for the anon who asked to see some of my college supplements, here is the first in a series of essay corner posts, starting with the university of pennsylvania!
context: i applied to penn and was accepted regular decision. i also (i think? i never got formal notification of advocacy but i was in contact with recruitment staff during my application process) received creative writing recruitment and resulting advocacy from penn’s kelly writers house.
for other examples of penn supplements that led to acceptances, check out the following:
rona’s why penn? essay @findx
eleni’s why penn? essay @hotdamnford
in the class of 2018 application cycle, penn had one supplementary essay prompt for those applying to the college of arts and sciences (like me!), although i believe it requires more supplements for those applying to specialized degree programs. you can read my essay below:
How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania? Please answer this question given the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying. (400-650 words)
for the anon who wanted to see some of my supplements, this is the third in my series of college supplement posts; this one is for princeton university! you can find the rest of this series in my ‘essay corner’ tag.
context: i applied and was accepted to princeton regular decision. i also sent in a creative writing supplement via princeton’s arts supplement portal.
for another example of a princeton supplement that led to an acceptance, check out the following:
ash’s princeton supplements @learninqs
in the class of 2018 application cycle, princeton had one long essay, a couple of short ones, and a section of ‘a few details.’ this gets long, so more under the cut:
Using one of the themes below as a starting point, write about a person, event, or experience that helped you define one of your values or in some way changed how you approach the world.
“Culture is what presents us with the kinds of valuable things that can fill a life. And insofar as we can recognize the value in those things and make them part of our lives, our lives are meaningful.” Gideon Rosen, Stuart Professor of Philosophy and director of the Behrman Undergraduate Society of Fellows, Princeton University. (250–650 words)
Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences that was particularly meaningful to you. (up to 250 words)
Please tell us how you have spent the last two summers (or vacations between school years), including any jobs you have held. (up to 250 words)
for the anon who wanted to see some of my supplements, this is the second in my series of college supplement posts, and this one’s for yale university. check out my ‘essay corner’ tag for others!
context: i applied to yale and was rejected regular decision. i did send a creative writing sample via an upload to my application portal, but i don’t know if it was ever read.
for examples of yale supplements that actually led to acceptances (since mine didn’t! haha), check out the following:
jasmin dalsgaard’s yale supplements: part 1 / part 2
josh beasley’s yale supplements: x / x / engineering
in class of 2018′s application cycle, yale had several medium-size essays and a small section of ‘short takes.’ (i think engineering requires an extra essay, but don’t quote me on that!) this one gets long, so more under the cut.
Students at Yale have plenty of time to explore their academic interests before committing to one or more major fields of study. Many students either modify their original academic direction or change their minds entirely. As of this moment, what academic areas seem to fit your interests or goals most comfortably? Why do these areas appeal to you? (up to approximately 100 words)
(for context, my prospective fields of study were sociology, film studies, and ethnicity, race, and migration)
What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or less)
SHORT TAKES:
Please respond in no more than 200 characters (approximately 35 words), to each of the following questions:
1. What inspires you?
2. Yale’s residential colleges regularly host intimate conversations with guests representing a wide range of experiences and accomplishments. What person, past or present, would you invite to speak? What question would you ask?
3. You are teaching a Yale course. What is it called?
4. Most first year Yale students live in suites of four to six students. What would you contribute to the dynamic of your suite?
Write about something you would like us to know about you that you have not conveyed elsewhere in your application. (250 words or fewer)
Reflect on your engagement with a community to which you belong. How do you feel you have contributed to this community? (250 words or fewer)
