rhodes college supplemental essay

Rhodes College

Rhodes College is a top-tier national liberal arts college that positions students to meet the highest academic standards through hands-on mentorship and opportunities for real-world experience. Situated on one of the country’s most beautiful historic campuses, Rhodes offers a supportive residential community that serves as a launch pad into the heart of Memphis, a vibrant city full of music, history, and opportunities for hands-on experience, and the world. Through small class sizes, community partnerships, research opportunities, and fellowships, Rhodes creates space for students to explore new perspectives and effect meaningful change.  

Academic programs.

• Art & Design
• Finance/Accounting
• Government/Political Science
• Health Science
• Liberal Arts
• Neuroscience
• Performing Arts
• Pre-Engineering
• Social Science
• Visual Arts

Student experience

• Co-op/Internship Opportunities
• Disability Services
• Intramural/Club Sports
• LGBTQIA Services
• On-Campus Housing
• ROTC Program
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Research

Application information

Find out about requirements, fees, and deadlines

Students graduating from high school and those who have not yet enrolled in college courses may apply to Rhodes as first-year students . Rhodes welcomes students of all backgrounds and walks of life. Our highly talented students come from all over the world, with a dedication to high achievement in a rigorous, broad-based education on one of the nation's most beautiful campuses. Admission is competitive but test optional and Rhodes uses the Common Application exclusively. Students wanting to learn more about applying can find more information at www.rhodes.edu .

Students who have previously enrolled in more than two college courses on a full-time basis may apply to Rhodes as transfer students . Rhodes welcomes students of all backgrounds and walks of life. Our highly talented students come from all over the world, with a dedication to high achievement in a rigorous, broad-based education on one of the nation's most beautiful campuses. Admission is competitive but test optional and Rhodes uses the Common Application.  If a student has previously applied to Rhodes, an alternative application is available. Students wanting to learn more about applying can find more information at www.rhodes.edu .

Additional Information

Prospective students and their families can schedule a visit to Rhodes’ campus Monday through Friday and on select Saturdays. You will meet our students, faculty, and staff, learn more about the unique relationship between Rhodes and Memphis, and gain practical insight into the application process, scholarships, and financial aid. If you let us know of your personal interests, we can tailor a visit specifically for you. If you can't make it to Memphis to visit us in person, please learn more about ways to engage virtually with Rhodes and our community.

Rhodes College aspires to graduate students with a life-long passion for learning, a compassion for others, and the ability to translate academic study and personal concern into effective leadership and action in their communities and the world. The Rhodes Vision

Admissions office

2000 North Parkway Memphis , TN 38112 , United States of America

[email protected]

Phone number

(901) 843-3700

For first-year students

Admissions website.

www.rhodes.edu/admission-aid

Financial aid website

www.rhodes.edu/admission-aid/cost-and-affordability

For transfer students

www.rhodes.edu/admission-aid/cost-affordability

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How to Write the Most Common Supplemental College Essays: A Complete Guide

Note: This post focuses on supplemental essays. If you want advice on the Common App prompts, check out our guide to the Common App essays .

Your grades are in, your test scores have been sent, and recommendation letters have been uploaded…but there’s one last component of your college applications left: the essays. For many students, essays are the final and most daunting hurdle to clear before hitting submit.

Your essays, however, are your opportunity to tell admissions officers how you want them to remember you. Maybe you didn’t do so well on the SAT, or maybe you got a lower grade than you hoped for in Honors Chemistry, but you can’t change your grades or scores.

The essays, however, are entirely in your control. There is so much freedom to tell your story and what makes you unique. Our mission at CollegeVine is to make the essay-writing as stress-free as possible. Read on for our tips and tricks on writing a college essay that will give you the best chance at getting that thick envelope!

Content overview:

• Why this college?
• Why this major?
• Elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience.
• Discuss a community you belong to that has impacted who you are today.
• Crafting the essay
• Avoiding pitfalls

Want to learn more about Supplemental Essays? Check out one of our popular recorded live streams on this topic.

Common Types of College Essays

Colleges will find a hundred different ways to ask a question, but most of the time, the prompt boils down to one of the following common essay themes.

Common Essay #1: Why this college?

