wake forest why us essay examples

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Wake Forest Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Tips

September 13, 2023

Admission is highly competitive at Wake Forest University, a mid-sized private school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They accept only one-fifth of applicants and standards are high. In fact, almost 70% of enrolled students finished in the top decile of their high school class. At a school that rejects four of every five applicants, every aspect of your application needs to shine. The Wake Forest supplemental essays are one such component.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into Wake Forest University? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Wake Forest: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Wake Forest’s one required and four optional essay prompts (which we highly recommend answering) are “very important” to the admissions process. Therefore, it is vital that all Demon Deacon applicants dedicate a significant amount of time to these short answer questions. Below are the Wake Forest supplemental essays for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with our brainstorming/writing tips.

2023-2024 Wake Forest Supplemental Essays

1) why have you decided to apply to wake forest share with us anything that has made you interested in our institution. (required, max 150 words)..

This is a pure and simple “Why Us?” essay. For a deeper dive, let’s examine a list of characteristics of a winning “Why Wake Forest?” supplemental essay:

• Firstly, demonstrate how your goals align with the school’s mission statement. “ Pro Humanitate (For Humanity), is a calling to use our knowledge, talents and compassion to better the lives of others.”
• Then, cite specific academic programs ,  professors ,  research opportunities ,  internship/externship programs ,  study abroad programs ,  student-run organizations , etc.
• Also describe how you will be an active, contributing member of the academic community at Wake Forest University?
• How will you take advantage of Wake Forest’s immense resources both inside and outside of the classroom?
• Lastly, explain why Wake Forest is an ideal-fit institution.

In any “Why Us?” composition, you need to show that you’ve done your homework on a given school. However, it shouldn’t read like you just Googled everything ten minutes before writing the essay. In addition to the pure research element, a lot of the time and skill required in creating a stellar Wake Forest essay will involve connecting the classes, professors, opportunities, etc. of interest that you have uncovered to your distinct values, talents, aims, proficiencies, and future goals.

Wake Forest Supplemental Essays (Continued)

2)  list five books you’ve read that intrigued you (title and author). (optional).

In the real world, one way human beings connect is through a shared love of stories, true or fictional. In the application world, this Wake Forest prompt can facilitate some level of connection between you and an admissions reader. The goal is not to appear as well-rounded as possible. If you happen to be a person with wide-ranging interests, that’s cool—feel free to share your eclectic tastes. However, if you tend to favor books about Zen Buddhism, the Civil War, or fantasy, for example, it can be great to communicate this primary passion by unleashing a list of five books on that lone topic.

Note: You’re provided with individual text boxes for each book and author, and you’ll need to select whether or not they were required reading.

3) Tell us what piques your intellectual curiosity or has helped you understand the world’s complexity. This can include a work you’ve read, a project you’ve completed for a class, and even co-curricular activities in which you have been involved. (OPTIONAL, max 150 words)

Out of everything on this Earth, what makes you tick? What keeps you up at night? What subject makes you read books and online content until your eyes bleed? This prompt essentially invites you to share a topic about which you are a) an expert and b) extremely passionate. This may be the subject that your friends and family (even those who love you dearly) are getting tired of hearing about every day. You shouldn’t have to think too hard about this topic. Instead, go with the topic that you could easily write 50,000 words about and condense those thoughts down to just 150 words.

Alternatively, you could discuss how something you’ve read or an experience you’ve had—academic or extracurricular—helped you understand the world’s complexity. Given the extremely tight word count, you’ll need to be as specific as possible. To help you brainstorm, here are some common areas of complexity that can be addressed:

• Good, evil, and everything in-between
• Religion and spirituality
• Fate vs. Free Will
• Family issues
• Mental health
• Love and friendship
• Issue of race, class, and gender

4) Dr. Maya Angelou, renowned author, poet, civil-rights activist, and former Wake Forest University Reynolds Professor of American Studies, inspired others to celebrate their identities and to honor each person’s dignity. Choose one of Dr. Angelou’s powerful quotes. How does this quote relate to your lived experience or reflect how you plan to contribute to the Wake Forest community? (OPTIONAL, 300 words)

Firstly, you’ll need to select one of Dr. Angelou’s quotes, which will involve some research. The quote you choose isn’t as important as how well you’re able to connect it to your own experiences and goals, so don’t worry about whether your quote is popular or more obscure. Whether you choose “I am grateful to be a woman. I must have done something great in another life” or “If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?” or “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn,” be inspired by Dr. Angelou’s wisdom and use that inspiration to communicate something important about your experiences, background, values, or perspective. In addition, researching the context of the quote might give you even more inspiration.

5) Give us your Top 10 list. (The choice of theme is yours.) (OPTIONAL)

This is a fun opportunity to share something genuinely unique about yourself and/or your interests. Perhaps you want to showcase your sense of humor, your love of music, your obsession with Titanic documentaries, your favorite coding languages, your extensive sneaker collection, or your best Scrabble words, among many, many others. The sky is the limit here! We’d also recommend sharing a brief “why” for each item on your list to further highlight your personality.

How important are the Wake Forest supplemental essays?

The essays are “very important” to the Wake Forest admissions committee. There are only four other factors rated this high in the process. Those are: GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, character/personal qualities, and the rigor of your secondary school record.

Want personalized assistance with your Wake Forest supplemental essays?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Wake Forest supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

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How to Write the Wake Forest Supplemental Essays 2021-2022

Padya Paramita

October 18, 2021

Consistently ranked among the top 30 schools in US News’ annual rankings, Wake Forest University is a strong option for many talented students. Located in Winston-Salem North Carolina, this university offers over 45 programs, including 60 minors. Whether you have your eyes on their unique Cultural Heritage and Preservation Studies program, or you want a small college vibe with access to brilliant research facilities, you need to stand out in your answers to the Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022. 

The Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022 want to understand your personality. While there are no right answers to these questions, admissions officers will be looking to learn as much about you as possible in order to then determine whether you’re a strong fit for the school. These questions are a little bit unconventional, but at the end of the day, the most important thing is that you share new information about yourself that can paint a clearer picture of who you are. 

Prompts for the Wake Forest Supplemental Essays 2021-2022

List five books you have read that intrigued you. (Spaces have been left for you to include each book’s title and author and mark whether the selection was required or not required.)

Don’t just mention the classics just for the sake of letting admissions officers know you’ve read them. They are aware of the usual high school reading lists, so they have a good idea of the kinds of books most applicants have read. Think honestly about what you actually enjoyed. High school students often tend to think of “books” as only novels. The term is much broader than that. You could have been intrigued by a history book, a graphic novel, or even a collection of poems. Each entry to the Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022 should add something new about your interests while remaining cohesive with your application persona, or the theme of the rest of your profile.

Explain how a book you’ve read has helped you to understand the world’s complexity. (150 words)

This is the place where you choose one of the books from the previous question and elaborate on exactly what about it has shaped your perspective. It’s easy to lean towards the classics and say To Kill A Mockingbird gave you a clearer idea of prejudice in America, but you have to be more unique than that because everyone has a high school English reading list like that. Your answer should be unconventional, such as a young adult novel that might have taught you important lessons about sacrifice, or a comic book that helped you see a certain issue in a completely different way. The more out of the box (while remaining uncontroversial) your choice, the more it will help you stand out. 

Tell us more about the topic that most engages your intellectual curiosity. (150 words)

This is a more academic-leaning question than the other prompts among the Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022 . Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to name a school subject such as “math” or “history,” as long as the topic sparks an intellectual interest within you. There are many video games that require logic and puzzles, and that wouldn’t be a too far-fetched topic. Or, you might be fascinated by the chemistry of baking and have been trying to master the exact proportions needed to make a certain kind of cupcake. Think about how your different hobbies challenge you to think harder and what kind of problems you enjoy solving. And that is your answer!

Give us your top ten list.

Theme: _____________________________

The final question among the Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022 is a rather fun one. You can literally pick any theme and then choose your top 10 within that theme. While it makes sense to write about your top 10 movies or TV shows, you should go beyond that. Do not be afraid to be quirky because the more niche and pertaining to your interests these are, the better the admissions officers can get to know you. You can write about anything from your top 10 favorite Formula One drivers to what is, according to you, the top 10 greatest banana desserts. Don’t worry too much about this being connected to your academic interest, because this is a great way to show how you would add to the Wake Forest community!

Further Tips for Writing the Wake Forest Supplemental Essays 2021-2022

• Use Anecdotes and Examples: The Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022 are all about gauging your intellectual pursuits and engagements outside the classroom. Since the word limits for the prompts aren’t generous, each of your essays should focus on being as specific as possible in depicting your personality and interests. Adding specific examples lets admissions officers understand your perspective better and envision the areas of campus where you’d contribute and how you’d fit in with the Wake Forest community.
• Use the Word Limit Wisely: While 150 isn’t the most restrictive word limit range in the world, it’s not extremely generous either. When writing your Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022 , prioritize the content necessary to get your narrative across, and cut any unnecessary statements. Each sentence should provide new information that makes you memorable in the reader’s mind. If you go over the limit—or start repeating your personal statement—it’s time to make cuts and keep what’s new and relevant.
• Have Fun!: This might sound silly, but you need to think about what genuinely brings you joy when writing the Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022 . Don’t focus too much on books that you’ve read in class or writing about the top 10 historical moments if those don’t genuinely interest you. Think carefully about how you might introduce yourself to a friend and don’t be afraid to let yourself be weird. These are all about standing out, so aim to do exactly that!

After many grueling components that ask about your academic endeavors and extracurricular activities, the Wake Forest supplemental essays 2021-2022 provide an outlet for you to talk about who you are outside school and related activities. Take advantage of these prompts to highlight what makes you unique and hopefully, you’ll give yourself a fighting chance in the admissions process. 

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Last updated July 11, 2023

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Blog > Essay Advice , Private University , Supplementals > How to Write the Wake Forest Supplemental Essays

How to Write the Wake Forest Supplemental Essays

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University Admissions

Key Takeaway

Applying to Wake Forest involves optional short answer questions that focus on books that intrigued you, texts influencing your worldview, your intellectual curiosity, and a unique Top Ten list. The answers should align with your application narrative and reveal genuine insights about you.

Applying to Wake Forest? You have four optional short answer questions to go along with your Wake Forest application.

As you can see in the prompt below, you can answer whichever ones you want or none at all.

We welcome the opportunity to get to know you beyond the numbers. You are invited to answer any, all, or none of the following optional short-response questions.

1. list five books you've read that intrigued you..

For this question, you don’t get room for explanation, so the books will have to stand on their own. You also have to indicate whether the book was required reading or not.

A good rule of thumb is to mix a few serious titles that relate to your worldview with a few fun, insightful, whacky, etc. ones that showcase your personality. You can include a classic or two, maybe ones from different authors, and a fun one for some interest.

In the name of honesty, these really should all be books that you’ve actually read.

2. Explain how a text you've read – fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or literature of any kind – has helped you to understand the world's complexity. (150 words)

Let’s face it. There’s a lot that’s complex in the world. Don’t feel like the work you choose has to touch on every single worldly complexity you’ve ever thought of.

Instead, pick a work that’s influenced your worldview, and analyze how it changed your perspective on a specific part of the world’s complexity.

The kind of text you choose doesn’t matter as much as how you write about it. But because this is a more serious question, it’s probably a good idea to choose a more serious text. If you’re going to choose a less serious one, just be sure that your analysis is good.

It also may be a good idea to choose a part of the world’s complexity that relates to your cohesive application narrative .

A quick note on cliches: it’s probably best to avoid common books like Dr. Seuss’s Oh the Places You’ll Go , which will undoubtedly appear in many other applications.

3. Tell us more about the topic that most engages your intellectual curiosity. (150 words)

Like an academic interest essay , this prompt urges you to geek out a little and describe a topic that makes you curious.

