The Importance of Supplemental Essays
Some students and parents have asked me whether supplemental essays are really all that important. I mean, they’re not the main essay and they are usually shorter right? So, do they really matter?
The answer is a resounding YES! Remember that schools are not required to ask applicants for supplemental essays and, certainly, the work of the admissions readers would be easier if they had less to read and consider. Supplemental questions are chosen by the schools and ask for information admissions committees want to hear. So, again, YES! Supplemental essays are important, and it’s worth spending time and effort to make sure they stand out.
Think of the supplemental essays, your main essay, your recommendation letters, and the application itself as a package that is delivered to the admissions department. It’s a package that tells the readers all about you. So, take advantage of the opportunities that supplemental essays offer.
Each supplemental essay is an opportunity to show the readers something different about you — something they don’t know about yet. It’s important that your essay topics do not overlap. Don’t tell the readers the same thing twice. Your application tells them about your grades and your activities. Your main essay tells the readers one story about you. But, what else do they want to know? What else is different about you? Do you like to bake? Can you make a great quesadilla? Have an awesome collection of something that matters to you? Do you spend a significant amount of time with a grandparent? Do you babysit for a child that means a lot to you?
Let the readers see you in a new light - maybe a less serious side of you. Keep in mind that admissions readers are evaluating applications on lots of different levels. They want to see your scores, grades, activities, etc. But they also want to see what kind of person you will be when you get there. What will you bring to campus? How will you get along with people in your dorm? What activities do you see yourself being involved in when in college? Supplemental essays can give you a space to show the readers a bit more about who you are.
Supplemental questions can ask you about literally anything — a favorite song, your interpretation of a specific quote, for example. But, there are some common supplemental questions that you may see. Look over the list of topics that follows. What ideas do you have for a great answer? When we meet, we will talk about how YOU should best answer supplemental questions so that the readers hear your voice and see who you are.
Why this school?
Why this major?
Choose a community to which you belong. Describe it and your place in it.
Write about something that sparks your intellectual curiosity.
Describe a time when you were a leader.
Describe a time when you failed.
What personal perspectives will you bring to college? What makes you different?
With my approach, writing supplemental essays and managing the entire application process is seamless and stress free.
