Lehigh’s supplemental essays are pretty short, so it’s kinda’ useful to think of them as Polaroid pictures. They’re simple snapshots that speak to memories and moments that meant enough for you to want to capture them.
And remember, just like Polaroid pictures, the Lehigh supplementals can take a little time to develop. Waiting can be frustrating, but when the photo fully emerges, it’s a reminder of where you’ve been and what you value.
Want to get a better sense of what Lehigh 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 Lehigh’s values.
What are the Lehigh University supplemental essay prompts?
Lehigh University Supplemental Essay Prompt #1
For applicants to the 5-year dual degree Arts-Engineering program: With the understanding that you are able to change Colleges at Lehigh after one year, why did you select the 5-year dual degree Arts-Engineering program, which requires a major in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering? (150 words)
OR
For applicants to the Computer Science & Business program: What makes the Computer Science and Business (CSB) program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals? (150 words)
OR
For applicants to the Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts & Sciences program: What makes the Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts & Sciences (IDEAS) Honors Program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals? (150 words)
OR
For applicants to the Integrated Business & Engineering (IBE) Honors program: What makes the Integrated Business & Engineering (IBE) Honors Program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals? (150 words)
Lehigh University Supplemental Essay Prompt #2
How did you first learn about Lehigh University and what motivated you to apply? (150 words)
Lehigh University Supplemental Essay Prompt #3
A compelling characteristic of Lehigh’s community is that our sWe believe the quality and richness of a Lehigh education lies in us being a community of individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, ideas and viewpoints—a community where every individual is able to bring their full selves to every conversation and everything they do. We are committed to fostering a campus experience where everyone is empowered to share a broad range of perspectives in all of our campus learning environments.
With this in mind, choose one of the following prompts and respond (300 word limit):
- What would you want to be different in your own community (local, school, religious, academic, etc.) or the broader global community to further principles of equality or equity?
- What factors have most shaped who you are and what you believe today? You might discuss an obstacle that you have overcome or an experience that has inspired you.
- Share with us a part of your personal background, perspective, experience or academic interest that has shaped you as a person and that would uniquely add to the Lehigh community.
How to Write Each Supplemental Essay Prompt for Lehigh University
how to write Lehigh Supplemental Essay Prompt #1
For applicants to the 5-year dual degree Arts-Engineering program: With the understanding that you are able to change Colleges at Lehigh after one year, why did you select the 5-year dual degree Arts-Engineering program, which requires a major in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering? (150 words)
OR
For applicants to the Computer Science & Business program: What makes the Computer Science and Business (CSB) program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals? (150 words)
OR
For applicants to the Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts & Sciences program: What makes the Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts & Sciences (IDEAS) Honors Program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals? (150 words)
OR
For applicants to the Integrated Business & Engineering (IBE) Honors program: What makes the Integrated Business & Engineering (IBE) Honors Program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals? (150 words)
Arts-Engineering, IDEAS, IBE, and CSB applicants, this one’s for you! (Not applying to these programs? Head down to Prompt 2. )
Think of both of these as primarily “Why us?” prompts, with an option to sprinkle in a bit of “Why Major?” background and detail, but strictly for the program you’ve chosen, not Lehigh as a whole (save that for Prompt 2). A lot of the same principles will apply here, so we’ve taken the “Why us?” prompt advice and tweaked it for these, and the shorter word budgets:
Spend 1 hr+ researching 5-7 reasons why the program you’re applying to might be a great fit for you (ideally 3-4 of the reasons will be unique to that program and connect back to you).
Make a copy of this chart to map out your research.
Create an outline for your essays based on either Approach 1, 2 (recommended), or 3 in the full guide above.
Write a first draft!
We don’t have an example essay for this prompt yet, but if you’re applying to either program, check out the “Why us?” and “Why Major?” guides linked above for guidance, examples, and analysis .
how to write Lehigh Supplemental Essay Prompt #2
How did you first learn about Lehigh University and what motivated you to apply? (150 words)
This is a short “Why us?” essay.
Because it’s so short, the key here is to find 2-3 things that set Lehigh apart from all the other schools you’re applying to.