The topic can be related to your intended major, but it doesn’t have to be.

Your essay is an opportunity to show the kinds of critical thinking skills and creativity you’d bring to the Wake Forest classroom. It’s a way to demonstrate academic fit and values alignment with Wake Forest.

So think about a topic that suits your application narrative , and get to writing.

4. Give us your Top Ten list.

Wake Forest also gives you space to describe the theme of your list.

The most common Top Ten lists probably include songs, movies, books, TV shows, foods, podcasts, cars—you get it!

If you want to stand out with this question, either your theme or your list should be unique.

Don’t go so over-the-top with uniqueness that your list seems out of place, but try to be creative with how you approach it.

You might list the Top Ten sock brands, for example, or the Top Ten chocolate chip cookie recipes.

Find a theme that aligns with what you have in the rest of your application, then try to be creative but not overly quirky.

Remember: you don’t technically have to answer any of these questions. You can choose to answer one of them, just a couple of them, all of them, or none.

Because they’re optional, you want to make sure that they’re adding great value to your application. Each answer should still reveal something important about you to admissions officers. Think of them each as opportunities to advocate for your admission.

If you need more guidance about writing supplemental essays, check out our giant supplemental essay guide next.

Liked that? Try this next.

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How to Write the Wake Forest University Essays 2019-2020

Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest is one of the premier liberal arts universities in the nation. Known for its small classes and faculty engagement, Wake Forest values an education of the entire person, placing a special emphasis on undergraduate teaching.

With an undergraduate enrollment just over 5,000 and a strong sense of school pride, Wake Forest fosters a tight-knit community. The university maintains accomplished programs in the social sciences, business, and a variety of other fields. Wake Forest also holds a unique status as a prestigious liberal arts school with a robust research focus.

For the class of 2023, Wake Forest accepted just 29% of applicants. With median ACT scores of 29-33 and median SAT composite scores of 1210-1470, Wake Forest’s admissions process is competitive. But beyond test scores and grades, Wake Forest also emphasizes essays as a crucial component of any well rounded applicant.

With this comprehensive guide, we will provide you with all the tools necessary to tackle the Wake Forest application essays. Want to know your chances at Wake Forest? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Want to learn what Wake Forest University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take?  Here’s what every student considering Wake Forest University needs to know.

Required Essay Prompts for Wake Forest

1. How did you become interested in Wake Forest University and why are you applying? (150 words)

2. Help us to get to know you better by responding briefly to these questions. No need for research, just be creative and enjoy the process. List five books you have read that intrigued you (title, author, required reading).

3. As part of my high-school English curriculum, I was required to read [insert title]. I would have replaced it with [insert title here]. The required book I was most surprised I enjoyed was [insert title here].

4. Tell us how a work of fiction you’ve read has helped you to understand the world’s complexity. (300 words)

5. What piques your intellectual curiosity, and why? (75-150 words)

6. As part of our “Voices of Our Time” series – which allows students, faculty, and staff to hear from some of the world’s leading thinkers – Wake Forest has hosted Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michelle Alexander, Eboo Patel, and Thomas Friedman. If you could choose the next series speaker, who would you pick, and why? (150 words)

7. Give us your Top Ten list (theme and then top 10).

8. At Wake Forest, we gather our students in “Calls to Conversation,” congregating small groups around dinner tables in faculty’s and administrators’ homes to discuss topics organized around a theme, for example “arts for social change,” “gender in society,” and “leading a meaningful life.” If you could design a theme for a “Call to Conversation,” what would you choose, and why? (150 words)

9. We live in an age intensely interested in heroes. Professor Joseph Campbell defines “hero” as “someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” Describe a hero in public life and how and why, in your opinion, they meet Professor Campbell’s definition. (150 words)

Prompt 1: How did you become interested in Wake Forest University and why are you applying? (150 words)

Here, we have the first required prompt, which is also one of the more traditional college supplements among Wake Forest’s selection. The question being asked here is twofold yet straightforward. The challenge here comes with execution and providing an adequate response within the word limit. Additionally, you will want to hit the right balance between telling admissions officers how you heard about Wake Forest (an easier and thus shorter task) and why you would like to attend the school. An effective response to this question will accomplish the following: 

• Inform the reader as to how/when Wake Forest entered your college admissions radar
• Explain to the reader what compels your application to Wake Forest, including some more substantive discussion of what offerings you would pursue if admitted 

Addressing the first task should be relatively simple, and as such it shouldn’t occupy too much of the word count. You could think of breaking this down into sections; perhaps around 30-50 words devoted to how you became interested in Wake Forest and 100-120 words devoted to why you are applying is a helpful breakdown. These are rough guidelines, and ultimately you should do whatever is needed to help your own supplement breathe and flow eloquently. 

When explaining your interest in Wake Forest, you should make at least some mention of how you first heard of the school, be it through an email, college fair, word of mouth, etc. This tells admissions officers not only a bit more about your own personal college journey, but also which of their outreach tactics are most effective. 

If you found Wake Forest during a newfound investigation into liberal arts colleges your junior year, or you’ve wanted to leave your home on the West Coast and explore new parts of the country since middle school, you can tie in your developing interests at that period in your life with your discovery of Wake Forest. This offers admissions committees insight into the process by which you decided to apply, and for how long you’ve been interested in Wake Forest’s unique offerings.

The bigger question, then, is why did you decide to apply , a classic college essay prompt. The first thing to do is to identify specific logistical characteristics, course offerings, or other such opportunities available at Wake Forest well suited to your ambitions and course of study. Perhaps you want to conduct research at Wake Forest’s Center for Integrative Medicine as a part of your pre-medical learning experience. Maybe you want to help organize the Wake N’ Shake Dance Marathon as you’ve always loved combining your passion in dance with community service. Whatever your passion, the key to this part of answering the prompt is thorough research. Don’t speak about academic offerings in broad terms or name drop professors for the sake of it. Rather, figure out what is unique to Wake Forest’s programming, and tie it back to your own goals and interests. For example: 

“I want to attend Wake Forest because they have a good anthropology department, and I’m really interested in how culture shapes our behavior.” 

This is not a good response because it says little to nothing about Wake Forest’s actual anthropology department. While it tells admissions readers a bit about you, it doesn’t indicate that you actually cared enough about the school to look deeply into their offerings. Instead, try something like: 

“I would be delighted to participate in my ANT 340 course on Anthropological Theory at Wake Forest, where I will explore how classical anthropological frameworks relate to the growing contemporary field.” 

This is better because it shows not only that you’ve looked into Wake Forest’s offerings, but also that you’ve thought about how that relates to your interests and drawn a clear connection between the two. Additionally, this provides more specificity and substance. You should strive to be as detailed as you can within the word count while also covering the main reasons behind your applying to Wake Forest. In a situation like this, word count is currency, and you’ll have to spend carefully. 

The more you’ve delved into Wake Forest’s offerings, the broader of a base you’ll be able to pull from when answering this question. Admissions officers will be able to tell that you’ve done your research, so you’d better get to work sleuthing around the website! Beyond that, as long as your response answers all the requisite components of the question, and it does so with clarity and detail, you’ll be in good shape with this prompt.

Prompt 2: Help us to get to know you better by responding briefly to these questions. No need for research, just be creative and enjoy the process. List five books you have read that intrigued you (title, author, required reading).

You have 150 characters for the book title, and separate slots to indicate the author and whether it was required reading; so, you should feel free to provide a brief explanation with the title, especially if the book is more obscure. For example, you could write: “ Eat and Run – a memoir and recipe book synthesis of a vegan ultrarunner.”

Since the prompt tells you to list whether or not the book was required reading, try to provide three or more books which weren’t required reading for your classes. The books that you read that weren’t required for class showcase a desire to learn and give a better representation of your interests.

Don’t worry too much about the rigor of the books that you choose. Admissions officers aren’t looking to see whether you can read difficult books, they are really just looking to see what stimulates you intellectually. Don’t try to impress admissions officers by choosing random books that you’ve never read; the best way to go about this question is by providing books that truly intrigued you.

Overall, don’t sweat this one too much. Be genuine with the books that you’ve read, as the admissions officers just want to see that you maintain some literary interests.

Prompt 3: As part of my high-school English curriculum, I was required to read [insert title]. I would have replaced it with [insert title here]. The required book I was most surprised I enjoyed was [insert title here].

Don’t be deceived; this prompt is a simple fill-in-the-blank exercise, nothing more, nothing less. The admissions officers at Wake Forest aren’t looking for anything in particular. There’s no special trick to this or “right answer” you must select. This is here so your admissions reader can get to know you better. 

Nevertheless, in telling them more about yourself, you should strive to be conscientious of how this portrays a different side of you. The first blank should most certainly be a work that didn’t resonate with you. Perhaps you select Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms because you found its scarcity of explanation perplexing. 

The next blank, then could be quite literally anything of intellectual merit. This is where you’ll display a more unique interest of yours. Perhaps you’d rather have read Steven Levitt’s Freakonomics because you love demystifying strange social phenomena. Maybe as an avid dystopian sci-fi geek, your preference would have been Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle . Whatever the case may be, don’t hesitate to be yourself and show a side of you admissions readers wouldn’t otherwise see. 

And for the final blank, your best bet is just to answer honestly. Again, there aren’t really any tricks to this one! Maybe you found yourself captivated by the plot of Kate Chopin’s The Awakening although it isn’t your prefered genre. Perhaps you don’t usually enjoy allegories, but William Golding’s Lord of the Flies resonated with you. Just try to think through this truthfully, and you’ll find that the answers flow freely. 

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Prompt 4: Tell us how a work of fiction you’ve read has helped you to understand the world’s complexity. (300 words)

If you love reading fiction on your own, this question will likely be a breeze as you can think of endless books that have helped you to understand the complexities of the world. However, if you don’t spend as much time reading on your own, this question could be a bit more difficult.

If possible, try to avoid choosing a book that was required reading for class. Many other students are likely going to choose literary classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird or The Scarlet Letter . But, if nothing else comes to mind, don’t be discouraged if you have to pick a book that was required reading for class.

Consider that one thing admissions officers look for in this essay is your ability to synthesize abstract information and bring this conceptual understanding to real-world issues. With this in mind, let’s consider the main steps to rocking this essay:

• Consider books that you have read recently. Feel free to make a list of all of them. Which of these books taught you lessons that still stick with you today?
• Choose one that you feel changed your perspective in some way or introduced you to something new and unexpected.
• Discuss the impact that the book has had on how you view the “complexities” of the world.

An example of the above would be writing about Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon . You could describe how the main character’s struggle to find an identity forced you to consider your own role within your culture and the world at large. That is, this work of fiction prompted you to strive to connect with your family in a new way. Another example would be discussing how, through reading Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, you came to a deeper understanding of the incredible nuances of racial identity.

The key here is not to simply discuss the book in depth, but rather to delve into how the book has influenced your world perception. If you are struggling to find an appropriate book, keep in mind that the prompt only asks for a work of fiction, meaning that less conventional options such as a manga or comic could also make for a strong essay.

Prompt 5: What piques your intellectual curiosity, and why? (75-150 words)

Like many supplemental questions, this prompt is designed to help give the admissions officers a more holistic view of you, and how you think. Because this is probing into your “intellectual curiosity,” your answer should be more cerebral and analytical in nature. Nonetheless, your response to this question can truly be anything that fascinates you, so long as you’re able to explain how it jogs your cognitive abilities.  Consider writing about an interest, activity, hobby, idea, philosophical concept, piece of art, or something entirely different. Admissions officers aren’t looking for a specific answer but rather that you can thoughtfully and excitedly discuss a topic of your choice.

