2026-27 College Supplemental Essay Prompts

Written By Yasmin Boakye

Here’s where you’ll find a list of updated college supplemental prompts for the 2026-7 application cycle. Save this page for the latest updates on prompts as they’re released by individual colleges, and make sure to check out our Supplemental Essay guides for our best tips for writing standout essays.

Last Updated: July 28th, 2026

  • American University students identify as changemakers and describe themselves as passionate. Describe a belief, hobby, idea, issue, or topic about which you’re excited.

    Source: American University Admissions

  • Option A  

    Choose one of the following quotations, and respond to the question posed, in an essay of not more than 350 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.

    Prompt 1

    "Hope and curiosity — these are qualities that are the foundation of what Amherst College means, of everything that we do here. Curiosity is at the core of a liberal arts education — a spirit of inquiry that shapes not only what our students do in the classroom, but also how they learn from and about each other." — Michael A. Elliott, 20th President of Amherst College, address at Amherst College’s 203rd Commencement

    Prompt 1 Question: What does curiosity mean to you? How do you experience curiosity in your own life?

    Prompt 2

    "We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world." — from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community

    Prompt 2 Question: In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?

    Prompt 3

    "We are working together to build a community that makes room for both true disagreement and true connection, one that practices the kind of recognition and robust negotiation that the everyday life of democracy requires, and one that explicitly prepares our students to work for the greater good in their professional and personal endeavors." — Presidential Priorities: Serving the Greater Good

    Prompt 3 Question: Tell us about a time that you engaged with a viewpoint different from your own. How did you enter that engagement, and what did you learn about yourself from it?

    Option B 

    Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should not submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. Also, if you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the "essay topic of your choice" prompt in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir writing section, you should not select Option B. 

    Source: Amherst College Admissions

  • Supplemental Questions 2026-27

    We would like to get a better sense of you. Please respond to one of the first four prompts below (400 word limit). Students applying to the Human Centered Engineering major should respond to Prompt #5 instead.

    1. Strong communities are sustained by traditions. Boston College's annual calendar is marked with both long-standing and newer traditions that help shape our community. Tell us about a meaningful tradition in your family or community. Why is it important to you, and how does it bring people together or strengthen the bonds of those who participate?

    2. The late BC theology professor, Father Michael Himes, argued that a university is not a place to which you go, but instead, a "rigorous and sustained conversation about the great questions of human existence, among the widest possible circle of the best possible conversation partners.” Who has been your most meaningful conversation partner, and what profound questions have you considered together?

    3. In her July 2009 Ted Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story,” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warned viewers against assigning people a “single story” through assumptions about their nationality, appearance, or background.  Discuss a time when someone defined you by a single story. What challenges did this present and how did you overcome them?

    4. Boston College’s Jesuit mission highlights “the three Be’s”: be attentive, be reflective, be loving – core to Jesuit education (see A Pocket Guide to Jesuit Education). If you could add a fourth “Be,” what would it be and why? How would this new value support your personal development and enrich the BC community?

    5. Human-Centered Engineering (HCE) Applicants only: One goal of a Jesuit education is to prepare students to serve the Common Good. Human-Centered Engineering at Boston College integrates technical knowledge, creativity, and a humanistic perspective to address societal challenges and opportunities. What societal problems are important to you and how will you use your HCE education to solve them?

    Source: Boston College Admissions

  • Three essays are required for all first-year and transfer applicants:

    1. Brown's Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might pursue them at Brown. (200-250 words)

    2. Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (200-250 words)

    3. Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)

    First-year and transfer applicants are also asked to reflect briefly on each of the very short answer questions below. We expect that answers will range from a few words to a few sentences at most.

    • What three words best describe you? (3 words)

    • If you could teach a class on any one thing, whether academic or otherwise, what would it be? (100 words)

    • In one sentence, Why Brown? (50 words)

    Source: Brown University Admissions

  • 2025-2026 Application Cycle Prompt: Bryn Mawr students bring their authentic selves to campus. What do you know about yourself to be true—and what in your background or experience led you to that truth?

    Please submit your Bryn Mawr Writing Supplement via the Common App.

    250-500 words, single-spaced.

    Sourced from the Bryn Mawr College website: https://www.brynmawr.edu/admissions-aid/apply/first-year-students

  • Required STEM Academic Interest Question:

    Your STEM Future - STEM Academic Interests

    Caltech has a rigorous core curriculum and students don't declare a major until the end of their first year. However, some students arrive knowing which academic fields and areas already most excite them, or which novel fields and areas they most want to explore.

