As stated previously in my Admissions Squid Game post, I’d like to briefly address the popular “community” short answer question. The premise seems simple enough. You are a unique person who will join a diverse community. What would you contribute to it? 

Colleges have various ways of asking this question. Here are the same examples I’ve introduced previously:

• A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia’s diverse and collaborative community. (Columbia University)

• We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience.  In that context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how they’ve influenced how you think of yourself. (Duke University)

• Oxy’s central mission emphasizes the value of community amidst diversity. What do you value in a community and how do you see your perspectives and life experiences enhancing it? (Occidental College)

Colleges are asking this question because they want to gain a sense of your identity and how you connect with others. Many colleges are incorporating this question with issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. How would your experience influence your engagement within a diverse community in college? In general, colleges are seeking to enroll a diverse class and you have to think about how you would contribute to this environment.

I think sometimes students are just intimidated by how the colleges ask this question. Let’s try thinking about it another way.

“Describe the world you come from – for example, your family, community or school – and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.”

If this sounds familiar, it’s because it was one of the old UC Personal Insight Questions. Before this current version of four 350-word essays, choosing among eight options, UC applicants used to be required to write two essays not exceeding a total of 1000 words. This was one of the topics. What I liked about this was that it was such a broad question (as was the other prompt) that applicants could really define their world in their own way. Think of the community question the same way. What does your world consist of that makes you who you are? If you have taken a college tour, you’ve visited the most significant areas of campus and heard all the fun facts from peppy tour guides. What if colleges were able to tour you? If you were to give an admissions counselor a tour of your life “campus,” where would you take them? Maybe you would invite them to a family dinner, an Eagle Scout meeting, a debate tournament, a neighborhood block party, an online gaming session. 

The community essay is also an opportunity to think about your values, which often manifest themselves outside of class. That is where so much learning takes place. What stories would you share sitting in the hallway with your dormmates at 3 AM? You may think you have nothing to contribute, but don’t let the fancy admissions language affect your self-reflection. We are not always consciously aware of what we’ve learned from our respective communities. This is your opportunity to think about it.

Not all colleges ask the community question, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important to them. There are only so many additional essays a college can ask you to write. But this exercise is a reminder that college is an experience, not a prize. As much as possible, try to avoid the Admissions Squid Game.