Below are some questions to get you started on thinking of a subject to write about:

• What do you absolutely love to learn about?
• What topic can you talk about for hours?
• What is the last thing you spent time learning how to do outside of school?
• How has this interest influenced you?

Ensure that you don’t spend the entire time explaining simply what piques your intellectual curiosity.  Rather, consider why it piques your interest and how this has impacted you or contributed to your understanding of the world.  So, instead of simply describing your interest in vinyl records, dive into how you love poring through stores to find exciting new pieces of music. You can discuss how this interest has not only brought you new friends and helped you to expand your musical horizons, but also has helped you understand the rhythmic nature of human biology.

You can also take this essay as an opportunity to discuss something that is truly meaningful to you.  For instance, a student who is fascinated by Latin American culture could discuss her interest in the Carnival celebrations of Brazil and how learning about these celebrations have helped her to connect with her Brazilian roots, as well as the world history surrounding those roots.

Alternatively, a student could use this essay as an opportunity to discuss his favorite hobby.  For example, a student who loves to collect coins could discuss how the sheer volume of coins produced fascinates him, how he’s gotten to meet people across the country because of his collection, and that coins have helped him to develop a deeper understanding of the financial underpinnings of America.

Whatever you choose to discuss, make sure to explain why it interests you and how it contributes to your identity, or knowledge of the nuances of the world. If you accomplish that, you’ll be in plenty good shape with this response! 

Prompt 6: As part of our “Voices of Our Time” series – which allows students, faculty, and staff to hear from some of the world’s leading thinkers – Wake Forest has hosted Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michelle Alexander, Eboo Patel, and Thomas Friedman. If you could choose the next series speaker, who would you pick, and why? (150 words)

With this prompt, the admissions office at Wake Forest wants to see that you are cultured, pay attention to current affairs, and have a pulse on how leading voices are impacting society. The purpose of this “Voices of Our Time” series is to convene the Wake Forest community and hear from influential voices on the most pressing national and international issues of our times. With your response, you should strive not only to choose a person of significance, but also to provide a compelling argument as to why they are so influential. In turn, this will demonstrate a proficient understanding of current events and how the world operates socially and politically. 

One thing to avoid is choosing a figure who is too “mainstream” just for the sake of their popularity or nominal title of influence, as this will not indicate to admissions readers that you make a serious effort to stay informed. For instance, you wouldn’t want to write something like: 

“Michelle Obama would be a great contender for the ‘Voices of our Time’ series. She is an influential leader, talented writer, and as a former First Lady (the first African American First lady no less), she likely has some astute insights about how our society works and what we as citizens should be doing to uphold the values of our nation.” 

Although a response like this seems to answer the question in that it names a leader, Michelle Obama, and provides a justification as to why she would be a strong addition, it is insufficient. Michelle Obama is a high profile individual, and as such there will likely be dozens of students who write about her for this prompt. Furthermore, even if you wanted to write about Michelle Obama, you would need to dig a bit deeper about her life experiences and policy stances to adequately explain why she should be a speaker in the series. Consider this more detailed alternative: 

“The next speaker in the ‘Voices of our Time’ series should be presidential candidate Marianne Williamson. With a background as an author and long time spiritual adviser, Marianne has developed a fascinating political philosophy that imbues leadership with spirituality and introspection. Her policy platform is unconventional, but it sheds light on some interesting issues such as reparations and the creation of a Department of Peace, in turn bringing topics into the political canon that otherwise never would have seen the light of day.” 

Not only is this a stronger response because Marianne Williamson is a lesser known figure (thus indicating that you pay close attention to politics), but it also provides more depth as to why Marianne Williamson is an impactful leader. This response delves more into Marianne’s policy positions and ideology, rather than noting the influence of her title or profession. 

Now, you certainly don’t have to write about a political leader, diplomat, or academic for this prompt. You could choose someone a bit more unconventional so long as you provide adequate justification for why your chosen person is influential and worth hearing from. Maybe you want to write about why Lil Nas X should speak for the series, as an LGBTQ+ icon who revolutionized the music industry with his unique marketing strategies, genre blending, and social media presence. As long as you can back up your choice with intelligent reasons, and your choice is intelligent to begin with, you should have no problem writing a wonderful response to this prompt! 

Prompt &: Give us your top ten list. (theme and then top 10)

What a question!  This top ten list can be a bit intimidating at first, but it is also an awesome opportunity to showcase your personality or a unique interest.  Consider if there’s any other dimension of you that you haven’t yet had the chance to highlight. There are so many angles you can take, but I’ve provided examples below:

• Top ten ways that people have misspelled your name
• Top ten moments that you knew you were the middle child
• Top ten phrases you say all the time
• Top ten times you cried while watching a movie

Be bold and really go for something unique with this prompt.  Remember that admissions officers reward creativity and innovation. And keep in mind that you can write about anything that interests you, so don’t feel limited in any way by my examples above!

Prompt 8: At Wake Forest, we gather our students in “Calls to Conversation,” congregating small groups around dinner tables in faculty’s and administrators’ homes to discuss topics organized around a theme, for example “arts for social change,” “gender in society,” and “leading a meaningful life.” If you could design a theme for a “Call to Conversation,” what would you choose, and why? (150 words)

Similar to prompt 6 with the “Voices of our Time” series, this prompt serves as a great opportunity for you to demonstrate your cultural understanding and social conscience. The main difference, then, is that whereas prompt 6 is centered around an influential leader and their insights, this prompt is centered around a specific issue and why it’s worth discussing through this “Calls to Conversation” program. The key to adequately addressing this prompt is to not only choose a pressing issue, but also to show that you understand its importance when you justify it. 

You might be tempted to think large scale and philosophical. Perhaps you want to write about a theme like “addressing the climate crisis” or “free will in the modern world” for your conversation topic. This is certainly suitable, especially if you feel thoroughly prepared to discuss why this is a relevant topic. On the other hand, you might opt to write about something more directed like “the urban/rural divide” or “passion as means of fulfillment.” This is also fine. The key in either case is to provide sufficient explanation as to why this is an important topic, how it impacts people, and what in the real world exemplifies it. 

For instance, if you want to write about “the urban/rural divide,” make sure to be robust with your examples and explanations: 

“The next ‘Calls to Conversation’ theme should be that of ‘the urban/rural divide,’ as this is a pressing issue that serves to fracture America. Each population has its own distinct needs; often times, rural communities find themselves lacking the sufficient infrastructure to thrive as they once did, yet politicians often neglect rural communities, particularly low income rural communities of color, because they do not have as much sway in the political process. Moreover, people who have grown up in primarily urban settings aren’t aware of the difficulties of rural life, and often view their more insular culture as bigoted and fearful, when this isn’t always the case. There is an inherent disconnect, and our political system grows ever more polarized because of it. In order to restore unity to our population, we need to start brainstorming ways to bridge the gap between urban and rural America.” 

This is a strong response because it not only identifies an important issue, but it also explains why this issue is important and how it influences peoples’ lives. The issue you choose can be just about anything, provided it would make for compelling conversation and you’re able to identify why it would do so. 

Prompt 9: We live in an age intensely interested in heroes. Professor Joseph Campbell defines “hero” as “someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” Describe a hero in public life and how and why, in your opinion, they meet Professor Campbell’s definition. (150 words)

The task here seems relatively simple: to identify a “hero” and then provide examples/evidence as to why that person has “given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” You might interpret “public life” as having to mean a governmental/political hero, or at least someone high profile. It’s certainly true that your hero should be someone who exists in the “public” world, but they don’t have to be a mainstream celebrity or peacemaker. 

In fact, similar to prompt 6, I’d advise against writing about someone too high profile unless you have some darn good reasons for doing so. There will be lots of applicants writing about Martin Luther King Jr. or Nelson Mandela. You should strive for originality and try to understand how someone’s contributions, though they might be more subtle, made enormous progress towards a broader goal. 

For instance, maybe you are passionate about humane working conditions and labor unions. A good choice for you, then, might be to write about Jacob Riis, a late 1800s photojournalist who depicted the squalid living conditions of New York City tenements and slums in his How the Other Half Lives . 

Maybe you’re a prospective math major who likes to think more abstractly. You might write about Karen Uhlenbeck, a former math professor at the University of Texas Austin, who won the Abel Prize for her work in partial geometric differential equations, gauge theory, and integrable systems. With a response like this, you would then discuss how mathematics is a broader idea that provides logical frameworks for scientists to contextualize their discoveries within. 

Whatever your choice of hero, the main task here is to substantiate their heroism with examples of legitimate devotion toward a greater cause. As long as you do this, you’re on your way to a strong essay!

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Wake Forest University School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts & Application Tips

• Cracking Med School Admissions

The Wake Forest School of Medicine secondary application reflects the school’s mission in recruiting a diverse and compassionate medical school class. The Wake Forest secondary application has several medium-length essays.  The Wake Forest secondary prompts have not changed too much in the past few years and is not too long. Therefore, this is a g reat secondary to pre-write after finishing your AMCAS application!  Read below for more Wake Forest secondary application tips ! 

Our Cracking Med School Admissions team has a track record of helping our mentees receive acceptances to Wake Forest School of Medicine. It is important to submit a Wake Forest secondary application that showcases who you are as a person and the values you embody. Get our help by asking us a question or through our secondary essay editing packages . 

• Personally Tailored Essays
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Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2023 – 2024

• We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us one experience that enhanced your ability to understand those unlike yourself and what you learned from it. (200 words max)
• Describe a non-academic challenge you have faced and explain how you overcame it. (200 words max)
• From your list of “most meaningful experiences” on the AMCAS application, choose one that has been the most formative in terms of your desire for a career in medicine. Why did that experience have such meaning for you in your decision-making process? (200 words max)
• New Question. Please share an experience that demonstrates how you have collaborated with others. (200 words max)
• New Question. Describe your future goal(s). Reflect on your past experiences and describe how these experiences will shape your goal(s).  (200 words max)
• Tell us about any specific reason(s) (personal, educational, etc.) why you see yourself here at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. (150 words max)
• Please tell us an interesting fact about yourself that a casual acquaintance may find surprising or interesting. (50 words max)

Tips to Answer Wake Forest Secondaries

Wake Forest University Pre-Writing Guidance: The Wake Forest secondary prompts have not changed too much in the past few years and is not too long. Work on the essays that have not changed in the past year. This is a g reat secondary to pre-write after finishing your AMCAS primary application!

• Download  all  our HIGH-YIELD tips for secondary essays:  Cracking Med School Admissions Secondary Essay Guide

Wake Forest Secondary Application Tip #1: Tell stories. Stories show the impact you’ve had on individuals and the community around you. For example, if you worked in a free clinic, tell a story about a challenge you faced or a patient you met. Strive to include at least 2 stories in your Wake Forest secondary. 

• For example, you should include a story from a clinical experience (like a patient story) in the Wake Forest secondaries question, “ We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us one experience that enhanced your ability to understand those unlike yourself and what you learned from it”  and the question “ From your list of “most meaningful experiences” on the AMCAS application, choose one that has been the most formative in terms of your desire for a career in medicine. Why did that experience have such meaning for you in your decision-making process? “
• You should include a SPECIFIC time and story in the Wake Forest secondaries question, “Describe a non-academic challenge you have faced and explain how you overcame it.”

Wake Forest Secondary Application Tip #2: Write any affiliations you have with Wake Forest and North Carolina. You can easily write about your previous work in North Carolina in the “Why Wake Forest School of Medicine” essay question. But, you can also includes North Carolina activities in literally any question.

Wake Forest Secondary Application Tip #3: To answer the “Why Wake Forest School of Medicine” questions, remember to add specific reasons. If you see yourself practicing in the area in your future career, definitely mention that! 

