juniata college supplemental essays

Colleges That Don’t Require Any Supplemental Essays

• Adelphi University
• Alaska Pacific University
• Albion College
• Alma College
• Baldwin Wallace University
• Barry University
• Bates College
• Bay Path University
• Beloit College
• Bryant University
• Butler University
• Caldwell University
• Capital University
• Centenary College of Louisiana
• Christopher Newport University
• Clarkson University
• Colby College
• College of Saint Benedict
• Concordia University Wisconsin
• Cornell College
• Cottey College
• DePaul University
• Elmira College
• Gettysburg College
• Grinnell College
• Hanover College
• Hellenic College
• Hollins University
• Hope College
• Iona University
• Juniata College
• Kenyon College
• Lyon College
• McKendree University
• Menlo College
• Middlebury College
• Northeastern University
• Northern Vermont University Johnson
• Northern Vermont University Lyndon
• Ohio State University
• Ripon College
• Pace University
• Pacific Lutheran University
• Sacred Heart University
• Salisbury University
• Seton Hall University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• SUNY Binghamton University
• Susquehanna University
• Temple University
• Trinity University
• Union College
• University of Alabama at Birmingham
• University of Colorado Denver
• University of Connecticut
• University of Idaho
• University of Missouri – St. Louis
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• University of New Hampshire
• University of Rhode Island
• Wesleyan University
• Whitman College
• Wilkes University
• Woodbury University

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10 Amazing Colleges Without Supplemental Essays

Conventional wisdom claims that college hopefuls should apply to 12-15 schools to best increase their chances of getting into an institution that is a good fit for them. 

But it can be difficult for a lot of students to imagine pulling that off without such a process requiring months of laborious application crafting. 

Why? So many schools require their applicants to write pages upon pages of supplemental application materials. 

On top of this, many students won’t know what college they want to go to until they hear back from several schools regarding different scholarships and opportunities available to them. 

With some estimates showing that up to 55% of high school students feel unprepared for college, and up to 50% of college freshmen are undecided about their major, uncertainty is widespread during the college application process. 

It is only natural, then, that such a big decision would be made easier if students were able to compare and contrast many options after casting a wide net.

In trying to cast that wide net, some might think that the best schools must have the longest applications. But that isn’t always the case. 

This article breaks down 10 amazing schools that don’t require that students spend extra hours crafting an unnecessarily large number of supplemental essays. The following schools may require personal statements, but nothing beyond that. 

In laying out this list, this article shows that it’s a misconception that good schools must have time-consuming applications. 

As students begin to create their wide nets, any one of these schools would be fantastic additions that require little extra time spent on application-crafting.

University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)

The University of Minnesota is the flagship institution of the Minnesota university system. Ranked 24th in academic and research excellence in the 2021 Shanghai Ranking, this campus, nestled within the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, has produced 26 Nobel Prize-winning alumni, 3 Pulitzer Prizes , 25 Rhodes scholars , and about 130 Fulbright recipients. 

The University of Minnesota has an especially impressive Ecology department, ranked second globally, alongside the world’s 10th best Management department, and the 11th best Biotechnology department. 

The University of Minnesota is also home to institutes specifically designed for the study of Law and the Environment, Cognitive Sciences, Translational Neuroscience, Environmental study, Population studies, and more , assuring that students interested in these fields of study have a home on campus.

University of Denver (Denver, CO)

The University of Denver is a private research university in Denver, Colorado with incredibly strong Creative Writing, Astronomy, and Study Abroad departments. 

Denver is home to one of the nation’s oldest Creative Writing programs, founded by renowned novelist John Edward Williams in 1966. 

Their English department is also home to one of the most respected college literary magazines in the country, The Denver Quarterly. 

For students hoping to study abroad, Denver has one of the most robust study abroad programs in the world, with some classes having up to 71% of their students being offered the chance to study abroad. 

Finally, students interested in studying the heavens will have an unparalleled experience at Denver, as they have the 11th highest telescope in the world in terms of altitude at the Meyer-Womble Observatory . 

Furman University (Greenville, SC)

Furman University is the oldest university in South Carolina, and is frequently ranked as one of the top universities in the Southern United States. 

