.

Whatever you write, let your essay be as specific and detailed as possible.

Your essays should reveal your personal growth and your potential for much greater at Rensselaer.

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How to Respond to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Supplemental Essay Prompts

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The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute supplemental essay prompts are a great opportunity to show your true self to the college admissions advisors. Using creative writing and thoughtful responses, you can “wow” the people reading your essays and to allow them to see who you are as a person and as a student. Keep reading to learn more about responding to the RPI supplemental essay prompts!

First, a little about Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is America’s oldest technological research university. RPI is located in Troy, New York on the Hudson River. The school offers  bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. With an emphasis on science and technology  (RPI’s sports’ teams are known as the “Engineers”), there are five schools (and certificate programs for working adults) broken into 37 departments. 

The five main areas of research at RPI include:

• Biotechnology and the Life Sciences
• Computational Science and Engineering
• Energy, Environment, and Smart Systems
• Media, Arts, Science, and Technology
• Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials

The above research is divided among the School of Architecture, the School of Engineering, the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, the Lally School of Management & Technology, and the School of Science.

Let’s get started on breaking down the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute prompts in a way that allows you to put your best self forward! 

Question #1 (found in the “Activities” section of applciation)

“Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences” (300 words)”

This prompt is simple and straightforward, which is great, but  be mindful that it is a 300 word essay. This means that RPI is expecting you to have a lot to say about whichever extracurricular or work activity you choose to write about– so choose wisely. If it is an activity that you really enjoy doing, there should be a great deal to say about it. Speak from your heart and write what you know. 

Things to consider before you write

• What extracurricular activity did I dedicate the most time to?
• What extracurricular activity am I most passionate about?
• Do you have a part-time job that you are passionate about?
• What has your part-time job taught you to prepare you for college?

Question #2

“Why are you interested in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?” (250 words)

This is the typical “Why us?” college essay. Since you are applying to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, there is obviously a genuine reason that it sparked your interest. Maybe the majors RPI offers drew you to them, or an opportunity to work with a particular professor who is an expert in their field. Share just that! Be specific and try to connect back to facts about RPI. 

Make sure that you write clear and concisely about your interest and be honest about what drew you to the institution. Similar to Prompt #1, the limited word count here (250) means each word counts. Therefore, you might want to free-write without feeling constricted by a word count so you can fully express yourself. After,  go back and cut out words that you don’t need to make your points. 

Questions to ask yourself

• Which of the five RPI schools interests you and why?
• Do you have a field of research that you hope to pursue at RPI?
• Is there someone you know who encouraged you to apply to RPI? What is it about that person that impressed you as an RPI graduate?

Closing thoughts for students

The main thing that you want to focus on is not being repetitive in between your application and your supplemental essays. The essays are meant to be an addition to the application so that admissions professionals can learn more about you. If you are repeating yourself, there is no point in writing an essay. Try to talk about something that you didn’t write about on your application or resume. 

Additional resources

Maybe the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute isn’t for you– and that is okay! Luckily, at Scholarships360, we have tons of resources to help you find the college that is right for you. If you are hoping to stay in the New York area, we have supplemental essay resources for colleges from Barnard to Columbia . Wanting to get a little bit farther away? You can also check out Pepperdine University , or University of Texas-Austin . Whatever you choose, we have your back! Good luck with the rest of your college essays!

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College essay resources

How to write every rpi essay | 2022-2023, school supplements.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is known for its awesome undergraduate STEM programs and research opportunities. If you want to join their class, you’ll need to write two supplemental essays. 

Let’s take a look at the first RPI essay prompt!

Why are you interested in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? (250 words)

To write a strong Why RPI essay, you’ll need to provide specific examples to explain your interest in RPI. Head over to the RPI website and do some research! These brainstorming questions may help.

Experiences: What experiences can RPI offer you? Maybe you are looking for a specific type of academic experience, like the flexibility of the Arch Program curriculum. Or maybe you’re interested in research opportunities at RPI, like the Biomedical Engineering department’s research program in Tissue and Regenerative Medicine. You might also be excited about RPI’s 200+ extracurriculars and student groups, like the Rensselaer Electric Vehicle Team and the Statler & Waldorf literary magazine.

Values: Are you drawn to any of RPI’s values? If so, how do they put those values into practice? For example, you might like the way that RPI values entrepreneurship, and how the Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship connects students with resources.

Traits: Do you like any specific traits of students or faculty at RPI? If so, try to include an example. For instance, you might be a future engineer who likes the fact that more than 50% of RPI freshmen are engineering students.

Visit: If you’ve visited RPI or talked to RPI staff at an admissions event, try to work that experience into your essay! What were the moments or conversations that made you really want to attend RPI?

Let’s look at an example student’s brainstorming list for this 250-word essay.

Experiences:

• Interdisciplinary learning - Biomedical Engineering and Medicine program for undergraduates
• Biomedical engineering research with the Center for Modeling, Simulation & Imaging in Medicine
• Study abroad - Nanyang Technological University in Singapore
• Competing with the Club Ski Team
• Experiential learning: the Arch program will allow me to fit a study abroad program into my Biomedical Engineering curriculum
• Intellectual curiosity: When I visited, many students were exploring subjects outside of their major and they were excited to talk about their research projects

Describe an Activity

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (300 words)

In this 300-word RPI essay, try to draw a connection between an activity and one of your values, goals, positive traits, or broader interests. For example, maybe you were drawn to an activity because it aligned with your values, or maybe a work experience inspired one of your future goals. What made this activity a really important part of your life?

Let’s look at a few example students’ topics:

• Activity: Volunteered at the library every summer
• Connection to values: I care about giving back to the community
• Activity: Internship at biomedical research lab
• Connection to goals: I want to be an orthopedic surgeon
• Activity: Started a jewelry business on Etsy
• Connection to interests: I’m interested in entrepreneurship

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How to Write a Supplemental Essay for College Applications

Discover tips for tackling writing supplements, and read a sample essay from a current student.

