vassar college supplemental essay 2023

Vassar Supplemental Essay 2023-24

Vassar supplemental essays 2023-24.

As one of the best liberal arts schools in the nation, it’s no surprise that Vassar College attracts its fair share of applicants. This means that the Vassar supplemental essays are a crucial part of your application. But, to write an outstanding Vassar essay, you’ll need to be prepared. With so many parts to college applications, students need to plan their time wisely—especially with multiple Vassar supplemental essays to write!

Although writing an impressive Vassar College supplemental essay requires some time, it’s certainly not impossible, so don’t stress about the Vassar supplemental essays. Instead, look at each Vassar essay as an opportunity to bolster the strength of your application as a whole. 

In this guide to the Vassar supplemental essays, we’ll cover: 

• Vassar essay requirements for 2023
• Vassar essay prompts and word limit
• How to write your Vassar supplemental essays
• The importance of Vassar supplemental essays in the admissions process
• Application requirements and deadlines, and more!

With that, let’s kick off our guide to the Vassar supplemental essays with some quick facts on this prestigious school. 

Vassar Admissions: Quick Facts

Vassar college admissions quick facts.

• Vassar College Acceptance Rate: 19%— U.S. News ranks Vassar College as #16 on their list of Best National Liberal Arts Colleges. 
• 1 required (~300 word) essay
• Vassar College Application: First-year applicants must apply to Vassar through the Common Application, Coalition Application, or QuestBridge Application. Be sure you’ve met all of the Vassar requirements by your preferred deadline.
• Early Decision I: November 15
• Early Decision II: January 1
• Regular Decision: January 1
• Vassar Essay Tip: Carefully choose between the two Vassar essay prompts provided. Write your required Vassar essay for the prompt that most excites you.

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 Vassar have supplemental essays?

Yes, in addition to the personal statement , students will need to write one required Vassar essay. Applicants will have a choice between two Vassar essay prompts for this 300-word essay. Both Vassar essay prompts are classified as community or diversity essays. This means that students will need to reflect on their background and experiences to write their most meaningful Vassar essay. But, don’t worry—we’ll get into how to do that shortly.

Although there is only one required Vassar College supplemental essay, there are also two optional responses. In most cases, we encourage students to respond to optional portions wherever submissions could strengthen their application. Later, we’ll look at the optional Vassar essay prompts and evaluate what responses would best enhance an application. 

How many essays does Vassar require?

As we’ve mentioned, there is only one required Vassar College supplemental essay. Of course, students must also complete the personal essay when applying on the application platform of their choice ( Common Application or Coalition Application ). All students will have the opportunity to choose between two Vassar essay prompts for their required Vassar essay. 

Before writing your Vassar essay, it might be helpful to look at Vassar essay examples. While you shouldn’t mimic stories or themes, reading Vassar essay examples might inspire you when writing about your own unique experiences. Specifically, cultural and community diversity essay examples can be very helpful when preparing to write Vassar supplemental essays.

You’ll need to select one of the Coalition or Common App essay prompts too in order to write your personal statement. Additionally, check out these college essay topics to jumpstart your brainstorming process. Even if the prompts are different, approaching the Vassar essay prompts from a new angle may spark new ideas.

Vassar Supplemental Essays

Between required and optional prompts, there are multiple Vassar supplemental essays that applicants may write. However, for now, let’s focus on the required Vassar College supplemental essay. 

Here are the two Vassar essay prompts presented to applicants: 

Vassar College Supplemental Essay Prompts

At Vassar, we aim to foster an inclusive community through our philosophy of engaged pluralism. Engaged pluralism is rooted in “the conviction that collaborating across differences is necessary for social transformation and critical for the well-being of any community and its members.” In short, we believe it’s our differences that make us stronger. Tell us a little bit about what makes you unique and what you hope to add to our community.

