northwestern supplemental essays pa school

How to Write Standout PA School Supplemental Essays

Related Articles

If you’re applying to PA programs , you likely already have a handle on the requirements for your CASPA application. But what about any supplemental applications? It can often be difficult to navigate each program’s individual requirements for supplemental applications, including different essay prompts and additional fees for each. If you’re wondering how to make your PA school supplemental essays stand out from other applicants, here’s everything you need to know to get started.

Many years ago, when I was a pre-PA applicant, I impulsively added a school to my CASPA application at the last minute without thoroughly researching the school’s requirements. Surprisingly, I received an email a few days later informing me that my application would not be considered complete until I finished the supplemental application and paid an additional fee. I distinctly remember clicking the link in the email and feeling overwhelmed as a new browser window opened and three additional essay questions popped up. Rather than completing the essays, I promptly closed out of the browser window and didn’t look back. 

Now, I think back on this moment and wonder: What if this school had been the perfect fit for me? What if it was one that I hadn’t impulsively added to my application, but rather one that I had meticulously researched and had my sights set on for years? I would hope that after years of completing prerequisite coursework , obtaining patient care experiences, and polishing my personal statement, a supplemental essay wouldn’t be the obstacle standing in the way of a school that I desperately wanted to attend.

What are supplemental essays and how are they different from your personal statement?

As a reader of many applications over the past few years, it’s clear that supplemental essays aren’t simply there to add additional steps to the application process. Supplemental essays allow a program to ask questions that are more targeted to their specific program (e.g., “Why did you apply to our program?”). It helps the application reviewer further delineate whether you’re a good fit for their cohort, and it also gives you another opportunity to demonstrate who you are.

The prompt for your CASPA personal statement is “Please explain why you are interested in being a PA.” This question is general and nonspecific, as your response is included in your application to every program where you apply. In contrast to your personal statement, supplemental applications are not a required component of every program. Additionally, some programs may have a supplemental application, but no supplemental essay. Some programs may include one supplemental essay, while others may have multiple essay prompts. 

What are the general requirements for PA school supplemental essays?

Supplemental essays are typically shorter than your personal statement, though this can vary. While CASPA personal statements have a character limit of 5,000 characters (including spaces and punctuation), supplemental essays are often shorter than personal statements, varying from 250–2,000 words based on the program and prompt. Some supplemental applications may have short answer questions requiring a response in 50–100 characters rather than a full essay. 

Additionally, supplemental applications often have an additional fee. You should thoroughly research schools of interest so they can appropriately budget for this added expense. 

The delivery of supplemental applications and essays may also vary by program. Some may need to be submitted at the same time as CASPA. Some programs may automatically send the supplemental application to students via e-mail as soon as their CASPA application is received, while others may only send it out if an interview invitation is offered. You should work quickly to complete the supplemental essays and pay attention to deadlines, as these may differ from the program’s posted application deadline or may differ from applicant to applicant based on when their application was received and verified.

If you’re required to upload a document with your responses, standardize your formatting (12-point, monospaced sans-serif font, such as Arial). Also, pay attention to specific uploading instructions regarding document type (.doc vs. .pdf) and naming the document.

What are some common questions that PA programs ask as supplemental prompts?

While supplemental essay prompts vary from program to program, there are some common themes that pre-PA students should expect:

How do I start brainstorming ideas for these prompts?

Begin early—ideally before you submit your CASPA application. It may be helpful to create a “brainstorm notebook” with pages dedicated to potential supplemental essay themes. Keep your notebook with you at all times and jot down ideas as they come to you. This process was helpful to me during personal statement writing as I often find inspiration on my walks home from work. 

Ask yourself the following questions as you brainstorm:

• What are my future goals?
• What am I looking for in a PA program?
• How have I been shaped by my experiences?
• Which aspects of myself will set me apart from other applicants?

What are some tips for writing my PA school supplemental essays?

1. plan ahead.

Identify which schools have supplemental essays before you submit your application. Keep track of deadlines for supplemental essays and plan ahead. Then, budget your time to complete your supplemental essays as soon as you receive your essay questions.

2. Get familiar with the program

Familiarize yourself with the programs to which you applied and their missions. Peruse the website, attend info sessions, and participate in pre-PA events. You want to have a good grasp and understanding of what the school is looking for in a student and make sure this matches what you’re looking for in a school.

3. Make it different than your personal statement

Don’t copy and paste your personal statement! You should be covering different material than you do in your CASPA personal statement. Remember, this is your opportunity to supplement your application, not repeat it using different words.

4. Be specific

Highlight your answers with experiences and clear examples. Your answers should demonstrate your research and understanding of the program along with your ability to tie them to your own experience, interest, values, and goals. Also, be sure to avoid generic statements or vague language.

5. Tell the truth

Don’t write based on what you think the program wants to hear, especially if it conflicts with your true interests and values. Honesty is the best policy!

6. Proofread

You don’t need to pay for proofreading services—have a friend or family member read your essays and provide feedback. Consider recording yourself reading your essays and then playing it back. You may discover “sticky” areas, redundancy, or sections that are in need of smoothing over. 

7. Tailor to each specific program

Don’t reuse a supplemental essay without first revising it to align with that specific program’s essay prompt. Even though supplemental essay questions may be similar across programs, prompts will still have enough variation in their wording that it is obvious if a response was reused. I’ve personally seen students submit an essay to one program with another school’s name in it!

8. Clearly answer the prompt 

If the question is asking about the program’s mission, don’t ignore the prompt and use the open space as an opportunity to explain a failure on your transcript or another unrelated experience. Supplemental essays are often scored based on a specific rubric, so if you don’t answer the question a reviewer may be unable to score you.

9. Avoid buzzwords

Make sure that in an attempt to tailor to a specific program, you aren’t simply regurgitating language from the program’s website. There is a time and place for buzzwords, but using too many of them will distract from your essay and make it feel less personal.

10. Demonstrate who you are

Remember, your supplemental essays are an opportunity for an application reviewer to get to know the real you! It’s always frustrating when I’ve read through an entire applicant’s package and I still feel like I don’t know anything about them. Above all, the best way to stand out in your essays is to expand upon what makes you unique, the same way that you would in an interview. You got this!

More than 85% of PA programs in the U.S. use Rosh Review Qbanks to help their students prepare for their board review and beyond. Get a headstart as a pre-PA student with a free trial !

By Jennifer Comini, PA-C

Jenn Comini, PA-C, is a physician assistant educator in Los Angeles. After receiving a bachelor’s in behavioral neuroscience from Northeastern University, Jenn completed her MS in Physician Assistant Studies at the Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital PA Program. She has worked clinically in urgent care and neurology, with a special interest in headache disorders, neuroimmunology, and mental health. She now works as an Assistant Professor at a PA program. Jenn has been a question author for Rosh Review since 2017. When not lecturing or writing questions, Jenn is often spending time with her rescue dogs and doing yoga.

Get Free Access and Join Thousands of Happy Learners

Comments (0)

Educating the next generation of PAs

The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program is an accredited, graduate-level program awarding a Master of Medical Science degree. The Program features an innovative 24 month curriculum. Our mission is to prepare PAs to provide compassionate, high-quality, patient-centered care as members of interprofessional teams. The graduates will be culturally sensitive, committed to continuous learning and professional development, and make significant contributions to communities and the advancement of the PA profession.

How to Apply

Meet Our Students

View impressions, advice and perspectives shared by current students and alumni.

NUPA was my first choice for so many reasons. The PBL curriculum truly stood out, and as someone who enjoys discussing through topics with others, I was sure it was how I wanted to learn during didactic year. Being at an academic medical center in the heart of a city was also important to me. I appreciate that we get the opportunity to learn and practice alongside the very population I hope to serve, as well as be taught by professionals you could have the chance to work alongside in the future."

Priya Khosa (she/her) First-Year Student, Class of 2025

PBL makes you think like a practicing clinician and also teaches you how to provide quality care to patients and develop a unique plan based on their needs, past, and social history. It is amazing to be able to go from a chief complaint to asking relevant questions in order to make a plan to examine the patient appropriately and finally using this information to order the proper labs and imaging tests needed."

Lisa Namatame (she/her) First-Year Student, Class of 2025

I was drawn to the Northwestern PA program for several reasons, a major one being its emphasis on training PAs who will provide high quality patient-centered care to diverse patient populations, which aligns with my goals as a future clinician. I wanted to attend a program where I would be challenged to understand not only the physiological aspects of medicine, but also the social determinants of health, and how they impact the lives of each patient both inside and outside of the clinic."

Jason Duncan (he/him) First-Year Student, Class of 2025

By the end of each Problem-Based Learning (PBL) week, I am extremely surprised at how much I have learned and how tangible the information is to grasp. I am able to apply the clinical knowledge instead of just reading about it."

Dalal El-Barbarawi (she/her) Second-Year Student, Class of 2024

I love that the program has Medical Spanish in their curriculum. As a Spanish-speaking Hispanic, I feel it is important to increase the number of Spanish-speaking providers in order to bridge the language barrier gap in my community. Northwestern shares that same value."

Haydee Ramirez (she/her) Second-Year Student, Class of 2024

I love seeing our mission statement followed through in actions like the Education Centered Medical Home (ECMH) and the Behavioral and Preventive Medicine course. I feel that Northwestern is devoted to creating healthcare providers who can unlearn their own biases and do more in the communities they practice in, and I wanted to be part of it!"

Amaya Farrell (she/they) Second-Year Student, Class of 2024

A Day in the Life of Lizzie Van Doorn

Follow Class of 2022 alumna Lizzie Van Doorn, MMS, PA-C, throughout her day as a cardiac surgery PA at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, where she assists her team during complex surgeries and provides excellent care to her patients.

Watch Lizzie Van Doorn's video

PA Program Goals

We're working hard to be the national leader in PA education and to prepare physician assistants of the highest quality. Take a look at our program's main goals and what we're doing to achieve them.

PANCE Results

See the latest report on the PANCE pass rates for first-time test takers in our graduating classes. Our average first-time test-taker pass rate over the most recent 5 year period is 98%.

Accreditation

The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program was reaccredited in March 2023.

Follow PA Program on Instagram

• Application Materials

Required, Supplemental, and Optional Application Elements

Completing Your Northwestern Application

A quick checklist of application components can be found on our main  Apply page . Below, you can find help related to application components, such as your letters of recommendation or personal statements, and answers to common questions.

Standardized Test Scores

Northwestern will remain test-optional for the 2024–25 admissions cycle. We will not require ACT or SAT scores from first-year or transfer candidates applying for fall 2025 entry.

If students choose to take an SAT or ACT, there is no preference for either exam—and will review a “superscore” for both tests. For students who take the SAT or ACT more than once, this means that our system will combine the highest section scores across multiple test dates and calculate a “superscore” that will override the high score from a single sitting in our database. Applicants are not obligated to report scores from all test dates, though are welcome to do so.

• For students who take the ACT section tests, we will factor any individual section scores into your ACT superscore. You may utilize ACT’s new superscore reporting option to report an official superscore.
• Students may self-report all SAT and ACT scores, but   please do not calculate your own ACT superscore —report your highest ACT section scores and your highest composite score from a single test date, and our system will calculate the ACT superscore. Admitted students who choose to enroll will be required to submit official SAT or ACT test scores that confirm highest self-reported section/composite scores prior to matriculation.

Letters of Recommendation

TIP: Letters of recommendation should be from individuals who can best speak to the range of your strengths and abilities.

We require two letters of recommendation.

One letter should come from your high school counselor. This could be your college counselor, guidance counselor, academic advisor, career center specialist or whoever can to best speak to your overall high school curriculum and involvement within the context of your high school. The second letter should come from one of your teachers who can address your strengths as a student in the classroom; this recommender should most likely be a teacher from one of your core subject areas, in your junior or senior year.

If you have an additional reference who would like to submit a letter on your behalf, we will accept supplemental letters of recommendation. It is in your best interest that each letter provides new or different information about you.

Personal Statement and Supplemental Essay(s)

Northwestern 2023–24 first-year writing supplements.

We have designed these writing supplements to help us understand your experiences throughout high school and imagine what kind of Northwestern student you may become. The supplemental questions below touch on areas we see as important for building Northwestern’s Class of 2028, but you should feel free to repurpose essays you’ve written for other applications (including the Common/Coalition Application personal essay, which we no longer require) if they tell the story you’d most like to share.   

We also know there may be information or qualities not covered in our supplemental questions that  you  see as important to your application. To that end, we welcome—but by no means expect—your submission of a personal essay or additional information in the Common Application.

The following question is required for all Common Application and Coalition with Scoir applicants (optional for QuestBridge applicants). Please respond in 300 words or fewer:

• We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

• Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?
• Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?
• Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.
• Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?
• Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

Northwestern 2023–24 Transfer Writing Supplements

We have designed our writing supplements to help us understand your experiences in school and imagine what kind of Northwestern student you may become. Our supplemental questions touch on areas we see as important for shaping our incoming transfer cohort, but you should feel free to repurpose essays you’ve written for other applications (including the personal essay, which we no longer require) if they tell the story you’d most like to share. 

