How To Answer Northwestern Supplemental Essays in 2024-2025

I get a lot of students asking me about Northwestern’s supplemental essays. How do we go about writing them? How do we make our application stand out?

As a former Northwestern admissions officer, I’ve seen a lot of applications — some of them stand out, some of them get so close to being excellent, but ultimately miss the mark.

Let’s take a look at the university’s supplemental essays; what are Northwestern’s essay prompts, how to answer them, and what mistakes to avoid.

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With an acceptance rate of 7.5%, Northwestern is a very competitive university to get into, and your application absolutely has to stand out.

While your grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities paint a picture of your academic and personal achievements, the supplemental essays allow the admissions committee to hear your voice directly.

This is your chance to explain why Northwestern is the right fit for you and how you’ll contribute to the university’s community.

Northwestern’s Supplemental Essay Requirements

Northwestern has its own supplemental essay requirements, separate from the Common App/Coalition App personal statements: 

• 300-word essay required for all Common app/Coalition App applicants (optional for QuestBridge applicants)
• One or two separate 200-word essays of your choice responding to Northwestern’s prompts

While technically, only the first 300-word essay is required, I strongly recommend you answer the second prompt as well. It’s “optional” on paper, but you should treat it as a requirement.   

Northwestern no longer requires the Common App/Coalition App personal statement. In fact, repurposing your common app, coalition app, or other essays for Northwestern’s supplemental essays might be a good idea if the prompts are similar. 

Northwestern’s Supplemental Essays Prompts for 2024-2025

The first 300-word essay is required for all applicants (optional for Questbridge), and it should be an answer to this question:

• We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background (your identity, your school setting, your community, your household, etc.) have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?

The other 1-2 essays should be answers to one of these prompts below set by Northwestern for 2024-2025:

• Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?
• Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?
• Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.
• Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?
• Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

How To Answer Northwestern’s Supplemental Essays

Every essay is different and there’s no magic formula that would make your essay the absolute best.

With that said, there are certain things admissions officers at Northwestern look for in your supplemental essay, and you can write it in a way that stands out.

1. Use Your Own Voice

The supplemental essay is one of the few opportunities you have to use your voice and let your personality shine.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays, so you have to make sure that yours is authentic and reflects who you are. It’s important to write something that aligns with your personal goals and aspirations.

Think of your essay as a conversation. How would you explain your passion for Northwestern if you were speaking directly to an admissions officer? Write in a way that feels natural to you — this authenticity makes your essay more engaging.

2. Do Your Research

What can Northwestern do for you, given your goals and aspirations? How can you contribute to its campus? Knowing the ins and outs of the university allows you to write your essay at a deeper level.

Visit the campus, and bring a notebook. Jot down your observations, the conversations you have with current students, and any unique aspects of the university that stand out to you.

For example, if you’re interested in entrepreneurship, you might discover that Northwestern offers access to industry leaders and successful alumni who have launched their own companies.

Mentioning these specifics in your essay shows that you’re more than just familiar with Northwestern, you’re enthusiastic about becoming an active member of its community.

When you engage with the campus, you’ll find high-value anecdotes that allow you to write richer content in your essay.

3. Get Personal, and Be Specific

Northwestern’s supplemental essay prompts often revolve around the classic “Why Northwestern?” question, though they may focus on different aspects of the university or your potential contributions to it.

When answering any of these prompts, go deep and personal. Start by reflecting on your academic and career aspirations. How does Northwestern specifically help you achieve these goals?

For example, if you’re passionate about environmental science, you might be drawn to Northwestern’s robust research opportunities in sustainability or its partnerships with organizations working on climate change solutions.

Be as specific as possible — mentioning courses, professors, research projects, or student organizations that align with your interests can make your essay stand out. Your essay should be something that only you could write. It has to be something only you can say, something that couldn’t be said by just any other student about any university.

It needs to be deeply personal and reflect your unique connection to Northwestern. Avoid generic statements that could apply to any school.

Focus on what makes Northwestern the perfect place for you and how you plan to contribute to its community. This level of specificity shows that you’ve put considerable thought into how you’ll make the most of your time there.