• Read our blog post for tips on how to write a compelling “Why Wake Forest School of Medicine:”  Why this Medical School? Secondary Essay Example

Wake Forest Secondary Application Tip #4:  One frequent question our Cracking Med School Admissions advisors, Dr. Rishi Mediratta and Dr. Rachel Rizal, receive is if you have to give a specific specialty when discussing your future goals?

Our response – You don’t have to list a specific medical specialty if you’re not sure what field of medicine you are interested in going. However, you can discuss aspects of your career that you envision. For example, some students say they want to work with rural patients throughout their medical careers. Other students discuss how they want to incorporate research into their medical careers.

Another thing you can write about is what opportunities you will pursue as a medical student at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in order to pursue the type of career you want. For example, if you are interested in rural health, then you can discuss how you will pursue rural health community service and rural health clinical experiences & electives during your time as a medical student at Wake Forest University.

Wake Forest Secondary Application Tip #5: We often get asked how to respond to the Wake Forest secondary question, “ Please tell us an interesting fact about yourself that a casual acquaintance may find surprising or interesting .” Here are our thoughts: 1) Make sure it tells the committee something new about you that you haven’t discussed in your other Wake Forest School of Medicine secondary application essays. For example, if you’re written extensively about research in another question, don’t mention research again here; 2) The topic you write about does not have to be related to medicine! 

Topics our medical school applicant advisees have written about:

• Volunteering experience
• Places they’ve lived in the world
• Family values and influence
• Unique skill
• Activities they like to do for fun

Get our help to edit your Wake Forest secondary questions. There is a wide diversity of questions and unique questions in this secondary – many students ask for our help in editing Wake Forest’s secondary application each year! We can help you through our secondary essay packages . Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below.

[Read More Secondaries:  University of Virginia , Eastern Virginia Medical School , University of North Carolina , University of Maryland ]

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Undergraduate Johns Hopkins University, Phi Beta Kappa

Residency Stanford, Pediatrics

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Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023

• (Optional) If there is anything specific that you would like for us to know regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected you and your application you may do so here. (Please do not repeat any information provided in your previous required responses.) (200 words max)

Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022

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Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2020 - 2021

• From your list of “most meaningful experiences” on the AMCAS application, choose one that has been the most formative in terms of your desire for a career in medicine. Why did that experience have such meaning for you in your decision-making process? How did it prepare you for a career in medicine? (200 words max)
• Tell us about any specific reason(s) (personal, educational, etc.) why you see yourself here at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. (200 words max)
• (Optional) Have you previously applied to any MD programs during a previous admissions cycle? (Yes/No)
• (Optional) Please describe if you have made any significant changes or improvements to your previous application. (If selected yes)
• (Optional) If you have received a C+ grade or lower in any coursework, please explain.

Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2019 – 2020

• We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us about an experience that has broadened your own worldview or enhanced your ability to understand those unlike yourself. (200 words max)

Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2018 – 2019

• The Committee on Admissions values diversity as an important factor in the educational mission of the Wake Forest School of Medicine. How will you contribute to the diversity of your medical school class and to the medical community in general? (400 words max)
• What obstacles or challenges have you experienced and how have you dealt with them? (400 words max)
• How has creativity helped you in your studies, work, activities, volunteering, or life in general? (400 words max)
• Briefly summarize your journey from the time you became interested in a medical career to filling out this secondary application. Do not focus on why you wish to pursue a medical career, but how you got to where you are now. (400 words max)
• (Optional) If you have already received your bachelor’s degree, please describe what you have been doing since graduation and your plans for the upcoming year. (200 words max)
• (Optional) Describe any connection you have to Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, or North Carolina.

Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2017 – 2018

• Starting with the 2017-18 application cycle, the Wake Forest School of Medicine has gone from course requirements to recommendations. How has your academic work beyond the “traditional” pre-medical school requirements (i.e., introductory biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, introductory physics) prepared you for medical school and for a career in medicine. (400 words max)
• (Optional) If you have previously applied to Wake Forest School of Medicine MD program, please describe if you have made any significant changes or improvements from your previous application. (200 words max)
• (Optional) Describe any connection you have to Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, or North Carolina. (200 words max)

Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2016 – 2017

Required Wake Forest Secondary Questions – Pick at least two:

• Starting with the 2016-17 application cycle, the Wake Forest School of Medicine has gone from course requirements to recommendations. How has your academic work beyond the “traditional” pre-medical school requirements (i.e., introductory biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, introductory physics) prepared you for medical school and for a career in medicine. (400 words max)

Wake Forest Secondary Application Questions: 2015 – 2016

• The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) lists 14 entry-level core competencies for medical school applicants: Service Orientation, Social Skills, Cultural Competence, Teamwork, Oral Communication, Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others, Reliability and Dependability, Resilience and Adaptability, Capacity for Improvement, Critical Thinking, Scientific Inquiry, Written Communication, Living Systems, and Human Behavior.
• Please pick ONE of the competencies and describe how your background and experiences highlights the competency and prepares you for medical school. Do not duplicate information provided elsewhere in the secondary application or in your AMCAS personal statement. (400 words max)

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Essay Scoop: How to Answer Wake Forest University Essays

Madeleine Karydes

Lead admissions expert, table of contents.

Stay up-to-date on the latest research and college admissions trends with our blog team.

Located in North Carolina, Wake Forest is a small liberal arts college known for its small classes and high faculty-student engagement. In fact, it has a very low student-faculty ratio; approximately 11 students for every faculty member. Below is advice on how to respond to the Wake Forest University essays for those of you wondering where to start!

Now, Wake Forest does take several factors into account when reviewing applications. You can actually read an exclusive student reflection on how they gained admission to Wake Forest right here ! And when it comes to the short answer questions, the committee looks for clear writing that offers insight into the character and personality of the student. So, let’s get started.

List five books (with authors) you have read that piqued your curiosity. Discuss an idea from one of these works that interests you.

(100 – 300 words)

Perspective and thought process are of particular interest to Wake Forest. Therefore, your reflections should focus on the impact that the selected work has had on you and how it relates to one of your interests. T his will likely relate organic ally to an impact on your mindset, or the way you interact with the world.

We want to know what makes you tick intellectually. A paper? A project? An academic passion? Describe it.

(75 – 150 words)

A hidden question lies within this one wording. Firstly, y ou might be wondering why the form of your intellectual interest is important; and it’s not. Wake Forest wants you to explain one of your intellectual goals and why it fascinates you. So, you must take this question in a forward-thinking direction to communicate your ongoing passion.

Hashtags trend worldwide. Give us a hashtag you wish were trending. #__________________ Why?

This is an indirect way of asking what matters to you. Think about the overarching themes in ideas that come to mind and insert a word or string of conjoined words and elaborate on their significance. Connecting your explanation to concrete scenarios will only add to your effectiveness as it creates a site to apply your analysis.

Give us your top ten list.

Pull from a wide variety of topic areas for this one. These can be tangible or abstract ideas like books, movies, leaders, inventions, intellectual concepts, theories, etc.

There is a nationwide dialogue about cross-cultural interactions. Like most college campuses, Wake Forest is currently in a place of conversation about what it means to engage across difference. As a country, why do you think we have reached this point?

Your thought process is especially important here. Take a position and defend it by unpacking your rationale. You can tie in personal examples or information from an outside source but this should not preclude your personal discussion. The reader will expect logical progression and it should follow from your unique voice.

What outrages you and why?

Here you are expected to share your feelings towards an identified problem/phenomenon and illustrate its significance to you. Applying a specific scenario while describing an overall issue will help situate the reader away from the abstract.

Concluding thoughts

Like many other colleges, the Wake Forest University essays and short-answer prompts give the student the opportunity to introduce themselves to the admissions committee.

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How to write the wake forest university essays 2020-2021: the all-in-one guide.

Nestled in the South, Wake Forest University’s campus is an integral part of the Winston-Salem community in North Carolina. The private school’s legacy goes back over 180 years, where it was first created as a manual labor institute.

WFU is an institution comprised of an undergraduate college, along with its well-known School of Business, School of Law, School of Divinity, and School of Medicine.

While the multitude of programs available might seem intimidating, the undergraduate college actually maintains a small-school vibe, with an average of only 21 students per class .

Small classes are not the only benefit to attending the college. 61% of Wake Forest’s graduating class in 2015 received academic credit for studying abroad. This is the highest percentage among the greater than 300 colleges ranked by the U.S. & World News Report.

This same class had an incredible 98% of its students go on to higher education or become employed within 6 months of graduation.

Wake Forest University gives prospective students the option to apply via its own application , the Common App , Coalition Application , or through the College Foundation of North Carolina (which directs you back to their own application).

Click above to watch a video on how to write Wake Forest Supplemental Essays.

What are the Wake Forest Supplemental Essay Requirements?

Regardless of the application method you use, you will need to write both the main essay and answer supplementary questions.

In this guide, we will cover the Wake Forest University supplementary questions that appear identically on all of the application platforms.

Do note that you will have to write a different essay if you are applying through the Common App or Coalition for Access and Affordability Application.

• We have written specific guides for the Common App essay here and the Coalition App essay here .

The Wake Forest University Application Essay

This essay is only applicable to students applying through the Wake Forest University application on the WFU website. If you are applying through the Common App or Coalition App, you can skip down to the first writing supplement.

Other than using the essay to “share on a topic of your choice,” there are no other directions for completing the essay.

If you’ve already tackled the Common App essay, you may certainly use it here. If you opt to go another route, here are some tips to keep in mind as you draft your response.

• While there is no specified writing limit, be mindful of the admissions committee’s time. An essay that is too long will likely be skimmed and therefore not convey all of the information you hope to get across. They will be reviewing thousands of applicants and reading their essays too.
• As a general rule, try to keep your essay shorter than two double-spaced pages. This should give you enough space to elaborate any ideas you have on the topic and give you around 1,000 words to utilize.
• It’s also a good idea to submit your essay via PDF. This way, you know that it will be formatted exactly the way you want it to be when it’s opened up on another computer.
• Life Pro Tip: As you grow older, you want to apply for internships and jobs with PDF versions of your cover letter and resume.

Get personalized advice!

Wake forest writing supplement 1a: books that inspire curiosity.

List five books you have read that intrigued you.

In the application, you will have to list the title of the work, the author, and identify whether it was required reading or not.

You will not have the opportunity to explain why you chose to list the books. Therefore, it’s important that each book (or at least a quick Google search of the titles) can speak for itself.

This question does not ask you to rank the five books, so you should feel comfortable listing them in any order of your choosing. While the process is simple, the difficulty in this prompt lies in choosing five titles to list.

• First, brainstorm every book that you have read that has intrigued you. Maybe you wished there was a sequel or follow-up book because you wanted to read more.
• Perhaps your literature teacher started a unit on dystopian fiction and assigned Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World , and you decided to go one step further and compare it with the world Suzanne Collins created in The Hunger Games for an assignment.
• Ask yourself “What do these books say about me as a potential student and human being?” If you feel a book will diminish your chances of getting accepted for some reason, search for another book that is just as meaningful to you to replace it on the list.
• Depending on the activities you pursued in high school and those you hope to pursue during your undergraduate career, you may want to include a book that relates to those topics.

You want to be sure that your choices have a positive reflection of your character. Even if you read How to Cheat Your Way Through High School out of pure curiosity and had no intention of using the strategies, don’t list it.

You will not be able to explain your choice, and, therefore, the title could mislead the admissions committee.

Overall, you do not need to list five literary masterpieces, and you shouldn’t list five comic books you’ve read either. Aim for a variety of book types that really show off your personality and character.

• For example, if you have a passion for self-help books (and they truly pique your curiosity), include them on your list, but perhaps include only 2-3 titles.
• Then, think about your reading patterns overall. Beyond self-help books, what have you read? Biographies? Dystopian science fiction? Religious texts?

