case western supplemental essay examples

Case Western Reserve University (Case Western) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the Case Western supplemental essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging Case Western supplemental essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help answering the Case Western supplemental essays, create your  free account  or  schedule a free advising assessment  by calling (844) 343-6272.

Case Western  Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• The Case Western acceptance rate is 30.0% —  U.S. News  ranks Case Western Reserve University as a  highly selective  school.
• The Pre-Professional Scholars Program, or Case Western PPSP, acceptance rate is 1% ( Forbes ).
• If you are planning to apply to Case Western PPSP (Pre-Professional Scholars Program), you will need to write  two  essays. If you are not applying to the Case Western PPSP, you  DO NOT  need to write Case Western supplemental essays.

Does Case Western Have Essays?

Yes, there are Case Western supplemental essays—but only students applying to the  Pre-Professional Scholars Program (PPSP)  must answer them. If you are not applying to Case Western PPSP, you do not need to answer the Case Western PPSP essays.

Regardless of whether you apply to Case Western or to Case Western PPSP, all applicants must submit a personal statement. You will need to submit your personal statement through either the  Common App  or the  Coalition App .

Need some help writing your Common App essay? Get great tips from our Common App essay  guide .

How Many Essays Does Case Western Require?

There are  two  required Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays for applicants to Case Western PPSP. The Case Western PPSP essays help the admissions team understand why you are a strong candidate for Case Western PPSP. The first of the Case Western PPSP essays asks why you are interested in your area of study; the second asks you to share something that makes you proud.

Before discussing the Case Western supplemental essays, here is some additional information on Case Western Reserve University and the Pre-Professional Scholars Program.

What is the Acceptance Rate for Case Western Reserve University?

The Case Western acceptance rate is 30%. This year’s Case Western acceptance rate is reflective of the increasing selectivity of the school. The school saw its most selective admissions year in 2019. According to Case Western’s  admissions statistics , the middle 50% of admitted students have SAT scores of 1350-1490 or ACT scores of 31-34. Additionally, 95% of admitted students were in the Top 25% of their high school class.

Acceptance Rate for Case Western PPSP

The Case Western Pre-Professionals Scholar Program is even more competitive. The Case Western PPSP acceptance rate last cycle was only 1%—that’s thirty times below the general Case Western acceptance rate.

Because there are only 25-30 available spots in the Case Western PPSP, the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate is much lower than the Case Western acceptance rate.

The Case Western acceptance rate shouldn’t scare you. If the Case Western supplemental essays and the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate seem daunting, don’t worry. Remember the benefits of gaining admission to Case Western PPSP. Upon completion of the requirements, both the Medical and Dental Case Western PPSP guarantee entry into Case Western’s professional schools. They also provide you with a structure to guide your professional studies.

Overall, don’t let the Case Western acceptance rate—or even the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate—discourage you from applying. While the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate may be low, remember your admissions results depend on a variety of factors. If you write strong Case Western supplemental essays, you’ll have a chance of overcoming the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate.

For more information on the Case Western acceptance rate—and acceptance rates in general—read our blog  article . And remember, beating the Case Western acceptance rate is all about preparation. Register for our webinar below for tips on how to build your personalized Case Western application timeline.

What is the Case Western Pre-Professional Scholars Program?

The Case Western Pre-Professional Scholars Program grants selected students a conditional commitment of admission to Case Western Reserve University’s Professional Schools of Medicine or Dentistry. The Case Western PPSP is an excellent opportunity for students who are confident in their future career path. If you are planning to apply to the Case Western PPSP, you’ll want to focus on your Case Western PPSP essays. They must demonstrate not only why you are interested in your field of study, but also why you are well-suited to it.

So, before beginning your Case Western supplemental essays, check out the Office of Undergraduate Studies  Case Western PPSP page . The page has a wide variety of information on each program’s courses, timeline, and requirements.

Admission to the Case Western PPSP is highly competitive. Subsequently, the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate is significantly lower than the Case Western acceptance rate. Case Western accepts 15 to 20 students to the Case Western PPSP in Medicine and approximately 10 students to the Case Western PPSP in Dentistry.

Because every student applying to the Case Western PPSP will have outstanding academic credentials, it is important you take your time with the Case Western supplemental essays. For your best chance against the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate, you should do all you can to show the admissions team what makes you well-suited for an intensive pre-professional program like PPSP. This includes writing strong Case Western Reserve supplemental essays.

Does Case Western Care About Essays?

Yes, the admissions team cares about your Case Western supplemental essays. Given the extremely low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate, you’ll want to use every chance you can to show the admissions team who you are and why you are an outstanding candidate. Due to the fact that the Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays are only required for PPSP applicants, they are crucial to making your Case Western PPSP application stand out in admissions.

Therefore, if Case Western is one of your top choice schools, you’ll want to take your time writing your Case Western supplemental essays. Basically, by submitting the best Case Western PPSP essays possible, you can maximize your chances of getting into Case Western PPSP despite the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate. Even if PPSP does not offer you a spot, Case Western’s undergraduate program may still consider you for admission.

Let’s dive into some tips and guidelines to help you as you begin writing your Case Western supplemental essays.

How Do I Write the Case Western Essays?

The Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays are your chance to show admissions who you are and what matters to you. The Case Western PPSP essays have complex prompts and relatively high word limits. This means you’ll have plenty of space to answer the prompts specifically and completely.

Having extra room to share your thoughts can be freeing to some students. However, completing the Case Western supplemental essays—and making sure every word counts—can be a challenge. Here are some steps to help you as you begin writing your Case Western supplemental essays.

Before you start

Brainstorm and make a plan.  Break down the prompt to individual questions and categories, then try some  freewriting  before you begin your actual draft. Write down moments, thoughts, feelings, ideas— any important details or information that you might use in your essay. The more initial thoughts you get down on paper, the more material you’ll have to generate your draft.

Write, edit, and rewrite.  Then, once you’ve completed your brainstorm, you can begin drafting your Case Western supplemental essays. As you start writing, remember this is only a first draft. While you’ll need to review and edit your Case Western supplemental essays to make them the best they can be, this is not that time. Start with getting your words on paper, then edit for clarity and specificity.

Edit and reflect

Go line by line.  The Case Western supplemental essays have word limits (and the admissions team reads thousands of essays). Therefore, every sentence must add something to your essay. As you read over your drafts, go line by line and check that each sentence shares something. Each sentences should either answer the prompt or showcases an important part of your identity.

Take a step back.  Once you think you have a strong draft, step back and review each of your Case Western PPSP essays. What is the overall impression your Case Western supplemental essays give your reader? Is there a beginning, middle, and end to each essay’s narrative? Your Case Western supplemental essays should start with a strong hook that will engage your reader. Additionally, your essays for Case Western PSPP should flow through the middle, and finish with a compelling conclusion.

Ask for help

Get a second opinion.  When you think you are ready to submit your Case Western supplemental essays, get another set of eyes to look over them. An outside reader can tell you how your Case Western supplemental essays read. Additionally, they can catch any spelling or grammar mistakes you might have missed.

