bryn mawr supplemental essay 2023

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

Bryn mawr college admission quick facts.

• Bryn Mawr College Acceptance Rate: 31%— U.S. News ranks Bryn Mawr College as #30 on its National Liberal Arts Colleges list. 
• 1 optional (~250 word) Bryn Mawr supplemental essay
• 1 required (~250-500 word) Bryn Mawr supplemental essay
• Bryn Mawr Application: Students must submit their application via the Common App . As such, your Bryn Mawr essays will include the Common App personal statement. 
• Early Decision I: November 15
• Early Decision II: January 1
• Regular Decision: January 15
• Bryn Mawr College Essay Tip : Successful Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays will show not only your personality and writing style, but also why you would be a valuable addition to the school. Be sure to be authentic when writing the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays. But, most importantly, show the unique perspective you’d bring to campus when responding to the Bryn Mawr essay prompts. 

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.

Bryn Mawr College Essay Prompt #1

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

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. 

Bryn Mawr College Essay Prompt #2

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)

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.

Tips for Writing Your Bryn Mawr Essays

1. brainstorm.

Choosing your topic is the most important part of your essay. Of course, you need to answer the Bryn Mawr essay prompts, however, there are many routes in which you can take to do so. Brainstorm possible college essay topics and choose the one that excites you most to write about. 

2. Freewrite

Once you’ve more or less decided what anecdotes or experiences you want to share in your Bryn Mawr essays, forget about the word count—well, just for ten minutes. Write without stopping for ten minutes straight. You’ll be able to see what works and doesn’t when you reread, and it will likely give you a clearer path to a cohesive essay. 

Now think about the word count and plan accordingly. To start, you’ll want to have a hook. And, you’ll need to be detailed. No generic responses will make for impressive Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays. If you go over the word count, that’s okay! You can always edit down extraneous information later on, which brings us to…

4. Revise, rewrite, and final edit

By this point, you’ll need to make sure your essay is close to the word count and that it effectively answers the prompt. You may need to make some minor tweaks, but for the most part, you’re applying useful feedback and making your last edits.

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

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

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
• 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: 

Five Tips for Writing Bryn Mawr Essays

1. start early.

You’ll want to have plenty of time to make sure that you can write the best essays possible. This means brainstorming, drafting, revising, rewriting, and doing it all over again! The writing process takes time. So, plan to start writing the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays way ahead of the deadline!

2. Be authentic

Admissions officers can tell when an essay reads with the sole intention of impressing them. Of course, all college essays aim to impress admissions officers. However, that doesn’t mean that you are simply writing things you think they want to read. Truly be genuine with your responses to the Bryn Mawr essay prompts. Remember that essays are a unique insight into who you are, what you value, and what you want to gain from your college education. So, dig deep and get real with your writing!

3. Answer every part of the prompt

This may seem obvious but it can be easy to get caught up in your essay and forget to fully answer all parts of the prompt. To avoid doing this, read the prompt before reading your essay draft. Make sure you tick all of the boxes when it comes to answering the prompt comprehensively. 

4. Get feedback

It can be easy to get absorbed in the college essay writing process. You may be overwhelmed and feel like you can no longer objectively evaluate your writing. This is when you can (and should!) call in reinforcements to help you with the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays. Look to your guidance counselors, English teachers, family members, or college advisors to give you some feedback on your writing. Revise your essay accordingly, but be sure to maintain your unique voice!

5. Show off your writing abilities

Bryn Mawr is a small liberal arts school that values students’ abilities to explain themselves through writing. Likely, many of your courses will be essay-heavy and require plenty of writing. Therefore, take the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays as an opportunity to show your ease with the written word. Get creative and have some fun with your responses—as long as you comprehensively answer the prompt, anything goes!

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.

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Bryn Mawr College 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

You Have: 

Bryn Mawr College 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250-500 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community

Bryn Mawr students bring their authentic selves to campus. What do you know about yourself to be true—and what in your background or experience led you to that truth? (250-500 words)

With this prompt, Bryn Mawr is trying to learn something about you, your background, and your experiences that may not have come through in the rest of your application. They’re looking to admit thoughtful students with unique perspectives who will enrich the diversity of their campus cohort. So, as you approach this prompt, think about what has made you you . What experiences or aspects of your culture, identity, upbringing, or interests have shaped who you are today? Maybe you’re the child of Ukrainian immigrants and have used your bilingual skills to support refugee students at your school, leading you to an interest in international aid. Perhaps you grew up in a family that values debate over the dinner table and have learned to assiduously research and defend your opinions. Whatever personal characteristics you choose to highlight, make sure you tell a story about how you discovered this truth about yourself. 

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Your college search has led you here, to this very page—let's start your application.

Hello future Mawrter!

We accept the Common Application (which opens on August 1) and we don't have an application fee.

First, choose your decision plan

Remember, your admissions and financial aid applications are due at the same time.

Application Deadline: November 15

Early Decision is a great option for students who are ready to make a personal and financial commitment to Bryn Mawr. These application plans are binding and students admitted under Early Decision are required to enroll at Bryn Mawr. While this is great for students who have a solid understanding of our community and their family’s financial aid eligibility, it is not the best option for everyone. If you are still unsure where you belong in the fall or if you want to compare multiple financial aid packages, you should consider applying Regular Decision.