Students hoping to work towards a more sustainable future will find a home at Furman University. Furman University, lead by the Shi Institute for Sustainability, has won several awards for its sustainability initiatives, including Furman being ranked by the AASHE’s Sustainable Campus Index as being the 10th most sustainable campus for all baccalaureate institutions. Furman also received the AASHE’s National Campus Sustainability Achievement Award in 2016.

For those looking to experience the serenity and beauty that a college campus can often provide to best enhance the overall student experience, Furman is consistently ranked as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the world, with USA Today ranking Furman as 4th in the nation in 2016.

Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA)

Juniata College offers its students a truly one of a kind experience by having its student not declare a major, but instead, a “ Program of Emphasis ,” through which students have the opportunity to create their own, self-designed major. 

Students may choose from a set of pre-planned Programs of Emphasis or create their own. 

In this way, Juniata gives students unique opportunities for academic exploration due to its more flexible curriculum requirements. 

Nearly forty-five percent of Juniata students design their own program of emphasis.

Furthermore, Juniata has truly unique college-wide events which give the school a charming feeling of community. 

The Madrigal Dinner , for example, features up to 700 students tenting outside Ellis Hall for up to a week for the chance at being the first in line for a massive, campus-wide feast. 

Juniata has several unique celebrations of this sort, and a wonderful community atmosphere.

Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, NY)

Skidmore College is considered one of the nation’s “ New Ivies .” Ranked as the 38th best liberal arts college in the United States, Skidmore College earns its reputation as one of the most prestigious in the nation. 

Skidmore has one of the most robust Student Media infrastructures in the country. With the Salmagundi, a literary journal that has published the likes of Christopher Hitchens and Seamus Heaney, The Skidmore News, The Skidmo’ Daily, SkidTV, and more, those hoping to get hands-on experience with media production will have all the tools available to them to succeed at Skidmore. 

With a focus on promoting creative thought, Skidmore provides its students state of the art artistic facilities via multi-million dollar theaters, music halls, and art galleries, so that those interested in honing their creative abilities can experience some of the absolute highest quality artistic institutions in the country.

Northeastern University (Boston, MA)

Northeastern University is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, which is second to none in enhancing their students’ education via internships, academics-related jobs, and career services.

Regularly ranked #1 in the country for Best Co-Ops/Internships by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review, and ranked as having the best career services department in the nation by the Princeton review, those hoping to kick-start their career with on-the-ground employment/experience will be in wonderful hands at Northeastern.

Northeastern has one of the world’s largest and oldest co-op programs. In a co-op, students alternate between a semester of study and a semester of relevant work/internship experience, which is typically paid. 

While working, students do not pay tuition, and thus many students at Northeastern stay five years so that they can graduate with several years of work and academic experience under their belt.

Connecticut College (New London, CT)

Connecticut College has maintained a truly distinctive tradition for over eighty years. All students, faculty, and staff at Connecticut College operate under an Honor Code , a promise all college members make to uphold a standard of mutual respect, excellence, and communal values. 

The Honor Code is taken so seriously that the college has an Honor Council , which litigates violations. 

As such, it is no wonder, with a strict code of mutual respect that fosters community and cooperation among college members, that Connecticut College is ranked 25th among all liberal arts colleges for its contribution to the public good, as measured through the degree of social mobility a school provides, the service it does for the nation, and the good an institution’s research does.

With award-winning library systems, rigorous academics, and a slew of notable alumni, this college promises its students the chance to achieve both academically and as upstanding citizens. 

Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ)

Seton Hall is a private, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey. As one of the nation’s largest religious universities, Seton Hall is ranked as the #29 Catholic university in the nation by Niche. 

Seton Hall produces the Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations , one of the largest diplomatic journals in the country, which promises students the chance to experience the forefront of international relations and diplomatic thought while studying at Seton. 

Related to this, undergraduate students produce the Diplomatic Envoy, a weekly newspaper regarding foreign relations, further demonstrating the kinds of projects students interested in international relations can engage in while at Seton. 

Furthermore, as an NCAA Division I, Big East Conference member, Seton Hall promises its students the full range of wonderful college athletics experiences to its students. 

Colby College (Waterville, ME)

Colby College is another “ Little Ivy ” school, and is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the 17th best liberal arts college in the nation, and the 5th Best Value school. Colby received an A+ from Niche in terms of academics and value, and an A for diversity.

