williams college supplemental essays 2022

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How to Respond to the 2023-2024 Williams College Supplemental Essay Prompts

Varonika Ware is a content writer at Scholarships360. Varonika earned her undergraduate degree in Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. During her time at LSU, she worked with the Center of Academic Success to create the weekly Success Sunday newsletter. Varonika also interned at the Louisiana Department of Insurance in the Public Affairs office with some of her graphics appearing in local news articles.

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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Williams College is a private liberal arts college with a 9% acceptance rate . This means that it’s important to set your application apart and you can do that by completing the Williams supplements in a stellar way. Keep reading to learn more about the prompts and get tips on how to write your essay. 

The Williams prompt

Williams College offers students the opportunity to submit an optional “paper of choice.” For this option, we go over how to choose an essay that’s a reflection of your best self. For a small selective college like Williams, it is always in your best interest to submit any optional materials. It is just one more opportunity to share about who you are as a person. For a deeper dive into the Williams supplemental essay prompt, keep reading!

“ Optional: Williams does not require a writing supplement. However, some students feel they do their best writing in an academic context rather than through narrative pieces like admission applications. If you are interested in submitting an example of your academic writing, you may share a 3-5 page paper written in the last year. The paper may be creative or analytical, can cover any topic, and need not be graded. Please include a description of the assignment or prompt. Please do not submit lab reports.”

Williams advises their applicants to submit essays that are from the humanities or social sciences, which can include psychology, economics, history, English, and more. Ideally, you should choose an essay that you’re proud of that’s on an interesting topic or has a unique thesis. 

Students can work with a guidance counselor or teacher to fine tune their essays before submitting them, especially if they weren’t happy with the grade received.  Three to five pages double-spaced is about 1500-2500 words. Keep that in mind just in case you have to add or take off a paragraph or two.

Questions to consider:

• How is this paper a representation of you?
• Does this paper enhance your application?
• What makes this particular essay stand out?

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Next steps for applicants

Once you’re done writing your Williams supplement, you should complete your FAFSA and CSS Profile . These two applications can come in handy and play a major part in colleges deciding your financial aid package. Williams also offers their applicants a chance to connect with current students to talk about their experiences and answer any questions. Don’t forget to schedule a campus tour as well to get a feel of the campus before you decide to enroll.

Also see: How to write an essay about yourself

Additional resources

Congratulations on finishing up your Williams College supplements! Since this might not be the only school you’re applying to, check out some of these Scholarships360 resources to help out as you prepare for college.

• Compare your financial aid award letters
• Learn more about writing supplemental essays
• Figure out your future major

Frequently asked questions about the Williams College supplemental essays

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Williams Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Located around 3 hours west of Boston in Williamstown, MA, Williams College is a small, private, liberal arts college. Williams College is known for its small campus and rigorous academics.  With the Williams acceptance rate currently at 9% , strong Williams supplemental essays can make a major difference in the admissions process.  The Williams supplemental essays work a little differently than those at many other colleges, providing a unique opportunity for students to demonstrate their writing skills. 

The Williams essay is not based on a specific prompt. Instead, it invites students to submit an academic paper alongside their application. This Optional Writing Supplement gives students the opportunity to share an example of academic writing with the Williams admissions office . There are no formal Williams essay prompts; instead, the only personal statement Williams will receive is your Common App essay. In this way, the Williams College supplemental essay stands out. 

Understanding the Williams supplemental essays

Unlike other schools with defined prompts, the Williams College supplemental essays invite students to share any piece of academic writing 3-5 pages long. The paper can be creative or analytical, and it can cover any topic. Williams accepts both the Common App and the Coalition App , and you can submit the paper through either application. The Williams essay can be a great opportunity to highlight an academic interest or demonstrate your analytical skills. 

The Williams College supplemental essay can feel intimidating, especially if you aren’t sure what to submit. While the Williams supplemental essays are optional, we recommend taking advantage of the chance to demonstrate your writing skills. The Williams essay can help the admissions officers get to know you better. It can also let you showcase your passions and academic interests. If you’re feeling stuck on the Williams supplemental essays, this guide will detail the best ways to approach this unique prompt.

Williams Essay Quick Facts:

Williams Acceptance Rate: 9%

Essay Requirements for Williams: No essay required, though students have the option to submit an academic paper alongside application . Students should also submit the Common App essay .  

Williams College Application: According to the Williams admissions website , the following are required for first-year applicants before the application deadline :  

• School Report
• Counselor Recommendation
• Two Teacher Recommendations
• Mid-Year Report (Due February 8* or for schools on a trimester, when 2nd trimester grades are available)
• $65 Application Fee or Fee Waiver
• Early Decision Agreement Form (Early Decision applicants only)

Williams College is also test-optional, meaning students do not need to submit SAT or ACT scores. Additionally, Williams College is a Questbridge partner , so students may be able to match via their process. If you want to learn more about Questbridge, read our guide here .  Additionally, if you have questions about the application process, you can connect with the Williams College admissions office.

Williams Application Deadlines : 

• Early Decision: November 15 th  
• Regular Decision: January 8 th  
• Transfer: March 1 st  

Williams College Supplemental Essay Tip: Try to submit an academic paper in the area you plan to study. This can help the admissions officers understand your experience and interest in your intended major. The Williams supplemental essays allow you the unique opportunity to showcase your talents and academic passions. So, choose an academic paper that reflects your goals and interests. 

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website. 

Does Williams College have supplemental essays?

The Williams essay is unique in that it is not a traditional supplemental essay. Unlike at other schools, the Williams College supplemental essay is optional and does not follow a prompt. Rather, the Williams supplemental essays are academic papers submitted by students for review. 

In the past, the Williams essay prompts followed the more traditional supplemental essay format, asking students to write a community essay. However, the Williams essay has changed in recent years. 

The Williams College supplemental essay requirement asks students to submit a 3-5-page academic paper on a topic of their choice. The paper does not need to be graded and can be creative or analytical. As part of the Williams essay prompts, students must also submit an explanation of the assignment or prompt. 

The Williams supplemental essays allow students to showcase their analytical and academic writing skills. While the Williams essay is optional, given the competitive Williams acceptance rate, you should plan to submit a Williams College supplemental essay. 

Williams Essay Requirements

There is no formal Williams essay requirement—students can submit their Williams application without submitting the Williams supplemental essays. Williams College will also receive your Common App essay, although it is not technically a formal requirement for your application. 

While there is no Williams essay requirement, we encourage students to submit a Williams College supplemental essay to help boost their admissions odds.

