College of William And Mary 2011 Essay Requirements
Campus of The College of William and Mary
In addition to the Common App's basic essay requirements, The College of William and Mary asks students to respond to an optional prompt that's wide open:
Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful?
We know that nobody fits neatly into 500 words or less, but you can provide us with some suggestion of the type of person you are. Anything goes! Inspire us, impress us or just make us laugh. Think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy and with an attitude, but please restrict your submission to what will fit on one sheet of paper.
These kinds of prompts should always be taken advantage of. Remember that the college essay is a vital opportunity to let the school know specific details about your background that the application itself won't reveal. You have precious few chances to let the school know about your side of "the deal" - those qualities you have that the school wants in its student body. Make sure to take them!
Even if you feel like you don't have a special extra curricular or professional experience that makes you stand out from the crowd, choose to focus on the things you love, and your passion for those subjects will shine through. Anything that improves the chances of the admission officer remembering you and your application is worth the effort.
Colleges Updated in College Essay Organizer for the 2011/2012 Application Season
Here is a list of colleges that have been updated for the 2011/2012 application season in College Essay Organizer through August 25th. Expect this list to continue to grow each week.
- Agnes Scott College
- Albright College
- Alfred University
- Allegheny College
- Alma College
- American University
- American University of Paris
- American University of Rome
- Amherst College
- Arcadia University
- Arizona State University
- Auburn University
- Augustana College
- Austin College
- Babson College
- Baldwin-Wallace College
- Bard College at Simon's Rock
- Barnard College
- Barry University
- Bates College
- Baylor University
- Belmont University
- Beloit College
- Benedict College
- Bennington College
- Bentley University
- Berea College
- Berklee College of Music
- Berry College
- Birmingham-Southern College
- Bloomfield College
- Boise State University
- Boston University
- Bowdoin College
- Bowling Green State University
- Bradley University
- Brevard College
- Brigham Young University-Provo
- Brown University
- Bryant University
- Bryn Mawr College
- Bucknell University
- Butler University
- Cabrini College
- California College of the Arts
- California Institute of Technology
- California Lutheran University
- California State University-Bakersfield
- California State University-East Bay
- California State University-Fullerton
- California State University-Long Beach
- California State University-Monterey Bay
- Calvin College
- Campbell University
- Carleton College
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Carroll University
- Catholic University of America
- Cedar Crest College
- Centenary College of Louisiana
- Centre College
- Chatham University
- Christendom College
- Christian Brothers University in TN
- Claremont McKenna College
- Clark Atlanta University
- Clarkson University
- Clemson University
- Coe College
- Colgate University
- College of Idaho
- College of New Jersey
- College of St. Benedict
- College of the Atlantics
- College of the Holy Cross
- College of the Ozarks
- College of Wooster
- Colorado College
- Colorado Mesa University
- Colorado School of Mines
- Columbia College Chicago
- Columbia University
- Connecticut College
- Cornell University
- Creighton University
- Daemen College
- Dartmouth College
- Davidson College
- Delaware State University
- Denison University
- DePauw University
- Drake University
- Drexel University
- Duke University
- Duquesne University
- Earlham College
- Eastern Mennonite University
- Elmira College
- Elon University
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
- Emory and Henry College
- Emory University
- Erskine College
- Eugene Lang College
- Fairfield University
- Fisher College (MA)
- Fisk University
- Flagler College
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida Institute of Technology
- Florida International University
- Florida Southern College
- Florida State University
- Fordham University
- Franklin and Marshall College
- Franklin Pierce University
- Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
- Fresno Pacific University
- Furman University
- Gannon University
- George Fox University
- Georgetown College
- Georgetown University
- Georgia College and State University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Georgia Southern University
- Gonzaga University
- Gordon College
- Goshen College
- Goucher College
- Green Mountain College
- Grinnell College
- Guilford College
- Hamilton College
- Hampshire College
- Hampton University
- Hanover College
- Harvard College
- Hastings College
- Hendrix College
- High Point University
- Hillsdale College
- Hiram College
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges
- Hollins University
- Hood College
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Indiana University
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
- Indiana Wesleyan University
- Iowa State University
- Jacksonville University
- John Carroll University
- Kansas State University
