"What brings you joy?" (50 words).


In this blog post, however, we will focus on a far less famous but no less integral piece of writing: supplemental essays. Whether you’re looking to highlight an extracurricular activity, explain a personal challenge, or explain your enthusiasm for a particular school, this guide will equip you with the strategies you need to enhance your college applications. Let’s explore how to write supplemental essays.


This is a great prompt to reflect on your personal beliefs and values, especially when moving forward into your higher education path. Entering college is the first step for many of us toward adulthood, so reflecting on your current and past experiences and how they’ll shape your time in college is undoubtedly essential! Take time to reflect on experiences you have had within your own life, at school, in your community, and so on, and think about the impact you want to make at Princeton.

The black void descends toward the young girl standing in the grassy field. It slowly creeps up on her, and as it reaches for her perfectly white dress … Swipe. I quickly wipe away the paint without a thought except for panic. Before I realize what I have done, the black droop becomes an ugly smear of black paint. The peaceful picture of the girl standing in the meadow is nowhere to be seen. Even though I successfully avoid having the spilled paint touch the dress, all I can focus on is the black smudge. The stupid black smudge. As I continue to stare at the enemy in front of me, I hear Bob Ross’s annoyingly cheerful voice in my head: “There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.” At this moment, I completely disagree. There is nothing happy about this, only frustration.

What brings you joy? (50 words)

These essays are your chance to showcase what makes you unique beyond your grades and test scores. This can be your hobbies, passions, aspirations, or anything that makes you shine as a student and individual! Embrace this opportunity to show the admissions officers the unique perspective and value you can bring to the Princeton community.

This question invites you to explore and share what truly brings you joy. Whether it’s a simple pleasure like video games or a profound passion like philosophy, this is your chance to reveal a personal aspect of yourself. The goal is to give admissions officers a glimpse into what makes you tick and why it matters to you. With only 50 words, focus on being concise yet impactful. Think about how this joy reflects your personality and interests, and aim to make your statement memorable and meaningful.

2. When not surveying the stars, peering through microscopes, or running through coding marathons, Caltech students pursue an eclectic array of interests that range from speed-cubing, reading, yoga, playing musical instruments and theater arts, to solving puzzles, hiking, painting, and building or inventing new gadgets. We understand that everyone needs an outlet or two. What is a favorite interest or hobby, and why does it bring you joy? (Max: 200 words)

Now, to be clear, not everyone will need to learn how to write supplemental essays. Some schools do not require them (and for a partial list, check out ). But most competitive colleges and universities do, and—yes—they require supplemental essays in addition to the . If the schools you’re applying to are considered competitive, you can ordinarily expect 1–5 supplemental essays. If you’re also applying to honors programs or elite programs within a college or university (such as the Wharton School at ), you can expect special supplemental essay requirements in addition to the general requirements.


Question 6: What brings you joy?

3. Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)

What brings you joy essay - CollegeVine

“Photographing gardening brings me joy through nurturing growth and witnessing the seed’s transformation into bloom. Capturing this process through the art of timelapse is a poetic reminder of how we all flourish when nourished by what we love.”

What brings you joy Brown University Essay Examples - Clastify

What is it about this program, and YOUR GOALS SPECIFICALLY, that makes the collision of YOU + THIS PROGRAM a particularly dangerous combination?

What brings you joy Supplemental essay examples from Brown University

Developing a strong, equitable, and inclusive community is important to us at Connecticut College. After all, camels live and work together in herds. In 150 words or less, please tell us who you are and what you will bring to the Conn community to help us grow into the best version of ourselves. You may choose to include details about how your background, identity, challenges, and lived experiences have shaped your accomplishments and potential contributions.

How to Write the “What Brings You Joy” Essay for Columbia

What began as a safety net in my adolescence has grown to something more, a true passion for English and all that it can express. Language is power and I wish to wield it like a mighty sword. I want to be the puppetmaster, the speaker, and the leader in a world that is crafted in ink. I want to be a New York Times bestseller and to know that whatever I do is impactful and that it creates a difference, no matter how small. I want to walk down a crowded street and see “my book” spread open in a passing person’s hands, as they refuse to put it down, just like I did so many times in the hallways of my middle school. A writer, a college professor, a publishing lawyer: I want it all, the riots of failure, and the pride of success.

How to Answer The What Brings You Joy College Essay Question

There are many other supplemental prompts out there besides these three. And there are some that are almost purely informational (e.g. “What brings you joy?”), but something you’ll notice about the bulk of supplemental essays is that they focus on how you’ll relate to or interact with some aspect of the school. That might be the academic ethos, the campus culture, the locale of the school, or any number of specific features—but the heart of the question remains the same. Why is that?