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(click to skip ahead)Driven by curiosity. Inspired by Chapman. Sure, it’s a catchy tagline, but for Chapman University, it’s also an accurate representation of life on campus. Chapman is a place where academic rigor meets innovative and critical thinking—all built by a close-knit community of doers and dreamers. While it's known for its top-ranked Dodge College of Film and Media Arts and nationally recognized business and science programs, Chapman is also filled with students ready to make an impact.
Located in Orange, Calif., about 30 miles south of Los Angeles, Chapman boasts a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and offers 110 areas of study within 11 colleges—but that doesn’t mean it’s all work and no play. Beyond academics, the campus is alive with creativity and collaboration—film screenings, clubs like Chapman Galactic Empire (for Star Wars fans) and the Snow Club (for, you guessed it, winter weather enthusiasts), cultural and literary organizations, and the yearly Spring Sizzle, for starters.
If all of that has got you thinking, “Sounds perfect for me! How do I apply?” then you’re in the right place. Below, we’ll talk you through how to write the Chapman University supplemental essays, with examples and tips + analysis for how to write yours.
If you want to get a clearer sense of all that Chapman is looking for, you can explore 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. And for insights into how the university envisions itself and its role, and how it wants to grow and evolve, read its strategic plan. Reading through these will give you a strong idea of what Chapman values.
What are the Chapman Univversity Supplemental Essay Prompts?
Prompt #1 Selected Major
Please tell us about your interest in the major you selected (200 words or fewer). [Note that this prompt is under the “Academics” tab and appears only once you select your major.]
(Optional) Prompt #2 Other Selected Major
Please tell us about your interest in this major (200 words or fewer). [Note that this prompt is under the “Academics” tab and appears only once you select a second possible major.]
Prompt #3 Undeclared Major
Chapman University encourages academic exploration through our dynamic liberal arts curriculum and exploratory pathways. It’s okay to be unsure of what you might want to major in. Please tell us about the academic areas that interest you currently (200 words or fewer). [Note that this prompt is under the “Academics” tab and appears only once you select “Undeclared” as your major.]
Prompt #4
Out of the thousands of universities and colleges, what excites you about attending Chapman University specifically? (200 words max)
Prompt #5
Please answer the following questions in one word, phrase, or sentence. There are no right or wrong answers here. We hope you enjoy working on this section as much as we’ll enjoy reading it.
- What is your dream job?
- What song should we be listening to while reading your application?
- Name one dish you would cook for our admission team.
- What is the top thing on your bucket list?
- If Chapman’s admission team came to visit your hometown, what site would you take them to?
- Where do you feel most at home?
- What can you give a 30-minute presentation on without any preparation?
- What are the best words of advice you have received?
- What is a family tradition that you want to continue?
- Submitted by a prospective student for the class of 2026: Which well-known person or fictional character would you like to have as your roommate?
How to Write Each Supplemental Essay Prompt for Chapman University
How to Write Chapman University Supplemental Essay Prompt #1
Prompt #1 Selected Major Please tell us about your interest in the major you selected (200 words or fewer). [Note that this prompt is under the “Academics” tab and appears only once you select your major.]
This is a standard (but pretty short) “Why Major” prompt. For a larger guide to the “Why Major” essay, click here. Below is a condensed version.
One possible approach: Think of this as a quick origin story.
Step #1: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest, and create a simple, bullet-point outline.
Step #2: Put your moments (aka the “scenes” of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it’ll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions.
Step #3: You’ll likely want to include a specific thesis that explicitly states your central argument—in this case, what you want to study and why. This thesis can come at the beginning, middle, or end of your essay.
Step #4: Write a draft.
Once you have those pieces, you have a few structural options:
Opening
A. A quick hook that thematically sets up where you’ll take us and, ideally, shows an aspect of your intellect/personality (If you do this, it can be stylistically effective to bookend—to end the essay by linking back to what you opened with.)
