how to write lmu supplemental essay

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How to Respond to the 2023-2024 Loyola Marymount University 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.

Loyola Marymount University is a private Jesuit research university located in Los Angeles, California. LMU describes its location as a “unique urban oasis” that draws a diverse array of students. If you are applying to LMU, the supplemental essay is the ideal place to personalize your application. Keep reading to gain a better understanding of how to respond to the Loyola Marymount University supplemental essay prompt!

About Loyola Marymount University

Loyola Marymount University is proud of their history and traditions. Their mission is dedicated to preserving Catholic beliefs, while simultaneously creating a space that is welcoming for people of all walks of life to come and learn. 

Loyola offers over sixty degree options and over fifty five minors, with topics ranging from Asian and Pacific studies to electrical engineering. However, Loyola Marymount University focuses on more than just academics. Their goal is to educate students in all areas of life through learning, faith, and the promotion of their core values. 

Supplemental Essay Prompt

Please briefly state your reason for wishing to attend LMU and/or how you came to select your major. (500 words)

Loyola is sticking to the basics with their application prompt. They want to keep it simple by asking two classic essay questions. Why their school and why your major? The essay leaves some room to decide if you want to answer one or both of those questions. So, let’s begin and find out how you can best respond!

Research should be your starting point for any college application. When submitting a college application, you should have a good understanding of the college you are applying to. The beginning of this article contains a brief introduction to Loyola, but you’ll need to be able to answer a few more questions about them to be able to fully answer this essay prompt.

Also see: How to choose a college

Questions to consider

• What kind of things does LMU value?
• Are they known for anything in particular?
• What is their history as a college?

Once you can answer these questions, you should feel a bit more prepared to respond to the prompt as a whole. If you feel like there’s no real reason as to why you want to apply to this college, or there’s nothing about their values or academics that peak your interest, you may want to reconsider if this is the college for you. A college is hoping to receive essays that are excited about their school! 

So, let’s look at the first part of the prompt. Why do you wish to attend Loyola? There may be many reasons, or there may only be one. Think about your answer and write down the first few reasons that come to mind. It’s okay if your answers are vague, they just need to be able to create a general outline. You should be able to identify how you first heard about Loyola and then how that grew into you wanting to submit an application. 

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Questions to ask yourself.

• Was there one specific reason that you can recall that pushed you to apply to Loyola?
• How do you remember first hearing about Loyola?
• Do you know anyone who attended Loyola?
• Did they stand out to you because of a specific major?

Your response to the first part of this prompt can be multilayered. It can begin with how you heard about Loyola and how that pushed you to think more seriously about them, which may have led you to research them and find out they offer several majors you’re interested in. This prompt offers you plenty of space to answer, so make sure you utilize that space!

Part two of this prompt asks you about the major you have selected. If you don’t know exactly what major you want to pursue, this portion of the prompt may make you feel a bit uneasy. How are you supposed to answer a question that you know you don’t have an answer for? It’s important to remember that what you write in your essay is not binding. Colleges are aware that students will change their major during the course of their studies. 

So, what should you write about then? Whether you have a major in mind or not, a college wants to see that you are passionate and aware of how you will utilize their college to accomplish your degree. So again, let’s use some simple questions to start fleshing out your answer.

• What are a few majors that stand out to you?
• What kind of future careers make you particularly excited?
• Was your major choice inspired by a person or an experience you had?

Don’t miss: College essay primer: Show, don’t tell

Closing thoughts

Hopefully after reading this article and doing some research about LMU, you are feeling ready to tackle this college application! If you’re still feeling a little unsure about what to write, give yourself some time. Write down your ideas and come back to them. As long as you’re putting in your best effort, you should feel confident about your college application!

Also see: How to respond to the Common App essay prompts

Keep reading…

Waiting to hear back from colleges can be a nerve racking time. While you can’t speed up the time in which it takes to hear back, you can use your down time wisely. Our website has many more articles that can help answer all your burning college questions! 

• College applications: What looks good?
• How many colleges should I apply to?  
• Should I take the SAT/ACT?

Other colleges to consider

• University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
• Pepperdine University (Los Angeles, CA)
• Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA)
• New York University (New York, NY)

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Loyola Marymount University Admission Essay Writing Guide

Application Guide

Essay examples.