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A supplemental essay gives you an opportunity to tell the admissions committee about something you weren't able to cover in your main essay.

Prospective students are usually aware that they must write an essay as part of the college application process . But they may not know that some schools will ask for additional writing samples such as a supplemental essay.

Avoid These College Application Mistakes

Courtney Rubin and Cole Claybourn July 26, 2023

These writing supplements are usually shorter than the main college essay , but they're no less important, experts say.

"Every word counts in getting your story across," says Deborah Davis, president and founder of Davis Education & Career Consultants LLC, based in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Some colleges ask for just one supplemental essay while others may require several.

For example, Wake Forest University in North Carolina had six additional questions for prospective students to respond to on its 2020 undergraduate admissions application. However, a couple of the questions asked applicants to write lists – for instance, a personal top 10 list – rather than a full paragraph or two.

Supplemental essay prompts come in all shapes and sizes. In some cases, schools let applicants choose from several options. For instance, the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill 's fall 2019-20 application included four prompts – such as "What do you hope will change about the place where you live?" – from which prospective students had to select two.

Davis says two of the most common prompts she's seen are "What do you want to major in?" and "Tell us about a favorite activity."

While word counts for supplemental essays vary, they tend to be limited.

Wake Forest has a 150-word limit for each of its supplements, says Tamara Blocker, the university's senior associate dean of admissions. UNC caps applicants' short answer responses at 250 words each, according to the school's website.

In contrast, The Common Application , a platform that allows students to apply to multiple colleges at once, has a suggested 650-word limit for the main essay and 250 words for others.

These types of written responses are more like vignettes or snapshots, rather than full-blown essays, says Stephen Farmer, vice provost for enrollment and undergraduate admissions at UNC.

"I think – I hope, anyway – that students feel the opportunity maybe in the shorter responses to worry less about form and just be a little more open with us," he says.

To help prospective students familiarize themselves with supplemental essays, U.S. News obtained an example from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. Ryan Sheehan from Wallingford, Pennsylvania, wrote the short piece and is a computer science major in the class of 2021.

As part of his application, Sheehan responded to the following prompt: "There is a Quaker saying: 'Let your life speak.' Describe the environment in which you were raised – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – and how it influenced the person you are today."

"As the son of two journalists, I have grown up under a lifelong inquisition: How is your room such a mess? Can you please stop chasing the cat? Will you come down from the tree already? Granted, those are all from this past year, but the point still stands. Like any good journalists, my parents have also always had a propensity for uncovering the truth. On the third night that I had my license, I decided to go to the library to study. Before 15 minutes had passed, I noticed the librarian peering at me through the shelves before quickly averting her eyes and whispering, "He's here," into her phone. Even so, regardless of how many spies they've hired over the years, I have always looked up to my parents immensely. However, I have found my inherited inquisitiveness to be a trait most useful in a place far from the realm of reporting: the robotics lab. After four years of spending almost more time in the lab than at home, I have learned that nothing is more important than asking the right questions. As a programmer, I need to be able to communicate with my builders. Come press time, if I don't interview them properly, our robot will invariably end up as a hunk of unresponsive aluminum. To make a machine, the team must work as one. So although I may be writing source code instead of a breaking story, I am glad I had such nosy parents after all."

Karen Richardson, former dean of undergraduate admissions and enrollment management at Tufts who is now dean of admission at Princeton University in New Jersey, explained why she liked this response: "This is a great essay because, in just 250 words, it shows rather than tells the reader who Ryan is and the things that matter to him. It gives us a sense of his family life and academic interests, and it even shows us he has a sense of humor. As an admissions committee, we learned a lot about Ryan in just one paragraph."

Here are five additional tips from admissions officers to help prospective college students craft strong supplemental essays.

Answer the Question

This may seem obvious, but applicants should carefully read a supplemental essay prompt and make sure they understand what it is asking before answering it, Richardson says.

Prospective students may want to reuse an essay they wrote for another college, but that doesn't always work because supplemental questions tend to be more tailored to an individual institution, she says.

Start With an Outline

Applicants may have their own writing process, but Davis encourages those she works with to create outlines. She says prospective students should brainstorm the personal qualities, skills or experiences they would like to convey in their supplemental essays.

Don't Repeat Yourself

Supplemental essays are a chance for applicants to give more information to an admissions committee to further show why they are a good fit for a school, Davis says. So prospective students should make sure they aren't repeating something that's already been covered in their main essay.

Narrow Your Focus

Probably the biggest mistake applicants make in supplemental essays is choosing a topic that's too big, Farmer says. For example, he says prospective students may attempt to settle a complex political issue in just one paragraph.

"I think it's better to do something small and do it well than to do something big and skate over the surface," he says.

Maintain Your Voice

It's a good idea for applicants to ask another person for editing help, but too much input can be detrimental to an essay, experts say. If lots of people – teachers, parents, peers – read and weigh in on an essay, they can weaken how clearly a student's voice comes through in the writing.

"It's great to read something that sounds like it was written by an 18-year-old and not by a machine," Farmer says, "or by someone who's trying to be prematurely middle-aged."

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Supplemental Essays Guide: How to Write, Tips & Examples

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 9/11/23

Writing stand-out supplemental essays may be your ticket into your dream school. Follow along for our complete guide on writing perfect supplemental essays for college.

If you’re working on supplemental essays, you’ve already spent countless hours perfecting your application. However, even the perfect application must be followed by stellar supplementals to get you into your dream school. That’s right, supplementals are a highly important piece of the application process - so how can you perfect yours? 

In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about writing excellent supplemental essays, including examples from well-written essays , tips for common essay prompts, and each possible length. To top it all off, we’ve also included answers to the most frequently asked questions about writing stand-out supplemental essays.

Let’s get started!

What are Supplemental Essays? 

