roger williams university supplemental essays

Supplemental Essay Guide 2024-25

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

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• Liberal Arts (60)

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

How to Approach Supplemental Essays

When our students dig into the college application process, they are often surprised to encounter not only the main Common Application’s personal statement , but also a host of supplemental essay questions. These assignments are often school-specific writing prompts for which a student must also craft thoughtful, well-written replies.

Supplemental essays are often more focused than the Common App assignment, though they vary in length and scope. Their prompts tackle subjects that range from deeper explorations of a student’s background to their collegiate and academic interests.

We often encourage our students to nail down their personal statement topic first, then ask them to approach their supplemental essays in priority order, according to submission deadlines. Many schools will offer prompts that are similar in theme and content to one another (for example, many institutions now ask about a student’s most important activity ), so it is helpful for students to gather and review all supplemental questions before beginning the brainstorm process to see where they might naturally overlap.

Elite institutions often have extensive supplemental sections, as do some honors programs, so students should keep this in mind as they hunt for their essay questions and map out their plan of attack.

All supplemental essays should be given the same time and care as the main Common Application essay. These supplements not only are an excellent opportunity to show a school both your competence and level of devotion to their institution, but also offer opportunities to paint some personality into your application. So embrace supplements, use your unique voice, and show these schools what you’re made of!

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for Supplemental Essay Support

College Essay Advisors has over twenty years of experience guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for school-specific supplements. We take a holistic approach to these essays and short answers, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful supplemental essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances . 

Agnes Scott College 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Alvernia University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide  

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morehouse college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, mount holyoke college 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, new york university (nyu) 2024-25 supplemental essay prompt guide, frequently asked questions.

It really depends. Typically, the more competitive the university, the more arduous the supplemental essay requirements. Most top universities ask for at least three supplemental essays, but some only require one short essay.

The most common supplemental essay topics are:

• The Why Essay , which asks applicants to discuss their interest in their intended major and/or the school in question.
• The Activity Essay , which asks applicants to describe their involvement in an activity that is meaningful to them.
• The Community Essay , which asks about a community the applicant belongs to and the role that community plays in their life (and vice versa!).
• The Diversity Essay , which often asks applicants to explore how they champion diversity and inclusion in their communities and/or how they engage with people from different backgrounds or who hold opposing views. 
• The Short Answer , which asks applicants to answer prompts in very few words (or characters) to add context to their application and a splash of personality.
• The Oddball Essay , which asks applicants to tap into their creativity to connect curveball questions to their lives and interests.

Just like with the Common App personal statement, you’re going to want to write authentically about yourself while addressing all parts of each supplemental essay prompt. Many schools want to better understand how you see yourself contributing to their campus community and/or diversity and inclusion efforts along with how you hope to use your education to achieve your goals. So, be honest and forward-thinking, and don’t forget to customize each supplemental essay so it’s specific to each school you’re submitting to. That means doing research and weaving information into your essays that demonstrates the amount of time and thought you’ve put into your application. 

We have a few successful supplemental essay examples in our Free Resources section.

Each admissions department has their own process for reviewing applications, and some admissions committees put more weight on supplemental essays than others, but all admissions departments that offer applicants the opportunity to pen additional essays are doing so for a reason: to better understand the applicant and compare similarly qualified candidates. It’s in the applicant’s best interest to not only provide admissions with as much information regarding their candidacy as possible, but also go the extra mile. At highly competitive institutions, admissions officers are looking for reasons to remove students from the applicant pool—don’t let poorly written or (*gulp*) incomplete supplemental essays work against you!

Absolutely not. Please do not reuse content from your Common App essay in your supplements. Although it’s possible for you to expand upon an idea, activity, or community that you mention in your Common App essay in your supplements, you should never recycle content or any phrasing word for word.

Start by reading through all the prompts. Next, jot down ideas that come to your mind (no matter how silly they may seem!). Everyone has a story to tell, and we’re willing to bet you’re more interesting than you think. Give yourself plenty of time to consider different topics and revise, revise, revise! Also, our handy dandy Supplemental Essay Guides are sure to help you on your writing journey.

We have been reading supplemental essays for over twenty years now, so we know a thing or two about the most common mistakes students make. The most common mistakes to avoid are:

• Repeating the prompt in your essay.

You want to make sure every word counts, and repeating the prompt in your essay is a huge waste of space. Rest assured that admissions officers know which prompt you’re responding to. Instead, start your essay off with a strong hook that pulls your reader in (rather than puts them to sleep!). 

• Trying to sound like an academic.

Time and time again, schools post advice on their websites encouraging students to speak in their authentic voices and let the admissions officers reading their applications get to know them. Aaaand time and time again, we read essays students have written in which they go to great lengths to elevate their vocabulary, and in the process, they lose their own voice.

• Using cliches.

Cliches are not your friends when it comes to writing supplemental essays. You may feel like a diamond in the rough, that the world is your oyster, or that love conquers all, but even reading those, did you feel your eyes glazing over? All cliches do is make your essay blend in with the thousands of others in the pile. Emphasize your uniqueness with concrete examples and personal anecdotes, because cliches are rather ineffective, boring, and—let’s face it—lazy.

North Carolina State 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

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Roger Williams University’s full-time, day-program undergraduate admission requirements and procedures are designed to select students whose abilities, preparation, attitudes, interests, and personal qualities give them the greatest promise of achieving academic success at the University. Prospective students are urged to prepare adequately for success at RWU. Candidates are expected to complete (or have completed) a strong college preparatory program that includes four units of English, three units of mathematics (those interested in architecture, business, science, and engineering programs should have four years with precalculus strongly recommended), three units of social science, and three units of natural science. A course of study with these preparations provides a solid foundation for college work.

When evaluating the qualifications of each applicant, the admission committee pays particular attention to the quality of secondary-school and, if applicable, college-level courses that applicants have completed (and their achievement in those courses), their application essay, high school grade point average, SAT I/ACT scores (if applicable*), extracurricular activities, and the recommendation of a school counselor or teacher. In addition, candidates for the Architecture, Visual Arts Studies, Dance Performance Studies, and Creative Writing programs must complete additional requirements in order to be considered for admission. The specifications of these additional requirements are provided in the “Special Requirements of Applicants” section of this catalog. Likewise, the Secondary Education program will also be reviewed in conjunction with second major choice as outlined in the “Special Requirements of Applicants” section of the catalog. Recognizing that experiences vary greatly, the University makes every attempt to ensure that the selection process is fair. Roger Williams University admits qualified students without regard to gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or ethnic origin.

Campus Visits

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to visit Roger Williams University for a campus visit or open house.

To arrange a campus visit, register online at rwu.edu/admission-financial-aid/undergraduate-admission/visit-us/campus-tour , or contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission at (401) 254-3500 or 1-800-458-7144, ext. 3500. The Office of Undergraduate Admission is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., year-round; and on most Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., August through April.