Here’s the “Why us?” essay guide—in this case, the Cornell example is probably the best to check out. We talk a bit about how to tackle the shorter version of the “Why us?,” and the Tufts essay is a great example of that.
Here’s the short version of the guide:
Spend 1 hr+ researching 10+ reasons why [University] might be a great fit for you (ideally 3-5 of the reasons will be unique to [University] and connect back to you).
Make a copy of this chart to map out your college research.
Create an outline for your essays based on either Approach 1, 2 (recommended), or 3 in the full guide above.
Write a first draft!
As you write, try to avoid these common mistakes:
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.
A word about the essay below: We know what this student did sounds super-impressive, but you don’t have to start a non-profit or produce your own eyewear to stand out in this essay. In fact, we believe this makes a great example not for the details he writes about but how he writes about them. Check out the Tips + Analysis section to see what we mean.
Example:
I intend to major in mechanical engineering with a minor in entrepreneurship. I’m in the early stages of designing a portable optical machine to produce durable eyeglass frames through my non-profit. The resources and opportunities at Lehigh--from the Baker Institute to the Hatchery, LehighSiliconValley program, Interdisciplinary Research Institutes, and faculty mentorship--will help me make my optical device a reality.
At Lehigh’s full-day VIEW program, I learned about the TE Capstone program that follows the IPD process created at Lehigh. This program offers the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team on real-world, industry-sponsored projects, such as medical devices or electric motor brakes, and allows students to put theory into practice.
In addition to academics, Lehigh offers many clubs that interest me, including Formula SAE and ASME. Fitness and competitive sports will always play a central role in my life, so I plan to join club soccer and golf. (148 words)
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Be as specific as possible in your intro. Notice how this student isn’t just direct by getting right to the meat of the essay; they’re specific. They zoom in on a unique, interdisciplinary combination—a mechanical engineering major and a minor in entrepreneurship—then detail just how those offerings would help them design the device they’re working on. Your interests may not be so granular—in fact, you may still be undecided as to your major or career path. That’s okay too. The key is leading with that one special thing that Lehigh offers that you can’t find most anywhere else. Being direct and specific, as exemplified here, can have the added benefit of expressing a clear-eyed understanding of why you and Lehigh are a perfect match. Speaking of specifics ...
Use as many Lehigh specifics as you can. Because of the tight word budget, we recommend above that you research 2-3 examples of Lehigh opportunities that interest you, but this essay is a great example of how you can fit in even more details and not make it sound like a droll recitation of the course directory. In fact, we count 11 aspects of Lehigh’s academics and campus life that this student is excited about. You don’t have to have that many, of course—the key is to find those you’re truly jazzed about, and connect at least a couple of them back to things you’ve done or plan to do.
Don’t forget about the first part of the prompt. The prompt doesn’t just ask, “Why us?” It also wants to know how you “first learned about Lehigh.” This student attended its “full-day VIEW program,” which is great, but don’t think you have to have had a similar intensive experience on its campus. That’s not too realistic in the COVID era anyway. Maybe you have a friend who goes there and raves about the place, or maybe Lehigh came up in your research on “best colleges in X major.” Whatever your answer is, use this as another chance to explain why you’re excited about being a Mountain Hawk.
Try to show variety in your interests. College is about more than academics, and Lehigh has some robust out-of-the-classroom opportunities that can make for a well-rounded, fulfilling college experience. By broadening your “Why Lehigh” reasons to clubs, organizations and activities—as this student does with the Formula SAE and ASME clubs and plans to join the club soccer and golf teams—you can show Lehigh that you plan to play an active role in its campus community.
If you have to choose, pick substance over style. With a pretty tight word limit, you want every character to count. If you feel like you can be poetic and coherently convey why Lehigh is the school for you, go for it. If that seems impossible, it’s okay to prioritize content over poetry, as this author does.
how to write Lehigh Supplemental Essay Prompt #3
With this in mind, choose one of the following prompts and respond
(300 word limit):
- What would you want to be different in your own community (local, school, religious, academic, etc.) or the broader global community to further principles of equality or equity?
- What factors have most shaped who you are and what you believe today? You might discuss an obstacle that you have overcome or an experience that has inspired you.
