does penn state use common app personal essay

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. We suggest a limit of 500 words or fewer.

This Penn State supplemental essay asks why you would be a good fit at Penn State. It also asks you to tell a story about yourself that isn’t clear from the rest of your application.

What makes you special? More importantly, what is something that makes you special and also makes you a good fit for Penn State? Strong Penn State application essays will answer these questions by telling a clear, specific, and compelling story.

Let’s break down this Penn State essay prompt. First, why do you think you would succeed at Penn State? A list may be helpful here. Is it your innovative mind, your knack for scientific research, your skills on the football field? Additionally, your answer to this Penn State essay prompt should be specific to Penn State.

Do some research

To find specific details to use in your Penn State essay, do some research. Strong Penn State application essays will cite specific details about Penn State. You should learn about each college on your list and have a strong reason for applying; don’t just choose colleges based on prestige, location, or tuition cost. The best Penn State essays will discuss specific programs, courses, and student groups only available at Penn State. Want to learn more about student life at Penn State? Check out our article, “Student Life at Penn State.”

Once you’ve done some research, spend time with your list of reasons why you’d succeed at Penn State. As you refine this list, try to connect your skills to programs and resources that Penn State offers. The more specific you can be, the better!

Now that you have outlined why you are a good fit for Penn State, look at each skill you listed. How did you develop that skill? Did it come from your high school mock trial team? Or, did you learn it from a particular community? Did you change your perspective after a major life event? What’s the story behind each skill on your list?

Strong Penn State application essays can come from anywhere, so don’t limit yourself as you brainstorm. Look at these stories and choose the one that most shows why you would succeed at Penn State. Of course, make sure this story doesn’t already appear in your application. Remember, the best Penn State application essays will show your reader something new.

Start writing

Now that you have a topic for this Penn State supplemental essay, it’s time to start writing. Remember that you are telling a story, not writing a research paper. The strongest Penn State application essays will be the most organic, so don’t be afraid to let your voice shine through. If you are a funny and lighthearted person, let your humor seep into this Penn State supplemental essay. If your story is somber and at times painful, don’t be afraid to describe that pain in your Penn State application essay. Your Penn State essay is your chance to make your application three-dimensional, so let your humanity shine through. Use your essay to breathe life into your Penn State application.

This Penn State supplemental essay has a recommended maximum of 500 words. Don’t go over the word limit. Keeping your Penn State application essay under the limit will not only show that you carefully read the Penn State essay prompt, but also that you are a clear and concise writer.

Penn State application essays significantly under 500 words are technically fine. However, if your draft is coming in short, ask yourself if you have responded to both parts of the prompt. The first half of your Penn State supplemental essay should tell a story that shows why you’d succeed at Penn State; the second half of your Penn State essay should explain why your story makes you a good fit for the university. Both parts of your Penn State application essay should come in at around 250 words. So, if your Penn State essay is much shorter than 500 words, make sure your story is robust and your reasoning sound.

Now that you have your Penn State supplemental essay topic, how do you start writing?

Writing the first words of your Penn State supplemental essay can be the hardest part of the process. Sometimes, the easiest way to combat writer’s block is to just write without fear or expectation. Try an automatic writing exercise to begin drafting the story you have chosen for this Penn State supplemental essay. Simply fill in the first sentence of the prompt, “An experience or activity that would reflect on my ability to succeed at Penn State is….” Then, see where your Penn State essay takes you.

While you will not use this draft as your final Penn State essay (and you certainly won’t use that cookie-cutter first sentence) this exercise is a great way to get your ideas flowing. After you have written for 5-10 minutes, look over your work. What stands out to you from this first pass? Often, the crux of a story reveals itself in a free write. Maybe there’s a sentence near the end of your writing that would actually make the perfect introduction. Maybe there’s another that connects two crucial ideas. Mine your writing for the core structure of your Penn state supplemental essay. Then, highlight those key structural sections, use them as your outline, and take a second pass at this Penn State essay.

Talk it out

If free-writing isn’t your speed, don’t worry! For many writers, oral storytelling can be helpful when it comes to crafting a narrative. Perhaps it is easiest to tell your Penn State essay aloud, either to a family member or into a voice recorder. Then, transcribe your recording and mine its contents for the key points of your Penn State application essay. For more writing exercise ideas, check out our article, “Determining a College Essay Topic: Reflection Exercises to Try.”

Once you have your draft, the next step is to revise. As the structure of your Penn State supplemental essay emerges, revise and refine it. Then, come back to the Penn State essay prompt—are you telling your story compellingly and succinctly? Do you discuss a skill you have that will help you succeed at Penn State? Do you allow yourself enough time to connect the skill you describe to how it will help you succeed at Penn State? Does this essay round out the narrative present in the rest of your application? If the answer to each of these questions is a resounding yes, then your essay is likely almost complete. You might then hand this Penn State supplemental essay draft to another reader who can catch any lingering grammatical or spelling errors.