Vassar is a diverse community that inspires positive change through open inquiry, deep dives into society’s most difficult challenges, and collaborative problem solving. We care deeply about one another, the communities that have forged us, and the community we build together on campus. Tell us more about the community (or communities) you come from and how it has shaped who you are.

These Vassar supplemental essays are considered to be community or diversity essays—common themes for college essays. There are many routes that students could take when considering how to respond to either of these prompts. 

You have many unique qualities and are a member of at least one “community.” You could talk about a weekly virtual knitting circle or your school drama club—the prompts are intentionally open-ended. That’s why brainstorming is such an important part of writing the Vassar College supplemental essay.  In other words, you should choose your most impactful experience, anecdote, or community when writing this Vassar essay. Likewise, you need to choose carefully which of the Vassar essay prompts is best for you. 

Choosing the Right Vassar Essay for You

While both the Vassar essay prompts are essentially cultural diversity essays, there are slight differences between the two. Let’s check out each prompt in more detail to see which is the better fit for you. 

Option A: What Makes You Unique

This prompt asks students to reflect on their unique qualities. While this may be construed as an extracurricular or skills essay, it is presented in the context of a cultural diversity essay. While researching Vassar (which you should do), you’ll likely encounter their explanation of engaged pluralism , which speaks directly to diversity. So, you’ll need to not only show a unique facet of your personality but also relate it to future contributions to campus. 

If you have a hobby or interest that’s deeply meaningful to you, then this may be the essay for you. However, don’t forget about the “engaged pluralism” aspect of the prompt; Vassar Admissions wants to admit a diverse student body. Diversity can mean many things, so there are many ways to work this into your essay. Overall, you need to show what fresh perspective you have and how you’ll bring it to the campus community. 

Option B: Your Community 

We know what you’re thinking: another community-centered essay? How can you choose between the two? Well, yes, essentially both Vassar essay prompts are based around community and diversity. This means you’ll need to touch on important aspects of your identity no matter which prompt you choose.

Contrary to the first option, which looks inward at your uniqueness, this prompt looks outward towards your community. In the second prompt, applicants will need to hone into a community that has shaped them. Similar to diversity, community can mean a myriad of things. Think about your upbringing and important things that have made you who you are today. 

Are your parents chefs and food has been an integral part of your life? Did you grow up spending afternoons at the local park where you met kids from different cultures—expanding your worldview? Or have you been in jazz dance classes since your childhood, and the studio is your home away from home? You can choose to write about any community that has played an important role in your identity. In other words, there’s no “wrong” community to write about as long as it has been meaningful to you. 

How to choose your prompt

If you’re stuck between the two prompts, that’s okay! They are quite similar, which might make choosing between them difficult. The key to choosing the right prompt for you is finding the most personally meaningful theme. Writing and reflection exercises like freewrites and timed brainstorming sessions can be very effective for getting started.

Set a timer and list anecdotes, experiences, skills, and communities that have played an imperative role in your life. Which ones stand out the most to you? Is there one that excites you to write about? Then go back to the prompts. Which stories answer one of the prompts? If an idea seems right for both prompts, try drafting an essay for both to refine key points and your final prompt.

How to write the Vassar supplemental essays

There is no magic trick to writing the best Vassar supplemental essays. Rather, there are certain tips and guidelines you can follow to write your best Vassar essay. 

Here are some tips you can follow no matter the prompt you choose to respond to. 

Start early

The most stressful part about writing essays is having to do so in a time crunch. Allow yourself plenty of time to write the Vassar supplemental essays. Normally, schools release the most updated prompts in August. If you start then, you’ve got plenty of time to write your best Vassar College supplemental essay. 

Choose your prompt mindfully

Although both Vassar essay prompts fall into the general category of a cultural diversity essay, there are subtle differences between them. In one you’ll focus mainly on your identity, and in the other on your larger community. Of course, there is a lot of overlap between these two expansive themes. Choose the prompt to which you can write about something that is most meaningful and impactful to you.

