Supplemental Essays: 6 Essential Tips
You finished your Common App essay. Great! But for many students, the writing isn’t over yet.
And supplemental essays are a little different.
The Common App personal statement is intentionally open-ended. You have 650 words to tell a story that reveals something meaningful about who you are, and there are countless ways to do that well.
Supplemental essays have more of a formula.
Colleges are asking specific questions because they want specific information.
Why do you want to attend this school?
Why are you interested in this major?
How will you contribute to this community?
That doesn't mean your answers should be formulaic. Your personality, experiences and voice still matter. But there are some definite strategies for getting supplemental essays right, and some common mistakes that can make them far less effective.
So before you start writing, here are six things to keep in mind.
1. Answer the Question
It sounds simple, but start by reading the entire prompt.
Some supplemental prompts are actually asking two, or even three, different questions. Make sure you answer all of them, not just the part you find easiest or most interesting to write about.
Before you start writing, ask yourself:
What are they ACTUALLY asking me?
Then make sure your essay answers that question.
2. Do Your RESEARCH
We cannot stress how important this is!!
Research is especially important for “Why Us?” “Why This Major?” and community essays.
Don't rely on what you learned during the campus tour or what appears on the college's homepage. Dig into the school's website. Look closely at your specific major or academic program and explore the opportunities available to students.
What should you look for?
Classes you would actually want to take
Professors or research that interests you
Clubs and activities you would join
Internships
Study abroad opportunities
Campus traditions
Unique programs or experiences
Most importantly, look for things that genuinely connect to you, not things you think will sound impressive to admissions.
Doing your research shows your authentic interest in the school, proves that you’re not copying and pasting the same supplement for 5 different schools, and illustrates you’re invested enough in going to the school that you took the time to dig deeper and learn more. Beyond that, doing your research and giving concrete examples helps admissions picture you and how you’d fit into the next freshman class.
3. Be Specific
Specificity can make the difference between a generic supplemental essay and one that sounds like it was written specifically for that college.
Don't write:
“I love your excellent business program.”
Which business program? What specifically interests you about it? Why is it a good fit for you?
Use the proper names of colleges, programs, classes, clubs, and other opportunities. Instead of referring to “your business school,” for example, say Smeal College of Business, The Wharton School, or Kelley School of Business when that's the program you're discussing.
And if you name a professor, spell the professor's name correctly!
Don't simply repeat general information you could find in a college brochure. Dig deeper.
4. Put Yourself on Campus
This is one of the most important things you can do in a supplemental essay:
Help admissions picture you on their campus.
Don't just explain why you want to attend their college. Show them who you'll be once you get there.
Ask yourself:
What will I JOIN?
What will I DO?
How will I CONTRIBUTE?
Maybe you see yourself joining a club related to an activity you've loved throughout high school. Maybe there's a research opportunity that connects directly to something you've already explored. Maybe you want to continue volunteering, play an intramural sport, study abroad, join a student publication, or become involved in a particular campus organization.
The more specific you are, the easier it is for an admissions reader to imagine you as part of their community.
5. Tell Them Something New
Your supplemental essays shouldn't simply repeat the rest of your application.
Instead, use them to add depth or another dimension to what admissions already knows about you.
You might expand on an activity that only received 150 characters in your Common App Activities section. Or you might introduce an entirely different side of yourself.
Planning to major in science but also love art? Tell them more.
Your application is made up of multiple pieces. Use your supplemental essays to help those pieces create a fuller picture of you.
6. Before You Submit, Ask Yourself...
Before you declare a supplemental essay finished, do one last check:
Did I answer the ENTIRE question?
Did I do my research?
Is this essay specific to THIS college?
Can they picture me on campus?
If the answer to all four is yes, you're on the right track.
One Final Thought
Supplemental essays may be shorter than your main Common App essay, but that doesn't mean they aren't important. In fact, one Ivy League school rep shared with us that they give even MORE weight to the supplements than the Common App essay.
Think of each one as another opportunity to give admissions a reason to say yes.
Do your research. Be specific. Answer what they actually asked. And above all, use the space to help them understand who you are and who you'll be on their campus.