B. An initial moment that sparked your interest
C. Your thesis
Body (but to clarify, this essay can be a single paragraph if you choose)
The moments of your mini-movie, illustrating both the development of your interest and some of your core values
Ending
One option: Go narrower—perhaps link to specific aspects of the school that will help you continue on your path toward a future goal.
Another option: Go wider—name the road you hope to follow (for example, career path, organizations you’d like to work with, the greater value/implications of studying what you want to).
And last, a quick tip: Be sure this essay is consistent with your personal statement if you’ve mentioned aspects of your major/career there.
Here’s an example Chapman essay.
Example:
I find a special camaraderie through the process of filmmaking. The long hours, revised ideas, and challenges overcome create a lasting sense of community among my collaborators.
Over the summer, I worked alongside members of the Mira Costa Cinema Club to create a narrative short film “12:48.” As lead writer for the film, I outlined the framework of the story, wrote engaging dialogue, and designed scenes to be compelling and move the plot forward. After completing a section of the story, the club would meet to review what I had written. We held story meetings to discuss dialogue flow, scene transitions, and script continuity.
When I thought what I had written was near completion, our meetings would reveal ways I could sharpen the dialogue or build on the climax to improve the script, as well as identify weak points that I overlooked initially. Bringing together a varied group of filmmakers to collaborate brings numerous perspectives to the screenplay, creating a more multidimensional story.
Whether I'm directing the film, or holding up a diffusion panel, I’ve only scratched the surface of the artform, and I'm committed to continue to explore humanity through filmmaking.
Tips + Analysis
Show genuine interest. Some students think a great “why major” essay involves listing out awards and accolades. We (politely but firmly) disagree. Sure, gold medals and trophies are nice and shiny, but admission officers are looking to understand your story—what experiences have shaped your interests and values. The student above does a nice job with the short word count relating specific experiences that illustrate their exploration, referencing industry-specific concepts like script continuity and diffusion panels to show depth of experience in the field of filmmaking.
Identify moments of growth. The road to success is rarely smooth, so admission officers are eager to learn how you navigate obstacles. If you’ve encountered some challenges as you’ve pursued your interests, you can (briefly) share them here. One nice example above: this student acknowledges they thought they were almost done with their script… until club members gave feedback. But instead of becoming frustrated, the student eagerly used that feedback to improve. Remember that recognizing you were wrong about something isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of increasing maturity and growth.
Connect the dots to other characteristics. Even with only 200 words at your disposal, you can pack a values-filled punch by weaving in the qualities and characteristics that will make you an asset—not just within your major, but also at Chapman. Don’t believe us? Look at what we learn about this student from their essay. We discover they’re a collaborator, they’re receptive to feedback, they’re a communicator, and they value attention to detail—just to name a few. If you’re not sure what values you’d like to communicate in your essay, our Values exercise will have your brainstorming a list in no time flat.
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And here’s another nice example, written for another school’s “Why Major” prompt (that allowed for 300 words, instead of 200).
Hikes along the Great Wall. Sharing freshly fried green onion pancakes from a food stand with my cousins. Three-person moped rides through busy streets. Dinners with my extended family.
Every trip back to Wuhan, China, is marked by these events and numerous other shared moments with family. Yet, when I am reminded of China, I instead envision people rushing around busy streets wearing face masks to avoid pollutant inhalation, the rarity of blue skies on any given day, and the disturbing level of air contamination that prevents my relatives from leaving their homes. Seeing this phenomena so clearly on a day-to-day basis during my visits has been a call to action.
Working with Dr. Hotz in the Department of Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering at Duke allowed me to combat these problems directly. Throughout the summer of 2016, I explored methods of improving the efficiency of the Dry Reform of Methane (DRM), a reaction that transforms harmful waste gas to a useful syngas, through catalysis. I was able to investigate a novel method of catalyst synthesis that drastically reduced the costs associated with catalyst creation and increased the efficiency of the Dry Reform of Methane. These benefits may propel the reaction towards use in industry. Breakthroughs in catalytic research for the DRM have the opportunity to transform energy sustainability and increase environmental sustainability.
