Colleges from across the country just released their supplemental essay questions for the 2023-24 application cycle, and while most of them are relatively straightforward, some are downright bizarre.
Many of the seemingly strangest questions don’t even require a full essay response. In fact, short answer questions are common among selective colleges and responses could range anywhere from one word to 100 words.
Short Answer Questions
Here is a sampling of some of the wackiest short answer questions we’ve come across this year:
Chapman University: If Chapman's admission team came to visit your hometown, what site would you take them to? (1 word/phrase)
Elon University: Name three songs from your perfect playlist — no explanation, just three song titles and their artists.
Occidental College: What is the first song you would play for your Oxy roommate on move-in day? (150 characters)
Princeton University: What brings you joy? (50 words)
Pomona College: At Pomona, we celebrate and identify with the number 47. Share with us one of your quirky personal, family or community traditions and why you hold on to it. (150 words)
University of Maryland: My favorite thing about last Tuesday was… (650 characters)
University of Notre Dame: What is worth fighting for? (50 words)
University of Southern California: Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate? (100 characters)
Essay Questions
Other colleges want more in-depth responses to their wacky questions, asking for an essay anywhere from 250 words to two pages in length. Some of our favorites for this year are:
Barnard College: Pick one woman — a historical figure, fictitious character, or modern individual — to converse with for an hour and explain your choice. Why does this person intrigue you? What would you talk about? What questions would you ask them? (250 words)
The Cooper Union: If you were to give a 45-minute lecture on a specific topic to an audience, similar to a TED talk, what would your topic be and why? (250 words)
Dartmouth College: Celebrate your nerdy side. (250 words)
University of Chicago: Despite their origins in the Gupta Empire of India or Ancient Egypt, games like chess or bowling remain widely enjoyed today. What modern game do you believe will withstand the test of time, and why? —Inspired by Adam Heiba, Class of 2027 (1-2 pages)
Stanford University: Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate – and us – get to know you better. (250 words)
Beyond Words
On rare occasions, colleges remove words from the equation entirely. Rice University decided to do this when they invented their “Rice Box” question: “In keeping with Rice’s long-standing tradition, please share an image of something that appeals to you.”
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this is the longest supplemental essay of them all!
Okay, But How Do I Answer These “Weird” Questions?
Let’s start with why colleges ask these types of questions in the first place. Usually, there are two reasons:
They want to show you that their college environment is creative and thought-provoking.
They want to know how creative and thoughtful you are to see if you’re a good match for their college.
In order to show colleges that you would be a good match for them, it’s important to do your research. Read up on each colleges’ mission statements to learn what the school values, then draw upon your personality traits and experiences that best align with those values.
Be mindful, however, of trying to present as someone you think a college wants you to be. More than anything, colleges want to cultivate diverse campuses full of interesting people pursuing unique goals and passions. So when you answer these questions, endeavor to be completely and unequivocally yourself.
Being yourself can be hard, especially under pressure, so remember to trust your instincts. It’s remarkably easy to overthink these questions, wondering how the admissions committee will interpret your playlist choices or quirky family traditions. You need to put time and thought into each response, of course, but since wacky questions are designed to tease out your quirks, your first instinct might be your best one.
Lastly, share your answers and essays with someone who knows you and can offer a nuanced perspective. At LogicPrep, our experienced College Advisors and Essay Coaches get to know our students personally over the course of several months or even years. We not only help you find your best-fit colleges and edit your writing; we help you recognize and draw upon the most interesting aspects of your personality for each and every piece of your application.
To learn more about how LogicPrep prepares you for the wacky world of college applications, book a consultation today!
And as a reward for reading through this entire post, here is my absolute favorite “weird” essay question of the year, courtesy of the University of Chicago: “Where have all the flowers gone?” – Pete Seeger. Pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer. —Inspired by Ryan Murphy, AB'21 (1-2 pages)