how to write reed college supplemental essay

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How to Respond to the 2023-2024 Reed College Supplemental Essay Prompts

Cait Williams is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cait recently graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Journalism and Strategic Communications. During her time at OU, was active in the outdoor recreation community.

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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

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If you want to know how to best respond to the Reed College supplemental essay prompts, look no further–you’re in the right place! While there is only one essay prompt, you’ll need to share your interests as you connect to Reed’s mission and vision. So, before we jump in, let’s take a look at what defines Reed College and you!

An introduction to Reed College 

Reed College is a small liberal arts and sciences college located in Southeast Portland, Oregon. Since opening in 1908, Reed has become known as one of the top intellectual universities in the United States. They focus on offering their students small conference style meetings where students engage with each other and their professors. 

One thing Reed offers prospective students is the opportunity to hear from its alumni. On Reed’s website, they have several testimonies from graduates. These stories are a great way to see if you might fit in as a “Reedie.” Take a look at their website to read about their academic standards, personal testimonies and their commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

Also see: How to write about yourself

Essay prompt

For one week at the end of January, Reed students upend the traditional classroom hierarchy and teach classes about any topic they love, academic or otherwise. This week is known as Paideia after the Greek term signifying “education” – the complete education of mind, body and spirit. What would you teach that would contribute to the Reed community? (500 Words)

First off, what a fun essay prompt and a really cool thing to hear that their college does? There is so much room in this question to share who you are, what you love and how you will add to the Reed Community. 

Let’s start with the first question. What would you teach? While this question is giving you a lot of creative freedom, you’ll still want to keep a few parameters in mind when you answer this. They want to hear about a topic that will contribute to their community. So, while learning about the extremely detailed world of Harry Potter might be really interesting to you and others, there needs to be a way in which that can be learned from that contributes to the community around you. Can we learn about xenophobia and racism through specific lessons from Harry Potter?

The above example is just one idea to show you the connection that they want you to make between your topic and the bigger picture of improving the world around you. There are some questions below to read through that might help get the ideas flowing in your head.

Questions to consider

• What topics do you love, academic or otherwise?
• How have you grown through your interests?
• What topic do you think more people should know about? Why?

Hopefully, if you take a few minutes to think through those questions, you’ll come up with some ideas. Maybe you love sports and want to teach a class about how sports can build our mental tenacity. Perhaps you volunteer a lot at home, and you want people to know more about how easy it is to find organizations to donate your time to. Or perhaps you’ve always loved cooking and you know a lot of college students haven’t ever had a chance to learn about cooking. 

There are no wrong answers to this question! Once you’ve come up with your topic and how it will improve the community, start to think about how your class would actually be structured. You do not have to come up with a whole syllabus and schedule, but there should be more to your essay than just that you think this topic is cool and it’ll teach people stuff. 

Come up with one required reading and a few lecture topic examples. Think about if there would be homework and what that would look like. When you begin to type your response, make sure you write it as an essay. You should mention your lecture ideas, homework assignments, and readings, but do so in an essay format.

Your paragraphs should be organized with a clear introduction of what you’re talking about, a good body and a clear conclusion as to why this class would improve the campus community. 

Additional resources

Reed College only has one essay question, meaning there is only one chance for you to show through writing what you will add to their college. While this article should give you a good idea about how to write your essay, your journey doesn’t end there. Once you’ve finished your Reed College supplemental essay, check out some of the articles below!

• 10 Tips for successful college applications
• How to end a scholarship essay in five steps
• How to answer the Common App essay prompts

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Love Reed: Writing the Reed College “Paideia” Essay Supplement

Written by Ian Brook Fisher on November 2nd, 2018

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Crafting an Impressive Reed Supplemental Essay

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Introduction

The Reed supplemental essay is an essential component of your college application to Reed College. This essay gives you the opportunity to showcase your unique qualities and demonstrate why you are a good fit for Reed's academic community. In this blog post, we will provide you with valuable insights and tips on how to write an impressive Reed supplemental essay that will captivate the admissions committee.

Writing a compelling supplemental essay requires careful thought and planning. It is not just about answering a set of questions; rather, it is an opportunity for you to share your personal story and highlight what makes you stand out from other applicants. The admissions committee wants to get to know you beyond your grades and test scores, so it is important to use this essay as a platform to express who you are as an individual.

To craft a powerful personal narrative , start by reflecting on your experiences, values, and passions. Consider significant moments in your life that have shaped your character or influenced your goals. Think about challenges you have overcome or achievements that have made you proud. By sharing these personal anecdotes, you can paint a vivid picture of who you are and what motivates you.

Moreover, it is crucial to showcase how well-aligned you are with Reed College's values and community. Research the college thoroughly and familiarize yourself with its mission statement, core values, and academic programs. Showcasing your knowledge of Reed's unique approach to education will demonstrate your genuine interest in becoming part of their community.

In addition to content, the structure and editing of your essay play a vital role in making it impactful. A well-structured essay should have a clear introduction that grabs the reader's attention, body paragraphs that support your main ideas with evidence or examples, and a concise conclusion that summarizes your key points. Remember to revise and edit your essay multiple times for clarity, coherence, grammar, and spelling errors.

By following these guidelines and putting in the effort to craft an impressive Reed supplemental essay, you will increase your chances of standing out among other applicants and securing a spot at Reed College. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into each aspect of the essay-writing process to provide you with valuable insights and tips. So let's get started on creating an essay that will leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee!

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Understanding the Reed Supplemental Essay

The Reed supplemental essay holds great significance in the college application process, as it provides applicants with an opportunity to showcase their unique qualities and demonstrate their fit with the institution. The purpose of this essay is to give Reed College admissions officers a deeper understanding of who you are beyond your grades and test scores. It allows you to share your personal story, passions, and aspirations in a way that cannot be captured by other parts of your application.

Reed College is known for its commitment to intellectual inquiry, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary learning. Through the supplemental essay, the college aims to assess whether you align with these values and if you would thrive in their rigorous academic environment. This essay also helps the admissions committee evaluate your potential contributions to the Reed community and how you can benefit from what the college has to offer.

When writing your Reed supplemental essay, it is essential to approach it with thoughtfulness and authenticity. Admissions officers are looking for genuine reflections of your character and experiences. They want to see how you have grown intellectually and personally, as well as how you can contribute positively to the campus community. By understanding the purpose behind this essay, you can tailor your content effectively and make a compelling case for why Reed College is the right fit for you.

In the next sections of this blog post, we will delve into specific strategies for crafting a personal narrative that resonates with readers, showcasing your fit with Reed College's values and community, as well as structuring and editing your essay effectively. These tips will help you create an impressive Reed supplemental essay that stands out amidst a sea of applications. So let's dive in!

Crafting a Personal Narrative

A compelling personal narrative is crucial when crafting your Reed supplemental essay. This is your opportunity to share your unique experiences, perspectives, and aspirations with the admissions committee. To create a captivating personal narrative, start by reflecting on significant moments or challenges that have shaped you as an individual.

Consider discussing a transformative experience that has had a profound impact on your life. This could be an event, a relationship, or even a personal realization. By sharing this story, you can provide insight into your character and demonstrate how you have grown and developed over time.

Moreover, it is important to convey your passion and enthusiasm in your writing. Showcasing genuine excitement about your interests and goals will make your essay more engaging and memorable. Whether it's through vivid descriptions or heartfelt anecdotes, let your personality shine through.

In addition, don't shy away from vulnerability in your writing. Admissions officers appreciate authenticity and honesty. Sharing personal struggles or setbacks can demonstrate resilience and determination. However, it's essential to strike a balance between vulnerability and positivity – focus on how these experiences have shaped you positively rather than dwelling solely on the negative aspects.

Remember to connect your personal narrative back to why Reed College is the ideal fit for you. Highlight specific aspects of the college's academic programs or campus culture that resonate with your own values and goals. This will show the admissions committee that you have thoroughly researched Reed College and are genuinely interested in becoming part of its community.

Showcasing Fit with Reed College

Reed College is known for its unique values and tight-knit community, making it essential to showcase how you align with these aspects in your supplemental essay. One of the core values at Reed is intellectual curiosity and academic rigor . As an applicant, it is important to emphasize your passion for learning and your willingness to explore diverse subjects.

When showcasing fit with Reed College's values, it is crucial to highlight your commitment to intellectual inquiry. Discuss specific instances where you have demonstrated a love for knowledge and a desire to delve deeper into topics that intrigue you. Whether it was through independent research projects or participating in thought-provoking discussions, provide examples that demonstrate your intellectual curiosity.

Additionally, Reed College places a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary studies and encourages students to make connections across various disciplines. Showcase your ability to think critically and creatively by highlighting experiences where you have integrated different areas of study or tackled complex problems from multiple angles.

Another aspect of Reed's community is its collaborative nature. The college fosters an environment where students actively engage in discussions, debates, and group projects. Highlight instances where you have worked effectively as part of a team or contributed meaningfully to group endeavors. Emphasize your communication skills, adaptability, and willingness to listen and learn from others.

Lastly, Reed College values diversity and seeks students who will contribute positively to their inclusive community. Share experiences that demonstrate your respect for different perspectives and cultures. Discuss how you have actively sought out opportunities to engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds and how this has shaped your worldview.

By showcasing fit with Reed College's values and community through examples that highlight intellectual curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, collaboration, and appreciation for diversity, you will strengthen your supplemental essay and increase your chances of being admitted to this prestigious institution.

Structuring and Editing the Essay

Crafting an impressive Reed supplemental essay goes beyond just having great content; it also requires a well-structured and polished piece of writing. To ensure your essay stands out, you need to pay attention to both the structure and the editing process.

Structuring the Essay Effectively

When structuring your Reed supplemental essay, it's important to have a clear and logical flow that engages the reader from start to finish. Begin with a captivating introduction that hooks the reader's attention and introduces the main theme or idea of your essay. This could be an anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a compelling statement.

Next, develop your ideas in a coherent manner by organizing them into paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on one main point or aspect related to your personal narrative or fit with Reed College. Use topic sentences at the beginning of each paragraph to clearly indicate what each section will discuss.

To maintain clarity and coherence throughout your essay, make sure there is a smooth transition between paragraphs. Use transitional words and phrases such as "furthermore," "however," or "in addition" to connect ideas and create a seamless flow.

Finally, end your essay with a strong conclusion that summarizes your main points and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. This can be done by restating your thesis statement or main argument and providing some final thoughts or reflections.

Editing the Essay Effectively

Editing is an essential step in creating an impressive Reed supplemental essay. Start by reviewing your essay for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors. Use proofreading tools or ask someone else to read through your essay for feedback.

In addition to checking for technical errors, pay attention to the overall clarity and coherence of your writing. Ensure that each sentence contributes meaningfully to the overall message of your essay. Remove any unnecessary repetition or tangents that might distract from the main ideas.

Consider revising your essay for conciseness and clarity. Trim any wordy or convoluted sentences to make your writing more concise and impactful. Use precise language and avoid excessive jargon or complex vocabulary that may hinder understanding.

Finally, read your essay aloud to check its flow and rhythm. This can help identify any awkward phrasing or inconsistencies in tone. Make sure the essay sounds natural and authentic, reflecting your unique voice as a writer.

By structuring and editing your Reed supplemental essay effectively, you can ensure that it is well-organized, coherent, and engaging. This attention to detail will demonstrate your commitment to excellence and enhance the overall impact of your essay on the admissions committee at Reed College.

In conclusion, crafting an impressive Reed supplemental essay requires careful thought and attention to detail. By understanding the purpose of the essay, you can effectively convey your personal narrative and showcase your fit with Reed College's values and community. Remember to structure and edit your essay in a way that is clear, concise, and engaging. The Reed supplemental essay provides an opportunity for prospective applicants to demonstrate their passion, intellect, and potential contributions to the college community. It is a chance to stand out among other applicants and leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee. With these tips in mind, you are well-equipped to write an exceptional Reed supplemental essay that will help you secure a spot at this esteemed institution. Good luck with your application process, and we hope to see you on campus soon!

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Reed College

• Cost & scholarships
• Essay prompt

Want to see your chances of admission at Reed College?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

Reed College’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Diversity essay.

How might aspects of your identity positively influence the living and learning community at Reed?

Create a Class Short Response

For one week at the end of January, Reed students upend the traditional classroom hierarchy and teach classes about any topic they love, academic or otherwise. This week is known as Paideia after the Greek term signifying “education” – the complete education of mind, body and spirit. What would you teach that would contribute to the Reed community?

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Transfer Applicants

Interested in transferring to Reed? Join our mailing list for special transfer-focused events and more information about the transfer experience at Reed.

Join Our Mailing List

You are considered a transfer applicant if you have graduated from high school* (or the equivalent) and have done any of the following:

• Enrolled as a full-time or part-time student at an accredited institution of higher education (even if the term was not completed)
• Earned a minimum of six Reed units of allowable transfer credit (six Reed units are equivalent to 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours of credit)
• Received financial aid at an accredited institution of higher education

*High school students graduating from dual-enrollment programs are not considered transfer applicants and should apply as first-year students.

Common Application

The Common Application is a consortium of more than 600 colleges and universities. Each year, over 3.5 million applications are submitted via the Common Application . When applying via the Common Application, students will be required to submit the Common Application, which includes a personal essay and a Reed writing supplement.

Transfer Application Requirements

Common application requirements.

If you have questions about fulfilling any of these requirements contact Associate Dean of Admission, Grant Sewell .

Important Dates for Transfer Applicants

*Applications submitted after March 1 will be considered on a space-available basis.

**Reed College expects you and your parents to assume the primary responsibility for your educational expenses; therefore, unless you are 26 years old or older, a ward of the court or both of your parents are deceased, you will be required to complete the parental income and asset portions of the CSS PROFILE to be considered for institutional financial aid.

Reed College Curriculum and Graduation Requirements

Fifteen of the 30 units required to graduate must be completed at Reed; Students without transfer credit equivalent to Reed’s Humanities 110 class may be required to take Humanities 110 or a combination of Reed’s humanities classes; Physical education credits (PE) may be transferred to fulfill Reed’s PE requirement.

Transfer Credit and Class Standing

Transfer credit is given a preliminary analysis upon admission. Transfer credit will not be given for

• Courses that cover work at a level below Reed’s introductory courses;
• Courses that are vocational, technical, or experiential in nature;
• Courses, or portions of courses, that teach general writing;
• Courses for which a grade below C- was earned.

The number of units approved for transfer credit determines class standing. In general, class standing can be estimated as

1–6 Reed units: first year 7–12 Reed units: second year 15+ Reed units: junior year***

***Junior class standing at Reed is granted only with the approval of the intended major department. Due to the structure of the junior year at Reed and the required junior qualifying exam, it is very difficult to transfer in as a junior.

The college allows for certain decisions on transfer credit and college requirements to be made on a case-by-case basis through a petition process. Each transfer student is assigned an academic adviser with whom to consult before registration. The adviser will help arrange the student’s program of study, taking into account the student’s previous college work, educational goals, and Reed’s requirements. During this consultation, transfers can ask if petitioning their credit evaluation or remaining Reed requirements is an option.

On-campus housing requests are due by June 15. Space on campus is limited, and housing requests will be considered in the order in which they are received.

What paperwork is required to apply as a transfer student?

What if i was home-schooled, the college i attended did not issue grades., as an international student, can i transfer, how do i reapply as a transfer applicant.