- Share with us a part of your personal background, perspective, experience or academic interest that has shaped you as a person and that would uniquely add to the Lehigh community.
Option #1:
What would you want to be different in your own community (local, school, religious, academic, etc.) or the broader global community to further principles of equality or equity? (300 words)
To write this essay, you’ll want to think about issues that you’d want to engage with (or ideally already have engaged with in some way) that can demonstrate your values and show how your values align with Lehigh’s. So if you haven’t yet, check out our Values Exercise and reflect on how they have or might guide you to take action on the political, social, or cultural scene.
It’s easy to get intimidated by such heady topics, but know going in that Lehigh doesn’t expect you to save the world at 17ish, so don’t overthink this or convince yourself you don’t have a big enough “issue” to be a worthy applicant. You don’t have to find the formula to world peace for your reader to care. Something local can be just as powerful as something global here. Start with a topic you’re genuinely interested in, and go from there.
Still stuck? Here are some ways to brainstorm for this prompt ...
Think about general issues you care about or challenges you feel you can improve through some kind of action. Past students, for example, have written about climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, access to water, the criminal justice system, and the gender wage gap. Think of topics that inspire you to want to take action. Even better, think about why that issue means something to you. Does it connect to your identity in some way? Has it affected your life or your friends’ or family's? Was it something you were passionate about in high school?
Narrow the topic down to a specific aspect that seems extra important. If you were writing about climate change, that could be something like fast fashion or toxic rain runoff. Basically, get into the nitty gritty.
After you’ve identified a more specific issue you care about and you’ve connected it to yourself in some way, research its history. Think about what you’d want changed about the issue. The world is as wide as your imagination. Think big, but also don’t be afraid to think small and local.
Again, ideally connect the issue back to you. It could be about how countering anti-Asian discrimination speaks to your values or life experiences. Perhaps you identify as Asian, or you're from a family of immigrants. Or perhaps you’re a community-oriented person who’s benefitted from your involvement in organizations with lots of different perspectives, teaching you to value diversity in problem-solving.
Here’s an example essay written for a very similar prompt from a different school, to illustrate how you can approach this prompt:
Example:
Growing up, I was fascinated by Robin Hood. Yeah, I guess he did the wrong thing for the right reason, but what if we could apply that framework to guarantee food security to millions of people around the world?
During a discussion on GMOs, I was introduced to the relationship between food security and poverty. The connection between the two fascinated me. And, after witnessing the plight of migrant workers in Saudia Arabia, I found my calling as an advocate: laborers left at sunrise in date farms, forced to sow earth that can’t provide them with basic necessities.
Capitalism and its allies are exploiting the Global South, undermining its development and hurting vulnerable bread and butter workers. These tenets, which are heavily rooted in slavery, colonization, and forced labor, have equipped multinational corporations to stand as new colonizers who exacerbate poverty globally.
Rolling back the corporate monopolization of biodiversity and giving farmers seed freedom are key to eradicating poverty in developing countries. If I had the power to change the course of history, I would regulate the privatization of seeds. By returning native seeds to their rightful owners and equipping individuals with resources to farm independently, we can generate local sources of income, feed millions of families, and take one step forward towards a more equitable world.
And some day, in addition to holding corporations accountable Robin Hood-style, I hope to become the first hijabi U. (236 words)
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Read the entire prompt! We know, this seems like basic advice, but there is some really important language in the prompt that you don’t want to miss. Lehigh wants to know how you would change your community, but that’s not all. They also want to know how the changes you would make could contribute to equity and equality, so make sure you’re thinking through this lens. This student wants to help create access to food (that comes through loud and clear), but they also see this access as a way to fight poverty, and that is definitely an issue of equality/equity. This response checks all the boxes the prompt asks for.
Think creatively about “community.” When we hear this term, we often think of our immediate communities (family, friends, school, teams, neighborhood), but as the prompt reminds us, you are also part of many other kinds of communities, ranging all the way up to a global community, so you can think big or small when answering this prompt. Does your cultural background somehow connect you to a global issue? Do you have family living in another part of the world experiencing challenges you want to help resolve? Do you volunteer for a local organization working towards equity and equality in some way? These are also your communities, and you have every right to claim that relationship in your response, just as this student has.
