questbridge 500 word essay

How to Answer the Questbridge Essay Questions

• Sasha Chada
• September 11, 2023

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We’ve written about Questbridge before , and still recommend it as an application option for students who meet its eligibility requirements . The scholarships it offers are quite valuable, and grant a pathway to college most students would benefit greatly from. 

Our last article sought to provide a general overview of the Questbridge app, but this one will instead focus on the essays. Questbridge asks applicants to answer two types of essays; long and short answers. We’ll go over the prompts, what they’re asking, and how you can go about answering them. Let’s get started!

Questbridge’s Main Essay

This is named the Personal Essay, and is in many ways quite similar to the personal statement asked for by the Common App. Here is the prompt: 

• We are interested in learning more about the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your successes. Please describe how the most influential factors and challenges in your life have shaped you into the person you are today. (800 words)

This is a very broad prompt, which is both good and bad. Good, because you can write about almost anything. Bad, because you can write about almost anything. This can be a headache when trying to pick a topic. We recommend our article on brainstorming if you want advice on that. 

Generally, however, this essay should be about a self-definitive topic. You want to tell readers something about how you define yourself, and how some event or impact has affected the person you are. This is true for the Common App’s personal statement as well, and any essay you write for Questbridge can be edited to serve as a personal statement. 

Here’s an example of what I mean by self-definitional. I wrote my own personal statement on my time spent dancing. This was an activity I devoted long hours to, but more than that, it was part of how I defined myself. I was a dancer; dance was more than what I did, it was who I was. 

This essay does not need to be about one of your activities, but should center in some way on who you are, and what has made you you. We realize that this can be a tall order; check out some of our guides to the personal statement for more advice on how to approach an essay like this. 

Questbridge’s Second Essay

Questbridge asks for a second long essay. There are four potential prompts for this, and it has a 500 word limit. Here are the prompts: 

• Tell us about a concept, theory, or topic you have explored simply because it sparked your intellectual curiosity. Why do you find it intriguing? How do you want to explore it further?
• Describe an experience that caused you to change your perspective and/or opinion.
• What aspect of your current community do you admire and wish to bring to your future college community?
• Inclusivity involves embracing diversity and working to include people with backgrounds and experiences different from your own. Describe an experience where you have played a role in fostering inclusivity.

There are two things you should consider when choosing which prompt you should answer for this. The first is which stories do you have that will be most impactful, and the second is how best you can complement the story you told in your personal essay. 

Of course, you want to tell whichever story best shows off who you are, and what you will bring to a college. The first prompt allows you to show off your intellectual vitality , the second your willingness to learn from others, and the third and fourth how you will integrate with and contribute to a diverse and vibrant college community. Which of these you have the best story for depends on your own circumstances and experiences.

Most students, however, will have options for each of these prompts. You are all excited about learning, contribute to your community, and have interesting and unique points of view. What you should then consider is this essay in context. How does the information you include in this essay add to what you showed admissions officers in your personal essay?

Questbridge, like colleges, judges applications holistically , trying to create a full picture of who you are. This second long essay is a chance to show them (and admissions officers) a second facet of your character. You should avoid repeating any information you included in your personal essay in this one. 

Questbridge’s Short Answer Essays

In addition to the two longer essay questions, Questbridge asks a number of short answer questions, ranging from 35 to 200 words in length. This is far more essays, as an application, than the Common App or Coalition App. In turn, however, many of the colleges you can apply to through Questbridge require fewer supplemental essays, since the application itself supplies so much information about you. 

Questbridge also only allows you to input five activities, in contrast to the ten allowed by the Common App. These additional essay questions are intended to let you delve more in depth into what you do outside of the classroom, and can be a big help for students who participated in more than five activities in high school. 

We’ll go through each question, and cover what it’s asking, and how to answer it.

Tell us about one of your proudest achievements or moments and what it says about you. (200 words)

This question is open ended and straightforward. What accomplishments you care about most says something about you; what you value, and what you have worked towards. This can be either an extracurricular accomplishment, or something you achieved in your school work. What’s important is not just what you did, but why it matters to you. 

In your response, cover both the accomplishment in detail, scope and scale and the effort you put in, and why this accomplishment was important to you. You want to show readers your values, and what you care about celebrating success in. 

If you could meet a character from a book or a historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them? (200 words)

This is again a chance to show off your values and personality. We recommend answering this question completely honestly. Don’t try to craft an answer based on what you think admissions officers want to hear, instead write an answer that shows off the best parts of you, and where your interests lie. 

We do recommend looking for less common answers, or responses that readers have not seen hundreds of times before. American presidents, protagonists of popular novels, and the most famous historical figures are often brought up for topics like this. If you do want to meet with George Washington or Julius Caesar, then that’s perfectly fine, but you should have something unique and interesting to say about why. 

Very Short Answer Questions

All of the following questions are to be answered in 35 words: 

• What is your favorite subject to study, and why?
• What are your favorite books and/or movies?
• What is your favorite source of inspiration?
• How do you spend a typical weekend?
• What compliment are you most proud of receiving and who gave it to you?
• After a challenging experience, how do you rejuvenate?
• What would you contribute to your future college campus community?

You may answer these in either sentences or lists as you find appropriate. We recommend answering the question about favorite books or movies as a list; it parallels Columbia’s list essays . You likely won’t be able to list every book or movie you enjoy, so try to curate a list that shows off your range of interests.

You should attempt to answer the rest of these questions earnestly and honestly. You do still want to show yourself in a positive light, but this is a good chance to show admissions officers little interesting glimpses of your life and personality. One student we worked with unwinds after a long and challenging experience with a nap; there’s nothing wrong with this, and answering in this way shows an aspect of their character, and how they handle the responsibilities they have assumed. 

For each question, spend one sentence answering it directly, and another providing context or details which expand upon your answer. It is not enough to merely say what your favorite source of inspiration is; give some reasons why and how it inspires you. Questbridge is giving you a wonderful opportunity to introduce yourself to admissions officers, and you should do your best to take advantage of it. 

The final question, about how you will contribute, is the most difficult to answer briefly. Many colleges ask questions like this as a full supplemental essay , which we refer to as the community essay. For this, we recommend focusing on one or two tangible ways you will contribute to a campus community, and exploring each in a sentence. Maybe you’ll bond with your roommates over home cooked meals, or participate in student government, or volunteer your time, or add your talents to artistic endeavors, or bring the school athletic glory; there are many ways to contribute. You need to explore what you bring to the table. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, the essay questions asked by Questbridge give you a lot of room to explore what matters to you, and where your interests lie. This is intentional, as is the open endedness of the questions. Questbridge is meant to provide students who may not have as many resources at their disposal a clear path to college, and part of this is eliciting the kind of information admissions officers want to know. 

Admissions officers want to know who you are, what you care about, and how you’ve spent your time. They want to know what challenges you’ve faced, and how your obligations may have impacted your academic journey. The essay questions are meant to explore who you are as a person and student, because that’s what admissions officers want to see. 

Of course, writing college essays, even ones which strive to be straightforward, is quite difficult. Defining yourself, and exploring your interests is not an easy task for many students. If you are looking for guidance answering Questbridge’s essay questions, or have other concerns about the application process, consider applying to our Laurel Scholars program . We’ve helped many students realize their collegiate dreams, and are always happy to hear from you.

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College Admissions

Quest scholarship college essay example – questbridge program.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

This is a college essay submitted by a student who now attends Northwestern University. This student is a Quest Scholar at Northwestern. The student was awarded with a full-ride scholarship. As you read this Quest Scholarship college essay example, think about your own personal experiences and what you could write about if you are eligible for the scholarship. You can learn more about the Quest Scholarship here .

This is a solid personal essay for several reasons:

• The opening paragraph frames the story and presents to the reader a frustrating situation with his younger brother that leads the reader into the second paragraph with an anticipated even more acutely personal insight into this student’s life. A potentially stronger opening would have been starting with his mother’s condition and remaining focused with the main topic as this opening paragraph is a bit of a tangent in the grand scheme of things.
• The second paragraph demonstrates the reader’s understanding of his mother’s condition. It paints a vivid picture with the reader of the condition, demonstrating to an admissions counselor that not only has this student had to overcome extenuating circumstances, but also that he fully understands the nature of his mother’s condition.
• The third paragraph digs deep as the student reflects on what he has learned from watching his mother suffer the effects of MS through the years. He closes the paragraph strongly with a takeaway of what he has learned to value the most from watching his mother endure her MS condition through the years.
• Finally, the student concludes by wrapping the essay together nicely. The reader finishes reading the essay with a comprehensive understanding of the student’s life experience, how he has learned from this experience, and a bigger picture understanding of the human condition. This is vital. Strong admissions essays often have a message that provide admissions officers with insights of the student’s understanding of the human condition. These essays are often acutely personal and feature an overall theme—in this case, hardship and how the student came to terms with it.

