colorado college supplemental essay examples

Colorado College Supplemental Essays

Founded in 1874, Colorado College is a private liberal arts college located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The school is home to approximately 2,000 undergraduates. As part of the admissions process, students must complete 1-2 Colorado College supplemental essays. 

Colorado College Essay Prompts: Quick Facts

• Colorado College Acceptance Rate : 14% . U.S. News ranks Colorado College #27 on the list of National Liberal Arts Colleges.
• 1 required 200-word essay
• 1 optional 250-word essay 
• Colorado College Application : Students must submit their Colorado College application through the Common Application , Coalition Application , or QuestBridge . Make sure to have all of your Colorado College supplemental essays and other required application materials ready when applying. 
• Early Decision I: November 1st
• Early Action: November 1st
• Early Decision II: January 15th
• Regular Action: January 15th 
• Colorado College Supplemental Essays Tip : There are two Colorado College supplemental essays, though one is optional. The Colorado College acceptance rate is highly selective, so your Colorado College supplemental essays should be authentic and personal to help you stand out among other applicants. 

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website. 

More details about Colorado College

Colorado College offers a unique course curriculum called the Colorado College Block Plan with over 40 C olorado College majors to choose from. The Colorado College ranking by Forbes is #96 among the Top Colleges of 2022. 

A major aspect that sets Colorado College apart from other schools is its setting, nestled in the Rocky Mountains. Many student organizations and extracurriculars center on skiing and rock climbing. In fact, Colorado Springs is considered one of the best college towns for students with a love for the outdoors and activities like hiking, biking, and fishing. Consider these things when planning out your extracurricular activities essays and how you might fit into the Colorado College community! 

Does Colorado College have supplemental essays?

Yes—there are colorado college supplemental essays. .

The school requires one 200-word Why Colorado College essay. Additionally, there are optional Colorado College supplemental essays—one 250-word essay, to be precise. The second Colorado College supplemental essays prompt asks you to discuss one of your extracurriculars. 

The Colorado College supplemental essays don’t give you a lot of space. Because the required Colorado College supplemental essays are short, it is important to be concise. Make sure every word counts in your Colorado College supplemental essays.

Colorado College Essay Requirements

Here are the Colorado College essay prompts:

Colorado College Essay Prompts:

1. why do you wish to attend colorado college and how would the block plan serve your educational goals (200 words; required), 2. please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (250 words; required).

This means that in addition to the personal statement on the Common Application, QuestBridge , or Coalition Application, you will need to complete one brief required supplemental essay . We also recommend that you complete the second of the Colorado College essay prompts. 

Why the Colorado College supplemental essays matter

As we mentioned, the Colorado College acceptance rate is low. As such, the Colorado College supplemental essays can help you stand out. 

Each of the Colorado College essays lets you highlight what you’d bring to the Colorado College community. With only 200-250 words per essay, every sentence counts. Each element of your Colorado College essays should teach the Colorado College admissions team something new about you. 

What is the Colorado College block plan?

The Colorado College Block Plan is the unique curriculum structure at Colorado College. Under the Block Plan, instead of taking multiple classes at a time, students study one class at a time. Each block lasts three and a half weeks. 

The Colorado College Block Plan is designed to allow students at Colorado College to focus on things that they really want to do. By taking one class at a time, which generally meets every weekday from 9 am to noon, students learn the curriculum deeply and are not distracted by other classes and assignments. One block at Colorado College is the equivalent of taking one semester’s worth of a class at another college. 

The idea of the Colorado College Block Plan is that having one class allows students to have the time to pursue their passions and interests outside of the classroom. 

Block Plan Basics:

• Each block spans three and a half weeks, beginning on a Monday and ending on a Wednesday.
• One block is equal to one semester of a class.
• There are four blocks per semester and eight blocks per year. Students can also take classes during an optional Half Block in the winter and Summer Session during the summer.
• Class typically meets 9 AM-12 PM Monday through Friday, with labs in the afternoon where applicable. However, professors can choose to schedule classes in whatever format best suits their classes’ needs. 

Students beginning their education at Colorado College will start with the First-Year Program (FYP). The FYP includes the first two blocks of the Colorado College Block Plan, critical inquiry seminar, and the first-year writing seminar. These blocks prepare students for the rest of their academic journey at Colorado College. 

