vassar supplemental essay

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How to Apply

Applying to Vassar

Whether you’re a first-year or transfer applicant, find everything you need to know here about how to apply and what we look for in an applicant.

First-Year Applicants

First-year applicants may submit in any one of the following ways:

• Common Application
• Coalition Application
• QuestBridge Application

Transfer Applicants

Transfer applicants can apply using the Common Application.

Submitting Application Materials

Electronic submission is preferred. Application materials may also be submitted via email, fax, or mail.

Supplemental materials can be uploaded through the application status portal, which is available after an application has been submitted and processed.

To submit documents: Email: [email protected] Fax: (845) 437-7063

Financial Aid documents should be submitted to Student Financial Services through Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC).

Selection Criteria

Vassar weighs a number of factors in the admission decision, including:

• Academic performance, as demonstrated in high school
• Personal strengths, motivation, and potential as evidenced in essays, recommendations, and community involvement

Vassar recommends that prospective applicants applying from high school take four years of:

• Mathematics
• History or social science
• A language other than English

Applicants should take a substantial portion of their work in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or the highest level of coursework available in their school.

Special attention is given to the academic breadth, depth, and rigor of candidates’ junior and senior year programs.

Optional SAT/ACT Scores

Students applying to Vassar may choose whether or not to submit SAT/ACT scores.

Know the Vassar codes

• College Board : 2956
• TOEFL : 2956

After You’ve Applied

Within 5 days of receiving your application, we will send you an email with your Applicant ID and directions on how to access an online checklist for your application.

Adding all supporting documents to our system may take a few weeks. If there are items missing from your application, you will be notified before decision release for your specified application round.

Students will be able to check their admission decision online on the same website you used to check the status of your application. Vassar does not release admission decisions via telephone.

Additional Information

If the application fee poses a financial hardship, a fee waiver can be requested on the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Fee waivers are automatically offered to applicants who are QuestBridge Finalists and U.S. Military Veterans.

• If you apply via the Common Application , under the Vassar College Member-Specific section you will be asked “Do you intend to use one of these school-specific fee waivers?” Please select “Yes, I will be using a Vassar fee waiver.”
• If you apply via the Coalition Application , use the fee waiver code: Vassar Fee Waiver .

Vassar College considers applications submitted by undocumented or DACA-mented students for the first-year class with the same consideration given to any other applicants when reviewing their application. Although funding is limited, the College is committed to meeting the full, demonstrated financial need of undocumented or DACA students admitted to Vassar following the same procedures Vassar uses to grant aid to accepted international students.

Vassar awards credit for scores of 4 or 5 on select AP exams and for scores of 5, 6, or 7 on select IB Higher Level exams. A maximum of 2 units of pre-matriculation examination-based credits can be awarded.

Students who are taking a gap year must confirm their intent to enroll at Vassar by submitting the Candidate’s Reply Card and the required enrollment deposit by May 1, and must complete the Deferral Request Form by the deadline listed on the Admitted Students website. If deferred status is approved, a formal letter stating the conditions under which the deferral has been granted will be sent to the student. Transfer students and students offered admission to Vassar from the wait list are ineligible to request a deferral of admission.

Related Topics

Application information and options for first-year applicants.

International Applicants

Vassar is a vibrant community of global citizens. Learn more about the application process for international students.

See the checklist of requirements to transfer to Vassar.

Get Started

Applying to Vassar College? This prestigious institution has released its supplemental essay prompts for the 2024-2025 application cycle. These essays provide a unique opportunity for you to showcase who you are and how you aspire to contribute to Vassar’s vibrant community. This year, Vassar offers two engaging prompts. You will need to respond to one of the following prompts within a 300-word limit:

At Vassar, we aim to foster an inclusive community through our philosophy of engaged pluralism. Engaged pluralism is rooted in “the conviction that collaborating across differences is necessary for social transformation and critical for the well-being of any community and its members.” In short, we believe it's our differences that make us stronger. Tell us a little bit about an important part of your identity and how it has shaped your life and/or interactions with others.

Vassar is a diverse community that inspires positive change through open inquiry, deep dives into society’s most difficult challenges, and collaborative problem solving. We care deeply about one another, the communities that have forged us, and the community we build together on campus. Tell us about the community (or communities) you come from and how it has shaped your lived experiences and identity.

Now, let’s explore how to effectively approach these prompts:

Understanding the Prompts

Both of Vassar’s prompts delve into your identity and community. The first prompt revolves around engaged pluralism , emphasizing how your unique attributes bring strength to collaborative environments. The second prompt invites you to reflect on your community influences and their role in shaping your experiences and identity. Answering these prompts requires deep introspection and honesty about your background and individuality.

Approaching Prompt 1: Engaged Pluralism

For the first prompt, consider what makes your background or personal attributes unique. Reflect on the following:

What is an essential part of your identity? Think about aspects like your race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, religion, or even personal interests.

How has this element of your identity influenced your life and interactions with others? Provide specific examples of times you collaborated across differences.

Why do you believe that your unique background would enhance the Vassar community? How can you contribute to fostering an inclusive community at Vassar?

Use Sups AI to brainstorm unique aspects of your identity that could resonate with the idea of engaged pluralism. Their one-on-one chats with current students can offer invaluable insights and feedback on your draft.

Approaching Prompt 2: Your Community

The second prompt focuses on the community or communities you belong to. Start by identifying a community that has significantly impacted you. Consider the following questions:

What community do you feel most connected to? This could be based on geography, shared interests, cultural background, or a group you’ve been actively involved in.

How has this community shaped your values, beliefs, and identity? Provide specific anecdotes or experiences that highlight this influence.

How have these experiences prepared you to contribute to Vassar’s diverse and inclusive community?

