2023-2024 Supplemental Essay Questions

In our June 29, 2023 post, “The End of Affirmative Action and the Future of College Admissions,” we discussed the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the legality of race-conscious admissions and its likely effect on the upcoming admissions cycle. Already, we are seeing how colleges are reacting by using school-specific supplements to give students the opportunity to share specific details of their personal background, including their racial background.

Check out this new Sarah Lawrence College prompt as an example:

In a 2023 majority decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, "Nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected the applicant’s life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university." Drawing upon examples from your life, a quality of your character, and/or a unique ability you possess, describe how you believe your goals for a college education might be impacted, influenced, or affected by the Court's decision.

The University of Richmond has likewise added a prompt that provides a space for students to comment on their diverse experiences and backgrounds:

Richmond welcomes students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. What is at least one way you will contribute to our community that is not already mentioned in your application?

HOW WE CAN HELP

Our sold-out Application Boot Camp® helps students finalize their application packages by early August. Reach out now to join the waitlist! For students who can’t make our ABC dates and need one-on-one guidance building their college list, deepening their academic niche and crafting their application and essays, book a Personal Boot Camp and work with a TTA Senior Counselor over an intensive, personalized three-day period. No other program brings the expertise of Application Boot Camp® directly to your doorstep.

Students who don’t require the immersive guidance of our Boot Camp programs benefit from working one-on-one with one of our Senior Counselors to craft unique, stand-out essays with our Essay Guidance Program. Or consider our Essay Guidance and Common App 911 bundle for a complete application package!

THE VARIOUS APPLICATION PLATFORMS

• Common App
• Coalition App 
• Universal College App 
• UC App (University of California system)
• UCAS (UK schools)

Note: Some schools, like Georgetown University and MIT, use their own application. Students interested in Georgetown must first complete and submit the Georgetown Application (a short form), which initiates the alumni interview and grants you access to the official application platform. The University of California likewise uses their own application for all nine campuses.

2023-2024 SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY QUESTIONS

We are compiling the 2023-2024 supplemental essay questions for you on our College Application Essay Prompts page and we’ll continue to update all supplements as they are released. In the comments, feel free to note any schools you’d like to see included. This year, more than ever, the content and quality of your college essays MATTER.