washu essay prompts 2023

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WashU Supplemental Essays 2024-25 Prompts and Tips

July 26, 2024

For the Class of 2027, the WashU acceptance rate remained low at just 12%. As Washington University in St. Louis appears to be marching toward the single-digit admit rate club, it’s critical that prospective applicants realize the need to make a uniquely compelling case for admission, even if they already possess elite academic credentials. After all, the average SAT for an incoming freshman is well above a 1500 and 88% placed in the top 10% of their high school class–incredibly, such credentials are necessary but not sufficient in this hypercompetitive environment. This brings us to the topic of the moment – the WashU supplemental essays.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into WashU? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into Washington University in St. Louis: Admissions Data and Strategies for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Given this high level of competition, WashU’s supplemental section offers applicants a critical opportunity to showcase their writing ability by generating detail-rich essays that will stand out to an admissions officer.

2024-2025 WashU Supplemental Essays

Please tell us what you are interested in studying at college and why. (200 words)

Undecided about your academic interest(s)? Don’t worry—tell us what excites you about the academic division you selected. Remember that all of our first-year students enter officially “undeclared” and work closely with their team of academic advisors to discover their academic passions. You can explore all of our majors and programs on our website.

Washington University in St. Louis wants to know about the academic discipline(s) in which you are most interested (or current leanings, if you’re undecided). They also want to know why you desire to pursue your studies at their institution. Answering both components of this question in less than 200 words is no easy task. This one is going to require a fair amount of school-specific research and a good deal of editing in order to tighten up your essay enough to stay under the word count.

For a deeper dive, let’s examine a list of characteristics of a winning WashU “Why Us?” essay:

How did your interest in your major of choice begin and how has it matured over the years?
While pursuing your majors(s)/interest(s) of choice, how will you take advantage of the university’s immense resources both inside and outside of the classroom? Be sure to cite specific academic programs , professors , research opportunities , centers & institutes , and study abroad programs . Discuss why they pique your interest.
Feel free to touch on student-run organizations related to your field of study that you would like to join.

WashU Supplemental Essays (Continued)

As you enter the prewriting stage, you’ll want to avoid some common pitfalls that we observe applicants fall into when attacking the WashU “Why Us?” essay. We don’t want to label these as “mistakes” (there is nothing inherently wrong with them); they just don’t add any needle-moving value, which is the only goal here!

Common components of a generic “Why WashU?” essay:

According to US News , Washington University in St. Louis is a top-15 school.
Too much attention to the prestige/reputation of the Olin School of Business or McKelvey School of Engineering.
Recycled statements from your other “Why Us?” essays that come across as stale, impersonal, or worst of all–irrelevant/inaccurate.
An itinerary of all the things you plan to do in St. Louis.
Statements about how WUSTL feels like home, you know it’s the right place for you, or you’ve wanted to attend since kindergarten; show this through specifics instead.

Big-picture thoughts on the “Why Us” essay:

In any “Why Us?” composition, you need to show that you’ve done your homework on a given school, but you don’t want it to read like a rote list of items that you Googled an hour prior to writing the essay (even if the timing of the Google search is roughly accurate).

In addition to the pure research element, a lot of the time and skill required in creating a stellar WashU essay will involve connecting the classes, professors, opportunities, etc. of interest that you have uncovered to your distinct values, talents, aims, proficiencies, and future goals.

This optional question allows you to add another dimension to your application – something that the admissions committee might not learn by reading your transcript or your personal statement.

If you prefer, you may focus your optional 90-second video submitted through the WashU Pathway on addressing one of these three questions. (Students who choose to submit a written response to one of these questions may still opt in to sharing an optional video).

WashU is a place that values diversity of perspectives. We believe those perspectives come from a variety of experiences and identities. Respond to one of the following prompts to help us understand “Who are you?” (250 words)

Discuss a fresh perspective or opinion you brought to a collaborative setting or project.

Describe a community you are a part of and your place within it., tell us how your identity has impacted the way you view or interact with your community..

While this essay is technically “optional,” we advise every single applicant to WashU to opt in. Remember, WashU is one of those rare schools that rejects students with near-perfect (or even perfect) academic credentials. It is essential that you showcase the characteristics and skills that make you one-of-a-kind.

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of each prompt:

The U.S. presently finds itself in an extreme state of polarization. There seems to be little agreement even as to what constitutes “truth” or “facts.” Within this divided world, it can be hard for individuals with competing viewpoints to engage in civil and productive dialogue. Here, WashU is giving you the chance to show that you are an open-minded, intellectually curious, and collaborative young person. Illustrate how you are willing to engage in conversations and voice opinions to others, whether it was your lab partner or a ten-person team at your summer internship.

Furthermore, note the wording here: fresh perspective. This means that your perspective or opinion was different from that of the others in your group. As such, how did you present your opinion? How did others react? How did you handle their reaction? What was the ultimate outcome? What did you learn from the entire experience? One key thing to remember when addressing this prompt is that you don’t have to be the hero of the anecdote. In fact, you may be one who learned to expand their thinking.

“Community” can be defined in myriad ways: it could be large-scale, like an ethnic, religious, or neighborhood community, or small-scale, like a group of individuals who gather for a club, sport, or service project.

Most applicants to WashU are involved in at least one “community.” You may be the captain of a team, the editor-in-chief of your school paper, a member of your town’s trail clean-up team… but don’t just rest on those laurels—instead, bring your involvement to life. Use your writing ability to show what type of community member you are rather than merely telling . What is your role within your chosen community? Within that role, how do you lead, guide, or interact with others? What have you learned and how have you grown? Strive for personal detail here rather than re-hashing your resume.

