Bryn Mawr is a women’s liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1885 as part of the Seven Sisters, seven women’s colleges founded as educational equivalents to the traditionally all-male Ivy League schools. Bryn Mawr is a pretty tiny school, with around 1,300 undergraduates. Their acceptance rate hangs around 33%.
We have covered Bryn Mawr’s supplement before, but they’ve changed their questions for this year. We have written a guide to help you master their supplemental essays.
Why are you interested in Bryn Mawr? 250
This is a standard “Why *this* school?” essay, and we’ve cracked the code on these. You’re going to start by deciding on a major -- doesn’t matter if you’re undecided, you’re going to have to choose something that interests you and makes you excited. Then you’re going to tell a story about how you came to love the idea of studying this. If you want to study History of Art, maybe talk about how you poured over art books as a kid, or how a trip to a museum left you in awe as you stared at what became your favorite painting. Weave details and passion into it, and end the story by declaring your major.
Your next step will be going into the course catalog for your major and picking an upper level course (every college has Art History 101) that you can only take at Bryn Mawr. Maybe HART B279, Exhibiting Africa: Art, Artifact and New Articulations, seems interesting to you, because you’re interested in how colonialism has impacted how art is presented to us. Then you’re going to find a professor in the History of Art program who researches something that interests you -- like Professor C.C. McKee, who researches contemporary African diasporic art, and how you just cannot wait to research with them.
The next section will be about extracurriculars at Bryn Mawr - so research their club and activities offerings to see what interests you, or is an extension of an activity you do now. Maybe you’ve always wanted to join the Spoon-Fed Sketch Comedy troupe, or the Bryn Mawr Rock Climbing club. Talk about how this is something that excites you and has drawn you to Bryn Mawr.
The next section will be explaining why you want to go to a women’s college. Is there something about single gender education that is important to you? Did you go to an all-girls high school? Tell them why it’s absolutely crucial for you to be in their world.
Your wrap up should be a summary of what you’ve said in your earlier paragraphs, and why you’re excited to be in Bryn Mawr. Is there an ice cream shop all the students go to? A bookstore you want to study in? Let them know you’ve researched the why and the what of the college and send in that final pitch. We know this is a lot of info to put into 250 words, but you’ve got this!
As you prepare to join a new college community, reflect on your role as a community member throughout the past four years. What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
Ok this might be our least favorite question of the year. It is so lofty and targeted at the wrong part of community. Despite our protest, we have some tricks on how to best go about this truly awful question.
One way to get started on this is asking your friends and family for some adjectives on how they would describe you. Once you’ve collected these, see how they connect to who you are. Are you a leader amongst your friends? Are you highly empathetic? Do people come to you to problem solve? You’ll want to figure out your role in your own community so you can decide what direction to go in.
Now, you’re going to tell a story that is rooted in the present but can extend into the future. Maybe you helped organize a recycling program at school and want to keep doing that kind of work in college. Perhaps you organized protests, or sit-ins, or walk-outs at school for different issue areas. Maybe you did something as small as creating a chore calendar for your home, and your positive problem solving skills brought a much needed change to the house. Has there been a moment where you’ve helped make your community (and that can be any community, from your neighborhood to your Sunday school to your bowling league) a better place?
The story you tell needs to have a distinct beginning, middle, and end, and needs to highlight a specific moment in time. You don’t want to write an essay about your lofty goals or unrooted (read: previously unacted upon) hopes and dreams - you want to find something in your recent past or present that shows Bryn Mawr a dedication to an activity. Make sure to add details that bring us into the space with you, and make sure to edit, proofread, and edit again.
We know the college admissions process is tough, and if you find yourself struggling with this supplement -- or any others, feel free to contact us here.