With the Williams admissions process as competitive as it is, students should think carefully about their Williams College application essay. The Williams supplemental essays allow admissions officers to understand your academic interests. Additionally, the Williams essay lets you showcase a piece of work that you’re proud of and demonstrate your academic writing skills. This means you should take the Williams supplemental essays seriously, even if they are not required for the Williams College application. 

Your Williams College supplemental essay can help you stand out in the application process. In many ways, the Williams supplemental essays can provide more insight into a student’s writing ability than traditional essay prompts. The more information you can give to admissions officers, the better. They want to know your academic interests and your writing abilities. You should take advantage of this great opportunity to share something you’re proud of.

Personal Statement vs. Academic Paper

Through the college application process, you will encounter different supplemental essay prompts. While the Williams College application essay is an academic paper, you’ll likely have to write a personal statement such as the Common App essay . Additionally, you’ll also complete supplemental essay prompts for many other colleges. We’ll detail the difference between the personal statement and academic paper and the best way to approach both. 

You’ll likely complete your personal statement by responding to one of the Common App essay prompts. Different schools may also require a separate personal statement in addition to the Common App essay. So, it’s important to be prepared to write both. The personal statement is meant as an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and your academic goals to college admissions officers. A well-crafted personal statement should highlight who you are and how you’ll make the most of your college experience, often through the use of a compelling story or anecdote. 

Prior Williams essay prompts were structured more like a personal statement. Specifically, these essay prompts were a classic “community essay,” asking how students would enrich the Williams community. However, the current Williams essay portion comprises only the academic paper and personal statement.

Writing a personal statement

The personal statement can be hard to tackle, especially if you’re not familiar with writing about yourself. It’s important to think through why you’re applying to college and what you hope to achieve during your undergraduate career. Consider your high school experience – what clubs, classes, and experiences inform who you are today? Is there something that you’re really proud of that you want to make sure colleges know about?  What do you think has prepared you for college? Figuring out the best way to communicate who you are and what you want to accomplish can take some time. So, be sure to start brainstorming early.

Academic papers and college admissions

The academic paper, on the other hand, is not a straightforward introduction to colleges; in fact, it has little to do with the admissions process at all. Your academic paper, moreover, will likely not contain many personal details about you. 

In 2023, Williams supplemental essays are academic papers. While they may not provide as much outright information about you, they still play a major role in the admissions review process. 

The academic paper allows colleges to see what kind of academic writing skills you have. It also highlights what disciplines you’re interested in. Your paper can help showcase your analytical or creative writing skills, giving admissions officers the chance to see your intellectual curiosity in action. Additionally, the academic paper is a chance for you to show off—is there a paper that you’re super proud of? 

You can consult with your teachers on which paper to submit as well. This can provide you with some additional feedback on your Williams college application. 

Overall, both the personal statement and academic paper help admissions officers get to know you better, but in very different ways. As an academic paper, the Williams College supplemental essay provides an insight to your analytical skills that is hard to capture in a personal statement. 

The college’s switch from formal Williams essay prompts to an academic paper highlights Williams’ emphasis on academic writing. If you’re looking for more help with your personal statement, you can read our How to Write Better Essays guide here . But now, let’s take a closer look at how to tackle the Williams College application essay.

If you’re considering applying to Williams, don’t forget to register for our webinar on Building Your College Applications Timeline!

Williams Supplemental Essays

The Williams College supplemental essay prompt can be found below: 

Williams does not require a writing supplement. However, some students feel they do their best writing in an academic context rather than through narrative pieces like admission applications. If you are interested in submitting an example of your academic writing, you may share a 3-5 page paper written in the last year. The paper may be creative or analytical, can cover any topic, and need not be graded. Please include a description of the assignment or prompt. Please do not submit lab reports.

Students can apply and submit this optional writing supplement using the common application, apply coalition with scoir or questbridge application..

Rather than the traditional supplemental essay prompt, the Williams essay asks you to submit an academic paper of your choosing, between 3-5 pages. The Williams essay is unique in that it is optional. It also provides students an opportunity to display their academic writing skills. 

Many other colleges have direct prompts for students to answer. However, the Williams supplemental essays require students to decide which of their academic papers represent them best. This can be really difficult, so we’ve compiled some tips on how to pick your Williams College supplemental essay. 

1. Align the Williams essay with your major 

As the Williams College supplemental essay seeks to showcase your academic writing skills, you should submit an essay that reflects your interests. The Williams supplemental essays help admissions officers decide who may be a good fit for their campus. If you’re able to demonstrate your skills within your intended major, it can help you through the application process. If you haven’t chosen a major, your Williams College application essay can be a paper that you’re particularly proud of.

2. Incorporate any feedback you received 

The Williams College supplemental essay does not need to be graded. However, it can be helpful to review any feedback you initially received on the assignment or prompt. If you’re submitting a paper you worked on outside of school, make sure you have someone edit and provide feedback. Don’t hesitate to ask a trusted teacher in the relevant subject to review your essay. Your Williams essay should appear as polished and complete as possible.

3. Pick an essay you’d like to expand on 

It’s important that your Williams College supplemental essay communicates your passion for learning and commitment to studying your chosen topic. If there was a school assignment or project you loved, this may be a good choice for your Williams essay. You can also choose to expand on a past assignment for the Williams essay—try to take full advantage of the 3-5-page limit.

4. Consult your teachers 

Teachers can provide more than just feedback on the content of your essay. If you’re not sure what to submit for your Williams College supplemental essay, asking your teachers may help. They may be able to provide some guidance on your best work and advise which paper showcases your academic writing the best. If you’re asking one of your teachers for a college recommendation, they may also be able to help you pick your Williams essay.

5. Make sure it’s cohesive 

If you choose to submit part of a larger assignment for your Williams College supplemental essay, make sure your section is cohesive. Your Williams essay should have a beginning, middle, and end. This means you may have to edit your paper to make it a standalone Williams College application essay.  Focus on your overarching thesis and try to condense any extraneous information.

Does Williams College care about essays?

It’s hard to determine exactly how the Williams supplemental essays factor into the admissions process. With Williams College ranking #1 in National Liberal Arts Colleges, the Williams supplemental essays can help your application stand out. Your Williams College supplemental essay can help admissions officers get to know you better. Given the high Williams College ranking, it’s important to take full advantage of the Williams supplemental essays. 

As the Williams College supplemental essay is optional, you may wonder when it would make sense to not submit one. The Williams supplemental essays are meant to help boost your application. So, if you’re not sure if your writing samples are strong, it may be smart to let other aspects of your application shine. 

