Washington University in St. Louis, colloquially known as WashU, is a selective private research institution with an acceptance rate below 12%. WashU’s vibrant student life; extensive research, study abroad, and interdisciplinary programs; and supportive Taylor Family Center all serve to attract thousands of applicants every year. WashU’s accomplished alumni include Peter Sarsgaard, Pooja Kumar, Andrew McCabe, and Rochelle P. Walensky. Hoping to join their ranks? First, you’ll need to nail your WashU supplemental essays. Let’s dive in.
WashU’s 2025-2026 Prompts
Required WashU Essay Questions
- Please tell us what you are interested in studying at college and why. Undecided about your academic interest(s)? Don’t worry—tell us what excites you about the academic division you selected. Remember that all of our first-year students enter officially “undeclared” and work closely with their team of academic advisors to discover their academic passions. You can explore all of our majors and programs on our website. (200 words or fewer)
Optional WashU Essay Questions
- WashU supports engagement in the St. Louis community by considering the university as “In St. Louis, For St. Louis.” What is a community you are a part of and your place or impact within it? (250 words or fewer)
- WashU strives to know every undergraduate student “By Name & Story.” How have your life experiences shaped your story? (250 words or fewer)
WashU Scholarship Essay Questions
- Danforth Scholars Program: Chancellor Danforth and Mrs. Danforth deeply cared about building trust within the community and being of service to others. They embodied a spirit of servant leadership. Like the Danforths, Danforth Scholars are leaders seeking to build community through fostering growth and empowerment rather than focusing on personal authority. Reflecting on the leadership tenure of the Danforths and the pillars of the Danforth Scholars Program, how have you utilized your leadership skills to foster growth and empowerment within your community. Please provide 1-2 examples in detail. (200-250 words)
- Ervin Scholars Program: The Ervin Scholars Program is open to only U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented or DACA students living in the U.S. Dr. John B. Ervin was a nationally renowned Black educator and the first African American Dean at Washington University in St. Louis. In the spirit of Dr. Ervin, Ervin Scholars are champions for positive change in their communities. Reflecting on the legacy of Dr. Ervin, how have you demonstrated your dedication to social justice and positive community impact in marginalized communities? Provide 1-2 examples in detail. (200-250 words)
- Rodriguez Scholars Program: Annika Lynn Rodriguez led a life committed in service to others. She demonstrated her commitment through her work as a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a National Service Fraternity during her time as a WashU student and later in the Peace Corps as an alum until her untimely death. In remembering Annika’s legacy, a friend said, “Annika gave herself wholeheartedly to every person who entered her life.” Share a story that exemplifies what motivates you to engage in service to community and provide two examples that demonstrate your ongoing commitment to service. (200-250 words)
General Tips
Your WashU supplemental essays need to be concise and snappy in order to effectively get your points across in the limited words you have available. So, let’s dive into two general tips for cutting down your word count without cutting out meaning.
Go easy on the adjectives and adverbs.
Adjectives and adverbs are a powerful tool for the writer. However, when overused or employed redundantly, they can prevent your essay from reaching its full potential.
Common overuses of adjectives and adverbs include the following:
- She was thoughtful and considerate.
- Without further clarification, the adjectives “thoughtful and considerate” are redundant.
- This was a truly happy occasion.
- Unless there is prior implication of falsely happy occasions, there’s no need to use “truly” here.
- My aunt basically treated me like a son.
- With the “like” in this sentence, the comparison is clear, and “basically” only detracts from the strength of the comparison.
- At long last, each and every student chose their favorite book.
- The usage of the word “long” and the redundant phrase “each and every” (only one of these words is necessary) adds some consonance/assonance to the sentence but does not impact the meaning.
Although none of these usages are grammatically or syntactically incorrect, they add extra words to your sentences when you have limited words available.
Watch out for prepositional phrases.
Prepositional phrases are often necessary, but many students trying to cut down on their essays’ words overlook the ways prepositional phrases bulk up their sentences. Here are some examples:
- That song was the most boring of all.
- The phrase “of all” adds emphasis in this sentence, but it does not change its fundamental meaning.
- The components of this sentence are none of my favorite elements of syntax.
- A rewrite of this sentence using fewer words could look like, “This sentence’s components aren’t my favorite syntactical elements.” That’s eight words instead of thirteen!
- The assignment was completed by my brother without any help.