First-Year Student Admission

Students may apply beginning as early as August 1 prior to their final year of high school. To do so, students may submit an application for Full-Time Undergraduate Admission via the Common Application ( www.commonapp.org ). A non-refundable application fee of $55 must be paid at the time of application or an applicable application fee waiver must be submitted. Prospective first-year students may apply through the early action or regular decision programs. Official high school transcripts with English translations, if applicable), SAT I/ACT scores, if opting to submit*, application essay, letter of recommendation, and portfolio or audition, if applicable are required to complete the application.

Early Action candidates must submit all application materials according to the following timetable:

• Early Action - November 15 - Deadline for submitting the application, credentials, application essay, test scores (if applicable*), and, if applicable, supplemental materials.
• Applications fully completed for review by the deadline date will be considered for first round decisions, which are typically released mid-December.

Regular Decision candidates must submit all application materials according to the following timetable:

• February 1 - Deadline for submitting the application, credentials, application essay, test scores (if applicable*), and, if applicable, supplemental materials and financial aid information.
• Applications fully completed for review by the deadline date will be considered for first round decisions which are released on a rolling basis.

Candidates are encouraged to apply early in their senior year, but must have applications completed by the deadline of February 1, or any applicable official deadline extensions.

First-year students who wish to be considered for merit scholarships should submit their application for undergraduate admission by February 1, or any applicable official deadline extensions. All applications for admission received after February 1 (or any applicable official deadline extensions) will be reviewed on the basis of space-availability only.

Advanced Credit Guide

First-year students at Roger Williams University are eligible to receive advanced credit. Roger Williams University recognizes the following exams/coursework to be academically and intellectually rigorous, and awards advanced credit for:

• Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations
• College courses completed in high school

French Baccalaureate Examinations

• GCE Advanced-Level Examinations
• International Baccalaureate Examinations

Advanced credit offers students more options and opportunities, which can be helpful when:

• Completing a dual concentration
• Enrolled in a combined B.S./ Master’s or B.S./J.D. Program
• Enrolled in the Honors Program
• Incorporating an internship or research project
• Planning for an early graduation

Credit that a student receives may be applied toward:

• Foundation requirements
• Elective credit requirements
• Prerequisites for the major

Evaluation Requirements

To receive advanced credit, students must request the authorized examining body that administered the exam to send an official copy of the examination results directly to the Registrar’s Office. Only official exam reports will be evaluated for advanced credit. Students may also be required to submit the corresponding course syllabi.

Based on the evaluation, students will be given appropriate credit and standing in the areas in which they qualify. Credit is granted for the equivalent course(s) at the University, but no grade is assigned and the credit is not included in calculating the grade point average. Notice of the advanced credit evaluation is sent to the student and is recorded on the student’s record.

Credit for courses in a particular major will be transferred at the discretion of the respective College or School under which the specific major is housed.

Transfer credit is not granted for physical education, health, ROTC courses, non-academic activities or courses not germane to a program at RWU.

Advanced Placement Examination

Roger Williams University participates in the Advanced Placement Program administered by the College Board. Depending upon the program, credit is awarded for test scores of 3, 4 and 5. Refer to the course and credit equivalency chart located in the Academic Regulations and Requirements section of the catalog.

To receive Advanced Placement Credit, official examination scores must be submitted to Roger Williams University by the College Board. Roger Williams University’s College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) code is 3729.

Credit for College Coursework

Matriculating students who earned college credit while enrolled in high school may have that credit transferred into Roger Williams University if the following conditions are satisfied:

• The course was completed at or under the auspices of a regionally accredited postsecondary institution.
• The content and vigor of the course is similar to a course offered at Roger Williams University.
• The grade earned is C/2.0 or better.

Roger Williams University operates on a semester system and the unit of credit is the semester hour. Transferable coursework completed under a semester credit-hour system is awarded with an equal number of credit hours. Coursework completed under a quarter-hour system is converted by awarding approximately two-thirds of the total number of quarter hours.

To request credit for college coursework completed, students should submit official college transcripts to the Registrar’s Office at the time of admission or after making an enrollment deposit.

Roger Williams University awards advanced credit to students who have successfully completed the French Baccalaureate program and who have obtained a grade of 12 or higher, with a coefficient of 4 or 5.

• A maximum of 3 credits is awarded for courses passed with a grade of 12 or higher, and with a coefficient of 4.
• A maximum of 6 credits is awarded for courses passed with a grade of 12 or higher, and with a coefficient of 5.

GCE Advanced Level Examinations

Roger Williams University awards advanced credit to students who have successfully completed the GCE Advanced Level program.

• Credit is only awarded for grades of C or better.
• Credit is awarded for a maximum of 4 A-level courses.
• A maximum of 6 credits is awarded for an A-Level course completed.
• A maximum of 3 credits is awarded for an AS-Level course completed.
• Students who have completed only O-Level exams are not eligible for advanced credit.

International Baccalaureate Examination

Roger Williams University awards advanced credit to students who have successfully completed the IB Diploma or IB Certificate program.

• Credit is only awarded for scores of 4, 5, 6 and 7. Refer to the course and equivalency chart located in the Academic Regulations and Requirements section of the catalog.
• IB Math HL is awarded a maximum of 8 credits.
• Credit is not awarded for CAS or TOK.
• A maximum of 6 credits is awarded for Higher Level completed.
• A maximum of 3 credits is awarded for Standard Level completed.
• IB Diploma students can earn a maximum of 31 advanced credits.

IB Certificate

• A maximum of 3 credits is awarded for Higher Level courses completed.

Merit Scholarships and Financial Aid

The University recognizes students with superior academic achievement, involvement, and/or leadership through the awarding of merit scholarships. All first-year, transfer and international students are considered for merit-based scholarships through their admission application; no separate application is necessary. First-year students who wish to receive maximum merit-based scholarship consideration should submit and complete their admission application by the specific deadline.  

All U.S. Citizen and U.S. Permanent Resident applicants are encouraged to apply for federal, state, and institutional need-based financial aid (grants, loans, and student employment) by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Any entering student (U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident) who has been offered admission to the University is eligible for aid consideration. To ensure priority consideration, applicants must adhere to the timelines for financial aid as outlined in this catalog.

All families are encouraged to meet with a financial aid counselor to review the various available financing options. Those interested should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at (401) 254-3100.

After Admission to the University

In order to accept an offer of admission, thereby reserving a place in the entering class, the Office of Undergraduate Admission must receive a tuition deposit of $400 and, if applicable, a housing deposit of $350, by May 1. Any student offered admission with less than junior status who resides outside of Rhode Island or Southeastern Massachusetts is required to utilize University housing.

Special Requirements of Applicants

Some major programs require supplemental materials or specific preparatory courses or their equivalents. Prospective applicants should review program requirements outlined in the Special Academic Programs section of this catalog.

