What are supplements?
Most colleges and universities will ask you to submit, at minimum, one extra essay in addition to the 650 word personal essay. While your grades and test scores lie at the foundation of your college applications, supplements are a key part of the writing “package” that college admissions officers review to decide whether to admit you to their school. Supplemental questions require a range of answers, some as short as 30 words, others, multiple full length essays of up to 1,000 words.
School-Specific Guides and Examples
We’ve put together guides for all the top schools! Our school-specific supplement guides go in-depth on how to answer every top school’s supplemental essay question(s), complete with examples!
Why are supplements important?
Your personal statement and supplemental essays are your opportunity to tell your story and let admissions officers hear your voice. Admissions officers rely upon essays to get a sense of your personal characteristics, unique qualities, and your potential to thrive as a student on their campus.
Colleges are looking for students who are outstanding academic performers. That being said, in the holistic review process, they are also looking for evidence of:
intellectual curiosity
drive to improve one’s community
determination and resilience
school fit / how you are a particularly good match for a school’s specific culture
The goal of the supplement is to answer one question: “Why are you an especially good match for our school, and not better off at a similar one?” The best way you can improve your odds of admission is to showcase your unique qualities and make a case for why you belong at the colleges you’re applying to through your supplements.
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On the other hand, a weak supplement can inadvertently convey disinterest in a school, a lack of care or time invested into the application, and overall is a missed opportunity to help you stand out from other applicants.
Where can I find each colleges’ supplements?
If you are not sure where to find prompts for your colleges’ supplements, check colleges’ official admissions websites and the Common App. You’ll typically find prompts for supplements hiding in different nooks and crannies of the Common App, usually under “Writing Supplement” but sometimes under “Questions→ Writing” or “Questions → Activities.” Supplements often take time, research, and multiple drafts– they matter greatly, so as always, start early and seek as much help and as many resources as you need!
Below, you’ll find guides for how to write each school’s specific supplements! Before you jump into the writing process, however, read through our strategic advice for writing winning supplemental essays.
The Experiences Question
Top colleges that use this question: Brown, Northwestern, Columbia, Duke
The experiences question asks you to reflect on how your life experiences have shaped you and how they will allow you to meaningfully contribute to a campus community. A strong response to this prompt will begin with an engaging anecdote relaying a particular experience that was formative for you. Then, reflect on the way your experience has informed your values, and connect that to 1) the values of the school to which you are applying and 2) specific academic and extracurricular opportunities the school offers and the communities of which you would be a part. The experience you choose does not have to be monumental or life-altering—but it should communicate insight about who you are and what you value.
Here’s a sample essay answering “The Experiences Question”
Northwestern University’s Prompt:
We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background (your identity, your school setting, your community, your household, etc.) have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (300 words, required)
Sample Essay:
“Trust me. Things just don’t make sense here…”
The wisdom and experience of my fellow HOPE Florida volunteers made it clear that there was nothing we could do to get Wanda enrolled in SNAP benefits since she didn’t have a permanent address. She was homeless—of course she didn’t have an address! There has to be a workaround. SNAP is designed to support low-income individuals to get access to nutrition.
Addressing and supporting the houseless community has been my passion since middle school. In my community, intersections are full of individuals asking for food. What began as storing and distributing snack kits from my parents’ glove compartment has turned into weekly volunteering and now, hopefully, systemic change.
Studying Learning and Organizational Change (LOC) at the School of Education and Social Policy will empower me to analyze diverse organizations, creating a personal framework for effective work in the public realm. The curriculum’s unique combination of learning sciences paired with business management and leadership development will allow me to better handle inevitable change and challenges.
As a teenager who has witnessed disparities within my own community, I’m committed to devoting my academic and extracurricular pursuits towards meaningful change. Education enables action, and Northwestern’s commitment to student experience resonates with me. Through my Junior Year Practicum, I will have the opportunity to gain first-hand professional experience and make an impact while still an undergraduate student receiving feedback from my professors.
Through the Community Engagement Certificate, I will take courses such as “Social Policymaking and Implementation,” where I will analyze the complexities of public policy and present a policy brief proposing alternative eligibility for federal benefits.
I am dedicated to serving marginalized communities, and I am certain that Northwestern’s dynamic curriculum, resources, and opportunities will allow me to realize my dream of making an impact.
Many colleges ask students to reflect on their unique interests and goals and how they hope to pursue them at the particular school or college to which they are applying. Much like the last question, start off anecdotally and descriptively, and describe how your interest came about—perhaps it’s always been a fascination, or you initially hated the subject but grew to love it as you understood it more. Once you establish your interest, connect it to your future, whether in regards to your intended major or your future career, or ideally, both. If detailing how you hope to further explore or pursue your interest in college, be as specific as possible in identifying opportunities you hope to pursue on campus. Be intentional with your answer, and tailor your response to the values and offerings of each school to which you apply.
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Note that while some prompts ask you to provide information about your primary academic area of study or your intended career, that is not always the case! Depending on how the prompt is phrased, you may be able to write about an extracurricular hobby or intellectual pursuit that comes secondary or complements your primary passions.
Here’s a sample essay answering an Interests and Goals Prompt
Carnegie Mellon University’s Prompt:
Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience? (300 word maximum)*
Sample Essay:
The year is 2035—I imagine myself standing in a bustling innovation hub, surrounded by a team of brilliant engineers, each of us working tirelessly to bring a groundbreaking project to life. As I look around the room, I remember the late nights spent debugging code over my dorm room desk, the animated discussions with professors that spilled over after class, and the moments of breakthrough in the classrooms of Scaife Hall. It was at Carnegie Mellon that I realized the power of collaboration, the thrill of solving complex problems, and the importance of using technology to make a difference in the world.
When I look back as a Carnegie Mellon graduate, the experiences that stand out the most are not the grades I earned, but the way that my peers, professors, and coursework at CMU pushed me to grow and develop as a person and scholar.
Success was defined by more than just academic achievements—it was about the relationships I built, the challenges I overcame, and the impact I began to make in the CMU community. Those years shaped me into the leader I am today, equipped with the skills, knowledge, and drive to turn my visions into reality. And as I look toward the future, I know that the foundation laid at Carnegie Mellon will guide me in my journey to innovate, inspire, and lead—in 2035 and beyond.