Answer the prompt fully

This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in an entertaining anecdote and skip the entire second part of the prompt. This is a huge mistake! Make sure that you’ve answered every aspect of the prompt. Your anecdote should be evidence for your main point, where you…

Show you’re a perfect fit

Your essays are, of course, expanding upon you as a person. However, just as you made sure Vassar was a good fit for you when deciding to apply, Admissions does the same when reading applications. Luckily, Vassar tells applicants what’s important to them right in the Vassar essay prompts. Show that you share these values and will bring a unique, positive perspective to campus—you’ll be sure to wow them. 

Edit carefully

There’s nothing worse for admissions officers than reading a Vassar College supplemental essay that’s peppered with spelling and grammatical errors. Have one or more people read your essay for mechanical errors as well as for content. Ask people who know you well, so they can tell you if your essay portrays you authentically. 

Does Vassar care about essays?

As one of America’s top liberal arts colleges, Vassar wants students who think critically and can express themselves well on paper. Therefore, yes, the Vassar supplemental essays play a crucial role in the admissions team’s evaluation process. Moreover, Vassar is one of many schools that have adopted a test-optional standardized test policy. If you don’t submit standardized test scores, your responses to the Vassar essay prompts are that much more important. In either case, Vassar supplemental essays are opportunities to show admissions officers who you are beyond your transcript. 

That being said, Vassar does specify their evaluation criteria on their website . Academic achievement and rigor both play an important role when it comes to admissions decisions. They want to see not only good grades but challenging courses. Ideally, applicants competing for a spot at Vassar should be taking AP or IB classes during their junior and senior years. 

However, grades aren’t everything. Admissions is looking for the whole package in each candidate. Therefore, they want to learn more about each student and what they’ll bring to campus in these essays. As we can see, Vassar deeply cares about the Vassar supplemental essays when evaluating students.

What is Vassar looking for in essays?

Vassar Admissions wants to see several important qualities in each candidate; qualities that can be clearly expressed in the Vassar supplemental essays. Vassar looks for evidence of “personal strengths, motivation, and potential” in each Vassar College supplemental essay. And, which may be obvious from the required Vassar essay prompts, students should demonstrate community involvement. 

Successful Vassar essay examples showcase the writer’s positive characteristics, skills, and values. Are you a natural leader? Show Vassar with a story of how you organize the yearly block party to create a stronger sense of community. Are you an avid reader? Show Vassar how you relate the stories you read to your everyday life. Do you have big dreams for your future? Show Vassar what practical steps you’re taking in your present life to get you there. 

Use the Vassar supplemental essays to highlight your best qualities that haven’t yet had a chance to shine in your application. Just remember, community involvement is of the utmost importance! Even in an essay about your unique qualities, your ultimate goal is to paint a picture of yourself at Vassar. How will your experiences and qualities help you contribute to Vassar’s community?

Include the qualities that Vassar looks for when drafting Vassar College supplemental essays—show them through your experiences and anecdotes. But don’t make things up or plagiarize. Be authentic—you already possess these qualities, so find a way to write them into your Vassar supplemental essays.

When is my Vassar application due?

Having the most amazing Vassar supplemental essays won’t matter much in your “how to get into Vassar” plan if you miss the submission deadlines. So, let’s check out what options you have when it comes to submitting the Vassar requirements and application. 

The three Vassar deadlines are: 

Be sure that you give yourself sufficient time to write each Vassar essay. Of course, don’t neglect the other requirements of your chosen application platform, like transcripts and recommendation letters . Be sure you have plenty of time to write your essays, complete the application, and get recommendations before your deadline of choice.

Of course, in addition to the required Vassar essay, students must also write a personal statement essay. Applicants may also submit optional Vassar College supplemental essays, which we’ll get into now.

Vassar Application: Your Space

In addition to the required Vassar essay and personal statement, students may submit optional Vassar supplemental essays or other materials. Quite literally, Admissions is giving applicants “a space” to use however they like. Let’s check out the prompt. 