- Keene State College
- Kenyon College
- Knox College
- La Salle University
- Lake Forest College
- Lees-McRae College
- Lehigh University
- Lenoir-Rhyne University
- Lesley College
- Linfield College
- Longwood University
- Louisiana State University
- Louisiana Tech University
- Loyola Marymount University
- Loyola University Maryland
- Loyola University New Orleans
- Lynchburg College
- Lyon College
- Macalester College
- Macaulay Honors
- Maine College of Art
- Marlboro College
- Marquette University
- Marshall University
- Marymount Manhattan College
- Marymount University (VA)
- Maryville College
- Marywood University
- Massachusetts College of Art & Design
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- McDaniel College
- Menlo College
- Mercyhurst College
- Methodist University
- Miami University (OH)
- Michigan Technological University
- Middlebury College
- Mills College
- Millsaps College
- Misericordia University
- Mississippi College
- Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Monmouth College
- Monmouth University
- Moravian College
- Morgan State University
- Mount Union College
- Murray State University
- Muskingum College
- Nebraska Wesleyan University
- New College of Florida
- New England College
- New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
- Newbury College
- Norfolk State University
- Northeastern University
- Northern Arizona University
- Northland College
- Northwestern University
- Nova Southeastern University
- Oberlin College
- Occidental College
- Ohio Northern University
- Ohio State University-Columbus
- Oklahoma State University
- Otterbein University
- Pacific Union College
- Palm Beach Atlantic University
- Paul Smith's College
- Pepperdine University
- Piedmont College
- Pitzer College
- Pomona College
- Post University
- Prescott College
- Princeton University
- Principia College
- Purdue University-West Lafayette
- Quinnipiac University
- Ramapo College of New Jersey
- Randolph College
- Randolph-Macon College
- Reed College
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Rhodes College
- Rice University
- Ripon College
- Roanoke College
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Roger WIlliams University
- Roosevelt University
- Rosemont College
- Sacred Heart University
- Saint Joseph's College of Maine
- Saint Joseph's University
- Saint Louis University
- Saint Mary's College (CA)
- Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
- Saint Michael's College
- Saint Vincent College
- Salisbury University
- San Francisco State University
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Scripps College
- Seattle University
- Sewanee: The University of the South
- Shenandoah University
- Skidmore College
- Smith College
- South Carolina State University
- South Dakota State University
- Southern Methodist University
- Southern New Hampshire University
- Southwestern University
- Spelman College
- Springfield College
- St. Edward's University
- St. John's College (MD)
- St. John's College (NM)
- St. Lawrence University
- St. Mary's College of Maryland
- St. Mary's University of San Antonio
- St. Olaf College
- Stanford University
- State University of New York-College at Brockport
- State University of New York-University at Buffalo
- State University of New York at Albany
- State University of New York at Buffalo State College
- State University of New York at Cortland
- State University of New York at Fredonia
- State University of New York at Geneseo
- State University of New York at New Paltz
- State University of New York at Old Westbury
- State University of New York at Oswego
- State University of New York at Plattsburgh
- State University of New York at Potsdam
- Stephens College
- Sterling College
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Suffolk University
- Susquehanna University
- Swarthmore College
- Sweet Briar College
- Syracuse University
- Temple University
- Texas A&M University-College Station
- Texas A&M University-Galveston
- Texas Christian University
- Texas State University
- Texas Tech University
- The University of New England
- Touro College
- Trinity College (CT)
- Trinity University
- Truman State University
- Tufts University
- Tusculum College
- Tuskegee University
- Union College
- United States Air Force Academy
- United States Merchant Marine Academy
- University of Alabama
- University of Alabama-Huntsville
- University of Arizona
- University of Bridgeport
- University of California-Berkeley
- University of California-Davis
- University of California-Irvine
- University of California-Los Angeles
- University of California-Merced
- University of California-Riverside
- University of California-San Diego
- University of California-Santa Barbara
- University of California-Santa Cruz
- University of Central Florida
- University of Chicago
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
- University of Colorado-Boulder
- University of Connecticut
- University of Dayton
- University of Denver
- University of Evansville
- University of Findlay
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Great Falls
- University of Idaho
- University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
- University of Iowa
- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- University of Maryland-College Park
- University of Miami
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- University of Minnesota-Morris
