Is It “Okay” to Talk About Race in Your College Application and Essays—And If So, How Should You Do It?

A Guide for Students of Color (and Their Counselors)

Heads up for counselors: For a shorter, PDF version of this post that you can share with students, click here.

In late June, the Supreme Court banned affirmative action as it relates to college admission (also known as race-conscious admission policies), leaving many students wondering… 

“Can I talk about race in my personal statement and college application?”

In short: Yes, you definitely can (see rest of blog for more).

“Should I?”

That’s a more complex question, but the rest of this guide will walk through some things to think through so you can decide for yourself.

 
 
 
 

What the Supreme Court decision on race-conscious admission says

If you’re up for it, here’s the actual Supreme Court SFFA v Harvard decision.

Don’t have time to read 237 pages right now?

Here’s the TL;DR version:

Colleges can’t consider race as a standalone factor in admission. In other words, you can’t get into college—or be favored—simply based on your race. (This means that, even though the Common App will have a checkbox asking you for your race, colleges will suppress that information—so even if you check the box for your race, they won’t see it.)

But the syllabus to the decision also notes:

“...At the same time, nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected the applicant’s life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university.”

Those bolded parts are potentially really important, especially for students of color.

Why is that last part so important?

Because, according to these sentences, colleges can consider discussions of how race has impacted your life. So, if you want colleges to take this into consideration, it’s important that the mention of race connect specifically to either a “quality of character” or a “unique ability.”

So… can you mention race in your essay and application?

Again, yes, you can.

It’s not illegal?

No, it’s not illegal. In fact, free speech laws (and your First Amendment rights) mean you can say basically whatever you want in your application. The burden is actually on the colleges—not you—to decide what to do with the information you provide. (For more on this, check out this podcast episode with legal expert Jay Rosner.)

But should you? 

That’s a pretty complex issue. 

And to be blunt, I feel pretty wary, as a white dude, of telling you whether or not to write about your race in your college essay.

But I do want to help you think through it, since I have spent the better part of the past 20 years advising students on their college applications. So here are some things to consider.

What college admission experts say

I reached out to several college admission officers to get their take, and here’s what they shared with me:

“As you put your best foot forward in your college admissions essays, please do not hesitate to share any experiences about your life that help to capture who you are as an individual. This includes experiences about how your race/ethnic background affected your life, overcoming adversity, and your personal passions, motivations, and interests! You are an individual with so much depth and vibrancy, and colleges want to know more about who you are and who you will become.”

- Ashley Pallie, Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions & Chief Admissions Officer, Caltech

“Feel empowered to write an essay that is an authentic representation of yourself. You can tell your story better than anyone else in the world, so embrace this opportunity to reflect on your experiences and your identity. Determine what is essential for you to include in your application. Brainstorm, draft, and edit—don't forget to check for typos!”

- Lina Goggins-Rendón, Assistant Director of Admission & Advising at USC Gould School of Law

“Please do not be intimidated by this ruling… put down anything that you wish to discuss in your application.”

- Lorenzo Gamboa, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach at Santa Clara University (Listen to my full podcast episode with Lorenzo, recorded in English and Spanish, called 7 Things Latinx Families Need to Know About Preparing for College.)

College admissions and legal expert Jay Rosner notes that students of color should consider mentioning race, and may be making a mistake if they don’t. Jay’s reasoning goes something like this: historically, our society has disadvantaged students of color, for example by funding school systems through things like property taxes, which, overall, leads to cyclically poorer funding for students of color. As such, those students should take advantage of a bump that possibly adjusts for some small part of those historical disadvantages.

College admissions and standardized testing expert Akil Bello points out, on the other hand, that race has never been the determining factor in admission and so families and students should basically just do what they would have done before the decision anyway.

Ask yourself: Do you feel like your race or cultural background have influenced who you are today?

Why might it be worth considering mentioning on your race—especially if it’s had a big impact on you?

Two reasons:

1. College admission officers care about diversity.

And they don’t just care a little bit—they care a lot. How do I know? 

First, a number of admission officers I know personally have directly told me, “We care about diversity.” But don’t just take my word for it.

Colleges care about diversity so much that it’s actually written into the mission statement of many, many colleges and universities and, after the SCOTUS decision was released, many made statements reaffirming their commitment to diversity. (Don’t believe me? Check out this Google Drive folder.)

2. One of the main purposes of the application and personal statement (i.e., college essay) is to reveal information that may not be evident elsewhere in the college application. 

Remember, colleges won’t see the checkbox for race on your application, which means admission officers won’t know your race unless you tell them.

Important Note

I’m not saying in this guide that you must write about race in your application, or even that you necessarily should. 

Ultimately it’s your choice.  

But if you do decide to discuss race in your application, it may be useful to see how another student did it.

What follows in this guide are examples from one student who did—and how she connected race to her character and unique qualities—so you can decide for yourself. 

Anticipated FAQS

How do I figure out which parts of my self I want to share with colleges? Check out the If You Really, Really Knew Me Exercise. In about 20 minutes you'll have a list of identities, skills, qualities, and skills you. can share with colleges.

