All candidates to Princeton University must submit three essays, three short replies, and a high school academic paper that has been evaluated. If you’re applying for a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, you’ll also have to write an essay explaining why you picked your field of study. For 2020, Princeton has an admission rate of 5.8 percent.
As one of the top institutions in the country, Princeton receives a large number of applications each year from students who have excellent GPAs and test scores. What makes a candidate stand out from the rest in a crowded field? Essays. Admissions officers will use your writings to determine whether or not you should be admitted to their university based on how well they stand out from the rest of the candidates. We’ll show you how to make your Princeton supplementary essays stand out in this post.
What should be your supplemental essay’s primary goal?
Select an essay topic and narrow it down to a single point. Answer all of the extra essay questions at once by grouping them together based on the similarity of the questions. Next, answer each of the different extra essay questions in turn. Make sure your essays for each school are clear, consistent, and complete.
Princeton University Supplemental Essay Prompts
Prompt 1:
Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (Recommended 150 words)
Look for a certain perspective or story:
The length of this prompt is the first thing to notice. 150 words is a precarious amount of room to devote to describing a hobby that is crucial to the plot of your tale. That is why it is critical that you develop a strategy that allows you to express as much passion, personal voice and information as possible within just a few words. Create a lengthy draught first, and then trim it down to size. As opposed to creating a very short version and then attempting to figure out what to include, this method is simpler.
Focus on the words “meaningful” and “you.”:
You must ask yourself what these phrases may imply if you want to respond in the thoughtful way that Princeton is expecting.
Prompt 2:
At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future? (Recommended 250 words)
Princeton’s admissions office understands how frightening and difficult it may be to start meaningful talks with people about important topics. That’s why they’re interested in hearing about your interactions with people on topics close to your heart. Think back to a moment when you discussed a tough subject with friends, family, or even strangers. You don’t need to have swayed someone’s opinion to be taken seriously here. What’s needed is a little self-confidence, and a willingness to connect with others who may have different views than your own. You’ll have several opportunities in college to interact with folks that are substantially different from yourself. Demonstrate to Princeton that you’re willing to learn, listen, contribute, and develop.
Prompt 3:
Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals. (Recommended 250 words
When coming up with ideas for this prompt, keep these two questions in mind:
- • What kind of service and civic engagement initiatives have you been involved with? To begin, look at your To-Do List.
- This challenge may be a good opportunity to double the number of essays written for a different school. As such, it may be eligible for consideration as a Super Essay winner.
Do you have concrete examples and tales that illustrate the virtues of service and civic engagement? The subject of your essay should be something that interests you deeply. It would be lot simpler for you to write enthusiastically if you write about something you truly think significant and fascinating. Pick a topic for your essay and you’ll see that it is (probably) an essay about extracurricular activities. By the end of the essay, you should have a good idea of what your core values are.
- More About You Prompts (50 words each)
- 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?
Here are some broad pointers to help you get started on the Princeton application’s short-answer section:
- Consider your brief responses to be an advent calendar. Consider each of your brief responses as a little window into your spirit, no matter how brief. Make sure the reader discovers something wonderful and distinct from what they saw out the window.
- Explain your solution using all or most of the available space. For an answer that might easily be one or two words, you’re given 50 words to work with. Make the most of it! In other words, even if the question doesn’t call for it, you can respond with “why.” Do so since expressing your fundamental principles in 1-2 sentences may be difficult.
- Make an effort to be specific. Don’t just respond with a generic response and a generic justification for your basic response. Use details that give you a distinct/memorable voice and be innovative.
- It’s worth noting that there isn’t some sort of mystical key/code with these where if you answer the proper question for your favourite website, the door to Princeton will miraculously open. This is only one of three opportunities for the school to learn more about you. So, take use of them by sharing your ideals and ideas, but don’t get overly preoccupied with them as if your life depended on it. It doesn’t work that way.
Graded Paper:
Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application. You may submit this material now or any time before the application deadline. If you choose not to upload the required paper at this time, you may mail, e-mail, or upload your paper through the applicant portal (1-2 pages).
- Ideally, the paper should have been written for an academic subject, such as English, social studies, or history, during the last three years of secondary school, including senior year.
- An essay test or research report is one option for submitting your work. Only expository work, not creative writing, will be considered.
- If your teacher gave feedback, incorporate it in your work as well.
The student’s written expression in an academic context will be evaluated with the aid of the graded written paper submitted to the admissions department. That way, students’ applications will have a more comprehensive understanding, and admissions staff will be better equipped to assess each applicant’s prospects for success in the university’s demanding academic environment.
Prompt for Bachelor of Arts Applicants:
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? (Recommended 250 words)
If you want to ace this question, you’ll have to explain to admissions officers why you value a broad liberal arts education. Do you believe that Princeton’s liberal arts curriculum will help you improve your communication and problem-solving abilities, thereby preparing you for a career
in government service? Perhaps you believe it will make you more employable once you enter the workforce by training you to work in a wide range of professions. What courses have you had your eye on for a long time? What are your top picks for post-secondary education and why? Show that you’re interested in Princeton’s academic programmes, and the admissions committee will be blown away!
Prompt for Bachelor of Science in Engineering 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. (Recommended 250 words)
- Don’t say anything about Princeton that it already knows and has heard from a slew of other candidates. Also, refrain from directly copying language from websites or brochures. In your own words, express yourself.
- Include your own traits, talents, and hobbies. Don’t limit yourself to explaining why you enjoy Princeton. Describe why you would be a good match for the school. It’s important to remember that this is a two-way street.
- Do a lot of research. Look for specific resources, programmes, or lessons that you are interested in. This includes things like reading evaluations from students and going on tours (online, in-person, or both). You could also wish to speak with the local representative in your region. This individual may be found on Princeton’s website.
- Get back in touch with your basic beliefs. Explain how each aspect of Princeton that you enjoy and wish to learn more about connects to one of your guiding values.
Final thoughts on applying to Princeton
Each of these essay topics invites you to reveal something personal about yourself, explore how an event has influenced you, and explain how you make sense of your surroundings. They want you to express your principles and give them an inside look at how you think. They also indicate how you make judgments and analyse information. Choose a topic for your themed essay that you enjoy. Make it clear that you are passionate about the issue and Princeton.
