does william and mary require a supplemental essay

College of William & Mary 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have: 

College of William & Mary 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: Two essays of 300 words or fewer

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Topic of your choice

William & Mary is a community that fosters deep human connection. We reflect on the lessons of history to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. We engage diverse perspectives and seek wisdom in bridging differences. Together, we are unceasing in our efforts to make a meaningful difference in our communities, the state, the nation, and the world.

To help us learn more about you, we invite you to share additional information by answering up to two of these optional short-answer prompts. think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy. (300 words each), beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful .

This prompt is so open-ended that we recommend reading through the others to see if any of those jump out at you first. If you find yourself coming back to this prompt, then you probably have a story to tell that doesn’t meet the parameters of the more standard supplemental essay types. Perhaps you’ve been itching to write a short essay about your love of DIY projects and how empowered you feel every time you finish one. Maybe you want to write about your love of makeup tutorials and how you stepped outside your comfort zone to start recording your own tutorials and posting them on TikTok. This prompt is really here to give you the opportunity to speak to admissions in your own voice about something you think will give them more insight into the person behind the application. If you have a strong essay that you wrote for another school on your list, you may want to consider whether you could repurpose it for this prompt here, since you can take it in different directions. (Recycle, reduce, reuse!)

Are there any particular communities that are important to you, and how do you see yourself being a part of our community?

This is a classic Community Essay, through and through. Tell admissions about a community you are a part of and what significance it holds in your life. Then think about how your involvement in that community will impact the way you show up at W&M. What you address can be a larger cultural community—think race, sexuality, religion—or as specific as your after-school knitting club. Address the role that your community plays in your life, then consider why your particular background or experience within this community will enrich W&M’s campus once you step onto the scene. How will it help inspire and/or inform others? What is important to you and how will your experiences in communities bring something of value to William & Mary?

How has your family, culture and/or background shaped your lived experience?

Admissions wants to know what has made you who you are. What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? What you write about can really run the gamut because admissions is giving you a lot of leeway here. Maybe you’ve lived on multiple continents, which has shaped your worldview and made you feel like a citizen of the world. Perhaps you’ve spent every summer at your grandparents’ farm since you were little, where you learned the value of hard work and developed relationships with the animals that you cherish to this day. Whatever story you want to tell admissions here, be sure to infuse your essay with as many details as possible in order to set yourself apart from other applicants.

Share more about a personal academic interest or career goal.

This prompt will likely jump out to applicants who have a specific major or future career path in mind. To prevent your essay from reading as generic, try to tell a story about the origin of your interest in your chosen area of study or career and be as specific as possible when exploring your interest and motivation. Look ahead five or ten years and imagine what you’d like your professional life to look like. Maybe you’ve been interested in the human brain ever since you were an inquisitive little kid. Will William & Mary’s Neuroscience major aid you on your quest to understand humankind? Perhaps you come from a family of entrepreneurs and you dream of running your own business one day. How will a W&M education help you to achieve your goal? Build a bridge between your past and your future for admissions so they can see your commitment and demonstrated interest in this field. 

Tell us about a challenge or adversity you’ve experienced and how that has impacted you as an individual.

William & Mary wants to accept students who possess qualities such as resilience, determination, and humility, so tell admissions about a time when you faced a challenge or adversity and how that experience has shaped the person you are today. Once you have a topic in mind, be sure to summarize your challenge in as few words as possible; that way, you’ll have plenty of room to discuss the impact it had on you, what you took away from the experience, and (if you have any extra words at your disposal) how you will apply that insight to your time at William & Mary. Admissions wants to accept thoughtful, reflective individuals to campus, so show them that you fit the bill!

If we visited your town, what would you want to show us?

Admissions is giving you the opportunity to think fast, not hard, and roll with the punches—so, take advantage! Maybe you want to encourage admissions to stop by the old diner in your town; you know, the one with photos of Frank Sinatra on the walls, where you have dinner with your grandparents every Sunday. Perhaps a visit to your town is never complete without a visit to the quirky downtown district to check out the latest street art, where you may or may not have left your own mark. Whatever it is about your hometown that you think is worth noting, make sure to connect your answer back to you. After all, like every prompt, this is an opportunity for admissions to get to know you better, wherever you come from.

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College Essays

The College of William and Mary in Virginia is the second oldest university in the country, and it's consistently ranked in the top colleges in the nation. Their acceptance rate reflects that: every year, only 36% of students who apply are admitted.

That means that if you're interested in applying to William and Mary, you'll want your application to shine. Simply having good grades and test scores isn't enough on its own—in fact, 75% of accepted William and Mary students were in the top 10% of their high school class .

This is where the optional William and Mary essay comes in. This is your chance to make your application stand out ! So what is this optional essay, and how optional is it ? This article will tell you everything you need to know about the William and Mary supplement essay, including:

• Explaining the William and Mary supplemental essay prompt
• Walking you through how to answer the prompt
• Going over what admissions counselors are looking for in an excellent supplemental essay

We have a lot to cover, so let's get started!

What Is the William and Mary Supplemental Essay?

The William and Mary supplemental essay is an optional essay that you can choose to submit as part of your overall admissions packet . The goal of the essay is to help admissions counselors get to know you a little better...and to showcase your writing skills one last time. Since this essay is optional, you don't have to write it in order to submit your application. (We'll talk about whether you should write it a little later, though!)

So where can you find the optional essay? Within the online application itself, there is a separate drop down box labelled "Optional W&M Essay." If you expand this box, you'll see the prompt. If you choose to submit the supplemental essay, you'll have to turn it in as part of your overall application packet. In other words, you can't go back later and submit the supplemental essay—once you turn in your application,

The text box itself allows for 650 characters, but you'll notice the prompt states that they're looking for 500 words or less . They're allowing you a little leeway so you won't get cut off in the middle of a sentence, but you should follow the instructions and try to limit yourself to under 500 words.

6 Steps to Writing the Perfect William and Mary Supplemental Essay

Now that you've been introduced to the William and Mary essay, it's time to talk about how to write one that makes admissions counselors sit up and take notice.

Here are six simple steps that will help you develop your essay into the exact thing the admission committee might be looking for.

Step 1: Read the Prompt

To help you get a handle on what the prompt is asking for, let's take a closer look at it:

"Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful? We know nobody fits neatly into 500 words or less, but you can provide us with some suggestion of the type of person you are. Anything goes! Inspire us, impress us, or just make us laugh. Think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy and with an attitude."

At its core, this prompt is all about you. Admissions counselors want to learn about what makes you unique and different from everyone else around you. In other words, admissions counselors are going to use this essay to get to know you better!

More importantly, this prompt specifically asks you to "show and tell," which is a sneaky way of saying that admissions counselors want you to tell them a story. Instead of providing a laundry list of your best qualities, pick one thing that makes you unique and then write a story around it. We recommend that you choose a specific event from your life that showcases your unique personality, then use that as a springboard for the rest of your essay.

Keep in mind that you're still writing an essay for a college application— just because the prompt asks you to inspire, impress, or amuse the admissions committee doesn't mean you shouldn't take the assignment seriously . More importantly, your job is to show admissions counselors that you're a great fit for William and Mary.