If you need inspiration or feedback, Sups AI offers tools to help frame your story effectively. You can also connect with current Vassar students to understand how your experiences align with the college’s values.

Final Tips for Writing Vassar’s Supplemental Essays

Remember, Vassar is looking for genuine and thoughtful responses that reflect your true self. Here are some additional tips:

Be Specific: Use concrete examples to illustrate your points. Vague statements won’t have the same impact.

Be Reflective: Show how your experiences have shaped you and how you’ll contribute to Vassar’s community.

Be Concise: You only have 300 words, so make every word count.

Get Feedback: Platforms like Sups AI can provide valuable advice and constructive critiques to refine your essay.

Good luck with your Vassar College application! Remember, each word is a chance to share your unique story and your potential contribution to this esteemed institution.

How to Write the Vassar College 2024-2025 Supplemental Essays

Vassar Supplemental Essay 2023-24

Vassar supplemental essays 2023-24.

As one of the best liberal arts schools in the nation, it’s no surprise that Vassar College attracts its fair share of applicants. This means that the Vassar supplemental essays are a crucial part of your application. But, to write an outstanding Vassar essay, you’ll need to be prepared. With so many parts to college applications, students need to plan their time wisely—especially with multiple Vassar supplemental essays to write!

Although writing an impressive Vassar College supplemental essay requires some time, it’s certainly not impossible, so don’t stress about the Vassar supplemental essays. Instead, look at each Vassar essay as an opportunity to bolster the strength of your application as a whole. 

In this guide to the Vassar supplemental essays, we’ll cover: 

• Vassar essay requirements for 2023
• Vassar essay prompts and word limit
• How to write your Vassar supplemental essays
• The importance of Vassar supplemental essays in the admissions process
• Application requirements and deadlines, and more!

With that, let’s kick off our guide to the Vassar supplemental essays with some quick facts on this prestigious school. 

Vassar Admissions: Quick Facts

Vassar college admissions quick facts.

• Vassar College Acceptance Rate: 19%— U.S. News ranks Vassar College as #16 on their list of Best National Liberal Arts Colleges. 
• 1 required (~300 word) essay
• Vassar College Application: First-year applicants must apply to Vassar through the Common Application, Coalition Application, or QuestBridge Application. Be sure you’ve met all of the Vassar requirements by your preferred deadline.
• Early Decision I: November 15
• Early Decision II: January 1
• Regular Decision: January 1
• Vassar Essay Tip: Carefully choose between the two Vassar essay prompts provided. Write your required Vassar essay for the prompt that most excites you.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

Does Vassar have supplemental essays?

Yes, in addition to the personal statement , students will need to write one required Vassar essay. Applicants will have a choice between two Vassar essay prompts for this 300-word essay. Both Vassar essay prompts are classified as community or diversity essays. This means that students will need to reflect on their background and experiences to write their most meaningful Vassar essay. But, don’t worry—we’ll get into how to do that shortly.

Although there is only one required Vassar College supplemental essay, there are also two optional responses. In most cases, we encourage students to respond to optional portions wherever submissions could strengthen their application. Later, we’ll look at the optional Vassar essay prompts and evaluate what responses would best enhance an application. 

How many essays does Vassar require?

As we’ve mentioned, there is only one required Vassar College supplemental essay. Of course, students must also complete the personal essay when applying on the application platform of their choice ( Common Application or Coalition Application ). All students will have the opportunity to choose between two Vassar essay prompts for their required Vassar essay. 

Before writing your Vassar essay, it might be helpful to look at Vassar essay examples. While you shouldn’t mimic stories or themes, reading Vassar essay examples might inspire you when writing about your own unique experiences. Specifically, cultural and community diversity essay examples can be very helpful when preparing to write Vassar supplemental essays.

You’ll need to select one of the Coalition or Common App essay prompts too in order to write your personal statement. Additionally, check out these college essay topics to jumpstart your brainstorming process. Even if the prompts are different, approaching the Vassar essay prompts from a new angle may spark new ideas.

Vassar Supplemental Essays

Between required and optional prompts, there are multiple Vassar supplemental essays that applicants may write. However, for now, let’s focus on the required Vassar College supplemental essay. 

Here are the two Vassar essay prompts presented to applicants: 

Vassar College Supplemental Essay Prompts

At Vassar, we aim to foster an inclusive community through our philosophy of engaged pluralism. Engaged pluralism is rooted in “the conviction that collaborating across differences is necessary for social transformation and critical for the well-being of any community and its members.” In short, we believe it’s our differences that make us stronger. Tell us a little bit about what makes you unique and what you hope to add to our community.

Vassar is a diverse community that inspires positive change through open inquiry, deep dives into society’s most difficult challenges, and collaborative problem solving. We care deeply about one another, the communities that have forged us, and the community we build together on campus. Tell us more about the community (or communities) you come from and how it has shaped who you are.

These Vassar supplemental essays are considered to be community or diversity essays—common themes for college essays. There are many routes that students could take when considering how to respond to either of these prompts. 

You have many unique qualities and are a member of at least one “community.” You could talk about a weekly virtual knitting circle or your school drama club—the prompts are intentionally open-ended. That’s why brainstorming is such an important part of writing the Vassar College supplemental essay.  In other words, you should choose your most impactful experience, anecdote, or community when writing this Vassar essay. Likewise, you need to choose carefully which of the Vassar essay prompts is best for you. 

Choosing the Right Vassar Essay for You

While both the Vassar essay prompts are essentially cultural diversity essays, there are slight differences between the two. Let’s check out each prompt in more detail to see which is the better fit for you. 

