2026–27 Common App cycle · Davidson, NC
Davidson College supplemental essays
2 prompts, 2 required, about 600 words in total. Below: each prompt, what it is really asking, where drafts go wrong, and the shape of an answer that works.
Free, no card. Paste a draft and Admitify reads it line by line against the prompt. It never writes for you.
The prompts, one by one
- Why Davidson?250-300 words · Why us
“There are just under 4,000 4-year colleges and universities in the United States. Being as specific as possible, what interests you most about Davidson College?”
What it's really askingNot "why is Davidson College good" but "what will you do here that you can't do elsewhere, and what in your past proves you'll actually do it." The reader already knows the school is good.
Where drafts go wrongOpening with the campus, the ranking or the "world-renowned faculty." Every sentence that would survive with another school's name swapped in is wasted. Listing three programs with no explanation of any of them is the second trap.
The shape of a strong answerStart with the specific thing you've already been doing. Name one or two concrete Davidson College resources (a course, a lab, a program, a professor's actual work) and say what you'd do with each. End on the next step, not on a compliment.
- Curiosity essay250-300 words · Intellectual curiosity
“Davidson encourages students to explore curiosities in and out of the classroom. What is a topic, activity or idea that excites you? Tell us why. Examples may include hobbies, books, interactions, music, podcasts, movies, etc.”
What it's really askingWhether you think about things when nobody is grading you. Davidson College wants a specific idea, question or project and the way your mind moved through it.
Where drafts go wrongName-dropping a big topic (AI, climate, quantum) and describing it instead of your own thinking about it. Essays that could have been written from the Wikipedia page.
The shape of a strong answerOne specific question or thing you made. The wrong turns and what you tried next. What you still don't know. Curiosity reads as unfinished; that's the point.
Every US applicant also writes the Common App personal statement: 650 words, seven prompts. Don't repeat it here; the supplements are for what the statement didn't show.
A self-check before you submit
Cover the school name and read the essay. Then cover your name and read it again. It should fail the first test (it only makes sense for Davidson College) and pass the second (only you could have written it). If it passes the first test, it's a brochure. If it fails the second, it's a template.
Run your draft through Admitify, free →Prompts verified September 2026 against Davidson College's published application. Admission facts and requirements for Davidson College are on its university page. Spotted a change? Tell us.