How to Write the Boston University Supplemental Essay: Examples + Guide 2026/2027

Last Updated on 08/04/2026 by Ethan Sawyer

Want to geek out on stats and data and make more informed choices about college? Read Boston University’s Common Data Set, for an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information.

To find out more about what BU is looking for so that you can use to make your essays amazing, read its strategic plan. Reading through this will give you the inside scoop on what Boston University values and what changes will shape the university in the future. 

BUT, please don’t just copy and paste chunks of the plan into your essay because a) that’s plagiarism and it’s basically an academic crime, and b) anyone could do that. 

Think about this: What aspects of BU’s plan speak to you? Think about what it signals and how it resonates with you . How does it align with what you want for your education and future? How do you and the school fit together? 

This prompt is part “Why us?” essay, part “How will you contribute?” essay. As such, we recommend checking out this complete guide on how to write the “Why us?” essay and paying close attention to the “Why Cornell” and “Why Penn” examples, which are our favorites.

And for a fuller “How will you contribute” guide + examples with analysis, check out that link, but here’s the short version. 

Here’s the short version of how to write the “Why us?” essay:

• Spend 1 hr+ researching 10+ reasons why Boston University might be a great fit for you (ideally 3-5 of the reasons will be unique to Boston U and connect back to you).
• Make a copy of this chart to map out your college research.
• Come up with at least three ways you plan to contribute to life on campus, whether in an academic context, extracurricular activities, student leadership, or in other ways.
• Create an outline for your essays based on either Approach 1, 2 (recommended), or 3 in the full guide above. Either conclude with your planned contributions, or weave them into the rest of the essay. 
• Write a first draft!

 

As you write, try to avoid these common mistakes: 

Six Common Mistakes Students Make on “Why Us?” Essays

Mistake #1: Writing about the school’s size, location, reputation, weather, or ranking.

Mistake #2: Simply using emotional language to demonstrate fit.

Mistake #3: Screwing up the mascot, stadium, team colors, or names of any important people or places on campus.

Mistake #4: Parroting the brochures or website language.

Mistake #5: Describing traditions the school is well-known for.

Mistake #6: Thinking of this as only a “Why them” essay.

 

For the “contribute” elements, use some of your response to show how you’ve become who you are, and then show how those experiences shape what you will bring to the college through linking to specific opportunities/groups/details. Connect your unique upbringing, in a very broad sense of the word, with what the school offers and how you will make a great team.

STEP 1: BRAINSTORM (ALL ABOUT YOU).

Do the “If You Really, Really Knew Me” Exercise.

STEP 2: RESEARCH THE COLLEGE (LEARN ALL ABOUT THEM).

Make a copy of the “Why us” Essay Chart 2.0, research the school you’re writing your essay for, and fill in the first two columns.

Once you’ve done these exercises, you’ll have a better sense of: 

• YOU: A bunch of different values/talents/skills/identities/qualities/insights that you’ll bring to a college campus, and
• THEM: A variety of programs/courses/clubs/affinity groups that your college offers.

STEP 3: CONNECT YOU… TO THEM (I.E., THE COLLEGE YOU’RE APPLYING TO). 

Make connections between what the school offers and what you’re interested in.

 

Here’s a great sample essay for the BU supplemental essay. 

Example:

If plotted on a three-dimensional graph, BU stands as the intersection between science (X=1), humanities (Y=1), and a global education (Z=1). At point (1, 0, 0) you will find “CAS BI 206: Genetics,” while “CAS XL 342: Travel Writing and the Muslim World” will likely be found closer to (0, 0.75, 0.50). Classes involving travel or fieldwork all lie along the plane Z=1.

In our three-dimensional world, BU prepares the next generation of students to see beyond X and Y. As a budding geneticist and physician, I am often told that I will have to sacrifice fundamental pieces of who I am in order to pursue a career in science. But as a (1, 0.5, 0.25), as an avid researcher but also an activist, volunteer, and community advocate, I know that I have to find a college that allows me to grow in all directions. I know that BU is exactly that.

And because an entire college experience can never be broken down into numbers alone, I hope to work in the lab with Dr. Ho, as her research builds off of the work I am currently involved in at Columbia University to study genomes for disease-causing mutations. Additionally, the International Affairs Association combines both my passions for Model UN and service through BarMUN and Global Civics. Fun and exploration, awareness and advocacy find a home at Boston University, and I hope that I will as well. 