“Do I have to talk about race in terms of the challenges I’ve faced?” You don’t—and depending on your answers above, that may come as a relief, since plenty of students feel like that can make them feel boxed in with their writing. Know that there are many ways to talk about your identity, and I share some options and example essays in this separate guide.

Analysis of a College Application and Essays That Mention Race (While Demonstrating Character + Unique Qualities)

Remember: If you want to discuss your race, and if you want to do so in a way that colleges can consider, you can’t just say “I’m Mexican” or “I’m Black” and expect that to make a difference in your college application.

Why? Because—and I’m referencing the Supreme Court decision here—if you don’t give concrete evidence of how your race has shaped your character or helped you develop unique qualities that help you contribute to the college… then college admission officers aren’t allowed to consider that as part of your application.

Where might students discuss race in their college application? There are actually a few different places you can, should you choose to do so. 

They include these five sections: 

  1. Personal Statement 

  2. Activities List

  3. Additional Information Section

  4. COVID Additional Information Section

  5. Supplemental Essays

To illustrate options for how you can approach this, I want to introduce you to a student who connected her race and cultural background to character and unique qualities—in each of these sections of her application. Let’s take a look at each section at a time, starting with her personal statement.

Meet Joselina

Two years ago, I worked with a high-achieving student named Joselina. She was a first generation student from Phoenix with her heart set on attending Yale. 

Below I’ll mark in bold below the places where I believe Joselina is discussing race in a way that illuminates character or unique qualities. By the way, she didn’t bold these in her submitted application, and you don’t need to in yours (although you might do this while you’re writing just so you can make sure you’re providing your application reader with information that they can actually use, then unbold everything before you submit). 

Let’s take a look at her application, with my analysis included in the boxes between paragraphs.

Note that some of the specific identifying details have been edited by request of the author.

Example 1 of 5: Joselina’s Personal Statement

When I was nine, I heard a knock that would change my life forever. 

We answered the door and found officials from the immigration office standing there, their demeanor routine, having performed this task countless times before. My parents were to be deported, leaving my siblings and me in a whirlwind of uncertainty. It felt as if the foundation of my existence had been uprooted.

Analysis: In the opening, and in the paragraph below, the author shares information that wouldn't be obvious from anywhere else in her application, which helps the reader to understand specifically how and why she took the actions she took that led to her developing the qualities of character and unique ability that I'll name in the comments below.

With our parents gone, my siblings and I found refuge with our tia and tio, after the court deemed it unsafe for us to return to our birth country due to escalating political unrest. Throughout my childhood, my undocumented parents had shied away from introducing us to our Mexican heritage so our family could better assimilate into American society. I fell in love with the vibrant colors of folklorico dresses and the melodious tones of Spanish coming from family members and 105.3, our favorite Mexican radio station. I was in complete awe of my roots.

Character and unique qualities this demonstrates: appreciation of beauty, love, wonder, perspective

With our parents away, I felt a moral responsibility to become a leader and parental figure to my younger siblings. 

I started by attending parent teacher conferences, “Parent Cafecitos” and becoming a mini-mom to my siblings. I began to integrate into my community to a greater extent, which brought to light problems my own people faced on a daily basis: menstrual poverty, gun violence, and the crisis along the Mexican-American border.  Many community members face injustices, financial crises and discrimination based on their immigration status from Mexico and their socioeconomic standing. 

Character and unique qualities this demonstrates: increased awareness, courage, leadership, commitment to helping others

With this knowledge, I became fascinated with questions that pertained to my own community. How is our capitalist state impacting the lives of the underprivileged? How can we reconstruct our legal frameworks to better reflect the humanity and rights of asylum seekers?

Contributing to my community led me to fall in love with the concept of reforming the world for the better. Empowered Latinxs such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Mayor [redacted] inspired me to strive towards success; not individual success, but the flourishing of our whole society. I began working alongside my community to organize Climate Strikes, Menstrual Rallies, and events that promote awareness of gun violence. 

**

Character and unique qualities this demonstrates: curiosity, critical thinking, commitment to fairness, social justice, more evidence of leadership

My megaphone became my best friend, sending my thoughts into the ears of my community. This ignited a desire within me to become the very change I want to see in the world. I plan to become a catalyst for grand modifications to policy and positively transform the relationship between legislation and societal implications that directly affect my community. 

I intend to make this change through the fields of political science and sociology with a concentration in public policy. I want to create legislation relating to humanitarian causes such as immigration reform and the slaughter of our society through the ease of gun attainment. 

Who knows? Perhaps one day, I'll be the one knocking on doors, bringing hope instead of heartbreak.

Character and unique qualities this demonstrates: more courage, deeper commitment (in the future) to social justice, leadership, a sense of purpose, and hope

FAQ: What exactly is “character” and what kind of  “unique qualities” are colleges looking for?

It’s tricky to define character precisely, and each college might have its own ideas or specific qualities they’re looking for, but generally we’re talking about qualities that would contribute positively to a university community—and the world.

Here are some examples from Harvard’s Making Caring Common Project:

  • Compassion

  • Curiosity

  • Gratitude

  • Grit

  • Growth Mindset

  • Perspective-Taking

  • Purpose

  • Self-Control

This isn’t an exhaustive list, of course, and you can find more examples of character from VIA, the Institute on Character).