    If you had to choose an area of interest or two today, what would you choose?

    *Note that you are under no obligation to follow this choice if admitted.

    Why did you choose your proposed area of interest? If you selected 'other', what topics are you interested in pursuing? (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)

    Required Short Essay Questions

    Your STEM Present - STEM Curiosity

    Regardless of your STEM interest listed above, take this opportunity to nerd out and talk to us about whatever STEM rabbit hole you have found yourself falling into. Be as specific or broad as you would like. (Min: 50 / Max: 150 words)

    Your STEM Past - STEM Experiences

    At Caltech, we investigate some of the most challenging, fundamental problems in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We are interested in learning more about your engagement with STEM.

    Select one of the following two STEM Experience prompts to respond to:

    1. Tell us how you initially found your interest and passion for science or for a particular STEM topic, and how you have pursued or developed your interest or passion over the last few years. (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)

    2. Tell us about a meaningful STEM-related experience from the last few years and share how and why it inspired your curiosity. (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)

    Creativity in Action Question

    The creativity, inventiveness, and innovation of Caltech's students, faculty, and researchers have won Nobel Prizes and put rovers on Mars. But Techers also innovate in smaller-scale ways everyday, from imagining new ways to design solar cells or how to 3D-print dorm decor, to cooking up new recipes in the kitchen. How have you been a creator, inventor, or innovator in your own life? (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)

    Required Short Answer Questions

    Now it's time for a little fun! Choose two of the four questions below and answer both in 250 words or less. 

    It's up to you how you use your 250 words, whether that means you use exactly 125 words for each answer or you tell us about a niche interest in 30 words so you can spend 200 telling us more about you.

    There is no ‘right' way to choose which question to answer. If you're all STEMmed out, feel free to tell us about a creative hobby. Or if you just can't get enough math, tell us about a concept you can barely wrap your head around. Just remember the Caltech Honor Code and stick to 250 words for both answers combined. 

    • What is an interest or hobby you do for fun, and why does it bring you joy?

    • If you could teach a class on any topic or concept, what would it be and why?

    • What is a core piece of your identity or being that shapes how you view and/or interact with the world?

    • What is a concept that blew your mind or baffled you when you first encountered it?

    (Two Essay Boxes, each with Min:1 Max: 249 words)

    Optional Academic Short Answer Question

    OPTIONAL: Have you had any extenuating circumstances (such as limited course selection or disruptions), that have affected your coursework, but that are not described elsewhere in your application? If so, tell us about them here.

    Source: Caltech Admissions

  • We also consider your Common Application essay and your responses to the Carnegie Mellon Common Application Writing Supplement. The Writing Supplement includes three short-answer questions (300 words):

    1. Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time — what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study?

    2. Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience?

    3. Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee’s consideration? Highlight something that’s important to you or something you haven’t had a chance to share. Tell us, don’t show us (no websites please).

    Source: Carnegie Mellon Website

  • For the list question that follows, there is a 100 word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering this question:

    • Your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons.

    • Items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order.

    • It is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications.

    • No author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed.

     For each of the six short answer questions, please respond in 150 words or fewer.

    Questions

    1. List a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy.  (100 words or fewer) 

    2. Tell us about an aspect of your life so far or your lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia's multidimensional and collaborative environment. (150 words or fewer)

    3. At Columbia, students representing a wide range of perspectives are invited to live and learn together. In such a community, questions and debates naturally arise. Please describe a time when you did not agree with someone and discuss how you engaged with them and what you took away from the interaction. (150 words or fewer)

    4. In college/university, students are often challenged in ways that they could not anticipate. Please describe a situation in which you have navigated through adversity and discuss how you changed as a result. (150 words or fewer)

    5. Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (150 words or fewer)

    6. What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? (150 words or fewer)

    Source: Columbia University Admissions

  • Cornell University Essay Question

    There will be no university essay question for Fall 2027 applicants. 

    College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

    By applying to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), you are also applying for direct entry into one of our 20 majors. From here, you would be part of a community dedicated to purpose-driven science; working within your major and across disciplines to tackle the complex challenges of our time. 

    Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected and specifically, why do you want to pursue this major at Cornell CALS? You should share how your current interests, related experiences, and/or goals influenced your choice. (500 word limit)

    College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

    How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants, you may want to consider how you could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students you may want to emphasize your enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues. (650 word limit)

    Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

    Why are you interested in studying policy, and why do you want to pursue this major at Cornell’s Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy? You should share how your current interests, related experiences, and/or goals have influenced your choice of policy major (650 word limit).

    College of Arts & Sciences

    At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. (650 word limit)

    Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

    What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 word limit)

    Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering

    Instructions: All engineering applicants are required to write two long essays and four short essays.

    Long Essay Responses (200 word limit)

    • Question 1: Fundamentally, engineering is the application of math, science, and technology to solve complex problems. Why do you want to study engineering?

    • Question 2: Why do you think you would love to study at Cornell Engineering?

    Short Answer Responses (100 word limit)

    • Question 1: What brings you joy?

    • Question 2: What do you believe you will contribute to the Cornell Engineering community beyond what you've already detailed in your application? What unique voice will you bring?

    • Question 3: What is one activity, club, team, organization, work/volunteer experience or family responsibility that is especially meaningful to you? Please briefly tell us about its significance for you.

    • Question 4: What is one award you have received or achievement you have attained that has meant the most to you? Please briefly describe its importance to you. '

    College of Human Ecology

    Identify a challenge in your greater community or in the career/industry in which you are interested. Share how the CHE education, your CHE major of choice, as well as the breadth of CHE majors, will help you address that challenge. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.) (600 word limit)

    School of Industrial and Labor Relations

    Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School. (650 word limit)

    Source: Cornell University Website

  • Dartmouth's writing supplement requires that applicants write brief responses to three supplemental essay prompts as follows:

    1. Required of all applicants. Please respond in 100 words or fewer:

    As you seek admission to Dartmouth's Class of 2030, what aspects of the college's academic program, community, and/or campus environment attract your interest? How is Dartmouth a good fit for you?

    2. Required of all applicants, please respond to one of the following prompts in 250 words or fewer:

    A.    There is a Quaker saying: Let your life speak. Describe the environment in which you were raised and the impact it has had on the person you are today.

    B.    "Be yourself," Oscar Wilde advised. "Everyone else is taken." Introduce yourself.

    3. Required of all applicants, please respond to one of the following prompts in 250 words or fewer:

    A.    What excites you?

    B.    Labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta recommended a life of purpose. "We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things," she said. "That is what we are put on the earth for." In what ways do you hope to make—or are you already making—an impact? Why? How?

    C.    In an Instagram post, best-selling British author Matt Haig cheered the impact of reading. "A good novel is the best invention humans have ever created for imagining other lives," he wrote. How have you experienced such insight from reading? What did you read and how did it alter the way you understand yourself and others?

    D.    The social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees have been the focus of Dame Jane Goodall's research for decades. Her understanding of animal behavior prompted the English primatologist to see a lesson for human communities as well: "Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right." Channel Dame Goodall: Tell us about a moment when you engaged in a difficult conversation or encountered someone with an opinion or perspective that was different from your own. How did you find common ground?

    E.    Celebrate your nerdy side.

    F.    "It's not easy being green…" was the frequent refrain of Kermit the Frog. How has difference been a part of your life, and how have you embraced it as part of your identity, outlook, or sense of purpose?

    G.    The Mindy Kaling Theater Lab will be an exciting new addition to Dartmouth's Hopkins Center for the Arts. "It's a place where you can fail," the actor/producer and Dartmouth alumna said when her gift was announced. "You can try things out, fail, and then revamp and rework things… A thing can be bad on its journey to becoming good." Share a story of failure, trial runs, revamping, reworking, or journeying from bad to good.

    Source: Dartmouth College Admissions

  • SHORT-ESSAY PROMPTS

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    The following question was required of all first-year applicants during the 2025–26 application cycle (250-word limit). Short-answer questions for the 2026–27 application cycle have not yet been finalized.

    • What is your impression of Duke as a university and community, and why do you believe it is a good match for your goals, values, and interests? If there is something specific that attracts you to our academic offerings in Trinity College of Arts and Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering, or to our co-curricular opportunities, feel free to include that, too.

    We want to emphasize that the following questions are optional. We invite you to answer one of the four if you believe that doing so will add something meaningful that is not already addressed elsewhere in your application. (250-word limit)

    • We believe a wide range of viewpoints and experiences is essential to maintaining Duke’s vibrant living and learning community. Please share anything in this context that might help us better understand you and your potential contributions to Duke.