Students have more than 80 Colorado College majors, minors, and specialized programs to choose from. Be sure to consider how the FYP and Block Plan will serve you and your education goals when writing your Colorado College supplemental essays. 

How to write the Why Colorado College essay

Like many other colleges, Colorado College requires a Why Colorado College essay. The prompt for the first of the Colorado College supplemental essays asks students to explain their interest in CC and in the Block Plan. 

You’ll likely write “why this college” essays for many schools on your list. These prompts require you to describe specific reasons why you would like to attend a school and how you may contribute to the community. For Colorado College, you are asked to explain why you are interested in attending Colorado College and how their unique curriculum will impact your goals. 

Before you begin writing your Why Colorado College essay, learn more about the school. A strong why this college essay requires research. So, learn more about specific aspects of Colorado College that align with your educational and career goals. You should want to be just as good of a fit for the school as it is for you.

For example, let’s say you are a student who wants to study out West, making the Rocky Mountains your playground. If your passions are skiing and rock climbing and the Block Plan offers a suitable education for your needs, Colorado College may be the right fit for you. Use these passions and interests to your advantage when answering the Why Colorado College essay prompt.  

Finding your priorities

As you begin your college search, you should look for schools that meet all of your needs. Once you have a list of potential schools, do some research on each school and their requirements. Learn all that you can about each program so that you can submit a well-informed and persuasive application. 

Part of your Why Colorado College essay may address what you want to major in and why. Like choosing a college, choosing a major is a big decision. When choosing from the Colorado College majors, you should consider what interests you, what career you think you would enjoy, and what subjects you were drawn to in high school. However, note that you won’t be tied to the major you select on your application. 

For inspiration on writing your Why Colorado College essay, check out this guide to Why This College Essay Sample.  

Approaching the extracurricular activities essay

The second of the Colorado College essay prompts is optional. However, writing this optional essay can help set you apart from other applicants. So, you should complete the second of the Colorado College essays. 

Once again, here’s the second of the Colorado College essay prompts:

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (250 words)

The second of the Colorado College supplemental essays allows you to showcase who you are outside of the classroom. You can choose to discuss any extracurricular you’ve pursued: school-sponsored activities, sports, community activities, independent activities, or work experiences. Overall, you should make sure you choose an extracurricular activity that is meaningful to you. 

When you are writing about your extracurricular activities for college, you will want to provide specific details about the type, length, and responsibilities of your involvements. If you’re unsure where to start, try making a list of all the extracurricular activities you have participated in. Write down the role you had in this activity, how much time you spent doing it, and what you learned because of this involvement. This will serve as an outline when you go to write your essay about extracurricular activities. 

Here is an easy four-step plan that can help you write a stellar extracurricular activities essay: 

Four-step plan for outstanding extracurricular activities essays, 1. choosing the right extracurricular or work.

You want to make sure that the activities you write about demonstrate your passion and dedication. These qualities will impress admissions officers. 

2. Brainstorming personal details

Make sure you are personable and vulnerable in the stories you tell and anecdotes you choose to share. Tell a story that allows the reader to see you beyond your accomplishments on paper and demonstrate how you would enrich campus life. 

3. Drafting an essay

Although you are limited to 250 words, your first draft can be longer than that. It is always better to start with more information and narrow it down than to not have enough in the first place! 

4. Editing and revising

It is crucial that you submit an essay that is grammatically sound and structurally cohesive. Have another set of eyes proofread your work before you submit your Colorado College essays. 

If you’re looking for some extracurricular activities essay examples, you can check out our CollegeAdvisor guide to extracurricular activities essays! 

Does Colorado College care about essays?

In a word, yes—the Colorado College admissions team considers your Colorado College supplemental essays a key part of your application. 

The Colorado College essays allow you, as the student, to speak directly to the admissions team. So, your Colorado College supplemental essays serve as a way for you to convince admissions officers that you are a good fit for the Colorado College community. 

Overall, the Colorado College admissions team considers the Colorado College supplemental essays a vital part of their review process. Online, you can find some advice and writing tips for applicants to scholarships at CC. While these tips directly address scholarship applications, the same advice applies for the regular Colorado College essays. 

