Some of the most competitive institutions not only include supplemental essays but also a series of short answer questions as a way to further get to know and differentiate among applicants.
Here are some examples of those questions:
- Describe yourself in three words.
- If your life had a theme song what would it be?
- Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?
- What song should we be listening to while reading your application?
These kinds of questions provide an opportunity to have some fun and to be creative in your application, but that doesn’t mean simply writing down the first things that come to mind and moving on. These questions should take as much care and thought as other parts of your application because you not only want to express your authentic self but also help that self stand out within the immense applicant pool.
Do be creative, funny, ironic, clever, and Don’t be vague, snarky, cheesy, or obvious.
Here are a few tips to help you stand out:
1. Use the space allotted for your responses. While the instructions tell you to respond to these questions in a single word, phrase, or sentence, the text boxes below each question often provide more space, which The College Essay Guy recommends you use to provide very short explanations, especially when your responses might not be so obvious to your readers.
So, to answer the question about my life’s theme song, an OK response might be: John Denver’s “Sunshine on my Shoulders.”
A better response that reveals a bit more about me would be: John Denver’s “Sunshine on my Shoulders” because it was the first song I remember my father singing to me, my head on his shoulder, making me feel special.
This response is still within the 1 sentence requirement but gives readers a deeper glimpse into my character. If the question asks for 3 words – do only include 3 words.
2. Spend some time brainstorming responses, even doing some prewriting exercises to get your creative juices flowing, bearing in mind that the first ideas aren’t always the best ones. One useful exercise is freewriting, where you write non-stop for 5 minutes on a blank page or computer screen and not censor any of your thoughts.
So, for the question about describing yourself in three words, you might start out with: creative, kind, inquisitive, and after several minutes of writing land on: Hermione, quiet magic, or Seize the Day. The words don’t need to be adjectives – just words, and you want ones that will reveal as much as possible about YOU and not be the same ones that describe every smart and responsible student.
3. Since these are meant to be fun, let your personality shine through. If you are funny, then be funny, if serious is more your vibe, then be serious. Don’t consider what will “look good,” but what will be authentic and leave your readers wanting more. So, what song should they be listening to when reading MY application? Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” since 80s grit and optimism are what raised me.
More fun ideas might come from trotting these questions out to family, friends, or classmates and sparking conversations. See where the thread takes you – we hope it is to the school of your dreams.
