How to Write the Washington University in St. Louis Supplemental Essay: Guide + Examples 2026/2027

Last Updated on 08/03/2026 by Ethan Sawyer

The Breakfast Club. Mean Girls. Clueless. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. 

What do all of these popular movies have in common? 

Groups. There’s the jocks, the artists, the hipsters, the gamers, the nerds-the list goes on.

Washington University leaders have a different take on things than the boys and girls of The Breakfast Club. To them, we’re all nerds in our own right, all part of the same group deep down. The WashU supplemental essay asks you to embrace your interests whether you’re a self-identified nerd or not.

We’re here to help you geek out. Jocks, gamers, and everyone in between. 

Want to get a better sense of what WashU is looking for? You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at WashU’s 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 what WashU values.

Think of this as two essays in one: a “Why Major” + a “Why us?”-though you can lean harder (or even entirely) into the “Why Major” side, and at just 200 words, it’s on the short side, so you’ll want to be judicious about using your word budget wisely to make sure to clearly articulate both the what (the field of study you’re interested in) and the why (the specific academic opportunities you plan to take advantage of at WashU).

To get you started, here’s a complete guide to the “Why Major” essay. And here’s the full guide on how to write the “Why us?” essay. When you read through the latter, pay close attention to the “Why Tufts” examples, since it was also written for a 200-word prompt.

Action Items:

1. Read the “Why Major” guide. What mini-movie moments do you envision exploring?

2. Reflect on what you want out of your college experience. Collect those insights using this chart. Identifying specific or niche interests and needs will help you find equally specific resources at WashU and make your “we’re a perfect match” case (see more on this in the “complete guide” link above) more compelling. 

3. Spend at least an hour researching 5-7  reasons why WashU might be a great fit for you, mapping them out in the third column of the chart. 

   • Remember: The best “Why us?” pieces don’t celebrate how “x” school is the GREATEST SCHOOL OF ALL TIME. They’re more an explanation of why you and the school are the perfect match. Make sure to connect each of your WashU examples to your goals and interests. 

4. Create an outline that combines your mini-movie moments for the “Why Major” top, then outline the “Why us?” portion based on either Approach One, Approach Two (recommended), or Approach 3 (as explained in our “Why us?” guide).

Here’s a great sample essay. Note that it was written for a previous year’s prompt, when the word limit was longer, so you’ll have a bit less space to work with.

Example:

In an empty subway car lies an advertisement, “Only Mount Sinai [Medical Hospital] would think of a flu shot as a once in a lifetime experience.” Dr. Peter Palese found a way to target a conserved region of a rapidly-changing virus. This project would potentially produce a shot that would be effective for the next 10-15 years compared to current vaccines that are rendered ineffective after at least six months. As a future scientist committed to the world of infectious diseases, I find Dr. Palese’s project captivating because it shows the constant innovations in the endless battle against the micro world.

While Dr. Palese’s project is ingenious, his research reinforces the common idea that viruses are inherently bad. I believe that viruses, in some cases, can have positive effects, and I am committed to furthering this alternate perspective.

WashU demonstrates a unique commitment to researching the positive uses of viruses. The ampersand program, Phage Hunters, explores the relatively new field of “Phage Therapy.” Bacteriophages address the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria by repurposing viruses, offering a safer treatment to bacteria-resistant illnesses.

WashU’s expansive Department of Microbiology provides other access points for studying virology. By participating in Professor Wang’s lab, which focuses on viral discovery, I hope to develop skills to discover new viruses and their methods of infection.

These innovative opportunities at WashU lead me into my path of becoming a researcher of viruses, which will one day help me benefit the global community in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

 

Tips + Analysis

1. Show deep roots. This student drops names, in a good way. Specific details like researcher names demonstrate your knowledge, authority, and (most important) interest. Dig deep into WashU’s website to mine for courses, programs, professors, and other opportunities that get you excited, and show you’ve done your homework by weaving them into your essay.

2. Compare and contrast to show critical thinking. By analyzing examples of viruses as foe or friend, the student defined their research interest. They know what they want to research and where that work is getting done at WashU. This is a great example of sprinkling”why me” details in with the “why WashU.” The result: a “why we are perfect for each other” essay. 

3. Be accurate. Ampersand Courses are only found at WashU, and the name is capitalized. The field of phage therapy isn’t (and doesn’t need the quote marks). It may feel like nitpicking (and will it prevent you from being accepted? Probably not), but details like capitalizations matter because they show you’re paying attention. Review any capped words you’re using as proper nouns. 