Essay Draft Key Questions

Additional tips for the Penn State essay

Penn State Supplemental Essay: Final Thoughts

Do not be discouraged by the Penn State supplemental essay! Though it may seem like a tall task, breaking your Penn State essay into smaller, manageable chunks will make it less daunting.

Ultimately, writing the Penn State essay will only help you. The skills this essay helps you develop in narrative building and constructing your literary voice will be crucial throughout the application cycle and in your college years. Finally, remember to have fun! You are being asked to envision yourself on Penn State’s campus and imagine how you may succeed there. This is an opportunity to be imaginative and creative. Make the most of it!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on Penn State was written by Saphia Suarez. Want more help responding to the Penn State University essay prompt? Click here to create your free CollegeAdvisor.com account or schedule a free advising assessment with an Admissions Expert by calling (844) 343-6272.

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Information about Penn State's participation in the Common App.

Penn State is now one of more than 800 colleges across the United States accepting applications through the Common App .

Apply via the Common App

Application Eligibility

First-Year (Freshman) and International Students: Applying to Penn State via the Common App is available to first-year (freshman) domestic and international students.

Transfer Students: All transfer students should apply to Penn State via MyPennState .

Am I at a disadvantage if I apply through the Common App instead of MyPennState?

No, the required application materials and application evaluation process are the same if you apply through the Common App or through MyPennState. There is no advantage or disadvantage to either application but you should apply through only one application platform.

The Common App and the MyPennState application give students the opportunity to apply Early Action (all materials submitted by November 1). Students applying Early Action will have a decision by December 24. For those students choosing not to apply Early Action and for all domestic students, we recommend submission of a complete application, including all required materials, by December 1. The application fee regardless of platform is $65 for domestic students and $75 for international students.

Checking your application status

Once you submit your application through the Common App, you will receive an email from Penn State Undergraduate Admissions directing you to go to MyPennState to complete the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). You may feel that you completed this step as part of your Common App, but you must complete the Penn State SRAR via MyPennState in order for your application to be reviewed. Once you submit all materials for your Common App you should regularly check its status and receive an admission decision in MyPennState .

Early Action and Priority Filing Dates

Early action: november 1.

Rolling Admission:

Applicants are evaluated on a modified rolling admissions schedule. Additionally, some academic programs have limited enrollment and specific application dates. For those students choosing not to apply Early Action and for all domestic students, we recommend submission of a complete application, including all required materials, by December 1.

Fee Waivers

You may be eligible for an economic need-based fee waiver based on information in the Profile section of your Common App. If you meet the criteria for a Common App fee waiver, your Penn State application fee will be waived.

To receive a Common App fee waiver, you must affirm at least one of the following indicators of economic need:

Common App Resources

Below are some tools and resources you can use should you use the Common App:

Common app AND personal statement?

Obviously since it is on common app, there is the option for the common app essay

Penn state does not accept the common app essay.

Here’s the email I got when I asked about this:

“We do not require nor use essays (including the Common App essay) in our applications. So, if there is supplemental information that you would like to make sure is included as part of your Penn State review, we recommend submitting your Penn State Personal Statement. You can submit the same (or a version/portion of the same) essay in your CA essay as in your Penn State Personal Statement, or submit a completely different essay/statement; it's up to you. But the Penn State Personal Statement is the only piece that we will read in our review.”

Wow that really sucks. I put a lot of work into my CA essay as well :(

Penn State why you have to be so difficult??

Seriously, al the work I put into my essay now needs to be trimmed to fit into their 500 word limit :(

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2022-23 Penn State Supplemental Essay – Prompt and Tips

With an acceptance rate still above 50%, it would be easy to misjudge how challenging the Penn State admissions landscape truly is. In fact, those entering the famed University Park campus sport mid-50 SATs of 1270-1450. They also boast an unweighted GPA range of 3.59-3.93. Additionally, successful applicants in 2022-23 should prepare to write a strong Penn State supplemental essay.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Penn State? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into Penn State University: Admissions Data and Strategies for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In a competitive admissions environment, every piece of the Penn State application takes on a high level of importance. Therefore, it is vital that all Nittany Lion applicants dedicate a significant amount of time to this optional essay. Below is the lone PSU supplemental prompt for the 2022-23 admissions cycle along with our advice for composing a winning essay.

Penn State Supplemental Essay Prompt #1 (Optional)

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at penn state. this is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. we suggest a limit of 500 words or fewer..