See above for the full list of requirements to apply as a transfer. The following items must be newly submitted for reapplication as a transfer student: 

• Common Application for Transfers
• Reed College Common Application Writing Supplement: “Paideia Essay” (if you are a transfer applicant not currently enrolled in college, upon completion of the “Paideia Essay” supplement you will be prompted to also submit a brief statement about what you have been doing since last enrolled in formal schooling). Both essays can also be emailed to [email protected] .
• Registrar’s Report from the most recent college attended (the form and instructions are available on the Common Application website)
• One new academic evaluation (this recommendation must come from a college instructor who did not submit a previous recommendation for you)

How will my credits transfer to Reed?

With an offer of admission to Reed College, you will receive a preliminary credit evaluation. Courses are evaluated in terms of their applicability toward a liberal
 arts degree. 


Please note that transfer credit will not be given for

• courses that cover work at a level below introductory courses at Reed;
• courses that are vocational, technical, or experiential in nature;
• courses, or portions of courses, that teach general writing skills;
• courses for which you received a grade below C-.

Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) test credit is limited to a maximum of eight Reed units and will be granted only upon receipt of an original AP score report. AP credits may not be used to fulfill college distribution requirements but will count toward the total number of units required for graduation.

We recommend that you keep your syllabi from previous courses. This will better prepare you to meet with the faculty in your chosen major to discuss which courses will count toward major requirements.

Can a compromise be reached?

What are the graduation requirements.

Of the 30 Reed units needed to graduate, at least 15 must be completed at Reed. The average course load at Reed is three to four units per semester. Reed graduates must fulfill general college requirements as well as major, departmental, and divisional requirements. Every standard major falls into a "division," which is a grouping of related departments. 



If admitted, the evaluation of transfer credit that you will receive in your admission packet will indicate how your previous work may be applied toward the general college requirements. To determine how the credits might be applied toward departmental and divisional requirements, you may need to speak with your faculty adviser and with the chair of your department and division.

What are the general requirements?

Humanities 110 is required of all first-year students and students who transfer with first-year standing but without transfer credit equivalent to Humanities 110. 



Students who transfer as sophomores or juniors without transfer credit equivalent to Humanities 110 may fulfill the humanities requirement by taking either Humanities 110, or, in lieu of Humanities 110, a combination of Humanities 210, 220, or 230, plus one additional unit from Group A or Group B.

Courses used to fulfill the humanities requirement may not be used to fulfill the Group A or B requirements. We do recommend taking Humanities 110, if at all possible; at Reed, it truly is the course upon which everything else builds.

Three semesters (six quarters) of physical education are required before graduation. Only one quarter of PE may be earned at a time. PE courses will transfer from other institutions.

Reed students must pass the junior qualifying exam before beginning a thesis in the senior year. The exam (known as the junior qual) is administered by each department near the end of the junior year. The objectives of the qual are to gauge students' mastery of their disciplines, to identify weaknesses in students' preparation for advanced study or thesis work in those disciplines, and to assist students in unifying their knowledge of a major field of study.

The senior thesis and oral examination are distinctive features of Reed education. The thesis is the sustained investigation of a carefully defined problem—experimental, critical, or creative—chosen from the major field. The thesis culminates with a final comprehensive two-hour oral review under the direction of the major department.

Where will my credits put me in the way of class standing?

In general, class standing can be estimated as follows:

• 1–6 Reed units: first-year student

• 7–12 Reed units: second-year student

• 15+ Reed units: junior standing (with departmental approval)

Remember: 1 Reed unit equals 4 semester or 6 quarter credit hours.

Can I transfer as a junior?

If you plan to transfer to Reed as a junior (with 15 or more Reed units), it is important to understand the structure of the junior year. All juniors take a junior qualifying exam in the second semester of that year. It is very difficult to transfer in as a junior and sit for the exam after only one semester of Reed College work. Therefore, if applying as a junior, keep in mind that an additional semester or two might be needed to prepare fully for advanced work in your department. 



When a credit evaluation is completed for someone applying for junior standing, that evaluation is sent to the department chair in the intended major. The chair will then assess which courses will satisfy departmental and divisional requirements. (Remember, they are doing this by looking over course descriptions and without the benefit of talking with you about each course.) The chair will also estimate how many semesters it may take you to complete your major requirements at Reed. When you arrive on campus for orientation, you will meet with your adviser, who will be better able to assess, in-depth, your preparation in your major.

Will I be advised?

Should i visit, where do transfer students live.

• College Application

Your Definitive Guide to Supplemental College Application Essays

Including supplemental essay examples to inspire your own.

Supplemental college application essays come in a vast range of topics and sizes and are often the biggest challenge for students after getting through the grueling initial application stages. These essays are crucial in the admissions process, as they provide a more personal and detailed context of your candidacy. They allow you to speak about more specific topics than the more general and broadly-structured personal statement or Common App essay that you submit in your primary application.

In this blog, our college essay advisors go over the general categories and purposes for the various supplemental essays you may have to navigate, and offer examples of short, medium, and lengthy supplemental essays.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 25 min read

Why are supplemental college application essays so important.

Supplemental essay prompts are usually provided directly by colleges as part of the secondary application, after you’ve submitted your primary application. Some colleges ask for multiple essays of varying lengths while others may ask for just one long-form supplemental essay. The specific prompts and word count requirements vary widely between schools. Every admissions committee creates their own supplemental requirements, including secondary essay prompts, to help them form a holistic picture of the applicant and judge how well-suited they would be for their school.

At the outset, it’s vital to understand that the term “supplemental” does not mean optional or second in importance. A supplement fills or makes up for an absence or imbalance, and that’s precisely the role these essays play in your application. Think of it a bit like adding colored paint to a black and white drawing. Your high school resume , transcripts, and test scores have given admissions committees an initial sense of what your candidacy. Supplemental essays, when correctly attuned to the personal statement, create a more nuanced portrait of your as an applicant.

Supplemental essays present a unique challenge as they have to be written in a short period of time, typically in 2 weeks or a month. Colleges send out secondary applications only after receiving your primary application and they provide strict submission deadlines. Additionally, unlike your personal statement, it’s not always possible to write supplemental college essays in advance since colleges frequently change their exact prompts from one year to the next and secondary essays need to always be tailored in response to specific prompts. However, that doesn’t mean you have to wait till you actually receive your specific prompts to start work on the essays.

A good strategy to tackle advance work on supplemental college essays is to spend 2 to 3 weeks writing rough drafts of the most common supplemental college essay types. Depending on the colleges you’re applying to, you can focus on specific prompts they’ve frequently asked in previous years. You can also check out college essay examples to get a better idea of what kind of content you need to come up with.

As you’re working on your primary application in the summer before senior year of high school or in September/October of your senior year, you can spend a few minutes each day brainstorming ideas for the previous year’s secondary essay prompts from colleges you’re applying to and creating a few rough drafts. For instance, most colleges ask for the “why us” essay, so you should definitely brainstorm your answer to that question in advance for all the colleges you’re applying to.

The advantage of following this strategy is that you will probably be wrapping up your primary application, including your personal statement or Common App essay, just as you begin work on your secondaries. Writing an effective personal statement requires a lot of brainstorming, journaling, introspection, free writing, rough drafts, and revisions. In the process, you’re sure to have spent plenty of time identifying key experiences, events, incidents, and people in your life, and also thinking about your own strengths, weaknesses, motivations, ambitions, and failures. Not all of this would have made it into your personal statement, and you can re-use a lot of this rough material as inspiration for your supplemental essay content. Moreover, you would have already honed your structuring and writing skills working on your personal statement, and the basic written communication skills required for the secondary essays are the same.

The goal of this advanced writing process is to have ideas and inspiration ready for when you actually receive your specific essay prompts. All your pre-writing and brainstorming will give you plenty of base material to work with, and rather than starting from scratch, you can spend the critical time before your supplemental deadline tailoring your essays to respond to the specific prompts and word counts. Remember, this is going to be a very busy period for you: while different colleges have different supplemental application dates and timelines, they generally occur within a similar period of time, typically between October and November for early decision programs and December and January for regular applications. So, you’re bound to have some overlap between the secondary essay deadlines for different colleges you’re applying to. You might end up having to work on secondary essays for multiple colleges within the same 1 month period. That’s why it’s all the more important that you complete your brainstorming in advance and create a few rough drafts of essays in response to the most commonly expected prompts.

Now, let’s discuss some general trends and categories frequently used for supplemental college application essays.

How to Tackle Different Supplemental Essays Prompts

While these categories cover the general focus of most supplemental essays, it’s important to note that schools change their secondary and supplemental essay prompts regularly, sometimes every year, and as a result, topics and categories evolve over time. Nonetheless, these are the most common categories both historically and currently.

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind while working on any essay type:

The School-Specific Supplemental Essay

What is it?

As we mentioned previously, this is one of the most frequently used supplemental college prompts. These are typically between 250-350 words in length, although this varies widely from school to school. This is actually one of the easiest types of secondary college prompts to answer. Students don’t usually choose their undergraduate institutions randomly, rather, they make their choice after careful deliberation and research. To answer the school-specific essays, use that research! Schools want to know you’re engaged with their overall mission and clearly understand their place in the world, as well as what you specifically hope to get out of the campus experience aside from a Bachelor’s degree.

Sample essay prompts

Dartmouth : While arguing a Dartmouth-related case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1818, Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, delivered this memorable line: \"It is, sir,\u2026a small college, and yet there are those who love it!\" As you seek admission to the Class of 2026, what aspects of the College's program, community, or campus environment attract your interest? (maximum 100 words) ","label":"Dartmouth","title":"Dartmouth"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

How to write this type of essay

• Provide specific details that tie to an overarching theme : It’s very important to set up the connection between your academic ambitions and what the college has to offer. Think deeply about what you hope to achieve and why you’ve identified this specific college. Back up your thesis with specific details about the college. It’s not enough to say – “I love XYZ college, and I’d love to pursue ABC major there.” The why is crucial. Remember, in this essay, colleges don’t want to see you simply discuss you and your journey; they want to know how that journey led you to them. Back up your claims with details about what attracts you to them, which could be anything from the campus and famous alumni, to the college’s unique values, or their innovative curriculum.
• Go beyond the obvious : This type of essay is, crucially, asking you to do your research and go beyond the obvious. Don’t just talk about a school’s generally known reputation or what’s on their homepage. Instead, try to identify specific projects, academic opportunities, research avenues, extracurriculars, or faculty that interest you, and relate them to your goals.
• Consider what you can do for them : Think not only about why this college is a great choice for you, but why you are a great choice for them. Why do you think you’ll fit into their campus? Are there college traditions you would be proud to continue? Can you contribute to any on-going projects or initiatives on campus? Demonstrate why they should choose you by using a concrete example.

The Extracurricular Essay

In this essay, you may be asked to talk about a particularly meaningful extracurricular activity. You might have already covered the basic details of this activity in the activities section of your application, but supplemental essays dealing with your extracurricular activities get into more overtly personal territory. Remember, the intent here is not to simply get a rehash of your activities section or transcript; rather, in these essays, schools want you to get into the deeper aspects and psychological nuances of your involvement in those activities.

It’s important to keep in mind that most prompts will not directly reference extracurriculars, but the most likely answer to these kinds of prompt will include a discussion of an extracurricular activity. For instance, some colleges ask you to elaborate on an activity where you demonstrated leadership or what helps you explore your creative side.

University of California: Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. (maximum 350 words) ","label":"University of California 2","title":"University of California 2"}]" code="tab2" template="BlogArticle">

• Pick the right activity : It’s important to pick the right activities to talk about in your supplemental essays. Research the school’s website and social media to see their mission, values, and what kind of qualities they value in their matriculants, and choose an activity that reflects these. While you obviously want to remain genuine in your essays, it does not mean you cannot be strategic. Choose an activity you know will resonate with the college you’re applying to. Another tip: If you’ve already discussed one activity in detail in your personal statement, avoid repeating that here. Additionally, don’t pick achievement-oriented activities just because you think this might impress the admissions committee. You’ve already communicated your achievements in the activities section – in this essay, you have a chance to share another side of your personality and show the admissions committee more of what makes you unique. So, you can either focus on activities you are passionate about but haven’t mentioned elsewhere, such as cooking, woodworking, non-competitive chess playing, and so on. Or pick a compelling angle for activities you’ve already mentioned. For instance, if you’ve noted being a musician in your application elsewhere, this essay would be an opportunity to discuss why and how it’s been meaningful in your life, and potentially the lives of others.
• Do not be repetitive : Think of the personal circumstances, feelings, failures, and learnings surrounding your extracurriculars and write an essay that elaborates on one of these aspects. For example, even if you do end up picking your top activity from your primary application to write about, make sure the essay you write covers a unique aspect of your experience that you haven’t discussed elsewhere in your application before. Continuing our previous example, don’t just cover the obvious aspects of musical performance, but get into the psychological impact of performing, and of what specific types or music have impacted you through immersive practice or playing. 

Check out this infographic:

This type of essay is often the hardest for students to navigate, and also comes with the longest minimum word count requirement, often 500 or more words. If you’ve had your head down in the grind of coursework and achievement-oriented activities for most of your time in high school, odds are, you haven’t had a lot of time to engage in community service or collective projects outside of school. In a sense, this is a supplemental essay that requires some advanced planning: volunteer or community service work is a widely-understood key to getting admitted to competitive universities, so you will need something to refer to in this regard. Moreover, in this essay more than any other, colleges want to see an account of meaningful experience rather than a mere description of activities performed. They’re looking for long-term involvement, thoughtful self-reflection, and a clear personal growth journey. It’s a lot to ask from a high school student writing a 500 word essay!

However, part of the brilliance of this type of essay is its flexibility. You don’t need to have built a new community center with your bare hands to have impacted your community. Maybe you’ve participated in a group project that benefitted other students, or maybe you took part in planning a school event. Even a part-time job likely had some impact on your neighbors and fellow citizens. You could also discuss “informal” activities, such as helping your elderly neighbor with her grocery shopping, helping your family with a cultural project, your background as a member of a minority group, and so on. Think creatively about the ways you’ve acted in the world, and from that, determine how those actions have impacted others.

MIT : At MIT, we bring people together to better the lives of others. MIT students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world\u2019s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way in which you have contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, your neighborhood, etc. (200\u2013250 words) ","label":"MIT","title":"MIT"}]" code="tab3" template="BlogArticle">

• Find what makes you unique : If you’re having trouble identifying which communities you’ve been a part of, or which part of your identity to focus on, try the “what makes me unique?” angle. This is definitely something you would have brainstormed for your personal statement, so bring those notes out! We are all a part of various communities, whether we realize it or not, and we all contribute to them in our own unique way. You might have a unique skill or talent, or maybe it’s a personal quality that helped you deal with an issue in the community. Alternatively, maybe your background and identity are a key part of your life’s journey, and you have many experiences related to that. There’s no “wrong” community you could discuss, whether it’s a Dungeons and Dragons club you created with your friends, the ethnic community you’re a part of, or the neighborhood where you grew up. The key is to identify what makes you unique.
• Focus on your growth journey: The easiest way to discuss community engagement in a “meaningful” way is to focus on how you, individually, found growth and learning through your participation in a larger community, and how you simultaneously impacted them. No matter what the community is, the growth narrative is important. There has to be a clear two-way impact that demonstrates how your engagement and contributions affected those around you.

Create Your Own Class Essay

One of the more creative type of essays, these prompts ask students to come up with their own class, reimagine a whole department, conceptualize their ideal lecture series, and so on. This essay is your chance to show your creative and out-of-the-box thinking, while also expanding upon your academic interests and sharing your passions with the admissions committee. This essay is essentially a more creative alternative to the “why this major” essay.