Step 2: Choose Your Unique Attribute

You've probably realized that 500 words is not a lot of room to write an essay. It turns out that 500 words is about one typed, single-spaced page of text. So even though there are hundreds of things about you that make you unique, if you tried to write about them all, you'd run out of room!

In order to write a great essay, you'll have to choose one or two attributes that make you unique. That way, you'll be able to tell a story that captures your readers' attention while still showcasing the special person that you are!

But how do you pick the unique quality you want to write about? We recommend that you start your writing process by brainstorming about twenty or thirty things that make you unique. Once you have that list, choose the one that you feel is both A) individual enough that you wouldn't expect someone else to choose it, and B) important enough to you that you could easily convey a lot of passion about it.

If you're having trouble picking a quality to write about, try talking to your parents, teachers, and best friends. Show them your list and ask them which traits stand out. They may even suggest some attributes of their own! Sometimes an outside perspective can help you narrow down your choices.

Keeping your focus narrow helps you write a more compelling essay.

Step 3: Narrow Your Focus and Choose a Story

Once you've chosen your most unique qualities, you'll need to figure out how to talk about them. Like we said earlier, we recommend that you use a story to help readers understand you better. A good story is specific and allows you to include unique and interesting details. If your story is too long or too broad, you'll need to summarize the events or aspects, which will make them unexciting and bland.

Here's what we mean: let's say Bryan has decided that his most unique attribute is that he's the first male soprano in his school's history. He decides he wants to tell the story of how he tried out for choir and discovered he could sing high notes. If Bryan tried to tell the story from the first moment he learned he could sing soprano, then he'd need thousands of words to write his essay! By narrowing his focus down to the actual audition, he can share more details...which will help the admissions committee get to know him even bette r.

Once you've narrowed your focus to one specific moment, it's time to craft your story. Good stories help readers feel like they're watching a movie. As you write, include sensory details , including sounds, sights, smells, etc. so that your essay is as vivid to the reader as the memory is to you!

Step 4: Remember Your Audience

Even though the William and Mary supplement essay is an informal prompt meant mostly to help the admission committee determine what type of person you are, keep in mind that it is still a college application. That means there are certain values about yourself that you want to emphasize. You want the people reading this essay to think of you as an intellectually curious, genuine, and thoughtful potential student.

While you may have an entertaining story that involves illicit or illegal behavior, this isn't the place to share it. Additionally, make sure you're not using off-color, racially charged, or potentially offensive language. At the end of the day, you want to show admissions counselors that you're a good fit for William and Mary's values !

Also, remember that your audience is reading over 14,000 of these essays between January and March every year, and many of them have been doing it for several years. Don't lie in your William and Mary application essay! We guarantee that admissions counselors will be able to tell. Trust us: with a little effort, you'll be able to tell a story that is both truthful and compelling.

You're unique! Letting that shine through in your essay is a good way to catch the admission committee's attention.

Step 5: Explain Why You're a Good Fit for William and Mary

While this definitely isn't a "why this school" essay , you still want to tie your William and Mary application essay into the rest of your application.

To do this, use the last two sentences of your essay to explain how your unique qualities will help you fit into the William and Mary campus . Even better, you can tell admissions counselors how you plan to use your unique personality to help support William and Mary's mission!

Take Bryan's topic that we talked about before. He knows what it's like to feel different, and he's learned how to be comfortable in his own skin. That means he can't wait to join William and Mary's choir , where he hopes to both share his talent and support others as they share theirs, too. Ending the essay like this shows admissions counselors that Bryan is ready to become a central part of William and Mary's vibrant campus community.

Step 6: Revise, Revise, and Revise

After you've chosen your topic and have written your essay, y ou need to reread it . If you have enough time, wait a few days before starting the revision process so that you can bring a fresh perspective to your essay. You'll likely find that there are places where you can add more detail, clarity, or explanation

Once you've finished your revisions, choose one or two people whose opinions you trust to read the essay and offer their criticism . Don't choose someone who loves everything you do and already thinks you're brilliant—that's not going to help you make your essay better. Choose someone who you think will offer you honest feedback on how you might improve your essay. If you have a good relationship with your English teacher or high school counselor, you should definitely ask them to read your essay and offer feedback!

If this sounds like a lot of work...well, it is. Creating a great essay takes time and effort. That means you'll need to plan ahead . We recommend starting your essay more than a month in advance so you have plenty of time to write and revise.

What Are William and Mary Looking for When They Read These Essays?

What do William and Mary essays that worked include? Usually, you just have to guess at what the admissions committee wants. Not this time! Brad Harlan, the Assistant Dean of Admission at William and Mary, wrote a helpful blog post about what William and Mary's admissions counselors look for in a good optional essay. Harlan explains:

"How does this individual articulate themselves? What is this individual genuinely passionate about? What motivates this individual. These, and countless other questions, can be answered by your essays. They provide us with meaningful insight into your personality, and give you a chance to "speak" directly to the admission committee. We see essays that cover a wide array of topics and which employ many different tones and styles. Some are funny, some are serious, some are quirky, and all of them provide for engaging and enjoyable reads as we review our many impressive applicants…

"No matter what approach you take, just be sure that your essay covers something that excites you, and that it adds a new dimension to your application. If you write genuinely, enthusiastically and carefully, no matter what the subject, then I can pretty much guarantee that we will very much enjoy reading your work."

Note that the word "genuine" is used twice in two paragraphs. That tells you that admissions counselors are looking for you to express yourself honestly and sincerely. They're not looking for a formal answer that you think they want to hear; instead, admissions counselors want to read an essay that lets them see why you would be a good choice to add to their student body .

Another William and Mary Admissions blog post gives more tips for tackling the optional essay. Wendy Livingston, the Senior Assistant Dean of Admission, writes:

There is something about you that isn't commonplace. Find that thing and write about it. If it's something big like growing up in a foreign country, write about it. If it's something small like you always wear socks with stripes for a particular reason, write about it. If it's something in between like your life-long hobby of collecting McDonalds Happy Meal toys, write about it. The key is to find a topic that few others can write about. There are most definitely fairly generic college essay topics: death of a relative, parents' divorce, traveling abroad, a service/mission trip, a sports injury, your epic love of Harry Potter books (that one has come on strong in recent years). It's not that these experiences/interests aren't salient or important; they are. But they are also fairly commonplace for 17-year olds and the ways in which you write about them will be incredibly similar.

In other words, make sure you're writing about something that is truly unique !

If you're one of ten siblings, practice oil painting in your free time, or spend your weekends playing guitar in your family's 90s cover band...write about it! While it's certainly not bad to like popular things or share common experiences, those don't always give readers true insight into your character.

Instead, choose a topic or quality that might take the admissions committee a bit by surprise (in a good way). That will help you show readers how your unique personality makes you a great addition to William and Mary's student body.

Should You Submit the William and Mary Supplement Essay?

After reading through the steps you'll need to take to create a killer supplement essay, you're probably wondering whether you really need to write it. Couldn't you skip it and save yourself a bunch of time and effort?