In terms of character strengths and unique qualities, our favorite list at CEG can be found in this Values Exercise, which we recommend for almost any student starting the application process.

In the analysis linked here, I show how Joselina concretely (a.k.a. specifically) demonstrates her character and a range of unique abilities.

What you can learn from Joselina’s personal statement:

Joselina used a simple three-part structure (one we refer to as Narrative structure) to show how her experiences shaped her:

  • Challenges + Effects

  • What she did

  • What she learned

Part 1: Challenges + Effects

In the first ⅓ of the essay (235 words—so not precisely ⅓, which is fine), she shows the challenges she faced and the effects those challenges had on her. Then she transitions: “With our parents away, I felt a moral responsibility to become a leader and parental figure to my younger siblings.”

Part 2: What she did

In the next ⅓ of the essay (222 words—again, not precisely ⅓) she describes specific actions she took to overcome her challenges.

Part 3: What she learned

In her final three paragraphs (107 words), Joselina demonstrates additional specific character qualities and unique abilities she developed.

If you elect to write about challenges you’ve faced, you can use this structure to write your personal statement. To do that, start by completing the Feelings and Needs exercise to find out if your experiences might make for an interesting personal statement topic.

FAQ 1: Do I have to talk about challenges in order for it to be a “good” essay?

You don’t. Check out our blog on Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out or this podcast episode with Tina Yong (coming soon) to learn what you can do instead.

Also, the “mariachi” essay analyzed below is an example of a great essay that shows cultural influences and experiences but doesn’t focus on challenges.

FAQ 2: What are some other examples of ways that students can talk about race in their college applications?

In a resource released jointly by the U.S. Dept of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Dept. of Justice’s Civil Rights Division jointly to help colleges and universities understand the Supreme Court’s decision, they shared the following guidance (see p.2):

“Q2: In what ways can institutions of higher education consider an individual student’s race in admissions? The Court in SFFA limited the ability of institutions of higher education to consider an applicant’s race in and of itself as a factor in deciding whether to admit the applicant. The Court made clear that “nothing in [its] opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.” Id. at 39. This means that universities may continue to embrace appropriate considerations through holistic application-review processes and (for example) provide opportunities to assess how applicants’ individual backgrounds and attributes—including those related to their race, experiences of racial discrimination, or the racial composition of their neighborhoods and schools—position them to contribute to campus in unique ways. For example, a university could consider an applicant’s explanation about what it means to him to be the first Black violinist in his city’s youth orchestra or an applicant’s account of overcoming prejudice when she transferred to a rural high school where she was the only student of South Asian descent. An institution could likewise consider a guidance counselor or other recommender’s description of how an applicant conquered her feelings of isolation as a Latina student at an overwhelmingly white high school to join the debate team. Similarly, an institution could consider an applicant’s discussion of how learning to cook traditional Hmong dishes from her grandmother sparked her passion for food and nurtured her sense of self by connecting her to past generations of her family.

In short, institutions of higher education remain free to consider any quality or characteristic of a student that bears on the institution’s admission decision, such as courage, motivation, or determination, even if the student’s application ties that characteristic to their lived experience with race—provided that any benefit is tied to “that student’s” characteristics, and that the student is “treated based on his or her experiences as an individual[,]” and “not on the basis of race.” Id. at 40.

Those institutions of higher education that do not consider the race of individual applicants when making offers of admission might not need to make any changes to their current admissions practices in light of the Court’s decision. But institutions that do consider race in the manner that the Court addressed will need to re-evaluate their current practices to ensure compliance with the law as articulated in the SFFA decision.”

But that’s not the only place where Joselina demonstrated how her race and culture helped shape her character and develop unique abilities.

Let’s take a look at…

Example 2 of 5: Joselina’s Activities List

Activity 1 - Harper COLLEGE CLUB (10th - present)

  1. 4 hours a week, 36 weeks out of the school year

  2. Senior Mentor, Harper College Club

  3. Guide mentees academically, provide unconditional support, facilitate structure to help change the trajectory of their lives: simply root for them

Character and unique qualities this description demonstrates: commitment to helping others, showing love and support

Activity 2 - CONGRESSMAN [REDACTED] INTERNSHIP AND VOLUNTEERING (10th - present)

  1. 2 hours a week, 20 weeks out of the school year 

  2. Youth Advisor: Office of Congressman [redacted]

  3. Awarded Congressional Recognition for serving on a council, being Congressman’s direct connection to Generation Z, advocate for those who can’t vote

Character and unique qualities this description demonstrates: leadership, commitment to fairness

 Activity 3 - AMERICORPS PEER COACH (Senior Year)

  1. 15 hours per week, 40 weeks beginning the summer of Senior year

  2. Peer Coach, AmeriCorps Southwest High School 

  3. Increase equitable access to career plans for FGLI students, coaching HS peers to plan their future (resume, test prep, applications, scholarships)

Here she shows similar qualities to those listed above, but provides further evidence of these qualities.