We have provided the prompts for the 2021-2022 Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays below. You’ll find advice on how to approach each prompt alongside tips for writing Case Western supplemental essays that will overcome the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate.

Case Western Supplemental Essays – Key Steps:

• Brainstorm and make a plan.
• Write, edit, and rewrite.
• Go line by line.
• Take a step back.
• Get a second opinion.

Case Western Supplemental Essays – Question 1 (Required for Case Western PPSP)

By applying to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, you are applying to gain admission to professional school earlier than students who apply in the traditional way. Please indicate why you’re interested in your chosen profession. How do you see yourself being particularly suited to this field? What events and/or experiences have led you to your choice? (250-500 words).

The first of the Case Western PPSP essays asks about your chosen area of study. This is your opportunity to show Case Western why you are passionate about pursuing a career in either medicine or dentistry. Therefore, you need to reflect not only on your past experiences that led you to your chosen career path but also on your long-term goals and why you’ll succeed at Case Western and beyond.

Your essay should fully address all three questions that this prompt asks. One way to approach these questions is to split up your brainstorm into three categories: ‘Why am I interested?”; “Why will I be successful?”; and “When was I inspired?”

Address each question

For the first question, focus on the why rather than the what. For example, if you want to go to medical school to become a surgeon, it is not enough to simply state that. Firstly, ask yourself, in specific terms, why you are interested in surgery. Does the physiology of the body interest you? Do you want to help people and save lives? The more specific you are, the more your interest, knowledge, and passion will shine through.

The second question asks about you: your traits, your skills, your beliefs, and everything about you that makes you a good fit for the medical or dental field. To answer this question, you should apply your traits to traits that lead to success in your desired field. For example, if you want to become a dentist and think you are empathetic, your essay must show how being empathetic will make you a good dentist.

The third question should include specific anecdotes from your life. If you are having trouble thinking of a specific moment, try remembering your firsts. If you want to go to dental school, when did you first decide you wanted to go? When did you first learn about dentistry? What was your first experience with a dentist? What was a moment when you felt capable, like you had the ability to become a dentist?

Constructing the narrative

Once you have your ideas laid out, you can start forming them into a smooth and engaging Case Western PPSP essay. Consider how best to tell your story, starting with organization. Do you want to progress chronologically, beginning with your first moment of inspiration and ending with the person you are today? Or do you want to start with what you hope to accomplish and use anecdotes to showcase how you will succeed? Remember, these are not three mini-prompts, but three parts of a single prompt. This means your response should tell one coherent story that touches on each of the given questions.

No matter how you organize your essay, be sure you take time to brainstorm and explore every possible avenue for your Case Western PPSP essays. As you edit your essay, remember to answer all aspects of the prompt. With these tips in mind, you’ll be sure to write a Case Western PPSP essay that stand out, even given the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate.

Case Western Supplemental Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does my essay answer all three questions in the prompt?
• Are my responses a reflection of who I am, what I’ve experienced, and why I will be successful?
• Do I communicate the ideas in my essay clearly, specifically and in my voice?
• Does my essay tell a coherent, unified story?

Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays – Question 2 (Required for Case Western PPSP)

In the college application process, you are constantly prompted for a list of your achievements, awards, and accomplishments. While this information is useful to us, we are interested in hearing more about you. Describe an event, achievement, or experience of which you are particularly proud but that will not show up on a resume, may not garner any recognition, and does not appear anywhere else on your admission application. (750 words or less).

The second of the Case Western PPSP essays asks you to describe something you are proud of. Case Western wants you to share something new—something they won’t find anywhere else in your application. This prompt can be tricky since you might already describe many of your greatest accomplishments elsewhere in your application. Take this constraint as an opportunity to think outside the realm of academic achievement.

Consider the activities you do outside of school, what you do for your family, and what you do for yourself when nobody’s watching. If no awards or achievements come to mind, think about times when you overcame a challenge, learned a new skill, or took action. For example, maybe when you were eleven you won an 8th place medal in synchronized swimming, a sport you no longer participate in. Perhaps it was the first and only medal you’d ever received and influenced your development through high school. Or maybe you were scared to learn how to drive but knew you needed to learn so you could take you and your little brother to school while your parents were working.

Be yourself

Whatever you write about, make sure you feel genuinely proud of the thing you did. See what emotions come up when you think of that event or achievement. If you feel happiness, satisfaction, or joy, it’s probably a great starting point for your essay.

This Case Western PPSP essay prompt gives you plenty of space to tell your story, so it’s important you do just that. Instead of simply stating what happened, be sure to include how you felt and why this is experience matters to you. Overall, use your voice to capture your unique experience. Show admissions not only what it meant to you at the time, but what it means to you now as you prepare to begin your pre-professional studies.

• Does my essay describe a unique experience not found anywhere else in my application?
• Have I discussed why I am proud of this experience?
• Does my essay tell a clear story?

For more tips on writing the Case Western supplemental essays, check out this video from Case Western Reserve University’s director of undergraduate admissions.

Case Western Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

Your Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays are your opportunity to show Admissions why you belong in their Pre-Professional Scholars Program. Given the low Case Western PPSP acceptance rate, your academic successes will likely be well matched by other applicants. The Case Western PPSP essays can help you stand out.

While writing the Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays may seem time-consuming—especially given the Case Western PPSP acceptance rate—remember the opportunities the Case Western PPSP provides. If you know you want to attend medical or dental school, use your passion and insight to write the Case Western PPSP essays and save yourself the pressures of medical and dental school applications after graduation.

This 2021-2022 essay guide on Case Western was written by Stefanie Tedards. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources, click  here . Want help crafting your Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays? Create your  free account  or  schedule a no-cost advising consultation  by calling (844) 343-6272.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

College essay resources

How to write the case western reserve university supplemental essays for the pre-professional scholars program, school supplements.

Case Western Reserve University's Pre-Professional Scholars Program is for undergraduate students who feel certain that they want to pursue a career in medicine, dentistry, law, or social work. If you’re applying to this program, you’ll need to write two supplemental Case Western application essays that show admissions readers you’re ready for this commitment. This guide will help you develop strong topics for these essays.

Let’s take a look at the first Case Western Reserve University supplemental essay prompt!

(Learn more about how to write college supplemental essays here. )

Case Western Supplemental Essay #1: Why Pre-Professional Scholars?

Essay prompt.

By applying to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, you are applying to gain admission to professional school earlier than students who apply in the traditional way. Please indicate why you’re interested in your chosen profession. How do you see yourself being particularly suited to this field? What events and/or experiences have led you to your choice? This essay should be between 250 and 500 words in length.

How to write this essay

This prompt can be summarized with one question: why are you certain that you’ve chosen the right career path?

First, make a brainstorming list of 3-6 experiences that helped you understand your chosen career and made you feel like it was the perfect fit for you. They could be structured experiences, like an internship, volunteer experience, or a favorite class. Or they could be unstructured experiences, like helping someone in need, learning about a profession from someone you know, or exploring an interest through a personal project.

