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How to Respond to the Spelman College Supplemental Essay Prompt
By
Varonika Ware
Varonika Ware is a content writer at Scholarships360. Varonika earned her undergraduate degree in Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. During her time at LSU, she worked with the Center of Academic Success to create the weekly Success Sunday newsletter. Varonika also interned at the Louisiana Department of Insurance in the Public Affairs office with some of her graphics appearing in local news articles.
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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 Content 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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If you’re looking into colleges to apply to, then you’ve probably heard about HBCUs, aka Historically Black Colleges and Universities. One well-known HBCU is Spelman College, an all-female school that’s one of the highest ranked HBCUs. If you’re interested in applying to Spelman College, you’ll have to complete a supplemental essay, so keep reading below to get tips on writing yours!
A look into Spelman College
Spelman College was founded in 1881 by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles during a time when HBCUs were some of the only institutions that were willing to educate African Americans. It was originally a seminary but has since grown and set itself apart as one of the best HBCUs in the country.
As one of only two all women HBCUs, Spelman has set itself apart as a leader in academics which has resulted in them being ranked as one of the top HBCUs in the nation.
The Spelman supplemental essay prompt
“Why are you interested in attending Spelman College? We encourage you to consider the academic, historical, and social aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Spelman.” (Min: 125 / Max: 200 words)
Like most colleges, Spelman admissions wants to know why you want to attend their prestigious institution. It might be hard to choose just one thing, but you should consider what factors matter most to you for a desired college.
Is the curriculum rigorous or well-known? Do students often find success after attending this college?
However, you should keep in mind that the word count is brief, maybe two or so paragraphs, which means you have to make them count! It would also be more ideal to pinpoint one or two things, so that your essay isn’t too generic.
Questions to consider:
- What is your favorite thing about Spelman?
- What do you hope to achieve at Spelman?
- What sets Spelman apart from other HBCUs?
Next steps for students
If you’re worried about the word count, it’s a great idea to research writing 250 word essays. They require concise but impactful wording, so it’s important to proofread and get your support system to read through it as well.
As you’re working on your application, don’t forget to fill out your FAFSA. You may also want to consider filling out the CSS Profile as well, but be sure to look into their fee waiver to see if you’re eligible. Make sure you apply for all the scholarships you qualify for as well!