Boston College : Boston College strives to provide an undergraduate learning experience emphasizing the liberal arts, quality teaching, personal formation, and engagement of critical issues. If you had the opportunity to create your own college course, what enduring question or contemporary problem would you address and why. (maximum 400 words) ","label":"Boston College","title":"Boston College"}]" code="tab4" template="BlogArticle">

• Get creative : You can really use this essay topic to stand out from the crowd. Come up with a creative answer and expand upon it with fun, yet thoughtful details that show your intellectual curiosity and unique perspective on the world.
• Align your answer with the college : Remember, you’re being asked to come up with a course for the specific college you’re applying to. What’s their mission? What kind of curriculum do they have? What type of learning do they value? Find out the answer to these questions and incorporate these details in your essay. For example, if the college you’re applying to values an interdisciplinary learning environment, try to come up with a course that incorporates both science and humanities concepts.
• Use your experience : This prompt is also the school’s way to learn more about your personal goals and experiences. Try to ground your motivation for creating this course in your own life. For example, if you want to create a curriculum that covers the influence of fashion on punk rock culture, try to connect it to your own interests or skills, such as a sewing hobby or your love of underground culture.

The Major or Field of Study Essay

This can be a tricky essay type to handle for college students who are still undecided about their major, which is very natural for high school students. Luckily, not all colleges ask for this type of essay. You can expect this essay mostly from colleges focused on a specific stream of study, who want to know why you’re attracted to that field. Some elite universities, like Ivy League schools , also ask this question because they want to see the applicants’ long-term academic ambitions and how well these fit in with their own mission.

Interested in learning more about how to gain acceptance to an Ivy League School? Check out this video!

Sample essay prompt

MIT: Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (maximum 100 words) ","label":"MIT","title":"MIT"}]" code="tab5" template="BlogArticle">

• Include personal as well as college-specific details : Similar to the “why us” essay, you need to refer to specific details of the college program, faculty, academic curriculum, research opportunities, and campus life. Connect these details with your own experiences and passions and explain why this college or program aligns with your academic or professional interests. Think about key formative events and personal motivators for your interest. For example, if you’re applying to a top science, technology, engineering, or medicine (STEM) college such as MIT, you obviously have a specific passion for one of these subjects. While you can and should expand on your personal ambitions, don’t forget to explain why MIT is the best option to help you achieve them.
• Focus on the long-term : In a way, this type of essay is analogous to the “where do you see yourself in 5 years?” interview question. If you do have a clear plan of how you see your future academic and professional life developing, this essay is where you share it. However, you need to make sure you don’t just spin a beautiful story that isn’t based in reality. Your ambitions should be supported by thorough research, real-world industry knowledge, and a careful consideration of your own strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, don’t just include grand ambitions for the sake of sounding impressive – back them up with personal motivations, or better yet, include concrete, achievable goals. For instance, if you’re applying to the best undergrad business schools , your supplemental essay shouldn’t simply say “I want to be youngest CEO in the USA” or “I want to feature in a 30 under 30 article” – instead, it should focus on specific business interests and goals, for example – “I want to use my leadership skills, business training, and community engagement experience to eventually pay it forward by expanding the economic and business opportunities in my own community.”

The Quirky Essay

This type of essay is meant to catch you off-guard or ask you to write about something not often discussed in the context of admissions. These essays are often among the shortest in terms of length, and generally hope to evince some humor and self-awareness from the writers. Topics for these essays include odd talents, strange experiences, or hyper-specific situational questions like what superpower you’d choose if given the chance. They can also be quite general: Princeton, for instance, includes a prompt asking, simply, “what brings you joy?”.

Princeton: What brings you joy? (maximum 50 words) ","label":"Princeton","title":"Princeton"}]" code="tab6" template="BlogArticle">

• Keep the tone light : When responding to such prompts, don’t get too caught up in trying to be ultra-intellectual, serious, or different from the crowd. Be creative, have fun, and try and show a lighter side of your personality to the admissions committee. Match the tone of the question and don’t overthink this one too much!
• Be genuine : The tricky part about responding to these random and creative prompts is to make your answer humorous while also being as honest and genuine as possible. Sincerity is key – make sure you don’t pick an answer you think sounds funny, or impressive, but that isn’t strictly true and backed up by the rest of your application. For instance, if asked “what kind of bird are you”, if you respond with something like “eagle” and talk generically about your leadership qualities without any specific details, admissions committees will be able to tell you aren’t being genuine. You can give any answer you like here! The important thing is to justify it with real aspects of your personality that add some interesting color to your application.

Now, let’s look at how to structure essays depending on the length. We’ll also go over an example for each essay type. 

Short Supplemental Essay (250 Words or Fewer) Examples

According to our college admissions consulting experts, these can be quite dangerous for some students, so don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because an essay has a short word count, you don’t need to spend much time on it. This can actually be one of the toughest types of essays, since you have very limited space in which to capture the admission committee’s attention and make your point. When you start writing, you might find that by the time you’ve set up your premise, you’re already done with 80% of the available word count! The key here is to include crisp, well-structured sentences to directly address the question being asked. There’s not really any space for a “hook” here, such as a quote, story, or layered personal experience. Only include a story or a personal experience if the question explicitly asks you too. In just 250 words or less, you won’t be able to describe too complex an event or activity, so just cut straight to the point.

Recommended Structure

• Direct opening sentence : Your first sentence should clearly address the essay prompt and set up the topic. Don’t worry about this being a boring or straightforward strategy – that’s what you need here!
• Specific details to support the topic : Add personal details and self-reflections suitable for the prompt to support your opening sentence. Remember, every word is crucial here so leave out any unnecessary facts and descriptions – stick to what’s relevant. Try and focus on a single experience, reflection, opinion, or topic, as you really won’t be able to do justice to any more. At the same time, make sure you don’t sacrifice flow to brevity. Each sentence should connect smoothly to the next, setting up a logical pathway from your opening thesis to your conclusion.
• Conclusion : Add the key takeaway or reflection and tie it back to the prompt.

To see how a short essay should be structured, let’s take a look at this prompt from Brandeis :

“Justice Brandeis once said, ‘If we would guide by the light of reason, we must let our minds be bold.’ Tell us about something bold that you’ve recently done.”

Here’s a sample answer:

Although painting isn't itself an especially wild or bold activity, showing my art for the first time felt very bold indeed. As someone with a motor impairment, I've never been able to draw well, and found art classes throughout elementary school incredibly frustrating and embarrassing. However, discovering the wide and extremely varied world of abstract art a few years ago, I was finally bitten by the art bug, and began experimenting with acrylic paint. At first, I just learned how to operate the varying dilutions and textures of paint, but over time I became obsessed with the idea of color gradients and shading, and how the paint itself can do a lot of work that doesn't depend on a completely steady hand. I amassed a small stack of canvasses, and this past year asked around at the two art galleries in town to see if anyone was interested in putting some of my pieces up. Fortunately, and to my surprise, one independent gallery offered to show my entire collected work for a month. Not only did I receive a tonne of really positive and encouraging messages from visitors to the gallery, but I even sold 3 pieces! I was honestly terrified at every step of the way, but that first sale was about the most confidence-building event I've ever experienced. It felt bold, but also made me hungry to continue making art and sharing it with others. (237 words) 

Medium Supplemental Essay (250-500 Words) Examples

Shorter than your personal statement, longer than a short answer, these essays require you to balance a logical flow with a crisp central narrative.

While the basic structure of this essay can be similar to the long-form 650 word essay, you’ll need to make a few adjustments to suit the shorter length.

• Opening paragraph : You can choose to add an “anchor experience” for these essays, or you can write it in a more direct style, responding to the prompt and getting straight to the point. It depends on what you want to say and how you want to say it. For example, if your essay is focused on personal experiences, then an evocatively described personal experience could be a great hook. However, if the prompt asks you to provide your opinion about a specific issue or creatively imagine a specific scenario, then getting right to the point is a better idea.
• Main body : Here, you describe your central thesis and add further details to support it. You have to be very efficient with your choice of experiences and even with the details of any experience you chose to include. Each sentence should be in service of the essay prompt. Review this section with the questions “Is this related to the essay prompt? Does this help to answer the question being asked?”.
• Conclusion : The key to an efficient, memorable conclusion of a medium length supplemental essay is economy of words. In a single sentence, you should address the question being asked and also communicate your own central thesis, with a focus on what makes you special. Crafting this conclusion will take you time! First, identify the points you want to make, and then figure out a way to compress them into as few words as possible, without sacrificing clarity.

Let’s check out an example of this type of essay.

University of California: Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? (maximum 350 words)

Growing up as the precocious daughter of hard-working immigrant parents, academic excellence and achievements were always the two key cornerstones of my life. My parents inculcated the importance of doing well in school in me from a young age. After all, it was education that had enabled my parents to escape the poverty and trauma of their homeland and find refuge in this country. With a natural penchant for academics and a love for learning, I never had cause to question this life-long commitment – not until junior year of high school.

That was the year when my parents’ restaurant business took a huge hit, and from a regular middle-class American immigrant success story, we were brought to the brink of bleak poverty. It was a shock to our family that took us through some of the toughest times I’ve ever experienced. We all had to make sacrifices, and one of the most profound changes I experienced in that period was a total shift in my priorities, as I had to work at my parents’ restaurant every day after school to help keep the business afloat. From being a grade-A student, I became a struggling straggler who could barely keep up with tests and exams, much less take on extra credit projects. At one point, I even considered quitting school! The worst part was watching the pain in my parents’ eyes, knowing they couldn’t provide the ideal home environment they had envisioned for me, which they themselves had never received.

However, looking back, I consider that period one of the most significant learning experiences of my life. It tested my commitment to my academic interests, which had previously always been so easy to pursue, and I came through with a system that allowed me to contribute at home and also excel at school. It made me further appreciate the struggles my parents had gone through as immigrants juggling family, work, education, and a major cultural adjustment. And finally, it made me appreciate what a gift and privilege education truly is, and vow never to take it for granted. (347 words)

Want to know a surprising fact? You might actually find the long-form supplemental essays easier to write than their shorter counterparts! These essays are typically 500 to 650 words long, which means you have plenty of space to build a coherent narrative, expand on your thesis, and support it with relevant details. When writing a longer supplemental essay, you can actually re-use many of the same strategies you employed for your Common App essay or personal statement. The basic structure (which we’ll explain in a moment) will be similar, and you can even recycle some of your rejected personal statement ideas to write an exemplary supplemental essay.

You can go for the commonly used 3 to 5 paragraph essay structure here. Include the following:

• Introduction : For longer essays, it’s critical to have a strong opening that hooks the reader and draws them into your narrative immediately. Admissions committees are reading thousands of essays, so you want to shake them out of their “reading fatigue” by capturing their attention with story, personal experience, unique quote, etc. In this paragraph, you should also clearly set up the central thesis of your essay. Critically for supplemental essays, ensure that your central thesis directly addresses or answers the prompt. Tie the “hook” of your opening paragraph in with this central thesis.
• Body paragraphs 1/2/3 : While the 5-paragraph structure is the most commonly used essay format for long-form essays, you can include more or fewer, as per the requirements of your specific narrative. Remember to be selective when you choose the experiences to support your thesis. In these paragraphs, you build on the central narrative you set up in introduction, supported with your self-reflections and personal examples. Include only the necessary details that help to build the central theme of the essay. Your essay should be written in a natural, direct style, but you can try and include evocative details and personal reflections to help communicate your point.
• Conclusion : As with all other supplemental essays, the conclusion is critical. You must include a key takeaway, learning, or crisp one-liner to sum up your answer to the question being asked.

Harvard : An intellectual experience (course, project, book, discussion, paper, poetry, or research topic in engineering, mathematics, science, or other modes of inquiry) that has meant the most to you. (maximum 650 words)

“It is the sandbox of men who care not where they are going; they merely want to know where everyone else has been.”

It’s a hot summer’s day, I’m red-faced, sweaty, and out-of-breath, hunched over a pile of earth, delicately brushing away tiny amounts of ancient mud, and John Bishop’s words suddenly pop into my mind. Our project director, Professor Saltzman, had led a brief session that morning concluding with this memorable quote, and it stayed with me for one clear reason: I felt it perfectly encapsulated my own journey, from a guy who cared too much about where he was going, to someone who now primarily cared about the business of these long, long, dead ancient women and their kitchen tools. The irony of the realization made me chuckle a little, disturbing the earth around the little kitchen mound I was excavating, and then I went back to my gentle brushing, once again fully absorbed.

It was simply not a picture of myself I could have believed merely months prior. From a very young age, I had a vision of myself as a lawyer. I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my father and grandfather, carving an illustrious career that would begin, like theirs, at Harvard, and end with me on the Supreme Court. This dream hit a minor snag when, due to a medical absence is junior year, I missed my AP History exam. Mr. Griffin, my history teacher, suggested that I complete a summer archeology program he was affiliated with to make up the credit. And that was how this “minor snag” actually ended up diverting my passions, interests, and ambitions away from law and firmly into the field of archeology.

It wasn’t exactly love at first sight. I was resistant to what I perceived was a distraction from my true interest, the practice of law – I thought then I’d much rather be shadowing my father in a cushy air conditioned office than sweating it out in a desert, digging for broken bits of ancient pottery. But within a couple of days, I found to my surprise that I loved every second of it. The director of the program, Professor Saltzman, liked to walk us through our findings, however minor, at the end of each day. For the benefit of the younger students present, he often delivered lectures expanding upon the critical contextual history of that period. I was amazed at how these small, faded pieces of pottery could tell us so much about the socio-cultural norms of 8000 years ago; from which countries they traded with to what they ate, from their dominant gender roles to the kinds of currency they used.

Most amazing of all, at least to me, was how archeology could actually help envision the lived reality of these people from long ago. Our key findings in that dig were the kitchen utensils of a woman we nicknamed “Leda”, a widowed fisherwoman with two children. Every day, we would discover a new piece of evidence and spend hours classifying, dissecting, and contextualizing it to discover all it could tell us about how Leda lived her life. I realized that all the physical discomforts were worth the thrill of bringing these tiny pieces of history back to life.

In those 4 weeks, I experienced a kind of wonder, and joy in learning, and intrinsically motivated intellectual curiosity, that I had never experienced before in my life. With law, I was primarily attracted to all the perceived prestige and privileges that accrued to the profession; with archeology, the subject matter itself drew me onwards to push past my prejudices and discomforts. Today, I hope to continue to pursue my passion for archeology by continuing my work under Professor Saltzman as an undergraduate at Harvard, and hopefully discover the secret lives of many more Ledas in the future. (643)

The personal statement is a more general essay with a broader scope, typically submitted as part of your primary application, whereas supplemental essays respond to specific prompts and are submitted with your secondary application directly to each school. You only need to write one personal statement (such as the Common App essay) which goes out to all your colleges, and it should therefore never include any college-specific details. On the other hand, each college asks for their own set of supplemental essays, and they may often ask you to expand upon your interest in the specific college, program, or major you are applying to. A personal statement is a single long-form essay of 650 words or more, whereas colleges can ask for multiple supplemental essays that can range in length from 35 to 650 words.

The most commonly used supplemental college essay prompts are:

• The “why us” essay that asks you to discuss why you want go to a specific college
• The extracurricular essay that asks you to discuss your activities, talents, or skills
• The community essay that asks you to expand upon your identity, diversity, community engagement, and so on
• The “why this major” essay that asks you to discuss your specific academic interests
• The “create a class” essay that asks you to creatively design a major or come up with your own class
• The “quirky” essay that can include creative, zany, out-of-the-box, informal prompts

Supplemental college essays can range in length from 35 words to 650 words. Every college has their own prompts and requirements, so you should check the admissions website of your colleges to learn more.