Don’t feel the need to shy away from listing a title simply because it was required reading for school. Oftentimes, these will be the titles that the admissions committee is most familiar with.

If you can’t remember those titles, search online for “common titles for high school required reading” or ask your teacher what they assigned.

You should easily be able to find a list to jog your memory or, at the very least, be able to give a summary of the book to get the title from someone else. If you can’t recall what the book was about, it probably did not intrigue you enough to make this list.

If you find yourself well and truly stumped, take a look at the reading list recommended by well-known figures in academia and industry.

For example, there is a list of thirteen books recommended by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and other prominent leaders. These span everything from George Orwell’s 1984 to David Deutsch’s The Beginning of Infinity. You can take a look and see the rationale behind why they would recommend such books to others. In fact, look at your selections as a recommended reading list for the admissions committee, and you will be able to organize what story about yourself you would like to tell them.

Once again, find balance by not listing all five titles as required or as self-selected reading.

Once you’re all done making your list, take a step back and ask yourself what these books say about you on the whole. Be honest. If you like the general message, move on to the next question.

Wake Forest Writing Supplement 1B: The Impact of Fiction on Your Understanding of the World

Explain how a book you’ve read has helped you to understand the world’s complexity. 

In this prompt, you have the opportunity to explain your relationship with a book, unlike in the previous list. Since the question doesn’t specify whether it should be a work of fiction or nonfiction, you’re free to pick the work that speaks to you the most. 

If you’re not an avid reader, this might seem an overwhelming question in terms of identifying something that was truly impactful on your thinking. 

• Consider why you read. If you read to gather information, consider whether you have ever read something that gave you an “ah-ha!” moment, and why. 
• Reflect on whether anything you’ve read has ever provoked a strong emotional response, and why. 
• Consider the list you made in the previous question, which may be a good place to start. However, try to avoid repeating a book you already used. You have a chance to show additional insight into your interests by choosing an additional work.

Conversely, you might be struggling to choose one book among several that you identify as having influence in teaching you about the “complexity of the world.”

• Reflect on what books have had the most profound intellectual or emotional impact on you. The choice between fiction and nonfiction reflects something about your personality. A more analytical reader who values information might choose nonfiction, whereas a more literary person may choose fiction.
• Identify the message or complexity the work helped you understand and assess why it is personally meaningful to you. A work of fiction might have lent itself to insight into the human experience or the nuance of a certain social theme, whereas a work of nonfiction may have transformed your understanding of the gears that make our world turn.
• If this is true, rank these works, starting from the one you are most passionate about discussing.
• It’s important that your enthusiasm shines through your writing.

Keeping with our previous example of Brave New World , let’s take a look and see how we might construct this essay.

The directive “explain” in the prompt is vague enough to be interpreted in many ways. You might consider:

• Describing the impact that the work had on your understanding of society
• How the work influenced your life
• How the work influenced your perspective on the world
• The experience of reading the work for the first time and reflecting on it
• Describe what it is about the work that effectively conveys complexity about the world
• The influence of the work on your relationships with your peers
• The impact the work had on your vision for the future
• The change in your politics after reading the book

However you decide to discuss the work, don’t forget to spend time explicitly stating what, in particular, the work taught you. It’s easy to get caught up describing the work and forget to be specific about your experience. This is not a book report where you summarize what you read.

In fact, spend less time discussing the premise of the work. Worst case, the admissions officer can Google the book.

• What’s critical is demonstrating the book’s impact on you.
• So, make sure you write about the tangible changes the book had on your thinking or actions.
• This is the time to show how you interpreted the book and its meaning in your life.
• Give brief examples of your newfound understanding.

In the case of Brave New World , it is a very well-known dystopian science fiction novel so you can assume that the admissions committee is familiar with at least the synopsis.

As mentioned above, there are many points you could elaborate on, but it would be best to focus on two to three at most.

• You could start off with a theme in the book, such as “knowledge vs. ignorance” and give textual examples of where that features prominently.
• Then develop that further by detailing the character arcs that occur through the development of the theme.
• Draw any parallels from the book with today’s society to show your understanding of one of the complexities of the world. Brave New World is seen as a somewhat prophetic piece of literature, so finding commonalities between that world and reality shouldn’t be difficult.

If you can discuss how the book has shaped how you perceive the world around you, how you have learned something through example rather than by firsthand experience. By doing so, you will be able to write a convincing essay on how fiction has impacted your understanding of the world.

Wake Forest Writing Supplement 2: Your Curiosity

Tell us more about a topic that engages your intellectual curiosity.

A common theme in Wake Forest’s writing supplements is passion. In this prompt, you should, once again, reflect on what you are passionate about. Consider what truly piques your intellectual interest. What topic can send you down a virtual rabbit hole because you’re interested in learning as much as you can?

This prompt is tricky because you do not know what the mindset of your admissions committee might be and you have the freedom to choose any topic you want. As academics, the committee will approach your stance with an open mind so long as you articulate your argument and do not cross into inappropriate territory.

Choose a topic that holds weight and is truly important to you.

• Pull up your browsing history and see what patterns you find. If you consistently find yourself searching for similar content, articulate that content as a theme or pattern that interests you.
• Think about a project you completed that you really enjoyed what you learned.
• Consider the major you’re applying for and why that piques your interest. Discuss what topic first got you interested in that field.
• Pick up a copy of the Wall Street Journal , Washington Post , or Foreign Policy . These are some of the preeminent issues of our time. They cover topics that are critical to events, people, and ideologies currently shaping our world.

When crafting your answer, don’t get too high-minded or lofty. You can keep it simple rather than listing everything you know on the subject. Remember, the admissions committee wants to hear about you, not your ability to summarize an entire topic. If you spend over 50 words defining the topic, you’re spending too much time on background info.

Here are some examples of topics you can choose for this prompt.

• If you’re interested in environmental conservation, you may write about how all restaurants should get rid of plastic straws due to the strain they put on the environment. You could choose to focus your short response on the damage plastic does to the ocean and to suggest an alternative such as reusable straws.
• Some computer programmers spend their spare time viewing code and learning new languages. Talk about what programming languages you have learned, are currently learning, and how you educate yourself on them.
• There are millions of blogs, and maybe you have started one. How did you choose the niche for your blog? How do you come up with new content to populate it for readers?

Wake Forest Writing Supplement 3: Community

Describe a community that is important to you. How has that community prepared you to engage with, change, or even build the Wake Forest Community?

Every college wants to know that its new freshmen are going to be happy and successful at their university of choice, and Wake Forest is no exception. Community is an important theme at Wake Forest, and the admissions committee wants to know why you personally care about fostering a sense of community in your life. 

To tackle this question, first consider what groups of people have had the most profound impact on your life over a significant period of time. Perhaps it’s a sports team, a club, or a volunteer group you participate in. After you identify your group, delve into the nuance of its influence on your life. 

• If this group revolves around a particular theme or cause, reflect on why this unifying element is so important or valuable to you. 
• Identify positive ways that you have evolved as a person through your participation in this community. 
• Discuss various ways you have contributed to this community or supported others and their personal or collective development. 

Once you’ve identified your community, you’ll want to connect what you’ve reflected on to your future at Wake Forest. 

• Make concrete links between your prior community involvement and how you’ll involve yourself on the Wake Forest campus. If you’ve been a leader in the past, how will you continue to lead on campus? 
• If there are specific causes you’re passionate about, connect those with existing clubs or organizations available at Wake Forest. If there’s not one, consider whether you’d like to build one. 
• If your community helped make a change in broader society that you wish to see expanded, consider how you might replicate your impact at Wake Forest. 

Wake Forest Writing Supplement 4: Self-Selected Top 10

Give us your top ten list.

Yes, you get to create your own top ten list! There are no explicit instructions as far as assigning a theme to your list, but it is a good idea to give your list some structure. What else do I want admissions to know about me?

• If you are really proud of your progress in cross country over the past four years, you might list your race times from 10 to 1.
• Are you a Nicholas Sparks fanatic? Rate his novels from 10 to 1 based on how emotional they made you feel when reading them.
• Drawing back on the computer programmer example, rate your favorite programming languages.
• You might even consider the future. Provide a top 10 list of achievements you hope to accomplish.

Perhaps you are a connoisseur of foreign food or music buff or an amateur film critic, whatever it is that you find interesting and worthy of sharing with the admissions board, be as specific as possible.

By assigning a theme to your list, you will help admissions understand another aspect of what is important to you. Also, you might consider staying away from providing another list of books. You’ve already done this in the first prompt. This is where you can express another side of yourself that the admissions committee has not learned about yet. Don’t waste it by creating a list that is similar to one of your previous essay responses. Alternatively, you can make this list random, a Top Ten list of the world. Use this as a chance to include some of the things that have had the most profound influence on your life. You might include your favorite album, artist, country, season, food, person, etc. Unlike the themed version of this list, you have the chance to paint a diverse picture of your passions when you go this route. 

Conclusion: Writing the Wake Forest Essays

Wake Forest University’s list of writing supplements paired with your personal essay will give the admissions committee a variety of information on who you are as a person and potential student.

Before submitting your essays, be sure to proofread .

Having a parent, friend, or someone else you trust to read them over is a good idea if you’re comfortable sharing them. Authenticity is sought after in these essays so having someone who knows you well can help determine if your essay “sounds like you.”

Above all, spend some time on your topics by brainstorming, outlining, and writing multiple drafts.

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Wake Forest University 2022-23 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 1

You Have: 

Wake Forest 2022-23 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements: 2 lists, 2 essays of 150 words each

Supplemental Essay Type: Short Answer , Oddball , Activity

Before you dig in…

The Wake Forest supplement always gives students a run for their money and the 2022-23 application is no exception. That’s why we made you a guide that explains the purpose of each of these thought-provoking prompts and how to answer them in a way that presents a varied and comprehensive package to admissions.

1. List five books you have read that intrigued you. (Spaces have been left for you to include each book’s title and author and mark whether the selection was required or not required.)

The name of the game with prompts like this one is variety . Each of these books is an opportunity for you to reveal an interest or passion of yours to admissions, and you don’t want to come off as one-note. Did Neil Gaiman’s graphic novel series Sandman blow your mind? Were you horrified by Jon Ronson’s revelations about social media in So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed ? Admissions is giving you the option of checking “required” or “not required” for a reason – they want to understand what interests you both in a formal academic setting and on your own. So make sure you’re not just listing To Kill a Mockingbird , Romeo and Juliet and 1984 . They’re all works of art, but everyone’s read them, so what will they really say about you? When you only choose one or two of those oft-assigned classics, admissions gets a chance to see what from the modern English (or other!) curriculum really resonated with you.

2. Explain how a text you’ve read – fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or literature of any kind – has helped you to understand the world’s complexity. (150 words)

This prompt asks you to discuss a text that has profoundly impacted your view of the world. At CEA, we always recommend that you choose an unexpected work of fact or fiction in order to stand out from the pack. Yes, it’s true that 1984 showed many students a bleak picture of what a Big Brother takeover might look like. However, almost every student in the country is assigned that book and takes a look at those same lessons. What else have you read that stuck with you because of who you are and what you care about? You have a lot of leeway here.. Were you blown away by the coming-of-age story The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian ? How did that graphic novel change the way you think about the Native American experience? Did the thrilling The Talented Mr. Ripley make you rethink the relationship between morality and murder? And if so, how did Highsmith accomplish this? Try to be as creative as possible with your selection here, and think about what books have really struck you at your core and why.