If you're serious about getting into William and Mary, then you absolutely need to write the William and Mary supplement essay. Put yourself in the admission committee's place. Imagine a scenario in which you have room for one more student and you're choosing between two candidates. They each have similar GPAs and test scores. However, one of them has a remarkable optional essay and the other didn't even fill in the box. Which student you choose to admit? Probably the one who went the extra mile!

Here's a different scenario. Imagine a candidate who has a pretty average GPA and an unexciting SAT score, but that candidate has a breathtaking optional essay that allows the admissions committee to see that the mediocre grades and SAT scores aren't a fair reflection of the candidate's potential. If you were in the admissions committee's place, wouldn't you be tempted to give the candidate a chance to show what they can do as a student?

As you can see, the essay may be labeled "optional," but it's actually a key piece of your application packet if you really want to get in. The William and Mary application essay is an opportunity to differentiate yourself from thousands of other applicants and make yourself more attractive to the admissions committee.

Granted, if you wrote a very poor essay it may harm your chances a little, but have no fear—after reading this article, you will have the tools you need to write an excellent William and Mary essay!

Analyzing an essay that helped a real student get admitted to William and Mary can help you figure out how to make your supplemental essay even more compelling. ( Ken Lund /Flickr)

Analysis of a Real William and Mary Supplement Essay Sample

Reading other people's successful William and Mary essays can help you write your own. He's an actual William and Mary supplement essay posted to an online forum :

"I've read this prompt seventy-six times. The number is actually much higher, but I only started counting recently. My backspace key is almost worn out from my attempts to conquer this essay. I've tried everything from Poe quotes to inspirational sport tales, but none of them seem to fit. Why is that? I think it's because for the first time, I am not writing to fit some sort of outline. From 7th grade through 9th grade I had the same English teacher. While comical, she did not teach me how to write very well. To her, good writing involved two things: MLA format and the hated five paragraph essay. As a middle schooler, the five paragraph essay seemed like God's gift to sub-par English students. Was I naive or what? Fast forward to 11th grade, and my AP History teacher is having a breakdown from reading so many of these manufactured abominations. She put me on the right track. Unfortunately, now instead of five paragraph papers, I write class response essays, that must contain three examples and a thesis statement. You see the pattern?

Paper after paper, and none of them written under the pretense that I can run wild with it. I no longer associate free expression with writing. They all fit some format and come with a set of rules that would make the creators of Monopoly jealous. Which is why, this essay means more than just acceptance to college. It took me enough attempts to realize it, but for the first time, the rule book has been thrown. I can write about whatever I want in whatever way I want. I don't have to turn this in for a grade. Long words no longer carry points or increased chances at success. I could talk about soccer, Stop Hunger Now or even my acting stint (in the role of Tupac). There are no longer cords that are holding me back from showing who I am. This must be what revolutionaries feel like. As I said before, I've tried quotes and anecdotes. However, all of them were intentionally generic. For once, I want to use one that is not restrained and, to be completely honest, really cool. It's from the book Fight Club:

"One minute was enough," Tyler said. "A person had to work hard for it, but a minute of perfection was worth the effort. A moment was the most you could ever expect from perfection."

After almost fourteen years of writing, I have yet to write one thing that I would consider close to perfect. This paper is different. Whether it's perfect or not, this essay is my moment, and all I needed was for the rule book to be thrown out to reach it."

Let's break this down and see why this supplemental essay helped the writer get into William and Mary.

What Makes This a Strong Example Essay?

The student who wrote this was accepted into William and Mary , so we can consider this a successful essay. The choice of topic is a bit unusual: the student writes about their experience writing the William and Mary supplemental essay.

The topic is fairly narrow, but it doesn't exactly recount an episode from the author's life. Rather, the author places the audience in the experience of writing the essay in real time. They give vivid descriptions, like wearing out their backspace key, which makes readers feel like they're writing the essay, too.

The strength of this essay is its voice , meaning the way the choice of words and the pace of the events helps to develop the character who is speaking. It helps readers experience the writer's frustrations and triumphs, and it also tells readers a lot about the person writing the essay. We learn this writer is a creative person who wants to push boundaries. They're also dedicated—it takes a lot of time to read the prompt over sixty times! Finally, it's clear this person is persistent. Setbacks and frustrations aren't enough to keep them from reaching their goals.

This essay uses a very unique approach to address the prompt, and it succeeds in helping the admissions committee get to know the writer better. Mission accomplished...and student admitted!

3 Key Tips for Writing the William and Mary Supplemental Essay

Now that you know what admissions committees expect from your William and Mary essay, here are our top tips to help you succeed.

Tip 1: Write Passionately

It's easier to write passionately when you're writing about a topic that you care about. Luckily, this William and Mary supplement essay prompt asks you to do just that! Find the topic that most excites you , and use language that conveys your passion to your audience. Allow your excitement about your topic to come out, and readers will be blown away!

Tip 2: Be Yourself

The point of the William and Mary essay is to show the admissions committee that you're a strong, well-rounded candidate. That can be intimidating to lots of students. But don't worry: you're unique and special just because you're you . Don't try to exaggerate to make yourself seem like the type of person the admissions committee is looking for. Remember: the admissions committee is trained to sniff out falsified essay. Just be genuine and authentic, and you'll set yourself up for success.

Tip 3: Have Fun!

The William and Mary essay is unique because it's open ended. You have free reign to express yourself however you see fit! Take the opportunity to stretch yourself and to grow as a writer. (Just make sure you're not being vulgar or offensive!)

Ultimately, the admissions committee wants to see your potential and your personality . If you use this prompt as a way of allowing your creativity to flow, the selection committee will see your willingness to challenge yourself. If you're having fun, then there's a good chance that will come across in your essay. And guess what? Fun essays stand out from the crowd, too!

What's Next?

Like we mentioned earlier, William and Mary is a selective college . Make sure you get all the details about the school, its admissions criteria, and application information before you start writing your supplemental essay.

Most students who are admitted into William and Mary graduate in the top 10% of their high school class. Make sure you understand the class ranking system so that you can set yourself up for success. Heck, you may even decide you want to be your class valedictorian or salutatorian !

Finally, you'll need to knock your test scores out of the park if you want a shot at getting into William and Mary. Learn what it takes to get a 1600 on your SAT or a 36 on your ACT so you can study smarter and harder.

Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar.

Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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How to Write the College of William & Mary Essays 2023-2024

The College of William & Mary, located in the easternmost part of Virginia, is the second oldest institution of higher education in the country, just after Harvard. As such, the school has educated some of the earliest and most influential names in American history, including Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, Henry Clay, and George Washington. It has since been designated a Public Ivy , signaling its exceptional academics.

Given the caliber of a William & Mary education, it’s no surprise that gaining admission here is competitive. On top of impressive grades and extracurriculars, you will also need unique and compelling essays to set you apart from the crowd. In this post, we’ll go over the essay prompts for the College of William & Mary and detail how to write effective responses to them.

College of William & Mary Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants (optional).

