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supplements

How to Write the Columbia Supplement 2025-2026

Columbia University is a famed Ivy League university in the heart of New York City. Columbia has had a rocky few years as far as keeping calm on campus, but so have many big name universities in the United States with passionate and engaged student bodies. Columbia remains an outstanding educational institution that opens doors for students from around the world, launching them into top-tier careers, professional programs, and graduate-level study. There are about 9,000 undergraduates between Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, and the School of General Studies, an alternative undergraduate pathway for non-traditional students, like military veterans, and 35,000 students overall. Accepted students are between the arts and humanities, engineering, mathematics and natural sciences, and social sciences. They receive applications for first-year admission, and the acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was . 

How to Write the Dartmouth Supplement 2025-2026

Dartmouth is a prestigious liberal arts university that is also the most outdoorsy member of the Ivy League. Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth a tight-knit community of about 4,500 undergraduates and more than 40 academic departments and programs. Dartmouth has a strong emphasis on research, with 60% of undergraduates participating in research, and on leadership. 80% of students complete at least one internship. The acceptance rate was for the Class of 2029.

How to Write the Colgate Supplement 2025-2026

Colgate is a liberal arts university in Hamilton, NY that offers 57 majors, a 9:1 student to faculty ratio, “ideal environment for curious minds.” Hamilton is fairly rural, a small town an hour from Syracuse, but the community is global. Students represent 87 countries, and even more cultures. The acceptance rate is about .  

How to Write the Notre Dame Supplement 2025-2026

Notre Dame is a large private research university in Notre Dame, Indiana with to the Catholic church. Notre Dame is strong in academics, in research, in faith, in purpose, and in identity. One in three undergraduates take part in research, 87%+ do a study abroad experience, and they have been a top producer of Fulbright scholars for . The overall acceptance rate is only , and the Restrictive Early Action acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 13%.

How to Write the Rice Supplement 2025-2026

Based in Houston, Texas, Rice University has carved out an enviable niche as a prestigious mid-sized research university. The campus is 300 acres, yet urban, also known as the best of both worlds. Students flock to Rice for research opportunities, business, and a that sets it apart. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was %. This was a higher acceptance rate than in recent years, but only by a few fractions of a percentage point. The small increase is attributable to the fact that the Class of 2029 marked the end of a multi-year plan to increase the student body by 20%, and should not be expected to be an ongoing trend. 

How to Write the Emory Supplement 2025-2026

Emory is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia and Oxford, Georgia. The school is particularly well-known for their work in the , and aspiring future doctors seek out Emory for an undergraduate degree that will catalyze their medical school ambitions. But Emory isn’t limited to those who want to work in health someday. They offer top-tier academic paths across dozens of majors. And those two locations we mentioned, Atlanta and Oxford, that is because they have two campuses. The Atlanta campus is a research setting, and ideal for those who want to be in the midst of everything from day one. The Oxford campus, which is only for first and second years (), offers a small college experience immersed in the liberal arts and focused on building leadership and community. There are about undergraduate students, and the acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was . 

How to Write the WashU Supplement 2025-2026

The University of Washington in St. Louis is a prestigious mid-sized research university in St. Louis, Missouri. They are particularly well-known for undergraduate research opportunities, and students who seek out WashU are driven, creative, and hungry for opportunities to stretch themselves through collaboration and teamwork. They have a strong tradition of study abroad, with students taking part, and an even stronger tradition of service to the St. Louis community. The acceptance rate is about , but the Early Decision acceptance rate is closer to 25%. This underlines the importance of applying to first-choice schools early — and picking an ED school strategically.

How to Write the Swarthmore Supplement 2025-2026

Swarthmore is a highly-respected small liberal arts college Quaker values of scholarship, community, connection, and exploration. The college preserves a low student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1, prioritizes small class sizes, and a large percentage of Swarthmore graduates go on to pursue a doctoral degree. Campus is only 11 miles from Philadelphia, and is globally recognized as . The acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was only overall. Importantly, though, the Early Decision acceptance rate was 18%, emphasizing the importance of applying early if Swarthmore is your top choice.

How to Write the Davidson Supplement 2025-2026

Davidson is a southern school in North Carolina with classic liberal arts vibes more often seen in the northeast or on the west coast. So, if you want a mild climate for much of the year and a community-focused and highly academic elite liberal arts experience, Davidson may be a perfect fit. Loads of other students agree, and admissions has become extremely competitive. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was only .