Activity 4 - VOTANTES PARA EL CAMBIO SOCIAL (11th - present)

  1. 4-5 hours per week, 52 weeks during the calendar year (self-led project)

  2. Founder, Esperanza Ahora

  3. Lead organization/website, provide service opportunities, translate nonpartisan political information, distribute political literature in Spanish

As above, she shows: leadership, helping others, an interest in social justice

Activity 5 - MOVIMIENTO ESTUDIANTIL CHICANOS DE AZTLÁN (11th - present)

  1. 2 hours a week, 36 weeks out of the year

  2. President, MeCha at Southwest High School

  3. Oversee weekly meetings to discuss issues in the Chicanx community, arrange “know your rights” events, interact with those affected by such issues

This description gives more support for the qualities I mentioned above.

Activity 6 - SCIENCE CLUB (9th - present)

  1. 2.5 hours a week, 36 weeks out of the school year

  2. President, Science Club at Southwest High School

  3. Lead weekly meetings, facilitate demonstrations and fundraisers, coordinate annual Science Night, advocate for STEM

Same as above: leadership, helping others, social justice

 Activity 7 - SOUTHWEST COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY COHORT

  1. 1.5 hours per week, 36 weeks out of the school year

  2. President, College Prep Academy at Southwest High School

  3. Lead member meetings, facilitate after-school focus groups on academics & mental health, represent students in program planning and outreach

Same as above: leadership, helping others, social justice

 Activity 8 - FIGHT4HER FELLOW AND FIELD CAPTAIN (11th - present)

  1. 7 hours a week, 23 weeks during the summer and senior year

  2. Field captain, Fight4Her Non-Profit Organization

  3. Advocate for reproductive health, campaign/contact local representatives, lead phonebank trainings and mobilize supporters by grassroots organizing

Similar to above: organization, leadership, helping others, compassion

Activity 9 - SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING ADVISORY COUNCIL (10th grade- present)

  1. 2 hours a week, 10 weeks during the school year.

  2. Advisor: Counseling department at Southwest High School

  3. Collaborate with staff members, contribute to structure of the counseling department, advise peers and formulate programs for future students

Similar to above: leadership, helping others, compassion

What you can learn from Joselina’s Activities List:

Your activities list can demonstrate character and unique qualities you’ll contribute to a university—regardless of whether or not you decide to discuss your race.

For more, here’s How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List.

And once you’re almost done, learn How to Know If Your Application Is Doing its Job.

Request for College Essays that mention Race
(for Potential Use on College Essay Blog)

Students: Did you write a college essay that mentions race that you believe other students could benefit from and that provides a different perspective than those in this blog? If you’re willing to share your essay(s) for potential inclusion in a future blog post, please share via this form.

Counselors: If you’ve read a college essay that:

  1. You believe other students could benefit from
  2. Shares a perspective different from the application shared in this blog, and
  3. You have permission from the student author to share, then:

Please share via this form.

Note: We’d prefer to receive essays from past students who were already accepted at college, as opposed to work-in-progress essays.

Beyond the personal statement and activities list, Joselina took the opportunity to share important context about her life in two other sections of her application:

3. The COVID Additional Information Section (250 word limit)

4. The (general) Additional Information Section (650 word limit)

Let’s take a look at how she used each of these sections.

Example 3 of 5: Joselina’s COVID-19 Additional Info Section

My family was thrown into a world of online learning and social distancing without adequate resources, especially coming from a marginalized community. My family only had one laptop to use between my three siblings and me. My zip code was the epicenter of infections in Arizona, creating panic within the community. My older sister worked at McDonald’s, so we feared she would lose her job or, worse, infect my elder Abuelita (78 yrs. old) who is our guardian, with COVID-19. I experienced mental deterioration as isolation chewed away at my sociable personality. Pessimism surged as my Leadership Expedition to Alaska was canceled. To add on, teachers began retiring early, leaving me to fend for myself educationally.

Here, as in her personal statement, Joselina is sharing information that isn't obvious from elsewhere in her application. Again, this helps the reader understand why she did what she did and what she learned.

Important: Joselina was careful to share information NOT in her personal statement, keeping in mind that this is the additional information section.

With time, mental health became a priority unlike ever before. Once we received loaner laptops, I worked harder than I had during the average year since I felt time slipping away from my hands. I began to live in a world of “now” instead of “eventually.” I studied, led, mentored and created. As I prepared for AP exams, I continued to mentor through the Harper College Club, formulating new mediums to provide educational and emotional support such as mental health trainings and relationship building activities.  I formulated my own organization Votantes para el Cambio Social to relieve Latinx voter suppression in my community by translating political information to Spanish.

This is the "What I did" section, where Joselina shares concrete actions she took (using active verbs like "worked, studied, led, mentored" to show what she did to overcome her challenges.

The qualities of character she demonstrates include: commitment to self-care/love, persistence/grit, immediacy, leadership, helping others, sense of purpose, taking initiative

At times, I do wish we could return to a pre-pandemic era. However, life has altered and my world has been more productive ever since. ( 250 words)

This is the "What I learned" section. Although it's short, she demonstrates at least two more qualities of character: gratitude and perspective

What you can learn from this Covid Additional Info section: As in her personal statement, Joselina used a three-part structure to show how her pandemic experiences shaped her:

  1. Challenges + Effects

  2. What she did

  3. What she learned

How she wrote this part of her application: She first wrote simple bullet points, then turned them into sentences, like this:

  • Challenges:

    • Limited laptop use, sibling working in food service industry, etc.

