Davidson College 2025-26 Supplemental Essay Guide

Davidson College 2025-26 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: Why, Oddball, Activity
Supplemental Essay Type(s): 2 essays of 250-300 words

There are just under 3,000 4-year colleges and universities in the United States. Being as specific as possible, what interests you most about Davidson College (250-300 words)

This brief assignment is Davidson’s version of the classic why essay, and the key to success here is solid, specific research. Spend some quality time with the Davidson website or, if you can swing it, on a campus tour. Take notes and try to find specific people, programs, and experiences that excite you. In the end, you’ll need to go beyond simply listing the things that appeal to you and make a more personal point: what do your interests reveal about YOU? Examining your notes, ask yourself: what is the common thread in everything I have written down? Is it being a part of a small residential college community? Once-in-a-lifetime study abroad opportunities? Something more abstract and philosophical? Imagine you’re writing a mission statement. In describing what you value about Davidson, how can you reveal what you value, period? Maybe an interest in the African Drumming Ensemble points at an appreciation for collaborative working environments. Or perhaps your entrepreneurial aspirations will be fulfilled by the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Whatever the case may be, you should consider starting your research sooner than later; that way, you can let the information percolate as you begin your response.

Davidson encourages students to explore curiosities in and out of the classroom. What is a topic, activity or idea that excites you? Tell us why. Examples may include hobbies, books, interactions, music, podcasts, movies, etc. (250-300 words)

Davidson wants to accept intellectually curious applicants, so why not use this opportunity to rant and rave about your current interests? Maybe you find astronomy to be absolutely fascinating and you’ve been reading up on the incomprehensible (maybe limitless?) size of the universe. Or maybe you recently started learning Dutch and now you want to consume all the Dutch and Netherlands-related content you can get your hands on. When was the last time you went down an internet rabbit hole trying to research something? When were you last excited to learn a new skill? What is your favorite thing to talk about with friends and peers? The bottom line here is to discuss examples of what truly fascinates you while also reflecting on what these examples say about your personality traits, interests, or learning style.