Let’s look at an example student’s brainstorming list!

Professional path: Medicine

Experiences:

• Internship with a nearby research hospital
• Volunteering as a licensed EMT with my local EMS crew
• Helping with my grandmother’s care when she had cancer
• Watching an open heart surgery from the gallery with my Future Medical Professionals student group
• Talking to a family friend about her experiences in medical school

From your brainstorming list, choose the 2-4 experiences that you feel had the greatest impact on your choice of career. To structure your Case Western Reserve University essay, begin with a moment from the most impactful experience, then go on to devote one section to each experience.

Case Western Supplemental Essay #2: An Experience Not on Your Resume

In the college application process, you are constantly prompted for a list of your achievements, awards, and accomplishments. While this information is useful to us, we are interested in hearing more about you. Describe an event, achievement, or experience of which you are particularly proud but that will not show up on a resume, may not garner any recognition, and does not appear anywhere else on your admission application. This essay should not exceed 750 words in length.

In this essay, CWRU is looking for a new insight into your values or interests. A key phrase in this prompt is “ may not garner any recognition.” Write about something you did without any expectation of a reward.

To start, make a list of 3-4 experiences that you are proud of. These could be “big” experiences, like helping someone in an emergency, or “small” experiences, like cleaning up trash on the beach. Try to pick experiences that have a connection to your broader interests, values, or positive traits .

Let’s take a look at an example student’s brainstorming list.

• Experience: Teaching my mother to use social media to promote her artwork
• Connection to Values: I like helping others succeed
• Experience: Completing the National Novel Writing Month ( NaNoWriMo ) writing challenge
• Connection to Personal Traits: I’m creative and I like to challenge myself
• Experience: Mediating an interpersonal conflict in my robotics team
• Connection to Personal Trait: I have strong problem-solving skills and I’m a good listener

Once you have your list, pick the topic that you feel best represents who you are outside of class!

After choosing your topic, you’ll be ready to create an outline. If you need more help developing a detailed outline for your Case Western Reserve University supplemental essay, sign up for a free account to gain access to our prewriting modules!

Related Articles

How to Write Your Waitlist Essay

Cassandra Cloutier

Your Waitlist Essay (aka, Letter of Continued Interest) serve two primary purposes: (1) share new (or additional) information that will make you a more compelling candidate and (2) confirm your level of interest in the school.

The Simple “Why Us” Essay Strategy that Works

Brad Schiller

A successful Why Us essay indicates you’ll likely enroll if admitted and shows why you’re a good fit. Focus on how your academic interests match what the college offers.

How to Write Every Ross School of Business Essay for the University of Michigan

This guide will help you develop compelling topics for both Ross School of Business essay prompts.

• Become a Writing Coach
• Writing Center
• Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
• Sign Up for an Essay Coaching Package
• College Essay Feedback for High Schools
• Prompt for IECs

Conquering the Case Western Reserve University Supplemental Essays

When applying to Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), a highly ranked and innovative research institution, there's more to consider than just the common application. As part of the process, applicants need to respond to a set of supplemental essays specific to CWRU. These essays allow you to demonstrate your interest in the university and how you see yourself contributing to the CWRU community.

In this blog post, we will provide tips and strategies for each prompt and how best to approach them. Remember, the key is to be genuine and let your unique personality shine through.

Prompt 1: Why are you attracted to your chosen field of study?

This prompt is a classic "Why Major?" question. You should focus on detailing your journey towards choosing your major. Include any personal experiences, academic interests, and long-term goals related to this field. Show a clear understanding of what studying this field at CWRU entails and how it aligns with your aspirations.

Ever since I dismantled my first radio at the age of seven, my curiosity for how things work was ignited. My high school physics class transformed this curiosity into a passion for Electrical Engineering. Understanding the principles behind circuits and signals was captivating. My internship at a local tech startup solidified my decision. There, I applied classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, furthering my fascination for the field. The innovative environment at CWRU, especially the pioneering research at the Case School of Engineering, aligns with my ambitions. I am particularly intrigued by Professor X’s work on sustainable energy systems. Studying Electrical Engineering at CWRU would offer me the blend of theoretical foundation and practical experience, helping me realize my goal of designing efficient and sustainable energy solutions.

Prompt 2: How have you contributed to your high school and/or local community?

CWRU values students who can contribute positively to their community. In this prompt, discuss any experiences where you made a significant impact, be it a school club, local charity, or a personal project. The key is to highlight your initiative, leadership, and commitment to improving the lives of others.

During my sophomore year, I founded a coding club at my high school. I noticed a lack of resources for students interested in programming, and I aimed to fill that gap. We started with five members and expanded to over thirty in two years. We created an inclusive environment where students could explore coding at their own pace. I organized weekly meetings, coding challenges, and guest lectures from local tech professionals. Additionally, we developed an app to connect local charities with volunteers, demonstrating our commitment to the local community. My work with the coding club gave me the satisfaction of providing a learning space for my peers and contributing positively to my community.

Optional Prompt: Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Only respond to this prompt if there's a significant aspect of your profile not covered elsewhere in the application. This could include overcoming personal hardships, unique life experiences, or explaining any inconsistencies in your academic record. Keep it concise and relevant.

During my junior year, my grades experienced a slight dip due to health issues. I was diagnosed with mononucleosis and had to miss school for a month. It was a challenging period as I juggled between recovery and keeping up with my academic commitments. However, I used this experience to develop resilience and adaptability. I caught up with my curriculum through extra classes and self-study. This experience, though tough, has made me more resilient, and I am confident in my ability to overcome future challenges.

Specific School Prompts:

If you're applying to a specific program, such as the Pre-Professional Scholars Program or the Integrated BS/MS Program, you will have additional prompts. These require more specific responses demonstrating your interest and aptitude for the selected program.

Now, let's talk about how to make the most of your word limit for each essay. Aim to be detailed but concise. Provide personal anecdotes where possible to add a narrative element and make your essay engaging.

Optimization of your essays to rank higher is crucial. Here are some key words and phrases related to CWRU to consider:

• Case Western Reserve University
• Community involvement
• Pre-Professional Scholars Program
• Integrated BS/MS Program

Remember, these keywords should be used naturally and contextually. They are meant to enhance your content, not to be used as filler.

Writing college essays can feel daunting, but remember that they are just another opportunity to showcase who you are and what you bring to the table. Be authentic, be reflective, and most importantly, be you!

Best of luck with your CWRU application!

Related posts

Mastering the New York University 2023-2024 Supplemental Essays

Conquering Stanford University's 2023-2024 Supplemental Essays

Conquering the UNC - Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Home — Application Essay — University — Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University Admission Essays

Decoding aspirations: my case western reserve supplemental odyssey.

