Please write an essay of 600 words or less in response to one of the following two topics:
1. Howard Thurman, who was the dean of BU’s Marsh Chapel from 1953-1965, once wrote: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Can you describe a particular experience you have had or an activity that you participate in that makes you come alive? How would you try to integrate that experience or activity into your time at BU?
or
2. Describe a time when you felt out of your comfort zone or marginalized in a situation. How did you respond to that moment and how has it informed your actions moving forward?*
Essay Prompt 1
At the George Washington University, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. These experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. If you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why?
Essay Prompt 2
The George Washington University encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. Thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. Describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. Did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships?
APPLICANTS TO THE SCHOOL OF NURSING & HEALTH STUDIES: Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. Please specifically address your intended major (Global Health, Health Care Management & Policy, Human Science, or Nursing).
What is the truest thing that you know?
One of the themes in St. Augustine’s book, Confessions, is the idea of redemption. Tell us your story of being given a second chance.
In the Villanova community, we believe that we all learn from one another. What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others?
Augustine’s “Miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature.” Tell us about a societal issue that you believe the wonder of technology is well-poised to help solve.
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Boston College is a private research institution with a Jesuit history. Founded in 1863, Boston College began as an undergraduate liberal arts college, hence the name, but today maintains a graduate program as well. Their accomplished alumni include John Kerry, Lulu Wang, Lesley Visser, and Amy Poehler. Hoping to join their ranks? First, you’ll need to write your Boston College supplemental essay. Let’s dive in.
Boston College has set five prompts for its undergraduate applicants. But don’t worry, you only need to write a response to one of them. If you are applying to the Human-Centered Engineering major, you must select the fifth prompt. All other applicants can choose between the other Boston College supplemental essay prompts. In addition, each essay has a maximum length of 400 words.
Without further ado, here are the prompts:
Unless you are applying to the Human-Centered Engineering program at Boston College, you will need to choose between these prompts in order to write your essay. Let’s dive into why you might want to choose one of the prompts over the others.
Prompt 1 should be chosen by students whose worldviews have been impacted by texts they’ve read. If you’re a prospective student of Political Science who looks to Chomsky for inspiration on the regular, this might be the right prompt for you. Alternatively, if you are actually a prospective STEM student who loves to read and wants to demonstrate their textual analysis skills.
Prompt 2 is the right choice for students who seek to understand others’ points-of-view and foster meaningful discussion on controversial topics. Students interested in finding middle grounds, staying open-minded when speaking to people whose life experiences and perspectives are vastly different from their own, and letting their opinions evolve will be able to answer this prompt effectively.
Prompt 3 should be chosen by the student whose identity or identities have significantly impacted their life, whether repeatedly or on one significant occasion. If you have had to show resilience in your life in the face of discrimination, false assumptions, and so on as a result of your identity or identities, then this might be the chance for you to share that experience with the reader.
Prompt 4 is the right prompt for individuals who feel called to enact social change. If you see your Boston College education as a stepping stone toward your goals of bettering the world, then here’s your chance to share that experience with the admissions team.
Now that you have a sense of which prompt(s) might be right for you, scroll ahead to read the breakdown of each of the Boston College supplemental essay prompts!
1. each year at university convocation, our incoming class engages in reflective dialogue with the author of a common text. what book by a living author would you recommend for your incoming class to read and why would this be an important shared text.
This prompt seeks to understand what kind of books you read, how you reflect upon them, and what lessons you have learned. Then, the reader hopes to learn why you wish to share these lessons with your classmates. Therefore, you’ll need to do some textual or literary analysis in order to effectively respond to this prompt. You may also want to provide a brief summary, a description of the text’s main points, or an illustration of whatever topic in the text is most important to your essay.
In other words, you need to clarify why you think this text should be shared with the reader, and to do this, some context about the text more broadly will be necessary. Remember, although you need to choose a book written by a living author , there will still be some context that the reader may not have. For instance, when was this book written? Where was this book written and/or where does it take place? And if it’s not already clear, in what language was it written?
Lastly, take some time to reflect upon the lessons you have learned from reading this book. Before you begin writing this essay, you may want to make a list of the main takeaways you hope to share with your peers. Then, structure the latter half of the essay around these takeaways. You can specify why, specifically, you think your classmates would find meaning or value in this text. Alternatively, you can explain why you think this text is worth reading.
In this essay, you should focus on one individual in your life who supports some of your viewpoints and challenges others. In addition, you should explain your relationship with this person and what you mean to each other. You may also want to describe briefly how your relationship with this person has evolved over time.
Then, focus on one specific conversation between you and this person when you disagreed about something. Explain how you disagreed, how this conversation began, and how it ended (or how it continues to this day). Did this person change your perspective? Did you change theirs? Have you found a middle ground, or are you at a standstill? Whether you ended the discussion agreeing to disagree, or both of your perspectives have evolved somewhat but not completely, it’s important that you express your open-mindedness and willingness to listen to others’ perspectives. These are the qualities that the admissions team is looking for.