• Candidates for the Architecture Program: Architecture applicants must have completed a minimum of one year of geometry and two years of algebra in high school. Transfer students are encouraged to have successfully completed college-level calculus. Proficiency in trigonometry and physics is necessary for students to take required college-level courses in calculus and structural systems. Students who lack this proficiency are eligible to apply but must complete the necessary course work before taking calculus and structural systems. Courses taken at RWU in preparation for calculus and structural systems may not count toward degree requirements. A portfolio of two- and three-dimensional work, showing evidence of creative ability, must be submitted by all applicants for admission. The portfolio (8-12 pieces of art work) should consist of reproductions of original design projects, and reproductions of two- or three-dimensional work recently executed. This work may be reduced photostatically or may be photographed. Applicants are admitted on the basis of academic excellence and potential in areas relevant to the profession of architecture as demonstrated by the required materials submitted for admission. Portfolios should be submitted online via SlideRoom through the Common Application.  
• Candidates for Performing Arts Programs: Candidates applying to these programs should demonstrate achievement and career potential in areas of dance or theatre. Dance Performance Studies applicants are required to audition for acceptance into the program. A Dance Audition is required and must be completed prior to your application for admission being reviewed. Applicants accepted into the Theatre program should be prepared to audition during the freshman year.  
• Candidates for the Secondary Education Program: The Rhode Island Department of Education requires that students either meet minimum standardized test scores, or pass an approved skills exam prior to the end of their sophomore year of college for a secondary education degree to be conferred. The standardized test score requirements are: a minimum SAT score of 1010 (minimum 480 EBRW and 530 math), or a minimum ACT English score of 18, math score of 22, and reading score of 22. Students who do not meet these thresholds, or do not submit test scores when applying will have an opportunity to take or re-take the applicable exams or may take the skills exam as an alternative. Applicants must select one of the following additional majors within the Feinstein College of Arts and Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, English, Foreign Languages, History, and Mathematics. We also offer Dance certification for grades PK-12, which requires a double major in Dance Performance Studies and Secondary Education.  
• Candidates for the Elementary Education Program: The Rhode Island Department of Education requires that students either meet minimum standardized test scores, or pass an approved skills exam prior to the end of their sophomore year of college for a secondary education degree to be conferred. The standardized test score requirements are: a minimum SAT score of 1010 (minimum 480 EBRW and 530 math), or a minimum ACT English score of 18, math score of 22, and reading score of 22. Students who do not meet these thresholds, or do not submit test scores when applying will have an opportunity to take or re-take the applicable exams or may take the skills exam as an alternative.  
• Short Story and/or (3) poems.*
• A 600-900 word statement that discusses how one book has influenced you as a writer.  
• Candidate for the Visual Arts Program: A portfolio of two and/or three-dimensional work demonstrating evidence of an applicant’s creative potential is required for all applicants for admission to the B.A. in Visual Art Studies program. The intent of the portfolio requirement is to allow the school to begin to estimate your emerging potential at this earliest stage of your Arts education. Consistent with the mission of our program, Roger Williams University is interested in and celebrates the variety of expression that applicants demonstrate. Applicants come from a variety of backgrounds, and we appreciate this variety as a basis for beginning the study of Visual Art at the college level. Portfolios should be submitted online via SlideRoom through the Common Application.

* Please see website for updated criteria regarding genre type of the creative writing short story and/or poems.

* Applicants interested in the Pharmacy and Biology, Pharmacy and Chemistry and Pharmacy and Biochemistry programs should contact the Office of Admission for additional requirements.

International Student Admission

Roger Williams University welcomes students from around the world. Our international students hail from over 48 different countries, including Brazil, China, France, Saudi Arabia, the Dominican Republic, Turkey and Panama. International students are eligible to apply to the undergraduate program if they have completed the equivalent of a United States secondary school education (approximately twelve years of formal education) and have the appropriate diplomas or satisfactory results on leaving examinations.

Additional International Admission Requirements

All official secondary school and college/university scholastic records in the language of instruction, as well as English translations must be submitted.

Official Documents

All documents submitted for review must be official; that is, they must be either originals with a school seal and/ or signature or copies certified by authorized persons. (A “certified” copy is one that bears either an original signature of the registrar or other designated school official and an original impression of the institution’s seal.) Uncertified photocopies are not acceptable. Submission of falsified documents is grounds for denial of admission or dismissal from the University. These documents should be sent directly to RWU from the institution of attendance. School profiles, in English, including information on the school’s grading/marking system will facilitate accurate evaluation. All documents become the property of Roger Williams University and will not be given back to students.

English Translations

English translations must be official. They should include dates of attendance, name of each course, number of hours and weeks each course was in session, grade or mark earned in each course and grading scale used.

Entrance Examinations

Roger Williams University does not require the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for conditional admission. International students must submit a test of English proficiency for direct or bridge admission. English proficiency testing requirements may be waived for students in IB or AP English courses. Students with a TOEFL score between 500- 550 PBT/173-213 CBT/61-78IBT or IELTS score between 5.0-6.0 bandwidth may be admitted through the RWU Bridge Program. Students with a TOEFL score greater than 550 PBT/213 CBT/79IBT or an IELTS score greater than 6.0 bandwidth may be admitted directly into the undergraduate program. Students with a TOEFL below 61 AND students who do not submit a TOEFL score may be admitted conditionally and referred to a partner English Language Center. We strongly recommend that students who have taken the TOEFL submit their scores for review in order to receive the best placement for their English Level.

English Proficiency Requirement

Students with a TOEFL equal to or greater than 550/213/79 (or who have completed the required coursework per the specific RWU agreement with a partner English Language Center) can be admitted directly into the undergraduate program. Students with a TOEFL equal to or greater than 500/173/61 and less than 550/213/79 will be required to enroll in the RWU ESL Bridge Program. Students with a TOEFL less than 500/173/61 (or without a TOEFL score) will be conditionally admitted and referred to a partner English Language Center.

Financial Statement / Immigration Form I-20

Applicants requiring a non-immigrant “F-1” visa who are coming to the U.S. for full-time study or transferring from one academic institution to another for the purpose of study must submit documentation that confirms that funding is available for the annual costs of study (tuition, fees, and living expenses). It is extremely important that all international non-immigrant applicants review RWU expenses before deciding whether or not to apply. This information is NOT needed to make an admission decision and may be submitted after acceptance and after the student has decided to enroll at RWU.

The Immigration I-20 form (the form needed to obtain a student visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate) will be issued when:

• The student is accepted
• Tuition ($400) and housing ($350) deposits are received
• Proof of financial support for annual cost of study is submitted
• I-20 Request Form (including a photocopy of your passport) is submitted
• F-1 Student Transfer Verification Form (including copies of your I-94 card and I-20s from other schools) is submitted - Only for students attending a school in the U.S.

The International Student Financial Statement is available on the web site for your convenience. Proof of financial support can be submitted by completing this form and by submitting official bank statements/certificates. Documentation will not be accepted unless it is properly certified by the sponsor’s or family’s financial institution. All documented sources of support must be in English, in U.S. dollars, and dated within twelve months of enrolling at RWU.

RWU International Merit Scholarships

Roger Williams University recognizes students with superior academic achievement through the awarding of merit scholarships (transfer and freshman students). All international students will be considered for merit-based scholarships through their admission application; no separate application is necessary. International transfer students may qualify for the Roger Williams University Transfer Scholarships.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Program

Roger Williams University offers ESL to undergraduate students.