For instance, if you have an art portfolio, it may be a good idea to include this on the Common App and skip the Williams College supplemental essay. If the bulk of your academic writing is the form of lab papers, it may make sense to communicate your accomplishments through your resume or Common App essay. Ultimately, every part of your application from essays to recommendations should shine a spotlight on some aspect of you.

Making the most of the Williams supplemental essays

Be sure to think through your options—any additional information you can provide will help your application paint a more holistic picture of you. The Williams supplemental essays are meant to help provide some context to your academic goals and accomplishments. However, they are not the only way to do this. If you’re on the fence about submitting a Williams supplemental essay, it can be helpful to read through your past assignments. You may find some inspiration and guidance in unlikely places. 

Overall, while the Williams College supplemental essay is not required, it can be a great addition to your application. The Williams supplemental essays are a great opportunity for you to showcase your passions and academic writing skills. As long as you start your application well before the deadline , you may be able to write a paper from scratch. That’s right, you can submit an all-new essay for your application. This can help you give Williams a clear picture of your academic interests and intellectual curiosity. 

How can I make my Williams College essays stand out?

With the high Williams College ranking, it’s important that your Williams College supplemental essay helps you stand out in the admissions process. Choosing your Williams supplemental essays can be hard, but a well-written paper can make a huge difference in your admissions prospects. 

Submitting an academic paper is a unique supplemental essay prompt. So, it’s crucial that you choose your paper wisely. The Williams College supplemental essay can make a key difference in your admissions decision, especially given the school’s low acceptance rate.

It’s important that your supplemental essay communicates both your passion and academic understanding for a particular subject. This can be hard to do, but the clearer this comes across, the stronger the impact. The Williams supplemental essays help demonstrate a student’s academic abilities.  In other words, you should pick a paper that best shows your writing and analytical skills. A strong and clear academic paper that reflects your academic goals is the best way to stand out! 

If you are looking to learn more about Williams College and hear from the Williams Admissions team check out the video below:

Williams Supplemental Essays – 5 Takeaways

There’s a lot to consider when selecting your Williams College supplemental essay. Here are 5 key takeaways to think about as you approach the Williams supplemental essays:  

5 Key Williams Supplemental Essays Takeaways

1. strategize on whether to submit a paper.

Keep in mind that the Williams supplemental essays are optional. However, we recommend that students take advantage of the opportunity that the Williams College supplemental essay offers. Before you decide to forego the supplemental essay, be sure to consult with teachers and advisors on your decision. There are instances where it may make sense to bypass the supplemental essay, but you should think carefully. 

2. Foreground your academic writing abilities

The purpose of the Williams supplemental essays is to highlight your academic writing skills. Make sure the paper you select showcases your analytical or creative writing abilities. This is the best way to show Williams College what you’re capable of and to explain why you belong on their campus. Make sure to pick a writing sample that you feel best demonstrates your writing style and critical thinking. 

3. Highlight your passions 

The Williams College supplemental essay is a great way to showcase your academic prowess. Your essay should convey your passion for a specific subject and emphasize your intellectual curiosity. It should also show admissions officers that you’d be a great addition to the academic body of their campus. The Williams supplemental essays help admissions officers understand your academic passions, so be sure to pick a paper that reflects your goals. 

4. Revise, revise, revise

While the Williams supplemental essays do not need to be graded, it’s important that they are edited, proofread, and as polished as they can be. As the supplemental essay reflects your academic writing, you want to make sure that it represents the height of your abilities. Make sure that you incorporate any feedback you received from your teacher if your essay is a school assignment. Share your essay with teachers, mentors, and advisors as well – the more feedback you get, the better! 

5. Connecting your essay to your intended major can help  

A strong Williams College supplemental essay will help admissions officers envision you on the Williams campus. If you have a strong academic paper in the field of study your major is in, this can help add dimension to your overall profile. A strong essay in your chosen field can make your application more cohesive. It can also highlight your level of understanding and analytical skills within a specific major. 

Looking for more support on the Williams supplemental essays? Schedule a meeting with our team for one-on-one guidance on every aspect of the college application process. 

This essay guide was written by senior advisor, Jess Klein . 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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Williams College Essay Example

Williams College is a highly-selective school, so it’s important to write strong essays to help your application stand out. In this post, we’ll share an essay a real student has submitted to Williams College. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Williams College es say breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: The first-year Entry–a thoughtfully constructed residential microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience–brings together students from around the world with different perspectives, interests and backgrounds. Imagine having a late-night conversation with your Entrymates about a community that you value. Describe that community and why it’s important to you (300 words).

I used to face two paths: one flocked with taxis, staccato shouts, the smell of pizza, and people blurring together. The other was a road of motorcycles rolling over wet cement, cicada symphonies, and the aroma of beef noodle soup. It always felt easier to walk the streets of Taiwan, where everyone looks like me, speaks meekly as I have been taught to, and steers away from confrontation. PBS created a documentary in 1988 titled Tug of War: The Story of Taiwan , and I grew to believe that I embodied the little potato island since I was raised in the thick of New York (where people argue, think, and exist fearlessly), resulting in a “Tug of War” within myself. Although I am proud to be Taiwanese, New York has cultivated an unbridled emotion and passion within me that I pour into my words. It encourages me, against my inherent modesty, to be a bold author, a shameless poet, and a strong-willed advocate for Asian-American youth. The similar passion and confidence of Williams students will challenge me to continue growing as a writer, reader, and human being. I am excited by the vibrant discussions and meshed ideas I might find at a place as diverse as Williams: perhaps with Professor Anthony Kim about the illustration of alienation in Asian American literature or an intimate conversation about identity with my professor and peer in a Williams Tutorial. I can integrate myself in a community that supports students struggling with their own “Tug of Wars” by telling my story through Asian American Students in Action, and learning the stories of my Entrymates by curating pieces for Williams College Literary Review . Williams provides the best of not both, but all worlds through their determined inclusion.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay does a great job of establishing this student’s background and the distinction between their two cultures. There is a great use of imagery, especially at the beginning, which displays this student’s strength as a writer and highlights the internal “Tug of War” they experience. It is evident how their past community has shaped their perspective and identity. Knowing how their background shaped these things makes it easy for admissions officers to see what type of student they would be adding to their campus.