Navigating the terrain of my educational aspirations, the Case Western Reserve Supplemental Essay serves as a beacon, illuminating my path towards a university experience defined by intellectual curiosity, innovation, and impactful contributions. As I embark on this reflective journey, I aim to convey the essence…

Summer 2014: College Admission Essay Sample

We arrived at Ho Chi Minh cancer hospital for the first time, full of determination. The moment we entered the hall, a scene captured my eyes: young children (between the ages of 4 and 9) lying prostrate in the aisle. The countenance of the very…

New Park, Old Memories: College Admission Essay Sample

I stand alone in the middle of an empty square, looking at the period Chinese pavilion that was built less than a month ago. The park is new. The smell of paint is still fresh in the air, the carved characters still sharp on the…

Life: College Admission Essay Sample

“Millions long for immortality but do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon,” sharing her views on life, Susan Ertz describes the force that has the ability to unify all of humanity. Life, the cool summer dew forming on the…

Get professional help in 5 minutes

— EST. 1826 —

11,824 Students

10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106

Selected filters

Universities

• American University
• University of Colorado - Boulder
• University of Michigan
• University of Miami
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of San Diego
• Wesleyan University
• Rutgers University
• Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
• Rice University

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Tackle Seven-Year Medical Program Essays

In recent years, guaranteed-admission medical programs have exploded in popularity. These programs allow students to apply for a guaranteed place in medical school right out of high school. Often, these programs will include compressed undergraduate degree timelines that reduce the total time requirement by one to two years, leading to so-called seven- and eight-year medical programs. These programs have grown increasingly competitive, and acceptance rates are often lower than undergraduate acceptance rates at Ivy League schools.

In addition to the Common App essays (for the latest info, check out our blog post How to Write the Common Application Essays 2017-2018 ), these specialized programs often require applicants to write separate essays specific to the medical program. The majority of these essays can be grouped into one of two categories.

Either they ask the applicant why he or she wants to be a doctor, or they ask the applicant to address why he or she wants to attend the undergraduate and medical school in the program in addition to detailing the reasons behind their desire to be a doctor. The essays for Case Western’s Pre-Professional Scholars Program (in medicine), as well as for Rutgers Newark’s BA/MD program are presented below as representative archetypes for each style of essay.

We spoke with CollegeVine co-founder and essay specialist Vinay Bhaskara, who was accepted into seven-year medical programs last year about how he would approach these essays.

Case Western Essay Prompt

By applying to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, you are applying to gain admission to professional school earlier than students who apply in the traditional way. Please indicate why you’re interested in your chosen profession. How do you see yourself being particularly suited to this field? What events and/or experiences have led you to your choice? This essay should be between 250 and 500 words in length.

Rutgers Essay Prompts

Part I. Discuss why you are interested in pursuing a career in medicine. (150 words) Part II. Describe your health-related volunteer experiences and the time devoted to them. (150 words) Provide supporting documentation in your portfolio from a supervisor, coordinator, etc. Part III. Discuss what has attracted you to apply to Rutgers University-Newark College of Arts & Sciences, apart from the BA/MD program. (150 words) Part IV. Discuss why you are specifically interested in attending Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) over other medical schools. (150 words)

Addressing ‘Why Medicine’ in Medical Program Essays

Vinay: The critical thing to remember here is that success in medicine is the synthesis of two equally important factors: a passion for science and a passion for serving humanity. Medical care is not just about being able to recognize symptoms, make a diagnosis, and prescribe the correct course of treatment, it’s also about the second word in that phrase — being able to care for patients and make sure that their emotional state improves alongside the physical healing. These are the core themes that you must communicate with your essay.

The science side of the ledger is relatively easy to describe. You can approach it from the pure science aspect of a passion for biology or biochemistry. If you choose to highlight biology, be sure to research the various biological subfields, such as genetics, neuroscience, et al. and pick the one for which you feel the most affinity.

This approach can also be enhanced by descriptions of your work in a non-class lab environment if you have it. Such experience is advisable for applicants to seven-year programs, though not absolutely essential. Another approach to discussing the academic aspects of medicine is to talk about your passion for the analytic problem-solving that medicine necessitates.

On the passion-for-serving-humanity side, the best approach is to refer to a patient care experience (typically either volunteering at a hospital, nursing home, or clinic, shadowing a physician, or [ideally] both), and relate a specific anecdote from that experience that stuck with you. Using that anecdote as a base, you would then transition into a discussion of how that has inspired you to pursue medicine and heal people.

If you lack patient care experience, the next option is to draw on volunteer or charity exposure (outside of medicine) and follow the same pattern of an anecdote or reflection.

If you don’t have any of these experiences either, a third possibility is to draw on experiences with a family member or friend who dealt with severe health problems and discuss how that experience affected and inspired you. If you don’t have any strong examples of any of these three cases, you can still discuss and analyze a passion for the non-academic aspects of medicine, but it will not have as much substance backing it.

Justifying the Undergraduate and Medical Schools

These parts of the essay are not as important relatively speaking, but you still must make sure that you meet the requirements for these. For the justification of the undergraduate schools, it is the same process as general “Why school XYZ?” essays, which we will cover in a later blog post.

The general guidelines here are to make sure that you discuss things specific about that school, not generic descriptions that could apply to several different schools. You should discuss both academics, and social aspects of the school, paying special attention to unique academic programs as well as specific social philosophies espoused by each school.

With regards to the medical school, you should discuss the specific strengths of that medical school and the things that it can teach you. For example, a major trauma center will expose you to one whole set of patient pathologies, while a hospital in a run down and culturally diverse area of town will expose you to an entirely different set of patient pathologies and interactions.

Similarly, hospitals specializing in oncology or neurology will provide a unique experience that you can highlight in the essay. One good point to always mention is that if the medical school is in a city, it will expose you to a diverse and varied set of patient pathologies and patient interactions, which will enhance your skills as a doctor.

Addressing Why Accelerated Programs

This is usually the hardest part of the essay to write. The answer for most students is simply because it saves them time, but schools do not like to hear this. A better way to approach it is to state that you are certain about your desire to become a physician, and say that the additional academic rigor presented by the program (a science — heavy curriculum, GPA requirements, working through summers, et al.) strongly appeal to you.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

August 29, 2022

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022-2023]

Case Western is located in Cleveland, Ohio with four teaching hospitals in the area and a student run clinic. They are ranked #24, for research and #71 for primary care by U.S. News and World Reports . They accept 155 students each year. Classes are pass/fail in the first two years. Students are placed in one of four advising societies and maintain involvement throughout all four years. They have IQ (inquiry) teams of eight to nine students, that discuss two cases, three times a week with a faculty member. Teamwork is built into the curriculum. It focuses on four themes: research and scholarship, clinical mastery, leadership and civic professionalism. For more information about their curriculum, check out case.edu/medicine/admissions/programs/university-program/curriculum and our podcast interview with Dr. Lina Mehta, Associate Dean for Admissions at Case Western Reserve University College of Medicine . 

This school is looking for students who are well rounded in all of these areas: scholarship, interpersonal communication skills, leadership, teamwork and community service. Less than 20% of accepted applicants are in-state, making this medical school attractive to out-of-state applicants.

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine 2022-23 Essay Questions

Cwru essay #1: greatest challenge response.