The “why this school” college essay is one of the most common supplemental college essay types. It’s very important to be college-specific in this essay, and to include details of your special interest in the concerned college supported by your knowledge of their unique offerings. You will have to do some research on the college so you can make your essay as specific and unique as possible.

Yes, supplemental essays are a critical part of your application. They help to personalize and flesh out your application, building on your achievements, transcripts, and scores, to show the admissions committee a well-rounded, unique individual. Crucially, supplemental essays are a chance for you to show how well your thinking and experiences align with the college’s missions and values and why you would be an excellent candidate for their program.

A word count of 250 words or less can pose a significant challenge for students. To write an effective short answer, you need to be concise and direct, addressing the question asked while building a logical flow from introduction to conclusion. There’s no space in such questions for fancy opening hooks and elaborate narratives – just stick to the relevant experiences and reflections and always connect back to the prompt itself.

It depends on the topic! It’s not a good idea to copy paste the essay content for college-specific prompts such as “why us” or “why this major”, where the expectation is that you will talk in detail about the unique features of that college which attract you. However, for more generic topics like “what inspires you” or “how did you serve your community”, you can certainly re-use topics and themes between essays. Just make sure you edit each essay to meet the specific word count and include college specific details wherever possible. Additionally, you should always read and understand the prompt thoroughly before drafting your essay. Respond to the spirit as well as the letter of the prompts in your opening and concluding sentences, even if you’ve re-used most of the main body content from another similar essay.

Supplemental college essays certainly afford you greater room to be creative and informal than your personal statement. However, the extent to which this style of writing would be appropriate depends on the prompts. The short answer, zany, creative prompts, are the perfect place to show a lighter side of your personality and introduce a little humor in your application. But an essay about significant obstacles you’re overcome, or your long-term academic goals, might not be an ideal place to get overtly casual and humorous.

You will receive your secondary application directly from the college after you submit your primary application. The deadline to complete secondary applications varies from college to college. Most colleges ask you to submit your completed supplemental application, including essays, within 2 weeks or a month of receiving the prompts. This isn’t a lot of time, especially considering most colleges will be sending out secondary applications in the same rough time period and you’ll have to work on multiple applications at once. However, you can prepare in advance for your supplemental essays by brainstorming ideas and writing rough drafts in response to previous years’ prompts.

Every college has their own unique secondary application requirements. You should check the admissions websites of your colleges to learn more about their specific requirements. Some colleges may ask for just a single 650-word essay, while others may provide 5 or 6 prompts of varying lengths. Generally speaking, most colleges don’t ask for more than 1 or 2 long supplemental essays (500+ words), along with 2 or 3 shorter essays.

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Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions.

Can extracurricular activities contain sth like assisting family ,and socal activities that doesn't encounter certificate?

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello Phoebe! Thanks for your question. Yes, you can definitely consider these extracurriculars, depending on the activity you did. For example, if you assisted a family member after an illness or organized social activities like fund raisers.

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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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Reed Adds New Identity-Based Essay Question to Writing Supplement for First-Year Applicants

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By Declan Bradley

In early August, Quest reporters discovered from Reed’s Common App listing that the college had added a new essay prompt to the writing supplement section of its application. The new prompt — which reads, “How might aspects of your identity positively influence the living and learning community at Reed?” — marks the first significant change to the college’s writing supplement since 2015. While it will not replace the current Paideia question — which asks students to describe a class they would teach during Reed’s annual flipped classroom festival of learning — it will serve as the first question on the writing supplement, and the first thing students see during the writing process.

The new prompt is being formally announced by the college for the first time today, in a letter to the editors of the Quest from Dean of Admission Milyon Trulove, and, as of Wednesday night, still has not been acknowledged on the college’s website ( reed.edu/apply/guide-to-applying/first-year ), which continues to discuss the writing supplement exclusively in terms of the Paideia question. 

As a result, the Quest was only able to learn of the existence of this new prompt by viewing the college’s current Common Application listing. When contacted for comment on this story, Dean Trulove expressed his preference to also write a full letter to the editor, stressing the importance of, “consider[ing] the legal implications of what we say and express[ing] our values on diversity,” in breaking the news of the new prompt.

The move comes at a time when colleges across the country are working to adapt to the Supreme Court’s June decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College, which effectively outlawed affirmative action in the United States. Recent reporting by the New York Times called 2023, “the year of the identity-driven essay,” and found that more than a dozen highly selective colleges have either introduced or increased their focus on essays related to “identity” or “life experience” since 2022. 

However, colleges across the country that have chosen to introduce identity-based essays this year have done so in the midst of untested legal waters. While it is true that, in the majority opinion of the court, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that, “Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise,” he also wrote that, “universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today.”

Allowing students to discuss the ways in which race and racism have affected their lives as individuals thus remains clearly permissible, but disaffected applicants could attempt to sue on the grounds that such essays simply reestablish affirmative action.

As the court wrote, “A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination. Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role or attain a particular goal must be tied to that student’s unique ability to contribute to the university. In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race.”

When reached for comment by the Quest , Dean Trulove stated, “Our newest optional essay continues to serve as an entryway for students to share their lived experiences,” and reassured applicants that, “Students who don’t complete it won’t be penalized; it’s an opportunity to share more about their experiences.”

While the new prompt is optional — unlike the Paideia essay, which remains the only required part of Reed’s writing supplement — it will likely still have a significant effect on the consideration of applicants for the fall 2023 admissions cycle. In Reed’s most recent Common Data Set, which provides data on admissions considerations for the class of 2026, the college reported that it considered only three aspects of a student’s application “very important”: rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and the application essay. All other aspects of an application, including an interview, letters of recommendation, and others, were given less weight than those three components — although the Quest was not able to confirm if this will remain true for the class of ‘28 in time for publication.

This is a developing story and the Quest will continue to follow it in the coming weeks.

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College Admissions , College Essays

Writing your personal statement for your college application is an undeniably overwhelming project. Your essay is your big shot to show colleges who you are—it's totally reasonable to get stressed out. But don't let that stress paralyze you.

This guide will walk you through each step of the essay writing process to help you understand exactly what you need to do to write the best possible personal statement . I'm also going to follow an imaginary student named Eva as she plans and writes her college essay, from her initial organization and brainstorming to her final edits. By the end of this article, you'll have all the tools you need to create a fantastic, effective college essay.

So how do you write a good college essay? The process starts with finding the best possible topic , which means understanding what the prompt is asking for and taking the time to brainstorm a variety of options. Next, you'll determine how to create an interesting essay that shows off your unique perspective and write multiple drafts in order to hone your structure and language. Once your writing is as effective and engaging as possible, you'll do a final sweep to make sure everything is correct .

This guide covers the following steps:

#1: Organizing #2: Brainstorming #3: Picking a topic #4: Making a plan #5: Writing a draft #6: Editing your draft #7: Finalizing your draft #8: Repeating the process

Step 1: Get Organized

The first step in how to write a college essay is figuring out what you actually need to do. Although many schools are now on the Common App, some very popular colleges, including Rutgers and University of California, still have their own applications and writing requirements. Even for Common App schools, you may need to write a supplemental essay or provide short answers to questions.

Before you get started, you should know exactly what essays you need to write. Having this information allows you to plan the best approach to each essay and helps you cut down on work by determining whether you can use an essay for more than one prompt.

Start Early

Writing good college essays involves a lot of work: you need dozens of hours to get just one personal statement properly polished , and that's before you even start to consider any supplemental essays.

In order to make sure you have plenty of time to brainstorm, write, and edit your essay (or essays), I recommend starting at least two months before your first deadline . The last thing you want is to end up with a low-quality essay you aren't proud of because you ran out of time and had to submit something unfinished.

Determine What You Need to Do

As I touched on above, each college has its own essay requirements, so you'll need to go through and determine what exactly you need to submit for each school . This process is simple if you're only using the Common App, since you can easily view the requirements for each school under the "My Colleges" tab. Watch out, though, because some schools have a dedicated "Writing Supplement" section, while others (even those that want a full essay) will put their prompts in the "Questions" section.

It gets trickier if you're applying to any schools that aren't on the Common App. You'll need to look up the essay requirements for each college—what's required should be clear on the application itself, or you can look under the "how to apply" section of the school's website.

Once you've determined the requirements for each school, I recommend making yourself a chart with the school name, word limit, and application deadline on one side and the prompt or prompts you need to respond to on the other . That way you'll be able to see exactly what you need to do and when you need to do it by.

The hardest part about writing your college essays is getting started. 

Decide Where to Start

If you have one essay that's due earlier than the others, start there. Otherwise, start with the essay for your top choice school.

I would also recommend starting with a longer personal statement before moving on to shorter supplementary essays , since the 500-700 word essays tend to take quite a bit longer than 100-250 word short responses. The brainstorming you do for the long essay may help you come up with ideas you like for the shorter ones as well.

Also consider whether some of the prompts are similar enough that you could submit the same essay to multiple schools . Doing so can save you some time and let you focus on a few really great essays rather than a lot of mediocre ones.

However, don't reuse essays for dissimilar or very school-specific prompts, especially "why us" essays . If a college asks you to write about why you're excited to go there, admissions officers want to see evidence that you're genuinely interested. Reusing an essay about another school and swapping out the names is the fastest way to prove you aren't.

Example: Eva's College List

Eva is applying early to Emory University and regular decision to University of Washington, UCLA, and Reed College. Emory, the University of Washington, and Reed both use the Common App, while University of Washington, Emory, and Reed all use the Coalition App.

Even though she's only applying to four schools, Eva has a lot to do: two essays for UW, four for the UCLA application, one for the Common App (or the Coalition App), and two essays for Emory. Many students will have fewer requirements to complete, but those who are applying to very selective schools or a number of schools on different applications will have as many or even more responses to write.

Eva's first deadline is early decision for Emory, she'll start by writing the Common App essay, and then work on the Emory supplements. (For the purposes of this post, we'll focus on the Common App essay.)

Pro tip: If this sounds like a lot of work, that's because it is. Writing essays for your college applications is demanding and takes a lot of time and thought. You don't have to do it alone, though. PrepScholar has helped students like you get into top-tier colleges like Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and Brown. Our essay experts can help you craft amazing essays that boost your chances of getting into your dream school . 

Step 2: Brainstorm

Next up in how to write a college essay: brainstorming essay ideas. There are tons of ways to come up with ideas for your essay topic: I've outlined three below. I recommend trying all of them and compiling a list of possible topics, then narrowing it down to the very best one or, if you're writing multiple essays, the best few.

Keep in mind as you brainstorm that there's no best college essay topic, just the best topic for you . Don't feel obligated to write about something because you think you should—those types of essays tend to be boring and uninspired. Similarly, don't simply write about the first idea that crosses your mind because you don't want to bother trying to think of something more interesting. Take the time to come up with a topic you're really excited about and that you can write about in detail.

Analyze the Prompts

One way to find possible topics is to think deeply about the college's essay prompt. What are they asking you for? Break them down and analyze every angle.

Does the question include more than one part ? Are there multiple tasks you need to complete?

What do you think the admissions officers are hoping to learn about you ?

In cases where you have more than one choice of prompt, does one especially appeal to you ? Why?

Let's dissect one of the University of Washington prompts as an example:

"Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW. "

This question is basically asking how your personal history, such as your childhood, family, groups you identify with etc. helped you become the person you are now. It offers a number of possible angles.

You can talk about the effects of either your family life (like your relationship with your parents or what your household was like growing up) or your cultural history (like your Jewish faith or your Venezuelan heritage). You can also choose between focusing on positive or negative effects of your family or culture. No matter what however, the readers definitely want to hear about your educational goals (i.e. what you hope to get out of college) and how they're related to your personal experience.

As you try to think of answers for a prompt, imagine about what you would say if you were asked the question by a friend or during a get-to-know-you icebreaker. After all, admissions officers are basically just people who you want to get to know you.

The essay questions can make a great jumping off point, but don't feel married to them. Most prompts are general enough that you can come up with an idea and then fit it to the question.

Consider Important Experiences, Events, and Ideas in Your Life

What experience, talent, interest or other quirk do you have that you might want to share with colleges? In other words, what makes you you? Possible topics include hobbies, extracurriculars, intellectual interests, jobs, significant one-time events, pieces of family history, or anything else that has shaped your perspective on life.

Unexpected or slightly unusual topics are often the best : your passionate love of Korean dramas or your yearly family road trip to an important historical site. You want your essay to add something to your application, so if you're an All-American soccer player and want to write about the role soccer has played in your life, you'll have a higher bar to clear.

Of course if you have a more serious part of your personal history—the death of a parent, serious illness, or challenging upbringing—you can write about that. But make sure you feel comfortable sharing details of the experience with the admissions committee and that you can separate yourself from it enough to take constructive criticism on your essay.

Think About How You See Yourself

The last brainstorming method is to consider whether there are particular personality traits you want to highlight . This approach can feel rather silly, but it can also be very effective.

If you were trying to sell yourself to an employer, or maybe even a potential date, how would you do it? Try to think about specific qualities that make you stand out. What are some situations in which you exhibited this trait?

Example: Eva's Ideas

Looking at the Common App prompts, Eva wasn't immediately drawn to any of them, but after a bit of consideration she thought it might be nice to write about her love of literature for the first one, which asks about something "so meaningful your application would be incomplete without it." Alternatively, she liked the specificity of the failure prompt and thought she might write about a bad job interview she had had.

In terms of important events, Eva's parents got divorced when she was three and she's been going back and forth between their houses for as long as she can remember, so that's a big part of her personal story. She's also played piano for all four years of high school, although she's not particularly good.

As for personal traits, Eva is really proud of her curiosity—if she doesn't know something, she immediately looks it up, and often ends up discovering new topics she's interested in. It's a trait that's definitely come in handy as a reporter for her school paper.

Step 3: Narrow Down Your List

Now you have a list of potential topics, but probably no idea where to start. The next step is to go through your ideas and determine which one will make for the strongest essay . You'll then begin thinking about how best to approach it.

What to Look for in a College Essay Topic

There's no single answer to the question of what makes a great college essay topic, but there are some key factors you should keep in mind. The best essays are focused, detailed, revealing and insightful, and finding the right topic is vital to writing a killer essay with all of those qualities.

As you go through your ideas, be discriminating—really think about how each topic could work as an essay. But don't be too hard on yourself ; even if an idea may not work exactly the way you first thought, there may be another way to approach it. Pay attention to what you're really excited about and look for ways to make those ideas work.

Consideration 1: Does It Matter to You?

If you don't care about your topic, it will be hard to convince your readers to care about it either. You can't write a revealing essay about yourself unless you write about a topic that is truly important to you.

But don't confuse important to you with important to the world: a college essay is not a persuasive argument. The point is to give the reader a sense of who you are , not to make a political or intellectual point. The essay needs to be personal.

Similarly, a lot of students feel like they have to write about a major life event or their most impressive achievement. But the purpose of a personal statement isn't to serve as a resume or a brag sheet—there are plenty of other places in the application for you to list that information. Many of the best essays are about something small because your approach to a common experience generally reveals a lot about your perspective on the world.

Mostly, your topic needs to have had a genuine effect on your outlook , whether it taught you something about yourself or significantly shifted your view on something else.

Consideration 2: Does It Tell the Reader Something Different About You?

Your essay should add something to your application that isn't obvious elsewhere. Again, there are sections for all of your extracurriculars and awards; the point of the essay is to reveal something more personal that isn't clear just from numbers and lists.

