Washington and Lee is a liberal arts university in Lexington, Virginia. The campus sits near some gorgeous nature, namely the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Allegheny Mountains. This school is old and historic. Their name comes from their first major benefactor, George Washington, and former college president Robert E. Lee (ok yikes, but…). It’s also a small school with only around 2k students. Their acceptance rate was 17% for the Class of 2026. Their supplement has only 2 essays and they are both optional, so let’s break them down.
Okay, so first off, both of these questions are optional, but we would highly encourage all applicants to answer them. W&L is hard to get into and they are giving you a place to set yourself apart… why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of it? Plus, the prompts are the kind of prompts that anyone can answer. So yes, it will take you a little more time, but you should 100% answer these questions.
Please describe how you have familiarized yourself with Washington and Lee University and what aspects of W&L's community are most exciting to you. (Optional) 250 words
This question is your chance to show off that you have done your research and that you are serious about the school. This essay should be filled with specific opportunities that you have found through your research into the school that excite you.
First, start with academics. We suggest starting with a short personal story about what you want to study as a hook. Then you need to state your major. It’s important to say what you want to study. We get it, a lot of students are undecided. That’s ok, but colleges don’t want let in too many undecided students. So if you are, take a best guess. You won’t be able to talk about specifics if you don’t have a stated major.
Once you have stated your major, talk about the specific program. Talk about two specific classes you want to take and why they are interesting to you. Mention a professor you hope to do research with and why you are interested in their research. You can also mention any other specific academic opportunities that you are excited about.
Then it’s time to talk about life outside of class. Mention a club, ideally, one connected to something you already do so that you can talk about yourself as well. You can also talk about campus traditions, extracurricular opportunities, the location of the school, etc if you have time.
You don’t need a formal conclusion, but try to wrap it up with the sentiment that you are perfect for the school and that they have all the opportunities you need.
Please describe an aspect of your life outside of school that is important to you, such as an extracurricular activity, a job or a family responsibility. How has your involvement shaped your personal qualities and growth, and how has it impacted those around you? (Optional) 250 words
For this essay, you want to tell a story. Firstly you should choose something you do outside of school to focus on. Often people choose the club or extracurricular that they do which is most important to them. That’s a safe bet, but you can talk about almost anything that you do outside of school. The important thing here is to choose a story from your experience in that activity that shows something positive about you and connects to the people around you.
Probably the easiest story to tell is one about you stepping up as a leader in some way, but you can choose something else as well. We especially love stories where you didn’t need to step up ie ones where you aren’t the team captain but you take on responsibility just because you want to. Any story where you show growth and are there for the people around you works here. Just make sure to tell a story with a beginning middle and end and you should be golden.
This supplement is short, but you want to give yourself a little bit of time to brainstorm and research. If you have good research and good ideas, this supplement will be a breeze to write.
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