- This sentence could be more concisely reworded to, “My brother completed the assignment unaided.” That’s six words instead of ten. Note the removal of the passive voice as well.
Required WashU Essay Questions
Please tell us what you are interested in studying at college and why. Undecided about your academic interest(s)? Don’t worry—tell us what excites you about the academic division you selected. Remember that all of our first-year students enter officially “undeclared” and work closely with their team of academic advisors to discover their academic passions. You can explore all of our majors and programs on our website. (200 words or fewer)
This prompt is a fairly standard college essay prompt, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. WashU seeks self-motivated students who are excited to learn. So, in this essay, you should explain what gets you excited to learn. Maybe your interest in mathematics originated from a life-changing event. Or perhaps you just enjoy reading, and that’s why you’ve decided to pursue a degree in English literature. Alternatively, maybe your interest in international affairs is driven by a desire to pursue a future career in international law. Whatever subjects intrigue you, and for whatever reasons, it’s important that your essay is authentic and precise.
If you’re having trouble coming up with your “why,” consider coming up with answers to the following questions:
- What makes this subject or these subjects more interesting than other subjects?
- What is the most interesting fact you have learned in this academic area? Do you seek to learn more facts like this one?
- What questions do you have about the world? How will further study help you answer these questions?
- What are your career goals? How do they relate to your intended area(s) of study?
- What current social issues keep you up at night? How does your intended course of study relate to these issues?
- In what ways does this subject or these subjects bring you joy?
After answering these questions, you should hopefully have identified some concrete reasons for selecting your intended academic area(s). If not, consider whether these are truly the area(s) of study that interest you. Are there any areas that interest you more?
Once you’ve identified your reasons, focus on explaining, in your essay, why these reasons are important to you. Be specific and detailed, and you’ll have a compelling essay.
Optional WashU Essay Questions
WashU supports engagement in the St. Louis community by considering the university as “In St. Louis, For St. Louis.” What is a community you are a part of and your place or impact within it? (250 words or fewer)
This prompt analogizes your experiences in a community to your future experiences in the St. Louis community. This is because the WashU admissions team is seeking students who will see St. Louis as a community, not just a place to live while working toward a degree.
Thus, bear in mind how the reader may compare the story you tell in this essay to the person they envision you becoming at WashU. In other words, the story you tell may indicate to the admissions team whether you’re a good fit. They may also use your essay to decide whether you’d be an additive member of the community.
Also, remember to pick just one community to focus on in this essay. Moreover, be sure to pick a community that you personally belong to, as opposed to a community you have served or interacted with. Feel free to interpret the word “community” broadly. Furthermore, you can write about your school, your family, your culture, your religion, your sports team, etc.
If you hold a certain identity and have found community with other members of that identity, then you can write about that community. This community could be online or in-person, based in your neighborhood or ranging internationally. As long as it’s important to you, it’s a solid choice of topic.
WashU strives to know every undergraduate student “By Name & Story.” How have your life experiences shaped your story? (250 words or fewer)
If the prompt above about community doesn’t speak to you, or you’d just prefer to provide more or different insights regarding your background, then this is a great prompt for you to answer. This prompt provides you with the space to discuss your life experiences. You can write about life-changing conversations, experiences with identity, moving to a different place, or whatever feels most important to you.
If you’re having trouble deciding on a topic, consider what topics you’ve written about already. If your Common App essay already discussed your religious background, then perhaps you should focus on a different topic in this essay. Alternatively, if you feel that the WashU admissions team won’t have a complete picture as to who you are unless you take the time to write about your LGBTQ+ identity, then perhaps you should do so here. Moreover, if your application is very STEM-focused, you may want the reader to know that you have other interests. In that case, this essay could be a great place to elaborate on the other hobbies or activities that have shaped who you are today.
WashU Scholarship Essay Questions
Chancellor Danforth and Mrs. Danforth deeply cared about building trust within the community and being of service to others. They embodied a spirit of servant leadership. Like the Danforths, Danforth Scholars are leaders seeking to build community through fostering growth and empowerment rather than focusing on personal authority. Reflecting on the leadership tenure of the Danforths and the pillars of the Danforth Scholars Program, how have you utilized your leadership skills to foster growth and empowerment within your community. Please provide 1-2 examples in detail. (200-250 words)
Answering this essay prompt gives you the opportunity to score a significant scholarship package. Recipients enjoy “full-tuition scholarships with a $2,500 stipend or half-tuition scholarships. The scholarship is renewed each year for the duration of the degree program, provided you progress academically and uphold the high standards of character required of scholars.” Thus, it’s in your best interest to write a strong response to this essay question.