This essay is technically “optional” but all serious applicants should view it as mandatory. Unlike many “optional” essays that may or may not apply to you (e.g. COVID impact, gap in education, gender identity etc.), just about every applicant has at least one extracurricular or experience worth elaborating on.

The activity/experience angle

With this prompt, Penn State is not necessarily asking you to write about the activity where you earned the most prestigious awards. Nor are they looking for the one where you held the highest position of leadership. The university is going to see all of your activities in that section of the Common App. As such, you want to ask yourself which of your entries is crying out for more explanation and detail. Which one is closest to your heart and most representative of your unique passions? Pick the option that will allow you to deliver additional detail that may be memorable to the admissions reader. For example, you may be a volunteer EMT and have compelling, drama-filled experiences to share.

Alternatively, you may have worked in local restaurant and learned more about the lives of your undocumented coworkers. Start this process by asking, “What is the most interesting and consequential moment I have experienced in my extracurricular activities?”

If you can identify one clear-cut moment, that is likely the activity worth sharing with the Penn State admissions staff.

The more broad “about you” angle

Of course, this prompt has a wider scope than just an activity. You can also take this opportunity to share something personal. After completing your Common App, is there anything that you have yet to share that is absolutely elemental to who you are as a person/student? Without the benefit of an in-person interview, it may feel like you never fully had a chance to connect intimately with a PSU admissions officer. Perhaps you have not communicated the full you, your true essence, your je ne sais quoi. If you feel something important about yourself has yet to be communicated elsewhere in the application, then this essay is about to become your best friend.

Consider that the admissions reader is already familiar with your academic history, activities, and awards. What don’t they know, or, what could they understand on a deeper level. This could be a particular skill or talent or something about your character or personality. On the other hand, you may wish to speak more about your passions, hobbies, ideas, or beliefs. Any of those options are perfectly fine!

This one is intentionally open-ended so use this space to share your most cherished accomplishments or most winning attributes. The university itself is, in essence, inviting you to make a “closing argument” at the end of this admissions trial.

How important is the Penn State supplemental essay?

The essays (the Common App essay and supplemental essay) are not among the most important factors to the admissions committee. GPA and the rigor of one’s courses are at the top of the list. However, the essays can help borderline applicants push themselves over the edge toward an acceptance.

Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Penn State supplemental essay, we encourage you to get a quote today.

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew’s experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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College Essays

If you want to go to Penn State , then the Penn State essay is one of your big chances to show how you’re different from other students in your application for admission . In order to really make this component of the application work to your advantage, you’ll need a solid strategy for writing a concise, unique, and persuasive Penn State essay!

Writing your Penn State admissions essay might seem intimidating at first, but we’re here to guide you through the process. This article will help you write a stellar Penn State essay by:

Let’s dive in!

The Penn State essay is an important part of your Penn State application because it can make you stand out from other applicants!

What’s the Penn State Essay?

The Penn State essay, sometimes also called the Penn State supplemental essay, is a 500 word written response included in the Penn State application for admission .

The prompt for this essay invites applicants to tell the admissions committee about themselves. Here’s the prompt you’ll have to answer:

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. We suggest a limit of 500 words or fewer.

This essay prompt is essentially asking applicants to write a response that is very similar to what is known as a personal statement. College admissions typically use an applicant’s personal statement to better understand who the applicant is as a person and what strengths they will bring to the university.

In other words, the Penn State Essay response is an applicant’s chance to show what makes them unique in the admissions process.

3 Steps to Answering The Penn State Essay Prompt

If we break down the pieces of what the Penn State prompt is asking, we can identify three main tasks that you need to complete in order to write a killer essay . These tasks are as follows:

While whipping out a 500 word essay response that covers these topics may sound easy, it’s a bit trickier in practice. It’s important that you think carefully about your strategy and come up with a clear plan for your essay response. Remember: your essay is an important part of your admissions application, so you want to spend time getting it right.

Now, we’re going to walk you through how to address each of these three major points in your essay in order to make admissions counselors sit up and take notice.

Step 1: Select a Topic to Write About

To begin the process of drafting your Penn State essay, you need to select a meaningful attribute, experience, or activity that makes a positive case for your ability to succeed at Penn State . You need to identify these meaningful experiences or attributes because of the first part of the Penn State essay prompt, which states:

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State.

To do this, start by taking inventory of the character traits, experiences, or involvement in activities that you’re most proud of, passionate about, or are the most meaningful to you. We recommend you start by writing a list of the things that come to mind. If you want, you can divide it into categories based on character traits/abilities, experiences, and activities. As you put together this list, don’t worry about whether the things you’re coming up with are “good” or not — you’re just brainstorming ideas at this point!

