Northwestern University

What are Northwestern’s supplemental essay prompts?

Prompt #1

We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background (your identity, your school setting, your community, your household, etc.) have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (300 words max)

Prompt #2

The following questions are optional, but Northwestern encourages applicants to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question.

1. Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?

2. Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. If you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort, what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?

3. Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

4. Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?

5. How might your individual background contribute to the diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around campus?