I’m trying to get a better understanding of an issue regarding the supplemental essay. What is your opinion of the following: should the supplemental essay be a second personal statement?
I view all the common app essay topics as really asking “tell me about yourself” with admission counselors looking for a personal statement in response. So are the Dartmouth admission counselors looking for another essay answering the same question (in the broadest sense, i.e. tell me about yourself)? Should the supplement be approached in a manner similar to the common app essay approach, even if the 2 essays are very different in style and content?
Here is the supplemental essay prompt:
Within the Common Application, Dartmouth’s writing supplement requires that applicants write a brief response to one of the following supplemental essay prompts. Candidates choose one topic and respond. (A paragraph to a page in length is ideal.) Here are the short essay questions for applicants wanting to enroll in the fall of 2016.
Every name tells a story: Tell us about your name—any name: first, middle, last, nickname—and its origin.
Tell us about an intellectual experience, either directly related to your schoolwork or not, that you found particularly meaningful.
When you meet someone for the first time, what do you want them to know about you, but generally don’t tell them?
Describe the influence your hero has had on your life.
We believe it is critical that your candidacy reflect the interests, experiences and pursuits that are most important to you. To this end, is there anything else you would like us to know?
Yes, but geared toward what about (in relation to whichever prompt you choose) tells us you belong at the College.
Any recommendations of approximately how long to make it? Is 650 words ok or should I aim for shorter?
Don’t go over whatever limit there is. Shorter is better. (KISS = keep it simple & short, although I always preferred my dad’s version “keep it simple, stupid”) Don’t keep writing after you’ve had your say.
@ambitious321 My daughter said her supplemental essay was 500 words for Dartmouth.
@saffysmum do you think it would be a risk worth taking to mention more than one hero as influencing me in the essay? They all directly relate to me and Dartmouth
@ambitious321 my opinion would be to evaluate your heroes. Is there one that stands out more once you examine them closely? If you feel that you can provide a more complete story using only one then I would say choose that hero. If however after careful thought you feel secure that Hero A and Hero B have influenced you to such an extent that your personal narrative isn’t complete without them both then by all means use both.
The essay is meant to provide insight into who you are and what you have to offer. The prompts are simply that, a prompt. It is a tool to point you in a certain direction and help you tell your story. It is not meant to hinder or force a censorship upon your tale.