When tasked with the challenge of composing a compelling personal statement for admission to Loyola Marymount University, turning to StudyMoose's expert team can prove to be a valuable resource. Crafting a persuasive personal statement that reflects your individuality, aspirations, and alignment with the university's values requires both skill and insight. StudyMoose's adept professionals are well-equipped to create tailored and impactful statements that resonate with admission committees. With their support, you can adeptly navigate the intricacies of presenting your unique qualities and experiences, significantly enhancing your chances of securing a coveted spot at Loyola Marymount University.

Admission requirements for Loyola Marymount University

For students seeking acceptance at LMU, knowing the requirements for joining the college is necessary. LMU considers GPA a very important part academic factor.

GPA requirements: To get into LMU you need to be near the top of your class and well above average. The school average GPA is 3.81, meaning you will need mostly A’s with several AP or IB classes.

For college acceptance where the school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will guarantee you admission. Scoring an SAT score of 1296 or above.

The SAT breakdown is as follows: Math — 650, Reading and Writing — 646.

This totals to the required 1296 score. Apart from this an ACT score of between 27 and 31 is also acceptable.

For university admissions at LMU, which is more selective, you need to know more of the requirements now that you know the GPA, SAT and ACT scores required.

Scholarships requirements

Similar to grants, scholarships require no pay. Equal opportunities are provided for all freshman applicants for scholarship consideration based on their academic abilities without bias based on race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, and national origin.

LMU-sponsored scholarships awards are considered alongside applications for admission.

Colleges and Schools

• LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
• LMU College of Business Administration
• LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts
• LMU Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering
• LMU Loyola Law School
• LMU School of Education
• LMU School of Film and Television

Graduate School requirements

The following are required for all graduate programs:

• Online application
• Application fee
• Official transcripts of colleges or universities previously attended (electronic transcripts preferred)
• Cover letter essay

Different graduate programs have different requirements.

Bachelor’s degree requirements

The University makes selective decisions and the academic record is the primary consideration.

• Common application form to be filled out online.
• Official transcripts from last high school or college attended.
• An admission essay
• SAT or ACT scores to be sent to the director of admissions.
• Master’s degree requirements

To get admission into the MSL program at LMU, you must have completed at least a 90-semester unit from an accredited undergraduate institution.

• An online application form needs to be filled
• Applicants should upload a personal statement letter
• Current resume to be uploaded
• Copy of TOEFL/IELTS scores
• Unofficial transcripts to be submitted online
• Letters of recommendation to be delivered or emailed directly from your recommender.

Now that we know about the requirements for application, the next thing we need to look at is the Loyola Marymount University supplemental essay.

Why Loyola Marymount University Essay

For students applying at LMU, they are allowed to express themselves and why they want to join the college. This is an opportunity for the applicants to shine and demonstrate their value and worth and how they are not only going to benefit from joining the University but how the University itself is going to benefit from having them as students.

Pointers when writing LMU supplemental essays

Create a sense of openness.

The most impressive introduction essays are those that shed more light on who you are, your thoughts, your personality, and most importantly your priorities. LMU essay examples that had a certain level of openness by the applicants had a higher acceptance rate, being vulnerable to a certain level does no harm.

Be short and precise

A long essay doesn’t mean perfection, a 500-600 word essay that is clear and precise will be more appealing to the admissions board. Bear in mind that the officials will be going over 1000 applications at the time so even though you can write up to 1000 words, choose to keep it short. At the end of the day, it is the quality that matters more than the quantity.

Do your research

Knowing and understanding what the LMU essay prompts are asking you will help you write an outstanding entrance letter. The most important thing is to think it through and do a lot of research before writing the essay. Reading and re-reading the prompts till you get what is required of you is no waste of time, getting your thoughts together will ensure the execution is as it should be.

Explain any academic breaks

If you have taken any breaks in your academic history, it is important to mention and outline the reason. This, however, does not call for overthinking, you should be justifying why the time off was necessary for you at that particular time, it might be due to an illness or maybe you took a gap year to volunteer or for internship. Not explaining any gaps in your academic years is going to leave the admission officials with more questions than answers, so it is good to anticipate their curiosity and simply justify the break.

Proofreading

Before submitting your essay, it would be best to go through it for any grammatical errors, formatting, logical flow, proper punctuation and capitalization, and also the word count. Once you hit the submit button, there’s no going back; that is why it is crucial to re-read the essay as many times as possible and request your parents, teachers, or peers to proofread it for you so you can be 100% sure that the work you’re submitting is quality.