  • Effects:

    • I experienced mental deterioration as isolation chewed away at my sociable personality, etc. 

  • What she did:

    • Worked harder, studied, led, mentored and created, etc.

  • What she learned:

    • “My world has been more productive ever since.”

Why bullet points worked well here:

  • Bullet points helped her be succinct, which allowed her to include more information.

  • Colleges prefer direct language in this section—after all, it’s called the “information” section for a reason—and this is less of a space for a poetic essay and more of a space for straightforward facts.

If you want to include information on how the pandemic impacted you and your family, you can do this too.

If you’ve faced challenges, simply answer these questions in bullet points:

  • What challenges did you face?

  • What were the effects/impacts on you and your family?

  • What did you do?

  • What did you learn?

For those interested, here’s a more complete guide on how to use the COVID Additional Information section, including information for students who didn’t face extreme hardships during the pandemic, but still want to discuss its impacts.

Next, let’s take a look at how she makes use of…

Example 4 of 5: Joselina’s Additional Information Section

Here’s what she wrote in this section:

AP Environmental Science

  • During middle school, AP classes weren’t encouraged

  • Advocated to the AP Enviro Science teacher, joined the course one semester late, self-studied to catch up on work, and became one of the first Freshmen to pass an AP exam at my school.

Analysis/Three things to note here:

  1. In much of this part of her application, the details don't always correspond to race or cultural background. But the author does provide context on her academic and life experiences to help the admission reader make a more informed decision.
  2. In conversation with me, Joselina noted that her middle school didn't necessarily promote a college-going culture as much as it could have, and as a result she felt behind when she got to high school. These seven words ("During middle school, AP classes weren’t encouraged") suggest that.
  3. In the “Advocated to the AP Enviro Science teacher…” bulletpoint above she demonstrates a range of qualities colleges love to see: initiative, autonomy, leadership/role-modeling (by becoming one of the first).

Mariachi Sonidos del Desierto

  • Played mariachi since I was 7 years old (violin). I love the community it fosters as I keep Chicanx culture alive. In high school, I joined a group called “Sonidos del Desierto”, and I hope to continue playing in college.

Here she mentions a cultural influence (mariachi) but—this is essential—she goes one step further to answer "why is this important?" by noting a) the community it inspires, b) its ability to keep her culture alive, and c) her intention to stay committed to playing (which shows persistence and a sense of purpose).

Science Club

  • President for 3 consecutive years

  • More than just a club for me: Latinx representation is needed in STEM, which is why I lead the free community Science Night to engage Latinx youth.

Here she shows leadership, and again she answers "why?" in the second bullet point—in this case, she feels science is an important aspect of her social justice work, and she provides concrete evidence that she's doing this work (by mentioning Science Night).

College Visitation Trip (Selected)

  • Part of a select few from Southern Phoenix to visit Ivy League schools and selective institutions on the East Coast. As low-income students, we planned and financed the entire trip.

Again, rather than simply name this trip, she includes a detail saying why it was significant, and so demonstrates more qualities (organization, initiative, self-determination).

 Leadership Seminar

  • Represented Southwest HS at the [name redacted] Leadership Seminar where I committed the next year to 200 hours of community service.

More evidence of leadership and community service (note: this could have gone in her Activities List, but didn't fit, so she put it here, which is fine)

Campaigning for Mayor

  • Led community canvassing (phone banking and knocking on doors) to elect Mayor [redacted], the first female mayor for the town in history.

Here's more evidence of her commitment to social justice. The "so what" here (the fact that her candidate won and became the first female… ) shows that she (Joselina) was a small part of history.

Summer Institute on Medical Ignorance

  • Grades 9-10, I was interested in Molecular Biology.

  • Secured internship at the [name redacted] University where I performed graduate-level research on mice genotypes affecting male infertility.

  • Since the internship emphasized questioning, I gained interrogation skills that I plan to use in Public Policy.

She was worried the reader might find these inclusions on science to be random, so she included this bit of context (again, just 8 words and tone is straightforward, which is fine).

Here she demonstrates another quality colleges love: intellectual vitality. Again, while this information isn't necessarily connected to race, it does help the reader understand the unique skills, qualities, values, and interests Joselina will bring to their community.

Here she again answers "so what"—in this case, she connects this experience to a skill she learned that will serve her in the future.

Note: You can do this too—especially if you're worried your activity might seem "random"—by looking at this values list and asking yourself, "What skill(s) did I develop that will serve me in the future?"

Stanford Summer School

  • Took an Ethics and Philosophy course at Stanford on a full scholarship.

  • Was the first student from my school to ever set foot on Stanford’s campus as a summer-school student.

The words “on a full scholarship” signal to the reader that a) this wasn't a "pay to play" program, and b) the scholarship committee found Joselina worthy of a scholarship. Again, she's demonstrating leadership/role modeling here, and also signaling that she is unique in her school community.

This is useful information to include in this section because, unless she tells the reader, they are unlikely to know.

Note: A counselor can share this information, but a counselor may not know this information, may not be aware that they can share it, or may not be writing a counselor letter.