Colby College is a model for sustainable institutions globally, as Colby is the largest college to have net zero carbon emissions, and is ranked as the most sustainable college in the country by Second Nature . 

Colby is ideal for students wanting to pursue research or major projects, as Colby follows a 4-1-4 course schedule, where students take 4 classes in the Fall and Spring, and then take a single, intensive, “Jan-plan” class in the winter.

In this way, Colby allows students to dedicate themselves to one project, area of research, or specialization in the winter—a truly unique educational opportunity.

Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH)

Case Western Reserve University, a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio, is truly one of the nation’s best.

Ranked as the #42 best university in the country by U.S. News and World Report, this university has it all, from the 18th best Theatre program in the world according to The Hollywood Reporter , to the world-renowned Electrochemistry and Electroengineering departments which recently received a grant of $10.75 million dollars from the U.S. Department of energy.

With over a hundred “centers” dedicated to the investigation of subjects ranging from Growth Studies to Nonprofit Organizing, any student in just about any discipline will find a center on campus specially designed for their area of study.

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Juniata College Admissions

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Juniata College Admissions Overview:

Juniata College admits around three-quarters of those who apply each year, making it largely open to applicants. Students interested in applying should check out the school's website for complete instructions. The Common Application is accepted, saving students time and energy when applying. Additional materials include scores from the SAT or ACT, high school transcripts, and letters of recommendation.

Admissions Data (2016):

• Juniata College Acceptance Rate: 75%
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Juniata
• SAT Critical Reading: - / -
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• What these SAT numbers mean
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Juniata College Description:

Named after the nearby Juniata River, Juniata College is a private liberal arts college located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, a small town situated between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. The 110-acre main campus is complimented by a 365-acre environmental studies field station and a 315-acre nature preserve. The school has a 13 to 1  student / faculty ratio  and an impressive average class size of 14. Juniata does not have traditional majors, but "programs of emphasis." 30% of students design their own program, although biology is the most popular area of study at the college. In athletics, the Juniata Eagles compete mostly in the NCAA Division III Landmark Conference. Football competes in the  Centennial Conference . Popular sports include basketball, volleyball, track and field, soccer, and softball.

Enrollment (2016):

• Total Enrollment: 1,573 (1,568 undergraduate)
• Gender Breakdown: 44% Male / 56% Female
• 96% Full-time

Costs (2016 - 17):

• Tuition and Fees: $42,170
• Books: $1,000 ( why so much? )
• Room and Board : $11,590
• Other Expenses: $1,250
• Total Cost: $56,010

Juniata College Financial Aid (2015 - 16):

• Percentage of Students Receiving Aid: 100%
• Grants: 99%
• Grants: $25,214
• Loans: $9,953

Academic Programs:

• Most Popular Majors:  Biology, Business, Communication Studies, Environmental Science, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Psychology

Graduation and Retention Rates:

• First Year Student Retention ( full-time students ): 85%
• 4-Year Graduation Rate: 72%
• 6-Year Graduation Rate: 76%

Intercollegiate Athletic Programs:

• Men's Sports:  Football, Tennis, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Track and Field, Cross Country, Volleyball
• Women's Sports:  Field Hockey, Basketball, Swimming, Track and Field, Tennis, Volleyball, Cross Country, Softball

Data Source:

National Center for Educational Statistics

If You Like Juniata College, You May Also Like These Schools:

• Dickinson College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Bucknell University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Clark University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Ursinus College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Pennsylvania State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Ithaca College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Duquesne University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Lehigh University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Albright College: Profile  
• The College of Wooster: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Allegheny College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph
• Gettysburg College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

Juniata and the Common Application

Juniata College uses the  Common Application . These articles can help guide you:

• Common Application essay tips and samples
• Short answer tips and samples
• Supplemental essay tips and samples
• Grove City College Admissions
• Earlham College Admissions
• Keystone College Admissions
• Houghton College Admissions
• Goshen College Admissions
• La Roche College Admissions
• Nichols College Admissions
• Mitchell College Admissions
• Salem College Admissions
• SUNY Cobleskill Admissions
• Wartburg College Admissions
• Lebanon Valley College Admissions
• Cornell College Admissions
• Chatham University Admissions
• Pine Manor College Admissions
• Coe College Admissions

Add Project Key Words

Colleges that Don't Require Supplemental Essays

Padya Paramita

May 9, 2022

As you prepare for the college admissions cycle, you might be tempted to add schools to your list that require less work than others. While some schools like Yale have over five supplemental essays, there are colleges that have none! So, we offer you a list of colleges that don’t require supplemental essays . Although most colleges definitely want to see students answer school-specific prompts to determine fit, there are several top colleges that don’t require supplemental essays , including Williams, Middlebury, and Northeastern. Take a look at the full list below.