We also know there may be information or qualities not covered in our supplemental questions that you see as important to your application. To that end, we welcome—but by no means expect—your submission of a personal essay or additional information, which you can upload via your Northwestern portal. 

The following questions are required for all applicants. Please respond in 300 words or fewer:

•  We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?
• Please share with us why you would like to transfer to Northwestern.

Activity Chart

TIP: The activity chart is your opportunity to be thorough about the depth and range of your involvement, whatever it may be.

The activity chart is your chance to explain any and all activities in which you’ve been involved outside of your high school classes. Provide as much detail as you can, explaining any abbreviations or acronyms that may be unique to your school. If you have held any leadership positions or received any awards, honors or distinctions, be sure to include that information on the activities chart as well. There’s no “right answer” to what kind of activities we like to see: Northwestern has over 500 different clubs and activities on campus, so we appreciate a very wide range of activities and value diversity of student interests.

Alumni Interviews

Alumni Interviews are an optional component of the application process, available on a limited basis. Alumni feedback is included in your file, but not participating in an interview has no negative effect on your chance of admission. Alumni interviews allow applicants to ask questions, and are primarily informational.

Interviews offer the admissions committee additional context about your potential fit for Northwestern beyond what we read in your application, and allows you to learn more about the university in the process. That said, an interview is not a required part of your Northwestern application. Please read the paragraphs below carefully to understand our interview process./p>

Who conducts interviews?

Regional alumni volunteers on our Alumni Admission Council (AAC) conduct all interviews off campus, which means our ability to offer interviews depends entirely on alumni geography, availability, and capacity. All AAC interviewers complete a comprehensive training program and sign a Volunteer Code of Conduct prior to meeting with students.

Interview format

For the 2023–24 academic year, Northwestern has adopted a hybrid interview policy. Interviews will be conducted virtually by default, but students will have the option to indicate on their request form whether they are comfortable meeting in-person. Depending on their interviewer’s comfort/availability, some interviews may then be conducted in-person.  Please note that Northwestern assigns no higher value to either virtual or in-person interviews; equal consideration will be given to reports from both interview formats.  

How can I schedule an interview?

The Admissions Office will contact all Early and Regular Decision applicants who attend high school in regions with active alumni interviewers—look for an email with instructions for making a scheduling request. Our alumni interview coordinators accommodate scheduling requests on a space-available basis.

Please add   [email protected]   to your contacts, so that our messages do not get caught in a spam folder.

If I choose to interview, what should I expect?

Interview requests are accommodated on a space-available basis. Alumni interview coordinators will match students requesting an interview with an alumni volunteer if space permits.

Your alumni interviewer will contact you via email or phone to coordinate an interview at a mutually agreeable time. If you have concerns about technology access or internet connectivity, you may share that with your interviewer. You may also contact   [email protected]   if you need assistance with interview coordination.

You can expect a conversational setting where you can relax, be yourself, and ask questions in addition to answering them. You do not need to send a resume or other documents to your interviewer or prepare any other materials prior to the conversation.

If you can’t interview, no problem—we promise.

While we have a vibrant alumni volunteer team across the United States and abroad,   it is not possible for us to offer interviews to all applicants .   W e encourage you to   request an interview once you receive an invitation , but it is very important to understand the following:

• We extend interview invitations based solely on alumni geography, availability, and capacity— not based on the strength of an application.  
• Your application will be at  no disadvantage  if you are unable to interview.  

If geography or capacity prevent you from interviewing, rest assured that will not be held against you as we review your application. Your involvement, writing samples, and letters of recommendation lend a great deal of insight into who you are and what makes you tick. Plenty of students have gained admission in years past without an interview.

And if you were hoping to learn more about Northwestern by way of an interview, there are other great ways to explore our campus and community: take our virtual tour, head over to our   YouTube channel ,  connect with our student teams , or send questions to   [email protected] .

International Interviews via InitialView

For international students who do not have the opportunity to interview with our alumni volunteers, Northwestern will accept interviews from  InitialView . Similar to alumni interviews, InitialView interviews are not required and a student is not a disadvantage without one. InitialView does not review or rate the interviews. Evaluation is done  only  by members of the admissions committee and provides an additional source of information and perspective about your English language proficiency, personality, academic interests and potential fit for Northwestern.

All InitialView interviews for the 2023-24 cycle must be completed by  November 1  for Early Decision or January 3 for Regular Decision.

Questions concerning international interviews may be directed to  [email protected] . 

Selecting Early or Regular Decision

TIP: If Northwestern is a school that, if admitted, you would attend without hesitation, applying Early Decision best positions you within a competitive applicant pool. If you’re applying for financial aid, we use the same need-based process for financial aid awards for early decision and regular decision; your aid package will be the same regardless of when you apply.

If Northwestern is a top choice, and you feel comfortable applying through the Early Decision process, you are strongly encouraged to consider applying Early Decision. We use the same review criteria for both early and regular decision. Applicants in both cycles are very competitive. Last year we enrolled approximately 50% of our incoming freshman class from early decision. To learn more, please visit our   Application Options   page.

Northwestern allocates financial aid on the basis of demonstrated financial need. Should you receive an offer of admission, your financial aid (including scholarships) will not differ whether you apply under the early decision or regular decision time frame. Please use our  Net Price Calculator  to determine your expected family contribution. Northwestern guarantees to meet 100% of the demonstrated need between your expected family contribution and the total cost of attendance.

Applications That May Require Additional Materials

Some applications may require materials in addition to an application for undergraduate admission. Below, you will find a list of requirements for Bienen School of Music, Integrated Science Program (ISP), Mathematical Methods in Social Sciences (MMSS) and School of Communication's Musical Theater Program. For questions pertaining to the content of submission of supplemental application material, please contact the corresponding office directly. 

Bienen School of Music

In addition to an application for undergraduate admission,  all   undergraduate applicants to the Bienen School of Music must submit a   Bienen School Supplement.   Submitting the Supplement ensures that the Bienen School of Music is aware that you are applying for a music major, and provides a portal to submit music application materials. Bienen School applicants also register for auditions via the Supplement.

Supplement materials:

• Music   prescreening and/or portfolio materials
• Music teacher recommendation letter (required, submit via  Bienen School Supplement )

See instructions and deadlines for submitting the supplement.   Please note that many supplement deadlines fall prior to those of the general application for admission. 

Integrated Science Program (ISP)

Students who wish to apply to the Integrated Science Program must also complete an ISP application using the  online application .

The application processes to Northwestern and to ISP are separate. Admission to Northwestern is not a guarantee of admission to the ISP and the status of your ISP application will not affect your Northwestern general acceptance decision. 

• For an updated list of required materials, please see the   ISP website .

ISP application considerations:

• Your high school preparation should include four years of mathematics, including one year of calculus, and four years of science, including chemistry and physics. Taking AP Physics and Chemistry is highly recommended.
• You should complete the study of one-variable differential and integral calculus before enrolling in ISP. If you will not complete this study in high school, we will ask you to outline how you plan to fulfill this requirement. 

See instructions and deadlines for submitting the supplement. 

Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences (MMSS)

Students who wish to apply to the Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences program must also complete an MMSS application using the  online application . 

The application processes to Northwestern and to MMSS are separate. Admission to Northwestern is not a guarantee of admission to the MMSS and the status of your MMSS application will not affect your Northwestern general acceptance decision. 

MMSS application considerations:

• A strong high school curriculum, including a year of calculus, is required for admission. 

School of Communication Applicants to the Music Theatre Certificate Program

Students applying to the Northwestern University School of Communication Theatre Major who are interested in pursuing admittance to the Northwestern University Music Theatre Certificate Program are encouraged to submit an   optional   Music Theatre Supplement.

Students who are interested in Music Theatre and are applying to the Bienen School of Music   do   not   need to submit this Music Theatre Supplement. Bienen School of Music Voice Majors   must   audition for the program after their first quarter of study. 

Supplement materials include:

• How do you see yourself contributing to the future of music theatre as a field?
• How can a liberal arts education in music theatre at Northwestern bring you closer to your specific goals?
• Please prepare two contrasting musical selections that you love to sing. 
• Video of a monologue, dance, instrumental skills, etc.

Visit the School of Communication for Music Theatre Supplement instructions and deadlines, including a complete list of requirements.

Special Circumstances

TIP: Use the “Additional Information” section of the Common Application to share any information that may have significantly impacted your academic performance or other involvement.

If you have experienced any special or outstanding circumstances that may have interrupted or significantly affected your academic performance in high school, you may write about those in the “additional information” section of the Common Application. If your high school counselor is aware of these circumstances, he or she may also use the Counselor Recommendation to explain this information. Should you have additional circumstances that need to be addressed, you can email a brief summary to  [email protected] .

Confidentiality and Mandated Reporting

While we treat the information in your application with utmost confidentiality, we feel it’s important to share with our applicants that all Northwestern employees, including our Undergraduate Admissions staff, are Mandated Reporters, which means we are responsible for reporting to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance all allegations of sexual misconduct (including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and sexual harassment), discrimination based on a protected category, and harassment based on a protected category of which we become aware in the scope of our work for the University. We are also responsible for reporting suspected cases of child abuse and/or neglect . Should we come across any such allegations or evidence of child abuse and/or neglect in application materials, we are required to report that information to the appropriate office/entity.

Once You’ve Hit “Submit”

TIP: Once you’ve submitted your application, keep an eye on your email account associated with your Common Application or Coalition Application – that’s where we’ll send any important updates regarding your application status.

Congratulations! You’ve completed your application. Sit back and relax. Keep your eye on the email address associated with your Common Application or Coalition Application. If we are missing any of your application materials, you will receive an email from  [email protected] . Otherwise, you’ll hear from us with an admission decision by mid-December for Early Decision applicants, by the end of March for Regular Decision applicants, or by the end of June for transfer applicants.

Need to submit an update or want to check on the status of your application? Once your application has been submitted, we will email a personalized link with instructions on how to access the Applicant Status Portal, which can be used to monitor the progress of your application.

Add Project Key Words

Unpacking the Northwestern University Supplemental Essay 2023-2024

September 15, 2023

Renowned for its highly specialized colleges, Northwestern University attracts students from all over the world who wish to study a multitude of disciplines from communications to engineering. Whether you’re applying to the Medill School of Journalism or the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, putting your best foot forward in the supplemental essays is key to getting that acceptance letter. To guide you through the process, I’ve outlined the prompt, the dos and don’ts for answering it, and more tips to help you tackle the Northwestern supplemental essay 2023-2024 .

Northwestern Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

When you apply to Northwestern through the Common Application, you have to select one of the six undergraduate colleges within the university as your primary institution: 

• The Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences 
• The School of Communication 
• The McCormick School of Engineering & Applied Science
• The School of Education & Social Policy
• Bienen School of Music
• The Medill School of Journalism

While the prompts remain the same for all the schools, make sure to research what makes each of them special before making the decision to apply to the college of your choice. As for the supplemental essays, InGenius Prep counselor Andrew Hazen, who worked as an Admissions Officer at Northwestern, adds, "As a whole, here is my golden rule of essay writing: Many students see supplemental essays as an opportunity to share an additional personal anecdote or another means to share their accomplishments. While these details can inspire a response, they may not directly answer the given question. Make sure that your response includes a clear, substantive answer to what is being asked in the supplemental essay prompt.”

Question 1 (Required)

The following question is required for all Common Application and Coalition with Scoir applicants (optional for QuestBridge applicants). Please respond in 300 words or fewer:

We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?

This question is asked in one form or another across a large number of institutions because it holds immense value in understanding the applicants' perspectives and their potential contributions to the university community. However, what sets this prompt apart is its specific focus on how you envision yourself engaging with Northwestern's community. 

To answer this question effectively, you must first understand Northwestern's unique community dynamics and values. Reflecting on this is the first step to success. Andrew also adds, "This question asks both a great deal of personal reflection, but also about how your personal experiences and identities play into the campus community at large. There may be an “I” in “community” but don’t take that to mean this story is about you." 

Reflect on how your individual experiences and identities intersect with the larger fabric of the campus community. Consider how your background, upbringing, and interactions within your school, community, and household have shaped your perspective and potential contributions to Northwestern's academic, extracurricular, cultural, political, social, or any other aspects of its community.

Remember, as Andrew mentioned, there may be an "I" in "community," but it does not imply that your response should purely revolve around your personal story. Instead, think of it as an opportunity to showcase how your unique experiences can enrich the Northwestern community as a whole. By emphasizing the connections between your individual journey and the broader campus environment, you can demonstrate how your perspectives, values, and aspirations align with Northwestern's ethos and contribute to a diverse and inclusive educational experience.

Question 2 (Optional)

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

A. Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?

Before answering this prompt, research the tradition of painting The Rock to understand the context and significance of this cherished Northwestern tradition. For instance, did you know that it is customary for students to guard the rock 24 hours in advance ? 