The Adversity Question
Top colleges that use this question: UC schools
This question helps the admissions committee understand how you react to challenges and difficult situations, as those moments often reveal a person’s true values and character. Ideally, your response to this question should begin with an anecdote establishing the challenge, followed by an explanation of how you overcame it, and ending with introspection and reflection demonstrating maturity and growth. Be careful to be neither too self-deprecating nor too arrogant in your response to this question—it’s okay to admit weakness, but be sure to emphasize how you grew or learned from this challenge.
Here’s a sample essay answering “The Adversity Question”
UC System’s Prompt:
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?
Sample Essay:
When I was eight years old, I stopped speaking. It wasn’t that I didn’t have anything to say—I just couldn’t say it. Words clung to the back of my throat, and I felt as though I was choking on a ball of anxiety. The therapist handed my parents books and articles on “selective mutism,” as they sought to help me find my voice again, but the dense psychological analyses did little to assuage the feeling of shame that accompanied my silence.
The challenge of being voiceless defined my early academic experience, turning simple tasks like answering a question or reading aloud into insurmountable obstacles. As I worked with a therapist, I inched toward progress. Small victories like whispering to a friend felt monumental. I learned to cope with my debilitating anxiety through deep breathing and visualization, and slowly began speaking one sentence out loud per day, then two, then three.
By high school, my voice was still quiet, but I had found the will to speak up. In a moment of determination (and perhaps impulsiveness), I signed up for the mock trial team. Though the first year was terrifying, mock trial taught me to use my voice to advocate—not only for others, but also for myself. As I delivered opening statements, argued my positions, and even coached budding mock trial-ers during my second and third years, my passion for advocacy chased away my fear of speaking. I became a formidable voice in the mock trial courtroom—and outside of it.
Overcoming this challenge taught me that perseverance and patience can turn even the quietest voices into powerful ones. Today, my voice is my greatest strength—a tool I use not only to express myself but to inspire and help others find their own. As a member of the UC community, I intend to join a legacy of students and graduates who used their voice to demand freedom, peace, justice, and change. I will not only speak up, but I will speak out for those who—like my younger self—can’t speak for themselves.
While your response to these questions will naturally highlight the qualities of another person who has impacted you, remember that it’s still an opportunity for the admissions officers to gauge your character and values. The question is phrased differently by different schools—while Yale requires you to describe the person (noting that it cannot be a family member), UPenn asks you to craft a letter to someone important to you. Regardless of the structure, the reader should come away with the feeling that although you’re writing about someone else, this person’s influence provides a window into who you are and what you value.
Here’s a sample essay answering an Influential Person Prompt
UPenn’s Prompt:
Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words)
Sample Essay:
Dear Grandma,
Your work organizing voiceless residents of your retirement community towards productive action in the family council is the roadmap I use for bettering my own community. Your committed work paved a path that I strive to always follow.
You’ve taught me the essence of advocacy, not just through your unquestioning support of me, but by showing what it means to work for the community. I hope to handle life’s obstacles with the grace, resilience, and unwavering conviction that you embody every day.
In the 1940’s, when you were not much older than I am now, you decided to dedicate your young adulthood to educating Japanese children in the face of internment and unimaginable bigotry. Your example showed me that—then as now—people young and old are capable of affecting immense change. Your courage is what I aspire to.
In our long rambling conversations about my world and yours, I’ve learned that empathy, gratitude, and connection are not just virtues, but guiding principles. Thank you for being an extraordinary example of strength and for teaching me to stand up for what is right.
Your loving grandson,
Cole
The Diversity & Community Question
Top colleges that use this question: UMich, Vanderbilt, Rice
Some schools include a question asking about the communities you are a part of or, relatedly, the ways in which you will contribute to their diverse campus communities. Unless the school specifies the particular type of community/diversity they want you to reflect on (as in Duke’s optional question about gender and sexual orientation), feel free to define community in whatever way you choose when you answer this question. Community can be cultural, geographic, ethnic, or religious community, or it can be less traditional—perhaps you find community among the orchids at the florists’ where you work or with the patients at the hospital where you volunteer. A creative approach to this question would pique the admissions officers’ interest. Focus on how you fit into this community, both in terms of how it has shaped you into the person you are, as well as how you have impacted it in return.
Here’s a sample essay answering a Diversity & Community Question
University of Michigan’s Prompt:
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (Required for all applicants; minimum 100 words/maximum 300 words)
Sample Essay:
Upon seeing the swirls of pink and purple displayed on the projector during my seventh grade biology class, I was transported back to when I was four years old, when my dad brought me to work where he diagnosed cancer patients. With a picture of those cancer cells from class in hand, I raced home, excited to tell my dad that I remembered peering through a microscope that day, arranging the slides with my tiny hands.
Ever since I could speak, medicine and science have been a part of my life through dinner table conversations, schoolwork, and my own interest. As an innately curious person, I’m fortunate to have a family that celebrates knowledge; coming home to discuss the intricacies of a day’s learning is only natural. In such an environment, my desire for knowledge has only grown.
At the same time, my family doesn’t just value curiosity for curiosity’s sake. We’re not too far removed from tragedy to forget that it’s a privilege to revel in intellectual pursuits. During World War II, my mother’s family was held in Japanese internment camps and my father’s family barely escaped Nazi-torn Europe. Though I’m two generations removed from this hardship, I’ve never taken my education for granted, and I recognize how privileged I am to be where I am.
So, while those swirls of pink and purple cells alone are fascinating, it’s more than just curiosity that drives my interest. My family’s story inspires me to use my inquisitiveness for a greater purpose—to benefit the lives of those around me. Wherever it takes me, I know my family will cheer me on, mirroring my childlike thrill.
To answer this question specifically and compellingly, take the time to research the opportunities you would take advantage of as a student at the school to which you are applying. Ask yourself honestly how you would make the most of available resources, particularly considering how those opportunities fit your interests and match your goals. Visit the academic department website of your intended major. Once there, browse through the resources and special opportunities offered to students. Try to single out opportunities (such as study abroad programs, research opportunities, multi- or interdisciplinary academic programs) that are unique to that school and fit to your intended academic or professional pursuits. You can also check out recent research-related breakthroughs in the “News” tab on the academic department’s website. Look for articles that match your interests or mention professors whose research intrigues you. Beyond identifying specific opportunities that you would be a part of on campus, it’s important that you demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of and that you share macro-level values with the university.
Here’s a sample essay answering Why Our School Prompt
Tulane University’s Prompt:
Describe why you are interested in joining the Tulane community. Consider your experiences, talents, and values to illustrate what you would contribute to the Tulane community if admitted.