Finally, draw on past evidence of your commitment to being a positive force in your community and speculate how that is likely to manifest on WashU’s campus. It’s a great idea to research and cite WashU student-run organizations and/or local nonprofit groups.

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
An experience you had
A community you belong to
Your cultural background
Your family background

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within your Common App personal statement, activities list, and “Why Us?” WashU essay. What important aspects 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 it has impacted the ways in which you communicate or interact with others. No matter what type of story you tell, the goal is to have the reader come away saying, “I can definitely see this applicant as a contributing member of our talented and engaged student community.”

How important are the WashU supplemental essays?

WashU designated 8 factors as “very important” to their applicant evaluation process. These are: essays, recommendations, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, GPA, test scores, class rank, and the rigor of one’s curriculum. Clearly, the essays are among the most important factors in this holistic process.

Want personalized assistance with your WashU supplemental essays?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your WashU supplemental essay, we encourage you to get a quote today.

Need additional writing guidance? Consider checking out the following:

Common App Essay Prompts
10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
How to Quickly Format Your Common App Essay
Should I Complete Optional College Essays?
How to Brainstorm a College Essay
25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
“Why This College?” Essay Examples
How to Write the Community Essay
College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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Washington University in St. Louis 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have:

Washington University in St. Louis 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanation

The Requirements: One 200-word essay; one 250-word essay

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community

How to Write Washington University in St. Louis Supplemental Essays

The admissions committee at WashU is looking for “evidence of academic potential, strong personal characteristics and qualities, developed accomplishments and involvement, and potential for fit and engagement in the WashU community.” All those buzzwords relate to the supplemental questions below, which ask about your academic interests and who you are as a person. With relatively short word limits, these prompts demand clarity and focus, so choose precise words that tell your story while bringing vivid details to life. Keep reading to learn how to write winning WashU essays!

P.S. While the second essay is optional, we highly recommend submitting it to add depth to your application package. You may even be able to recycle an essay from another application!

WashU Essay Prompts Breakdown

Please tell us what you are interested in studying at college and why. (200 words), undecided about your academic interest(s) don’t worry—tell us what excites you about the academic division you selected. remember that all of our first-year students enter officially “undeclared” and work closely with their team of academic advisors to discover their academic passions. you can explore all of our majors and programs on our website. .

This is WashU ’s version of a classic “Why Essay.” Even if you’re not completely sure what you want to major in yet, admissions wants to both learn about your academic interests and see how their offerings will suit your passions. If you can build a bridge between your own interests and the resources available at WashU, you’ll be well on your way to demonstrating your fit. So set aside an hour or two and commit to some serious research on the WashU website. (Sorry, there’s no way around this, folks!) Look up information about news and research coming out of your department of interest, the kinds of courses available, and the opportunities other undergrads have had studying in your area of choice. Even if you have a wide array of interests, consider explaining how two or three departments might complement each other or foster your interest in a larger theme or cross-pollinating kind of way. Your ultimate goal is to show that your interest in WashU (just like your intellectual curiosity) runs deep!

This optional question allows you to add another dimension to your application – something that the admissions committee might not learn by reading your transcript or your personal statement. If you plan to apply for one of the Signature Scholar Programs, we highly recommend you complete this supplement.

Washu is a place that values diversity of perspectives. we believe those perspectives come from a variety of experiences and identities. respond to one of the following prompts to help us understand “who are you”:, 1) washu supports engagement in the st. louis community by considering the university as “in st. louis, for st. louis.” what is a community you are a part of and your place or impact within it (250 words), 2) washu strives to know every undergraduate student “by name & story.” how have your life experiences shaped your story (250 words).

With each of these prompts, admissions is hoping to learn more about who you are, so choose the prompt that sticks out to you or work backward by thinking about the communities you are a part of (whether that be your student government, your temple, your club soccer team, etc.) and consider how your experiences have shaped your story. Maybe you’ve been thinking about writing an essay about your volunteer work within your small city and the ways it has expanded your perspective and introduced you to people from all walks of life whom you may never have met otherwise. An essay like that could work for either of these prompts depending on the way you frame it. Perhaps you want to write about your experience advocating for greener waste management solutions at your high school or the ways your years of being the only person in the room who looks like you have impacted the way you interact with others. Ultimately, your goal here is to offer admissions deeper insight into the human behind the application.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in WashU Essays

We have been reading WashU essays for over twenty years now, so we know a thing or two about the most common mistakes students make. The most common mistakes to avoid are repeating the prompt in your essay (don’t waste your words), trying to sound like an academic (admissions wants to hear your authentic voice!), and using cliches (they’re ineffective and—let’s face it—lazy).

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for WashU Essays

We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for the WashU supplements for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to these essays, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm , draft, and revise winning essays. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful WashU supplemental essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances .

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Frequently Asked Questions

WashU requires one (1) 200-word essay and recommends that applicants submit one (1) additional optional 250-word essay.

WashU is looking for supplemental essays that “ add another dimension to your application – something that the admissions committee might not learn by reading your transcript or your personal statement.” Ultimately, like with all supplemental essays, admissions is hoping to get to know you better so they have a clearer understanding of who you are and what kind of community member you’ll be on campus.

Authenticity and reflection are key. You want to both ensure that you’re submitting essays that no one else could submit—meaning they contain specific details from your life or interests that aren’t easily replicable—and show that you’ve put thought and care into your response.

The WashU essays should be 200 words and 250 words, respectively.

"I got into WashU!! Thank you so so much for helping me with my essays. You helped me take them to the next level. My mom and I are over the moon."

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"We're grateful for your active participation and support throughout this process. She received acceptances to all five schools on her list. Now we have to figure out which one to choose. A happy problem to have, indeed. Thanks again!"

– CEA Parent, Washington University in St. Louis, Class of 2026

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