If you’re stuck and have no idea where to start, that’s okay, too. Try asking yourself these questions to get you started:

Once you start jotting down ideas, you’ll probably find that you’re able to come up with quite a few. The traits, experiences, and activities that you list out can vary widely and come from different areas of your life, including experiences with friends and family, academic pursuits, extracurricular activities, work with community organizations and volunteerism, political activism, travels, strong memories from childhood, or challenges you’ve faced in life. The possibilities aren’t limited to the ones we just mentioned; this list is simply meant to give you a jump start for brainstorming.

Once you’ve listed out all the meaningful traits/abilities, experiences, and activities that you can think of, evaluate them in order to select one item from the list that you will address in your Penn State essay. To narrow it down to one item, consider asking yourself the following questions:

You don’t necessarily have to use these questions to select your essay topic, but if you find that you answer several of these questions with the same experience or activity, that might be a good clue that you should choose that item as the topic of your Penn State essay.

Once you pick a topic, it's time to figure out what it says about you as a person. This essay is designed to help admissions counselors get to know you.

Step 2: Think About What Your Topic Says About You

Once you’ve selected a single character trait/ability, experience, or activity from your list, the second step of responding to the Penn State essay prompt is to tell a compelling story.

You want to engage your reader while explaining what the trait/activity/characteristic you’ve chosen says about you as a person.

To get started on this step, it’s a good idea to do some freewriting or brainstorming. Try to identify the ways in which the experience or activity you chose showcased a talent, skill, or ability you possess in a meaningful or valuable way. It’s important to be able to explain your perception of how this experience or activity shaped you into a person who will bring something positive to Penn State.

Here’s what we mean: say Katerina has decided that she wants to write about making the varsity squad for her school’s soccer team. In her freewrite, she writes about how the accomplishment makes her feel (proud, excited, enthusiastic), and she also writes a bit about the hard work it took for her to get there. Not only does she jot down ideas about going to the State tournament and making a game-winning goal, she also writes about how she missed making the squad in 9th grade, but instead of quitting, she got up an hour early every day over the summer to fit in extra practice.

In this example, Katerina is trying to get a better understanding of why her topic is important to her, and what kind of story she can tell the admissions committee to help them understand her better. In this case, Katerina may decide to focus on how she didn’t give up and put in extra work to make her dreams come true...and it ended up paying off in a big way!

Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter if the item you choose to write about is the most prestigious accomplishment from your résumé — you have the rest of your Penn State application to account for those accomplishments. Rather, the Penn State Essay is your time to tell the story of the real person behind your long list of accolades. If you can tailor this story to focus on a specific, detailed experience, activity, or positive attribute you possess, your essay will be more impactful.

Step 3: Tie Your Story Back to Penn State

After you’ve nailed down the way that you want to describe your uniqueness as an applicant, you need to define your understanding of what success at Penn State means to you .

Why do you need to do this? Because of the instructions in the first sentence of the Penn State essay prompt, which states:

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State .

Penn State Admissions wants you to make a clear connection between your reflections on the experience you choose to write about and the opportunities for success that Penn State offers to its students. In order to make this connection effectively in your essay response, you need to explain how your story shows that you’re a perfect fit for Penn State.

To get started, do your research on the culture, identity, and opportunities provided for students at Penn State . Use any information you may have gathered from visits to Penn State’s campus, attending admissions events, talking with current students or alumni, or perusing Penn State’s website to help you construct a complete picture of the culture of Penn State and what the school has to offer.

Also, dig into specific opportunities you want to take advantage of while you’re attending Penn State. What does Penn State offer you that no other college can give you? Maybe that’s a specific degree plan, unique courses, or even a specific professor you want to work with. The more specific you are about how you’ll fit into the Penn State community, the better.

So let’s go back to Katerina. Katerina wants to be an engineer, and in her research, she learned that Penn State’s BEST Center is working on improving battery technology. Since Katerina wants to work in the tech field, the BEST Center will help her prepare for her future career.

So now Katerina needs to use her story about her soccer experience to explain how she’ll succeed as an engineering student at Penn State . One way she might do that is by saying that engineering is a demanding degree, and the persistence she learned on the soccer field will set her up for doing well as a Penn State engineering student. She could even take it a step further and explain that the creative problem solving she developed in her soccer training will help her succeed as she researches new battery technology as a part of the BEST Center, too.

This definition of “success” should inform how you tell the story of yourself in your Penn State essay. The admissions committee doesn’t expect every applicant to define success in the same way. In fact, Penn State admissions wants to see that you’ve really thought through your potential to be a good fit as a student at Penn State based on a thorough understanding of what Penn State has to offer a student with your past experiences and vision for the future. You should be able to define your path to success and explain how Penn State will help you get there.

