Supplemental Essays: What are they? Why do they matter?
The personal statement isn’t the only writing requirement for many colleges. Often, colleges also ask for supplemental essays. These shorter, college-specific essays are an essential aspect of the admissions process at many colleges and universities.
What Are Supplemental Essays?
Supplemental essays are additional writing prompts that colleges include as part of their applications. Unlike the personal statement, which is shared with many colleges, supplemental essays are specific to each school.
The length varies, with most ranging from 50 to 500 words, which is shorter than the personal statement.
Common types of supplemental prompts include:
“Why this college?”: Asking you to explain why you want to attend that particular school. How you and that college are a good match.
Community or values questions: Exploring how you would contribute to campus community. Does your personality fit well with the types of students who comprise the student body?
Short-answer questions: Quick responses about interests, experiences, or fun facts. Students tend to overthink these. These provide a break from the tedium of reading essays for admissions officers.
Tell us about your favorite extracurricular activity: Identify your favorite extracurricular activity, your personal growth from being part of it, and why this activity matters to you. Sometimes this activity connects to your intended major
Themed essays: Unique prompts tied to a school’s identity (e.g., University of Chicago’s creative questions).
Why Do Colleges Want These?
Supplemental essays offer colleges deeper insight into who an applicant is beyond grades, test scores, and activities. They provide answers to questions admissions officers can’t ascertain from the rest of the application, such as:
Do you understand their school? Identifying features and opportunities of interest, as well as the campus culture and traditions, and why these are important to the student, are ways to show understanding.
Will you contribute positively to their community? An applicant can share the impact they made in high school in one or more activities and show the reader how that will translate in college, including specific activities of interest to the student at a particular college.
Are your values, goals, and interests in sync with what they offer?
Why Do Supplemental Essays Matter?
Show Interest and Fit
Colleges want to admit students who are genuinely interested in attending. A well-thought-out, focused supplemental essay demonstrates that the student has researched the college and has genuine enthusiasm for it.Add Depth to the Application
While the personal statement showcases a student’s broader story, supplemental essays provide the opportunity to share other aspects such as academic interests, character traits, or future goals.Can Be the Deciding Factor
Strong supplemental essays can make the difference when admissions committees are deciding between equally qualified applicants.
Tips for Writing Effective Supplemental Essays
Take time to research. Discover the distinctive features of each college, including courses & majors, programs, traditions, and values, and connect these with your interests.
Be specific. Avoid generic statements like “The campus is beautiful” or “They have study abroad programs I’m interested in.”
Answer all parts of the prompt. Some supplemental essay prompts have multiple parts. Be sure to address all aspects of the prompt.
Your voice matters. Be sure the essay is in your voice and represents who you are, not something you think the admissions reps are looking for.
A Few Last Words
Supplemental essays can genuinely make an impact in helping your applications stand out. They offer the opportunity to say, “Here’s why I belong at your school and why your school is the right fit for me.”
Carving out time to write thoughtful, well-crafted supplemental essays can make a positive difference in the admissions process.
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