Bryn Mawr College Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Bryn Mawr College Supplemental Essays 

As one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation, Bryn Mawr College is looking for intellectually curious applicants—with some writing chops. Therefore, knowing how to write the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays is a critical part of every student’s application process, and “how to get into Bryn Mawr” plan. The Bryn Mawr essays are an opportunity for applicants to share more of their unique qualifications, personality, and writing style. However, most importantly, successful Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays show admissions just what applicants would bring to campus.  

While the Bryn Mawr writing supplement isn’t extensive, it is important when it comes to gaining acceptance to this small, liberal arts institution. Located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, this college draws the attention of many students looking for an intimate learning environment on a close-knit campus. The Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays are your chance to show your love for Bryn Mawr! 

Not sure how to write the Bryn Mawr supplemental essays that will stand out? Well, you’re in the right place! In this guide, we’ll go over the Bryn Mawr essay prompts and explain how to write the best Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays.

But first, let’s take a quick glance at some facts on Bryn Mawr College. 

Bryn Mawr College: Quick Facts

Does Bryn Mawr have supplemental essays?

Yes, there is a Bryn Mawr writing supplement. However, only one of the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays is a required part of the Bryn Mawr writing supplement. The Bryn Mawr essays are an important part of your application. Bryn Mawr Admissions has a holistic review process which means they evaluate each part of your application and how they complement one another. They want to see a well-rounded student, critical thinker, and active community member. 

The Bryn Mawr essays are an excellent way to fill in any gaps in your application or expand upon the information there. While there is no one way to write the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays, there are certainly best practices. But don’t stress now—we’ll get into those shortly! However, one thing is certain: these essays will play a crucial role in your “how to get into Bryn Mawr” strategy. 

How many essays does Bryn Mawr require?

There are multiple Bryn Mawr essays you will need to write when completing your application. Students must complete the personal statement on the Common App. Additionally, there is one required essay on the Bryn Mawr writing supplement. However, there is also an optional why this college essay that we recommend completing. This is your opportunity to show what specifically about Bryn Mawr grabs your attention as well as why you’re a perfect fit for Bryn Mawr. 

Remember that when applying to college, finding the right fit goes two ways: is the school good for you and are you a good fit for them? The Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays are a great way to research the school and truly get excited about the prospect of attending. That way, the passion you have for the school can come through when writing your Bryn Mawr essays. 

We’ll list them next, but you can also check out the Bryn Mawr essay prompts on the Common App writing requirements. You might also look at the Coalition App essays for inspiration on your Common App essay. However, Bryn Mawr requires applicants to apply using the Common Application, so make sure your personal statement is as strong as it can be. 

Why Bryn Mawr essay prompt

The Bryn Mawr writing supplement doesn’t consist of multiple required Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays. However, there is an optional why school essay to which students should respond. 

Let’s check out the why this college essay prompt for Bryn Mawr.

This is a pretty standard why this college essay prompt. It’s straightforward and to the point. You’ll likely encounter various why this college essay prompts in your college application journey, so it’s important to know how to write this type of essay. Additionally, if you want to know how to get into Bryn Mawr, you should start by unpacking why you want to attend Bryn Mawr College specifically. That way you can explicitly demonstrate your interest in attending Bryn Mawr in your application. 

Firstly, you’ll want to do ample research on the school and hone in on what specifically about Bryn Mawr has caught your attention. What programs, clubs, or classes would you take advantage of? Generic Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays won’t impress admissions, so be sure to get specific!

Now let’s check out the second of the Bryn Mawr essays. 

While applicants should write both Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays, this is technically the only required school-specific essay. This prompt is unique—quite the opposite of the why Bryn Mawr essay prompt, which is a standard why school essay. This means that Admissions wants applicants to get creative with their responses. 

We’ll get into how to respond to this prompt later, but the most important part is showing how you care about your community (whether global or local). In that sense, the prompt is quite similar to other college essays that focus on community or social impact. Likewise, you’ll need to get specific with the cause you take on as well as the superpower that will allow you to eradicate it. 

Bryn Mawr writing supplement length

When completing your application, you’ll end up writing three Bryn Mawr essays: a personal statement, a why school essay, and the required Bryn Mawr supplemental essay. Each of the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays has a different word length, as does the personal statement. Meeting the requirements is of utmost importance when it comes to submitting the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays. 

So, let’s check out the Bryn Mawr essays and their unique word limits: 

• Common App personal statement: 250-650 words
• Why Bryn Mawr optional essay: 250 words maximum
• Bryn Mawr required supplemental essay: 250-500 words

When it comes to meeting the word count of the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays, you’ll want to stay organized. Follow this process when writing to meet the word counts for your Bryn Mawr essays, or any college essays for that matter.

With short answer essays, you’ll want to be concise. This doesn’t mean writing bland Bryn Mawr essays. Rather, it means making every word count! The why Bryn Mawr essay is the only short response essay. The other Bryn Mawr essays give you more words to play with. Don’t try to use all the words if you don’t need to, however, your essays should be robust and utilize the space you have wisely. 

How to write a Bryn Mawr supplemental essay

There are plenty of ways to write each of the Bryn Mawr essays. Let’s first look at the prompt for the required Bryn Mawr writing supplement.

Responding to the Required Bryn Mawr Essay Prompt

The desire to make a positive impact in the world is among the qualities that unite Bryn Mawr students.  If you were granted a superpower that allowed you to eradicate one social inequity overnight, what would your cause be and why? (250-500 words)

This is an interesting prompt because it allows students to do a couple of things: get creative and share what they care about. When approaching this essay, think about a social inequity that is important to you. Try to steer clear of clichés that hold no meaning to you. Think about things that impact your local community or anything else that you can relate to personally. 