Then, take a moment to reflect on what this question is truly asking – If given the chance to express something to your community, what would it be? Andrew adds, “Expression comes in many forms: support, celebration, awareness, warning, or observation, to name just a few possibilities.” Challenge yourself to think beyond the obvious and reflect on your values, passions, and aspirations. What message would you like to share with your fellow Wildcats? Reflect on the significance of that message and how you could transform it into a tangible reality with a simple bucket of paint! 

B. Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?

For this prompt, Andrew notes, “Interdisciplinary culture lies near the heart of the Northwestern academic community. This emphasis on interdisciplinary learning creates a rich and dynamic environment where students are encouraged to explore the intersections between different fields of study and collaborate on innovative projects.”

There are two key aspects of the question -- “ what?” and “ who?”  For the first question of " what”,  t hink about your interdisciplinary interests and how you could combine the two interests into one undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort. For example, you could come up with a class that combines elements of computer science and environmental studies, exploring how technology can be used to address pressing environmental issues. Or perhaps, you could combine your interest in psychology and business through a research project that examines the impact of consumer behavior on sustainable practices – the possibilities are endless!

Now, let’s consider the question of "who? " Andrew notes, “As is the case in the professional world, success is often a team effort, and knowing teammates and their skill sets is important. Think upon what you need to know, who is a subject matter expert, and how they can fit in the overall vision.”  Consider how you would assemble a diverse team of collaborators, each bringing their unique perspectives and expertise. Andrew also adds, "Bonus points if you consider incentives and how you can align goals as a team!"

C. Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

If you couldn’t tell by now, Northwestern is all about community. With around 500 organizations , from academic and research-focused groups to sports teams and cultural organizations, any student can find a home at Northwestern. 

Research and identify the specific student organizations and communities that resonate with you – the more specific you can answer this question, the better! Perhaps you are excited by the opportunity to work alongside esteemed professors and fellow students who share your passion for discovery and innovation. Alternatively, maybe you see yourself thriving in the realm of athletics. Northwestern offers a diverse range of intramural and club sports teams, providing an avenue for you to connect with like-minded individuals. 

Whichever community you choose, the key is to demonstrate that you have taken the time to explore the various communities and organizations on campus and that you have a genuine connection to a specific group. Whether it's through research, sports, cultural organizations, or any other avenue that aligns with your passions and aspirations, explain why this specific community is the perfect home for you. By showcasing your knowledge and enthusiasm for a particular organization, you can illustrate how you will contribute to and benefit from the Northwestern community.

D. Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?

Another way of approaching this question is by asking yourself, "What unique opportunities can I, as a student, explore and immerse myself in here that I wouldn't find elsewhere?" 

Chicago's unparalleled combination of geography, culture, politics, and community offers an extraordinary canvas for students to paint their college experience. Situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, Northwestern students have the privilege of enjoying stunning waterfront views and engaging in various water-related activities. From sailing and kayaking to simply strolling along the lakefront, the natural beauty of the lake provides a serene escape from the bustling city life. Additionally, being just a few miles from downtown Evanston and a short train ride away from Chicago, students have the best of both worlds—the tranquility of the Evanston campus and the vibrant energy of the city.

Chicago itself as a city offers an unparalleled interdisciplinary experience. Students can delve into a multitude of interests and passions, seamlessly blending the academic rigor of Northwestern with the vibrant opportunities the city provides. For example, if you are interested in the arts and humanities, Chicago’s renowned art scene, world-class museums, and iconic architecture offer endless sources of inspiration and exploration. Reflect on how the innovative theater productions in the Loop or the Art Institute of Chicago allow you to immerse yourself in a rich cultural tapestry, and witness firsthand the transformative power of art. 

Chicago's politics also make it a unique and compelling location for students. As the birthplace of community organizing and activism, Chicago has a long history of social movements and political engagement. From participating in grassroots campaigns to attending rallies and protests, students have the opportunity to be at the forefront of social change and make a tangible impact on the issues they care about. Reflect on the city's political landscape, with its diverse communities and complex challenges – and how it would offer a valuable learning environment, especially if you are interested in public policy, social justice, and advocacy.

As you think about the aspects of Northwestern’s location that captivate you, consider how the city's geography, culture, politics, and community can uniquely enhance your academic journey at Northwestern. Reflect on the interdisciplinary nature of Chicago and how it aligns with the interdisciplinary nature of Northwestern, as well as how you envision yourself immersing in the city's vibrant tapestry – ultimately creating a college experience that is truly one-of-a-kind.

E. Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

For this prompt, Andrew notes, “Knowing your voice and perspective is a skill that will take you far in life. No one can know another’s point of view truly, but understanding others, as well as your own, is part of the learning process. Think of it this way: what can I speak to or share that no one else can? What are perspectives or viewpoints from which I’m wanting to learn? Answering these questions will help you know how you as an individual can participate in the overall Northwestern community.”

Explore the unique aspects of your individual background. What sets you apart from others? What experiences have shaped your worldview? Maybe you come from a multicultural family, where you have been exposed to different languages, traditions, and customs. Your ability to navigate between different cultural contexts can offer valuable insights and bridge gaps between diverse groups of people. Or perhaps you have overcome significant challenges or adversity in your life, and this has shaped your resilience and determination. Delve into how sharing your personal journey can inspire and motivate others, while also fostering empathy and understanding within the Northwestern community.

Additionally, your academic and extracurricular pursuits can also contribute to the diversity of perspectives at Northwestern. If you have a passion for a particular field or subject, your unique insights and knowledge can enhance classroom discussions and inspire your peers to look at topics from different angles. For example, if you are a student who is passionate about social justice and advocacy, you could discuss your plans for bringing awareness to important issues, amplifying marginalized voices, and fostering a sense of inclusivity on campus.

Ultimately, Northwestern values the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives that Northwestern students bring. By embracing and celebrating this diversity, you have the opportunity to contribute to an inclusive and vibrant learning environment that fosters personal growth, intellectual curiosity, and meaningful connections. So, take a moment to reflect on your own voice and perspective, and consider the unique contributions you can make to the Northwestern community.

Additional Tips for Writing the Northwestern Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Now that we have explored the Northwestern Supplemental Essays, here are some valuable tips to consider as you craft your responses, as recommended by Andrew:

• Connect answers to yourself: While it’s pretty easy to fill up a page with everything appealing about Northwestern, remember that the Northwestern supplemental essays are designed to get to know you. Andrew says, "In my experience, many examples (ie. NUDM , Associated Student Government , Dolphin Show , etc.) all get parroted back at us in great volume in student essays. While many students do connect with these examples, many are clearly students marking these organizations from their campus visit or from a brief web search – which often reads as generic because the responses lack depth and reflection. “ If you choose to discuss the NUDM, share the personal and meaningful reasons why the Dance Marathon holds a special place in your heart and is something you eagerly anticipate as a future student at Northwestern.
• Don’t repeat what you’ve written for other components: Remember that admissions officers have already seen your activities list and your personal statement through the Common App. It’s important that you cover an entirely different experience in your supplemental essay and not repeat the same reasons why you want to pursue a certain major or career. Admissions officers don’t want to read about the same thing over and over again, so you need to focus on adding new information and showcasing the depth of your knowledge about Northwestern.
• Think about the Northwestern college of your choice: Before you sit down to write your Northwestern supplemental essay, you should think carefully about the specialized college you’ll apply to and tailor your essay to highlight unique program offerings at that particular school. Even though you are allowed to take classes across the different schools, your essay needs to be as specific as possible to your primary field. If you’re applying to the School of Engineering, don’t rave about classes in the School of Communication!

Your goal with the supplemental essays is to demonstrate to Northwestern that your decision to apply is well-informed and thoughtful. The supplemental essays are an opportunity to showcase how Northwestern’s resources can align with and support your personal goals. Begin your research now to provide a compelling and informed response. Best of luck!

If you are looking for a college admissions counselor to help maximize your chances of getting into your dream school, we can help! InGenius Prep has helped more than 6,000 students around the world gain admission into the most competitive schools including Harvard, Yale, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, NYU, and more. Sign up for a free strategy call today and join the 6,000+ students we've helped get accepted into their dream schools. 

Tags : northwestern essays , northwestern supplemental essays , how to get into northwestern , applying to northwestern

Schedule a free consultation

to find out how we can help you get accepted.

Northwestern University Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the Northwestern essay prompt? With tips from a Harvard graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Northwestern supplemental essays 2021 will show you how to write an engaging Northwestern University supplement essay that will maximize your admissions odds. If you need help crafting your Northwestern supplemental essays, create your free  account  or schedule a no-cost advising consultation by calling (844) 836-8250.

Northwestern  Supplemental Essays — Quick Facts:

• Northwestern has an acceptance rate of 9%— U.S. News  ranks Northwestern as a  most selective  school.
• We recommend answering the Northwestern essay prompt thoughtfully and thoroughly in order to increase your chances of admission.

Does Northwestern have supplemental essays?

Yes! In addition to the personal statement that you’ll write for the  Common App  or  Coalition App , all applicants must respond to  one Northwestern essay prompt . We will discuss this Northwestern supplement essay in detail later in this guide.

Note that students who apply to additional programs within Northwestern—such as Northwestern’s  Integrated Science Program  or  Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences —may be asked to write additional Northwestern supplemental essays. For more information on these programs and their requirements, visit the Northwestern  website . This guide, however, will focus on the primary Northwestern essay prompt required for all applicants.

What are the Northwestern supplemental essays?

The Northwestern essay prompt can be boiled down to one classic question—why Northwestern?

You’ve likely encountered similar prompts during your college process. However, while the Northwestern essay prompt might seem straightforward, that doesn’t make it any less important. Rather, this “Why Northwestern” essay can make or break your application. After all, admissions officers want to admit students who will attend their institutions. Strong Northwestern supplemental essays will demonstrate a genuine engagement with Northwestern and its offerings.

We’ll discuss the full Northwestern essay prompt in more detail later in this guide. Still, as you brainstorm for your Northwestern supplement essay, think about why you want to attend Northwestern. Your Northwestern University supplement essay should cite specific reasons why Northwestern is right for you. Once again, the best responses to the “Why Northwestern” essay will show that students have done their research.

Visit the Northwestern website, take a campus tour, or speak to current students about their experiences. Think about classes you’d like to take, professors who interest you, clubs you would like to join, and more. Strong Northwestern supplemental essays will reveal a deep engagement with the university and its offerings.

Is the Northwestern supplemental essay required?

Yes—all applicants must complete the Northwestern supplement essay to be considered for admission.

However, don’t let the “Why Northwestern” essay scare you. Instead, view the required Northwestern University supplement essay as a chance to introduce yourself to the admissions team. Your readers already know your grades and test scores. A great response to the Northwestern essay prompt can boost your candidate profile and help you stand out in the admissions process.

Remember, the Northwestern supplemental essays 2021 are your opportunity to show demonstrated interest (DI). DI is used by universities like Northwestern to determine how interested a student is in attending their school. Last year, there were over  39,000  applicants to Northwestern. Demonstrated interest, communicated through Northwestern supplemental essays can make the difference between two statistically similar students. The individual who has clearly demonstrated their enthusiasm about Northwestern in their “Why Northwestern” essay, beyond the obvious reasons for attending (prestige, reputation, etc.), is more likely to be admitted. As you approach the “Why Northwestern” essay, think about the fact that 13.7% of colleges said that DI was considerably important in freshman admissions, and another 25.5% said it was  moderately important . Students with authentic, personal, and engaging Northwestern supplemental essays have a higher chance of admission!

How do I write the Northwestern supplemental essay?

So far, we’ve talked about the importance of research, engagement, and authenticity in the Northwestern University supplemental essay.

Completing the additional Northwestern supplemental essays 2021 for the science and social programs? Don’t worry—you can use the breakdown below for the “Why Northwestern” essay to help you craft engaging responses to those Northwestern supplemental essays as well. The science and social programs also ask for demonstrated interest in their prompts—specific reasons that draw you to that program and Northwestern University. The direction that we provide will help you articulate that clearly in all of your Northwestern supplemental essays 2021.

How to Write Northwestern Supplemental Essays — Question 1 (Required)

Now that we’ve discussed some elements of strong Northwestern supplemental essays, let’s break down the Northwestern essay prompt:

While other parts of your application give us a sense of who you are, we are also excited to hear more about how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community. In 300 words or less, help us understand how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities here. We are curious about what these specifics are, as well as how they may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond. (300-word maximum)

As we’ve discussed, this is a classic “Why Northwestern” essay. However, before we describe strategies for writing your Northwestern supplement essay, let’s focus on the language this Northwestern prompt uses.

Defining the Prompt:

This Northwestern essay prompt centers around engagement. Namely, it asks “how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community” as well as “how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities” at Northwestern. In evaluating the Northwestern supplemental essays 2021, the admissions team wants to identify students who will actively enrich the academic, artistic, cultural, and social communities at Northwestern. Your Northwestern University supplement essay allows you to show what impact you’d make on Northwestern’s campus.

As you brainstorm for your “Why Northwestern” essay, keep this idea of active engagement in mind. Northwestern doesn’t want to admit students who will passively experience campus life without offering their own contributions. Instead, they want students who will be active participants in the spaces they occupy.