Throughout my life I have encountered many circumstances that have shaped me into the person I am today. I started life in a small house outside of Mackinaw, Illinois. I lived in that house for eleven years, and while I was there I became the oldest of four children. That in itself has been an experience, teaching me a lot about being an example and impacting my views on responsibility. I have a brother who, quite frankly, is the worst behaved kid I know. He lies, steals, and misbehaves compulsively. Academically he is not much better. He was held back in first grade due to a refusal to do homework, and has barely scraped by ever since, consistently getting D’s and F’s. Miraculously, he is now in eighth grade, but he still is not doing much better academically or behaviorally. He is actually very smart; he just refuses to do work which is why he fails. At home he fights with my younger brother and sister and pushes my patience to its limits constantly. Through it all there is a silver lining. He has taught me tolerance and patience. I have learned to deal with other people and annoyances through my experiences with Brock, and find that I am generally harder to anger than others. The lessons in patience that I have learned from Brock have helped me a lot in working with others, and have contributed greatly to my successes in academics, but no single person or experience has impacted my outlook on life as much as my Mom.

Right around my tenth year, when my parents started looking into building a house in the country so my dad could have a shed to work on tractors in, my mom started having problems with her vision. It was often blurry, and she frequently suffered bouts of double vision. She went to several doctors, and numerous specialists, seeking a diagnosis. Eventually one came. Multiple Sclerosis. Abbreviated as MS, multiple sclerosis is ravaging disease affecting the nervous system. MS is caused when the myelin sheaths of nerve axons in the brain and spinal cord are damaged, causing scar tissue to form. The scar tissue hinders neural impulses, thus interfering with commands sent from the brain to motor nerves throughout the body. Eventually, problems with movement and balance develop. The progression of the disease is different for each patient and sometimes leads to an early death, but almost always leads to major disabilities.

Since her diagnosis, my mom’s condition has only worsened. Her double vision went away after a few months and has not returned since, but other complications have risen. Since then, little by little, I have watched my mom lose much of her ability to walk. Today at the age of forty, she walks almost everywhere with a cane. She has been told by her doctor not to drive because of slowed reaction times. Any time we go somewhere where there will be a lot of walking, she uses a wheelchair. Essentially, MS has forced my mom to age at a much greater pace than any human should have to endure. Remarkably though, in these eight years, I have never once heard her complain. Never once has she shown us any sign of self-pity. Instead, she has remained strong, accepting what fate has dealt her. In my parents’ room, she keeps a saying in a picture frame. It reads, “What is, is actual. What might be, simply is not. I must not therefore query God as though he has robbed me of things that are not.” It took me a while to understand exactly what it meant, but once I did I realized that my mom lives her life largely by the quote’s meaning. She realizes that she has MS, and nothing is going to change that, and so she accepts it and keeps going. It takes a special kind of person to do that; I do not think that many people would deal with it as well as my mom has.

Through my mom’s actions, she has taught me that no problem that I could possibly have merits complaint, because, truthfully, nobody cares. Everybody has problems in life, and no amount of complaining will ever change that. If everyone was like my mom I sincerely believe this world would be a better place. Aside from her refusal to complain, I have gained something else from my mom’s attitude. She has taught me the value of our talents and abilities, and that they should be used to their fullest while we possess them. She has inspired me to do my best in everything, and because of that I have been very successful. I love my mom for what she has been through and what she has taught me.

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Writing Essays: Detailed FAQs

What are best proofreading practices?

What grammar essentials should I keep in mind?

What are run-on sentences and how can I avoid them?

When is it appropriate to use sentence fragments?

Is it okay to use a thesaurus as I write?

Which cliches should I avoid?

What is the concept of "flow" and why is it so important?

How many paragraphs should I use?

How can I use transitions to improve the flow of my essay?

What does "full circle" mean and how can I incorporate it?

How can I identify and avoid tangents?

How can I make a good first impression?

What are cliche essay introductions that I should avoid?

What is a "common thread" and why is it important?

How am I supposed to make a unique point in my essay?

Why is it so important to focus the essay on myself?

How and where can I add more detail to my essay?

How do I strike a balance between challenges and successes?

There are three essential elements to proofreading:

• Revise, revise, revise. You should plan on going through many drafts. You shouldn't be afraid to completely start from scratch or change the primary point of your essay. Avoid refusing to change your primary content/topic as you edit; you might find later on that you have a more compelling story to tell than what you began with.
• Read your essay out loud. Slowly, backward, sentence by sentence, in as many ways as possible. This will help you catch errors that your eyes gloss over when reading. 
• Ask as many people for help as you can. Remember to ask them in person if they are able to help you before sending your essay along and give them several weeks to review your essay. The more tips you can get, the better. You don't have to take all the advice they give you — go with what you think will be most helpful. 

For more proofreading advice, we suggest the Proofreading  guide and the Editing Checklist of twelve common errors from the Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Correct grammar and writing mechanics, including spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure, allow readers to easily navigate your essay and clearly understand the message that you want to convey. An essay with major errors or even consistent minor mistakes will make it difficult for readers to focus on the story you are trying to tell them about yourself. Instead, they may become distracted by these mistakes and struggle to process the meaning of individual sentences.

Consider the difference correct grammar can make between these two sentences.

• Incorrect grammar: This is the first time, I had ben told I was special; I wasnt about to let this opportunity slip away as i watched.
• Correct grammar: This was the first time I had been told I was special, and I wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip away as I watched.

Carefully proofreading your essay for errors is a critical step in polishing your essay. 

Below are three areas students consistently struggle with:

Spelling: The spell check feature in your word processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word) is your first defense. Keep in mind that a misspelled word may itself be the correct spelling of a completely different word — your spell check may not catch these types of errors. A good resource is the Merriam-Webster Dictionary . Than/then, we're/were, there/their and effect/affect are all examples of common misspellings. 

Punctuation: The Grammarly Handbook includes separate tutorials on individual punctuation marks. Be particularly mindful of how you use commas, semicolons, and dashes, and be careful not to overuse the latter two.

Verb tenses: Verb tenses provide information to the reader about what point in time an action takes place. There are six basic tenses in the English language, three simple (past, present, and future) and three perfect (past perfect, present perfect, and future perfect). You might use only one tense in your essay, but it’s more likely that you will need to use different tenses in different sections of your essay, or even within the same sentence (e.g., "In elementary school, I hoped to be an astronaut when I grew up, but now I plan to become a medical researcher").

For example, perhaps you use past tense when relating a specific experience, and then shift back to present tense later in the essay when describing who you are now. Be careful to be consistent with your tenses , especially when making lots of revisions (don’t switch back and forth between present and past in the same story). It can be easy to accidentally shift tenses when making lots of edits, so proofread carefully. Here's an example of what a sentence with improper tense use can look like, and how to solve it.

• Improper mixed tenses:  My heart was racing as my dad was opening the door, knowing the impact the next few minutes will have on me.
• Resolved (past tense):  My heart was racing as my dad opened the door, knowing the impact the next few minutes would have on me.
• Resolved (present tense): My heart is racing as my dad opens the door, knowing the impact the next few minutes will have on me.

For more grammar help, two good resources are the Grammarly Handbook and the Grammar, Punctuation, and Style section in Haverford College’s Resources for Writers . 

Run-on sentences are two or more sentences joined incorrectly or even just unwisely. Complex sentences, when used carefully, make your writing more sophisticated. However, these sentences must still be grammatically correct and should not be so long that they make it difficult for the reader to follow your thoughts. There are a few different mistakes to avoid:

Fused sentences: A fused sentence is two separate independent clauses (complete sentences on their own) joined without punctuation or conjunctions (and, but, or, however, therefore, etc.).

• Example: At home my brothers were loud enough for all of us I preferred the quiet escape of books and music.
• How it can be improved: At home my brothers were loud enough for all of us, and I preferred the quiet escape of books and music.
• How it can be improved: At home my brothers were loud enough for all of us. I preferred the quiet escape of books and music.

Comma splices : A comma splice is when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) or with a word that is not one of these conjunctions.

• Example: I escaped the tension at home by driving to the beach, even then my mind couldn't stay still.
• How it can be improved: I escaped the tension at home by driving to the beach, but even then my mind couldn't stay still.
• Example: I always thought I would attend my local community college, however, my plans took an unexpected turn when I heard about QuestBridge during my sophomore year of high school.
• How it can be improved: I always thought I would attend my local community college. However, my plans took an unexpected turn when I heard about QuestBridge during my sophomore year of high school.

Sentences that are too long : A complex sentence that is grammatically correct can still, if not constructed carefully and thoughtfully, be unnecessary and hard for readers to understand. Try reading your essay out loud to find any run-on sentences in this category, and then break them into smaller sentences.