The RWU ESL Bridge Program offers advanced-level ESL students appropriate ESL courses in addition to their academic courses, along with special ESL tutoring in preparation for taking a full-time academic course load. This program is for non-native English speaking students interested in RWU’s undergraduate program with a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) greater than 500 Paper/173 Computer/61 Internet and less than 550/213/79 or who have completed level 109 at an ELS Language Center.

International Student Services at The Intercultural Center

International Student Services are located at the Intercultural Center (ICC), Maple Hall North. The ICC and International Student Services staff support all aspects of international student life at Roger Williams University including personal and academic adjustment to living and studying in the U.S., immigration advising, and social programming. The International Student Services staff strive to bring international students together and to create cultural awareness among the University community.

Transfer Admission

Roger Williams University welcomes applications from students who wish to transfer from regionally accredited colleges and universities. Transfer students must submit the following materials:

• An official final high school transcript including graduation date (with English translations if applicable) from the high school of graduation
• Official college transcript(s) (from all previously attended institutions)
• One academic letter of recommendation (required for international students; recommended for domestic students)
• Essay of Intent
• Transfer College Report (from the Common Application)

Transfer Credit Evaluation: For work completed at regionally accredited U.S. institutions, credit evaluations are mailed shortly after the offer of admission has been made. Students may also request a preliminary transfer credit review before applying. International transfer students are asked to provide copies of course descriptions, syllabi, or a college/university catalog from each college or university attended.

RWU policy states that transfer students with credentials from non-U.S. institutions will be reviewed for admission only after submission of all college/university official transcripts with English translations.

A transfer credit evaluation of credentials from non-U.S. institutions requires an “external” World Evaluation Services ( www.wes.org ) evaluation. Therefore, if you would like your non-U.S. institution credentials evaluated for transfer credit, you must submit the following:

• Official copies of an evaluation of your credentials by a professional international credential evaluation company. You may choose to pursue an “external” evaluation on your own through a professional evaluation company, such as World Evaluation Services, http://www.wes.org .
• Course descriptions: These may be in the form of a college/ university catalog, copies of your courses from a college/ university catalog, course syllabi, or course descriptions signed by your professor or dean. This information should be as detailed as possible in order to determine and award the most appropriate transfer credit for your program at Roger Williams University.

In some cases, RWU may be able to conduct an “internal” evaluation. If you are interested in having an “internal” evaluation completed, please submit your official transcript, English translations, course descriptions, program outline, and school profile (credit system, hours, etc.). If you have been accepted to RWU, we will be happy to take a look at your documents and determine if an “external” evaluation is necessary before you pursue an “external” evaluation.

For all credit evaluations (U.S. and Non-U.S. Institutions): Evaluation of courses is based on several factors:

• Courses are compared as they relate in depth and content to those offered at RWU.
• Courses with grades lower than ‘C’ will not transfer.
• If taken at a U.S. institution, courses must have been taken at a regionally accredited school.

The University does not factor transferred credits into your GPA at RWU. All courses are applied to your program of study in accordance with curricular requirements.

Special notes: A maximum of 60 credits may be applied to a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited two-year college and a maximum of 75 credits may be applied from a regionally accredited four-year college. The overall number of courses needed for a degree may exceed 120 credits. A student may transfer a maximum of three credits toward an undergraduate certificate comprised of fifteen or fewer credits and a maximum of six credits toward a certificate of sixteen credits or more. We will accept all credits of an associate degree provided that courses carry a grade of ‘C’ or higher, and meet all other conditions of evaluation, however, the number of courses which apply to a particular program will ultimately determine the number of credits and courses needed to be taken at RWU. We reserve the right to require students to repeat transferred courses if it is deemed necessary for success in requisite courses.

Students who have attended regionally accredited institutions can expect to receive credit for successfully completed courses (bearing a grade of ‘C’ or higher) that are comparable in depth and content to those offered at Roger Williams University. Credit for courses successfully completed with a grade of “P” will be transferred only if the issuing institution transcript key states that the grade of P was the equivalent of the grade of C or higher or the originating institution must change the student’s P grade to a C or better on their transcript. The associate registrar, in consultation with the deans (where necessary), evaluates courses, and a copy of the evaluation is mailed as soon as possible after admission to the University is granted.

Students transferring from an accredited two-year college must complete at least 45 of their final 60 credits at Roger Williams University. Those transferring from a four-year institution must complete at least their final 45 credits at Roger Williams University.

Transfer students with a completed baccalaureate degree from an accredited liberal arts or comprehensive college or university must complete at least 30 credits and all major course requirements for the second degree at Roger Williams University.

Additional Special Requirements for Transfer Applicants

In addition to the credentials noted above, please see the Special Requirements of Applicants section if you are applying to the Architecture, Education, Theatre, Dance, Graphic Design, or Creative Writing programs. Transfer students applying for admission to Architecture should demonstrate a high-level of math proficiency.

University Core Curriculum Requirements for Transfer Students

Students transferring to the University must meet the following Core Curriculum requirements: all transfer students’ transcripts will be evaluated so that, when applicable, course work will be applied toward the Core Concentration requirement. All interdisciplinary Core courses, if required, must be taken at the University. Core Concentrations and interdisciplinary Core courses are listed in the Core Curriculum section of this catalog.

• all skills courses that have not been satisfied through transfer credits
• all five interdisciplinary Core courses*
• a Core Concentration (transfer credit may be applied)
• the Core Interdisciplinary Senior Seminar
• the service learning requirement

* In the case of the Core interdisciplinary science requirement, students may satisfy this requirement with two Laboratory Science courses.

• four of the five interdisciplinary Core courses*
• three of the five interdisciplinary Core courses*
• two of the five interdisciplinary Core courses*

Spring (January) Admission

Roger Williams University welcomes both first-year and transfer applications for spring admission. A full range of courses is available during the spring semester, and the January entrant may also accelerate work toward a degree through summer study. Applications for transfer or first-year spring admission are encouraged by November 1.

Number of Interdisciplinary Courses Required

Graduate admission.

Interested students should contact the Office Graduate Admission at (401) 254-6200. The following schools offer master’s programs:

School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation

Master of Architecture Master of Science in Historic Preservation Master of Science in Historic Preservation / Juris Doctor Joint Degree Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation Graduate Certificate in Urban & Regional Planning

School of Education

Master of Arts in Literacy Education

School of Engineering, Computing, and Construction Management

Master of Science in Construction Management

Feinstein College of Arts and Sciences

Master of Arts in Forensic & Legal Psychology Master of Arts in Forensic Mental Health Counseling

Mario J. Gabelli School of Business

Master of Business Administration (4+1)

University College

Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Community Development and Economic Development

School of Justice Studies

Master of Public Administration Master of Science in Criminal Justice Master of Science in Criminal Justice / Juris Doctor Joint Degree Master of Science in Cybersecurity Master of Science in Cybersecurity/Juris Doctor Joint Degree Master of Science in Leadership Graduate Certificate: Digital Forensics Graduate Certificate: Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate: Cyberspecialist Graduate Certificate: Leadership Graduate Certificate: Public Management Graduate Certificate: Healthcare Administration

School of Law

Juris Doctor (J.D.) Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.)  