Students’ most common mistake on a “Why this college?” essay is lack of specificity; in particular, some students will list attributes that can apply to multiple schools, which is what you want to avoid at all costs.

When it comes to a “Why this college?” essay, you need to discuss qualities and programs specific to that school. It is not enough to merely list or name-drop, however. Instead, talk about why this item is important to you. Here’s how this plays out:

What not to do:

I want to go to the University of Southern California because it is a highly ranked school in Los Angeles. In addition, I like its Cosmic Writers Club, as well as the Incubate USC program. I am especially excited about the abundant film resources.

Why the previous response doesn’t work:

There are many reasons you want to avoid a response like this. Let’s start with the first sentence: replace the school’s name with UCLA and the accuracy doesn’t suffer. What this means is that the sentence is not specific enough to USC. In addition, you never want to state, or even imply, that you’re applying to a school due to prestige or ranking.

The exception for the previous rule is if a school is ranked highly for a specific program of interest. For example, if you want to pursue creative writing and a school has the number one creative writing program in the country, you can mention this because it is a quality specific to that school. A school’s overall prestige, however, should not be mentioned in your essay.

Why else doesn’t this response work? Let’s look at the second sentence. The writer does well to mention specific programs within USC. However, the response fails to discuss why they liked these programs or how they would benefit from having access to them.

What to write instead:

As someone with a lasting love for writing and a blossoming passion for entrepreneurship, I was so excited to find a large urban school like the University of Southern California that would give me the resources to pursue both. From classes with award-winning authors—amongst them Professor T. Boyle, whose environmental fiction works are similar to those I hope to someday publish—to clubs like the Cosmic Writers Club, which unites author hopefuls, USC offers more resources than I could ever exhaust in my journey to publish my first book.

On the business side, USC is known for fostering the type of creativity and innovation needed in pursuing start-ups. In particular, I was so excited to learn of the Incubate USC program, a unique mothership of ideas that nurtures the creativity of students. With the help of this program, I would be able to pursue my growing interest in the world of start-up ventures.

Why the previous response works:

This response not only mentions programs and resources specific to USC, but it shows how the student would take advantage of these opportunities. In addition, this response portrays passion and ambition, infusing elements of the student’s personality while still staying focused on answering the prompt.

Other things to keep in mind:

• The first time you say the school’s name, you should write it out. After that, you can abbreviate.
• Avoid writing what every other applicant is going to write. For example, every NYU applicant is going to mention NYU’s location in New York City. Unless you have a unique twist on this, you should skip it.
• Don’t mention frivolous things like dorms or dining halls. Your reasons for liking a school should be more substantial.
• Do your research. For example, don’t say you’ve always wanted to go to a city if you’re writing an essay for a rural school.
• Do not copy and paste your “Why this college?” essay and simply change the school name. Many non-Harvard admissions officers have received essays from students about why they want to go to Harvard. If your “Why this college?” essay is so general that you can copy and paste it, your reasoning will not impress admissions officers.

For more tips on writing this essay, see our complete guide to the “Why this college?” essay , including a real sample essay.

Common Essay #2: Why this major? 

One of the most important things to remember is that admissions officers are not looking for a résumé. This is not to say you can’t discuss your activities and how they culminated a passion for a specific major. The challenge, however, is to use these activities to tell a story rather than a mere list of achievements.

How do you do this? Share your thought processes. Many times it is the thoughts surrounding an activity more than the activity itself that will show the reader your journey to choosing a major.

Other tips:

• Don’t ever say that your reason for choosing a major is money-making potential. If you want to mention life beyond college, then talk about how this major will help you achieve your dreams. If your dream is to produce a feature-length film and a film major will help you get there, say that. But don’t say your dream is to be a rich film producer.
• Undeclared? That’s totally okay. Just be sure to list a couple potential majors, and explain your interest in those. Under no circumstances should you say you have absolutely no idea, as that will make you look like you don’t care. For more tips, see our post on how to write the “Why this major?” essay if you’re undecided .

For more tips on writing this essay, see our complete guide to the “Why this major?” essay , including a real sample essay.

Common Essay 3: Elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience.