If this prompt speaks to you, select a specific occasion when someone defined you by a single story. Because the prompt says “a time” and “someone,” you should write focus on one occasion and one person . In other words, a pattern of experiences is not what this essay prompt is seeking.
As you write this essay, you can either employ a narrative structure or a more expository structure. This means you can either write about this occasion in your life as though it is a story (with dialogue and scenes), or you can write the whole essay as a reflection on this experience. If you choose to write the essay as a story, then you should leave room for reflection upon the experience at the end of the story.
Lastly, you’ll need to leave room in your essay for discussion of the challenges presented by this experience, how you faced and overcame these challenges, and what you learned from the experience (this last topic can be the focus of your reflection). College admissions officers seek resilient students who can face the challenges the world throws at them and come out of the experience with knowledge. Demonstrating how you overcame these challenges and learned from them will give the reader confidence that you will also succeed in a challenging university environment.
This prompt requires multiple pieces of information from you, both explicit and implicit. Let’s break it down:
In summary, what specific aspects of the Boston College education will give you what you need to address this issue that is important to you?
After answering each of these questions, you should have the components to compose this essay. Although not explicitly, this prompt seeks to understand why Boston College is a good fit for you. In other words, it’s a “Why Boston College?”-type essay. In this type of essay, it’s important to clarify not only why you want to attend Boston College, but also why it is the right school for you specifically.
If you are applying to the Human-Centered Engineering program at Boston College, you must answer this prompt. If you are not applying to HCE, then you must choose one of the other prompts.
This prompt asks you to provide a list of societal problems that are important to you. Then, you must explain what aspects of the HCE will enable you to solve them. Of course, if a societal problem as broad as “world hunger” is important to you, you may be able to solve this issue for a group of people, or help society get closer to solving this problem, but the admissions team at Boston College does not expect you to have an entire solution to this vast, complex problem all mapped out and envisioned. After all, if it were that easy, a Boston College alum would have solved world hunger by now!
Instead, the admissions team anticipates that you will either have some societal problems in mind whose scope is small enough for you to reasonably tackle them upon graduation from Boston College; or, you are inspired to help work on solving some larger problem(s), but with the understanding that you as an individual will not solely invent and enact the solution.
You should focus only part of this essay on the societal problem(s) you wish to solve. Then, focus the rest of the essay on the aspects of the Boston College HCE education that will help you get closer to your goals. This prompt may not look like it at first glance, but it is actually a “Why Boston College?” essay. To be specific, it’s a “Why HCE?” essay that should zero in on the education’s applications to solving societal problems.
If you need help polishing up your Boston College supplemental essay, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.
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Extracurriculars.
Pomona College, based in Claremont, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, is one of the most prestigious and selective liberal arts colleges in the country. Part of the Claremont Colleges consortium, which consists of seven private institutions of higher learning, Pomona offers a word-class education, with an emphasis on research.
This year, Pomona’s supplemental essays consist of three short essays, with the last two prompts having three options each. The short answers prompts are off-the-beaten-path and quirky, while the essays ask you to grapple with your goals, priorities, and identity.
Read this Pomona essay example to inspire your writing.
Prompt 1: What do you love about the subject(s) you selected as potential major(s)? If undecided, share more about one of your academic passions. (150 words)
Prompt 2: Choose to respond to one of the following three prompts in 150 words or less:
Prompt 3: Choose to respond to one of the following three prompts in 250 words or less:
This is the classic “Why This Major?” essay . With this prompt, Pomona wants to know why you chose your major(s) and what you hope to accomplish with your studies.
Make sure you hit these points in your essay:
Here are some potential examples:
If you’re undecided, that’s totally fine! Simply pick two of the majors you’re considering and share what you enjoy about them, following three major points above. While you may be considering more subjects, this essay is extremely short, so you should limit your selection to two.
You should also share why you’re undecided. Maybe you’re torn between different career paths, or you’re not sure yet how to combine your passions. Maybe you just need some time to explore. You want to show Pomona that you’ve thought hard about your plans and aren’t undecided because you’re aimless about your future.
You can get more tips in our guide to writing the “Why This Major?” essay if you’re undecided .
If you have the space, you can end the essay with a line or two about how studying the major at Pomona specifically will help you achieve your goals. Is there a unique class, resource, or club that suits your interests perfectly? Make sure to mention it!
At pomona, we celebrate and identify with the number 47. share with us one of your quirky personal, family, or community traditions and why you hold on to it. (150 words).
Pomona is looking to build a student body of unique individuals. This lighthearted prompt allows you to share an unusual tradition and why it’s special to you, revealing more about your personality and background to the admissions officer.
While you don’t have a lot of space, you can still open with a short in-the-moment anecdote setting the scene as you perform this tradition. What is happening? What thoughts are running through your head? What are you feeling?
From there, you can describe the tradition and why it matters to you.
Here are some potential topics for this essay:
What item are you excited to bring with you to college (150 words).
The goal of this prompt is to understand what’s important to you; the object in itself isn’t as important as its significance. You could pick a totally ordinary item like a pillow or specific snack and still write a compelling essay.