4. Be complete. Use full names. WashU has several doctors named Wang studying viruses. Is it Dr. David Wang or Dr. Xiaoli Wang? Before you submit, check the spelling of programs, professors, and any proper nouns. 

5. Share your game plan. The student shows how WashU opportunities will lead to a career that benefits others in a meaningful way. Your college will invest its resources in you, so share your ideas of how your education there will benefit others. That’ll help to show that you get it’s not all about you, which conveys key values like compassion, community, and helping others. Speaking of which …

6. Show a variety of core values. Aside from your Common App materials, this is your one chance to show WashU officials why you’re a great fit for its campus. And a great way to do that is to demonstrate how your values align with theirs. If you haven’t yet, read its strategic priorities and mission statement to get a sense for what’s important to school leaders (hint: exploration, intellectual curiosity, and boldness are big ones), and see which resonate with you the most, then work to convey those values in your writing. Don’t have a clear sense of what your core values are? Take 5 minutes to do this Values Exercise.

And here’s a bonus example. Note how this student starts out with a powerful hook, using a term the reader likely has never heard of, and using it to share a compelling story of how they became interested in the field of medicine. Since you won’t have as much room, you may consider spending less time on the “Why Major” portion and more on the “Why WashU,” given the prompt’s emphasis on “at WashU and why.”

Bonus Example:

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) – never heard of it? I certainly hadn’t. That is, prior to learning that my aunt was pregnant with my cousin Tommy.  Doctors knew during pregnancy that he would have the condition. 

OI is a genetic disorder that causes brittle bones, loose joints and breathing problems. In his first five years, Tommy has broken more bones than most people will in their lifetimes. Despite these challenges, he’s amazing. We often FaceTime to talk about dinosaurs (a common interest of ours) or to have virtual WWE bouts with action figures (not a common interest!).

My connection to Tommy took my interest in science from deep yet abstract to something very personal. I dove into learning everything I could about genetics, OI and related disorders. I’ve spent as much time as they’re willing to give talking to Tommy’s parents and doctors and other geneticists, researching new treatments on PubMed, and pursuing applicable internships and classes. When my clinical research internship was cancelled last summer, I took an online Brown molecular biology class and completed Weill Cornell’s virtual internship in cancer biology and precision medicine. 

WashU is a perfect fit for allowing me to continue to pursue this passion.  It’s resources and focus on research and experiential learning would give me opportunities I couldn’t find anywhere else.  With an emphasis on Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, I’d love to take courses like the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program, which would integrate me into the clinical field as an undergraduate and provide a way to see firsthand the practical applications of science and medicine. 

 

If you’re aiming for Beyond Boundaries, you’re a visionary, a changemaker, a creator ready to address the thorny problems we face now. Unlike many essay prompts, this one invites you to share your big vision for how you intend to make an impact. What is the “big societal issue” you’re committed to, and how do you plan to move the needle with Beyond Boundaries’ support? 

Notice the language in the prompt about “diverse perspectives and skill sets.” Given Beyond Boundaries’ multidisciplinary focus, consider how you’ll draw on various disciplines, expertise or approaches to solve the problem you discuss. This is especially significant as you imagine your team-what could different collaborators bring to the table, and what toolkit of skills will you gather by bringing them together?

Finally, outline your specific role. What actions will you take, and how will you leverage Beyond Boundaries’ offerings to prepare yourself to do that? As you design your essay response, draw on the work you’ve already done on this issue, and make the link to your future goals.

Example:

Because Tomorrow Needs Her inspired me to prevent pregnant women from dying at high rates because of inaccessible transportation. Beyond Boundaries offers the tools to realize my dream: to establish ambulance referral systems in under-resourced communities. 

To better understand maternal health, I’d work with Dr. Foeller to study preterm labor complications at the School of Medicine, while Professor Wang of Obstetrics and Biomedical Engineering would help me experiment with MRI techniques to measure brain changes that cause pregnancy complications. 

I plan to use the support of the Olin School of Business to draft a market analysis and business plan. I’d work with Professor Thakor to research how to maintain a purpose-driven organization and service, maybe by hiring positive energizers. The Hatchery class, meanwhile, would allow me research the best plan for my ambulance service, then pitch it to investors. I hope I’m fortunate enough to receive Olin’s Global Impact Award to get funding to implement ambulance referrals in communities with high maternal mortality rates, like villages in South Sudan. And at the Brown School of Social Work and Public Health, I hope to research strategies to increase the accessibility of ambulance services and other health interventions with Professor Caburnay. 

