How to Write the Emory University Supplemental Essays

This prompt requires students to identify their intended area of study and, perhaps more importantly, explain the reasons for their interest in the subject. While identifying an area of study may feel straightforward, the “why” is the trickier element of this prompt. Students should approach the “why” from two different angles: first, they should demonstrate their hands-on experience with their area of interest. What experiences first ignited your interest? How have you pursued further learning outside of the classroom—through online courses, self-study, research, internships or summer programs? What qualifies you to study this subject at a high level at a top college? Your answer to “why this major?” should not simply be an intellectual interest; it should demonstrate your tangible exploration of the topic throughout your high school career.

Second, the “why” should address why you want to study this major at Emory specifically. While the first angle addresses your past experiences with the topic, this approach to the “why” looks toward the future. Why is Emory the ideal place for you to foster your interest in this topic? Share details about the professors, courses, research opportunities, clubs, or study abroad opportunities at Emory that would allow you to deepen your knowledge and reach your professional and academic goals.

I was fourteen years old when I got my first babysitting job. After only thirty minutes, I found myself in a mound of toys with three children asking what game we would play next. In my desperation, I suggested we play a memory game. I became fascinated by how effortlessly I could recall sequences, while the children struggled to repeat them back to me. That simple game sparked an interest in human cognition, which led me to study psychology and neuroscience. From taking AP Linguistics to founding the Minority Psychologist Network for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to participating in the prestigious Lumiere Research Scholar Program, what started as a babysitter’s game has become the defining interest of my last three years of study.

At Emory, I’m eager to participate in the Cognition and Development program because of its interdisciplinary approach and ample opportunities for research, which will enable me to study the brain’s complexities in depth. I’m particularly drawn to the Emory Neuroethics Program, where I can examine the ethical questions surrounding neuroscience. Dr. Patricia Bauer’s research on memory development aligns perfectly with my interests, offering me the opportunity to explore how memory evolves across our lifespans.

With all of these prompts, Emory admissions officers are looking for answers that highlight your unique attributes and values. What are your special interests? What makes your approach to the world unique to you? Be sure to use this opportunity to tell a story about yourself and share aspects of your identity that are not reflected elsewhere in your application. Ask yourself: which of these prompts allows me to add depth and dynamism to my application? Pick a prompt that allows you to be specific enough that admissions officers feel like they really know you.

This prompt offers you a perfect opportunity to tell the admissions committee about who you are as a leader and how your values align with those of Emory. Begin by reading Emory’s mission statement to understand how the school values community and leadership. Note that the prompt emphasizes your personal participation, meaning that you can and should brag about your accomplishments (humbly, of course). Because you only have 150 words, you will want to get straight to the point: give a bit of context for your service and then explain how you personally contributed. End with a reflective statement about what you learned from the experience and how it will shape your future behavior as a member of Emory’s campus community.

“Hi! In honor of Dr. E’s upcoming memorial, the junior class is hosting a fundraising gala and donating the proceeds to research. Would your restaurant be willing to donate a tray of food?”

When our beloved chemistry teacher Dr. E passed away from pancreatic cancer, our junior class decided to replace our prom with a fundraising gala. I had never been one to put myself out there, but I volunteered to secure food for the event.

I repeated the pitch over and over again, many restaurants donated trays of food, and I acquired enough food to feed our 400 gala attendees. Cold calling taught me a valuable lesson: you will never know who’s willing to help out unless you ask. I’m looking forward to further coming out of my shell as a member of the Emory community, and finding new ways to serve my newfound college community.

The most important word in this prompt is “intentionally”—in asking this question, the admissions officers not only want to see your ability to participate in a diverse community, but your willing and active role in seeking such experiences. Was there a point in your life when something made you realize your cultural shortcomings and then take active steps to fix them? How did this experience impact who you are today? This is an opportunity to talk about how a specific experience inspired you to grow and develop into the person you are now. Consider stories that have a “before” and “after,” or a turning point that made a significant impact on you.

On National Hijab Day, my friend Saman encouraged members of her new club, the Muslim Student Association, to don hijab to see the world through her eyes. As the only Filipino person in our school, I could relate to how my friend must have felt as the only South Asian muslim student, and I wanted to support her as she worked to dispel misconceptions about her religion.

The experience opened up the space for conversations about others’ perceptions of our identities. Saman shared her feelings of isolation, while our friend Samuel, one of the only people of color attending our school, shared instances of microaggressions he had faced in and out of the classroom.

Although we had not previously spoken so openly about our experiences as minority students, I learned a great deal about my friends’ experiences. I look forward to further expanding my cultural understanding at Emory and beyond.

While this prompt invites you to share how you “might contribute” to Emory’s mission of service as a student, the best way to do so is to point to your demonstrable commitment to service in the past. With this prompt as with others, specificity is key. Be sure to write about a service activity you participated in, how you specifically contributed to the activity, and how the experience of service impacted you, your values, and your perspective. Then, research the service activities and outreach opportunities at Emory that are of interest to you. Focus particularly on the opportunities that may connect to your core passions or area of study and tie those into your personal service goals.

500 Saturdays go by fast.

Since age six, I’ve spent nearly every Saturday singing with the Imagination Players, a performing group that fundraises and brings joy to children’s hospitals, nursing homes, and veterans’ groups.

Kids Runway for Research is one of my favorite annual events. Children with cancer get makeovers and get to be stars for a day. After the event, I dress up as Moana to go visit the kids too sick to attend, some of them younger than I was when I first joined.

Twelve years with this group taught me that service to humanity doesn’t necessarily require wide, structural change. It can simply look like many small acts of kindness that improve the lives of those in need of light.

At Emory, I will carry that same commitment to programs like Remote Area Medical, serving local communities with empathy, presence, and joy.

A variation of the “disagreement question,” this prompt is becoming a classic among top schools, so you’ve probably already answered it or you will soon. In asking this question, Emory wants to see that you can have constructive conversations with people who do not share your opinions. What matters is that you demonstrate your ability to listen to them and willingness to learn from them. In crafting your response, be sure to lay out your point of view and theirs, and then explain what you learned from the conversation. Do not try to explain why they were wrong and you were right; instead, show how you came to a new understanding of each others’ viewpoints. As with all writing, your goal should be to demonstrate your understanding, maturity and open-mindedness.

“I don’t think AI should be taught in schools.”

I looked at my uncle incredulously, but stopped myself from answering immediately. I paused. “Why not?”

My uncle, who designs the EMT training program at his local community college, explained that students must learn to think critically before they can employ the use of such unreliable software.

I countered that learning when and how to use it was critical thinking in and of itself. I described ways students could employ the use of AI as a tool in clinic without it hindering their judgement, particularly in high-pressure situations.

Over the course of our conversation, both of our perspectives shifted, each of us understanding more about the other’s point of view. I led with curiosity and left with a newfound sense of optimism; new ideas are strengthened when paired with wisdom gained from the old.