• Example: As we pulled up the driveway, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, I reached over and grabbed my mom's hand, because I knew we could only get through this together.
• How it can be improved: As we pulled up the driveway, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I reached over and grabbed my mom's hand. I knew we could only get through this together.

Please keep in mind that there is always more than one way to correct run-on sentences; the above examples do not represent all possibilities.

A sentence fragment is a group of words that cannot grammatically stand alone as a sentence — it is missing a subject and/or a verb or is a dependent clause. For a good explanation of sentence fragments and how to correct them, please see Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab .

While most sentence fragments should be corrected, thoughtfully and creatively using them for special purposes can strengthen your essay. Specific instances where it's okay to use a sentence fragment include when it:

• Is used for emphasis
• Answers a question
• Functions as a transition
• Is an exclamation

A well-written essay will use varied vocabulary that is not overly simplistic, and making good use of a thesaurus can strengthen your essay. However, in an effort to sound more sophisticated, be careful not to rely so much on a thesaurus that your language sounds unnatural and perhaps includes words that even the reader doesn't understand. Your essay should still be in your voice, and should not simply include the biggest words you can find. When the reader can tell that a thesaurus was overused, it may become difficult to focus on your message instead of simply the big words that you use. Consider the difference between the following two sentences:

• Unnatural : I invariably find myself ambushed beneath copious volumes of course-work, laboring to inhale air.
• Natural : I always seem to be trapped under copious amounts of homework, struggling to grab a breath of air.

You'll notice that the second sentence still contains with word "copious", which is generally not used in everyday conversation. It works well in this case, because the sentence is not full of words that appear to be pulled from a thesaurus. Furthermore, the word itself enhances the image the author is trying to convey without being so obscure that the reader has to look up the definition.

Certain common phrases become cliche when they are overused and portray a lack of original thought. College admissions officers read dozens, often hundreds, of essays — you want your essay to stand out, not blend in with the crowd. One way to do that is to avoid these types of phrases, and instead find a way to creatively convey your thoughts in your own original words. Below are some examples of these types of phrases:

• In today’s society…
• At the end of the day…
• Live life to the fullest…
• All walks of life…
• Survival of the fittest…

For more on cliches, including additional examples and strategies to avoid them, see the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Writing Center .

"Flow" is often used to describe the way that the essay moves from point to point. It can refer to each paragraph or how the paragraphs are connected to one another. An essay that flows well does not include choppy sentences, illogical structure, or paragraphs that are out of sequence. An essay that flows well includes transitions and transitional devices. 

Your essay should also have a common thread that connects each paragraph logically. 

Essays of this length generally work best with more than one paragraph. These paragraphs can simply follow a typical essay layout: introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion.

In the introduction, grab the reader’s attention and clearly explain the subject of the essay. Avoid repeating the essay prompt so your introduction stands out. Make sure your body paragraphs are in logical order and develop your primary point(s). There is no set number of body paragraphs for an essay and a good paragraph has one central point. In the conclusion, you can summarize your main points and leave your readers with an impactful final sentence.

Remember, you should feel free to use paragraphs in whichever way fits your essay. It's perfectly fine to leave a quote or short phrase as a separate paragraph, just be sure to have someone else make sure your essay reads easily.

Tip: it's easiest to read essays with a line break between each paragraph!

Transitions can be a few words or even a few sentences. They connect your ideas and views throughout the essay. A list of transitional devices can be found here .

When writing your college admissions essay, it can be easy to jump from one idea to another, as you might want to talk about many different things. First and foremost, we suggest narrowing your focus to a few key ideas or topics. Then, make sure that every sentence and paragraph leads to each other. You don't want to leave the reader behind as you quickly move from one idea to the next.

Here is an example of how a transition can improve the flow within a paragraph ( source ):

• Before transition: Amy Tan became a famous author after her novel, The Joy Luck Club, skyrocketed up the bestseller list. There are other things to note about Tan as well. Amy Tan also participates in the satirical garage band the Rock Bottom Remainders with Stephen King and Dave Barry.
• With transition: Amy Tan became a famous author after her novel, The Joy Luck Club, skyrocketed up the bestseller list. Though her fiction is well known, her work with the satirical garage band the Rock Bottom Remainders receives far less publicity.

Similarly, you should make sure that the reader can understand why one paragraph follows the other. You want your ideas to build off of each other throughout the essay, instead of being fragmented. Use transitions to achieve that goal.

An effective essay is one that successfully concludes all the ideas it has carried throughout. This is done most effectively when there is a common thread that is concluded at the end of your essay. 

For example, a student might write about three different ideas in their essay:

• How their family has taught them to be grateful.
• How they have grown into a leader during high school.
• Their desire to give back to their community after college.

To come "full circle" they will need to touch on each of these points near the end of their essay. Doing so will tie the ideas together more cohesively in the reader's mind and help them follow the structure of the essay. Similarly, a student might write about just one primary point (for example, how they have grown into a leader during high school). They should still include a summative statement and/or a paragraph near the end that wrap up their thoughts on this matter. Bringing you essay full circle will allow you to emphasize your primary point(s) and leave a lasting impression.

It can also be effective to refer back to your introduction in your final sentences. In this sample essay , you can see how the author mirrored the same sentence type at the end (with the student calling and speaking to someone on the phone). In doing so, the difference between those two phone calls, and thus the personal growth of the author, is emphasized. This neatly brings the essay and the points therein full circle. 

When you are writing about something that is personal to you or that you are passionate about, you can easily go off on a tangent. When this happens, you lose sight of the point you are trying to make and lead the reader to a completely different topic. The best way to avoid tangents is to ask someone to proofread your essay for you. Sometimes you may not know that you have strayed off topic.

If you are not comfortable with asking someone to read your essay, read your essay carefully. If each paragraph and sentence supports the main point of your essay, you have successfully avoided unnecessary tangents.

The reader's first impression of your essay isn’t limited to what you write in your first sentence — the entire first paragraph is filled with opportunities to leave a good first impression. The beginning of your essay is also a space for you to introduce the themes you will use throughout your essay. Remember, you don’t have to start with a conversation, event, or other creative piece of writing, although that is one strategy.

Admissions officers read hundreds of college applications and essays. It takes effort to stand out from the crowd and make them want to thoughtfully read your essay, instead of just skim it. A great first impression will give your essay (and thus, your entire application) a head start.

Sometimes it’s easiest to write your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay. You might find that there’s a quote, or some symbolism, or other detail you want to start with at the beginning and carry throughout the rest of your essay. If you find yourself spending too much time on the introduction, write other parts of the essay and come back to it later!

There are many ways to begin an essay, and some are more common than others. Contrary to what you might have been taught in school, you should avoid repeating the essay prompt to make your introduction stand out.

For example, the QuestBridge National College Match biographical essay topic has historically asked students to: “ describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. "

Accordingly, many essays begin with some variation of the following: “ There have been many factors and challenges that have shaped my life and aspirations. ”

Avoid falling into the “cliche introduction” trap by never repeating the prompt verbatim. Using a few words from the prompt is acceptable, but often there are more interesting and captivating ways to begin your essay.

The term "common thread" refers to an idea, topic, or theme that is carried throughout your essay. It doesn’t have to be explicit — you don’t have to explain how every paragraph relates to the common thread. However, it should be prevalent enough to ensure your essay is united. It can be particularly difficult to use common threads in biographical essays, but that is where they are most important. Unfortunately, there will never be enough space to tell your complete story. Instead, you should use a common thread to convey the primary point you want admissions officers to understand about yourself. When they finish your essay, what is the one thing you want them to remember about you?

In this sample essay , the student’s common thread is the process of growing from a follower into a leader. This character growth and maturity are the one thing the student wants to stand out above all else. You can see how this thread is weaved subtly into the essay — it’s present, but not overwhelming.

With thousands of students writing essays in response to the same prompts, certain topics quickly become overused. To avoid these, take time to think about what makes you unique. Here are a few ways you can get started in this brainstorm process:

• List adjectives that describe you.
• Make a timeline of your life.
• Reflect on a memorable event.

There are several cliche college essay topics that you should be aware of: 

• The Big Issue: I believe that world peace is the most important…
• Tales of My Successes: I’m student body president and…
• The Sports Essay: Football taught me the importance of teamwork…
• The Autobiography: I was born on February 22, 1996…
• The Significant Relationship: My mom/dad/boyfriend changed my life…
• Moving: I attended three different middle schools…
• The Trip: I had to adjust to a different culture in my trip to…
• The Academic Risk: I took all APs and risked not getting a 4.0…

(Adapted from Harry Bauld’s On Writing the College Application Essay)

While you are welcome to write about any of these topics, please know that many students do write about them. You should be convinced that you have a unique spin on that particular topic that will really make your essay memorable. Also, remember that a topic does not have to be particularly thrilling to be unique. It’s possible to write a compelling essay about something as mundane as working at a fast food restaurant! What really matters is the time and effort you put into writing your essay.