Writing a Loyola Marymount supplemental essay can prove to be a daunting task to many applicants but that’s why we are here, we have LMU essay examples on our website and you also have access to our excellent writing services, our writers will make your work easier by writing the applications for you at a cheap rate.

LMU Essay prompts

The University eases applicants into their supplement essays with prompts that are opportunities for you to show off your critical and creative thinking.

• Briefly state your reason why you wish to attend LMU, let it be specific and unique to you. Do some detailed research on the University before you get started, think and express what exactly draws you to the college and not any other college in the country. If it’s the values, resources, programs, school life, or even the opportunity to play your favorite sports there, make sure you express it in your LMU supplement essay.
• Write about the major you want to pursue and why you are passionate about it. The purpose of the Loyola Marymount University supplemental essay is to let students express their goals, dreams, and ambitions to the admission board. While focusing on your major, mention how you developed an interest in that particular field, how your choice will help you achieve your goals and the impact you intend to have in the world after college.
• Read all statements that relate to LMU’s mission and values and choose one that you resonates with you in a thought-provoking way and display how it aligns with your values. Your worldview is just as important and being able to incorporate that into the University’s values will help you blend in well.

Different samples of LMU essays can be found on our site that will help you stand out. Loyola Marymount University asks for the main common application personal statement letter and three supplemental essay prompts where you get to pick the best one for you.

University History

Having been founded in 1911, Loyola Marymount University is the largest Catholic University on the west coast. The University has notable alumni in the TV and Films industry, lawyers and civil activists, writers and novelists, sports personalities, politicians, and business people, for example, Tyra Banks (Tv host and business person), Kristin Cavallari (Actress), Luis Aguilar (Author), Robert Shapiro (Lawyer in the O.J Simpson case) and Helen Singleton (Civil rights activist and Freedom Rider).

The University ranks 66th among National Universities, 38th in Best Colleges for Veterans, 31st in Best Undergraduate Teaching, 98th in Best Value Schools, and 26th in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs, according to the US News & World Reports 2021.

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FAQ about Loyola Marymount University

5 Tips for Writing a Strong LMU Supplement Essay

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Understanding the Purpose

The LMU supplement essay plays a crucial role in the application process for prospective students. It provides an opportunity for applicants to showcase their unique qualities, experiences, and perspectives that may not be fully captured in other parts of their application. The purpose of this essay is to give admissions officers a deeper understanding of who you are as an individual and how you would contribute to the LMU community.

Admissions officers use the supplement essay to evaluate your fit with LMU's values, mission, and culture. They want to see if you align with the university's commitment to academic excellence , social justice , service , and global awareness. This essay allows you to demonstrate your understanding of these principles and articulate why they resonate with you personally.

In addition, the supplement essay gives admissions officers a glimpse into your thought processes, writing abilities, and critical thinking skills. They want to assess your ability to express yourself clearly and coherently while addressing complex topics or prompts. This is why it's important to approach the essay with thoughtfulness and care.

By understanding the purpose of the LMU supplement essay, you can tailor your response accordingly. Take time to reflect on your own values, experiences, and goals before diving into the writing process. Consider how these align with LMU's mission and what unique perspective or contribution you can bring to campus life. With a clear understanding of the purpose behind this essay, you'll be better equipped to craft a compelling narrative that showcases your strengths and potential as an LMU student.

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Highlighting Unique Qualities

Highlighting your unique qualities is essential when writing the LMU supplement essay. This is your opportunity to showcase what sets you apart from other applicants and demonstrate why you are a strong fit for LMU. To effectively highlight your unique qualities, begin by identifying and showcasing your personal strengths and experiences.

One way to identify your unique qualities is to reflect on your past experiences and achievements. Consider the activities, projects, or challenges that have had a significant impact on your life. Think about the skills you have developed or the lessons you have learned from these experiences. For example, if you have been involved in community service, discuss how this has shaped your perspective on social issues and influenced your desire to make a positive impact in the world.

In addition to reflecting on past experiences, it's important to emphasize any special talents or skills you possess. These can be academic, artistic, athletic, or any other area where you excel. Highlighting these unique abilities will help admissions officers understand what makes you stand out from other applicants. For instance, if you are an accomplished musician, discuss how music has shaped your identity and influenced your personal growth.