Sample Essay:
“Wait a minute, Ms. Carver. Are you telling me that none of the school’s recycling actually gets recycled?”
I was dumbfounded to learn from my high school environmental science teacher that our school had an environmentally unfriendly waste management program. We had separate bins for recycling plastic, but students used them wrong, and at the end of the day, it all went into the same landfill pile. Instead of frustration, I felt fascination. I knew from my AP Environmental class that recycling is a complex issue. I decided to try a solution: I printed bold, easy-to-read flyers explaining what goes in which bin and posted them in front of the bins. With faculty support, I recruited a team of students to come to school an hour early to get our hands dirty–literally–and sort the recycling. Combining my intellectual interest in Environmental Science with action-oriented initiatives for change filled me with pride, satisfaction and hopes to do the same in college.
At Tulane, I’m eager to continue learning in an environment that prioritizes giving back. Incredible opportunities like the TIDES courses (this fall’s Climate Change Solutions is perfectly suited for my interests), will enable me to make a tangible difference in the New Orleans area starting in my first semester. I’m also excited to take impactful, hands-on courses like “Urban Gardening” and “New Orleans Case Study.”
I believe with Tulane’s service-minded curriculum, I will continue using my passions to make a positive impact on my community.
When responding to these short answer prompts, you should be really deliberate in the items, characteristics, and/or experiences you choose to include. For instance, USC and Brown ask applicants to describe themselves in three words—in doing so, students should choose words that are highly descriptive and avoid clichés as much as possible. Columbia asks students to list resources that have enriched their academic interests outside of the classroom, giving students the opportunity to showcase their creative pursuit and application of their core interests beyond the traditional academic setting. Meanwhile, Stanford asks students to name five things that are important to them, a question that is deliberately open-ended. Students should be creative, including creative answers as concrete as a family heirloom or as abstract as a quality they value in the people they surround themselves with. In answering these questions, students should get creative to add depth and dynamism to other aspects of their applications and leave a lasting impression on admissions officers.
Here’s a sample response to a prompt asking for a “Rapid-Fire List”
University of Southern California’s Prompt:
- What is your favorite snack?
- Best movie of all time?
- Dream job?
- If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
- Dream trip?
- What TV show will you binge watch next?
- Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
- Favorite book?
- If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?
Sample Essay:
- What is your favorite snack?
- Fried plantains and Gyoza—sweet and savory, reflecting my Carribean and Japanese heritage.
- Best movie of all time?
- The Price of Everything, which questions where the value art is assigned.
- Dream job?
- An art therapist who helps children overcome trauma through imagination and play.
- If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
- Anthem – Leonard Cohen’s words remind me that pain is often a sign of growth.
- Dream trip?
- Hopping from the Earth to the Moon and back in Calvino’s Cosmicomics.
- What TV show will you binge watch next?
- The Great British Baking Show, to get tips and tricks for my own baking experiments.
- Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
- W.E.B. Du Bois—his infographics make me think he’d be an organized roommate with good taste in decor.
- Favorite book?
- Octavia Butler’s Kindred inspired me to take further interest in Black history.
- If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?
- Kara Walker and Alma Thomas: Women of Color’s Legacy and Impact in the Field of Muralism.
Colleges and admissions officers are looking for applicants who can positively contribute to their campus communities. This prompt provides a space for applicants to reveal unique aspects of their personality and upbringing that may not have been mentioned in previous essays. In addition, seeing how you would interact with another member, or members, of the community shows admissions officers how you’d fit in on campus. This is the space where you can share your idiosyncrasies and quirks that make you, you. The key to approaching this prompt is being authentic and genuine in your tone and your writing.
Here’s a sample essay answering The Roommate Question
Harvard University’s Prompt:
Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.
Sample Essay:
Dear Amigx,
First question: Democrat or Republican? — just kidding, let’s have a meal first and then discuss politics. But you must know, I’m a political junkie. As an aspiring government concentrator, I’m eager to explore the future of immigration policy in the United States. Born and raised in Arizona, a border state, it’s a major issue for my community.
I enjoy deep conversations at night, where we can compare Sartre’s existentialism with Camus’ absurdism. Or discuss how Latin American magical realism influences our contemporary culture. We can also zone out to Friends (spoilers: Rachel should’ve definitely ended up with Joey).
I’m an aficionado for TexMex; it reminds me of home. We can try out different restaurants; I’m also excited to cook a dish my mother would always make: Chimichangas. A true delicacy!
Although it can simply be a coincidence computed by an algorithm, or whether you believe in fate over chance, out of 8 billion humans on Earth, we got matched. We’re destined to become friends. I cannot wait to meet you.
Saludos,
Josh
These prompts ask you to reflect on an important global issue or to share how you intend to use your education in a socially responsible and civically-minded way. The key to responding to this prompt is to avoid sounding cliche. You have to be plugged in to current events to know what problems need solving, but try not to pick the most obvious issues. If you do choose to write about a hot topic, make sure you approach the essay with nuance and creativity. For instance, while there’s nothing inherently wrong with writing about climate change, it may be difficult to write a standout essay on a topic that’s so widely discussed and debated. For any issue you choose, make sure to root your response in why this issue matters to you and how you have taken action to address it in some way—doing so will not only help your essay stand out, but also tell the admissions committee more about you through your perspective on the issue.
Here’s a sample essay answering The Civic Engagement Question
Boston University’s Prompt:
Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it?
Sample Essay:
For most of my childhood, the only computer I had was a boxy, early 2000s PC my mom used once a week to browse Facebook. I didn’t realize that my technological skills were far behind my classmates’ until middle school, when we were expected to know how to Google reliable sources, use Word, and run different software programs.
With effort and dedication, I slowly developed the digital skills to match my peers’ throughout middle and high school. Now, I am passionate about increasing access to technology and closing the gap in digital literacy for students like me.
Comparing my own experience with that of my fellow students helped me to recognize the need to level the playing field. I founded a school club, Students for Digital Access, which aims to donate laptops to underprivileged students. I partnered with my library to host a technology drive, encouraging community members to donate their old laptops and tablets, and then worked with the local tech store to refurbish and donate the laptops to members of my school community. I successfully provided forty-seven laptops to students in need. This initiative enabled students to engage in online learning and explore digital resources, and underscored the significance of community collaboration in driving positive change.