There are two things you want to address in your response:
Describe a time when you felt empowered or on top of the world (150 words).
This is your chance to share an accomplishment that you’re most proud of that wouldn’t typically show up on a college application. While getting formal honors and awards is great, these personal achievements are especially emotional and meaningful.
Some cliche topics to avoid are:
If these are central to your high school development, you can still consider writing about them, but keep in mind that these are very common experiences, and it will be hard to stand out. If your story has some sort of twist, then it may be more engaging (for example, say you got injured during the soccer season and discovered a new passion for knitting while watching from the sidelines, and you ended up learning to knit sweaters).
Some examples of good topics would be:
This essay lends itself well to narrative storytelling, so you should consider writing this as an in-the-moment story rich with dialogue and descriptions. Just make sure not to get too carried away with the imagery and also include your thoughts and reflections.
In the past few years, is there something you have changed your mind about why (250 words).
Pomona wants to admit students who are open-minded and willing to admit they were wrong.
In today’s polarized world, you’ve probably had many disagreements with your peers, adults, and others. While this prompt lends itself well to nuanced political issues, you want to avoid potentially offending the admissions officer.
Some of the most polarized topics are also going to be the most written about, so that’s another reason to pass on issues like abortion, gun control, defunding the police, etc. Of course, you can still write about them if they’re especially personal to you, but you shouldn’t make this decision lightly.
Another topic to avoid is to say that you used to be opposed to a certain group of people or didn’t understand them, and now you’re more open-minded. While it’s great that you’re more open-minded, this could paint you in a bad light, especially since Pomona is a more liberal school.
Some topics that are going to lend themselves more easily to a strong essay include things like:
There are several other ways you could’ve changed your mind; the important thing is that you share your thought process and how you’ll use this new perspective going forward.
Reflecting on a community that you are part of, what values or perspectives from that community would you bring to pomona (250 words).
This is the classic Diversity Essay question. Pomona wants to admit a class with unique perspectives, backgrounds, and beliefs, and this question allows them to see what you’d bring to the table.
Remember that “community” can mean many different things. It can refer to:
When selecting a community for this prompt, think of the one that impacted you the most that isn’t already addressed in your application.
Here are some potential examples for this prompt:
There are many ways to write this essay, but here’s a potential outline you can follow:
What strength or quality do you have that most people might not see or recognize (250 words).
This prompt gives you a chance to share one of your “hidden” talents or traits. And no, we don’t mean being double-jointed or being able to lick your elbow. This prompt is looking for your personal qualities that meaningfully impact your life, but aren’t readily recognized.
Take some time to brainstorm your strengths and reflect on which ones you’re most praised for. Cross those out and see what you’re left with. From there, select the trait that adds a new dimension to your application.
In your essay, it may also be worth explaining why this trait is hidden or not typically recognized. Is it because you aren’t comfortable sharing it yet? Is it because the trait is interpreted negatively when it also has a positive side? Is it because the trait is only revealed in very specific circumstances?
Here are some examples:
Do you want feedback on your Pomona essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.
Need feedback faster? Get a free, nearly-instantaneous essay review from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!
Early Decision: Nov 1
Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 5
The Requirements: 1 Essay of 250 words
Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community
The University of Rochester wants to know two things here: 1) how you will take advantage of the resources and academic flexibility they offer and 2) how you will use that to improve your communities. Your “community” can be just about anything, from your neighborhood to your gender identity to rugby fans worldwide. Think about what kind of advancements you’d like to see in the world and how those relate to one of your communities. Then spend some time on University of Rochester’s website to understand how you might use their courses, research opportunities, student clubs, or other unique offerings to start making those changes. Maybe you’ll major in Politics and pair a Language and Cognition cluster with a Russian Literature and Culture cluster to prepare for a future career as a diplomat to your grandmother’s native country. Perhaps with a double major in International Theater and Black Studies, you will study abroad through the Theatre in England program, gaining insight into how different cultures express cultural clashes on stage with the aim to found your own theater promoting Black creatives. Show admissions that you have an idea of how your time at U of R will help you promote progress in your communities.
Note that while you have the option to write an essay for this question, you may send in a work of art or an abstract describing your related research instead. This is a great option for students who express themselves more authentically through outlets other than writing. However, if you choose one of these options, you’ll still have to send in a short explanation of how your response relates to creating positive change within your community.
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When crafting your college applications, writing strong essays is essential. Through your essays, you demonstrate who you are–from your values and passions to your lived experiences. Indeed the personal statement is the most common college essay. However, you will also likely have to write some supplemental essays as part of your college application requirements. One of the most common supplemental essay types is the community essay. This essay type is also known as a describe the community you live in essay, cultural diversity essay, or community service essay.
In this article, we will introduce several community essay examples. Most importantly, we’ll describe why they are considered college essays that worked. Specifically, we will share community essay examples from the two schools:
By studying these admissions essay samples, you can see what makes these college community essay examples strong and apply those same principles to your writing.
Each school has different supplemental essay prompts for their college application requirements. However, there are a few types of essays that are most common. By becoming familiar with these essay types, you can begin to brainstorm and strategize what you will write about early on. You might start as early as sophomore or junior year in high school.