Furthermore, don't shy away from discussing any obstacles or challenges you have overcome. Admissions officers want to see resilience and determination in their applicants. Whether it's overcoming a difficult family situation or persevering through academic struggles, sharing these stories can provide insight into your character and demonstrate how you have grown as an individual.

When highlighting your unique qualities, it's important to connect them back to LMU's values and mission. Research the university thoroughly to understand its core values and what they look for in applicants. Then, tailor your essay to align with those values. Showcasing how your unique qualities align with LMU's mission will help convince admissions officers that you are a perfect fit for their institution.

Crafting a Compelling Narrative

Crafting a compelling narrative is crucial when it comes to writing the LMU supplement essay. This essay provides you with an opportunity to showcase your unique qualities and experiences in a way that captivates the reader from beginning to end. To create a narrative that stands out, consider the following tips and strategies.

Firstly, it's important to develop a captivating story or theme for your essay. Think about what sets you apart from other applicants and how you can effectively convey that through your writing. Maybe you have overcome significant challenges or experienced transformative moments that have shaped who you are today. Whatever the case may be, choose a central theme or idea that allows you to explore these aspects of your life in a meaningful way.

Once you have chosen a theme, focus on engaging the reader right from the start. The opening paragraph should grab their attention and make them want to continue reading. Consider using a personal anecdote, an intriguing question, or a thought-provoking statement to draw the reader in. By starting with something compelling, you set the stage for an essay that captures their interest throughout.

As you continue writing, make sure to maintain momentum and keep the reader engaged throughout the entire essay. Use descriptive language and vivid imagery to paint a picture in their minds. Show, rather than tell, your experiences and emotions. This will allow the reader to connect with your story on a deeper level.

Furthermore, consider incorporating dialogue or specific details to add depth and authenticity to your narrative. These elements can bring your experiences to life and make them more relatable for the reader. Additionally, don't be afraid to be vulnerable and share personal insights or reflections along the way. This will help create an emotional connection between you and the reader.

To ensure that your narrative flows smoothly, structure your essay in a logical manner. Start with an introduction that sets up your theme and provides context for what follows. Then, use paragraphs or sections to explore different aspects of your story, making sure to transition between them seamlessly. Finally, wrap up your essay with a conclusion that reinforces your main points and leaves the reader with a lasting impression.

In summary, crafting a compelling narrative for your LMU supplement essay is essential in making your application stand out. By developing a captivating story or theme, engaging the reader from the beginning to the end, and using descriptive language and personal insights, you can create an essay that leaves a lasting impact. Remember to structure your essay in a logical manner and proofread it carefully to ensure clarity and coherence. With these tips in mind, you'll be well on your way to writing a strong LMU supplement essay.

Addressing the Prompt Effectively

When it comes to writing a strong LMU supplement essay, one of the most important aspects is addressing the prompt effectively. The prompt serves as a guide for what the admissions committee is looking for in your essay, so it is crucial to understand its requirements and structure your response accordingly.

Firstly, take the time to carefully read and analyze the prompt. Look for keywords or phrases that can help you identify what the question is asking. Understanding the prompt requirements will ensure that you stay focused and on topic throughout your essay. It will also help you avoid going off on tangents or including irrelevant information.

Once you have a clear understanding of the prompt, it's time to structure your essay in a way that directly answers it. Start by creating an outline or a roadmap for your essay, highlighting the main points or arguments you want to make. This will help you stay organized and ensure that you address all aspects of the prompt.

As you write your essay, make sure to provide relevant examples and evidence to support your claims. This could include personal anecdotes, experiences, or even research findings. By providing concrete examples, you not only demonstrate your understanding of the prompt but also showcase your ability to apply concepts or theories to real-life situations.

In addition to providing examples, it's important to explain how they relate back to the prompt. Connect the dots for your readers by explicitly stating why each example is relevant and how it supports your overall argument. This will help strengthen your essay and make it more convincing.

Furthermore, consider any potential counterarguments or alternative perspectives related to the prompt. Addressing these counterarguments shows that you have thought critically about the topic and are able to consider different viewpoints. It also allows you to provide a well-rounded response that acknowledges potential objections while still supporting your main argument.

Lastly, remember that addressing the prompt effectively also means staying within any specified word limits or formatting guidelines. Adhering to these requirements shows that you can follow instructions and respect the admissions committee's guidelines. It also demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively and concisely.