Think about how you’ll impact the Northwestern community and how it will shape your journey. Are there unique perspectives or experiences you bring that will enrich the campus environment? How will Northwestern’s resources help you grow, both academically and personally?

4. Polish Your Writing

Northwestern admissions officers evaluate your overall writing proficiency, and your essay needs the same level of attention in terms of editing and revisions as it does in content. Your supplemental essays should be at college-level writing just like your Coalition App or Common App Personal statement.

Give your writing the attention it deserves. Start by drafting your essay with a focus on content — get all your ideas down on paper.

Once you’re satisfied with the substance of your essay, shift your attention to refining the structure, flow, and clarity: Is your essay well-organized? Does it have a clear beginning, middle, and end? Are your ideas presented logically and cohesively?

Pay close attention to your word choice and tone. Your writing should be thoughtful, mature, and reflective of your voice. Avoid overly casual language or slang, but don’t force a tone that doesn’t feel natural to you. Aim for a balance — write in a way that’s both professional and authentic.

When you’re done — revise! The revision process is where your essay can go from good to great. After completing your initial draft, step away from it for a day or two.

This break allows you to return with fresh eyes, making it easier to spot areas that need improvement. Look for awkward phrasing, repetitive language, or sentences that could be clearer and more concise.

Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Northwestern Supplemental Essay

Now, based on these tips I provided earlier, there’s also common mistakes I’ve seen many students struggle with. Here’s what they are and how to avoid them:

1. Not Talking About Yourself Enough

When I was at Northwestern, we’d get a type of essay we called “The Viewbook Essay” — it’s when an applicant would just regurgitate facts found on Northwestern’s promotional material.

Avoid stating facts without immediately relating it to yourself or your goals. Instead of just saying “I like Northwestern’s proximity to Chicago,” specify why being close to Chicago is relevant to you and your personal, professional, and academic goals.

Remember, Northwestern doesn’t need you to tell them who they are, they already know! They want to know who you are, and why you’re a good fit there.

2. Providing General or Surface-level Info

Another common pitfall is offering general or surface-level information that doesn’t convey your personal connection to Northwestern.

For example, just saying, “I want to attend Northwestern because it has a strong engineering program,” is too vague. What about Northwestern’s engineering program excites you? Is it the co-op opportunities, the specific research being conducted by a faculty member, or the facilities?

Dive deep into why these aspects are important to you and how they align with your career goals. Remember to ask yourself, “Is this something only I could say, and only about Northwestern?” The more personal and specific your essay is, the more it will resonate with admissions officers.

3. Not Giving Yourself Enough Time

Finally, many students underestimate the time and effort required to craft a compelling Northwestern essay. I get it — the essays have a relatively small word count and are technically “optional” (they’re not!), so some applicants mistakenly assume it requires less effort.

But, keep in mind that this essay is just as important as the rest of your application and deserves the same level of care and attention. Rushed essays are often generic, lack depth, and fail to capture your authentic voice.

Thoughtful research is also crucial, and takes time! Don’t rely solely on what you already know about Northwestern. Explore the university’s website, watch virtual tours, and speak with current students or alumni. This will help you gather specific details that can make your essay more compelling and authentic.

How Your Essay Can Stand Out

The best way to perfect your essay is to work with an expert.

Crimson has some of the world's best experts in the field, including other former admissions officers who can guide you through the admissions process from A to Z, tailoring your application to maximize your chances of admission.

Students working with Crimson are 7 times more likely to gain admission to their dream university.

Key Resources & Further Reading

• Acing your College Application Essay: 5 Expert Tips to Make it Stand Out from the Rest
• MIT Supplemental Essay
• Harvard Supplemental Essay
• Columbia Supplemental Essay
• Princeton Supplemental Essay
• Cornell Supplemental Essay
• Brown Supplemental Essay
• Upenn Supplemental Essay
• Dartmouth Supplemental Essay
• Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essay
• University of Chicago Supplemental Essay
• NYU Supplemental Essay
• How to Tackle Every Type of Supplemental Essay
• What are the Most Unusual US College Supplemental Essay Prompts?