You also want to make sure that if you're sending more than one essay to a school—like a Common App personal statement and a school-specific supplement—the two essays take on different topics.

Consideration 3: Is It Specific?

Your essay should ultimately have a very narrow focus. 650 words may seem like a lot, but you can fill it up very quickly. This means you either need to have a very specific topic from the beginning or find a specific aspect of a broader topic to focus on.

If you try to take on a very broad topic, you'll end up with a bunch of general statements and boring lists of your accomplishments. Instead, you want to find a short anecdote or single idea to explore in depth .

Consideration 4: Can You Discuss It in Detail?

A vague essay is a boring essay— specific details are what imbue your essay with your personality . For example, if I tell my friend that I had a great dessert yesterday, she probably won't be that interested. But if I explain that I ate an amazing piece of peach raspberry pie with flaky, buttery crust and filling that was both sweet and tart, she will probably demand to know where I obtained it (at least she will if she appreciates the joys of pie). She'll also learn more about me: I love pie and I analyze desserts with great seriousness.

Given the importance of details, writing about something that happened a long time ago or that you don't remember well isn't usually a wise choice . If you can't describe something in depth, it will be challenging to write a compelling essay about it.

You also shouldn't pick a topic you aren't actually comfortable talking about . Some students are excited to write essays about very personal topics, like their mother's bipolar disorder or their family's financial struggles, but others dislike sharing details about these kinds of experiences. If you're a member of the latter group, that's totally okay, just don't write about one of these sensitive topics.

Still, don't worry that every single detail has to be perfectly correct. Definitely don't make anything up, but if you remember a wall as green and it was really blue, your readers won't notice or care.

Consideration 5: Can It Be Related to the Prompt?

As long as you're talking about yourself, there are very few ideas that you can't tie back to one of the Common App or Coalition App prompts. But if you're applying to a school with its own more specific prompt, or working on supplemental essays, making sure to address the question will be a greater concern.

Deciding on a Topic

Once you've gone through the questions above, you should have a good sense of what you want to write about. Hopefully, it's also gotten you started thinking about how you can best approach that topic, but we'll cover how to plan your essay more fully in the next step.

If after going through the narrowing process, you've eliminated all your topics, first look back over them: are you being too hard on yourself? Are there any that you really like, but just aren't totally sure what angle to take on? If so, try looking at the next section and seeing if you can't find a different way to approach it.

If you just don't have an idea you're happy with, that's okay! Give yourself a week to think about it. Sometimes you'll end up having a genius idea in the car on the way to school or while studying for your U.S. history test. Otherwise, try the brainstorming process again when you've had a break.

If, on the other hand, you have more than one idea you really like, consider whether any of them can be used for other essays you need to write.

Example: Picking Eva's Topic

• Love of books
• Failed job interview
• Parents' divorce

Eva immediately rules out writing about playing piano, because it sounds super boring to her, and it's not something she is particularly passionate about. She also decides not to write about splitting time between her parents because she just isn't comfortable sharing her feelings about it with an admissions committee.

She feels more positive about the other three, so she decides to think about them for a couple of days. She ends up ruling out the job interview because she just can't come up with that many details she could include.

She's excited about both of her last two ideas, but sees issues with both of them: the books idea is very broad and the reporting idea doesn't seem to apply to any of the prompts. Then she realizes that she can address the solving a problem prompt by talking about a time she was trying to research a story about the closing of a local movie theater, so she decides to go with that topic.

Step 4: Figure Out Your Approach

You've decided on a topic, but now you need to turn that topic into an essay. To do so, you need to determine what specifically you're focusing on and how you'll structure your essay.

If you're struggling or uncertain, try taking a look at some examples of successful college essays . It can be helpful to dissect how other personal statements are structured to get ideas for your own , but don't fall into the trap of trying to copy someone else's approach. Your essay is your story—never forget that.

Let's go through the key steps that will help you turn a great topic into a great essay.

Choose a Focal Point

As I touched on above, the narrower your focus, the easier it will be to write a unique, engaging personal statement. The simplest way to restrict the scope of your essay is to recount an anecdote , i.e. a short personal story that illustrates your larger point.

For example, say a student was planning to write about her Outward Bound trip in Yosemite. If she tries to tell the entire story of her trip, her essay will either be far too long or very vague. Instead, she decides to focus in on a specific incident that exemplifies what mattered to her about the experience: her failed attempt to climb Half Dome. She described the moment she decided to turn back without reaching the top in detail, while touching on other parts of the climb and trip where appropriate. This approach lets her create a dramatic arc in just 600 words, while fully answering the question posed in the prompt (Common App prompt 2).

Of course, concentrating on an anecdote isn't the only way to narrow your focus. Depending on your topic, it might make more sense to build your essay around an especially meaningful object, relationship, or idea.

Another approach our example student from above could take to the same general topic would be to write about the generosity of fellow hikers (in response to Common App prompt 4). Rather than discussing a single incident, she could tell the story of her trip through times she was supported by other hikers: them giving tips on the trails, sharing snacks, encouraging her when she was tired, etc. A structure like this one can be trickier than the more straightforward anecdote approach , but it can also make for an engaging and different essay.

When deciding what part of your topic to focus on, try to find whatever it is about the topic that is most meaningful and unique to you . Once you've figured that part out, it will guide how you structure the essay.

Decide What You Want to Show About Yourself

Remember that the point of the college essay isn't just to tell a story, it's to show something about yourself. It's vital that you have a specific point you want to make about what kind of person you are , what kind of college student you'd make, or what the experience you're describing taught you.

Since the papers you write for school are mostly analytical, you probably aren't used to writing about your own feelings. As such, it can be easy to neglect the reflection part of the personal statement in favor of just telling a story. Yet explaining what the event or idea you discuss meant to you is the most important essay —knowing how you want to tie your experiences back to your personal growth from the beginning will help you make sure to include it.

Develop a Structure

It's not enough to just know what you want to write about—you also need to have a sense of how you're going to write about it. You could have the most exciting topic of all time, but without a clear structure your essay will end up as incomprehensible gibberish that doesn't tell the reader anything meaningful about your personality.

There are a lot of different possible essay structures, but a simple and effective one is the compressed narrative, which builds on a specific anecdote (like the Half Dome example above):

Start in the middle of the action. Don't spend a lot of time at the beginning of your essay outlining background info—it doesn't tend to draw the reader in and you usually need less of it than you think you do. Instead start right where your story starts to get interesting. (I'll go into how to craft an intriguing opener in more depth below.)

Briefly explain what the situation is. Now that you've got the reader's attention, go back and explain anything they need to know about how you got into this situation. Don't feel compelled to fit everything in—only include the background details that are necessary to either understand what happened or illuminate your feelings about the situation in some way.

Finish the story. Once you've clarified exactly what's going on, explain how you resolved the conflict or concluded the experience.

Explain what you learned. The last step is to tie everything together and bring home the main point of your story: how this experience affected you.

The key to this type of structure is to create narrative tension—you want your reader to be wondering what happens next.

A second approach is the thematic structure, which is based on returning to a key idea or object again and again (like the boots example above):

Establish the focus. If you're going to structure your essay around a single theme or object, you need to begin the essay by introducing that key thing. You can do so with a relevant anecdote or a detailed description.

Touch on 3-5 times the focus was important. The body of your essay will consist of stringing together a few important moments related to the topic. Make sure to use sensory details to bring the reader into those points in time and keep her engaged in the essay. Also remember to elucidate why these moments were important to you.

Revisit the main idea. At the end, you want to tie everything together by revisiting the main idea or object and showing how your relationship to it has shaped or affected you. Ideally, you'll also hint at how this thing will be important to you going forward.

To make this structure work you need a very specific focus. Your love of travel, for example, is much too broad—you would need to hone in on a specific aspect of that interest, like how traveling has taught you to adapt to event the most unusual situations. Whatever you do, don't use this structure to create a glorified resume or brag sheet .

However you structure your essay, you want to make sure that it clearly lays out both the events or ideas you're describing and establishes the stakes (i.e. what it all means for you). Many students become so focused on telling a story or recounting details that they forget to explain what it all meant to them.

Example: Eva's Essay Plan

For her essay, Eva decides to use the compressed narrative structure to tell the story of how she tried and failed to report on the closing of a historic movie theater:

• Open with the part of her story where she finally gave up after calling the theater and city hall a dozen times.
• Explain that although she started researching the story out of journalistic curiosity, it was important to her because she'd grown up going to movies at that theater.
• Recount how defeated she felt when she couldn't get ahold of anyone, and then even more so when she saw a story about the theater's closing in the local paper.
• Describer her decision to write an op-ed instead and interview other students about what the theater meant to them.
• Finish by explaining that although she wasn't able to get the story (or stop the destruction of the theater), she learned that sometimes the emotional angle can be just as interesting as the investigative one.

Step 5: Write a First Draft

The key to writing your first draft is not to worry about whether it's any good—just get something on paper and go from there. You will have to rewrite, so trying to get everything perfect is both frustrating and futile.

Everyone has their own writing process. Maybe you feel more comfortable sitting down and writing the whole draft from beginning to end in one go. Maybe you jump around, writing a little bit here and a little there. It's okay to have sections you know won't work or to skip over things you think you'll need to include later.

Whatever your approach, there are a few tips everyone can benefit from.

Don't Aim for Perfection

I mentioned this idea above, but I can't emphasize it enough: no one writes a perfect first draft . Extensive editing and rewriting is vital to crafting an effective personal statement. Don't get too attached to any part of your draft, because you may need to change anything (or everything) about your essay later .

Also keep in mind that, at this point in the process, the goal is just to get your ideas down. Wonky phrasings and misplaced commas can easily be fixed when you edit, so don't worry about them as you write. Instead, focus on including lots of specific details and emphasizing how your topic has affected you, since these aspects are vital to a compelling essay.

Write an Engaging Introduction

One part of the essay you do want to pay special attention to is the introduction. Your intro is your essay's first impression: you only get one. It's much harder to regain your reader's attention once you've lost it, so you want to draw the reader in with an immediately engaging hook that sets up a compelling story .

There are two possible approaches I would recommend.

The "In Media Res" Opening

You'll probably recognize this term if you studied The Odyssey: it basically means that the story starts in the middle of the action, rather than at the beginning. A good intro of this type makes the reader wonder both how you got to the point you're starting at and where you'll go from there . These openers provide a solid, intriguing beginning for narrative essays (though they can certainly for thematic structures as well).

But how do you craft one? Try to determine the most interesting point in your story and start there. If you're not sure where that is, try writing out the entire story and then crossing out each sentence in order until you get to one that immediately grabs your attention.

Here's an example from a real student's college essay:

"I strode in front of 400 frenzied eighth graders with my arm slung over my Fender Stratocaster guitar—it actually belonged to my mother—and launched into the first few chords of Nirvana's 'Lithium.'"

Anonymous , University of Virginia

This intro throws the reader right into the middle of the action. The author jumps right into the action: the performance. You can imagine how much less exciting it would be if the essay opened with an explanation of what the event was and why the author was performing.

The Specific Generalization

Sounds like an oxymoron, right? This type of intro sets up what the essay is going to talk about in a slightly unexpected way . These are a bit trickier than the "in media res" variety, but they can work really well for the right essay—generally one with a thematic structure.

The key to this type of intro is detail . Contrary to what you may have learned in elementary school, sweeping statements don't make very strong hooks. If you want to start your essay with a more overall description of what you'll be discussing, you still need to make it specific and unique enough to stand out.

Once again, let's look at some examples from real students' essays:

Neha, Johns Hopkins University

Brontë, Johns Hopkins University

Both of these intros set up the general topic of the essay (the first writer's bookshelf and and the second's love of Jane Eyre ) in an intriguing way. The first intro works because it mixes specific descriptions ("pushed against the left wall in my room") with more general commentary ("a curious piece of furniture"). The second draws the reader in by adopting a conversational and irreverent tone with asides like "if you ask me" and "This may or may not be a coincidence."

Don't Worry Too Much About the Length

When you start writing, don't worry about your essay's length. Instead, focus on trying to include all of the details you can think of about your topic , which will make it easier to decide what you really need to include when you edit.

However, if your first draft is more than twice the word limit and you don't have a clear idea of what needs to be cut out, you may need to reconsider your focus—your topic is likely too broad. You may also need to reconsider your topic or approach if you find yourself struggling to fill space, since this usually indicates a topic that lacks a specific focus.

Eva's First Paragraph

I dialed the phone number for the fourth time that week. "Hello? This is Eva Smith, and I'm a reporter with Tiny Town High's newspaper The Falcon. I was hoping to ask you some questions about—" I heard the distinctive click of the person on the other end of the line hanging up, followed by dial tone. I was about ready to give up: I'd been trying to get the skinny on whether the Atlas Theater was actually closing to make way for a big AMC multiplex or if it was just a rumor for weeks, but no one would return my calls.

Step 6: Edit Aggressively

No one writes a perfect first draft. No matter how much you might want to be done after writing a first draft—you must take the time to edit. Thinking critically about your essay and rewriting as needed is a vital part of writing a great college essay.

Before you start editing, put your essay aside for a week or so . It will be easier to approach it objectively if you haven't seen it in a while. Then, take an initial pass to identify any big picture issues with your essay. Once you've fixed those, ask for feedback from other readers—they'll often notice gaps in logic that don't appear to you, because you're automatically filling in your intimate knowledge of the situation. Finally, take another, more detailed look at your essay to fine tune the language.

I've explained each of these steps in more depth below.

First Editing Pass

You should start the editing process by looking for any structural or thematic issues with your essay . If you see sentences that don't make sense or glaring typos of course fix them, but at this point, you're really focused on the major issues since those require the most extensive rewrites. You don't want to get your sentences beautifully structured only to realize you need to remove the entire paragraph.

This phase is really about honing your structure and your voice . As you read through your essay, think about whether it effectively draws the reader along, engages him with specific details, and shows why the topic matters to you. Try asking yourself the following questions:

• Does the intro make you want to read more?
• Is the progression of events and/or ideas clear?
• Does the essay show something specific about you? What is it and can you clearly identify it in the essay?
• Are there places where you could replace vague statements with more specific ones?
• Do you have too many irrelevant or uninteresting details clogging up the narrative?
• Is it too long? What can you cut out or condense without losing any important ideas or details?

Give yourself credit for what you've done well, but don't hesitate to change things that aren't working. It can be tempting to hang on to what you've already written —you took the time and thought to craft it in the first place, so it can be hard to let it go. Taking this approach is doing yourself a disservice, however. No matter how much work you put into a paragraph or much you like a phrase, if they aren't adding to your essay, they need to be cut or altered.

If there's a really big structural problem, or the topic is just not working, you may have to chuck this draft out and start from scratch . Don't panic! I know starting over is frustrating, but it's often the best way to fix major issues.

Consulting Other Readers

Once you've fixed the problems you found on the first pass and have a second (or third) draft you're basically happy with, ask some other people to read it. Check with people whose judgment you trust : parents, teachers, and friends can all be great resources, but how helpful someone will be depends on the individual and how willing you are to take criticism from her.

Also, keep in mind that many people, even teachers, may not be familiar with what colleges look for in an essay. Your mom, for example, may have never written a personal statement, and even if she did, it was most likely decades ago. Give your readers a sense of what you'd like them to read for , or print out the questions I listed above and include them at the end of your essay.

Second Pass

After incorporating any helpful feedback you got from others, you should now have a nearly complete draft with a clear arc.