More guidance on the Colorado College essays

First and foremost, writing a personal essay requires persuasive language that sells you to an admissions team. Your Colorado College essays should showcase you in the best possible light. Why do you belong at Colorado College? What do you bring to the table? Finally, what should the admissions committee know about you that isn’t clear from the rest of your application? 

For your Colorado College supplemental essays, keep the following writing tips in mind:

Be clear and concise

Clarity counts for more than creativity of vocabulary. Also, focus on quality over quantity — your essays are limited in length, so make every word count.

Draft, revise, repeat

Never turn in a first draft. Expect to revise multiple times. Most successful applicants revise drafts close to a dozen times in order to get a document that is dense with information yet reads effortlessly and engagingly.

Get feedback

Your essay will improve with each reading. Fresh eyes are always a beneficial addition to proofreading. 

How can I make my Colorado College essays stand out?

To best prepare for the Colorado College supplemental essays, start early. You should be thinking about your Colorado College supplemental essays way before the application deadline. That way, you’ll have adequate time to write standout Colorado College essays and answer all parts of the Colorado College essay prompts. 

Organization can also make a huge difference as you approach the Colorado College supplemental essays. Make sure you plan out a timeline for the application process. Additionally, create an application checklist in order to manage your application’s components and deadlines. 

As you write your Colorado College supplemental essays, remember that your application is a persuasive document. Overall, your Colorado College essays should convince the admissions team why you are a highly qualified applicant who deserves admission to Colorado College. 

Your qualifications cannot simply speak for themselves. Instead, you have to make an argument about why you are the perfect fit for the Colorado College community. 

Colorado College Essays – 5 Takeaways

5 takeaways for writing colorado college essays, 1. brainstorm.

Do some research on Colorado College and its programs. Then, craft a list of reasons why Colorado College interests you and narrow your points down to no less than three strong arguments. Use these reasons to draft your Colorado College supplemental essays. 

2. Get personal and be specific

Admissions officers agree that the most crucial aspect of a successful essay is authenticity. The Colorado College supplemental essays give applicants the opportunity to express themselves. Remember, the Colorado College supplemental essays are the only component of your application that allows the admissions committee to see beyond your grades and extracurriculars. So, use the Colorado College essay prompts to highlight what makes you unique. 

3. Tell a story

The best Colorado College essays will have a solid introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. If appropriate, consider using a personal anecdote to begin your essay. However, make sure you choose a story that is relevant to your values and/or goals. 

4. Follow the word count

The Colorado College essays are 200 to 250 words. It is critical to follow the word count guidelines. The essay format guidelines are here for a reason, and application readers can be easily frustrated by a student’s failure to follow directions. Remember, the shorter the word count, the fewer ideas you will want to include. If you are only including one idea in your essay, make sure it is your strongest argument. 

5. Leave time to review your essays

When you think you have finished, be sure to proofread and edit. You will want to make sure you have answered and addressed all parts of the Colorado College essay prompts. Additionally, be sure to get input from others. Fresh eyes are always helpful, so ask several trusted sources to review your essay for grammatical errors and structural edits.

Want more guidance on the Colorado College essays? Colorado College offers a series of ten short videos with quick tips and advice from their admissions team on writing stellar Colorado College supplemental essays. Watch them all here . 

For one-on-one essay guidance, our experts at CollegeAdvisor can help you write the very best Colorado College essays and make your Colorado College application stand out. Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists.

This article was written by Bailey Bennett. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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2024-25 Supplemental Essay

In addition to the personal statement, we ask that you also submit a Colorado College-specific short essay as part of your application.

Essay Prompt

In seeking to identify students who will thrive here, our supplemental essay prompt asks you to think about your experiences and potential for engagement with ideas in one of three areas that are critical to us as an institution and as a community:

• Antiracism . Colorado College is committed to becoming an antiracist institution. We are working to break down systemic racism and foster an inclusive environment in which students, staff, and faculty of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives can thrive. With antiracism central to our mission, our students are better prepared to make meaningful change in the world.
• Sustainability . We aspire to make CC a model for sustainability. 24 out of 30 academic departments offer at least one course that includes sustainability topics, we're one of the top institutions in the country for water conservation, and our library is the largest net-zero academic library in the nation. We live our commitment to a thriving future.
• Wellness . We recognize that there is no singular pathway to wellbeing, and empower students to envision and follow their own paths to wellness. Through a variety of resources designed to address physical, spiritual, and mental health while helping students develop skills in areas like stress management and building healthy relationships, we equip students to live healthy and fulfilling lives. 