Is there an activity or work experience in your application that you have more to say about? Maybe there’s a story behind it that you want to tell. Some questions to consider are:

• How did you become interested in this extracurricular?
• What is your role in the activity or work experience?
• Why do you do it?
• Have you experienced growth within the activity over time?

There are endless angles you can pursue here, but your essay should, in short, show your motivation behind participating in a certain activity or job.

What you don’t want to do, however, is simply restate something that’s been said elsewhere. If you have already spotlighted an activity in another essay for a given college, don’t write about the same activity. Your goal here is to share new information and your breadth of experiences.

As with the “Why Major?” prompt, it is more powerful to share a story with the reader rather than to detail the activity itself.

For more tips on writing this essay, see our complete guide to the Extracurricular Activity essay , including a real sample essay.

Common Essay 4: Discuss a community you belong to that has impacted who you are today.

“Community” can mean many things, so there are many possible approaches to this prompt. Some applicants respond with a community they’re linked to through culture, and others through sports or a club.

One thing you can emphasize is personal growth—or other aspects of who you are as a person—that has come from belonging to this community. The majority of the essay should, in fact, center around how being part of this group has changed or impacted who you are as a person.

What to avoid:

• Do not discriminate against other communities in your response.
• Try not to talk about your community in broad terms, but instead focus on your place within this community.
• Avoid using the essay as a chance to complain. If you choose to talk about challenges in a certain community, find a way to give your essay a sense of resolution. This can consist even of talking about how you’ve grown as a person or learned how to confront these obstacles in a productive way.

Writing the Essay

Phase 1: ideation.

Highlights of this section:

• Thinking of an idea
• Portraying individuality
• Staying true to yourself
• General tips and tricks

Now that you’re familiar with some of the most common types of essay prompts, let’s dive into the ideation process. Here are some questions that it’s good to ask yourself when you’re just starting out, particularly when the prompt deviates from the more straightforward archetypes above:

• What makes you unique?
• What is your story?
• Is there something you weren’t able to say in your application that you think admissions officers should know?
• Did you mention something earlier in your application that you want to elaborate on?

Remember that your essays, and application in general, should read like a portfolio in which all components are complementary without being redundant. If the application is like a drawing, then the essays should contribute to creating one coherent image without sketching the same line more than once or leaving gaps in the drawing.

Don’t shy away from being quirky! The more you present yourself as your own unique person, the more likely the admissions officer is to remember you. Take the following cases, for instance:

• A football player who scores a winning touchdown in the last five seconds of the game.
• A football player who knits scarves for residents of a retirement home in his free time.

In the first case, telling this story doesn’t do anything to differentiate this football player from others. However, the second story portrays a unique student with two interests the reader might not otherwise have paired together. Individuality is the goal here.

Of course, don’t exaggerate , lie, or pretend to be someone you’re not. In particular, don’t write something just because you think the admissions officer wants to hear it. They have read enough applications to separate the genuine voices from the insincere. As such, your only job is to put your true self on the page!

Here are some other things to keep in mind while brainstorming college essay topics:

• Narratives will always be more successful because they engage the reader emotionally. They are also an easy way to demonstrate how you’ve changed and grown over time.
• If you have already emphasized something in your application, don’t dedicate an essay to it unless can share an entirely new perspective. When in doubt, choose a new topic.
• Your essay doesn’t have to be about something rare and incredible. You don’t have to have started a company or traveled the world to write a solid essay. In fact, some of the strongest essays have taken a simple, perhaps even everyday occurrence, and portrayed it in a beautiful way that shows a unique way of thinking.
• Be sure to answer all aspects of the prompt while still giving the reader insight into who you are. It’s very easy to speak about some topics in third-person or broad terms (example: “What is your idea of success?”). Don’t do this. Instead, find a way to link the prompt to your own life.

Overall, think of the essays as a way to let the admissions officer get to know you on a personal level. Humanize yourself.

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Phase 2: Crafting the Essay

• Show, don’t tell.
• Perfecting the first and last sentence
• What does the essay say about me?