How to Write the Amherst Supplement 2025-2026

Amherst is an liberal arts school in Amherst, Massachusetts that raises the bar for what a small liberal arts school can offer to students intent on making a global impact. Students come from 70 countries, and Amherst has a completely open curriculum. You pick what you take to pursue your passions. How you spend your time outside of your major requirements is your decision. Some students flinch in response to this level of choice, but Amherst students thrive in it. They take control of their educational experience, and the results speak for themselves. The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was about .  

How to Write the University of Miami Supplement 2025-2026

The University of Miami is a leading private research university (not, note, a public university) with over 12,000 degree-seeking undergraduates in Miami, Florida. They students into 9 undergraduate schools and colleges, maintaining a small student to faculty ratio of only 11:1. Despite having such a large undergraduate student body, half of all undergraduate classes have students. The acceptance rate is about

How to Write the University of Wisconsin-Madison Supplement 2025-2026

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a highly-respected large public research university in Madison, Wisconsin. Students love Madison for mixing strong academics with broad opportunities and an iconic culture. Greek life and athletics are big at Wisconsin, and help to define the social experience whether or not you want to join a Greek organization or cheer on the Badgers in basketball. There are nearly 37,000 undergraduate students, and they receive over 65,000 applications for first-year admission annually. The overall acceptance rate, including in-state and out-of-state applicants, is 45%. Remember though, if you are applying from outside of Wisconsin your chances of admission are undoubtedly far lower than that 45%. Way back in 2018, the university that they aimed to admit 2/3rd of Wisconsin applicants. Using some back-of-the-envelope math, that means that about 25% of out-of-state applicants were accepted to reach a 45% overall acceptance rate. 

How to Write the Williams College Supplement 2025-2026

Williams is an iconic liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. 91̽ to about 2,000 undergraduate students, the college is with students pursuing majors in biology, psychology, history, mathematics, political science, computer science, English, art, and most of all economics. This highlights the intellectual diversity of the Williams community, with students pursuing the hard sciences and the humanities hand-in-hand. At the core of this is the Williams liberal arts foundation. This has made Williams a coveted school for top-performing students, driving down the acceptance rate to only .

How to Write the Northwestern Supplement 2025-2026

Northwestern is a top research university in Evanston, Illinois that has become iconic for combining a collaborative learning environment with innovative hands-on research opportunities. They a top engineering program, a top business school, a top education program (as in teaching future teachers), a top speech-language pathology program. If that sounds diverse, it is. Northwestern doesn’t pigeonhole themselves, and they excel across the board. It’s not surprising, then, that it isn’t easy to get in. There are about undergraduate students, and the acceptance rate is under .

How to Write the Johns Hopkins Supplement 2023-2024

Johns Hopkins University is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. It’s actually the first research university in America. As you might guess, research is a pretty big deal there. They are especially known for their Biomedical engineering and public health majors. The school is also popular with Pre-meds. In the past, their acceptance rate has been around 8%; however, they did not release their acceptance rate for the

Common Supplement Essay Question Guide and Examples 2024-2025

Ah, supplemental essays. Some schools have none, some schools have one or two, and some schools have, like, seven. But, in the chaos of supplemental essays, a few standard questions rise above the rest. As you may have noticed as you work through the schools on your list, a lot of schools are asking the same questions. Maybe they have a little twist to them, or are more narrow than others, or ask you to connect to something unique, but the fundamental questions they’re asking are the same. In this post, we’re going to break down how to answer four of the most common supplemental questions we see every year.

College Essay Question about Community: Guide and Examples 2024-2025

Ah, the classic community essay! The ol’ standby! This essay is probably the most common prompt behind the “Why” essay that so many schools ask. You can spot a community essay from a mile away – it almost always has the word community in it, but it also might ask about your background, lived experiences, or something a little more broad. You can really spot a community essay if it asks you to connect back to the community at that school.

How To Answer the Diversity College Essay Question 2024-2025

This year, we’ve seen a big increase in the number of Diversity questions – ones that ask about your background, identity, culture, etc. Last year, we predicted you’d see an increase in these types of prompts in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, because colleges are, above all, reactionary. The decision left a big loophole, which allows colleges to consider race if it’s mentioned in an essay, and many colleges decided to help you take advantage of that loophole by adding this prompt.

The Disagreement College Essay Question Guide and Examples 2024-2025

If you’re here, you probably are trying to figure out how to ask this year’s hottest new addition to college supplements: the disagreement questions. And guess what? You’re not alone. This question is present in a ton of supplements this year, and it trips up even the most prepared applicants. Good thing we’re here, because we can help.