Next, notice that the Northwestern supplemental essay asks for “specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities” that interest you. These Northwestern essay prompt categories are intentionally broad and could include clubs, classes, programs, libraries, and many other facets of Northwestern. No part of campus life is off-limits for your Northwestern University supplement essay!

Brainstorming:

We’ve unpacked the Northwestern supplemental essay—now, let’s start brainstorming.

Begin brainstorming for your “Why Northwestern” essay by researching the school. Think about what first attracted you to Northwestern. Was it the region? The campus? The programs? Any of these things could form the basis of your Northwestern University supplement essay.

Make a list of everything about Northwestern that interests you. Feel free to include broader topics—you likely won’t use these broader answers in your Northwestern supplement essay, but they can help you find specific topics that excite you. For instance, if you’re interested in exploring Chicago, write that down. Then, look into specific  clubs  at Northwestern that work within the community. For example, which of the two sentences, better reflects demonstrated interest in a Northwestern supplement essay?

Ex. 1. Since visiting at the age of five, I’ve always wanted to attend school in Chicago.

Ex. 2. I would love to join Northwestern’s Botany and Bees organization. Their work with the Evanston Environmental Association and other organizations in and around Chicago is one of the reasons that I decided to pursue a degree in environmental studies at Northwestern.

The second sentence is obviously a better answer to a “Why Northwestern” essay than the first. An admissions officer reading Northwestern supplemental essays would breeze right through the first applicant’s essay—there are many schools in Chicago—an applicant only looking to attend a school in the area could apply to any other college. The second sentence, however, is quite specific to Northwestern, you wouldn’t be able to miss the applicant’s interest.

Defining “community”:

Northwestern supplemental essays 2021 will answer the question of “how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community.” Notice how the Northwestern supplement essay emphasizes  community . Unlike some “Why school” essays, the “Why Northwestern” essay explicitly asks you not to think about yourself in isolation. Instead, successful Northwestern supplemental essays 2021 will emphasize how, in specific terms, you hope to relate to the communities—academic, social, extracurricular, or otherwise—that make up Northwestern University.

As you brainstorm your Northwestern supplement essay topics, remember that there are no wrong answers. While you’ll eventually want to reference specific professors, clubs, courses, and opportunities in your Northwestern University supplemental essay, use this brainstorming session to be honest with yourself. Strong Northwestern supplemental essays will come from authentic self-reflection.

Freewriting and reflection exercises

Once you’ve made this list, it’s time to get specific. Begin with a structured free-writing session. What that looks like: identify three of the resources, opportunities, and communities that most appealed to you from your research of Northwestern. Set a timer and write on each subject for 10 minutes, spending a total of 30 minutes writing. Were there any topics you wrote about easily? Any topics that you struggled to write about? Make note of these until you identify your strongest topics.

For more information on reflection exercises and choosing a topic for your supplemental essays, you can read our  blog article .

Let’s look at another example. Say you were interested in studying sustainable energy and were particularly interested in Northwestern’s programs. This already gives you plenty to discuss in your Northwestern supplement essay. However, you could make your Northwestern essay prompt even stronger by including more specific details. You might use your “Why Northwestern” essay to talk about your interest in the Argonne-Northwestern Solar Research Center or your desire to assist certain key professors in their research. Strong Northwestern supplemental essays will show the admissions team that you’ve considered Northwestern’s offerings and that you care about making an impact on their community.

Additionally, the interest you write about should line up with the rest of your application. For instance, if you’ve written your personal statement on poetry and have spent little time engaging with STEM fields academically, it may not be wise to describe an interest in computer science—unless, of course, you can complement that interest with related classes and extracurriculars! Your Northwestern supplement essay should enrich your candidate profile, not muddle it.

Hopefully, after a thorough brainstorming session, you’ve found solid topics for your Northwestern supplement essay. These resources, opportunities, and communities should relate specifically to the Northwestern essay prompt—if you can swap out Northwestern for any other school and the essay works, then you’ll need to go back to the drawing board.

Congratulations—you’ve begun crafting your Northwestern supplement essay! Now, it’s time to start writing.

Northwestern supplemental essays 2021 have a limit of 300 words. This isn’t a lot, so you’ll want to use each word wisely to maximize your essay’s impact. As you start to draft your Northwestern supplement essay, however, try not to get hung up on the word count. Save your stress for revisions—for now, focus on getting words on the page.

You might choose to open your essay with an anecdote. To return to the renewable energy example, you could write about your experience working with an environmental advocacy group. You could then connect that work to your desire to make a change using Northwestern’s resources. This can be an effective way to show your reader where your interests originate and how they’ve made you who you are. You can also discuss how Northwestern’s resources inform your educational and career goals.

Additionally, don’t lose sight of the Northwestern essay prompt’s emphasis on community. As you write, think about how your interests relate to your future professors and peers. Will joining a specific club help you find like-minded people? Do you hope to meet your future research partner in one of Northwestern’s labs? The best Northwestern supplemental essays will reveal a dedication to community as well as an engaging set of individual interests.

Once you’ve written your Northwestern supplement essay, you can start thinking about the word count. Look at each word and ask yourself whether it belongs. While cutting phrases, sentences, and even whole paragraphs might feel discouraging, careful editing will make your writing stronger!

Finally, the best Northwestern supplemental essays will tell a story. In reading your “Why Northwestern” essay, the admissions team should be able to determine what interests you, where these interests come from, and how these interests will inform your place in the Northwestern community.

Northwestern Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does your Northwestern supplement essay draft mention specific resources, organizations, and/or opportunities you hope to pursue at Northwestern?
• Do you emphasize the role community plays in your hopeful future at Northwestern?
• Does your draft authentically reflect your interests?
• Do you show you’ve done your research on Northwestern University and its offerings?
• Does your draft complement the rest of your application?

Is the Northwestern supplemental essay important?

Yes! The Northwestern supplemental essays 2021, like previous years’ essays, have a major impact on admissions.

As a  highly selective  university, Northwestern receives thousands of applications from qualified candidates each year. In fact, their  admissions rate  is falling steadily. What does this mean? More students are applying, but the university’s open seats aren’t increasing. Candidates often have similar grades, test scores, and even extracurricular achievements. This can make it hard for any student to stand out. Don’t let this discourage you from applying. Use every available tool at your disposal, including the “Why Northwestern” essay to make a case for why you should be admitted.

Your Northwestern University supplement essay lets you show the admissions committee what makes you special. Essentially, your Northwestern supplement essay is an introduction and case for admission. Your readers don’t take this lightly, and neither should you!

Remember, the strongest Northwestern supplemental essays 2021 will allow the admissions team to visualize a particular student on Northwestern’s campus. Your Northwestern supplement essay has a lot of power—use it wisely.

Northwestern Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

The Northwestern University supplement essay prompt might seem intimidating. However, don’t let this discourage you! As long as you approach your Northwestern supplement essay with consideration and planning, you can write an essay sure to stand out.

In the research phase of answering the Northwestern supplemental essay, make sure to check out our free webinar on Northwestern University. In this 60-minute panel with a Q&A session, two Northwestern alumni discuss their experiences applying to and attending the university.

A well-crafted Northwestern University supplement essay can make a huge difference to the admissions team. Use this guide to help you craft an engaging Northwestern essay that will boost your chances of admission. Finally, don’t forget to revise, edit, and proofread your final Northwestern supplement essay. You might also ask a parent, counselor, advisor, or other trusted adult for a second pair of eyes.

To see examples of essays written by our advisors who were admitted to Northwestern, check out last year’s blog article.

We hope this guide helped you gain a stronger understanding of the Northwestern supplemental essays 2021. Good luck!

This Northwestern supplemental essays guide was written by Abbie Sage, Harvard ’21. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on Northwestern, click  here . Want help crafting your Northwestern supplement essay? Visit app.collegeadvisor.com to create your free  account  or  schedule a no-cost advising consultation  by calling (844) 836-8250.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

PA School Supplemental Essay Examples

Writing can be difficult, even with practice and training, and oftentimes, reading over PA school supplemental essay examples can help you with your own forays into that realm.

Prompts will change from year to year, and from school to school, but you can expect to find certain prompts generally repeated, albeit with slightly different wording. These prompts are fairly common, and not just in physician assistant programs ; these prompts can be found in applications for medical school secondary essays , as well.

Each essay you write should be a finely-crafted sample of yourself that shines through, tells your story, and showcases your best side to the admissions committee. It can be tricky to know how to throw in your story, along with pertinent information about your academic accomplishments, or the best extracurriculars for PA school , but if you study these examples, you’ll see how to go about this task.

Below, we give you several examples of likely and possible prompts that you will encounter, as well as answers to those questions. Studying these will help you craft your own answers, showing your schools-of-choice how you meet the PA school requirements for their program.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 11 min read

Why do you want to be a pa.

My first memory is, literally, playing with my father’s stethoscope. I was fascinated by it. While this is hardly the first step on my journey to medicine, I like to imagine that there has always been something in my DNA or my psyche which has demanded that I pursue healthcare as a vocation.

I was sick a lot as a child and was in and out of the hospital, finding myself needing help with allergies, asthma, and the occasional broken bone. This early exposure to healthcare, as well as my father’s profession as a doctor, made me familiar with what went on in a hospital.

One day, my dad let me come with him to the hospital to see what it was he did. I was still as fascinated with the trappings of the medical field as I was as a child with that stethoscope. Because of my fascination, he let me come along. I sat in the balcony of an operating room, watching my father carefully controlling the anesthetic to keep the patient unconscious, but alive – safe.

Allow me a moment to talk about another passion of my life: sports. I’ve always been an avid sportsman, enjoying soccer and baseball as a boy. What I love most about sports is the teamwork: the offense and defense working in tandem, under a team captain’s plan, to win the game. What I saw in the operating theater was exactly the same kind of teamwork, with nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals operating together to heal their patient.

That interest in the complete healthcare team got me researching the different positions and kinds of medical experts there were – and I looked up everything from anesthesiologists to x-ray techs. Along the way, I discovered the physician assistant. This resonated with me. It seemed like this role had something special to offer their team. They were versatile, worked under doctors to provide a variety of care, and seemed like they could help a lot of people.

Your program has a strong emphasis on patient interaction and foundational knowledge. I love the former, and know I will need the latter.

Patient interaction is my favorite part over any other aspect of healthcare. I love bringing somebody a smile and peace as much as a medical cure for their condition. I recognize that medicine is a holistic process and know that a big part of that whole is making sure that the patient is taken care of as a person.

Because your program gets PA students together with patients sooner than other programs, I was immediately drawn to it, knowing that I would feel useful, and like I was making a difference faster than at almost any other school.

Foundational knowledge is also important to me. Rather than rushing into new techniques or fads, your program emphasizes having a strong knowledge of the basics. I know that building on those basic techniques will allow me to place newer ideas on a firm foundation, and help me navigate the strange realms of human physiology and healthcare.

Although foundations are important in your program, that hardly means you are living in the past. You have some of the most state-of-the-art laboratories I have seen. It’s nice to know that I will be able to learn with advanced techniques and the latest elements of medicine.

The obvious answer is “physician assistant,” but of course, there are so many aspects to that job, and I will go into some of my top choices for what kind of PA I want to be and what kind of life I hope to lead.

My ideal situation would be to practice under the auspices of a hospital in a small town, or even out in the country. I have always loved open places and nature, and I think that living in such a community would bring me great personal satisfaction.

On a professional level, assisting with a smaller hospital or a family practice out in the country would maximize the use of my skills – in my opinion. Staffing is an often-encountered hurdle in such small communities, and a PA – or several – would be of tremendous use in a rural area. Since doctors are scarce, being able to add staff members who can assist those physicians would be giving a small community an amount of healthcare that would really make an impact.

Additionally, getting to know a smaller community would be satisfying and allow me to understand my patients a lot better than in a larger city with more distance and less personal contact.

The philosophy of medicine has fascinated me for some time, and I would like to continue my studies in this area. The culmination of these studies would occur after practicing for a short time. At that time, I would like to get my master of physician assistant studies (MPAS), and dedicate some of my time to teaching up and coming PAs and other healthcare professionals. I believe in giving back to my community and offering a helping hand up to the next generation of healthcare professionals.

I didn’t like the first years of my life. Bounced around from foster home to foster home, it took years before I had found my adoptive parents and was finally, permanently accepted into a family. That acceptance meant the world to me, and showed me that you can choose your family and choose to find love and acceptance in even the direst of circumstances.

We lived in a suburb, and the whole place seemed as quiet and tranquil as a Norman Rockwell painting on Prozac. Not unpleasant, just a little lethargic. That was okay. It gave me two important aspects of myself: a desire to explore, and a safe place to return to at the end of any adventure.

I remember one time biking along the train tracks with my buddy Rod. We had each received a new bicycle for our birthdays and knew that this was the most freedom a boy could get before he could get a driver’s license.

Rod didn’t see the train as quickly as I did, and when I yelled, he fell from his bike, and I dropped my own vehicle to race to him. I pulled him back from the edge of speeding death just in time. It was the most scared I’ve ever been in my life; Rod was another “family” member I’d chosen.