Option A: What Makes You Unique

This prompt asks students to reflect on their unique qualities. While this may be construed as an extracurricular or skills essay, it is presented in the context of a cultural diversity essay. While researching Vassar (which you should do), you’ll likely encounter their explanation of engaged pluralism , which speaks directly to diversity. So, you’ll need to not only show a unique facet of your personality but also relate it to future contributions to campus. 

If you have a hobby or interest that’s deeply meaningful to you, then this may be the essay for you. However, don’t forget about the “engaged pluralism” aspect of the prompt; Vassar Admissions wants to admit a diverse student body. Diversity can mean many things, so there are many ways to work this into your essay. Overall, you need to show what fresh perspective you have and how you’ll bring it to the campus community. 

Option B: Your Community 

We know what you’re thinking: another community-centered essay? How can you choose between the two? Well, yes, essentially both Vassar essay prompts are based around community and diversity. This means you’ll need to touch on important aspects of your identity no matter which prompt you choose.

Contrary to the first option, which looks inward at your uniqueness, this prompt looks outward towards your community. In the second prompt, applicants will need to hone into a community that has shaped them. Similar to diversity, community can mean a myriad of things. Think about your upbringing and important things that have made you who you are today. 

Are your parents chefs and food has been an integral part of your life? Did you grow up spending afternoons at the local park where you met kids from different cultures—expanding your worldview? Or have you been in jazz dance classes since your childhood, and the studio is your home away from home? You can choose to write about any community that has played an important role in your identity. In other words, there’s no “wrong” community to write about as long as it has been meaningful to you. 

How to choose your prompt

If you’re stuck between the two prompts, that’s okay! They are quite similar, which might make choosing between them difficult. The key to choosing the right prompt for you is finding the most personally meaningful theme. Writing and reflection exercises like freewrites and timed brainstorming sessions can be very effective for getting started.

Set a timer and list anecdotes, experiences, skills, and communities that have played an imperative role in your life. Which ones stand out the most to you? Is there one that excites you to write about? Then go back to the prompts. Which stories answer one of the prompts? If an idea seems right for both prompts, try drafting an essay for both to refine key points and your final prompt.

How to write the Vassar supplemental essays

There is no magic trick to writing the best Vassar supplemental essays. Rather, there are certain tips and guidelines you can follow to write your best Vassar essay. 

Here are some tips you can follow no matter the prompt you choose to respond to. 

Start early

The most stressful part about writing essays is having to do so in a time crunch. Allow yourself plenty of time to write the Vassar supplemental essays. Normally, schools release the most updated prompts in August. If you start then, you’ve got plenty of time to write your best Vassar College supplemental essay. 

Choose your prompt mindfully

Although both Vassar essay prompts fall into the general category of a cultural diversity essay, there are subtle differences between them. In one you’ll focus mainly on your identity, and in the other on your larger community. Of course, there is a lot of overlap between these two expansive themes. Choose the prompt to which you can write about something that is most meaningful and impactful to you.

Answer the prompt fully

This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in an entertaining anecdote and skip the entire second part of the prompt. This is a huge mistake! Make sure that you’ve answered every aspect of the prompt. Your anecdote should be evidence for your main point, where you…

Show you’re a perfect fit

Your essays are, of course, expanding upon you as a person. However, just as you made sure Vassar was a good fit for you when deciding to apply, Admissions does the same when reading applications. Luckily, Vassar tells applicants what’s important to them right in the Vassar essay prompts. Show that you share these values and will bring a unique, positive perspective to campus—you’ll be sure to wow them. 

Edit carefully

There’s nothing worse for admissions officers than reading a Vassar College supplemental essay that’s peppered with spelling and grammatical errors. Have one or more people read your essay for mechanical errors as well as for content. Ask people who know you well, so they can tell you if your essay portrays you authentically. 

Does Vassar care about essays?

As one of America’s top liberal arts colleges, Vassar wants students who think critically and can express themselves well on paper. Therefore, yes, the Vassar supplemental essays play a crucial role in the admissions team’s evaluation process. Moreover, Vassar is one of many schools that have adopted a test-optional standardized test policy. If you don’t submit standardized test scores, your responses to the Vassar essay prompts are that much more important. In either case, Vassar supplemental essays are opportunities to show admissions officers who you are beyond your transcript. 

That being said, Vassar does specify their evaluation criteria on their website . Academic achievement and rigor both play an important role when it comes to admissions decisions. They want to see not only good grades but challenging courses. Ideally, applicants competing for a spot at Vassar should be taking AP or IB classes during their junior and senior years. 

However, grades aren’t everything. Admissions is looking for the whole package in each candidate. Therefore, they want to learn more about each student and what they’ll bring to campus in these essays. As we can see, Vassar deeply cares about the Vassar supplemental essays when evaluating students.

What is Vassar looking for in essays?

Vassar Admissions wants to see several important qualities in each candidate; qualities that can be clearly expressed in the Vassar supplemental essays. Vassar looks for evidence of “personal strengths, motivation, and potential” in each Vassar College supplemental essay. And, which may be obvious from the required Vassar essay prompts, students should demonstrate community involvement. 

Successful Vassar essay examples showcase the writer’s positive characteristics, skills, and values. Are you a natural leader? Show Vassar with a story of how you organize the yearly block party to create a stronger sense of community. Are you an avid reader? Show Vassar how you relate the stories you read to your everyday life. Do you have big dreams for your future? Show Vassar what practical steps you’re taking in your present life to get you there. 

Use the Vassar supplemental essays to highlight your best qualities that haven’t yet had a chance to shine in your application. Just remember, community involvement is of the utmost importance! Even in an essay about your unique qualities, your ultimate goal is to paint a picture of yourself at Vassar. How will your experiences and qualities help you contribute to Vassar’s community?