Now, let’s take a look at the most common supplementary essay questions.
1. why school.
A Why School essay is, as it sounds, about why you wish to attend a specific institution. The key to answering this prompt well is to be specific. You should identify examples of what you like about a school. Avoid general comments such as “it is a top school” or “it is diverse.” Share specific programs, professors, teaching approaches, cultural elements, or unique opportunities such as research or study abroad.
The Why Major essay asks you to share specific reasons behind your choice of major and how it relates to your future goals. A strong response to a Why Major essay will highlight your specific motivations. But it will also connect those motivations to a school’s unique opportunities. For example, perhaps you wish to be a pre-law history major, and the school you are applying to offers law-related internships. By highlighting these specific connections, you draw a compelling connection between yourself and the school.
Many schools ask you to describe an extracurricular activity that is particularly meaningful for you. When responding to this question, do not feel limited to only talk about the most popular extracurricular activities for college applications, like clubs or sports. Consider all of the activities you do outside of school. Then choose the one that is most meaningful to you. Also, give specific examples of how you grew or made an impact within your extracurricular activities for college.
The Community Essay can have slightly different angles to it. But, the uniting factor is that the school wants to know how you engage with others around you. Some types of community essays are a describe the community you live in essay or a cultural diversity essay. In recent years, the cultural diversity essay has been a more common college application requirement.
Coming up, we will share a bit more about how to break down community essay prompts. We’ll also take a look at college essays that worked. By reading these examples, you’ll know how to approach these common prompts.
While community essays can have slightly different focuses, they all share the goal of learning about where you come from. A supplemental essay prompt might ask you to share more about your background via a group you are part of. This is likely a community essay. Indeed, a community essay can also be called a describe the community you live in essay, or a cultural diversity essay. Other college community essay examples focus on how you will contribute to a college campus. Finally, in a describe a community you belong to essay example, you will see that students highlight any community that is meaningful to them.
You may be wondering why so many colleges have community essays as a college application requirement. For one, many colleges use a holistic admissions process. This means they care about all aspects of who you are, not simply your grades and test scores. How you engage with your communities shows them your character and values. For example, a describe the community you live in essay example about visiting church every Sunday demonstrates your commitment to religion. Similarly, a cultural diversity essay helps colleges learn more about your cultural background.
Additionally, colleges want to learn more about how you will engage with their on-campus community. You’ll notice this important factor in the college community essay examples we will share. To some degree, how you have engaged with previous communities can be an indicator of how you will show up on their campus.
As we mentioned, community essays can have slightly different focuses. Some prompts ask you to write a describe the community you live in essay. These types of community essays are more like cultural diversity essays.
Keep in mind that the word “community” can have many different meanings. A community can be your school, church, or neighborhood. It could also stem from your interests. For example, your dance or robotics team can form your community.
Some community essay prompts want to know specifically how you help strengthen your communities. These types of essays are considered a community service essay. Another term for community service is “civic engagement.” An example of civic engagement might be getting people in your cultural community to sign up to vote. Or, another could be helping with church fundraisers to ensure that your local community has the resources it needs to thrive.
In sum, the keywords you might see in a community essay prompt are “civic engagement,” “community service,” “serve your community,” “contribute to your community,” or “diversity.” No matter how it’s phrased, your essay should demonstrate the impact you’ve had on your community–whichever one you choose to highlight.
In this article, we will share several community essay examples. Specifically, we will highlight Princeton essay examples and Columbia essays examples. Let’s look at these two colleges’ essay prompts.
The first Princeton supplemental essay prompt is a part of our college community essay examples and our cultural diversity essay examples. Here is the prompt:
Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. as a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you (please respond in 500 words or fewer.).
In this cultural diversity essay prompt, Princeton wants to know about your lived experiences. By this, they refer to any experiences that have shaped you profoundly. A lived experience can be a specific event, such as experiencing a car crash or winning an award. Or, it could be a set of experiences that resulted from life circumstances, such as being a first-generation college student or having taken a gap year .
This essay prompt will also lead to college community essay examples. Indeed Princeton wants to read about your lived experiences and how they impacted you. But, they also want to know how you will bring those lessons to the Princeton community, should you enroll . Also, note that this prompt mentions challenging ideas and beliefs via conversation. As you respond, look for ways to highlight how you have engaged in fruitful dialogue and how you would do so at Princeton.
To answer this prompt effectively, share specific examples. Additionally, be sure to answer all parts of the prompt.
Princeton has a second supplemental essay prompt that focuses on how you engage with your community outside of the classroom. The prompt is as follows:
Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer) .
To answer this prompt well, you must highlight specific examples of how you have positively impacted your community. As a starting point, consider which of your communities you have most engaged with. How have you done so and what results did you have?
The Columbia Community Essay Prompt is another of our college community essay examples. It is a cultural diversity essay, as well. Here is the prompt:
A hallmark of the columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to columbia’s diverse and collaborative community. (150 words or fewer).