    • Meaningful dialogue often involves respectful disagreement. Provide an example of a difference of opinion you’ve had with someone you care about. What did you learn from it?

    • What’s the last thing that you’ve been really excited about?

    • Duke recently launched an initiative “to bring together Duke experts across all disciplines who are advancing artificial intelligence (AI) research, addressing the most pressing ethical challenges posed by AI, and shaping the future of AI in the classroom” (ai.duke.edu). Tell us about a situation when you would or would not choose to use AI (when possible and permitted). What shapes your thinking?

    Source: Duke University Admissions

  • Optional Admissions Prompt 1:

    At the George Washington University, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. These experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. If you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why? (500 words)

    Optional Admissions Prompt 2:

    The George Washington University encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. Thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. Describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. Did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships? (500 words)

    Source: College Essay Guy

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  • Each question has a 150 word limit. 

    1. Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a student body with a diversity of perspectives and experiences. How will the life experiences that shaped who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?

    2. Describe a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about an idea or issue. How did you communicate or engage with this person? What did you learn from this experience?

    3. Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.

    4. How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?

    5. Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you. 

    Source: Harvard University Admissions

  • Please give us a better sense of what you are looking for in your college experience by answering the following questions:

    1. Tell us about a topic or issue that sparks your curiosity and gets you intellectually excited. How do you hope to engage with this topic or issue at Haverford? (Please limit your response to 150-200 words.)

    2. We have highlighted for you some of the values that shape the Haverford community. What are some of the values you seek in your next community? How do Haverford’s values, as demonstrated through our Honor Code, resonate with you?

      As you think about how to answer this question, you might draw from how you have been influenced by other communities you have been a part of, experiences you may have had within your communities, or opportunities you have had to shape or even change your communities. (Please limit your response to 150-200 words.)

    Source: Haverford College Admissions

  • 2025–2026 Supplemental Essay Prompt

    Over the past 150 years, every monumental discovery at Hopkins has started with a first step: The first draft by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. A prototype that led to a life-changing medical invention. The first pitch that launched a new startup venture. As we commemorate the university’s sesquicentennial—150 years since its founding—we continue to celebrate first steps just as much as final achievements. Tell us about an important first in your life—big or small—that has shaped you (350-word limit).

    Applying to Biomedical Engineering (BME):

    If you are interested in applying to our biomedical engineering program, be sure to indicate it as your first-choice major. There is no separate application process.

    Students are admitted to BME based on evaluation of credentials and space available. It is possible to be admitted to the university without acceptance to the BME major. If you are accepted into the BME major, you’ll be notified at the time of decision release. If you are admitted to the university but not to the BME major, you may select any other intended major in the Whiting School of Engineering or Krieger School of Arts & Sciences.

    Source: JHU Admissions

  • For the 2026–2027 application, we’re asking these short answer essay questions:

    • What field of study appeals to you the most right now? (Note: Applicants select from a drop-down list.) Reflect on what has led you to this interest.

    • While some reach their goals following well-trodden paths, others blaze their own trails achieving the unexpected. In what ways have you done something different than what was expected in your educational journey?

    • Reflect on how your personal and academic experiences have influenced the types of problems you would want to tackle with an MIT education, and who you would like to work on those problems with.

    • How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect? What did you learn from it?

    Depending on the question, we’re looking for responses of approximately 100–200 words each. There is also one final, open-ended, additional-information text box where you can tell us anything else you think we really ought to know.

    In addition to our main essays, we have short response questions that are designed to get to know you better. There is only space for 40-50 words each.

    • What do you do just for fun?

    • Who is someone you admire, whether you know them personally or look up to them from afar? Tell us why.

    • What’s a topic, academic or non-academic, that you could talk about for hours?

    • MIT values both “generalists” with varied interests and “specialists” who focus deeply on one or a few passions. Which do you think best describes you, and why?

    Source: MIT Admissions

  • We are looking for students who want to be bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager for you to tell us how your experiences have helped you understand what qualities and efforts are needed to bridge divides so that people can better learn and work together.

    Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay:

    • Tell us about a time you encountered a perspective different from your own. What did you learn—about yourself, the other person, or the world?