With that background information in mind, here is the 2024-2025 supplemental essay prompt:

Colorado College values creating an equitable, environmentally-conscious, and healthy community. Choose one of these areas – antiracism, sustainability, or wellness – and describe your experiences and the specific ways you plan to get involved in this area at CC.

Recommended length: 250 to 300 words.

Tips and Advice

• Be specific: While we know you may have several short essays to write for different colleges, please take the time to customize your response to Colorado College.
• The choice is yours: We offer three different topics with no preference for one over the other. Select the topic that you feel like you can best use to give us better insight into your interests and potential for engagement in the CC community.
• Be authentic: We want to better understand who you are as a student and community member. Share what is true to who you are, and don't feel induced to include information that is painful or traumatic.
• Proofread: Take the time to carefully review your response before you submit. Read it out loud, ask a friend or family member to take a look, and don't rush!

Scholarships and Grants

The essays are, quite possibly, the single most important part of your application, because they are the only opportunity for you to speak directly to the funder.

Personal essays for scholarships, fellowships, and grants are very different from academic essays. Both types are persuasive essays, but these essays are selling something specific -- YOU. How do you make your personal essay work hard for you?

• Talk before you write . Meet with the award's campus adviser and Roy Jo Sartin , the Writing Center Specialist , to discuss what the funder is looking for in the essays.
• Reflect . Think about your motivations. What has brought you to this place that you are applying for this opportunity? What has prepared you to undertake this opportunity? How does this opportunity fit into your larger goals?
• Show, don't tell . Stories are more effective at explaining your qualities and passions than statements. What have you done that shows your interests? What has happened to you that demonstrates your motivations? What examples can you give of your character?  
• Make an argument. Use your stories as evidence for your argument. Your argument answers the question, Why are you the perfect fit for this opportunity?  

Some fellowships and grants require you to write a project proposal , which can be similar to a research proposal. How do you write an effective project proposal?

• Talk before you write . Meet with the award's campus adviser and Roy Jo Sartin , the Writing Center Specialist , t o discuss what the funder is looking for in the essays.
• Think through your project. What do you hope to gain from this project? How will you accomplish this? What is this project's significance? 

For either of these essays, keep the following writing tips in mind:

• Be clear and concise . Clarity counts for more than creativity of vocabulary. And focus on quality over quantity -- most essays are limited in length, so make every word count.
• Draft, revise, repeat . Never turn in a first draft. Expect to draft, revise, and repeat, multiple times. Most successful applicants revise drafts close to a dozen times in order to get a document that is dense with information yet reads effortlessly and engagingly.
• Get feedback. Lots of it, from interested readers. Ask the award's campus adviser, previous applicants, Roy Jo Sartin the Writing Center Specialist , Writing Center tutors, professors, and mentors for their ideas. Your essay will improve with each reading.

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Colorado College’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short response.

Please choose from one of these prompts. To learn more about why we are asking this question and how you can best craft a thoughtful response, review our website for context and insight.

Tell us about a time where you learned from an experience that challenged your perspective.

Provide one or two specific examples from your life that demonstrate your potential to advance CC’s commitment to antiracism.

Describe how your personal experiences with a particular community make you a student who would benefit from Colorado College’s Block Plan.

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

What are your chances of acceptance?

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Extracurriculars.

How to Write the Colorado School of Mines Essays 2024-2025

Colorado School of Mines has two supplemental essays. Although these supplements are technically optional, we strongly encourage you to respond to them. In a college application, you only have so much space to share information about yourself, so you want to take full advantage of every opportunity to do so.

In addition, not answering prompts—even if they’re optional—can make it look like you don’t have a strong interest in a school, which may weaken your overall application.