Proofreading and Editing

Proofreading and editing are crucial steps in the essay writing process, as they ensure that your LMU supplement essay is polished and error-free. By carefully reviewing your work, you can identify and correct any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors that may have slipped through during the initial drafting phase.

One of the main goals of proofreading and editing is to ensure clarity and coherence in your writing. This means checking that your ideas flow logically from one paragraph to another and that your sentences are clear and concise. Pay attention to the structure of your essay, making sure that each paragraph serves a specific purpose and contributes to the overall narrative.

To effectively proofread your LMU supplement essay, it is often helpful to take a break from writing before revisiting your work with fresh eyes. This allows you to approach the essay with a more objective perspective, making it easier to spot errors or areas for improvement. Reading aloud can also be beneficial, as it helps you catch any awkward phrasing or unclear sentences.

Seeking feedback from others can also greatly enhance the quality of your LMU supplement essay. Ask a trusted friend, family member, or teacher to read through your essay and provide constructive criticism. They may be able to offer insights or suggestions that you hadn't considered before.

Additionally, consider using online tools or resources to assist with proofreading and editing. Grammar checkers can help identify common mistakes such as subject-verb agreement issues or incorrect word usage. However, remember that these tools are not foolproof and should be used in conjunction with manual proofreading.

In conclusion, proofreading and editing are essential steps in crafting a strong LMU supplement essay. By carefully reviewing your work for grammar errors, ensuring clarity and coherence in your writing, seeking feedback from others, and utilizing online resources when necessary, you can present a polished piece of writing that effectively addresses the prompt. Taking the time to thoroughly edit your essay demonstrates attention to detail and a commitment to producing your best work.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, loyola marymount university supplemental essays 2024.

Hey guys, I'm starting my college apps and have Loyola Marymount on my list. Does anyone know what the supplemental essay prompts are for LMU this year? And any tips on how to approach them would be appreciated! Thank you!

Hi there! Keep in mind that the essays for LMU can change from year to year, so always check their website and the Common App before you begin brainstorming to make sure you are working with the up-to-date prompts. That being said, I've found that collegevine does a great job of updating their posts each year with the accurate prompts, so you might also want to check out their [LMU post] ( https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-loyola-marymount-university-essays) for this year's prompts.

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

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

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

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

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

Content overview:

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

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

Common Types of College Essays

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

Common Essay #1: Why this college?

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

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

What not to do:

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

Why the previous response doesn’t work:

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

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

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

What to write instead:

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

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

Why the previous response works:

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

Other things to keep in mind:

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

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

Common Essay #2: Why this major? 

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

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

Other tips:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to avoid:

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

Writing the Essay

Phase 1: ideation.

Highlights of this section:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Phase 2: Crafting the Essay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Phase 3: Revision

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Avoiding Pitfalls:

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

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

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

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• 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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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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ACT/SAT Requirements

Deferral/gap year, early decision, early action.

Loyola Marymount University has decided to waive the ACT/SAT requirement for students applying for the fall 2023 semester through the fall 2025 semester.

Students may choose to submit their test scores if they believe they are supportive of their application. After the admission decisions are released, we will ask students to send us their scores,  if they have them . These scores will only be used for institutional research to study the impact of this decision and make recommendations for the future.

All Division 1 athletes will not be required to submit test scores for fall 2023 through fall 2024.

Scores that are sent to LMU from a testing agency or are included on a high school transcript will not be considered if a student chooses to apply test optional.  Students will be able to select that option on the LMU application for fall 2023 through fall 2024.

Yes, for the admission decision but we request official scores upon enrollment. Again, this is only if a student chooses to send scores.

LMU has a tradition of holistic review that is consistent with our belief in education of the whole person. We will look carefully at grades, breadth and depth of academic program and preparation, special talents and accomplishments, portfolios (where currently required), recommendations, leadership, community service and essays. Test scores have never been the most significant factor in our admission decisions. Students who do not submit test scores will not be required to submit any additional materials beyond our normal requirements.

Each student will be carefully evaluated based upon the information they have provided. Students who opt not to send us test scores will not be disadvantaged. Students who choose not to submit scores will be eligible for consideration for admission to all academic majors and programs as well as to our Honors Program.

Need based financial aid is guided by FAFSA information and has never included standardized test scores in that calculation. All admitted students will be considered for our competitive merit scholarships, regardless of whether they submit test scores. We have always proudly considered the whole person in our admission process and merit scholarship awarding, which does not change with our new test optional policy.