     

    • Tell us about an experience you’ve had working with others who have different backgrounds or perspectives. What challenges did your group face? Did you overcome them, and if so, how? What role did you try to play in helping people to work together, and what did you learn from your efforts?

     

    • Tell us about someone you’ve observed who does a particularly good job helping people think or work together. How does this person set the stage for common exploration or work? How do they react when difficulties or dissensions arise?

    Source: NYU Admissions Blog

  • Short Essay

    Please provide a response to the following question. The word count is a maximum of 150 words.

    • Everyone has different priorities when considering their higher education options and building their college or university list. Tell us about your “non-negotiable” factor(s) when searching for your future college home.

    Short Answer

    Please choose three questions from the options below. Your response to each short-answer question should be between 50-100 words.

    • How does faith influence the decisions you make?

    • What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community, etc)? Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community?

    • Notre Dame’s undergraduate experience is characterized by a collective sense of care for every person. How do you foster service to others in your community?

    • What compliment are you most proud of receiving, and why does it mean so much to you?

    • What would you fight for?

    Source: Notre Dame University

  • The following question is required for all Common Application and Coalition with Scoir applicants (optional for QuestBridge applicants). Please respond in 300 words or fewer:

    • We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background (your identity, your school setting, your community, your household, etc.) have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?

    We encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two of the following questions. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

    • Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?

    • Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?

    • Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

    • Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?

    • Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

    Source: Northwestern University Admissions

  • First-Year Applicants

    • Academic Interest Statement: What draws you to the subject(s) you selected as potential major(s)? If undecided, share more about one of your academic passions or interests. (150 words)

    • Short-Response Essay: Pomona is home to a diverse community of faculty, staff and students who, through close ties and collaboration, enable each other to identify and explore their greatest passions. Considering this, respond to one of the following: (250 words)

      • Reflecting on a community that you are a part of, what values or perspectives from that community would you bring to Pomona?

      • Describe an experience you had outside the classroom that changed the way you think and/or how you engage with your peers. What was that experience and what did you learn from it?

      • Choose any person or group of people in your life and share how they would describe you.

    Source: Pomona College Admissions

  • Your Voice
     

    1. Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)

    2. Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

     

    More About You
     

    Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

    1. What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

    2. What brings you joy?

    3. What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

    Source: Princeton University Admissions

  • Respond in 250 words or fewer to each of these required questions. 

    1. How will opportunities at Purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom? 

    2. Briefly discuss your reasons for choosing your major and your interest in studying at this campus location (Indianapolis or West Lafayette).

    Source: Purdue University Website

  • Short Questions

    There is a 3-word minimum and a 50-word maximum for each question.

    1. What is the most significant challenge that society faces today?

    2. How did you spend your last two summers?

    3. What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed?

    4. Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities, a job you hold, or responsibilities you have for your family.

    5. List five things that are important to you.

    Short Essays

    There is a 100-word minimum and a 250-word maximum for each essay.

    1. The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning.

    2. Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate—and us—get to know you better.

    3. Please describe what aspects of your life experiences, interests, and character would help you make a distinctive contribution as an undergraduate to Stanford University.

    Source: Stanford University Admissions

  • The Rice supplement offers you the opportunity to share more about yourself. This is your chance to tell us why you are interested in Rice and what you would like to pursue as a student here. We also want you to elaborate on your experiences and achievements to share what you would bring to our community.

    Essay Prompts (2026-2027)

    1. Please explain what draws you to the academic areas you selected above and how you hope to explore them at Rice University. 150 word limit.

    2. Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? 150 word limit.

    3. Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community:

    • The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? 500 word limit.

    • Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or cultural identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? 500 word limit.

    Rice Box

    One of Rice's long-standing traditions is “The Box,” a question on our application where we ask all of our applicants to share an image of something that appeals to them. The Box gives you the opportunity to present us with an image that shares something about yourself, your interests or what is meaningful to you. This image is not used for evaluative purposes in the application, but allows you to put your stamp on the application about who you are aside from what you have achieved. Be sure to choose an image that speaks for itself and does not need an explanation. The Box must be a two-dimensional image that is uploaded in the Common Application or uploaded in the Rice Admission Student Portal.

    Source: Rice University Admissions

  • Short Answer Prompts for the Class of 2031

    • Short Answer Prompt #1: Please describe how you have learned about and engaged with Tufts during your college search process (75-150 words).