Advocacy has been central to my efforts. Collaborating with other student organizations, I have organized a panel discussion on the impact of the digital divide and potential solutions. I also wrote an article for my local paper, highlighting the intersection of technology access, education, and social equity.
Ultimately, by cultivating digital literacy, I contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected community. I especially resonate with BU’s value of service, as I work towards a future where every individual has equal opportunities to harness the power of technology for personal and communal advancement.
Some colleges love to challenge applicants with unique and creative prompts that stand out from other traditional essay questions. These prompts can be quirky, thought-provoking, or abstract, allowing students to showcase their creativity and critical thinking skills. For instance, UChicago is famous for its offbeat prompts such as “Find X” or “What can actually be divided by zero?” Other schools such as Brown and Yale, on the other hand, ask you about the one class you would teach or book you would write on a subject, academic or otherwise. The key to tackling these prompts is to let your personality and imagination shine through while ensuring that your response is coherent and reflective of your intellectual curiosity.
Here’s a sample essay answering The Creative Prompt
UChicago’s Prompt:
Pluto, the demoted planet. Ophiuchus, the thirteenth Zodiac. Andy Murray, the fourth to tennis’s Big Three. Every grouping has something that doesn’t quite fit in. Tell us about a group and its unofficial member, why (or why not) should it be excluded? – Inspired by Veronica Chang, Class of 2022
Sample Essay:
Beneath the dim glow of the singular overhead light, I stand before the sacrificial flame. It’s burning hotter than usual. My eyes fixate on the blue body of fire, which only occasionally ejects a bright orange wisp. I had performed the ritual countless times before, but never on my own. This was the moment where I would decide my fate. Two paths lay before me—neither without consequence—and yet, I knew exactly what had to be done.
My hands wrapped around the first bowl to my right, which contained the three sacred ingredients that would begin my journey. Without hesitation, I threw them into the pot and watched as cubes of green and white began to sizzle and jump from their introduction to heat. Knowing the time was nigh, I grabbed the second bowl and threw in my fourth offering. I quickly mixed the orange cylinders into the other ingredients and let out a sigh. The hard part was over.
“Attaboy,” Dad exclaims. I look over my shoulder to see the corners of his mouth curling upwards from a deep sense of pride.
“It’s your fault he’s like this,” Mom replied, her eyes like knives pointed towards the two of us. “That ain’t no way to prepare crawdads.”
I knew my choice would be controversial. “The Holy Trinity” of cajun cuisine was a special thing to both my parents. Mom grew up in Bogalusa, Louisiana, where peppers, celery, and onions were the exclusive occupants of the trinity. Meanwhile, Dad’s family was from Arles in the south of France. Ever the food purist, he always told me that the Holy Trinity was adopted from the French mirepoix; to exclude carrots from that group would be a cardinal sin. I agreed.
My love of carrots came after years of indoctrination from Dad’s side of the family. In the summers, we’d visit his parents’ farm outside of Arles, where our days were spent digging through soil and competing to find the most perfect vegetables. After a few hours in the dry heat, there was nothing more satisfying than finally pulling out that perfect cone shape with an orange so radiant you’d think it was painted on. In the afternoons, I’d sit on the countertop and watch as Mamie’s delicate hands chopped them up, always making sure to save a bit off the top for me to nibble. With each bite, I’d be greeted with a delightful crunch that was as satisfying as it was invigorating. The initial crispness quickly gave way to a subtle sweetness. Yet, there was still the lingering taste of earth from soil that was washed off only moments ago. Who wouldn’t want these carrots in every recipe ever?
Those days on the farm were my favorites growing up, not only because of the memories I made while harvesting and cooking, but also because of how they inspired my passion for nutrition and food sustainability. For decades, my grandparents lived off the food that they produced. This was a sharp contrast to the environment where I was raised. In many of my neighboring communities, access to nutritional food like fresh vegetables is scarce. Rather than having autonomy over the quantity and quality of food available, inequitable policies and commercialization have led many individuals to lose control over what they put in their bodies.
As I move forward with my educational career, I plan to continue dedicating myself to rebuilding power through access to good, healthy foods. That includes learning more about systems of power and how they contribute to nutritional deficits, while also advocating for environmentally responsible approaches to farming, and taking direct, supportive action within my community to build health policy from the bottom-up.
Despite my controversial take on the Holy Trinity, I unabashedly love carrots, and I want the world to be able to love them too.
The Academic Passion Question
Top colleges that use this question: Brown, Yale, Emory, Notre Dame, Cornell
This question is designed to gauge your intellectual enthusiasm and dedication to a particular field of study. Top schools might ask you to describe an academic project or subject that has deeply engaged you and spurred your interest in their institution. Explain why this area excites you and how you have pursued it thus far in your high school career. Use this essay to show your passion, curiosity, and commitment to learning. Highlight any independent research, projects, or extracurricular activities related to your academic interests. Depending on how the prompt is specifically phrased, end your essay by briefly outlining the ways in which you would pursue this passion on the school’s campus!
Here’s a sample essay answering The Academic Passion Question
Brown University’s Prompt:
Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might pursue them at Brown. (200-250 words)
Sample Essay:
Growing up, I was always told that if I like to think analytically, I’m left-brained, and if I resonate more with my creative side, I’m right-brained. The problem is that I’m an Aristotilian, so the whole of my brain is greater than the sum of its parts. In that case, I’m just brained.
And thankfully, Brown’s Open Curriculum does not discriminate on the basis of one’s cerebral leanings. As a metaphysically whole-brained human, the academic flexibility that the Open Curriculum affords makes it possible for me to explore my dual interest in both philosophy and neuroscience and the intersections in between.
At Brown, I look forward to the opportunity to conduct research at the Carney Institute for Brain Science to continue my research efforts in pathogenesis, while drawing from the deep knowledge of philosophy professors like Dr. Christopher Hill to make connections to topics in the philosophy of mind. Since I also plan to continue writing for my Brain Philosophy blog, I look forward to partnering with students to write for Impulse, the largest undergraduate research journal focused on neuroscience.
Outside philosophy and neuroscience, I also anticipate cross-registering for graphic design courses at the Rhode Island School of Design to continue in my passion for designing aesthetic neuroimages. Coupled with Brown’s famous Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Science course, I plan to explore the possibility of creative neuroimaging through code.
Whether I like it or not, I’m whole-brained—at Brown, I look forward to continuing being just that.
