Amherst College is a selective and top-ranked liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of 7%. As a part of the Five College Consortium, they offer unique benefits that combine liberal arts education and the resources of a university . Since it is a highly competitive school, applicants will need to make their Amherst supplemental essays stand out from the others.
Fortunately, Amherst provides some variety in options for applicants responding to the Amherst supplemental essays. So, let’s learn in this guide how you can ace the Amherst supplemental essays!
Note: This advice is from the Scholarships360 editorial team, and is not affiliated with Amherst College
Option A – Respond to a Quote
Option A asks applicants to choose from three quotes and respond to them.
“Choose one of the following quotations, and respond to the question posed, in an essay of not more than 350 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.”
Amherst provides its applicants with some open-ended direction for responding to the provided quotes. This means you have some freedom in your response and can truly interpret a quote the way that makes the most sense to you. Remember that supplemental essays are intended to get to know the applicants better. So be sure to select a quote that stands out to you!
In addition, the word count for this response is 350 words. This may seem like a lot, but once you start writing it can feel a bit restrictive. Therefore, be sure to brainstorm and plan out what you want to write about. Make sure you are getting your main points across without exceeding the 350 word limit.
Quote option #1
“Hope and curiosity — these are qualities that are the foundation of what Amherst College means, of everything that we do here. Curiosity is at the core of a liberal arts education — a spirit of inquiry that shapes not only what our students do in the classroom, but also how they learn from and about each other.”
— Michael A. Elliott, 20th President of Amherst College, address at Amherst College’s 203rd Commencement
Prompt 1 Question: What does curiosity mean to you? How do you experience curiosity in your own life?
When answering this question, it’s important to reflect on a specific experience when you were curious about something. While it might be tempting to say that you are an overall curious and open-minded person, the admissions committee wants to see essays that are personal and distinguishable from other applicants.
There are many ways that you can show curiosity. For example, you could describe a time when you took it upon yourself to learn about something new outside of the classroom because it intrigued you. Or maybe a time when you met someone and were curious to know more about them. Retelling experiences when curiosity has shaped you is a great way to answer what curiosity means to you.
Quote option #2
“We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world.”
— from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community
Prompt 2 Question: In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?
Start the question by thinking of some experiences that could enrich and diversify the experience of the Amherst community. It might be easier to imagine this question on a slightly smaller scope before zooming out. Think about the challenges you’ve faced and how they have changed your perspective. How would you make this perspective heard on a college campus?
Once you ponder this question on a smaller scale, think about ways you might broaden your reach. Perhaps a college like Amherst could give you the tools you need to do so.
Quote option #3
“We are working together to build a community that makes room for both true disagreement and true connection, one that practices the kind of recognition and robust negotiation that the everyday life of democracy requires, and one that explicitly prepares our students to work for the greater good in their professional and personal endeavors.”
— Presidential Priorities: Serving the Greater Good
Prompt 3 Question: Tell us about a time that you engaged with a viewpoint different from your own. How did you enter that engagement, and what did you learn about yourself from it?
When you enter college, academic debate is something that is not only expected, but encouraged. Higher education is a place where you should question others and yourself. This question gives you the opportunity to show that you are ready for this open-minded way of thinking. Admissions wants to see students that are able to be mature and respectful when it comes to hearing different opinions. Sometimes it can be difficult to admit when we are wrong, but this is an important part of learning. Think about the topics you find yourself bantering with your friends and family about. These experiences might be a great topic for this essay!
Option B – Submit a Paper
“Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should not submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. Also, if you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the “essay topic of your choice” prompt in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir writing section, you should not select Option B.”
Option B is a backup in case you have a writing piece you are extremely proud of. Otherwise, you should stick to responding to one of the Option A quote prompts. Essentially, you have to decide what will provide an Amherst admissions officer with the most well-rounded idea of you.
Amherst’s website has a helpful FAQ for Option B if you are interested in it!
Option C – for A2A program students only
“If you were an applicant to Amherst’s Access to Amherst (A2A) program, you may use your A2A application essay in satisfaction of our Writing Supplement requirement. If you would like to do so, please select Option C on either the Common Applications or the Coalition Application. However, if you would prefer not to use your A2A essay for this purpose and you wish to submit a different writing supplement, select either Option A or Option B. [Please note that Option C is available only to students who were applicants to Amherst’s A2A program. Non-A2A applicants must choose either Option A or Option B.]”
This option is only available for students who were applicants to Amherst’s A2A program. The A2A program is available to aid marginalized communities while at Amherst. Therefore, if this option does not apply to you – do not respond to it! Instead, select Option A or Option B for your Amherst supplemental essay.
Before submitting your Amherst supplemental essays
Before submitting the Amherst supplemental essays, be sure to proofread! You can do this by reading them yourself or asking a trusted friend, parent, or teacher to read it over for you. Remember, you only have one shot to submit your application to Amherst so you want it to be flawless.
Make sure your response not only answers the prompt but also reveals pieces of your personality throughout the essay. You want the Amherst admissions office to get a good sense of who you are as not only a student but a person.
Next steps after applying to Amherst
Now that you have figured out which of the Amherst supplemental essays is the best for you – it is time to write! Be sure to plan out what you will write to ensure that all of your main points are included.
Once you have completed your Amherst supplemental essay question – congratulations! Take a deep breath and go treat yourself to something special! You did it!
Now that you have a beautiful Amherst supplemental essay written – it is officially time to submit your application! Once your application is submitted, be sure to check your Amherst portal and email for updates on your application status.
Now, you are not done with the admissions process! Continue to show demonstrated interest in Amherst by
- Following them on social media
- Scheduling an in-person tour
- Reaching out to an admissions officer
This will give you an opportunity to get to know Amherst more! It will also provide Amherst with the opportunity to get to know you better as well.
Good luck on the rest of your college journey!
Additional resources
We know how stressful this time can be for students! So, we have a lot of resources available for students going through the college admissions process. We can help you determine what is a high SAT score, how many schools to apply to, how to get a college application fee waiver and so much more. And if you’re thinking that college is not for you check out some top alternatives to four-year universities. And if financial issues are hindering your choices check out our free scholarship search tool to help fund your education!