3. Tell us more about the topic that most engages your intellectual curiosity. (150 words)

This is a classic short-answer: a broad, pithy question that demands a specific, personal response. This prompt isn’t just about your academic interests, so rather than starting with a subject area (religion! calculus!) or big category (books! snakes!), try to come up with a few specific examples. When was the last time you went down an internet rabbit hole trying to research something? When were you extremely motivated to solve a problem or create something new? What was the last fact or skill you learned outside of school that truly captured your imagination? Once you come up with good examples, be sure to go deeper into the prompt: have you always loved working with your hands in your father’s auto body shop or vegetable garden? If so, why is this kind of work interesting to you? Are you fascinated by tasks that combine your love of logic with your intuitive, creative side? If that’s the case, what other intellectual pursuits that fuse these two sides do you plan to pursue in the future? The bottom line here is to discuss examples of what truly fascinates you while also reflecting on what these examples say about your personality traits, interests, or learning style.

4. Give us your top ten list.

Theme: _____________________________.

This is one of our all-time favorite short-answer questions. It’s also one students dread initially, because they don’t know how to approach it. Like many of the other questions on this list, think about what you do or what you are interested in that might also be of interest to admissions. What else about who you are and what you do have you not yet revealed about yourself? Our Founder always jokes that she would list her favorite kinds of pasta in order (because she is an actual pasta addict). Maybe she would make a list of the top ten pasta meals of her life and who she ate them with, to showcase how much pasta is a part of her social life and how she connects with others (it truly is the centerpiece of her world). Think about how you can add dimension to your list and take a collection of favorite movies or music beyond the ordinary. If someone else could submit your list, it’s not specific or creative enough and probably won’t tell admissions anything they really want or need to know.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, can anyone share successful wake forest supplemental essay examples.

Hi! I'm working on my Wake Forest application right now and would love to read some successful supplemental essay examples for inspiration. Has anyone here been accepted to Wake Forest and willing to share their essays? Thanks a lot!

Hello! While I can't provide specific essays that were successful for Wake Forest admissions, I can definitely offer some guidelines and tips to help you craft a strong supplemental essay. It's essential to remember that you must tailor your essay to Wake Forest and focus on the unique qualities and programs the university offers.

First, make sure to do thorough research on Wake Forest; their academic offerings, extracurricular activities, community culture, and even campus traditions. For example, you might emphasize your interest in their Pro Humanitate Institute and how its mission aligns with your volunteer work or your desire to make a difference in local communities.

When it comes to your essay, avoid generic statements and focus on specifics that are unique to Wake Forest. For instance, discuss a course or professor at the university that intrigues you, or mention how you appreciate the university's commitment to small class sizes and personalized education.

Likewise, personalize your essay by sharing anecdotes that illustrate your experiences and interest in Wake Forest. This could be through an interaction with a current student or alumni, a campus visit, or particular experiences that led you to discover the university and the programs it offers.

Lastly, don't forget to showcase your personality, passion, and ambition – it's essential that the admissions officers get a clear sense of who you are and how you would contribute to the Wake Forest community.

For more information click here: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-wake-forest-university-essays/

In summary, research Wake Forest thoroughly, focus on specifics that are unique to the university, share personal anecdotes, and let your personality shine through your essay. Good luck with your application!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Why This College Essay Sample

Why this college essay sample – introduction.

Not sure how to start a “why this college” essay? Looking for a why this college essay sample? You’re in luck. We’ve compiled a collection of standout why school essay examples from a variety of schools to help you prepare to write your own why this college essay.

Throughout the admissions process, you’ll likely write “why this college” essays for many schools on your list. These prompts ask you to cite specific reasons why you’d like to attend a given school. As you start writing these essays, it can be tough to know where to start.

In this guide, we’ve included a variety of “why school” essay examples. Our why school essay examples come from many different schools—ten, to be exact. We hope these essay examples can help you prepare to write your own why this college essay.

We’ll review a “why this college” essay sample from each of the following schools and explain what made it effective.

We’ll look at why school essay examples from:

• University of Chicago
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Wake Forest University
• Tufts University
• Lewis & Clark College
• Loyola Marymount University
• Duke University
• Franklin & Marshall College
• University of Florida
• Lafayette College

What are examples of Why School essay prompts?

Before we take a look at our why this college essay examples, let’s start with the prompts. You’ll notice that our why this college essay examples have a lot in common. Namely, each why this college essay sample discusses specific details why a student belongs at a given school.

Still, you should note that each why this college essay sample is different. Each essay responds to their own why this college essay sample prompt. While these prompts have a lot in common, you’ll notice some key differences.

Essay prompts change

As you read our why college essay examples, you may notice that the prompts are slightly different from those below. That is because some schools change their prompts in different years.

At times, colleges will also eliminate prompts entirely. Certain schools, like Franklin & Marshall and Lewis & Clark , no longer require a why this college essay. However, we have still included why college essay examples for these schools. By reading these why this college essay samples, you can learn more about how to approach this type of prompt.

Now, let’s look at some prompts in the table of why this college essay examples below. 

As you can see from our why school essay examples prompts, not every prompt is as open-ended as “why this school.” So, compare each school’s why this college essay examples and prompt. Then, you’ll notice certain similarities and differences. You can apply this knowledge as you draft your own essays.

By reading through our “why college” essay examples, you’ll also familiarize yourself with the different prompts you might encounter. You can approach any prompt that references a school itself, either generally or specifically ( academics , curriculum, culture, etc.). You can see this in our why college essay examples prompts.

Different schools, different prompts

Some of the prompts are quite straightforward. They simply ask the question you’ll see answered in our why college essay examples: “Why this school?”

Other prompts, however, are a bit more leading. These might ask students about their chosen majors and how they align with a school’s values. They may also ask why a specific school will help them achieve their goals.

In all of our “why college” essay examples, you’ll notice that the prompts discuss each school by name. You’ll find questions like “why are you applying” and “how did you learn about us?” in these prompts. However, each of these boil down to the same essential question: why are you a good fit for our school?

Next, we’ll look at how our why college essay examples answer this question. But first, let’s take a look at a handful of schools and their essay prompts. This will help you understand how your why this college essay sample fits into your application strategy.

Which schools require a Why This College essay?

As you’ll see from our why school essay examples, many schools require a why this college essay sample. Our why this college essay examples include many schools, but this list isn’t exhaustive. So, do your own research to see if each school on your list requires a why this college essay.

The good news is many of our why school essay examples prompts are very similar. So, wherever you apply , our why college essay examples are great resources to reference as you write your own why school essay.

To get you started, here are some of the schools that require a why this college essay. You’ll find some why this college essay examples for these schools below. Others, you can check out in our school-specific essay guides :

Top Universities with a Why School Essay

• Northwestern
• American Unviersity

Why college essay examples for some of these schools didn’t make it into our list of college essays that worked. However, we still wanted to mention a few more schools that require a why this college essay.

More Why School Essay Examples Guides to Explore

Why northwestern.

Northwestern University has a two-part “why this college” essay sample prompt. They want to know what resources, opportunities, and/or communities you plan to engage with on campus. They also want to know how these offerings may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond.

Why Barnard

The why this college essay sample prompt for Barnard College is a little more open-ended. Similar to other schools, Barnard asks what factors led you to apply at Barnard. They also ask you to share why you think Barnard will be a good match for you.

Yale University’s why this college essay sample prompt is similar to Barnard’s: “What is it about Yale that has led you to apply?” This is your opportunity to get specific about why Yale excites you. It also lets you share what you hope to take advantage of on campus.

Why Dartmouth

Dartmouth College’s why this college essay sample prompt asks students “Why Dartmouth?”—a classic why school prompt. Similar to Northwestern’s prompt, Dartmouth’s specifically asks what aspects of their academic program, community, or campus environment attract you.

Brown University asks students to describe their academic interests and how they might use Brown’s Open Curriculum to pursue them. In this instance, since the curriculum is specific to Brown, you can think of this prompt in two parts. First, what do you want to study, and second, why do you want to study it at Brown? In this way, this essay is a why this college essay, so should also be our list.

Why This College Essay Examples

You can use our why school essay examples to help you begin to write your why school essays. Each of our college essays that worked was chosen because it is a strong and compelling “why this college” essay sample.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to read a why this college essay sample, you’re in luck. Take some time to read some below from over ten schools. These include our UF supplemental essay examples, Tufts essays that worked, Georgia Tech essay examples, why Duke essay examples, and more.

Why this college essay sample #1- UChicago

The University of Chicago is well-known for its quirky supplemental essay requirements. Among those you can expect to find some kind of Why This College essay. Below is an example of how one student crafted their response.

Why UChicago Essay Examples

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. (1-2 pages).

The best thing about the University of Chicago is its subtle inconspicuousness. The ivy leagues and big select schools all have a stereotype/reputation it holds in the public eye that is difficult to live up to. Go to Harvard? Oh, you must be the smartest person ever! Go to UC Berkeley, MIT?  You must be the greatest genius the world has ever seen. But when U Chicago is mentioned, most people find it difficult to generalize the institution as anything outside of “top university” or “prestigious school.” This is because while universities at the forefront of media attention are some of the best in the United States, such overexposure lends itself to negative connotations that cannot be escaped.

I myself knew little about U Chicago, but soon came to realize how great knowing little could actually be in the grand scheme of things.

Everything starts with the amazing education system U Chicago prides itself on. Core Curriculum allows for students to really engage in critical thinking with an expanded view of the world and how it works. Students at U Chicago are not there for the perceived prestige or bonus points you get from attending a top university, they’re there to learn, and not just learn for the final exam and forget. They are there to learn and continue to use their gained knowledge as they expound upon it throughout their journey through schooling and life.

In high school and in my time taking community college courses, I haven’t been exposed to these types of students. People take courses just to put a check mark on the list, and I have been doing the same because it’s what required and it’s all I’ve ever known. There was never an opportunity to take specialized courses and as a result, my classmates’ zeal for knowledge acquisition has never been awakened. Though I try to satisfy my curiosities through articles and books, there was never anyone to discuss it with in depth without one of us leaving frustrated.

Though I plan to major in a Neuroscience-related program as a pre-medical student, I want to be able to learn new languages, Norwegian mythology, the situation of public health; anything that has piqued my interests for multiple years but remained untouched due to circumstances. I like that U Chicago forbids students from taking courses solely for their major and requires them to spend a large portion of their time in the Core Curriculum in order to make this happen.

Instead of dealing with constant pressure from society, students at U Chicago are free to pursue their passions without fear of judgment or stereotype. With the focus on education where it belongs, the overall atmosphere at the institution is laid-back and does not add stress to the rigorous course load.

A secret utopia of sorts, U Chicago sets an invincible foundation that will exponentially increase the vitality of a person in any field of work or practice and I want to be a part of that.

Explaining why this essay worked

This is one of our Why UChicago essay examples and one of our first college essays that worked. In it, the author reflects on UChicago’s academic values and culture. This “why this college” essay sample highlights the type of student that thrives at UChicago. It also shows how this student’s values align with UChicago’s.

As you’ll see in our other why school essay examples, this writer mentions specific qualities about UChicago’s Core Curriculum. They foreground how it will allow them to pursue all of their academic interests. In doing so, this student makes a strong case for why they belong at UChicago.

If you want to read another why this college essay sample, check out our guide . There, you’ll find more UChicago why school essay examples.

Why this college essay sample #2 – Georgia Tech

The second why this college essay sample we are sharing is Why School essay from Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech only requires one supplemental essay and it is a Why This College essay. Let’s look at how one student responded to the prompt below.

Georgia Tech Essay Examples

Why do you want to study your chosen major at georgia tech, and what opportunities at georgia tech will prepare you in that field after graduation (300 words).

March 29, 2019. 11 AM EST. GT Shadow Day. I remember it all so clearly: Descending the red-brick steps of the Old Civil Engineering Building. My friend and I, chatting up a storm, our minds blown by our newfound perspectives. 