You have likely heard this next tip a hundred times throughout high school, but it’s vital to writing a strong essay: show, don’t tell . The whole point of essays is to give insight into who you are and how you think. Can you effectively do that if you’re merely listing off things that happened? Nope. Let’s take a lot at two examples:

• An example of telling: The cat ran out the door, and I got scared.
• An example of showing: The doorbell rang, accompanied by the creak of the mailbox as the mailman slipped the day’s envelopes inside. I ran downstairs and threw the door open, knowing today was the day I was going to hear back. My excitement made me oblivious, though, and it wasn’t until I saw a blur of dark fur dash through the open door that I realized my mistake.

The second example takes the facts and turns it into a story. It gives the reader a sense of anticipation as well as a character to identify with and root for. That’s what “show, don’t tell” does for your essay.

Now let’s talk about the two most important parts of your essay: the first sentence and the last sentence.

Your first sentence’s job is to hook the reader. Aim for a first sentence that surprises, even slightly jars, the reader to wake them up and get their full focus on your essay. Here are some examples:

• It wasn’t supposed to be blue.
• Was the car meant to sound like that?

In both cases, the writer has intentionally withheld information, providing just enough to leave the reader wanting to know the rest of the story. What isn’t supposed to be blue? What happens next?

As for the last sentence, its job is to resolve the essay, leaving the reader with a sense of peace and finality. Give the reader one last great impression to remember you by. Here’s an example:

“I’ve learned to hold my failures close; not so close that they burden me, per say, but just

close enough that they can guide me as I journey onward.”

This sentence works because it gives the reader a sense that, though the story continues on in the form of the narrator’s ongoing journey, the story on the page has been resolved. It feels peaceful.

Now then, after you’ve completed your first draft, the next thing you want to do is ask yourself the following question : What three things about me can the reader get from reading this essay? If you’re having trouble answering this question, then the essay needs to share more about you. Otherwise, you’re ready for revision!

Phase 3: Revision

• Careless errors
• Staying under the word limit
• Getting a second opinion

You’ve done the hard work. You came up with a brilliant idea and poured your heart and soul into the writing. Now comes the tedious part: revision.

Most importantly, college essays need to be absolutely devoid of grammatical or spelling mistakes . You don’t want to give your admissions officer the impression that you didn’t care enough to proofread, especially after all of your hard work.

Another aspect that tends to frustrate students is the word limit. If you’ve made it under the word limit, great! If not, here are some methods of cutting down.

• Example: In visiting your campus, it occurred to me that the method with which you schedule your classes is ideal because…
• This can be cut down to: The way you schedule your classes is ideal because…
• Most times phrases such as “I think,” “I believe,” “it seems,” and other similar wording is not necessary and simply takes up extra space. Use your judgement, but generally, these phrases get the boot.
• Keep an eye out for the word “that.” This can almost always be cut.
• If you use a long hyphen (—), no space is needed between words. This will bring your word count down. Don’t get too hyphen happy, though!

If the above tips are not enough to get you below the word limit,  you may need to remove entire paragraphs. If a paragraph does not drive the story forward, or is unnecessary in understanding the progression of the story, you may want to remove it.

Once your essay is mistake-free and below the word limit, your next task is to send it to at least three trusted individuals. Ask them the following questions to guide their suggestions:

• Does it make sense?
• Does it sound like me?
• What does it say about me? (Check that this aligns with what you want it to say about you).

Take note of their responses and decide what changes you want to implement. Be receptive, but remember to stay true to yourself and your vision.

Avoiding Pitfalls:

• Avoid discussion of taboo subjects or things that can be perceived as controversial. Everyone is entitled to their own views, but you don’t want to chance saying something controversial that your reader might disagree with.
• Never appear discriminatory in any way. Colleges tend to be vastly left-wing and progressive.
• Don’t turn in work that isn’t your own. When does accepting another person’s edits become plagiarism? If they are rewriting entire sentences in their own words, it is no longer your own work.
• Avoid clichés! It is okay to write about a common experience (like a sports injury or service trip), but only if you have a unique take on them. Don’t write on a popular topic if you will simply describe the same lesson that everyone else learned.
• Don’t write your essay directly into the application text box or it may not save your work. Write it in a separate document and copy and paste it later. Then, double check that the format is correct.