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- University of Mississippi
- University of Missouri-Columbia
- University of Missouri-Kansas city
- University of Montana
- University of Montevallo
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- University of New Hampshire
- University of New Hampshire at Manchester
- University of North Carolina-Asheville
- University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- University of North Dakota
- University of North Texas
- University of Northern Colorado
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Oregon
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Redlands
- University of Rhode Island
- University of Richmond
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Scranton
- University of South Dakota
- University of Southern California
- University of Southern Maine
- University of Southern Mississippi
- University of St. Thomas
- University of Tampa
- University of Tennessee
- University of Texas-Austin
- University of Texas-El Paso
- University of Tulsa
- University of Utah
- University of Vermont
- University of Victoria
- University of Virginia
- University of Washington-Seattle
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of Wyoming
- Ursinus College
- Utah State University
- Utica College
- Valdosta State University
- Valparaiso University
- Vanderbilt University
- Vassar College
- Villanova University
- Virginia Tech
- Wagner College
- Wake Forest University
- Warren Wilson College
- Washington and Jefferson College
- Washington and Lee University
- Washington College
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Webb Institute
- Wells College
- Wesleyan College
- Wesleyan University
- West Virginia University
- Western Michigan University
- Westminster College (MO)
- Westminster College (PA)
- Westminster College of Salt Lake City
- Westmont College
- Wheaton College
- Wheaton College (IL)
- Wheelock College (MA)
- Whittier College
- Wilkes University
- Willamette University
- Winona State University (MN)
- Wofford College
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Wright State University
- Xavier University (OH)
- York College of Pennsylvania
Lake Forest College 2011 Essay Requirements
This year Lake Forest College outdoes itself with 15 essay requirements, many of which are multi-part and multi-page.
For example, the requirement for the Buchanan Social Justice Scholarship requires applicants to address all of these points:
- What social justice issues are of concern to you and how you are personally involved in addressing those concerns?
- What leadership position have you held within a social justice organization?
- Have you attended a local, national, or international conference focused on a social justice issue? If yes, please share more about what you experienced.
- Have you received any awards or recognition relative to your involvement in social justice issues?
- Student leaders at Lake Forest often effect change and leave a legacy from their contribution to the College community. As you look forward to your educational experience at Lake Forest, what social justice issue will you champion and how will you effect change within our community or the world at large?
It might look like a lot of work at first, but using College Essay Organizer can be a shortcut to money you didn't know was there.
Each year we comb school websites not just for primary application requirements, but also for optional, department-specific, honors, and scholarship essays. Your College Essay Organizer Essay RoadMap can be your map to extra achievement, not to mention cold hard cash.
Tulane University 2011 Essay Requirements
Tulane University has eleven essay requirements this year in the College Essay Organizer database. This year they made a significant change in their application scheme - last year some requirements appeared on the paper application but not the online app, and the school has made the wise decision to change that for 2011. Here are a few of the questions that were not consistent across the two formats last year:
- Have you ever participated in a community service project abroad? Please explain your experience.
- Have you ever studied abroad? Please explain your experience.
- Have you ever been involved in a community service project other than one required by your school or another organization? Please explain your experience.
These are the kinds of questions that give applicants an opportunity to stand apart from the pack a little bit, so Tulane's decision to present these questions to all applicants was the right choice. It works in the applicants' favor as well as the school's - after all, they want their student body to be as strong and diverse as possible, so no need to make it difficult on people who have these kinds of exciting elements to their backgrounds.
Ball State 2011 Essay Requirements
Ball State University has now been updated by College Essay Organizer. There are fifteen program-specific questions, as well as four additional scholarship program questions.
Using College Essay Organizer can help you not only find these hidden questions, but also explore your opportunities while writing your responses to them. Many applicants are unaware of the many different options they have when it comes to applying to a college or university, so College Essay Organizer can be your primary tool for finding out about departments and specific programs that suit your interests.