Vassar College Optional Supplemental Essay Prompt #1

Your space is your opportunity to allow the committee on admission to learn something about you that you have not addressed in another section of the application. for example, in the past, applicants have shared poetry, short stories, cartoons, digital images of art projects, photography, and collages, and/or links to videos, and short films. it is your space, so if you choose to complete it, send something that is a reflection of you your space is entirely optional..

This is a chance to share more about yourself with the admissions committee. If you felt like you couldn’t share an important part of yourself when responding to the Vassar essay prompts, then now’s the time. Do you have a hobby that’s an integral part of your life? Are you a creative writer, serial sketcher, or avid foodie? Whatever it is, use this space to include it!

Keep in mind that you don’t need to submit a traditional essay; in fact, this question accepts uploaded files. Maybe you want to share one of your short stories or original songs; you have total freedom here. Of course, since Vassar is such a competitive school, make sure that you’re submitting high-quality work here. You wouldn’t want this space to weaken your application. 

Ask others for feedback on what you plan to submit so that you can be objective when deciding. And of course, if your work was made in collaboration with others, get their permission before submitting it. We highly recommend submitting a Vassar College supplemental essay or other material here if it strengthens your application. 

On the other hand, the following is another optional Vassar essay prompt. 

Vassar Supplement: Unique Circumstances or Resume

Vassar college optional supplemental essay prompt #2, if you wish to provide details of circumstances not reflected in the application, please upload a file here. similarly, if you wish to upload your resume, include it here. (optional).

Most universities have a space like this for their applicants to explain any discrepancies in their grades or extracurriculars. If you’ve had extenuating circumstances that have affected your academic achievements, now’s the time to mention them. You might also choose to submit a resume. However, this section is completely optional! Don’t force yourself to answer if it doesn’t apply to you. 

How do I make my Vassar application stand out?

Writing college essays is a crucial part of the application process. Vassar is no exception—the Vassar supplemental essays play an important role in every applicant’s “how to get into Vassar” strategy. In light of that, how can you make your entire application impress admissions?

First and foremost, prepare early for the college application process—not “senior fall” early, but “sophomore spring” early. Vassar is an elite and selective institution. Maximizing your admission odds means taking challenging courses and focusing on academics throughout your high school career. Additionally, get involved in extracurricular activities and take leadership opportunities. Explore your interests outside of school; if you fall in love with something, make the effort to explore it further! 

Community involvement is an important part of the Vassar supplemental essays; however, Vassar isn’t the only school that prizes community. Most colleges want applicants to be active participants in their communities. Show what positive attributes you’ll bring to campus through both your actions and in your Vassar College supplemental essays. 

Through a combination of academic achievement, course rigor, and impressive essays, your application is sure to stand out to admissions. Reading successful college essay examples will help you see what works. Even if they aren’t specifically Vassar essay examples, they’ll help you write your Vassar essay and other college essays. 

Vassar Supplemental Essays – 5 Takeaways

We’ve covered a lot about the Vassar supplemental essays in this guide, so let’s review some key takeaways. 

Five Takeaways for Vassar College Supplemental Essays

1. there is one required vassar college supplemental essay.

However, students must also complete a personal statement for their application platform. Additionally, there are two optional Vassar supplemental essays. We highly recommend submitting something to “Your Space.” 

2. Vassar is a competitive liberal arts college

You might know this from your incessant googling of your dream school . Because of Vassar’s high ranking in U.S. News and Forbes , it has a low acceptance rate of 19% . This means your application needs to be carefully crafted—especially your essays. If you know how to get into Vassar, you know that impressive grades and essays are paramount. 

3. Answer the Vassar essay prompts completely

Don’t forget to answer any part of the prompts. No matter the prompt you choose, they are both two-part prompts. So, be sure to answer every part of the questions asked completely and comprehensively. 

4. Be authentic and get personal

The Vassar supplemental essays are the time to share more about yourself with admissions—the best parts, of course. Choose the experiences and anecdotes you use carefully. Your essays should be specific, engaging, and unique to you. Avoid clichés or generic responses.