The college admissions essay isn’t just a place to demonstrate your writing skills, it’s also the place where the reader should learn more about you. Many college essays are well written, but miss the target because they focus on someone or something besides the student. A perfect example of this is an essay that primarily tells the story of a student’s mother. While it’s entirely possible that the student’s mother is an inspiring person, the college is deciding whether or not to admit the student, not the mother. An essay that doesn’t give the admissions officers more insight into yourself doesn’t pull its weight in your application.

At the same time, you shouldn’t be afraid to talk about people in your life who are important to your development and story. Just be sure to do so in a way that emphasizes the person’s impact on your life and your own personal development. In this sample essay , some details about the student’s parents are included but the primary focus is on the student.

Your college essay is a perfect place to add in the interesting, descriptive details you might leave out of academic papers. By "details" we mean a few different things:

Adjectives and adverbs — use these to help your story come to life for your reader. In the following examples, the writer is saying essentially the same thing, but by using more descriptive writing, the second example is far more engaging and interesting to read.

• Little detail: I walked into my first high school class, feeling nervous.
• More detail: On September 2nd, at 7:58 a.m., I walked into the first class of my high school career. My stomach churned as my nerves overwhelmed my emotions.

Describing a setting, situation, or event with concrete examples to back up your description. In the following example, the writer talks about his/her hometown in two very different ways.

• Little detail: My hometown is a small town in a very rural area. It is very isolated from the more urban areas of New York.
• More detail: My hometown, located along the rural stretches of the Columbia River, has a population of 523. 

Speak of broad topics, such as a personal character quality, while offering evidence in support of it. In the following examples, the writer claims to have a strong work ethic, but only in the second example does the writer illustrate this.

• Little detail: Throughout my life I have developed a strong work ethic. There have been many things that have taught me the value of hard work. My parents in particular made sure I developed a strong work ethic as I grew up. Although I used to have little self-discipline, I am now driven by my strong work ethic.
• More detail: Beginning in middle school, I was expected to work at my parent’s store during the summer. I stocked shelves, assisted customers, and swept the floor as a full time employee. Those long summer days allowed me to recognize the value of hard work, and gain respect for my parents’ self-discipline. My strong work ethic can be directly credited to those working summers.

Students from low-income backgrounds may have encountered many challenges in life. While those challenges and obstacles are worthy of mention, it's important to focus on how they were overcome. The ability to reach high achievement levels in the face of these obstacles is noteworthy, and admissions officers want to hear more about that. They don't, however, want to read an entire essay that is excessively negative — where it seems the writer hasn't learned anything from the challenges they have faced.

Avoid listing the challenges you have faced. Instead, mention them but then shift to explaining what you learned as a result, how you were inspired, etc. In doing so, you will show great character development and a maturity that admissions officers are looking for.

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QuestBridge Applicants

Let’s get started.

With the goal of enrolling a diverse class of the most talented students from across the country and around the world, our processes and policies are carefully designed to evaluate each applicant based on individual merits and potential to succeed at Rice.

* Dates are for 2020-2021 application cycle

Application Materials

• September Last applicable ACT (optional)
• Sep. 26 QuestBridge Application due to QuestBridge
• October Last applicable SAT (optional)
• OCT. 12 College ranking list due to QuestBridge
• OCT. 18 QuestBridge Finalists notified
• Rice Supplement to the QuestBridge Application
• Architecture portfolio (Architecture applicants only)
• 2023-2024 FAFSA
• 2023-2024 CSS Profile
• 2022 Federal Tax Returns and Forms
• Nov. 3 Request an Alumni interview (optional)
• Nov. 20 Complete a Rice Senior Interview (optional)
• Dec. 1 Match Day decision notification
• Dec. 6 Deadline to choose Early Decision
• Dec. 10 QuestBridge Regular Decision form due (non-matched, non-ED applicants only)
• Decision Plan Verification Form
• QuestBridge Midyear Report
• Test Scores (optional)
• See QuestBridge college partner page
• Jan. 6 Request an Alumni Interview (optional)
• Feb. 1 2024-2025 FAFSA

QuestBridge Profiles

Meet a few of our own Rice Quest Scholars and hear how participation in QuestBridge impacted their college journey.

Noemi Moreno

Bradley ramsey, arielle noah.

QuestBridge FAQS

Application Policies & Procedures

First-year domestic applicants are those who will complete high school by the end of the current academic year and hold one of the following citizenship or residency statuses:

• U.S. citizenship
• Permanent Residency
• Undocumented who do not hold DACA status but have resided in the U.S. for an extended period of time
• Refugee/Asylee

Students enrolled in concurrent high school and college courses are considered first-year candidates.

Students who have elected to take time off from schooling between graduating from high school and enrolling in college are considered first-year candidates.

Completion of a high school diploma (or an equivalent) prior to enrollment is required for all new incoming students.

Rice requires a $75 nonrefundable application fee. Students requesting an application fee waiver from Rice should respond to the fee waiver prompts provided in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir. Those students participating in the QuestBridge program automatically qualify for application fee waivers from Rice.

The Rice supplement offers you the opportunity to share more about yourself. This is your chance to tell us why you are interested in Rice and what you would like to pursue as a student here. We also want you to elaborate on your experiences and achievements to share what you would bring to our community.

Essay Prompts (2023-2024)

1. Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected. 150 word limit.

2. Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? 150 word limit.

3. Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community (optional):

• The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? 500 word limit.
• Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? 500 word limit.

One of Rice's long-standing traditions is “The Box,” a question on our application where we ask all of our applicants to share an image of something that appeals to them. The Box gives you the opportunity to present us with an image that shares something about yourself, your interests or what is meaningful to you. This image is not used for evaluative purposes in the application, but allows you to put your stamp on the application about who you are aside from what you have achieved. Be sure to choose an image that speaks for itself and does not need an explanation. The Box must be a two-dimensional image that is uploaded in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir, or uploaded in the Rice Admission Student Portal.

Applicants interested in Shepherd School of Music must submit additional materials depending on their area of study. All application materials must be completed by December 1. Music applicants are not eligible to apply through QuestBridge or Early Decision. Admitted students must pursue the music program for at least one year before changing schools. For more information, please visit the Shepherd School of Music Admission page.

Applicants interested in the School of Architecture must submit a portfolio of creative work. Portfolios should be uploaded via your Rice Admission Student Portal. Note: Submissions exceeding the specifications listed below will not be accepted.

The portfolio should demonstrate creative potential and is not expected to be architectural in focus nor professional in quality. It may include examples of sketches, paintings, photography, models, etc. Examples of mechanical or computer drafting are strongly discouraged. The School of Architecture does not accept CDs or DVDs.

Portfolio specifications:

• PDF file labeled with applicant name (example: JaneDoe.pdf)
• 15 MB maximum file size
• Page size should be horizontally oriented A4 or Letter (8.5” x 11”); images should be between 150dpi and 300 dpi
• The first page should be a cover/title page with the applicant’s name
• Content can be up to 10 pages (not including the title page); more than one image or work can be included per page
• Captions of images with title, year of execution, media, and size are encouraged. A one to two sentence description is also acceptable.

For more information about the program, please visit their website.

Architecture Essay Prompts

1. Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular? 250 words.

2. Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. 250 words.

Applicants interested in the Department of Art under the School of Humanities may submit a portfolio of creative work. If you would like to submit a portfolio, it should be uploaded via your Rice Admission Student Portal. Note: Submissions exceeding the specifications listed below will not be accepted.

The portfolio should demonstrate creative potential and is not expected to be professional in quality. It may include examples of sketches, paintings, photography, models, etc. The Department of Art does not accept CDs or DVDs, but can access URLs to Vimeo or social media pages provided within the portfolio.

• The first page/file should be a cover/title page document with the applicant’s name
• 1 GB maximum file size
• Images should be at least 2000 pixels on the longest dimension and between 150 dpi and 300 dpi
• Content can be up to 10 files (not including the title page); more than one image or work can be included per file
• Submissions of durational and/or moving-image work(s), no matter how many, cannot be longer than five (5) minutes total

To upload your portfolio, access your Rice Admission Student Portal, scroll down to the Art Portfolio section and click “Edit Portfolio”.

Early Decision Plan

Early Decision is a binding decision plan designed for students who have selected Rice as their first choice. Students may initiate applications to other colleges under nonbinding plans but must withdraw those applications if admitted to Rice. Students who apply Early Decision must submit their materials by November 1. Admission decisions will be released by mid-December.

