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Scripps College 2019-20 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Scripps College 2019-20 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 200 words, 1 essay of 150-300 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Oddball

Why have you chosen to apply to Scripps College? (200 words)

Ah, the classic why essay. Scripps wants to know that you’ve thoughtfully chosen them from the long list of other options out there. Did you visit campus and fall in love with Claremont? Are you from SoCal and it’s just far enough but not too far from home? Maybe you’ve scoured their course offerings and already put together a plan for your first year. There are so many different reasons students choose Scripps, and admissions wants to know yours. Three things to keep in mind when writing this essay: details, details, details. (Did we mention details?) The more specific you can get when illustrating your passion for Scripps, the better admissions will be able to picture you on their campus, thriving in student life. 

 

Choose one of the following (150-300 words):

(1) If you could trade lives with someone (fictional or real) for a day, who would it be and why?

Carrie Bradshaw. Have you seen her closet full of shoes? (But that’s probably not the answer admissions is looking for.) Who lives or has lived a life you admire or envy for some reason? This can be approached in many ways: You can think of someone who has your dream job, lives in a city or era you’re fascinated by, or was present at a world-changing event you’d have loved to see. Don’t stress about the details of the time-space continuum (no Butterfly Effect will take place); just let yourself dream a little and wander into the life of another. Remember: this choice will say more about you than it will about them, so choose wisely and have your reasoning laid out carefully. Whether you pick a serious historical figure or a character from your favorite Tim Burton film, explain why being them for a day would be appealing and what you might do in their shoes for 24 hours.

 

(2) You’ve invented a time machine in your living room – well done! When and where is your first destination and why?

Not dissimilar to Question #1, but this time, you get to be yourself in another time and place! Again, don’t fuss with the technicalities of time travel–we’ve all seen Avengers: End Game and know even Marvel doesn’t care about getting it 100% right. This essay will say a lot about you: what you value, who you admire, and what fascinates you. Try to think outside of the box on this one and get specific. Avoid generalizations like “The Italian Renaissance” and go for something more particular like “The moment Michelangelo began chiseling David from stone.” And don’t feel limited to traveling far back in time! Is there a moment in your own life you wish you could relive or a time before your memory begins you wish you could experience? “I want to see myself being born!” (Okay, maybe not… *shudder*.) But seriously, there are many ways of going about this, so get a list going of a few ideas and see which one sparks the most interest for you. 

 

(3) You have just been invited to give a TED talk. What will you talk about and why did you select that topic?

Get your mic headset ready and put on that turtleneck… it’s showtime. Everyone has that one subject they can wax poetic about for hours. For some, it’s Shakespeare’s sonnets; for others it’s how to become a level 72 hunter in World of Warcraft. Our passions run the gamut and this is your opportunity to let admissions into your brain… your sweet, weird, special brain. This should be fun and informative, so let loose and let your freak flag fly. The topic you choose matters less than your ability to shine in the light of your passion–in other words: don’t stress over the merits of your topic as much as your ability to back it up with details and personal knowledge. Remember: TedTalks tend to be a bit motivational, so watch a couple to refresh your brain and see what you can do to inspire your audience.

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