Prompt directions: William & Mary is a community that fosters deep human connection. We reflect on the lessons of history to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. We engage diverse perspectives and seek wisdom in bridging differences. Together, we are unceasing in our efforts to make a meaningful difference in our communities, the state, the nation, and the world.

To help us learn more about you, we invite you to share additional information by answering up to two of these optional short-answer prompts. Think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy. (300 words each)

Option A: Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful?

Option B: Are there any particular communities that are important to you, and how do you see yourself being a part of our community?

Option C: How has your family, culture and/or background shaped your lived experience?

Option D: Share more about a personal academic interest or career goal.

Option E: Tell us about a challenge or adversity you’ve experienced and how that has impacted you as an individual.

Option F: If we visited your town, what would you want to show us?

St. Andrews Joint Degree Program Applicants

As an applicant to the joint degree programme you are required to submit an additional 1500–2000 word essay outlining your interest in the particular academic area to which you are applying – classical studies, economics, english, film studies, history, or international relations; and what particularly interests you about the jdp in your chosen major. be as specific as you can. demonstrating that you are familiar with the jdp website—its policies and curriculum—will be helpful to your application, as will examples of your ability to take on a particularly challenging, as well as rewarding, educational experience that demands adaptability, flexibility, and an appreciation for other cultures and institutional practices., all applicants prompt, option a, beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful (300 words).

This prompt, similarly to the Common App Additional Information section , provides you with an opportunity to share something that the admissions committee wouldn’t find anywhere else on your application. Your response shouldn’t just be focused on academics or your favorite club you’re a part of. It also shouldn’t be extra information in the sense of extenuating circumstances that impacted you or your studies—it should be something fun, special, or quirky about you that sets you apart from others.

Below are some categories to spark your creativity and help you brainstorm:

• Hobbies: You might play the harmonica with your dad in your freetime. Or, maybe you upcycle clothes you thrift and host your own fashion shows in your backyard. You could belong to a rock-climbing gym and go every week. Or, perhaps you’ve cultivated your own butterfly garden on the rooftop of your apartment.
• Random talents: Can you name all the world capitals? Are you great at unicycling? Maybe you have a signature dance move you bring out at every party. You might have perfect pitch, which makes you a great (or really annoying) judge of your brother’s band.
• Skills: Perhaps you can play the piano with your eyes closed, since you’ve been playing for so many years. Do you know how to speak American Sign Language? Perhaps you know how to change a car tire in under a minute. Maybe you taught yourself how to DJ and mix music.
• Personality traits: Maybe you’re notorious for being chronically late. Perhaps your sarcastic sense of humor is a defining part of your character. You might be incredibly adventurous and down to take any risks. Or, maybe you’re incredibly empathetic and always offer your friends a shoulder to cry on.
• Accomplishments: Have you run a marathon? Did you code your own app on the App Store? Maybe you and your friends started a podcast where you talk about health and wellness tips. Perhaps you obtained a scuba diving certification.

As you can see from the examples above, you can have fun and share random facts with the admissions committee here. You have 300 words for this essay though, so make sure to tell a story along with your fun fact. Anecdotes are a great way to let your personality shine through in your writing.

Share how you first learned your talent, why you enjoy pursuing your hobby, what it felt like to finally accomplish the goal you had been working towards, how your personality manifests itself in specific situations, etc. This essay is all about the story you can craft to accompany your unique talent, skill, ability, or trait.

All Applicants Prompt, Option B

Are there any particular communities that are important to you, and how do you see yourself being a part of our community (300 words).

When it comes to a diverse community essay , many students feel like it has to be a racial or ethnic community, so they avoid choosing a prompt like this because they feel like they don’t have a valuable contribution. That couldn’t be farther from the truth though! Communities can take any shape or form, from extracurricular clubs to sports teams and from online communities to religious groups! Anyone can write a great essay if they just think deeply about some “nontraditional” communities they might be in.

A quick note if you intend to write about your racial or ethnic community: In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts.

If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is one place to discuss that. You might also consider writing the next prompt instead if you want to dig deeper into how your background has affected you.

For this prompt there are two crucial things you need to do.

• Describe a meaningful community you are part of, your role in it, and its impact on you.
• Explain how you will contribute to, and what you will gain from, the William & Mary community.

In order to better understand each component of the essay, let’s look at each in greater detail.

Describe an Existing Community

Your essay should start off by discussing a community that you’re currently a part of. The community you pick should be one that is meaningful to you. Meaningfulness can vary from person to person—you might think a community where you’re a leader is meaningful, while another person might think a community that connects them to their culture is more meaningful—so it’s important that you make it clear why you find your chosen community important in your essay.

The essay should include a thorough description of the community. For example, telling us, “Every January or February, the Chinese families in my neighborhood gather for a giant Chinese New Year celebration,” doesn’t provide us much imagery to understand the community.

Instead, these sentences provide a wealth of information with their use of imagery: “Crimson and gold dragons danced around the room, which was crowded with dozens of Chinese families hugging and wishing each other a lucky New Year. Crispy chun juan, sugary-sweet tang yuan, and steaming changshou mian adorned the tables, drawing the attention of hungry youngsters.”

In addition to describing the community, you should also establish the role you play in the community. This helps the admissions committee to better understand your involvement with the community and to think about the role you’ll play in the William & Mary community one day. 

Finally, explain the impact of the community on you . This part is extremely important because it allows for self-reflection and lets you demonstrate how you’ve been shaped by the community. The impact could be emotional (for example, feeling like you’ve found a home) or it could be more tangible (maybe you learned a new skill or got to try something you never had the opportunity to do before).

Connect to the William & Mary Community

Once you’ve established your existing community and the important role it played in your high school life, you need to turn your attention towards future you, and think about the William & Mary community.

There are a few ways you can connect the ideas from the first half of your essay to those in the second half.

Firstly, you might want to find a similar community at William & Mary to join. A student who was in their school’s marching band might want to join the marching band at William & Mary to continue playing their instrument and to connect with other students who share a passion for band.

Another option is to seek out a specific community at college. For example, maybe at home you were part of a large Jewish community and didn’t have to go out of your way to connect with others, but at college you plan to join Hillel to ensure you have that established community.

You might choose to instead discuss how you will engage with the William & Mary community more broadly. In that case, you could talk about how you will apply the lessons you learned from being in your community to college. Maybe you learned patience and negotiation from serving on the student government, and you will use those skills to handle disputes that might arise with your dormmates or classmates.

Or, you could describe how you will find ways to get the same impact from a college community that you had in high school. For instance, being a member of the multicultural club allowed you to explore and appreciate new cultures you were never exposed to before, so you are planning on taking language and anthropology classes to keep feeding your fascination with other cultures.

Another way to approach this option is to explain how you want to play a similar role in the William & Mary community. So, if you enjoyed being a leader on your sports team, maybe you want to join student government in college to continue growing your leadership skills.

Regardless of how you connect your previous experiences to a particular college community at W&M, keep in mind that you need to demonstrate both what you will get from the community at W&M and what you can give to it. Many students forget to explain the contribution they can make—whether it be teaching others, helping people as a leader, or something else entirely—so remember to include that in your essay.