Students: If any of these things are true, you can advocate for yourself by including this information in this section. And, if you're not sure, it's not the end of the world if some details appear both in the counselor letter and your application.

Internship at Congressman [redacted] Office

  • Meet with Arizona youth and provide Congressman with summaries of those meetings to convey stances and values from GenerationZ.

  • Lead climate strikes on behalf of the Congressman when he was in D.C.

  • Since his office is in the heart of my community, I hope to work in that same office as I pursue the third congressional AZ district seat in Congress.

The first bullet points show more evidence of leadership, activism, and commitment to social (and environmental) justice issues.

The final bullet point offers a clear, simple "so what" to describe why it’s important.

Founder, Esperanza Ahora

  • Translate political information into Spanish to increase voting rates.

  • Encourage political enthusiasm and voting in South Phoenix.

  • Recruit bilingual students to assist in this initiative, encouraging them to be engaged in the political process.

First bullet point: If you're not sure the reader will know what something is, or what you did, it's okay to describe it briefly (just 9 words here).

Second bullet point: These 8 words (again, note how short and straightforward) show why this work is important.

Third bullet point: These active verbs (highlighted in bold by me) help to show specific skills, qualities, and values she has developed.

Again, this can work whether you're making connections to your race/culture, or not.

Harper College Club Advisory Board 

  • In addition to being a Cross Age Peer Mentor (mentor two middle-schoolers for 3 yrs and place them on the path of secondary education through personal development and resume building), I serve on Harper’s board as a student representative to reform programs for FGLI students in my community.

  • Discuss outreach, missions, program directing and future program implementations.

First bullet point: More leadership evidence

Second bullet point: More "what I do" that didn't fit in the Activities List

LARC Labs

  • Work in a research lab studying the disease transmission of mosquitoes.

  • Translate research (Spanish into English) for researchers for [redacted] University.

First bullet point: More evidence of intellectual vitality

Second bullet point: She notes a unique contribution she made to the scientific work based on her cultural background.

Senior Schedule

  • AP Psychology 

    • Due to budget cuts, my district often has teacher shortages for advanced classes. Since AP Psychology was cut senior year, I advocated to my counselor and am now self-studying the course and will earn a letter grade and AP credit. I’ll be the only student at my school taking AP Psychology.

This is information that wouldn't likely be elsewhere in her application and provides more context on the academic opportunities available (or in this case, not available) at her high school. If this situation (classes getting cut) sounds familiar to you, ask yourself: Are there any classes I haven't been able to take, or opportunities I've missed out on in my high school? If so, explain—don't complain—briefly, then answer: What did you do about it? (See next note.)

She also shows initiative by saying “I advocated to my counselor…” which is a detail that won't be likely to be elsewhere in her application.

If you're a counselor reading this thinking, "The burden shouldn't be on the student to do this—it's the counselors' job to write this in their letter or school profile, here’s a guide on How to Uplevel Your School Profile (coming soon).

  • Student Services Learning

    • Class for AmeriCorp Mentorship

  • Research Methods

    • 3rd Year Biotechnology

    • Engage in scientific research on Forensic DNA preservation.

    • Compete in Arizona STEM competitions.

Here she shows more intellectual vitality (i.e., she's smart and curious about a variety of things).

Additional Awards

  • 2018 National Honors Society

    • Academic integrity, community service, volunteering

  • 2020 College Board AP International Diploma

    • Received for my AP exam scores.

These could have gone in her Awards list, but she chose to follow the prompt strictly by listing only academic awards there.

 What you can learn from Joselina’s Additional Information section:

Remember, admission officers want direct language here—not a whole essay—so straightforward language is fine. In fact, it’s preferred.

FAQ: Do I have to include this much in my Additional Information section?

No, you definitely do not have to include this much content in your additional information section—in fact, it’s totally okay to leave it blank.

But if you read Joselina’s Additional Information section and think “some of that sounds like me” or you think that you might have information that could help admission officers make a more informed decision about your application, here’s a more complete guide to the additional information section.

How will you know if you should include more context in your Additional Information section?

Here are some questions to consider:

  • Is my experience at my high school atypical—from a racial or cultural standpoint—from the majority of my school-based peers? What about the majority of students applying to college in the US more broadly?

    • Example: In 2020, many Black students who attended private high school in the U.S. chronicled their experiences with racism and discrimination using “Black@” Instagram accounts. If you’ve had experiences similar to these students, it may be helpful for admissions officers to better understand the world you’ve navigated as you’ve pursued your goals.

  • Are my college aspirations and educational goals different from those of the majority of my peers, or my broader neighborhood/community?

  • Have I pursued opportunities outside of my school because of limitations around course and/or extracurricular offerings?

  • Is funding at my school more limited? Has this impacted the way I’ve had to approach my extracurricular activities and/or leadership roles (i.e., helping put on a “prom on a budget”)?

  • Are most of the students at your school wealthy, or not wealthy?

    • How to know: If you attend a public school, look it up on the National Center for Education Statistics and look at how many students are on free and reduced lunch. Any school with over 50% of students on free and reduced lunch is generally considered a less affluent school. Additionally, popular websites like USNews, GreatSchools.org, or Niche have lots of data to better understand your school demographics and offerings.  

  • What’s the depth and breadth of academic and extracurricular opportunities at your school?