While this prompt is similar to Princeton’s, it also references perspectives and viewpoints. In doing so, the prompt opens you up to share opinions or values that are important to you. You might consider highlighting values in your family or community that you either hold close or disagree with.
Note that Columbia also highlights the word “collaborative” in this prompt. This indicates that your cultural diversity essay should also show how you collaborate with others.
In addition to Princeton and Columbia, many other schools have community essays as part of their college application requirements. Here are some other examples of community essay prompts:
In this UNC-Chapel Hill prompt , you must describe a specific example of how you made an impact on a community. The prompt reads:
Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (250-word limit).
In responding, be sure to highlight what community you are referencing, the specific impact you made, and what personal quality helped you do so.
This prompt from UMichigan is a describe a community you belong to essay example, as well as a cultural diversity essay:
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (required for all applicants. 1,500 character limit.).
In addition to describing the community, make sure to share how you engage with it and what it has taught you. Remember that community is a broad term. So, for this prompt you can respond with any type of community in mind, whether physical or cultural. In contrast to the describe the community you live in essay, you do not have to be geographically close to the community you describe here.
Duke offers students five supplemental prompts to choose from, of which they can reply to two. Of these supplemental prompts, four are examples of cultural diversity essays:
2. we believe there is benefit in sharing or questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with what are you agreeing or disagreeing about, 3. duke’s commitment to inclusion and belonging includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. feel free to share with us more about how your identity in this context has meaning for you as an individual or as a member of a community., 4. we recognize that not fully “fitting in” a community or place can sometimes be difficult. duke values the effort, resilience, and independence that may require. feel free to share with us circumstances where something about you is different and how that’s influenced your experiences or identity..
Each of these prompts is a slightly different type of cultural diversity essay, from sharing a range of opinions to not fitting in within a community. Choose the essay prompts that most resonate with you. And share specific examples that bring your cultural diversity essay to life.
In this Yale University supplemental prompt , you must choose a community that you feel connected to and describe why it is meaningful. Here’s the prompt:
Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. why is this community meaningful to you you may define community however you like. (400-word limit).
When responding, be sure to highlight what you have learned or how you have grown from this community. In contrast to a describe the community you live in essay, this essay can be about any community, near or far, that resonates with you. Indeed, the prompt gives you plenty of leeway in what you consider community.
When responding to the UC system prompts , you must choose four of the eight available personal insight questions. One of the PIQs is a community service essay prompt:
What have you done to make your school or your community a better place, things to consider: think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. you can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community, why were you inspired to act what did you learn from your effort how did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community.
Similar to many of the other prompts, when answering this question, be sure to identify the specific impact you made on your community.
Now that we have looked at various examples of community essay prompts, we can explore community essay examples. Reading essay examples is a great way to get inspired to write your own college essays.
In each of the highlighted college essays that worked, note what the author did expertly. Rather than trying to copy their responses, topics, or ideas, consider how you can apply those same skills to your writing.
In this section, we will highlight Princeton essay examples that respond to their two community essay prompts: a cultural diversity essay and a community service essay.
The first of our Princeton essay examples responds to the following Princeton prompt:
Now, let’s take a look at a student’s response to this prompt focusing on lived experiences.
I have spent most of my life living in a 41% minority town of 1.8 square miles called Highland Park, NJ. This typically overlooked town has introduced me to a diverse array of people, and it has been the main influence on my life experiences and core values.
In the face of distinct cultures and customs, we forge a single identity as Highland Parkers and come together to organize large community events. The most prevalent example is our highly touted annual Memorial Day parade, where we join together with neighboring New Brunswick to invite military service members, family members of our fallen war heroes, our legislative and congressional representatives, and our townspeople. Moreover, as our high school band’s vice president, I help organize and lead our ensemble into these performances with a positive and uplifting spirit. We communicate with the town government and arrange the performances every year to perform at the parade. The parade is an example of many of our large community events that serve as a unifying force for our diverse community, reminding us that we are fundamentally connected as one cohesive group, despite our differences.
As someone deeply interested in historical and political matters, I am well aware of the consequences that arise from dictatorial protocols that limit the freedom of speech and diversity of voices. From my experiences debating in Model UN conferences, I have grown accustomed to being able to present viewpoints from both sides of the argument, and I have learned to incorporate and respect the viewpoints of all sides of an issue before making up my own mind. For example, in a Model Congress debate, I found myself advocating for the interests of a state heavily reliant on traditional fossil fuels. While researching and articulating that perspective, I gained insights into the economic challenges faced by the states that are reliant on these resources. This experience not only broadened my understanding of the complexities surrounding environmental policies but also highlighted the necessity of considering diverse viewpoints for comprehensive decision-making.
My background and experiences have fostered in me a profound appreciation for the value of diversity, inclusivity, and the pursuit of knowledge. At Princeton University, I will seek to contribute as an active participant in the community, actively provide unique perspectives and insights, and respect and learn from others’ perspectives even if there are disagreements. I wish to partake in student government, which has like-minded peers who want to make a substantive impact, and also participate in service programs like the Civic Leadership Council. Also, I hope to increase my impact from the leadership positions I currently hold on the Red Cross club and teen mayoral advisory council using the platforms in Princeton. I look forward to making a positive impact on both the campus and the broader community.