That brush with near-death was one of the reasons I have that made me want to make a career out of helping people. I knew what could have happened if I’d been slower, and I knew that people faced that moment down every day. When Rod and myself, breathless, returned to safe, secure, sedentary suburbia, I knew I wanted to stand with those that were facing death.

Ironically, it didn’t make either of us scared to try new things. Both Rod and myself go rock climbing. I think, in a counter-intuitive way, the incident with the train made both of us realize that we couldn’t control every outcome, but that we could always count on each other. I don’t know how many risks I’d take without Rod watching my back, but with his help, I feel more stabilized.

Whether through my adoptive family, my familial friends like Rod, or my quiet suburbs, I know that I can go forward on any adventure – rock-climbing or bike-riding, or learning about medicine – and have a safety net made of love at my back. I wouldn’t be me without those people or my joy in adventure and in the care of friends.

Explain Any Gaps or Deficiencies in Your Application

The hardest lesson I’ve ever had to learn was one I had to learn at the expense of some of my GPA. My first year of university was radically different from high school, in terms of its scope and the requirements it placed on me, as well as my response to it. In high school, I had been under the roof of my parents, and they kept me in a very strict environment. At university, I cut loose, like I was a rubber band pulled taut and finally snapping back.

I’m not blaming my parents for what I did, of course, I’m merely saying what led up to my failing my chemistry course in my first semester.

Winter break came, and I knew I had a major decision to make: change majors or press on. I decided to keep going, and with that dedication came great resolve. Over the break, other students spent their time reconnecting with friends and family after their first years away at school. For myself, I studied. In fact, what I did was study how to study.

By the time I got back to school, I arrived with a multitude of study guides, meditation techniques, and day planners with which I would set up a regimen of studying habits to ensure success. I added chemistry back onto my course load and re-took the course that semester.

I had learned a valuable lesson about how to spend my time, how to study, and how to seek out techniques to help me. I also learned not to ignore problems (like a poor grade on a midterm) but to confront my difficulties head-on and keep my goals in sight.

So, while you will see an F on my transcript for one semester’s chemistry class, I encourage you to look to the next semester, which has an A- for the same course. Now, don’t ignore the F, either. An F symbolizes failure, and an A- symbolizes passing, but both together show progress, perseverance, and lessons learned. Those two together are far more valuable than either alone. Because anybody can pass a course, but a true student learns and grows.

My mother is an architect, and I remember invading her home office one day, as a child, staring at her draughts papers and having her explain to me about how she needed to compensate for structural weight, materials, and the terrain the building was being built on. Without a solid foundation, perfect design, and the right materials, the whole structure would collapse. Every element was necessary.

I don’t want to get lost in the metaphor. I don’t want to declare the whole building an allegory with this profession as the materials and that profession as the foundation and so forth. What I want to stress is the essential elements of the team.

To me, a physician assistant, working with a doctor, is somebody who steps in to take burdens off of shoulders, lightening the primary physician’s load enough to allow them to focus on a wider area.

A physician assistant, of course, can step in and accomplish much of what an MD or GP can do. Their scope is limited, yes, and they report to – and work in collaboration with – an MD, but they can still take on many tasks for the MD to essentially extend the effective influence and scope of care of that MD.

I think of PAs as integral insofar as they can bridge a lot of gaps where a full MD isn’t needed, but the patient still needs heavy treatment. They are in the middle of the medical world, and that is a position which I think is as exciting as it is useful.

I’ve always enjoyed mediation and removing burdens from others. I think that is the best role for me, and I think working as a physician assistant will give me exactly that.

Wondering how to navigate your applications?

You have already made a great decision to research your essays before writing them, or while revising them. Professional physician assistant application help is a great choice to make, and we’re glad that you are taking your application seriously enough to study these examples. Apply this same process to the rest of your application, with your PA personal statement , for example; research, look at samples, and go for PA personal statement editing , and so on, with every aspect of your application to PA school.

You could run into anything, really, but generally-speaking, the essays you encounter will fall into a few, basic categories:

Personal, like “Tell us about yourself”

Professional, like “Why do you want to be a PA?”

Quirky, like “If you were a kitchen implement, what would you be?”

Other topics might include: What are your strategies for coping with the stressors of school; Tell us about your family; What books have influenced you in the past year; If you couldn’t be a PA, what other career would you want to have; or Where would you like to work as a PA. 

Follow any direct CASPA guidelines or guidelines issued by your school. Never go longer than the guideline; consider these as unbreakable rules.

If no length is given, aim for about 500 words; don’t go longer than 600, or shorter than 250. These are short essays, so you don’t need pages and pages on each subject.

Yes. Prompts like, “Why did you choose our program?” are obviously specific to an individual school, and you will need to tailor them accordingly. Others are more general or adaptive, such as, “Why do you want to be a PA?”

Check with each school or program to see what their requirements are. They will not all find it necessary to receive supplemental or secondary essays. Likewise, they might have topics which are optional depending on your personal application and background. If an essay asks you to comment on any gaps in education you’ve had, for example, you won’t need to fill that out if there are no gaps and no low scores or other discrepancies that require explanation in your application.

You can , yes, but depending on the essay, you shouldn’t skip it.

In the above example, you truly might just skip over an essay explaining a gap. If you don’t have a gap, you don’t have an essay to write.

But, if at all possible, write every essay. If you have a tenuous connection to the topic, brainstorm for a while and write something. Every essay is another chance to gain a point or stand out in the eyes of the admissions committee.

For instance, if there is an optional essay saying asking you to show your relationship to an underprivileged community, you might think you need not fill it out if you aren’t part of an underrepresented minority group. But, if the essay just asks for your relationship to such a community, you almost certainly have a connection – a friend, relative, mentor, and so on – who fits that description. You can talk about that connection, or perhaps some volunteer work or politically rallies you’ve been to and how they inspire you and affect you.

CASPA is the Centralized Application Service for Physicians Assistants. It is a service of PAEA – the Physician Assistant Education Association, and allows application to multiple programs through one, centralized program.

Essentially, yes, but you’ll need to fit the answer to different places. Let’s take the prompt “Why do you want to be a PA?” and look at three examples.

In a larger essay, a primary application essay, you’ll likely be given a larger character, word, or page count limit to write out your journey. You can expand on ideas, give a little more of your personal story, and you will be expected to provide more detail commensurate with the increased size of the essay.

In the secondary essays section, these prompts will be, as detailed above, shorter and more to the point. You have less room and less detail.

If you encounter such a question in an interview, it is unlikely that your answer will be formally timed, however, the expectation is that it will occupy approximately two minutes of time, not much more or less. You also will have to cover the “bullet points” and fill in detail ex tempore , instead of writing out precise language and memorizing it.

Always ask yourself what the reader – the admissions committee – wants to know and make sure you answer that. “Tell us about yourself,” isn’t just a list of hobbies, it’s you showing your best, personal attributes – for example.

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions, get started now.

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webclass: 

How to make your physician assistant application stand out, (and avoid the top 5 mistakes that get most rejected).

Time Sensitive. Limited Spots Available:

We guarantee you'll get accepted to PA school or you don't pay.

Swipe up to see a great offer!

Think you can get into a top-10 school? Take our chance-me calculator... if you dare. 🔥

Last updated March 22, 2024

Every piece we write is researched and vetted by a former admissions officer. Read about our mission to pull back the admissions curtain.

Blog > Essay Advice , Private University , Supplementals > How to Write the Northwestern Supplemental Essays (With Examples)

How to Write the Northwestern Supplemental Essays (With Examples)

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Alex McNeil, MA Admissions Consultant

Key Takeaway

How to write the northwestern supplemental essays.

With an acceptance rate hovering around 7%, getting into Northwestern isn’t easy. For 93% of students, it just doesn’t happen.

In the admissions process, so much seems out of your control. So what steps can you take to help you beat the odds?

One word: essays.

Like all highly-selective schools, Northwestern requires students to exceed expectations when it comes to factors like GPA, course rigor, extracurricular achievement, and letters of recommendation. You’ve worked diligently over the past three and a half years to cultivate each of these areas of your life. But at this point in the admissions process, there isn’t much left for you to control.

What you can control, however, are your essays. From your personal statement to the Northwestern supplemental essay, you have the chance to make your case for admission.

In this post, we’ll cover how to approach your Northwestern supplemental essay so you can increase your chance of getting in.

''Why Northwestern'' Statement

Let’s start by taking a look at the prompt itself. As far as supplemental prompts go, it’s pretty straightforward:

*While other parts of your application give us a sense of who you are, we are also excited to hear more about how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community.

In 300 words or less, help us understand how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities here. We are curious about what these specifics are, as well as how they may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond.*

Now we’ll break the prompt down, piece by piece.

Northwestern Supplemental Prompt Breakdown

As you already know if you’ve read our supplemental essay guide , the first step in writing any supplemental essay is breaking down what the prompt is asking you to do. The Northwestern supplemental essay is a classic “Why Us” supplemental prompt. While it may be straightforward, it does have a lot of parts. We’ll take a look at each.

While other parts of your application give us a sense of who you are, we are also excited to hear more about how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community.

In this short preface to the prompt, Northwestern tells us specifically that this supplemental essay should tell them “about how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community.” That means that your supplemental essay should focus specifically on engagement and community.

In 300 words or less, help us understand how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities here.

This part tells us a few things that you’ll need to do.

#1: Your essay should be 300 or fewer words.

#2: The goal of your essay should be to help your admissions officers understand how you would engage with specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities at Northwestern.

#3: All of this means that you’ll need to do some research. Specifically, you’ll need to find particular resources, opportunities, and communities that you can see yourself being involved with if you were to attend Northwestern.

The “and/or” part of the prompt also tells you that you can choose to focus on only one of these areas, or you can write about two to three of them.

We are curious about what these specifics are, as well as how they may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond.

The last sentence of the prompt gives us a couple more vital details.

#1: We learn that you need to explicitly state the specific parts of campus life you want to engage with. Sentences like, “I’m looking forward to participating in the academic community at Northwestern” just won’t cut it. They want specifics.

#2: We also learn that your focus should be on enrichment, during your time as a student as well as your life after you graduate.

In short, all of this combined tells us that our Northwestern supplemental essay should…

a) be 300 words or fewer.

b) reference specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities that you can engage with.

c) discuss how these specific parts of campus would enrich your life as a student and after you graduate.

Now that we’ve broken down the prompt and know what’s expected of us, it’s time to discuss how to do effective research that will help you write the best supplemental essay possible.

How to Do Northwestern School Research

We always recommend that you start by researching the school’s values. You can do this by googling the school’s motto and mission statement.

A simple google search of “Northwestern” + “Motto” (or “Mission Statement”) will tell you everything you need to know.

From this search, we learn that Northwestern’s motto is, "Whatsoever things are true.” And the mission statement is, “Northwestern is committed to excellent teaching, innovative research and the personal and intellectual growth of its students in a diverse academic community.”

Now we can incorporate ideas like truth, teaching, innovation, research, personal and academic growth, diversity, and academic community into our essay.

Once you’ve gotten ahold of the values, you’ll need to find the specific details the prompt asks of you.

To begin, it’s a good idea to start with your academic area of interest. Poke around on the website and look for faculty members, syllabi, course offerings, research labs, past research projects, internships, and academic groups or clubs. All of these areas are rich with details and connections that you can draw from in your essays.

Once you have a couple of those pinned down, take a look at any relevant extracurricular offerings you can find. Focus specifically on activities you’ve been involved with in high school and are looking forward to continuing in college. Alternatively, you can look for activities that interest you that you haven’t yet had access to as a high school student.

After gathering your details, feel free to start writing.

3 Tips for Writing the Northwestern Supplemental Essay

Writing supplemental essays is hard. Here are three tips that can help as you navigate your response to the Northwestern prompt.

Find specific details that connect with your own background and goals.

Recall from our supplemental guide that the goal of supplemental essays is to convey school fit. That means showing admissions officers that you belong on campus and in the classroom of the school you’re applying to.

The easiest way to do this is to connect things you’ve already done—classes, accomplishments, particular academic goals—with what is offered at a school.

If you’re accomplished in robotics and have an interest in disabilities studies, then maybe you reference the Assistive and Rehabilitation Robotics Lab . If you love volunteering at your local historical society, then bringing up the Leopold Fellowship might be a good idea.

Whatever you bring to the table, try to select specific academic and community resources that allow you to seamlessly connect your background with what your life would look like at Northwestern. Doing this will show admissions officers that you’re a natural fit.

Remember that you and your story should still be at the heart of your essay.

Although supplemental essays aren’t typically as personal or vulnerable as your personal statement , that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be front and center. The point of a supplemental is, after all, to show admissions officers why you are a good fit for the school.

So as you’re writing about school resources or values, remember to describe how they relate to your own story and values.

Don’t neglect the very last part of the prompt: “enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond.”

One of the easiest mistakes to make when writing any supplemental essay is to accidentally ignore part of the prompt. In Northwestern’s case, this last bit at the end can slip through the cracks.