Additionally, through this tug of war metaphor, the student was able to effectively answer the prompt in a creative way. The reader learns what this student’s two communities look like and the impact both of these communities had on the student’s personality and perspective. The most important part of the prompt is why the community is important to the student, so this essay did a good job focusing on the effects of being caught in the tug of war to fully flesh out the why .

The essay also goes above and beyond by mentioning resources at Williams that they hope to engage in. The prompt doesn’t specifically ask for students to discuss opportunities that excite them, but by including a professor this student wants to work with and extracurricular activities they want to join, this student shows that they have done their research about Williams and have a genuine interest in attending. Going the extra mile to show how this student’s community has shaped their college goals is sure to leave admissions officers with a positive view of this student.

What Could Be Improved

One thing that could improve this essay would be to split it into two paragraphs. Reading one large block of text gets tiring for admissions officers who spend all day reading. Dividing the essay into paragraphs would provide a clear delineation of where new information is being presented, thus helping admissions officers stay focused on the essay.

The most natural spot for a paragraph break would be right after the sentence where the student discusses being an advocate for Asian-American youth. If the essay was split up here, it would have one paragraph focused on the student’s background and one paragraph focused on opportunities at Williams that this student wants to take advantage of. In general, it’s normally better to have more smaller, more focused paragraphs in college essays, so if there is a natural change in direction there should probably be a new paragraph.

Where to Get Your Williams College Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Williams College  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. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Get Into Williams College: Acceptance Rate & Data

June 21, 2023

Williams College is one of the most competitive liberal arts schools in the country, in the same league as the likes of Amherst, Pomona, and Swarthmore. While lesser known to the general public, these schools are every bit as competitive and prestigious as Ivy League universities and sport acceptance rates in the single-digits or extremely low double-digits. In 2023, the Williams College acceptance rate was under 10%. All colleges of this ilk, Williams included, reject a fair number of valedictorians each year as well as those with near-perfect scores on the SAT/ACT. None of this is meant to scare you—we just want to make sure that students and parents alike possess an accurate understanding of how competitive this admissions process truly is.

To accomplish this goal, we will touch on the following topics:

• Williams Early Decision Acceptance rate
• Williams acceptance rate
• SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted Williams College applicants
• Admissions trends
• Williams College’s system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of current Williams College undergraduates
• The percentage of accepted students that attend Williams College (yield rate)
• Tips for applying to Williams College
• Williams College supplemental essay advice
• How to assess whether applying to Williams College is even worth the $65 application fee (for you)

Let’s begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data.

Williams College ED Acceptance Rate 2023

Williams accepted 255 applicants in the early decision round in the 2022-23 admissions cycle. This 27% acceptance rate far exceeds that of the regular round.

Williams College Acceptance Rate 2023

A look at the Class of 2027 shows that out of 11,200+, applicants, only 1,113 were accepted. This means that Williams College has an acceptance rate of just 9.8%. In previous years, the acceptance rates were as follows:

• Class of 2026: 8.5%

Williams College Admissions – SAT, GPA, and Class Rank

For Class of 2026 members, the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1490-1550; the ACT range was 35-36. The median scores were 1520 and 35. Among enrolled 2022-23 first-year students, an impressive 87% hailed from the top 10%, while 98% earned a place in the top 25%.

Admissions Trends & Notes – Class of 2027

• 14 students deferred from the ED round were later accepted.
• The number of applicants decreased from 15,321 to just over 11,000 for the Class of 2027.
• Williams has announced that it will continue to be test-optional for the next three years.
• Williams typically admits 35 students off of the waitlist but took just one last year.
• 44% of the Class of 2026 were admitted via early decision.

How Williams College Rates Applicants

Williams College labels five factors as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load, class rank, GPA, recommendations, and character/personal qualities. Items that are “important” as part of the admissions process are: first-generation status, essays, talent/ability, extracurricular activities, legacy status, racial/ethnic status, work experience, and volunteer work. Factors that are “considered” are: geographical residence and religious affiliation.

Straight from the Williams admissions office: “Williams uses a holistic admission process that focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of an applicant’s academic achievements and personal character…While the academic record is the most important factor in the admission process, we seek students who will serve as leaders not only in the classroom but also in the community at large. To that end, we also consider all candidates’ non-academic involvements and achievements at school and in their communities. A strong co-curricular record might reflect a wide range of talents and achievements or distinguished accomplishments in just one or a few areas.”

Since Williams wants to see achievement and leadership outside of the classroom as well, it’s important to grasp what highly-competitive colleges are looking for when evaluating extracurricular activities. For more on that topic, visit our blog:  How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

Williams College Demographics

Let’s look at the demographics of the Williams College undergraduate student body. The states that send the highest number of students to the college are:

• Massachusetts

The greatest percentage of international students come from the following countries:

• South Korea

In terms of ethnic identity, the breakdown is as follows:

• Hispanic: 12%
• African American: 5%
• Two or More Races: 7%
• International: 8%

A look at the gender split reveals that university enrolls a roughly even number of men and women.

Members of one recent incoming class attended the following types of high schools:

• Public: 55%
• Private: 32%
• Parochial: 11%

Williams College’s “Yield Rate”

Williams College’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted is 44%. For comparison, other top liberal arts schools have similar yields: Swarthmore College, Pomona College, and Amherst College.

Tips for Applying to Williams College

If you plan on joining the 11,000+ Williams College hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• If Williams is your top choice, you’ll want to strongly consider applying ED by November 15 . The Regular Decision deadline falls in the first week of January, but the acceptance rates are significantly lower in this round.
• This school does not use interviews as part of their evaluation process.
• Williams College does not consider “ demonstrated interest ” so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
• Prospective Ephs can apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application.
• You’ll need to submit a Mid-Year Report in late February so remember to keep those grades up throughout your senior year of high school.
• Lastly make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the Optional Writing Supplement offered by Williams College:

Williams Writing Supplement 2022-23

Williams does not require a writing supplement. However, students who are interested in submitting an example of their written work have the option of sharing an academic paper completed within the last year, ideally 3-5 pages in length. The paper does not need to be graded and can be creative or analytical. Typed is preferable, but we will accept handwritten pieces. Please do not submit lab reports. If submitting this optional paper, please include a description of the assignment or prompt.

Williams Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts 

The vast majority of applicants to Williams have a 1500+ SAT and finished at or near the top of their high school class. If you check these boxes then you’ll certainly be a competitive applicant at Williams, but those with additional attributes and talents will fare best. As the school states, “We want creative thinkers, diverse opinions, and people who embrace intellectual challenges. People committed to bringing as much to the community as they’ll gain from it.” Any student applying to a school of Williams’ caliber also needs to also have a proper mix of “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here .