Supplemental essays are additional writing samples that you submit along with the rest of your college application. Many high-ranking schools ask for these essays, as they are intended to be more specific than your personal statement. It’s a chance for you to further demonstrate why you are a good fit for the school you’re applying to.

How Important are Supplemental Essays?

In short, supplemental essays are an extremely valuable part of your application. Your application allows schools to see the base of your work ethic through numbers (grades, extracurriculars, awards, and more), but it doesn’t give any indication of your personality. 

These essays are your first opportunity to give your university an idea of who you are and what you are passionate about. 

Excellent essays can tip the scales in your favor, especially for highly competitive schools where most candidates have excellent grades. An in-depth, well-written essay can set your application apart from others.

What are Colleges Looking For in Supplemental Essays? 

In supplemental essays, colleges look for honesty, specificity, and the ability to answer the prompt accurately and succinctly. We will look at several common prompts that colleges often use: 

• “Why This Major?”
• Community/diversity
• Extracurricular

Using these prompts helps college admissions get a better idea of who you are as an applicant.

How to Write Different Supplemental Essay Prompts

Every college has a unique set of prompts they distribute to their applicants each year. However, most prompts follow core formats. Here are some of the most common types of supplemental essays and how to write them.

The “Why Us?” Essay

The “Why Us?” or "Why This School?” essay is one of the most common prompts in circulation. Top schools such as Brown, Columbia, and Cornell have all been known to ask applicants to answer this prompt as part of their application. So, how do you write the “Why Us?” essay? Let’s talk about it. 

When a college asks you why you want to go there, the admissions committee wants to know a few things:

• The specific things about this school that appeal to you (have you done your research?)
• How you will contribute to this school’s college life
• How attending this school will help you achieve short and long-term goals

With this prompt, avoid listing reasons you want to go to the school unless you are directly instructed to do so. This is an opportunity to show the admissions committee how much their school matters to you, what programs and courses most interest you, and how the school will help you develop your passion and achieve your goals. 

You should do thorough research on the school and consider what sets it apart from other colleges on your list . Avoid providing general reasons that could be said about any other college. 

Writing this essay is your chance to showcase why you are passionate about attending this specific school and why it matters to you. Finally, conclude your essay by explaining how and why attending this school will help your long-term goals. 

‍ “Why Us?” Essay Sample from Columbia University:

“Computer science is at the core of my academic passions and my life ambitions. What I value in life is being around brilliant technologists. At Columbia, I have worked with and befriended the most driven and gifted programmers I’ve ever met. In January, I formed a team with three Columbia freshmen for MIT’s annual strategy-game-playing artificial intelligence competition. Ben, Ryan, Koh and I spent the month reviewing matches, debating approaches and tweaking our models. More than once we coded through the night. Their caliber was clear in the subtle insights that their multi-disciplinary backgrounds gave them and they gave me something to aspire to.

I have many interests that lie outside of my intended major but that I want to continue to pursue, and Columbia provides an environment for those diverse passions. Recently, while at a Columbia math club meeting with Ben, I ran into a political science major, Mathieu. He was elated to point out the insights that a love of math granted him in his courses and his conviction encouraged me to explore the peculiar intersection of the two fields.

I love teachers who love to teach. At Columbia, I’ve seen faculty who have a love for what they do and who care about students. While touring, I sat in on a quantum mechanics lecture. Professor Norman Christ strode into the room at eight on-the-dot and jumped into a discussion of WKB complex value approximation. For three straight hours, he guided us through the intricate world of QM without any notes. His enthusiasm brightened that drizzling Monday morning. That I could follow the lecture at all is a testament to his lucid explanations and extraordinary knowledge. When I came to him with questions afterward, he helped me truly understand a topic that initially felt years out of reach.”

Why this is a successful essay: In this essay , the writer starts by talking about their major and how Columbia provides an excellent program. They continue to add how they could positively impact Columbia if accepted. Take note of how the writer lists their key topic at the beginning of each paragraph and then connects Columbia to each topic. 

This student also mentioned that they enjoyed a Columbia professor's lecture, which is an excellent way of showing their deep interest in the school. Showing in your essay that you are passionate about the program and that you’ve done your research can be a point in your favor. 

The “Why This Major?” Essay

Although this prompt is very similar to the “Why Us?” essay, your answer should focus entirely on why you’re passionate about your degree. Think of this essay as an opportunity to tell the story of how you developed your passion. Try creating a timeline before you start writing to help organize your ideas. It should look something like this:

1. The first time I thought about pursuing this major was: __________________                              

2. I started to get more serious about pursuing this passion when:___________________

3. I’m now applying to this program so that in the future, I can: ___________________

Creating a timeline can help you easily convey how important your major is to you and the journey you’ve taken to build upon your passion. 

You can also include, if it applies, what specific things about your school’s program that drew you to your current selection. However, the main focus of this essay should be how you developed your passion for the subject and what you want to do in this field later on.

"Why This Major" Essay Sample from Yale:

“Literature and anthropology are telescopes into the past; philosophy, a prism into the mind. I want to ask the hard questions: Do I have free will? Is meaning lost in translation? Is there eternal truth? What is an “I”? Am I my mind, body or something more? Literature is an empathetic account of the past, anthropology a scientific documentation of human lives. I want to find commonality in lives separated by time and space, find meaning within them, partake in the collective memory of humanity, and interrogate what it means to be human.”

Why this essay works: 

In this short essay example from a Literature and Anthropology student from Yale, the student gets straight to the point. Demonstrating the questions they have that they hope to answer throughout their education is an excellent way to show that you’ve given your major a lot of thought. 

They’ve also captured the true essence of their major in the last sentence by stating they want to “partake in the collective memory of humanity” and “interrogate what it means to be human.” Whatever major you choose, write honestly about what calls you to the subject and demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of the genre of material you’ll be studying. 

