Brandeis University is a research institution with a long history of producing graduates focused on civil discourse, diversity, and intellectual integrity. It’s looking for that same curiosity and spirit in the supplemental essay (two if you’re an international student) that Brandeis asks you to write.
Want to get a better sense of what Brandeis is looking for? You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set. For deep insights into how this private research university envisions student success (and how it wants to grow and evolve), read its strategic priorities. Reading through this will give you a strong idea of Brandeis’ values.
What is the Brandeis University supplemental essay prompt?
Prompt
For International Students Only: What excites you the most about being an international student at Brandeis University? (250 words max)
How to Write The Supplemental Essay Prompt for Brandeis University
how to write Brandeis Supplemental Essay Prompt
For International Students Only:
What excites you the most about being an international student at Brandeis University? (250 words max)
This option shows how important it is for Brandeis to hear directly from international applicants on how they envision their background, culture, and experiences will benefit its campus.
Before you get started writing, consider the two main parts of the prompt:
Being an international student. We mentioned earlier that Brandeis is committed to emboldening students to “change the world.” But it also gets that first you need to understand the world. What better way for Brandeis to foster that understanding than through building a diverse student body from all four corners of the earth? Then the pressing questions become: How might the international perspective you bring be more impactful on campus than that of another international student? What will you bring to campus—not just as a student, but as a student with the heritage only you have?
“Enrich the campus community,” which is perhaps the standout phrase here. There’s more than a bit of a “Why us?” angle to this part of the prompt, in which Brandeis wants to know how you and your unique background, culture, experiences, and goals will contribute to the campus community. This is your chance to be specific about which communities you’ll join, which discussions you’ll contribute to in the classroom, and which perspectives you’ll bring to your involvement on campus.
This is a great example of an essay that, while written for another prompt (hello, “super essay”!), could be tweaked to fit this prompt (we say how in the Tips + Analysis below).
Example:
After growing up on diplomacy and a love of politics, I am eager for a college experience that would allow me to decipher the complexities of foreign relation negotiations, while specializing in Middle Eastern politics. Boston University’s International Relations program is exactly the intellectual challenge I'm looking for.
The Foreign Policy and Security Studies track, with a regional focus on Africa and the Middle East, would give me access to an exciting combination of classes, like Public Diplomacy, International Negotiations, and Turko-Persia in the Twentieth Century. I’m especially interested in the Sea and International Relations, exploring the significant role the oceans play, from a source of dispute to a facilitator of international trade. In U.S. in the Middle East, I’d learn more about why America has made Middle East policy a focal point since WW2 and how it’s committed to stabilizing the region.
Outside the classroom, I can’t wait to join the Rotaract Club, which would allow me to build on my devotion to community service by tutoring underserved students and organizing entertainment activities for orphans. I can also use my experience as Head of Finance for the Sahim project to assist with fundraising and managing the club’s finances.
BU not only promises to offer me the International Relations expertise that would help me in my career in foreign affairs, but its interdisciplinary approach, its vibrant campus life, and community service opportunities would help me achieve my goal of becoming a compassionate and well-rounded diplomat. (246 words)
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Tips + Analysis
Highlight your international perspective. This student is eager to pursue foreign relations, and while we see why he could be a great fit for this academic path, it’s not clear how his culture would enrich Brandeis. To add a personal touch, this student might’ve considered sharing how he’s watched his small home country manage delicate negotiations with superpowers. And that gives him unique insights that would enhance classroom discussions on, say, strategies for effectively making trade deals.
Connect with Brandeis’ offerings. Take some time to really dig through Brandeis’ website to understand how your international perspective would benefit the community you’re engaging with. While this student shares how he’ll contribute to the Rotoract Club, it’s not clear how his cultural background impacts that involvement—and that’s what Brandeis is hoping to learn. You have more than 200 student clubs and organizations available to you on campus—what can’t you wait to get involved with? For example, perhaps your understanding of the immigration complexities in your country would inspire you to join the Brandeis Student Association for The Right to Immigration Institute and assist with immigration cases. Consider the differences, strengths, and cultural background you’re bringing to campus, and share how you plan to make a splash once you arrive.
Share a life experience. In this essay, you’re not trying to set yourself apart from all the other applicants. Instead, you’re trying to stand out from other international applicants. So what have you experienced that no one else could’ve? How has that experience impacted you and prepared you for an international academic experience? This student is an international student, so if he were writing to this prompt, he might’ve considered expanding on his experience of “growing up on democracy and a love of politics” and sharing specific examples of what that experience meant to him and how it’s shaped him.
Special thanks to Ameer for writing this blog post.
Ameer is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about college admissions and career development. Prior to freelancing, Ameer worked for three years as a college admissions consultant at a Hong Kong-based education center, helping local high school students prepare and apply for top colleges and universities in the US. He has a B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Chicago and an M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from UCLA. When he’s not working, Ameer loves traveling, weight lifting, writing, reading, and learning foreign languages. He currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
Top values: Growth / Diversity / Empathy