Here’s our expert guide to writing the Colorado School of Mines essays so you can boost your application with strong responses.

Read this Colorado School of Mines essay example written by a real student to inspire your own writing!

Colorado School of Mines Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1: Reflect on a time when you had to collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, or viewpoints. How did this experience impact your understanding of identity and the importance of inclusivity? (30-250 words)

Prompt 2: Please share a bit more about your academic interests. What do you hope to study at Mines? If you are undecided, what area(s) of study are you considering? What has inspired your interests in these areas? Think about your prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests. (30-250 words)

Reflect on a time when you had to collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, or viewpoints. How did this experience impact your understanding of identity and the importance of inclusivity? (30-250 words)

This prompt is a bit like the common diversity prompt with one key difference—it’s asking about an experience you had in a diverse group rather than how you are diverse. With that in mind, you should tackle this essay a bit differently.

Before anything else, you should consider what your reference point for diversity is going to be. The prompt specifies “diverse backgrounds, experiences, or viewpoints,” which provides you with the opportunity to be flexible. Normally, the word diversity is used in contexts where it refers to things like ethnicity/race, country of origin, language, gender, etc. While these factors are all certainly markers of diversity, the scope of the prompt allows you to go beyond them.

Other things you might consider when thinking about diverse backgrounds, experiences, or viewpoints include hometown, income class, socioeconomic status, illness or disability, and even just interests or activities. These factors are a little less common and can be used to great effect in an essay like this.

Once you’ve decided on your diversity reference point, think about a time when you had collaborated with people who were diverse in that way. With respect to this experience, ask yourself a few questions to help guide your writing:

• What exactly happened? (Think in terms of concrete facts and occurrences)
• What was going through your mind and how did you feel as the experience happened?
• How have your thoughts and emotions about the experience changed over time?
• Were there any challenges that resulted from the group’s diversity? Were any challenges in general overcome due to the group’s diversity?

Jot down these thoughts and try to form an engaging narrative that tackles the prompt’s central question: “How did this experience impact your understanding of identity and the importance of inclusivity?” The school recognizes its diverse student body as well as the importance of having a range of background and viewpoints at the institution. This prompt is meant to gauge where you stand on this same point.

You’ll want to choose a factor of diversity that is not trivial. Something cliché or unimportant will not reflect a strong understanding of the ways in which varied student identities enrich the college experience. Also avoid writing only about negative experiences. While these are undoubtedly formative and important, they can leave a sour note on your whole application. That being said, not every story has a happy ending, so find a balanced tone if you do write about something negative.

When you write your essay, you have a maximum of 250 words to work with. Note that even though there is a stated minimum of 30 words, there is no way to write an effective essay on this topic in so few words. For that reason, you should probably aim to have an essay that is at or near the 250-word mark.

About 25% of your response should describe the ways in which the group was diverse, and how that diversity was relevant or important to the experience. For the other 75%, briefly describe the experience then go into detail about your reflections on it. Write about specific ways in which the diversity of the group enriched your understanding of identity and the importance of inclusivity. Think of things you may not have known or appreciated prior to the experience that you now pay more attention to.

Consider the following excerpt, in which a student reflects on a virtual math bowl he participated in with a diverse group of friends he had made online prior to the event:

“…One of the rounds was particularly hard because it involved questions with strings of arithmetic that had to be solved within a few seconds. While most of my team—myself included—struggled to keep up with the time limit, Adedeji blazed through them. His performance in that round won us the whole event! Later, we all asked Adedeji how he worked so quickly and he told us that he thought of all the numbers in his native language, Yoruba.

Counting in Yoruba uses a fascinating base-20 system that uses addition, subtraction, and multiplication in its names for numbers! Adedeji gave us the example of the number 90, whose Yoruba name means “20 x 5 – 10.” The arithmetic built into his language helped him visualize the math problems in that round more easily. That experience made me truly appreciate how differently people from other places can view things as fundamental as counting. There are many instances in which this simple change in thinking can make a world of difference. Since the math bowl, I have made an effort to run ideas by people I know from around the world. Sometimes, it takes a form of thinking I’m not used to to really get the solution to a problem.”