The Adversity Essay

As one of the most challenging essay prompts, the adversity essay presents students with the uncomfortable task of recalling a difficult life experience and explaining how they overcame it. 

For some, choosing an instance of adversity can be the most challenging part of this prompt. Keep in mind that adversity looks different to everyone. Your story doesn’t have to be overly tragic to write a good adversity essay; you simply need to approach your issue from a place of growth. 

One of the main mistakes applicants make when writing the adversity essay is thinking that their adversity story needs to be overly tragic or complex. Instead of focusing on the actual adversity, your essay should mainly focus on the steps you took to overcome the adversity and learn valuable lessons moving forward. 

If a school asks you to write an adversity essay, the admissions committee wants to know how you handle a challenge. If you buckle under pressure, you may not be able to handle the intensity of a heavy workload. 

Therefore, schools want to know that you are capable of facing challenges head-on and have the capacity to learn from your mistakes. 

Adversity Essay Sample from Harvard University:

“When I was a freshman in high school, I didn't care about school or my education. I couldn't see a future where it mattered whether I knew how to say 'how are you' in Spanish or how to use the Pythagorean theorem. Because I couldn't see the point of these classes, I found myself disconnected from the high school experience as a whole, which resulted in low grades. My parents expressed their disappointment in me, but I still couldn't bring myself to care; I was feeling disconnected from my family, too.

I didn't realize it at the time, but I was depressed. I stopped spending time with my friends and stopped enjoying the things I used to enjoy. I was feeling hopeless. How could I get through three and a half more years of high school if I couldn't even get through a semester? I couldn't stand the thought of feeling this way for so long – at least it felt so long at the time.

After a few failed tests, one of my teachers approached me after class one day. She said she also noticed a difference in my demeanor in the last few weeks and asked if I was okay. At that moment, I realized that no one had asked me that in a long time. I didn't feel okay, so I told her that. She asked me what was wrong, and I told her that I was feeling disconnected from school and classes and just about everything at that point.

My teacher suggested I visit my guidance counselor. So the next day, during study hall, I got a pass to visit with my guidance counselor and told her I was feeling disconnected from classes and school. She asked me what my interests were and suggested that I take an elective like art or music or a vocational tech class like culinary arts or computer coding. I told her that I wasn't sure what I was interested in at this point and she told me to take a couple of classes to see what I like. At her persistence, I signed up for art and computer coding.

It turns out art was not my thing. But it also turns out that computer coding is my thing, and I am not sure I would have realized that had I not gone to see my guidance counselor at my teacher's recommendation. After taking computer coding and other similar classes, I had something to look forward to during school. So even when I still dreaded taking Spanish and Geometry, I knew I could look forward to an enjoyable class later in the day. Having something to look forward to really helped me raise my grades because I started caring about my future and the possibility of applying for college to study computer science.

The best thing that I took away from this experience is that I can't always control what happens to me, especially as a minor, but I can control how I handle things. In full transparency: there were still bad days and bad grades, but by taking action and adding a couple of classes into my schedule that I felt passionate about, I started feeling connected to school again. From there, my overall experience with school – and life in general – improved 100%."

Why this is a good essay: In this essay , the applicant focuses on personal development. They begin by addressing their low grades and poor mental health at a younger age and how the experience affected them. The main focus of the essay, however, is how they found the motivation to get back on track and improve their grades. 

The student has taken this essay opportunity to not only explain the poor grades that Harvard will see from freshman year but has also proven that they have the ability to pull through when times get tough. Remember, the adversity essay should focus mainly on how you’ve learned and grown from a negative experience rather than focusing on the experience itself. 

Community/Diversity Essay

Essay prompts that ask about your experiences in your community help colleges to better understand your unique perspective. Many schools aim to cultivate a diverse environment to enrich the student experience and make sure students from all different backgrounds feel welcome on campus. 

Diversity can relate to your ethnicity, culture, birthplace, health, socioeconomic status, interests, talents, values, and many other things. There is no “correct experience” when it comes to choosing a topic here. In this essay, you have the opportunity to celebrate your unique perspective.

Think about experiences that are important to your identity. For example, you could write about your hometown, a family tradition, a community event, a generational story, or whatever feels most authentic to you. 

Keep this essay authentic; avoid fabricating a story or using someone else's experience. This story needs to come completely from you and let your school get some more information on who you are.

Community/Diversity Essay Sample from Duke University:

“The pitter patter of droplets, the sweet smell that permeates throughout the air, the dark grey clouds that fill the sky, shielding me from the otherwise intense gaze of the sun, create a landscape unparalleled by any natural beauty. I have gazed upon the towering cliffs of Yosemite, stood next to Niagara Falls as the water roars, succumbing to the power of gravity, and seen the beaches of Mexico basked in moonlight, yet none of these wonders compares to the simple beauty of an Arizona rainstorm. To me, our rain represents more than humidity and darkness; its rarity gives it beauty. The uncertainty of when the next day of rain will come compels me to slow down, and enjoy the moment.

Out of the three realms of time; past, present, and future, the present is the only one we can experience, and I take advantage of every moment I have. When I pause my running to enjoy a sunset that dazzles the sky with brilliant colors of purple and orange, when I touch my brush to a canvas and focus on my movements in the present, when I drive home after a long day of improving our robot, and decide to drive around my neighborhood to finish “Garota de Ipanema”, which just popped up from my playlist of 700 songs, I am taking advantage of the moment.

So next time it rains, step outside. Close your eyes. Hear the symphony of millions of water droplets. And enjoy the moment.”

Why this is a successful essay: This essay is an excellent example of pulling a unique experience from your life and expressing its importance. The applicant tells a compelling story about their unique perspective on rain in Arizona and does an excellent job of expressing how special the seemingly mundane event is to them. 

The language used here is visually descriptive, which makes the reader feel as if we are experiencing the event with the writer. This is an excellent way to get the admissions committee to feel connected to your story and get a better understanding of who you are and what you enjoy doing in life. 