LMU does not require international students to submit standardized test scores. However, they are still required to demonstrate English proficiency through the TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Duolingo English test. LMU also waives English proficiency requirements for select students based upon their school curriculum or their native language. For more information visit international.lmu.edu .

Those wishing to defer admission must request permission in writing from LMU Undergraduate Admission no later than July 1 of the year for which they have originally been admitted. Students may make requests by submitting the Defer Enrollment Request form. For more details, you can view our information on taking a  gap-year .

You may be released from the Early Decision commitment if the financial aid award does not meet your needs.

You may request an extension if you submitted a financial aid appeal and have not received a response by the deadline.

All efforts to respond to financial aid appeals will be made before the deadline but if not, an extension will be granted.

Yes, with the understanding that if admitted you will withdraw all pending applications and commit to LMU by the deadline stated in your acceptance letter.

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Personal Essay Prompt

Instructions: Write a short essay (no more than 500 words) answering the following prompt:

Please evaluate why you have selected your summer program of choice and explain how you think attending summer programs at LMU will assist you with your future educational or career goals.

Essays should be submitted:

• As a word or PDF file only.
• Applicants can upload the file directly into their application at the time of submission, upload to their application after submission through the Applicant Portal or email submissions to [email protected] . If you choose to email your submission, please make sure your first and last name and application number are indicated in the email.
• Essays uploaded to the Applicant Status Page after submission must be uploaded by the deadline to be considered on time.
• Emailed essays must be received by the extended deadline to be considered on time. 

Students applying to LMU's Global Sports and Entertainment Academy should view the course specific essay required to apply here .

Supplemental Essay Guide 2024-25

What do the 2024-25 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down.

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Agnes Scott College 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

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charlotte 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of north carolina at greensboro 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of notre dame 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of oklahoma 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of oregon 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of pennsylvania (upenn) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of pittsburgh 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of richmond 2023-24 supplemental essay guide, university of san diego 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide , university of san francisco 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of southern california (usc) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of texas at austin 2024-25 essay prompt guide, university of tulsa 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of vermont 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, university of virginia (uva) 2023-24 supplemental essay prompt guide, 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How to Write Great Supplemental College Application Essays

Check out our Just Admit It! Podcast

IvyWise counselors Eric  and Zach discuss what admissions officers are looking for in supplemental essays and what students can do to stand out on the Just Admit It! college admissions podcast , giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers.

Aside from grades, standardized test scores, and your high school courses, one of the most important elements of the college application is the essay. Supplemental essays give admissions officers the chance to get to know students, and they’re also great gauges for demonstrated interest. So how can students master college admission essays?

What Is a Supplemental Essay? 

While the Common Application and the Coalition Application each have a required essay, many colleges include their own school-specific essays, known as writing supplements. These supplemental essays are designed to help the admissions committee gain a better understanding of who you are and how you will fit in on campus.

Tell Admissions Officers Something They Don’t Already Know

Admissions officers want to get to know applicants. There’s only so much that application readers can deduce from your extracurricular activities, transcripts, test scores, recommendation letters, and other application materials. Many times the best way to get a clear picture of a student’s goals, accomplishments, and character is to hear it directly from the student themself.

Instead of using the essay to regurgitate the information that’s already available, reveal something that can’t be found anywhere else in the application. For example, if captain of the school’s soccer team is on the activity list, don’t write an essay about the biggest game of the season. The admissions officers already know soccer is an interest, so choose a deeper topic that reveals something meaningful.

One example: A student’s top activity on her activity list was horseback riding. Instead of writing an essay about riding, she instead wrote about her faith and how she reconciled that with what she was learning in her advanced science courses.

Approaching “Quirky” Essay Prompts

It’s a college admissions trend that keeps growing in popularity: the quirky college application essay question . From questions about what advice a wisdom tooth would have to inquiries about how students would design their own courses, many colleges are asking applicants some strange questions. For many students, these wild and wacky application prompts can be extremely intimidating. Many struggle with the balance between writing creative, witty responses and sounding cheesy and forced.

When tackling these odd application essay prompts, remember the main goal of the admissions essay — to reveal something not obvious about yourself. These essays are about you, not what you think the college wants to hear, so keep your interests in mind! The same applies to the “short-take” supplement questions (those that seek a one-word or one-sentence response). Dig deep, but remember that your answer doesn’t have to be as strange as the prompt — it just needs to reflect your character and passions.

