Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
Swarthmore College supplemental essays.
All 2 essay questions Swarthmore College asks this year, word for word, with the word limits and how to approach each one.
Checked against swarthmore.edu on October 17, 2026
What you write: Answer both, up to 250 words each.
Your identity and navigating differences
What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own.
How to approach it
- Say plainly what the community is.
- Show your place in it with one real scene.
- End with what you’d bring to campus.
A topic that fascinated you
Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring?
How to approach it
- Start with the moment the interest began.
- Show what you’ve already done about it: a class, a project, a book, a job.
- Say where you want to take it, even if you’re not sure yet.
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