What are supplements?
Most colleges and universities will ask you to submit, at minimum, one extra essay in addition to the 650 word personal essay. While your grades and test scores lie at the foundation of your college applications, supplements are a key part of the writing “package” that college admissions officers review to decide whether to admit you to their school. Supplemental questions require a range of answers, some as short as 30 words, others, multiple full length essays of up to 1,000 words.
School-Specific Guides and Examples
We’ve put together guides for all the top schools! Our school-specific supplement guides go in-depth on how to answer every top school’s supplemental essay question(s), complete with examples!
Why are supplements important?
Your personal statement and supplemental essays are your opportunity to tell your story and let admissions officers hear your voice. Admissions officers rely upon essays to get a sense of your personal characteristics, unique qualities, and your potential to thrive as a student on their campus.
Colleges are looking for students who are outstanding academic performers. That being said, in the holistic review process, they are also looking for evidence of:
intellectual curiosity
drive to improve one’s community
determination and resilience
school fit / how you are a particularly good match for a school’s specific culture
The goal of the supplement is to answer one question: “Why are you an especially good match for our school, and not better off at a similar one?” The best way you can improve your odds of admission is to showcase your unique qualities and make a case for why you belong at the colleges you’re applying to through your supplements.
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On the other hand, a weak supplement can inadvertently convey disinterest in a school, a lack of care or time invested into the application, and overall is a missed opportunity to help you stand out from other applicants.
Where can I find each colleges’ supplements?
If you are not sure where to find prompts for your colleges’ supplements, check colleges’ official admissions websites and the Common App. You’ll typically find prompts for supplements hiding in different nooks and crannies of the Common App, usually under “Writing Supplement” but sometimes under “Questions→ Writing” or “Questions → Activities.” Supplements often take time, research, and multiple drafts– they matter greatly, so as always, start early and seek as much help and as many resources as you need!
Below, you’ll find guides for how to write each school’s specific supplements! Before you jump into the writing process, however, read through our strategic advice for writing winning supplemental essays.
The Experiences Question
Top colleges that use this question: Brown, Northwestern, Columbia, Duke
The experiences question asks you to reflect on how your life experiences have shaped you and how they will allow you to meaningfully contribute to a campus community. A strong response to this prompt will begin with an engaging anecdote relaying a particular experience that was formative for you. Then, reflect on the way your experience has informed your values, and connect that to 1) the values of the school to which you are applying and 2) specific academic and extracurricular opportunities the school offers and the communities of which you would be a part. The experience you choose does not have to be monumental or life-altering—but it should communicate insight about who you are and what you value.
Here’s a sample essay answering “The Experiences Question”
Northwestern University’s Prompt:
We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background (your identity, your school setting, your community, your household, etc.) have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (300 words, required)
Sample Essay:
“Trust me. Things just don’t make sense here…”
The wisdom and experience of my fellow HOPE Florida volunteers made it clear that there was nothing we could do to get Wanda enrolled in SNAP benefits since she didn’t have a permanent address. She was homeless—of course she didn’t have an address! There has to be a workaround. SNAP is designed to support low-income individuals to get access to nutrition.
Addressing and supporting the houseless community has been my passion since middle school. In my community, intersections are full of individuals asking for food. What began as storing and distributing snack kits from my parents’ glove compartment has turned into weekly volunteering and now, hopefully, systemic change.
Studying Learning and Organizational Change (LOC) at the School of Education and Social Policy will empower me to analyze diverse organizations, creating a personal framework for effective work in the public realm. The curriculum’s unique combination of learning sciences paired with business management and leadership development will allow me to better handle inevitable change and challenges.
As a teenager who has witnessed disparities within my own community, I’m committed to devoting my academic and extracurricular pursuits towards meaningful change. Education enables action, and Northwestern’s commitment to student experience resonates with me. Through my Junior Year Practicum, I will have the opportunity to gain first-hand professional experience and make an impact while still an undergraduate student receiving feedback from my professors.
Through the Community Engagement Certificate, I will take courses such as “Social Policymaking and Implementation,” where I will analyze the complexities of public policy and present a policy brief proposing alternative eligibility for federal benefits.
I am dedicated to serving marginalized communities, and I am certain that Northwestern’s dynamic curriculum, resources, and opportunities will allow me to realize my dream of making an impact.
Many colleges ask students to reflect on their unique interests and goals and how they hope to pursue them at the particular school or college to which they are applying. Much like the last question, start off anecdotally and descriptively, and describe how your interest came about—perhaps it’s always been a fascination, or you initially hated the subject but grew to love it as you understood it more. Once you establish your interest, connect it to your future, whether in regards to your intended major or your future career, or ideally, both. If detailing how you hope to further explore or pursue your interest in college, be as specific as possible in identifying opportunities you hope to pursue on campus. Be intentional with your answer, and tailor your response to the values and offerings of each school to which you apply.
KEY TIP
Note that while some prompts ask you to provide information about your primary academic area of study or your intended career, that is not always the case! Depending on how the prompt is phrased, you may be able to write about an extracurricular hobby or intellectual pursuit that comes secondary or complements your primary passions.
Here’s a sample essay answering an Interests and Goals Prompt
Carnegie Mellon University’s Prompt:
Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience? (300 word maximum)*
Sample Essay:
The year is 2035—I imagine myself standing in a bustling innovation hub, surrounded by a team of brilliant engineers, each of us working tirelessly to bring a groundbreaking project to life. As I look around the room, I remember the late nights spent debugging code over my dorm room desk, the animated discussions with professors that spilled over after class, and the moments of breakthrough in the classrooms of Scaife Hall. It was at Carnegie Mellon that I realized the power of collaboration, the thrill of solving complex problems, and the importance of using technology to make a difference in the world.
When I look back as a Carnegie Mellon graduate, the experiences that stand out the most are not the grades I earned, but the way that my peers, professors, and coursework at CMU pushed me to grow and develop as a person and scholar.
Success was defined by more than just academic achievements—it was about the relationships I built, the challenges I overcame, and the impact I began to make in the CMU community. Those years shaped me into the leader I am today, equipped with the skills, knowledge, and drive to turn my visions into reality. And as I look toward the future, I know that the foundation laid at Carnegie Mellon will guide me in my journey to innovate, inspire, and lead—in 2035 and beyond.