Tips + Analysis

1. Find your hook. With the three-dimensional graph framing of this essay, this student reveals their math mind and scientific expertise without even saying it. What’s your 3d graph? As in, what do you know a lot about, or what’s something that you uniquely identify with? One of these elements can help you lead in an engaging and revelatory way.

2. Consider referencing specific classes and professors: Knowing that Boston University has classes such as “CAS BI 206: Genetics” and “CAS XL 342: Travel Writing and the Muslim World” shows the reader that this student dove deep into the academic offerings available. Bonus: These classes are pretty uncommon, especially the second one. Try to avoid referencing generic classes that every college will have such as Intro to Physics. Connect the classes to your specific interests (the more narrow, the better) and demonstrate what kind of student you’ll be. 

3. Speak to BU’s founding principles: This student’s use of the phrase “as an avid researcher but also an activist, volunteer, and community advocate,” nods to BU’s position that “research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice should be conducted in the service of the wider community.” (Pro tip: Try not to do this more than once in the essay; it’ll feel like you’re just telling BU what it wants to hear.) You can also take a look at your Values List and see how yours align with what excites you about BU. 

4. Brag, humbly: Instead of just stating that she hopes to “work in the lab with Dr. Ho” (a BU professor), this student connects her future plans at BU to college-level research she’s currently doing “at Columbia University to study genomes for disease-causing mutations.” This is what we call a subtle brag: Show off that you’re conducting college-level research as a high school student without sounding like a jerk or randomly dropping it in. Because it directly connects to this student’s values and future goals, it works. But if you haven’t done Ivy League-level research as a high school student, that’s okay. Almost no one has, and they still get accepted to great schools. Just think about what you have accomplished so far and see if you can connect some of those experiences to your future plans. Tutored your cousin in math? Awesome. You can use that. 

5. Articulate your planned contributions. This student wrote her essay before BU added the piece about contributing to community, but she headed that way by saying how she plans to participate in the International Affairs Association as an extension of her previous ModelUN and service activities. Go further in that direction with additional specific ways you’ll get involved on campus.

Example:

From first looking at countries’ GDPs without knowing what they meant, to exploring Keynes and Marx and neo-classical theory, I love that Economics challenges me to think about conflicts in aspects like religion, culture, and ethics that have significant impact on our lives. At Boston University, I want to explore how these important issues can be analyzed through Economics. 

I am interested in both Behavioural Economics and Developmental Economics. Even though I have not studied them in school, books like The Undercover Economist  and TED talks have made me curious about different branches in Economics. Boston University Professor Raymond Fisman’s research paper, “Experience of Communal Conflicts and Intergroup lending” explores the connection between religion-based communal violence and lending, a connection I find interesting as religion is one of the factors that has enabled the economic development of my father’s hometown in India. To explore more about how religion connects with economics, I researched and wrote a 4,000 word essay on the contribution of religious pilgrimage and tourism of Ujjain for my IB extended essay. 

Apart from Economics courses, Boston University’s community interests me because of things like India Club and Debate Club. India Club will help me to feel at home. And I really like debating, which has made me open to and aware of different beliefs and values and has connected me to people with different opinions. I’m also interested in the Boston University magazine, which helps generate conversation and connection among people. 

Tips + Analysis:

1. Consider describing research you’ve already done (if you’ve done some). This student starts off with his interest in Economics. Then, he describes how he’s already furthered this interest. By reading “books like The Undercover Economist” and listening to TED talks, this student shows the reader what he’s done so far (although he could get a bit more specific here and list which TED talks were most memorable). These details give him the opportunity to connect professors, classes, and opportunities at BU to his interests in a specific way. He also mentions his IB Extended Essay, “a 4,000 word essay on the contribution of religious pilgrimage and tourism of Ujjain,” which shows he is capable of specific, high-level academic research and writing in his chosen field. If you’re an IB student, mentioning your essay topic in your supplemental prompts is a great way to demonstrate your academic readiness for college. If you’re not an IB student, think about other advanced work you’ve done and maybe find a way to work it in. 

2. Show how you’ll engage with BU inside and outside the classroom: This prompt asks what excites you about BU and how you’ll contribute to the community, which implies that it’s expecting you to go beyond just academics. The more detailed, the better. Really imagine yourself on campus. Where will you live? What will you do on the weekend, in the evenings? Who will your friends be? How will you meet them? What clubs or activities will you join or start? What communities might you become a part of, and what will you uniquely bring to them? This student mentions his excitement to join the India Club and the Debate Club, painting a picture of how he’ll fit into the wider student community at BU and getting a chance to further highlight his culture. 