All admission decisions are final. There are three admission outcomes from Early Decision; the admission committee will:

• Defer - Deferred applicants are considered with the Regular Decision pool.
• Deny - Denied applicants will not be considered with Regular Decision pool, but are welcome to re-apply in the following application cycle.

It is important to note that, if admitted under Early Decision, a candidate must withdraw all other college applications, may not submit any additional applications after accepting the offer, and must accept Rice’s offer of admission by submitting an enrollment deposit by January 1.

Those accepted under Early Decision who demonstrate financial aid eligibility and submit all required materials by the deadline will receive a financial aid package at the time of admission.

Regular Decision Plan

Regular Decision is a non-binding decision plan. Students who apply Regular Decision must submit their materials by January 4. Admission decisions will be released by April 1.

All admission decisions are final. There are three admission outcomes from Regular Decision; the admission committee will:

• Waitlist – Applicants who are offered a place on the waitlist may elect to be considered for admission if space in the class becomes available.
• Deny – Denied applicants are welcome to re-apply in the following application cycle.

Regular Decision applicants who are offered admission must submit an enrollment deposit by May 1.

Those accepted under Regular Decision who demonstrate financial aid eligibility and submit all required materials by the deadline will receive a financial aid package at the time of admission.

Rice is one of the original QuestBridge university and college partners (starting in 2004), and we are now one of only 45 university and college partners with a proven commitment to providing access to low-income students. Programs Rice supports include the College Prep Conferences (typically held in May and June) and the National College Match program which runs October through December. The National College Match is open to all U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents OR students, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the United States. Music applicants are not eligible to apply through QuestBridge.

Essay Prompts for students using the QuestBridge application (2023-2024)

One of Rice's long-standing traditions is “The Box,” a question on our application where we ask all of our applicants, including students using the QuestBridge application, to share an image of something that appeals to them. Read more about The Box under the Rice supplement tab.

For more information about applying to Rice through QuestBridge, please visit QuestBridge’s Rice University page or contact us directly at [email protected].

Official Transcripts

Official high school/secondary school transcripts must include grades from 9th through 11th grade as well as courses being taken in the 12th grade. Early Decision applicants are encouraged to submit first marking period grades, when they become available. Regular Decision applicants will be required to submit mid-year grades from 12th grade, when they become available.

Applicants studying in an international exam-based curriculum, must submit:

• All official high school transcripts
• Final exam results (for example IGCE/GCSE, CBSE X/AISSCE X)
• Predicted exam results, if available

Official high school transcripts must be submitted by your high school via the application platform (Common App or Apply Coalition with Scoir), through an online ordering system or eTranscript service , or sent via postal mail directly to the Office of Admission. Transcripts will not be accepted by fax or email.

National Student Clearinghouse (SPEEDE server)

Scribbles (ScribOrder)

Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIE Direct)

For USPS Courier: Rice University Office of Admission-MS 17 P.O. Box 1892 Houston, TX 77251-1892

For DHL/Fedex EXPRESS Couriers (common for international): Rice University Office of Admission-MS 555 6100 Main St. Houston, TX 77005

Course Requirements

Rice seeks students who demonstrate intellectual vitality through their course selection and their grade performance. Most applicants will challenge themselves by taking advantage of the rigorous coursework available to them. At a minimum, students must complete the following.

• At a minimum, the natural science and engineering divisions require trigonometry or precalculus and both chemistry and physics. Students may substitute a second year of chemistry or biology for physics.
• Students admitted with curriculum deficiencies will be asked to complete the required work by taking high school or college-level courses during the summer before enrollment at Rice.

Testing Policy

Rice will allow first-year and transfer student applicants to undergraduate degree-seeking programs to submit SAT or ACT test scores, if they choose. Students who are unable to submit test scores or prefer not to submit test scores will be given full consideration in the admission selection process.

While standardized tests have long served to provide an external benchmark of college-readiness that provides meaningful information about a student’s preparedness for the rigors of a Rice education, they are merely one factor of many that are considered in the admission process. As is consistent with our holistic review, students will be given full consideration with the information they have provided regardless of their decision to submit their test scores.

Students wishing to provide additional exams for admission consideration are welcome to submit these to our office. These exams are purely optional and at the discretion of the students to submit. We want students to have every opportunity to showcase their strengths and academic achievements where possible.

• AP Exams, IB Exams, or AICE Exams: Students may opt to self-report AP, IB or AICE exam scores in the testing section of the Common Application, Apply Coalition with Scoir, or QuestBridge National College Match Application. These scores show mastery of content knowledge in specific subjects and may be eligible for undergraduate course credit once a student enrolls.
• Predicted IB Diploma and A-Levels: Students enrolled in IB and A-Level curricula whose schools submit predicted scores for admission consideration are expected to complete their exams and submit final results prior to enrolling. Should conditions related to the pandemic not allow for students to sit for their IB or A-Level examinations, Rice will accept the scores provided by the examination boards.

General Testing Policy

Students applying to Rice University will not be required to submit SAT or ACT for admission consideration. Students wanting to show their college readiness and academic strengths may choose to submit SAT, ACT, AP, or IB test scores.

• ACT or SAT: Rice does not have a preference for students to submit one test over the other. If an applicant submits both an SAT and an ACT score, the committee will consider the test that best enhances their application.
• Superscore: When reviewing SAT and ACT scores, we use the highest score from each section across all administrations. We encourage students to report all scores knowing that we will recombine the sections to get the best possible set of scores for each candidate.
• Writing and essay sections: The ACT Essay and SAT Writing section are not required and not considered for admission. Writing or essay section scores are not visible as part of the admission evaluation process. This policy will not be affected in light of the cancellation of the SAT Writing section instituted by the College Board.
• Self-reported Scores: Students have the option to submit self-reported scores if they are graduating from a high school within the U.S. or submit official scores. Admitted students who choose to enroll at Rice will be required to submit official test scores prior to matriculation.
• Official Test Scores: To be considered official, scores must be sent directly from the testing organization. Rice’s College Board code, including TOEFL, is 6609 and our ACT code is 4152.

Please refer to our Class Profile for more information on the academic profile of admitted students.

Candidates must submit letters of recommendation from their counselor and two teachers.

Counselor Letter of Recommendation

The counselor letter of recommendation serves to highlight the accomplishments of a student within the context of their high school. The letter must come from an applicant’s assigned school counselor, college counselor, principal, or headmaster. Applicants will not be disadvantaged if their high school structure and counselor’s caseload does not allow students the opportunity to build a personal relationship with their counselor.

Teacher Letters of Recommendation

The two teacher recommendations serve to highlight the applicant’s academic strengths and contributions in the classroom. Both of these recommendations should be from teachers of core academic subjects, and ideally one recommendation would relate to the applicant's intended area of study. Though not a requirement, we would prefer letters come from teachers who have taught the student for a full course.

Supplemental Letters of Recommendation

The required counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations provide the Admission Committee with all the information we need to make an informed admission decision. However, if someone has unique and personal knowledge about an applicant's accomplishments or talents, the applicant may have that individual submit a supplemental recommendation. For example, this could include an employer, supervisor, coach, mentor, or another teacher. Supplemental recommendations must include the applicant’s full name, date of birth, or applicant ID and should be submitted through the application platform or to [email protected].

We recommend an interview for first-year applicants, though they are optional and not guaranteed. Interviews are a great way to communicate your knowledge about Rice and an excellent opportunity to showcase academic and personal successes while learning more about the campus experience. An inability to schedule an interview will not negatively impact your application.

All interviews for the 2023 - 2024 application cycle will be conducted virtually. A trained alumnus or current Rice University senior will virtually meet with you to learn more about your accomplishments and academic interests and to answer your questions about studying at Rice.

A limited number of interviews with current Rice University seniors will be available beginning in late August through our campus visit website . You do not need to have submitted your admission application to schedule an interview with a current senior, but interview slots are on a first-come, first-served basis. Please follow the deadlines below when scheduling an interview with a current senior.

If you are unable to schedule an interview with a Rice senior, you will still have the opportunity to request an interview with a member of the Rice Alumni Volunteers for Admission (RAVA). Due to limited availability, you will need to submit your application for admission before requesting an interview with RAVA. Then access your online applicant portal and request your virtual interview by the deadlines below.

*Please note that you may only complete one interview. We have no preference between completing an interview with a Rice senior or a RAVA. In years of exceptionally high demand for interviews, all requests may not be fulfilled. We will try to match students who request an interview by the priority deadline first.

Rice University has concluded our participation in the Rice/Baylor Medical Scholars program.

We remain committed to supporting our current cohorts as they finish their studies at Rice and matriculate into Baylor College of Medicine. However, we will no longer accept new applications to the Rice/Baylor Program.