This example is strong because it uses a unique marker of diversity—counting in a different language—to convey the student’s new perspective—that problems can sometimes be solved more easily when using other ways of thinking from a diverse group of people.

Please share a bit more about your academic interests. What do you hope to study at Mines? If you are undecided, what area(s) of study are you considering? What has inspired your interests in these areas? Think about your prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests. (30-250 words)

This is a very standard version of the “Why This Major?” essay . School’s love this straightforward prompt because it allows the admissions officers to get a sense of what interests you, why it interests you, and why/how you plan on pursuing this interest in college and beyond.

If you’re undecided, the prompt conveniently gives advice on how you should approach this question; talk about fields that interest you, even if you don’t know if you want to pursue a career in any of them. After all, college is a time meant for discovery and exploration of your interests and options. Most colleges don’t require you to declare a major until the end of your second year.

In any case, in order to respond to this prompt, you’ll need to talk about a field (or a couple of fields if you’re undecided). Once you’ve settled on a subject, consider the following questions to guide your response:

1) What are your authentic reasons for pursuing this field of study?

Ideally, you’ll want to pick a field that you’re deeply interested in—one that you can talk about with enthusiasm in detail. You should also have meaningful reasons for wanting to pursue your chosen field.

Some students choose to study a field because of a desire for money or status, or because of pressure from their parents. If this sounds like you, you’re already off to a bad start. Truthfully, no one is going to judge you for wanting to earn a living. That said, an essay about making money will look too self-serving and disingenuous, and will absolutely detract from your entire application in a big way, so be sure to talk about more worthwhile reasons.

2) What are some specific examples of things you enjoy in the field?

When you answer this question, aim to be as specific as you can. Anyone can write something generic like “I really like engineering.” Instead of doing that, think of more narrow subtopics that are less shallow, such as “mitigating torsional stress in bridge structures to prevent collapse.” 

You might think you’re not that knowledgeable about the field, but if you’ve picked a topic that you’re already passionate about and familiar with, you’ll probably find that talking about a specific aspect you enjoy shouldn’t be too daunting a task.

3) How does this major serve your life and/or career goals?

You may not have a complete, detailed plan for your career and adult life, and that’s totally fine (and to be expected)! However, it would be helpful if you had some idea of what you want to do in the future. Think of industries you would be able to work in or companies you might work for with a degree in your chosen field. What’s your dream job? Why do you want to do it? How can your chosen major contribute to getting that job and finding success in the field?

4) What’s your favorite school experience related to this subject? What are the best parts of your experience with it outside the classroom?

Be specific here! Rather than just saying “I loved learning about tectonic plates in physics,” describe the project you did where you built bridges out of toothpicks and then tested their integrity by shaking them at progressively faster speeds, and how this project sparked your interest in civil engineering.

5) Is there some sort of recurring emotional experience or mindset that you have when you explore this field of study? What do you find appealing about that experience or mindset?

You can use your answers to questions 4 and 5 to recall some relevant anecdotes that may contribute to a stronger response.

If you’ve figured out the answers to most, or all, of the above questions, you can use them to plan a structure for your response. You might find it helpful to break your essay into two main parts:

• The experiences that created and fostered your interest in this field (as well as your emotional and personal connection to your chosen major)
• What you hope to do in the future, both at Mines and during your desired career

At this point in the writing process, it’s advisable to do some research on Mines’s website to get to know the school better. Check out its undergraduate programs page to see if Mines offers any unique spin on your intended major. Also take a look at their directory page to keep up with any interesting projects being conducted at the school.

For example, consider a hypothetical student who wants to major in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering whose father is a hobbyist blacksmith. She might begin with an anecdote about working in her father’s workshop to craft custom chef knives for the first time. Perhaps sharing this experience with her father opened up a new world for her, which fostered a deep interest in metal and its properties.

She might write about her high school experiences with shop class in high school, her intensive preparation for the AP Chemistry exam, and the metalworking projects she undertakes in her father’s workshop on her own. She can then transition into a discussion of the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering major offered at Mines. She might mention that it is unique in that there is a stated focus on metallurgy, something many college Materials Science programs don’t offer.

No matter how unique, quirky, or strange you might think your engineering/STEM interests are, there’s probably some resource at Mines that can help you cultivate it. So show them how unique you are as an individual—that’s what supplemental essays are for!