In a “values” auction at Governor’s School, I bid $800 of my allotted $1000 dollars on a single value: Making an Impact. My experience in chemical research thus far has shown me that chemistry has an incomparable ability to influence lives in substantial ways, which is why I hope to study chemistry at Columbia. (277)
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Tips + Analysis
Show you have skin in the game. The writer is clearly invested in the cause of environmental sustainability. He makes a smart choice by opening with that lovely “mini-movie moment” of cherished memories, then laments how these memories are polluted by China’s dangerous air quality. His cause is personal. And he has literally bought in.
Geek out when possible. How ’bout that third paragraph? This guy knows his stuff and has the experience to back it up. Knowledge of specialized language is a great way to demonstrate fit to major, so use a measured amount of geeky (read: insider) language. But be careful not to overdo it or you risk alienating your reader. This essay is a nice example of how to walk that line.
Look to the future. Not only does this student prove he’s a good fit for his major, he helps us see that this college is the right launchpad for his mission to use chemistry to “influence lives in substantial ways.” Wouldn’t you want someone like that on your campus? Because “Why Major” essays offer natural connections to potential future careers, if you know what career you want to pursue, consider ending the essay with that look forward. Even if you don’t know what you want to do yet, you can still share some insights into how your major will prepare you for life after college.
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How to Write Chapman University Supplemental Essay Prompt #2
(Optional) Prompt #2 Other Selected Major Please tell us about your interest in this major (200 words or fewer). [Note that this prompt is under the “Academics” tab and appears only once you select a second possible major.]
This is another “Why Major” prompt (see guidance and examples for Prompt 1, above).
How to Write Chapman University Supplemental Essay Prompt #3
Prompt #3 Undeclared Major Chapman University encourages academic exploration through our dynamic liberal arts curriculum and exploratory pathways. It’s okay to be unsure of what you might want to major in. Please tell us about the academic areas that interest you currently (200 words or fewer). [Note that this prompt is under the “Academics” tab and appears only once you select “Undeclared” as your major.]
This is essentially another “Why Major” prompt (see guidance and examples for Prompt 1, above), only this time, rather than discussing what led to your interest in a specific major, you’ll want to pick a few academic areas you’re considering majoring in, and discuss events/ideas/experiences that have led to those interests.
How to Write Chapman University Supplemental Essay Prompt #4
Prompt #4 Out of the thousands of universities and colleges, what excites you about attending Chapman University specifically? (200 words max)
This prompt is a standard “Why us?” essay, only it’s a bit on the short side with a max of 200 words.
We recommend checking out our 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. The “Why Tufts” essay is a nice example of how you can write a shorter version of the “Why us?”
Here’s the abbreviated version of how to write the “Why us?” essay:
Spend 1 hour (at least) researching 5-7 reasons why Chapman might be a great fit for you (ideally, 3-5 of the reasons will be unique to the school and connect back to you).
Per the last part of the prompt, make sure you’re focusing on opportunities you can only (or mostly only) find at Chapman (and not, say, the city/area in general).
Make a copy of this Why Us Research Chart to map out your college research (see it below as well).
Create an outline for your essay based on either Approach 1, 2 (recommended), or 3 in the full guide above.
Write a first draft!
Five Common Mistakes Students Make on “Why Us?” Essays
As you go through our tips above to write your essay, there are six things to keep in mind that you shouldn’t include in a “Why us” essay:
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 (as mentioned above)
Here’s an example Chapman essay for this prompt.
Example:
Whether hearing lectures from Matthew Arkin on using story as a means to heal society or Osama Ahamed on the entrepreneurial aspect of film, I am eager to learn from Chapman professors and lecturers.
Dodge’s unique coursework will not only enable me to be a better filmmaker, but a better citizen through their unique programs. The Higher Ground workshop would allow me to continue to work with a younger generation of filmmakers, as I’m currently doing with the Mira Costa Cinema Club. The Cross-Cultural Filmmaking course would enable me to study abroad with students with whom I could collaborate and share new and diverse perspectives. I am excited at the idea of joining the Primetime Television Club and experiencing a writer’s room, a place where I would spend a great deal of my time.
