Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
Texas A&M University supplemental essays.
All 7 essay questions Texas A&M University asks this year, word for word, with the word limits and how to approach each one.
Checked against admissions.tamu.edu on October 17, 2026
What you write: Answer the essay, the 250-word short answer and all four 100-word short answers. The last one is optional.
Tell us your story
Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?
How to approach it
- Pick one moment and stay there. Readers remember a scene, not a summary.
- Spend at least a third of the essay on what you thought and how you changed.
- Read it out loud. If a line doesn’t sound like you, it isn’t done yet.
A life event that prepared you
Describe a life event which you feel has prepared you to be successful in college.
How to approach it
- Keep the hard part short. Most of the essay is what you did next.
- Show the steps you took, with real details.
- End with what you understand now that you didn’t before.
Your life goals
In a few words, what are some of your life goals and objectives?
How to approach it
- Every word counts. Cut warm-up phrases like “I believe that”.
- Specific beats impressive: a real song, a real food, a real place.
- It’s fine to be funny if that’s you.
Why your major
In a few words, why have you chosen your academic major(s)?
How to approach it
- Every word counts. Cut warm-up phrases like “I believe that”.
- Specific beats impressive: a real song, a real food, a real place.
- It’s fine to be funny if that’s you.
Why Texas A&M
We know you have a lot of options. In a few words, why did you choose to apply to Texas A&M?
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.
Plans beyond a bachelor's
Briefly describe any educational plans you have beyond earning your bachelor’s degree.
How to approach it
- Every word counts. Cut warm-up phrases like “I believe that”.
- Specific beats impressive: a real song, a real food, a real place.
- It’s fine to be funny if that’s you.
Optional: anything else
Are there experiences or opportunities that have shaped or influenced your abilities or academic record, which you have not already written about?
How to approach it
- Pick one moment and stay there. Readers remember a scene, not a summary.
- Spend at least a third of the essay on what you thought and how you changed.
- Read it out loud. If a line doesn’t sound like you, it isn’t done yet.
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