2026–27 application cycle
Wellesley College supplemental essays
Every writing prompt on the Wellesley College application, with word limits. All of it taken from the application itself. One prompt.
- Prompt 1Required400 words max
Building bridges
Wellesley students actively seek ways to build bridges and to change the world for the better. Tell us about an experience working with and alongside people of different backgrounds and/or perspectives from your own. Why was this important to you, and what lessons from this will you bring with you to Wellesley?
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 Wellesley College require?
Wellesley 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 Wellesley College supplemental essays?
Word limits across the listed prompts add up to about 400 words. Budget real time for them. Supplements are where admissions sees your real interest in Wellesley College.
Do the Wellesley 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 Wellesley 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.