All Applicants Prompt, Option C

How has your family, culture and/or background shaped your lived experience (300 words).

This is a fairly direct instance of the common diversity prompt . When colleges have a diversity prompt, they want to know about your own personal background and how it has influenced your worldview and perspectives.

As mentioned in the previous option, in June 2023 the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. Nevertheless, colleges can still consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is a great place to discuss that.

In general, such a common prompt can be approached with a traditional answer. You might consider answering this prompt with what you think is the most important part of your identity, then a small discussion about how that aspect of diversity is relevant to you and your general life experiences.

Such a response might be written about one of the following scenarios:

• Using your fluency in another language to help members of a specific community.
• Interpreting a text in class differently from your classmates because of your ethnic culture.
• Having a friend of a different background who has changed your perspective on something important.
• Having an illness or disability that helps you view accessibility through a different lens than your peers.
• Taking on more responsibility in your family due to the illness or loss of a parent.
• Approaching a situation involving money differently than a friend from a different socioeconomic background.

Diversity encompasses all the above attributes, but you should strive for individuality and specificity in your response. This prompt, like the others, is an opportunity to showcase your unique life perspective. You don’t want to waste your essay by writing down bland dictionary definitions. Go beyond what makes you diverse and really think about the impact it has had on your life. How has that aspect of your identity contributed to your growth and development? How has it been a challenge?

Make sure your essay digs deep into how you have been impacted. A decent essay will explain a student’s unique background, but a great essay will describe how that background influenced their actions and personality.

All Applicants Prompt, Option D

Share more about a personal academic interest or career goal. (300 words).

Instead of a traditional “Why This Major?” prompt , this option allows you more freedom to discuss any academic interest or goal. While you can totally approach this essay by discussing your interest in your major, if you feel like you’ve already discussed that a lot elsewhere in your application, don’t be afraid to discuss a more niche passion that isn’t directly related to your major.

Also note that you are asked to share an academic interest or a career goal—you don’t have to squeeze both in. That being said, the two often go hand-in-hand, so if your essay naturally flows from your interest to your career goals, that’s completely fine.

In terms of writing the actual essay, the main thing you need to do is communicate your passion for the topic. The prompt doesn’t ask for you to discuss anything in particular, so you can choose from a variety of essay styles.

• You could talk about your first encounter with the academic subject or career.
• You could explain independent research you conducted related to the field.
• You could share your favorite memory related to the topic.
• You could describe your emotional connection to the interest or career.
• You could explain ways in which you’ve engaged with the topic or career outside of school.

However you choose to approach the essay, it’s crucial that you share new information with the admissions committee. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate the depth of your passion and provide them with more information about yourself, so if you’ve already talked about volunteering at a hospital in your extracurricular section, either pick a specific anecdote from your time volunteering to highlight your love for it, or find a different way to show your interest in becoming a surgeon.

Let’s look at a sample response from a student.

“I’ve been fascinated with economics since I first heard of bonds and stocks. The market is a constant force that affects our lives in ways most of us never even think about. But what even fewer of us consider is how our own thoughts and decisions influence the market. This phenomenon is better known as economic psychology.

In 10th grade I was able to fully explore my passion for economic psychology when my history teacher assigned us an independent research project. I decided to look at the psychological factors behind the Black Friday market crash of 1929 and compare it to the factors at play during the 2008 financial crisis. Through countless hours of research, I learned about the complexities of economic psychology and my fascination only grew.

Looking to the future, I cannot wait to take my passion for economic psychology and apply it to organizations. Being able to truly understand the impact individuals have on a market can put a company miles ahead of its competitors and even make it easier to more accurately predict economic downturns.”

While this student does share more about their specific interest in an academic subject, the reader doesn’t get a full sense of why this student is passionate about this topic. The essay is missing elaboration and excitement because the student is telling us everything, not showing us.

To fix this essay, let’s zoom into the research project the student did and use that to explain their interest in economic psychology.

“‘You can’t predict the market!’ ‘History repeats itself!’ Well, which is it? If history repeats itself, shouldn’t market trends be somewhat predictable? This question consumed my every thought during my monthlong 10th grade research project. However, my approach differed from the opinions of erudite academics—understand people to understand the market. Assuming the role of an economic psychologist, it was time to learn how people can influence financial markets.

To most people, the 1920s and early 2000s bear zero resemblance. Velvet tracksuits and hip hop convey a very different aesthetic from that of flappers and the jazz age, but to an economic psychologist, those two decades are like twins separated at birth. The financial crisis at the end of each decade could have been predicted if you look at people’s underlying motivations in markets and their attitudes towards risk. It might make Adam Smith roll in his grave, but economics has far more to do with people than it does with math.

It was this realization that got my blood pumping. Suddenly, there’s a new way of looking at the world—a way that builds people back up from the raw numbers economists strip them down to. Understanding the mechanics of economic psychology in the past opens the door to predict market trends in the future. You could call it sorcery; I call it science.

The future of economic psychology is as limitless as our imaginations. I can feel my mind start revving up to pick apart market trends every time the Dow swings. Who is at the root of that downturn? Is the general public experiencing a sense of security right now? Not only have I come to understand economics in a new light, but my perspective on people has also blossomed through my fascination with economic psychology.”

Notice the huge improvement in the level of detail, and thus the interest in the subject, that the student is able to convey by focusing on a specific example? That’s what you should aim for in your essay.

All Applicants Prompt, Option E

Tell us about a challenge or adversity you’ve experienced and how that has impacted you as an individual. (300 words).

This prompt is similar to the second Common Application prompt on overcoming challenges , so if you already picked that prompt for your Common App essay, maybe don’t choose it again for your supplement. If you haven’t written about a challenge yet though, this prompt could be a good choice.

Whereas most prompts asking about a challenge will ask you how you overcame it, this one does not. Instead, it simply wants to hear about the impact adversity had on you. While you can definitely write about the impact in terms of overcoming the challenge, you aren’t limited to discussing a challenge that you conquered. You can just as easily choose a challenge that persists in your life and explain how you’ve learned to cope with it.

If you are choosing a challenge that you didn’t overcome, just be mindful not to make your essay totally negative and hopeless. No one wants to read an essay where a student complains about the adversity in their life and doesn’t do anything to fix it. It’s okay to discuss how you were negatively impacted by adversity—if anything, that can bring more emotion to your essay—but spin it in a positive light or show your growth from the experience.

The most important part of this essay is demonstrating how the adversity you faced impacted you. The majority of your essay should be centered around this, rather than describing the challenge in detail. But how can you make sure you show the impact?

You might consider drawing a comparison between the before and after of the challenge:

“The balance beam was my home. On that four-inch-wide plank my feet had eyes of their own. With a running start, a springboard, and a half twist in the air, I could land one foot miraculously in front of the other, perfectly posed a meter off the ground. But what once came so easily is just a memory. My broken ankle is like a lead ball chaining me to the ground, even years after the cast came off.