If you're still not sure what your Penn State essay should look like, take a look at our example essay below.

A Penn State Essay Example

There are many different ways that a Penn State essay can be successful but, in general, excellent essays talk about a specific experience, tell a memorable story, and connect the story of that experience to your definition of success at Penn State.

To help you understand what these moves can look like in practice, let’s check out Penn State essay examples:

Every morning during the spring of my junior year of high school, my alarm went off at 4:45 a.m. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many people in my hometown were laid off from their jobs struggling to make ends meet. My family owns a farm, and we grow many different types of vegetables and have laying hens, too. So when my morning chores were completed, I would jump in the truck with my dad and my sister to drive into town and deliver free vegetables and eggs to families in need.

My family could help others because of our farm. That made me think: what if other people could grow their own food and then share what they had with others? That’s why I started an online, community-based agriculture program at my school. I wanted to help others learn how to grow their own food, then share that food with others in their community.

While the group started out small with just a few students, within three weeks, 40 of my classmates joined in. Together, we organized a seed, plant, and garden tool drive that helped give 70 families in our town enough supplies to start their own small gardens. And many of my classmates have committed to growing gardens of their own! This experience taught me how important agriculture is, but also how agriculture can directly impact the well-being of those around me.

As a major in community, environment, and development at Penn State, I would have the opportunity to learn about and envision strategies for helping consumers in local communities become aware of and educated about the social and economic benefits to supporting their local farmers. By taking supplemental courses in computer programming, I would prepare myself to create user-friendly online spaces that are dedicated to sharing information about local food systems with consumers in local communities. Ultimately, I believe that Penn State will help me achieve my dream of starting a nationwide, online program to help people in undeserved communities start community agriculture programs of their own.

Now, let’s break down what this example essay does well. In this essay, the writer provides a clear definition of what success at Penn State will look like for them as a student. This essay emphasizes the student’s personal goals, knowledge of the opportunities Penn State has to offer, and commitment to investing in the Penn State community and society at large . That will definitely make an impact with admissions counselors!

This student also helps admissions counselors get to know them by telling a story that includes specific details and vivid imagery from an experience that other applicants may not have . The essay helps the reader get a better sense of who this person is, their background, and the things they care about by telling the short story about delivering homegrown care packages to people in the community. This story will help the admissions committee remember the applicant and will set them apart from other applicants as well.

But most essays aren’t perfect, and this one isn’t, either. One thing this essay response can improve upon is the way in which it connects the student’s idea of success to Penn State . In the last paragraph, the student should focus more on how specific opportunities provided by Penn State’s agriculture department, like its collaborative research into sustainable agriculture , will help the student achieve their goals.

All in all, t his Penn State essay provides a good example of how to address all aspects of the essay prompt , be clear and concise in your writing, and reveal important aspects of who you are as a person that your other application materials may not show.

3 Tips for Writing an Excellent Penn State Essay

You want your Penn State essay to persuade admissions that you’ll be a fantastic addition to Penn State’s incoming class. To help you present yourself in a way that Penn State admissions will remember, check out our three tips for writing an outstanding Penn State essay to help you stand out from the crowd.

Tip 1: Be Specific

If you want your Penn State essay to be memorable, you need to be specific . Throwing out a bunch of abstract character traits or claims as to why you’ll be successful at Penn State won’t help your essay stand out. Instead, give your essay a coherent focus by selecting one or two related character traits, experiences, or activities that show your ability to be successful at Penn State.

The point of the Penn State essay is to shoot for depth, not breadth. You already showcase your grades, coursework, and awards through other parts of your Penn State application. The essay is the time to reveal more about who you are and what you will bring to Penn State by showing how you’ve been successful in a past situation. Choosing a specific experience and diving into the details of it will show that you’re more than just a list of achievements on a résumé—you’re a real human being.

Tip 2: Give Concrete Examples

When writing your Penn State essay, examples are a crucial form of support. When you select one or two specific elements to focus on in your essay, you need to be able to elaborate on those things through specific and engaging examples.

For instance, you don’t want to simply say, “My adaptability to a range of situations predicts my potential for success as a student at Penn State.” An admissions committee may read that sentence and ask, What makes you so adaptable? What activities or experiences demonstrate evidence of your adaptability? What has your adaptability helped you achieve or accomplish?

Instead of making a vague, abstract claim like the one in the paragraph above, you need to be more specific, which you can do by providing an example .