At this point you want to look for issues with word choice and sentence structure:

• Are there parts that seem stilted or overly formal?
• Do you have any vague or boring descriptors that could be replaced with something more interesting and specific?
• Are there any obvious redundancies or repetitiveness?
• Have you misused any words?
• Are your sentences of varied length and structure?

A good way to check for weirdness in language is to read the essay out loud. If something sounds weird when you say it, it will almost certainly seem off when someone else reads it.

Example: Editing Eva's First Paragraph

In general, Eva feels like her first paragraph isn't as engaging as it could be and doesn't introduce the main point of the essay that well: although it sets up the narrative, it doesn't show off her personality that well. She decides to break it down sentence by sentence:

I dialed the phone number for the fourth time that week.

Problem: For a hook, this sentence is a little too expository. It doesn't add any real excitement or important information (other than that this call isn't the first, which can be incorporate elsewhere.

Solution: Cut this sentence and start with the line of dialogue.

"Hello? This is Eva Smith, and I'm a reporter with Tiny Town High's newspaper The Falcon. I was hoping to ask you some questions about—"

Problem: No major issues with this sentence. It's engaging and sets the scene effectively.

Solution: None needed, but Eva does tweak it slightly to include the fact that this call wasn't her first.

I heard the distinctive click of the person on the other end of the line hanging up, followed by dial tone.

Problem: This is a long-winded way of making a point that's not that important.

Solution: Replace it with a shorter, more evocative description: " Click. Bzzzzzzz. Whoever was on the other end of the line had hung up."

I was about ready to give up: I'd been trying to get the skinny on whether the Atlas Theater was actually closing to make way for a big AMC multiplex or if it was just a rumor for weeks, but no one would return my calls.

Problem: This sentence is kind of long. Some of the phrases ("about ready to give up," "get the skinny") are cliche.

Solution: Eva decides to try to stick more closely to her own perspective: "I'd heard rumors that Atlas Theater was going to be replaced with an AMC multiplex, and I was worried." She also puts a paragraph break before this sentence to emphasize that she's now moving on to the background info rather than describing her call.

Step 7: Double Check Everything

Once you have a final draft, give yourself another week and then go through your essay again. Read it carefully to make sure nothing seems off and there are no obvious typos or errors. Confirm that you are at or under the word limit.

Then, go over the essay again, line by line , checking every word to make sure that it's correct. Double check common errors that spell check may not catch, like mixing up affect and effect or misplacing commas.

Finally, have two other readers check it as well . Oftentimes a fresh set of eyes will catch an issue you've glossed over simply because you've been looking at the essay for so long. Give your readers instructions to only look for typos and errors, since you don't want to be making any major content changes at this point in the process.

This level of thoroughness may seem like overkill, but it's worth taking the time to ensure that you don't have any errors. The last thing you want is for an admissions officer to be put off by a typo or error.

Example: Eva's Final Draft (Paragraphs 1 and 2)

"Hello? This is Eva Smith again. I'm a reporter with Tiny Town High's newspaper The Falcon , and I was hoping to ask you some questions about —" Click. Bzzzzzzz. Whoever was on the other end of the line had hung up.

I'd heard rumors that the historic Atlas Theater was going to be replaced with an AMC multiplex, and I was worried. I'd grown up with the Atlas: my dad taking me to see every Pixar movie on opening night and buying me Red Vines to keep me distracted during the sad parts. Unfortunately my personal history with the place didn't seem to carry much weight with anyone official, and my calls to both the theater and city hall had thus far gone unanswered.

Once you've finished the final check, you're done, and ready to submit! There's one last step, however.

Step 8: Do It All Again

Remember back in step one, when we talked about making a chart to keep track of all the different essays you need to write? Well, now you need to go back to that list and determine which essays you still need to write . Keep in mind your deadlines and don't forget that some schools may require more than one essay or ask for short paragraphs in addition to the main personal statement.

Reusing Essays

In some cases, you may be able to reuse the essay you've already written for other prompts. You can use the same essay for two prompts if:

Both of them are asking the same basic question (e.g. "how do you interact with people who are different from you?" or "what was an important experience and why?"), or

One prompt is relatively specific and the other is very general (e.g. "tell us about how your family shaped your education" and "tell us something about your background"), and

Neither asks about your interest in a specific school or program.

If you choose to reuse an essay you wrote for a different prompt, make sure that it addresses every part of question and that it fits the word limit. If you have to tweak a few things or cut out 50-odd words, it will probably still work. But if the essay would require major changes to fit the criteria, you're probably better off starting from scratch (even if you use the same basic topic).

Crafting Supplemental Essays

The key to keep in mind in when brainstorming for supplemental essays is that you want them to add something new to your application . You shouldn't write about the same topic you used for your personal statement, although it's okay to talk about something similar, as long as you adopt a clearly different angle.

For example, if you're planning to be pre-med in college and your main essay is about how volunteering at the hospital taught you not to judge people on their appearance, you might write your secondary essay on your intellectual interest in biology (which could touch on your volunteering). There's some overlap, but the two topics are clearly distinct.

And now, you're really, truly, finally done. Congrats!

What's Next?

Now that you know how to write a college essay, we have a lot more specific resources for you to excel.

Are you working on the Common App essay ? Read our breakdown of the Common App prompts and our guide to picking the best prompt for you.

Or maybe you're interested in the University of California ? Check out our complete guide to the UC personal statements .

In case you haven't finished the rest of the application process , take a look at our guides to asking for recommendations , writing about extracurriculars , and researching colleges .

Finally, if you're planning to take the SAT or ACT one last time , try out some of our famous test prep guides, like "How to Get a Perfect Score on the SAT" and "15 Key ACT Test Day Tips."

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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How To Get Into Reed College: Acceptance Rate + Tips

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 5/28/24

If you’ve ever dreamed of attending a small and quaint liberal arts college in the Northwestern US, read on to find out how to get into Reed College.

Reed College is located in southeast Portland, Oregon. The school was founded in 1908 and now boasts 38 majors. With 1500 students enrolled in classes encouraging debate and discussion, Reedies prosper on their academic journeys. Stay tuned if you’re wondering how you measure up and how hard it is to get into Reed College! 

Reed College Acceptance Rate: 44%

The Reed College acceptance rate is 44% . The admissions committee is known to select students with high academic rigor. While its admissions process is quite selective, it has a far higher acceptance rate than Ivy League schools . 

Reed College's transfer acceptance rate is 19.33%, which is comparatively low compared to its first-year admission rate. Although getting into Reed College may be challenging, knowing their admission statistics can help determine what you need to focus on.

Here is a table that illustrates the acceptance and yield rate for the past three years at Reed College. 

This table should help give you an idea of what to expect when applying to Reed College. 

Reed College Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 52%

Also, Reed College's early decision acceptance rate is 52%. Approximately one-third of Reed’s incoming class is early decision applicants.

Source : Common Data Set

How Hard Is It to Get Into Reed College?

With an acceptance rate of 44%, Reed College is moderately selective. Reed students typically have high GPAs and SAT/ACT scores. Building a strong academic profile, writing a strong essay, and participating in extracurriculars and volunteer experiences can help you stand out!

Reed College Admissions Statistics

Reed College has competitive admission statistics regarding average GPA, SAT, and ACT.

Reed College Average GPA: 4.0

Reed College matriculants average a 4.0 GPA in high school. Maintaining a high GPA is one of the key steps students can take to get into the college of their choice. While this may seem intimidating, it can be achieved by seeking help, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and developing a routine that works for you!

Reed College Average SAT Score: 1393

Reed College SAT scores average between 1300-1510, with a 1,393 mean. The SAT isn’t required during the application process. Reed College now considers themselves test-blind following the COVID-19 pandemic; even if you submit your test scores, they will not be considered for admissions. 

Reed College Average ACT Score: 32

The average ACT score for Reed College is 32, usually between 30-34.  Like the SAT, Reed College doesn’t require applicants to submit their ACT scores. 

What Is Reed College Looking For In Applicants?

How Reed College evaluates applications mostly depends on the rigor of their secondary school record, GPA, and application essay. Applicants are best of prioritiziing these three factors for admission into Reed College.

Reed College Key Takeaways From Reed College's Common Data Set

The Common Data Set shows that the most important factors in your Reed College application are your academics, specifically your GPA, how challenging your courses are, and your application essay. Other factors that play a significant role are your interview, recommendations, and character traits.

Reed College Admission Requirements

Here’s a list of Reed College admission requirements : 

• Writing supplement
• School report
• Counselor recommendation
• Transcripts
• Teacher evaluations
• SAT/ACT scores

Early Decision Agreement

Note that if you’re applying through the Common Application, you’ll be required to provide a personal essay.

To secure admission to Reed College, aim for an SAT score of 1393 or an ACT score of 30-34. These above-average scores, along with a 4.0 GPA, will ensure your profile aligns with the top-achieving applicants of the 2023-2024 admissions cycle.

To successfully apply to Reed College, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the various application requirements you’ll need to submit via either the Common Application or the Coalition Application . 

Personal Essay (If Using Common App)

If you’re applying to Reed College via the Common App , then you’ll be required to submit a personal essay plus one supplemental essay. 

Reed Writing Supplement

When learning how to get into Reed College, familiarizing yourself with how to craft a well-written supplemental essay is a great start. 

Reed’s supplemental essay asks students to answer the following question in 500 words: 

“For one week at the end of January, Reed students upend the traditional classroom hierarchy and teach classes about any topic they love, academic or otherwise. This week is known as Paideia after the Greek term signifying “education”—the complete education of mind, body and spirit. What would you teach that would contribute to the Reed community?”

This prompt encourages you to think critically, creatively, and reflectively about how you would make a meaningful contribution to the Reed community. No matter what you decide to write about, make sure it conveys your genuine interests and aspirations while highlighting your ability to engage in intellectual discussions and debates. 

School Report 

Their counselor must complete an applicant’s school report. The school report outlines a student's academic history and includes things like their transcripts and ratings, as well as their school's GPA reporting and curriculum.

Counselor Recommendation 

Reed College requires applicants to submit a counselor recommendation. A counselor recommendation is a letter of recommendation written by a high school guidance counselor on your behalf as part of your college or university application. 

This recommendation provides insight into your academic abilities, personal qualities, character, and overall suitability for higher education.

High School Transcripts 

It’s also required that applicants submit their high school transcripts. High school transcripts provide the school with a comprehensive record of your academic performance throughout high school.

College Transcripts (If You’ve Attended)

If you’ve attended a college, Reed College requires that you submit your college transcripts. Sometimes, some of those college credits can be transferred and used at the college you plan on attending. 

Two Teacher Evaluations 

Applicants are also required to submit two teacher evaluations. Teacher evaluations, also known as teacher recommendations, are an important component of the college admissions process. 

These evaluations provide admissions committees with insights into your academic abilities, classroom behavior, work ethic, and personal qualities as assessed by your high school teachers. 

Building strong relationships with your teachers and putting together a great brag sheet will be useful when asking for your recommendation letters . 

If you’re applying to Early Decision, you’ll need to fill out this form . Early Decision allows applicants to apply to their preferred college or university early in the application cycle and receive an admission decision earlier than regular decision applicants. 

Early Decision is binding, meaning that if a student is accepted under an ED plan, they are committed to attending that institution and must withdraw all other college applications.

International Students Requirements

There are additional admission requirements for international students. They include:

• Either TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT, or documentation that you attended an English school
• An interview
• College Scholarship Service Profile for those interested in applying for financial aid.
• Permanent Resident Card

These requirements are in addition to the other admission requirements mentioned above. 

Home-Schooled Applicants

Home-schooled applicants will also need to apply through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. They must submit all required documents. 

Reed College Application Process & Deadlines

Here are the key Reed College decision dates and deadlines you need to know before starting your application:

Source : Reed College

Ensure that you meet the Reed College application deadline. Whether you decide to submit your application for Early Action or Early Decision , keeping track of these dates will ensure you have a smooth and successful application process.

Reed College Regular Decision Deadline

For those applying to Reed College via regular decision, appilcations are due Mid-January. It’s important to have all relevant documents and materials ready by then.

Reed College Early Decision Deadline

Early decision applications are due mid-November at Reed College. For those applying for early decision two, the second deadline is the end of December.

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Into Reed College

Getting into college is a multi-step process. Here are a few ways to increase your chances of getting into Reed College. 

Excel Academically to Meet Reed's Standards

Excelling academically to meet Reed College's standards is not just a goal; it's a mantra for success at this prestigious school. At Reed, the pursuit of knowledge is paramount, and students are encouraged to embrace intellectual rigor and curiosity. 

As an applicant, it's important to demonstrate your commitment to these values through your academic record, essays, and recommendations. Reed seeks students who are capable of meeting its academic standards and eager to contribute to the vibrant intellectual community that thrives within its campus.

Engage in Relevant Extracurriculars

Engaging in relevant extracurricular activities can significantly bolster your application. Reed values students who bring diverse interests and experiences to its community. Showcasing your involvement in extracurriculars and community service that matches your passions. 

Whether through clubs, volunteer work , or other pursuits, Reed seeks well-rounded individuals who will thrive academically and contribute to campus life. 

Apply Early to Reed

If Reed College is a school you’re seriously considering attending, consider applying for Early Decision. Early Decision allows you to apply to Reed College earlier than the standard deadline . It’s also binding, which means you’ll need to reject any other offers you may receive if accepted. 

Working With an Admissions Counselor

It’s no secret that you’re significantly more likely to get accepted to the college of your choice when you work with an expert. Competing for admissions at a top school like Reed means you’ll want to know what areas of your application to highlight and work on. Admissions counselors have extensive experience in what works and what doesn’t.

Reed College Supplemental Essays with Examples

As mentioned, Reed College has one required supplemental essay. The writing supplement must be up to 500 words. The writing supplement may be submitted via the Common or Coalition Application or emailed to [email protected] . Here is the Reed College essay prompt : 

Here are some examples of well-written essays answering this prompt. 

Essay Example #1

Humans: The Apex Predators of Earth

Why are humans dominant? Why do we have the power to decide the fate of our universe? Do we actually have as much power as we think we do? What is man's place within nature? 

In my class, my students would explore the roles of humans in society. I first began to question human dominance on a service trip to Tanzania, when I experienced the Maasai tribe’s ceremonial goat slaughter. As the goat seized its last breath, I struggled to understand the precarious line between life vs. death. Prior to this experience I hadn’t contemplated our privilege as humans; I was blind towards human dominance. The goat's fate helped enlighten me to human beings’ unlicensed power. 

Why is it that we can decide the slaughtering of a goat is the circle of life, but the consumption of a dog is a sin? While I have yet to understand how and why we deserve to be the apex predator of our environment—and most likely will never know—I still enjoy raising these questions and stating my opinion. This event helped make me aware of where I focus my privilege. Through sustainability workshops, environmental science classes, and working in gardens I have begun to concentrate more on understanding how to benefit our environment, instead of destroying it with our power. 

We’re destroying our environment, which is necessary for us to live. It’s like we’re eliminating the essentials to our existence, making it harder for ourselves to continue to grow. In nature, when there is an overpopulation of predators, there’s quickly a lack of prey. What impact will we have in the future? Will we continue to allow this trend to occur, or will we make a change? 

In my open-ended and philosophical class we will assess a few major topics. First, what has led to the dominance of humans? Why have we been given sole responsibility for deep cognitive theories? Second, I would extend the narrative of Apex predatory from its reference towards animals to the environment itself. Why are we here? Are we on Earth to save the planet and solve the puzzle that is our environment, or will we destroy our pure home? 

