Supplemental essays for college applications come in many shapes and sizes. Strangely, the essays that can befuddle students the most are the short essays, the ones that limit students to 50 words or less. When approached with such questions on an application, some students get indignant: How can colleges possibly get to know me in less than 50 words? How am I supposed to convince them of anything in less than 50 words? First, it is important to recognize that these micro-essays are just a small part of the entire application, so there is no expectation that you will be able to explain all of who you are in less than 50 words. They are called “supplemental” essays for that very reason. Your application does not solely depend on your answers to these questions. But that still leaves the question: why do some of the most selective colleges in the country—like Yale and Stanford—ask these questions in the first place? By responding to these essays in a thoughtful, creative, and strategic manner, you can reveal a little bit more about yourself. Our Director of College Counseling, Brenda Ward, says a good way to check if you’ve answered these questions in a compelling way is look at your responses and ask yourself this: Would you want to have coffee with this student? From the answers provided, do you know what you would want to talk about with this student? Below are five tips that will help you approach these questions and craft responses that will help you stand out in these short essays.
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