Lewis & Clark College, located in Portland, Oregon, is known for its commitment to exploration, learning, and collaboration, as embodied in its motto: Explorare, Discere, Sociare - to explore, to learn, to work together. For applicants, this ethos extends to the college’s supplemental essays, which are a vital part of the application process. This year, Lewis & Clark has shared two unique prompts designed to help them get to know you better. Here are the prompts:

1) Most colleges have mottos - a word or phrase that expresses the ideals that guide their actions. Lewis & Clark’s motto is Explorare, Discere, Sociare - to explore, to learn, to work together. Tell us about your personal motto and how it guides you (Latin not required).

2) At Lewis & Clark, we strive to be an inclusive community in which students benefit from exchanging ideas with people whose perspectives may differ from their own. Reflect on a time when you engaged with someone whose background or life experiences are different from yours and share with us what you learned from that experience.

Each essay should be approximately 300 words long.

How to Approach the Lewis & Clark Supplemental Essays

Prompt 1: Your Personal Motto

This prompt asks you to reflect on a guiding principle or phrase that shapes your actions and decisions. Begin by identifying a personal motto that resonates deeply with you. This could be a favorite quote, a family saying, or a personal creed. Describe this motto and detail how it influences your life choices and interactions. Remember to connect it back to the principles of exploration, learning, and collaboration, aligning your personal values with those of Lewis & Clark College.

Need help brainstorming? Sups AI can guide you through this process with AI tools that spark creativity and personalized advice from current students who have successfully navigated this very task. Sups AI has already helped over 10,000 students gain admission into top schools across the U.S.

Prompt 2: Engaging with Different Perspectives

This prompt encourages you to reflect on diversity and inclusion. Think of a time when you engaged with someone whose background or life experiences differed significantly from your own. Describe the situation, your initial thoughts, and how the interaction unfolded. What did you learn from this experience? How did it expand your worldview or change your beliefs? This is your chance to show Lewis & Clark that you are open-minded and willing to grow from experiences that challenge your perspectives.

If you're finding it difficult to structure your thoughts, Sups AI offers a variety of resources, including essay feedback and one-on-one chats with currently enrolled students at Lewis & Clark. They can provide you with insights and feedback that elevate your essay to the next level.

Don’t forget, the word limit for each essay is approximately 300 words. Keeping your essays concise while still packing a punch can be challenging. Here’s where Sups AI can again be invaluable. Their feedback ensures that you maintain clarity and impact within the given word count.

Final Thoughts

The Lewis & Clark supplemental essays are your opportunity to delve deeper into your personality, values, and experiences. By genuinely reflecting on the prompts and seeking external guidance like that from Sups AI, you'll craft essays that are not only compelling but also uniquely you. Your journey towards Lewis & Clark begins here – happy writing!