Liberal Arts Colleges that Don’t Require Supplemental Essays

• Albion College
• Allegheny College
• Bates College
• Beloit College
• Coe College
• Colby College
• Colgate University
• College of the Holy Cross
• Connecticut College 
• Denison University
• DePauw University 
• Dickinson University
• Drew University
• Franklin and Marshall College
• Furman University
• Gettysburg College 
• Goucher College
• Grinnell College
• Hamilton College
• Hanover College
• Hollins University
• Hope College
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Juniata College
• Kenyon College
• Middlebury College
• Muhlenberg College
• New College of Florida 
• Oberlin College
• Rhodes College
• Ripon College
• Sewanee—University of the South
• Siena College 
• Skidmore College
• Spelman College
• St. John’s College (essay optional except for Pharmacy program)
• St. Lawrence University
• Susquehanna University 
• Thomas Aquinas College
• Union College
• Ursinus College
• Wesleyan University (there are essays only for international students)
• Whitman College
• Willamette University
• Williams College

National Universities That Don’t Require Supplemental Essays

• Binghamton University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Clark University
• Clemson University
• DePaul University
• Drexel University
• Florida State University 
• Gonzaga University
• Miami University—Oxford
• Michigan State University
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Northeastern University
• Ohio State University
• Purdue University
• Seton Hall University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Stony Brook University  (Honors College has essay requirement)
• SUNY Buffalo
• Temple University
• Tulane University
• University of Alabama
• University of Arkansas
• University of Colorado -Denver
• University of Connecticut
• University of Dayton 
• University of Delaware
• University of Denver
• University of Iowa
• University of Minnesota
• University of Nebraska—Lincoln
• University of New Hampshire 
• University of the Pacific
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of St. Thomas

How to Successfully Apply to Colleges That Don’t Require Supplemental Essays

So, since you don’t have to write essays, how exactly do you convince admissions officers that you’re a strong applicant? You must take advantage of the following components:

• Personal Statement - The personal statement is a common essay that goes to all of the colleges you apply to within one application system—and colleges that don’t require supplemental essays are no exception to this rule. The most common of these are the Common App personal statement prompts. You only have to write about one of the prompts provided by the Common App. The word limit is 650 words, which is a scant number to narrate a powerful story without leaving out too many important details. At the end of the day, you can write about anything, as long as it tells a story unique to you.
• Activities List - When it comes to building a strong extracurricular activities list, it’s important to prioritize your passions, career interests, and ways to establish yourself as a leader. Prestigious colleges want to see tangible achievements and commitment towards activities you enjoy. And if you see a gap in the activities at your school, or find an opportunity to involve a greater community, don’t be afraid to start your own initiative! Once you’ve built your extracurricular profile, make sure you take advantage of the Common App activities list and describe what you did in order of impressiveness.
• Letters of Recommendation - A college recommendation letter is a note from someone who knows you well in an academic or professional setting, highlighting your best qualities and why they recommend you for a position or institution you’re applying for. For most cases, colleges require letters of recommendation from two teachers, one from your guidance counselor, and provide the option of one additional recommendation that could come from a coach or club advisor. They should be written by teachers who know you the best. 

Now that you have an idea of which fall among colleges that don’t require supplemental essays , you can carefully conduct research to make sure you want to apply—and would genuinely be happy there. Don’t just blindly apply to schools just because there are fewer essay requirements. But, these should save you some time in terms of the essay load so take advantage of these if you want to add some targets or safeties as well. Happy searching!

Tags : supplemental essays , college essays , Colleges that Don't Require Supplemental Essays , no supplemental essays , colleges with no essays , applying to college

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Colleges Without Supplemental Essays

Supplemental Essays are essays required by a college or university in addition to those included on the Common Application , the Universal Application , or the Coalition Application .