Even though this detail is at the end, it’s actually one of the most important parts of the prompts. Admissions officers at Northwestern aren’t just interested in knowing which resources and opportunities are relevant to you. They want to know how they’ll make you a better student and person, and they’re curious how you think access to these resources will shape your future.

This is a time to focus on your academic and career goals and plans. Make a case that Northwestern’s resources are the best way to get you where you want and need to go.

Northwestern Supplemental Essay Example + Annotations

Before my seventh birthday, the only people who could understand what I said were immediate family members((Attention-grabbing hook.) . Because of complex factors like gender and socioeconomic status, I didn’t get the speech therapy I needed until second grade. This delay impacted my academic and social development, and it’s one of the main reasons I want to take my secondary education in a Northwestern Direction((Clever connection to a NW-based slogan. Shows research.)) .

It wasn’t until I happened upon the Human Development in Context((Specific connection to a Northwestern academic offering.)) major that I realized how interconnected my speech delays were with other intersections of my identity. My teachers and parents thought that I was just shy, and my school didn’t have adequate speech resources to help me regardless. I’ve already learned so much from Northwestern’s offerings, and I am eager to connect with faculty and students to learn even more.

As a Human Development in Context major, I would be able to think multi-dimensionally about how human development intersects with social systems. Participating in Dr. Haase’s Lifespan Development Lab would help me develop my research skills to prepare me for graduate school, and working in the Pediatric Development Center for my practicum internship would set me off on my career helping kids who are just like me.((Explicit connection to the prompt -- very important!))

Courses like Language Development and Usage and Culture, Language, & Identity will advance my interdisciplinary interests. And outside the classroom, participating in clubs like Project Sunshine and the Undergraduate Psychology Association or living in the GREEN house will help me connect with like-minded friends.

Out of everything, what excites me most about the classroom experience at Northwestern is the “ rigorous but empathetic((Another values-based connection.)) ” approach to education. Because of my speech background, I haven’t always felt at home in the classroom. But with empathy and rigor, I know that whatsoever things are true, I’ll be there learning alongside my classmates and professors.

(Looking for more supplemental examples? Check out our college essay examples post.)

Key Takeaways

No matter how stellar a student and person you are, applying to Northwestern is always a gamble. It’s the reality of the numbers.

But writing your essays, especially the supplemental, strategically can set you apart from the 93% of applicants who end up in the “deny” pile.

Focus on answering the prompt, doing thorough and values-based school research, and weaving in your own story.

You’ve got this! If you want more Vanderbilt application strategy, hop on over to our Northwestern Common Data Set post and How to Get into Northwestern guide.

And if you're looking for even more essay help, consider joining the Essay Academy for exclusive access to a comprehensive college essay writing video course.

Liked that? Try this next.

8 Outstanding UC Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application

How A Selective Admissions Office Reads 50k Applications In A Season

12 Common App Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

"the only actually useful chance calculator i’ve seen—plus a crash course on the application review process.".

Irena Smith, Former Stanford Admissions Officer

We built the best admissions chancer in the world . How is it the best? It draws from our experience in top-10 admissions offices to show you how selective admissions actually works.

Northwestern Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

September 6, 2023

With an acceptance rate of just 7% for the Class of 2027, Northwestern University is very much an “Ivy-equivalent” school. This is true both in terms of quality academics and selectivity. Last fall, incoming Wildcats almost universally placed within the top 10% of their respective high school class. They also boasted average SAT scores in the 1470 range. In 2023-24, even high schoolers bringing superior credentials to the table need to realize that the majority of the other 52,000+ other applicants can demonstrate comparable levels of achievement. Therefore, applicants need to look for other ways to separate themselves from the pack. And that brings us to the Northwestern supplemental essay prompts.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into Northwestern University? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Northwestern University: Admissions Data and Strategies   for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In addition to one required essay prompt, Northwestern also gives applicants the opportunity to respond to at least one (and up to two) optional prompts. Essentially, every applicant has three opportunities to stand out in the eyes of admissions officers and showcase what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below you will find Northwestern’s supplemental prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with our advice on how to pen winning compositions.

2023-2024 Northwestern Supplemental Essays

Prompt #1 (required for all applicants).

We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (fewer than 300 words)

Northwestern is inviting you to share more about your background/identity/community through the lens of how that will impact your experience at the university. Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. You are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• An experience/challenge you had
• A community you belong to
• Your cultural background
• Your religious background
• Your family background
• Your sexual orientation or gender identity

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within your Common App personal statement and activities list. What important aspect(s) of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned and how you grew.

Northwestern Supplemental Essays (Continued)

You’ll then need to discuss how your background/identity/experiences have influenced your academic, social, or extracurricular college goals. As such, think about what you learned and how it relates to one of the previously mentioned areas. For example, perhaps growing up in Northern California has made you passionate about post-wildfire ecosystem restoration, which you hope to pursue further through Northwestern’s environmental science program. Or, perhaps your experience as a poll worker has made you interested in NU Votes , or the discrimination you watched your sibling face after revealing their gender identity has informed your desire to be part of organizations like the Rainbow Alliance .

To that end, be sure you address how you will take advantage of Northwestern’s immense resources both inside and/or outside of the classroom by citing specific academic programs , professors , research opportunities , special opportunities , study abroad programs , student-run organizations , etc.

Prompt #2 (Optional but recommended)

Most “optional” essays are not truly optional, and Northwestern’s new essay prompts are no different. Think of it this way: if you’re truly interested in attending Northwestern, you have two more incredibly valuable opportunities to further demonstrate that fit. Take advantage of them!

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

• Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?

Out of everything on this Earth, what makes you tick? What keeps you up at night? What issue could you talk about or debate for hours? If you could address one problem in the world, large or small, what would it be? What do you love to do? Do you have a treasured cultural tradition that you’d love to share with others? If you are answering at least one of these questions, you are on the right track with this essay.

• Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?

Firstly, you’ll want to select a course centered around a topic about which you are an expert or hope to become an expert. The admissions reader is well aware that you are a teenager and not someone who has yet earned a Ph.D. Therefore, being a self-taught, informal expert is perfectly fine. You’ll then want to explain “why”—why will (or should) your passion be made relevant to a wider audience? And who would you want to work with along the way? These classmates and collaborators could be peers, mentors, or even guest speakers. Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind:

• Given the prompt’s wording, quality answers should involve the intersection of two or more disciplines.
• Course creation essays can and should reveal your ability to connect and synthesize information.
• Make sure that the topic of your course is not overly broad or already offered. The topic should not be akin to a 101 college course like Intro to Psychology…be creative!
• Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

Keep in mind that Northwestern has already seen the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the impressive number of hours you volunteered at multiple nonprofit organizations. They know that you have been an active member of your high school/local community. The admissions committee now desires to understand precisely how you will contribute to  their  community of 8,000+ undergraduate students. Highlighting the link between your past efforts and future aims is critical here. For example, if you dedicated many hours to increasing your high school’s mental health support services, it will be more impactful when you now express your commitment to joining Northwestern’s Active Minds organization.

The strongest Northwestern community essays will show evidence of meaningful school-specific research. This research process will actually give you a better idea of how you would sincerely like to become engaged at each prospective school on your list. Admissions officers will appreciate a Northwestern-centric answer far more than a generic (often recycled from app to app) response. Moreover, given the word count, you’ll be able to produce the strongest response if you focus on just one or two specific aspects of your identity and perspective.

• Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?

If you choose to answer this question, know that you’ll need to think very deeply about your answer. Admissions officers are going to receive scores of responses about the number of opportunities available in Chicago, generalities about living in a suburb of a major city, and proximity to famous regional landmarks. As such, if Northwestern’s location feels particularly important to you, dig deep as to why . What location-specific experiences will you be able to have at Northwestern that you won’t be able to have anywhere else?

• Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

This prompt asks you to not only share a particular life experience but also describe why that experience will enable you to contribute to Northwestern in general. Essentially, it’s asking you to take your essay’s reflection one step further—you’ll need to share why the experience you’ve chosen has impacted you as well as why/how you believe it will allow you to positively impact the Northwestern community.

First, choose a key aspect of your experiences or background that reveals something deep and meaningful about you. (Although you could choose more than one, we’d advise against it, given that you only have 200 words in which to respond.) As you brainstorm, consider the following avenues:

• Your role in your family.
• Your role in your social group.
• A challenge you’ve faced.
• A formative experience or realization.
• Core values and beliefs.
• Important aspects of your upbringing.
• Cultural, religious, community influence.

Second, you’ll need to describe both personal and future impact. Make sure that your answer reveals something about how you will live out Northwestern’s values or contribute to a specific academic/social community.

Finally, this prompt is quite similar to the required prompt about background and identity (see above), so if you choose this option, be sure you’re not repeating yourself in any way. If you’ve already said everything you need to say about your background in the required prompt, you’ll likely want to choose a different option.

How important are the Northwestern supplemental essays?

The essays (including the Common App essay) are viewed as “important” to the Northwestern applicant evaluation process. The other factors that are also considered “important” are: recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. The only four factors viewed as being more important than the essays are GPA, test scores, class rank, and the rigor of one’s curriculum.

Want personalized essay assistance?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Northwestern supplemental essay, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High School Success
• High Schools
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Private High School Spotlight
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

I am a... Student Student Parent Counselor Educator Other First Name Last Name Email Address Zip Code Area of Interest Business Computer Science Engineering Fine/Performing Arts Humanities Mathematics STEM Pre-Med Psychology Social Studies/Sciences Submit

How to Write Northwestern University Supplemental Essays

Reviewed by:

Rohan Jotwani

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 2/29/24

Northwestern University is a popular addition to any college list. If you're ready to enjoy the vistas Lake Michigan offers, get ready to write the Northwestern supplemental essay. 

Northwestern University is a popular school for many applicants due to its location near Chicago and its focus on interdisciplinary studies. Writing a compelling essay is a pivotal step for showing your fit with the school's values. 

With a rigorous Core Curriculum , the Northwestern essays demonstrate to the admissions committees why you're an excellent fit for their school. It shows that you've done the research necessary to understand how its course offerings mesh with your educational goals. 

This article provides tips for tackling Northwestern's supplemental essays, along with examples of essays that were successful. Crafting the perfect essay for Northwestern doesn't have to be difficult - read on to learn how to write a masterful essay and get into Northwestern ! 

Northwestern Supplemental Essay Prompts 2023-2024

You'll need to write a personal statement as part of the Common Application or Coalition Application which should be a direct response to this prompt below. Your response should be no more than 300 words. 

Northwestern Personal Statement Prompt

“We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?”

Additionally, you have the option of responding to one or two of these optional Northwestern essay prompts. While it is not required, you’re highly encouraged to write at least one .

“Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?”

“Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?”

“Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.”

“Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?”

“Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?”

How to Write Each Essay Prompt For Northwestern

Writing each essay can be difficult, so we’ve created an outline on how to tackle each one. Below, you’ll find an analysis of each prompt and tips on how to best write your essay.

How to Write Northwestern Supplemental Essay #1 + Analysis and Tips

"Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?"

Analysis of Prompt #1: This creative prompt allows applicants to demonstrate their interests, values, background, and how they would engage with campus life at Northwestern. It reveals what matters most to applicants.

Tip #1 : Choose a design that ties to your background, interests, or values not already showcased elsewhere in your application. Explain the deeper meaning and importance behind what you would paint.

Tip #2 : Use vivid imagery and details to help the admissions officers visualize and understand your rock design and its significance to you.

Tip #3 : Explicitly connect your idea for the rock to how you envision contributing to campus life at Northwestern as a student. Show your enthusiasm for engaging with the community.

Tip #4 : If applicable, relate your rock design to your intended major, academic interests, or future goals to showcase fit with Northwestern's offerings.

Tip #5 : Brainstorm creative ways to get your message across visually that would grab attention and interest from the Northwestern community.

How to Write Northwestern Supplemental Essay #2 + Analysis and Tips

"Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?"

Analysis of Prompt #2: This prompt allows applicants to demonstrate creativity, passion, and knowledge of Northwestern's interdisciplinary focus. It's a chance to show original thinking and innovative ideas.

Tip #1 : Choose a unique yet feasible topic at the intersection of multiple disciplines. Avoid overly broad or already offered topics. Explain what would be explored.

Tip #2 : Show in-depth knowledge of the topic and Northwestern's ability to support the idea through collaborations across schools and disciplines. Name specific programs or professors.

Tip #3 : Describe what students and collaborators could gain from this experience and why it would be impactful. Use vivid language that gets the reader excited about the idea.

Tip #4 : Emphasize how the class or project aligns with and furthers your academic interests and future aspirations. Relate it to your major or career goals.

Tip #5 : Explain why you are the ideal student to make this idea a reality by citing your background knowledge, skills, or relevant experience with the topic or project type.

How to Write Northwestern Supplemental Essay #3 + Analysis and Tips

"Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus."

Analysis of Prompt #3: This essay reveals applicants' interests and goals not shown elsewhere. It demonstrates the desire to be actively engaged in campus life.

Tip #1 : Choose a student organization, club, or campus community tied to background, values, or goals not already discussed in other essays.

Tip #2 : Convey why involvement with this group deeply matters to you and how it would lead to personal growth.