 

Tips + Analysis 

1. Name your inspiration. What life experiences led you to become concerned about this issue? This student became aware of maternal health inequities thanks to a Doctors Without Borders book. What’s your personal connection? That can be a compelling way to begin. Also notice that this author uses this approach effectively, but quickly-with just a couple hundred words, you don’t have much space for long anecdotes.

2. Be specific. This student names a precise goal to address a particular problem-development of an ambulance service to minimize pregnant women’s deaths in underserved communities due to lack of transport. You’re being asked to address a big issue, but you can’t just say “poverty” or “climate change.” What particular community do you wish to affect, and in what particular way? How is your solution tailored to meet that need? In general with prompts like this, the more you can zoom in, the stronger your writing will be.

3. Get to the point. You only have a few hundred words-not a lot to address how you want to try to solve a societal problem. So in this relatively short essay, let your reader know up front the issue you plan to address and how, then get really specific in the body with details to illustrate your approach. This author plainly states their intention in the first two lines, then offers clear, direct, specific details in the body. 

4. Why Beyond Boundaries. The prompt says that Beyond Boundaries equips students with a set of tools to understand and make a difference in the world. Although it’s not explicit, this is a “Why Us?” opportunity: Which of the multidisciplinary offerings available through Beyond Boundaries do you see yourself taking advantage of to bring your vision to life? This applicant names particular professors, courses, topics of study, and potential sources of funding that will help them reach their goal.

And here’s a bonus example, written for Pomona but which could work well for this WashU prompt.

Example:

The US healthcare system has a deep and complex history of racism and discrimination, resulting in poor care and malpractice. For example, minority patients are more likely to experience illness and worse outcomes and have higher rates of mortality.

I believe all lives inherently have equal value and should be treated as such, especially in a field whose goal is to save lives and do no harm. I hope to help address these inequalities by studying this problem in both medicine and wider society. 

Classes at Pomona like Intersections Between Biology, Ethics and Public Health; Bioethics; Science, Power, and LQBTQ Identities; Health Economics: Applications to Health Policy in the COVID-19 Era; and The Psychology of Health and Medicine will deepen my understanding of the ethical complexities in the medical field and about inequities relating to things like gender and sexuality. From there, classes like Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, All Power to the People! Social Movements for Justice, and Race and Ethnic Relations will allow me to examine racial biases, both in myself and society. 

Understanding a problem is the first step to solving it, and I believe Pomona will help me to better understand discrimination in our healthcare system. 

– – –

This is essentially a short “Why us?” essay. But this one is specifically about how you intend to capitalize on Wash U’s joint degree program in business and computer science.

Because it’s so short, the key will be finding 2-3 reasons that set the program apart from all the other schools you’re applying to. If you have really specific goals you want to use this program and degree to pursue, you can possibly use those to frame what you want to explore within the program and why.

It’s linked up top, but here’s the “Why us?” essay guide again, and use that super useful chart to gather your research to show a solid link between your interests and experiences in business and comp sci and specific opportunities available through Wash U’s Joint Program in Business and Computer Science. 

– – –

WashU’s signature merit-based scholars programs, housed within the Office of Scholar Programs (OSP), bring together students from each of the academic divisions to create unique academic and cultural communities in which to share, learn, challenge, make friends, and exchange views and ideas. Visit admissions.wustl.edu for full details. 

The Danforth, Ervin, and Rodriguez Scholars Programs are open to students applying to any undergraduate division.

Chancellor Danforth and Mrs. Danforth deeply cared about building trust within the community and being of service to others. They embodied a spirit of servant leadership, enhancing the experiences of students, staff, and faculty. Reflecting on the lives and legacies of the Danforths, share a specific example of how you have demonstrated a commitment to servant leadership and improving your community. (Maximum 100 words)

The Ervin Scholars Program is open to only U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented or DACA students living in the U.S. 

Dr. John B. Ervin was a nationally renowned Black educator and the first African American Dean at Washington University in St. Louis. Reflecting on his biography and the history and legacy of the Ervin Scholars Program, share a specific example of how you have taken action to champion diversity in your own life or community. (200-250 words)

Annika Lynn Rodriguez championed awareness for students of all backgrounds, including starting WashU’s first Latin American Awareness Week. Reflecting on Annika Rodriguez’s history and legacy, share a specific example of how you have made a commitment to fostering cultural awareness and understanding. (200-250 words)

Special thanks to Shira for writing this post.

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

Top Values: Authenticity / Purpose / Love

---