The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), known for their research advancements and vibrant campus life, attracts over 100,000 applicants each year. Their accomplished alumni include actor Gene Kelly, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Senator Rick Santorum, and ABC Good Morning America anchor Lara Spencer. Hoping to join their ranks? First, you’ll need to nail your Penn State supplemental essay. Let’s dive in.
Penn State 2024-2025 Prompts
Writing the Penn State supplemental essay is optional, but writing a strong essay can only help your application chances!
- This is your opportunity to share something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. Tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. (650 words or fewer)
General Tips
This prompt is fairly broad, as college essay prompts go, so many students may feel intimidated by the Penn State supplemental essay. If you’re struggling to settle upon a single essay topic (and yes, it’s advisable that your essay sticks to one topic), try making a list of all your options. After listing all your potential essay topics, consider which topics most positively reflect on your ability to succeed at Penn State and cross of those which might reflect poorly on you as an applicant.
Note that “failure” is not necessarily a bad thing. If you choose to write your essay about a time you failed or struggled, you have the chance to demonstrate your resilience to the reader. A student who can face obstacles and overcome them, get knocked down and stand back up, is a student who will thrive in a challenging academic environment.
If you’re still struggling to settle on an essay topic, consider free-writing. There are a few ways to approach free-writing. On the one hand, you can put your pen to the page and refuse to lift it for a set amount of time (try 5-10 minutes). This strategy forces you to get some ideas down. Some students find it easier to edit a rough draft than compose a new one from scratch, so this strategy might be right for you.
If that strategy doesn’t work for you, you can also try writing just a couple sentences about each of the potential topics on your list. After reading these sentences over, cross out the least interesting ones. Then cross out the topics that feel especially wearisome to keep writing about. If you find your essay interesting and exciting to write, then it’s likely your reader will find it interesting and exciting too.
Penn State Short Essay Question
This is your opportunity to share something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. Tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. (650 words or fewer)
Although Penn State only has one supplemental essay prompt, you can turn this prompt in any direction that works for you. The expectation is that whatever you write about in this essay is additional information that will strengthen your application and is not already communicated elsewhere in your application. Given this, writing the Penn State supplemental essay is in your best interest.
While brainstorming for this essay, consider the parts of yourself that the reader can’t find elsewhere in your college application. For instance, do you have family obligations that have shaped the person you are today? Have you experienced a life-changing event that transformed your worldview? Is there a social justice issue that motivates you? Do you have a hero whose footsteps you wish to follow?
Alternatively, you can write about something that appears elsewhere in your college application but receives inadequate attention. For example, some of your extracurricular activities might require further explaining so that the admissions team can understand the depth of your commitment and achievement. Similarly, if you have earned an award or honor that could benefit from added context, here is your space to provide that context.
You may also wish to discuss any gaps in your academic journey, such as a drop in grades or lower-than-average test scores. If you have a defensible reason for these apparent lapses in your commitment to your education, you may want to express that reason here. Admissions officers are human, too, and if you show your humanity with authenticity and specificity, you give yourself the best shot at success.
If you need help polishing up your Penn State supplemental essay, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.