Show your complex understanding. This student demonstrates an understanding of the complexities around food scarcity—for example, how economic systems are built to (whether intentional or not) exploit poor laborers in ways that perpetuate poverty. There can be a tricky line to walk here—be careful of assuming your reader feels the same as you do about whatever it is you’re focusing on in your essay. But offering clear, detailed information on complex causal chains around the issue can highlight the level of work you’ve put into understanding it.
Option #2:
What factors have most shaped who you are and what you believe today? You might discuss an obstacle that you have overcome or an experience that has inspired you. (300 words)
You’ve got a lot of options for how you approach this prompt.
You could treat it as a “community” prompt, or possibly an “extracurricular activity” prompt focusing on how experiences have shaped your values and beliefs. You could focus on aspects of identity. You can treat it as a short challenge-based narrative.
For a “community” approach (which also tends to overlap with “identity”), here’s a step-by-step guide that offers a short exercise to help you think through which communities you are a part of that might make a good topic for this essay.
Here’s the short version:
Step 1: Create a “communities” chart by listing as many of your communities as you can think of. Keep in mind that communities can be defined in a variety of ways, including place, culture, interests, political beliefs, hobbies, and even favorite sports team. Get creative.
Step 2: Use the BEABIES exercise to generate your essay content for 2-3 of these communities. Simply ask yourself and jot down notes to these questions:
What kinds of problems did you solve or work to solve (personally, locally, or globally) in that community?
What specific impact did you have?
What did you learn (skills, qualities, values)?
How did you apply the lessons you learned inside and outside of that community?
Step 3: Pick a structure for writing this essay and focus on the community that you feel is most compelling and reveals the most about you. You don’t have to, but you have the option to connect those experiences to how you will impact the college’s community (for more on how to do this, check our “Why this College” guide.
Here’s an example essay written for another college’s similar prompt:
Example:
When I was five, I was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. While I did fairly well academically, I struggled to pay attention in class, express my feelings, and make friends.
Noticing my challenges, my fourth grade teacher decided to help me. After school one day, he gave me a small rock that would supposedly help me focus. I looked at it: it was just a smooth, grayish-reddish rock. How could this possibly help? After a few days of keeping it on my desk, I decided to use it during a lesson, holding it firmly to remind myself to focus. As I used it more, I saw my focus improve, and I would run my fingers over the rock whenever I caught myself staring off into space. It served as a reminder to be present and concentrate.
Using this tool, I have become empowered to improve myself and take on new challenges, such as taking more difficult classes, giving longer performances in music, learning new skills like coding, and growing more comfortable in being open with others about my feelings, especially when I feel angry or unhappy. By expressing myself, I am able to build stronger relationships. I have also become more aware of how society perceives people like me differently. As a result, I have become more understanding of ways that I can support them. My rock symbolizes all of the progress that I have made, and I hope I take even more strides in the future to grow and improve.
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Jump right in. You have limited word space to answer these supplemental essays, so sometimes the best strategy is to get to the point right away, immediately letting your reader know where your essay is headed and providing a clear framework for the rest of your response. By identifying their autism in the very first sentence, this student also identifies their challenge right off the bat. Additionally, they set a tone of vulnerability in the first words of their essay, which invites the reader in. There are times when it makes sense to ease your way into your essay (like maybe when you have a larger word count to work with) and times when it doesn’t, and this writer just jumps right in in a way that is effective and engaging.
Remember to move beyond the challenge. Answering this prompt obviously requires you to identify factors/experiences/challenges that have somehow impacted who you are, but it’s important to extend beyond just naming these experiences. Lehigh wants to know how these experiences have shown up in your life in other ways (how have they impacted how you see the world around you, how you interact with family and friends, what you’ve learned about yourself?) This student engages in very thoughtful self-reflection about how they’ve grown and how they’re living with their autism instead of seeing it as an obstacle. Even better, they look outside of themselves to talk about how they use their own experiences to help others. This prompt is really trying to get at how you see yourself, if you’re able to learn from the things you’ve encountered, and how those will help you fit into their school community, and this essay does an amazing job of addressing each of these.
