What are some tips for tackling the Occidental College supplemental essays?

Great question! Occidental’s supplemental essays are definitely known for being creative and open-ended, which means they’re looking for thoughtful, specific, and genuine responses that reveal who you are—not just what you’ve achieved.

A good first step is to read each prompt carefully and jot down the first few ideas or stories that come to mind. Then, try to dig deeper: what experiences, moments, or interests really capture your personality or show how you think? For Occidental, standing out often comes from sharing something truly personal—even if it feels a bit quirky or niche.

When brainstorming, consider moments when you took initiative, challenged your own assumptions, or learned something unexpected about yourself or your community. These stories tend to resonate because they’re unique to you. For example, instead of writing about loving biology, maybe describe a specific time you helped lead a community garden project and what surprised you about working with neighbors of different backgrounds.

Definitely do your research on Oxy: mention specific courses, professors, or programs that genuinely excite you. If you’re interested in diplomacy, for example, you could reference their Kahane United Nations Program and connect it to your passion for global issues. Authenticity is key—admissions readers can tell when you’re just name-dropping.

Try to avoid focusing on topics that are too generic or that could be written by anyone, such as vague praise for diversity or reworking a common extracurricular story. If you must write about a more common experience, focus on an unexpected moment or insight. Let’s say you play an instrument: maybe write about a single moment at a local concert that shifted your understanding of community, rather than your entire musical journey.

Finally, make sure to relate your story back to why Occidental is the right environment for you. This could mean highlighting Oxy’s commitment to civic engagement or its interdisciplinary approach—whatever truly aligns with your goals.

For me, I got specific by mentioning the Remsen Bird Hillside Theater and how the idea of outdoor Shakespeare performances felt like the perfect merging of my interests in arts and activism. That level of detail helped show admissions that I’d done my homework and had a real vision for my time at Oxy.

Overall: brainstorm for genuine moments, research Oxy’s unique offerings, be as specific as possible, and avoid the most overused essay themes unless your angle is truly one-of-a-kind. Good luck—you’ve got this!