Here’s how a writer could elaborate on their adaptability in their essay:

Starting your senior year of high school at a new school probably sounds daunting, but after moving seven times in seven years, I was prepared for the ins and outs of being the new kid on my last first day of school. Moving so many times due to my father’s work in the military has given me the opportunity to experience different cultures, learn new languages, and cultivate the ability to make meaningful connections with new people who are very different from me in a matter of minutes. During my senior year at a new school, I used these skills to mobilize my fellow students for a school wide walkout in support of DACA.

Do you see the difference? The example above gives specific details of what life experience led this student to become adaptable rather than simply making an unsupported claim .

This example is also memorable because it uses vivid language. When you read it, you can imagine the student traveling the world, confidently stepping foot into a new school, and building connections with fellow students for social action.

In your Penn State essay, examples like this one can be used to make meaningful connections between your vision for your life as a student and a clear definition of success . Using examples in this way will make your essay memorable and unique.

Tip 3: Don’t Rehash Your Résumé

It’s tempting to rehash the list of accomplishments on your résumé in your Penn State essay, especially if your résumé is packed full of prestigious awards and experiences. However, keep in mind that there are other areas of the Penn State application that explicitly ask for this information.

When the admissions committee sits down to read your essay response, they’re looking to learn something new about you—something that your résumé can’t tell them . So, instead of listing off accomplishments or stating the facts of what you’ve achieved, pick an aspect of who you are that might not be super apparent. That can include personality traits (maybe you’re really funny), unique experiences you’ve had (maybe you rescued kittens one summer!), or something else that makes you uniquely you.

Just remember: your essay is a chance for you to make a powerful impression on your readers, so don’t waste it!

Next Steps

If you’re applying to Penn State, you need to make sure you’re meeting some of the school’s other admissions requirements . Here’s a guide to the Penn State admissions process to get you started . You can also learn more about the Penn State ACT and Penn State SAT standards , too.

Are you looking for more college essay tips and tricks? Don’t worry: we’ve got 13 more for you!

If you’re applying to other schools besides Penn State, y ou may find that you have to write “Why This College?” essays . If you’re not sure what those are, be sure to check out this article.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Pitt and Penn State Join the Common App!

Another year, another group of schools joining the Common Application. Notable for many of our students are the additions of Pitt and Penn State. Students who apply to either of these schools will now save time in their application process, not needing to re-enter information into these schools’ own individual applications.

This will change Pitt and Penn State’s application essay requirements as well. Pitt used to require three short answer questions, but no personal statement. Per a conversation with Pitt’s Office of Admissions, they will now receive students’ Common App personal statement, but they will again have short answer questions, though now as supplemental essays. No word yet on what these questions will be for the high school class of 2019.

Penn State used to require only a personal statement, though with a word limit 150 words shorter than the Common Application personal statement. They will now accept the Common App personal statement from students who apply using the Common App.

Congratulations to all future Pitt and Penn State applicants on saving some time this summer and fall!

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How to Write the Penn State Supplemental Essays: Examples + Guide 2022/2023

What are the penn state university supplemental essay prompts.

Known for its legendary school spirit, top-tier athletic program, and student body the size of a small city, Pennsylvania State University is chock-full of personality and opportunity. Because it’s such a large school with a vast array of resources ( 632 athletic scholarships alone!), it’s good to have a clear sense of what you want going into your college experience. Whether you’re delving into meteorology (one of Penn State’s strongest academic programs) or yelling your heart out at football games, there’s something for you if you want it and look for it. The tips and examples below will help you get started.

Want to get an even better sense of what Penn State is looking for before brainstorming? You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set . For deep insights into how this public university envisions student success (and how it wants to grow and evolve), read through its most recent self-study report —a simple way to get a strong idea of what Penn State values.

Penn State Supplemental Essay Prompt #1

Optional: Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. We suggest a limit of 500 words or fewer.

Penn State Supplemental Essay Prompt #2

Please use this space to explain any time that has elapsed between your high school graduation and your anticipated enrollment at Penn State. Please provide a summary of why that gap occurred. If you attended another college or university during that time, please note it below and ensure that you have entered the information in the Academic History section of this application. (500 words)

How to write each Supplemental Essay Prompt for Penn State University

How to write penn state supplemental essay prompt #1.

Even though this prompt is technically not mandatory, we would recommend not skipping out on any opportunity to tell admission officers more about yourself. Each prompt is a great chance to distinguish yourself from other applicants and add nuance to your overall application. It also helps you think more deeply about what you actually want out of college and whether a school is a good fit based on your needs.