Include the qualities that Vassar looks for when drafting Vassar College supplemental essays—show them through your experiences and anecdotes. But don’t make things up or plagiarize. Be authentic—you already possess these qualities, so find a way to write them into your Vassar supplemental essays.

When is my Vassar application due?

Having the most amazing Vassar supplemental essays won’t matter much in your “how to get into Vassar” plan if you miss the submission deadlines. So, let’s check out what options you have when it comes to submitting the Vassar requirements and application. 

The three Vassar deadlines are: 

Be sure that you give yourself sufficient time to write each Vassar essay. Of course, don’t neglect the other requirements of your chosen application platform, like transcripts and recommendation letters . Be sure you have plenty of time to write your essays, complete the application, and get recommendations before your deadline of choice.

Of course, in addition to the required Vassar essay, students must also write a personal statement essay. Applicants may also submit optional Vassar College supplemental essays, which we’ll get into now.

Vassar Application: Your Space

In addition to the required Vassar essay and personal statement, students may submit optional Vassar supplemental essays or other materials. Quite literally, Admissions is giving applicants “a space” to use however they like. Let’s check out the prompt. 

Vassar College Optional Supplemental Essay Prompt #1

Your space is your opportunity to allow the committee on admission to learn something about you that you have not addressed in another section of the application. for example, in the past, applicants have shared poetry, short stories, cartoons, digital images of art projects, photography, and collages, and/or links to videos, and short films. it is your space, so if you choose to complete it, send something that is a reflection of you your space is entirely optional..

This is a chance to share more about yourself with the admissions committee. If you felt like you couldn’t share an important part of yourself when responding to the Vassar essay prompts, then now’s the time. Do you have a hobby that’s an integral part of your life? Are you a creative writer, serial sketcher, or avid foodie? Whatever it is, use this space to include it!

Keep in mind that you don’t need to submit a traditional essay; in fact, this question accepts uploaded files. Maybe you want to share one of your short stories or original songs; you have total freedom here. Of course, since Vassar is such a competitive school, make sure that you’re submitting high-quality work here. You wouldn’t want this space to weaken your application. 

Ask others for feedback on what you plan to submit so that you can be objective when deciding. And of course, if your work was made in collaboration with others, get their permission before submitting it. We highly recommend submitting a Vassar College supplemental essay or other material here if it strengthens your application. 

On the other hand, the following is another optional Vassar essay prompt. 

Vassar Supplement: Unique Circumstances or Resume

Vassar college optional supplemental essay prompt #2, if you wish to provide details of circumstances not reflected in the application, please upload a file here. similarly, if you wish to upload your resume, include it here. (optional).

Most universities have a space like this for their applicants to explain any discrepancies in their grades or extracurriculars. If you’ve had extenuating circumstances that have affected your academic achievements, now’s the time to mention them. You might also choose to submit a resume. However, this section is completely optional! Don’t force yourself to answer if it doesn’t apply to you. 

How do I make my Vassar application stand out?

Writing college essays is a crucial part of the application process. Vassar is no exception—the Vassar supplemental essays play an important role in every applicant’s “how to get into Vassar” strategy. In light of that, how can you make your entire application impress admissions?

First and foremost, prepare early for the college application process—not “senior fall” early, but “sophomore spring” early. Vassar is an elite and selective institution. Maximizing your admission odds means taking challenging courses and focusing on academics throughout your high school career. Additionally, get involved in extracurricular activities and take leadership opportunities. Explore your interests outside of school; if you fall in love with something, make the effort to explore it further! 

Community involvement is an important part of the Vassar supplemental essays; however, Vassar isn’t the only school that prizes community. Most colleges want applicants to be active participants in their communities. Show what positive attributes you’ll bring to campus through both your actions and in your Vassar College supplemental essays. 

Through a combination of academic achievement, course rigor, and impressive essays, your application is sure to stand out to admissions. Reading successful college essay examples will help you see what works. Even if they aren’t specifically Vassar essay examples, they’ll help you write your Vassar essay and other college essays. 

Vassar Supplemental Essays – 5 Takeaways

We’ve covered a lot about the Vassar supplemental essays in this guide, so let’s review some key takeaways. 

Five Takeaways for Vassar College Supplemental Essays

1. there is one required vassar college supplemental essay.

However, students must also complete a personal statement for their application platform. Additionally, there are two optional Vassar supplemental essays. We highly recommend submitting something to “Your Space.” 

2. Vassar is a competitive liberal arts college

You might know this from your incessant googling of your dream school . Because of Vassar’s high ranking in U.S. News and Forbes , it has a low acceptance rate of 19% . This means your application needs to be carefully crafted—especially your essays. If you know how to get into Vassar, you know that impressive grades and essays are paramount. 

3. Answer the Vassar essay prompts completely

Don’t forget to answer any part of the prompts. No matter the prompt you choose, they are both two-part prompts. So, be sure to answer every part of the questions asked completely and comprehensively. 

4. Be authentic and get personal

The Vassar supplemental essays are the time to share more about yourself with admissions—the best parts, of course. Choose the experiences and anecdotes you use carefully. Your essays should be specific, engaging, and unique to you. Avoid clichés or generic responses.

5. Start your essays early!

Your Vassar supplemental essays are an extremely important part of your application. Give yourself plenty of time to write them. Remember they are only one part of the Vassar requirements. Plan carefully so you can put your best work forward and meet the deadlines !

Remember that CollegeAdvisor is here to help you with your whole college journey, from writing the Vassar supplemental essays to understanding financial aid. While reading Vassar essay examples (or any college essay examples) is a good way to get started, sometimes personalized guidance is necessary. If you need personalized coaching, reach out for help with your Vassar supplemental essays from one of our admissions experts. Good luck, and happy writing!

