Princeton University Supplemental Essay Guide
Applying to Princeton means showing them a complete picture of who you are, beyond just grades and test scores. The supplemental essays are your chance to prove you'll enrich their unique campus life.
Prompt 1: Community and Perspective
Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff, and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. Reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall, or other campus spaces.
What it means:
This question asks how your background and experiences shape the way you think and interact. Princeton wants to know what lessons you’ve learned and how you’ll bring your voice to their community.
Ask yourself:
What experiences shaped my values or worldview?
How have you developed the skill of understanding or listening to diverse perspectives?
What unique insights or lessons can I share with others?
How will I contribute to conversations at Princeton?
Tip:
Focus on one or two moments that show how you’ve grown from interacting with others. Show openness, empathy, and curiosity.
Prompt 2: Service and Responsibility
Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?
What it means:
This is about how you give back — how you care for your community and make an impact. Princeton values students who act on their beliefs and take initiative.
Ask yourself:
What’s one way I’ve served others or contributed to my community?
What motivated me to get involved?
What did I learn from that experience?
How do I hope to continue serving at Princeton or beyond?
Tip:
You don’t need a huge project. Even small acts — such as mentoring, helping, or organizing — can demonstrate leadership and care.
Prompt 3: New Skill
What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
What it means:
This is a short, fun question. Princeton wants to see your curiosity and your willingness to explore new things.
Ask yourself:
What skill would challenge or excite me?
Why is this skill important to me?
How could this skill connect to my future or personal growth?
Tip:
Be honest and creative — whether it’s learning coding, pottery, or public speaking, just show enthusiasm for learning.
Prompt 4: What Brings You Joy
What brings you joy?
What it means:
This question helps Princeton see your personality and what lights you up. It’s not about achievements — it’s about what makes you happy.
Ask yourself:
What moments make me feel most alive or content?
Who or what brings me happiness in my daily life?
How do I share that joy with others?
Tip:
Keep it simple and genuine. A small, meaningful answer often feels more real than something grand.
Prompt 5: The Soundtrack of Your Life
What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?
What it means:
This short prompt lets you be creative. Princeton wants to hear your voice and get a glimpse of your mood, personality, or values through music.
Ask yourself:
What song best describes how I feel right now?
What story or meaning does that song hold for me?
How does it reflect where I am in life?
Tip:
Choose a song that connects to your story — not just one you like. Add a short explanation to show why it matters.
Prompt 6 (A.B. or Undecided Applicants): Academic Interests
What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests?
What it means:
This prompt is about your academic curiosity. Princeton wants to know what you love to learn and how their programs match your interests.
Ask yourself:
What subject or topic excites me most?
How have I explored that interest so far?
What specific Princeton courses, professors, or opportunities interest me?
How will studying this help me achieve my goals?
Tip:
Be specific — mention something unique about Princeton that fits your interests.
Prompt 7 (B.S.E. Applicants): Engineering Interest
Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton.
What it means:
Princeton wants to understand your motivation for pursuing engineering — and how their program supports your goals.
Ask yourself:
What inspired my interest in engineering?
How have I applied or explored this interest?
What part of Princeton’s engineering program excites me most?
How do I hope to use my skills in the future?
Tip:
Show how your curiosity connects with Princeton’s hands-on and collaborative learning style.
Bringing It All Together
Even though these prompts cover different parts of your life, they should tell one consistent story about you — your curiosity, your character, and your values.
Show how your experiences, your joy, your goals, and your curiosity all connect. Let your answers reveal a student who is excited to learn, grow, and contribute — at Princeton and beyond.
Write honestly, be specific, and let your true self come through. That’s what Princeton is looking for.
Your ideas, experiences, and passions matter. With Success Admissions Center, you’ll craft essays that are authentic, memorable, and reflective of your curiosity and growth.
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