My Favorite Supplemental College Essay Topics This Year
I’ve read so many college essays and supplements over the years, and occasionally I like to look at things from the college’s perspective. You can often learn about a college’s values and culture through their supplements. And since we’re at the end of the calendar year, I figured I would have some fun reflecting on what colleges have asked applicants to write about. Below are my top ten favorite supplemental college essay topics for this application cycle. Some of these prompts have been used for years and others are brand new, but collectively, they give insight into what matters to a college.
#10: At Boston College, we hope to draw on the Jesuit tradition of finding conversation partners to discuss issues and problems facing society. Who is your favorite conversation partner? What do you discuss with that person? (Boston College)
This one resonated with me because so much of the college experience is about conversation and dialogue, particularly those that happen in the dorm hallway at 3AM. It makes sense that BC is curious about the conversations that take place in your life right now. This is an opportunity to not only introduce a secondary character (remember, you are still the protagonist), but to give insight into what you care about and possibly what you’ve learned through your discussions. Your favorite conversation partner may not even be someone you have the most contact with, making your conversations that much more meaningful. If you like this topic, you have a lot to look forward to in college.
#9: At Vassar, we aim to foster an inclusive community through our philosophy of engaged pluralism. Engaged pluralism is rooted in “the conviction that collaborating across differences is necessary for social transformation and critical for the well-being of any community and its members.” In short, we believe it’s our differences that make us stronger. Tell us a little bit about what makes you unique and what you hope to add to our community. (Vassar College)
#8: Traditions at Carleton center around building and appreciating community. Some examples include the new student frisbee toss, Friday flowers, and baking cookies at Dacie Moses House. If you were tasked with creating a new Carleton tradition, what would you propose and how would you emphasize community within your idea? (Carleton College)
Ah, the community essay. I’ve written about this specific topic previously, but the examples I gave were more standard ways of asking about your background and how you would contribute to a diverse community. The two examples above show that a college can ask about community in very different ways. What I liked about Vassar’s prompt is that it provided an explanation of why being part of a diverse community is valuable to begin with. The idea of “engaged pluralism” is powerful and it requires applicants to desire a transformative process. Carleton addresses community through campus traditions. There’s now a mechanism or ritual involved, but it’s still an opportunity for the applicant to share their ideas of and perspective on community and how they can bring people together.
#7: We are inspired by students who are flexible in their approach to learning, who are comfortable with experimentation, and who are willing to take intellectual risks that move them out of their comfort zone. Reflect on a time that you were intellectually challenged, inspired, or took an intellectual risk—inside or outside of the classroom. How has that experience shaped you, and what questions still linger? (Swarthmore College)
#6: Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about – a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about? (University of Southern California)
I’ve written about the idea of intellectual vitality before, or as I like to say, “nerding out.” The two prompts above present nerding out opportunities in different ways. Swarthmore’s prompt emphasizes the process of learning, especially in ways that have challenged the applicant. Anyone can do rote memorization with varying degrees of success, but what does true intellectual engagement look like? It’s not easy to do at the high school level when you are required to take certain subjects for a certain number of years, but Swarthmore wants to see what your learning process is like when you are engaged and challenged at the same time.
Of course, I had to pick one prompt from my former employer, but I really do like this one. I kind of see this one as the product of intellectual engagement. Maybe there is something you care about so much that you’ve committed considerable time learning or experiencing it, and now you are ready to share your knowledge with the world. When a college learns about your values, they learn about you. More about values below.
#5: Most colleges have mottos—a word or phrase that expresses the ideals that guide their actions. Lewis & Clark’s motto is Explorare, Discere, Sociare—to explore, to learn, to work together. Tell us about your personal motto and how it guides you (Latin not required). (Lewis & Clark College)
#4: At Pomona, we celebrate and identify with the number 47. Share with us one of your quirky personal, family, or community traditions and why you hold on to it. (Pomona College)
I don’t think L&C actually expects you to have a personal motto, but you have an opportunity to make one up and present it as your own, whereas Pomona does ask you to reflect on a tradition you’ve participated in for years. I thought about pairing the Pomona prompt with Carleton’s, but I wanted to emphasize personal values over community in this case. Whether through words or actions, I like that these schools ask about the significance of why you do what you do. Some of you may attend high schools with their own mottos, but I assume not all of you fully identify with them, nor are they the reason you chose to attend that school. When it comes to personal mottos and traditions, they can be as weird or unconventional as you want them to be. Feel free to present your unique selves through them.
#3: Established in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, VT, Ben and Jerry’s is synonymous with the ice cream business. The company’s success and unique brand identity are due in part to their one-of-a-kind flavors. Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you? (University of Vermont)
#2: Genghis Khan with an F1 racecar. George Washington with a SuperSoaker. Emperor Nero with a toaster. Leonardo da Vinci with a Furby. If you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together? (University of Chicago)
And speaking of weird, I absolutely love the wacky supplements that allow applicants to actually show some personality and creative freedom. I also know that some students are terrified of prompts like these (e.g. Stanford roommate essay). But if you look at it from the college’s perspective, you could understand why admissions officers would get sick of reading the “Why Our School” essays, most of which say similar things anyway. If I was working in admissions at UVM or UChicago, I would look forward to reading these responses, so just have fun with these. Not only do these reveal the personality of the schools, your responses will reveal a little about your personality as well. You can be playful and whimsical or deeply analytical, just don’t try to be someone you’re not. It will show.
#1: Give us your top ten list. Theme: _________. (Wake Forest University)
This had to be #1. It was the inspiration for this post and I love lists to begin with. I admit that Wake doesn’t provide much space for actual writing, but they balance this one with other required and optional supplemental essay topics. Columbia asks for a list of materials you’ve read outside of class and Harvard asks for a list of additional intellectual activities. There’s always an element of embellishing involved and I don’t even blame the applicants for doing so. But an open-ended top ten list is just plain fun.
Final thoughts
Colleges have personalities, just like students do. That doesn’t mean that colleges are looking for the same kind of student. Quite the opposite, if these supplemental essay topics are any indication. I know it comes across as cliché when students are advised to “be themselves,” but that is really the best advice anyone can give. You will eventually find yourselves in a community of different backgrounds, personalities, and lived experiences. By that time, you may not even remember what you wrote on your applications, but if you presented yourself authentically, you will have a robust college experience in an environment where you were meant to be.