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Williams optional academic paper supplemental essay? Answered

I am applying to Williams College and they have an optional supplemental essay where I can submit a 3-5 page academic paper. I am debating on submitting the supplemental, because I do not think any of my school essays are super strong. However, would not submitting one look bad? Williams is a reach for me, so I want to make sure I do everything to look the best for this school.

Also, would it be okay if I submit an AP essay question (like a long essay question), is that considered an "academic paper"? Or I wrote an essay that has the same idea as my college essay that I like, but I feel like it's too similar to my college essay.

Any advice helps! Thank you.

It's for Williams College

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Regardless of whether you are applying to Williams or any other elite college (including Ivys and other LACs), if a requirement is optional, it's not really optional. One of the Harvard supplemental essays is optional but 99% of admits all fill it out. One of Princeton's requirements is a graded paper but 99% of admits submit it as well.

I don't not suggest you make the assumption that you can avoid it or can replace it with an AP question. That's not the point of this requirement.

The prompt reads:

Williams Writing Supplement

For Fall 2022 Applicants

Williams does not require a writing supplement. However, students who are interested in submitting an example of their written work have the option of sharing an academic paper completed within the last year, ideally 3-5 pages in length. The paper does not need to be graded, and can be creative or analytical. Please do not submit lab reports. If submitting this optional paper, please include a description of the assignment or prompt.

What this clearly states is that it needs to be 3-5 pages including a description of the assignment or prompt completed within the last 12 months. Therefore this has to be something you did as a school assignment not something from CollegeBoard like an AP Test prompt. Also it can be either expository writing or a creative piece. That means it can be something evidence based or poetry.

Williams wants to know if you how well you write given an assignment. This is slightly different from the prompts for the Common App because it's evidentiary of your past academic acumen and writing ability, not something that every Williams applicant has to submit in a standardized 650 words like the Common App essays.

I don't understand what you mean by stating you don't think any of your school essays are strong. Are you talking about your college essays or your previous body of work as a high school student?

If you are not a strong writer, then perhaps this is not the right school to apply to because Williams is extremely rigorous just like Amherst and Swarthmore and Pomona. You will have to be a excellent writer to succeed at that college.

Hi @lilye ,

I agree with other users here - you should definitely submit an academic paper! Ideally, it will be a submission that is a research or published paper. I'm not sure if you can submit an AP essay question you used for a test since that document is proprietary material that belongs to the College Board. But, if this was a practice test or response, you should submit it without the prompt, but with a title that helps give context to the essay.

Avoid submitting something similar to any other component of your application, like your personal statement or supplemental responses.

Hope this helps! Best of luck with your decision.

Hope this helps!

Considering that you are going for a reach college, I would submit a supplemental essay just to show the college that you are willing to go through the effort of doing something incredible. If you consider your essays to not be your best, it would be strongly suggested to work on this over time. This is so that you can have room to improve it and make sure that it is your best work. Regarding the question about AP being an academic paper, technically it would be considered an academic paper, but I would not suggest doing this because even though it shows your ability in AP exams, it does not show your range of creativity and intellectual ability to such things.

If you have never written an academic paper, then you will have to re-write the essay. Since an academic paper has to be different from what you wrote in college, you have to look for related or similar topics. I went straight to assignment help ( https://assignmentguru.com/) to get advice on how to properly format an essay. But I didn't choose the same topics so there would be no misunderstanding on the part of the committee. And I liked the material and technical base of the site so much that I found a bunch of materials and was offered help to write an essay.

Yes. I liked the material and technical base of the site so much that I found a bunch of materials and was offered help to write an essay. colorblind-test.io

I would think if you have a decent essay if allowed you could go and edit it and fix it up a little bit then I would submit it. Also if your essay question is 3-5 pages then yes I think you could submit it. In short, if you have a decent essay submit it because it shows you are trying your best to get in.

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Highly-selective colleges and universities often require supplemental application materials. These materials help further personalize the admissions process so that each college’s admissions committee has the information it needs to select a vibrant and diverse incoming class. 

In this article, we will look at 10 supplemental essay prompts from top colleges and universities for the 2022-23 admissions cycle. Once you get a better sense of what to expect from a supplemental essay prompt, we will outline key strategies for answering these prompts, as well as provide practical writing tips to help you get started.

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What are supplemental essays and are they important?

Each college has its own sets of values and criteria that it looks for in applicants. This is why determining college fit is so important. By carefully researching each school on your college list and having several clear and compelling reasons for wanting to attend, you will increase your overall chances of admission.    

One way that colleges gauge whether or not a student would be a good fit for their university is by posing unique supplemental essay prompts. This is why knowing how to write a supplemental essay is so important. Most colleges with supplemental essays will have applicants write the “why this college” essay . 

Many selective colleges will require additional supplemental essays as well. In some cases, you will need to prepare an additional five essays per school, so give yourself plenty of time to complete each essay thoughtfully, write multiple drafts, seek out feedback, and proofread. The college application process can feel overwhelming at times, so make sure you brainstorm ways to stay organized during the college application process . 

Although the style and content of the actual prompts can vary greatly, at the core these prompts have one thing in common: They are designed to get to know who you are as a person, what your values are, and whether you demonstrate compatibility with the university’s overall mission. 

How to write supplemental essays

If you’re looking for supplemental essay tips, you’ve come to the right place! In this section, we will discuss how to write a good supplemental essay, by providing several key application essay tips. 

To start, it’s important to remember that the process of writing supplemental essays is similar to the process of writing a successful personal statement . Review components of a strong personal statement to give yourself a fresh perspective before beginning your supplemental essays.

Tips for writing supplemental essays

Supplemental essays are typically pretty brief. This is why it’s important to learn how to write concisely and powerfully. Having very few words to respond does not mean that you should prepare your responses casually or that your responses shouldn’t include lots of details. Rather, approach each word limit creatively. Whether you have 50 words, 200 words, or 500 words, try to use each sentence and detail to your advantage. One of the best ways to do this is to begin by freewriting. Write down everything that comes to mind. Take time to fully flush out your ideas. Then review what you’ve written and see what feels most important. These are the details you will want to highlight in your response.

Some colleges will require three to five additional essays. Maybe even more! This is why it’s important to be prepared and plan ahead. Supplemental essays are an important part of your college application and they require a lot of time and effort. While some supplemental essay prompts may be similar between schools, in general, you want to avoid recycling your college essays. Admissions officers can tell when a student is tweaking an existing essay to fit a prompt.