3. Make personal connections: This student connects a BU professor’s research paper, “Experience of Communal Conflicts and Intergroup lending,” to the economic development of his father’s hometown in India, demonstrating that a) he’s read a college-level research paper and done a deep dive into BU’s Econ department, and b) this research has personal significance to him. Once you’ve found some good research about the college, remember to connect it back to your why (why are you interested in this subject, professor, paper, topic, etc.?). The more specific you are, the better your odds are of standing out. 

What about the Kilachand Honors College resonates with you, and how would Kilachand’s curriculum fulfill your academic, creative, intellectual, and/or professional goals? (600 words)

Kilachand’s first option is a “Why Us?” essay, so you can follow the same advice and method for Option 2 above, focusing on the unique elements of the Kilachand program. Since you’re vying for a more limited number of spots, it’s even more critical to make a solid match between you and the honors college’s offerings. Here, you’re asked to say specifically how you’ll use the Kilachand curriculum to further your goals (academic, creative, intellectual and/or professional). Given Kilachand’s mission, yours will likely involve how you intend to benefit your community with the expertise you gain in the program.

Please note that we don’t have sample essays written specifically for the Kilachand Honors program, but the example below can illustrate the direction you’ll want to head in.

Example:

Art and medicine may seem like opposites, but for me, they’re symbiotic. At WashU, I’d be equipped with the resources to one day use both to nurture healthier lives.  

I’m especially hungry to understand the intricacies of mental health by learning how physicians coordinate care for depression patients at the Charles F. Knight Hospital with Med Prep 2. Or learning about treating certain disorders by regularly attending therapy sessions with an autistic child in the Practicum in Applied Behavior course, then applying it to contribute to frequent lesson adaptations for autistic children’s therapies with the non-profit Giant Steps of St. Louis. After reading Because Tomorrow Needs Her’s heartbreaking stories on high maternal mortality rates around the world, I’m inspired to research how to train Ghana physicians to more effectively treat surgical infections resulting from C-sections with Dr. Denise Willers, and connect survivors of sexual assault with free counseling with the CHIPS Health & Wellness Center.

I also want to use my minor in Creative Practice for Social Change to make an impact on women’s health with art. Could I choreograph a Bharatnatyam dance that showcases how pregnant women worldwide lack transportation to life-saving medical care? Only at WashU. (197 words)

Tips + Analysis:

1. Name your niche. The courses and opportunities this student chose to highlight precisely articulate her interest in treatments related to depression, autism, c-sections, and sexual assault. In just 200 words, the author gives us a crystal clear snapshot of what matters to her and where she plans to direct her attention. And you have 600 words to play with. As you dig deep into the Kilachand program, hone in on those offerings that reveal your unique areas of interest, which will allow you to stand out from other applicants. To get there…

2. Do your research. This student obviously went deep to identify things that spoke directly to her desires. Find out about the special courses and professors that make up this program. Read up on Kilachand’s website, news articles and social media about Kilachand initiatives, research, community programs and more. Find a former alumni and ask to talk with them about their experiences. As you learn about the specifics of the curriculum, prepare to share how your experiences and intentions align directly with them.

3. See yourself there. Unique features of the Kilachand program are the Keystone Project you’ll complete in your senior year and the emphasis on experiential learning. Although you may not yet know what you’ll want to research, you can propose one or two possibilities that build on research or other work you’ve already done. Or throw out an idea or two for how you’ll learn by doing with Kilachand’s support (a particular internship, study abroad project, etc.)

4. Surprise! At the end of the essay, the author depicts an unforgettable image: choreographing an Indian traditional dance about global inequities in access to pregnancy care! That idea could spring only from the head (and heart) of this one individual. What’s one of your wild goals that no one else has thought of? Leave the reader with a look into your future.

If you could create a new Kilachand course, what would it be? How would your imagined course align with the core values of Kilachand? (600 words)

This is your chance to be creative and really speak to the values that draw you to Kilachand. You’ve probably spent a lot of your high school career taking standard required courses. Now you get to dive into a truly engaging college curriculum tailored to your interests. And with this prompt, you get to design the one class you’d most like to take! Some pointers to get you started:

• Tip #1: Think about what really gets you excited intellectually. Is there a course or academic extracurricular activity that you’d like to explore further? Something you’re constantly wondering, reading and watching youtube videos about? A subject you wish was offered at your high school? Scroll your news feed… what grabs your attention? Choose a narrow piece of one of those and develop your course around it.