We had just walked out of ECON-4060: Money & Capital Markets. To say that it changed my life would be no exaggeration; within an hour, The professor had upended my perception of society and defined my future aspirations. 

We had been asked to consider a popular commodity, diamonds. Hardly rare, fast-decaying, and intrinsically worthless. So why do we buy them? The professor had then illuminated the factors in our economic behavior that cause us to gift a ring in marriage rather than something with real value, say a treasury bond. These realizations were enough to rock me back on my heels, for I had never before noticed the large degree to which our everyday economic decision-making is irrational.

Craving more than that one splendid hour, I knew where and what I wanted to study for the next four years. I saw myself strolling through Bobby Dodd Way, bumping into old friends as I made my way to Midtown Atlanta. I saw myself exploring the realm of economics, probing questions ranging from price formation to income disparity. I saw myself at a place that felt familiar enough to call “home,” learning in a way that felt genuine enough to call “discovery.”

Educating myself on the mechanics of economics is just a glimpse of my great desires. Through the senior research project, I seek the one-on-one guidance of faculty in yielding a publishable journal paper. Someday, with the support of the program’s alumni network, I plan to pursue career and internship opportunities in the great company headquarters of Atlanta.

Why did this Georgia Tech essay work?

This is one of our favorite Georgia Tech essay examples because the writer drops us into a story that defines their interest in attending Georgia Tech. This “why this college” essay sample has a delightful and passionate tone. It communicates the writer’s interest in economics, passion for learning, and desire to explore these ideas at Georgia Tech.

Once again specificity is key (something you’ll continue to see in our other why school essay examples). This writer mentions Bobby Dodd Way, which is a street on campus. They also discuss opportunities for a senior research project and the specific professor and class that inspired them.

Why this college essay sample #3 – Wake Forest

Our next college essay that worked is from Wake Forest University.

Why Wake Forest Essay Examples

How did you become interested in wake forest university and why are you applying (150 words) .

Each time I return to campus, I see a true fit between myself and Wake Forest. I will dedicate myself to furthering the university motto, pro humanitate, by actively working with the Volunteer Service Corps and continuing my community service of providing for the basic needs of others. In addition, I will engage in the world around me and pursue a minor in Spanish while studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain; since I am currently taking AP Spanish, the language and cultural immersion would advance my fluency and expand my exposure to other cultures. In the diverse and intellectual community of Wake Forest, I will continue to pursue my goals with natural curiosity while growing as a leader in the service of others. Wake Forest is the window into the endless possibilities of my future.

Why this Wake Forest essay worked

This why this college essay sample shows how to successfully and succinctly write a why this college essay. Just like in our longer why school essay examples, this writer combines values, academics, and specificity. In doing so, they show how Wake Forest will impact their continued growth and future goals.

College essays that worked #4 – Tufts

Why tufts essay examples, “why tufts” (150 words).

I fell in love with Tufts immediately upon entering the Granoff Music Center. Standing in the lofty, sunlit atrium, I imagined being there with my enormous ekantha-veena gathered in my arms. Catching sight of the World Music Room, the glistening Indonesian gamelan housed inside—I knew that both my instrument and I would feel right at home at Tufts.

After all, Tufts is the type of school that embraces women who play instruments twice their size and, moreover, actually listens to their music.

Tufts provides women like me ample space in the music center, as well as on ground-breaking research teams such as the Sandler International Research Program; or access to intimate classroom settings with faculty such as one key professor whose dissertations are lauded by the American Sociological Association.

Tufts is a place where both the young woman and her ekantha-veena, her music and her ideas, will be heard.

This why this college essay sample prompt from Tufts admissions is extremely simple. In fact, this essay is one of our Tufts essays that worked because of its simplicity. We imagine Tufts admissions gravitated towards this essay because it reveals the writer’s passion for music. It also highlights the type of research and culture they’d like to engage with at Tufts.

Check out Tufts admissions page for more why Tufts essay examples and advice on Tufts essays that worked.

Why this college essay sample #5- Lewis and Clark

Lewis & clark supplemental essay example, lewis & clark college is a private college with a public conscience and a global reach. we celebrate our strengths in collaborative scholarship, international engagement, environmental understanding and entrepreneurial thinking. as we evaluate applications, we look for students who understand what we offer and are eager to contribute to our community. in one paragraph, please tell us why you are interested in attending lewis & clark and how you will impact our campus..

For the last eighteen years, my dad has repeated the phrase “curiosity killed the cat” at least once a week, attempting to satisfy my unrelenting curiosity. In response, I’ve adopted the mantra “but knowledge brought him back.” At Lewis and Clark College, I seek to fulfill my intense interest about the workings of society by conducting sociology research on issues in urban areas under one professor at Lewis and Clark. This research will also support my plans to perform an independent study on the aspects of criminal justice in urban environments, as the unique tensions in cities often affect the role of criminal justice.

I’ve read countless books on America’s legal system and wish to use sociology to analyze the factors that influence how justice is carried out. My unwavering curiosity also extends to my adoration of architecture, so the chance to explore my fascination with urban design through a self-designed major at Lewis and Clark deeply excites me. I know that creating my own course of study will enable me to explore my curiosity about urban history and planning. Furthermore, the chance to double major will allow me to combine architecture and social perspective and explore the connections between my majors.

The freedom to study both sociology and urban architecture at Lewis and Clark will give me a distinctive perspective on the artistic and social issues that are present in Portland and other major cities. Another opportunity that excites me is the chance to study abroad in Seville, Spain.

I am particularly enthusiastic about the ability to use my sociology and architecture education to explore a unique geographical area. Classes such as Art History of Spain will supplement my concentration on urban architecture, while Contemporary Issues of Spain will allow me to study the sociological aspects of a different culture. I also plan to study Spanish in college, so living with a host family gives me the unique ability to practice Spanish around the clock.

I believe that studying abroad in Seville, Spain through Lewis and Clark will enable me to engage in many unforgettable learning experiences. Finally, Lewis and Clark is bursting with non-traditional learning opportunities outside of the classroom. I can’t wait to learn a new skill by joining the sailing team and debating moral theories with the philosophy club.

I believe that there is no better place for me to study sociology and architecture because Lewis and Clark’s emphasis on diversity and international study are values that align perfectly with my interests.

Exploring the strengths of this essay

The Lewis and Clark College acceptance rate is higher than that of some other top schools. Still, you can tell how much thought and care this writer put into their “why this college” essay sample. Since the Lewis and Clark College acceptance rate is 79% , you might think crafting a strong supplemental essay would be easy. However, you can tell the writer of this “why this college” essay sample took their time time. In their essay, they weave a clear and compelling story about their interests and how Lewis & Clark will allow them to pursue those interests.

No matter a school’s acceptance rate, whether it is lower or higher than the Lewis and Clark College acceptance rate, make sure you take the time with every essay you write to make it the best it can be.

Why this college essay sample #6 – Loyola Marymount

Loyola marymount essay example, please briefly state your reason for wishing to attend lmu and/or how you came to select your major. (500 words).

Whether I’m bustling through people in the Metro station, taking a leisurely stroll on the beach, or studying at my local cafe, I embrace the sights, sounds, and people of Los Angeles. Though I was born in New York, I am a true L.A. native: the sunset is my muse, and my dreams are ambitious (I want to cure cancer, win a Pulitzer-Prize, and walk the red carpet, simultaneously).

Even if I don’t accomplish all of these things, I am encouraged by the fact that they are all possibilities at LMU. With a unique fusion of academic excellence, strong communal identity, and a faith-based education, LMU would prepare me to be an innovative and compassionate leader in the real world.

Reflective of L.A.’s rich cultural diversity, LMU offers students a wide array of resources. For one thing, the student to teacher ratio is 10:1, which enhances learning by fostering personal relationships with professors and peers. Furthermore, it creates a collaborative group environment, something I consider integral to my education. Secondly, as someone who is passionate about both Chicano/Latino studies and Biology, I was excited to discover that with LMU’s major and minor policy, I would be able to study both, even if they are located in different colleges.

Ultimately, I want to become a doctor, possibly a neurologist, hence my desire to major in biology. With a broad course list–encompassing everything from Immunology to Animal Behavior– and intensive, faculty-mentored research, LMU’s biology program will enable me to pursue my passion for science. At the same time, I wish to apply my medical studies to serving a greater purpose.

This is why I’ve chosen to minor in Chicano Studies. I have always taken great pride in my ethnicity, so being able to examine the Latino identity through political, historical, and cultural lenses would enrich how I understand myself and the entire Latino/a community.

The final and most important reason why I want to attend LMU is its emphasis on serving the community and the world at large. Being a practicing Catholic myself, it is important to me that faith be integrated in my education, not only because it is a part of my own identity, but because it nurtures both spiritual and personal growth. At my current high school, I have encountered and conversed with students of different faiths, or even no faith, who fully embrace the spirit of community service that characterizes Christianity.

This is what I admire most about LMU; regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or religion, LMU embraces everyone and teaches students to do the same. In short, LMU would not only augment my love of service, it would propel me forward in my mission: to be a woman of great heart and right conscience for others.

With a higher word count, this is one of our longer why school essay examples. This writer likely captured the attention of Loyola Marymount admissions with their eloquence and ambition.

While there’s no one right way to impress Loyola Marymount admissions, showcasing the school’s unique programs will help show them why attending Loyola is vital to your future. This why this college essay sample touches on LMU’s faith-based curriculum, and biology and chicano studies programs, and why they are important to this writer.

Why this college essay sample #7 – Duke

Duke University is another school that asks students Why This College as part of their supplemental essay requirements. Take a look at the essay that worked below for some ideas about how to write your Why Duke essay.

Why Duke Essay Examples

What is your sense of duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you  if there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well. (250 words).

At Duke University, I would get the opportunity to immerse myself in interests that I harbored but never had the opportunity to explore due to circumstances. With incredible resources from world-renowned professors, I would learn directly from the best in any subject, and be able to use this advantage to further myself in my future career plans and goals.

The quality of my education, though attributed to the institution, would be the most highly enriched from the students. Although from diverse backgrounds, all the students share the same thirst for knowledge and a drive to make a difference. With the focus on education where it belongs, the overall atmosphere at the institution is collaborative and does not add stress to the rigorous course load.

A secret utopia of sorts, Duke sets an invincible foundation that will exponentially increase the vitality of a person in any field of work or practice.

Why this essay worked

This is one of our favorite why Duke essay examples because it highlights the people this writer plans to learn from at Duke: their professors and their fellow students. Surprisingly, this is probably one of the least specific why school essay examples. However, this writer still successfully manages to capture their passion for learning and how excited they are to pursue these goals on Duke’s campus.

Want more why Duke essay examples and tips on how to approach this “why this college” essay sample prompt? Check out our Duke University Essay Guide .

Why this college essay sample #8 – University of Florida

Uf supplemental essay examples, the university of florida honors program is a “community of scholars” bound together by a shared interest in maximizing the undergraduate experience. why are you drawn to this type of community at uf, and how do you plan to contribute to it in and out of the classroom.

Anyone who’s ever played a high school sport can attest to the fact that every coach has his or her own catchphrase. For some coaches, it might be “always give 110%”. Others say, “You miss every shot you don’t take.”

My 10th grade basketball coach? His catchphrase was more like a repeated lecture. It would start off as “This team is made up of different personalities.” Pause. “80% of you are pulled either up or down by your teammates. 10% of you have negative energy and bring everyone down.” Pause and sigh. “And then there’s the last 10%. You guys are the ones who carry this team with positive energy. So what percent do you want to be tonight?”

His rhetorical questions seemed like another pep talk to the rest of my team but would always strike a chord within me. From that basketball season and on, I strived to be the 10% pulling everyone positively. 