While some essay prompts are required, others are optional. In general, try to answer each prompt thoughtfully and creatively. After all, it’s no secret that college admissions are highly competitive so it’s great to give your application “an edge” whenever possible. That said, there are times when you should pass on writing an optional essay. If you’re not sure whether or not you should submit an essay for an optional prompt, begin by drafting a response. Then ask yourself if the essay feels forced or genuine. Does the essay convey something new about you that isn’t included in the rest of your application? If the question doesn’t seem to apply to you and you are genuinely unsure what to contribute, you should probably skip that particular essay. After all, no one wants to read an uninspired essay that doesn’t contribute to your overall application.

2022-23 supplemental essay prompts

As mentioned, supplemental essay prompts can vary significantly. Some prompts ask you to respond in 50 words while other prompts ask you to respond in 500 words. Some prompts focus on academics while others ask you to reflect carefully on your cultural upbringing or life philosophies. Still, other prompts will ask you to introduce who you are as a person or discuss something that you enjoy.

Just as supplemental essay prompts vary in style, your responses will also vary. Some prompts will require you to be thoughtful and serious, while other prompts may encourage you to be humorous or creative. It all depends.

Brown University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Brown University requires three supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

Brown’s culture fosters a community in which students challenge the ideas of others and have their ideas challenged in return, promoting a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society. This active engagement in dialogue is as present outside the classroom as it is in academic spaces. Tell us about a time you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond? (200-250 words)

Columbia University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Columbia University requires the following supplemental materials: 1 list of 75 words, 1 list of 125 words, 3 essays of 200 words each, and 1 short answer of 35 words. One of their supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

For the following questions, we ask that you list each individual response using commas or semicolons; the items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order. No explanatory text or formatting is needed. (For example, it is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications. No author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed.)  

List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)

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Dartmouth college supplemental essay prompt.

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Dartmouth College requires three supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

“Be yourself,” Oscar Wilde advised. “Everyone else is taken.” Introduce yourself in 200-250 words. 

Duke University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Duke University requires at least one supplemental essay, with the option to submit an additional two supplemental essays. One of the optional supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?

Emory University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Emory University requires two supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

Emory If you could witness a historic event (past, present or future) first-hand, what would it be, and why?

Harvard University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Harvard University requires three supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (50-150 words)

MIT supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, MIT requires five supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.

Princeton University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Princeton University requires three supplemental essays and three short responses. One of the short-answer prompts is as follows:

Please respond to each question in 75 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

What brings you joy? 

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Stanford University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Stanford University requires three supplemental essays and five short answer responses. One of the short-answer prompts is as follows:

How did you spend your last two summers? (50-word limit)

UPenn supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, UPenn requires three supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows: 

Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words)

Yale University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Yale University requires the following supplemental materials: 1 list; 6 short answer questions; 1 additional short essay of 400 words. One of the short answer prompts is as follows:

Yale’s residential colleges regularly host conversations with guests representing a wide range of experiences and accomplishments. What person, past or present, would you invite to speak? What would you ask them to discuss? (200 characters or fewer)

Supplemental essay examples

One of the best ways to prepare your supplemental essay responses is to look at successful past examples. In this section, we will look at three examples and explain why each response is successful. 

This first example was submitted as a part of Harvard’s college application. This essay is in response to the prompt: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (50-150 words).

Feet moving, eyes up, every shot back, chants the silent mantra in my head. The ball becomes a beacon of neon green as I dart forward and backward, shuffling from corner to far corner of the court, determined not to let a single point escape me. With bated breath, I swing my racquet upwards and outwards and it catches the ball just in time to propel it, spinning, over the net. My heart soars as my grinning teammates cheer from the sidelines. While I greatly value the endurance, tenacity, and persistence that I have developed while playing tennis throughout the last four years, I will always most cherish the bonds that I have created and maintained each year with my team.

This essay uses rich, descriptive language to evoke a clear sense of movement and place. The first paragraph shows a creative and expert control of language, whereas the second paragraph uses straightforward language to highlight key characteristics. Overall, this response is creative, well-balanced, and uses each word to its advantage. 

Source: https://www.collegeadvisor.com/essay-guides/harvard-university-essay-examples-and-why-they-worked/  

This essay was submitted as a part of an MIT college application. The supplemental essay prompt that it addresses is: Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?

We were moving away from my home of thirteen years to go miles and miles away, from my whole life. Worst of all: away from New York City – the only place in the world worth knowing – or so I thought. The town might as well have been called “Miniscule Ville”. I resented every second of it. The real shocking thing to me was almost that anything existed outside of New York City. NYC is a world of its own, with its own pulses and lifeblood. I still think it’s a great place, and I’ll likely at least visit it someday, but right now, I want to visit everywhere. My move humbled me. I began to love nature walks, the friendly camaraderie of the small town, and saw a world I never imagined. I thought I knew it all just because I lived in New York. Here was a great place, hidden from view. I loved experiencing that new world, learning local history, and most of all, learning the life stories of my new neighbors, each one of whom had a fascinating life. My greatest dream is to be a journalist, covering other countries, and learning about new worlds and neighbors. My old perspective feels so limited. If I can share global stories, I can open up my perspective, and I can share those stories with a thousand homes so readers can learn about other perspectives as well. The world is full of different lives. Everywhere is somebody’s home.

This essay covers a lot of material; most impressively, it shows a shift in perspective and its effect on the student’s lived experience. It also clearly explains the student’s academic and professional goals. The tone of this essay is both confident and humble. It demonstrates who this student is as a person, what their goals are, and what they value.  

Source: https://bemoacademicconsulting.com/blog/mit-supplemental-essay-examples  

This essay was submitted as a part of a Duke college application. The essay addresses the prompt: What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?