Where to Get Your Colorado School of Mines Essays Edited For Free

Do you want feedback on your Colorado School of Mines essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

Need feedback faster? Get a  free, nearly-instantaneous essay review  from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!

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• M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania
• B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT

Most college applicants fail to put adequate time into a supplemental college essay. The Common Application's personal essay allows a student to write a single essay for multiple colleges. The supplemental college essay, however, needs to be different for every application. Thus, it's tempting to dash off a generic and vague piece that can be used at multiple schools, resulting in a  weak essay .

Don't make this mistake. Your "Why This College" essay must be specific, demonstrating a high level of interest in and commitment to this particular school. To better understand how to ace this supplemental essay prompt, let's analyze a sample essay written for Oberlin College .

The essay prompt reads:

"Given your interests, values, and goals, explain why Oberlin College will help you grow (as a student and a person) during your undergraduate years."

Sample Supplemental Essay

I visited 18 colleges over the past year, yet Oberlin is the one place that most spoke to my interests. Early in my college search I learned that I prefer a liberal arts college to a larger university. The collaboration between the faculty and undergraduate students, the sense of community, and the flexible, interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum are all important to me. Also, my high school experience was greatly enriched by the diversity of the student body, and I am impressed by Oberlin’s rich history and its current efforts connected to inclusiveness and equality. To say the least, I’d be proud to say I attended the first coeducational college in the country.

I plan to major in Environmental Studies at Oberlin. After my campus tour , I took some extra time to visit the Adam Joseph Lewis Center. It’s an amazing space and the students I chatted with spoke highly of their professors. I became truly interested in issues of sustainability during my volunteer work in the Hudson River Valley, and everything I’ve learned about Oberlin makes it seem the ideal place for me to continue exploring and building upon those interests. I am also impressed by Oberlin’s Creativity and Leadership Project. I’ve been a bit of an entrepreneur ever since second grade when I made a dollar producing and performing The Runaway Bunny for my extended family. I’m drawn to a program that supports the move from classroom learning to creative hands-on, real-world applications.

Finally, as the rest of my application clearly demonstrates, music is an important part of my life. I’ve been playing the trumpet since fourth grade, and I hope to continue performing and developing my skills throughout college. What better place than Oberlin to do so? With more performances than days in the year and a large group of talented musicians in the Conservatory of Music, Oberlin is an ideal place for exploring my love of both music and the environment.

Understanding the Essay Prompt

To understand the strength of the essay, we must first look at the prompt: the admissions officers at Oberlin want you to "explain why Oberlin College will help you grow." This sounds straightforward, but be careful. You're not being asked to explain how college, in general, will help you grow, nor are you being asked how attending a small liberal arts school will help you grow. The admissions offers want to hear how  Oberlin , in particular, will help you grow, so the essay needs to include specific information about Oberlin College.

A strong "Why This College" essay will make a case for why the school in question is a good fit for the student. The case should be made by connecting facts about the school—unique opportunities, educational values, campus culture, et cetera—with the student's goals, values, and interests.

From the Admissions Desk

"We want to see [in the "Why This School" essay] that students understand the unique educational model at High Point University. We know that students have access to more information than ever before and that most colleges focus on the classroom experience. We want students who desire 25% of their time to be experiential ... who want to grow as people of character with strong values and to fully immerse themselves in our life skills education."

–Kerr Ramsay Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions, High Point University

A good way to see if you've responded to the prompt well is to swap out the name of the college you're applying to with the name of any other college. If the essay still makes sense once you do a global replace of the school name, you haven't written a good supplemental essay.

A Critique of the Supplemental Essay

The sample essay certainly succeeds on this front. If we were to substitute "Kenyon College" for "Oberlin College" in the essay, the essay would not make sense. The details in the essay are unique to Oberlin. Demonstrated interest can play a meaningful role in the admissions process, and this applicant has clearly demonstrated that she knows Oberlin well and her interest in the school is sincere.