There are many excellent schools that DO NOT require a supplement and we've started a list below.

LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOLS WITHOUT A SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY

Albion College

Allegheny College

Beloit College

Coe College (personal essay optional for students who meet Coe’s minimum academic standards )

Colby College

Connecticut College

DePauw University

Drew University (applicants who select certain Specialty/Dual Degree programs will be required to complete an additional writing question)

Farleigh Dickinson

Furman University

Gettysburg College

Goucher College

Grinnell College

Hanover College

Hollins University

Hope College

Juniata College

Kenyon College

Middlebury College

Muhlenberg College

Ripon College (optional personal statement)

Sewanee—University of the South

Siena College (option to submit a graded paper in place of an essay on Siena application)

Skidmore College

Spelman College (additional essay for Honors program)

St. John’s University (essay for Pharmacy program or if not submitting testing scores)

St. Lawrence University

Susquehanna University

Wesleyan University (international students will be required to complete a writing prompt, depending on answers to some questions)

UNIVERSITIES WITHOUT A SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY

Case Western Reserve University (Pre-Professional Scholars program requires additional writing questions)

Clemson University

DePaul University

Drexel University (essay for Westphal College of Media Arts & Design and custom-designed majors)

Fordham University (For 2020-2021, there will be a COVID-19 question)

Miami University—Oxford

New Jersey Institute of Technology (Albert Dorman Honors College has an essay requirement)

Northeastern University

Ohio State University (Honors, Scholars, Morrill Scholarship Program and some majors have additional essay requirements)

Seton Hall University

Stevens Institute of Technology (Accelerated Medicine program has an additional writing question)

Stony Brook University (Honors College, University Scholars, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), Scholars for Medicine and Scholars for Dental Medicine have additional essay requirements)

SUNY Binghamton University (depending on answers to some questions, a writing question may be required)

SUNY Buffalo (depending on answers to some questions, a writing question may be required)

University of Alabama

University of Arkansas

University of Colorado -Denver

University of Connecticut

University of Dayton

University of Delaware (supplemental essay required for Honors Program)

University of Denver

University of Iowa (supplemental essays for certain programs of study)

University of Minnesota (depending on answers to some questions, a writing question may be required)

University of Nebraska—Lincoln (personal statement required to be considered for leadership and diversity scholarships)

University of New Hampshire

University of the Pacific

University of Pittsburgh (In lieu of an essay or personal statement, interested applicants are asked to answer short answer questions. Specific questions required for Pitt Honors admission.)

University of St. Thomas (essays recommended, but not required)

University of Vermont (optional essay questions available as part of application process)

Whether your list of schools requires supplemental essays or not – we’re here to help you share your story through the Essays on the Common application.

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Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences

Department of Animal, Veterinary & Food Sciences

University of Idaho

Physical Address: E. J. Iddings Agricultural Science Laboratory, Rm 213 606 S Rayburn St

Mailing Address: 875 Perimeter Drive MS 2330 Moscow, ID 83844-2330

Phone: 208-885-6345

Fax: 208-885-6420

Email: [email protected]

Web: uidaho.edu/cals/avfs

Amy Skibiel

Associate professor — lactation physiology.

Ag Biotech, Room 303

208-885-1161

[email protected]

Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Drive MS 2330 Moscow, ID 83844-2330

View Full Profile

Skibiel’s research interests lie at the intersection of lactation biology, maternal effects and performance. These topics are studied using observational and experimental approaches and from both evolutionary and dairy production perspectives.

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Ph.D., Auburn University, 2012 M.S., Auburn University, 2007 B.S., Juniata College, 2003

• AVS 463: Growth and Lactation (fall 2019)

Research/Extension Interests

• Impacts of the environment and management practices on mammary gland physiology and milk production
• Association between postnatal physiology and performance and the fetal growth environment
• How offspring development and health is shaped by the nutritive and bioactive components in mother’s milk 

