How to Write the Northwestern Admissions Essay

 



Northwestern University Excerpt

by Sarah O'Neill, Coatesville, Supreme Editing

According to Northwestern admissions (via the website):


WATCH: How to Write an Effective College Essay

WATCH: New Supplemental Essay Questions


University Mission: Guiding Principles: We…transform society, grow leaders, champion access, diversity and belonging, encourage debate, embrace breadth and depth, pursue excellence across all disciplines, strengthen our community, and care about one another. 


In history, the types of students admitted consisted of students who could make direct connections with the offerings to their specific passions which were more than one!  Students demonstrated why Northwestern would be a good fit for them and vice versa. Students often thought “outside of the box” and gave intriguing answers. 


Supplemental Essay Example:

Prompt: 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?


On the rock, I’d paint the word “helppy,” meaning help and happy. I materialized it at nine years old, curled up in my puppy’s cage telling him all that was difficult for me to see in the world. Someday, I knew, I could and would help to make a difference, becoming the happiest I’ve ever been. Naturally, I stepped up as a residential leader in my junior year.


Once, I found a proctee lying in bed during study hall, repeatedly insisting that she just felt tired. However, I noticed that her cheeks were unusually amber, and took her temperature to reveal a high fever. I walked her to the health center through a dimly lit campus, incredibly relieved at having caught her sickness in time.


Another night, I heard someone’s muffled sobs in the bathroom. Careful not to disturb her, I set a reminder to check up on her the next day—I then learned of a roommate argument about incompatible sleep habits. Promptly, my co-proctors and I facilitated the creation of a roommate contract and open dialogue. The tension transformed into lighthearted laughter.


With these rewarding experiences, I’ll show my Wildcat spirit by sharing the profound, cause-and-effect relationship of “helppy.” 

by Sarah O'Neill, Coatesville, Supreme Editing

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