My reformed attitude taught me many things. I learned how productive and influential a positive force on a team can be. I learned something about myself too: wherever I went to college, I wanted to be in a team-like environment. A close-knit group of scholars full of diverse perspectives, but all striving towards the same common goal: gaining knowledge. 

This is what I see in the UF Honors Program. The opportunity to be surrounded by like minded people. People who are all part of that 10% who pull you up. People who are genuinely interested in learning, research, and discussion. To be able to walk into a room with overlapping conversations about an intellectual topic like the current economic status of Dubai or the psychosocial issues in the United States is something I crave in my college experience.

Not only do I envision myself in a place like this, but I also see a platform which will give me great opportunities, beginning with peers who share the same academic drive as me and smaller class sizes, which result in profound discussions. I hope to be given an opportunity to walk onto this platform and show everyone just how high I can raise it.

Why this UF Honors Program essay worked

It’s important to note that a why this college essay sample is not necessarily a required portion of your UF application. You only need to submit a why this college essay with your UF application if you apply to the UF Honors Program.

However, we still included this “why this college” essay sample as part of our why school essay examples because this writer beautifully described the kind of student and community member they hope to be at UF. They highlight a personal story—a moment where they grew and learned a valuable lesson. Then, they combine it with what they hope to find in UF’s honors community. 

Why this college essay sample #9 – Franklin & Marshall

Franklin & marshall essays.

A Franklin and Marshall education is in line with my commitment to stimulate and chronicle a more just world through health, justice, and activism for marginalized people locally and internationally in a way that giving a check never could. 

I would be able to synthesize my fascination with medicine and people by seeking out experiences in biomedical research and patient care through the Quick Response Service organization as an EMT responder for the Lancaster community. Most importantly, I can investigate a breadth of topics to a much fuller extent than I can at any other institution.

With a Franklin and Marshall acceptance rate of 38% , this is considered a more selective school. However, the Franklin and Marshall acceptance rate should not affect your why this college essay. Also, as you craft your Franklin and Marshall application, note that the university no longer requires a Why School essay. Still, this essay provides a useful blueprint for other why school essay samples.

Rather than focusing on the Franklin and Marshall acceptance rate, you’ll want to review the supplemental essay requirements . Then, use the prompt to articulate the benefits of receiving an education from Franklin and Marshall. In order to gain acceptance to Franklin and Marshall, you should focus on what attending this particular college means to you.

Why this college essay sample #10- Lafayette College

Our final why this college essay sample, is from Lafayette College. A Why School essay is the cornerstone of Lafayette College’s supplemental essay requirements. Let’s take a look at an example from a student accepted to Lafayette.

Why Lafayette College Essay Examples

Students identify lafayette as an excellent fit for countless reasons. in your response, be deliberate and specific about your motivation for applying to lafayette. why do you see yourself at lafayette (200 words).

“If you were to be accepted to every college in the country, which one would you choose above all others?” An admissions officer prompted the room with this question early in my college search. Back then, I didn’t know the answer, but now it’s a obvious choice: Lafayette.

When I visited Lafayette, I’d already seen 15 colleges. However, when I toured campus, I instantly felt a difference in the school and the students themselves. Everyone looked truly happy to be there, especially considering the people I saw were remaining at school during break while their peers returned home.

When I looked around, I saw people I could imagine myself befriending and spending time with, something I struggled to find at other institutions. I later connected with my tour guide, who also happened to be a Civil Engineering major. I’m interested in pursuing an architecture minor, and she told me about a project in her Architectural Engineering class in which students design bus stops with features like charging stations or mini libraries. I appreciated that she took time to email me, and her genuine enthusiasm about her classes was infectious. With that email, I cemented my decision to apply.

There’s a difference between being busy and being engaged. Lafayette comes alive each day with the energy of students who are deeply engaged in their academic, co-curricular and extracurricular explorations.

Of all of our why school essay examples, this why this college essay sample discusses an actual experience the student had on campus. In truth, this is a great strategy. Using this topic, admissions gets to hear about how they connected with a student. They also learn how this student already sees themself as part of the student community.

Like many of our other why school essay examples, this writer follows a strong structure. They started with a personal story, sprinkled in specific and valuable details, and ended with a big-picture summary of “Why this school.”

How To Write A Why This College Essay

We’ve read some outstanding why school essay examples, including Why Duke essay examples, Tufts essays that worked, and more. Next, let’s talk about how to write your own why this college essay.

At times, you’ll find a “why this college” essay sample or two with a longer word count. However, most of our why school essay examples prompts have a smaller word limit. So, you generally need to be succinct when writing a why this college essay. For some students, this may mean writing your initial draft without worrying about the word count, then editing your draft down to the most important parts.

Do your research

Before you get into writing your why this college essay sample, we recommend getting to know more about the school you are applying to. One of the most important things you can do to prepare to write your why this college essay sample is to spend time researching specific aspects of the school that align with your candidate profile.

For example, let’s say you’re a student who wants to study engineering , you want a big school, and you’re also passionate about doing your own research. As you begin your college search , you’d want to look for schools that meet all of your needs. Once you have a list of potential schools , do some research into each school and their requirements. Watch webinars , read guides about meeting application requirements, like what is a good SAT score and test-optional colleges , and guides about approaching your college application essays . 

How to Start a Why This College Essay

Next, let’s go over how to start a “why this college” essay. The beginning of your essay is always the most important because it can draw your reader in and make them want to read more. We have tons of guides to help you through every step of the writing process. So, after reading through our why school essay examples, take a look at exercises to help determine a college essay topic and what admissions officers think of 3 common college essay topics.

Once you have a topic for your why this college essay sample, take a look at our 39 essay tips . These helpful tips are from our admissions experts. We also have a resource with tips on how to craft your college essay . Then, when you’re ready to start editing your essay, check out our advice on making your essays shine .

Use these examples to help brainstorm

We’ve reviewed a variety of why this college essay examples. By reading these examples, we hope you got some insight into how to write a why this college essay. These why school essay examples are college essays that worked. That is, they used specific details to show why an applicant was a perfect fit for a given school. Each why this college essay sample is slightly different—and every student is, too. So, use our why school essay examples as a jumping-off point.

We can’t include a why this college essay sample from every school in our college essays that worked roundup. But, keep reading to the end of the guide for more CollegeAdvisor.com resources full of why school essay examples. These resources include: why Northwestern essay examples and why Yale essay examples. They also include why NYU essay examples and a why Barnard essay example.

Other CollegeAdvisor Resources on Why This College Essays

If you’re looking for a why this college essay sample for a school we haven’t touched on, you’re in luck! We have “why school” essay examples for a ton of top schools that are sure to be on your college list. These why this college essay examples will be just as helpful as the ones we’ve already covered, like our Tufts essays that worked, Georgia Tech essay examples, and why Duke essay examples.

First, we have our why Northwestern essay examples. This guide offers two why Northwestern essay examples and a breakdown of what made each essay so impactful.

Why Northwestern Essay Examples

Then, check out our why Barnard essay example page. In addition to a why Barnard essay example, you can get some application tips. The article also covers information about Barnard’s acceptance rate and essay requirements.

Barnard Essay Examples

Next, stop by our Why Yale essay examples guide. The why Yale essay examples cover all three Yale supplemental essay requirements. These include the essays about your potential majors and a topic or idea that excites you.

Why Yale Essay Examples

Finally , read some Why NYU essay examples (and why they worked). Each of our why NYU essay examples is accompanied by feedback from an ex-admissions officer on why the essay worked.

NYU Essay Examples (And Why They Worked)

Why This College Essay Sample – Final Thoughts

After reading our why school essay examples, we hope you have a better sense of what a “why this college” essay sample should include. We also hope it can help you go about writing your own. While there is no perfect formula for writing your supplemental essays , don’t forget to take advantage of all of the resources available to you. 

If you’re nervous to begin writing your why this college essay sample, don’t worry! Each of our “why school” essay examples was written by a student just like you that managed to gain a college acceptance letter from their dream school. All it takes is time, patience, and dedication to making your college essays the best they can be. To find more examples of college essays that worked, check out our personal statement examples .

This essay guide was written by Stefanie Tedards. Looking for more admissions support? Click  here  to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. I n fact, d uring your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how  CollegeAdvisor.com  can support you in the college application process.

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The Catalysts of American Involvement in World War II: a Detailed Examination

This essay about the reasons behind the United States’ entry into World War II outlines several key factors that led to its involvement. Initially committed to isolationism, influenced by the aftermath of World War I, the U.S. shifted its stance due to the expanding threats from the Axis powers, which jeopardized international trade and American economic interests during the Great Depression. Additionally, ideological opposition to fascism and totalitarianism played a significant role in mobilizing public and political support for the war. The direct and immediate cause, however, was Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, which resulted in a swift declaration of war by the U.S. against Japan, followed by declarations from Germany and Italy. Collectively, these factors transformed American foreign policy from isolationism to active participation in World War II, redefining its global role as a defender of democracy. This shift not only involved the U.S. in the conflict but also helped it overcome economic struggles, highlighting a complex blend of economic, ideological, and defensive motivations.

How it works

One major event that changed the direction of the war was the United States’ admission into the conflict in December 1941. America had up until then maintained its neutral stance, which was influenced by isolationist measures that were implemented in the wake of World War I. But its engagement was the result of a confluence of direct attacks, economic interests, and geopolitical upheavals. This article explores the main causes behind the US decision to join the Allied forces in the worldwide fight, abandoning its policy of isolation.

The United States was initially adamant about staying out of European conflicts. Americans generally wanted to stay out of foreign wars due to the trauma of World War I. A number of Neutrality Acts were passed in the 1930s with the intention of keeping the country out of foreign conflicts. The swift ascent of the Axis forces and the collapse of France in June 1940, however, put this determination to the test and exposed the possible danger to the stability of the world and American interests overseas.

Prior to the conflict, economic considerations were a major influence on US foreign policy. The United States experienced the Great Depression in the 1930s, and trade relations were essential to the country’s economic recovery. These global commerce channels, as well as American investments in Europe and Asia, were put in jeopardy by the aggressiveness of the Axis countries. As a result, the United States started to back the Allies more firmly through initiatives like the Lend-Lease Act of 1941, which gave it the authority to give military assistance to nations opposing the Axis powers without being directly involved in combat.

The decision to engage the war was further motivated by the ideological confrontation between the United States and the totalitarian governments of Germany, Italy, and Japan. These countries’ brutality and ambitious expansionism ran counter to American democratic ideals. Leaders such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt underlined the need of defending these principles and halting the rise of authoritarianism and fascism. Political and public support for joining the war was bolstered by this ideological position, particularly as media reports of atrocities started to appear.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, however, served as the direct impetus for America’s entry into World War II. Thousands of Americans were murdered and the Pacific Fleet was severely damaged in this surprise military attack on the US naval facility in Hawaii. The incident sparked a nationwide clamor for action and inspired the American people to move from isolationism. President Roosevelt made his well-known “Day of Infamy” speech on December 8, 1941, and Congress unanimously approved the declaration of war on Japan with just one vote against. Soon later, the United States was completely involved in the international battle when Germany and Italy declared war on it.

In conclusion, a complex interaction of economic plans, ideological resistance to fascism, defensive manoeuvres, and an actual attack on American territory led to the United States’ entry into World War II. While none of the factors by itself would have forced the United States to enter the war, taken as a whole, they made neutrality untenable. The war effort inspired the country, lifting it out of the Great Depression’s economic abyss and redefining its position as the world’s foremost protector of democracy.

Examining these components will help us comprehend not only why the United States entered World War II, but also how this choice influenced its future foreign policy and its standing as a major world power. This engagement was a pledge to uphold and propagate the principles of democracy and freedom, which still shape American foreign policy today, rather than merely a reaction to aggression.

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