Selected Publications

• Skibiel, A. L., B. D. Senn, T. F. Fabris, G. E. Dahl, and J. Laporta. In press. In utero exposure to thermal stress has long-term effects on mammary gland microstructure and function in dairy cattle. PLOS One.
• Skibiel, A. L., F. Peñagaricano, R. Amorín, B. M. Ahmed, G. E. Dahl, J. Laporta. 2018. In utero heat stress alters the offspring epigenome. Scientific Reports 8, Article number: 14609. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32975-1
• Senn, B. D., A. L. Skibiel, T. F. Fabris, Y. Zhang, G. E. Dahl, F. Peñagaricano, J. Laporta. 2018. RNA-seq reveals novel genes and pathways involved in bovine mammary involution during the dry period and under environmental heat stress. Scientific Reports 8, Article number: 11096. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29420-8
• Skibiel, A. L., M. Zachut, B. C. do Amaral, Y. Levin, G. E. Dahl. 2018. Liver proteomic analysis of postpartum Holstein cows exposed to heat stress or cooling conditions during the dry period. Journal of Dairy Science 101: 705-716. doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13258
• Skibiel, A. L., T. F. Fabris, F. N. Corrá, Y. M. Torres, D. J. McLean, J. D. Chapman, D. J. Kirk, G. E. Dahl, J. Laporta. 2017. Effects of feeding an immunomodulatory supplement to heat-stressed or actively cooled cows during late gestation on postnatal immunity, health and growth of calves. Journal of Dairy Science 100: 7659-7668. doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-12619
• Laporta, J., T. F. Fabris, A. L. Skibiel, J. L. Powell, J. Hayen, K. Horvath, E. K. Miller-Cushon, G. E. Dahl. 2017. In-utero exposure to heat stress during late-gestation has prolonged effects on the activity patterns and growth of dairy calves. Journal of Dairy Science 100: 2976-2984. doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-11993
• Skibiel, A. L. and W. R. Hood. 2015. Milk matters: offspring survival in Columbian ground squirrels is affected by nutrient composition of mother’s milk. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 3:1-10. doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2015.00111
• Hinde, K., A. L. Skibiel, A. Foster, L. Del Rosso, S. Mendoza, J. Capitanio. 2015. Cortisol in mother’s milk reflects maternal life history and predicts infant temperament. Behavioral Ecology 26: 269-281. doi.org/10.1093/beheco/aru186
• Skibiel, A. L., L. M. Downing, T. J. Orr, W. R. Hood. 2013. The evolution of the nutrient composition of mammalian milks. Journal of Animal Ecology 82: 1254-1264. doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12095
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University of Idaho’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

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How to Write the Williams College Essays 2020-2021

Found in rustic, western Massachusetts, Williams College is a small liberal arts college known for its stellar undergraduate education. With a tight knit community of 2,000 students, Williams boasts a 7:1 student to faculty ratio and offers 36 different majors. Williams was founded in 1793, and through its 227 year history, it has accrued deep traditions, such as a school-wide Mountain Day, in which students hike up nearby Mount Greylock. 

Williams College has consistently been ranked by US News as the number one liberal arts college in America. The college is also highly selective, and for the class of 2023, only 13% of applicants were accepted (most recent official stats). Williams alumni are also diverse, ranging from President James Garfield to composer Stephen Sondheim to photographer Walker Evans. 

A key aspect of the Williams application lies in the strength of your supplemental essay, which gives the admissions committee a more personal look at your profile, and we’ve broken down each essay prompt below! Want to know your chances at Williams? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Want to learn what Williams College will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take? Here’s what every student considering Williams College needs to know.

How to Write the Williams College Supplemental Essays

This is an opportunity for you to present another writing sample. It’s entirely optional, and you can either respond to one of the prompts below in an essay of no more than 300 words, or you can upload an academic paper (preferably in the humanities or social sciences) completed in the last academic year.

Option 1: The first-year Entry—a thoughtfully constructed residential microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience—brings together students from around the world with different perspectives, interests and backgrounds. Imagine having a late-night conversation with your Entrymates about a community that you value. Describe that community and why it’s important to you.

Option 2: All-Campus Entertainment (ACE), a student organization, hosts a weekly event called “Stressbusters”—an opportunity for students to focus on self-care by stepping away from their typical routine and enjoying some unscheduled time—and snacks!—with friends. Weekly Stressbuster activities might include a concert, playing with a therapy dog, painting pumpkins, building with Legos, etc. What’s your version of a “stressbuster,” and how does it help you rejuvenate in the midst of a hectic week?

