Picture this: You’ve spent countless hours on your laptop, crafting the perfect personal statement. You’ve revised and edited, and finally a sigh of relief washes over you as you hit “submit” on the Common App. You sit back, thinking you’re nearly done with the process of applying to colleges. However, just as you start to believe you have conquered the application process, you find out the truth: You are not just applying to college. You’re applying to each college individually. Every institution has its own set of supplementary essays, and these are as important as your personal statement. Now you might be wondering: Who could possibly help you navigate this? That’s where our guidance department and assistant principal Ms. Rory Parnell come in. They are here to offer some suggestions for tackling this part of your college application.
1. The “Why?” School Essay
The “why?” school essay is one of the most popular supplementary essay prompts. The prompt might look something like: “Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific school you’re applying to.” These essays help you convince colleges that you’re an especially good fit for them. You should try and demonstrate why you are a great candidate for a school through specific examples and details. Spend time on your school’s website to research not just your major but also the courses, activities, history, size of the school, and any other relevant information. Don’t just research the things that you can find in five minutes: demonstrate a sense of enthusiasm.
Try taking a tour, but if that’s not possible, definitely take a virtual one so that you have the opportunity to see the physical space. Tours are also an effective way to see how the students and faculty engage with you and each other, all of which you can write about in your essay. South High guidance counselor Ms. Stacey Rapp also suggests contacting the admissions office or your local university representative and asking them specific questions, like information about their research programs or employment opportunities, or even what’s so special about that school that made them work there. Admissions officers don’t want generic answers or questions: Tell them about you so they remember you when they read your application.
2. The Extracurricular Activities Essay
The purpose of these essays is to elaborate on things that are already on your resume. Ms. Parnell shares an example on how to do that: “For example, if you are the captain of the cheerleading team, then this just tells you a very small piece. It doesn’t say why, it doesn’t say the purpose, it doesn’t say the qualities you have exhibited. These essays give you an opportunity to fill in the blanks for what the resume isn’t going to tell colleges.”
Describe and clarify what you did in that particular activity and share what you learned and the values you gained from it. Show your impact, and what you’ve done to change your community.
3. The “Why This Major?” Essay
“Be yourself and never be too general in your response,” says Mr. Chris Erickson. These essays are a way for admission officers to determine what subject(s) the student is interested in, how they’ve pursued this interest already, how they would take advantage of the college’s resources while developing further in this field, and what that particular school offers that others don’t. One tip to focus on for these essays is to always write them in first person. It’s really important to be personal and honest, so take something that is going on in your life recently, like an experience you’ve had regarding your major, and try writing about that.
4. The Community Essay
These essays help the reader understand the applicant’s deep connection to the community, and how they can be an asset for positive change within it. They want to see authenticity, a sense of purpose, and evidence of a strong and meaningful bond between you and your chosen community. Try thinking about which communities you are a part of and what you do in them. It can be any community that you like, or maybe you could also try describing the community you want to be a part of. You can do something like this by showing your involvement at an animal shelter, or a retirement community, or even just by joining a book club. You need to make sure that you are describing what your role in that specific community is.
Exhibit qualities about yourself that ensure that you are a good investment to a college and their community. Another thing you can show them is that you can be successful while facing all the challenges and obstacles in your life, and that when college gets hard (not just academically), you won’t quit.
These are some of the techniques that can help you during your college application process. Keep in mind that supplements don’t need to follow a specific format, and these are merely suggestions. Ask for help from your teachers and counselors, write and rewrite them as many times as you can, and be humble about feedback. There are going to be many drafts, but push through because the result will always be worth it. Even though it may get overwhelming and time seems to keep running out, give yourself time and believe in yourself!