At the end of the day, your essays should just leave the reader thinking: I want to have a conversation with this student. You want to show that you’re an multifaceted, mature person with an interesting story to tell. At CollegeVine, we’re rooting for you all the way—go get writing!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

“More Than 80 Colleges With No Supplemental Essays 2023-24”

“More Than 80 Colleges With No Supplemental Essays 2023-24” October 20, 2023 Forbes

Major Essay

When declaring a major in Neuroscience, students must submit an essay in which they articulate their educational goals. The essay should be four paragraphs, with one paragraph dedicated to each of the questions below (question 3 has two parts).

1. In your opinion, what are the defining characteristics of the discipline of Neuroscience? 2. How do the requirements for the Neuroscience major complement your program of liberal arts study and support your career or life goals? 3. As a Neuroscience major, how will you (a) build on your strengths and (b) address your weaknesses?

Rhodes College Undergraduate College Application Essays

These Rhodes College college application essays were written by students accepted at Rhodes College. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written. Please use these sample admission essays responsibly.

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College Application Essays accepted by Rhodes College

It is rocket science anonymous, rhodes college.

My father is a rocket scientist. Literally. He and my mother met while working as engineers at NASA. Brilliant, logical, extremely analytical, and with a PhD in Biomechanical Engineering, he is the most overqualified stay-at-home dad, completely...

The Jeanne B. McCoy Center for the Performing Arts Piper Elizabeth Hill

Fingers at the ready. Arms at the ready. Feet at the ready. Stomach at the ready. Eyes at the ready. Keys, bow, steps, song, speech – all at the ready to create another person, another emotion, another world. This genesis, this nebula that hatches...

Flies Deeptansha Dwivedi

Sweat dripped from my brow as I carefully set my roll of tape onto the granite kitchen counter in front of me. My masterpiece was finally complete. As I slid down from my stool, I was careful to not let my knobby ten-year-old knees topple into the...

Keeping Faith Anonymous

Two cars collide. Shattered glass flies everywhere. As much as you want to turn away, you stand transfixed by the chaos. That’s what it was like hearing my friend Sara’s life story.

The first day, it was her emergency room visits for the holes in...

A Baby Story Emma Pierce

Everyone stops moving. No one breathes. The clock halts. For a split second time stops in its tracks. The air carries a serene joy. This moment of calm stands enveloped in chaos. A new baby has entered the world. No feeling can compare to the...

The Voice I Found Anonymous

It was time for me to go. I didn’t think it could get any more complicated than it was but it did I timidly shuffled into the daunting assembly room of a church to approach a rather unwelcoming judge panel. My heart raced as the heat from the...

Song of Myself Lydia Lord

I, now 17, still fondly remember sitting on the beach as a little girl with my grandmother. Half-asleep and warm, we, the introverted outcasts of family vacations, would read and chat for hours. I discovered the art of poetry through our...

Recent Questions about Rhodes College

The Question and Answer section for Rhodes College is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Major Essay

When declaring a major in Educational Studies, students must complete an essay in which they address each of the questions in their respective track. The essay should be at least two paragraphs, with one paragraph dedicated to each question.

Teaching and Learning Track

• What are the most important things for teachers and school personnel to be knowledgeable about in order to ensure the success of all of their students? 
• How will your work in this major equip you with this knowledge and experience?

Policy and Social Change Track

[select one of the following questions]

• Option 1: What roles can programs and activities for youth, outside of schools, play in creating a more democratic, participatory, humanizing society? How will your work in this major equip you with this knowledge and experience?
• Option 2: How can educational policy create more opportunities for more students to be successful learners within and beyond their experience(s) in schools? How will your work in this major equip you with this knowledge and experience?

Students will electronically submit the final, advisor approved, version of the essay as a Word document by emailing it to  [email protected] so that it can be archived. The file name for the essay should be as follows: student’s last name, student’s first name, and graduation year.

NOTE: Application to the Rhodes Teacher Licensure Program is a separate application process. For information regarding admission in the licensure program, see https://sites.rhodes.edu/educationalstudies/teacher-licensure .

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Supplemental Essay Guide 2024-25

What do the 2024-25 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down.

Acceptance Rate

Undergrad population.

• Liberal Arts (52)

* Tuition filtering is based on out-of-state fees

Agnes Scott College 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

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We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

University of Rhode Island | URI’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Td supplemental short reponse 1.