The Common “Why This College?” Essay

One of the most common supplemental essays that students will come across is the infamous “ Why This College? ” essay. Whether it’s simply “Why XX University?” or a more specific question about how a student plans to contribute to the campus, colleges are looking for detailed and well-researched responses.

It’s not enough to say, “I want to go to XX University because it’s a great school,” or “XX College is my favorite.” When evaluating these responses, colleges want to know that a student has done their homework on the institution and has really thought about how they will fit into the campus community. If supplemental essays are good gauges for demonstrated interest , this particular type of essay is the most important.

When answering this essay question, use specific details. Mention courses and professors of interest. Students should elaborate on campus organizations or programs that fit certain goals, and specific aspects of the campus community that make it a good social and academic fit. Be as detailed as possible, but be sure to relate these details to specific goals and interests. Don’t just rattle off some course names and expect to wow the admissions committee.

The best writing supplements will add great context and personality to a student’s application, and elevate their chances of admission. Often it can be the difference between the ‘no’ and the ‘maybe’ pile. Research and preparation are key to writing stand-out supplements, so don’t wait until the last minute! If you’re still unsure about how your essay could come across to admissions officers, it’s not too late for our team of expert counselors to review your supplements and give guidance on how to draft and revise your essays. Contact us to learn more.

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Home » IvyWise KnowledgeBase » IvyWise Resources » All Articles » How to Write Great Supplemental College Application Essays

Home — Application Essay — University — Loyola Marymount University

Loyola Marymount University Admission Essays

Navigating uncertainties: my journey to loyola university.

I never imagined that the journey to higher education would be filled with so many uncertainties and challenges. As a first-generation college student, I have had to navigate through unfamiliar territory to reach my dreams. Despite the obstacles, my determination to succeed has pushed me…

Where do I belong: College Admission Essay Sample

At age 13, I had it all planned out. Having taken my passport from my mother’s desk, I prepared to purchase my ticket to freedom from the place I’d been held hostage all those years: Florence, Italy. My mother discovered the theft quickly, however, and…

The Journey to be Oneself: the Riskiest of All Journeys

In his homily at the Class of 2005’s Baccalaureate Mass, LMU’s President Fr. Robert Lawton, S.J., said: ‘‘So what is the answer to this deep insecurity we all feel? The answer, I think, is to embrace the adventure of becoming deeply, and fully, ourselves. This…

Tutoring Hero: College Admission Essay Sample

In this quote, Fr. Arrupe intended to convey that Loyola’s main objective is to educate students to be the kind of people who work for justice, even if it means setting aside their own wants and needs. One person in my life that works for…

The Risk of Seeking Truth: College Admission Essay Sample

I once had a conversation with a young Catholic woman from Uruguay about becoming close to God. There was a bit of a language barrier between the two of us, but I was determined that we should understand each other on a topic of such…

The Fruit Lady: College Admission Essay Sample

Driving down the streets of Arcadia, there were certain landmarks that reminded me that I was home— the grandiose library, the iconic windmill-themed restaurant, and at last but not least, the lady who stood at the end of my street. Committed, she braved scorchingly hot…

Pride: College Admission Essay Sample

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An Old Soul in a Young Body

I have the soul of a 74 year old grandmother. I used to be ashamed to say it, because what kind of teenager wants to openly admit she enjoys spending time in retirement homes. But, there’s no use in masking the age of my soul…

Journey to be Oneself: College Admission Essay Sample

In the “journey to be oneself,” people discover many things about themselves—both good and bad. This kind of self-revelation makes many people afraid to venture on the journey. Throughout life, I have experienced many different events including joyous, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and also immense challenges. This…

Critical Thinking Experience: College Admission Essay Sample

My hands were sweating, tightly grasping the note cards with my presentation carefully written out. I stood with four other teammates in front of teachers, parents, mentors, and students who eagerly waited for our opening arguments. The audience stared wide-eyed at the title screen of…

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How much do supplement essays matter

I'm writing my essays for Villanova and LMU and feel like the best they are going to get is going to be barely decent. I have stats better than their averages (1510 and 3.85) plus pretty good ECs and a commonapp essay I am proud of, but don't want to get my admission chances fucked up because my supplement essay is bad lol. Do they actually matter that much?