4 Simple Ways to Write Many Excellent Supplements from 1 Theme
4 Simple Ways to Write Many Excellent Supplements from 1 Theme
If you’ve planned out your application writing process correctly, then you’ve made a list of every essay you’ll have to write before you began to draft them. And you’ve probably noticed that there is some overlap between what several of your colleges are asking you.Certain essay themes are common, with “Why are you applying to this school?” and “Tell us about your extracurricular interests” among the most frequent.Thinking about your essays by theme first and then by school will help you to not only save a lot of time, but also to figure out which parts of your story are recyclable across multiple applications. To be clear, you want to tailor each response to the college you’re applying, but if three schools ask you to elaborate on your favorite extracurricular activity, much of your answer will be the same for each one.Here are a few tips that will help you as you’re adapting an answer to fit multiple prompts.
1. Begin with the Longest Answer
Once you’ve identified all the prompts that ask the same question, consider beginning with the longest one. Crafting a full, layered response to this question will help establish the compelling stories you will weave through each of your choices.This will also help you practice the discipline of choosing your words carefully. Having to trim a response without sacrificing meaning is more difficult to do well than adding new information to a shorter response. Create a meaningful pool of content and use it to inform every response of shorter length thereafter.
2. Focus on Your Specific Accomplishments
Don’t fall into a trap of describing the what so much that you forget the why. Focus on how your accomplishments demonstrate your commitment to the topic at hand and the growth you’ve experienced as a result.If you’re struggling to add words to your supplement, dive deeper into the topic. Ask yourself to elaborate on your motivations, ideas, and causes that brought you to the specific moment you’re addressing. This reflection on the root causes of your actions will translate to every supplement that asks the same question.Your essay will be well-received if it provides a thorough, honest account of why you’re passionate about a certain program or opportunity.
3. Account for any Differences in How the Questions are Worded
Pay close attention to the wording of the actual prompt. It may contain clues for how you should alter your approach from one similar sounding supplement to the next.Are you being asked to reflect on your experience in light of a specific quote or facet of the school’s mission statement? Does it inquire about specific examples or contain a number of secondary points for you to address?Understanding these differences will guide you in identifying the areas of your essay that need expansion or contraction. For example, the University of Michigan asks students to reflect on an extracurricular activity they would continue in college, whereas Vanderbilt University simply asks students to reflect on one of their activities.This subtle difference can help shape your response. There is an added opportunity in Michigan’s question to connect your passion to potential opportunities on campus. You may want to allocate that space for Vanderbilt, however, in elaborating on your role within your activity.
4. Be Comfortable Not Saying Everything You Want to Say
One of the hardest things to do as a writer is to create something that sounds good and then have to cut it from the final draft. But when you’re on a strict word count, it’s important to be comfortable with sacrificing certain smooth phrases or secondary points to your story.As much as you want the admissions officer to know every detail, choose your words carefully. Ask yourself what the point is that you’re trying to make. Then evaluate how well each line or each phrase brings you closer to or farther from that point.Writing is rewriting. Sometimes editing can be painful. But remember, when a college gives you a mere few hundred words or characters to express yourself, they don’t expect you to be able to tell your complete life story. They’re looking for your ability to engage within a strict limit.And the good news is that even with that mere few hundred words or characters, you can write a compelling, unique essay that puts your best face forward and inspires admissions officers to want to advocate for you.
What’s Your Application Strategy?
The more thoughtfully you approach the college process, the more success you will have in it.The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.Ready to get started? Schedule a complimentary 20-minute conversation today!Want to stay informed? Subscribe to our newsletter.See what others are saying about us