This essay guide was written by Sarah Kaminski. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During 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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How To Write the Vassar Supplement

The Vassar College supplement, on first glance, seems relatively easy to tackle and somewhat straight-forward. What we’ve learned from years of advising students on this supplement is that a) it’s a bit more complex than it seems but also b) it’s more work than you think. There are three optional components. We implore you to explore at least two of those three, and not just because many students will overlook them (though that fact will help you). The first two responses are limited to 350 words. We assure you, 350 words is longer than you think. Keep that in mind when brainstorming. Additionally, we encourage students to keep Vassar’s culture and community in mind while they write this. Vassar is a free-spirited, very liberal place with a diverse community. This should be in the back of your mind while you’re writing. Let’s get going.

• Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below. Limit 350 words. Like we said above, 350 words is longer than you think. It’s more space to explore, and it’s certainly enough space within which to tell a story (after all, you can tell a story in one sentence). This prompt requires you to bring the admissions reader inside your actions and participation within an extracurricular or work setting through a story. We like to tell our students that it doesn’t necessarily matter which extracurricular activity they choose to tell the story about, because the story is more about the interest or quality that they want to shed light on the most. You choose the topic for this question based on something that you are proud of or an action that you are deeply connected to. So much so that might argue it typifies who you are as a person. We had a student who wanted to write about her work helping underprivileged children. While on the surface, this seems like a run-of-the-mill activity, she dug deep. She wrote about a breakthrough moment that she had with one of her students, but not before she engaged in an honest discussion about her challenges with this particular student. It was a very genuine story about how one small event, in the context of the situation, can be a marker for long-term change. This student will be attending Vassar in the fall. In the vein of authenticity, we remind you to recall that Vassar has a lot of student activism on campus. Students are passionate and often liberal, albeit privileged. It is necessary to interrogate your instincts with this essay and steer clear from writing about a service trip or a volunteer gig in a soup kitchen. This will highlight your privilege and you won’t be in the room to defend yourself. That’s no good. ��
• How did you learn about Vassar and what aspect of our college do you find appealing? Limit 350 words This is an interesting question. We like it for some reasons: the language, and the fact that it’s a “Why X College?” question with a twist. We don’t love it for others—namely, the first part. Let’s talk about that. It’s a hard ask when 95% of students don’t recall how they first actually heard of Vassar. Vassar is just a college that people have been talking about for a long time, because one of the top 15 schools in the nation. That is most likely how you heard about it. If we’re being honest, that part of the question mostly has to do with marketing. 50% of money spent on marketing is wasted, but it’s hard to know which category it’s wasted in, and this question can shed some light on that mystery for the college. We wouldn’t worry too much about this aspect of the question, unless you have a truly interesting story (your parents met at Vassar a year after the school went co-ed and you’ve been coming back for reunions since you were born). Don’t spend too much time on it, because the story here is Vassar’s appeal. Now onto the good news—we love that Vassar asked about what “appeals” to you. It’s a wonderful choice of words, and you can do a lot with it. With research. Do your research for a “?” question—find classes that fascinate you, specify a professor whose brain you want to pick, and some extra-curriculars that sound right up your alley. Talk about what major interests you and some potential minors you might want to explore. Be sure that everything is Vassar-specific. They want to know why you want to study Comparative Literature at Vassar over every other school out there. That said, very rarely do students know exactly what their major is going to be ahead of time, though they might think they do. If this is the case, don’t worry—choose a subject that interests you. Remember: there’s no right or wrong answer for this question. Vassar is interested, more than anything, in how you think, not what you want to study. Go with your gut on this one.

  If you wish to provide details of circumstances not reflected in the application, please upload a file here. Similarly, if you wish to upload your resume, include it here. Let us be clear when we say that this portion is not optional. This is the space to elaborate on any significant events that happened in high school that may have affected your ability to execute at your peak academic or social potential. If you experienced a death or illness in your family, or went through an event that resulted in a grade drop or an inconsistency on your record, by all means tackle that here. If not, though, do not leave this space blank. Every one of our students has a resume when they are applying to college. If they don’t have one going into the application process, then we help them format and create a resume. It’s important to have a working document that lists all of your academic, extracurricular, and work experiences in an organized format. You can upload that document here for Vassar to see—it will only help you tremendously for them to see all of your accomplishments concisely typed out in a visually appealing format on a page. Your Space is your opportunity to allow the Committee on Admission to learn something about you that you have not addressed in another section of the application. Your Space is entirely optional. If you choose to include a Your Space submission, be sure it is labeled with your name, high school, and date of birth. Due to the volume of submissions, we will be unable to return your work. Please do not send anything that is irreplaceable. Again, while this might read as optional, we advise that you use Your Space and fill it with something that shows Vassar a different part of yourself. Perhaps you have a piece of creative writing that you are particularly proud of that you’d like to share. If not, be creative in some other way—this is literally your space to do with what you’d like. You could write a letter to them introducing yourself. You could write a poem about your new dorm room. Don’t overlook this opportunity just because it’s a bit more work. You can make it interesting and even have a bit of fun with it. Consider this your introduction to Vassar. You are welcome to submit a photograph of yourself to personalize your application.

This isn’t something you see that often with college applications. So we’ll reiterate what we’ve said to our students in the past:

• Don’t send a selfie.
• If you do send a photo, make sure it looks polished.
• It should look professional but don’t get a headshot professionally taken. That’s too extra.
• Don’t send a photo if it makes you feel weird.

Let us know if you have any questions at all. We know this supplement can be a bit challenging. We’re here to help.

