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How to Respond to the 2023-2024 Trinity College Supplemental Essay Prompt

Trinity College is a private liberal arts college located in Hartford, Connecticut. It has an acceptance rate of 38% and is relatively small with a little over 2,000 undergraduate students. Since this school is selective, you should do your best on the Trinity College supplemental essays. Get started on your essay with this guide!

Trinity College supplemental essay prompt

Trinity offers only one essay prompt to applicants, but it’s beneficial to complete it even though it’s optional. The admissions office cares about what makes you the person you are and how that fits in with Trinity College. Don’t be afraid to share something new or interesting to improve your chances of admission.

The prompt

Optional: The identities you claim, the challenges you face, and the successes you enjoy shape the background for your college experience to come. What is an aspect of your background that you are excited to share and/or explore as a member of the Trinity community and why? (up to 300 words).”

Trinity College is telling applicants exactly what they value with this prompt, which is creating a diverse and vibrant community. The emphasis on your personal story and how you will interact with and contribute to the Trinity community is clear.

Start your essay by telling the admissions office about what shaped you into who you are. Next, think about what special traits you possess that you can share. Admissions want to know that your unique experiences will help make Trinity a more diverse place to learn and thrive.

Questions to consider:

  • What is unique about the background that shaped you?
  • What do you most enjoy talking about in regard to the world you grew up in? 
  • How are you going to get involved in the Trinity College community?

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Next steps for applicants

Now that you’ve completed your Trinity College supplemental essays, let’s check some other things off your college to-do list. You should prioritize scheduling a campus tour and fortunately, Trinity College offers both virtual and in-person tours. After you submit your application and plan your campus tour, you’re halfway there!

Make the most out of your time before college by staying on top of deadlines, figuring out your major, and participating in summer experiences like internships or work opportunities. Whatever you decide on, try to make your time off memorable!

The art of the college essay

Chances are, the Trinity College supplemental essay will only be one of many college essays you write over the course of your application. Luckily, we can help out with all of them! Check out our college essay database for guides to a great many colleges’ supplemental essay prompts. On top of that, you might find our Common App essay guide to be useful, as well as our guide on how to write an essay about yourself. Finally, don’t miss our guide on what looks good in a college essay, and pointers for how to adapt your writing to 250 or 500 word limits.

Additional resources

College can be expensive, and luckily, there are plenty of resources to help attendees cut their expenses!

Frequently asked questions about the the Trinity College supplemental essay 

Should you answer the Trinity College supplemental essay prompt if it is optional?

If Trinity College is one of your top choices, it makes sense to complete the optional essay. There is no downside to showing who you are and how you will make the most of attending Trinity College!

Will it be held against a student if they don’t submit the optional supplemental essay?

Since the essay is “optional,” it seems that is does not matter whether students submit the essay. According to the Trinity College website, “you may choose to submit an optional essay that focuses on your specific interest in Trinity College.” Therefore, if a student has a “specific” interest in attending Trinity College, it is in their best interest to take the extra step and submit the optional essay.

What do colleges want to hear in supplemental essays?

Colleges and universities want to hear about what makes you “you.” They want to learn about how you will contribute to the campus community if given the opportunity to attend their school. There is no one thing that colleges want to hear other than a heartfelt response to their prompt  in your own unique voice.