Some applicants might have a better chance at admission if they apply to a program or department that best suits their interests and talents. Make sure to explore them all via College Essay Organizer and make sure your admissions chances are as strong as possible!
Common Application Changes Word Count for 2011 Short Essay
Just a few days ago we blogged about the slight disparity in the Common App's word count versus character count limits for the short answer essay requirement. The difference was slight but significant - 150 words (in theory) was actually 750 characters (a hard limit), which meant for the potential of an ugly cut-off if your 150 words happened to be particularly long words.
The Common App has responded to this issue and changed its short answer requirement from 750 characters to 1,000 characters. We have updated our Common App settings at College Essay Organizer and adjusted the Essay RoadMap readouts to reflect this change.
It should also be noted that the Common App did not post an official notice of this fairly crucial change (they've increased the length requirement by a third without saying so!), but College Essay Organizer is on the case as usual.
State University of New York Essay Questions 2011
The SUNY (State University of New York) schools have many specific differences, including certain essay questions, scholarship requirements, and the like. But they share this question in common:
Please provide additional information that will help us better understand your academic performance. You may also explain any chronological gaps in your academic history (e.g. a period of time after high school graduation before applying to college).
At first glance, this question seems like it could be an optional "tell us anything" prompt, or even a required "disciplinary" question, telling you to explain any suspensions, or run-ins with authorities that have disrupted your time in school. At College Essay Organizer, we recommend that anybody without the kind of disciplinary problems or "gaps" in the academic record use this prompt as an opportunity to discuss his or her intellectual interests.
We have discussed the intellectual interest essay here before on the blog, but most importantly, it is the piece of writing that tells the school why you are interested in what they can offer you, and what you bring to the table as a member of the student body. It is a chance to discuss your interests while also implying what you are good at and how you spend your time most effectively. It can be a chance to distinguish yourself from your peers in a unique way, which is something you should always be looking for opportunities to do.
The Common App and the Difference Between Online Applications & PDFs
At College Essay Organizer we research college application requirements like it's our job. Actually, it is our job. And one of the odd sides of this job is that we are constantly finding inconsistencies between different versions of applications that schools put out, not to mention inconsistent or incorrect information explaining the application documents on the schools' sites.
One of the most notable disparities we've found is with the Common App itself. That's right, even the trusty old Common App has a significant difference between its paper (or PDF) version and its online version.
The paper version of the Common App calls for 150 words for it short essay, while the online version calls for 750 characters. The distinction is important, especially if you're running long, in which case the online version on the Common App will simply cut your writing off at the 750 character limit. So that 150-word essay can be significantly shorter if you're using big (some might say college-ready) vocabulary.
The Common App's short essay and optional space question are also worded differently. It's not a significant difference, though in many cases with colleges, different forms of college applications often feature different word counts, character limits, or even completely different questions! Just remember that College Essay Organizer is here to research these elements full time and contact the colleges to help resolve any confusion. So feel free to rely on us - it's our job.
Brown University and the Common App Supplement
One of these people goes to Brown University. Exciting! You should probably not write your essay about that.
Brown University has always been known for its distinctive academic requirements - distinctive in that it has nearly no traditional academic requirements at all. Brown does not have a core curriculum, and allows students to shape their learning around a required number of credits each semester. As one might expect, a number of Brown's essay requirements address this atypical aspect of the school, one of which goes a little something like this:
"A distinctive feature of the Brown Curriculum is the opportunity to be the 'architect of your education.' Why does this academic environment appeal to you?"
This is another way of asking why you are interested in the school, something we've addressed here on CEO Blog before. When Brown asks you what's so great about leaving your educational requirements for you to choose, what they're really asking is what you are interested in and how you plan to take advantage of the opportunities such an arrangement allows you more than anything you might find in a Brown University promotional pamphlet.
Don't forget that your writing is always about what you can do for the school and its student body, regardless of the question. The implied meaning of all your responses is that you are a desirable candidate, and that you have qualities that set you apart from the thousands of other applicants. So when writing about a school-specific quality, like when addressing this prompt from Brown, make sure that you are identifying your own interests, and detailing how they would come alive in such an environment. Be specific, clear, and assertive and find the spots where their interests are yours, too.