    • Short Answer Prompt #2 is specific to your intended school/program at Tufts:

      • Applicants to the School of Arts and Sciences are required to answer the following question in 100-200 words:

        • Tell us about one of your favorite school assignments in the past two years. What was the assignment and why did you enjoy it?

      • Applicants to the School of Engineering are required to answer the following question in 100-200 words:

        • Tell us about an engineering or science-related project that you have helped build, design, create, or iterate in the past two years. What was the project and what was your role?

      • Applicants to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program are required to answer the following question in 100-200 words:

        • Tell us more about a specific piece in your portfolio. What were the ideas you intended to explore, and how did those ideas inform the process of making the piece?

      • Applicants to the Combined Degree (BFA+BA/BS) program are required to answer the following question in 100-200 words:

        • Tell us more about a specific piece in your portfolio. How did an academic course, project, or interest inspire the ideas that you explored in this piece? Or, how did making this piece influence your academic interests?

    Source: Tufts University Admissions

  • In addition to the Common Application's personal statement (you can choose one of seven essay prompts), we ask you to submit no more than 250 words in response to each short answer question. For the 2025-2026 admissions cycle, students will be asked to answer both of the following questions: 

    • Swarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry.

      All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities.

      Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more.

      • What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own.

    • Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education.

      • Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring?

    Sorce: Swarthmore College Admissions

  • Questions & guidance

    Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 

    1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

    Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

    Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family?

    2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

    Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

    How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career?

    3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

    Things to consider: If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it. You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

    Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule?

    4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

    Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

    If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today?

    5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

    Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

    If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family?

    6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

    Things to consider: Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

    Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?


    7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

    Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

    Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community?

    8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

    Things to consider: If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

    From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

    Source: University of California Admissions

  • Question 1 (Required)

    How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.

    Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

    Food for thought: How do thoughts eat?

    Inspired by Ernest Leong, Class of 2026

    The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, utilized origami-inspired techniques to compactly store and deploy its sunshield in space. Choose an artistic practice and use its principles to propose an elegant solution to a problem.

    Inspired by Akhil Korra, Class of 2028

    Sometimes metaphors get mixed up. For one reason or another, one could say, “we'll burn that bridge when we get there” or “the world is your china shop”. Make up your own mixed metaphor. Explain how it could make sense, be understood, or even applied.

    Inspired by Julia Nieberg, Class of 2029

    The Olympics have long celebrated the pinnacle of human athletic achievement. But what if they expanded to honor the mundane? Imagine a new Olympic event built around an everyday activity like speed dishwashing or competitive grocery bagging. How is it scored, officiated, and judged? Why is it a worthy addition?

    Inspired by Ewan Smith, Class of 2028

    AI: Allen Iverson. NASA, or the North American Saxophone Alliance. Share a potentially confounding, comedic, or captivating example of MIA (Mistaken Identity of Acronym) and tell us its backstory.

    Inspired by Jeeho Byun, Class of 2030

    And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun!

  • If You're Applying to a Major:

    1. Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you've taken, or through something else.

    2. Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from Illinois and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.

    If You're Applying to Our Undeclared Program in the Division of Exploratory Studies:

    1. What are your academic interests? Please include 2-3 majors you're considering at Illinois and why.

    2. What are your future career or academic goals? You may include courses you took in high school and how these impacted your goals.

    If You've Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared):

    Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals.

    Source: UIUC Admissions

  • University of Michigan Questions

    Top

    1. At the University of Michigan, we are focused on developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future. In your essay, share with us how you are prepared to contribute to these goals. This could include the people, places, experiences, or aspirations that have shaped your journey and future plans. (Required for all applicants; 100 word minimum; 300 word maximum.)

    2. Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate college or school (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? (Required for all applicants; 100 word minimum; 550 word maximum.)

    Source: University of Michigan Admissions

  • The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has removed supplemental questions for the 2026-7 admissions cycle.

    Source: University of North Carolina Admissions

  • 1. Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words, only required for first-year applicants)


    2. How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words, required for all applicants)

    Source: University of Pennsylvania Admissions

  • The following essay prompts will appear on the 2026-27 application.

    One essay response is required. Choose from the following prompts:

    1. Richmond is a community that strives to be relentlessly welcoming. Tell us about a time you made a space better for other people by helping them feel welcome, heard, included, or supported.

    2. Richmond students turn ideas into actions. Tell us about a time you learned by doing, making, building, testing, helping, or leading and what that experience taught you about yourself, the world, or the kind of impact you want to have.