In the first of our Princeton essay examples, the student successfully responds to all parts of the Princeton prompt. They begin by describing their community and sharing some details about its makeup. Indeed, the first sentence hooks the reader–it is unique and compelling.
Then, the student illustrates how they specifically contribute to their community each year by leading the high school band in the Memorial Day parade. They also highlight how their experience in Model UN shaped their appreciation for diverse perspectives. In sharing these two examples, the student demonstrates their leadership and open-minded thinking. Finally, the student ends by highlighting how they would use these values to contribute to Princeton’s community– by partaking in student government and Civic Leadership Council, among other activities.
In the second of our Princeton essay examples, the student responds to the second Princeton prompt which is:
Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer).
And, here is a student’s response:
My first experience with the Red Cross was when my older sister was desperately trying to recruit people to join the club during the harsh COVID year. Things were so bad for the club that I, as a freshman, ran for the position of treasurer unopposed. My first blood drive experience was marked by masks, social distancing, and low turnout among blood donors. Even many donors who showed up ended up being turned away due to health-related issues. Needless to say, it was not the greatest first high school service experience, and I admittedly started to doubt if the time I spent on this front was worth it.
However, as we returned in person, things quickly turned around. As the vice president of the club, I helped recruit more than twice the club membership compared to the previous year, and our blood drives started to regain momentum; our blood targets have been exceeded every time since. Organizing and participating in blood drives has become a passion. It’s fulfilling, especially when I personally donate, to know that I’m actively serving the community and saving lives. I have realized that, despite my relatively young age, I am capable of making an impact through public service. I plan to continue my commitment to the Red Cross’s adult program and participate in service programs like Community Action at Princeton to serve the Princeton community and abroad.
In this admissions essay sample, we learn about a student’s volunteerism with the Red Cross as an example of civic engagement. This essay works for several reasons. First, it provides a specific example of the student’s civic engagement and demonstrates their impact by becoming vice president and increasing membership. Secondly, the essay provides an honest take on the struggles of this service experience, which lends credibility and authenticity to the story.
The student also demonstrates an important lesson learned. This aligns with Princeton’s values– that students can have a positive impact on society.
In this section, we will highlight Columbia essays examples that landed students admission to the prestigious Ivy League university. The first of our Columbia essays examples is written by the same student who responded to the first Princeton prompt above. Here’s a reminder of the Columbia prompt:
As you read the example below, notice how the student edited their Princeton cultural diversity essay to meet the prompt and lower word count for Columbia:
I have spent most of my life living in a 41% minority town called Highland Park, NJ. This typically overlooked town has introduced me to a diverse array of people, and it has been the main influence on my life experiences and core values.
HP has convinced me that we can build institutions that are strong and united while embracing a wide variety of voices and perspectives. It has shaped my core values of diversity and inclusion. An English teacher used to encourage me to talk in front of the class by saying even if I believed my thoughts were “dumb,” I could only enrich the conversation.
At Columbia University, I will seek to continue my contributions as an active participant in the community and look to actively provide unique perspectives and insights. Actively engaging in student groups such as ColumbiaVotes will be a big part of my experience.
The Columbia essay prompt only allows for a 150-word response. This could pose a challenge for many students. What makes this essay among the Columbia essays examples that worked is how succinctly it completely answers the prompt.
The response begins by hooking the reader with a relevant detail of the student’s community. Then, the student shares how this community shaped them by influencing their values of diversity and inclusion. Finally, the student shares how they would engage with a Columbia organization that also supports diverse viewpoints. Though short and sweet, this response clearly answers all parts of the Columbia prompt.
The final of our community essay examples is a community service essay. Let’s look at how student framed their service experience:
“I don’t believe that’s the best way to do this.”
The moment I thought this the first time I volunteered at my local soup kitchen was one that resulted in a drastic change. When I was informed of the way the food was being served to the public, the initial excitement that I had felt diminished. We were told that the plates would be served before anyone arrived and would remain in an area where people could pick it up and seat themselves. I felt that this method was impersonal and inconsiderate, and disappointment washed over me.
I turned to the people that were around me and discovered that they shared the same disapproval I felt. When we agreed that a change must be made, we exchanged ideas on how to present this to the woman in charge of the program. I suggested that we should serve each person one-by-one, and only give them the food if they wanted to/could eat it. They suggested multiple ideas, including that we should offer to seat them, hold their plates for them, continue to check in on them, and dispose of their plates once they finish their meal. We believed that this way would genuinely make them feel better and would allow us to get to know some of them personally. A simple smile and conversation could be enough to improve their day.
From this day on, the way in which the local soup kitchen serves our community has changed dramatically. This experience taught me the importance of speaking up for what you believe in. In a group setting, it is likely that there will be others who share the same end goal and are willing to contribute different ideas to achieve the goal. These different perspectives can allow you to see situations in ways that you previously hadn’t, and can result in better outcomes. It also showed me the importance of leadership.
