Stumped by Supplemental Essays for Colleges?: 3 Tips to Great Responses
If you know a 12th grade student, chances are they are feeling stumped by a pesky supplemental essay question on their college applications right now.
These essays, optional or required as part of an application to a specific college, can be tough for students to tackle.
Here are three tips to help you write your best –
#1 Don’t let optional fool you.
Many additional essay or short answer questions asked by colleges within their applications are listed as “optional” or “not required.” Don’t let this fool you. Colleges are receiving more applications than ever before, and a thoughtful supplemental essay response is an important way to show the college you are invested and serious about attending! Don’t leave that opportunity on the table.
#2 Think about why a college is asking this question.
If a college is adding an essay that will increase the amount of reading they have to do for each application, they are asking that question for a reason. Take a look at the prompt and ask yourself, “what does a college really want to know or learn through my response?” Some essays are intended as a way to showcase your values; others, your contribution and leadership, or your creativity. Some will want to see evidence that you have thought about who you are and how you will treat others in a diverse community, and still others want evidence that you have thought about why you are applying to their college and can speak to the specific resources and opportunities you will engage on campus to further your goals. Examine the question and think about what they want to learn about you from your response before you begin writing.
#3 Each response should add something new to your application.
The whole of your application should tell your reader a complete story about you, not repeat one element of your story over and over. That is to say, when you are responding to a supplemental essay question, consider what your reader can already learn about you from your personal statement and the activities list portion of your application. Whenever possible, find a new part of your life, experiences, interests, or involvements to highlight. Have you spoken about your family, culture or traditions yet? Have you told us more about a special project or job you’ve done? Do we know what you are intellectually passionate about exploring further in college? Look at your application as a whole, and seek to have each component bring forward different aspects of who you are and what that helps the reader understand about how you will contribute to life on the college campus.
Bonus Tip: Start with YOU.
Great supplements are first and foremost about you, not the college. This is probably the most important part of a good response.
If you’d like to learn how to speak powerfully about the three questions we think every application should answer, and our framework for crafting powerhouse supplements, these tools are available!
TBU Members, you already have access to all of the tools:
Watch our most recent member webinar: Decoding Supplemental Essays, download our Guided Reflection Tool and College Writing Document right in your TBU Member Resource Library.
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