Texas A&M University 2025-26 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Texas A&M University 2025-26 Application Essay Question Explanation

The Requirements: 1 personal statement and 2 short essays of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community

Texas A&M requires students to answer a specific essay prompt and two short answer questions as part of the application process.  Additional essays are not considered as part of your admissions evaluation. If you have already answered a similar prompt via your Common App essay(s), please feel free to copy and paste your Common App essay(s) into the appropriate box. 

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today? (750 words)

Lucky you! Texas A&M’s prompt says you can literally copy and paste your Common App essay here. So, is that it? Not quite: While admissions has given you permission to reuse your (already perfect) personal statement, they have actually tailored their prompt to focus on your high school career. So read over that personal statement: Does it address opportunities and challenges you’ve experienced in the last three years? If not, take the time to reframe it so that it highlights your more recent life experiences. You can keep the same theme, just update your personal story so that it shows a version of yourself that’s more mature and similar to who you will be when you matriculate. Note that the word count is actually 100 more words than the Common App, so you have some wiggle room to make these adjustments. 

Describe a life event which you feel has prepared you to be successful in college. (250 words)

This prompt is incredibly vague, which is kinda awesome because it sets you up to talk about almost anything you want. Which life event has sparked personal growth? What do you think it takes to be successful and how do you embody those qualities? Maybe a parent’s fragile health situation challenged you to take on more responsibilities than the average teenager, preparing you for the hard work ahead. Or perhaps you learned to love your football team’s playback sessions, as they forced you to routinely examine your mistakes, welcome constructive criticism, and guide you toward self-improvement. Whatever story you choose to tell, be sure to infuse it with personal details that no one else could include in their essay.

Tell us about the person who has most impacted your life and why. (250 words)

Who is the first person to come to mind when you read this prompt? The person you write about can be someone in your immediate circle, larger network, or on the world stage. Remember that the person you choose is going to say a lot about what you value and respect in others. Maybe an adult in your life has served as a mentor and role model for you, or perhaps the person who has impacted you most is a close friend and confidant. Once you identify the person you’d like to write about, be sure to summarize who they are to you, how they have impacted your life, and how you’ve changed as a result of knowing them.

If there are additional personal challenges, hardships, or opportunities (including COVID related experiences) that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, which you have not already written about, please note them in the space below. (250 words)

Let us start by saying: this prompt is not for everyone. If your GPA has not dramatically increased or decreased during your high school career, move along. If, on the other hand, you’re thinking, “Yes! An opportunity for me to explain!” then read on. Your transcripts are like Garfield Minus Garfield. Sure, we can see that something’s changed from frame to frame, but we don’t know why. Grades need context. Admissions doesn’t know why or how things happened—good or bad—so take a look at your grades and note any anomalies or odd jumps/drops. Think back to that time in your life and tell your story. Maybe your family struggled with financial instability or the loss of a loved one. Maybe you started meeting virtually with a tutor and climbed from a fall semester C in geometry to a spring semester A. No matter your story, you are not alone in your journey of ups and downs—high school is a veritable war zone of distractions and possibilities. And, remember, everyone loves a comeback.