If I had never spoken up about the way the food was being served, a change might have never happened. When you work in the group, the end goal may not be for the benefit of anyone in the group, but for others who are in need. This experience also showed me the beauty in doing good for others and making others happy, even through small things such as serving them food to their liking.
In this community service essay, the student shares their experience volunteering at a soup kitchen. Volunteering at a soup kitchen is not necessarily unique in the list of extracurricular activities for college applications. However, the student highlights several aspects of the experience that make it meaningful to them.
To start, the student shares their experience challenging the way that food was served. The student suggested that food be served directly to attendees in order to better connect with community members. Through this experience, the student learns about leadership and working with others to achieve a common goal. This specific example demonstrates the student’s collaborative values and compassionate way of thinking, both of which are great attributes to highlight in college applications.
As we saw in the community essay examples, there are several hallmarks of college essays that worked. To write a good community essay, whether it be a community service essay, a cultural diversity essay, or a describe the community you live in essay, you must start by understanding the prompt. Once you have carefully read through the prompt, brainstorm examples from your own life that relate to it. Sharing specific details and examples will make your response stronger and more unique.
Additionally, showcase how you grew throughout your response. In each of the community essay examples we shared, the student discussed a skill or perspective they developed through their experiences. Finally, connect your response to the school you are applying to. If you are writing a cultural diversity essay, for example, demonstrate how you would contribute to the cultural diversity at that school, both inside the classroom and in your extracurricular activities for college.
When writing community essays, there is technically no topic that you cannot discuss. However, how you discuss certain topics is important.
For example, in a community service essay, it is important to not come off as a savior of a community with less privilege than yourself. Similarly, if you are writing a describe the community you live in essay or a cultural diversity essay, you will want to avoid stereotyping any community. Speaking from your own personal experience as a member of a community is fine. However, generalizing your experience to the community at large can come across as insensitive to that community’s diversity. To avoid these pitfalls, have a variety of people read your community essay examples and look for these dynamics.
We’ve highlighted the strengths in the community essay examples above. Now we will now share some more tips for making your community essays a strong part of your college applications:
1. research the college.
When reviewing our college community essay examples, you will notice that students highlight specific clubs, programs, or groups on campus to which they will contribute. If you are specific, you demonstrate real interest in the school which adds strength to your college applications.
In each of the college essays that worked, students gave details that told a full story . This story incorporated where they come from and what they learned through their experiences. Rather than telling us who they were, the students used this particular story to show us.
As the college admissions landscape gets ever more competitive, students are sometimes tempted to read other students’ essays and copy ideas. Or, more recently, they may even want to use artificial intelligence to write their essays. However, AI and other students’ experiences won’t show admissions who you really are. Don’t worry about whether you have the best extracurricular activities for college or the most unique cultural diversity essay. Instead, talk about the experiences that truly matter to you. By being honest, you are more likely to come across as convincing and interesting. In each of our college community essay examples, students presented a true and well-thought-out response to the prompts.
As you work on your college applications, you might be in search of additional resources. CollegeAdvisor has a wealth of webinars and articles that can help you navigate writing your essays. Here are a few:
1. short essay examples.
Some of the cultural diversity essays you may write will be short, meaning that they are 150 words or less. This article with short essay examples can help you understand how to write short and sweet cultural diversity essays.
In this article , you will find additional examples of cultural diversity essays. Many community essays are also cultural diversity essays. As such, becoming familiar with how students write about their cultures is useful.
In this webinar , CollegeAdvisor experts provide a rundown of how to write strong supplemental essays for your college applications. In particular, this webinar will help you decode essay prompts and make sure you answer each prompt fully.
Once you have read up on college community essay examples and written your cultural diversity essays, you might need help editing them. This webinar will provide tips for how to edit your supplemental essays effectively.
Completing your college applications can be a daunting task, especially when you must write multiple essays. For some students, writing cultural diversity essays is challenging. These prompts ask you to dig deep and reflect upon your life influences.
In this guide to community essays, we provided an overview of what a community essay is and how to respond to the different types of community essay prompts. We shared cultural diversity essay examples and describe the community you live in essay examples. We also described what makes these essays strong and how they meet college application requirements.
In short, the key to writing stand-out essays is to be authentic and thorough in your responses. If you need additional help writing your cultural diversity essay, seek out the support of a trusted resource like CollegeAdvisor. We are here to help you craft the best college applications that could gain you admissions to the school of your dreams!
This article was written by Courtney Ng. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.
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Yale University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide. Comprehensive guide on how to approach supplemental essays for 2024-25. Get insider tips and personalized help from College Essay Advisors.
We recommend using this resource alongside our College Supplemental Essay Premium Example Hub, which includes a sample essay in response to every prompt required by the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States.. Part 1: Introduction Part 2: From outlining to writing. The 600-word essay. The 500-word essay. The 150-250-word or other very short essay
This is a must read for anybody writing the Stanford roommate essay: included is an example essay, a detailed breakdown, helpful tips along the way, and a section on how to revise your essay too. Write supplemental essays for hundreds of the most competitive colleges. Follow our step-by-step guides and read our supplemental essay examples that ...