Most teachers who taught me talked a big game about wanting students to engage in debate, or “dialectic” as they called it, and to challenge their ideas. In my experience, most of this was a fabrication. The best essay grades and participation marks were found through parroting what was dictated from on high. Did the teacher think such-and-such is the “correct” interpretation of a novel? You did, too, or you lost points. None of that was true for Ms. Jackie Winters. The first essay I sent her came back with the note, “This doesn’t sound like you; it sounds like me.” I asked her about the note, and this initiated a marvelous learning environment, in which I grew faster than I ever have in any other class. Discussions were lively, and the more I presented my authentic views, the more I was respected. My grades were dependent on being backed up by rhetoric, sources, and logic, not by compliance. Due to this engagement, this was the most enjoyable English literature class I had, and I feel like my viewpoints were challenged. I learned to question my ideas and dig into a text for the best results. Best of all, I was putting in more and more effort to find good, quality sources to back up my arguments. I was held to a high standard and shown respect, and I believe that those qualities made for the best learning environment possible

This essay clearly shows a shift in perspective and the effects it had on this student’s ability to think, speak, and write critically. Structurally, this essay uses an anecdote to introduce and contextualize a topic, but the essay itself isn’t overly narrative. Rather, the student explains, in detail, how this teacher’s encouragement and guidance have influenced their willingness and ability to engage with the source material and academic discourse.

Source: https://bemoacademicconsulting.com/blog/duke-supplemental-essay-examples  

Key takeaways and moving forward

Supplemental essays are an important part of your college applications. In fact, they are a key factor in what college admissions officers look for in an applicant . Highly-selective colleges and universities use supplemental essays to further personalize the college admissions process. After all, thousands of qualified students apply to Ivy League institutions each year and only a small fraction are admitted. Supplemental essays allow you to share more about who you are as a person and as a student. Use each prompt as an opportunity to add something new to your college application. If you feel like you could benefit from professional guidance throughout this process, reach out to learn more about our services .

Frequently asked questions and answers

Still have questions about supplemental essays and the effects they have on college applications? Review the following frequently asked questions and answers for further insight on supplemental essays. 

How important are supplemental essays?

Supplemental essays are an incredibly important part of your college applications and should be properly prioritized. If a college didn’t care about your response, they wouldn’t ask you in the first place. Put plenty of time and care into your responses. Write several drafts, seek out feedback, and always proofread.

How long should supplemental essays be?

Always follow directions. Colleges will specify how long each supplemental essay should be, usually right after the prompt itself. Depending on the college, and the prompt, a supplemental essay’s word count may range anywhere from 50 to 500 words.

Do supplemental essays change every year?

It all depends on the college. Colleges often reuse past prompts, but there are no guarantees. This is why it’s important to plan ahead and make a list of supplemental essay prompts early on in the college application process.

Are supplemental essays required?

Sometimes colleges will have both required and optional supplemental essays. That said, the essay prompts are clearly labeled. In short, each college will specify whether supplemental essays are required. 

Do all colleges have supplemental essays?

No, not all colleges have supplemental essays. Highly-selective colleges, however, often require at least one additional essay.

• December 14, 2022

Supplemental Essay Guide for 2022-23 Prompts

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 64 great colleges that don't require essays to apply.

College Info , College Essays

If the thought of writing a college essay fills you with terror, you might be wondering: are there any colleges that don't require essays?

The answer is yes, there are! This guide will give you an overview of colleges that don't require admissions essays, how to find these schools, and whether you should apply to one or not. We'll wrap up with a list of 64 colleges with no essay requirement that you can apply to.

Why Do Some Colleges Not Require an Essay?

In general, college essays help schools get a sense of you as a person—beyond your academic record, GPA, and test scores. They give you a chance to clearly articulate your goals and also give admissions officers a better idea of how you'll fit within the school's community. Finally, essays are helpful because they provide schools with concrete evidence of your writing ability.

However, there are many colleges that don't require essays for admissions. What are some reasons why? Let's take a look at the three biggest ones:

#1: Limited Resources

It takes a lot of admissions officers' time and energy to read and evaluate college essays.

At smaller schools with fewer resources, and even at larger schools that enroll tens of thousands of students, the resource costs associated with reading each essay for every single student might outweigh the benefits of getting additional information on applicants beyond GPAs, test scores, and transcripts.

Schools sometimes balance these concerns by requiring essays only for the most competitive programs (usually things such as engineering and nursing) or for scholarships, for which the additional information might be more instrumental in making decisions.

They need to use those limited resources for coffee.

#2: Specific Admissions Cutoffs/Criteria

Many colleges, particularly public schools, admit students based on a type of selection index, which tabulates some combination of GPA, test scores, and/or class rank.

If students meet the minimum index score cutoff, they will be admitted. In this case, the school might simply feel that additional information from an essay isn't necessary for making a decision regarding whether a student will be successful or not.

Selection indices are also often different for in-state and out-of-state students, with the latter being subject to more stringent academic criteria.

In addition, the selection index is sometimes used for scholarships, with students with higher index scores being awarded more money.

Schools with selection indices do often require or recommend college essays for borderline candidates so that students can provide additional information on why they'd be a good fit at the school in spite of not meeting the stated academic criteria.

#3: Make Admissions Process Easy and Appealing

Some colleges hope that by making the admissions process easy and requiring only a transcript, test scores, and basic demographic information, they'll attract a wider variety of applicants.

By presenting their application process as a simple alternative to more intensive processes that require letters of recommendation, essays, and so on, they can attract students who are on the fence about applying to college at all .

They could even potentially motivate highly qualified applicants to use them as one of their safety or match schools because the students won't need to write additional essays or do extra work to apply.

Some applications seem like you just have to click to apply!

How to Find Colleges That Don't Require Essays

There are over 4,000 postsecondary educational institutions in the US, and over 80 of these schools don't require essays for admission.

If you want to know whether a particular school requires an essay for admission, Google "[School Name] freshman admission requirements" or "[School Name] admissions essay." This should pull up pages from the school's official website, with links to guidelines on admission essays.

If, however, you're looking more generally for schools that don't require essays, you can check out our  list of 64 schools below or try one of the following starting places:

Public Universities in Your State

A significant number of public universities don't require essays for admissions.

Even if the major public schools in your state (such as the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign or UCLA) require essays for admission, you might find that the smaller campuses and smaller or more specialized state schools  might not require essays. So be sure to check those out!

You can actually get a pretty robust list of schools in your state by simply Googling "[State Name] colleges." Do this and a list of colleges will appear across the top of your screen. Thanks, Google!

Schools With Automatic Admissions Criteria

A school that has criteria for automatic admission (e.g., if you live in-state and have a particular class rank, GPA, and/or test score profile) might not require applicants who meet the automatic criteria to submit essays with their applications.

However, don't assume that just because you meet automatic admissions criteria that you won't need to write an essay.

At UT Austin, for example, all students must submit an essay , regardless of whether they meet the automatic admissions criteria. Although you could probably write just a straightforward paragraph in the essay section and still get admitted (since you meet the criteria), you'd likely be hurting your scholarship potential, not to mention jeopardizing your chances of being let into your desired major.