• Tip #2: If you’re looking for ideas, think about what you love and what you know and where there’s a nexus between them. Maybe you adore food and you’re curious about migration… What about “Refuge and Recipes: How Food Transports Culture”? Also consider any aspects of yourself that haven’t come through elsewhere in your application. If you’ve already communicated your academic prowess and contributions to your local community, wouldn’t it also be valuable to reveal your madness for bungee jumping or native geckos?

• Tip #3: In order to answer the second part of the prompt, you’ll need to connect your invention with the school’s intentions. If you don’t already know what Kilachand’s core values are, you can start with its Mission & Objectives. Kilachand is looking for creative thinkers who will develop new solutions to global problems, so take this chance to show how you direct your innovative mind to real-world issues.

Please note that we don’t have sample essays written specifically for the Kilachand Honors program, but the example below, written for an older Pomona prompt, can illustrate the direction you’ll want to head in.

Example essay: 

The Exalted Power of Music: How Our Ears Inspire Our Eyes

Course Description: Music dominates our society-pop songs and singers such as Drake are hugely popular and influential in today’s time. But where else in our lives does the enchanting power of music hold influence? As we investigate and unravel the techniques of modern artists through a diverse slate of plays, cartoons, and films, we will discover the vital role of music in enhancing benchmark works of visual fiction. Simultaneously, through philosophical readings of Walton and Nietzsche, we will analyze the emotional and physiological effects of music, examining the dynamic interplay of visual and auditory elements. Finally, students will synthesize their research to create a short film or multimedia piece that displays their knowledge of visual aspects, music’s attributes, and their combined impact on a universal audience. 

Sample lectures: 

How To Enjoy Murder: Alternating Major and Minor Chords in Schubert’s String Quartet No. 15

Required Reading/Viewing/Listening: 

The Evolution of Music in Film and its Psychological Impact on Audiences – Stuart Fischoff, Ph.D.

Crimes and Misdemeanors – Woody Allen

Schubert’s String Quartet No. 15

Why We Love Saturday Morning Cartoons: Two Mechanisms of Fictional Immersion 

Required Reading/Viewing/Listening: 

Fearing Fictions – Kendall L. Walton

The Birth of Tragedy, Section 7, 24, 25 – F. Nietzsche

Tom and Jerry, Episode 33 – William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2

How Movies Possess Our Bodies: A Physiological Analysis 

Required Reading/Viewing/Listening: 

Quantitative and Visual Analysis of the Impact of Music on Perceived Emotion of Film – Rob Parke, Elaine Chew, Chris Kyriakakis

The Invisible Art of Film Music, Section 7 – Lawrence E. MacDonald

Jaws – Steven Spielberg

Why Fiction Feels So Real: Analyzing Silence

Required Reading/Viewing/Listening: 

Silence and Slow Time: Studies in Musical Narrative – Martin Boykan

Life Is a Dream – Pedro Calderón de la Barca

“4’33″” – John Cage

In a society propelled by media and entertainment, the study of music’s influence on our lives not only can allow us to better produce captivating works, but understand our emotional responses and discover the profundity of human expression. (347 words)

Tips + Advice: 

1. Hook your reader with your course title. A clever title will not only engage your reader’s curiosity, but further flex your ingenuity. 

2. Geek out. This is the perfect place to show off specialized knowledge of your pet subject with insider jargon or super specific examples. Here, the writer proves their range with titles spanning music, research publications, literature and more. 

3. Style matters. This essay reads like an actual college course description. While you’re perusing the course catalog for your “Why Us?” essay(s), take a look at one as a model to cultivate this style of writing.

4. Do it your way. This student would require a short film or multimedia project as the final exam. If you’ve figured out inventive learning methods that work for you, bring them in here. Especially with Kilachand’s lean toward beyond-the-classroom study, dream into what would be the most fun and engaging for you… Museum visits? Author interviews? Podcast creation? Any such thing would be a welcome demonstration of how you think outside the box. 

 

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Want advice on dozens of other supplemental essays?
Click here.

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Special thanks to Shira for writing this blog post.

Shira Harris is an alternative educator, amateur ambassador, former civil rights attorney and queer activist, who received her BA from UC Berkeley and law degree from New York University. Currently, she studies Arabic, Hebrew, migration and mediation in the Mediterranean; upon completion of the masters program, she intends to work for peace in Israel Palestine. Shira loves hiking, camping, traveling, learning, cooking with friends, the CEG community and fourth-grader jokes.

Top Values: Integrity/ Curiosity / Love