SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY PROMPTS 2020-2021, Summaries of Engineering

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SUPPLEMENTAL

ESSAY PROMPTS

The Master List

• CONTENTS Click on your favorite school to see their supplemental essay prompts for 2020-
• American University
• Amherst College
• Babson College
• Barnard College
• Bates College
• Baylor University
• Boston College
• Boston University
• Bowdoin College
• Brandeis University
• Brown University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Bucknell University
• Carleton College
• California Institute of Technology
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Centre College
• Claremont McKenna College
• Clark University
• Clemson University
• Colby College
• Colgate University - College of the Holy Cross - Colorado College - Columbia University - Connecticut College - Cornell University - Dartmouth College - Davidson College - Denison University - Dickinson College - Duke University - Emerson College - Emory University - Florida State University - Georgia Institute of Technology - Georgetown University - George Washington University - Gettysburg College - Grinnell College - Hamilton College - Harvard University - Harvey Mudd College - Haverford College
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Indiana University - Bloomington
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kenyon College
• Lafayette College
• Lehigh University
• Lewis & Clark College
• Loyola Marymount University
• Macalester College
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Michigan State University
• Middlebury College
• Mount Holyoke College
• The New School
• New York University
• North Carolina State University
• Northeastern University
• Northwestern University
• Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences
• Occidental College
• Ohio State
• Ohio University
• Penn State
• Pepperdine University
  • Pitzer College
  • Pomona College
  • Princeton University
  • Purdue University
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Rice University
  • Rhodes College
  • Rutgers University
  • Santa Clara University
  • Sarah Lawrence College
  • Scripps College
  • Soka University
  • Sewanee - University of the South
  • Skidmore College
  • Smith College
  • St. John’s College
  • St. Olaf College
  • St. Lawrence University
  • Stanford University
  • SUNY Binghamton
  • SUNY Stony Brook University
  • Syracuse University
  • Swarthmore College
  • Science and Forestry
• Temple University
• Texas Christian University
• Thomas Aquinas College
• Tufts University
• Trinity College
• Tulane University
• Union College
• University of California
• University of Chicago
• University of Massachusetts - Amherst
• University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
• University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oregon
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Richmond
• University of Rochester
• University of San Diego
• University of San Francisco
• University of Southern California
  • University of Texas - Austin
  • University of Tulsa
  • University of Virginia
  • University of Vermont
  • University of Washington
  • University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Vassar College
  • Villanova University
  • Virginia Tech
  • Wake Forest University
  • Washington and Lee University
  • Washington University in St. Louis
  • Wesleyan University
  • Wellesley College
  • Whitman College
  • Wheaton College
  • Whittier College
  • William & Mary
  • Williams College
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • Yale University
  • York College of Pennsylvania

AMERICAN

UNIVERSITY

AMHERST

COLLEGE

Why are you interested in American University? (150 words)

At Amherst we know that identity is more than checkboxes. If you would like to share more about your identity, background, family, culture or community, please tell us more here. (Maximum: 175 words).

Please briefly elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience of particular significance to you. (Maximum: 175 words)

Optional Research Question:

If you have engaged in significant research in the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences or humanities that was undertaken independently of your high school curriculum, please provide a brief description of the research project (50-75 words)

In addition to the essay you are writing as part of the Common Application, Amherst requires a supplementary writing sample from all applicants. There are three options for satisfying Amherst’s supplementary writing requirement: Option A, Option B or Option C. You may select only one of these options. Before deciding, carefully read the descriptions of all three options.

In addition to the essay you are writing as part of the Common Application, Amherst requires a supplementary writing sample from all applicants. There are three options for satisfying Amherst’s supplementary writing requirement: Option A, Option B or Option C. You may select only one of these options. Before deciding, carefully read the descriptions of all three options.

Option A: Please respond to one of the following quotations in an essay of not more than 300 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.

Prompt 1: “Rigorous reasoning is crucial in mathematics, and insight plays an important secondary role these days. In the natural sciences, I would say that the order of these two virtues is reversed.

BABSON

COLLEGE

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. ( words maximum)

Your moment has arrived. Share with us the moments or experiences that have led you to ap- ply to Babson College. (500 words maximum)

We invite you to submit your answer in either essay OR video format. If you choose to submit a video, please limit your response to a 1-minute video, which can be submitted via a shared link to YouTube or another video hosting website.

BARNARD

COLLEGE

BATES

COLLEGE

What factors influenced your decision to apply to Barnard College and why do you think the College would be a good match for you? (300 words)

At Barnard, academic inquiry starts with bold questions. What are some of the bold questions you have pondered that get you excited and why do they interest you? Tell us how you would explore these questions at Barnard. (300 words)

(Optional) Pick one woman — an historical figure, fictitious character, or modern individual — to converse with for an hour and explain your choice. Why does this person intrigue you? What would you talk about? What questions would you ask them? (300 words)

No writing supplement

BOSTON

COLLEGE

We would like to get a better sense of you. Please respond to one of the following prompts. (400 words)

Great art evokes a sense of wonder. It nourishes the mind and spirit. Is there a particular song, poem, speech, or novel from which you have drawn insight or inspiration?