Students interested in the Juris Doctor in Law should contact the School of Law Admission Office at 800-633-2727.

Admission of Veterans

Roger Williams University is approved for benefits for the education of veterans, active duty service personnel, disabled veterans, and qualified dependents. Veterans who seek admission should follow the regular admission policies, but should also contact the Veterans Affairs Coordinator at the Providence Campus, University College office. This should be done as early as possible to expedite handling of applicant’s V.A. forms and counseling.

Army Reserve Officers Training Corps

Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) is offered by the University and is available to all students. Physically qualified American citizens who complete the entire four-year program are eligible to be commissioned in the U.S. Army. Delayed entry into active service for the purpose of graduate study is available.

Military science course work is designed to complement other instruction offered at the University. Emphasis throughout is on the development of individual leadership ability and preparation of the student for future leadership roles in the Army. Professional military education skills in written communications, human behavior, history, mathematical reasoning, and computer literacy are fulfilled through required University Core Curriculum requirements and the military science curriculum.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, roger williams admissions.

Hi everyone! I came across Roger Williams University and it caught my attention. Can someone provide me with more information about their admissions process, acceptance rates, and any tips for a successful application? Thanks a bunch!

Hi! I'd be happy to provide you with information on Roger Williams University's admissions process, acceptance rates, and tips for a successful application.

Admissions Process: Roger Williams University (RWU) takes a holistic approach to its admissions process, which means they consider your entire application, including academic performance, extracurricular activities, and essays. To apply, you can use the Common Application to submit your high school transcript, a personal statement, and a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor. While submitting standardized test scores (SAT/ACT) is optional for most programs at RWU, there can be instances where including a test score with your application is a good idea. For detailed guidance on how to navigate test-optional policies, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional

Acceptance Rates: The acceptance rate at Roger Williams University is around 90%, so many students have a good shot of being accepted. However, you should still craft your application thoughtfully, as there are no guarantees in the college process.

Tips for a Successful Application:

1. Strong Academic Performance: Aim to maintain a good GPA throughout high school, as a solid academic record demonstrates your commitment to learning and your ability to handle the rigor of college coursework. For reference, the average GPA of an accepted student at RWU is around 3.5.

2. Extracurricular Involvement: Engage in extracurricular activities that reflect your interests and showcase your leadership skills, passion, and dedication. Quality is more important than quantity, so focus on activities that you truly enjoy and can contribute to meaningfully.

3. Well-written Personal Statement: Write a compelling and unique personal statement that tells your story and highlights your strengths, achievements, and aspirations. Avoid cliché topics, and focus on specific moments or experiences that have shaped you. CollegeVine's blog contains detailed guidance on how to write a strong personal statement: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-common-application-essays/

4. Compelling Recommendation Letter: Request a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor who knows you well and can speak to your strengths, character, and achievements, and provide broader context for your more numerical achievements.

5. Optional: If you have strong SAT/ACT scores, providing them might enhance your application, especially if you are applying for a more competitive program, like the honors program. Test scores could also improve your chances of receiving a merit scholarship.

6. Research and demonstrate interest: Since RWU has a moderately selective admission process, demonstrating genuine interest in the university can make a difference. Research the programs, activities, and campus culture to better understand what RWU offers and how those offerings align with your goals. Incorporate that information into your essays and any optional interviews.

By keeping these tips in mind and putting effort into each component of your application, you'll increase your chances of a successful application to Roger Williams University. Good luck!

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.

Roger Williams University Undergraduate College Application Essays

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

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College Application Essays accepted by Roger Williams University

Culture shock anonymous, roger williams university.

I wake up occasionally to the sound of a rooster crowing. I live in Hartford, the only real city in Connecticut and I wake to the sound of a rooster crowing. I am alone when I wake up and there is sunlight pouring into the room. I know when I go...

Blue Suede Shoes? No, Red Satin Heels Katherine Danaher

Nerves shook through my body as I prepared to introduce Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to 400 people in my town. I closed my eyes, drawing in a deep breath. Senator Sanders cleared his throat, and I looked up with concern. “Your shoes are...

Out and Back Lilly Vittum

It hit me. Not while I was scaling cliffs that were sculpted with the help of a straightedge, not even while I dreamed that I was suffocating, only to wake up and realize I really did have a snow-covered tarp pressed against my face. Not the first...

Rockstars Are Not Always Famous Anonymous

I was sitting there frustrated, so I closed my notebook, shut my laptop, and placed my guitar back in the corner. How could I think teaching myself an instrument was possible? If I couldn’t play music, I was going to listen to some instead. I went...

Recent Questions about Roger Williams University

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

Think you can get into a top-10 school? Take our chance-me calculator... if you dare. 🔥

Last updated March 7, 2023

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Blog > Essay Advice , Supplementals > How to Write Supplemental Essays that Will Impress Admissions Officers

How to Write Supplemental Essays that Will Impress Admissions Officers

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

Written by Alex McNeil, MA Admissions Consultant

Key Takeaway

Welcome to the wonderful world of supplemental essays.

If you’ve made it this far, there’s a good chance that you’ve completed (or at least have begun thinking about) your Common Application personal statement.

But believe it or not, you’re not done once you’ve sorted out your personal statement.

That’s right—many colleges require you to write even more essays as part of your application. These essays are called supplemental essays , and you’ll usually write 0-4 per school you apply to.

Hopefully you’re starting to do the math… If I apply to 10 schools that require an average of 2.3 supplemental essays, then that’s 20+ essays I have to write on top of my personal statement!

And, to make matters more dire, supplemental essays are really important to your application. Schools only require them because they play a critical role in admissions decisions.

That’s why having good supplemental essay strategy matters. There’s no time to waste, and they need to be good.

But thankfully you’ve found yourself here, at the ultimate guide to supplemental essays. We—Alex, Ben, and Kylie—have compiled our years of admissions and essay-writing knowledge to tell you everything you need to know about writing supplemental essays. (And, as you’ll see, we also have more specific guides for the most common supplemental essay prompts.)

In this guide-to-end-all-guides, we start out with supplemental essay basics and then break down the supplemental essay strategies that have worked for our clients again and again. Once you reach the end, you’ll be able to download a free essay tracker to keep you organized and on track.

Ready? Here we go.

What are supplemental essays?

Supplemental essays are a kind of college essay.

As a refresher, recall that there are three main kinds of college essays:

Personal Statement: A personal statement is a singular essay that is the keystone of your entire application. It goes to all the schools you apply to, and it covers a topic that is deeply meaningful to you. Personal statements are typically around 650 words. (For more about personal statements, see our college essay writing guide .)

Supplemental Essays: Supplemental essays are essays required by specific schools. They typically have different prompts than the personal statement and are usually shorter in length.

UC Essays: UC essays are their own beast in the college essay-writing world. Their purpose is a blend of personal statement and supplemental essay. (For more about UC Essays, see our UC guide.)

Supplemental essays serve a unique purpose. The reality is that the majority of your college application has to be written with several colleges in mind, especially if you’re applying to schools through application systems like the Common Application or Coalition.