Please submit your required TD Supplemental Essay (250-500 words) and include responses to the following questions:

1. Are you a student from an underrepresented or underserved population? If so, please describe any personal obstacle or academic circumstances that led you to apply to the Talent Development program. 2. What does your support network look like right now? What types of academic support might Talent Development provide for you as you transition to college? 3. Please share any additional information that you feel would be helpful to the Talent Development team.

Your essay must be your own work. Do not use another writer‘s work, and do not use Artificial Intelligence software (Chat GPT, Bard, etc.) to write your essay.

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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Colleges that Don't Require Supplemental Essays

Padya Paramita

May 9, 2022

As you prepare for the college admissions cycle, you might be tempted to add schools to your list that require less work than others. While some schools like Yale have over five supplemental essays, there are colleges that have none! So, we offer you a list of colleges that don’t require supplemental essays . Although most colleges definitely want to see students answer school-specific prompts to determine fit, there are several top colleges that don’t require supplemental essays , including Williams, Middlebury, and Northeastern. Take a look at the full list below.

Liberal Arts Colleges that Don’t Require Supplemental Essays

• Albion College
• Allegheny College
• Bates College
• Beloit College
• Coe College
• Colby College
• Colgate University
• College of the Holy Cross
• Connecticut College 
• Denison University
• DePauw University 
• Dickinson University
• Drew University
• Franklin and Marshall College
• Furman University
• Gettysburg College 
• Goucher College
• Grinnell College
• Hamilton College
• Hanover College
• Hollins University
• Hope College
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Juniata College
• Kenyon College
• Middlebury College
• Muhlenberg College
• New College of Florida 
• Oberlin College
• Rhodes College
• Ripon College
• Sewanee—University of the South
• Siena College 
• Skidmore College
• Spelman College
• St. John’s College (essay optional except for Pharmacy program)
• St. Lawrence University
• Susquehanna University 
• Thomas Aquinas College
• Union College
• Ursinus College
• Wesleyan University (there are essays only for international students)
• Whitman College
• Willamette University
• Williams College

National Universities That Don’t Require Supplemental Essays

• Binghamton University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Clark University
• Clemson University
• DePaul University
• Drexel University
• Florida State University 
• Gonzaga University
• Miami University—Oxford
• Michigan State University
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Northeastern University
• Ohio State University
• Purdue University
• Seton Hall University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Stony Brook University  (Honors College has essay requirement)
• SUNY Buffalo
• Temple University
• Tulane University
• University of Alabama
• University of Arkansas
• University of Colorado -Denver
• University of Connecticut
• University of Dayton 
• University of Delaware
• University of Denver
• University of Iowa
• University of Minnesota
• University of Nebraska—Lincoln
• University of New Hampshire 
• University of the Pacific
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of St. Thomas

How to Successfully Apply to Colleges That Don’t Require Supplemental Essays

So, since you don’t have to write essays, how exactly do you convince admissions officers that you’re a strong applicant? You must take advantage of the following components:

• Personal Statement - The personal statement is a common essay that goes to all of the colleges you apply to within one application system—and colleges that don’t require supplemental essays are no exception to this rule. The most common of these are the Common App personal statement prompts. You only have to write about one of the prompts provided by the Common App. The word limit is 650 words, which is a scant number to narrate a powerful story without leaving out too many important details. At the end of the day, you can write about anything, as long as it tells a story unique to you.
• Activities List - When it comes to building a strong extracurricular activities list, it’s important to prioritize your passions, career interests, and ways to establish yourself as a leader. Prestigious colleges want to see tangible achievements and commitment towards activities you enjoy. And if you see a gap in the activities at your school, or find an opportunity to involve a greater community, don’t be afraid to start your own initiative! Once you’ve built your extracurricular profile, make sure you take advantage of the Common App activities list and describe what you did in order of impressiveness.
• Letters of Recommendation - A college recommendation letter is a note from someone who knows you well in an academic or professional setting, highlighting your best qualities and why they recommend you for a position or institution you’re applying for. For most cases, colleges require letters of recommendation from two teachers, one from your guidance counselor, and provide the option of one additional recommendation that could come from a coach or club advisor. They should be written by teachers who know you the best. 