Option #3:
Share with us a part of your personal background, perspective, experience or academic interest that has shaped you as a person and that would uniquely add to the Lehigh community. (300 words)
This is a fairly standard “how will you contribute” prompt.
Essentially, a way to think of this kind of prompt is that it’s a combo of “community / identity / background” and “why us” prompts: 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.
While there are many things outside of “community” that might fit this prompt, if you’re looking for a way to brainstorm ideas, that’s a good place to start. (But keep in mind that you’ll want to include some “how will you contribute” details in your essay—this isn’t just a “tell us about a community” prompt.)
For a full guide to “community” essays, head there, but here’s the short version, plus how to add “how will you contribute” elements:
STEP 1: DECIDE WHAT COMMUNITY YOU WANT TO WRITE ABOUT
Create a “communities” chart by listing all the communities you’re a part of. Keep in mind that communities can be defined by...
Place: groups of people who live/work/play near one another
Action: groups of people who create change in the world by building, doing, or solving something together (Examples: Black Lives Matter, Girls Who Code, March for Our Lives)
Interest: groups of people coming together based on shared interest, experience, or expertise
Circumstance: groups of people brought together either by chance or external events/situations
STEP 2: USE THE BEABIES EXERCISE TO GENERATE YOUR ESSAY CONTENT
You’ll find detail on the BEABIES Exercise + a chart you can use at that link.
STEP 3: DO SOME “HOW WILL YOU CONTRIBUTE” RESEARCH
You’ll want to offer a few specific ways that show how the experience/s you’re discussing in your essay will allow you to contribute to the college. The easiest way to do this is to do some “Why Us”-like research and find ways you’ll engage with and contribute to the school’s community.
STEP 4: PICK A STRUCTURE (NARRATIVE OR MONTAGE)
STEP 5: WRITE A FIRST DRAFT!
Example:
I embody both a young Muslim woman passionate about civil liberty and a global citizen whose identity transcends her nationality. After witnessing migrant workers in the Middle East left at sunrise in desert mountains with only a broom and a single meal to last the day, I found my calling as an advocate.
At Fordham, I want to pursue these human rights questions in courses like Professor Durkin’s Development and Globalization, where I can delve into discussions about reproductive rights, genocide prevention, and prison reform. By joining the Humanitarian Student Union, I can work alongside my peers to directly engage with social justice issues. And as an Indian classical dance enthusiast, I look forward to joining Fordham Falak.
And some day, in addition to being a world voyager, I will become the first hijabi United
States Ambassador to the United Nations, a journey I embarked on at Fordham. (148 words)
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Show them how you can be a teacher and a student. You can think of this prompt as asking both about how you’ve learned and grown, and how you’ll use that growth to influence others. The prompt wants you to think about who you are as a “learner” AND a “leader,” as someone who can guide others and can be guided by others. Dig into your background and experiences to find moments in which you got to be both. This writer positions herself as an advocate (leader) and also lets her readers know the specific environments in which she hopes to learn more (learner). She is clear, specific, and detailed.
Let them know you work well with others. In essence, readers want to learn the ways in which you’ll contribute to their school community, and this student addresses this question head-on (“I can work alongside my peers to directly engage with social justice issues”). This concise but impactful statement lets the college know she plans to use the strength that comes from collaboration to further her advocacy work. Who wouldn’t appreciate that in a prospective student?
Demonstrate impact. Many students might worry that they had an impact on only one person, or that the impact on their community wasn’t important enough. To that, we say: Give yourself more credit. If you can say you made an impact—big or small, one person or one nation—then you made an impact. Embrace it. And, by all means, write about it. This student begins to explore what she’ll do with her college education—engage with social justice issues and be the first hijabi U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations—but we would’ve loved to have seen her also state the impact she’ll make on her issues of interest and in her communities.
Special thanks to Jessica B. for contributing to this post.
Jessica has a Ph.D in English from the University of Southern California and teaches English at a Los Angeles-area independent school, where she has also been English department chair and a class dean. Sandra Cisneros is her hero, and she loves books, her awesomely-sarcastic family, the beach, cozy sweaters, and more books. Oh, and her sweet pitbull/lab mix named Ruby.
Top values: Curiosity, equity, wonder
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