As a budding entrepreneur, a minor in Entrepreneurship would allow me to identify and develop ideas with growth potential. I hope to learn how to implement finance and marketing within the broader business world, so I can successfully bring new products to the marketplace. Finally, making the Chapman club hockey team would allow me to continue to play my favorite sport at a competitive level.
Tips + Analysis
Back up statements with specific examples. It might be tempting to include general statements that you think a school wants to hear or that you think shows your research (ex: “I want to study with Chapman’s award-winning faculty”). But we’d strongly encourage you to go a little deeper—because any applicant could say something like that. Instead, take your cue from this student, who names two faculty members and their specialties in their response, showing they’ve done their Chapman research and really thought about what they want out of their Chapman experience. (To kick this up a notch, we might’ve encouraged them to name some of the only-at-Chapman entrepreneurship offerings, too.)
Demonstrate academic and extracurricular involvement. Yes, college is a place to get a great academic education, but you can also learn a lot by getting involved outside the classroom, and colleges (especially selective schools) think of themselves as communities of people impacting and shaping each other. So why not demonstrate you’ve done your research on how you’ll spend your free time, explore interests outside your major, and become a better human while at Chapman? This student successfully weaves in their interests in business and hockey, but we’d also suggest they…
Do a little subtle self-promotion. This prompt is designed to show that you understand the opportunities Chapman offers and how you’ll take advantage of them, but a quick way to uplevel your response would be to add in a little more on what you’ll bring to these activities that make you a must-admit student. In the essay above, we might’ve asked the student to share any past experiences related to entrepreneurship that they could contribute to conversations. Or have they developed hockey plays that’re sure to have Chapman topping the club leaderboard? Let’s hear it!
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And here’s a nice example written for Columbia’s “Why Us” prompt, to further illustrate how you can approach your Chapman essay.
Columbia cultivates a focus on diversity of intellect, research, art, and tradition that brings me home.
At North Carolina Governor’s School, the My Lai Massacre, determinism vs. free will, and epistemology were just a few of the topics we discussed in seminars. During the 5.5 week program, I asked myself countless questions: How should we define truth and knowledge? What principles would rule the ideal society? How does Plato’s Allegory of the Cave apply to my experiences? Similar to that found at Governor’s School, the discourse surrounding the Core forges a sense of community and curiosity that will allow me to delve further into these inquiries. In fact, the Contemporary Civilization course closely resembles the GS focus on the investigation of relevant political, moral, and social issues. Further, the flexibility to take unique courses such as Cognitive Mechanics and Economic Behavior and Research Ethics & Philosophy will allow me to gain a clearer understanding of the connections between my chemistry research and impactful societal, religious, and technological decisions and realities.
The research opportunities at Columbia are unparalleled. The SURF program will allow me to further my knowledge of the applications of chemistry by delving into research in a laboratory at Columbia. I hope to build upon my research in catalysis through work in Dr. Robert Farrauto’s lab, which places a refreshing focus on environmental sustainability through catalysis engineering.
Outside of the classroom and the lab, whether it be through CU China Dance or Raw Elementz, I hope there is a stage in NYC that will embrace my dancing. Further, the tree-lighting, hot-chocolate drinking, and acapella singing that occur each year are just a few of the many traditions that strengthen the Columbia community–ones that I want to be a part of.
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Tips + Analysis
Identify unique opportunities at the college. The prompt is asking you kindly not to write about its location, or its friendly students, or any other quality you could ascribe to hundreds of other schools. You can tell this student spent a good deal of time doing her research. The great thing about a “Why Us?” essay is that once you’ve compiled your research, it almost writes itself.
Follow the formula. This essay answers the question using a template that’s very basic, and we don’t mean that pejoratively. The writer gives us “example + personal connection” over and over again. Her examples include most of the “Why us?” greatest hits: In the author’s own words, “intellect, research, art, and tradition.” So, find specific coursework and research opportunities and faculty that align with your (hopefully specific) interests, extracurriculars that nourish your creative side, and campus culture-y things you identify with. Then put these in an order that makes sense to you. And don’t forget:
Make it personal. Even though she packs a lot of research into these 291 words, this is not a merely expository essay. We learn a lot about what matters to her and what stokes her curiosity—the intellectual vitality leaps off the page. That string of questions she asks herself do a lot of the legwork early on.