This prompt itself is about as broad as it gets. Penn State wants you to elaborate on some aspect of your life experiences, identity, or actions that would highlight your ability to succeed on campus should you be accepted. Think of this as a slightly smaller personal statement that gives you a chance to make your application more multifaceted. To be clear, this should not be a repeat of what you already wrote in your Common App personal statement. It can be connected to things you’ve already written, but it should bring something new to the table. If you’re not sure where to start, we would recommend checking out our Values Exercise , 21 Details Exercise , Essence Objects Exercise , Everything I Want Colleges to Know About Me Exercise , and Feelings and Needs Exercise to dig deeper. Once you’ve done some brainstorming and generated some possible topics, you’re ready to start writing.

Here’s a great example essay for this prompt:

For as long as I can remember I have written and sung songs. Apart from concerts I would put on for my family when I was younger, complete with costumes and excessive choreography, I initially refrained from sharing this with the world. I saw it as an outlet rather than a performance. That being said, there have been times the songs I created were the definition of unique, to say the least. Once when I was drafting an email to my math teacher about having a field trip on the day of the test, I got carried away with the clacking of my typing and started to hum the words being written. Eventually, I ran to my keyboard and added a few chords before finally creating “Ode to Test,” a power ballad about how I was going to have to take the test an hour early. However, this was nothing compared to “Why Me,” a sad song detailing the fateful day on which I lost my precious water bottle, and I use the word precious because, oddly enough, there were numerous references to Gollum throughout it. As I started to have more assignments in school and more activities outside of school, I began to share my music, to some extent. When a cross country meet got cancelled, I created a song loosely based on “Hallelujah” called “Thank you, Thunder” and it ended up becoming the team’s faux anthem, making it into the end-of-the-season awards ceremony slideshow. That was the last song I have allowed others to hear, but I hope to share many more, including my latest creation: “Hate to See You Go,” an upbeat song that describes my sentiments whenever my wifi disconnects. These fabrications bring a certain sense of vibrancy to my life that many other things do not provide. They allow me to turn experiences as simple as sending an email or losing an item into an event that means so much more, letting me gain a better understanding of just how significant each and every action I take truly has on me as a person. The creativity associated with this will enable me to thrive in the innovative environment that Penn State fosters. Whether I finally muster the courage to audition for the Pennharmonics, or I just decide to continue to write music on my own, I will always have room to grow, not just as an amateur musician, but as a person as well. (409 words) — — —

Tips + Analysis

Use humor … or don’t. This author is clearly quirky and funny, and that comes through in her essay. Her second paragraph is a humorous retrospective commentary on her many elementary songwriting experiences involving Gollum, water bottles, and getting out of math tests. Right off the bat, the author’s use of humor brings the reader into her world, making her relatable and allowing her to include unique details about her life in relation to music. But—and this is a big but—if you’re not funny or trying to be funny feels forced, don’t try too hard.

Find a common thread. The great thing about this essay is that, although it moves among fragmented memories in time and space, it feels like a coherent narrative, because the author cleverly weaves these memories and values together by connecting them back to her love of music. More specifically, she regularly introduces and contextualizes different song names to give the piece a sense of consistency. These songs end up becoming a de facto timeline for the author’s musical journey, helping us understand how various aspects of her life relate. When you’re writing, try to find a common thread like this to “hang” your values and experiences in a way that shows how they intersect.

Find uncommon connections. When you’re brainstorming, it’s important to think about the core values you want to come through to your reader. By that, we’re asking: What are the essential values you want to convey in your writing/topic (without you having to explicitly tell your reader)? When you’re generating these values, ask yourself whether they’re expected (i.e., common). For a topic like music, we might expect values like beauty, harmony, practice, or skillmanship. However, this author emphasizes unconventional values like empathy, vibrancy, and humor. When you write, try to incorporate your values in unconventional or unexpected ways that will stand out to your reader.

how to write Penn State Supplemental Essay Prompt #2

Many students, for various reasons, choose or are forced to take off time after graduating high school and before going to college. If this applies to you, you shouldn’t feel that this makes you any less of a great candidate for Penn State—or any college for that matter! In fact, taking time off can help you reflect more on yourself and your experiences in a meaningful way. With this prompt, Penn State is offering you an opportunity to discuss what this time off has been like and what you’ve taken from it. At a basic level, it can also help you explain any gaps in your transcript or family/financial situations that may be important to consider in the application process. Don’t feel pressured to use all 500 words here. Instead, think of it as yet another opportunity to reflect on your path since high school, what you’ve learned from it, and how the experiences you’ve gained will enrich the contributions you add to your college campus.