Option 3: At Williams, we believe that bringing together students and professors in small groups produces extraordinary academic outcomes. Our distinctive Oxford-style tutorial classes—in which two students are guided by a professor in deep exploration of a single topic—are a prime example. Each week the students take turns developing independent work—an essay, a problem set, a piece of art—and critiquing their partner’s work. Focused on close reading, writing and oral defense of ideas, more than 60 pre-determined tutorials a year are offered across the curriculum. Imagine yourself in a tutorial at Williams. What topic would you be most excited to study in that setting and why?

Option 4: I would like to upload my own essay (from a humanities or social science course and ideally 3-5 pages in length).

The first-year Entry—a thoughtfully constructed residential microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience—brings together students from around the world with different perspectives, interests and backgrounds. Imagine having a late-night conversation with your Entrymates about a community that you value. Describe that community and why it’s important to you. (300 words)

In this essay, you want to first brainstorm the communities that have been valuable to you growing up, any community that has been formative for you as a person. This can be a cultural or ethnic community, a family, a sports team, a musical ensemble, a neighborhood, an online community, or a workplace. The key simply is to bring this community alive in your essay, illustrate how much it means to you, and show how you’ve given back to it. 

You want to show the admissions committee passion and commitment to groups and organizations that you’re invested in, just as you would in a freshman residential community. Then, you could look toward the future, toward your time at Williams, and talk about wanting to meet people outside of your own bubbles, and have intimate conversations with people from all over the world. 

Williams College consistently admits students from the vast majority of states in America, as well as from over 30 countries worldwide, so their commitment to diversity is deep. As a result, you want to think about what perspective you would uniquely bring to the Williams Entry, what kinds of conversations you could contribute to foster a diverse community. There’s enough space to also think critically about the communities you’ve been a part of, and think through the different problems that you had to undergo while being a part of them. 

Here are a few different examples for you to think about:

• Maybe you have been committed to your Indian Bhangra team for the past four years. You could talk about the technical aspects of your work, such as choreographing dances, organizing practices, and putting on performances. However, you could also dive into the most difficult parts of your commitment, such as the time a dance wasn’t coming together leading up to the concert, or dealing with a sudden drop out in your group, or having communication issues within the team. Through these experiences, you could talk about drawing closer to your team, as well as feeling closer to your own Indian heritage through dance and performance.
• Maybe you’ve been shaped by your environmental surroundings, being from Idaho. You could talk about how you never grew up in a city or a large community, but spent most of your time with your family and friends hiking mountains and going camping. You could talk about how as an Idahoan, you have come to value land conservation, indigenous rights, and an overall respect for the places you inhabit. You could illustrate for the reader the beautiful scenery that surrounded you growing up, the thrill of looking out from a mountaintop, and the difficulties of living outdoors. 
• Maybe you’re not American, and grew up in Brazil. You could talk about your own local customs and culture, how it differs from the stereotypes of Americans you have grown up hearing. Maybe your interest is primarily in politics, and so you envision having long conversations that compare the Brazilian government to the American government, and how race relations operate in both countries. 

All-Campus Entertainment (ACE), a student organization, hosts a weekly event called “Stressbusters”—an opportunity for students to focus on self-care by stepping away from their typical routine and enjoying some unscheduled time — and snacks! — with friends. Weekly Stressbuster activities might include a concert, playing with a therapy dog, painting pumpkins, building with Legos, etc. What’s your version of a “stressbuster,” and how does it help you rejuvenate in the midst of a hectic week? (300 words)

There’s many different ways in which you can approach this essay, and it’s certainly a bit more left field than prompts one and three, but if done right, this essay can shine an equal amount of light on your character, personality, and passions. However, this essay is a bit tricky, because you want to answer the prompt and talk about the ways in which you relieve stress, but you also want to show the admissions committee a deeper picture of yourself as a person. Therefore, you should try to avoid a simplistic response, like “I binge Netflix,” without a bit more depth into your own struggles and passions as a person. 

You can be as open as you want to be, talking about stress relief side by side with your daily stresses, flipping back and forth between the difficulties and the pleasures of your daily life. Ideally, your stressbuster could also be a hobby or activity you love to do, but just don’t have enough time to pursue. Or maybe your stressbuster is an extracurricular activity, and you’ve been struggling over the difficulty in enjoying it, while being pushed to excel in it. It’s critical that you drive the essay towards not what you do, but who you are. 

