How to write supplement essays?

Hi, I am just a little confused about supplement essays for top colleges. After looking at multiple examples, it seems that people talk about other things other than their extracurriculars even when they are applicable. They choose some kind of intellectual, creative topic. Do colleges look down on students who just reiterate on their extracurriculars?

Don’t just reiterate your extracurriculars. They have that information already and they can look that up if necessary. Howecer you can choose to expand upon one of your extracurriculars if it has had a significant impact on you, a specific moment from that activity, or really get behind the “why” of what you do it. But it should not be a rehash of something you already stated

@shawnspencer Ok thank you, it’s just that I feel like my role in my extracurriculars is not clearly stated (the character limit is so small) and my activities really do have an impact on my life. I just don’t want to appear to be a person who is boasting about their activities. Looking at different examples, I see more people writing about “creative” activities like thinking philosophically while taking a walk or something like that.

@sweeetea then go for it! it sounds like it can be a great way to demonstrate your involvement in something and its meaning to you in a way that can be explained within the word limit. many times it can be difficult to do just that when not in an official leadership position or such, but it sounds like it would be a good way to demonstrate it here