Here’s an example that wasn’t originally written for this prompt but could work with some small tweaks:

My dad is the master of turning life into a game. Who can squish their face in the funniest shape for the camera? Don’t tell mom. Who can find the weirdest snack in the supermarket? Ready, go! But when my dad got sick the summer after my senior year of high school, the game was up. Instead of running around at top speed with “salad-flavored Doritos,” I helped my dad rest after chemotherapy. It was impossible to go to college during this time of crisis, so I took the year off to support my family. Many days, my dad and I would talk. Our new game was one of curiosity. How do you feel? Who are you? That spring, my dad beat cancer. Although that year was hard, it was defined by a clearer understanding of my relationships to others. I was profoundly affected by the new bond I shared with my father. My fascination with connectedness in times of crisis led me to take an online course in advanced psychology and design an independent research project on psychotherapy. My dad and I still turn pretty much everything into a game, but we also show up for each other in newly meaningful ways. My year away from school taught me the importance of reciprocity and responsibility, no matter the game you’re playing. (222 words) — — —

Keep the question in focus. Remember, the key here is to convey when you missed school and why. Even though this essay follows a narrative arc, it doesn’t lose sight of the question being asked. The author is clear about why she took a gap year: because she had to take care of her dad while he battled cancer. As you write your essay, make sure you’re thinking back to the main question and checking that you’re answering the key components.

Highlight specific details. Many people take off school for similar reasons (personal tragedy, study abroad opportunities, internship, financial burden, etc.). Although these reasons are valid, you’ll want to use the space to explain specifically what this year off meant to you and which values you developed or strengthened. This author uses specific details to show the kinds of games they play, but she’s also careful to focus on specific values she gained: especially connectedness and reciprocity. Details make the essay memorable; values help give the reader a sense of how you’ll contribute to Penn State.

Demonstrate growth. Just because you weren’t in school doesn’t mean you weren’t learning. In this essay, the author does a great job of showing us how she truly connected to her father and her culture while also fostering a growing love for psychology/psychotherapy. When you write, make sure to highlight how your experience away from school helped you develop academically or personally (or better yet, both!). Giving specific examples of how you grew is also really important. Talk about classes you took on your own, trips you went on, jobs you worked, or projects you started. Penn State wants to see that you maximized your time, even if you weren’t at school.

With these tips and examples in mind, you’re ready to start writing!

Special thanks for Julia for contributing to this post.

Julia published her first “book” on the elusive Pika in elementary school and has been writing fervently ever since. She’s thrilled to unite her quirky love of grammar and master’s in psychology to help students tell their most meaningful stories. Her favorite punctuation mark is the apostrophe because, in the words of Imagine Dragons, it’s “a symbol to remind you that there’s more to see.”

Top values: Collaboration | Family | Productivity

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Penn State Schreyer Honors College - do they read common app essay?

Hello Does anyone know if the Penn State Schreyer Honors College admissions reads the Common App essay that I am including in the Penn State application? The two application reviews are supposedly completely separate but do not want to repeat an essay in the Honors application if that is not the case. Thanks!

I don’t know the exact answer to your question but honestly…WHY are you looking for a shortcut or easy way out of an HONORS college application? While they may not read it per se, I wouldn’t be surprised if they looked to make sure it wasn’t the same just so they could use it to eliminate students from consideration.

Not looking for a short cut - the prompt answered for the common app was to share a struggle and and that is the same prompt on the honors app and would like to share that same struggle

Then I would use a different essay prompt for your Penn State application.

The two applications are completely separate. I do not think the honors college sees the regular applications at all.

I asked this question during a Schreyer info session as my daughter spent quite a bit of time on both the Common App essay and the Personal PSU Essay. They confirmed that Schreyer does NOT use either of those essays.

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009 Penn State Admissions Essay Homework Academic Service College Prompt Schreyer Honors Lengths
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How to Write the Penn State Supplemental Essays 2020-2021
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In short, no. The Penn State application includes one optional essay. It's essentially a personal statement, much like the CommonApp essay. While this Penn
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“We do not require nor use essays (including the Common App essay) in our applications. So, if there is supplemental information that you would
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How important is the Penn State supplemental essay? ... The essays (the Common App essay and supplemental essay) are not among the most important
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The Personal Statement is not required. However, we highly encourage you to complete this section. This information will provide the
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Each Penn State campus offers students a vibrant student life. With 1,200 clubs and organizations, there is something to meet all interests. Academics Penn
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This essay prompt is essentially asking applicants to write a response that is very similar to what is known as a personal statement. College
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Pitt and Penn State Join the Common App!
Penn State used to require only a personal statement, though with a word limit 150 words shorter than the Common Application personal statement.
How to Write the Penn State Supplemental Essays
Penn State wants you to elaborate on some aspect of your life experiences, identity, or actions that would highlight your ability to succeed on
Penn State Schreyer Honors College
I asked this question during a Schreyer info session as my daughter spent quite a bit of time on both the Common App essay and the Personal PSU Essay. They