Even if you choose to write about something that isn’t necessarily personal, make it so. Of course, you should always be genuine and authentic when writing college essays. Simply show why you care about this issue. Is it related to your intended career path? Have you had a personal experience with it? Or does it simply pull at your heartstrings? As long as you show through your writing why you would aim to eradicate this social inequity, with a superpower, then you’re in good shape! You might even consider touching on women’s rights or feminist issues. As an all-women’s institution, these issues are at the forefront of the school’s values. But, keep it genuine, not generic!

Answer all parts of the prompt

As with all of the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays, be sure to answer all parts of the prompt. In this case, that means explaining the social inequity, why you’ve chosen to eradicate this cause, and how you’d do so (with a superpower of your choice). If you’re ever stuck, simply make sure you are capturing the “why” – why this issue, why this superpower, and why the two are related.

Don’t shy away from creativity here! The Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays are an opportunity to show off your writing abilities. Feel free to respond creatively and engagingly! You’ve got a decent amount of words to use so don’t feel limited by the word count. With a maximum of 500 words, you have plenty of room to create an engaging narrative that comprehensively answers the prompt. 

As we’ve mentioned, there are multiple Bryn Mawr essays, however, they aren’t all required. Let’s take another look at the optional prompt.

Responding to the Optional Bryn Mawr Essay Prompt

Why are you interested in Bryn Mawr? (250 words)

This is a why school essay, meaning students have the opportunity to demonstrate their interest in Bryn Mawr. To do this effectively, you will need to discuss Bryn Mawr in specifics. If your essay could be about any school, it isn’t specific enough and won’t be compelling to the admissions team. Be sure to not only list qualities of Bryn Mawr that attract you but again, “why” they are important to you. If you’re interested in a specific tradition or program, be clear about why this is crucial to your personal development or reaching your desired goals.

Additionally, you’ll want to show how you would fit into Bryn Mawr’s campus. Look into the school’s values and demonstrate that they align with your own. Keep in mind that college fit goes both ways. So, show Bryn Mawr you want them, but also that they should want you!

Does Bryn Mawr care about essays?

To put it simply, yes! The admissions officers at Bryn Mawr absolutely care about your Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays. The Bryn Mawr essays are a way for you to share valuable information about yourselves directly with admissions officers—information that they wouldn’t otherwise have. And, as a leading liberal arts institution in the nation, Bryn Mawr values writing abilities. 

Bryn Mawr Admissions uses a holistic review process when evaluating applicants which means they care about much more than just grades. They want to know what you’ll bring to the campus community as an individual and a peer. And, the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays are an excellent way to show what perspectives, beliefs, passions, interests, and skills you might bring to the school.

Colleges also want to see applicants who are passionate about learning. They want their students to succeed well beyond their undergraduate years at school. Additionally, Bryn Mawr wants to admit students who are actively engaged in their communities. They want students who “live with a purpose”. If you remember the Bryn Mawr essay prompts, they allow you to show just how much you care about engaging with societal issues. 

In summary, the Bryn Mawr essays are an important part of the Bryn Mawr admissions holistic evaluation process. Therefore, take them seriously and give them the attention they deserve. 

Other Bryn Mawr College application requirements

The Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays aren’t the only application requirements you’ll need to submit when applying. While the application will be submitted via the Common App by the deadline of your choice, you’ll need to make sure that you have all of the Bryn Mawr requirements, in addition to the Bryn Mawr essays. 

Here are the Bryn Mawr requirements: 

• Common Application
• Byrn Mawr writing supplement
• Official transcripts
• Two teacher recommendations
• School counselor recommendation
• Mid-year report

Additionally, there are some optional materials that you may choose to include to bolster your Bryn Mawr application: 

• Standardized test results
• Interview
• Art supplement
• Financial aid application

Remember that writing the most amazing Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays won’t matter if you don’t submit all of the required materials by the deadline of your choice. So, be sure to start early! You can start working on your Bryn Mawr application via the Common Application as early as August 1^st!

Bryn Mawr Supplemental Essays: 5 Essay Tips

Stand-out Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays could be the difference between an acceptance or a rejection letter. However, that doesn’t mean you should panic about writing the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays. On the contrary, get excited about the opportunity you have with the Bryn Mawr essays to share more about yourself with Admissions. 

Use these 5 tips to write your best Bryn Mawr essays: 

The Bryn Mawr writing supplement is an important part of the Bryn Mawr requirements. Be sure to follow these tips when responding to the Bryn Mawr essay prompts. Even though there aren’t multiple required Bryn Mawr supplemental essays, you should respond to each of the Bryn Mawr essay prompts as though they are required. 

The Bryn Mawr essay prompts allow students to share another part of themselves with the admissions team. Think carefully about what experiences, values, beliefs, or skills you’d like to share. Consider how they will add to your application as a whole. Remember that each of the Bryn Mawr supplemental essays should complement each other, creating a complete picture of who you are and what you’d bring to campus.

If you think you need extra guidance with the Bryn Mawr writing supplement, feel free to reach out for help. Talk to counselors, teachers, parents, or a trusted advisor. The experts at CollegeAdvisor.com are happy to help you along your college application whether it’s writing the Bryn Mawr supplemental essays or completing any of the other Bryn Mawr requirements. And, don’t forget to use the free resources available on our website. There are plenty of college essay writing guides that will give helpful tips and advice that you can apply to the Bryn Mawr writing supplement. Good luck and happy writing!

This essay guide was written by Sarah Kaminski. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.