Let's look at some of the essay's strengths:

• The first paragraph makes several important points. First of all, we learn that the applicant has visited Oberlin. This may not seem like a big deal, but you'd be surprised how many students apply to a large number of colleges based on nothing but the schools' reputations. Also, the student notes that she wants to go to a  liberal arts college , not a larger  university . This information isn't really specific to Oberlin, but it does show that she has thought about the options available to her. The final point in this first paragraph gets more specific—the applicant is familiar with Oberlin and knows the school's socially progressive history.
• The second paragraph is really the heart of this essay—the applicant wants to major in Environmental Studies, and she is clearly impressed with the program at Oberlin. She has visited the Environmental Studies building, and she knows of some of the unique opportunities offered at Oberlin. She has even talked with Oberlin students. This paragraph can't help but make a favorable impression on the admissions folks—the applicant is drawn to Oberlin, and she clearly knows exactly  why  she likes Oberlin.
• The final paragraph adds another important dimension to the application. Not only does the student find the Environmental Studies program attractive, but her love of music makes Oberlin an even better match. Oberlin has a top-rated music conservatory, so the applicant's dual love of music and Environmental Studies makes Oberlin a natural match for her.

Admissions officers can't help but feel that Oberlin is a great match for this applicant. She knows the school well, and her interests and goals line up perfectly with Oberlin's strengths. This short essay will certainly be a positive piece of her application.

A Final Word About Supplemental Essays

The content of your supplemental essay is extremely important, and poor decisions on this front can lead to a weak supplemental essay . But content isn't everything. You also need to focus on the presentation of your ideas. Make sure your essay is entirely free of any grammatical errors, and be sure to avoid common stylistic problems . The admissions officers need to conclude that you are sincerely interested in attending their school and that you are an excellent writer.

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Colorado School of Mines 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

Colorado School of Mines 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements: 2 optional essays of 250 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Diversity , Why

While the Colorado School of Mines essays are both optional, we encourage you to seriously consider responding to one or both of the following prompts.

At Colorado School of Mines, we value difference and support equity and inclusion of all students and their many intersecting identities. The lived experiences and personal identities of Mines students enrich our classroom and campus experience. Factors that shape identity may include, gender, race, ethnicity, neurodivergence, first-generation status, etc. or leadership, professional development, and personal growth experiences in community organizations or organizations like robotics or scouting.

The following writing questions are optional but strongly recommended for best consideration. , reflect on a time when you had to collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, or viewpoints. how did this experience impact your understanding of identity and the importance of inclusivity (250 words).

This is a classic Diversity Essay , through and through. In this particular instance, the question emphasizes identity, inclusivity, intersectionality, and collaboration. Admissions officers want to see a story of personal growth, a time when you worked with someone different from yourself, and your perspective changed as a result. Maybe you went to a wilderness camp with kids from all over the world and had to figure out how to work together to build a campsite despite language and cultural differences. Perhaps a potential new member made you realize that your robotics team’s hierarchy or methodologies were excluding neurodivergent students. Maybe you took an online coding course and had to lead a virtual group project with students of differing ages and opinions. No matter your starting point, be sure you tell a clear story with a beginning, middle, and end that demonstrates your commitment to creating inclusive environments.

Please share a bit more about your academic interests. What do you hope to study at Mines? If you are undecided, what area(s) of study are you considering? What has inspired your interests in these areas? Think about your prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests. (250 words)

This prompt asks you to explain why you like what you like. Tell a story about a significant experience that showcases your unique connection to your chosen course of study. The essays that stick with admissions are the ones that jump off the page with concrete descriptions from real life. What interests you and why? How have you gone about learning more about your subject of interest? What will this degree allow you to do (if you’re going in decided)? How have you already explored this topic? While you don’t need to narrow in on the exact moment you became interested in geology or music education, try to focus on one significant experience. If you’re undecided, use this as an opportunity to reveal something about what you value and what excites you intellectually. You could try to illustrate a general inclination (e.g., engineering, the environment, or medicine). Or if you really feel like you could go any direction, try to show a balance, picking majors across domains that link to each other in a way that still makes sense (biology, psychology, engineering). Since Mines is a STEM-focused school, they’ll expect their applicants to have a strong sense of how they fit into the school’s offerings, so do a little research on their programs to show them that you know exactly how your interests align with their courses, clubs, and departments.

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