But these weren’t the only places where Joselina described how race helped shape her character and unique abilities.

Take a look at…

Example 5 of 5: Joselina’s Yale Supplemental Essays

Important note: The prompts below are outdated (from a previous application year): For an analysis of the current supplemental essays for Yale, check out our supplemental essay guides to 70+ colleges and universities.

Why do these academic areas appeal to you? (up to 125 words)

Majors selected by Joselina: Political Science, Sociology, Ethnicity, Race and Migration

Service feels like my calling: a chance to engage with my community while understanding systemic complexities that impact my people.

While working with Mayor [redacted] and Congressman [redacted], I realized service and legislation go hand-in-hand. My desire to serve my community ignited as I educated myself on the hardships my people face due to public policy such as the criminalization of People of Color through SB1070 and the broken prison system. I gained an internalized desire to reform policy to relieve these hardships and communal generational trauma.

As I pursue a Congressional seat serving the third-district of Arizona, Political Science, Sociology, and Ethnicity, Race and Migration allow me to explore social implications, analyze reform and gain the skills I need to serve my community. (124 words)

Qualities of character and unique abilities this essay shows: Commitment to helping others, intellectual curiosity, taking initiative, a sense of purpose, global perspective, compassion

 In case you missed it, here’s our guide to writing the current Yale essays.

What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words)

As a FGLI student, Chicanx, justice warrior and social pioneer, Yale is the place for me to develop my identities and give as much as I take.

Through the Human-Rights Studies MultiDisciplinary Program, I’ll delve into humanitarian issues beyond my South Phoenix community—such as gender disparities in the entire contemporary world—while gaining practical and analytical skills. In professor Sanjabi’s “Women’s Self-Narratives,” I’ll explore feminist voices in a way I haven’t before, as the female perspective is often ignored in my community. Attending Cena a las Seis while munching on empanadas at La Casa Cultural will provide support I need as a Latinx student. Finally, Dwight Hall at Yale will foster a niche where I can contribute to New Haven through social justice and service. (125 words)

Qualities of character and unique abilities this essay shows are similar to those above: Commitment to helping others, intellectual curiosity, taking initiative, a sense of purpose, global perspective, compassion …and yet here she does a smart thing by showing how she’ll build on those qualities with specific opportunities available on the Yale campus, which is what this type of “Why us” essay requires. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the “Why us” essay that applies to colleges besides Yale.

What inspires you? (300 characters, 35 words)

My abuelo’s naturalization documents. The smell of Petrichor. The feeling of placidity after meditating. Seeing a sparkle in someone’s eyes when they speak about something they genuinely love. (28 words)

Personal values this short answer shows: Connection to family, appreciation for nature, an interest in self-care, inspiration and empathy. Here’s a guide on how to write the short answer questions that other colleges require.

Yale’s residential colleges regularly host conversations with guests representing a wide range of experiences and accomplishments. What person, past or present, would you invite to speak? What question would you ask? (300 characters, 35 words)

Alice Paul. How has the idea of radicalism morphed since the beginning of the 20th century? What has prompted this shift? Is activism the secret to staying young? (She died at the age of 92.) (35 words)

Personal values this short answer shows: intellectual vitality, critical thinking, humor

You are teaching a Yale course. What is it called? (300 characters, 35 words)

The Red Stain Across History: A Historical Look at the Taboos, Magical Theories, and Gender Stereotypes Surrounding Menstruation

Personal values this short answer shows: wit, critical thinking, intellectual vitality

Most first-year Yale students live in suites of four to six people. What do you hope to add to your suitemates' experience? What do you hope they will add to yours? (300 characters, 35 words)

A Southern Phoenix perspective. Affinity for rodents and enchiladas. Singing along to Bruno Mars at all hours.

I hope to gain the same quirks in return, even if my suitemates don’t enjoy musical duets. (286  characters)

Here she illustrates more of her personality, sense of humor/fun, and willingness to be impacted by others. Here again are tips on answering the short answer questions, in case you missed it.

Think about an idea or topic that has been intellectually exciting for you. Why are you drawn to it? (250 words)

My community doesn’t have white picket fences; we have barbed wire and chipped walls. The American dream is a fallacy that impacts my community on a social and systemic level. We live in a divided country; some flourish while others beg for scraps. This became apparent as DACA was attacked under Trump’s administration. Thousands of lives were impacted as the fear of looming deportation became reality.

I dove into DACA research and bridging this national division while working with Congressman [redacted] on co-sponsoring proposed legislation on immigration reform in the U.S. As we discussed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act and the Homeland Security Improvement Legislation, it became apparent that this subjective idea of the American dream and who it applied to stems from implicit racism, bigotry, and false criminalization. Negative stereotypes surround Dreamers, but they are misplaced: Dreamers pay 5.7 billion dollars in payroll taxes and, in turn, boost Social Security and Medicare. Additionally, they contribute to the cultural diversification of communities like mine. However, this opportunity is being denied time and again, leaving communities like mine sometimes poverty-stricken, stagnant, and hopeless.