Essay Example #2

Great American Leaders: A Historical, Sociological, and Political Perspective On How to Get Things Done

Course Description: Throughout history, many American leaders have been good, but what has made the most famous ones great? In this course, we will explore and apply the techniques of effective and highly regarded American leaders who have forever left their mark on our nation’s society. From President Lyndon Johnson’s use of “the lean” for physical intimidation to pass landmark legislation, to Martin Luther King Jr.’s use of the Old Testament to bring together Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish leaders during the Civil Rights Movement, to Eleanor Roosevelt’s ability to command respect and influence at a time when women’s voices were rarely heard, we will analyze the tactics that have led to lasting change. As we study the strategies pioneered by these great leaders, we will simultaneously work to find ways to apply them in the present day.

Sample lectures:

Connections During the Civil Rights Movement: A Sociological Look at the Unity of Leaders, Cultures, and Religions in Common Cause

Required readings: A Letter from a Birmingham Jail - Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I Speak to You as an American Jew” - Dr. Joachim Prinz, March on Washington

The 100 Days: FDR’s Spectacular Entry into the Office of the Presidency, and his Leadership of a Congress of Action

Required readings: The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope - Jonathan Alter

Roosevelt’s First Fireside Chat- March 12, 1933

Seneca Falls: The Leaders of the Women’s Suffrage Movement and their Convention that Changed Women’s Rights Forever

Required readings: Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women's Rights Movement - Sally G. McMillen

Elizabeth Cady Stadam: Seneca Falls Keynote Address

At a time of ineffectiveness and gridlock, it is imperative that we study what makes a great leader and attempt to find applications of their work in the modern day, for our country and our world.

Essay Example #3

Under the setting winter sun, I rode my horse across the meadow while the snow began to thicken. Upon receiving a prized, famous axe from my close friend Ulfric, he requested that I return to a metropolitan city to converse with members who agreed with us regarding the status of the political landscape within our country in order to join their movement. Suddenly, though, I was knocked off my horse by a blow from my left. I unsheathed my weapon while hearing shouts from every direction. I lept off my horse and pulled my sword back to make the first blow, but just as I…

“Dinner!” My dad swept me out of my absorption with what, unfortunately, was not an exorbitantly unique experience from real life, but rather “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,” an open world action video game within a fictional universe. I was beginning the quest “Joining the Legion” which would solidify my role as a supporter of the Empire and ban me from joining the rebellion. 

As I sat down to eat my beef with broccoli, the recent quest was still on my mind. Making the decision as to whether or not I ought to join the rebellion or defend the Imperial Legion felt extremely rushed, and after being brutally attacked, I wondered if I made the right one. I realized that I required a much more nuanced look at the actuality of the issue’s development to make an educated decision, both for fascinating gameplay and political context. Delving into online resources, I gradually understood the background of the war, but I also realized how complex and multifaceted the history of the game was. The 9 major cities, countless towns and settlements, 273 quests, and six historical periods ensure there is never a dull moment, but also present the ideal means through which to examine complex historical developments, movements, and periods of an entire Empire.

So, I would teach a history of Skyrim course, also known as “Nords, Daedras, Alchemy and Everything In Between”. Not only would this multifaceted understanding of the background to major questlines be indispensable to successful game play, but the skills required to understand the development and effects of diverse historical developments could be utilized for other history and social science courses. Immersing oneself directly in the material through gameplay would provide a unique perspective on the events at hand which would be supplemented by the history-course-like style of the class. With countless online materials ranging from the Elder Scrolls Wiki to Gamepedia and, of course, Reddit, there would be no shortage of resources to utilize for assignments. 

Thus, although my experience of nearly being knocked off my horse outside the gates of Whiterun was not necessarily real, the introspection and research which this experience prompted were. I can’t wait to join Reed’s campus next year and share my experience as a member of the Imperial Legion with the diverse Nords, Redguards, and Khajit around me. 

To stand out from the competition, you’ll need to write a glowing essay that wows the admissions committee. Take a look at what one of our admissions experts, Rachel, has to say about writing a compelling essay: 

Rachel Wood, Admissions Expert and Cornell grad, offers this advice for essay writing:

“I think a really great way to start your essay is with a story - really short anecdote, just kind of pull the reader in. You sort of want the admissions committees to say “Wow, I really need to keep reading this essay because I need to know how this story ends or I need to know what happened.””

“To craft a stand-up essay you really need to stay true to yourself. So, write something that feels right for you.”

Reed College Tuition and Fees

Reed College’s tuition for this year is $69,040 a year . If you were to live on campus in a dorm, there would be an additional cost of $9,050. There are scholarships and financial aid to meet these high costs. 

Reed College Financial Aids and Scholarship

Reed College’s merit scholarships and financial aid are available to those who need it. In the past year, over half of Reed students had received need-based aid, and the average financial aid package was $57,294. 

Applicants can apply for financial aid through Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile). 

It’s also worthwhile to look into merit-based scholarships. These incentives award students with assistance, regardless of their financial position. Factors considered include academics, leaderships, athletics among others.

If you have any more unanswered questions about Reed College, check out the FAQs for the most common inquiries.

1. Is Reed a Prestigious College?

Reed College is a highly prestigious school with one of the highest rates of students who earn PhDs, especially in the life sciences, arts, and humanities . 

When looking for an exemplary liberal arts education, Reed College no doubt gives a comprehensive experience. Students will also have plenty of time to discuss their assignments and get feedback from distinguished faculty members.

2. What GPA Is Required for Reed College?

The average GPA for Reed College is a 4.0 . Reed College students come from academically rigorous backgrounds. Typically, they keep on top of their studies and maintain high grades. 

While GPA is not the only thing when considering admission, it is one of the main metrics used, especially since SAT and ACT scores are no longer required. 

3. Should I Apply to Reed College?

Yes! Although the school has high standards for applicants, Reed offers several unique qualities that can provide a lot of value to its students. If graduate studies are an area of interest, networking with professors and past alumni will prove invaluable. 

Students with an aptitude for further research and discovery in life sciences, arts, and humanities have a strong opportunity at this elite and prestigious institution.

4. What Are the Programs Like at Reed College?

Reed students can earn a bachelor of arts degree in almost 40 different programs . A core curriculum feature is full-year humanities courses encouraging students to learn various topics. All students must eventually complete a senior thesis to cement their learning further.

5. What’s the Social Life Like at Reed College?

Life at Reed is very open and inclusive. Once accepted, the absence of fraternities and sororities encourages all students to socialize and engage with each other. To create a more communal environment, students can spend time and get to know each other in the house groupings of the residences. 

6. What Type of Areas Do Reed Graduates Work in?

Reed graduates may go on to work in various fields and disciplines. Careers in academia are a large area of interest to students, in line with their high record of PhD-bearing alumni. What’s more, areas of public service, business, and fine arts offer natural career progressions.

7. Does Reed College Require SAT?

No, Reed College doesn’t require the SAT. Since COVID-19, Reed has gotten rid of its standardized test requirements. If you submit your SAT score, Reed will not use it in the application process. 

8. When Do Reed Decisions Come Out?

Reed College’s regular decisions come out in early April, and Early Decisions in February. 

9. Is Reed College an Ivy League School?

No, Reed College is not an Ivy League school. However, it’s a great school to attend and i

Final Thoughts

This guide on how to get into Reed College has provided an in-depth analysis of the school. With diversity at the forefront of the school spirit, Reed can provide an open and intellectual pathway for individuals looking for solid post-secondary education. 

Students who like to work in a solitary environment without discussion with their professors and peers may not be best suited for Reed’s close-knit community. 

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Don’t Sweat the Supp Stuff: Advice for Crafting Your Supplemental Essay

It can feel daunting to choose what to write about in your college application essays. How do you sum up the complex, dynamic individual you are with such limited space? 

The short answer: You can’t. But that’s OK. 

The goal of your application is not to share every detail of your multifaceted life. Rather, the process allows you to share your story with the admissions committee about what makes you a strong match for the institution. Each piece of the application reveals something about your academic experiences and personal journey that shows us how you might contribute to the Hopkins community. 

In some ways, the essays help tie together the rest of the application. They offer space for you to tell stories that represent the most important parts of your identity, which provide context for other components of the application. 

Let’s zero in on the supplemental essay . 

The supplemental essay portion of the application is specific to each school. Each institution has intentionally crafted a question (or multiple) to help determine whether a student might be a good match. We look for individuals who share Hopkins’ institutional values but will also bring unique experiences and perspectives to the community.  

Below is the supplemental essay prompt for students applying for entry to Hopkins in the fall of 2024:  

Tell us about an aspect of your identity (e.g., race, gender, sexuality, religion, community, etc.) or a life experience that has shaped you as an individual and how that influenced what you’d like to pursue in college at Hopkins. This can be a future goal or experience that is either academic, extracurricular, or social. (350-word limit) *

Picture your life in college. What does your community look like? Which aspects of your identity are most important for you to develop and nurture?  

Now jot down some thoughts about experiences or parts of your identity that have had a significant effect on your life. Maybe it’s a hobby you love, a cultural tradition, or an instance when you discovered something new about yourself. 

Once you have a list, think about how each of these will continue to play a role in your college life. Choose one to focus on and spend some time building it out. 

Keep in mind this essay is not an exercise in “tell us everything you know about Hopkins.” While it’s important for the admissions committee to see you’ve done your research and understand what Hopkins has to offer, simply listing what you hope to pursue on campus is only half of the puzzle. Be sure to connect the dots by explaining why you wish to pursue those things, and how they’ll help you remain connected to and grow in your identity. 

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas or crafting your essay, reach out to your school counselor or an English teacher. They can help you brainstorm and ensure your piece is answering the prompt in a meaningful way. 

Happy writing! 

* An important note about the essay: In this essay question, we are looking for how an aspect of your identity or background has contributed to your personal story—your character, values, perspectives, or skills—and how you think it may shape your approach to college as a scholar, leader, or community member.

Please note that the U.S. Supreme Court recently limited the consideration of race in college admissions decisions but specifically permitted consideration of “an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life” so long as the student is “treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race.” Therefore, any part of your background, including but not limited to your race, may be discussed in your response to this essay if you so choose, but will be considered by the university based solely on how it has affected your life and your experiences as an individual.

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How to Write the Carleton College Essays 2023-2024

Carleton College is a small liberal arts college in Minnesota that ranks among the highest of its kind, meaning that writing strong essays will be essential to standing out as an applicant.

Carleton’s supplemental essay prompts generally revolve around the school’s sense of community and inclusion, and your responses should reflect your desire to be a part of that community. While there may not be a standard “ Why This College? ” supplement, each essay choice will in some shape or form ask you to envision yourself as a Carleton student, and admissions representatives are looking for students who want to continue the school’s mission of serving the community and one another.

Want to know your chances at Carleton? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Carleton College Supplemental Essay Prompts 

Prompt 1 : Please share your thoughts on one (1) of the following prompts, in no more than 300 words.

• Option A : Carleton’s community plan for inclusion, diversity, and equity aims to nurture and develop an even stronger community where students, faculty, and staff belong and thrive. How might you contribute to a sense of belonging at Carleton?
• Option B : Before graduation, every Carleton student completes a senior project, known as “comps.” Comps projects take many different forms: a few recent examples are formal research papers, public presentations, and even a live staging of theater production. Based on your current academic interests, what type of comps project or topic would you explore, and why? (No pressure, we won’t hold you to this!)
• Option C : Traditions at Carleton center around building and appreciating community. Some examples include the new student frisbee toss, Friday flowers, and baking cookies at Dacie Moses House. If you were tasked with creating a new Carleton tradition, what would you propose and how would you emphasize community within your idea?

Prompt 2 : Anything missing? Do you want to share more with us? If so, use this space to fill any gaps you think would assist us in reviewing your application. (Optional, no more than 250 words.)

Carleton admission staff provide helpful essay tips on their admissions website. This is great advice for writing college essays overall. They encourage students to see the essay as an opportunity to share information that won’t be found elsewhere in your application and to show who you are beyond test scores and GPAs.

• Be genuine. Write what you want to say, not what you think they want to hear. 
• Answer the question. 
• It is an essay, so remember to come up with a thesis, an introduction, body, and ending.
• Don’t set out to write the perfect admission essay. Write the best essay for you. 
• Proofread. Errors and misspellings are distracting. Take the time to create a clean, error-free essay. 

Residential liberal arts colleges like Carleton know that students have a better experience and greater success when they feel that they belong at their school. This is especially true for smaller colleges where students and faculty know each other by name. These prompts give admission staff an opportunity to get to know you as a person and how the Carleton community might be a good fit for you. 

All of these options will require some introspection on your part. You may even surprise yourself as you consider these prompts. 

Prompt 1, Option A

Carleton’s community plan for inclusion, diversity, and equity aims to nurture and develop an even stronger community where students, faculty, and staff belong and thrive. how might you contribute to a sense of belonging at carleton (300 words).

This prompt references Carleton’s EDI Action Plan, which emphasizes Carleton’s commitment to fostering a community that stresses equity, diversity, and inclusion. The first thing you should do when preparing to answer this prompt is to brush up and read about that action plan, which can be found in full and in a more-concise brochure format . 

Essentially, Carleton hopes to create an environment in which everyone has equal access to educational resources regardless of race, gender, financial status, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, and so on. As a result, this is a great prompt to answer if you feel your personal identity aligns with this mission statement or if you wish to share how your perspective could continue the progress Carleton is hoping to achieve.

We recommend that you write about your background or identity that you feel has given you a unique perspective on this prompt. Even if you feel as though you don’t have something new to add to the conversation, that may prove to be untrue as you begin fleshing out your response. Everyone, regardless of their community and identity, has a unique set of experiences and thus a unique perspective, so as long as you can lean into that in your response, your answer will certainly be your own.

First, describe your chosen background and how it has shaped your identity. You can write about family members, traditions, friends, holidays, cultural practices, and even things as simple as food. Just make sure that they are genuine experiences that you’ve had and avoid sweeping generalizations about a people or a culture that may sound unauthentic. And don’t worry about spending too much time writing about this, this is primarily helpful to provide context to the admissions representative who may be less familiar with your background.

The primary goal of this response is not just to describe your background and identity, but to show the admissions representative how you plan to continue a sense of inclusion and belonging within the wider Carleton community. That can be for both students who identify similarly to you as well as those who wish to engage further. 

Perhaps you plan to put together a multicultural group on campus for South Asian students. Or maybe you’d love to spotlight international films that you grew up with from your immigrant parents. Maybe you’re a first-generation college student who wants to connect with fellow first-generation students on campus to help new first-generation students transition into the campus community. Whatever your idea may be, the admissions representative wants to see that you’re passionate about your background, ambitious, and committed to their EDI cause.

Remember to keep it unique and authentic to your experiences. This will have the most impact on your application. You want your final response to feel as though only you could’ve written it, so reflect on what you want your college experience to be in relation to your background and identity, and write about how you can help determine that for others.

Prompt 1, Option B

Before graduation, every carleton student completes a senior project, known as “comps.” comps projects take many different forms: a few recent examples are formal research papers, public presentations, and even a live staging of theater production. based on your current academic interests, what type of comps project or topic would you explore, and why (no pressure, we won’t hold you to this) (300 words).

This question allows you the opportunity to speak candidly about your interests and your goals – they can extend beyond what you may already have experienced in high school and can be as ambitious as you want them to be. In fact, we recommend shooting for the stars. It’s that sense of ambition that the admissions representative is hoping to see in your response.

Regardless of what field or area of study you are interested in, there will most likely be something that can serve as a capstone, or in this case a “comps”. Think of the comps as a final project that serves as a comprehensive example of all you have learned, compounding the skills and knowledge you have garnered over four years of college into one final swan song. 