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How to Write the University of Maryland Essays 2024-2025

The University of Maryland does not have traditional supplemental essays, but it does have six required “complete this sentence” prompt. Your answers to these questions will need to be within 650 characters, but you’ll have plenty of space to reveal unique and distinctive parts of your personality to the admissions committee.

Make sure you give yourself enough time to craft thoughtful responses to these prompts, as you want to take full advantage of every opportunity you have to share something about yourself with the admissions officers. This unique kind of prompt presents a great opportunity to showcase something that might not be found elsewhere in your application.

Considering how competitive college admissions have become in just a few years, the more your responses stand out to admissions officers, the better your chances of admission will be.

Want to know how you stack up at UMD? Calculate your chances of acceptance for free right now!

University of Maryland Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1: If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

Prompt 2: The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

Prompt 3: In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

Prompt 4: My favorite thing about last Friday was… (650 characters)

Prompt 5: Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

Prompt 6: Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

This is a very straightforward prompt. A strong response will identify a place, and share a little bit about why you’ve picked this particular place.

Keep in mind that your response should be unique to you and should teach your reader something about your personality or interests. If your answer sounds like something any random person might say, you need to work on specificity. Here are some examples to show you what we’re talking about.

Generic response: “Rome, because I’ve always wanted to see the Colosseum.”

Personal response: “Rome, because I’ve studied Latin since middle school. My father, a classics professor, spent so many happy hours teaching me how to read the works of Ovid, Virgil, Cicero, and the other greats, in their original language. Whenever we happen to pass by old churches or college buildings, we stop to read their insignias and mottos, which are most often in Latin. All these fond memories make me feel deeply connected to the Greco-Roman world, and I think that seeing historic sites like the Colosseum in person would augment the reading I’ve done and enrich my understanding of classical antiquity.” (598 characters)

The first response is very generic because just about anybody you ask would probably love to see the Colosseum. The second response answers the crucial question— why? —which should be at the core of your response. Your particular reason for choosing the place you choose is where your personality and individuality will shine through.

Obviously, the source of specificity will depend on you and your personal experiences. If you haven’t studied Latin (or if you studied it but didn’t like it), this response clearly wouldn’t work for you. Think about what truly interests you, then narrow your thinking down to places that are integral to that interest. For example, if you’re really invested in country music and its history, you might be particularly interested in visiting Nashville, the epicenter of that genre.

Finally, remember that this place doesn’t have to be a city. You could also say something like “The Pro Football Hall of Fame” or “Abbey Road Studios.” In fact, you even have the freedom to be a little more creative with your place in history. You might want to travel to a different time period entirely. The prompt posits that you can travel anywhere , but doesn’t specify that it has to be somewhere modern. Perhaps you love early R&B and disco music. You might want to travel to Detroit in the 1960s, when Motown Records was beginning to dominate those genres.

A word of caution: If you are going to get extra creative and pick a different time period, be sure to avoid generic clichés. For example, writing that you want to travel to the future—to give your future self advice, or to drive a flying car, or to see where climate change has gone, etc.—is a cliché and won’t contribute much to your application.

In terms of location, you probably shouldn’t go much bigger than a city. Saying something like “The United Kingdom” or “China” may make you sound clueless, as countries are too large and diverse to understand in their entirety with just one trip. Aiming for something too broad detracts from the specificity that a strong response to this kind of essay requires.

Rather than settling for a generic response, think about the main reason you personally want to go to this place, and narrow your response from there. Instead of “The United Kingdom,” you could write “The Scottish Highlands,” and instead of “China,” you could write “The Great Wall of China.”

The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

If you haven’t done research before, don’t worry. Most high school students haven’t done a serious research project, and nowhere does the prompt say that the research has to be yours.

Your response should show your reader that you are informed about the research that goes on at places like the University of Maryland. Of course, research is not the only thing universities do, but being surrounded by cutting-edge researchers in a wide range of fields is an opportunity that is difficult to find outside of a university campus.

We don’t mean to say you have to cite some dense, obscure study on molecular neuroscience. If that’s what you’re interested in, great! As long as your response is genuine, your chosen topic is fair game. Don’t make the mistake of writing about some deep scientific research if that isn’t what piques your interest, but be careful not to write about something too trivial either.

That being said, research is done in a vast array of subjects, so there’s no pressure to write about any one topic over another. Below are some examples of facts from a variety of fields that would work just as well as something from a hardcore STEM study.

• Consistent physical exercise throughout life correlates with better mental health in old age.
• Sea turtles use magnetoreception to find the same breeding grounds each year.
• The Egyptian pyramids have passages leading up from the burial chamber, which ancient Egyptians believed the dead pharaoh could climb through to join the gods in heaven.

Given the 650 characters you’re allotted, you should also share a short explanation of why you find this particular fact so interesting. For example, for the aforementioned sea turtle fact, you could write:

“[The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…] sea turtles find the same breeding grounds each year with magnetoreception. Magnetoreception is a sense that allows turtles (and other animals) to perceive Earth’s magnetic field. Learning this fact made me truly appreciate nature’s diversity—turtles have an entire sense that we lack! This newfound appreciation created by one fact I just stumbled upon inspired me to embark on an exploratory journey that culminated in an internship at a local environmental center.” (467 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

Try to avoid picking a fact that is so long that you don’t have space to elaborate. 650 characters isn’t the largest amount of space, but simply stating your fact probably shouldn’t take up most of it. That being said, you don’t necessarily have to elaborate at a level as deep as the above example to have an excellent response. You may have a strong and thorough response with just 300 characters or so.

In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

The key phrase here is “in addition to my major.” Remember that you should use these supplemental prompts to share information about yourself that your reader cannot find elsewhere in your application.