That means that the majority of the information admissions officers base their decisions on is relatively generic information that doesn’t address why you’re a good fit for their school in particular.

That’s where supplemental essays come in.

Supplemental essays give you the opportunity to tell an admissions officer why you belong at their school specifically. They also allow colleges to ask you questions based on what they’re looking for in applicants.

Imagine that you’re interested in adopting a new dog. You browse your shelter’s online photo gallery, see the statistics about the age and weight of each dog, and read the brief descriptions of their temperament. The online profiles give you quite a bit to go on, but you still can’t quite picture how each one would fit into your family. You need just a little more information. So you drive to the shelter, meet the animals, and ask the shelter staff more questions about the animals you’re interested in.

Okay, college admissions are obviously a lot different than adopting a dog. But you get the metaphor. Sometimes the information on the Common App alone isn’t enough. Admissions officers need more information about which students are going to be the best fit for their college communities. And the one tool universities have to get that specific information are supplemental essays .

In short, some schools require supplemental essays because they want to get more information about how well your academics, extracurriculars, values, or otherwise align with their institution.

What’s the difference between a supplemental essay and a personal statement?

We can look at the differences between personal statements and supplemental essays across three categories: purpose, length, and research.

Supplemental essays serve a very different purpose than personal statements. While personal statements are deeply meaningful reflections that go to all the colleges a student applies to, supplemental essays are school-specific. Your personal statement is a place for you to write about something related to one of your core strengths. Supplementals are opportunities for you to show how your core strengths make you a good fit for a particular institution. Since they have different purposes, you’ll need different writing strategies to approach each kind of essay with.

Essay lengths vary by school and type, but supplemental essays are generally shorter. The Common App personal statement, for example, is maximum 650 words. Supplemental essays, on the other hand, typically range from 100 to 400 words (although occasionally some will be longer). When added together, you’ll likely be writing at least a couple thousand words for your college applications.

Finally, personal statements and supplementals also require different levels of research. Whereas personal statements typically require no research, supplementals require a lot. Because supplemental essays are school-specific, you’ll need to do research about every single school you write a supplemental essay for. We’ll get into that more in a second.

So personal statements give admissions officers a deep insight into who you are, while supplemental essays build on that narrative and sometimes include school research.

How important are supplemental essays?

Supplemental essays are important. At schools with sub-20% acceptance rates especially, they alone can be the difference between a deny and an admit.

Take this story from Ben’s time at Vanderbilt as a cautionary tale:

A prospective engineering student has an unweighted 4.0, near-perfect test scores, and extracurriculars that show both reach and impact. But none of their essays says anything about why they want to study engineering or why they want to go to Vanderbilt. Because they can’t communicate why they are a good fit, they get denied.

Unfortunately, Ben saw this situation time and again.

Sure, you could write your personal statement about how much you love engineering or what a good problem-solver you are. But doing so still doesn’t allow you to talk about why you align with the engineering options at a particular school .

Supplementals are your one chance to communicate this information with admissions officers, so use it wisely.

Types of Supplemental Essay Prompts

Are you feeling overwhelmed yet? Don’t fret. While you’ll be writing a lot of supplementals throughout your application process, you won’t necessarily have to come up with unique ideas for each of them. That’s because most supplemental essay prompts can be broken down into seven common categories: “why us,” diversity, community, academic interest, “why this major,” personal challenge, and extracurricular activities. Because there are similarities between prompts, you can reuse some of your essay ideas and content from school to school—and we have a whole post about how recycle your essays effectively. For now, let’s take a quick look at the prompt types. If you’re interested in any in particular, you can click through to our more in-depth post about each.

These prompts ask students to write an essay that explains why they want to attend a particular institution, school, or program.

Some diversity prompts ask students to write about some aspect of their background or identity that makes them diverse. Other diversity prompts ask students to write about a time they engaged with diverse perspectives.

Community prompts ask students to write about some aspect of the community they come from. Other community prompts ask how a student will contribute to the college community they’re applying to join.

Academic Interest

These prompts ask students to demonstrate intellectual curiosity by elaborating on a particular academic interest.

Why this Major

These prompts allow students to make a case for why they want to study a particular major at a particular school.

Personal Challenge

Personal challenge prompts ask students to write about a moment or period when they encountered a personal challenge. Often personal challenge prompts will encourage students to think about how they grew as a result.

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities essays ask students to discuss one of their resume items.

Okay, so there’s lots of prompt types that ask you to do different things. But no matter the supplemental prompt type you’re responding to, your supplemental essays will have some commonalities in form and function. We’ll dive into those commonalities in the coming sections.

What should a supplemental essay look like?

Because supplemental essay prompts can be more direct than personal statement prompts, students often get confused about what a supplemental essay should look like.

Let’s use a simple example prompt: “Why do you want to attend X school?”

Since the prompt is formatted in the style of a straightforward question, many students (logically) begin their essays like this:

“I want to go to X school because it is a great academic fit for me. I love the location, and the weather can’t be beat. I know I would be happy there because there are lots of things to do. I would be so excited to work with Professor Y because their research is exactly what I want to do in the future. I love the traditions on campus and can envision myself joining in them, especially the annual puppy days before finals. Overall, I think I am a good fit”

While that essay directly answers the question, it doesn’t have an engaging hook or storyline. When you write a supplemental essay that explicitly addresses the question without paying attention to style and form, it reads more as a short answer question than an actual essay.

Like a personal statement, a supplemental essay should still be an essay. Even for supplemental essays under 150 words, there should still be some kind of essay structure. The essay should begin with a hook, build up a story, and offer a brief conclusion that ties everything together.

So now that you know that your supplemental essays should still be essays rather than short answers, let’s get to the juicy stuff: strategy.

The 3 best supplemental essay strategies

As with any part of the college application process, you should consider approaching your supplemental essays with an explicit strategy from the start.

Since supplemental essays are the main way for you to signal school and academic fit, your strategy will likely revolve around deciding when and how to demonstrate your academic, social, and value-based alignment with the school in question.

Strategic supplemental writing also means balancing your narrative across your personal statement and supplementals. Planning ahead to determine what information will go where can save you a lot of trouble later on in the application process.

Strategy #1: Do strategic school research.

The first step in writing good supplemental essays is knowing how to do school research. It’s also about knowing how to use your school research effectively. In the case of supplemental essays, “school research” means a lot more than simply googling a school and pulling out a few facts and figures. Unlike the research you did when building your school list, your supplemental essay school research is a lot more intentional and targeted.

Think of supplemental school research like the final stages before buying a car. Your initial research—the school list-building research—helped you narrow down all your options to find cars with the right facts and figures for your needs. But now you need to think in terms of specifics. Looking at Car A, you see that the infotainment is perfectly suited for your music-loving needs and the 4-wheel drive will let you drive to your favorite remote hiking destinations. Car B has all the safety features you could ever ask for and has enough cargo space to go on long road trips. For each car, you can explain exactly why you and the car are a good match.