The Extracurricular Essay

Many schools are interested in how you spend your time outside of the classroom. Extracurricular essays are quite common as supplemental essays, although students often struggle with how to make an entire essay out of their extracurricular activities. That’s why it’s important to brainstorm and create a story.

Think of a problem that arose while you were participating in one of your extracurricular activities, such as:

• Your sports team lost an important player
• You were injured during a dance recital
• Your music group needed funding 
• Your local soup kitchen was at risk of being shut down, etc.

The problem you choose can be big or small as long as it lends itself to a story. Think about the problem and how you took steps to solve it with your team or other members of your community. 

Use your extracurricular essay to show how your passion and motivation extend beyond the classroom. You can choose any activity to write about, as long as it was not during regular school hours or related to a specific course. 

Extracurricular Essay Sample from Yale:

“ Haunted romanticism, ravaged gaze, desperation bordering on lunacy, Saturn Devouring His Son first caught my attention as a bored nine-year-old wandering around a museum, and once again as a high-school student, after catching a glimpse of it in a textbook. 

Because after looking at angelic frescos after more Church frescos, I could not stop myself from flipping back to the tiny printing of this unholy piece. I sought to discover the story behind it—what caused this artist to create something so raw and naked, in the age of staid royal family portraits?

I became immersed in unraveling each bit of the story, how Goya had long transitioned from a royal painter, to a harsh, but veiled critic of society, the desolation that occurred during the French occupation of Spain, the corruption of Charles IV— who was really only a puppet ruler to Godoy. I learned how kingdoms rose and fell—and rose again, how art is unafraid to capture the seditious attitudes of the common people, and how it has endured to teach us of past mistakes.

I fell in love with dissecting the messages from the past, and discovering how we still have not listened to them.”

Why this essay is successful: 

The prompt for this Yale extracurricular essay was “Write about something that you love to do,” and the writer has certainly delivered. Here, the writer goes into detail about why they enjoy going to art museums outside of school. They’ve kept their essay focused on the meanings behind the paintings, giving the reader a deeper understanding of not only what fascinates them - but why it does.

The real key to an extracurricular essay is showing your passions outside of school. There is no right answer; you should simply focus on what interests you and explain why. Try to make the reader feel as if they are there with you. Think about the smells, the sights, and the feelings that surround your extracurricular interest and include them in your essay. 

College Supplemental Essay Length 

All of the essay types above come in different lengths. Some essays will ask only 150 words or less, while some have no word limit at all. Here, we’ll go over how to adjust your writing depending on your word count. 

Short Essay

There is a broad misconception that writing a short essay is “less work,” which we are unfortunately here to squash. Writing shorter-form essays (150 to 500 words) can be more challenging because you have less room to make your point, and your writing must be concise. 

To write an excellent short-form essay, start by brainstorming your ideas and move on to writing once you have a solid idea of the main points you want to include. Avoid fluff, repeating the question, reciting your resume, and run-on sentences. The best short essays are honest and to the point. 

If your essay is too long when you’ve finished writing, go through each sentence and ask yourself: “Could I tell this story without this sentence?” If yes, cut it completely. If you answered no, find ways to subtract unnecessary words. Having a friend help you edit is a great way to find out which parts are making the text longer without lending anything to the story. 

Medium Essay 

A medium essay is a sweet spot. Typically, a length of one to three pages flows easily and allows the writer to include all necessary information without repeating themselves or taking anything away. 

Because of this, make sure not to go over or under the word count. Most students do not struggle to keep their writing within these parameters, so it’s important to respect them. 

Although you have more room in a medium-length essay, your writing should still be concise and flow well without including excess information. It’s always a good idea to have a teacher, friend, or family member look over your story. 

Make sure that when they edit, they are looking for things like grammatical errors, run-on sentences, and unnecessary information. They shouldn’t take too much out of your essay because you don’t want the voice of the essay to change. 

Long Essay 

When tasked with writing a long essay (three pages or more), it can be challenging to continuously provide fresh information and avoid repetition. However, repetition and dragging sentences is the main thing you’ll want to avoid in a long-form essay. To do this, you should rely heavily on planning and your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement sets up your article, allowing you to break the information into parts and tackle each step individually. Brainstorming before you start writing is critical as it ensures you have enough relevant information to fill out the full length of your paper. 

How to Write School-Specific Supplemental Essays? 

It’s a good idea to tailor your supplemental essays to match the expectations of the school you’re applying to. Here are some guides on how to write outstanding essays for specific schools: 

• How to Write the Harvard Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the Vanderbilt Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the University of Michigan Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the Duke Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the Northwestern University Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the UPenn Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the University of Washington Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the Boston College Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the Cornell Supplemental Essays
• How to Write the Bowdoin Supplemental Essays ‍
• How to Write the Pepperdine Supplemental Essays

These guides will help you write stellar essays!

FAQs: Supplemental Essays

Here are our answers to some frequently asked questions about supplemental essays.

1. Do Colleges Care About Supplemental Essays?

Yes, colleges care about supplemental essays. Your writing gives colleges extra insight into who you are as a person beyond your grades. Strong essays can give you an advantage in your application to many different schools. 

2. What to Include in Supplemental Essays?

Stick to the prompt. Your response should approach each aspect of the prompt while providing genuine information about your life experience. 

Each essay prompt is different, but admissions committees always love to hear a good story. Use descriptive yet concise language to get your points across while transporting the reader into your world.

3. When Should I Start My Supplemental Essays?

You should start planning your essays as soon as you receive the prompts for each. Once you’re confident in your plan, begin writing your essay as soon as you can to give yourself plenty of time to edit before submitting. 

4. Are Supplemental Essays Hard?

For students who are not strong writers, it can be challenging to get started on your essays. However, the most important part of your essay is to remain genuine, tell your story, and be concise. 