As they state in the prompt, you’re not tied to whatever you choose, so think of a project you would create if any of your high school teachers gave you full autonomy. While you shouldn’t write about trying any hyperbole like finding a cure for cancer or solving world hunger, you can certainly write about crafting a research paper about cancer or working in the public health department to develop strategies to combat global famine.

Remember, you’re not pitching a project to them, but rather explaining why you would want to complete your chosen comps. If you want your final project to be a staged reading of an original play, describe how you want to elevate your narrative writing in college and want to be able to complete a full-fledged work with a performance component that can represent how your understanding of theatre has grown.

The admissions representatives are looking for driven and ambitious admits who have hopes, dreams, and intentions to use a college experience to help achieve them. This is your chance to show off what you hope to do with your college experience, and leave your mark not only on your future but also on Carleton’s campus and community. 

The more specific you are in your response the better – having a clear goal in mind, even if you’re not completely sure of what you want your project to be, will leave a lasting impression on your admissions reader. Write about what you want your process to look like, how you want your project to engage with the community, and basically anything else that can paint a vivid picture of your aspirations.

Prompt 1, Option C

Traditions at carleton center around building and appreciating community. some examples include the new student frisbee toss, friday flowers, and baking cookies at dacie moses house. if you were tasked with creating a new carleton tradition, what would you propose and how would you emphasize community within your idea (300 words).

This can be a tougher question to answer, as it requires you to assess a community that you are not yet familiar with. However, admissions readers are not looking for the next big Carleton tradition to snatch up, rather they want to see your commitment to engaging with the Carleton community and the traditions that come with it. They want to see how you hope to build and add to the community at the school, as well as how you can use creativity to engage a wider student body.

This will require some critical thinking and inventiveness, so the first thing you’ll want to do is conduct a brainstorming session. Take a couple of minutes, whether you type it or handwrite it, and jot out any idea that comes to mind. It’s likely that the idea that you will choose for your essay will come from this list. 

Also make sure to look more into Carleton’s current traditions, as you don’t want to accidentally suggest something that already exists! It can also help you get a feel for the kind of tradition that might fit best at Carleton.

Think back on your high school experiences. Are there any community events from your high school you want to carry forward to college? Are there any events you wish your high school had had? What about personal events during your life? Are there any that could be applied to the campus at large? Think about Carleton as a Midwestern school. Are there any Midwestern traditions you hope to bring to Carleton? 

Remember that these essays are ultimately meant to tell Carleton something more about you as an applicant, so don’t be afraid to suggest something related to your interests.

For example, maybe you plan to play in the orchestra and want more students to experience orchestral music in a casual setting. You might suggest a spring festival that takes place at the Carleton Arboretum. There could be live music by campus music groups, games planned by each dorm in a bracket-style tournament, and international foods catered by the culture clubs. This event would expose students to the diverse range of music at Carleton and have students from all kinds of groups working together to make the festival a success. 

Your tradition is meant to inspire that sense of community, so aim to create one that brings all students together and makes them feel present on the Carleton campus. 

Remember to keep in mind that Carleton is a small liberal arts college that doesn’t come with the same mass of athletic spirit as larger public universities might, so try not to write about something like tailgating or rallying the student body for a game. 

Additionally, you’ll want to avoid general community events such as game days as well as anything that may just be a national-wide college tradition like leaving your dorm room door open on the first day to meet your hall. Feel free to do research on other schools’ traditions, but be careful not to directly copy or paraphrase the traditions of any other. Look into Carleton’s culture and think about what kind of community-building activities would find a good home there.

Anything missing? Do you want to share more with us? If so, use this space to fill any gaps you think would assist us in reviewing your application. (Optional, no more than 250 words.)

However, if you feel as though there is something about your identity or about why you want to go to Carleton that is important to your application, don’t hesitate to include it here. Here are some examples of details you may wish to write about here:

• Unusual circumstances or hardships (financial hardships, first-generation status, illness, tragedy, etc.)
• Family responsibilities that may have prevented students from taking traditional extracurriculars
• Unique extracurricular that wasn’t written about in another part of the application outside of the Activities section
• Describing your identity in the context of race, gender, or LGBTQ+

This prompt is going to be on an extremely case-by-case basis, so do what feels right for you and remember that you don’t have to embellish anything about yourself or your life in an attempt to make it sound more interesting to an admissions reader. They really just want to get to know you as your authentic self, so if you do choose to answer this prompt, make sure that you’re doing it in a manner that is genuine and honest.

Also, even though this prompt has a 250-word limit, feel free to only write a few short sentences if that feels more appropriate to you.

How to Get Your Carleton College Essays Edited for Free

Do you want feedback on your Carleton College essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

73 Best Colleges Without Supplemental Essays – 2024

May 27, 2024

When college application season arrives, it’s easy for students to become overwhelmed about the essays. There’s the personal statement , which many students have a general idea about, and then there are the supplemental essays. Supplemental essays can cover a range of college-specific prompts that help the colleges better understand why you’d be a great fit . Due to how personal and varied the supplemental essays can be, students often end up spending weeks, if not months, writing them.

However, across the country, there are colleges that do not require supplemental essays at all. For some students, applying to colleges without supplemental essays can make the overall application process much smoother. Benefits include experiencing less stress in their application preparation and diversifying prospective colleges while focusing more on their priority schools. Sometimes, though, these schools do ask for program-specific essays or optional essays, depending on the applicant.

Best Colleges without Supplemental Essays

1) albion college.

At Albion College, the application essay is not required, but it is recommended. Students are encouraged to provide any more details that they believe the admissions team should consider.

2) Allegheny College

As noted on their website, Allegheny College has not required the supplemental essay since their 2013-2014 application cycle. Students will find more essay questions in the Member Questions section of the Common Application.

3) Augusta University

Augusta University joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays as they do not require a personal essay at all. They do still require SAT or ACT scores and GPA.

4) Bates College

Since 1984, Bates College has not required SAT Subject Tests or ACT scores in their applications. There is an optional arts supplement for students who are applying to study art, creative writing, dance, film, music, and theater.

5) Case Western Reserve University

At Case Western Reserve University, the Common Application personal essay is required. However, if you’re applying to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, then you’ll have to write supplemental essays.

Best Colleges Without Supplemental Essays (Continued)

6) clemson university.

Clemson University does not require students to complete a personal essay with the Common or Coalition Application. There is also a test-optional policy that may appeal to some students.

7) Coe College

At Coe College, the personal essay is optional for students who meet the college’s minimum academic standards. Coe College joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays that also have a test-optional policy.

8) Colby College

Colby College accepts the Common Application, Coalition Application, and QuestBridge Application, and they do not have any additional writing supplements. Test scores are optional for applicants at Colby College, and there is no application fee.

9) Colgate University

Colgate University is one of the colleges without supplemental essays required, but there is the option to write them. As stated on their website, “These prompts are not meant to feel like essays; they are simply an added perspective.

10) College of the Holy Cross

College of the Holy Cross does not require supplemental essays, but the following are optional: personal interview, SAT or ACT scores, and supplementary materials.

11) Denison University

Denison University joins this list of colleges without supplemental essays. Their website states that they wish to provide “equal access” to a Denison education, and they are also test-optional.

12) DePaul University

For first-year student applicants at DePaul University, personal essays are not required but optional. They have also been a test-optional university since 2012.

13) Dillard University

Dillard University is the oldest HBCU in Louisiana and is one of the colleges with no supplemental essay requirements. However, if students do not meet the minimum GPA and standardized test score requirements, then they must submit two letters of recommendation and a personal statement.

14) Drew University

At Drew University, a personal statement is required, along with a counselor evaluation, teacher evaluation, and high school transcript.

15) Drexel University

Drexel University joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays. They do require all students to complete the 250 to 650 essay on the Common or Coalition Application. However, the short answer question is optional.

16) Fairleigh Dickinson University

At Fairleigh Dickinson University, all essays, résumés, and recommendations are optional.

17) Florida Gulf Coast University

The only essay required by Florida Gulf Coast University is a two-page personal essay that discusses academic performance, special talents, and what the student can contribute to the campus.

18) Florida State University

Although Florida State University is one of the colleges without supplemental essays, students should invest time into the Common Application personal statement.

19) Fordham University

At Fordham University, the Common Application essay is required, but there are also optional writing sections. If students choose not to write in these sections, they will not be penalized.

20) Franklin and Marshall College

Franklin and Marshall College joins this list of colleges without supplemental essays. They do require the personal essay in the Common Application, as well as standardized test scores, recommendations and other materials.

21) Furman University

At Furman University, first-year applicants do not need to submit a personal essay, and they are also test-optional.

22) Gannon University

Gannon University does not require students to submit a personal statement. It is optional but recommended for students to submit a statement. However, it is required for LECOM 4+4 Medical Program applicants.

23) Gettysburg College

Although Gettysburg College joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays, it does require a personal statement on the Common Application.

24) Grinnell College

Grinnell College does not require supplemental essays and it also does not have an application fee. Standardized test scores are also optional.

25) Hamilton College

Although Hamilton College joins this list of colleges without supplemental essays, the optional essays are still encouraged.

26) Hampshire College

Hampshire College only requires supplemental essays from international students applying as first-year or transfer students.

27) Hanover College

Hanover College states on their website that the essay or personal statement is optional, alongside test scores, letters of recommendation and résumé.

28) Hollins University

At Hollins University, for first-year students no personal statement is required and standardized test scores are optional.

29) Howard University

Howard University requires students to complete the Common Application essay and there is one optional supplemental essay.

30) Indiana University – Bloomington

Students applying to Indiana University – Bloomington must write the one essay in the Common Application or through Apply IU.

31) Kent State University

At Kent State University, first-year students are not required to submit a personal essay or a letter of recommendation. Test scores are also optional.

32) Kenyon College

Kenyon College joins this list as it is one of the colleges without supplemental essays. For first-year and transfer students, test scores are optional and flexible.

33) Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University does require the Common Application personal statement, but as of its most recent admissions cycle, no supplemental essay is required.

34) Mercer University

At Mercer University, applicants who wish to be test-optional must complete the supplemental essays. They must also have a 3.5 GPA and letter of recommendation.

35) Miami University

Miami University, not to be confused with the University of Miami, requires the Common App personal statement but not the supplemental essays.

36) Michigan State University

Michigan State University requires students to write only one essay on the MSU application, Common Application or Coalition Application.

37) Middlebury College

Middlebury College is one of the best colleges without supplemental essays. They do still require the personal statement on the Common Application.

38) Muhlenberg College

Muhlenberg College requires students to submit the personal essay but no other supplemental essays.

39) New College of Florida

New College of Florida is one of the many colleges with no supplemental essays. However, they do still require a personal statement.

40) New Jersey Institute of Technology

New Jersey Institute of Technology only requires a personal statement included in the Common Application. There is no supplemental essay requirement.

41) New York Institute of Technology

Students applying to the New York Institute of Technology are required to write a 300 to 350 word essay as their only essay. They may require test-optional applicants to submit a graded essay.

42) Northeastern University

Northeastern is one of the best colleges without a supplemental essay requirement. They do require a personal statement, alongside other materials.

43) Nova Southeastern University

At Nova Southeastern University, the essay is entirely optional, and students can self-report their test scores.

44) Oberlin College

Oberlin requires a personal statement, but does not require any supplemental essays.

45) Ohio State University

Ohio State University only requires a personal statement. However, they also offer a COVID-19 impact statement on the Common Application for interested students.

46) Ripon College

At Ripon College, the personal statement itself is optional for applicants, along with other materials.

47) Rhodes College

Rhodes College does not require a supplemental essay, but they have the option for students to record an optional “ Elevator Pitch .”

48) Rowan University

Rowan University requires a personal statement in the Common Application, but joins this list as a college without supplemental essays.

49) St. Lawrence University

St. Lawrence University has no supplemental essay requirement, but it still requires the personal statement essay. They are also test-optional, depending on the applicant.

50) St. Mary’s University (San Antonio)

For students applying to St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, the personal statement is only required if they choose not to submit test scores.

51) Seton Hall University

At Seton Hall University, the personal statement is required, but there are no other supplemental essays.

52) Siena College

Siena College has made the personal statement (open topic) optional for students applying.

53) Skidmore College

While Skidmore College does not require supplemental essays, students do often send in supplemental materials to further support their application.

54) Stony Brook University

At Stony Brook University, only a personal statement is required. However, students applying to the Honors, WISE, University Scholars, Scholars for Medicine, and Scholars for Dental Medicine must write supplemental essays.

55) Sewanee: The University of the South

Sewanee does not require supplemental essays and SAT/ACT scores are also optional.

56) Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University only requires supplemental essay materials for students applying to the creative writing, graphic design, studio art, and music programs.

57) Temple University

Temple University offers an optional essay as part of the Common Application for students to tell more about themselves beyond grades or test scores.

58) Union College

Union College does offer an optional supplemental essay question as part of their application.

59) University of Alabama

At the University of Alabama, essay submissions and letters of recommendation are not required but they are optional.

60) University of Albany

University of Albany joins the list as one of the colleges without supplemental essays. However, it does require a personal essay of at least 250 words on the Common Application of SUNY Application.

61) University of Arkansas

At the University of Arkansas, first-year students are not required to submit a personal essay. They accept self-reported test scores and letters of recommendation are also not required.

62) University of Arizona

Although the University of Arizona does not require an application essay, they strongly encourage students to submit the 500-word personal statement.

63) University of Cincinnati

Students applying to the University of Cincinnati are required to write the Cincinnati personal statement and the Common Application personal statement. However, there are no other required essays.

64) University of Colorado-Denver

University of Colorado-Denver requires the personal statement on the Common Application, but not other supplemental essays.

65) University of Connecticut

The University of Connecticut joins this list as one of the best colleges without supplemental essays. The university does require a personal essay on the Common Application or the Coalition Application.

66) University of Dayton

The University of Dayton does not require any supplemental essays, although it does require a personal statement. The university is also test-optional.

67) University of Denver

The University of Denver only requires the personal statement on the Common Application.

68) University of Houston

Students who apply to the University of Houston without a test score must submit a short admissions essay and extracurricular activities.

69) University of Iowa

The University of Iowa does require a personal statement as part of their application, but there is no supplemental essay requirement.

70) University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a college without supplemental essay requirements for first-year students. However, students applying to the Honors Program or the Engineering SELF Program must submit their responses.

71) University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky requires students to write one personal statement from seven of their given writing prompts.

72) University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

For first-year students applying to the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, the personal essay is not required, although it is encouraged.

73) University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln does not require a personal statement for first-year students. However, those applying to the Honors Program must write a 300-600 word essay.

Whether for the personal statement or any supplemental essay, writing college application essays can prove to be a challenging task. But if students plan ahead about how they want to approach the essays, it helps tremendously. Those who are about to apply to a college without supplemental essays can focus any extra time on other schools that do require them. It’s also great for students who wish to be considered primarily for their grades, test scores, personal statement and other reasons.

Best Colleges Without Supplemental Essays – Additional Resources 

• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples 
• How to Write a Body Paragraph for a College Essay
• UC Essay Examples
• Good Safety Schools
• College Search/Knowledge

Joanna Hong

With a BA from Pitzer College and an MA from University College London, Joanna has worked in London, Berlin, and Los Angeles covering many cultural and political issues with organizations such as Byline Media, NK News, and Free Turkey Media. A freelancer for The New York Times, her work has also appeared in Newsweek, Dazed and Confused Magazine, and The Guardian, among others. In addition, Joanna was the recipient of the 2021 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship in Fiction and is currently completing her first novel.

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