Now that you have an idea of which fall among colleges that don’t require supplemental essays , you can carefully conduct research to make sure you want to apply—and would genuinely be happy there. Don’t just blindly apply to schools just because there are fewer essay requirements. But, these should save you some time in terms of the essay load so take advantage of these if you want to add some targets or safeties as well. Happy searching!

Tags : no supplemental essays , colleges with no essays , applying to college , supplemental essays , college essays , Colleges that Don't Require Supplemental Essays

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More than 80 colleges with no supplemental essays 2023-24.

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The college application process is daunting and time-consuming for many high school students. Most students will apply to anywhere from 5 -15 colleges, with some applying to even more than 20 schools if they apply to high-ranking schools like Ivy Leagues or competitive programs like direct medical programs.

Some colleges don't require supplemental essays, making it an easy way for students to apply to more ... [+] colleges.

While applications like the Common Application or Scoir aim to streamline the application process by allowing students to write one universal personal statement that gets sent to all schools, they likely still need to write school-specific supplemental essays. These essays can range from "why do you want to attend this school?" to "tell us about a challenge." Most students commit to months of effort to complete all their supplemental essays.

Luckily, not all schools require these additional essays, which could help students bulk up their college list without adding much more effort. Here are a few benefits of applying to schools with no supplemental essays.

• Reduced Stress - Applying to schools that don't require supplemental essays means students have less pressure on them. Instead of spending hours each week on essays, they focus on a few of their top schools that do require supplemental essays or concentrate on keeping their grades up.
• Broader Range of Schools - Despite not requiring supplemental essays, some schools on the list are high-ranking universities. By not having to write additional essays, students can also apply to a wider range of schools, whether it is a research institution like Case Western Reserve University or a liberal arts college like Grinnell University. Therefore, when students are making their final decisions on where they want to apply to college, they will have more time to decide what type of school will fit their career goals and learning abilities best.
• Helps Level The Admissions Playing Field - For students who don't think their talents are in writing but have solid grades and standardized test scores, applying to more schools that don't require supplemental essays might be advantageous. Because they aren't sending additional essays to their school, they will be primarily judged based on their personal statement, grades, extracurricular activities and standardized test scores, among other factors. Students who don't have the resources or guidance to craft compelling supplemental essays should take advantage of those universities.

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of september 2023, over 80 schools with no supplemental essays in 2023-24.

The following schools have no required supplemental essays to apply to their college. However, they might have additional essays for specific programs. For example, if a student is interested in New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Honors Program and Accelerated BS/MD program , they would be required to write two additional essays to be considered.

Some of these schools will also have optional essays that students can write. Drexel University has the following optional prompt: “Drexel is committed to preparing each new generation of students to become productive, professional and civic-minded members of the community while continuing to focus on how we can contribute to solving some of society’s greatest challenges. What do you view as a challenge facing society that you would like to contribute to solving? How would a Drexel education aid you in taking the first step toward a solution? (250 words or less).” While it can give students who write these optional prompts a competitive edge because it can help demonstrate interest in the school, it isn’t required.

When adding these schools to your list, make sure to review the requirements before you apply.

• Albion College
• Allegheny College
• Augusta University
• Bates College
• Case Western Reserve University
• Clemson University
• Coe College
• Colby College
• Colgate University
• College of the Holy Cross
• Denison University
• DePaul University
• Dillard University
• Drew University
• Drexel University
• Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Florida Gulf Coast University
• Florida State University
• Fordham University
• Franklin and Marshall College
• Furman University
• Gannon University
• Gettysburg College
• Grinnell College
• Hamilton College
• Hampshire College
• Hanover College
• Hollins University
• Howard University
• Indiana University - Bloomington
• Kent State University
• Kenyon College
• Louisiana State University
• Mercer University
• Miami University
• Michigan State University
• Middlebury College
• Muhlenberg College
• New College of Florida
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• New York Institute of Technology
• Northeastern University
• Nova Southeastern University
• Oberlin College
• Ohio State University
• Ripon College
• Rhodes College
• Rowan University
• St. Lawrence University
• St. Mary’s University (San Antonio)
• Seton Hall University
• Siena College
• Skidmore College
• Stony Brook University
• Sewanee: The University of the South
• Susquehanna University
• Temple University
• Union College
• University of Alabama
• University of Albany
• University of Arkansas
• University of Arizona
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Colorado-Denver
• University of Connecticut
• University of Dayton
• University of Delaware
• University of Denver
• University of Houston
• University of Iowa
• University of Kansas
• University of Kentucky
• University of Massachusetts-Amherst
• University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• University of New Hampshire
• University of the Pacific
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of South Alabama
• University of South Florida
• University of Toledo
• University of Vermont
• Wesleyan University
• Whitman College
• Williams College

