How should I approach writing supplemental essays using advice from College Essay Guy?

It’s totally understandable to feel overwhelmed; many seniors feel this way with supplements, especially if you’re aiming for authenticity and want to avoid repetitive answers. College Essay Guy’s brainstorming activities—like his Values Exercise, ‘I Love’ List, and the Feelings and Needs Exercise—are super popular for a reason: they help you uncover stories and details specific to you. However, using his methods for supplements works best if you tweak them for the different question types.

For 'Why Us?' prompts, start by researching the school extensively—dig into courses, clubs, campus culture, and unique opportunities. A College Essay Guy-style brainstorm can help you note what excites you about academics, activities, and community values that are specific to that institution. Try listing specific classes, professors, or on-campus experiences you would genuinely look forward to. Then, pair those specifics with parts of your identity or experiences (maybe from your Values Exercise) to create a strong, school-specific connection. For example, if one of your core values is curiosity and you love museum work, you could write about the university’s museum internship program and how it matches both your interests and values. Be sure your answer couldn’t just be swapped into any school’s application.

For 'community' or 'how you will contribute' prompts, College Essay Guy’s tools are especially relevant. You might use the ‘I Love’ List or brainstorm defining moments when you helped shape a group, supported a peer, or learned from a different culture. Focus on a small but meaningful story, then zoom out to show how that informs the kind of community member you’ll be on campus. For example, if you organized a small lunchtime poetry club in high school to bring shy students together, describe that moment and explain how you'll bring a similar spirit to a school’s fledgling creative writing group.

To avoid repetition, use his brainstorms as starting points, but don’t just copy-paste ideas between supplements. Let each school’s prompt and culture guide which details feel most authentic and relevant. Many students find that using these exercises leads to more specific, personal answers, as long as you remain present in each prompt—think about what each school genuinely wants to know about you, and share details that fit the question, even if they change from essay to essay.

When you review your drafts, ask: Would this answer make sense for a different school? If so, add more specifics or tie in another personal value. And if you’re worried about sounding forced, read your work aloud—if it doesn’t sound like you in conversation, try simplifying your language.

In short, College Essay Guy’s strategies are super useful for supplements, but they should be adapted to the prompt and school as much as possible. Personal moments and specific school connections are your friends here. Good luck—you’ve got this!