The Adversity Question
Top colleges that use this question: UC schools
This question helps the admissions committee understand how you react to challenges and difficult situations, as those moments often reveal a person’s true values and character. Ideally, your response to this question should begin with an anecdote establishing the challenge, followed by an explanation of how you overcame it, and ending with introspection and reflection demonstrating maturity and growth. Be careful to be neither too self-deprecating nor too arrogant in your response to this question—it’s okay to admit weakness, but be sure to emphasize how you grew or learned from this challenge.
Here’s a sample essay answering “The Adversity Question”
UC System’s Prompt:
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?
Sample Essay:
When I was eight years old, I stopped speaking. It wasn’t that I didn’t have anything to say—I just couldn’t say it. Words clung to the back of my throat, and I felt as though I was choking on a ball of anxiety. The therapist handed my parents books and articles on “selective mutism,” as they sought to help me find my voice again, but the dense psychological analyses did little to assuage the feeling of shame that accompanied my silence.
The challenge of being voiceless defined my early academic experience, turning simple tasks like answering a question or reading aloud into insurmountable obstacles. As I worked with a therapist, I inched toward progress. Small victories like whispering to a friend felt monumental. I learned to cope with my debilitating anxiety through deep breathing and visualization, and slowly began speaking one sentence out loud per day, then two, then three.
By high school, my voice was still quiet, but I had found the will to speak up. In a moment of determination (and perhaps impulsiveness), I signed up for the mock trial team. Though the first year was terrifying, mock trial taught me to use my voice to advocate—not only for others, but also for myself. As I delivered opening statements, argued my positions, and even coached budding mock trial-ers during my second and third years, my passion for advocacy chased away my fear of speaking. I became a formidable voice in the mock trial courtroom—and outside of it.
Overcoming this challenge taught me that perseverance and patience can turn even the quietest voices into powerful ones. Today, my voice is my greatest strength—a tool I use not only to express myself but to inspire and help others find their own. As a member of the UC community, I intend to join a legacy of students and graduates who used their voice to demand freedom, peace, justice, and change. I will not only speak up, but I will speak out for those who—like my younger self—can’t speak for themselves.
While your response to these questions will naturally highlight the qualities of another person who has impacted you, remember that it’s still an opportunity for the admissions officers to gauge your character and values. The question is phrased differently by different schools—while Yale requires you to describe the person (noting that it cannot be a family member), UPenn asks you to craft a letter to someone important to you. Regardless of the structure, the reader should come away with the feeling that although you’re writing about someone else, this person’s influence provides a window into who you are and what you value.
Here’s a sample essay answering an Influential Person Prompt
UPenn’s Prompt:
Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words)
Sample Essay:
Dear Grandma,
Your work organizing voiceless residents of your retirement community towards productive action in the family council is the roadmap I use for bettering my own community. Your committed work paved a path that I strive to always follow.
You’ve taught me the essence of advocacy, not just through your unquestioning support of me, but by showing what it means to work for the community. I hope to handle life’s obstacles with the grace, resilience, and unwavering conviction that you embody every day.
In the 1940’s, when you were not much older than I am now, you decided to dedicate your young adulthood to educating Japanese children in the face of internment and unimaginable bigotry. Your example showed me that—then as now—people young and old are capable of affecting immense change. Your courage is what I aspire to.
In our long rambling conversations about my world and yours, I’ve learned that empathy, gratitude, and connection are not just virtues, but guiding principles. Thank you for being an extraordinary example of strength and for teaching me to stand up for what is right.
Your loving grandson,
Cole
The Diversity & Community Question
Top colleges that use this question: UMich, Vanderbilt, Rice
Some schools include a question asking about the communities you are a part of or, relatedly, the ways in which you will contribute to their diverse campus communities. Unless the school specifies the particular type of community/diversity they want you to reflect on (as in Duke’s optional question about gender and sexual orientation), feel free to define community in whatever way you choose when you answer this question. Community can be cultural, geographic, ethnic, or religious community, or it can be less traditional—perhaps you find community among the orchids at the florists’ where you work or with the patients at the hospital where you volunteer. A creative approach to this question would pique the admissions officers’ interest. Focus on how you fit into this community, both in terms of how it has shaped you into the person you are, as well as how you have impacted it in return.
Here’s a sample essay answering a Diversity & Community Question
University of Michigan’s Prompt:
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (Required for all applicants; minimum 100 words/maximum 300 words)
Sample Essay:
Upon seeing the swirls of pink and purple displayed on the projector during my seventh grade biology class, I was transported back to when I was four years old, when my dad brought me to work where he diagnosed cancer patients. With a picture of those cancer cells from class in hand, I raced home, excited to tell my dad that I remembered peering through a microscope that day, arranging the slides with my tiny hands.
Ever since I could speak, medicine and science have been a part of my life through dinner table conversations, schoolwork, and my own interest. As an innately curious person, I’m fortunate to have a family that celebrates knowledge; coming home to discuss the intricacies of a day’s learning is only natural. In such an environment, my desire for knowledge has only grown.
At the same time, my family doesn’t just value curiosity for curiosity’s sake. We’re not too far removed from tragedy to forget that it’s a privilege to revel in intellectual pursuits. During World War II, my mother’s family was held in Japanese internment camps and my father’s family barely escaped Nazi-torn Europe. Though I’m two generations removed from this hardship, I’ve never taken my education for granted, and I recognize how privileged I am to be where I am.
So, while those swirls of pink and purple cells alone are fascinating, it’s more than just curiosity that drives my interest. My family’s story inspires me to use my inquisitiveness for a greater purpose—to benefit the lives of those around me. Wherever it takes me, I know my family will cheer me on, mirroring my childlike thrill.
To answer this question specifically and compellingly, take the time to research the opportunities you would take advantage of as a student at the school to which you are applying. Ask yourself honestly how you would make the most of available resources, particularly considering how those opportunities fit your interests and match your goals. Visit the academic department website of your intended major. Once there, browse through the resources and special opportunities offered to students. Try to single out opportunities (such as study abroad programs, research opportunities, multi- or interdisciplinary academic programs) that are unique to that school and fit to your intended academic or professional pursuits. You can also check out recent research-related breakthroughs in the “News” tab on the academic department’s website. Look for articles that match your interests or mention professors whose research intrigues you. Beyond identifying specific opportunities that you would be a part of on campus, it’s important that you demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of and that you share macro-level values with the university.
Here’s a sample essay answering Why Our School Prompt
Tulane University’s Prompt:
Describe why you are interested in joining the Tulane community. Consider your experiences, talents, and values to illustrate what you would contribute to the Tulane community if admitted.