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Educational Advocates

Our objective is to guide the family in finding options where the student will not only get admitted, but thrive and find success once on campus.

Understand What Each College Represents and Offers 

Applying to college is a process of self-discovery and reflection. Students should spend time thinking about what they want in college and why. Research the schools to which you plan to apply; read the mission statement and identify what resonates with you. Make a list of what makes each college a good fit for you and what you would bring to that campus to add value.

“Show that you’ve done your research. Get started early. Know yourself and our college,” says Gil Villaneuva, vice president of enrollment at Rhodes College and former president and chair of The Common Application Board of Directors.

Mr. Villaneuva also cautioned students about choosing sensitive topics. “Don’t present yourself in a way that leads us to question your emotional health. If your story is one of struggle, be sure it has a happy ending. “

Admissions officers also warned against using the space to discuss a relative who attended the college unless that story somehow tells more about the applicant. Understanding a college’s admission process is key to writing a strong essay.

The Admissions Committee and Application Review

Every college has its own process for reviewing applications and how essays are used. Grace Cheng,  former director of admission at Wellesley College, also spent nine years in Harvard University’s admissions department. She says that admissions counselors, some faculty, and even some undergraduate students review applications at Wellesley. They have no cut-offs in terms of GPA or test scores, and they read every essay.

The Wellesley required supplemental essay asks:

We know that there are more than 100 reasons to choose Wellesley, but the “Wellesley 100” is a good place to start. Visit the Wellesley 100 and let us know, in two well-developed paragraphs, which two items most attract, inspire, or energize you and why. (PS: “Why” matters to us.)

“The Wellesley 100 supplemental question requires the applicant to significantly research our website,” said Cheng. “It’s a weed-out because the prompt is so unusual. Our site is pretty informal and cheeky so we expect less formality in students’ responses as well.”

In addition to students saying why they like the college, admissions officers want to know what each student will bring to their campus. Colleges want to admit students who will get involved on campus by staffing the newspaper, DJing a radio show, performing in orchestra, filling the intramural sports rosters and volunteering in the community. They look to see if you were engaged in your high school or community as a way to see where you might fit on campus.

Link Your Academic Interests To Your Experiences

The takeaway message: know yourself and what you want from college. If you want to study engineering and are asked the reason then be sure to share a story about an engineering-related experience such as your robotics team or an engineering research project. If you are not sure about a major and are asked about academics, focus on the classic liberal arts and science curricula and be prepared to discuss what academic areas you want to explore in college and why. Connect those reasons to your background and experiences by sharing a story that brings your points to life.

Start thinking about your supplemental questions early—the questions are usually available on August 1st. Since admissions staff will review your responses carefully, your answers to these questions can significantly impact your admissions decision.

It isn’t easy to know how an essay will impact the admissions decision. According to Katharine Hager, admission officer at Boston College, ninety percent of the personal statement essays that BC reads are of average quality, and the admissions committee is basing its decision more on the student’s academic record and extracurricular contributions.

“Five percent of the essays are amazing and lead to an accepted decision and another five percent are disappointing, leading to a denial,” said Hager.

In short, most of the time the personal essay for college does not impact the admissions decision. That is one reason why college-specific supplemental essay questions are becoming more and more important. College admissions officers also realize that students get more help on their Common Application essays than on their supplemental essays, so the latter is a better gauge of the student’s effort, writing ability, and genuine voice.

Focusing on college-specific supplemental essays is crucial as they provide a better gauge of the student’s individual effort and genuine voice. For tailored guidance in crafting compelling essays, consider our college essay help near me .

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