Application Deadline: January 1

Application Deadline: January 15

Regular Decision is a great option for students who don’t have a clear first-choice college or who may need to compare different financial aid packages.

Application Deadline: March 1

Bryn Mawr welcomes students who have started their college journey at another institution to apply for fall admission each year.

First-Year Student

If you are a high school senior or are currently on a gap year after graduating from high school, you can apply to Bryn Mawr as a first-year student.

International Student

Bryn Mawr is a global community where 13% of undergraduates are non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Transfer Student

Students change paths for many reasons. If you started your college journey elsewhere, you can still apply to Bryn Mawr as a transfer student.

McBride Scholar

Katharine E. McBride Scholars are non-traditional age students (generally 24 years or older) who did not complete a Bachelor's degree.

Submit your application

Now that you've chosen a decision plan and reviewed the requirements, you can get started on your application. We accept the Common Application and we don't have an application fee.

START YOUR APPLICATION

If you are applying for financial aid, your materials are due at the same time as your admissions application. All applicants are required to submit the CSS Profile and accompanying tax information, and domestic applicants are also required to submit the FAFSA. Questions? Check out our financial aid application instructions  or contact our office at [email protected] .

While interviews are not required*, we strongly encourage you to interview if you can. Interviews help us learn more about you beyond your transcript and your essays. It’s also a great time to ask questions about Bryn Mawr from a member of the community.

Interviews must be completed  by the deadline under which you are applying . Interviews for rising seniors will begin in June. 

*We reserve the right to require an interview for students who are homeschooled, graduating early, or attending online school.

Early Decision I applicants can expect to receive an admissions decision in late December, while Early Decision II applicants will receive a decision in mid-February. Regular Decision applicants will receive their admissions decisions in mid-March.

Transfer and McBride Scholar applicants will receive an admissions decision in mid-April.

Still Have Questions?

You've come to the right place—here are questions we often get from applicants.

Yes, we are standardized test-optional for all applicants. If you're an international applicant, you'll still need to submit English proficiency results. Be sure to review our testing policy for all the details.

No.* While we do not require interviews, we do strongly recommend them as they can be a great opportunity to share more about yourself beyond your application materials and learn more about Bryn Mawr.

*We reserve the right to require an interview for students who attend homeschool or online school, or are graduating early.

You must apply for aid from the College as a first-year student to be considered for institutional aid during any of your four years at the College. To be considered for institutional aid from the College as a first-year student, your response to the Financial Aid Intent question on the Common Application must be “Yes." 

You may apply and will be considered for federal aid every year whether or not you applied for institutional aid as a first-year student.

Students admitted to Bryn Mawr College as first-time undergraduate students are automatically considered for the Bryn Mawr Merit Scholarship; no additional application is required. Applicants are evaluated using Bryn Mawr’s holistic admission review process, which takes numerous factors into consideration including but not limited to academic coursework and performance, involvement in school and community, leadership qualities, letters of recommendation, quality and content of writing, and potential to contribute in meaningful ways to the Bryn Mawr community.

Students may receive a Bryn Mawr Merit Scholarship even with no demonstrated financial need. Merit scholarships may be awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Scholarships are non-negotiable and only awarded at the time of admission. Merit scholarships up to $45,000 per year are awarded for a maximum of eight semesters and renewable provided that the student is enrolled full-time at Bryn Mawr. 80 percent of our students receive some type of financial aid. Bryn Mawr is committed to meeting 100 percent of demonstrated need. Visit the  Financial Aid website  to learn more about the College’s funding policies.

Yes. Bryn Mawr College awards need-based financial aid to international students which may consist of grants, loans, and campus employment. The College meets the full demonstrated need for all admitted students and there is a great deal of competition for these funds. Learn more about financial aid .

No. Bryn Mawr College is need-sensitive. This means that the amount of aid a student requests of the College may affect the admission decision. This is because Bryn Mawr has a limited pool of resources, yet is also committed to meeting full demonstrated need for all admitted students. Once admissibility is determined, funds are distributed until the financial aid budget has been depleted. If there are places remaining in the class, a student's request for aid may determine if they are admitted or not.

Bryn Mawr College does not discriminate on the basis of national origin or citizenship in our admissions process. In addition, Bryn Mawr makes admissions decisions from a global perspective and does not separate the pool into “international” and “domestic” for the purposes of making those decisions. Bryn Mawr also meets full demonstrated financial need for all students who are eligible, including undocumented students. Learn more about admissions and financial aid resources for Undocu+ students.

Yes. The Bryn Mawr supplement is an additional component to the Common Application. The core of the supplement is the essay which will help the Admissions Committee learn more about your interest in the College--it also provides another opportunity for you to showcase your writing skills. The Bryn Mawr supplement can be found on the Common Application website.

We recommend that prospective students think carefully about Early Decision. Early Decision at Bryn Mawr is binding, which means that if admitted, you must enroll at the College. Students applying Early should consider Bryn Mawr as their first and only college choice. In addition, students admitted under an Early Decision plan are required to withdraw applications from other colleges and universities.

No. We can consider your application with a minimum of 1 full-time term (or 4 individual courses) of completed college-level work.

Questions for our admissions team? Call our office at (610) 526-5152 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday or email us at [email protected] .