Essay guide · 2026–27 cycle
Short-answer questions
These are read fast, often all together, to answer one question: did a real person write this application? They are not a place to be impressive and not a place to be quirky on purpose. Both read as effort. The right answer is the specific, concrete thing you would actually say out loud.
No card. Paste a draft and Admitify reads it line by line against the question it has to answer. It never writes for you.
What the question is really asking
Personality in a sentence or two. These are read fast, often together, to see whether a real person wrote the application.
Trying to be impressive in 50 words, or trying to be quirky on purpose. Both read as effort. Repeating something already in your other essays.
Answer the literal question with one concrete, specific detail you'd actually say out loud. Short sentences. One thing, not three. If it makes a friend smile, it's right.
How to write it, in order
Answer the literal question. If it asks for three things, give three things, not an essay about the number three.
Pick the detail you would tell a friend, not the one you would tell an interviewer.
Use short sentences. One idea per answer. Fifty words is two or three sentences, not a compressed paragraph.
Read all your short answers in a row. Together they should sound like one person with a range, not the same point five times.
Do not repeat anything from your longer essays. These are for what did not fit.
Before you submit
- Each answer could be said out loud without embarrassment.
- No answer is trying to be funny; some may happen to be.
- No achievements appear that are already on the activities list.
- Read together, they cover different sides of you.
- Every answer is under the limit with room to spare.
Every school that asks it
17 schools, 32 prompts. Click a school for all of its supplements, word counts and a prompt-by-prompt guide. Schools marked with a cycle year show last year's wording; the 2026–27 version was not yet published when verified.
- Harvard Universityup to 150 words
“Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.”
- Princeton Universityup to 50 words
“What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?”
- Princeton Universityup to 50 words
“What brings you joy?”
- Princeton Universityup to 50 words
“What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?”
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology40-50 words
“What do you do just for fun?”
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology40-50 words
“Who is someone you admire, whether you know them personally or look up to them from afar? Tell us why.”
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology40-50 words
“What's a topic, academic or non-academic, that you could talk about for hours?”
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology40-50 words
“MIT values both "generalists" with varied interests and "specialists" who focus deeply on one or a few passions. Which do you think best describes you, and why?”
- Stanford University3-50 words
“What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed?”
- Stanford University3-50 words
“List five things that are important to you.”
- Stanford University100-250 words
“Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate—and us—get to know you better.”
- Yale Universityup to 35 words
“What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application?”
- Cornell Universityup to 100 words
“What brings you joy?”
- Cornell Universityup to 100 words
“What is one award you have received or achievement you have attained that has meant the most to you? Please briefly describe its importance to you.”
- University of Southern Californiano stated word limit
“What is your favorite snack?”
- University of Southern Californiano stated word limit
“If your life had a theme song, what would it be?”
- University of Southern Californiano stated word limit
“Which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate?”
- Tufts University100-200 words
“Tell us about one of your favorite school assignments in the past two years. What was the assignment and why did you enjoy it?”
- Colgate Universityup to 13 words
“Complete the following statements (each response should be no more than 13 words): I am fascinated by… / My favorite book, movie, or television show is… / The person I admire most is… / In the future, I hope to… / One historical figure I would like to meet is… / My favorite food is… / One thing I would change is… / My favorite place is… / I am the best version of myself when… / Something that has changed my perspective is… / I am seeking a community that… / My favorite family/community/cultural tradition is… / I am drawn to Colgate University because…”
- University of Notre Dame50-100 words
“What would you fight for?”
- Wake Forest Universityno stated word limit
“Give us your Top Ten list. (The choice of theme is yours.)”
- University of Marylandno stated word limit
“My favorite thing about last Tuesday was…”
- University of Marylandno stated word limit
“Something you might not know about me is…”
- Cornell Collegeup to 100 words
“What brings you joy?”
- Cornell Collegeup to 100 words
“What is one award you have received or achievement you have attained that has meant the most to you? Please briefly describe its importance to you.”
- University of Oklahomaup to 100 words
“Please briefly explain your meaningful international experience.”
- Dickinson Collegeup to 50 words · 2025-26
“What is something new that you'd like to experience, learn or try that might surprise your friends and family?”
- Dickinson Collegeup to 50 words · 2025-26
“What are the qualities that make you proud to be you?”
- Stevens Institute of Technology24 characters each words · 2025-26
“Stevens Institute of Technology's motto is 'Inspired by humanity, powered by technology.' Now it's your turn to let us know what inspires and powers you. Inspired by: _____ (maximum 24 characters) Powered by: _____ (maximum 24 characters)”
- Elon University75 characters each words · 2025-26
“Name three songs from your perfect playlist.”
- Elon University100 characters each words · 2025-26
“Tell us your top 5. Take this opportunity to let Elon Admissions know more about you. Your top 5 should be something unique to you and will give us a glimpse of who you are. Be creative!”
- Elon Universityup to 150 words · 2025-26
“Explain why these are your top 5:”
Common questions
- Can I be funny in short answers?
- If it is how you actually talk, yes. If you are reaching for a joke, the reach shows. Specific and true usually lands better than clever.
- How do I answer the roommate prompt?
- Write it to the roommate, not the admissions office. Habits, small things you care about, what living with you is like. Stanford's version works best when it reads like a note stuck to a door.
- Do short answers really matter?
- They rarely get you in alone, but they are often where a reader decides whether the rest of the file was written by a person. Treat them as the last thing a tired reader sees.
Prompts verified September 2026 against each school's published application. Browse all schools A–Z. Spotted a change? Tell us.