Tip #3 : Describe specific leadership roles, events, or initiatives you want to participate in and your potential contributions.

Tip #4 : Explain how belonging to this community would allow you to make an impact on campus aligned with your aspirations.

Tip #5 : If relevant, relate the group back to your intended major, academic discipline, or future career goals.

How to Write Northwestern Supplemental Essay #4 + Analysis and Tips

"Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?"

Analysis of Prompt #4: This essay reveals applicants' academic and professional goals and how Northwestern's location supports those interests. It demonstrates knowledge of the resources available nearby.

Tip #1 : Research opportunities in Chicago related to your academic discipline or career aspirations. Explain which specific options excite you.

Tip #2 : Provide examples of how you would take advantage of the location based on your goals and enrichment opportunities that inspire you.

Tip #3 : Describe any previous experiences that spark your interest in engaging with Chicago resources or motivate you to explore the location.

Tip #4 : Relate location details back to specific Northwestern offerings such as courses, faculty, or programs that would complement or further these goals.

Tip #5 : Convey genuine enthusiasm and personal reasons why proximity to Chicago appeals rather than just facts about the city itself.

How to Write Northwestern Supplemental Essay #5 + Analysis and Tips

"Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?”

Analysis of Prompt #5: This essay reveals applicants' academic and professional goals and how Northwestern's location supports those interests. It demonstrates knowledge of the resources available nearby.

Tip #1 : Consider all aspects of your identity or background that aren't highlighted elsewhere, including cultural, ethnic, religious, geographic, socioeconomic, or personal experiences.

Tip #2 : Explain specific viewpoints, values, or insights your life experiences have instilled in you that shape your perspectives and provide examples.

Tip #3 : Emphasize what you can positively contribute to classroom discussions and campus life by sharing these diverse perspectives with others.

Tip #4 : Describe how your background has made you more understanding and equipped to connect across differences.

Tip #5 : Conclude by reiterating why your diversity of perspectives would enrich learning and dialogue at Northwestern.

Examples of Northwestern Supplemental Essays That Worked

The following essays were written by successful applicants who were admitted to Northwestern University. We provide feedback explaining why each essay effectively demonstrated the applicant's fit with Northwestern.

Sample Essay #1

“I would paint a butterfly on “The Rock”. This choice is deeply rooted in my identity as an Indigenous person, where the butterfly holds profound symbolism of transformation and metamorphosis.

In Indigenous cultures, the butterfly represents not only physical transformation but also spiritual growth and renewal. It embodies the idea that change is a natural part of life and that through struggle and perseverance, one can emerge stronger and more beautiful. This symbolism resonates with my own journey and the experiences of many Indigenous individuals who have faced adversity, colonization, and the challenges of preserving their cultural heritage.

Painting a butterfly on "The Rock" would not only celebrate my culture but also serve as a reminder to the Northwestern community of the importance of embracing change and transformation. It would symbolize the resilience of indigenous peoples and the beauty that can emerge from the process of personal and collective growth.

Moreover, the butterfly's presence on "The Rock" would promote awareness and appreciation of Indigenous cultures, fostering a sense of unity and understanding within the Northwestern community. It would encourage conversations about the significance of Indigenous symbolism and the importance of recognizing the contributions of Indigenous peoples to our shared society.”

Why Essay #1 Worked

This essay uses the symbolism of the butterfly in Indigenous cultures to convey the writer's personal growth and tie it to promoting cross-cultural understanding at Northwestern. The vivid explanation allows the admissions officers to visualize the rock design and shows the applicant's passion for celebrating their heritage.

Sample Essay #2

“My dream project would be groundbreaking undergraduate research aimed at exploring the potential of homeopathic remedies in breast cancer treatment. Having tragically lost three family members to cancer, I am fervently driven to investigate alternative, less invasive approaches to combat this devastating disease. Witnessing their suffering and the toll that harsh medicines took on their health has underscored the urgency of exploring gentler alternatives.

My ideal research project would assemble a diverse team of students from various academic backgrounds, including biology, chemistry, complementary medicine, and patient care.  

We would analyze the impact of homeopathic remedies on cancer cells, patient well-being, and quality of life. Additionally, we would collaborate with oncologists, herbalists, and holistic healthcare practitioners to bridge the gap between conventional medicine and alternative therapies. Together, we could unlock the untapped potential of nature's medicine cabinet.

This research project not only aligns with my personal passion but also exemplifies Northwestern's interdisciplinary ethos by bringing together students and experts from diverse fields to tackle a critical issue. We would strive to provide hope and more compassionate, effective treatment options for those battling breast cancer while minimizing the harm that traditional treatments can inflict on their bodies.”

Why Essay #2 Worked

This essay outlines an ambitious yet feasible interdisciplinary research project aligning with Northwestern's values. It demonstrates the writer's interest in collaborating across fields to make an impact. The deeply personal motivation for studying cancer treatments also allows the essay to stand out.

Sample Essay #3

“I eagerly anticipate joining the pre-med community at Northwestern, a vibrant and supportive network where my passion for medicine will find a nurturing home. This community embodies my aspirations and values, as it fosters collaboration, learning, and a shared commitment to healthcare.

Within the pre-med community, I envision forging meaningful connections with fellow aspiring healthcare professionals who, like me, are driven by a deep desire to make a positive impact on people's lives. Together, we will navigate the challenging path toward medical school, sharing experiences, supporting one another through rigorous coursework, and collectively striving for excellence.

Furthermore, I am excited about the potential to engage in healthcare-related volunteer opportunities and research projects that Northwestern offers. These experiences will not only enrich my academic journey but also deepen my connection to the broader healthcare community on campus.

In the pre-med community, I see myself not only as a student but as an active participant in a collective mission to contribute to the well-being of others. Northwestern's commitment to community and belonging aligns perfectly with my vision for my pre-medical journey, and I eagerly anticipate becoming a part of this inspiring network.”

Why Essay #3 Worked

This essay conveys the applicant's alignment with Northwestern's tight-knit campus community. It spotlights their passion for medicine and desire to support fellow pre-med students. The emphasis on participating in healthcare-related activities shows their commitment to active engagement.

Sample Essay #4

“Growing up in Chicago, Lake Michigan was a place of cherished memories. My father and I would spend countless hours fishing on its shores, forging a bond that would shape my values and dreams.

As I embark on my own academic journey at Northwestern, I find myself drawn to this beautiful shoreline, which symbolizes both my roots and my aspirations.

My father, a dedicated Northwestern alumnus, left a lasting impact on my life. In his final moments, he expressed a profound sense of incompleteness. His legacy has become my driving force. Coming to Northwestern and being near Lake Michigan is, for me, a way to complete his mission. I aim to study political science and eventually law, follow in his advocacy footsteps, and work towards helping others in a way that he felt he couldn't.

This location is not just where I come from; it's where I am actively choosing to build my future and honor my father's memory. Northwestern's setting connects me to my biggest inspiration and reminds me of the potential for positive change in the world, making it the perfect place for my academic and personal growth.”

Why Essay #4 Worked

This essay uses vivid imagery and personal connections to showcase the significance of Northwestern's location. Linking their goals to continue a family legacy gives deeper meaning to studying there. It aligns location with values.

Sample Essay #5

“Growing up in foster care, I always had a suitcase packed by the door. This constant state of preparedness, always getting ready to move to a new place, made it challenging to ever feel truly at home. Yet, Northwestern represents the kind of community I've longed for—a place where individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the world come together to learn and connect.

Throughout my life, adaptability and resilience have been my constant companions. I've learned to embrace change, connect with people from various walks of life, and navigate through different environments.

This background has taught me the value of empathy, understanding, and the significance of creating a sense of belonging for others, as it's something I often yearned for during my journey through foster care. My experiences have honed my ability to bridge gaps, mediate conflicts, and foster connections among individuals from diverse backgrounds.

My story serves as a reminder that diversity goes beyond cultural or ethnic differences, encompassing a wide range of life experiences that can enrich our collective learning and strengthen our sense of community.”

Why Essay #5 Worked

This essay offers a compelling background story and emphasizes the applicant's ability to connect across differences. It underscores their unique perspectives that would enrich campus diversity. The focus on empathy and community is well-aligned.

Get More Sample Essays Here!

The prep doesn’t stop there. View our database of over 190 essay examples from some of the top schools. 

Still have questions about Northwestern essays? We’ve got you covered! Check out the section below for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. If you’re looking for a complete Northwestern application guide, check out our college guides directory .

1. How Many Supplemental Essays Does Northwestern Require?

Northwestern requires one 300-word supplemental essay and also provides four additional 100-word essay prompts that are optional but highly encouraged. At least one of the optional essays is recommended.

2. When Are Northwestern Supplemental Essays Due?

The Northwestern supplemental essays are due at the same time as the rest of the Northwestern application. Typical deadlines are January 1 for early decision and January 5 for regular decision.

3. How important are the supplemental essays for Northwestern?

The Northwestern supplemental essays are very important for the admissions decision. Along with your Common App essay, they allow you to explain why Northwestern is the right school for you and how you will positively contribute to campus life. Put time into crafting a thoughtful, well-written response.

4. Will Northwestern Always Have the Same Supplemental Essay Prompt? 

No supplemental essay at any college is set in stone. Schools can change their supplemental essay prompts each cycle, but they usually revolve around the same themes. 

5. Is Northwestern’s Activity Chart Another Supplemental Essay? 

No, but it is another mandatory piece of your application. The activity chart is your opportunity to describe your extracurricular activities in detail and include their depth and scope. 

Final Thoughts

Northwestern's supplemental essay gives you a chance to showcase your fit beyond test scores and grades. Research the school to find specific connections between your goals and Northwestern's offerings. Use vivid examples and anecdotes to illustrate what makes you a great match for the Northwestern community. With thoughtful responses, you can boost your chances of admission.

Get A Free Consultation

You may also like.

How to Get Into William and Mary

How to Prepare For the SAT - Prep Tips and Timelines

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Respond to the 2023/2024 Northwestern Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies.

Learn about our editorial policies

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.

Northwestern University is a small private, four-year university in Evanston, Illinois. At schools as selective as Northwestern, supplemental essays are a crucial part of students’ application in order to stand out from the crowd. The Northwestern supplemental essay is a great way to tell the admissions professionals why you chose their school. If your GPA and SAT or ACT scores are great, then they are going to need something else to narrow down the applicants– these essays are how they do it! 

Northwestern supplemental essay prompt (optional for QuestBridge applicants) 

“We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (fewer than 300 words)*”

300 words and under is the perfect number to get your point across in a college application essay. You do not have to feel pressured to write exactly 300 words, and you can always go over, as long as you go back through and revise to make it shorter. Start by writing what you feel, and then go from there.

Brainstorm 

You may be asking yourself, “What should I write about?” This essay can be either challenging or easy for many people because it is so open ended. To begin responding to this prompt, brainstorm some aspects of your life that are important to you and make you you! This could be a hobby, a culture, a personality trait, a life experience or really anything! The important thing is you are choosing a piece of yourself that you are passionate about and that reflects you as a person. Try to take this piece of you and describe it through a narrative or story. Showing rather than telling will get you far in the supplemental essay world! Remember, this insight into you does not have to be all-telling of your whole life story, rather it should just be revealing one small but important aspect of your identity. 

Research Northwestern

Once you have established what you will be writing about, now it’s time to research Northwestern! Go through their website and jot down what clubs, professors, classes, etc. you are excited to participate in. You can even note what may be missing from their community that you would like to establish while attending school at Northwestern.

Once you have a good idea of what Northwestern is like, write about which aspects you envision yourself participating in. Be sure you are being extremely specific about what you want to participate in at Northwestern. For example, rather than saying you are excited to take a biology course, say you are interested in taking BIOL_SCI 380- Biology of Cancer because you aspire to conduct research on cancer in the future to hopefully find a cure. Taking the extra step shows that you have thoroughly researched Northwestern will prove to the admissions committee that you truly want to attend Northwestern. 

Now that you have written about yourself and what you want to participate in at Northwestern, you need to connect these things! Describe what Northwestern offers and why you are interested in these features. Ultimately, your description about a piece of your identity should seamlessly connect to what you want to participate in at Northwestern. How has your background shaped what you want to pursue at Northwestern? Overall, you want to show Northwestern that you will be a perfect fit for their community due to your unique background. 

Questions to consider

• What is an important part of your background that has shaped you? 
• What about Northwestern has drawn you to their school? 
• Are there any clubs that you want to participate in at Northwestern? Or even any clubs you want to create at Northwestern? 
• How has your background shaped what you want to pursue while at Northwestern? 

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

1)  Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?

To begin, look up “the rock” at Northwestern to get a good idea of what you are hypothetically painting in this response! Then, think about what you would truly love to paint on the rock. This response offers a lot of creativity so the options are endless! Ultimately, try to describe something you love and are passionate about so the admissions committee gets to know the authentic you!

2)  Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?

This response has a lot of creative freedom! First and foremost, you should brainstorm what you are passionate about and how you could turn this passion into a course, project, or some sort of creative effort. Then, describe what this would look like in an ideal world. Who would be teaching the course? How will you engage participants? What will participants learn from this experience? 

3) Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

This prompt allows your Northwestern expertise to shine through! Make sure you have adequately researched Northwestern and all of the clubs, extracurriculars, and groups that you are excited to join! Then, describe these opportunities you want to take advantage of and why. Be sure you are revealing why you would be a good fit for these communities as well!

4)  Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?

If Northwestern’s location is one of the main reasons you want to attend the school, talk about why! Describe what the location will allow you to do as far as leisure activities and furthering your career and achieving your goals.

5)  Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

Highlight what makes you unique! Discuss the parts of your background and life experiences that may be unique how this perspective will help you contribute to Northwestern’s diversity. However, make sure you are discussing something about yourself that has not yet been mentioned in your Northwestern application! You want to be revealing new things about yourself rather than repeating the same characteristics and experiences. 

Final thoughts for students

Northwestern University’s supplemental essay is not here to scare you– it is an opportunity for the admissions professionals to get to know you better. As long as you are honest and open about what you expect to learn and experience at their university, they will be interested in hearing more. 

Additional resources

As a rising college student, we understand that you have a lot on your mind. Even once you’ve finished your Northwestern supplemental essays, the work is far from over. That is why we want to take some of the stress off of your shoulders and make things easier! Check out our guide on how many colleges to apply to , or our guide on how to plan college tours .

Maybe you are thinking that Northwestern University is not the school for you, and that’s okay! We have supplemental essay guides for other schools too, as well as tips and tricks for scholarships. Good luck with the rest of your collegiate endeavors! 

Start your scholarship search

• Vetted scholarships custom-matched to your profile
• Access exclusive scholarships only available to Scholarships360 members

Scholarships360 Recommended

10 Tips for Successful College Applications

Coalition vs. Common App: What is the difference?

College Application Deadlines 2023-2024: What You Need to Know

Trending now.

How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score

What Are Public Ivy League Schools?

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

The Daily Northwestern

Sign up to receive our email newsletter in your inbox.

Northwestern adapts new application process in wake of Supreme Court affirmative action ruling

For the first time in more than a decade, Northwestern’s undergraduate admissions application will not feature a version of the perennial “Why Northwestern” essay this 2023-24 admissions cycle.

The signature prompt, which asked students to share what drew them to NU and what resources they would prioritize on campus if admitted, is a common supplemental essay prompt at competitive colleges and universities. 

This year, all Common Application and Coalition with Scoir applicants will be required to answer a new 300-word essay prompt asking them which aspects of their background, identity or community have impacted how they see themselves engaging in the NU community.

The revised NU application also includes five optional essays — of which applicants are encouraged to submit one or two. These less formal questions ask prospective students how they envision themselves participating in various aspects of campus culture including academics, student groups and painting The Rock.

The change comes after the Supreme Court barred universities from considering race as a factor in the admissions process in June. The justices did not prohibit universities from considering how race or ethnicity have impacted a prospective students’ life in their supplemental essays and overall application, however.

“Universities may continue to embrace appropriate considerations through holistic application-review processes and provide opportunities to assess how applicants’ individual backgrounds and attributes — including those related to their race, experiences of racial discrimination, or the racial composition of their neighborhoods and schools — position them to contribute to campus in unique ways,” the Education and Justice Departments explained in an August memo for universities.

Hilary Hurd Anyaso, NU’s director of media relations, told The Daily that NU chose to replace the old prompt with more specific questions, since the “Why Northwestern” essay was not always effective given its broad framing.

“Our new supplemental questions are designed to focus responses on areas we consider most important to our holistic review: How candidates’ personal experiences have shaped various ways they see themselves engaging at Northwestern, and how their vision for college aligns with Northwestern’s institutional values, academic culture, and campus community,” Anyaso said in a statement to The Daily.

Cathleen Sheils, a college counselor based in New York, said the Supreme Court decision has undoubtedly impacted the college admissions process. She expects to see larger process changes in the coming years.

Sheils, who previously led the admissions office at Cornell University, said the application update intends to put students’ applications into a greater context ― which is why she advises her clients to consider the question carefully.

“We read through it, and we think about their personal experiences and what aspect they want to bring to life in answering that question that may not be fully articulated in other parts of the application,” Sheils said.

Sanjana Shah is a junior at Johns Creek High School in Johns Creek, Georgia, and plans to apply to NU her senior year.

“I definitely think that (the new essay) is a step in the right direction,” Shah said. “My whole life, my culture (has) played a large part in shaping who I am. I would definitely want to let colleges know about that … By bringing part of that diversity into a student’s essay, you’re really showing exactly how your race or your ethnicity is going to bring more color into the university as a whole.”

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @lmschroeder_

Related Stories: 

— Northwestern to consider race in admissions through essays, compliant with Supreme Court ruling

— Northwestern affirms commitment to diversity after SCOTUS strikes down affirmative action

— Ahead of national affirmative action rulings, Schill emphasizes NU’s commitment to diversity

• affirmative action
• Cathleen Sheils
• Cornell University
• Department of Education
• Department of Justice
• Hilary Hurd Anyaso
• Johns Creek High School
• Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Sanjana Shah
• Supreme Court

• Editorial Board
• Former Daily Editors
• Students Publishing Company
• Classifieds
• Today’s Paper
• Print Archives
• Comment policy
• Terms of Use

Northwestern University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have: 

Northwestern University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanation

The Requirements: 1 required essay of 300 words or fewer; 2 optional essays of 200 words or fewer

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community , Diversity , Oddball

We have designed these writing supplements to help us understand your experiences throughout high school and imagine what kind of Northwestern student you may become. The supplemental questions below touch on areas we see as important for building Northwestern’s Class of 2028, but you should feel free to repurpose essays you’ve written for other applications (including the Common/Coalition Application personal essay, which we no longer require) if they tell the story you’d most like to share.

We also know there may be information or qualities not covered in our supplemental questions that you see as important to your application. to that end, we welcome—but by no means expect—your submission of a personal essay or additional information in the common application., the following question is required for all common application and coalition with scoir applicants (optional for questbridge applicants). please respond in 300 words or fewer:, we want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: what aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise.

This is a kind of Why-Community Essay hybrid because admissions wants to (A) know what has shaped you, (B) learn about how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, and C) hear about the specific ways in which you will get involved (which requires demonstrating fit). This is a lot to accomplish in 300 words, but fear not, you got this! Start by isolating a specific story or anecdote that will offer admissions insight into how you have become the person you are today (remember, you don’t have to cover every aspect of your intricate, complicated, interesting self). Then connect that experience, community, or identity to the vision you have for yourself at Northwestern. If your experience is academic, maybe you want to write about the classes you would take or the research you would like to do. If your community is cultural, perhaps you want to write about the clubs you would join. In the end, you need to describe how you plan to engage in the Northwestern community in a way that draws on your past, so show admissions that you have done your research and you’re ready to dive headfirst into the Northwestern community!

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

Painting “the rock” is a tradition at northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their wildcat spirit (what we call “purple pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. what would you paint on the rock, and why.

This prompt choice is glorious in its infinite potential. You can choose to elaborate on any of your passions here. Do you want to send a message to your fellow students about the environment? Maybe you want to rally students to join you at a demonstration of some kind. What is important to you? Essays responding to this prompt tend to lean in the direction of activism and community engagement, but don’t feel limited to these angles—anything you want to share with other Northwestern students (and, in this case, admissions) is fair game, as long as you feel strongly about it. And don’t forget to include the recognizable and effective acronym or short phrase you’d paint!

Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?

This prompt will likely stand out to you innovators, since it’s asking about something you would make from scratch. Use this opportunity to share your imagination with admissions.  Maybe you’ve been making TikToks reviewing your favorite YA novels for some time now. Would you teach a class on the politics of the modern heroine in YA fiction? Perhaps you have an idea for a new healthtech business. Would you create a start-up? And don’t forget to address the second part of the question: who would you want to collaborate with? The person you choose could be your best friend, a community, or an industry leader you admire. There is no right or wrong answer here, so write about something you daydream about and show them that you know how to think big.

Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

If your answer to Northwestern’s required essay focused on specific organizations, clubs, and student groups you hope to get involved with on campus, it may be best to skip this prompt so as to avoid repeating yourself. If not, this is the perfect place to provide Northwestern with more examples of how you will get involved in their community. Maybe you focused your required essay on the academic community you hope to join as you take your research to the next level and you’d like to write about your vision for finding belonging in queer spaces on campus or making connections with other members of the AAPI community. Just keep in mind that your response should focus on the future while drawing on your past experiences.

Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?

This prompt is for all you applicants who are chomping at the bit to study in Evanston, Illinois. The nice thing about being able to focus on geography with this prompt is that you don’t have to have a fully fleshed out plan for your major; instead, you can focus on the experiential and cultural elements that will feed into your education. Why is living in Evanston appealing to you? Your answer should be personal to you and, if possible, unique. Explain what your desire to move from your hometown to Northwestern’s campus says about you. Whether you’re hoping to stay close to your family in Chicago or you’re eager to venture out beyond your one-stoplight town, this is the place to share your excitement.

Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

Admissions wants to know how you will contribute to the diversity of perspectives at Northwestern. What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? What lessons have you learned and applied? Is there anything you can teach your classmates or peers about your hometown, culture, religion, identity, race, or ethnicity that they might not already know? Northwestern wants to know how your personal perspectives, beliefs, and/or lived experiences will affect the conversations you have and the ways in which you engage with the Wildcat community, so tell them a story that helps them to imagine the kind of student you’ll be on campus next fall.

About Kat Stubing

View all posts by Kat Stubing »

We can help!

Contact us for information on rates and more!

• I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
• Name * First Last
• Phone Type Mobile Landline
• Street Address
• Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
• How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
• Common App and Coalition Essays
• Supplemental Essays
• University of California Essays
• University of Texas Essays
• Resume Review
• Post-Grad Essays
• Specialized Services
• Waitlist Letters
• Private School Essays
• General College Counseling
• School list with priorities noted:
• Anything else we should know?
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

School Stats:

• Agnes Scott College
• Alvernia University
• American University
• Amherst College
• Babson College
• Bard College
• Barnard College
• Baylor University
• Bennington College
• Bentley University
• Berry College
• Bethany College
• Bishop’s University
• Boston College
• Boston University (BU)
• Bowdoin College
• Brandeis University
• Brown University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Bucknell University
• Butler University
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• California Lutheran University
• Capitol Technology University
• Carleton College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Catawba College
• Centre College
• Chapman University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Clark University
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• College of William and Mary
• College of Wooster
• Colorado College
• Colorado School of Mines
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Culver-Stockton College
• D'Youville University
• Dartmouth College
• Davidson College
• Drexel University
• Duke University
• Earlham College
• Elon University
• Emerson College
• Emory University
• Flagler College
• Fordham University
• George Mason University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia State University
• Georgia Tech
• Gonzaga University
• Harvard University
• Harvey Mudd College
• Haverford College
• Hillsdale College
• Hofstra University
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Indiana University Bloomington
• Ithaca College
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kalamazoo College
• Lafayette College
• Lehigh University
• Lewis and Clark College
• Linfield University
• Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
• Lynn University
• Macalester College
• Malone University
• Manchester University
• Marist College
• Mary Baldwin University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Meredith College
• Monmouth College
• Moravian University
• Morehouse College
• Mount Holyoke College
• New York University (NYU)
• North Park University
• Northwestern University
• Occidental College
• Oklahoma City University
• Olin College of Engineering
• Pepperdine University
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College
• Princeton University
• Providence College
• Purdue University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rice University
• Saint Elizabeth University
• Santa Clara University
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Scripps College
• Seattle Pacific University
• Smith College
• Soka University of America
• Southern Methodist University
• St. John’s College
• Stanford University
• Stonehill College
• Swarthmore College
• Syracuse University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas Christian University
• The College of Idaho
• The George Washington University
• The New School
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• Tulane University
• University of California
• University of Central Florida (UCF)
• University of Chicago
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Florida
• University of Georgia
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Maryland
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Miami
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Oregon
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Richmond
• University of San Diego
• University of San Francisco
• University of Southern California (USC)
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Tulsa
• University of Vermont
• University of Virginia (UVA)
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Vanderbilt University
• Vassar College
• Villanova University
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest University
• Washington and Lee University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Wellesley College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Yale University

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guides
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, does northwestern require supplemental essays.

I'm working on my college applications and I was wondering if Northwestern requires any supplemental essays? If so, what are the topics? I want to make sure I don't miss anything important! Thanks in advance!

Yes, Northwestern currently requires a supplemental essay for their application! The primary supplemental essay prompt for Northwestern this year is as follows:

"We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?"

In addition, there are currently five optional prompts, from which you are invited to answer at least one, but no more than two. These prompts are as follows:

1) Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?

2) Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?

3) Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

4) Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?

5) Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

Be sure to check out CollegeVine's guide to tackling these prompts: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-northwestern-university-essays

This is your chance to demonstrate that you've done your homework and are genuinely excited about attending Northwestern. Good luck with your application, and feel free to reach out if you have any more questions!

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.