5. Start your essays early!

Your Vassar supplemental essays are an extremely important part of your application. Give yourself plenty of time to write them. Remember they are only one part of the Vassar requirements. Plan carefully so you can put your best work forward and meet the deadlines !

Remember that CollegeAdvisor is here to help you with your whole college journey, from writing the Vassar supplemental essays to understanding financial aid. While reading Vassar essay examples (or any college essay examples) is a good way to get started, sometimes personalized guidance is necessary. If you need personalized coaching, reach out for help with your Vassar supplemental essays from one of our admissions experts. Good luck, and happy writing!

This essay guide was written by Sarah Kaminski. 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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How to Complete the 2023/2024 Vassar College Supplemental Essays

Cait Williams is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cait recently graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Journalism and Strategic Communications. During her time at OU, was active in the outdoor recreation community.

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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.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Vassar College is a private liberal arts college located in Poughkeepsie, New York with a history, unlike many other colleges. Founded in 1861, Vassar was originally an all-women’s college that became co-ed in 1969. Vassar’s mission is to provide a thorough liberal arts education to all their students. Vassar wants to see applicants that demonstrate strong academic potential and an interest in being involved in the Vassar community. One great way to show your potential is through your Vassar College supplemental essays!

Before you apply to Vassar College

Vassar is proud of its history . Their mission today is still largely inspired by their original mission from when they first opened their doors in 1861. They strive to create a college that supports diversity, creativity, and intellectual exploration. Knowing what they support and what you want from a school should be a crucial step in your college search. So, before you start, spend some time on their website, and social media accounts and, if possible, take a tour!

How to apply to Vassar College

When applying to Vassar, first-year applicants may apply through the Common Application , Coalition Application or QuestBridge . Applications are then viewed by a need-blind review board. This means applicants are not admitted or declined based on their financial standing. There is a $65 non-refundable application fee. A request to waive the fee can be made. You can check out the most recent years class profile here!

The Vassar College supplemental essay prompt

Vassar’s application only has one prompt for you to answer, though you’ll have two prompts to choose from. You should respond to either prompt in 300 words or less. Carefully read through each prompt to decide which one is right for you. If you have time, it may benefit you to respond to both prompts and choose the response that you like more. Let’s go!

At Vassar, we aim to foster an inclusive community through our philosophy of engaged pluralism. Engaged pluralism is rooted in “the conviction that collaborating across differences is necessary for social transformation and critical for the well-being of any community and its members.” In short, we believe it’s our differences that make us stronger. Tell us a little bit about an important part of your identity and how it has shaped your life and/or interactions with others. (300 words)

Before we get too far into the prompt, let’s discuss the term “engaged pluralism”. While the prompt does define it, take some time to put the definition into your own words. Having a deep understanding of the term will help you understand the question more and choose what part of your identity you’d like to talk about.

Now comes the more thoughtful part of the essay, picking a part of your identity to talk about. There are many parts to each of us, so take some time to write down more than one. You may even take some time to write more than one version of this essay. 

Vassar really wants to get to know you and how you will fit in on their campus. So, be sure to give them just that! 

Questions to ask yourself

• When was a time you felt you really connected with someone who you did not expect to?
• What parts of yourself do you think people might be surprised by?
• What interactions with fellow students, someone from your community, or other individuals have permanently shaped how you think about something?

Vassar is a diverse community that inspires positive change through open inquiry, deep dives into society’s most difficult challenges, and collaborative problem solving. We care deeply about one another, the communities that have forged us, and the community we build together on campus. Tell us about the community (or communities) you come from and how it has shaped your lived experiences and identity. (300 words)

The second prompt is not all that different from the first one. They still want to hear about a lot of the same themes. They want to know how you currently collaborate with the communities around you and how you’ve personally experienced growth or change through those collaborations. The difference is what they are asking to hear about. Instead of talking about just a specific part of your identity, they want to hear about a specific community that has shaped a part of your identity. 