Remember, “Why us?” = Why school + Why me. Another great thing about this essay is the way the writer matches her own values with the college’s. As important as identifying your own values is identifying those of the schools you’re applying to, and connecting the two in ways that show the two of you are compatible.
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How to Write Chapman University Supplemental Essay Prompt #5
Prompt #5 Please answer the following questions in one word, phrase, or sentence. There are no right or wrong answers here. We hope you enjoy working on this section as much as we’ll enjoy reading it.
What is your dream job?
What song should we be listening to while reading your application?
Name one dish you would cook for our admission team.
What is the top thing on your bucket list?
If Chapman’s admission team came to visit your hometown, what site would you take them to?
Where do you feel most at home?
What can you give a 30-minute presentation on without any preparation?
What are the best words of advice you have received?
What is a family tradition that you want to continue?
Submitted by a prospective student for the class of 2026: Which well-known person or fictional character would you like to have as your roommate?
These short answer questions can present a nice opportunity to show your personality, and allow for some juxtaposition against one another to demonstrate depth and complexity.
Here’s some advice on how to approach short answer questions like these.
The examples below (many from older/other questions, or other schools’ versions of this kind of prompt) do a nice job of showing values, intellect, and personality, and they often contain a touch of humor.
Examples:
Describe yourself in three words.
Wannabe Computer Wizard
Concert-loving
Legging-clad
Crocheter
What is your favorite snack?
Homemade popcorn sprinkled with Tajín, a Mexican spice—the perfect blend of chili, lime & sea salt
Homemade fruit salad; every fruit imaginable, hand-cut all together by my whole family
Best movie of all time
Monty Python & the Holy Grail; if someone knows my references, I’ve found a new friend
What is your dream job?
Quantum computing researcher or managing my own restaurant (delicious cuisine, just kidding Italian)
Day-job: pediatric surgeon. Side-hustle: back-up dancer for Shakira or J Balvin
If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
Don’t Stop Believing, because I’ll never stop believing I can hit the same notes as Steve Perry (Lead Singer of Journey)
HaTishma Koli, the Hebrew lullaby my dad sang to me every night as a kid. It feels like home.
Dream trip
Hanoi: Chả Cá La Vong, 100-year-old restaurant only serves one dish: turmeric, dill, mint grilled fish
Seeing the Northern Lights in Norway as I listen to Ola Gjello’s choral masterpiece of the same name.
If you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be?
Women and Espionage in WWII: The Things You Don’t Learn In History Class
The Art of Nomenclature: Why I Named My Dog Fudge
Tweeting on the Golden Toilet: A Historical Look at the Social, Political, and Cultural Implications of Fake News in America
What inspires you?
The Pale Blue Dot photograph of Earth—it’s a reminder to me that our ideas of self-importance and knowledge are miniscule in a vast universe that we still know so little about.
My mother earned her M.D., whereas her mother only received a third-grade education—her work inspires me to empower BreakthroughCTX’s kids with tools to become first-generation college students.
When I cross the Bay Bridge to San Francisco, I buzz with enthusiasm: bridges symbolize an area’s values, with elaborate bridges valuing beauty, small bridges signifying family, simple bridges meaning necessity.
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Want advice on dozens of other supplemental essays?
Click here
Special thanks to Julia Byrd for contributing to this post.
Julia Byrd published her first “book” on the elusive Pika in elementary school and has been writing fervently ever since. She’s thrilled to unite her quirky love of grammar and master’s in psychology to help students tell their most meaningful stories. Her favorite punctuation mark is the apostrophe because, in the words of Imagine Dragons, it’s “a symbol to remind you that there’s more to see.”
Top values: Collaboration | Family | Productivity
