2026–27 application cycle · via common_app
Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays
Every writing prompt on the Bryn Mawr College application, with word limits. All of it taken from the application itself. One prompt.
- Prompt 1Required500 words max
A truth about yourself
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?
How to approach it
Here, specific beats important. A small, true community described from the inside beats a broad label. Write it as someone who was there, not as an observer. End on what you carry into a campus, not on a moral.
Common questions
What do students ask about these essays?
How many essays does Bryn Mawr College require?
Bryn Mawr College lists 1 writing supplement for the 2026–27 cycle, all required. That’s on top of the main personal statement.
How long are the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays?
Word limits across the listed prompts add up to about 500 words. Budget real time for them. Supplements are where admissions sees your real interest in Bryn Mawr College.
Do the Bryn Mawr College supplemental essays matter?
Yes, and more so at the hardest schools to get into. Grades and scores put you in the pool. Supplements are one of the few places you control what the reader learns about you. A generic why-us essay is one of the most common mistakes students make.
What Spike does with this
Get help planning Bryn Mawr College essays.
Spike helps you tie each prompt to something you’ve actually lived. It helps you outline and revise, and it won’t write the essay for you.
The full counselor launches in November.