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The Requirements: 2 essays of 250 words each, 2 essays of 800 words max
Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Activity
Activity essays like this one are quite common and really are as straightforward as they seem. The most difficult part is selecting the activity you want to talk about. So, we return to our favorite mantra: tell admissions something they couldn’t glean from anywhere else in your application. If you wrote your personal statement about your time delivering pizza for your local pizzeria, you should focus, this time, on a different activity or work experience that reveals a new aspect of your personality, character, drive, etc. And don’t limit your thinking to school-related activities.
Your essay could be about playing chess with your older brother or your tireless journey to find and perfect the best vegan sour cream recipe in Texas. This can also be a great opportunity to highlight your leadership skills and any accolades you may have received as a result of participating in a particular activity. Did you win an award in Boy Scouts? Receive a promotion or raise at the snack shack? Make any significant connections with co-workers? No matter what you choose, it should probably be something you’ve been involved in for a while, so you can demonstrate your growth to admissions!
Most schools want to know why you luv them, but Manchester wants to know why they should luv you. Admissions worded this Why essay prompt in a way that makes it nearly impossible to answer without doing a little research (brilliant, really), because you need to know what Manchester is looking for in order to make the argument that you’re a good fit. So, go to Manchester’s website (or visit campus if you can!), and roam around. Take note of anything that catches your eye, makes you hum an approving note, or gets you excited about the prospect of attending.
Maybe you know that Manchester prides itself on its graduates’ success and you hope to be one of the 89% of Manchester graduates who apply to med school and get accepted (with the national average at about 40%). Perhaps you know that Manchester is home to the first Peace Studies program in the world and your goal of improving gun control legislation perfectly aligns with the school’s peaceful mission. Perhaps you can’t wait to join the Graduation Pledge Alliance and represent Manchester long after graduation. Whatever your reasoning may be, make sure admissions will learn more about you by reading your essay.
This prompt sounds simple enough: describe what you want to study, why you like it so much, and how you began to cultivate this interest. The admissions officer reviewing your application will expect you to connect your intended major to some prior experience and/or passion. In other words, tell a story. Lucky for you, we would have advised you to start with an anecdote anyway. The most memorable essays spring from concrete descriptions from our life. What excites you and why? When was the last time you devoured a nonfiction book—and what was the topic? While you don’t need to pinpoint the exact moment you became interested in ancient history or calculus, try to zero in on some inspiring experience. What was the best TED Talk you ever watched? The first time you spoke to your new friend in Mandarin? Your story should showcase your unique connection to your chosen course of study.
Manchester College wants to know about something significant that happened in your life; they want to see you reflect about what that accomplishment meant to you and, perhaps, even touch on its impact on others. How did you grow? What skills did you develop? What did you learn? Maybe you stepped out of your comfort zone to audition for the school play and weren’t cast, but you found a supportive group of friends and a love for set design when you joined the crew. Perhaps you learned first-hand that great risks can yield great rewards and you plan to take that mindset with you to college. Did you bond with a student you tutored after school as part of a volunteer program? Maybe you continued to help him with his homework long after the program ended, cheering him on when he made Honor Roll for the first time. Whatever your accomplishment is, don’t forget to connect it to the type of college experience you hope to have at Manchester.
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