Chapman University 2025-26 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Chapman University 2025-26 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 3 essays of 200 words or fewer, 1 list

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community, Diversity, Oddball, Short Answer

If Declaring a major:

Please tell us about your interest in the major you selected (200 words or fewer).*

This prompt gives you a chance to geek out about your intended major. Do you and calculus have some unfinished business? Are you planning to get a jump on your Hollywood career with a major in Creative Production? Whether your goals are intellectual, professional, or somewhere in between, your reasoning should be grounded in what Chapman has to offer. If you’re interested in marketing, make sure you talk about a program they actually offer: Communication Studies or English, perhaps. 200 words isn’t a lot of space, but that doesn’t mean you can’t provide a detailed response. Get ambitious and aim to answer these two key questions: What do you absolutely love about your intended major? Why is Chapman the ideal place for you to study it? Think about what excites you about the department at Chapman—professors, classes, guest speakers, alumni—and dig deep to show how Chapman will help you achieve your goals.

If undeclared:

Chapman University encourages academic exploration through our dynamic liberal arts curriculum. It’s okay to be unsure of what you might want to major in. Please tell us about the academic areas that interest you currently (200 words or fewer).*

To ace this question, you’ll need to articulate for admissions why a well-rounded liberal arts education is important to you. Do you think Chapman’s curriculum will allow you to build upon your communication and mediation skills, preparing you for a career in civil service? Maybe you think it will help you be more marketable once you enter the working world, preparing you to join a variety of fields (which is especially helpful since you’re undecided). What classes are you excited about taking? Which academic programs call to you and why? Demonstrate your interest in Chapman’s offerings (and liberal arts curriculum, while you’re at it), and admissions is bound to be impressed! 

Out of the thousands of universities and colleges, what excites you about attending Chapman University specifically?* (200 words or fewer)

We’re sure you’ve seen this essay before: why here? Now’s the time to do some research and paint a picture of what your life would be like as a Chapman student. In other words, show off your fit! You’ll be writing about your academic interests in the next essay, so for this prompt, focus on the things that excite you about Chapman outside of the classroom. Maybe you grew up in a small town with a tiny high school and you’ve been dreaming of attending a huge university with extensive course offerings and unique campus culture. Beyond what you would gain, you should also think about what you would contribute. What kind of energy would you bring to such a large school? Maybe your religion has always been an important part of your life and you’ve been looking for a community that fosters spirituality and interfaith communication. Whatever your angle, make sure to tell admissions something new and go beyond the basic facts and figures listed on the school website.

Please answer the following questions in one word, phrase, or sentence. There are no right or wrong answers here. We hope you enjoy working on this section as much as we’ll enjoy reading it.

What is your dream job?*

What song should we be listening to while reading your application?*

Name one dish you would cook for our admission team.*

What can you give a 30-minute presentation on without any preparation?*

What is the top thing on your bucket list? *

What are the best words of advice you have received?*

What is a family tradition that you want to continue?*

If Chapman’s admission team came to visit your hometown, what site would you take them to?*

Where do you feel most at home?*

Submitted by a prospective student for the class of 2026: Which well-known person or fictional character would you like to have as your roommate?*

After forcing you to address so many serious topics earlier in the supplement, Chapman also wants you to have some fun. These quirky yet personal short answer questions present a prime opportunity to let your sense of humor shine through, and the random assortment of topics ensure you can reveal many facets of your personality. If we went through each question individually, we’d probably end up writing a zillion times as many characters as you’re allowed for these. Fortunately, there’s really just one trick for quickie prompts like these: go with your gut. Chances are, your first instincts will lead you to the most unique and genuine answers. Since you don’t have to produce much to answer each question, brainstorming is key. Set aside maybe 30 minutes to jot down as many ideas as you can think of for each question. Allow yourself to approach each question from a few different angles: funny, earnest, clever, surprising. The point is not to waste any time agonizing over what you think admissions wants to hear. Trust yourself.