In the same way, your supplemental essays will draw attention to the specific points of connection you have with a school. After reading your supplemental essay, you want your admissions officer to say, “Wow, they really belong here.”

But the mistake most students make when doing supplemental school research is that they look up a few professors or programs that align with their interests, and they plop those brief references into their supplemental essays without actually making it clear why they’re important.

While this method does show some effort and may impress admissions officers at schools with lower acceptance rates, it won’t cut it at schools where the majority of applicants get rejected.

Let’s go over how to do supplemental school research the right way.

How to do school research

This kind of school research may seem a bit elusive. There are so many places on a school website to look that it can be overwhelming. But the key to doing successful school research isn’t about finding those little nuggets of information.

It’s about creating a cohesive story that makes it seem only logical that you be admitted.

And how do you do that?

By looking at the values the institution holds dearly and positioning yourself in clear alignment with them.

It’s easy to find an institution’s values if you know where to look. Most often, they appear in the following places:

a) The school’s motto

We’ll use Lewis and Clark College’s motto as an example. A quick Google search of “Lewis and Clark College motto” informed me that their motto, in English, is “to explore, to learn, to work together.” Right off the bat, that tells us a ton about what Lewis and Clark College values and looks for in students.

If I were to write a supplemental essay (and—surprise!—one of their supplemental essays is actually about the motto), then it’d be easy to draw from areas of my own life that represent the values of exploration, education, and teamwork.

b) The school’s 5-year plan

Schools are future-minded institutions, so they always have plans that discuss where they want to be five or ten years down the road. These plans are written by university leadership and lay out values, goals, and strategic initiatives that the institution will be devoting resources to. They can tell you a lot in a short amount of time.

c) Departmental websites

Don’t just find an interesting professor and call it quits. Take the time to go through and actually read the website for your department of interest. Look at the kinds of research professors and students are doing. Departments often have a list of where students tend to end up after they graduate, so take note. Find anything you can about what the department looks like and values.

For instance, take this press release from the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech. The headline says, “The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is investing nearly $12 million in four College of Engineering faculty members this fall through its  prestigious program for outside-the-box thinkers .” There you go. Without even reading on, you can tell that out-of-the-box thinking is a popular characteristic among these Georgia Tech faculty members. You could then craft your supplemental essay around a time you showed out-of-the-box thinking yourself.

The beauty of this strategy is that it works no matter the kind of supplemental essay prompt you’re responding to. It is as applicable to a “diversity” or “why us” prompt as it is to an “extracurricular” one.

Setting your supplementals apart using school research

Take this example, which we sent out recently in our newsletter .

Say you’re interested in attending Johns Hopkins University to study business.

You set out to answer their supplemental prompt: Founded on a spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity or your community) and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. (300-400 words)

You could talk about how devoted you’ve been to DECA and mention a JHU business faculty member whom you admire. But that essay wouldn’t be memorable at all. Admissions officers have likely read hundreds of similar essays.

Instead, using your newfound school research knowledge, you start by googling JHU’s strategic plan . You keep diving deeper. You find that they have a specific initiative to engage more with their local community in Baltimore. You dive even deeper and see that part of that initiative revolves around encouraging the JHU community to shop locally .

Ah ha! You actually created a holiday market at your school and invited local vendors to participate. You brought your community together, and you helped them make the decision to buy from local businesses.

You now have a story that shows your business interests and connects seamlessly with the values at Johns Hopkins University. And it’ll lead to a supplemental essay admissions officers haven’t read before.

Okay, that is a very specific example. Remember, school research needs to be specific to you and your interests. When you are clear about your strengths and keep your own activities in mind, you can point your research towards what the school does that most clearly relates to you.

Strategy #2: Make a case for school or academic fit.

Each supplemental essay should have a specific purpose. We’ve already established this fact in this guide, but it’s worth restating. One of your application essays needs to make a case for school or academic fit. There’s no other way to slice it.

Institutions are like people. They have unique personalities, values, and preferences that attract students and community members to them. A single school will not be the right fit for every student. That’s why it’s so important to take academic and school fit into account when building your school list, and that’s why institutions factor these considerations into their admissions decisions.

What is “academic fit”?

“Academic fit” is particularly important when you’re applying to a specific major (like computer science, engineering, music, etc.). The concept is fairly straightforward.

It measures how well your academic background and interests meet the standards of a particular school or program. While academic fit includes measurements like your weighted and unweighted GPA, the level of rigor you’ve taken throughout high school, and your standardized test scores, it isn’t just about your statistics. It is also relevant to how you talk about your intellectual vitality in your essays.

This could look like showing disciplinary alignment. If you’re dead set on studying business but you’re applying to a school without a business program, for example, then you won’t have good academic fit, no matter how solid your academic record is.

It could also look like showcasing your intellectual curiosity or an academic passion. These kinds of academic values can signal to an admissions committee that you are a good fit for the program.

What is “school fit”?

“School fit” is a way to categorize how well you align with the overall vibe and intellectual community of a school. Academic fit is part of school fit, but school fit encompasses more. It’s like a friendship test. Do your personalities mesh well? Do you have similar values? Can they meet your needs and vice versa? Do your extracurricular activities align? Do you envision yourselves having a future together?

School fit is important because you don’t want to end up at a school that doesn’t align with your wants and needs across these categories. Transferring is always an option, but being mindful of school fit from the start can help you get it right the first time.

When it comes to your supplementals, signaling those intangible measures of school fit can also be one of the best tools in your application toolbox. Because they’re intangible, they’re harder to communicate. But communicating them correctly can help set you apart.

Overall, academic and school fit are application essentials. If your academic background hasn’t prepared you for a particular college environment, or if you can’t clearly communicate why you’re a good academic fit, then an admissions officer might believe that you’d be better off elsewhere. Similarly, there’s no point in applying to a school that you’d be miserable at, and there’s no point in admitting you to a school that you’d likely transfer from anyway. Keeping the concepts of “academic fit” and “school fit” front and center meets student and institutional needs.

How to show academic fit

We’ve written on Reddit  about the importance of academic score in college admissions. While each institution has its own process, academic scores are usually some kind of measurement of a student’s academic success in high school, calculated based on statistics like GPA, number of rigorous classes, and standardized test scores.

Since academic scores are based on things that have already happened, you have very little control over them as you put together your application.

To a certain extent, there’s nothing you can do to overcome a low academic score. That’s why it’s important to put the right schools on your school list . 

But what you do have control over is how you communicate academic fit.

Remember that your entire application should cohere to form a unique personal narrative . Your academic alignment with the programs you’re applying to is part of that narrative, and supplemental essays are a fantastic place for you to drive home why you belong in a particular program.

It’s often easiest to show academic alignment in “why us,” “why this major,” and “academic interest” supplemental essay prompts. But it is possible to accomplish with other prompts, too.

No matter the supplemental you’re writing, consider applying these tips to show academic fit.

a) Think about the academic values the admissions committee will be looking for.

You’ve already done your school research and have probably learned something about the values a school is looking for. Now you can think more specifically about what kinds of values admissions committees will be looking for in their applicants. Make a list of these values.

