Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
Colorado School of Mines supplemental essays.
All 2 essay questions Colorado School of Mines asks this year, word for word, with the word limits and how to approach each one.
Checked against mines.edu and the Common App application on October 17, 2026
What you write: Both optional but strongly recommended, 30–250 words each.
Your element
What element on the periodic table best represents you and why?
Optional, but Mines strongly recommends it.
How to approach it
- Take the question seriously enough to play with it.
- Let your answer show how you think.
- Keep it honest under the fun.
Why be an Oredigger
Why do you want to be an Oredigger? You can share what you want to study, your future involvement and activities, or anything else about the Mines experience that excites you.
Optional, but Mines strongly recommends it.
How to approach it
- Name things you could only find at this college: a class, a professor, a program, a tradition.
- Tie every detail to something true about you.
- Swap test: if another college’s name fits your sentence, it’s too general.
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