The admissions committee is interested in gaining more insight into you as a person. Please describe a significant personal challenge you have faced, one which you feel has helped to shape you as a person. Examples may include a moral or ethical dilemma, a situation of personal adversity, or a hurdle in your life that you worked hard to overcome. Please include how you got through the experience, how you handled the uncertainty or stress, and what you have learned about yourself as a result. Please limit your response to 1 page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between paragraphs.

Given the size of this character limit, you have space for a short essay. Start by making a list of obstacles that you have overcome . 

Choose to tell the story of an event or experience that has had the biggest impact on your identity. A one-time event would be a strategic choice if it had long term effects on you and your development. There are many different topics that would work well for this essay, like traveling to a different country, having a unique life experience, or making a difficult decision that had major consequences. Introduce the idea in the first paragraph. Give background on the situation or event in the second paragraph. Use the third paragraph to explain “how you got through the experience.” In the fourth paragraph, you can detail what you learned. In the conclusion, look at the bigger picture. How did the event have an impact on your life, identity and/or career path? Conclude positively, even if the only positive outcome is in having deeply learned something about yourself, about teamwork, about problem-solving, about inequity and equity. 

This prompt is a testament to your character or to your growth .

CWRU essay #2

Optional Responses For All Applicants:

• COVID-related Disruptions Response The past few years have reflected an unprecedented time in world history, and we are aware that many have experienced significant disruptions in numerous aspects of their lives. You may use the text field below to share with us how you may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including academic, financial and medical disruptions, etc. If medically-related or patient-based experiences were interrupted, please tell us how you were able to explore these areas in alternate ways. Please limit your response to 1 page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between paragraphs.
• COVID-related Coursework Response If you took coursework that was Pass/No Pass due to pandemic disruptions for 2019-2020 and/or 2020-2021 academic years, please list the courses below.
• Gap Year Response Did you take a gap year(s)? Yes or No. If Yes: If you are taking time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation, please tell us what you are doing during this gap, and why. Please limit your response to no more than 1000 characters, and leave a blank line between paragraphs .

Nearly all applicants had to adapt to changes in their education, community work, and academic plans. When writing the short essay (#1), tell the personal story if you and your family were personally affected by COVID-19 . 

If you choose to tell a story about how you lost shadowing opportunities, volunteer experiences or research opportunities, be certain to focus the story on the unforeseen new opportunities you sought and found. If you were an essential worker, tell this story. If you volunteered at a COVID-19 vaccination center, tell that story. 

University Program (4 yr. MD) Applicants:

Optional: 1. One of the four pillars of the Western Reserve2 Curriculum is Research and Scholarship. Although research is not a prerequisite requirement for the University Program, if you have participated in research or in another scholarly project, please tell us about it. Describe your experience, including the question you pursued and how you approached it, your results and interpretation of the results, and most importantly, any thoughts about what this experience meant to you. Remember that research is broad-based and can include such projects as a senior capstone or a thesis, and can include both medical and non-medically-related investigations. If you have not completed research, please indicate that in the text box below. Please limit your response to one page (about 3,500 characters), and leave a blank line between paragraphs. – Note that if you are applying to both the University Program and the CCLCM, the research response will default to the CCLCM required response. 2. Additional Information Response: Is there any further information that you wish to share with the Admissions Committee that may not be captured in the rest of your application? Please limit your response to 3,500 characters.

This prompt also provides the structure for your response. If you are writing about one major research experience, in the introduction explain the basics of the project and your role. In the second paragraph, provide a detailed description of the project and the research question. For the third paragraph, discuss how you “approached it.” In the fourth, explain the outcomes and any interesting developments in the data for the project. Last, you can use the conclusion to share the overall impact the research had on you.

If you participated in several research projects, you might use this space with a chronological list, most recent research first, with each sub-entry mirroring the prompt expectations. This way, you will cover each project in detail in exactly the same format.

Keep in mind that since 2018, 93-98% of accepted students at Case Western Reserve University SOM had research experience. If you don’t have research experience, then make the case in the secondary Essay #2 that you will be heavily involved in research. Otherwise, be prepared to update the school on research activity at a later date, at the very least.

Has this blog post helped you feel more confident about approaching your Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine secondary application? We hope so. It’s our mission to help smart, talented applicants like you gain acceptance to your top choice medical school. With so much at stake, why not hire a consultant whose expertise and personalized guidance can help you make your dream come true? We have several flexible consulting options— click here to get started today !

Applying to CWRU? Here are some stats:

CWRU School of Medicine average MCAT score: 518

CWRU School of Medicine average GPA: 3.83

CWRU School of Medicine acceptance rate: 5.9%

U.S. News  ranks CWRU #24 for research and #71 for primary care.

Check out the Med School Selectivity Index for more stats.

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine 2022-23 application timeline

Source:  CWRU website

Related resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Secondary Essay Questions from Top Med Schools
• 3 Reasons Why Writing About Overcoming Obstacles Strengthens Your Application Essays
• Interview with Dr. Lina Mehta, Associate Dean for Admissions at Case Western

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553 © 2022 Accepted

Brandeis University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide 

Early Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 3

You Have: 

Brandeis University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations .

The Requirements: One essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Diversity

Brandeis was established 75 years ago to address antisemitism, racism, and gender discrimination in higher education, and today, the university remains dedicated to its founding values of inclusivity and justice. How has your educational experience shaped your perspective on these values? (250 words max.)

Brandeis wants to know how your education thus far has influenced your perspective on inclusivity and justice, so tell them a story about an experience or experiences you have had that relate. Maybe you want to write about the time you confronted your school’s administration over outdated dress codes, your first experience in advocating for girls like yourself in an environment that prioritized the comfort of boys. Perhaps you took a community college course on race, class, and gender over the summer that blew your mind and made you realize you were seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Did that class inspire you to read more about the legacy of Jim Crow? A strong response will feature some reflection that shows how you process new information and experiences and apply those takeaways to your everyday life. Show admissions that you are prepared to uphold its founding values during your time on campus and beyond.

For international students only:

What excites you the most about being an international student at brandeis university (250 words max.).

Dang! Brandeis is really making its international applicants WERK! Well, here’s a quick tip: this question may seem like it’s asking about the difference between you and the domestic applicants, but it’s actually in your best interest to think about what distinguishes you from any other international student! What do you bring to campus that no one else can? What have you learned from your life experiences? And there’s one last twist to this application: in order to explain how you would “enrich the campus community,” you should probably know a thing or two about that campus community. So spend a little time on the Brandeis website to get a feel for the school, the students, and the surrounding community. How is the culture different from your own? (Your differences are your strengths!) Where might the two intersect? And how might that point of intersection create an opportunity for mutual learning? For more information about acing the international essay, check out this video we made just for you!

About Kat Stubing

View all posts by Kat Stubing »

Check out our Blog!

Contact us for information on rates and more!

