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Early Decision: Nov 1
Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 4
The Requirements: 1 essay of 300 words
Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community
You only have to write one supplemental essay for BU, and both prompt choices are focused on community. According to their founding principles, BU believes that professional careers should be “in the service of the wider community—local and international.” In that spirit, the school values diversity and engages closely with both Boston and the world. To ace this essay, focus on the communities that matter to you and try to identify why you hold them dear. This will help you decide whether to write about what you’ve already done to serve your community, reflecting on your past, or how you will contribute to BU’s campus community next year, dreaming up future possibilities. Whichever path you take, make sure your essay highlights your passions and your commitment to bettering the world around you. With those elements in place, you’re sure to make your mark on admissions!
This is your opportunity to not only show admissions that you’re paying attention to the world around you, but also demonstrate your creativity and vision. Start by brainstorming a few problems or challenges—big and small—that bother you or impact your life in some capacity. Maybe it’s rampant wildfires, trans rights, or accessibility issues in your community. The scope and scale of your problem can vary. With this prompt, it’s a good idea that you touch on when or where your passion first began and how it developed over time. Show that you’re not only informed and concerned, but also actively engaged in addressing the problem head on (in one to three innovative ways). This prompt gives you a wonderful opportunity to reveal something new about yourself through discussing your enthusiastic engagement with a given issue; in the process, you will showcase your curious, well-rounded nature to admissions—and huzzah for that!
With this prompt, BU is marrying two classics: the Why Essay and the Community Essay. The point of this sort of prompt is twofold: to learn what makes you tick and to gauge your commitment to the school. So, the more time you spend researching the school and their unique offerings, the better you’ll be able to demonstrate both. Spend some quality time poring over the school website. Take notes on anything and everything that appeals to you across all aspects of student life: classes, professors, labs, clubs, speakers, location—literally everything! The point is to paint a picture for admissions that clues them into your passions and demonstrates how BU will help you cultivate them. Once you’ve completed your preliminary research, narrow the list to your top five or so items to focus on. Remember, your essay should not only reveal information about your interests, but also your vision for engaging with the campus community from your first day on campus.
We have been reading supplemental essays for Boston University for over twenty years now, so we know a thing or two about the most common mistakes students make. The most common mistakes to avoid are repeating the prompt in your essay (don’t waste your words), trying to sound like an academic (admissions wants to hear your authentic voice!), and using cliches (they’re ineffective and—let’s face it—lazy).
We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for the Boston University (BU) supplements for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to this essay, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm, draft, and revise a winning essay. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful BU supplemental essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances.
Boston University requires one (1) supplemental essay.
Supplemental essays are designed to offer admissions more insight into your candidacy, so it’s in your best interest to take advantage of the opportunity to reveal new information about yourself, which will give admissions deeper insight into the kind of person you are and the kind of community member you’ll be on campus.
Authenticity and reflection are key. You want to both ensure that you’re submitting essays that no one else could submit—meaning they contain specific details from your life or interests that aren’t easily replicable—and show that you’ve put thought and care into your response.
The Boston University essay can be no longer than 300 words.
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