When you choose a college, you will join a new community of people who have different backgrounds, experiences, and stories. What is it about your background, your experiences, or your story, that will enrich Boston College’s community?

Boston College strives to provide an undergraduate learning experience emphasizing the liberal arts, quality teaching, personal formation, and engagement of critical issues. If you had the opportunity to create your own college course, what enduring question or contemporary problem would you address and why?

Jesuit education considers the liberal arts a pathway to intellectual growth and character formation. What beliefs and values inform your decisions and actions today, and how will Boston College assist you in becoming a person who thinks and acts for the common good?

BAYLOR

UNIVERSITY

What are you looking for in a university, why do you want to attend Baylor, and how do you see yourself contributing to the Baylor community? (750 words)

BOSTON

UNIVERSITY

What about being a student at Boston University most excites you? (250 words)

BROWN

UNIVERSITY

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences (Maximum: 150 words)

First Year applicants to Brown are asked to answer three supplemental essay questions, which are provided below if you would like to begin work on your essays now.

Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about an academic interest (or interests) that excites you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue it. (250 words)

At Brown, you will learn as much from your peers outside the classroom as in academic spaces. How will you contribute to the Brown community? (250 words)

Tell us about a place or community you call home. How has it shaped your perspective? ( words)

If you are applying to the eight-year Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) or the five- year Brown-Rhode Island School of Design Dual Degree Program (BRDD), you must complete the special program essays.

Three essays are required for applicants to the PLME:

Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. What values and experiences have led you to believe that becoming a doctor in medicine is the right fit for you? (250 word limit)

Most people describe a career as a physician/doctor as a “profession”, beyond a job. Describe for us what “professionalism” and “the profession of a physician/doctor” mean to you. ( word limit)

How do you envision the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) helping you to meet your academic personal and professional goals as a person and as a physician of the future? (500 word limit)

One essay is required for applicants to the Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program:

The Brown|RISD A.B./B.F.A. Dual Degree Program provides an opportunity to explore your interests and prepare for the future in two distinct learning environments. Considering your understanding of both academic programs, describe how and why the specific combination of the art/design-focused curriculum of RISD and the wide-ranging courses and curricula of Brown could constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. (650 word limit)

BRYN MAWR

COLLEGE

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below. (Minimum 50 words, Maximum 100 words)

As you prepare to join a new college community, reflect on your role as a community member throughout the past four years. What legacy do you hope to leave behind? Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below.

BUCKNELL

UNIVERSITY

Please explain your interest in your first-choice major/undecided status and your second- choice major, should you opt to list one (250 words)

CARLETON

COLLEGE

When did you first learn of Carleton? (no more than 150 words)

Why are you applying to Carleton? (no more than 150 words)

CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE

OF TECHNOLOGY

All of the questions are required:

Describe three experiences and/or activities that have helped develop your passion for a possible career in a STEM field. (10-120 words.)

CLAREMONT

MCKENNA COLLEGE

Why do you want to attend CMC? (250 words)

One of the hallmarks of a CMC education is the first-year humanities program that all students take in their first year at the College. The program has two components: the Freshman Humanities Seminar (FHS) and the Freshman Writing Seminar (FWS). While each FHS and FWS seminar has a distinctive approach in terms of texts and topics, their pairing gives first-year students a shared academic experience in small, writing-intensive courses that foster critical thinking about a wide range of important issues.

FHS introduces first-year students to some of the crucial questions that human beings face with relation to society and the world. Individual sections are taught by faculty from a range of departments. Past and current topics include:

1. Democracy and Leadership
2. Women in Science
3. Unconventional Thinking

FWS, taught by faculty from the literature department, develops students’ abilities in written and oral communication at the college level. Past and current topics include:

1. Art of the Personal Essay
2. Blackness in American Cinema
3. Post-Apocalyptic Humanity

For the purpose of this essay prompt, pick one FHS or FWS seminar to study at CMC. What part of your personal experience—or your desire to know more about an area outside of your experience—best explains your seminar choice? (250 words)

CLARK

UNIVERSITY

Clarkies take great pride in the warmth and authenticity of the Clark community and community plays a central role in the Clark experience. For us a community is more than a place to live and learn. What does community mean to you and what do you hope to contribute to and derive from your college community over the next four years? (300 words)

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (250 words)

COLBY

COLLEGE

No writing supplement

COLGATE

UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF

THE HOLY CROSS

At Colgate, we believe that a diverse community is a strong community. Reflect on an experience that demonstrates your commitment to inclusion and diversity. (260 words)

With over 500 liberal arts and sciences colleges in the United States, what inspired you to apply to Colgate? (260 words)

No writing supplement

CLEMSON

UNIVERSITY

No writing supplements

CORNELL

UNIVERSITY

CONNECTICUT

COLLEGE

In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to the essay question below (maximum of 650 words) that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. Specifically, how will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University help you achieve your academic goals?