• I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
• Name * First Last
• Phone Type Mobile Landline
• Street Address
• Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
• How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
• Common App and Coalition Essays
• Supplemental Essays
• University of California Essays
• University of Texas Essays
• Resume Review
• Post-Grad Essays
• Specialized Services
• Waitlist Letters
• Private School Essays
• General College Counseling
• School list with priorities noted:
• Anything else we should know?
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

School Stats:

• Agnes Scott College
• Alvernia University
• American University
• Amherst College
• Babson College
• Bard College
• Barnard College
• Baylor University
• Bennington College
• Bentley University
• Berry College
• Bethany College
• Bishop’s University
• Boston College
• Boston University (BU)
• Bowdoin College
• Brandeis University
• Brown University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Bucknell University
• Butler University
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• California Lutheran University
• Capitol Technology University
• Carleton College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Catawba College
• Centre College
• Chapman University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Clark University
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• College of William and Mary
• College of Wooster
• Colorado College
• Colorado School of Mines
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Culver-Stockton College
• D'Youville University
• Dartmouth College
• Davidson College
• Drexel University
• Duke University
• Earlham College
• Elon University
• Emerson College
• Emory University
• Flagler College
• Fordham University
• George Mason University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia State University
• Georgia Tech
• Gonzaga University
• Harvard University
• Harvey Mudd College
• Haverford College
• Hillsdale College
• Hofstra University
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Indiana University Bloomington
• Ithaca College
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kalamazoo College
• Lafayette College
• Lehigh University
• Lewis and Clark College
• Linfield University
• Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
• Lynn University
• Macalester College
• Malone University
• Manchester University
• Marist College
• Mary Baldwin University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Meredith College
• Monmouth College
• Moravian University
• Morehouse College
• Mount Holyoke College
• New York University (NYU)
• North Park University
• Northwestern University
• Occidental College
• Oklahoma City University
• Olin College of Engineering
• Pepperdine University
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College
• Princeton University
• Providence College
• Purdue University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rice University
• Saint Elizabeth University
• Santa Clara University
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Scripps College
• Seattle Pacific University
• Smith College
• Soka University of America
• Southern Methodist University
• St. John’s College
• Stanford University
• Stonehill College
• Swarthmore College
• Syracuse University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas Christian University
• The College of Idaho
• The George Washington University
• The New School
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• Tulane University
• University of California
• University of Central Florida (UCF)
• University of Chicago
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Florida
• University of Georgia
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Maryland
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Miami
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Oregon
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Richmond
• University of San Diego
• University of San Francisco
• University of Southern California (USC)
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Tulsa
• University of Vermont
• University of Virginia (UVA)
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Vanderbilt University
• Vassar College
• Villanova University
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest University
• Washington and Lee University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Wellesley College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Yale University

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

• Admission & Financial Aid

We look forward to reading your application

We’re just one week away from when the  Common App  and  Coalition with Scoir  will open to rising seniors, on Aug. 1. We hope you are planning to apply to Case Western Reserve University, and we look forward to reading your application.  As you think about your college application, we wanted to share with you a few tips that we hope will help as you put together your application.

• Consider your decision options.  If you are confident that you have a clear first-choice college, consider applying Early Decision. Early Decision is a binding agreement between you and the university: If you are accepted, you agree to withdraw all other college applications and enroll.  Read more about decision options at CWRU .  
• Choose your recommenders.  Like many schools, CWRU requires your counselor to write a recommendation, and also requires two teacher recommendations. Think about the teachers who know you best, who have seen you grow and learn in high school. Great teachers get a lot of requests for recommendations in the fall. Contact them early to request a recommendation to make sure they have time to write a compelling one for you.   
• Take your time to write a personalized essay.  What you write in your college essay is completely up to you—it should be about conveying who you are to the admission staff. No matter the topic, personalize it. Add a part of you into the piece, and make it genuine. Great essays are memorable to our admission committee and go a long way to making you stand out. Always remember, spelling counts!  
• Think about financial aid.  If you plan to apply for need-based financial aid, indicate this on the Common App or Coalition Application. At many schools, if you indicate that you wish to be considered for financial aid, your application won’t be considered complete until the necessary financial aid documents are submitted.  Get details on financial aid at CWRU .  
• Maintain success in your senior year.  Selective colleges like CWRU want to see that applicants are challenging themselves and enjoying academic success, and that includes your senior year. Continue to take classes that interest you and represent a high level of academic rigor.  See which classes we require students to have completed .  

(CWRU has gone test-optional for students applying for the fall 2022 semester.  You can review application requirements here .)

Western Ivey HBA: Supplementary Application Essay Examples & Templates 2023/2024

If you are looking for guidance on the Western Ivey supplementary essays, as well as Ivey HBA essay examples and templates, then you’ve come to the right place. 

This Application Prep guide is fully updated with this year’s 2023/2024 application (i.e. for applicants who plan on starting the program in Fall 2024 ), as well as past applications for reference.

The big change to the application this year is the video interview essay.

Students are required to submit answers to five live video interview questions .

We won’t go into detail on that in this guide, but we have a separate guide to help you prepare for any video interviews (and it’s 100% free).

Work with a 1:1 coach to receive comprehensive coaching to elevate your essay writing abilities, interviewing skills, and ensure you are submitting the most unique, authentic, and compelling application possible.

They are also getting rid of a few things, including the Ivey Grad reference, the Work Experience section, and the International Experience section.

Before you dive in, it’s important to understand that the admissions committee receives thousands of applications every year. To help set you apart from the crowd, you need to demonstrate a clear sense of self, strong life experience, and exemplary communication skills.

Our ‘full student’ coaching process does exactly that. If you’re not working with a coach, be sure to read the Self-Awareness , Goal-Setting , and Narrative Communication Skills Guides.

The Narrative Communication Approach™ is a particularly useful storytelling framework that helps you tell a clear and concise story, while creating an emotional connection with the reader. All Western Ivey essay examples and templates use this approach.

We use essay templates to show you a suggested essay structure that uses the Narrative Communication Approach™. Using this structure does not mean your essays will be the same as other students. That’s like saying using the 3 Act Structure makes every play, movie, and novel the same. The content of that story makes it unique.

We also suggest following the 5-step essay writing process we teach, seen here .

REMEMBER : When you’re applying to Ivey, don’t forget that Ivey AEO is a status, NOT a program . This means that you must apply to any program at Western University, like Engineering, Arts & Humanities, Social Science, etc. Then, you must state your intention to apply to Ivey AEO Status on your OUAC application.

If you’re serious about getting into Ivey and reaching your fullest post-secondary potential, connect with a coach . It’s never too early to receive coaching.

For more information about Western Ivey, check out this free Western Ivey Program Guide and this informative video that one of our coaches, a Western alumnus, created to help students just like you. 

Table of Contents

• 2023/2024 Western Ivey Supplementary Essays : Questions; Tips for Writing; Templates; Examples; and More.
• 2020-2023 Western Ivey Supplementary Essays : Questions (including the Character Traits Essay); Tips for Writing; Templates; Examples; and More.

2023/2024 Western Ivey Supplementary Application 

There are the main components of the Western Ivey AEO Application ( click here for a breakdown of each section ):

• Biographic Info
• Additional Information (including an Optional Special Circumstances Essay)
• Education & Awards (where you may list up to 10 awards)
• Activities Essays (2x 500-word essays)
• Additional Activities – Optional (Up to 5 additional extracurriculars with a description)
• Video Essay (a live video interview with a randomly generated question)
• Identity Supplemental (Optional)

Western Ivey HBA AEO asks you to complete a supplementary application, which includes two, 500-word essays.