With Rice’s location situated next to the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, our students benefit from opportunities to work with leading researchers and medical professionals and are exceedingly successful pursuing their aspirations in medicine and healthcare. We will continue to advise students on the many avenues and pathways to becoming healthcare professionals, including the traditional medical school application process.

You will be notified via email how to access your Rice Admission Student Portal which is designed to assist you in tracking our receipt of your application materials and to communicate your final admission decision. The only valid notification of an admission decision is a formal communication from the Rice University Office for Enrollment. We reserve the right to close your application if you are admitted under a binding Early Decision plan at another institution.

Need-Based Financial Aid

We know that one of the biggest factors in determining the right school is affordability. Because we believe talent deserves opportunity, Rice offers need-blind admission to domestic students. This means we do not consider finances when we review the application. Additionally, Rice meets 100 percent of demonstrated need – without loans – through the Rice Investment, one of the most notable financial aid programs in the country. For more information about need-based financial aid and the Rice Investment, please visit our Office of Financial Aid website.

Merit-Based Scholarships

The Office of Admission offers merit-based scholarships to incoming first year students who distinguish themselves academically and personally within our highly competitive group of admitted students. These scholarships are based solely on merit and financial need is not taken into consideration. There is no separate application or interview required; the Admission Committee automatically considers all admitted students, both domestic and international, on the basis of the student’s application for admission. About 20% of admitted students are offered a merit scholarship each year. Students awarded a merit-based scholarship will be notified at the time of admission.

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

Rice University awards transfer credit for the Advanced Placement (AP) Program, which enables high school students to earn transfer credit for college-level courses taken in high school upon completion of AP examinations with a score of 4 or 5. For more information about the AP transfer credit process, please visit the Advanced Placement (AP) Credit page.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams

Rice University awards transfer credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations for students who hold the International Baccalaureate Diploma and have obtained a score of 6 or 7 on higher level exams. For more information about the IB transfer credit process, please visit the International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit page.

International Exams

Students who complete various international exams with a grade of A or B may receive transfer credit. These exams include A-Levels, the Abitur, CAPE, CEGEP (Science Option), French Baccalauréat (Science Option), Italian Maturita, and Swiss Federal Maturity Certificate. For more information about the international exams transfer credit process, please visit the International Exam Credit page.

Transfer/Dual Credit

The Office of the Registrar evaluates courses taken at other regionally accredited colleges or universities (or their foreign equivalent) that are appropriate to the Rice curriculum for potential transfer credit.

Transfer credit will not be awarded for courses included on a student’s high school transcript and used to satisfy high school graduation requirements, i.e. dual credit courses. Only those students who have more than 20 college preparatory courses may have the Office of the Registrar consider for Rice credit their college courses taken in high school. For more information about the transfer credit process, please visit the Transfer Credit page.

Helpful Links

713-348-7423

[email protected]

M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT

Essay Writing Guide

500 Word Essay

Last updated on: Nov 20, 2023

Writing a 500 Word Essay - Easy Guide

By: Nova A.

Reviewed By: Chris H.

Published on: Jan 8, 2019

Are you staring at a blank page, trying to write a 500-word essay? Don't worry, you're not alone! 

Many students face this challenge when tasked with writing a concise yet impactful piece. A 500-word essay is a common task often assigned to high school and college students. 

Writing a 500-word essay can be quite difficult as you have to cover all the important points in a few words. However, this is where you can show all your potential. 

Read on to learn how to write a perfect 500-word essay with this step by step guide. You will also get to read some good example essays to help you out. 

Let’s dive into it!

On this Page

500 Word Essay Definition

A 500-word essay is a short length academic essay. It provides a writer’s perspective on a particular topic. It is usually assigned to high school and college students to teach them necessary essay writing skills.

Every type of essay can follow the 500-word essay format, including:

• Persuasive essay
• Descriptive essay
• Argumentative essay
• Expository essay
• Narrative essay

This means that you can write any type of essay in the 500-word format.

How to Write a 500 Word Essay

A 500-word essay is an opportunity to show and improve your writing skills. Here are the steps you need to follow to write your essay:

Make an Essay Outline

An outline is a roadmap that guides you through the different sections of your essay. It is important to make an outline before you start writing. This ensures a well-structured and coherent piece. 

A 500-word essay is usually composed of five paragraphs. Here’s what you need to create an outline:

• The main topic of the essay
• The central thesis statement
• The main point or topic sentence for each body paragraph
• Supporting points for body paragraphs

This is what your outline will look like:

Write a Good Introduction

An introduction plays an important role in making an impression on the reader’s mind. The readers decide on the basis of the introduction, whether they want to read the rest of the essay or not. 

Here is how you can compose the introduction paragraph:

• It should start with a strong hook that grabs the reader’s attention immediately.
• Provide a little background information that helps the reader understand the topic
• Conclude the intro with a compelling thesis statement that you will support in the body.

Here is an example:

Compose the Body Paragraphs

The body section is intended to provide a detailed description of the topic. It gives complete information about the essay topic and presents the writer’s point of view in detail. Following are the elements of the body section:.

• Topic sentence

The first sentence of the body paragraph. It presents the main point that will be discussed in the paragraph.

• Supporting evidence

It could be any points or evidence that support your main thesis.

• Transition statement

This statement relates the body paragraph back to the thesis, and also connects it with the subsequent paragraph.

Draft a Compelling Conclusion

The conclusion paragraph summarizes the whole essay and presents the final thoughts on the topic. It is as important as the introduction paragraph. Below are the things you include in the conclusion paragraphs:

• Restate the thesis statement
• Summarize the essay
• Provide final thoughts or a call to action

Want to become a master at writing essays? Check out our essay writing guide to become an excellent writer who can craft all types of essays!

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

500 Word Essay Format

Here is how you format a 500 word essay in general:

• A common font style like Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman
• 1” margins on both sides
• Line spacing: double-spaced
• Alignment: Left 

Remember, these are general guidelines. Always follow the specific page formatting guidelines provided by your instructor. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Writing a 500 Word Essay

Many things come up in your mind when you get to write a 500-word essay. You might want to know the length, outline, time required to write the essay, and many more things.

Below are some common questions that you may ask yourself while writing a short essay.

How Long is a 500 Word Essay?

“How many pages is a 500-word essay?”

An essay length of a 500-word essay is usually 1 to 2 pages. If it is single-spaced, it covers just 1-page. When double-spaced, it covers 2 pages. 

When it comes to spacing, stick to the instructions given by your professor.

How Many Paragraphs is a 500 Word Essay?

The standard 500-word essay template has 5 paragraphs. It has one introduction, three body paragraphs, and one conclusion paragraph. 

The word count is divided into 5 paragraphs evenly. The introduction and conclusion are 100 words long each. While the body paragraphs need to be 300 words long.

How Long Does it Take to Write a 500 Word Essay?

It would take no more than an hour or two to write a complete 500-word essay. Especially if you have enough information about the topic, you can easily write your essay within an hour. 

What is the difference between 500 words essay vs 250 words essay

The word count of an essay plays a significant role in shaping its structure, content, and depth of analysis. A 500-word essay is a bit more detailed and longer than a 250-word essay. A 250-word essay is composed of three paragraphs maximum. Meanwhile a 500-word essay should contain at least five paragraphs.

What is the difference between 500 words essay vs 1000 words essay

Here is a major difference between 500-word essay and a 1000-word essay: 

With a 500-word essay, you have a limited word count, which necessitates a concise and focused approach. You must carefully select your arguments, provide succinct evidence, and present a coherent analysis. 

On the other hand, a 1000-word essay allows for a more extensive exploration of the topic. It provides the opportunity to delve into multiple subtopics and offer more supporting evidence. 

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

500 Word Essay Topics

Below are some interesting topics to help you get started on your essay.

• Should gun ownership be restricted
• My Favorite Place
• Should healthcare be free? 
• The benefits of volunteering in the local community
• Is hunting for food moral? 
• The importance of personal responsibility
• How I spent my summer vacation
• Describe an ideal personality
• What is Climate Change?
• The importance of sports for teenagers

Need more ideas? We’ve got you covered! Check out 100+ amazing essay topics to help you out!

500 Word Essay Example

Now you have a guide for writing a 500-word essay, have a look at the following example to have a more clear understanding.

500 WORD ESSAY ON COVID-19 (PDF)

500 WORD ESSAY ON WHY I WANT TO BE A NURSE (PDF)

500 Words Essay on Why I Deserve a Scholarship

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Swarthmore Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Swarthmore supplemental essays .

Writing the Swarthmore supplemental essays is an important step for any applicant hoping to gain admission to this competitive school. Swarthmore College is one of the best colleges in Pennsylvania and one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Considering Swarthmore’s 7% acceptance rate, students applying to Swarthmore need to do everything they can to strengthen their application. That includes writing stellar Swarthmore supplemental essays.