Sample Essay:
“Wait a minute, Ms. Carver. Are you telling me that none of the school’s recycling actually gets recycled?”
I was dumbfounded to learn from my high school environmental science teacher that our school had an environmentally unfriendly waste management program. We had separate bins for recycling plastic, but students used them wrong, and at the end of the day, it all went into the same landfill pile. Instead of frustration, I felt fascination. I knew from my AP Environmental class that recycling is a complex issue. I decided to try a solution: I printed bold, easy-to-read flyers explaining what goes in which bin and posted them in front of the bins. With faculty support, I recruited a team of students to come to school an hour early to get our hands dirty–literally–and sort the recycling. Combining my intellectual interest in Environmental Science with action-oriented initiatives for change filled me with pride, satisfaction and hopes to do the same in college.
At Tulane, I’m eager to continue learning in an environment that prioritizes giving back. Incredible opportunities like the TIDES courses (this fall’s Climate Change Solutions is perfectly suited for my interests), will enable me to make a tangible difference in the New Orleans area starting in my first semester. I’m also excited to take impactful, hands-on courses like “Urban Gardening” and “New Orleans Case Study.”
I believe with Tulane’s service-minded curriculum, I will continue using my passions to make a positive impact on my community.
When responding to these short answer prompts, you should be really deliberate in the items, characteristics, and/or experiences you choose to include. For instance, USC and Brown ask applicants to describe themselves in three words—in doing so, students should choose words that are highly descriptive and avoid clichés as much as possible. Columbia asks students to list resources that have enriched their academic interests outside of the classroom, giving students the opportunity to showcase their creative pursuit and application of their core interests beyond the traditional academic setting. Meanwhile, Stanford asks students to name five things that are important to them, a question that is deliberately open-ended. Students should be creative, including creative answers as concrete as a family heirloom or as abstract as a quality they value in the people they surround themselves with. In answering these questions, students should get creative to add depth and dynamism to other aspects of their applications and leave a lasting impression on admissions officers.
Here’s a sample response to a prompt asking for a “Rapid-Fire List”
University of Southern California’s Prompt:
- What is your favorite snack?
- Best movie of all time?
- Dream job?
- If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
- Dream trip?
- What TV show will you binge watch next?
- Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
- Favorite book?
- If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?
Sample Essay:
- What is your favorite snack?
- Fried plantains and Gyoza—sweet and savory, reflecting my Carribean and Japanese heritage.
- Best movie of all time?
- The Price of Everything, which questions where the value art is assigned.
- Dream job?
- An art therapist who helps children overcome trauma through imagination and play.
- If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
- Anthem – Leonard Cohen’s words remind me that pain is often a sign of growth.
- Dream trip?
- Hopping from the Earth to the Moon and back in Calvino’s Cosmicomics.
- What TV show will you binge watch next?
- The Great British Baking Show, to get tips and tricks for my own baking experiments.
- Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
- W.E.B. Du Bois—his infographics make me think he’d be an organized roommate with good taste in decor.
- Favorite book?
- Octavia Butler’s Kindred inspired me to take further interest in Black history.
- If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?
- Kara Walker and Alma Thomas: Women of Color’s Legacy and Impact in the Field of Muralism.
Colleges and admissions officers are looking for applicants who can positively contribute to their campus communities. This prompt provides a space for applicants to reveal unique aspects of their personality and upbringing that may not have been mentioned in previous essays. In addition, seeing how you would interact with another member, or members, of the community shows admissions officers how you’d fit in on campus. This is the space where you can share your idiosyncrasies and quirks that make you, you. The key to approaching this prompt is being authentic and genuine in your tone and your writing.
Here’s a sample essay answering The Roommate Question
Harvard University’s Prompt:
Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.
Sample Essay:
Dear Amigx,
First question: Democrat or Republican? — just kidding, let’s have a meal first and then discuss politics. But you must know, I’m a political junkie. As an aspiring government concentrator, I’m eager to explore the future of immigration policy in the United States. Born and raised in Arizona, a border state, it’s a major issue for my community.
I enjoy deep conversations at night, where we can compare Sartre’s existentialism with Camus’ absurdism. Or discuss how Latin American magical realism influences our contemporary culture. We can also zone out to Friends (spoilers: Rachel should’ve definitely ended up with Joey).
I’m an aficionado for TexMex; it reminds me of home. We can try out different restaurants; I’m also excited to cook a dish my mother would always make: Chimichangas. A true delicacy!
Although it can simply be a coincidence computed by an algorithm, or whether you believe in fate over chance, out of 8 billion humans on Earth, we got matched. We’re destined to become friends. I cannot wait to meet you.
Saludos,
Josh
These prompts ask you to reflect on an important global issue or to share how you intend to use your education in a socially responsible and civically-minded way. The key to responding to this prompt is to avoid sounding cliche. You have to be plugged in to current events to know what problems need solving, but try not to pick the most obvious issues. If you do choose to write about a hot topic, make sure you approach the essay with nuance and creativity. For instance, while there’s nothing inherently wrong with writing about climate change, it may be difficult to write a standout essay on a topic that’s so widely discussed and debated. For any issue you choose, make sure to root your response in why this issue matters to you and how you have taken action to address it in some way—doing so will not only help your essay stand out, but also tell the admissions committee more about you through your perspective on the issue.
Here’s a sample essay answering The Civic Engagement Question
Boston University’s Prompt:
Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it?
Sample Essay:
For most of my childhood, the only computer I had was a boxy, early 2000s PC my mom used once a week to browse Facebook. I didn’t realize that my technological skills were far behind my classmates’ until middle school, when we were expected to know how to Google reliable sources, use Word, and run different software programs.
With effort and dedication, I slowly developed the digital skills to match my peers’ throughout middle and high school. Now, I am passionate about increasing access to technology and closing the gap in digital literacy for students like me.
Comparing my own experience with that of my fellow students helped me to recognize the need to level the playing field. I founded a school club, Students for Digital Access, which aims to donate laptops to underprivileged students. I partnered with my library to host a technology drive, encouraging community members to donate their old laptops and tablets, and then worked with the local tech store to refurbish and donate the laptops to members of my school community. I successfully provided forty-seven laptops to students in need. This initiative enabled students to engage in online learning and explore digital resources, and underscored the significance of community collaboration in driving positive change.
