How to approach Barnard supplements?

Hi everyone! As an aspiring applicant for Barnard College, I need some guidance in writing their supplement essays. What do admissions officers look for, and are there any dos and don'ts I should keep in mind?

It's great to see you targeting Barnard College and seeking advice on how to approach their supplement essays. Here are some tips to help you craft essays that resonate with the admissions officers:

1. Research Barnard thoroughly: Take the time to understand Barnard's values, culture, and unique offerings—both academic and extracurricular. Doing your homework will enable you to personalize your essays by explaining in detail why Barnard is a good fit for you. The college's website, social media, and student testimonials can be great sources of information.

2. Be genuine and specific: Show your genuine excitement for Barnard by mentioning unique aspects of the college that resonate with you, such as specific courses, professors, clubs, or opportunities. Avoid generic language, and instead explain why these particular aspects of Barnard align with your interests, values, and goals.

3. Focus on your identity: Barnard is a women's liberal arts college, so consider how your experiences or perspectives as a woman might contribute to the Barnard community. Avoid clichés, though, and be true to your genuine experience as a woman - admissions officers want to see your unique perspective.

5. Address the prompts directly: Make sure your essays clearly respond to the given prompts. Connect your personal experiences and values to the essay topics and demonstrate self-reflection and thoughtfulness.

6. Be concise and well-organized: With word limits in place for the supplements, you'll need to be concise and focus on the most important points. Organize your thoughts clearly, with smooth transitions between ideas and paragraphs.

7. Proofread and revise: Take the time to polish your writing. Ask someone you trust, like a teacher or a mentor, to review your essays and provide feedback. Getting a second set of eyes on your writing will help ensure that your essays are free of errors and best represent your thoughts and perspectives.

8. Take advantage of CollegeVine's resources: CollegeVine has a blog post breaking down Barnard's current supplemental essay prompts, which is updated each year to reflect any changes Barnard has made to their supplemental essay package: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-barnard-college-essays/. Additionally, CollegeVine offers both a free peer essay review tool and paid reviews by expert college admissions advisors. Having someone who doesn't already know you take a look at your essays can sometimes give you a better sense of how they'll come across to admissions officers, who are also strangers to you.

Overall, admissions officers at Barnard are looking for students who demonstrate a strong fit with the school's culture and values, and who can contribute to its close-knit community. By addressing the prompts thoughtfully and specifically, you'll show them that you're exactly what they're looking for. Good luck!