The first time you say the school's name, you should write it out. After that, you can abbreviate. Avoid writing what every other applicant is going to write. For example, every NYU applicant is going to mention NYU's location in New York City. Unless you have a unique twist on this, you should skip it.
Supplemental college essays certainly afford you greater room to be creative and informal than your personal statement. However, the extent to which this style of writing would be appropriate depends on the prompts. The short answer, zany, creative prompts, are the perfect place to show a lighter side of your personality and introduce a little ...
The supplemental essay portion of the application is specific to each school. Each institution has intentionally crafted a question (or multiple) to help determine whether a student might be a good match. ... Once you have a list, think about how each of these will continue to play a role in your college life. Choose one to focus on and spend ...
A strong "Why This College" essay will make a case for why the school in question is a good fit for the student. The case should be made by connecting facts about the school—unique opportunities, educational values, campus culture, et cetera—with the student's goals, values, and interests. From the Admissions Desk.
Supplemental essays are a chance for applicants to give more information to an admissions committee to further show why they are a good fit for a school, Davis says.
In college applications, supplemental essays can become an afterthought, with some students scrambling to write them at the last minute. But supplemental essays are a crucial part of the application process and should be given plenty of time and attention. ...
Think of this essay as an opportunity to tell the story of how you developed your passion. Try creating a timeline before you start writing to help organize your ideas. It should look something like this: 1. The first time I thought about pursuing this major was: __________________. 2.
College supplemental essays are what makes the application process so challenging. With students applying to 5-8 schools and each school requiring 2-3 additional writing supplements, students are looking at writing 25 essays (including the personal statement!) in 4 months time.
Step #1: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest and create a simple, bullet point outline. Step #2: Probably put your moments (aka the "scenes" of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it'll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions.
Check out our list of supplemental essays required by many of the top colleges students apply to each year. If you need help with these essays schedule a meeting with one of our essay coaches today! Adelphi University. The Honors College is a community of students who love to engage with ideas that come from a broad range of sources.
The writing supplement topics for the 2024-25 application cycle (400 word limit): *Please select one topic. Each year at University Convocation, our incoming class engages in reflective dialogue with the author of a common text. What book by a living author would you recommend for your incoming class to read, and why would this be an important ...
Boston College has set five prompts for its undergraduate applicants. But don't worry, you only need to write a response to one of them. If you are applying to the Human-Centered Engineering major, you must select the fifth prompt. All other applicants can choose between the other Boston College supplemental essay prompts. In addition, each ...
We recommend using this resource alongside our College Supplemental Essay Premium Example Hub, which includes a sample essay in response to every prompt required by the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States.. Responding effectively to college essay prompts is quite different from other essay writing. The combined challenge of addressing a question in an interesting way while ...
This year, Pomona's supplemental essays consist of three short essays, with the last two prompts having three options each. The short answers prompts are off-the-beaten-path and quirky, while the essays ask you to grapple with your goals, priorities, and identity. Read this Pomona essay example to inspire your writing.
These supplemental essays ask students to respond to a wide variety of topics: their most meaningful activity, their interest in a particular college or major, an important community they belong to, etc. Essays range in length from just a few sentences to 650+ words. The essay prompts below are from the 2022-23 application cycle.
What are the Boston College supplemental essay prompts? How to write each supplemental essay prompt for Boston College. Prompt #1: "Book recommendation" essay. Prompt #2: "Challenged beliefs" essay. Prompt #3: "Identity" essay. Prompt #4: "Global perspective & societal responsibility" essay. Prompt #5: "Human-Centered ...
University of Rochester 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations. The Requirements: 1 Essay of 250 words Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community The University of Rochester benefactor, entrepreneur, photography pioneer and philanthropist George Eastman said, "The progress of the world depends almost entirely upon education."
The third of the Boston College supplemental essays may seem similar to other college essays you've encountered. It's a unique spin on the diversity and culture essay. In the third of the Boston College essay prompts, students are asked to recall a moment in their lives when they've been boxed into a "single story.".
Module 1: Creating an Inspired Application in Half the Time. Sample Application: How Doing a Thorough Job on the Brainstorming Activities Can Set Up a Great Application. A Relatively Quick and Totally Free Way to Figure Out Which Essay Topics Overlap.
A supplemental essay prompt might ask you to share more about your background via a group you are part of. This is likely a community essay. Indeed, a community essay can also be called a describe the community you live in essay, or a cultural diversity essay. Other college community essay examples focus on how you will contribute to a college ...
Colby College (not named after the cheese) is a small, liberal arts college located in Waterville, Maine. Honestly, we are refreshed to write about a small liberal arts school not named after the town it's in, so go off Colby! Because it's located in Maine, Colby is a part of a consortium with Bates
8 First Choices: An Expert's Strategies for Getting into College by Joyce Slayton Mitchell. How to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours) College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources. Learn How to Write Great Supplemental College Essays. College Essay Guy's College Application Hub