Purdue University 2025-26 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Purdue University 2025-26 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: Two short essays of 250 words or fewer

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community

How will opportunities at Purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom? (Respond in 250 words or fewer.)

This is basically a super short Why Essay, and the best way to answer it is to do your research. If you set aside an hour to crawl the school website and jot down the offerings that appeal to you, you’ll end up with a pretty comprehensive list of things that are relevant to your interests. Write down literally everything: courses, professors, clubs, traditions, you name it! You’ll put this information to good use in this essay and the next one. When you’ve finished your research spree, group your notes thematically and pick a small cluster to cover in this brief essay. For example, let’s say you love creative writing (we get you). You might describe how taking a combination of English and history classes will help you write the Great American Novel, while joining an improv group in the meantime will sharpen your wit and creative thinking. College is a time to explore, so show admissions just how you plan to do that. Space is limited, so don’t worry about getting too detailed about your major and professional goals. You’ll have an opportunity to do that in the next short essay you write.

Briefly discuss your reasons for choosing your major and your interest in studying at this campus location (Indianapolis or West Lafayette) (Respond in 250 words or fewer)

We told you! Can we predict the future or did we read all the questions before writing this guide? Who is to say? At any rate, now is the time to get nerdy. This prompt is about not only your intellectual curiosity, but also your ambitions for the future. There are so many reasons to pursue a degree in Economics: because you’ve always wanted to apply your interest in math to the real world, because you’re set on a career in finance, or even because you want to make policy one day. No one is more or less valid than the other, so first and foremost, be honest about your motives. Then refer to your notes to fill in the details with colorful examples. Make sure you include which campus location you’d like to study at and what attracts you to that one over the other—whether that’s the urban or rural setting, the academic programs, or the potential partnerships. In a short essay like this, you’ve got to shoot from the hip, so be specific and succinct. What makes Purdue the ideal place to pursue your dream? How will their offerings and opportunities inch you toward your goal?