While you have little control over past course grades or teacher recommendations, you do have full control over your Swarthmore supplemental essays. Even better, you’ll have the opportunity to wow admissions with not just one Swarthmore essay, but two! Indeed, knowing how to get into Swarthmore is synonymous with knowing how to write great Swarthmore supplemental essays.

In our guide to the Swarthmore College supplemental essays, we will: 

• Discuss both Swarthmore essay prompts
• Give you tips for writing your Swarthmore supplemental essays
• Review the Swarthmore requirements and more!

Later on, we’ll also provide additional information about Swarthmore College and why the admissions team cares about your Swarthmore supplemental essays. But before we jump into the Swarthmore essay prompts, let’s go over some essential information about the Swarthmore application process.

Swarthmore College: Quick Facts

Swarthmore college quick facts.

• Swarthmore College Acceptance Rate : 7% – U.S. News ranks Swarthmore College among the most selective schools in the country.
• 2 (~250 word) Swarthmore supplemental essays
• Swarthmore College Application: Students can apply to Swarthmore through the Common Application , the Coalition Application , or the QuestBridge Application . In addition to your Swarthmore supplemental essays, you’ll also need to complete all essays required by each respective application platform.
• Fall Early Decision: November 15th
• Winter Early Decision: January 4th
• Regular Decision: January 4 
• Swarthmore College Essay Tip: A fundamental tip for writing standout Swarthmore essays is showing how you embody the college’s values. Check out Swarthmore Admissions’ list of “ What We Look for in a Swattie ” for some key traits. See if you can frame your experiences in the context of these characteristics within your essays.

Does Swarthmore have supplemental essays?

Yes. There are two Swarthmore College supplemental essays. Both of the Swarthmore essay prompts are designed to help admissions learn more about who you are as a student and individual. The prompts for the Swarthmore supplemental essays are complex while only having a word limit of 250 words. Therefore, your main challenge in writing each Swarthmore essay will be answering the prompt completely and concisely. 

The first Swarthmore essay can be characterized as a cultural diversity essay. This is one of the most common essay topics , so it’s likely you’ve come across a cultural diversity essay in your other college applications. This Swarthmore essay focuses on your personal identity, asking you to reflect on how certain aspects of your life have shaped you. In addition, you’ll write about how your background influenced the way you interact with others who are different from you.

The second Swarthmore essay is about intellectual curiosity. More specifically, this Swarthmore essay prompt asks you to reflect on a topic you are passionate about. The topic can be anything you have learned either inside or outside of the classroom. As long as it has sparked a genuine and ongoing interest, it’s fair game.

Make sure you review the prompts for the Swarthmore supplemental essays to be sure you understand exactly what they’re asking. Obviously, that goes for any essay—but don’t underestimate the complexity and small word allowance of the Swarthmore supplemental essays. We’ll break down the Swarthmore essay prompts later when we discuss Swarthmore essay #1 and Swarthmore essay #2 in detail.

How many essays does Swarthmore require?

Swarthmore requires all applicants to complete two Swarthmore supplemental essays. However, the total number of essays Swarthmore applicants are required to complete will depend on their application platform. 

Both the Common Application and the Coalition Application require students to write a 650-word personal statement responding to one of their listed prompts. That means students applying via the Common App or Coalition App will submit three essays in total.

The QuestBridge application requires applicants to write both an 800-word personal essay and a 500-word topical essay. So, students applying via QuestBridge will submit four essays for their Swarthmore application. While you probably won’t forget to write your personal statement, it’s always good to check your workload when planning applications.

Regardless of which application you use to apply, all applicants will need to write two Swarthmore College supplemental essays. So, let’s look at the Swarthmore essay prompts in more detail. First, we’ll break down Swarthmore essay #1, which concerns diversity and community. Then, we’ll give you tips on what to focus on in your Swarthmore supplemental essays. After that, we’ll break down Swarthmore essay #2, the intellectual curiosity essay. Finally, we’ll give you tips on actually writing your Swarthmore supplemental essays.

Swarthmore Supplemental Essay #1

First, let’s start with the Swarthmore essay #1: the cultural diversity essay. 

Swarthmore College Essay Prompt #1: Cultural Diversity

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..

This essay requires both internal and external reflection. The first part of this prompt asks about significant aspects of your identity or background. These are very broad topics that could relate to a number of things, such as your faith, ethnicity, hobbies, where you grew up, your family situation—the list goes on. Though you likely have a community around this identity, you’ve certainly met people outside of it. This is where you have to think outwardly.

The second part of this prompt asks you to reflect on how you interact with those who are different from you. There are two specific avenues you can explore: navigating differences or collaborating across communities. Either way, you must highlight ways in which you recognized and interacted positively with difference.

“Navigating differences” is a broad statement, which leaves itself up to interpretation. Maybe you disagreed with someone with a different point of view from you but then learned to see their side. Maybe you’ve diverged from your parents’ beliefs about certain people or concepts. You might think of times of conflict with others: how did differences among people contribute to the conflict—or its resolution?

Or, maybe your mind goes straight to collaboration. When have you had to come together with those with different ideas to work towards a common goal? Regardless of which slant your story takes, remember to circle back to a personally meaningful aspect of your background. How did that part of your life prepare you to or influence the way you connect with others?

How to Answer Swarthmore Supplemental Essays

Although neither of the Swarthmore essay prompts are your typical “why school” essays, remember the overarching goal of your Swarthmore supplemental essays. You want to demonstrate to the admissions team why you are a good fit for Swarthmore College.

One way to do this in your Swarthmore supplemental essays is to demonstrate your connection to Swarthmore’s values. When writing your Swarthmore College supplemental essays, keep these values in mind as inspiration when choosing your essay topic:

• Intellectual curiosity and an enthusiasm for learning
• Creative and proactive problem-solving
• Generosity toward others
• Civic engagement
• Willingness to work hard and to seek help
• Potential contributions to campus life
• Sustained commitment
• Open-mindedness in general and to the liberal arts at large

For instance, your first Swarthmore essay might discuss how you’ve supported others or contributed to community service or activism. Tying in these values can be subtle, so don’t worry about obviously stating you hold any of these values. Instead, let your actions speak for themselves—show, don’t tell! You can read more detailed descriptions of what these values mean to Swarthmore on their admissions page .

Obviously, it isn’t necessary—or possible—to embody every single one of these traits in two short Swarthmore supplemental essays. However, it is necessary to answer all parts of the Swarthmore essay prompts. Remember, supplemental essay prompts are different for each school and seek answers that recognize the school’s offerings and culture. The prompts for the Swarthmore supplemental essays were crafted by the admissions team to ask about different facets of a student’s character and experiences. That means every word, and every question, in the prompt matters.

When writing your Swarthmore supplemental essays, you need to address both the what and the why . The exact history of your chosen topic is less important than your emotional connection to it. Only include details that illustrate the depth of your connection, what it means to you, and the impact it has on you.

Swarthmore Supplemental Essay #2

Now, let’s go over Swarthmore essay #2: the intellectual curiosity essay.

Swarthmore College Essay Prompt #2: Intellectual Curiosity

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.

Of the two Swarthmore essay prompts, this one is perhaps the more fun one to write. For your second essay topic, feel free to dig deep, but try to focus on something you are interested in now. Avoid something you maybe liked when you were younger but are now no longer interested in. As stated above, this prompt asks you how your experience with this topic has shaped you and why you’re still interested in it. So of course, you’ll want this to be a current interest.

There are many different aspects to this prompt, which makes writing these Swarthmore supplemental essays challenging. Here are some extrapolated questions that you’ll likely want to address in your essay:

• What is the topic?
• When did you first become interested in this topic?
• Why did you become interested in this topic?
• Did exploring this topic introduce you to new interests?
• Did exploring this topic influence the way you engage with other topics?
• How has your interest in this topic shaped who you are?
• Why do you still engage in this topic?
• What do you hope to do with the knowledge you gain about this topic?

As you can see, this prompt can answer a lot of questions, but you only have to choose a few. Answering even a handful in just 250 words might seem impossible, but that’s why every word counts. Let’s say you’ve been passionate about animation ever since you saw Finding Nemo as a kid. You probably don’t have the space to write about your experience watching the movie for the first time. However, you can easily introduce the topic of animation and your first experience watching the movie in a single sentence. Then, you can quickly move into what drew you to it.

Feel free to play around with the order you present information. However, each detail should lead to the next—did you notice many essay prompts guide you along a timeline? This prompt is no exception: start briefly with why you got interested. Then, move to the effects it has had on you and your other interests. Lastly, explain why that interest continues to grow. If you’re not sure how to structure your essay, feel free to use this linear progression as a framework.