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: What is your “thing”? What energizes you or engages you so deeply that you lose track of time? Everyone has different passions, obsessions, quirks, inspirations. What are yours?

College of Arts and Sciences: Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21st century terms Ezra Cornell’s “any person…any study” founding vision. Tell us about the areas of study you are excited to explore, and specifically why you wish to pursue them in our College.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business: What kind of a business student are you? The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business offers two distinct business programs, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and the School of Hotel Administration. Please describe how your interests and ambitions can be met through one or both of the Schools within the College.

College of Engineering: Tell us about what excites you most about Cornell Engineering and/ or studying engineering at Cornell University. How do you see yourself becoming a part of the Cornell Engineering community?

College of Human Ecology: How has your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology been influenced by your related experiences? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future?

No writing supplement

DARTMOUTH

COLLEGE

Please respond in 100 words or fewer:

While arguing a Dartmouth-related case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1818, Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, delivered this memorable line: “It is, sir,…a small college, and yet there are those who love it!” As you seek admission to the Class of 2025, what aspects of the College’s program, community, or campus environment attract your interest?

2. Please choose one of the following prompts and respond in 250-300 words:

A. The Hawaiian word mo’olelo is often translated as “story” but it can also refer to history, legend, genealogy, and tradition. Use one of these translations to introduce yourself.

B. What excites you?

C. In The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba, Class of 2014, reflects on constructing a windmill from recycled materials to power the electrical appliances in his family’s Malawian house: “If you want to make it, all you have to do is try.” What drives you to create and what do you hope to make or have you already made?

D. Curiosity is a guiding element of Toni Morrison’s talent as a writer. “I feel totally curious and alive and in control. And almost...magnificent, when I write,” she says. Celebrate your curiosity.

E. “Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away,” observed Frida Kahlo. Apply Kahlo’s perspective to your own life.

F. In the aftermath of World War II, Dartmouth President John Sloane Dickey, Class of 1929, proclaimed, “The world’s troubles are your troubles…and there is nothing wrong with the world that better human beings cannot fix.” Which of the world’s “troubles” inspires you to act? How might your course of study at Dartmouth prepare you to address it?

School of Industrial and Labor Relations: Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

EMERSON

COLLEGE

As you know, the academic programs at Emerson College are focused on communication and the arts. Please tell us what influenced you to select your major. If you’re undecided about your major, what attracted you to Emerson’s programs? Please be brief (100-200 words)

Much of the work that students do at Emerson College is a form of storytelling. If you were to write the story of your life until now, what would you title it and why? Please be brief (100-200 words)

Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you’d like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you’ve had that would help us understand you better, perhaps a community you belong to or your family or cultural background, we encourage you to do so here. Real people are reading your application, and we want to do our best to understand and appreciate the real people applying to Duke. (250 word limit)

(Optional) Duke’s commitment to diversity and inclusion includes sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. If you would like to share with us more about how you identify as LGBTQIA+, and have not done so elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here.

EMORY

UNIVERSITY

In addition to your Personal Statement, please answer two (2) of the prompts below. Choose one prompt from the “Reflections” category and one prompt from the “Tell us about you” category.

We encourage you to be thoughtful and not stress about what the right answer might be. We simply want to get to know you better. Each response should be no more than 150 words.

“Reflections” Category: Respond to one of the following.

Share about something you want to bring from your community to the Emory University community.

FLORIDA STATE

UNIVERSITY

No writing supplement

Share about a time when you questioned something that you believed to be true.

Emory University’s shield is a crossed torch and trumpet representing the light of learning and the proclamation of knowledge. It symbolizes our mission to impact the world through discovery. What truth or knowledge do you want to see shared?

“Tell us about you” Category: Respond to one of the following.

Which book, character, song, or piece of work (fiction or nonfiction) represents you, and why?

If you could witness a historic event first-hand, what would it be, and why?

If asked to write a 150-word tweet to tell the world who you are, what would you say? (Yes, the actual Twitter character limit would likely be shorter than 150 words, but thanks for indulging us.)

GEORGIA INSTITUTE

OF TECHNOLOGY

Georgia Tech Essay Questions for 2021 Applications Both prompts below are required of all applicants.

Essay Prompt 1 Why do you want to study your chosen major specifically at Georgia Tech?

Essay Prompt 2 All applicants must choose one of the two questions below Georgia Tech is committed to creating solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Tell us how you have improved or hope to improve the human condition in your community.

If you feel that your personal or community background can provide additional insight to your application that we have not already seen elsewhere, please take this opportunity to share that information with us.