So, let’s start by examining your communities. Think through all the communities you are a part of, this can include everything from sports teams, to religious affiliations, communities related to your family heritage, clubs about certain topics you enjoy studying or anything else in between those examples. 

As far as choosing a community goes, you should pick the community that has shaped you the most. It might take some thinking and list making to figure out which community that is, but it will be worth it. Read your essay back over when you are done and ask yourself if you’ve answered what the prompt is asking. If you haven’t, that’s okay. Take some time to go back through and edit your answer where needed.

Questions to consider

• What communities have you been a part of the longest?
• What communities have you joined on your own and what communities have you joined because your parents, or others have pushed you into them?
• Which community pushes you the most either academically, emotionally, mentally, or physically, and how has that helped you grow as a person?

Key Takeaways

• Do your research about Vassar before you start writing your essay
• Give yourself plenty of time to read through each prompt and respond to them
• Remember to be open and transparent with the admissions committee so that they can really get to know who you are

Additional Resources

As you work on your college applications, there are a lot of decisions to make. That includes how many colleges to apply to , which safety, reach, and match schools to choose, and when to apply for college . You can also check out our insider’s guide of what happens inside an admissions office , how to decide whether to apply Early Decision and/or Early Action , schedule college visits , and finally, choose a college !

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Vassar Supplemental Essays 2022-2023

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, vassar supplement essay ideas.

Hi all! I'm applying to Vassar College and I need some ideas for my supplement essay. If you've gone through the process, what topics did you write about and what do you think worked well for you? Thanks!

Hey there! It's great that you're applying to Vassar College. The supplement essay is an opportunity to highlight aspects of your personality, interests, or experiences that might not come across in other parts of your application.

For detailed advice on tackling the Vassar supplemental essays, check out this CollegeVine essay breakdown: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-vassar-college-essays

Remember, Vassar wants to see what makes you unique and how you will contribute to their campus community. To create a strong essay, focus on a specific anecdote or moment from your life and discuss what it taught you or how it shaped your perspective.

Finally, make sure you take the time to research Vassar's programs, resources, or campus culture in order to demonstrate genuine interest and fit in your essay. Good luck!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the Vassar College Supplemental Essay 2019-2020

For the Class of 2023, Vassar’s acceptance rate was 23.4% . Of all accepted students, 75% ranked in the top 10% of their high school class, and the mean admitted GPA was around the A/A- range. It’s clear that you need a strong academic profile to be admitted to Vassar. 

However, we at CollegeVine are here to take one less stressor off your mind: the essay. Keep reading to learn how to tackle Vassar’s supplemental essay for the 2019-2020 application season! Want to know your chances at Vassar? Calculate your chances for free right now.

How to Write the Vassar College Essay

Why are you applying to vassar (350 words).

This is a standard “ Why school? ” prompt. The key to this type of essay is to avoid generic statements such as “the campus is beautiful,” or the “students have a tight knit community,” as those could apply to literally hundreds of schools around the country. Admission officers want to see that you are genuinely a strong fit for the school

Accordingly, in your essay, you want to refer to factors that are specific and unique to the school. We at CollegeVine have provided a brief list of unique characteristics of Vassar, but strongly suggest you personally research the school to come up with more personal and tailored reasons for wanting to attend it.

• Vassar has a multidisciplinary major in Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Program that allows students to examine science and technology in a social, cultural, and historical context.
• Columbia partners with Vassar for a BA/MPH 4+1 program , where students get a 4-year BA from Vassar, then a 1-year MPH from Columbia. There is also a BA/BE program with Dartmouth for students interested in engineering.
• Vassar has a synchronized skating team and quidditch club.
• There is a farm/ecological reserve located on campus with wooded trails, open meadows, and sports fields for bucolic exploration.
• For language fanatics, Vassar offers the Self-Instructional Language Program, which allows students to become proficient in languages such as Irish/Gaelic and Swahili.