In this guide, we’ll cover the Awards , Activities (including References ), and Additional Activities sections.

There is also a Identity Supplemental that is the same as the 2022/2023 application; however, we will not cover this in the guide. Reach out to a coach to help challenge and broaden your thinking about this question.

Identity Supplemental: “We understand that identity and sense of belonging are connected. Is there anything you would like to share about your lived experience and the identity you have shared with us that could better increase your sense of belonging in the Ivey community?” (500 words)

The Western Ivey AEO application deadline for students applying from secondary school is January 12, 2024 at 4pm EST .

The Activity Essays are designed to allow the admissions committee to get to know you, while evaluating your skills and whether you’d be a good fit for their program.

These essays are undoubtedly the most important part of your application . 

As one of the admission requirements , Ivey states that they look for applicants with ‘demonstrated leadership through extracurriculars’. These essays are EXACTLY where you show this leadership off.

These essays are where Ivey will separate the admitted candidates from the rejected ones. 

COACH’S TIP : With so many applicants, making your essays unique can be tough. We recommend choosing activities that demonstrate your initiative, teamwork, commitment, and achievement. If you are having trouble, connect with a coach and they will help you out. 

Keep reading for Western Ivey HBA essay examples, essay templates, and useful tips for writing!

Before getting started, check out this video for some helpful information about the Western Ivey HBA (AEO) application in general:

Western Ivey Application – Awards

Before submitting your two essays, you will see an Awards section of the application. This section is optional.

Here, you can list up to 15 non-academic awards , scholarships or distinctions you have received in the past 4 years , along with a brief description (500 characters max).

COACH’S TIP : It’s always important to stress the number of students who won the award, so you can really stress the impact of the award and your achievement. For example, an award with eight winners may not be as impactful as one with a single, elected winner, such as MVP or Valedictorian.

Ivey HBA Application: Awards – Template

We recommend using our template so you can review everything before submitting.

For the Awards section, list the Award Title, Granting Institution, Award Description, and Date Granted. 

Ivey HBA Application: Awards – Example

Here are a couple of examples to help you out: 

Award Title : Edmonton Journal All-Star Granting Institution : Edmonton Journal Award Description : Chosen by the Edmonton Journal to be an “Edmonton Journal All-Star” – awarded to a select group of the best athletes in Edmonton and area. Date Granted : 15/3/2021

Award Title : Grade 10 Royal Conservatory of Music Granting Institution : Royal Conservatory of Music Award Description : Passed both my theory and practical Grade 10 Piano Date Granted : 10/1/2020

If you don’t think you have any experiences that qualify as “Awards”, don’t fret. 🙂

When you connect with a Youth Coach , you will have access to a list of incredible opportunities that can help you solve this problem and become an even better candidate than you already are! 

Western Ivey Application – Activity Essays

“Consider all the extracurricular activities (community involvement, paid and/or volunteer work experience, entrepreneurial ventures), that you have been involved in during the past four years. Select THREE activities that you feel demonstrate your leadership abilities best. Focus your description on elements that demonstrate: leadership, teamwork, initiative, achievement, commitment and breadth. Each description should focus on one activity only.”

Ivey HBA Application: Activity Essay – Breakdown

Here, you must describe your top 2 activities which you have completed in the last 4 years .

Think about what it’s like when you meet someone for the first time. You go through the usual rituals, like shaking hands and making small talk. Once you get past that, you usually start talking and sharing stories about your respective experiences and interests. After a little while, you feel like you know the person and you have a better understanding of who they are, and you really start to like them.

Your Activity Essays are the SAME. You are meeting the admissions committee for the first time. They know nothing about you, but it’s through your sharing of experiences and accomplishments, roles you’ve taken on, and common interests and goals that they get to know you and see who you really are . This is your first (and only) impression, so make it count!

When thinking about which two activities you should write about, choose the ones that really showcase who you are, and ones that highlight your background, interests, and leadership skills.

Consider all your activities, like in your community, clubs, work experience, athletics, entrepreneurial ventures, etc.

Ivey looks for applicants whose activities demonstrate the following areas:

Ivey looks for all four of these areas in your Activity Essays, so make sure you highlight all of them as much as you can.

One of the ways you can do this is by using our Narrative Communication Approach ™ . This method will help you create a memorable essay that is personal and authentic, while showcasing your initiative, teamwork, commitment, and achievement using storytelling.

Your essays should not only talk about your experience while you did that activity, but they should be activities that had a real impact on you and changed who you are as a person. Digging past the surface level will show that you’ve applied what you learned from this activity in your life and that it’s made you a better student, leader, and person overall (and these are all things that Ivey looks for). Keep reading below to learn exactly how to do this.

Before getting started, check out this video for tips on writing your Western Ivey Activity Essays: 

Ivey HBA Application: Activity Essay – Template

The general structure of your essay should have these five components (get a detailed breakdown of these components here ): 

• Capture the reader’s attention and give a quick preview of what’s to come. Make sure you mention your role and organization for your activity here.
• Discuss when and why you became involved in this activity. Include other details like your role and responsibilities, time commitment, who you worked with, etc. 
• Talk about an event or situation during this experience that made you want to make a change/impact. In other words, what did you seek to do as a leader in this role and how did you create that change/impact?
• Discuss who you worked with to create the impact/change. Were there any challenges or setbacks? What impact did you make with this activity? Make sure you’re specific here, like a certain amount of money you raised, direct feedback from people you impacted, or any form of credibility. 
• Talk about what you learned as a leader from this experience. Think outside the box here and don’t talk about basic learning. Try to think of something new that the reader wouldn’t expect.

COACH’S TIP: Don’t worry about writing complete sentences at first. Just write 2-3 bullet points under each section, just to get your ideas down. You can edit and perfect your answers later. If you’d like some more information about how to write each section of this essay in our Narrative Communication Guide .

Ivey HBA Application – Essay Examples

Here are some examples of Activity Essays for the Western Ivey HBA Supplementary Application.

REMEMBER : This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy. Why? First and foremost, this is plagiarism and is a serious offense . Plagiarizing these essays will result in immediate disqualification from the admissions process . This can be easily detected using technology and application reviewers are usually trained and/or able to spot when an application isn’t original and does not align with an applicant’s background, personality, values, etc.

Example 1: Starting an entrepreneurial venture

Example 2: Organizing a fundraiser

Nail your Western Ivey Activity Essays.

Ivey HBA Grad Youth Coach™

Western Ivey Application – Pandemic Impact Statement

Ivey hba application: pandemic impact statement – breakdown.

“For each of your two (2) activity descriptions, include a separate paragraph in the “Pandemic Impact” field outlining how the global pandemic has impacted your leadership experience and what you learned as a result (Max 250 words).

If there was no impact (to your leadership) due to the pandemic, please state that. This section will not be sent to your reference.”