How to Write Swarthmore Supplemental Essays

At this point, we hope you have a better understanding of what to expect from the Swarthmore supplemental essays. Now you know what the prompts are asking of us—but how do you actually write a Swarthmore essay?

Regardless of how you feel about your writing abilities, writing college essays is a whole different ball game. Writing about yourself, within a limited word count, answering a multi-part prompt is no joke. Here are some tips to help you write your Swarthmore College supplemental essays, from finding a topic to getting them submission-ready. (Better yet, you can use these tips on all of your college application essays, not just your Swarthmore supplemental essays.)

1. Start with a brainstorming session

Before you jump into writing your Swarthmore supplemental essays, start with a brainstorming session. If you’re having trouble thinking of ideas, do a few timed free writes . Set five minutes on the clock and think of the prompts for the Swarthmore supplemental essays in general terms. Consider aspects of your personal identity and background and topics that fascinate you.

2. Freewrite and outline

Once you have some initial ideas, try to think of the ones you connect most with. Then write down everything that comes to mind when you think of that idea: experiences, feelings, people, places, anything that comes to mind. Then, outline how that idea connects to other aspects of the prompt. What details can you use to show that connection?

3. Write a first draft

Depending on the kind of writer you are, this can be the hardest part of writing your Swarthmore supplemental essays. Focus on just getting a draft down on paper without worrying about making it perfect, or even coherent. Don’t slow yourself down by trying to edit this as you’re writing. Anything is better than nothing, and more is better than less when it comes to a first draft.

4. Revise, revise, revise

Here’s where the magic happens. Editing your Swarthmore supplemental essays is how your essays go from okay to fantastic. Remember, every sentence and every word matters. Does every sentence somehow build your story, somehow connecting back to the prompt? Omit any unnecessary details, don’t be afraid to reorganize, and you’ll soon find the best flow of ideas for your story. 

5. Get a second opinion

When you finally get a draft you think is great, show it to someone. Get a second pair of eyes from a trusted mentor or friend who will be honest about your essay. Did they see a clear connection between you, your essay, and the prompt? Ask them what ideas or themes they were left with after reading. That way, you’ll know if you were successful in translating your thoughts into words.

6. Proofread and polish

There’s nothing more distracting from a compelling story than typos. Look for any spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes that will get in the way of your reader connecting with your words. Of course, polished Swarthmore supplemental essays also show admissions that you care about the work you share with others.

Follow these six steps, and you’ll have your Swarthmore supplemental essays written in no time! Now, let’s talk about why the Swarthmore supplemental essays matter.

Does Swarthmore care about essays?

Yes, Swarthmore definitely cares about how you respond to the Swarthmore essay prompts. The Swarthmore College supplemental essays are part of the Swarthmore requirements for a reason. Admissions want to learn more about your experiences and strengths because these are the things you’ll bring with you to campus.

There is no single formula for how to get into Swarthmore. Swarthmore Admissions evaluates applications with a holistic, contextual approach. That means every part of your application will be evaluated with equal weight, in the context of your background, identity, challenges, and opportunities. Everyone who gets into Swarthmore does so thanks to a unique blend of factors, including their Swarthmore supplemental essays.

The Swarthmore College supplemental essays are your chance to share your strengths within the specific context of your life experience. A well-written essay that clearly expresses your ideas in a coherent and engaging manner also showcases your strengths as a writer, thinker, and communicator. These are all skills that make for a well-prepared college student.

Additional information about Swarthmore College

Still have questions about Swarthmore ? Let’s take a look at the Swarthmore requirements.

Application requirements

Below is a list of the required Swarthmore application materials :

• A completed application (Common, Coalition, or Questbridge)
• 2 Swarthmore College supplemental essays
• Application fee (or waiver)
• School report
• High school transcript
• Mid-year grades (or progress report)
• 1 school counselor recommendation
• 2 academic-subject teacher recommendations

Optional admissions materials include test scores , interviews , a video response , and an art portfolio. If you have additional questions about the admissions process, you can contact Swarthmore Admissions by phone, email, or mail.

Financial aid

Have questions on financial aid? As a school dedicated to affordability and access (ranked #4 in Best Value Schools ), Swarthmore details three commitments to college access:

1. “Need-blind” admissions

Applicants are considered for acceptance independently of their financial status and ability to pay for college. (This applies only to U.S. citizens, eligible non-citizens, and undocumented students attending/on track to graduate from a U.S. high school.)

2. Meeting full need

Swarthmore will meet 100% of determined need . This means admitted students will receive financial aid that covers the gap between their family’s financial resources and the cost of attendance.

3. Loan-free aid

Swarthmore does not offer loans, meaning your financial aid package will consist of only grants and work aid. Work aid is essentially an expectation of an on-campus job. This might look different from other school’s financial aid packages, so be sure to keep that in mind when comparing schools.

On Swarthmore’s Financial Aid page, you can read more on tuition and fees and how to apply for financial aid. In fact, you can even use their net price calculator to determine your estimated aid. There’s also a great video on Understanding Swarthmore’s Financial Aid Process alongside many other informative videos on Swarthmore’s Youtube page .

Campus life

Home to a vibrant community of just over 1,600 undergraduate students, Swarthmore is a small, close-knit college. Located about 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia, a suburban setting acts as the backdrop to this beautiful school. As home to the nationally recognized Scott Arboretum , Swarthmore also offers students an environment rich in natural beauty. Swarthmore is rich in tradition and existing events for its student body, from its First and Last Collections to the annual Crum Regatta.

Want to learn more about what it’s like to attend Swarthmore? Check out SwatStories to find first-hand accounts of life on campus written by those who know it best: Swarthmore students. Thinking about the future? You can also learn more about what Swarthmore students have gone on to do after graduation .

Swarthmore Supplemental Essays: Final Takeaways

We hope, after reading our guide to the Swarthmore College supplemental essays, that you feel more prepared to tackle your application. Remember, all students are required to complete two 250-word Swarthmore College supplemental essays as part of their application. Consequently, there are two unique Swarthmore essay prompts: the cultural diversity essay and the intellectual curiosity essay. Because of the word limit, your Swarthmore College essays must be focused and specific to comprehensively answer the prompt.

If you’re looking for more resources to help you with the application process, CollegeAdvisor has everything you need. For more Swarthmore-specific info, check out our How to Get Into Swarthmore guide .  For more tips on writing your Swarthmore supplemental essays, check out our article on How to Write Better Essays . And don’t miss our Ultimate Guide to Supplemental Essays and Supplemental Essays 201 webinars. For more personalized guidance, contact us today to speak to one of our admissions experts.

This essay guide was written by Stefanie Tedards. 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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Princeton-specific Questions

In addition to the Coalition Application ,  Common Application  or the QuestBridge Application , Princeton University requires you to answer Princeton-specific questions. Below you will find the questions for the 2023-24 application cycle. Depending on which degree you wish to pursue at Princeton (A.B., B.S.E. or undecided), you will answer one of the two academic prompts, then there are three additional sections meant to help us get to know you even better.

First-Year Essay Questions

Please note: Princeton also requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application.

For A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are Undecided  

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

For B.S.E Degree Applicants  

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

Your Voice  

• Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)
• Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

More About You  

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
• What brings you joy? 
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

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Building, birding and b.s.e.: experiences in engineering, the art of trying new things, poets should come ready to move/yell/play/discover.

QuestBridge Essay Topics

<p>Can those who went through QuestBridge Match last year please give an idea of what I can expect this year in terms of essay topics? Also, how many essays are we required to write?</p>

<p>Thank You!</p>

<p>Why are you making two different QB topics?</p>

<p>Just use the QB thread in the college admissions forum.</p>

<p>There is one 800-word essay, two 500-word essays, and about 15 short answers (a few lines each, about 30 words each). They should all be about the same as last year’s, but it’s possible that they’ll change.</p>

<p>Biographical:</p>

<p>And two of the three:</p>

<p>I know actually that the short answer questions will be changing somewhat this year</p>

<p>& as a side note, these multiple Questbridge threads are getting confusing. Can they all be merged with one (either in the College Admissions or this forum)?</p>

<p>Please from now on post all your problems and concerns here: </p>

<p><a href=“ http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/508411-official-2008-questbridge-national-college-match-discussion-help.html[/url] ”> http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/508411-official-2008-questbridge-national-college-match-discussion-help.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt ;

<p>It’ll always be found in the College Admissions subforum.</p>

<p>I had no idea about that thread, thanks for the heads up!</p>

<p>Thanks for giving me a preview of the essay topics. Do you know about when the College Match application opens? The website says early August but it still hasn’t opened yet. The application is due on Sep. 30. I hope I have enough time to finish it when the College Match application opens.</p>

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