5. How Do I Start Writing My Supplemental Essay?

Before you start writing, brainstorm and create a solid plan for what you want to include. This will help you write with ease and remain on track while you’re writing your paper. You can also look at good essay examples for inspiration. 

6. Where Do You Submit Supplemental Essays? 

If using the Common Application, you can submit your essays in the Writing Supplements section. Generally, you will submit your essays along with the rest of your application.

Final Thoughts

Your supplemental essays are an important part of your application and should be given plenty of time and attention. No matter what essay prompts you are given, ensure that you are consistently speaking from the heart and telling a compelling story. 

Keep in mind that your experiences are what make you unique, and you do not have to exaggerate or fabricate anything to craft an excellent supplemental essay.

If you are still struggling with writing compelling essays, you can always seek professional help to get assistance with writing, editing, brainstorming, and overall crafting stellar supplementals. 

Good luck with your essays!

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How to Write the Most Common Supplemental College Essays: A Complete Guide

Note: This post focuses on supplemental essays. If you want advice on the Common App prompts, check out our guide to the Common App essays .

Your grades are in, your test scores have been sent, and recommendation letters have been uploaded…but there’s one last component of your college applications left: the essays. For many students, essays are the final and most daunting hurdle to clear before hitting submit.

Your essays, however, are your opportunity to tell admissions officers how you want them to remember you. Maybe you didn’t do so well on the SAT, or maybe you got a lower grade than you hoped for in Honors Chemistry, but you can’t change your grades or scores.

The essays, however, are entirely in your control. There is so much freedom to tell your story and what makes you unique. Our mission at CollegeVine is to make the essay-writing as stress-free as possible. Read on for our tips and tricks on writing a college essay that will give you the best chance at getting that thick envelope!

Content overview:

• Why this college?
• Why this major?
• Elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience.
• Discuss a community you belong to that has impacted who you are today.
• Crafting the essay
• Avoiding pitfalls

Want to learn more about Supplemental Essays? Check out one of our popular recorded live streams on this topic.

Common Types of College Essays

Colleges will find a hundred different ways to ask a question, but most of the time, the prompt boils down to one of the following common essay themes.

Common Essay #1: Why this college?

Students’ most common mistake on a “Why this college?” essay is lack of specificity; in particular, some students will list attributes that can apply to multiple schools, which is what you want to avoid at all costs.

When it comes to a “Why this college?” essay, you need to discuss qualities and programs specific to that school. It is not enough to merely list or name-drop, however. Instead, talk about why this item is important to you. Here’s how this plays out:

What not to do:

I want to go to the University of Southern California because it is a highly ranked school in Los Angeles. In addition, I like its Cosmic Writers Club, as well as the Incubate USC program. I am especially excited about the abundant film resources.

Why the previous response doesn’t work:

There are many reasons you want to avoid a response like this. Let’s start with the first sentence: replace the school’s name with UCLA and the accuracy doesn’t suffer. What this means is that the sentence is not specific enough to USC. In addition, you never want to state, or even imply, that you’re applying to a school due to prestige or ranking.

The exception for the previous rule is if a school is ranked highly for a specific program of interest. For example, if you want to pursue creative writing and a school has the number one creative writing program in the country, you can mention this because it is a quality specific to that school. A school’s overall prestige, however, should not be mentioned in your essay.

Why else doesn’t this response work? Let’s look at the second sentence. The writer does well to mention specific programs within USC. However, the response fails to discuss why they liked these programs or how they would benefit from having access to them.

What to write instead:

As someone with a lasting love for writing and a blossoming passion for entrepreneurship, I was so excited to find a large urban school like the University of Southern California that would give me the resources to pursue both. From classes with award-winning authors—amongst them Professor T. Boyle, whose environmental fiction works are similar to those I hope to someday publish—to clubs like the Cosmic Writers Club, which unites author hopefuls, USC offers more resources than I could ever exhaust in my journey to publish my first book.

On the business side, USC is known for fostering the type of creativity and innovation needed in pursuing start-ups. In particular, I was so excited to learn of the Incubate USC program, a unique mothership of ideas that nurtures the creativity of students. With the help of this program, I would be able to pursue my growing interest in the world of start-up ventures.

Why the previous response works:

This response not only mentions programs and resources specific to USC, but it shows how the student would take advantage of these opportunities. In addition, this response portrays passion and ambition, infusing elements of the student’s personality while still staying focused on answering the prompt.

Other things to keep in mind:

• The first time you say the school’s name, you should write it out. After that, you can abbreviate.
• Avoid writing what every other applicant is going to write. For example, every NYU applicant is going to mention NYU’s location in New York City. Unless you have a unique twist on this, you should skip it.
• Don’t mention frivolous things like dorms or dining halls. Your reasons for liking a school should be more substantial.
• Do your research. For example, don’t say you’ve always wanted to go to a city if you’re writing an essay for a rural school.
• Do not copy and paste your “Why this college?” essay and simply change the school name. Many non-Harvard admissions officers have received essays from students about why they want to go to Harvard. If your “Why this college?” essay is so general that you can copy and paste it, your reasoning will not impress admissions officers.

For more tips on writing this essay, see our complete guide to the “Why this college?” essay , including a real sample essay.

Common Essay #2: Why this major? 

One of the most important things to remember is that admissions officers are not looking for a résumé. This is not to say you can’t discuss your activities and how they culminated a passion for a specific major. The challenge, however, is to use these activities to tell a story rather than a mere list of achievements.

How do you do this? Share your thought processes. Many times it is the thoughts surrounding an activity more than the activity itself that will show the reader your journey to choosing a major.

Other tips:

• Don’t ever say that your reason for choosing a major is money-making potential. If you want to mention life beyond college, then talk about how this major will help you achieve your dreams. If your dream is to produce a feature-length film and a film major will help you get there, say that. But don’t say your dream is to be a rich film producer.
• Undeclared? That’s totally okay. Just be sure to list a couple potential majors, and explain your interest in those. Under no circumstances should you say you have absolutely no idea, as that will make you look like you don’t care. For more tips, see our post on how to write the “Why this major?” essay if you’re undecided .