Where I once used to flip through the air like a coin debating between heads and tails, I now sit on the side and get to watch other girls feel the exhilaration that used to be mine. I watch their smiling faces after sticking a landing or the sharp jolt of pain cross their features when they fall off the beam, and my expressionless face hides the agony deep down that there will always be a part of me missing.”

You could include your inner monologue to demonstrate the impact adversity had on your thought process:

“The horrifying crimson 60 across the top of my pristine white paper caused my stomach to lurch. ‘HOW?! I worked so hard for this one. Mr. Andersen has no idea what he’s talking about.’ Content with shoving the blame off myself, I stuffed the crumpled paper into my bag and stormed out the room. ‘What do I do with three failing grades in one quarter? Should I talk to him after school?’ The thought of asking for help felt like a betrayal to my independence, but what other choice did I have?

‘It’s just one conversation. How bad could it be?’ Pushing my stubbornness aside, I reluctantly turned around and slinked back into the classroom. After all, facing Mr. Andersen would be easier than facing my parents.”

Another strategy is describe the impact adversity had on your actions:

“No way was I prepared to take no for an answer. Immediately getting to work, I scribbled out a rough petition to increase funding for the drama department. Turning to my friends in the musical, I got my first signatures. In between classes and bites of cafeteria pizza, I collected signatures like they were my oxygen. Before I even hit 200, I began creating slides with pictures from past productions and testimonials from students.

Every night before bed I practiced my speech in the mirror, stressing different phrases to determine the best way to deliver each line to my audience. At last, the night of the board meeting came. Strolling confidently to the center of the room, I felt the familiar heat of lights in my face and expectant faces ready for me to speak.”

You can also choose to focus on your emotional impact:

“Returning from the hospital at 3am, there was a gut-wrenching loneliness that shrouded every object I looked at. But it was her half-finished crochet blanket that caused white hot tears to sting my eyes. It was too small to fully envelop myself in, and it would forever remain that size. With a blanket unable to warm me from the cold numbness spreading through my fingers and toes, I stared at nothing and surrendered myself to the all-powerful grief at last.”

As you can see, there are many ways to demonstrate the impact the challenge had on you. However, challenges can also have multiple impacts. For instance, the last example shows the negative impact of losing a loved one, but the essay could go on to discuss how the student found ways to remember their family member and to harness their grief to think about happy memories. This would be a good example of discussing a sad challenge but not letting the essay itself turn into something overly depressing to read.

All Applicants Prompt, Option F

If we visited your town, what would you want to show us (300 words).

This option is the most lighthearted of all, but just because it isn’t strictly academic doesn’t mean it doesn’t reveal a lot about the student. The purpose of asking this question is to see what types of things you value, based on what you want to show someone about your hometown.

A student who takes the admissions committee on a food crawl of their town would probably be a big foodie. Someone who shows off a historical monument and tells an interesting story about the history behind it likely enjoys history and storytelling. Similarly, someone showing off the soccer field by their school might want to demonstrate their determination by showing the place where they’ve spent countless years practicing.

It’s important that you include explanations about why you’re choosing to show this in your essay to help the admissions committee understand its importance to you and your values.

For example, the student showing a monument shouldn’t say, “I’d show you the statue of Teddy Roosevelt in the park because he was an influential president.” Instead, they should say something like this: “Looking up at Teddy Roosevelt’s figure, I’d explain how his model of diplomacy changed the landscape of international relations in the 20th century, making him a key figure to understand in a postcolonial world.”

You aren’t limited to just showing physical locations or places. If someone came to your hometown you might want to show them the solar-powered toy car you and your friends built because it isn’t easily transportable. Or maybe you want to take the admissions committee to your chorus concert so they can see the hard work that went into the five part harmonies.

Perhaps you would even want to show them something that has changed dramatically or that doesn’t exist anymore, like the corner where you opened your first lemonade stand or your favorite restaurant that went out of business a few years ago.

Here are a few more tips to help you approach this essay:

• Keep your list relatively short. You might be tempted to show off a few different places, but try to keep it to three or fewer. It’s a better idea to give more background and depth for an individual place than to create an itinerary that lacks detail and is full of different stops.
• Have a central theme connecting your places. If you decide to include multiple places, make sure they are all related in some way. For example, you could show the two dance studios and describe your growth in dance as you progressed from one to the other. Or you could pick the three cafés in your town that have the best coffee that gets you through your day.
• Try to avoid generic places. While you might like to show people your house, school, or local mall, there are far more unique options for you to pick that will excite the admissions committee more. Take your time brainstorming to come up with something that is personal to you and won’t be overdone.
• Include anecdotes. The best way to show the reader why the place is important to you is to tell a story about its significance. Bring the reader into one of your memories at the place to show why this is one of your favorite places in your hometown.

This prompt is asking a few different things. First, it wants to know why you’re interested in the particular subject you’re applying to. Second, why the Joint Degree Program? And third, what experiences have you undertaken that prove you want to learn more about other cultures and institutions?

While this prompt isn’t exactly either archetype, it may help you to look at CollegeVine’s guides to the “Why This Major?” prompt and the “Why This College?” prompt .

You can begin the essay by talking about your interest in, and experience with, the major you are applying to. If it’s film studies, for example, open with the story of when you first fell in love with film. Maybe watching Birdman , uniquely filmed to look like a never-ending shot, made you want to learn more about camera angles and the science of cinematography. This is a good way to lead into how you have pursued this interest (i.e., your experience in film studies). Prove that you have lasting passion for the academic area, rather than choosing one on a whim.

Next, you need to demonstrate that the Joint Degree Program is the best way for you to study this topic. That’s going to require specificity, and in order to get there, you need to extensively research the program both at William & Mary and at St. Andrews . As you research, take notes on what makes both institutions unique in this area of study.

Continuing with the example of film studies, here’s an example of some things to note at both schools:

At William & Mary:

• WMTV is a student-run television show at W&M
• Students can submit their films or volunteer at the W&M Global Film Festival

At St. Andrews:

• The Film Studies boardroom has unique virtual reality facilities
• The Byre conference room has 3D projection
• St. Andrews’s library has one of the best cinema collections in the world, with over 9,300 pieces of AV material

You’ll want to note specific characteristics at each school, but you have to make it clear that simply attending one of the institution’s programs is not sufficient to help you reach your goals. This is an important point to stress in your essay to make sure that your interest in the fusion of the two schools is clear. For help with this, be sure to check out the majors page to read up on your chosen subject through the lens of the Joint Degree Program.

As an example, the film studies major in the JDP has students work on an independent research project. Perhaps you are fascinated by the influence of national identity on mainstream media and hope to research this by using W&M and St. Andrews as contrasting case studies. Whatever your story may be, make it clear that the JDP is a fit for your interests and goals, and show that you have done research on the program.

Finally, the third part of the prompt asks you to validate your interest in learning about other cultures and institutions. Perhaps, in the case of film studies, you created a short film in which you interviewed first-generation immigrants in order to study global perspectives and the impact these perspectives have on living and working in America. Show your interest in acquiring a global perspective.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to explore this interest concretely, discuss ways in which you hope to study it in the future. Conclude your essay by tying this back to your aspirations for the future and to how the JDP will help you achieve them.