Here are a few values we’ve looked for as admissions officers to get you started: teamwork, creative thinking, resilience, leadership, communication, intellectual curiosity, real-world applications.

Once you have your list of values, start circling the ones that apply to you and your experiences the most. Then you’ll be able to incorporate those values into your supplemental essays.

b) Consider how your previous experiences relate to your future goals.

Another approach to showing academic fit is thinking linearly about how what you’ve done in high school relates to your future academic and career goals.

Especially with prompts that ask you to reflect on concrete experiences, taking this approach can be a great way to bridge the gap between your resume and academics. Showing an admissions officer why your background experiences make you a natural fit for a specific program can be an effective supplemental essay strategy.

Overall, remember: schools want students. When in doubt, show academic fit.

How to show school fit

How you show school fit will depend on the type of school you’re applying to. There are three main levels: the institution as a whole, individual schools or colleges, and particular majors or programs. Each level requires a different school fit focus. Let’s start by going through the types:

Level 1: The Institution

For some schools, you apply to the institution as a whole. Think liberal arts colleges or other schools that don’t require you to declare a major upon application.

Level 2: Schools & Colleges

Other schools have you apply to a college or school. Think of applications that have you choose a “college of arts and sciences” or “a school of engineering.” These are institutions within an institution, so the dynamics are a little different.

Level 3: Major

Finally, others yet will have you apply directly to the major you want to study. If you indicate the major you want to apply to, or if you’re asked to respond to a “why this major” supplemental essay prompt, then you’re likely applying directly to a major.

For each of these levels, school fit will look different because the community you’re applying to join has a different makeup. So bear those differences in mind as you consider the two following tips about aligning with school fit:

a) Write supplemental essays that connect your extracurricular activities to major or program fit.

One way to demonstrate school fit is by showing that you’ve already been doing what students at that institution do. We’ll pretend that for one of your extracurriculars, you participate in hack-a-thons.

Let’s also say that during your school research, you found that your top-choice computer science major values technical skills and diverse perspectives. Finally, we’ll also pretend that the first hack-a-thon you did was a special event intended to introduce more girls to computer science, and you found it a really empowering experience.

Using what you know about school fit, you can craft a supplemental essay about one of your hack-a-thon experiences that shows the technical skills and diverse perspective that you bring to the table. Writing your essay in a way that highlights a convergence of your background with their offerings is exactly what your supplementals need to do.

b) Write supplemental essays around community values.

Especially if you’re applying to an institution as a whole, you can also consider incorporating institutional values into your supplementals. These values, taken from your school research, don’t necessarily have to be about academics.

Let’s return to our Johns Hopkins example about organizing a holiday market to encourage students to shop at local businesses. That example seamlessly demonstrates school fit because it hinges on values the student shares with the institution. While the example may gesture towards academic fit because a holiday market is inherently related to business, it doesn’t do so explicitly. The focus is more on the underlying community values.

All this talk about fit is also to say that none of your applications will look exactly the same. Because institutions have different makeups and expectations, the shape your application narrative takes will vary from institution to institution.

Strategy #3: Highlight your strengths.

Every college essay you write should be rooted in a strength.

If you’ve read any of our other guides or blog posts , you’ve likely seen this statement before.

We say it again and again because it’s true. And very important.

Admissions officers don’t admit students at random. They admit students who will be good additions to their community. All communities need a range of people and personalities—strengths, if you will.

To help admissions officers know how you’ll add to their campus, it’s critical that you tell them what your strengths are.

That doesn’t mean literally writing, “I am a strong critical thinker.”

What it does mean is writing essays that demonstrate positive characteristics about yourself.

Recall that application strengths can include things like critical thinking, open-mindedness, problem-solving skills, a passion for justice, artistry, and more. These kinds of traits are what you want your admissions officer to learn about you from any piece of writing you submit with your application.

We’ve already covered how to write strengths-based personal statements in our college essay writing guide .

But when you’re juggling a personal statement and several supplemental essays, it can be tricky to balance your strengths in an authentic way.

Juggling Your Strengths

You don’t want all your essays to talk about the same strength. You also don’t want your strengths to seem disparate or unrelated. And you really don’t want to come across as braggadocious.

It’s therefore important that your essays all tie together to form a cohesive application narrative .

So writing strengths-based supplementals requires a certain kind of balancing act.

Picture your college application narrative as a seesaw (stick with me for a second—I promise this is going somewhere). Imagine that your personal statement is the base of the seesaw. Without anything else on the seesaw, it is you in your most genuine, balanced form. It is the fulcrum upon which your entire application narrative rests. But it’s not yet complete. It’s limited in how much information it actually reveals about you.

Now imagine that you add in all your application data—your transcript, test scores, activities list, and letters of recommendation. We get more information, but the application data are heavy, weighing it down on one side. Your application narrative becomes slightly off-kilter. We see the strengths you describe in your personal statement, but they’ve become filtered through the lens of your application data.

Finally, we add your supplemental essays to the other side. They stitch together your personal statement and data to create a roundedness to your application narrative. They restore balance.

That means that the strengths you write about in your supplemental essays have to complement those in your personal statement. And the strengths in both have to make sense alongside your application data.

While your personal statement should be about a core strength, your supplemental essays should be about different strengths that support and cohere with your personal statement. It’s all about how you disperse your strengths across your essays. You want to show depth AND diversity.

Here’s an example breakdown of strengths:

a) Personal statement: problem-solving skills

b) Supplemental 1: passion for justice

c) Supplemental 2: teamwork

Without even reading the corresponding essays, we get a sense of who this person is by their strengths alone. We can envision them primarily as a problem-solver, but we also see that they use their skills to pursue justice. And we understand that they are someone who does all these things alongside others rather than as a lone wolf.

Just one of these strengths alone wouldn’t give the whole picture. It’s about finding the right mix of breadth, depth, and balance.

How to organize your supplemental essays

There are countless spreadsheets out there that can help you track and organize your applications and supplemental essays. It’s a good idea to browse through a few of them and see what format works best for you.

But we believe that one of the most efficient ways to organize your supplemental essays is to categorize them by prompt type.

Sorting your essays by prompt will allow you to group similar prompts together. That means you’ll have an easier time seeing where there’s overlap between essays, which will allow you to reuse ideas or snippets across your applications to write them more efficiently. (Using the same material for multiple supplemental essays is allowed, but there’s a right and wrong way to do it. We have a whole post on recycling your supplemental essays .)

Key Takeaways

There you have it! Everything you need to know about writing a supplemental essay. If you haven’t already, check out our mini-guides that cover the most popular supplemental essay prompts. You’ll find even more specific strategies and examples to guide you on your supplemental essay writing journey.

If you want to see some outstanding supplemental essay examples before you get started, head on over to our college essay examples .

When you're ready, grab your essay tracker and give your supplementals a go. If you need any more guidance, our Essay Academy program is chock-full of more strategies, insights, and examples from our team of admissions professionals.

Interested in more admissions insights? Read our next post , where we go behind the admissions curtain to reveal how admissions offices actually process tens of thousands of applications.

Happy writing!

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