    3. Richmond’s mascot is the Spider. Just as you are unique, this singular mascot represents over 52,680 unique species of spiders. Tell us about the communities, experiences, or ambitions that have shaped you into the unique person you are and how you will make your mark as part of a Spider community.

    Word Limit: Minimum 350. Maximum 650 words.

    Source: University of Richmond Admissions

  • Short Takes

    Submit the required short answers to prompts in your admission application. Answers are limited to no more than 40 lines, or about 250-300 words per prompt, typically the length of one paragraph.

    Required Prompts

    1. Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?

    2. Think of all the activities — both in and outside of school — that you have been involved with during high school. Which one are you most proud of and why? (Guidance for students: This can include an extracurricular activity, a club/organization, volunteer activity, work or a family responsibility.)

    Optional Prompt

    Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance.

    Source: University of Texas - Austin Admissions

  • As of the 2025-6 admissions cycle, the University of Virginia no longer considers a supplemental essay as part of their review process.

  • Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided, please describe your areas of possible academic interest.

    Source: University of Wisconsin Admissions

  • Short Answer Question

    For both first-year and transfer applicants, we ask you to complete a short answer essay (approximately 250 words) based on the following prompt:

    • Vanderbilt University’s motto, Crescere aude, is Latin for “dare to grow.” In your response, reflect on how one or more aspects of your identity, culture, or background has played a role in your personal growth, and how it will contribute to our campus community as you dare to grow at Vanderbilt.

    Source: Vanderbilt University Admissions

  • The Ut Prosim Profile is required for all degree-seeking applicants. Each question has a word limit of 120 words for your response. The Ut Prosim Profile is your opportunity to let us get to know you beyond what is on your application or academic materials. We encourage you to use your own voice and answer each prompt as fully as possible. Once you submit your application, your responses to the Ut Prosim Profile questions are final and cannot be updated.

    Please take your time to form responses that you feel confident about and help to support your application for admission.

    Virginia Tech's motto is "Ut Prosim" which means 'That I May Serve'. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech?

    Have you had an experience when you or someone you know were not being included? Did you reach out to anyone for assistance, direction, or resources? Were you able to affect change and/or influence others? Did this experience change your perspective and if so, how?

    Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time?

    Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from and how do they support your progress as you work on this goal?

    Source: Virginia Tech Admissions

  • We ask for a 250-word response to the question “Please tell us what you are interested in studying at college and why.

    Source: https://admissions.washu.edu/how-to-apply/optional-video-supplement/

  • Additional Writing Supplement:

    Williams does not require a writing supplement. However, some students feel they do their best writing in an academic essay rather than a narrative piece. If you are interested in submitting an example of your academic writing, please submit a paper on any topic of your choice. It need not be graded, and may be an in-class handwritten assignment. We ask that you include a description of the assignment or prompt. Please do not submit lab reports. You can submit this optional writing supplement using any of the online application platforms.

    Source: Williams College Admissions

  • Short Answer Questions

    All first-year applicants will respond to the following short answer questions:

    • Students at Yale have time to explore their academic interests before committing to one or more major fields of study. Many students either modify their original academic direction or change their minds entirely. As of this moment, what academic areas seem to fit your interests or goals most comfortably? Please indicate up to three from the list provided.

    • Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)

    Short Takes 

    Common Application and Coalition Application only: respond to the following short answer questions, in no more than 200 characters (approximately 35 words):

    • If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be?

    • What is one aspect of yourself that you hope to grow or develop during college? 

    • What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application?

    Essay

    Common Application and Coalition Application only: respond to one of the following prompts in 400 words or fewer. 

    • Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful?

    • Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like.

    • Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you?

    Source: Yale University Admissions

Yasmin Boakye

Yasmin is the Managing Director of College Consulting at Principia Education and a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Washington University in St. Louis. As an admissions officer, she read thousands of applications for both domestic and international applicants, and assisted with merit scholarship and athletic recruitment processes.


An educator and mentor for the past 15 years, she has taught and designed curricula for college-level English, creative writing, and ESL courses for 100s of students at the University of Iowa, New York University Abu Dhabi, and Johns Hopkins. Since joining the Principia team in Fall 2019, she's had the pleasure of working with dozens of motivated high school students to discover their core passions and motivations on the journey towards college.


Connect with Yasmin on LinkedIn

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