Where to Get Your William & Mary Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your W&M essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

William and Mary Supplemental Essays 2023-24

September 27, 2023

Founded in 1693, the College of William & Mary is the second oldest institution of higher learning in the entire United States. With an acceptance rate that was 32% for the Class of 2027, W&M is a very selective school. It is even more challenging to gain admission into for out-of-state students. With that in mind, it’s important to put maximum effort into every aspect of your application. Of course, this includes the William and Mary supplemental essays.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into W&M? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into William & Mary  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

When applying to an institution like the College of William & Mary that rejects roughly two-thirds of those who apply, you’ll need to put maximum effort into every area of the application, including the Common App and supplemental essays. Below are William and Mary’s optional essay prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle. Additionally, you find our advice for composing strong essays.

Should I answer an optional essay?

In such a  hypercompetitive college admissions environment , not filling out an essay would be a suboptimal decision for a prospective applicant. With such cutthroat competition at a highly selective school like William & Mary, it would be foolish not to avail yourself of every opportunity to make a strong case for admission. Applicants applying to a dozen or more schools may be exhausted after already plowing through countless other supplemental prompts. However, this is simply not the place to cut corners.

Unfortunately, skipping an optional essay of this nature could hurt your candidacy at William and Mary, as this institution only offers non-evaluative interviews with current W&M seniors. As such, there are limited ways to connect with an admissions officer, and the supplemental essay(s) will be one of your very best opportunities.

William and Mary Supplemental Essays – (Optional)

William and Mary gives applicants the option to choose one or two of the six available prompts. Additionally, you’ll have 300 words of space for each prompt.

1) Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful?

In W&M’s own words, “You are not a number when you apply to or attend William & Mary. You are a three dimensional person who has initiative, spirit and ideas.” Showing the admissions committee who you are at the core of your being is no easy task at this school. As such, here are some ideas of how you can most productively utilize these 300 words of space:

• Talk about your deepest passions and the various ways in which you pursue knowledge in those areas.
• Say more about your role in a particular community of which you are a member. This could be your family, your circle of friends, a religious organization, a job, a sports team, etc.
• The college admissions process can feel very heavy and serious; telling a humorous story can help forge a personal connection, even via an otherwise dry application.
• Be open about your idiosyncrasies and anything that makes you uniquely  you .
• What ideas excite you? Where do you see limitless possibilities in the world?
• Lastly, what moves your spirit? Discuss any art, movies, music, and books that you find deeply moving and personally important.

2) Are there any particular communities that are important to you, and how do you see yourself being a part of our community?

Keep in mind that William and Mary has already seen the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the impressive number of hours you volunteered at multiple nonprofit organizations. They know that you have been an active member of your high school/local community. The admissions committee now desires to understand precisely how you will contribute to  their  community of undergraduate students. Highlighting the link between your past efforts and future aims is critical here. For example, if you dedicated many hours to volunteering at your local animal shelter throughout high school, it will be more impactful when you now express your commitment to joining William and Mary’s Animal Rights Club.

The strongest William and Mary community essays show evidence of meaningful school-specific research. This research process will actually give you a better idea of how you would sincerely like to become engaged at each prospective school on your list. Admissions officers will appreciate a William and Mary-centric answer far more than a generic (often recycled from app to app) response.

3) How has your family, culture and/or background shaped your lived experience?

Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. You are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• Your upbringing
• Your cultural background
• Your religious background
• Your family background
• Your race/ethnicity
• Your sexual orientation or gender identity

William and Mary Supplemental Essay Prompts (Continued)

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within on other areas of your application. What important aspect(s) of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned and how you grew.

You’ll then need to discuss how family, culture, and/or background has influenced your life and perspective, and in what ways.

4) Share more about a personal academic interest or career goal.

Out of everything on this Earth, what makes you tick? What keeps you up at night? What subject makes you read books and online content until your eyes bleed? Immerse the reader in your intellectual journey of choice. Share what made you interested in the topic and how you’ve pursued knowledge. Finally, be sure to address what you’ve learned about yourself and how you hope to continue pursuing this interest in the future (tip: this is a great place to incorporate William and Mary specifics).

Alternatively, if you happen to have clear-cut career goals, such as becoming a physician, attending law school, or addressing coral bleaching, you can take this opportunity to tell the admissions committee more about it. How did this career goal develop, and what have you done to pursue it so far? Moreover, how do you intend to work toward your goal at William and Mary in particular?

5) Tell us about a challenge or adversity you’ve experienced and how that has impacted you as an individual.

Of course, some teens have faced more challenges than others, potentially related to an illness or medical emergency, frequent moving, socioeconomic situation, natural disaster, or learning disability, to name a few. However, you don’t have to have faced a significant challenge to write a compelling essay (and even if you have faced a significant challenge, you don’t have to write about it if you’re not comfortable doing so). Writing about a common topic like getting cut from a sports team, struggling in a particular advanced course, or facing an obstacle within a group project or extracurricular activity is perfectly fine.

Any story told in an emotionally compelling, honest, and connective manner can resonate with an admissions reader. The bottom line here is that there are no trite topics, only trite answers. The important thing to keep in mind is that the challenge/story itself is  less important  than what it reveals about your character and personality.

Given the 300-word limit, your essay needs to be extremely tight and polished. In all likelihood, getting this one precisely right will involve a round or two of revision, ideally with some insight/feedback from a trusted adult or peer in the process.

6) If we visited your town, what would you want to show us?

No matter where you live, local spots of interest abound, so take this opportunity to show admissions something you genuinely love or appreciate about where you’re from. Perhaps it’s your local farm stand, a museum, a restaurant, a public art installation, the beach that you run on in the mornings…regardless of your answer, the most important part of this response will be why. Why do you want to show this particular location to an admissions officer, and what do you hope they learn about you in the process?

How important are the William and Mary supplemental essays?

W&M lists 12 factors as being “very important” to the admissions committee: rigor of secondary school record, class rank, GPA, standardized test scores, essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, state residency, volunteer work, and work experience.

So, we know that the  Common App essay  and the optional supplemental essays are among the top dozen factors in what is a genuinely holistic admissions process. It is fair to say that the essays will be read carefully. Further, they can be a separating factor between two comparable “on the cusp” applicants.

Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your main Common App essay and William & Mary supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Kelsea Conlin

Kelsea holds a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Tufts University, a graduate certificate in College Counseling from UCLA, and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her short fiction is forthcoming in Chautauqua .

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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 College of William and Mary Supplemental Essay Prompts

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The College of William and Mary is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693, it is the second oldest institution of higher learning in the US. The graduation rate is 92% , so attending means you’re on a fast-track to success! Use this guide to figure out how to make your William and Mary supplemental essays stand out!

About the College of William and Mary

While responding to the College of William and Mary supplemental essay prompts is optional, your application would benefit from telling the admissions office who you are as an applicant. William and Mary is known as a “ public Ivy ” and is especially competitive for out-of-state students with a 31% acceptance rate . So, let’s get started on your essay! 

Before you start your essay

If you do choose to complete a supplemental essay, the College of William and Mary allows for you to respond to up to two of the following prompts. They are hoping to get to know you and your story through your supplemental essay, so don’t hold back.Two essays should give you ample opportunity to paint a picture of who you are and why you’re a good fit for their school.

Make your excitement about your topic palpable for your audience. Before you start writing, think about what gets you out of bed in the morning! William and Mary is eagerly awaiting your answer to their unique prompt! 

“Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful?” 

In this prompt, William and Mary is asking for their applicants to put their character on full display. Remember, when you were young, “show and tell” was your opportunity to present something cool about yourself to your peers. Approach writing this essay in the same way!

The admissions office isn’t looking for you to tell them what they want to hear; they’re looking for someone who will redefine what it means to apply to William and Mary. Try to incorporate your personality and spunk into the essay as much as possible as well as your passion for what you decide to write about. 

Questions to consider:

• Why are you so interested in a particular activity?
• What makes you an ideal William and Mary applicant?
• How did you become the person you are today?

Also see: How to write an essay about yourself

“Are there any particular communities that are important to you, and how do you see yourself being a part of our community?” 

William and Mary knows that it takes a village, so they want to give you an opportunity to tell them about yours. We’re all part of one, whether that be a team, your family or an ethnic group. 

We all seek a place of belonging and that connection can mean a lot. While you’re explaining the impact of your particular community, find a way to incorporate what it would mean for you to be a part of the William and Mary community. 

• What is an important community that you’re part of?
• How has this community shaped your identity? 
• What role do you play within this community?

“How has your family, culture and/or background shaped your lived experience?” 

You’re constantly surrounded by your culture and family, which means they play a big part in who you are and how you think. They can even be your driving force for going to college and getting a degree. Therefore, William and Mary is using this prompt to find out what the building blocks to your personality are. 

• What are some experiences that you share with your family or cultural group? What are some that you don’t?
• Are you a first generation college student?
• What is your personal lived experience? How is it unique?

“Share more about a personal academic interest or career goal.” 

For this prompt, you should talk about your dreams for your future or your ambitions. Paint a picture of what you’ll study or what your ideal career will look like. Tell a story that won’t be forgotten. 

Be sure to include William and Mary into your essay by telling the admissions committee the impact going to their school will have on that particular interest or goal. Are there notable alumni in your desired career field? Does William and Mary offer a stellar curriculum for your major?

By doing this, it’ll be clear that you did your research and you’re invested in attending this school. Colleges like hearing that they’re your number one choice!

• What role will this interest play in your future?
• When you achieve this goal, what will happen?
• How did you discover this interest?

“Tell us about a challenge or adversity you’ve experienced and how that has impacted you as an individual.” 

Challenges have a way of making us stronger, even in ways we might not expect. Unique obstacles that you’ve overcome demonstrate your tenacity and determination, which are qualities colleges look for. 

Translating this personal issue to a real world situation that you might face in the future can even show that you learn things from each problem you have and apply it moving forward. Talk about how those skills could be used on William and Mary’s campus and possibly improve it. 

• How do you deal with hardships?
• Who or what taught you how to solve problems?
• What did you learn from this challenge?

“If we visited your town, what would you want to show us?” 

Each state has its own special thing, and who would know better than the locals? That’s exactly why William and Mary poses this question. They want to know where you come from because they might just know where you’re going, if you’re accepted, of course.

How you derive meaning from where you come from is up to you, but be sure to go beyond just describing your hometown. Mention the things that left their mark on you and why they’re significant.

• What’s special about where you live?
• What similarities and/or differences are there between your state and William and Mary’s campus? 
• Are you especially proud of your hometown? Why or why not?

Next steps after applying to William and Mary

Congratulations on starting your application to college! We hope this guide has helped you through the William and Mary supplemental essays. Before you go, there are a couple more things you can do to prepare for this next step in your academic journey.

Get a taste of what college is like with a campus tour . William and Mary offer both in-person and virtual tours of the university and are eager to welcome you. These tours give you a chance to immerse yourself in campus culture and take a peek at places you might go to as a student. They also give you a chance to connect with other applicants.

Last but not least, keep doing what you’re doing! You’ve made it this far, and it’s important to keep up the good work. Don’t let senioritis overcome you, and be sure to maintain focus on your grades and continue to shine in your extracurricular activities. You’re almost at the finish line!

Additional resources 

You don’t have to figure out everything for college by yourself, Scholarships360 has your back! You’ve got questions, and we have answers!

• What do I need to know about college application deadlines?
• Should I apply early decision or early action?
• What are my other options besides college?
• How to respond to this year’s Common App essay prompts

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• Joint Degree Programme with St Andrews

Application and Admission

How do I sign up?

Remember: The St Andrews William & Mary Joint Degree Programme is a four year commitment, with two years spent at each institution. You should choose your major before you apply. There are other significant differences between the standard W&M program and the Joint Degree Programme.

Each university has a separate but parallel admission process. Each school honors the admission decisions of the other.

Application through William & Mary

You apply to the Joint Degree Programme using W&M's Common Application .

In addition to the standard W&M application, you will submit a supplemental essay. This essay should demonstrate commitment to your intended field of study, awareness of the strengths of both universities, and a basic understanding of the Joint Programme.

Students may not apply to the Joint Degree Programme through both William & Mary and St Andrews.

The Programme is open to all applicants to W&M, regardless of country of origin.

The target enrollment for each of the majors within the Joint Programme will be five students per year.

Acceptance to W&M does not guarantee acceptance to the Joint Programme. You compete within the respective pools, and may be placed on a waitlist for W&M, the Joint Programme, or both.

Early Decision

You may apply early decision to William & Mary, but there is no early admission to the Joint Degree Programme. Decisions for the Joint Degree Programme are not made until April. If you accept an early decision offer, you will be committed to William & Mary, and may enroll in the Joint Degree Programme if admitted.

Application through St Andrews

Students who want St Andrews to be their home school should visit their Joint Degree site.

Hear from an Undergraduate Admission dean, the director of the Joint Degree Programme, as well as students and peer advisors within the program by viewing a recording of our 2023 virtual panel .

The best of both worlds

"As a history major, the BA International Honours Programme offers a unique dual experience where students can take advantage of their surroundings. At William & Mary, visits to Colonial Williamsburg and local historical monuments were staples in my classes on early colonial America and Civil War memory. In St Andrews, my module on medieval Scottish castles took me on field trips to a variety of baronial and royal castles across eastern Scotland. With opportunities to explore local history, the programme really is the best of both worlds!"

– Sigi Macias

Immersed in our ever-changing world

“The Programme offers a great way to experience university life at both an American and Scottish institution, making your education well-rounded and worldly. Having both perspectives has been crucial to my development as a young adult, navigating our ever-changing world. What I enjoy most about the Programme, then, is the opportunity to fully immerse myself into two institutions, gaining greater knowledge of both myself and the greater world around me beyond my American bubble.”

– Olivia Little

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