This question was a new addition to the 2021/2021 Western Ivey application.

It asks you to discuss how your activity and your leadership was affected (either positively or negatively) by COVID-19 and what you learned as a result.

The Pandemic Impact Statement is important because it will show the admissions committee how you deal with and respond to change. While the pandemic has had a lot of negatives in our lives, you should draw out the positive opportunities it has provided to you as a leader, like pivoting your perspective or driving personal growth and change.

In this section, dig deeper beyond simply saying “The pandemic was hard because everything closed.” Instead, paint a before and after picture about exactly what those challenges were (before) and how you faced this challenge to end up better in the end (after).

Put this paragraph (maximum 250 words) at the end of your TOP TWO Activity Essays.

To learn more about what the Pandemic Impact Statement is and why you need to write one, check out this video:

Ivey HBA Application: Pandemic Impact Statement – Template

To help make it easier for you to write this section, this is the suggested essay structure using the Narrative Communication Approach™.

Get started on your Pandemic Impact Statement here. 

There are three components to this paragraph: 

• Discuss how your activity was run before COVID. Paint a ‘before’ picture here, so that the real impact can be felt later on in the paragraph. 
• Answer the question: When COVID hit, what happened? Did it impact your activity? What was the most difficult part and how did you respond? It’s important to focus on positive traits that came out of this, like courage, collaboration, temperance, and leadership. 
• Discuss how this experience allowed you to learn and grow as a leader. Choose a unique learning that uses higher insight and thought to really make your answer unique and stand out. 

Ivey HBA Application: Pandemic Impact Statement – Essay Examples

Here is a Western Ivey Pandemic Impact Statement from the two examples we used above.

REMEMBER : All of the examples in this guide are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy.  

Example 1: Entrepreneurial venture

Ivey HBA Application: Additional Activities 

If you have other extracurricular activities that you don’t want to write an essay about but want to include in the Additional Activities (Optional) section of your application.

Here’s an example of an Additional Activity from the EC that was used in Essay 1 above:

Need some help choosing your extracurriculars and creating memorable and unique essays? Connect with a coach to get started.

Western Ivey Application – References

In addition to your Activity Essays, you’ll also be asked to provide the name, position, and contact information (phone and email) of a reference for EACH activity you listed in your application.

Once you’ve submitted your application, Ivey will contact your references to make sure that the information you provided (e.g. activity position, role, start/end dates, hours per week, activity description, etc.) is accurate .

Once they receive a copy of your essay, the reference will be asked to choose “Yes, I agree with the information provided,” OR “No, I disagree with the information provided.”

The form your references receive looks like this:

COACH’S TIP : Don’t over exaggerate and NEVER provide false information when describing your activity and your role, time committed, etc. The last thing you want is for your references to say that they don’t agree with the information provided.

We highly recommend that you contact your references before submitting your application and give them a heads up that you’ve chosen them as a reference. You can even speak to them quickly and give a quick summary of the information and learning outcomes you described in your essay, just to make sure you’re both on the same page.

You Might Also Like

Program Guide

Western ivey hba (aeo): the definitive guide for applicants (2024).

If you’re applying to Western Ivey HBA (AEO), or you’re simply interested in learning more about the program, this guide is…  Read more

2020/2021 – 2022/2023 Western Ivey Supplementary Application

The 2020/2021 application for Western Ivey (AEO) is the same application as 2021/2022, except that they required two extracurricular activities essays. The only new section in the 2022/2023 application was the Identity Supplemental.

Here’s another Ivey Activities Essay Example in case you need more inspiration.

Western Ivey AEO Activity Essay 

Consider all the extracurricular activities (community involvement, paid and/or volunteer work experience, entrepreneurial ventures), that you have been involved in during the past four years. Select THREE activities that you feel demonstrate your leadership abilities best. Focus your description on elements that demonstrate: leadership, teamwork, initiative, achievement, commitment and breadth. Each description should focus on one activity only.

Ivey HBA Application: Activity Essay – Activity Essay

Like the two examples mentioned above, the general structure of your essay should have these five components (get a detailed breakdown of these components here ): 

Ivey HBA Application: Activity Essay – Pandemic Impact Statement 

Like Essay 1 and 2, your Pandemic Impact Statement asks you to discuss how your activity and your leadership was affected (either positively or negatively) by COVID-19 and what you learned as a result. Complete this paragraph and place it at the end of your essay.

Ivey HBA Application: Activity Essay – Essay Examples

Here’s an example of an essay question for a student who started a tutoring business.

REMEMBER : This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy. 

Here is an example of the Pandemic Impact Statement for this activity:

You’ve Got a Dedicated Coach in Your Corner

For over a decade, we have worked with thousands of students to help them achieve more than they ever thought possible.

Our coaches have a strong success rate supporting students as they apply to Western Ivey HBA (AEO), among other top university programs.

Our 1-on-1 Youth Coaching fills that gap that most high schools miss. We can help you build self-awareness through probing questions and assessments, set bigger goals to elevate your extracurriculars and future career plans, and improve skills that matter on supplementary applications, such as interviewing, written communication, critical thinking, and creativity.

We use a coaching methodology, called ‘full student’ development, that’s been proven to increase your chances of admission to top-tier universities and obtaining competitive jobs/internships.

So, what are you waiting for? Fulfill your post-secondary potential with the mentorship and coaching you’ve always wanted! 🙂

IMPORTANT: Want to share information and/or images from this resource on your own website, blog, article, etc.? Please ensure you reference content of any kind published by Youthfully Inc., in whole or in part, using the following statement: (1) Our Organization (Youthfully Inc.); (2) The title of our content/resource; and (3) the URL to our webpage where the content was originally posted. For example: “Sourced from: Youthfully Inc., ‘Western Ivey HBA: Supplementary Application Essay Examples and Templates 2023/2024’, youthfully.com/western-ivey-supplementary-application .” Not doing so is an infringement of copyright and is illegal. We spend significant time developing resources for students, so please take a few seconds to ensure they are referenced properly. DISCLAIMER : While the information in this blog is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, and although our team makes every attempt to ensure that the information is accurate and vetted by university staff, Youthfully is not in any way liable for the accuracy of any information printed and stored or in any way interpreted and used by a user.

Youthfully is the world's most comprehensive admissions, career, and educational guidance platform. We empower students to unlock their full potential through a holistic, highly personalized coaching approach.

2023/2024 Essays

• Activity Essays - Breakdown
• Activity Essays - Template
• Activity Essays - Examples
• COVID Statement - Breakdown
• COVID Statement - Template
• COVID Statement - Examples
• Additional Activities

2020-2023 Essays

• Activity Essay
• Pandemic Impact Statement
• Essay Example

Get 1-on-1 Support

• Connect With a Coach

Achieve Your Goals

1-on-1 youth coaching for students, youthfully inc..

5020 17 St SW Calgary, AB Canada T2T 6X2

All we need is your email.

We’ll send you free access to the entire course immediately.

We use cookies (yummy!) to optimize your Youthfully experience.