In addition to the Common App essay, many colleges require you to write additional or supplemental essays. The number of these essays varies, and their lengths can range from 50 to 700 words, depending on the school's requirements. These essays are crucial for demonstrating your fit with the university, highlighting how your values and goals align with what the school offers. Each university and each essay prompt requires a separate, tailored response. While it is okay to reuse some content across essays, never copy and paste entire essays for different schools. Each essay should be uniquely crafted to address the specific prompt and university.
🗣️ veronica says...
A good supplemental essay starts with a thorough college search! To demonstrate a college fit, you first have to understand what the college is looking for, what their unique offerings are, and how that college will help you achieve your goals.
As we discussed in the previous section, every university has its own prompts, so here are a few examples to give you an idea of what you might be asked:
🗣️ veronica says...
A "Why College X" essay is ultimately a "Why You" essay. Therefore, it's important to not only discuss what you want to gain from the college, but also show why you are a great fit for the school and what you will bring to their community.
Colleges want to see that you're serious about attending—not just throwing in another application for fun. This essay is your chance to prove that this school is the place for you. But it's not just about what you'll gain; you also need to show how you'll contribute to their community.
Step 1: Find 3 specific reasons that excite you about this university.
Step 2: Make it personal.
Anyone can copy and paste course names or club descriptions. That's not enough. You need to connect these reasons to your own experiences and interests. Ask yourself:
The goal? To answer: Why YOU at this college?
Step 3: Put it all together.
Now that you have solid reasons and personal connections, it's time to shape them into a clear, concise essay. Add an introduction and conclusion, but don't waste words—stay within the limit! The best essays are specific, personal, and to the point.
This essay is all about your academic interests—not just what you want to study, but why. Colleges want to see dedication, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine passion for your chosen field. But don't stress if you're not 100% sure what you want to do yet. That's normal. Just focus on what excites you right now, even if it's not your final career path.
Step 1: Elaborate on your passion.
Step 2: Connect your passion to the university.
Step 3: Put everything together.
Now that you have solid material, shape it into a clear, structured essay. Add an introduction and conclusion, but keep it concise. The best essays show specific interests, real experiences, and a clear connection to the university.
Your extracurricular activities are one of the most important parts of your application, but 150 characters in the Activities section often isn't enough to show the depth of your impact. That's where the extracurricular essay comes in—it's your chance to go beyond the surface and show how an activity shaped you.
Step 1: Pick a meaningful activity and reflect on it.
Don't just go for the activity with the most awards or recognition. Choose the one that means the most to you, where you truly invested yourself and have a personal story to tell. But if your Personal Statement is already about an activity, don't repeat it here.
Step 2: Put everything together.
Now that you have the key details, shape them into a clear, structured essay. Every university might phrase the prompt a little differently, so make sure you're actually answering the question. Be concise, be specific, and make every word count.
The Community Essay is your chance to show how you've made a difference in a group you care about and how you'll continue that impact in college. Schools want to see real engagement, not just participation—so focus on specific contributions and tangible impact rather than vague statements about “helping others.”
Step 1: Pick a community you are a part of and reflect on it.
Step 2: Connect it to University X.
Step 3: Put everything together.
Now that you have strong details, structure them into a clear and compelling essay. Every school phrases this prompt a little differently, so make sure you're actually answering the question. Be specific, be personal, and keep it concise!