We live in two Americas. I recall sitting on the steps of Cecil H. Green Library discussing the state of my community with a fellow Stanford summer-school student. Tears filled her eyes as she turned to me and said, “I can’t believe we live in the same country.” My purpose was crystallized: we live in a split nation, and I shall work on bridging them together. (250 words) 

This prompt offers an opportunity for students to show their intellectual side—in other words, “Can you handle Yale-level work?”

Here she offers further evidence of some of the values and abilities she has shown elsewhere in her application, including: ability to think critically, taking initiative, commitment to social justice, and a strong sense of purpose.

Reflect on your engagement with a community to which you belong. How has this engagement affected you? (250 words)

The smell of barbecue floods my senses as I rush to the end of the hallway, clearing my throat and mind. I pass through the crowd of diners as they are serenaded by muffled blows of trumpets and the strokes of violins. Sonidos del Desierto rehearses in the back of Sizzle Spot BBQ, a restaurant that devotes its business to mariachi.

I play the violin, an instrument that I’ve had by my side since the first grade. We work on a popurri for the Southern Arizona Mariachi Conference, a mashup of songs that encompass various aspects of our heritage.

The music goes beyond sharp accents, long vibratos, and rhythmic groove.

On a practical level, violin has given me the muscle memory to not only recall the classic version of Las Mañanitas, but also a way to communicate with the deaf community in Phoenix through American Sign Language. While being connected to my heritage and abuelos, I gain a superpower: the ability to manipulate the energy surrounding me as I evoke emotion from the audience and even myself.

With every caballito sprouts a new sensation, the feeling of unity and the colors of Mexican culture. Not only do we keep Mexican tradition alive, we plant smiles and energy into our community. The sun goes down as sweat curves on my shoulder rest and my fingertips become bruised. Tomorrow we perform at mass where I can spread this sensation to a whole audience, keeping mariachi music and my own soul alive. (249 words)

What works well in this essay:

  1. Joselina shows a wide range of values in this essay, including commitment, creativity, practicality, connection to others, love of beauty, connection to culture, and more.
  2. This essay is likely to be different from “violin” essays written by other students in large part due to the specific details she includes.
  3. Note how she invokes the senses (smell, sight, sound) throughout, inviting us into this part of her world—a part that hasn’t been covered elsewhere in the application in a comprehensive way (she only mentions mariachi briefly in her Additional Information section).
  4. Pro tip (related): Use each supplemental essay to share with the reader something new about yourself, if you can.
  5. In the final ⅓ of the essay she answers “so what” (i.e., why this activity matters to her on a deeper level). You can do this too in your extracurricular essay(s).

FAQ: Can you re-use your essays for other schools?

In short, you can. Joselina applied to a range of schools, including Williams, Bowdoin, Tufts, and others. When she created her Essay Tracker, she realized that some of her other schools had similar prompts to Yale.

So she wrote her essays in a way that would allow her to re-use them.

As an example, she was able to use her “mariachi” essay for the following prompts (again, these were the old prompts—see the Common App for up to date prompts):

  • Williams: The first-year Entry–a thoughtfully constructed residential microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience–brings together students from around the world with different perspectives, interests and backgrounds. Imagine having a late-night conversation with your Entrymates about a community that you value. Describe that community and why it’s important to you. (300 words)

  • Bowdoin (Optional Essay): The Offer represents Bowdoin’s values. Please reflect on the line you selected and how it has meaning to you. (250 words)

  • Line selected : Art, an intimate friend

  • Tufts: How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today? (250 words)

At CEG, we call this writing a “Super Essay.”

Pro Tip: You can do this too.

In fact, here’s a complete guide to writing a Super Essay (and how doing so can save you 20+ hours in your application process).

She was also able to re-use some of the language from her Yale “Why us” essay for other schools. For more on how to write the “Why us” essay, click here.

Important side note: Why it’s SO darn important to apply to a wide range of colleges

  1. You can get a great education just about anywhere. (In fact, most colleges accept most of the students who apply: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/04/09/a-majority-of-u-s-colleges-admit-most-students-who-apply/
  2. Outcomes can be unpredictable; you never know which colleges might (and might not) accept you.
  3. By getting your heart set on a college with a single-digit acceptance rate you might be setting yourself up for disappointment.
  4. I want you to have options in March when you’re getting your acceptance letters (and I’ve seen too sad emails from students who didn’t apply to enough “likely” schools. Here’s a guide to finding colleges that you’ll like AND can get into.

Note on a Potential Use for Your Additional Information Section

If you write a great supplement essay that ISN’T required by some of your schools, but it helps provide important information about the skills/qualities/values you’d bring to a college campus…  you may choose to include a shortened, bulletpoint version of the essay in your Additional Information section (if there's room). Like Joselina did:

Mariachi Sonidos del Desierto

Played mariachi since I was 7 years old (violin). I love the community it fosters as I keep Chicanx culture alive. In high school, I joined a group called “Sonidos del Desierto”, and I hope to continue playing in college.

Important: Make sure to only include that in the application for the schools that DON'T have a supplemental essay, since you can submit custom Common Apps per school (in other words: You can submit for College A, then edit the Additional Info section, then submit something different for College B, etc.).

No need to do this for all your activities; be selective.

Okay, that was a lot.

Further resources

If you’re still wondering whether or not to mention your race in your application, or how best to advise students, check out: