The Writing Supplement (or College-Specific Essay) Tips & Samples
Compiled by Luvon Roberson, Girls Write Now College Prep Panel
Most colleges and universities, in addition to the Common Application Essay response,
also require candidates to complete a Writing Supplement specific to that particular
institution. These tips and samples will help you to make sure you nail that part of your
college application. Keep in mind that college admissions requirements are always being
updated and changed. Check with your high school college counselor and on-line for the
latest college admissions requirements.
The Bottom line: Why Me?
Supplemental essays for college applications can take all kinds of forms, but the
majority of them are actually asking a very similar question: "Why do you want to go to
our college?" The question sounds simple, but college admissions officers see the five
mistakes below all too frequently. As you write your supplemental essay for your college
applications, be sure to steer clear of these common blunders.
Five Mistakes NOT to Make
Vague Language - The Essay Is Generic and Lacking Detail
If a college asks you why you want to attend, be specific. Far too many supplemental
essays resemble this sample essay for Duke University at
http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/sample-supplemental-essay-duke.htm. The
essay says nothing specific about the school in question. Whatever school you are
applying to, make sure your essay addresses the particular features of that school that
appeal to you.
Length - The Essay Is Too Long
Many prompts for the supplemental essay ask you to write a single paragraph or two.
Don't go beyond the stated limit. Also realize that a tight and engaging single paragraph
is better than two mediocre paragraphs. The admissions officers have thousands of
applications to read, and they will appreciate brevity.
Lack of Focus - The Essay Doesn't Answer the Question
If the essay prompt asks you to explain why the college is a good match for your
professional interests, don't write an essay about how your friends and brother go to the
school. If the prompt asks you how you hope to grow while in college, don't write an
essay about how much you want to earn a bachelor's degree. Read the prompt multiple
times before writing, and read it again carefully after you've written your essay.
Faulty Tone - You Sound Entitled Rather Than Interested
"I want to go to Williams because my father and brother both attended Williams..." A
better reason to attend a college is because the curriculum matches your academic and
professional goals. Essays that focus on legacy status or connections with influential
people often fail to answer the question well, and they are likely to create a negative
impression.
Faulty Tone -You Sound Materialistic
The admissions counselors see a lot of essays that are honest to a fault. Sure, most of us
go to college because we want to get a degree and earn a good salary. Don't overemphasize this point in your essay. If your essay states you want to go to Penn because
their business majors earn more money than those from other colleges, you won't
impress anyone. You'll sound self-interested and materialistic.
Taken from: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/tp/supplemental-essaymistakes.htm
Samples of the Writing Supplement (or College-Specific Essay)
Colleges often ask for an essay specific to their institution. Whatever the question
they’re asking, it’s important to keep in mind that you should craft your answer in a way
that highlights why you, in particular, would be a great asset to that particular school.
Swarthmore College Writing Supplement
As part of the writing supplement, you will be asked to respond to the following short
essay topics:


Please write about why you are interested in applying to and attending
Swarthmore. (500 word limit)
Swarthmore's residential liberal arts community is shaped by its intellectually
and culturally vibrant members, who come together to learn and grow through
their shared and unique experiences. Briefly discuss how your academic and life
experiences would inform, affect, and strengthen our community of thinkers.
(500 word limit)
Yale University Writing Supplement
Write openly and honestly about activities, interests, or experiences that have been
meaningful to you. Most importantly, write in your own voice about topics that you are
passionate about. If an essay doesn't sound like the person who writes it, it will not work
well as a personal statement. We read essays very carefully and try to get a full sense of
the human being behind them. Concise writing is often the best writing, so please try to
limit each essay to approximately 650 and 500 words, respectively, for the Common
Application essay and Yale Writing Supplement. You may find the 2013-14 Yale Yale
Writing Supplement essay topic below.
The essay prompts for the 2013-2014 Yale Writing Supplement are as follows:
Yale Writing Supplement required for all freshman applicants:
 In this second essay, please reflect on something you would like us to know about
you that we might not learn from the rest of your application, or on something
about which you would like to say more. You may write about anything—from
personal experiences or interests to intellectual pursuits.
2
We ask that you limit your essay to fewer than 500 words. Before you begin, we
encourage you to go to http://admissions.yale.edu/essay, where you will find
helpful advice.
Optional essay for prospective engineering majors:

If you selected one of the engineering majors, please write a brief third essay
telling us what has led you to an interest in this field of study, what experiences
(if any) you have had in engineering, and what it is about Yale’s engineering
program that appeals to you.
Macaulay Honors College Essay Questions
Complete two out of three, max. 500 words each:



Discuss some issue of local, national or international concern and its importance
to you. What are the challenges it raises, problems to be addressed and hopeful
outcomes?
Tell us about personal, social or family challenges you have faced. How have you
dealt with them and how have the shaped your thinking?
It's 4 p.m. on Tuesday. What will you do next? Write about your extracurricular
pursuits. Why and how do you choose the activities you are involved in? How do
your activities reflect your values and affect your school, community or the
world?
Hunter College Essay Questions
To help us learn more about you and the positive impact that you will bring to our
Hunter College community, we invite you to share with us your unique qualities and
experiences by responding to one of the following essay topics:



Tell us about a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or
ethical dilemma you have faced and how it impacted you personally. (250-500
words)
Describe a specific interest or talent and how you have pursued it to date or wish
to pursue it in the future. (250-500 words)
Provide both an essay question and response that you already completed via The
Common Application.
3
Baruch College Essay Questions
Baruch College is a vibrant community made up of scholars, athletes, artists, business
men and women, advocates, change-makers and leaders. Share with us what special
qualities or unique experiences you would bring to our campus community.
It is strongly recommended that applicants write an essay on one of the three topics
listed below:
 Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken or ethical
dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
 If you could meet anyone in the world, from history or present day, who would it
be and why?
 Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that
influence.
 Topic of your choice: Provide us with both the question and the answer.
Geneseo State University of New York (SUNY) Supplemental Application
Personal Statement/Essay
Admission to SUNY colleges and universities requires either the Common Application
or the SUNY application. Geneseo SUNY is one of the exceptions. For admission to
Geneseo, you are also required to submit the Supplemental Application, which includes
a Personal Statement (unable to find word limit).
Personal Statement topics include: (choose one)
 Recount an incident or time when you experience failure. How did it affect you,
and what lessons did you learn?
 Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to
act? Would you make the same decision again?
 Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do
or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
 Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your
transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or
family.
 Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that
they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like
you, then please share your story.
*Taken from: Swarthmore, Yale, Macaulay Honors, Hunter, Baruch, Geneseo SUNY
websites
4