For more tips on writing this essay, see our complete guide to the “Why this major?” essay , including a real sample essay.

Common Essay 3: Elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience.

Is there an activity or work experience in your application that you have more to say about? Maybe there’s a story behind it that you want to tell. Some questions to consider are:

• How did you become interested in this extracurricular?
• What is your role in the activity or work experience?
• Why do you do it?
• Have you experienced growth within the activity over time?

There are endless angles you can pursue here, but your essay should, in short, show your motivation behind participating in a certain activity or job.

What you don’t want to do, however, is simply restate something that’s been said elsewhere. If you have already spotlighted an activity in another essay for a given college, don’t write about the same activity. Your goal here is to share new information and your breadth of experiences.

As with the “Why Major?” prompt, it is more powerful to share a story with the reader rather than to detail the activity itself.

For more tips on writing this essay, see our complete guide to the Extracurricular Activity essay , including a real sample essay.

Common Essay 4: Discuss a community you belong to that has impacted who you are today.

“Community” can mean many things, so there are many possible approaches to this prompt. Some applicants respond with a community they’re linked to through culture, and others through sports or a club.

One thing you can emphasize is personal growth—or other aspects of who you are as a person—that has come from belonging to this community. The majority of the essay should, in fact, center around how being part of this group has changed or impacted who you are as a person.

What to avoid:

• Do not discriminate against other communities in your response.
• Try not to talk about your community in broad terms, but instead focus on your place within this community.
• Avoid using the essay as a chance to complain. If you choose to talk about challenges in a certain community, find a way to give your essay a sense of resolution. This can consist even of talking about how you’ve grown as a person or learned how to confront these obstacles in a productive way.

Writing the Essay

Phase 1: ideation.

Highlights of this section:

• Thinking of an idea
• Portraying individuality
• Staying true to yourself
• General tips and tricks

Now that you’re familiar with some of the most common types of essay prompts, let’s dive into the ideation process. Here are some questions that it’s good to ask yourself when you’re just starting out, particularly when the prompt deviates from the more straightforward archetypes above:

• What makes you unique?
• What is your story?
• Is there something you weren’t able to say in your application that you think admissions officers should know?
• Did you mention something earlier in your application that you want to elaborate on?

Remember that your essays, and application in general, should read like a portfolio in which all components are complementary without being redundant. If the application is like a drawing, then the essays should contribute to creating one coherent image without sketching the same line more than once or leaving gaps in the drawing.

Don’t shy away from being quirky! The more you present yourself as your own unique person, the more likely the admissions officer is to remember you. Take the following cases, for instance:

• A football player who scores a winning touchdown in the last five seconds of the game.
• A football player who knits scarves for residents of a retirement home in his free time.

In the first case, telling this story doesn’t do anything to differentiate this football player from others. However, the second story portrays a unique student with two interests the reader might not otherwise have paired together. Individuality is the goal here.

Of course, don’t exaggerate , lie, or pretend to be someone you’re not. In particular, don’t write something just because you think the admissions officer wants to hear it. They have read enough applications to separate the genuine voices from the insincere. As such, your only job is to put your true self on the page!

Here are some other things to keep in mind while brainstorming college essay topics:

• Narratives will always be more successful because they engage the reader emotionally. They are also an easy way to demonstrate how you’ve changed and grown over time.
• If you have already emphasized something in your application, don’t dedicate an essay to it unless can share an entirely new perspective. When in doubt, choose a new topic.
• Your essay doesn’t have to be about something rare and incredible. You don’t have to have started a company or traveled the world to write a solid essay. In fact, some of the strongest essays have taken a simple, perhaps even everyday occurrence, and portrayed it in a beautiful way that shows a unique way of thinking.
• Be sure to answer all aspects of the prompt while still giving the reader insight into who you are. It’s very easy to speak about some topics in third-person or broad terms (example: “What is your idea of success?”). Don’t do this. Instead, find a way to link the prompt to your own life.

Overall, think of the essays as a way to let the admissions officer get to know you on a personal level. Humanize yourself.

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Phase 2: Crafting the Essay

• Show, don’t tell.
• Perfecting the first and last sentence
• What does the essay say about me?

You have likely heard this next tip a hundred times throughout high school, but it’s vital to writing a strong essay: show, don’t tell . The whole point of essays is to give insight into who you are and how you think. Can you effectively do that if you’re merely listing off things that happened? Nope. Let’s take a lot at two examples:

• An example of telling: The cat ran out the door, and I got scared.
• An example of showing: The doorbell rang, accompanied by the creak of the mailbox as the mailman slipped the day’s envelopes inside. I ran downstairs and threw the door open, knowing today was the day I was going to hear back. My excitement made me oblivious, though, and it wasn’t until I saw a blur of dark fur dash through the open door that I realized my mistake.

The second example takes the facts and turns it into a story. It gives the reader a sense of anticipation as well as a character to identify with and root for. That’s what “show, don’t tell” does for your essay.

Now let’s talk about the two most important parts of your essay: the first sentence and the last sentence.

Your first sentence’s job is to hook the reader. Aim for a first sentence that surprises, even slightly jars, the reader to wake them up and get their full focus on your essay. Here are some examples:

• It wasn’t supposed to be blue.
• Was the car meant to sound like that?

In both cases, the writer has intentionally withheld information, providing just enough to leave the reader wanting to know the rest of the story. What isn’t supposed to be blue? What happens next?

As for the last sentence, its job is to resolve the essay, leaving the reader with a sense of peace and finality. Give the reader one last great impression to remember you by. Here’s an example:

“I’ve learned to hold my failures close; not so close that they burden me, per say, but just

close enough that they can guide me as I journey onward.”