Here are a few examples for you to think about:

• Maybe your stress reliever is playing the cello, but you have a particularly complicated relationship with that because playing the cello also brings you stress. You want to both excel in the instrument, winning competitions and helping your school orchestra, but also want to keep it as a hobby that brings you joy. You can talk about the times it’s been a relief, maybe when you play a certain song you love, but also dive into the times when it’s caused stress and pain in your life. 
• Maybe your destresser is watching food channels on YouTube, which not only makes you more hungry, but has also instilled within you a curiosity about the different food cultures across the world. Maybe there’s a few particular YouTubers you follow closely, which has inspired you to create your own YouTube channel, and spread joy through cooking videos of your own. Making the videos turned out to be hard work, but you found joy through seeing other people respond positively to your content. 
• Maybe your hobby is building model airplanes, which you’ve been doing with your father since you were a child. You could talk about how despite everything else changing in your life, school getting much more difficult, and witnessing different familial troubles, you’ve never stopped working on model airplanes with your dad, and it’s been a soothing and reliable activity for you. 

At Williams, we believe that bringing together students and professors in small groups produces extraordinary academic outcomes. Our distinctive Oxford-style tutorial classes—in which two students are guided by a professor in deep exploration of a single topic—are a prime example. Each week the students take turns developing independent work—an essay, a problem set, a piece of art—and critiquing their partner’s work. Focused on close reading, writing and oral defense of ideas, more than 60 pre-determined tutorials a year are offered across the curriculum. Imagine yourself in a tutorial at Williams. What topic would you be most excited to study in that setting and why? (300 words)

First, you want to brainstorm the kinds of academic fields you’re interested in, and it’ll be even better if you have past experiences studying the topic. Then, you want to choose a specific sub-topic in the particular field you chose: if you want to study English, you could choose a particular author, or literary movement, or genre of writing. If you want to study chemistry, you could choose anything from thermal dynamics to quantum mechanics to inorganic chemistry. 

The key here is to be able to both talk about a specific topic, as well as shed light into your own character, passions, and desires for your future education. You want to show the readers what you’d bring to the table in an academic discussion, and how you would engage with difficult academic questions. 

You should also do some digging into all the different tutorials Williams offers , just to get a sense of the kinds of classes taught at Williams. The topics truly span the entire range of academic disciplines, with titles ranging from “Fictions of African American History” to “Analytic Number Theory” to “Advanced Planetary Geology.” 

Next, you want to think about why you’re excited to study the subject, and here, past anecdotes are great. If you want to do a computer science tutorial, you could talk about your own experience learning how to code and working on your side projects, but then go into how Williams takes it up to the next level, with their “Machine Learning” tutorial. You could talk about how you’re excited to work with similarly passionate people, and not only get better at the technical aspect of coding, but also dive into the ethical and societal questions suitable in a tutorial-esque setting.

Maybe you want to study history, and the topic you’d be most excited to study is the Vietnamese War, because of your own history of being the child of Vietnamese refugees. You want to get to know more about your own history and culture, as well as be able to understand your parents’ own socio-political contexts better. 

While imagining your ideal tutorial, it wouldn’t hurt to brainstorm what the class itself would look like. What kinds of materials and mediums would you be engaging with in class? What primary sources excite you? What kinds of problems would you want to solve each week? Even if you don’t include all of this in the essay, it’ll help bring the tutorial to life in your head.

I would like to upload my own essay (from a humanities or social science course and ideally 3-5 pages in length).

If you feel like a high school essay captures better the essence of who you are, rather than the aforementioned prompt options, you should go for this option. Or, you could pursue this option if you’re completely crunched for time. However, we would recommend that you pursue one of the first three options, because they are all excellent avenues for you to illustrate your personality and character, but also show to Williams that you’re committed to writing about their school. 

Ideally, if you do end up choosing this option, the essay should be grammatically tidy and free of any syntactical errors. A well argued analytic essay should do the job, but it would be even better if you had a personal essay you could use, because the main point of the supplemental essays is for the admissions committee to get to know you on a personal level.

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