Whatever you decide to reference, be sure to connect it to your goals and who you are. For example, maybe you’re a science and tech enthusiast, having participated in your school’s robotics club, but you also read sociology and history books for fun; that would be a compelling reason to major in Science, Technology, and Society at Vassar.  

Finally, be sure to mention 1-2 academic aspects of Vassar and 1-2 extracurrricular ones. Admissions committees want to not only make sure you’ll thrive inside the classroom, but also within the larger school community.

Optional: Your Space is your opportunity to allow the Committee on Admission to learn something about you that you have not addressed in another section of the application. Your Space is entirely optional. If you choose to include a Your Space submission, be sure it is labeled with your name, high school, and date of birth. Due to the volume of submissions, we will be unable to return your work. Please do not send anything that is irreplaceable.

More information: 

“Your Space” is an optional section of our application…so don’t stress over it! This is a chance for you to show the admission committee something else about yourself. There is no “right” answer on what you should submit. For example, in the past, applicants have sent poetry, cartoons, art projects, photography, collages, short stories, videos, short films, and CDs. It is your space, so if you choose to complete it, send something that is a reflection of you!

This submission is optional, but we highly recommend that you complete it, especially if you have a creative hobby. This is a place to share any meaningful aspects of your identity that you weren’t able to share in the rest of your application. It is also a chance for you to showcase anything you did mention first-hand. 

For example, maybe you discussed in an essay how writing poems helped you get through your mom’s passing, and you could share some of those poems here. Or, maybe you listed winning a short film award on your application, and you can share the film here. Perhaps you have a comic book collection that you didn’t get a chance to mention, so a photo and description of it might be fitting for this section. 

Whatever you choose, be sure that it’s meaningful to you and reveals more about you as a person. If you submit something more creative, such as a short story or photography samples, be sure that it’s high-quality. Sending in something that’s mediocre, or not very good, may hurt your application. 

This is similar advice we give to students considering submitting an arts supplement; there will be many students who share extraordinarily-developed skills, so samples at a lower level of expertise will only pale in comparison. We recommend getting a second opinion from a trusted mentor, just to be sure!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Supplemental Essays for Vassar and University of Rochester; Listener Q&A

Written by college coach guest author on september 4th, 2019.

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Does anyone know the Vassar supplement?

I read somewhere that it was only a questionnaire but what does that mean? For anyone who applied, what were the questions? Were there any essays at all?

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Why Vassar essay?

<p>How long did you guys write? They limit you to 750 characters if you use the box… but you can choose to upload too… so how much did you guys choose to write?</p>

<p>I wasn’t aware it was an essay. On their pdf application it just looks like a small question near the edge of the page. I wrote a really succinct paragraph which I doubt helped me in admission. You might want to check the Swarthmore pages. The kids on that board shared a lot of good ideas for their equivalent essay.</p>

<p>I wrote about a page, a little less…(did not apply online)… It does not need to be that long though.</p>

<p>750 characters, roughly about 130 words.</p>

<p>Hmm…apparently I wasn’t aware of the shortness thing. I wrote about 600 words, I think.</p>

<p>I was really annoyed about the way this was presented. I wrote a rough draft about 600 words, based on the pdf supplement form. Then, LATER I saw the commonapp supplement and the 750 character limit. I don’t know why that limit is there, because I don’t think they enforce it. Obviously many people won’t ever even know about it (paper applicants). But more to the point, my friend applied online, uploaded her 1000 word answer, and just got in ED. So, I guess there ISN’T a limit. Glad I know, because it would suck to get rejected in part because you thought you couldn’t go in depth…</p>

<p>My theory is that the college app process doesn’t get improved a lot because either you’re a senior applying and afraid to be critical (lest you get rejected) or you’re done with the process and don’t ever want to think about it again… ;)</p>

<p>what did you guys write about?</p>

<p>ya, mine is about 600 words.</p>

<p>i stuck with the 750 limit…I’m scared now lol.</p>

<p>I wrote a really straight to the point paragraph. I wasn’t even aware it even had to be an essay.</p>

