Hi! I am really struggling with writing my supplementary essay. The prompt is "If you could star in any movie, what movie would you pick and why?" I have ideas but I'm having such a tough time. Smith is my top school and I feel as though I am overthinking my essay because I want it to be the best it can possible be! Any advice?? Thank you!
Hi there! I am by no means an official writing tutor, admissions representative, or expert, but I can give you some of the advice I remember from my application process.For me, it really helped to think of the supplementary essay as a creative writing exercise. Your application is already so full of your achievements and test scores and experiences so you can use this part to show your personality and flair. If you’re funny and light-hearted, write something silly! If you want to recount a dramatic moment or strong opinion, use your writing skills to showcase that. I’m a ‘words’ person, so I wrote about something small and pretty insignificant in a really hyperbolic way, just for fun (and also to make me stand out). Play to your strengths, whatever they may be.In terms of not overthinking, it helps to remember that there’s no way you can impress an admissions officer with anything nuanced or complicated in such a small amount of words. Don’t make the prompt into anything deeper than it is. You really don’t have to look for hidden meaning or answer a secret question correctly (or, at least, I didn’t in mine and I still got here!).Try spending some time freewriting. Pick an idea that speaks to you and just writes without editing for 2/5/10 minutes without thinking too much about it. I think whatever comes naturally is a great starting point for an essay like this since it’s so much about your creativity and personality. In short: go with your gut, don’t overthink, and have fun! Best of luck.