The term “servant leadership” refers to “a leadership style in which leaders put the needs, aspirations, and interests of their followers above their own,” according to the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. In other words, you should use your 200-250 words for this essay to share your experience leading others in a way that put those whom you led above yourself.
Per the prompt’s wording, focus on one to two specific examples, instead of a series of examples or trend in your community service actions. In addition, use precise language and explain why you pursued this service and what it meant to you. If you have space, describe a lesson or two that this experience taught you.
If you’re curious, read more about the Danforth Scholars Program here.
Ervin Scholars Program: The Ervin Scholars Program is open to only U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented or DACA students living in the U.S. Dr. John B. Ervin was a nationally renowned Black educator and the first African American Dean at Washington University in St. Louis. In the spirit of Dr. Ervin, Ervin Scholars are champions for positive change in their communities. Reflecting on the legacy of Dr. Ervin, how have you demonstrated your dedication to social justice and positive community impact in marginalized communities? Provide 1-2 examples in detail. (200-250 words)
This prompt is for students interested in receiving “full-tuition scholarships with a $2,500 stipend or partial-tuition scholarships.” Note that applicants to this program must also maintain high academic standards, like the students in the Danforth Scholars Program. However, this program is limited to applicants who are “U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented or DACA students living in the U.S.” If you’re included in the relevant demographic for this prompt, it’s likely worthwhile to make an attempt at this essay question.
In this short essay, you must focus on 1-2 specific examples of actions you’ve taken to champion social justice and create positive impact in marginalized communities. The prompt specifically asks you to reflect on Dr. John B. Ervin’s legacy as a pioneering Black educator and advocate for change. If social justice work is important to you and you have actively worked to support marginalized communities, then you should probably apply for this scholarship. If not, then you may want to look at other prompts.
Remember to be specific and precise in your response. Quantify your impact and share how the experience impacted you. For instance, state the exact or approximate number of hours you worked or people you helped. Additionally, describe a lesson you learned or a way your perspective shifted. Focus on experiences where you took concrete action to address inequity, advocate for underrepresented groups, or create meaningful change in marginalized communities. Make sure you share who you impacted, what specific social justice issues you addressed, and why this work was meaningful to you in the context of Dr. Ervin’s legacy of championing positive change.
If you’re curious, read more about the Ervin Scholars Program here.
Rodriguez Scholars Program: Annika Lynn Rodriguez led a life committed in service to others. She demonstrated her commitment through her work as a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a National Service Fraternity during her time as a WashU student and later in the Peace Corps as an alum until her untimely death. In remembering Annika’s legacy, a friend said, “Annika gave herself wholeheartedly to every person who entered her life.” Share a story that exemplifies what motivates you to engage in service to community and provide two examples that demonstrate your ongoing commitment to service. (200-250 words)
If you’re hoping to be among the lucky WashU students who receive “full-tuition scholarships with a $2,500 stipend or partial-tuition scholarships,” this essay prompt gives you that chance. If you are able to compose a stellar essay about your authentic experience fostering cultural awareness and understanding, then you’ll have a shot at joining the Rodriguez Scholars Program. Note that like the other scholarships described above, participation in this program is contingent on maintaining certain academic standards throughout your undergraduate career.
This essay has two distinct components that you must address. First, you should share a story that exemplifies what motivates you to engage in service to community—this is about your internal drive and passion for service work. Think about a meaningful moment, experience, or realization that sparked or deepened your commitment to serving others. Second, you must provide two examples that demonstrate your ongoing commitment to service—these should be concrete instances where you’ve actively served your community.
The prompt honors Annika Lynn Rodriguez, who was known for giving herself “wholeheartedly to every person who entered her life” through her service work in Alpha Phi Omega and the Peace Corps. Your response should reflect this spirit of wholehearted dedication to others. Focus on authentic experiences where you’ve made meaningful connections with people through service, showing how you’ve invested yourself in helping others and building community!
You may be wondering about the specific type of service expected, given the program’s focus. Check out WashU’s resources on the Rodriguez Scholars Program and its application process. Conducting thorough research on this program will help you identify what kinds of service experiences align with Annika’s legacy and the program’s values.
If you need help polishing up your WashU supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.