<p>^^ i did the same</p>

<p>Me too. But I don’t think I could write a 600 words essay that said much more than I said. The thing is, I got right to the point.</p>

American University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action/Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

American University 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why

American University students identify as changemakers and describe themselves as passionate. Describe a belief, hobby, idea, issue, or topic about which you’re excited. (250 words)

Admissions wants to know about a belief, hobby, idea, issue, or topic about which you’re excited. This is incredibly open-ended, which means you can take it in almost any direction you’d like. Think about something you could talk about, participate in, or research for hours. Maybe you’re incredibly passionate about clean energy and the potential for our planet to be entirely powered by solar energy (and a degree in Environmental Studies will help you in your quest to turn that vision into a reality). Or, perhaps, you dream of representing the voiceless on a national stage and advocating for animal rights. Will American’s Justice and Law degree propel you toward enacting more humane laws for animal agriculture? Admissions wants to invite students to campus who will thrive among other changemakers, so don’t hesitate to touch on the future, how you envision your topic of choice evolving, the role you will play in that evolution, and of course, how American University will factor into this plan.

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Published August 01, 2024

Announcing the 2024-2025 Common Application for NYU

Billy Sichel

Assistant Vice President of Undergraduate Admissions

It’s August 1st and that means the application at NYU has officially opened. This year, we’ve made some pretty big changes to NYU’s Common Application to simplify the process for our applicants, and to help us learn a little more about you!

When you start NYU’s member questions on the Common App, you’ll see 6 sections that you’ll need to complete. We give you a little bit of a head start by checking off the “Writing” section. This section is optional – but also new and exciting! More on that later.

The General Information Section

In the “General” section, you’ll be asked a few questions about how you want us to handle your application – Early Decision I, Early Decision II, or Regular Decision? – and which campus you want to apply to. As you (hopefully!) already know, NYU has three degree-granting campuses: in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai. Our Common App will let you apply to any combination of our campuses.

Once you make your campus selections, an additional set of questions will show up that are specific to your campus(es) of interest. Nothing too tricky here! You’ll be able to tell us about your academic area of interest for each campus, and a few other quick-and-easy questions about program eligibility, housing preferences, etc. so that we’re ready for you if you are ultimately admitted.

The Academics Section

Once you have those sections squared away, you’ll move on to the Academics section. This section will walk you through the information we’ll need you to submit outside of the Common App itself. Nothing to do here, except confirm that you’re clear on the next steps and additional requirements.

The Optional Supplemental Question

Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for: The optional, pre-checked-off Writing section. Last year, we made the decision to update our supplemental question. However, what we heard from our applicants was that people really wanted to tell us more! But the thing is…we already know why NYU is a great place to spend your 4 years, so we thought: if you want to tell us more about your passion for NYU, let’s make the question about you .

The new writing question says:

“In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. Please consider one or more of the following questions  in your  essay :

What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder?

How have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life?

What specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures?

How do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond?”

So, if it feels right for you to tell us a little more about yourself in the application, we want to know where you will turn to for inspiration, and what experiences have shaped you and resonate with you. Four years at NYU will propel you into a future you might not even be able to imagine yet, but take a minute (if you want – it really is optional!) to tell us about the ideas that have gotten you to this point, and those that might shape you into the person you’re about to become.

These are just a few of the changes we have made this year, so make sure to carefully read each question carefully before you answer them. If you ever have any questions for us about our questions, we are always here to help . We wish you the best of luck this application season, and can’t wait to learn more about you!

More from Billy:

How to Approach the Common Application

There’s no wrong way to approach the Common Application, but here’s two different strategies you might want to choose from when you apply to NYU.

Submitting a Transfer Application to NYU

Everything you need and everything you need to know about the transfer process.

Why You Should Start Your Common Application Early

There are many benefits to getting an early start on your Common Application to NYU.