Swarthmore College has unveiled its supplemental essay prompts for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. These essays are your opportunity to present unique facets of your identity, experiences, and academic passions. With a word limit of 250 words per prompt, this year's topics are both a challenge and an opportunity to deeply reflect and articulate your thoughts concisely.
Essay Prompt 1
"Swarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry. All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities. Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more. What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own." (250 words)
Essay Prompt 2
"Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education. Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring?" (250 words)
Approaching Swarthmore's Supplemental Essays
When approaching these supplemental essays, it's crucial to be introspective and sincere. Swarthmore College values authenticity and a strong sense of self, so your essays should reflect that. At Sups AI, we've helped over 10k students get into top 50 schools, and we can guide you through this journey as well.
Prompt 1 Guidance
Swarthmore's first prompt seeks to understand the depth of your self-awareness and how you have engaged with diverse communities. Begin by reflecting on the most significant aspects of your personal background or self-identity. Consider elements such as your cultural heritage, unique family traditions, or specific personal experiences that have shaped who you are.
As you draft your response, consider using a specific anecdote to illustrate your points. Maybe you’ve navigated cultural differences when participating in a multicultural student organization, or you’ve developed a collaborative project that bridges different community groups. Detail how these experiences have enhanced your understanding and appreciation of diversity and influenced your ability to work with others. For tailored advice, check out Sups AI - it offers feedback from current students who have successfully navigated the college admissions process.
Prompt 2 Guidance
For the second prompt, Swarthmore wants to see your intellectual curiosity and the interconnection of your interests. Start by identifying a topic that has recently piqued your curiosity. This could be anything from a new academic subject, a hobby, a global issue, or even a casual conversation that sparked a deeper interest.
Explain why this topic caught your eye. Was it a challenging concept in a class? A thought-provoking article? A field experience? Narrate how this curiosity has crossed into other areas of your life or academic pursuits. Perhaps a newfound interest in environmental science has influenced your perspective on social justice, or maybe a passion for medieval history has interconnected with modern political theories. Highlight how this curiosity shapes your approach to learning, and what drives you to continue exploring it.
For more personalized guidance and feedback, sign up on Sups AI. Sups AI provides one-on-one chats with current students to help brainstorm ideas and ensure your essay stands out.
Writing Swarthmore's supplemental essays is an opportunity to showcase your personal experiences and intellectual passions. Make sure to leverage resources like Sups AI to refine your essays and maximize your chances of admission.