Small Private Liberal Arts Institutions

Another group of schools that might not require essays are smaller, private liberal arts institutions. These types of schools often serve a fairly niche market and might simply not get a high enough application volume to need essays to differentiate applicants.

Community Colleges

Local community colleges do not require essays for enrollment, since most allow anyone to enroll. Some even have automatic transfer agreements with local four-year universities. However, if you want to transfer to a particular four-year university after you finish at a community college, you might very well have to write an essay—so you could just be putting off the inevitable!

You can find a lot of no-essay colleges for your basket!

Complete List: 64 Colleges That Don't Require Essays

The following chart contains 64 colleges with no essay requirement, organized by state.  

Note that these are far from the only no-essay college applications —just some of the most notable. Follow our guidelines above for finding additional essay-free colleges.

Should You Apply to a College That Doesn't Require an Essay?

If you're reading this article, you're clearly worried about writing application essays for one reason or another. Maybe you're concerned about having enough time to finish everything. Or maybe you think your writing is terrible.

Here are some reasons to write college essays in spite of your misgivings:

#1: You Want to Apply to the Most Selective Schools

If you're hoping to apply to the most selective schools , you'll almost certainly have to write at least one essay. The most highly ranked no-essay school that I could find was the University of Pittsburgh—a great school. But if you're going for UChicago , MIT , Stanford , or an Ivy League-level school , you'll have to write an essay.

#2: You Want a Scholarship

Even if you do apply to a school that doesn't require an essay, you might still have to write an essay if you want to apply for the most competitive scholarships .

#3: You Have Special Circumstances to Explain

If you have any kind of special circumstance to explain—say, a dip in your grades one year due to a family illness—you definitely want to write about it in an essay. This will help you compensate for any perceived deficits in your academic record and also prevent you from being penalized in the admissions process for the vagaries of life.

There's value in telling your story to the admissions committee.

#4: You're a Good Writer

I'm thinking that most strong writers are going to actively want to write college essays, but just in case: if writing is one of your strengths, definitely write an essay. You want to show off your best qualities to admissions officers, after all! If your primary concern is time, use something like the Common Application so you don't have to write a new essay for every school.

#5: The Essay Prompt Is Short

Some college essays are barely essays at all. Some required essays have just a 250-word limit, and 500 words is pretty standard. For reference, the first section of this article—"Why Do Some Colleges Not Require Essays?"—is about 450 words, including sub-headings. That's not so bad!

#6: You Can Get Help

Although it's important that your college essays are your own work, you're allowed to get help with them! Colleges expect you to put your best foot forward, so if that means discussing ideas with parents and teachers, and having someone else look over your rough drafts and offer suggestions, that's completely fine. You don't have to go at it completely alone.

#7: You Can Reuse an Essay for All Your Schools

For schools that use the Common App , Coalition App , or Universal College App , you can generally use one essay for all your colleges. Some schools might require additional supplemental essays, though, so be sure to look that up in advance to avoid being blindsided later.

So Should I Write an Essay?

If it happens that all the schools you want to apply to don't require essays, then great! But overall, I'd say don't let the fact that a school has one (or even two) essays stop you from applying if you're genuinely interested in going there.

If you find writing essays stressful or if you're time-limited, there's nothing wrong with using some strategies to limit the number of polished essays you need to produce (such as using the Common App) and applying to a mix of essay and no-essay schools.

Key Takeaways: Colleges That Don't Require Essays

There are actually tons of colleges that don't require essays. Here are some common reasons why a college might not require an essay:

• Limited resources—it takes a lot of time and effort to read an essay by each applicant
• They might have certain GPA and/or test score admissions criteria and feel as though the information provided by an essay isn't necessary
• To make it more appealing to students by having an easier application process

So how can you find college applications without essays? Here are some places to start:

• Public schools in your state, especially smaller ones in case the bigger ones do require essays
• Schools with automatic admissions criteria—if you qualify for admission, you might not need to write an essay
• Smaller liberal arts institutions
• Community colleges

When it comes down to it, though, should you apply to colleges with no essay requirement? Here are some reasons you might want to write a college essay, even if you're apprehensive:

• The most selective colleges usually do require essays
• Scholarship applications for particular schools often require essays
• If you have special circumstances to explain, plan on writing an essay
• Strong writers should write essays to put their best foot forward
• Word limits are often very short—think 250-500 words (that's just a few paragraphs!)
• You're allowed (and encouraged) to get help with brainstorming ideas and revising drafts
• If you use an application system that can send applications to multiple schools, such as the Common App, Coalition App, or Universal College App, you might be able to write just one essay for all the schools you're applying to

Don't forget to also check out our list of 64 colleges that don't require essays!

No essay, no tears!

What's Next?

Need more help looking for colleges? See our step-by-step guide to college research . Also, check out how to decide where to go to college and the difference between a college and a university !

Decided to write an essay after all and need some help? Check out our comprehensive guide to writing a college essay and our guide to writing the "why this college" essay . Be sure to avoid these 10 college essay mistakes , too.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

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College of William & Mary 2022-23 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have: 

College of William & Mary 2022-23 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 500 words or less

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Topic of your choice

Why hello, you lucky devils. William & Mary only has one supplemental essay! And it’s optional! Actually, the second part is kind of a lie. William & Mary may refer to this essay as an “optional opportunity,” but take a closer look. The prompt is all about the things that make you stand out — and there is no way a bare minimum application is going to stand out to admissions. So, buckle up. You’ve got one more 500-worder to go.

Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful? What aren’t we seeing elsewhere in your application? We know nobody fits neatly into approximately 500 words, but you can provide us with some suggestion of the type of person you are.  Think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy.

In short, this prompt is asking you to do what we would have told you to do anyway: reveal something that doesn’t appear anywhere else on your application. Although it may seem totally open-ended, this prompt includes a few keywords that should help guide your thinking. The College of William & Mary doesn’t want to know just any random fact about you. They have specifically asked about what makes you unique and colorful, and they have invited you to have fun. So, get personal! What are your favorite funny stories about your life? You can talk about chess games with your grandma, lake trips with your friends, or the time you thought you could time travel. Pick a fun story or anecdote that says something concrete about your spirit, strengths, resilience, or character. 

If something hasn’t already sprung to mind, you should set aside about an hour for a solid brainstorm sesh. Use whichever technique feels most natural to you and see where it leads. You’d be surprised by the gems you can uncover when you take some of the pressure off and give your mind a little space to play.

About Kat Stubing

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