So if your intended major is neuroscience, your answer here shouldn’t be “biology.” That is technically a different academic interest, but it doesn’t really tell your reader anything new. If they know you want to major in neuroscience, they can already safely assume you have at least some interest in biology.

Remember that your reader also has your high school transcript and activities list. Maybe math isn’t your intended major, but if you’ve taken AP math classes and done math camps during your high school summers, writing about math won’t be sharing something new with your reader. Your personal experiences already strongly indicate that you’re interested in math.

Your response also shouldn’t just be a list of other interests you have. A laundry list of interests won’t give the admissions committee any sense of why you’re interested in these things. The “why” is where your personality shines through. Without it, your reader won’t really have anything to take away from your response.

Now that we’ve covered what you shouldn’t do, let’s talk about how you should approach this prompt. As noted above, you want to pick an interest that is genuinely different from the things already seen in the rest of your application. As long as you’re honest, there’s no right or wrong way to do this. UMD wants to see that you’re academically inclined and intellectually curious, not that you’re only interested in one particular thing.

The second part of your response is the why . Say you’re a prospective history major and the other area you’re interested in is sports psychology. Your response might read something like this:

“[In addition to my major, my academic interests include…] sports psychology, because I was raised a diehard Miami Heat fan, and I’ve always wondered what helps some players thrive under pressure while others fold. I think that the field is interesting as it explores not only how players play, but also how they act in their personal lives in the spotlight. Even to those not interested in sports, the field is very useful in that its findings can be extrapolated and applied to society at large. After all, everyone wants to be able to perform at an optimal level.” (507 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

Alternatively, say you’re a prospective engineering major and you also have an interest in music theory. A strong response would be:

“[In addition to my major, my academic interests include…] music theory, because I’ve always wanted to know how movie and television composers use sound to enhance the emotional content of a scene. I’ve always been fascinated by the ways music is used to complement cinema. There are videos online in which a song is changed or removed from a scene, and something that simple can have a profound impact on the scene. I have been teaching myself guitar for four years, and even though I’m competent on a technical level, my theoretical understanding is lacking.” (501 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

These responses share interests that are not only not distinct from their respective majors, but that are also probably not discussed anywhere else in the application. It’s an unfortunate reality that college applications often capture only a thin slice of who you are while leaving out things like sports fandom, which may be a huge part of your personality and identity. If you can share one of those things here, your response will be all the better for it.

My favorite thing about last Friday was… (650 characters)

Only you know what you did last Friday, so the best advice we can give here is to not overthink your answer. Most people don’t do anything revolutionary on an average Friday. UMD doesn’t expect you to have cured cancer on a normal day of the week. What they do expect is that you can engage with—and bring energy to—seemingly mundane situations. This is a useful skill that will help you thrive in college and beyond.

In order to address this prompt successfully, all you really have to do is describe the situation and give your reader some sense of what made it your favorite part of the day. Bear in mind that you don’t have to write about last Friday literally. Think of something eventful that you took part in recently, but don’t feel restricted to the day mentioned in the prompt. UMD’s use of “last Friday” is figurative. You can write about any average day that didn’t happen too long ago. No one is going to check that your event happened on a Friday.

Here are some examples of weak and strong responses to this prompt.

Weak: “getting dinner with my friend.”

Strong: “having a picnic at dinnertime with my friend and watching the sunset. There’s nothing like munching on a DIY vegan charcuterie board and drinking sparkling cider at the golden hour. My friend and I grew up together and are as close as sisters. For years we did everything together, from shopping to cooking and from learning to swim to learning to drive. She and I used to hang out a lot before she moved, so I feel lucky whenever I get to spend quality time with her on an otherwise average day.” (495 characters)

For this particular prompt, even a few extra details—like those that are included in the strong example—can go a long way. Most people enjoy getting dinner with friends, but the strong response shows the reader why , for you personally, this particular dinner was so meaningful.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, 650 characters is more than you might assume. Take advantage of the space you have to make your response as personal as possible, but also don’t write more than you need to just to reach the limit. Based on the rest of your application, the admissions committee has some understanding of what you’re like in the classroom or on the basketball court. Now show them what you’re like on a regular old Friday.

Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

A prompt this open-ended can be overwhelming at first. But as we advised with the previous prompt, don’t overthink your answer! This fun fact doesn’t have to be anything crazy or an attempt to impress the admissions committee—that’s what the rest of your application is for. Just share something unique to you that isn’t already discussed elsewhere in your application.

This last part about being unique is key—if your answer to Prompt 3 (the one about academic interests) was something about liking astronomy, your answer here shouldn’t be something about stargazing every night. Remember that you only have so many opportunities to share information about yourself with the admissions committee, so take advantage of each one.

That being said, you have free rein to write about pretty much anything! Below are some examples of potential topics you could respond to this prompt with. Your response also may look nothing like these, which is completely fine. We just want to get your mental gears turning by giving you a sense of what a good response might begin with.

Something you might not know about me is…

• I can do a double backflip off a diving board.
• I have every word to Taylor Swift’s album r eputation memorized.
• For my eighteenth birthday, I went skydiving and passed out in the air.
• I’ve won my fantasy football league three years in a row.
• Every New Year’s Day, my dad cracks the ice on the pond near our house and my family does a polar plunge together.

