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How to Answer the 2025-26 Haverford Supplemental Essay Prompts
By
Savannah Dawson
Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies.
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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Scholarship Services at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Haverford College is a private liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania. The Haverford College supplemental essays offer applicants the opportunity to share. In this article, we are going to break down both of Haverford’s supplemental essay prompts to make them easier to understand. Let’s get started!
Before you start writing…
The Haverford information page states that applicants are “treated personally and individually, with extraordinary care and attention to detail.” In other words, every part of your application, and perhaps especially your essays, is very important.
We recommend looking over Haverford College’s Honor Code before you start writing your essays. The Honor Code is a statement of values shared by the academic community, so in order to get a better feel for the school and what kind of student they are looking for, familiarize yourself with this. Their Honor Code is comprised of four pillars:
- Academic Freedom
- Student Agency
- Community
- Leadership and Engagement
Here is what Haverford has to say about the code:
Haverford College has one of the oldest and one of the very few student-run Honor Codes in the U.S. Our Honor Code is not a set of rules, but rather a statement of shared values around both the academic and social aspects of life and is centered on the concepts of trust, concern, and respect. Our Honor Code serves as an educational tool in and of itself and provides a powerful framework for our community, emphasizing and supporting qualities we see as essential to a Haverford education. Among other things, the Honor Code at Haverford supports:
•Academic Freedom: The Honor Code fosters an atmosphere emphasizing academic integrity, collaboration over competition, and the cultivation of intellectual curiosity. Differences and disagreement are respected, valued, and embraced, and open discourse is seen as fundamental to the academic endeavor.
•Student Agency: The Honor Code upholds a culture in which students are deeply trusted to take substantial ownership of their education and to profoundly shape and define the Haverford community. Student ownership is reflected in self-scheduled exams, in the fact that every student completes a Senior Thesis, in shared responsibility for the residential experience, and of course in oversight of the Honor Code itself.
•Community: The Honor Code establishes a supportive environment for living and learning, where the community experience plays a central role in one’s education. The inherent value of every community member is recognized, and diversity in all respects – including diversity of background, experience, and perspective – is nurtured, celebrated, and embraced.
•Leadership and Engagement: The Honor Code allows every student to find and develop their own voice, to practice ways of improving community and acting on issues of importance, to learn methods of problem solving and conflict resolution, and to examine the ways they can and will impact the world beyond Haverford.
Prompt #1
Tell us about a topic or issue that sparks your curiosity and gets you intellectually excited. How do you hope to engage with this topic or issue at Haverford?
Although there are most likely a lot of things that you are passionate about, it might be harder to consider what makes you intellectually excited. First, you have to choose one thing that gets you excited to learn, to work for, or to talk about.
Next, think about how what you are passionate about will have the opportunity to flourish while attending Haverford College. Here, you can talk about all of the ways your experience can be enriched, how your passion will lead you through your college career, and how it can help you grow as a person and a member of the Haverford community.
Questions to ask yourself:
- What are you passionate about?
- Is there a class in high school that makes you excited to come to school every day?
- Are you passionate about any environmental, social justice, or human rights issues?
- What amenities are at Haverford that would help you pursue this passion?
- Haverford doesn’t mention their Honor Code specifically in this prompt, but they do list the code at the top of the page. So, if you have a way to loop the Honor Code into your answer, be sure to use it!
Prompt #2
We have highlighted for you some of the values that shape the Haverford community. What are some of the values you seek in your next community? How do Haverford’s values, as demonstrated through our Honor Code, resonate with you?
As you think about how to answer this question, you might draw from how you have been influenced by other communities you have been a part of, experiences you may have had within your communities, or opportunities you have had to shape or even change your communities. (200 word limit)
This is another prompt that connects right back to the Honor Code. Think about what you value most and tie it back to how attending Haverford will help you honor and live up to those values. Be honest while explaining your motivation for applying.
As for what excites you most, you can always connect this back to academics and community. If it’s too far in advance to know what you are most excited about, go for the academic route and talk about the opportunities that Haverford offers within your major, or professors that you are looking forward to working with. These are always great options.
Questions to ask yourself:
- How has your family and/or community shaped your personal values?
- What specific experiences and opportunities shaped you into the student you are today?
- Did you choose Haverford because of their set of values?
Final thoughts for students
The Haverford College supplemental essays are an ideal way for the admissions team to learn more about you. As long as you are honest about why you chose your major and why Haverford is the best place for you, they will respect that. Although there is a pretty small word count, you can always go back to edit later. Write how you feel, and go back and edit for conciseness.
Additional resources
At Scholarships360, we understand that the college application process is a stressful time for students. That is why we make it easier for you to break down things like college essays, scholarships, financial aid, and so much more. Check out our articles on how many colleges to apply to, and our tips for successful college applications to start. You can also read more about how to make your college choice.