Advocacy has been central to my efforts. Collaborating with other student organizations, I have organized a panel discussion on the impact of the digital divide and potential solutions. I also wrote an article for my local paper, highlighting the intersection of technology access, education, and social equity.
Ultimately, by cultivating digital literacy, I contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected community. I especially resonate with BU’s value of service, as I work towards a future where every individual has equal opportunities to harness the power of technology for personal and communal advancement.
Some colleges love to challenge applicants with unique and creative prompts that stand out from other traditional essay questions. These prompts can be quirky, thought-provoking, or abstract, allowing students to showcase their creativity and critical thinking skills. For instance, UChicago is famous for its offbeat prompts such as “Find X” or “What can actually be divided by zero?” Other schools such as Brown and Yale, on the other hand, ask you about the one class you would teach or book you would write on a subject, academic or otherwise. The key to tackling these prompts is to let your personality and imagination shine through while ensuring that your response is coherent and reflective of your intellectual curiosity.
Here’s a sample essay answering The Creative Prompt
UChicago’s Prompt:
Pluto, the demoted planet. Ophiuchus, the thirteenth Zodiac. Andy Murray, the fourth to tennis’s Big Three. Every grouping has something that doesn’t quite fit in. Tell us about a group and its unofficial member, why (or why not) should it be excluded? – Inspired by Veronica Chang, Class of 2022
Sample Essay:
Beneath the dim glow of the singular overhead light, I stand before the sacrificial flame. It’s burning hotter than usual. My eyes fixate on the blue body of fire, which only occasionally ejects a bright orange wisp. I had performed the ritual countless times before, but never on my own. This was the moment where I would decide my fate. Two paths lay before me—neither without consequence—and yet, I knew exactly what had to be done.
My hands wrapped around the first bowl to my right, which contained the three sacred ingredients that would begin my journey. Without hesitation, I threw them into the pot and watched as cubes of green and white began to sizzle and jump from their introduction to heat. Knowing the time was nigh, I grabbed the second bowl and threw in my fourth offering. I quickly mixed the orange cylinders into the other ingredients and let out a sigh. The hard part was over.
“Attaboy,” Dad exclaims. I look over my shoulder to see the corners of his mouth curling upwards from a deep sense of pride.
“It’s your fault he’s like this,” Mom replied, her eyes like knives pointed towards the two of us. “That ain’t no way to prepare crawdads.”
I knew my choice would be controversial. “The Holy Trinity” of cajun cuisine was a special thing to both my parents. Mom grew up in Bogalusa, Louisiana, where peppers, celery, and onions were the exclusive occupants of the trinity. Meanwhile, Dad’s family was from Arles in the south of France. Ever the food purist, he always told me that the Holy Trinity was adopted from the French mirepoix; to exclude carrots from that group would be a cardinal sin. I agreed.
My love of carrots came after years of indoctrination from Dad’s side of the family. In the summers, we’d visit his parents’ farm outside of Arles, where our days were spent digging through soil and competing to find the most perfect vegetables. After a few hours in the dry heat, there was nothing more satisfying than finally pulling out that perfect cone shape with an orange so radiant you’d think it was painted on. In the afternoons, I’d sit on the countertop and watch as Mamie’s delicate hands chopped them up, always making sure to save a bit off the top for me to nibble. With each bite, I’d be greeted with a delightful crunch that was as satisfying as it was invigorating. The initial crispness quickly gave way to a subtle sweetness. Yet, there was still the lingering taste of earth from soil that was washed off only moments ago. Who wouldn’t want these carrots in every recipe ever?
Those days on the farm were my favorites growing up, not only because of the memories I made while harvesting and cooking, but also because of how they inspired my passion for nutrition and food sustainability. For decades, my grandparents lived off the food that they produced. This was a sharp contrast to the environment where I was raised. In many of my neighboring communities, access to nutritional food like fresh vegetables is scarce. Rather than having autonomy over the quantity and quality of food available, inequitable policies and commercialization have led many individuals to lose control over what they put in their bodies.
As I move forward with my educational career, I plan to continue dedicating myself to rebuilding power through access to good, healthy foods. That includes learning more about systems of power and how they contribute to nutritional deficits, while also advocating for environmentally responsible approaches to farming, and taking direct, supportive action within my community to build health policy from the bottom-up.
Despite my controversial take on the Holy Trinity, I unabashedly love carrots, and I want the world to be able to love them too.
The Academic Passion Question
Top colleges that use this question: Brown, Yale, Emory, Notre Dame, Cornell
This question is designed to gauge your intellectual enthusiasm and dedication to a particular field of study. Top schools might ask you to describe an academic project or subject that has deeply engaged you and spurred your interest in their institution. Explain why this area excites you and how you have pursued it thus far in your high school career. Use this essay to show your passion, curiosity, and commitment to learning. Highlight any independent research, projects, or extracurricular activities related to your academic interests. Depending on how the prompt is specifically phrased, end your essay by briefly outlining the ways in which you would pursue this passion on the school’s campus!
Here’s a sample essay answering The Academic Passion Question
Brown University’s Prompt:
Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might pursue them at Brown. (200-250 words)
Sample Essay:
Growing up, I was always told that if I like to think analytically, I’m left-brained, and if I resonate more with my creative side, I’m right-brained. The problem is that I’m an Aristotilian, so the whole of my brain is greater than the sum of its parts. In that case, I’m just brained.
And thankfully, Brown’s Open Curriculum does not discriminate on the basis of one’s cerebral leanings. As a metaphysically whole-brained human, the academic flexibility that the Open Curriculum affords makes it possible for me to explore my dual interest in both philosophy and neuroscience and the intersections in between.
At Brown, I look forward to the opportunity to conduct research at the Carney Institute for Brain Science to continue my research efforts in pathogenesis, while drawing from the deep knowledge of philosophy professors like Dr. Christopher Hill to make connections to topics in the philosophy of mind. Since I also plan to continue writing for my Brain Philosophy blog, I look forward to partnering with students to write for Impulse, the largest undergraduate research journal focused on neuroscience.
Outside philosophy and neuroscience, I also anticipate cross-registering for graphic design courses at the Rhode Island School of Design to continue in my passion for designing aesthetic neuroimages. Coupled with Brown’s famous Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Science course, I plan to explore the possibility of creative neuroimaging through code.
Whether I like it or not, I’m whole-brained—at Brown, I look forward to continuing being just that.