This sentence works because it gives the reader a sense that, though the story continues on in the form of the narrator’s ongoing journey, the story on the page has been resolved. It feels peaceful.

Now then, after you’ve completed your first draft, the next thing you want to do is ask yourself the following question : What three things about me can the reader get from reading this essay? If you’re having trouble answering this question, then the essay needs to share more about you. Otherwise, you’re ready for revision!

Phase 3: Revision

• Careless errors
• Staying under the word limit
• Getting a second opinion

You’ve done the hard work. You came up with a brilliant idea and poured your heart and soul into the writing. Now comes the tedious part: revision.

Most importantly, college essays need to be absolutely devoid of grammatical or spelling mistakes . You don’t want to give your admissions officer the impression that you didn’t care enough to proofread, especially after all of your hard work.

Another aspect that tends to frustrate students is the word limit. If you’ve made it under the word limit, great! If not, here are some methods of cutting down.

• Example: In visiting your campus, it occurred to me that the method with which you schedule your classes is ideal because…
• This can be cut down to: The way you schedule your classes is ideal because…
• Most times phrases such as “I think,” “I believe,” “it seems,” and other similar wording is not necessary and simply takes up extra space. Use your judgement, but generally, these phrases get the boot.
• Keep an eye out for the word “that.” This can almost always be cut.
• If you use a long hyphen (—), no space is needed between words. This will bring your word count down. Don’t get too hyphen happy, though!

If the above tips are not enough to get you below the word limit,  you may need to remove entire paragraphs. If a paragraph does not drive the story forward, or is unnecessary in understanding the progression of the story, you may want to remove it.

Once your essay is mistake-free and below the word limit, your next task is to send it to at least three trusted individuals. Ask them the following questions to guide their suggestions:

• Does it make sense?
• Does it sound like me?
• What does it say about me? (Check that this aligns with what you want it to say about you).

Take note of their responses and decide what changes you want to implement. Be receptive, but remember to stay true to yourself and your vision.

Avoiding Pitfalls:

• Avoid discussion of taboo subjects or things that can be perceived as controversial. Everyone is entitled to their own views, but you don’t want to chance saying something controversial that your reader might disagree with.
• Never appear discriminatory in any way. Colleges tend to be vastly left-wing and progressive.
• Don’t turn in work that isn’t your own. When does accepting another person’s edits become plagiarism? If they are rewriting entire sentences in their own words, it is no longer your own work.
• Avoid clichés! It is okay to write about a common experience (like a sports injury or service trip), but only if you have a unique take on them. Don’t write on a popular topic if you will simply describe the same lesson that everyone else learned.
• Don’t write your essay directly into the application text box or it may not save your work. Write it in a separate document and copy and paste it later. Then, double check that the format is correct.

At the end of the day, your essays should just leave the reader thinking: I want to have a conversation with this student. You want to show that you’re an multifaceted, mature person with an interesting story to tell. At CollegeVine, we’re rooting for you all the way—go get writing!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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Tips for Writing Supplemental Essays

Ah, those pesky supplemental essays. Just when you think you’ve got your college application pretty much all together, you realize that several colleges where you’re applying want you to write another essay. How should you approach this additional task?

In most cases, supplemental essays are either as important or more important than your Common App essay. Colleges use them in different ways – sometimes to draw out a different side of your personality, sometimes to gauge your level of interest in their institution, occasionally to evaluate some specific quality that is important to their community. Usually, the college’s intent is pretty clear in the questions they ask (so don’t worry about trick questions or reverse psychology). But in every case, the fundamental purpose of a supplemental essay is for an admission committee to learn more about you.

Here are some tips to consider as you craft your supplemental essays:

• Write your Common Application essay early. Most of you will be applying to multiple colleges that accept the Common App, with its choice of seven essay prompts. If you haven’t already begun to craft your “main” essay, now is the time to do that. I recommend having this one more or less finished before your senior year begins – which will leave you more time to focus on your supplemental essays as application deadlines get closer.
• Strategize the order you write your supplemental essays. Research ahead so you know which colleges require supplements and when they are due. Start with the most immediate deadlines (often Early Action or Early Decision), and move to the later deadlines from there.
• Spend just as much time writing and polishing your supplemental essays as you do your Common App essay. This is the biggest pitfall of supplemental essay writing – and admission officers are not impressed when they see evidence you didn’t put as much time and effort into your second essay. (At some colleges, this could even lessen the competitiveness of your application, if they perceive it as a lack of interest on your part.) Plan ahead and give yourself the time you need to brainstorm, draft, edit, and proofread.
• Tell your story. Supplemental essays have the same purpose as the standard ones – to give you an opportunity to share something about yourself. Even if the question is focused on the college, don’t just use this as an opportunity to show your knowledge about the college; use your knowledge of the college to tell your own story. Consider this a second opportunity to share something meaningful about yourself , and consider how you can use this essay to complement your Common App essay and provide a fuller picture of who you are.
• Don’t just list off a bunch of things you learned about the college from their website. While some colleges are looking to see that you’ve done your homework and are familiar with their institutions, you should consider that a secondary purpose for your writing. This is still a personal essay, and needs to be fundamentally about you. (When colleges ask about your fit at the institution, they’re not looking for an essay about the institution – they’re looking for an essay about your fit . That means it’s got to be about you at the core.)
• Answer the question/prompt. It’s okay to repurpose other essays you’ve written, if they are generally in line with the question – but be sure to tailor them, carefully, to ensure they answer the prompt seamlessly. You don’t want an admission officer thinking, “Yep, this student copied and pasted this essay from somewhere else and rewrote the first and last sentence.”

With a little planning and some careful consideration of the advice above, you shouldn’t have any problem delivering some excellent supplemental essays with your college applications. And if you're ready to begin crafting your supplemental essay for Richmond, you can find our Richmond Question prompts in the Application Materials .

Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

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