Since you have a longer character count, you should elaborate on your fun fact, whatever it may be. For example, a hypothetical student might extend the above skydiving example and write something like this:

“[Something you might not know about me is…] for my eighteenth birthday, I went skydiving and passed out in the air. As a child, I saw a show about skydiving and became so infatuated with the idea that it became the one thing I had to try. My parents were not thrilled but agreed that I could try when I was 18. The time finally came, and the plane ascended with me finally on it. I was signed up for a tandem jump where I was tethered to an instructor. We jumped, and some combination of excitement, dread, and altitude made me pass out, so I missed most of the experience! By the time I came to, we were near the ground already, so I definitely need to try this experience again someday.” (644 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

You might not use all 650 characters to respond to this prompt, and that’s okay. Don’t try to reach the character limit and end up rambling or writing something confusing. For example, imagine if the backflip example above read like this:

“[Something you might not know about me is…] I can do a double backflip off a diving board. One time I was at the pool and kept making the lifeguard nervous every time I did it. It ended up being fine though, because it’s a skill I had gotten really good at by then.” (221 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

By the end of this response, a reader might not even remember what the original fun fact was, even though it’s only 221 characters.

Finally, the examples above hopefully show that your fun fact can be just that—fun. You don’t have to be super serious with every single supplemental essay prompt you come across. A more lighthearted response can actually be a good thing—college applications are generally quite dry, so it can be a good idea to remind your reader that you’re more than a GPA and a Common App essay you’ve revised 43 times.

Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

This is one instance of the very common diversity prompt . When colleges have a diversity prompt, they want to know about your own personal background and how it has influenced your worldview and perspectives.

In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is the place to discuss that.

In general, such a common prompt can be approached with a traditional answer. You might consider answering this prompt with what you think is the most important part of your identity, then a small discussion about how that aspect of diversity is relevant to you and your general life experiences.

Such a response might be written about one of the following scenarios:

• Using your fluency in another language to help members of a specific community.
• Interpreting a text in class differently from your classmates because of your ethnic culture.
• Having a friend of a different background who has changed your perspective on something important (this speaks to the “been inspired” part of the prompt).
• Having an illness or disability that helps you view accessibility through a different lens than your peers.
• Being part of a niche interest group/fandom and trying to represent the group faithfully when talking to people who aren’t members of it.

Simply listing things that generate diversity should be avoided. Sure, diversity includes different ethnicities/races, gender identities, sexual orientations, countries of origin, and languages, but writing that laundry list out doesn’t contribute much to your application.

Also, bear in mind that the traditional markers of diversity aren’t the only ones you can discuss. There are other aspects of identity that contribute to a diverse campus, including socioeconomic classes, hometowns, illnesses/disabilities, and even interests or hobbies.

Diversity encompasses all the aforementioned attributes, but you should strive for individuality and specificity in your response. This prompt, like all the others, is an opportunity to showcase your unique life perspective. You don’t want to waste this opportunity by writing down some bland dictionary definitions. Think of what diversity means to you and what you consider to be a particularly significant aspect of diversity. From there, think of personal anecdotes or stories about how that aspect of diversity has contributed to your growth or development as a person.

Where to Get Your University of Maryland Essays Edited For Free

Do you want feedback on your UMD essays? After rereading your essays over and over again, it can be difficult to gauge where your writing needs improvement, especially since these prompts are so short. We created our free Peer Essay Review tool to help students like you  get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

Need feedback faster? Get a  free, nearly-instantaneous essay review  from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Babson College 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action/Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

Babson College 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements:  One essay of 500 words; one essay of 250 words (or a video submission instead)

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community

The Babson education prepares students for all types of careers across business, entrepreneurship, social innovation, and more. Tell us about your interest in this area of study and in Babson specifically. (500 words maximum)

There’s only one trick to generating a straightforward explanation of your academic interests: be honest. Don’t waste time trying to think of what admissions “wants” you to say! Try to tell a story about your choices and intended area of study. How can you use your life experiences to reveal something about what you value and what excites you intellectually? The essays that stick with us are the ones that jump off the page with concrete descriptions from real life. What interests you and why? Connect your intended major to some prior experience and/or passion; how have you gone about learning more about your subject of interest? Finally, connect your interest to Babson, specifically. Spend about a half hour doing some research on the school’s website to identify courses, clubs, or other aspects of the campus and city that will enrich your education and experience there as a student. 

We invite you to submit your answer in either essay OR video format. If you choose to submit a video, please limit your response to a 1-minute video, which can be submitted via a shared link to YouTube or another video hosting website. Please ensure your video is set to public and is accessible to the Admission Committee.

A defining element of the babson experience is learning and thriving in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives and interests. please share something about your background, lived experiences, or viewpoint(s) that speaks to how you will contribute to and learn from babson’s collaborative community. (250 words maximum).

Odds are that this isn’t the first Diversity Essay prompt you’ve come across this year—even if the prompt doesn’t explicitly use the word. If it is, however, please read on. Babson wants to accept students from a range of backgrounds who will contribute to a collaborative university community, so tell admissions about what makes you you and how you will engage with others on campus. Think about times when people have been intrigued by or curious about your identity, skillset, or background. Maybe your mom was the first female VP at the brokerage she works for, and you want to follow in her footsteps, breaking ground for women in the finance industry. Perhaps you lived abroad for a few years, which imbued you with a uniquely international perspective on the American economy, and you hope to explore that topic with your roommates. What do you hope to share with others about your lived experience? How will you incorporate this element of your identity into your college years? Show admissions that you’re eager to contribute to their inclusive campus community. Bonus points if you can reference a specific component of the Babson experience (think clubs, classes, volunteer opportunities, etc.) to show you’ve done your due diligence.

If you decide to record a video instead of writing an essay, make sure you write an outline so you don’t waste 15 seconds with “ums” and “uhs”! Everyone is different; maybe a list of bullets is enough for you or maybe you want to write an entire script and have your sibling hold it up for you like a cue card. You can record in either landscape or portrait mode, just make sure your entire face is visible in the frame and that you look tidy, but no need to go full glam or to do a full-body shot. Just be your natural self! 

About Amanda Amah

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